The Iron Tower and the Next Morning (DM SteveK) Friday July 19th, 2013 1:58:38 PM
"Where do we put this Iron Vault, what Command Word do you want to open it, and where should the Alarm go off?"
The questions are still valid as the Iron Adventurers discuss the possibilities. Rash and Firn'gaer seem to wait patiently, the woman taking another helping of sweetbread and the gnome snorting about the two possile passwords. "As long as you don't pronounce it Sibboleth, you should be OK."
Cyniq isn't as interested in the Iron Vault as learning about the laws of Hook City, and makes the long walk back through LaborTown, across the Hook River, up Labor Town, and across NorthHook to the Temple of Panthenon. There, she is quickly assigned a court for the morning, and she is able to learn about the types of cases brought before Panthenon. Domestic, petty theft, and merchantile cheating are the predominant complaints, and usually only between individuals. Cyniq finds out that most of the cases are also because at least one of the parties can't afford to hire a Protector group to solve the differences for them, and so are looking for another means.
Sesha [AC 18 | HP 73/73 | CMD 14] [See Invisibility] Friday July 19th, 2013 6:23:43 PM
Sesha frowns.
"Don't most alarm spells also warn the caster, but in her head only?"
Bosk AC: 28/13/25 CMD:22 HP 78 of 78 Spells Friday July 19th, 2013 6:38:16 PM
Bosk thinks about the alarm for a minute. [b]I think Sesha is right, we would prefer to hear it in our heads if possible. As for the password, Beri's suggestion works for me as long as he reveals its meaning to us (personal and technical), and I like Caius idea of putting it on the ceiling. As you can see, we have a huge chandelier in the main room that was recently replaced. That would make an excellent location and the floor below it is clear for a trap. I prefer this over the bathroom because we tend to have more people down here in order to keep an eye on things. I say we go with this comination, if there are no objections.
Bosk listens to Anrete's comments about the chicken and remains silent, unsure if vinegar and lime juice will actually cook the chicken and make it safe to eat. Although he has Rose's Temp Control prepared, he decides to wait for Sesha's reaction and to see if anyone has a prestidigitation spell that could help out before saying anything or offering assistance.
Restlin (Carl) -- AC: +8/+7/+6 CMD: 21 HP: 82/82 (Spells) Saturday July 20th, 2013 11:15:20 PM
Restlin elbows Sesha subtlety when Bosk approves of her plan & gives her a quick thumbs up and a stupid looking grin.
"No objections here, buddy. Sounds like a plan."
He looks curiously at Anrete's chicken and can't help but think it might actually be tasty. Unfortunately, he has no chill spells prepared. "I have a wall of ice spell prepared, but that is likely overkill."
Beriothian (Will)-- AC:23/16/16 HP: 85/85 CMD = 23 (HASTE) Sunday July 21st, 2013 9:10:32 AM Shibboleth is a very old phrase from another land. After a great war those on the losing side were not allowed to return to the land. Occasionally someone would try to sneak back in claiming to be from among the people of the winning side. To prove which side they were a part of they were asked to prove it by saying the passphrase Shibboleth, a word that was all but impossible for them to pronounce correctly as an outsider without revealing your accent. I believe it was the 'sh' that the losing nation was unable to pronounce correctly. That is the beauty of the phrase, it's not enough to just know the word. It requires you to pronounce it in a certain way as well. From listening to everyone over the last few weeks I believe our new members will have no problem saying the word, but there are many outsiders who would spend years trying to correctly pronounce it without success.
Beri considers putting the room in the ceiling. I like that idea, it would make it much harder to find, especially without dedicating a significant amount of time to searching for a room they don't know exists.
Sesha [AC 18 | HP 73/73 | CMD 14] [See Invisibility] Sunday July 21st, 2013 1:05:56 PM
Sesha looks at the sliced birds with curiosity. She had eaten a lot of things, some raw, during her rituals for the Ga'alin. She knew little of cooking anything other than potions. Smiling big, she asks.
"I had no idea you could cook birds that way, Anrete. Are they .. cooked all the way? If so.. I can't wait to try it."
Sesha feels her cheeks redden a little when Restlin gives her a thumbs up, of all things. Something about the Mage-Priest made her feel different, but she wasn't sure what. Maybe it was because he wasn't as grim as many of the others she had adventured with. There HAD been a number of them, considering this was her third adventuring group. Still, she was glad that she contributed, even a little.
Garret Goodbarrel [AC:31/29/26 HP:93/93 Ki:12/12 CMD: 29] Sunday July 21st, 2013 5:41:36 PM
Garret woke up from a deep sleep rather suddenly. Before he opened his eyes, he knew he was someplace different. The air smelled and moved differently. The bed felt wrong. He was not in Bryn Baraz. He opened his eyes and looked around the room. He saw the round walls and the expensive decorations. The memories started flooding back: the cliffside exploration, the Chaos Bell, the Southern Continent, and the Iron Adventurers. He lay there a moment, thinking about whether he would ever see his homeland again -- and if it really mattered if he did.
After a short time of thought, Garret hopped to his feet. He knew many of the others would be moving in to their new place, but Garret had always traveled light -- everything he owned he could carry in a small pack. He grabbed up his pack and headed out into the town. He spent the day exploring the town -- mostly gaping at the large groups of buildings and people. This place was much larger than anywhere he had ever traveled and he really didn't understand how so many people could live in one place. He simply sat back often and just watched people go about their day, trying to learn more about this strange place.
Returning back to his new home at the Iron Tower, he overheard someone talking about pie. His small legs moved him quickly to the gathering and as soon as he entered the room, he said, "Pie?" The quick glares told him that he was interrupting. He listens carefully about the iron vault and wondered out loud, "That sounds like an incredible place. Is there really so much around this place that such a thing is needed? I am not sure that I like this city so much."
He lets the others continue their discussions about this new vault and he heads off to the kitchen area, seeking out Anrete and his food creations. As he walks into the kitchen area, he grabs a sample of something off the counter and pops it into his mouth. "Hey, Anrete, what is cooking? I have heard there is another in the group who can cook nearly as good as you can. Have you sampled any of the preparations of Bosk?"
The Iron Tower and the Next Morning (DM SteveK) Monday July 22nd, 2013 11:29:42 AM
Firn'gaer and Rash agree to the idea of the Vault going into the ceiling, but will NOT put it in the main hall on the first floor. "The room where we put the Vault will have Dimensional Lock and Private Sanctum. Do you want anyone walking into your front door be unobservable by anyone else? Further, we are going to place Permanent Resetting Symbols at the entrance to the room. I'm not going to zap every merchant, soldier, or supplicant who arrives on your doorstep! Pick a room with only one door or let me create a new one in the basement, or I'll just leave now and tell Peerimus you didn't want the Vault." The gnome is acidic, but the Iron Adventurers must admit that he has a point.
The priest also objects to the idea to place the Alarm only in the heads of the Iron Adventurers. "The Alarm will only work within a certain range. You move out of that range and the spell will be broken. You will also not be able to key in new heroes", she says reasonably. [b]"Pick a room, maybe a common room on one of the upper floors or the kitchen?"
For the Command Word, the two suggestions are "Shibboleth" and "Apples in the Pantry". The mage and priest will go with the majority.
......................................
The day after Firn'gaer and Rash have completed the Vault and are gone, Sergeant Capon arrives. Ramrod straight and impeccably dressed in his Hook City uniform, the liasion is a no-nonsense and precise constable who the older IAs haven't yet found if he has any sense of humor either. He states he is available to give a debriefing of what has gone on and to interview each hero about their latest adventure. (ooc: any hero who accepts to be interviewed can ask the liaison anything. Sergeant Capon has to tell any Iron Adventurer the truth.)
It is a day after Sergeant Capon has completed his interviews of the heroes who wished to give them that JimBim Broderly arrives at the Iron Tower with a package for Bosk. Some money is exchanged, and both persons seem happy with the arrangement. (ooc: Bosk has his poison)
Sesha has taken several days to get to know the butcher and the operation. It turns out that every person who has been born in Hook City is partially imbued with magic. So much so that every native born citizen can cast a Cantrip. Most of these are very domestic, as seen in the Butcher Shop. The Butcher has employees who Daze Animal, Pluck, Sweep, and Clean. The Butcher himself has a magic that Preserves Meat and keeps any meat in the shop from spoiling. Killing animals, however, still requires physical labor, and Sesha is finally allowed to participate and harvest the power of the departed souls. "Used to have a Witch of the Sargrass Plains helping out", the Butcher admits, "but that was before the Great Migration. Not as many about now, and those that are tend to favor darker magics. Won't have any of that in my shop!" (ooc: Sesha can be full up on Save/Slay power.)
Almost a week passes when a gilded invitation is presented to the Iron Adventurers, it is from Torm, High Priest of Ma'ab! The Iron Adventurers are invited to a feast at the Temple of Ma'ab at sundown tomorrow. They will be honored guests of Torm.
....NOTES....
Please make the following votes in each hero's next post. Majority that votes will be the final decision.
1. Location: Identify a current room in the Tower with one door or Firn'gaer creating a new room in the basement. Either one, the Vault entrance will be on the ceiling of that room.
2. Alarm: Identify a room in the Tower.
3. Command Word: "Shibboleth" or "Apples in the Pantry"
Cyniq al'Lyz AC 18{22}/16{20}/14{18} -- CMD 19 -- HP 60/60 Spells Active: Detect Scrying Monday July 22nd, 2013 12:10:56 PM
Cyniq spends the week providing her Justicar services at Pantheon's in the mornings. The afternoons are spent exploring Hook City. She spends a couple of days out in Mudtown and the docks.
In Mudtown she continues her studies of the lay of the land, trying to make sure she has the flow of drainage determined correctly.
Any money she earns she donates to the temple after her expenses.
After her last trip to Mudtown, she cleans up and sits down with the others for dinner, I think I have a plan worked out to start on fixing mudtown. Pulling out a folded piece of parchment, she unfolds the large sheet, shifting a few plates and glasses out of her way, the map is amateurish, but passable in providing the major landmarks of North hook and Mudtown. Numerous lightly drawn green lines are drawn across the map passing through the structures. A criss cross of blue lines overlays the others, turning the map into something that looks like a kids drawing.
see here, as I understand it, the weather magic is generating a significant amount of precipitation. This is saturating the underlying strata of mudtown, which results in an over abundance of argillaceous earth!
Tracing a finger across the light lines she continue, these represent high ground, as you can see, the city itself is somewhat elevated, good thing or the water and mud would be flowing in through the gates. Anyway, as you can plainly see, there is a tendency for the excess water to flow through these channels, and out in mudcity these are often criss-crossed with wooden planks. Her fingers now trace the blue lines. In a manner of a few days I can cast a paid of spells that will raise the ground along these lanes and turn it to stone! I'll have to leave channels that will need to be bridged, but that means that getting in and out of the city will be possible across a raised road surface!.
Cyniq pulls out another piece of parchment, one that is shear enough to almost see through, and she lays it over the first, first one way then another, before matching up the symbols. Mudtown is now drawn with many red shapes layered across it, channels a few feet wide separating each. [b]I figure that within a couple of weeks I can have all of mudtown raised and turned to stone. These channels will still collect the excess precipitation and channel it to the river. Wooden planking can be laid down to cross the channels.
Cyniq steps back and looks at the others, Well, what do you think?
Basement for the vault, kitchen for the alarm, apples in the pantry for the password.
"Looks solid enough, I guess. I'm not much of an engineer myself." The wizard stands straight again. "Of course, these plans don't take the city's bureaucracy into consideration. Still, this would improve the lives of many. You should speak with Sergeant Capon about this. He likely has some knowledge of how Hook City would look upon this undertaking."
When he hears the invitation to Ma'ab's palace as a guest of honor, he wastes no time in preparing. He's never been to one, but he imagines the Fae Queen's parties are legendary...
***
Vault in the basement, alarm in the kitchen, password = Shebiwhatever.
Garret Goodbarrel [AC:31/29/26 HP:93/93 Ki:12/12 CMD: 29] Monday July 22nd, 2013 1:38:11 PM
Garret continues to explore the area in and around the tower, showing up in the kitchen each and every time someone starts to prepare some food (and quite a few other times as well). He says little, but you often smell him before he appears...
When the sergeant arrives, Garret volunteers to be interviewed. As soon as they sit down for the interview, however, Sergeant Capon finds out that he's asked more questions than he can ask himself. "What are you a sergeant of? Why is it that you need to interview adventurers? Are there many adventuring groups that you interview in Hook City? Have you ever gone out on adventures yourself? What was it like when you went on an adventure? Do you have any food with you? What kind of adventures do you think are the most exciting?"
When the invitation appears to the feast, Garret appears from behind a chair, eating and apple and says, "Feast? Who is this Torm? Never mind, what sort of things does he normally have at a feast? I haven't eaten since breakfast, so I'm certainly up for a feast!"
Vault in the basement, Alarm in the kitchen, Password: Apples in the Pantry
Sesha [AC 18 | HP 73/73 | CMD 14] [See Invisibility] Monday July 22nd, 2013 4:29:31 PM
Sesha is neutral on the pass worlds and magic placements. She is pleased however, to do a little something for he spirits she feels might be left in some sort of displaced shock. When time permits, she continues a little of her conversation on the matter from earlier.
To Restlin: "The .. um.. wild chicken and the domestic bird will both feel the same physical pain, it's true. But it's the spirit I'm concerned with Restlin. A .. um.. feral jungle chicken.. it's spirit is hardened by the call of the wild. It's experiences teach it death could come any moment. The domestic spirit is raised, fed, and generally well cared for. It's death by it's owners is unexpected and sudden. This is what I wish to comfort."
She is surprised and genuinely pleased that Caius seemd to lend support to her idea. The man was more than a sword swinger. She would try to spend more time with him.
Bosk too, is a slight shock. Not only on this topic, but as a whole. Her experience with the Eyes of Gargul had been .. less than kind. And Bosk seemed to be in favor with his god, blessed with a third eye! Maybe he was the measure by which she should consider the Clerics of Gargul.
Not having any questions for Mr. Capon, or a desire to be interviewed, Sesha looks for something to do. She tries to keep up with Cyniqs plans, but the subject matter is beyond her. Besides, lots of people lived in or on mud.
Vote: Basement, Kitchen, Shibboleth
Bosk AC: 28/13/25 CMD:22 HP 78 of 78 Spells Monday July 22nd, 2013 6:31:07 PM
ooc: Apples and pantry were not meant as passwords, but more of a code for talking about the vault without revealing the true nature of what they are talking about.
Anrete AC:30/17/30 CMD:32 HP:121/121 DR:2 Monday July 22nd, 2013 8:31:08 PM
James D. Posting for Anrete:
Anrete grins at the mention of his chicken. Vinegar and lime kills bird worms. Only weak stomach people get sick. The pride in his face is unmistakable and it is clear he thinks his words are reassuring and sure to convince the others to try his new dish.
As for the the vault he shrugs. I like the bathroom. You should no see people using the bathroom.
Beriothian (Will)-- AC:23/16/16 HP: 85/85 CMD = 23 (HASTE) Monday July 22nd, 2013 9:12:27 PM
Beri weighs in on the conversation of saving Mud Town.
Bosk and myself have had a few conversations about this. The problem is that the mud actually is in a constant state of migration away from the city. You would need to either anchor your channels to the city wall itself, or build a channel completely around the city in one go so that all points were pushed away at an equal rate, like a ring surrounding the walls. We had actually tried to calculate the number of followers we would need to succeed in such a task, though we didn't have the magical ability to raise stone. And now, there is the bigger problem that Mud Town has essentially been outlawed. Any repairs would be fruitless without convincing the the bureaucracy to repeal the existing law.
When the invitation to the feast arrives Beriothian is thrilled for a chance to visit with another member of the druid circle again.
vote: Basement for the vault, kitchen for the alarm, Shibboleth
CaiusHP 146 - AC 23/12/21 - F+12/R+7/W+5 - CMD 28 Monday July 22nd, 2013 10:55:43 PM "I would be remiss to pass up free food. Sign me up." Caius tries to listen intently to the conversation regarding the fate of Mudtown, but obviously has a hard time following along. "Sounds like those mudders aren't helping themselves. What's stopping them from getting off their keisters and fixing it themselves?" He looks around. "No, serious, what's stopping them?"
ooc: Basement, kitchen, shibboleth
Bosk AC: 28/13/25 CMD:22 HP 78 of 78 Spells d20=5 d20=3 Tuesday July 23rd, 2013 12:53:25 AM
Bosk thinks for a minute, debating the idea of suggesting they put the vault in his room and liking the idea that it would give him some added privacy, but ultimately deciding it would be best if it were in in a public room. My vote is for letting him put in a new secret basement room. I would prefer the alarm to be in the tower stairwell, but having it sound in the kitchen is fine with me as long as we will be able to hear it from our rooms upstairs, and shibboleth is fine with me as long as we all can pronounce it. The cleric thanks the honored visitors profusely for the favor they are doing the group and checks with them to see what details, if any, they might wish the group to refrain from mentioning to the city officials when the have their debriefing.
The next day Bosk meets with Sergeant Capon and fills him in on the relevant details of the groups adventure while leaving out any details that Peerimus and his companions might not want revealed. He also notes that it appears the ghosts of the two girls appear to have been satisfied and put to rest. Once through with his story, the blond taur begins asking a few questions of his own. He is curious if there has been any unusual activity in the or crimes the group should be aware of while they were away.
The next day Bosk greets Jimbim and invites him in as they finish up their business. He is quite excited about the prospect of the poison. Although he is uncertain when he would ever use it, something about it feels right, as if it completes him as an Avenger. It had always seemed like a waste that he had gone through such thorough training in how to use poison as he trained in the ways of vengeance, yet up until now he was never equipped to put that training to use. He thanks the Brodery brother, asks how the family is doing, and says he will keep in touch and let him know if the need for more arises.
When Cyniq al'Lyz pulls out the drawing of the city Bosk is forced to agree with Beri. Besides the constant migration of the land away from the city, any permanent structures are banned from being built around the city. I am fairly certain that the city would not allow your plan, and if they were to allow it I am sure the paperwork would require a lifetime to complete. I also hate to admit it, but I do not think we should interfere. The more we try to help, the more we make them a target to anyone who wants to punish us. Until we have the strength to defend Mudtown we run a very real chance of making life worse for the people rather than better. The tone in his voice makes it clear that he is speaking from experience. The group had saved every citizen in Hook City. Thousands of people are alive today because the Iron Adventurer's warned them of the approaching zombie apocalypse, but how many died as an indirect result of their existence.
Upon getting the invitation from Torm, Bosk quickly goes out and starts asking for information on about what is considered proper attire for such an occasion and if he should wear his cleric's vestments to the feast.
ooc: Is there a spell that can be used to let us know if the alarm is triggered while we are out of the tower? Location - New Basement Room Alarm - Kitchen if it can be heard upstairs, in the stairwell if it cannot Password - shibboleth
Knowledge Religion on what to wear = 9 Knowledge Local on what to wear = 3
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