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  1. - Top - End - #571
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    sandmote's Avatar

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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

    Seeing the plan is intimidation, Theria calls on her giant might to grow in size (if there's size) and charges down the hallway. "Clearing the way" Whether she reaches an enemy or not, she'll try to block the rest of the party from attack.

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    bonus action: Giant's Might, 1/2 uses remaining.
    Action: Dash, I think, but if there's an enemy directly in front of her to attack with melee: (1d20+6)[10] for (1d8+3)[10]

  2. - Top - End - #572
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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

    Theria enlarges herself and moves in front of the group with Polari following behind. You hear voices and raising panic behind the corner. When Polari let's the bonfire go and Theria circles the corner you hear rapidly distancing gnoll steps but you also see two gnolls in a scuffle at the next corner. One of them is carrying some kind of a metal barrel or canister. The other one is carrying some kind of a metal wand with a cone on it's head. The wand is attached to the canister with a leather hose.

    The tip of the wand has a small flame. Theria recognizes a flame-thrower and thinks
    What poor craftsmanship. That thing is a deadly danger to anyone carrying it.

    You get to see the the canister drop and break. For about one tenth of a second you see pressurized chartreuse-colored gas shoot out of it before the canister explodes in flame, shrapnel and radiance.

    The others are quite well protected by Theria's enlargened body blocking the corridor. Most of the pressure from the blast is directed to the other side.

    The explosion makes the walls quake. Some of the bad plaster around the earlier mentioned scribblings actually falls off the wall showing a covered door. Dust falls from the ceiling but the there's no cave-in, certainly not here... though you hear a rumble from deeper in the complex.

    The running noises at the other end of the explosion stop immediately after the blast.

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show

    For Theria this means... 28 fire damage, dc 14 dex save to halve it (with disadvantage). 12 piercing damage from shrapnel - dc 10 dex save to halve it. 6 radiant damage, no save. 6 poison damage, con save 14 for none.

    The enlargement effect completely saves the rest of the group.

  3. - Top - End - #573
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    Chimera

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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

    "THERIA" - he yells.

    Rik runs to where she is, not being able to see if she is standing or not due to the dust. He holds his spear in case there are any enemies left standing there, too. He would guess the explosion would also take them down, but he isn't sure.

    He already has second thoughts about this mission. What was he thinking, wanting to come to this place to test his martial arts? This is irresponsible thinking, Rik.

  4. - Top - End - #574
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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

    The gnoll weapons team is two piles of charred corpses. Two of them are in front of the room numbered 7 in the map. Three more smoldering remains can be found further north in the corridor.

  5. - Top - End - #575
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    GnomeWizardGuy

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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk

    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: 3/5 2nd: 2/2
    Sorcery Points: 5/5 Restore Balance: 2/2 Healing Light: 2/2 Conditions: none


    Polari moves over to Theria to see if she is alright. If she is unconscious, he'll use magic to bring her back.

    "Thanks for blocking the fire for us. That was really brave of you."

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    If Theria is unconscious, Polari will cast Cure Wounds for (1d8+3)[8]

    If she is conscious, I suggest we rest instead and use hit dice

    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 10 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: Caverns Map
    Show


    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)
    Orderly Principality - Aven and bard Coco, looking for Polari.

    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.


    Last edited by Bobthewizard; 2021-01-22 at 10:42 AM.

  6. - Top - End - #576
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    Smilex's Avatar

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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

    Spoiler: Map2
    Show


    When you look around a little, you find out that a section of the north corridor's west wall has broken. It appears to lead to another room.

    The room which the corridor circles (7) has many pieces of ignited furniture. It seems to have been a barracks of sorts. There's also a metal cabinet which might have been used for containing incredibly dangerous weaponry.

    The continuing fires make the room smoky, lack oxygen and in general uncomfortable.
    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    It doesn't feel like the best camping spot. There's a chance that someone might have heard the noise too.

  7. - Top - End - #577
    Ettin in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

    Not wanting to waste the Shatter spell he has ready, Geronimo continues holding the spell until he sees an enemy.

  8. - Top - End - #578
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    GnomeWizardGuy

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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk

    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: 3/5 2nd: 2/2
    Sorcery Points: 5/5 Restore Balance: 2/2 Healing Light: 2/2 Conditions: none


    Polari helps Theria up and looks to the others.

    "Let's follow the instructions and go through the secret passage. Maybe we can find a place to rest in there."

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    Since we can't find a safe place to rest, use the cure wounds above on Theria.

    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 10 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: Caverns Map
    Show


    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)
    Orderly Principality - Aven and bard Coco, looking for Polari.

    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.



  9. - Top - End - #579
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Chimera

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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

    Yeah, let's do that. Oren, you and me should take the front and rear guard since Theria is hurt.

  10. - Top - End - #580
    Ogre in the Playground
     
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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

    Geronimo keeps watch for new attackers as you remove the plaster that's covering a door. There's writing on the door. The first script is unreadable since you don't know the language. It is engraved deep into the stone door.

    The second text is much more recent and painted. It's still old enough to be almost faded. It's writtern in aklo
    Know, reader that beyond this portal lies the demesne of Euthanatos, the Solution to Life, the All-Killer, The Final Truth, Ender of Madness. Seek not to pass this gate unless you are ready to give yourself to him entirely. Once passed, the final step is forever.

    There's a third script below this one. It's written in celestial and not faded.
    Just plaster over this. We'll demolish it all when we come back.

  11. - Top - End - #581
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    sandmote's Avatar

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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

    "Thank you." Theria gets up after Polari's spell. "I'm glad they're not great smiths, but that was some explosion." Returned to her normal size, she's visibly shaken a bit. "A moment to recover, please, but I should still be able to handle the rear guard." She very much does not like being brought down in one hit.

  12. - Top - End - #582
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    BardGuy

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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

    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

    By the Eternal! I can’t believe you’re still alive!” Oren is awed by Theria’s ability to endure the explosion. He then turns to the text. “Hmm.. Demolish..? Perhaps if I..” Feeling like a genius on the brink of a mind-blowing discovery, the rat fighter gathers all of his strength and tries to kick down the stone door!

    Spoiler: athletics check
    Show
    athletics check: (1d20)[20]

  13. - Top - End - #583
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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

    Oren kick's the huge door in with one kick. Inside is a corridor that has a dark cloud. One can not see further than 5' in this cloud.

  14. - Top - End - #584
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Chimera

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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

    "Be careful, guys. Let's try not to trigger any more traps". - he whispers.

    Rik tries to listen carefully to any sounds coming from the corridor to hopefully spot more enemies before they attack.

    Peeception: (1d20+5)[23]

  15. - Top - End - #585
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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

    You do hear cautious footsteps from the north as if some people were coming to check the explosion.

    No noise from within the uninviting-looking cloud.

  16. - Top - End - #586
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    GnomeWizardGuy

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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk

    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: 2/5 2nd: 2/2
    Sorcery Points: 5/5 Restore Balance: 2/2 Healing Light: 2/2 Conditions: none


    Polari hears the footsteps from the north and sees the smoke to the west. He doesn't want to get trapped in between them.

    "I'm not sure I'm ready to give myself over to this Euthanatos. This smoke needs to wait. We don't want to stir anything up in there just as more guards come from the north. Come, let's set up an ambush for the approaching guards."

    He tries to motion to the others to move quietly to find places to hide and ambush the guards.

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    I suggest we try to move as far north as possible that still gives us good cover. Hopefully, we can get to the corner between the 7 and the g so we can pick them off as they come down the hallway, but any of the corners before that would work too.

    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 10 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: Caverns Map
    Show


    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)
    Orderly Principality - Aven and bard Coco, looking for Polari.

    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.



  17. - Top - End - #587
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Chimera

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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

    "I agree. Let's finish them off."

    Rik moves forward to position himself at one of the corners so that the incoming enemies don't see him. He'll attack them as soon as they turn around.

    Stealth:

    (1d20+6)[12]
    (1d20+6)[25]

  18. - Top - End - #588
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Smilex's Avatar

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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

    The incoming group is a bit closer than you'd like. You hear them moving in the burned guard room. You also see them coming. They're carrying lights.

    You set up your ambush in the corner that turns north toward 6. The length of the corridor from corner to corner is about 25'.

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    How do you want to set this up? Your cover is basically that one corner. Geronimo has shatter readied (yes, I'm allowing continued spell-readying for short periods)

  19. - Top - End - #589
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    GnomeWizardGuy

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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk

    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: 2/5 2nd: 2/2
    Sorcery Points: 5/5 Restore Balance: 2/2 Healing Light: 2/2 Conditions: none


    Polari doesn't make it as far as he had hoped, but this would have to do. He whispers and motions to the rest to get a plan in place.

    "Rik, Oren, why don't you get in the front. Wait for them to get to us then attack the ones in the front. Geronimo, you can use your spell to take out any in the rear."

    He then makes a noise down the south hallway that sounds like several people retreating and talking,

    "Everyone, run away, I hear guards coming. We're too wounded to take them on."

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    Uses minor illusion to make noises that make it seem like we are farther away than we are, hopefully they run into us without caution.

    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 10 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: Caverns Map
    Show


    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)
    Orderly Principality - Aven and bard Coco, looking for Polari.

    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.



  20. - Top - End - #590
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Smilex's Avatar

    Join Date
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    Finland
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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

    The incoming individuals don't rush in despite the illusion. When they circle the corner, you see four aven. By dress and look they seem to be of the same bunch as Arris's crew. They move in cautiously, fully expecting to find some opposition. They also seem to hear the buzzing of Oren's sword.

    Nevertheless you get chance to strike first.

    Spoiler: Initiative queue
    Show

    I handled this by giving the enemy disadvantage to their initiative.

    25 Oren (not a typo)
    19 Geronimo
    17 Polari
    14 Theria
    9 Rik
    6 Aven patrol


  21. - Top - End - #591
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    Zhentarim's Avatar

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    Shreveport, Louisiana, US
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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

    Geronimo unleashes the Shatter spell he's been holding, right in the middle of the aven.
    On his fiddle, he plays:
    "Being near my jam,
    will make your bodies slam,
    hearing my music token,
    will make your bodies broken,
    you will feel my wrath,
    so y'all are out of path!"


    The music sounds very fast and angry.

  22. - Top - End - #592
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    GnomeWizardGuy

    Join Date
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    Lower Menthis

    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk

    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: 2/5 2nd: 2/2
    Sorcery Points: 5/5 Restore Balance: 2/2 Healing Light: 2/2 Conditions: none


    Polari peeks around the corner, just long enough to create a bonfire at the back of the hallway, its flames erupting hopefully around the back two aven. He then backs up allowing others to get closer.

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    Create bonfire at the back. I think we are at the triangle below 6, so the bonfire would go almost to the g between 6 and 7, but more importantly trying to catch the two most rear Aven he can see.

    DC13 Dex save or (1d8)[8] damage

    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 10 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: Caverns Map
    Show


    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)
    Orderly Principality - Aven and bard Coco, looking for Polari.

    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.



  23. - Top - End - #593
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Smilex's Avatar

    Join Date
    Apr 2019
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    Finland
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    Male

    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

    The two spells, cast one after another are enough to finish this small patrol. Three of them fall from the shatter alone and the final one is engulfed by the flames.

    Spoiler: OOC Polari
    Show
    Lola's voice in your head goes. The cloud... It's not a chapel of death. It's your fate.

  24. - Top - End - #594
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Chimera

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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

    "Well, this was quick. I guess they are a lot less dangerous without a flamethrower" - Rik comments, a little frustrated that he didn't get to punch anyone. But that thought only lasts for a few seconds.

    "Let's move, guys. We can't just stay here waiting for the next patrol. Sooner or later the whole building will learn we are here".

  25. - Top - End - #595
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    GnomeWizardGuy

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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk

    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: 2/5 2nd: 2/2
    Sorcery Points: 5/5 Restore Balance: 2/2 Healing Light: 2/2 Conditions: none


    Polari hears the voice in his head and replies with a thought, But does my fate lead to happiness or ruin? I guess we shall see.

    He then turns to the rest of the party,

    "My patron tells me that my fate is to be found in the cloud, so that is where I must go. Will you all join me?"

    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 10 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: Caverns Map
    Show


    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)
    Orderly Principality - Aven and bard Coco, looking for Polari.

    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.



  26. - Top - End - #596
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Chimera

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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

    "Of course, my friend. And if any of those mechanus guys come for you they will have to get past us first."

  27. - Top - End - #597
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    sandmote's Avatar

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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

    Thera looks at the cloud nervously. "I've taken a moment, but I'm still a bit worried about taking another explosion to the face. Still, I don't see my master saying anything about this, so if it our only clue..."

    Spoiler: OOC
    Show
    Forgot to use second wind: (1d10+4)[6] Really need to run fighter more, huh.

    If it isn't entirely clear, Theria will follow the rest of the party into the smoke.

  28. - Top - End - #598
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    Smilex's Avatar

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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

    You move into the cloud and surprisingly you rapidly lose sight of each other...

    Each of you has their own experience of what happens...

    Spoiler: Polari
    Show

    You move within the cloud and it seems the cloud is quite deep.

    Lola starts speaking in her normal whispery monotonous voice
    Haems is the name of the mountain behind the temple. This a temple of Fate, the final state of every machine, the value of the function, the inevitable end result of everything.

    A huge pendulum swings by you in the cloud.

    This temple is quite powerful. It can actually transport us to the the center of the inevitable machine. This is Mechanus as much as this is the temple at Haems

    A series of balls rolls by you at intervals that seem like a combination of regular and irregular. You seem to remember that there's a code in them.

    The pole of a meromorphic complex function is a point on the complex plane on which the function is undefined or approaches infinity. Your existence in Mechanus was about research. Research requires growth. Mechanus is complex enough to allow growth but growth can only exist in areas that are not normally covered. Your inability to adapt is what sheltered you when many other pieces were destroyed by Orcus. Orcus killed most of you. That was fate... but not the end. You're still here, you and your infinite potential.

    A series of lightning bolts flashes by you.

    You're not the only one with infinite potential to grow and define Mechanus. Other pieces of you are looking for you. By the end there can be only one. All uncertainty will be removed.

    You keep walking and the cloud seems to go on and on.


    Meanwhile...

    Spoiler: Theria
    Show
    You move within the cloud and it seems the cloud is quite deep.

    Suddenly you start noticing that the cloud is not just mist. It's made of very small greenish particles that are falling all around you.
    Spoiler: What you see
    Show



    Suddenly a voice says
    Yes. It is all made of runes... The runes you know have been chosen for their effectiveness at creating quick results. Whether they're a crude bastardization or an advanced version is all in the point of view.

    You see a dwarf in dark green plate armor appear from the mist. His helmet covers most of his face. You only see his mouth that seems completely unemotional.
    Who are you and how did you end up in the middle of my operation?



    Meanwhile...

    Spoiler: Rik
    Show

    You move within the cloud and it seems the cloud is quite deep.

    Suddenly you notice a silver piece of thread coming out of your chest. You realize, you've somehow come into the astral realm. There's a ratfolk sorcerer bloodline that's particularly attuned to the astral realm and you wonder for a moment if you might have a link to them.

    The cloud... it's made of stars.

    A cowled figure appears in the middle of them and starts talking to you.
    You came in through the temple at Haems, right? Are you interested in where you're going? It's a temple of fate, but you don't have to have yours today.


  29. - Top - End - #599
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Smilex's Avatar

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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

    Meanwhile...

    Spoiler: Geronimo
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    You move within the cloud and it seems the cloud is quite deep.

    Slowly you can start to see a vision in the clouds.

    You see a blackened forest full of zombies. Behind it a skeletal dragon is rising from a ruin on a desolate mountaintop

    Behind the mountain rises a palace that's larger than the mountain itself. You recognize the palace from a book you've read.

    It's Everlost, a castle of bone and obsidian, the seat of the demon lord Orcus who rules undeath.

    You walk closer and you cross through a wasteland where hordes of wights wander. You walk into the palace, up a series of stairs, all the way into the throne room...

    The Demon-God of undeath stares at you with it's orbless sockets. His capricorn skull has enormous horns. In his hands he carries a staff and a sword. He spreads his batlike wings reacting to your coming.

    You've come to meet your fate...



    Meanwhile...

    Spoiler: Oren
    Show
    You move within the cloud and it seems the cloud is quite deep.

    An aven with the head of an ibis and a red spot on it's forehead walks towards you in the cloud.

    Hello. Oren isn't it? Still alive, eh? Full of hope and pizzazz. Your friends lead you into this didn't they? A cloud of certain death. How does that make you feel?


  30. - Top - End - #600
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    Chimera

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    Default Re: Council of spiders-Caverns of Thracia-Rappan Athuk IC

    Spoiler: OOC
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    Smilex the last sentence seems broken so I don't get what he's saying

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