(055) Wildwood/The Ivory Wold

[Olroda]

Beringar smiles at the warm welcome, and speaks again when he gets a chance.

"I know little concerning fell sorcery or elven wisdom, but lingering here for another couple of days seems wise. Since I have been generously supplied with coin, I'm thinking of getting myself an iron shirt tomorrow, and fiddling with the rings for a good fit might take some time."

"Also, I must say that Lord Gustave has some bright ideas. One should always strike where the enemy is weakest."

Unless he's prevented during day five, Beringar will go and see the Quartermaster to get himself some mail.

[mgtremaine]

The Gholem Manual is calling to him, but he is also, for the first time in a long time, frightened to be alone.

"Wen, am I losing my mind? Such troubled thoughts! I was so naive to dream the waning centuries of my life would be spent in the joys of family and contemplation of the peaceful arts."

Wen would walk with the old Elf before going about his business with the Quartermaster. "I don't know the answers to these things, I suspect there is no real answer, but enjoy the time we have here in remembrance of days gone by. Soon it is back the to wild-lands and the smell the of war."

[mushgnome]

The Gholem Manual is calling to him, but he is also, for the first time in a long time, frightened to be alone.

"Wen, am I losing my mind? Such troubled thoughts! I was so naive to dream the waning centuries of my life would be spent in the joys of family and contemplation of the peaceful arts."

Wen would walk with the old Elf before going about his business with the Quartermaster. "I don't know the answers to these things, I suspect there is no real answer, but enjoy the time we have here in remembrance of days gone by. Soon it is back the to wild-lands and the smell the of war."

"Wen, have I made a terrible mistake? Part of me wishes I had gazed upon the naiad's beauty and slipped away from this troubled life. Perhaps she would have taken pity on an old Elf and taken me as her thrall, a happy fool splashing in the waterfalls of the primordial forest..."

[waysoftheearth]

Day Five

The fifth day in Southwatch proves to be busy with preparations for the imminent questing.

Josiane secludes herself with the Queerious Speculum for a third day and, casting her farseeing eye across Ket once more perceives that the place is now busy with Goblin industry; holes are being opening up in the very streets, and tracks of iron hastily assembled so that laden carts can brought to the surface from unknowable mines below the surface. Her effort to scry deep into the catacombs beneath the bone yard yield little, however, for those vaults are pitch dark.

Now this effort taxes her greatly Save versus spells required for a third consecutive use of the crystal ball; d20=16, a save! and she finds that she must rest for the remainder of the day.


Dorgan and Beringar negotiate the purchase and fitting of mail armour from the Quartermanser (presuming they have the requisite 35sp each). Olaf and Torben have their newly acquired mail fitted also. Armando procures the requisite writing gear for the princely sum of 5sp, and Wen is informed that only the Master Smiths at the Wold's capitol can fashion such mail, and a commission would typically fetch 200-300 gold coins | aka 1,200-1,800 sp |.


Desmond seeks out the Loremaster and attempts to get something out of him on "Alcazar 74" Initial reaction check to determine whether the Loremaster will entertain any further interruptions at all--normally a negative reaction would be final, but because the Elves are trying to be helpful I'll allow another check--2d6=10 (unmodified by Desmond's normal charisma); a positive reaction so the Loremaster will, grudgingly, entertain yet another interruption. Reaction check to Desmond's inquiry: 2d6=7, an indifferent response..

"You mean Alcazar Fourty-Seven," says the Loremaster without pausing in his work. "That being one of sixty-six like fortifications that encircle the gateway-portal between The Enemy's world and ours--them that know of such lore are wise to hold their tongues."

Highbough spends his time studying the Gholum Manual and, after another weary day, he believes he has understood the means by which such aberrations may be animated. he learns in his searching--in hints, and scratchings and margin notes --that these automatons can ultimately draw a shambolic echo of life from a shard of a mountains' heart in their core--which must be shiver asunder while still vital. With use of the manual, Highbough believes he could animate such a monstrosity to serve himself. He hasn't learned anything in particular about undoing such a contrivance, though perhaps if he were to dig deeper...

Ulric studies the notes he made pertaining to the runes wrought into the shackle upon the (now missing) Guore's ankle, as well as the notes he made in the underworld where fire devils were seen to be conjured from nowhere. By use of sorcerer's inquiry he divines that the Guore's shackle bore an enchantment similar to the baleful somnolence--and would cause the wearing to perpetually sleep. The runes from the underworld are an infernal conjuration which would draw devils from the realm of fire--unwillinging--into this world. Given ample time for further study, Ulric might divine the full workings of such a spell for himself...



Meanwhile, general military strategy is discussed among the fighting sorts and with Gallaine and her folk as they are available. The Elves have, for years, kept all goblin activity to at least a day's march clear of the woods with minimal fuss--only recently have the goblin number swollen and their activities grown bold. The swift wargs have enabled them to outmaneuver those Elves afoot, and overwhelm small patrol groups at arms. Thus, the elves have recently withdrawn their perimeter to within a bowshot of the woods themselves.

They know, from long range scouting and limited aerial surveillance, that there are at least three goblin strongholds which would make viable targets: 1) the nearest stronghold to Ket being the Goblin Bulwark of Gzum-Atog--almost certainly a staging point for the attack on Ket, 2) the great iron gates at Zuzyag which, if shut, would separate much of the higher Hinterlands from Gzum-Atog and the surrounding low-lands--possibly cutting the goblin supply lines, and 3) the farthest and highest Goblin redoubt know to the Elves--possibly constituting a "surprise rear attack"--that bleak Goblin fastness named Hezmog.

Alas the elves of Southwatch do not have any healing art which would aide Olaf's plight.

[ehiker133]

Desmond relays what little information he could find to the others. Considering he has no idea where the Gateway Portal is, he doesn't think it will be of much help, but...

"If there are 66 such, umm... Alcazars, then... maybe we don't need to find the forty-seventh one; I imagine they would all have had such similar magical artifacts put to use in their location, so just finding one of them would be useful."

[waysoftheearth]

d6

What does everyone wish to do with the 6th day since arriving in Southwatch?

[mushgnome]

Highbough spends another day poring over the Gholem Manual, studying for some flaw, weakness, or override. He pores over the blueprints looking for delicate metal parts, like a "brain" or gear box, he could melt/warp/disable with his namesake Torrefaction.

[Tonneau]

Gustave discusses with the Elves the best approach for developing a group strategy against the goblin horde.

Clearly to distract the enemy and then move on Ket, the near fastness of Gzum-Atog would be most pertinent, but this approach may also leave them open to attack from returnees from Ket, and the location may still hold reinfocements for the assault. Thus a better approach may be to strike at the distant rear, at Hezmog. This will provide ample time to plan and execute a strike as well as permit a getaway and limit the chances of encoutering an unsurmountable enemy force. His primary concern is mobility, as the further they go, the further they must come back; perhaps the Elves can provide some council on this? Can one ride a warg?

Once satisfied with his military strategy for the next day, he goes wandering in search of any spare Elven maids about the place.

[waysoftheearth]

| Remember that the Elves have offered you a one-way trip, on the wing, to a spot somewhere near your chosen destination. From "there" (wherever "there" is) you'll still have a half-day's march to your actual destination; be it Ket, Gzum-Atog, Hetmog, or wherever. Returning from there is another, yet to be planned, matter.

Some "approximate" distances (subject to the ref's ailing memory) from Southwatch are:

Ket: 8 leagues west,
The Abbey: 6 leagues south,
The Ruin: 10 leagues south-west,
Gzum-Atog: 12 leagues south,
Zuzyag: 16 leagues south-south-east,
Hezmog: 20 leagues south-east.


Riding wargs would first require capturing them, as whelps, and training them to accept you as their master. This would be no simple matter, and would likely require sorcery or other powerful coercion to control their chaotic nature. |

[Tonneau]

| Remember that the Elves have offered you a one-way trip, on the wing, to a spot somewhere near your chosen destination. From "there" (wherever "there" is) you'll still have a half-day's march to your actual destination; be it Ket, Gzum-Atog, Hetmog, or wherever. Returning from there is another, yet to be planned, matter. |

|

OOC: yes, well its getting back that is the issue. |