Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

[Smilex]

Theria swings at the kobold, but the little tyke ducks avoiding the blow. At the same time he's forced to walk back into the firemist to attack the kobold.

Coccyx breathes in more of the mist and draws away unconscious Bellatrice to a corner.

Polari comes to the edge of the mist but avoids it. He shoots his crossbow at the small monster but this attack too flies over him.

Oren finally hits the kobold with the blade of thunder. The kobold takes a wound but only a minor one. It's clear this kobold isn't your average warren warrior.

The firemist dissipates around Oren and Theria, only for the mistdragon to reform next to Rik and breathe a new mistcloud, this time enveloping Rik, Oren and Geronimo.

Jaere'e breathes in more firemist and keeps coughing. He swings twice at Oren but Theria blocks the blow that hits. He curses Theria under his breath and then takes a couple of steps around Theria to get out of the mist while keeping next to her. He also ends up stepping next to Polari.

Spoiler: Initiative queue and other OOC

Show

Oren get an opportunity attack on Jaere'e

Given that a new enemy appeared next to Rik I think it's fair to have Ninja Dragon redo Rik's turn.

Rik, Geronimo and Oren are now in the firemist. Coccyx and Bellatrice are of to the side. Mistdragon is on one side of the battle next to Rik. Jaere'e is on the other side of the battle next to Polari and Theria.

15 Rik
13 Theria
12 Bellatrice
also 12 Geronimo
5 Coccyx
3 Polari

Next round

24 Oren
17 Mist dragons
16 Jaere'e

[Ninja Dragon]

Rik Silverfang Ratfolk Monk 3 AC: 16 | HP: 7/24 | HD: 1/3d8 Javelins: 5/5 | Darts: 10/10 Ki: 0/3 PP: 15 PInv: 10 PIns: 12 Conditions: none

Spoiler: OOC

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I'll never be able to use my javelins. That's the meme of my character.

For a few seconds, Rik hoped the mist dragon had been made to disappear due to the stone dragon being destroyed, but of course it wouldn't be that easy.

Being out of ki, he attacks it with his basic combo, then steps out of the fiery mist again.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Spear: (1d20+5)[18]
Damage: (2d8+3)[16]

Unarmed: (1d20+5)[22]
Damage: (1d4+3)[7]

[Smilex]

Rik spears the mistdragon, the electricity sizzles the dragon until it starts to boil and burn. It falls to the ground.

Feeling a good punch coming Rik moves to the other side of the mist, where he can stand out of it and punches Jaere'e in the face.

[Wooloo]

Oren Ratfolk Fighter 3 AC: 16 | HP: 30/31 | HD: 1/1d10 Quiver: 16 arrows Second Wind: 0/1 Action Surge: 0/1 Superiority Die: 3/4 (d8) PP: 12 PInv: 10 PIns: 12 Conditions: none

"Ha! Take that!"

Spoiler: Opportunity Attack

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Opportunity Attack!
Magic shortsword: (1d20+6)[10], damage: (1d6+4)[10]

[Bobthewizard]

Polari Human Sorcerer 3 AC: 15 (MA) | HP: 16/20 | HD: 1/3d6 PP: 12 PInv: 12 PIns: 12 Spell Slots, 1st: 3/4 2nd: 1/2 Sorcery Points: 3/5 Restore Balance: 1/2 Conditions: none

Polari moves backwards from Jaere'e. As he backs away, a white light shoots from his eyes at the kobold.

Spoiler: MAP

Show

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Action to disengage. At 10' away, he casts a quickened ray of frost.

BA to cast ray of frost.

To hit (1d20+5)[17] for (1d8)[6]

He then continues to back up his full 30' of movement.

Possible Reactions:
1. If Polari is hit and the roll is 19 or less, he will cast shield with his reaction.
2. If he is hit by 8 or more elemental damage, he will cast absorb elements.
3. If one of the players is attacked with advantage or has to attack at disadvantage, I can use a reaction to make it a normal roll.

Spoiler: Notes

Show

Geronimo, goblin bard
Professor Melange, Mentaujit
Pelonia, Abracio fleet - Rik and Oren
Sister Spinozo, Longwands - Polari and Geronimo
Heir Ermans, Sister Spinoza's boss
Rincip 'Cottonpads' - Allisog and Sakuya
Hopalloz, lost 150 years ago
Chexxa, Hopalloz outpost for arcane research
Captain Gomyabber, scouts found tunnels to Chexxa
Soulcrystal and ritual book, for collecting energy from Chexxa's forge - Polari gave them up
Nodovico, gnoll guide RIP
Namera and Pandinho, rescued Mraow (stayed behind)
Remilia, betrayed others with gnolls (all dead now)
Nyokawamtoto, dragon-thing stuck in the forge
Danifae, oracle and spear wielder
The Nip, or Disciples of Danifae have SS in a building in the territory of Affios 'Pinnails'
Doctor Coccyx and Bellatrice
Affios, stole dragon money from Pozernoa, runs Nips
Jaere'e, from Pozernoa, lives in Substratum, leader of the scions of shadow dragons.

Spoiler: Luracidon

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There's a sea under the world, the Subhadal, also called the Shining Sea. The sea is not a normal sea of water, it is full of small mycoid intelligent organisms called endzymes. These creatures claim to be everywhere in the world, among other creatures and to suffuse them with the ability of psionics.
On this sea of psionic beings sail the mraow pirates. They protect their boats with soul crystals and build cities on islands that stand out of the sea. . The greatest of these cities is Luracidon.
The mraow also protect themselves through the path of Rose Madder Eye. Rose madder is the name they give the divine force that allowed the creation of other gods to balance out the lawful good gods of the catfolk. To balance Eboncrystal, the god of law and loyalty was formed the Choice. The Choice, also called Starlight-spear is a god of nobility and leadership. Howlingstorm, the good god of artifice and toil was balanced by The Plot. The Plot is also called Twilightspider, the god of artifice and traps. To balance the Crimson Eagle, the god of strength and resolve was formed The Act. The Act is also called the Vengeful-Hand the god of war and tactics. To balance Crying Hawk, the god of Healing and Medicine was formed The Loser. The Loser, also called Soulreaper is a god of death and murder. Finally Burning-Hunter, the god of good and redemption, was balanced by The Eternal. The Eternal, also called Shadowscorpion, is the god of Glory and Legend.

The mraow gods are gods of nihilism. They enhance the real, the materialistic, the present. They help their followers focus on what the faith's adherents know is important, survival in particular.

The mraow of Luracidon are primarily followers of the Twilightspider. Their city is in the middle of things because they have planned to build a city into a place where they could achieve this. The primary force the mraow of Luracidon use is intimidation. This they do to impose their plans on each other. They play power games.

There's no particular sex discrimination among the mraow. Those who are intimidating, those with the best plots, they rule. The mraow would accept a ruler of another race. Submitting to force is just natural. Other races don't really arise to power within Luracidon because the mraow find racism useful.

The mraow dislike the show of magic. They know that magic, once spent, is lost. Therefore the mraow support implied capability of magic but consider actual use of it vulgar and stupid. The wizardly school in Luracidon is powerful and focuses on spells of divination. The schools of enchantment and abjuration are also considered acceptable while other schools of magic are scorned.

The most blessed individuals within the mraow are considered the Destined sorcerers, closely followed by the psionic soul sorcerers. Many of the best plotters in the city, those who rule cabals of one kind or another, are destined.

Sorcerer: Destined
1st level You can cast your spells without visible spell effects. If the spell's description has no visible effects, you can cast the spell without verbal or somatic (but not without material) components.
6th level You gain the lucky feat.
14th level You gain advantage to initiative rolls and you are never surprised.
18th level You gain advantage to any saving throw to avoid being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, restrained or stunned. If the spell or outher cause that would cause this condition is tied to other effects such as damage, this advantage does not help you avoid the other effects.

Plotting is the driving force in Luracidon. Plots put things and people to their place. For individuals that do not plot there are four main paths. The first and the one that surprisingly is the weakest is that of the skilled individual. Many think that great skill increases their worth. Yet for the one who plots the skilled individual is a circumstantial tool of little worth. The skilled individual is given the difficult tasks and the minor rewards. The loyal servant gets the easy path. For the plotter, the enthousiastic loyal servant is the one who has the most value. Bards are common in the loyalists. The College of eloquence is supreme and gives basic teaching to the children of the powerful.

The third path is the one of the survivor. Some learn to avoid the plots, make themselves look unattractive as a target. Plotters don't see such people as threats, for few of them think of the survivors at all. The main paths of power for this group are to become clerics or druids of spores.

The fourth path is the one most hated by plotters. It is the path of the trader and mercenary. Plotters actively aim to rid the city of them yet there is always natural demand for traders. The few traders that do survive, tend to have their efforts helped by the lack of competition. The traders employ most of the rogues in Luracidon for rogues are also hated by the people in power.

For the ones who wield power and plot, the most respectable paths to might are those of paladin of conquest, wizard, battle master or PSI knight.

For the commoner, the adventurer's path that is most supported by those in power is that of the samurai fighter. Warlocks are also plentiful, though the more powerful plotters see them as individuals of divided loyalties and hence expendable.

The powerful in Luracidon hold no slaves. The concept of ownership is in general annoying to those who plot. The idea that ownership is a higher law than the will of the plotter is repugnant. Those in power take what they choose to require. Hence, no one is slave, but everybody is expected to serve the ones more powerful than they. This service, if sufficiently good, may also be rewarded out of generosity. Slaves do exist in name as well, for the few traders that have power enough to thrive, use slaves.

The city is home to 60 000 individuals. Half of them mraow and others of subservient races. The island which holds the city would not support many more. Already the city is built in many layers over each other.

The waves of the Shining sea give a rhytm and a pulse to sea. The psionic pressure all around them is felt by perceptive and intelligent individuals. The day is divided into six sessions based on the surrounding atmosphere. The sessions are in order: Surprise, Happiness, Fear, Anger, Disgust, Sadness. Most prefer to be awake during surprise and happiness.

Most of the food of the realm is either brought in from other territories or fished in the Shining sea. The druids of spore circle also grow fungus in their gardens and teach the commoners to do similar in smaller scale.
The city is built on grounds of reason and necessity. Things of beauty are reserved for those in power. The construction is powerful and everything is built to intimidate. High walls, tough forms. There are few windows in buildings. The buildings of the powerful and in the middle of the city, built on those of lesser importance. Any signs of magic have been hid when possible.

The Mentaujit is the main place for studies of younger individuals. Mentats teach the young and between the lessons the young measure each other. The stronger pupils draw the weaker ones into gangs as is proper. Of course, to get in, one already has to have parents with a certain amount of power. The young with no parental support end up in workshops or as houseservants.

The Substratum is the lowest part of the town. It's the place of the powerless and the outsiders. The houses are small, catacomblike. The houses have low ceilings and their very existence is more for support of the upper layers than for the ones living inside. Fires are forbidden in these narrow tunnels and magical lights are frowned upon. Everything is done with the visibility given by darkvision. The substratum continues underground and some of the deeper tunnels fill with water. The only powerful organization that prefers the substratum are the druids of the circle of spores. They have barricaded a large section of the tunnelnetwork for their fungus farms.

The Web makes up the central layers of Luracidon. These layers have the attention of those in power while they don't reside there themselves. Continual light spell have been cast in many areas in this section of the city. To cover up that magic was used the lights are covered by metal grills, as if a flame was inside.

Most buildings have insignia of them. These markers imply who the building owns allegiance to - whose plot are they in on. Lines and crowds are typical sights in this layer. Instead of trading, the individuals in power just give out what they want. Their troops show their support by gathering into groups and behaving like the crowd. The powers that be don't want these crowds of their to fight for that would create loss of resource. Rather they want constant visual signs of their power on the streets.

War is the major trade of the mraow. Luracidon seeks to develop generals and strategists in particular, but they don't want war on the streets. Rather the atmosphere is that of constant preparation for war. Releasing tension is equally important to avoid conflagrations of hostilities. It's common to see groups that have opposing loyalties engaging in ritualized half-hearted sports events, dances and similar events. The most important festival is that of Repeating Drummings or just Redrum. Half the citizens may engage in simultaneous beating of drums making the whole city sway with the sound waves.
One thing of interest in the Web is the roads. The large roads go straight from ports to the towers owned by the most powerful. These roads have a network of supporting paths in the area local to the tower. Only small narrow paths unite the network of roads around one tower to that of another.

The plotters live in towers above the Web. Collectively these towers are sometimes called the Twilight zone. The name implies something that's between things. The reference is to place that's between dreams and reality, between the divine Twilight spider and servants. Even the most powerful plotters in the city see themselves as weak in comparison to how powerful their dreams can be. Even more so, they live in fear of loss, which is why they abhor change.
In the towers of the Twilight zone very little ever happens. What does, is ritualized to a level it lacks all efficiency. Even small things are accompanied by as much spectacle as possible.

Each tower defines a territory and a plot. The nature of the plots is usually best understood as a protection scheme though others might argue for the legality and justification of taxation. The nature of the person on top is rarely an issue for they are separated from all below and cloaked in idolatry and extravagance.

Some of the more powerful plotters in town are

Rincip 'Cottonpads'
The territory of Rincip has the Circle of spores, food and herbal market, the largest port as well as the Mentaujit.

Marisuale 'Saltytips'
The territory of Marisuale has a warlock pairing academy where they subordinate youngsters to various patrons [usually these are celestial, fiend, lurker in the deep, raven queen, undead or undying]. There's also a military academy for most fighter types. There's armourers, bowyers, smiths and other artisans related to military professions. The cartographer's academy is also here.

Carnacio 'Cleverone'
This territory has temples for the god of War and Tactics. Carnacio is considered by many a falling plotter. His extreme longevity and the rising violence in his territory, including the presence of the undead are all suggesting to others that Carnacio is losing the Plot. Forces outside the city keep propping him up though. This region has an active street life fuelled by the dispensation of alcohol. There's also a bardic college of valor and swords in the territory.

Erarqa 'Highpyre'
This territory has the temples for the god of Plotting. Most clerics, paladins and monks of the city live here at one point or another. This area also has colleges for city-planning, engineering, agriculture, fishing and history.

Rupacio 'Sugarskin'
This territory functions as a sanctuary for traders, at least up to a point. The temple of the God of murder resides here as well. The area is considered trashy by other plotters but so dangerous that it can't be removed.

Affios 'Pinnails'
A victorious general who returned with glorious spoils created this territory. This area is more luxurious than most, a guarded territory where many pleasures are easily available. There's a shrine for the god of Legends in this area. Affios has allowed monk orders to set up in his territory, raising general interest in becoming a monk in the city.

Enyor 'Happypaws'
A territory where wizard colleges reside. Enyor's territory also has many storehouses. The territory is at the very center of the city and has many structural supports for the city's towers. There's also a bardic college of glamour and satire.

Bernadora 'Whiskers'
Her territory is the most open to outsiders. Least courtesy is demanded and creatures of other races are accepted somewhat easily. There's a port of significant size. Many industries that are considered uncomfortable, such as dyeing are practiced here. Waste disposal is also a feature of this territory as is animal-keeping.

The power in the city is divided between plotters who generally maintain the status quo of power, the gangs which seek power through cleverness or forceful action and the traders who openly challenge the status quo.

Gangs are lower in the ranks of power than the true plotters. Yet their actions are more visible for they aim to act. In the city of plots the people with real power aim to threaten but never act. So one is much more likely to run into gangs engaged in interesting activity.

Many major gangs of the city recruit from and fight for influence in the Substratum.

The first mentionworthy gang is that of the Iron chain, a gang of heavy armor fighters and warlocks.

The second of the larger gangs is The Plagues. They seek druidic and bardic members, seemingly making them less dangerous to the city while still gaining power.

The gang called Darkweb is a religious cult, seeking purity of plotting on clerical grounds. Clerics and paladins form the main adherents.

These three are called high gangs. They exist as extensions of the ruling power block, but are viewed as corrupt in one way or another by the true powers. They are usually opposed by the low gangs that seek to challenge or even supplant the ones in power.

The fourth gang is the Hypothalassians. They are a gang of wanderers, rangers and barbarians. They aim to seize independence and to hold power in the regions surrounding Luracidon.

The gang called Impossible rise is largely made of bloodhunters and rogues. They aim to be seen as the most dangerous gang in the city with no other concerns.

The gang called Longwands is primarily a solace for wizards and sorcerers who use the more unacceptable colleges of magic.

Law is enforced variably. Each territory has their own laws. If a law is broken, the lawbreaker is expected to make good their actions of their own volition. The powers that be don't want to have to bother to actually uphold the laws. But if a lawbreaker is so obvious about how they flaunt the law, the plotters have no choice to utterly and completely destroy the lawbreaker. Such acts are plotted with the care of a dangerous military campaign. But when victory is certain, these events are turned into triumphal celebrations on the broken corpses of the guilty.

The merchant princes
There are few who dare to openly stand against the plot. Philosophically the merchant princes may see themselves as either opponents or misunderstood patrons of the city and society.

The merchant princes who see themselves as opposing the plotters are usually adherents to the cult of the Loser, the god of death and murder. With their trading they seek to create chaos and destruction in the realm. They are usually purged from the city even though they are accepted by society. Hence, the successful merchant princes of this type act beyond city walls. They're pirates and trade ship runners. They create purposeful shortages and gouge prices. They import cursed, faulty or subversive items to the city and they leave orders unfilled, anything to destroy the powers of plotting.

The other merchant princes pay homage to either the god of Nobility and leadership or the god of Legends or both. They frame themselves above and beyond plotting. They engage in trade while doing their business in ways that seem like they fit the city's standards. They call themselves the Cornecopia.

The borders of the town are the shores. Beyond the shores is the navy. The navy is large and is primarily martial in nature.

[sandmote]

Theria curses the kobold in turn, once again attempting to use her rune. She takes a moment to steady herself though, after having walked into the flame for her previous attack.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Save from last round: (1d20+5)[6]

Attack: (1d20+5)[19] (& (1d20+5)[15] based on visiblity) for (1d12+3)[9] and (1d6)[2] from Giant Might. If she manages to hit, again (2d6)[5] fire damage and a DC 13 STR save against being restrained. The fire damage repeats at the start of Jaere'e's turn, and he can repeat the save at the end of it.
Bonus Action: (1d10+3)[12] recovered from Second Wind
Reaction: I don't see any mention of Theria's cloud rune being used, so she'll move Jaere'e's first attack to the mist dragon instead. If I just missed that happening (or she can't see both) she'll intercept instead for a (1d10+2)[4] reduction.

[Smilex]

Theria smashes Jaere'e. Chains of fire appear to restrain the kobold and powerless he fights against the chains.

Geronimo moves past the firemist and blows another batch of cold from his pipes on the kobold. The cold almost freezes the kobold to death.

At the other end of the room Coccyx lays hands on Bellatrice to wake her up.
Please stop doing this.
Bellatrice answers
Do we have dragonblood?
Coccyx nods
It's all yours.

Polari takes a step back and fires a beam of frost to Jaere'e's chest. His legs in burning chains his head and chest covered in rime. He stops moving.

Geronimo says
Now that's a story of ice and fire.

Finally it's over.

In a few more seconds the firemist dissipates and it feels safe once more.

[Zhentarim]

Exhausted, Geronimo turns to the others, and asks "Well, what now?"

[Ninja Dragon]

"We take the evidence he was here and return, I guess."

It's hard to believe it is all over. After 3 dangerous missions, the dragon worshipping clan is finally defeated.

"I need a break" - Rik thinks.

[Wooloo]

Oren Ratfolk Fighter 3 AC: 16 | HP: 30/31 | HD: 1/1d10 Quiver: 16 arrows Second Wind: 0/1 Action Surge: 0/1 Superiority Die: 3/4 (d8) PP: 12 PInv: 10 PIns: 12 Conditions: none

When the fight ends, Oren spends a good minute or longer just staring at the puffer fish. The creature’s head slashed open and the mixture of blood and guts seeping into the water.

“It’s quite beautiful how it remains still a bit puffed out, isn’t it?” He mumbles to himself.

The rat fighter will jump back into the water and use his rope to tie a series of strong knots around the fish. Underneath the fins, the tail, and all that. He then will try to attach it to his backpack or drag it back to the surface somehow.

“Maybe I should buy a handcart for the next adventure..”

Oren doesn’t really pay attention to any of the other treasure, he just wants the fish.
He is ready to return home.

[Bobthewizard]

Polari Human Sorcerer 3 AC: 15 (MA) | HP: 16/20 | HD: 1/3d6 PP: 12 PInv: 12 PIns: 12 Spell Slots, 1st: 3/4 2nd: 1/2 Sorcery Points: 3/5 Restore Balance: 1/2 Conditions: none

Polari looks over the carnage and his wounded allies. Part of him wants to get out as soon as possible. But part of him wants to finish what they started.

"Jaere'e is killed, but his followers remain. We should hunt them down to and explore the rest of this hideout. Maybe we can find something useful."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Possible Reactions:
1. If Polari is hit and the roll is 19 or less, he will cast shield with his reaction.
2. If he is hit by 8 or more elemental damage, he will cast absorb elements.
3. If one of the players is attacked with advantage or has to attack at disadvantage, I can use a reaction to make it a normal roll.

Spoiler: Notes

Show

Geronimo, goblin bard
Professor Melange, Mentaujit
Pelonia, Abracio fleet - Rik and Oren
Sister Spinozo, Longwands - Polari and Geronimo
Heir Ermans, Sister Spinoza's boss
Rincip 'Cottonpads' - Allisog and Sakuya
Hopalloz, lost 150 years ago
Chexxa, Hopalloz outpost for arcane research
Captain Gomyabber, scouts found tunnels to Chexxa
Soulcrystal and ritual book, for collecting energy from Chexxa's forge - Polari gave them up
Nodovico, gnoll guide RIP
Namera and Pandinho, rescued Mraow (stayed behind)
Remilia, betrayed others with gnolls (all dead now)
Nyokawamtoto, dragon-thing stuck in the forge
Danifae, oracle and spear wielder
The Nip, or Disciples of Danifae have SS in a building in the territory of Affios 'Pinnails'
Doctor Coccyx and Bellatrice
Affios, stole dragon money from Pozernoa, runs Nips
Jaere'e, from Pozernoa, lives in Substratum, leader of the scions of shadow dragons.

Spoiler: Luracidon

Show

There's a sea under the world, the Subhadal, also called the Shining Sea. The sea is not a normal sea of water, it is full of small mycoid intelligent organisms called endzymes. These creatures claim to be everywhere in the world, among other creatures and to suffuse them with the ability of psionics.
On this sea of psionic beings sail the mraow pirates. They protect their boats with soul crystals and build cities on islands that stand out of the sea. . The greatest of these cities is Luracidon.
The mraow also protect themselves through the path of Rose Madder Eye. Rose madder is the name they give the divine force that allowed the creation of other gods to balance out the lawful good gods of the catfolk. To balance Eboncrystal, the god of law and loyalty was formed the Choice. The Choice, also called Starlight-spear is a god of nobility and leadership. Howlingstorm, the good god of artifice and toil was balanced by The Plot. The Plot is also called Twilightspider, the god of artifice and traps. To balance the Crimson Eagle, the god of strength and resolve was formed The Act. The Act is also called the Vengeful-Hand the god of war and tactics. To balance Crying Hawk, the god of Healing and Medicine was formed The Loser. The Loser, also called Soulreaper is a god of death and murder. Finally Burning-Hunter, the god of good and redemption, was balanced by The Eternal. The Eternal, also called Shadowscorpion, is the god of Glory and Legend.

The mraow gods are gods of nihilism. They enhance the real, the materialistic, the present. They help their followers focus on what the faith's adherents know is important, survival in particular.

The mraow of Luracidon are primarily followers of the Twilightspider. Their city is in the middle of things because they have planned to build a city into a place where they could achieve this. The primary force the mraow of Luracidon use is intimidation. This they do to impose their plans on each other. They play power games.

There's no particular sex discrimination among the mraow. Those who are intimidating, those with the best plots, they rule. The mraow would accept a ruler of another race. Submitting to force is just natural. Other races don't really arise to power within Luracidon because the mraow find racism useful.

The mraow dislike the show of magic. They know that magic, once spent, is lost. Therefore the mraow support implied capability of magic but consider actual use of it vulgar and stupid. The wizardly school in Luracidon is powerful and focuses on spells of divination. The schools of enchantment and abjuration are also considered acceptable while other schools of magic are scorned.

The most blessed individuals within the mraow are considered the Destined sorcerers, closely followed by the psionic soul sorcerers. Many of the best plotters in the city, those who rule cabals of one kind or another, are destined.

Sorcerer: Destined
1st level You can cast your spells without visible spell effects. If the spell's description has no visible effects, you can cast the spell without verbal or somatic (but not without material) components.
6th level You gain the lucky feat.
14th level You gain advantage to initiative rolls and you are never surprised.
18th level You gain advantage to any saving throw to avoid being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, restrained or stunned. If the spell or outher cause that would cause this condition is tied to other effects such as damage, this advantage does not help you avoid the other effects.

Plotting is the driving force in Luracidon. Plots put things and people to their place. For individuals that do not plot there are four main paths. The first and the one that surprisingly is the weakest is that of the skilled individual. Many think that great skill increases their worth. Yet for the one who plots the skilled individual is a circumstantial tool of little worth. The skilled individual is given the difficult tasks and the minor rewards. The loyal servant gets the easy path. For the plotter, the enthousiastic loyal servant is the one who has the most value. Bards are common in the loyalists. The College of eloquence is supreme and gives basic teaching to the children of the powerful.

The third path is the one of the survivor. Some learn to avoid the plots, make themselves look unattractive as a target. Plotters don't see such people as threats, for few of them think of the survivors at all. The main paths of power for this group are to become clerics or druids of spores.

The fourth path is the one most hated by plotters. It is the path of the trader and mercenary. Plotters actively aim to rid the city of them yet there is always natural demand for traders. The few traders that do survive, tend to have their efforts helped by the lack of competition. The traders employ most of the rogues in Luracidon for rogues are also hated by the people in power.

For the ones who wield power and plot, the most respectable paths to might are those of paladin of conquest, wizard, battle master or PSI knight.

For the commoner, the adventurer's path that is most supported by those in power is that of the samurai fighter. Warlocks are also plentiful, though the more powerful plotters see them as individuals of divided loyalties and hence expendable.

The powerful in Luracidon hold no slaves. The concept of ownership is in general annoying to those who plot. The idea that ownership is a higher law than the will of the plotter is repugnant. Those in power take what they choose to require. Hence, no one is slave, but everybody is expected to serve the ones more powerful than they. This service, if sufficiently good, may also be rewarded out of generosity. Slaves do exist in name as well, for the few traders that have power enough to thrive, use slaves.

The city is home to 60 000 individuals. Half of them mraow and others of subservient races. The island which holds the city would not support many more. Already the city is built in many layers over each other.

The waves of the Shining sea give a rhytm and a pulse to sea. The psionic pressure all around them is felt by perceptive and intelligent individuals. The day is divided into six sessions based on the surrounding atmosphere. The sessions are in order: Surprise, Happiness, Fear, Anger, Disgust, Sadness. Most prefer to be awake during surprise and happiness.

Most of the food of the realm is either brought in from other territories or fished in the Shining sea. The druids of spore circle also grow fungus in their gardens and teach the commoners to do similar in smaller scale.
The city is built on grounds of reason and necessity. Things of beauty are reserved for those in power. The construction is powerful and everything is built to intimidate. High walls, tough forms. There are few windows in buildings. The buildings of the powerful and in the middle of the city, built on those of lesser importance. Any signs of magic have been hid when possible.

The Mentaujit is the main place for studies of younger individuals. Mentats teach the young and between the lessons the young measure each other. The stronger pupils draw the weaker ones into gangs as is proper. Of course, to get in, one already has to have parents with a certain amount of power. The young with no parental support end up in workshops or as houseservants.

The Substratum is the lowest part of the town. It's the place of the powerless and the outsiders. The houses are small, catacomblike. The houses have low ceilings and their very existence is more for support of the upper layers than for the ones living inside. Fires are forbidden in these narrow tunnels and magical lights are frowned upon. Everything is done with the visibility given by darkvision. The substratum continues underground and some of the deeper tunnels fill with water. The only powerful organization that prefers the substratum are the druids of the circle of spores. They have barricaded a large section of the tunnelnetwork for their fungus farms.

The Web makes up the central layers of Luracidon. These layers have the attention of those in power while they don't reside there themselves. Continual light spell have been cast in many areas in this section of the city. To cover up that magic was used the lights are covered by metal grills, as if a flame was inside.

Most buildings have insignia of them. These markers imply who the building owns allegiance to - whose plot are they in on. Lines and crowds are typical sights in this layer. Instead of trading, the individuals in power just give out what they want. Their troops show their support by gathering into groups and behaving like the crowd. The powers that be don't want these crowds of their to fight for that would create loss of resource. Rather they want constant visual signs of their power on the streets.

War is the major trade of the mraow. Luracidon seeks to develop generals and strategists in particular, but they don't want war on the streets. Rather the atmosphere is that of constant preparation for war. Releasing tension is equally important to avoid conflagrations of hostilities. It's common to see groups that have opposing loyalties engaging in ritualized half-hearted sports events, dances and similar events. The most important festival is that of Repeating Drummings or just Redrum. Half the citizens may engage in simultaneous beating of drums making the whole city sway with the sound waves.
One thing of interest in the Web is the roads. The large roads go straight from ports to the towers owned by the most powerful. These roads have a network of supporting paths in the area local to the tower. Only small narrow paths unite the network of roads around one tower to that of another.

The plotters live in towers above the Web. Collectively these towers are sometimes called the Twilight zone. The name implies something that's between things. The reference is to place that's between dreams and reality, between the divine Twilight spider and servants. Even the most powerful plotters in the city see themselves as weak in comparison to how powerful their dreams can be. Even more so, they live in fear of loss, which is why they abhor change.
In the towers of the Twilight zone very little ever happens. What does, is ritualized to a level it lacks all efficiency. Even small things are accompanied by as much spectacle as possible.

Each tower defines a territory and a plot. The nature of the plots is usually best understood as a protection scheme though others might argue for the legality and justification of taxation. The nature of the person on top is rarely an issue for they are separated from all below and cloaked in idolatry and extravagance.

Some of the more powerful plotters in town are

Rincip 'Cottonpads'
The territory of Rincip has the Circle of spores, food and herbal market, the largest port as well as the Mentaujit.

Marisuale 'Saltytips'
The territory of Marisuale has a warlock pairing academy where they subordinate youngsters to various patrons [usually these are celestial, fiend, lurker in the deep, raven queen, undead or undying]. There's also a military academy for most fighter types. There's armourers, bowyers, smiths and other artisans related to military professions. The cartographer's academy is also here.

Carnacio 'Cleverone'
This territory has temples for the god of War and Tactics. Carnacio is considered by many a falling plotter. His extreme longevity and the rising violence in his territory, including the presence of the undead are all suggesting to others that Carnacio is losing the Plot. Forces outside the city keep propping him up though. This region has an active street life fuelled by the dispensation of alcohol. There's also a bardic college of valor and swords in the territory.

Erarqa 'Highpyre'
This territory has the temples for the god of Plotting. Most clerics, paladins and monks of the city live here at one point or another. This area also has colleges for city-planning, engineering, agriculture, fishing and history.

Rupacio 'Sugarskin'
This territory functions as a sanctuary for traders, at least up to a point. The temple of the God of murder resides here as well. The area is considered trashy by other plotters but so dangerous that it can't be removed.

Affios 'Pinnails'
A victorious general who returned with glorious spoils created this territory. This area is more luxurious than most, a guarded territory where many pleasures are easily available. There's a shrine for the god of Legends in this area. Affios has allowed monk orders to set up in his territory, raising general interest in becoming a monk in the city.

Enyor 'Happypaws'
A territory where wizard colleges reside. Enyor's territory also has many storehouses. The territory is at the very center of the city and has many structural supports for the city's towers. There's also a bardic college of glamour and satire.

Bernadora 'Whiskers'
Her territory is the most open to outsiders. Least courtesy is demanded and creatures of other races are accepted somewhat easily. There's a port of significant size. Many industries that are considered uncomfortable, such as dyeing are practiced here. Waste disposal is also a feature of this territory as is animal-keeping.

The power in the city is divided between plotters who generally maintain the status quo of power, the gangs which seek power through cleverness or forceful action and the traders who openly challenge the status quo.

Gangs are lower in the ranks of power than the true plotters. Yet their actions are more visible for they aim to act. In the city of plots the people with real power aim to threaten but never act. So one is much more likely to run into gangs engaged in interesting activity.

Many major gangs of the city recruit from and fight for influence in the Substratum.

The first mentionworthy gang is that of the Iron chain, a gang of heavy armor fighters and warlocks.

The second of the larger gangs is The Plagues. They seek druidic and bardic members, seemingly making them less dangerous to the city while still gaining power.

The gang called Darkweb is a religious cult, seeking purity of plotting on clerical grounds. Clerics and paladins form the main adherents.

These three are called high gangs. They exist as extensions of the ruling power block, but are viewed as corrupt in one way or another by the true powers. They are usually opposed by the low gangs that seek to challenge or even supplant the ones in power.

The fourth gang is the Hypothalassians. They are a gang of wanderers, rangers and barbarians. They aim to seize independence and to hold power in the regions surrounding Luracidon.

The gang called Impossible rise is largely made of bloodhunters and rogues. They aim to be seen as the most dangerous gang in the city with no other concerns.

The gang called Longwands is primarily a solace for wizards and sorcerers who use the more unacceptable colleges of magic.

Law is enforced variably. Each territory has their own laws. If a law is broken, the lawbreaker is expected to make good their actions of their own volition. The powers that be don't want to have to bother to actually uphold the laws. But if a lawbreaker is so obvious about how they flaunt the law, the plotters have no choice to utterly and completely destroy the lawbreaker. Such acts are plotted with the care of a dangerous military campaign. But when victory is certain, these events are turned into triumphal celebrations on the broken corpses of the guilty.

The merchant princes
There are few who dare to openly stand against the plot. Philosophically the merchant princes may see themselves as either opponents or misunderstood patrons of the city and society.

The merchant princes who see themselves as opposing the plotters are usually adherents to the cult of the Loser, the god of death and murder. With their trading they seek to create chaos and destruction in the realm. They are usually purged from the city even though they are accepted by society. Hence, the successful merchant princes of this type act beyond city walls. They're pirates and trade ship runners. They create purposeful shortages and gouge prices. They import cursed, faulty or subversive items to the city and they leave orders unfilled, anything to destroy the powers of plotting.

The other merchant princes pay homage to either the god of Nobility and leadership or the god of Legends or both. They frame themselves above and beyond plotting. They engage in trade while doing their business in ways that seem like they fit the city's standards. They call themselves the Cornecopia.

The borders of the town are the shores. Beyond the shores is the navy. The navy is large and is primarily martial in nature.

Spoiler: MAP

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[Smilex]

You go through the other tunnel and find a small workstation where Jaere'e was crafting the alchemical pastes and dragonfood that he used to take care of his 'wards'. You find the shells of three hatched dragon eggs.

The tunnel continues upwards until it connects to the second part of the map marked in orange. This is not a large hideout and there's no other hiding disciples, at least in this hideout. As you go through the notes that you found detailing the interactions of Jaere'e, Carnacio, the ghoulking and Hypothalassians you figure out that Jaere'e's main achievement was the creation of the Nip. He was trying to gain vengeance to the mraow that wrecked the ancient valley of dragons and he was intending to distract Luracidon with civil war while he helped grow dragons in the Substratum. He was financed by the ghoulking and the Hypothalassians helped him get the early recruits to get the scheme going. Jaere'e may have originated as a pawn in the actions of more powerful players but he was clearly successful way beyond their expectations.

As Jaere'e warned you that the Hypothalassians would arrive to support him in a while, you eventually vacate the premises.

For the next couple of days you recover and enjoy Oren's cooking. The Pufferfish doesn't kill anyone. Instead its delicious and just a little bit intoxicating. It feels like it might be addictive but there's only so much of it. No wonder it's legendary.

You have a debriefing session with Melange, Ermans and Polonia and the event turns into jubilation. They promise to arrange for you a long vacation.

And so passes about half a year. There's a small territorial war as Affios, Rincip, the Navy and the Longwands attack and conquer the territory of Carnacio. The territory is divided though Longwands take most of the territory. The Father of Longwands, Orelando 'Tom' is henceforward considered one of the plotters. A small part of the territory is also detached for captain Abracio with promises to turn it into a free market port.

You have reached the end of Council of Spiders.
Congratulations!

Spoiler: OOC

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Adventures shall continue with Caverns of Thracia. Feel free to advance to level 4

[Zhentarim]

Spoiler: Lvl 4 Feat Diplomat

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You master the arts of diplomacy, gaining the following benefits:

Increase your Charisma score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
You gain proficiency in the Persuasion skill. If you are already proficient in this skill, you add double your proficiency bonus to checks you make with it.
If you spend 1 minute talking to someone who can understand what you say, you can make a Charisma (Persuasion) check contested by the creature’s Wisdom (Insight) check. If you or your companions are fighting the creature, your check automatically fails. If your check succeeds, the target is charmed by you as long as it remains within 60 feet of you and for 1 minute thereafter.

Geronimo begins studying in the Mentaujit's Library, seeking to uncover knowledge about how to master the forces of life and death, so Geronimo doesn't die himself, and can grant immortality and resurrection to others. Religion, Arcana, and History have been of growing interest to Geronimo during his vacation and he is grateful to have Melange's permission to study.

Spoiler: Investigation

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(1d20)[3]

[Smilex]

Geronimo starts his studies in the Mentaujit. The studies don't initially go well. It seems much more fun to flirt with the librarian or to amaze junior students with wonderful songs.

Professor Melange seems quite busy and just tells Geronimo to study more. Coccyx gives you a book about soulstones. Reading it you learn that the market is overpriced because of the stones' role as a status symbol and you find out that you can get a decent soulstone for 200gp if you buy them from an importer. You also learn that a soulstone holding a soul can be used to power golems. It's possible to do create golems which the soul can fully control and it's also possible to make golems where the soul is just a battery and the golem obeys commands.

As days turn into weeks Geronimo feels frustrated. One day he finally corners professor Melange and uses his diplomatic charm on him. The professor starts to hold a small lecture about what the mraow have learned about how ghouls approach death.

The ghoulkings hold a race of men as their thralls. The humans are almost normal, except that they happen to have gills. The ghouls use these humans as servants as well as cattle, to feed on them. When a human has shown themselves to be a particularly worthy servant though. Then they turn the human into a ghoul when they are getting old. The ghouls believe this to be the start of their true life. Humanity is just a purgatory from which the select few can ascend to ghouldom. The ghouls use humans as the basis of their army against the mraow. Melange suggests that learning about ghouls would be a suitable endeavour. As the discussion goes on Melange realizes he's been charmed but since the subject matter actually interests him, he's not taking it personally.

Geronimo and Melange locate several interesting sites in the ghoul-kingdoms and discuss how to find out more. You realize that you will have to invade one of these places to find out their lore. Melange starts to make arrangements with captain Polonia for your travel when Geronimo happens to learn of Theria's interest to also travel in the same direction.

[Smilex]

Polari meanwhile spens more time with the Longwands. Heir Ermans actually arranges for a ceremony where Polari is 'made'. He becomes a brother in the Longwands gang. Later, when the gang turns into more of territory, the title still stands.

Trouble starts one evening when Polari is heading home from a meeting. An humanbodied man with the head of an ibis, accompanied by a young girl with the head of a pelican appear. Polari knows them. Lalo and Lola a dipole in the service of Mechanus. They've been trying to force Polari to choose. Lalo offers a bell. Lola offers a candle.

This time though they cornered Polari and said
Lalo: No
Lola: Mortal
Lalo: Man
Lola: Can
Lalo: Win
Lola:You
Lalo: Will
Lola: Soon
Lalo: Be
Lola: Done
Lalo:Unless
Lola:You
Lalo:Choose
Lola: A
Lalo: Kind
Lola: Of
Lalo: Divine
Lola: Magic

[Bobthewizard]

Polari Human Sorcerer 3 AC: 15 (MA) | HP: 27/27 | HD: 3/3d6 1/1d8
PP: 12 PInv: 12 PIns: 12 Spell Slots, 1st: 4/5 2nd: 2/2
Sorcery Points: 5/5 Restore Balance: 2/2 Healing Light: 2/2 Conditions: none

Polari looks at the dipole with a slight panic. He's not scared of them, but he knows he's been discovered and possibly is not safe here. But now he has allies here. Whatever Mechanus sends for him will have to face his friends as well.

"If I pick one, will you two go back to Mechanus and tell them to leave me alone?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Possible Reactions:
1. If Polari is hit and the roll is 19 or less, he will cast shield with his reaction.
2. If he is hit by 8 or more elemental damage, he will cast absorb elements.
3. If one of the players is attacked with advantage or has to attack at disadvantage, I can use a reaction to make it a normal roll.

Spoiler: Notes

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Geronimo, goblin bard
Professor Melange, Mentaujit
Pelonia, Abracio fleet - Rik and Oren
Sister Spinozo, Longwands - Polari and Geronimo
Heir Ermans, Sister Spinoza's boss
Rincip 'Cottonpads' - Allisog and Sakuya
Hopalloz, lost 150 years ago
Chexxa, Hopalloz outpost for arcane research
Captain Gomyabber, scouts found tunnels to Chexxa
Soulcrystal and ritual book, for collecting energy from Chexxa's forge - Polari gave them up
Nodovico, gnoll guide RIP
Namera and Pandinho, rescued Mraow (stayed behind)
Remilia, betrayed others with gnolls (all dead now)
Nyokawamtoto, dragon-thing stuck in the forge
Danifae, oracle and spear wielder
The Nip, or Disciples of Danifae have SS in a building in the territory of Affios 'Pinnails'
Doctor Coccyx and Bellatrice
Affios, stole dragon money from Pozernoa, runs Nips
Jaere'e, from Pozernoa, lives in Substratum, leader of the scions of shadow dragons.

Spoiler: Luracidon

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There's a sea under the world, the Subhadal, also called the Shining Sea. The sea is not a normal sea of water, it is full of small mycoid intelligent organisms called endzymes. These creatures claim to be everywhere in the world, among other creatures and to suffuse them with the ability of psionics.
On this sea of psionic beings sail the mraow pirates. They protect their boats with soul crystals and build cities on islands that stand out of the sea. . The greatest of these cities is Luracidon.
The mraow also protect themselves through the path of Rose Madder Eye. Rose madder is the name they give the divine force that allowed the creation of other gods to balance out the lawful good gods of the catfolk. To balance Eboncrystal, the god of law and loyalty was formed the Choice. The Choice, also called Starlight-spear is a god of nobility and leadership. Howlingstorm, the good god of artifice and toil was balanced by The Plot. The Plot is also called Twilightspider, the god of artifice and traps. To balance the Crimson Eagle, the god of strength and resolve was formed The Act. The Act is also called the Vengeful-Hand the god of war and tactics. To balance Crying Hawk, the god of Healing and Medicine was formed The Loser. The Loser, also called Soulreaper is a god of death and murder. Finally Burning-Hunter, the god of good and redemption, was balanced by The Eternal. The Eternal, also called Shadowscorpion, is the god of Glory and Legend.

The mraow gods are gods of nihilism. They enhance the real, the materialistic, the present. They help their followers focus on what the faith's adherents know is important, survival in particular.

The mraow of Luracidon are primarily followers of the Twilightspider. Their city is in the middle of things because they have planned to build a city into a place where they could achieve this. The primary force the mraow of Luracidon use is intimidation. This they do to impose their plans on each other. They play power games.

There's no particular sex discrimination among the mraow. Those who are intimidating, those with the best plots, they rule. The mraow would accept a ruler of another race. Submitting to force is just natural. Other races don't really arise to power within Luracidon because the mraow find racism useful.

The mraow dislike the show of magic. They know that magic, once spent, is lost. Therefore the mraow support implied capability of magic but consider actual use of it vulgar and stupid. The wizardly school in Luracidon is powerful and focuses on spells of divination. The schools of enchantment and abjuration are also considered acceptable while other schools of magic are scorned.

The most blessed individuals within the mraow are considered the Destined sorcerers, closely followed by the psionic soul sorcerers. Many of the best plotters in the city, those who rule cabals of one kind or another, are destined.

Sorcerer: Destined
1st level You can cast your spells without visible spell effects. If the spell's description has no visible effects, you can cast the spell without verbal or somatic (but not without material) components.
6th level You gain the lucky feat.
14th level You gain advantage to initiative rolls and you are never surprised.
18th level You gain advantage to any saving throw to avoid being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, restrained or stunned. If the spell or outher cause that would cause this condition is tied to other effects such as damage, this advantage does not help you avoid the other effects.

Plotting is the driving force in Luracidon. Plots put things and people to their place. For individuals that do not plot there are four main paths. The first and the one that surprisingly is the weakest is that of the skilled individual. Many think that great skill increases their worth. Yet for the one who plots the skilled individual is a circumstantial tool of little worth. The skilled individual is given the difficult tasks and the minor rewards. The loyal servant gets the easy path. For the plotter, the enthousiastic loyal servant is the one who has the most value. Bards are common in the loyalists. The College of eloquence is supreme and gives basic teaching to the children of the powerful.

The third path is the one of the survivor. Some learn to avoid the plots, make themselves look unattractive as a target. Plotters don't see such people as threats, for few of them think of the survivors at all. The main paths of power for this group are to become clerics or druids of spores.

The fourth path is the one most hated by plotters. It is the path of the trader and mercenary. Plotters actively aim to rid the city of them yet there is always natural demand for traders. The few traders that do survive, tend to have their efforts helped by the lack of competition. The traders employ most of the rogues in Luracidon for rogues are also hated by the people in power.

For the ones who wield power and plot, the most respectable paths to might are those of paladin of conquest, wizard, battle master or PSI knight.

For the commoner, the adventurer's path that is most supported by those in power is that of the samurai fighter. Warlocks are also plentiful, though the more powerful plotters see them as individuals of divided loyalties and hence expendable.

The powerful in Luracidon hold no slaves. The concept of ownership is in general annoying to those who plot. The idea that ownership is a higher law than the will of the plotter is repugnant. Those in power take what they choose to require. Hence, no one is slave, but everybody is expected to serve the ones more powerful than they. This service, if sufficiently good, may also be rewarded out of generosity. Slaves do exist in name as well, for the few traders that have power enough to thrive, use slaves.

The city is home to 60 000 individuals. Half of them mraow and others of subservient races. The island which holds the city would not support many more. Already the city is built in many layers over each other.

The waves of the Shining sea give a rhytm and a pulse to sea. The psionic pressure all around them is felt by perceptive and intelligent individuals. The day is divided into six sessions based on the surrounding atmosphere. The sessions are in order: Surprise, Happiness, Fear, Anger, Disgust, Sadness. Most prefer to be awake during surprise and happiness.

Most of the food of the realm is either brought in from other territories or fished in the Shining sea. The druids of spore circle also grow fungus in their gardens and teach the commoners to do similar in smaller scale.
The city is built on grounds of reason and necessity. Things of beauty are reserved for those in power. The construction is powerful and everything is built to intimidate. High walls, tough forms. There are few windows in buildings. The buildings of the powerful and in the middle of the city, built on those of lesser importance. Any signs of magic have been hid when possible.

The Mentaujit is the main place for studies of younger individuals. Mentats teach the young and between the lessons the young measure each other. The stronger pupils draw the weaker ones into gangs as is proper. Of course, to get in, one already has to have parents with a certain amount of power. The young with no parental support end up in workshops or as houseservants.

The Substratum is the lowest part of the town. It's the place of the powerless and the outsiders. The houses are small, catacomblike. The houses have low ceilings and their very existence is more for support of the upper layers than for the ones living inside. Fires are forbidden in these narrow tunnels and magical lights are frowned upon. Everything is done with the visibility given by darkvision. The substratum continues underground and some of the deeper tunnels fill with water. The only powerful organization that prefers the substratum are the druids of the circle of spores. They have barricaded a large section of the tunnelnetwork for their fungus farms.

The Web makes up the central layers of Luracidon. These layers have the attention of those in power while they don't reside there themselves. Continual light spell have been cast in many areas in this section of the city. To cover up that magic was used the lights are covered by metal grills, as if a flame was inside.

Most buildings have insignia of them. These markers imply who the building owns allegiance to - whose plot are they in on. Lines and crowds are typical sights in this layer. Instead of trading, the individuals in power just give out what they want. Their troops show their support by gathering into groups and behaving like the crowd. The powers that be don't want these crowds of their to fight for that would create loss of resource. Rather they want constant visual signs of their power on the streets.

War is the major trade of the mraow. Luracidon seeks to develop generals and strategists in particular, but they don't want war on the streets. Rather the atmosphere is that of constant preparation for war. Releasing tension is equally important to avoid conflagrations of hostilities. It's common to see groups that have opposing loyalties engaging in ritualized half-hearted sports events, dances and similar events. The most important festival is that of Repeating Drummings or just Redrum. Half the citizens may engage in simultaneous beating of drums making the whole city sway with the sound waves.
One thing of interest in the Web is the roads. The large roads go straight from ports to the towers owned by the most powerful. These roads have a network of supporting paths in the area local to the tower. Only small narrow paths unite the network of roads around one tower to that of another.

The plotters live in towers above the Web. Collectively these towers are sometimes called the Twilight zone. The name implies something that's between things. The reference is to place that's between dreams and reality, between the divine Twilight spider and servants. Even the most powerful plotters in the city see themselves as weak in comparison to how powerful their dreams can be. Even more so, they live in fear of loss, which is why they abhor change.
In the towers of the Twilight zone very little ever happens. What does, is ritualized to a level it lacks all efficiency. Even small things are accompanied by as much spectacle as possible.

Each tower defines a territory and a plot. The nature of the plots is usually best understood as a protection scheme though others might argue for the legality and justification of taxation. The nature of the person on top is rarely an issue for they are separated from all below and cloaked in idolatry and extravagance.

Some of the more powerful plotters in town are

Rincip 'Cottonpads'
The territory of Rincip has the Circle of spores, food and herbal market, the largest port as well as the Mentaujit.

Marisuale 'Saltytips'
The territory of Marisuale has a warlock pairing academy where they subordinate youngsters to various patrons [usually these are celestial, fiend, lurker in the deep, raven queen, undead or undying]. There's also a military academy for most fighter types. There's armourers, bowyers, smiths and other artisans related to military professions. The cartographer's academy is also here.

Carnacio 'Cleverone'
This territory has temples for the god of War and Tactics. Carnacio is considered by many a falling plotter. His extreme longevity and the rising violence in his territory, including the presence of the undead are all suggesting to others that Carnacio is losing the Plot. Forces outside the city keep propping him up though. This region has an active street life fuelled by the dispensation of alcohol. There's also a bardic college of valor and swords in the territory.

Erarqa 'Highpyre'
This territory has the temples for the god of Plotting. Most clerics, paladins and monks of the city live here at one point or another. This area also has colleges for city-planning, engineering, agriculture, fishing and history.

Rupacio 'Sugarskin'
This territory functions as a sanctuary for traders, at least up to a point. The temple of the God of murder resides here as well. The area is considered trashy by other plotters but so dangerous that it can't be removed.

Affios 'Pinnails'
A victorious general who returned with glorious spoils created this territory. This area is more luxurious than most, a guarded territory where many pleasures are easily available. There's a shrine for the god of Legends in this area. Affios has allowed monk orders to set up in his territory, raising general interest in becoming a monk in the city.

Enyor 'Happypaws'
A territory where wizard colleges reside. Enyor's territory also has many storehouses. The territory is at the very center of the city and has many structural supports for the city's towers. There's also a bardic college of glamour and satire.

Bernadora 'Whiskers'
Her territory is the most open to outsiders. Least courtesy is demanded and creatures of other races are accepted somewhat easily. There's a port of significant size. Many industries that are considered uncomfortable, such as dyeing are practiced here. Waste disposal is also a feature of this territory as is animal-keeping.

The power in the city is divided between plotters who generally maintain the status quo of power, the gangs which seek power through cleverness or forceful action and the traders who openly challenge the status quo.

Gangs are lower in the ranks of power than the true plotters. Yet their actions are more visible for they aim to act. In the city of plots the people with real power aim to threaten but never act. So one is much more likely to run into gangs engaged in interesting activity.

Many major gangs of the city recruit from and fight for influence in the Substratum.

The first mentionworthy gang is that of the Iron chain, a gang of heavy armor fighters and warlocks.

The second of the larger gangs is The Plagues. They seek druidic and bardic members, seemingly making them less dangerous to the city while still gaining power.

The gang called Darkweb is a religious cult, seeking purity of plotting on clerical grounds. Clerics and paladins form the main adherents.

These three are called high gangs. They exist as extensions of the ruling power block, but are viewed as corrupt in one way or another by the true powers. They are usually opposed by the low gangs that seek to challenge or even supplant the ones in power.

The fourth gang is the Hypothalassians. They are a gang of wanderers, rangers and barbarians. They aim to seize independence and to hold power in the regions surrounding Luracidon.

The gang called Impossible rise is largely made of bloodhunters and rogues. They aim to be seen as the most dangerous gang in the city with no other concerns.

The gang called Longwands is primarily a solace for wizards and sorcerers who use the more unacceptable colleges of magic.

Law is enforced variably. Each territory has their own laws. If a law is broken, the lawbreaker is expected to make good their actions of their own volition. The powers that be don't want to have to bother to actually uphold the laws. But if a lawbreaker is so obvious about how they flaunt the law, the plotters have no choice to utterly and completely destroy the lawbreaker. Such acts are plotted with the care of a dangerous military campaign. But when victory is certain, these events are turned into triumphal celebrations on the broken corpses of the guilty.

The merchant princes
There are few who dare to openly stand against the plot. Philosophically the merchant princes may see themselves as either opponents or misunderstood patrons of the city and society.

The merchant princes who see themselves as opposing the plotters are usually adherents to the cult of the Loser, the god of death and murder. With their trading they seek to create chaos and destruction in the realm. They are usually purged from the city even though they are accepted by society. Hence, the successful merchant princes of this type act beyond city walls. They're pirates and trade ship runners. They create purposeful shortages and gouge prices. They import cursed, faulty or subversive items to the city and they leave orders unfilled, anything to destroy the powers of plotting.

The other merchant princes pay homage to either the god of Nobility and leadership or the god of Legends or both. They frame themselves above and beyond plotting. They engage in trade while doing their business in ways that seem like they fit the city's standards. They call themselves the Cornecopia.

The borders of the town are the shores. Beyond the shores is the navy. The navy is large and is primarily martial in nature.

[Smilex]

The two look at each other and then answer.
Lalo: Yes
Lola: No
Lalo: But
Lola: We
Lalo: Will
Lola: Help
Lalo: You
Lola: Survive
Lalo: When
Lola: They
Lalo: Come
Lola: And
Lalo: They
Lola: Will
Lalo: Come

The two look at each other and then you again.
Lalo: Flesh-eater
Lola: Is
Lalo: On
Lola: Your
Lalo: Tracks
Lola: ... Thracs?
Lalo: Syntax error.
Lola: Choose.

[Bobthewizard]

Polari Human Sorcerer 3 AC: 15 (MA) | HP: 27/27 | HD: 3/3d6 1/1d8
PP: 12 PInv: 12 PIns: 12 Spell Slots, 1st: 4/5 2nd: 2/2
Sorcery Points: 5/5 Restore Balance: 2/2 Healing Light: 2/2 Conditions: none

Polari grabs the candle, blows it out and puts it in his pocket.

"Fine. I'll take the candle. Now. You two will help me. Find this Tracker and bring it to me. We will be done with this."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Possible Reactions:
1. If Polari is hit and the roll is 19 or less, he will cast shield with his reaction.
2. If he is hit by 8 or more elemental damage, he will cast absorb elements.
3. If one of the players is attacked with advantage or has to attack at disadvantage, I can use a reaction to make it a normal roll.

Spoiler: Notes

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Geronimo, goblin bard
Professor Melange, Mentaujit
Pelonia, Abracio fleet - Rik and Oren
Sister Spinozo, Longwands - Polari and Geronimo
Heir Ermans, Sister Spinoza's boss
Rincip 'Cottonpads' - Allisog and Sakuya
Hopalloz, lost 150 years ago
Chexxa, Hopalloz outpost for arcane research
Captain Gomyabber, scouts found tunnels to Chexxa
Soulcrystal and ritual book, for collecting energy from Chexxa's forge - Polari gave them up
Nodovico, gnoll guide RIP
Namera and Pandinho, rescued Mraow (stayed behind)
Remilia, betrayed others with gnolls (all dead now)
Nyokawamtoto, dragon-thing stuck in the forge
Danifae, oracle and spear wielder
The Nip, or Disciples of Danifae have SS in a building in the territory of Affios 'Pinnails'
Doctor Coccyx and Bellatrice
Affios, stole dragon money from Pozernoa, runs Nips
Jaere'e, from Pozernoa, lives in Substratum, leader of the scions of shadow dragons.
Lola (candle) and Lalo (bell)

Spoiler: wizard

Show

Suddenly Polari remembers a magical fight. A wizard cast an ice storm that pummeled five young sorcerers in front of Polari. He was about to then cast phantasmal killer on Polari when he was stopped by a friend of Polari's. Someone else then came and dragged Polari away. You remember the wizard with his ritual dagger that was a meat-carving knife. His bones shone through his face at spots where he had eaten a part of his own face.

Spoiler: Luracidon

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There's a sea under the world, the Subhadal, also called the Shining Sea. The sea is not a normal sea of water, it is full of small mycoid intelligent organisms called endzymes. These creatures claim to be everywhere in the world, among other creatures and to suffuse them with the ability of psionics.
On this sea of psionic beings sail the mraow pirates. They protect their boats with soul crystals and build cities on islands that stand out of the sea. . The greatest of these cities is Luracidon.
The mraow also protect themselves through the path of Rose Madder Eye. Rose madder is the name they give the divine force that allowed the creation of other gods to balance out the lawful good gods of the catfolk. To balance Eboncrystal, the god of law and loyalty was formed the Choice. The Choice, also called Starlight-spear is a god of nobility and leadership. Howlingstorm, the good god of artifice and toil was balanced by The Plot. The Plot is also called Twilightspider, the god of artifice and traps. To balance the Crimson Eagle, the god of strength and resolve was formed The Act. The Act is also called the Vengeful-Hand the god of war and tactics. To balance Crying Hawk, the god of Healing and Medicine was formed The Loser. The Loser, also called Soulreaper is a god of death and murder. Finally Burning-Hunter, the god of good and redemption, was balanced by The Eternal. The Eternal, also called Shadowscorpion, is the god of Glory and Legend.

The mraow gods are gods of nihilism. They enhance the real, the materialistic, the present. They help their followers focus on what the faith's adherents know is important, survival in particular.

The mraow of Luracidon are primarily followers of the Twilightspider. Their city is in the middle of things because they have planned to build a city into a place where they could achieve this. The primary force the mraow of Luracidon use is intimidation. This they do to impose their plans on each other. They play power games.

There's no particular sex discrimination among the mraow. Those who are intimidating, those with the best plots, they rule. The mraow would accept a ruler of another race. Submitting to force is just natural. Other races don't really arise to power within Luracidon because the mraow find racism useful.

The mraow dislike the show of magic. They know that magic, once spent, is lost. Therefore the mraow support implied capability of magic but consider actual use of it vulgar and stupid. The wizardly school in Luracidon is powerful and focuses on spells of divination. The schools of enchantment and abjuration are also considered acceptable while other schools of magic are scorned.

The most blessed individuals within the mraow are considered the Destined sorcerers, closely followed by the psionic soul sorcerers. Many of the best plotters in the city, those who rule cabals of one kind or another, are destined.

Sorcerer: Destined
1st level You can cast your spells without visible spell effects. If the spell's description has no visible effects, you can cast the spell without verbal or somatic (but not without material) components.
6th level You gain the lucky feat.
14th level You gain advantage to initiative rolls and you are never surprised.
18th level You gain advantage to any saving throw to avoid being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, restrained or stunned. If the spell or outher cause that would cause this condition is tied to other effects such as damage, this advantage does not help you avoid the other effects.

Plotting is the driving force in Luracidon. Plots put things and people to their place. For individuals that do not plot there are four main paths. The first and the one that surprisingly is the weakest is that of the skilled individual. Many think that great skill increases their worth. Yet for the one who plots the skilled individual is a circumstantial tool of little worth. The skilled individual is given the difficult tasks and the minor rewards. The loyal servant gets the easy path. For the plotter, the enthousiastic loyal servant is the one who has the most value. Bards are common in the loyalists. The College of eloquence is supreme and gives basic teaching to the children of the powerful.

The third path is the one of the survivor. Some learn to avoid the plots, make themselves look unattractive as a target. Plotters don't see such people as threats, for few of them think of the survivors at all. The main paths of power for this group are to become clerics or druids of spores.

The fourth path is the one most hated by plotters. It is the path of the trader and mercenary. Plotters actively aim to rid the city of them yet there is always natural demand for traders. The few traders that do survive, tend to have their efforts helped by the lack of competition. The traders employ most of the rogues in Luracidon for rogues are also hated by the people in power.

For the ones who wield power and plot, the most respectable paths to might are those of paladin of conquest, wizard, battle master or PSI knight.

For the commoner, the adventurer's path that is most supported by those in power is that of the samurai fighter. Warlocks are also plentiful, though the more powerful plotters see them as individuals of divided loyalties and hence expendable.

The powerful in Luracidon hold no slaves. The concept of ownership is in general annoying to those who plot. The idea that ownership is a higher law than the will of the plotter is repugnant. Those in power take what they choose to require. Hence, no one is slave, but everybody is expected to serve the ones more powerful than they. This service, if sufficiently good, may also be rewarded out of generosity. Slaves do exist in name as well, for the few traders that have power enough to thrive, use slaves.

The city is home to 60 000 individuals. Half of them mraow and others of subservient races. The island which holds the city would not support many more. Already the city is built in many layers over each other.

The waves of the Shining sea give a rhytm and a pulse to sea. The psionic pressure all around them is felt by perceptive and intelligent individuals. The day is divided into six sessions based on the surrounding atmosphere. The sessions are in order: Surprise, Happiness, Fear, Anger, Disgust, Sadness. Most prefer to be awake during surprise and happiness.

Most of the food of the realm is either brought in from other territories or fished in the Shining sea. The druids of spore circle also grow fungus in their gardens and teach the commoners to do similar in smaller scale.
The city is built on grounds of reason and necessity. Things of beauty are reserved for those in power. The construction is powerful and everything is built to intimidate. High walls, tough forms. There are few windows in buildings. The buildings of the powerful and in the middle of the city, built on those of lesser importance. Any signs of magic have been hid when possible.

The Mentaujit is the main place for studies of younger individuals. Mentats teach the young and between the lessons the young measure each other. The stronger pupils draw the weaker ones into gangs as is proper. Of course, to get in, one already has to have parents with a certain amount of power. The young with no parental support end up in workshops or as houseservants.

The Substratum is the lowest part of the town. It's the place of the powerless and the outsiders. The houses are small, catacomblike. The houses have low ceilings and their very existence is more for support of the upper layers than for the ones living inside. Fires are forbidden in these narrow tunnels and magical lights are frowned upon. Everything is done with the visibility given by darkvision. The substratum continues underground and some of the deeper tunnels fill with water. The only powerful organization that prefers the substratum are the druids of the circle of spores. They have barricaded a large section of the tunnelnetwork for their fungus farms.

The Web makes up the central layers of Luracidon. These layers have the attention of those in power while they don't reside there themselves. Continual light spell have been cast in many areas in this section of the city. To cover up that magic was used the lights are covered by metal grills, as if a flame was inside.

Most buildings have insignia of them. These markers imply who the building owns allegiance to - whose plot are they in on. Lines and crowds are typical sights in this layer. Instead of trading, the individuals in power just give out what they want. Their troops show their support by gathering into groups and behaving like the crowd. The powers that be don't want these crowds of their to fight for that would create loss of resource. Rather they want constant visual signs of their power on the streets.

War is the major trade of the mraow. Luracidon seeks to develop generals and strategists in particular, but they don't want war on the streets. Rather the atmosphere is that of constant preparation for war. Releasing tension is equally important to avoid conflagrations of hostilities. It's common to see groups that have opposing loyalties engaging in ritualized half-hearted sports events, dances and similar events. The most important festival is that of Repeating Drummings or just Redrum. Half the citizens may engage in simultaneous beating of drums making the whole city sway with the sound waves.
One thing of interest in the Web is the roads. The large roads go straight from ports to the towers owned by the most powerful. These roads have a network of supporting paths in the area local to the tower. Only small narrow paths unite the network of roads around one tower to that of another.

The plotters live in towers above the Web. Collectively these towers are sometimes called the Twilight zone. The name implies something that's between things. The reference is to place that's between dreams and reality, between the divine Twilight spider and servants. Even the most powerful plotters in the city see themselves as weak in comparison to how powerful their dreams can be. Even more so, they live in fear of loss, which is why they abhor change.
In the towers of the Twilight zone very little ever happens. What does, is ritualized to a level it lacks all efficiency. Even small things are accompanied by as much spectacle as possible.

Each tower defines a territory and a plot. The nature of the plots is usually best understood as a protection scheme though others might argue for the legality and justification of taxation. The nature of the person on top is rarely an issue for they are separated from all below and cloaked in idolatry and extravagance.

Some of the more powerful plotters in town are

Rincip 'Cottonpads'
The territory of Rincip has the Circle of spores, food and herbal market, the largest port as well as the Mentaujit.

Marisuale 'Saltytips'
The territory of Marisuale has a warlock pairing academy where they subordinate youngsters to various patrons [usually these are celestial, fiend, lurker in the deep, raven queen, undead or undying]. There's also a military academy for most fighter types. There's armourers, bowyers, smiths and other artisans related to military professions. The cartographer's academy is also here.

Carnacio 'Cleverone'
This territory has temples for the god of War and Tactics. Carnacio is considered by many a falling plotter. His extreme longevity and the rising violence in his territory, including the presence of the undead are all suggesting to others that Carnacio is losing the Plot. Forces outside the city keep propping him up though. This region has an active street life fuelled by the dispensation of alcohol. There's also a bardic college of valor and swords in the territory.

Erarqa 'Highpyre'
This territory has the temples for the god of Plotting. Most clerics, paladins and monks of the city live here at one point or another. This area also has colleges for city-planning, engineering, agriculture, fishing and history.

Rupacio 'Sugarskin'
This territory functions as a sanctuary for traders, at least up to a point. The temple of the God of murder resides here as well. The area is considered trashy by other plotters but so dangerous that it can't be removed.

Affios 'Pinnails'
A victorious general who returned with glorious spoils created this territory. This area is more luxurious than most, a guarded territory where many pleasures are easily available. There's a shrine for the god of Legends in this area. Affios has allowed monk orders to set up in his territory, raising general interest in becoming a monk in the city.

Enyor 'Happypaws'
A territory where wizard colleges reside. Enyor's territory also has many storehouses. The territory is at the very center of the city and has many structural supports for the city's towers. There's also a bardic college of glamour and satire.

Bernadora 'Whiskers'
Her territory is the most open to outsiders. Least courtesy is demanded and creatures of other races are accepted somewhat easily. There's a port of significant size. Many industries that are considered uncomfortable, such as dyeing are practiced here. Waste disposal is also a feature of this territory as is animal-keeping.

The power in the city is divided between plotters who generally maintain the status quo of power, the gangs which seek power through cleverness or forceful action and the traders who openly challenge the status quo.

Gangs are lower in the ranks of power than the true plotters. Yet their actions are more visible for they aim to act. In the city of plots the people with real power aim to threaten but never act. So one is much more likely to run into gangs engaged in interesting activity.

Many major gangs of the city recruit from and fight for influence in the Substratum.

The first mentionworthy gang is that of the Iron chain, a gang of heavy armor fighters and warlocks.

The second of the larger gangs is The Plagues. They seek druidic and bardic members, seemingly making them less dangerous to the city while still gaining power.

The gang called Darkweb is a religious cult, seeking purity of plotting on clerical grounds. Clerics and paladins form the main adherents.

These three are called high gangs. They exist as extensions of the ruling power block, but are viewed as corrupt in one way or another by the true powers. They are usually opposed by the low gangs that seek to challenge or even supplant the ones in power.

The fourth gang is the Hypothalassians. They are a gang of wanderers, rangers and barbarians. They aim to seize independence and to hold power in the regions surrounding Luracidon.

The gang called Impossible rise is largely made of bloodhunters and rogues. They aim to be seen as the most dangerous gang in the city with no other concerns.

The gang called Longwands is primarily a solace for wizards and sorcerers who use the more unacceptable colleges of magic.

Law is enforced variably. Each territory has their own laws. If a law is broken, the lawbreaker is expected to make good their actions of their own volition. The powers that be don't want to have to bother to actually uphold the laws. But if a lawbreaker is so obvious about how they flaunt the law, the plotters have no choice to utterly and completely destroy the lawbreaker. Such acts are plotted with the care of a dangerous military campaign. But when victory is certain, these events are turned into triumphal celebrations on the broken corpses of the guilty.

The merchant princes
There are few who dare to openly stand against the plot. Philosophically the merchant princes may see themselves as either opponents or misunderstood patrons of the city and society.

The merchant princes who see themselves as opposing the plotters are usually adherents to the cult of the Loser, the god of death and murder. With their trading they seek to create chaos and destruction in the realm. They are usually purged from the city even though they are accepted by society. Hence, the successful merchant princes of this type act beyond city walls. They're pirates and trade ship runners. They create purposeful shortages and gouge prices. They import cursed, faulty or subversive items to the city and they leave orders unfilled, anything to destroy the powers of plotting.

The other merchant princes pay homage to either the god of Nobility and leadership or the god of Legends or both. They frame themselves above and beyond plotting. They engage in trade while doing their business in ways that seem like they fit the city's standards. They call themselves the Cornecopia.

The borders of the town are the shores. Beyond the shores is the navy. The navy is large and is primarily martial in nature.

[Smilex]

As Polari picks the candle, the candle melds into his hand.

Lola says Flame burns inside you know. You will hear my secrets.

Lalo opens a door into thin air and disappears through it, closing it behind him.

Lola says I will teach you new spells so you can win when the Flesh-eater tracks you. You are not yet ready to face him.

Suddenly Polari remembers a magical fight. A wizard cast an ice storm that pummeled five young sorcerers in front of Polari. He was about to then cast phantasmal killer on Polari when he was stopped by a friend of Polari's. Someone else then came and dragged Polari away. You remember the wizard with his ritual dagger that was a meat-carving knife. His bones shone through his face at spots where he had eaten a part of his own face.

Lola says
I will help you and we will be done with this. First you need more though. More magic. You need to keep living. Dying is illogical.

Slowly Lola disappears from Polari's sight but he can still hear her. She starts teaching him new spells.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

From now on Polari doesn't roll death saves. He can still die by massive damage by one hit or by taking damage three times while he's at 0 hp and unconscious.

[Smilex]

As Theria and Geronimo are preparing to leave for an adventure in the Ghoul-Kingdoms and Polonia has been engaged to help them travel to their goal... Polari is almost killed.

Polari's home was fireballed at the hour of fear. After a chase through the substratum, being hit with a couple of magic missiles and being barely saved by Sakuya and her druid circle Polari rushes to the leaving boat.

A dark shape of a cowled man appears at the harbor to watch your ship leave.

The voyage veers off course because of telekinetic storms and you end up near the Largest Scrag. The Largest Scrag is larger than the largest whales. It's swimming around Subhadal, at times walking in the waters. When you see the creature, it's trying to swim into the telekinetic storm. It's back has a hundred or more enormous stalactites stuck in it. You witness another one drop toward the scrag but the storm tosses the large stone aside.

Geronimo's heard about this. Something above the sea has been trying to kill the scrag by throwing rocks at it for a hundred years or so. The scrag has been getting slower because of the sheer weight of stone stuck on it.

Your ship turns as far away from the scrag as you can and you take a few more days to get to the Warpipes... just to be safe.

Once at the Warpipes, your ship is lifted all the way to the surface. The place of surfacing is simply called the Stronghold. It's a military camp first and foremost. Not a great trade city. It's only real purpose is to maintain the Warpipes' safety. Originally it was a beachhead for the invasion of Astalon.

A week later the five of you are traveling east toward the ghoulish temple of Haems. Polonia is with you. She's claimed she has a certain affinity to your group by now though Oren suspects it's mostly to his cooking.

[Zhentarim]

Geronimo starts his studies in the Mentaujit. The studies don't initially go well. It seems much more fun to flirt with the librarian or to amaze junior students with wonderful songs.

Professor Melange seems quite busy and just tells Geronimo to study more. Coccyx gives you a book about soulstones. Reading it you learn that the market is overpriced because of the stones' role as a status symbol and you find out that you can get a decent soulstone for 200gp if you buy them from an importer. You also learn that a soulstone holding a soul can be used to power golems. It's possible to do create golems which the soul can fully control and it's also possible to make golems where the soul is just a battery and the golem obeys commands.

As days turn into weeks Geronimo feels frustrated. One day he finally corners professor Melange and uses his diplomatic charm on him. The professor starts to hold a small lecture about what the mraow have learned about how ghouls approach death.

The ghoulkings hold a race of men as their thralls. The humans are almost normal, except that they happen to have gills. The ghouls use these humans as servants as well as cattle, to feed on them. When a human has shown themselves to be a particularly worthy servant though. Then they turn the human into a ghoul when they are getting old. The ghouls believe this to be the start of their true life. Humanity is just a purgatory from which the select few can ascend to ghouldom. The ghouls use humans as the basis of their army against the mraow. Melange suggests that learning about ghouls would be a suitable endeavour. As the discussion goes on Melange realizes he's been charmed but since the subject matter actually interests him, he's not taking it personally.

Geronimo and Melange locate several interesting sites in the ghoul-kingdoms and discuss how to find out more. You realize that you will have to invade one of these places to find out their lore. Melange starts to make arrangements with captain Polonia for your travel when Geronimo happens to learn of Theria's interest to also travel in the same direction.

As Theria and Geronimo are preparing to leave for an adventure in the Ghoul-Kingdoms and Polonia has been engaged to help them travel to their goal... Polari is almost killed.

Polari's home was fireballed at the hour of fear. After a chase through the substratum, being hit with a couple of magic missiles and being barely saved by Sakuya and her druid circle Polari rushes to the leaving boat.

A dark shape of a cowled man appears at the harbor to watch your ship leave.

The voyage veers off course because of telekinetic storms and you end up near the Largest Scrag. The Largest Scrag is larger than the largest whales. It's swimming around Subhadal, at times walking in the waters. When you see the creature, it's trying to swim into the telekinetic storm. It's back has a hundred or more enormous stalactites stuck in it. You witness another one drop toward the scrag but the storm tosses the large stone aside.

Geronimo's heard about this. Something above the sea has been trying to kill the scrag by throwing rocks at it for a hundred years or so. The scrag has been getting slower because of the sheer weight of stone stuck on it.

Your ship turns as far away from the scrag as you can and you take a few more days to get to the Warpipes... just to be safe.

Once at the Warpipes, your ship is lifted all the way to the surface. The place of surfacing is simply called the Stronghold. It's a military camp first and foremost. Not a great trade city. It's only real purpose is to maintain the Warpipes' safety. Originally it was a beachhead for the invasion of Astalon.

A week later the five of you are traveling east toward the ghoulish temple of Haems. Polonia is with you. She's claimed she has a certain affinity to your group by now though Oren suspects it's mostly to his cooking.

Geronimo emerges from below deck.

"There she is: The Temple of Haems! True immortality is right around the corner, as soon as I uncover the secrets hidden in those walls."

He takes a swig of ale he brought with him from down below deck.

"I'd like to scout things out before we all just run on up. Stay close, but stay hidden!"

Spoiler: Alignment

Show

My alignment is a bit ambiguous, now, so I'm just going to put TN on my sheet.

[Smilex]

You travel for a couple of weeks eastwards. The winds are relatively calm and there's no psionic currents to push you faster. You see many small coastal fortresses that Geronimo realizes are of ghoulish origin.

Eventually you turn northwards and travel through an archipelago. You see ships a few times. They travel in convoys, a larger clumsy looking ship protected by smaller ships that seem ready for battle. Polonia tells you they're aven ships. The mraow don't like to fight avens she claims.
Too dangerous. Maybe after we've dealt with the ghouls.

Three days more and you find yourself nearing a shore of a mountainous region. The mountains are low ones, covered by green. There's a small town by the shore.

Polonia gathers you for a talk
This whole sea has ghoulish villages but we're not interested in them. They have settlements on the northern shores as well. The mraow long term interest is on those settlements. most of the war is actually happening far in the west, near Astalon. The ghouls can't protect every area equally and we can't really conquer and hold areas this far from Astalon. We sometimes do raids though.

This area under us is held by Tereus, one of the stronger ghoul kings. His territory is far from the war but he's tried to gain prominence and reputation by helping the ghoulish war efforts. You know he's been messing with us by financing the Hypothalassians as well as Jaere'e and the Nip. Well... time to turn the tables.

There's a ghoulish temple in this region which we want to destroy. We don't quite know yet what else we can achieve in this region but we want to cause as much havoc as possible. I'm dividing the group we have in two. You're accustomed to working together by now. You find the temple and do what you can to it. Figure it out. If you can make it unusable, that would be best. Killing some highpriests, stealing their relics, that kind of stuff might have to suffice.

I'm sending others to try to see what we can do about the merchants in this region. Ghouls trade with aven. We want to make Tereus poorer without antagonizing the aven. That'll be a job for a team of mraow.

We will stay here a month I think. Maybe more. If ghouls get smart about our presence the ship might need to dodge out and run circles for a while but we'll come back to get you. So if the ship disappears, lie low, wait.

Remember that most humans in ghoulish lands are dumb slaves. They're used to being led with tyranny, obeying orders. Rik knows aklo, so he'll have to be your interpreter.

[Wooloo]

Oren Ratfolk Fighter 4 AC: 16 | HP: 40/40 | HD: 4/1d10 Quiver: 20 arrows Second Wind: 1/1 Action Surge: 1/1 Superiority Die: 4/4 (d8) PP: 12 PInv: 10 PIns: 12 Conditions: none

Oren had grown accustomed to the life on the ship. Peeling potatoes and fishing at the high seas, that’s a life he could envy. The days of crawling through dangerous corridors fighting morlocks and pajama ninjas seem long gone and he is not entirely excited to jump back into it right away.

“Wait a minute, captain.. What in the loser’s name is a ghoulish village?”

He asks this simply to buy time. With a sliver of hope that the captain might suddenly change her mind and order the crew to keep sailing to new destinations.

Oren knows that this will never happen, though. He always suspected this calm life would end soon.
“Back to the dungeon with you, fat rat. Get yourself pierced, bludgeoned and slashed all over again.” He thinks to himself.

[Ninja Dragon]

Rik Silverfang Ratfolk Monk 4 AC: 17 | HP: 31/31 | HD: 4/4d8 Javelins: 5/5 | Darts: 10/10 Ki: 4/4 PP: 15 PInv: 10 PIns: 13 Conditions: none

Rik has also enjoyed the life at the sea, in a way. Just like he had a blood connection to knowledge and wisdom, he has one to the sea too, being a descendant from rats who once traveled the ocean. Now being at the surface for the first time, where his ancestors came from, he is feeling an urge to grab a small boat and go explore it.

The years he spent at the monastery were the happiest of his life, but his time at the Abracio fleet has made him feel alive in a different way. Not necessarily better, but different. He has heard stories from the crew and from the people he met at the locations they stopped at, ate different kinds of food, and came aross different perspectives.

But unlike the other rat, he feels excited about going on another mission. Although he won't admit it, Rik has come to really like fighting. Martial arts let him express his body, his mind and his creativity, and make him feel closer to his monastery. He wants to meet new enemies he cannot easily beat, and surpass himself.

He doesn't feel as good about the slaughter Polonia seems to want, though. But by this point, he has gotten used to the idea of carrying out the spirit of her orders but ignoring some of the details. He is going to go there, beat some people up, perhaps take the leaders down, release the human slaves and then destroy some or all of the building, preferrably after everyone inside it has left. Should all go smoothly.

"Roger. We will carry out this job."

He is not that sure about speaking Aklo, though. Learning a language from the books can be really different than speaking it in reality.

[Bobthewizard]

Polari Human Sorcerer 3 AC: 15 (MA) | HP: 27/27 | HD: 3/3d6 1/1d8
PP: 12 PInv: 12 PIns: 12 Spell Slots, 1st: 4/5 2nd: 2/2
Sorcery Points: 5/5 Restore Balance: 2/2 Healing Light: 2/2 Conditions: none

Polari falls onto the ship, barely alive, grateful to be amongst his trusted companions again. He thinks the wizard that just attacked him is the face-eater he saw in his memory. Mechanus is getting closer. I need to keep them off my trail.

He collapses on the deck, letting his teammates tend his wounds. While Geronimo's magic helps the most, he somehow heals himself too, a soft light emanating from his wounds as they close.

He rests on the journey, regaining his strength over the next few days. The burns heal well, not really leaving any scars. When Pelonia describes the war and their mission, Polari is eager to help and get back into action, leaving the ship behind.

"Pelonia, do you have a map of the town or the temple itself. I'd hate to ransack the wrong building."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Possible Reactions:
1. If Polari is hit and the roll is 19 or less, he will cast shield with his reaction.
2. If he is hit by 8 or more elemental damage, he will cast absorb elements.
3. If one of the players is attacked with advantage or has to attack at disadvantage, I can use a reaction to make it a normal roll.

Spoiler: Notes

Show

Geronimo, goblin bard
Professor Melange, Mentaujit
Pelonia, Abracio fleet - Rik and Oren
Sister Spinozo, Longwands - Polari and Geronimo
Heir Ermans, Sister Spinoza's boss
Rincip 'Cottonpads' - Allisog and Sakuya
Hopalloz, lost 150 years ago
Chexxa, Hopalloz outpost for arcane research
Captain Gomyabber, scouts found tunnels to Chexxa
Soulcrystal and ritual book, for collecting energy from Chexxa's forge - Polari gave them up
Nodovico, gnoll guide RIP
Namera and Pandinho, rescued Mraow (stayed behind)
Remilia, betrayed others with gnolls (all dead now)
Nyokawamtoto, dragon-thing stuck in the forge
Danifae, oracle and spear wielder
The Nip, or Disciples of Danifae have SS in a building in the territory of Affios 'Pinnails'
Doctor Coccyx and Bellatrice
Affios, stole dragon money from Pozernoa, runs Nips
Jaere'e, from Pozernoa, lives in Substratum, leader of the scions of shadow dragons.
Lola (candle) and Lalo (bell)

Spoiler: wizard

Show

Suddenly Polari remembers a magical fight. A wizard cast an ice storm that pummeled five young sorcerers in front of Polari. He was about to then cast phantasmal killer on Polari when he was stopped by a friend of Polari's. Someone else then came and dragged Polari away. You remember the wizard with his ritual dagger that was a meat-carving knife. His bones shone through his face at spots where he had eaten a part of his own face.

Spoiler: Luracidon

Show

There's a sea under the world, the Subhadal, also called the Shining Sea. The sea is not a normal sea of water, it is full of small mycoid intelligent organisms called endzymes. These creatures claim to be everywhere in the world, among other creatures and to suffuse them with the ability of psionics.
On this sea of psionic beings sail the mraow pirates. They protect their boats with soul crystals and build cities on islands that stand out of the sea. . The greatest of these cities is Luracidon.
The mraow also protect themselves through the path of Rose Madder Eye. Rose madder is the name they give the divine force that allowed the creation of other gods to balance out the lawful good gods of the catfolk. To balance Eboncrystal, the god of law and loyalty was formed the Choice. The Choice, also called Starlight-spear is a god of nobility and leadership. Howlingstorm, the good god of artifice and toil was balanced by The Plot. The Plot is also called Twilightspider, the god of artifice and traps. To balance the Crimson Eagle, the god of strength and resolve was formed The Act. The Act is also called the Vengeful-Hand the god of war and tactics. To balance Crying Hawk, the god of Healing and Medicine was formed The Loser. The Loser, also called Soulreaper is a god of death and murder. Finally Burning-Hunter, the god of good and redemption, was balanced by The Eternal. The Eternal, also called Shadowscorpion, is the god of Glory and Legend.

The mraow gods are gods of nihilism. They enhance the real, the materialistic, the present. They help their followers focus on what the faith's adherents know is important, survival in particular.

The mraow of Luracidon are primarily followers of the Twilightspider. Their city is in the middle of things because they have planned to build a city into a place where they could achieve this. The primary force the mraow of Luracidon use is intimidation. This they do to impose their plans on each other. They play power games.

There's no particular sex discrimination among the mraow. Those who are intimidating, those with the best plots, they rule. The mraow would accept a ruler of another race. Submitting to force is just natural. Other races don't really arise to power within Luracidon because the mraow find racism useful.

The mraow dislike the show of magic. They know that magic, once spent, is lost. Therefore the mraow support implied capability of magic but consider actual use of it vulgar and stupid. The wizardly school in Luracidon is powerful and focuses on spells of divination. The schools of enchantment and abjuration are also considered acceptable while other schools of magic are scorned.

The most blessed individuals within the mraow are considered the Destined sorcerers, closely followed by the psionic soul sorcerers. Many of the best plotters in the city, those who rule cabals of one kind or another, are destined.

Sorcerer: Destined
1st level You can cast your spells without visible spell effects. If the spell's description has no visible effects, you can cast the spell without verbal or somatic (but not without material) components.
6th level You gain the lucky feat.
14th level You gain advantage to initiative rolls and you are never surprised.
18th level You gain advantage to any saving throw to avoid being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, restrained or stunned. If the spell or outher cause that would cause this condition is tied to other effects such as damage, this advantage does not help you avoid the other effects.

Plotting is the driving force in Luracidon. Plots put things and people to their place. For individuals that do not plot there are four main paths. The first and the one that surprisingly is the weakest is that of the skilled individual. Many think that great skill increases their worth. Yet for the one who plots the skilled individual is a circumstantial tool of little worth. The skilled individual is given the difficult tasks and the minor rewards. The loyal servant gets the easy path. For the plotter, the enthousiastic loyal servant is the one who has the most value. Bards are common in the loyalists. The College of eloquence is supreme and gives basic teaching to the children of the powerful.

The third path is the one of the survivor. Some learn to avoid the plots, make themselves look unattractive as a target. Plotters don't see such people as threats, for few of them think of the survivors at all. The main paths of power for this group are to become clerics or druids of spores.

The fourth path is the one most hated by plotters. It is the path of the trader and mercenary. Plotters actively aim to rid the city of them yet there is always natural demand for traders. The few traders that do survive, tend to have their efforts helped by the lack of competition. The traders employ most of the rogues in Luracidon for rogues are also hated by the people in power.

For the ones who wield power and plot, the most respectable paths to might are those of paladin of conquest, wizard, battle master or PSI knight.

For the commoner, the adventurer's path that is most supported by those in power is that of the samurai fighter. Warlocks are also plentiful, though the more powerful plotters see them as individuals of divided loyalties and hence expendable.

The powerful in Luracidon hold no slaves. The concept of ownership is in general annoying to those who plot. The idea that ownership is a higher law than the will of the plotter is repugnant. Those in power take what they choose to require. Hence, no one is slave, but everybody is expected to serve the ones more powerful than they. This service, if sufficiently good, may also be rewarded out of generosity. Slaves do exist in name as well, for the few traders that have power enough to thrive, use slaves.

The city is home to 60 000 individuals. Half of them mraow and others of subservient races. The island which holds the city would not support many more. Already the city is built in many layers over each other.

The waves of the Shining sea give a rhytm and a pulse to sea. The psionic pressure all around them is felt by perceptive and intelligent individuals. The day is divided into six sessions based on the surrounding atmosphere. The sessions are in order: Surprise, Happiness, Fear, Anger, Disgust, Sadness. Most prefer to be awake during surprise and happiness.

Most of the food of the realm is either brought in from other territories or fished in the Shining sea. The druids of spore circle also grow fungus in their gardens and teach the commoners to do similar in smaller scale.
The city is built on grounds of reason and necessity. Things of beauty are reserved for those in power. The construction is powerful and everything is built to intimidate. High walls, tough forms. There are few windows in buildings. The buildings of the powerful and in the middle of the city, built on those of lesser importance. Any signs of magic have been hid when possible.

The Mentaujit is the main place for studies of younger individuals. Mentats teach the young and between the lessons the young measure each other. The stronger pupils draw the weaker ones into gangs as is proper. Of course, to get in, one already has to have parents with a certain amount of power. The young with no parental support end up in workshops or as houseservants.

The Substratum is the lowest part of the town. It's the place of the powerless and the outsiders. The houses are small, catacomblike. The houses have low ceilings and their very existence is more for support of the upper layers than for the ones living inside. Fires are forbidden in these narrow tunnels and magical lights are frowned upon. Everything is done with the visibility given by darkvision. The substratum continues underground and some of the deeper tunnels fill with water. The only powerful organization that prefers the substratum are the druids of the circle of spores. They have barricaded a large section of the tunnelnetwork for their fungus farms.

The Web makes up the central layers of Luracidon. These layers have the attention of those in power while they don't reside there themselves. Continual light spell have been cast in many areas in this section of the city. To cover up that magic was used the lights are covered by metal grills, as if a flame was inside.

Most buildings have insignia of them. These markers imply who the building owns allegiance to - whose plot are they in on. Lines and crowds are typical sights in this layer. Instead of trading, the individuals in power just give out what they want. Their troops show their support by gathering into groups and behaving like the crowd. The powers that be don't want these crowds of their to fight for that would create loss of resource. Rather they want constant visual signs of their power on the streets.

War is the major trade of the mraow. Luracidon seeks to develop generals and strategists in particular, but they don't want war on the streets. Rather the atmosphere is that of constant preparation for war. Releasing tension is equally important to avoid conflagrations of hostilities. It's common to see groups that have opposing loyalties engaging in ritualized half-hearted sports events, dances and similar events. The most important festival is that of Repeating Drummings or just Redrum. Half the citizens may engage in simultaneous beating of drums making the whole city sway with the sound waves.
One thing of interest in the Web is the roads. The large roads go straight from ports to the towers owned by the most powerful. These roads have a network of supporting paths in the area local to the tower. Only small narrow paths unite the network of roads around one tower to that of another.

The plotters live in towers above the Web. Collectively these towers are sometimes called the Twilight zone. The name implies something that's between things. The reference is to place that's between dreams and reality, between the divine Twilight spider and servants. Even the most powerful plotters in the city see themselves as weak in comparison to how powerful their dreams can be. Even more so, they live in fear of loss, which is why they abhor change.
In the towers of the Twilight zone very little ever happens. What does, is ritualized to a level it lacks all efficiency. Even small things are accompanied by as much spectacle as possible.

Each tower defines a territory and a plot. The nature of the plots is usually best understood as a protection scheme though others might argue for the legality and justification of taxation. The nature of the person on top is rarely an issue for they are separated from all below and cloaked in idolatry and extravagance.

Some of the more powerful plotters in town are

Rincip 'Cottonpads'
The territory of Rincip has the Circle of spores, food and herbal market, the largest port as well as the Mentaujit.

Marisuale 'Saltytips'
The territory of Marisuale has a warlock pairing academy where they subordinate youngsters to various patrons [usually these are celestial, fiend, lurker in the deep, raven queen, undead or undying]. There's also a military academy for most fighter types. There's armourers, bowyers, smiths and other artisans related to military professions. The cartographer's academy is also here.

Carnacio 'Cleverone'
This territory has temples for the god of War and Tactics. Carnacio is considered by many a falling plotter. His extreme longevity and the rising violence in his territory, including the presence of the undead are all suggesting to others that Carnacio is losing the Plot. Forces outside the city keep propping him up though. This region has an active street life fuelled by the dispensation of alcohol. There's also a bardic college of valor and swords in the territory.

Erarqa 'Highpyre'
This territory has the temples for the god of Plotting. Most clerics, paladins and monks of the city live here at one point or another. This area also has colleges for city-planning, engineering, agriculture, fishing and history.

Rupacio 'Sugarskin'
This territory functions as a sanctuary for traders, at least up to a point. The temple of the God of murder resides here as well. The area is considered trashy by other plotters but so dangerous that it can't be removed.

Affios 'Pinnails'
A victorious general who returned with glorious spoils created this territory. This area is more luxurious than most, a guarded territory where many pleasures are easily available. There's a shrine for the god of Legends in this area. Affios has allowed monk orders to set up in his territory, raising general interest in becoming a monk in the city.

Enyor 'Happypaws'
A territory where wizard colleges reside. Enyor's territory also has many storehouses. The territory is at the very center of the city and has many structural supports for the city's towers. There's also a bardic college of glamour and satire.

Bernadora 'Whiskers'
Her territory is the most open to outsiders. Least courtesy is demanded and creatures of other races are accepted somewhat easily. There's a port of significant size. Many industries that are considered uncomfortable, such as dyeing are practiced here. Waste disposal is also a feature of this territory as is animal-keeping.

The power in the city is divided between plotters who generally maintain the status quo of power, the gangs which seek power through cleverness or forceful action and the traders who openly challenge the status quo.

Gangs are lower in the ranks of power than the true plotters. Yet their actions are more visible for they aim to act. In the city of plots the people with real power aim to threaten but never act. So one is much more likely to run into gangs engaged in interesting activity.

Many major gangs of the city recruit from and fight for influence in the Substratum.

The first mentionworthy gang is that of the Iron chain, a gang of heavy armor fighters and warlocks.

The second of the larger gangs is The Plagues. They seek druidic and bardic members, seemingly making them less dangerous to the city while still gaining power.

The gang called Darkweb is a religious cult, seeking purity of plotting on clerical grounds. Clerics and paladins form the main adherents.

These three are called high gangs. They exist as extensions of the ruling power block, but are viewed as corrupt in one way or another by the true powers. They are usually opposed by the low gangs that seek to challenge or even supplant the ones in power.

The fourth gang is the Hypothalassians. They are a gang of wanderers, rangers and barbarians. They aim to seize independence and to hold power in the regions surrounding Luracidon.

The gang called Impossible rise is largely made of bloodhunters and rogues. They aim to be seen as the most dangerous gang in the city with no other concerns.

The gang called Longwands is primarily a solace for wizards and sorcerers who use the more unacceptable colleges of magic.

Law is enforced variably. Each territory has their own laws. If a law is broken, the lawbreaker is expected to make good their actions of their own volition. The powers that be don't want to have to bother to actually uphold the laws. But if a lawbreaker is so obvious about how they flaunt the law, the plotters have no choice to utterly and completely destroy the lawbreaker. Such acts are plotted with the care of a dangerous military campaign. But when victory is certain, these events are turned into triumphal celebrations on the broken corpses of the guilty.

The merchant princes
There are few who dare to openly stand against the plot. Philosophically the merchant princes may see themselves as either opponents or misunderstood patrons of the city and society.

The merchant princes who see themselves as opposing the plotters are usually adherents to the cult of the Loser, the god of death and murder. With their trading they seek to create chaos and destruction in the realm. They are usually purged from the city even though they are accepted by society. Hence, the successful merchant princes of this type act beyond city walls. They're pirates and trade ship runners. They create purposeful shortages and gouge prices. They import cursed, faulty or subversive items to the city and they leave orders unfilled, anything to destroy the powers of plotting.

The other merchant princes pay homage to either the god of Nobility and leadership or the god of Legends or both. They frame themselves above and beyond plotting. They engage in trade while doing their business in ways that seem like they fit the city's standards. They call themselves the Cornecopia.

The borders of the town are the shores. Beyond the shores is the navy. The navy is large and is primarily martial in nature.

[Smilex]

Polonia gives a wry smile.

That over there is a ghoulish village.

She points at the shore


Most inhabitants tend to be humans, some of those gilled people, not like Polari here. Usually there's a number of of ghoul aristocrats who rule. The humans obey their every wish in hopes of getting to become ghouls after they die. They're usually dreary, awful places.

I'm afraid I don't have a map to give you. We're here primarily as a favour for the Mentaujit. This is not an area I've been to before and if it was my choice I would have gone to some other, juicy region.

Since we were coming, the military command wants us to deliver a strike to Tereus' interests. I personally just want some good loot to offset the costs of this voyage. But the other troops will loot the region. You can focus on the temple but you do need to find it first.

Spoiler: The Village/town

Show

https://i.ibb.co/Rzgc5kB/Marlbourg.png

Oren... Experiences a warning.
They're trying to put me in danger! I must train for battle! Train to fight more!

[sandmote]

"Disturbing," Theria notes. "Well, if you don't have any strong reservations about this plan, I think we'll be off. Keep an eye out for an old dwarf messing with a lock just to see how it's been built or toying with lethal undead artifacts, everyone."

Unlike some of the others, she's eager to get in and out, soon as she can with everything done, hefting her newish but already worn warhammer in her hand.

[Smilex]

It's evening and twilight. The skies are clear and winds are low. You take a boat and row it not directly to the town but maybe a kilometer east of it. You lift the boat to the shore and cover it with branches. For many of you the simple forest is a wondrous experience. By the time you're done with this it's already quite dark.

It's quiet initially. Only the sounds of owls occasionally accompany the sounds you yourselves make Certainly you see no guards and encounter no patrols as you approach the town.

The buildings are relatively large. Many of them have two floors or more. They're built in a uniform style from bricks and tiled roofs. Many of the houses have tall chimneys.

The large building in the south appears to be fortifed. Others seem civilian in nature. There's lights flickering behind many windows, but the apertures are covered by wooden panels and little light escapes. The town is quite dark. As you approach you hear the sounds of metal beating metal from some of the buildings.

[Bobthewizard]

Polari Human Sorcerer 3 / Warlock 1 AC: 15 (MA) | HP: 27/27 | HD: 3/3d6 1/1d8
PP: 12 PInv: 12 PIns: 12 Spell Slots, 1st: 4/5 2nd: 2/2
Sorcery Points: 5/5 Restore Balance: 2/2 Healing Light: 2/2 Conditions: none

Polari gets off the boat as it is getting dark. He walks with the others towards the village, not entirely sure of the best course of action.

"We don't need to get involved in the town. Pelonia's crew should take care of that. But we don't know where the temple is. We'll need to get someone here to help us, either willingly or not. Rik, maybe you could scout things out and let us know what you find. Oren or Geronimo, do you want to with him? I can stay here with Theria. Neither of us are great at sneaking around."

He hears the metal clanging in some of the buildings and is curious, but realizes this is best left to those better trained in scouting.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Possible Reactions:
1. If Polari is hit and the roll is 19 or less, he will cast shield with his reaction.
2. If he is hit by 8 or more elemental damage, he will cast absorb elements.
3. If one of the players is attacked with advantage or has to attack at disadvantage, I can use a reaction to make it a normal roll.

Spoiler: Notes

Show

Geronimo, goblin bard
Professor Melange, Mentaujit
Pelonia, Abracio fleet - Rik and Oren
Sister Spinozo, Longwands - Polari and Geronimo
Heir Ermans, Sister Spinoza's boss
Rincip 'Cottonpads' - Allisog and Sakuya
Hopalloz, lost 150 years ago
Chexxa, Hopalloz outpost for arcane research
Captain Gomyabber, scouts found tunnels to Chexxa
Soulcrystal and ritual book, for collecting energy from Chexxa's forge - Polari gave them up
Nodovico, gnoll guide RIP
Namera and Pandinho, rescued Mraow (stayed behind)
Remilia, betrayed others with gnolls (all dead now)
Nyokawamtoto, dragon-thing stuck in the forge
Danifae, oracle and spear wielder
The Nip, or Disciples of Danifae have SS in a building in the territory of Affios 'Pinnails'
Doctor Coccyx and Bellatrice
Affios, stole dragon money from Pozernoa, runs Nips
Jaere'e, from Pozernoa, lives in Substratum, leader of the scions of shadow dragons.
Lola (candle) and Lalo (bell)

Spoiler: wizard

Show

Suddenly Polari remembers a magical fight. A wizard cast an ice storm that pummeled five young sorcerers in front of Polari. He was about to then cast phantasmal killer on Polari when he was stopped by a friend of Polari's. Someone else then came and dragged Polari away. You remember the wizard with his ritual dagger that was a meat-carving knife. His bones shone through his face at spots where he had eaten a part of his own face.

Spoiler: Luracidon

Show

There's a sea under the world, the Subhadal, also called the Shining Sea. The sea is not a normal sea of water, it is full of small mycoid intelligent organisms called endzymes. These creatures claim to be everywhere in the world, among other creatures and to suffuse them with the ability of psionics.
On this sea of psionic beings sail the mraow pirates. They protect their boats with soul crystals and build cities on islands that stand out of the sea. . The greatest of these cities is Luracidon.
The mraow also protect themselves through the path of Rose Madder Eye. Rose madder is the name they give the divine force that allowed the creation of other gods to balance out the lawful good gods of the catfolk. To balance Eboncrystal, the god of law and loyalty was formed the Choice. The Choice, also called Starlight-spear is a god of nobility and leadership. Howlingstorm, the good god of artifice and toil was balanced by The Plot. The Plot is also called Twilightspider, the god of artifice and traps. To balance the Crimson Eagle, the god of strength and resolve was formed The Act. The Act is also called the Vengeful-Hand the god of war and tactics. To balance Crying Hawk, the god of Healing and Medicine was formed The Loser. The Loser, also called Soulreaper is a god of death and murder. Finally Burning-Hunter, the god of good and redemption, was balanced by The Eternal. The Eternal, also called Shadowscorpion, is the god of Glory and Legend.

The mraow gods are gods of nihilism. They enhance the real, the materialistic, the present. They help their followers focus on what the faith's adherents know is important, survival in particular.

The mraow of Luracidon are primarily followers of the Twilightspider. Their city is in the middle of things because they have planned to build a city into a place where they could achieve this. The primary force the mraow of Luracidon use is intimidation. This they do to impose their plans on each other. They play power games.

There's no particular sex discrimination among the mraow. Those who are intimidating, those with the best plots, they rule. The mraow would accept a ruler of another race. Submitting to force is just natural. Other races don't really arise to power within Luracidon because the mraow find racism useful.

The mraow dislike the show of magic. They know that magic, once spent, is lost. Therefore the mraow support implied capability of magic but consider actual use of it vulgar and stupid. The wizardly school in Luracidon is powerful and focuses on spells of divination. The schools of enchantment and abjuration are also considered acceptable while other schools of magic are scorned.

The most blessed individuals within the mraow are considered the Destined sorcerers, closely followed by the psionic soul sorcerers. Many of the best plotters in the city, those who rule cabals of one kind or another, are destined.

Sorcerer: Destined
1st level You can cast your spells without visible spell effects. If the spell's description has no visible effects, you can cast the spell without verbal or somatic (but not without material) components.
6th level You gain the lucky feat.
14th level You gain advantage to initiative rolls and you are never surprised.
18th level You gain advantage to any saving throw to avoid being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, restrained or stunned. If the spell or outher cause that would cause this condition is tied to other effects such as damage, this advantage does not help you avoid the other effects.

Plotting is the driving force in Luracidon. Plots put things and people to their place. For individuals that do not plot there are four main paths. The first and the one that surprisingly is the weakest is that of the skilled individual. Many think that great skill increases their worth. Yet for the one who plots the skilled individual is a circumstantial tool of little worth. The skilled individual is given the difficult tasks and the minor rewards. The loyal servant gets the easy path. For the plotter, the enthousiastic loyal servant is the one who has the most value. Bards are common in the loyalists. The College of eloquence is supreme and gives basic teaching to the children of the powerful.

The third path is the one of the survivor. Some learn to avoid the plots, make themselves look unattractive as a target. Plotters don't see such people as threats, for few of them think of the survivors at all. The main paths of power for this group are to become clerics or druids of spores.

The fourth path is the one most hated by plotters. It is the path of the trader and mercenary. Plotters actively aim to rid the city of them yet there is always natural demand for traders. The few traders that do survive, tend to have their efforts helped by the lack of competition. The traders employ most of the rogues in Luracidon for rogues are also hated by the people in power.

For the ones who wield power and plot, the most respectable paths to might are those of paladin of conquest, wizard, battle master or PSI knight.

For the commoner, the adventurer's path that is most supported by those in power is that of the samurai fighter. Warlocks are also plentiful, though the more powerful plotters see them as individuals of divided loyalties and hence expendable.

The powerful in Luracidon hold no slaves. The concept of ownership is in general annoying to those who plot. The idea that ownership is a higher law than the will of the plotter is repugnant. Those in power take what they choose to require. Hence, no one is slave, but everybody is expected to serve the ones more powerful than they. This service, if sufficiently good, may also be rewarded out of generosity. Slaves do exist in name as well, for the few traders that have power enough to thrive, use slaves.

The city is home to 60 000 individuals. Half of them mraow and others of subservient races. The island which holds the city would not support many more. Already the city is built in many layers over each other.

The waves of the Shining sea give a rhytm and a pulse to sea. The psionic pressure all around them is felt by perceptive and intelligent individuals. The day is divided into six sessions based on the surrounding atmosphere. The sessions are in order: Surprise, Happiness, Fear, Anger, Disgust, Sadness. Most prefer to be awake during surprise and happiness.

Most of the food of the realm is either brought in from other territories or fished in the Shining sea. The druids of spore circle also grow fungus in their gardens and teach the commoners to do similar in smaller scale.
The city is built on grounds of reason and necessity. Things of beauty are reserved for those in power. The construction is powerful and everything is built to intimidate. High walls, tough forms. There are few windows in buildings. The buildings of the powerful and in the middle of the city, built on those of lesser importance. Any signs of magic have been hid when possible.

The Mentaujit is the main place for studies of younger individuals. Mentats teach the young and between the lessons the young measure each other. The stronger pupils draw the weaker ones into gangs as is proper. Of course, to get in, one already has to have parents with a certain amount of power. The young with no parental support end up in workshops or as houseservants.

The Substratum is the lowest part of the town. It's the place of the powerless and the outsiders. The houses are small, catacomblike. The houses have low ceilings and their very existence is more for support of the upper layers than for the ones living inside. Fires are forbidden in these narrow tunnels and magical lights are frowned upon. Everything is done with the visibility given by darkvision. The substratum continues underground and some of the deeper tunnels fill with water. The only powerful organization that prefers the substratum are the druids of the circle of spores. They have barricaded a large section of the tunnelnetwork for their fungus farms.

The Web makes up the central layers of Luracidon. These layers have the attention of those in power while they don't reside there themselves. Continual light spell have been cast in many areas in this section of the city. To cover up that magic was used the lights are covered by metal grills, as if a flame was inside.

Most buildings have insignia of them. These markers imply who the building owns allegiance to - whose plot are they in on. Lines and crowds are typical sights in this layer. Instead of trading, the individuals in power just give out what they want. Their troops show their support by gathering into groups and behaving like the crowd. The powers that be don't want these crowds of their to fight for that would create loss of resource. Rather they want constant visual signs of their power on the streets.

War is the major trade of the mraow. Luracidon seeks to develop generals and strategists in particular, but they don't want war on the streets. Rather the atmosphere is that of constant preparation for war. Releasing tension is equally important to avoid conflagrations of hostilities. It's common to see groups that have opposing loyalties engaging in ritualized half-hearted sports events, dances and similar events. The most important festival is that of Repeating Drummings or just Redrum. Half the citizens may engage in simultaneous beating of drums making the whole city sway with the sound waves.
One thing of interest in the Web is the roads. The large roads go straight from ports to the towers owned by the most powerful. These roads have a network of supporting paths in the area local to the tower. Only small narrow paths unite the network of roads around one tower to that of another.

The plotters live in towers above the Web. Collectively these towers are sometimes called the Twilight zone. The name implies something that's between things. The reference is to place that's between dreams and reality, between the divine Twilight spider and servants. Even the most powerful plotters in the city see themselves as weak in comparison to how powerful their dreams can be. Even more so, they live in fear of loss, which is why they abhor change.
In the towers of the Twilight zone very little ever happens. What does, is ritualized to a level it lacks all efficiency. Even small things are accompanied by as much spectacle as possible.

Each tower defines a territory and a plot. The nature of the plots is usually best understood as a protection scheme though others might argue for the legality and justification of taxation. The nature of the person on top is rarely an issue for they are separated from all below and cloaked in idolatry and extravagance.

Some of the more powerful plotters in town are

Rincip 'Cottonpads'
The territory of Rincip has the Circle of spores, food and herbal market, the largest port as well as the Mentaujit.

Marisuale 'Saltytips'
The territory of Marisuale has a warlock pairing academy where they subordinate youngsters to various patrons [usually these are celestial, fiend, lurker in the deep, raven queen, undead or undying]. There's also a military academy for most fighter types. There's armourers, bowyers, smiths and other artisans related to military professions. The cartographer's academy is also here.

Carnacio 'Cleverone'
This territory has temples for the god of War and Tactics. Carnacio is considered by many a falling plotter. His extreme longevity and the rising violence in his territory, including the presence of the undead are all suggesting to others that Carnacio is losing the Plot. Forces outside the city keep propping him up though. This region has an active street life fuelled by the dispensation of alcohol. There's also a bardic college of valor and swords in the territory.

Erarqa 'Highpyre'
This territory has the temples for the god of Plotting. Most clerics, paladins and monks of the city live here at one point or another. This area also has colleges for city-planning, engineering, agriculture, fishing and history.

Rupacio 'Sugarskin'
This territory functions as a sanctuary for traders, at least up to a point. The temple of the God of murder resides here as well. The area is considered trashy by other plotters but so dangerous that it can't be removed.

Affios 'Pinnails'
A victorious general who returned with glorious spoils created this territory. This area is more luxurious than most, a guarded territory where many pleasures are easily available. There's a shrine for the god of Legends in this area. Affios has allowed monk orders to set up in his territory, raising general interest in becoming a monk in the city.

Enyor 'Happypaws'
A territory where wizard colleges reside. Enyor's territory also has many storehouses. The territory is at the very center of the city and has many structural supports for the city's towers. There's also a bardic college of glamour and satire.

Bernadora 'Whiskers'
Her territory is the most open to outsiders. Least courtesy is demanded and creatures of other races are accepted somewhat easily. There's a port of significant size. Many industries that are considered uncomfortable, such as dyeing are practiced here. Waste disposal is also a feature of this territory as is animal-keeping.

The power in the city is divided between plotters who generally maintain the status quo of power, the gangs which seek power through cleverness or forceful action and the traders who openly challenge the status quo.

Gangs are lower in the ranks of power than the true plotters. Yet their actions are more visible for they aim to act. In the city of plots the people with real power aim to threaten but never act. So one is much more likely to run into gangs engaged in interesting activity.

Many major gangs of the city recruit from and fight for influence in the Substratum.

The first mentionworthy gang is that of the Iron chain, a gang of heavy armor fighters and warlocks.

The second of the larger gangs is The Plagues. They seek druidic and bardic members, seemingly making them less dangerous to the city while still gaining power.

The gang called Darkweb is a religious cult, seeking purity of plotting on clerical grounds. Clerics and paladins form the main adherents.

These three are called high gangs. They exist as extensions of the ruling power block, but are viewed as corrupt in one way or another by the true powers. They are usually opposed by the low gangs that seek to challenge or even supplant the ones in power.

The fourth gang is the Hypothalassians. They are a gang of wanderers, rangers and barbarians. They aim to seize independence and to hold power in the regions surrounding Luracidon.

The gang called Impossible rise is largely made of bloodhunters and rogues. They aim to be seen as the most dangerous gang in the city with no other concerns.

The gang called Longwands is primarily a solace for wizards and sorcerers who use the more unacceptable colleges of magic.

Law is enforced variably. Each territory has their own laws. If a law is broken, the lawbreaker is expected to make good their actions of their own volition. The powers that be don't want to have to bother to actually uphold the laws. But if a lawbreaker is so obvious about how they flaunt the law, the plotters have no choice to utterly and completely destroy the lawbreaker. Such acts are plotted with the care of a dangerous military campaign. But when victory is certain, these events are turned into triumphal celebrations on the broken corpses of the guilty.

The merchant princes
There are few who dare to openly stand against the plot. Philosophically the merchant princes may see themselves as either opponents or misunderstood patrons of the city and society.

The merchant princes who see themselves as opposing the plotters are usually adherents to the cult of the Loser, the god of death and murder. With their trading they seek to create chaos and destruction in the realm. They are usually purged from the city even though they are accepted by society. Hence, the successful merchant princes of this type act beyond city walls. They're pirates and trade ship runners. They create purposeful shortages and gouge prices. They import cursed, faulty or subversive items to the city and they leave orders unfilled, anything to destroy the powers of plotting.

The other merchant princes pay homage to either the god of Nobility and leadership or the god of Legends or both. They frame themselves above and beyond plotting. They engage in trade while doing their business in ways that seem like they fit the city's standards. They call themselves the Cornecopia.

The borders of the town are the shores. Beyond the shores is the navy. The navy is large and is primarily martial in nature.

[Ninja Dragon]

"Sure, I can scout the region. Maybe I get lucky and find the temple entrance."

He looks at the other party members.

"I can go alone, but it might be safer as two. Who wants to join me?"