Post the battle with the elemental, the party plans what to do next...
From Catherine:
Guess the big arrow in the road relates to the Chasm. What do we do if it closes, what do we do if nothing happens??
Either way, is it time to head out to "git" Calcaneous? If so, how do we propose to do it? Do we know how many men he has in the Castle?
The apathy of the people could be seen as a positive or a negative. They won't help us but they're also unlikely to get 'down and homey' with the Big C to kill us either. Don't know if there is a way magically to dispel the smoke for a period of time, do we want to???
Is it time to call on Cara Fahd in a 'Alliance of the Willing'?
What assistance if any is the Big E [Ethilion] going to give us? Are we from a prophecy perspective important or just a pimple on the arse of Barsaive? Can he tell us a little more about Dragon Keep and any hidden powers etc that may lie beneath...
From GM Giles:
Re: how many people in the castle... the entire armed forces of Jerris has been swelled by the employment of hundreds of mercenaries (almost all of whom have seen more action than the standing army of Jerris).
The majority of these mercenaries are down at the excavation site of the old Kaer. Under the old regime the number of guards that used to be in the castle including the castle walls and gates was about 120 (more were also in the city and city walls). Mereoni (apparently the one true spelling) estimates that there are now significantly more than that currently in the Castle, a mix of traditional guards and mercenaries.
From Kerac (TomB):
Some thoughts from Kerac: [if GM/characters have any insight into the questions, I'm sure that would help planning]
1) We should cast the body of the elemental into the rift as well, particularly if the True Earth/Ethilion's blood combination does not work.
2a) If this does not heal the rift ... I'm not sure. I think we need to heal the rift before moving on.
2b) If this does heal the rift, then the next step is to do something about Calcaneous (approved official spelling). A question for Aramis - do you want your body back?
3i) If "YES" - what are you going to do about it? Do we need to plan to capture Calcaneous? Do you have a method for body transference?
3ii) If "NO" - then there is less imperative to retain the body, other than the fact that we then have to explain why "Aramis" is dead and what this windling is doing in the palace.
4) Having been over it many times before, we have all agreed that subterfuge is the best method. We need to get a bit more specific.
Firstly, depending on where we come out, we may need to slip back into Jerris itself. This could be a little tricky, but we managed it before.
Is there a safe house in Jerris that we can use for a day? Memorise spells etc?
5) Then we need to get back into the castle. Did we do this before [we must have]? How did we do it? [I don't think it's in the Red Book]
6) Finally we need to get at Calcaneous.
Mereoni - do you have a map of the palace [yes, see GM web site]? Where are Calcaneous' rooms [Royal apartments, as per map]? Do you know anything about the pattern of guards?
Same questions apply to Kellow (what happened to him, and can we get in contact with him?)
Also, who would normally be in the castle? Servants, guards, minor nobles? Can we disguise ourselves as any of these? Which would be least likely to be noticed heading to Calcaneous' rooms?
General plan of attack: - get into castle [disguise spells/skills, or perhaps fly in through the observatory] - avoid guards [defensive spells such as invisibility for sneaking, arcane lock for locking guards in their quarters] - get to Calcaneous and either i) kill him [offensive nasty spells/sharp weapons] or ii) disable him [offensive nice spells/blunt weapons] - make it all seem like nothing much has happened
7) Unanswered questions: - The Witch Hunter - is he likely to be for or against us? - Sara/Cullyn - where are they? - The Kaer - what is Calcaneous looking for?
8) Finally, a reminder of the last section of the prophecy. I can't see anything in it that suggests anything definite. The only potential problem word is "sacrifice", which has a slightly morbid hint. The rest could pretty much fit in with where we've been/where we are going (all the blood talk, arrogance, death can all be massaged gently into the current storyline).
Blood of the earth corrupts the lands, its wound festering.
All in its presence feel its taint.Arrogance of the forebears must be addressed lest the contamination seeps into the new regime.
Death, reverence and sacrifice line the passage to penance.
Blood atones for blood.From death springs life
From chaos balance
And Jerris shall be born anew
From GM Giles:
3i) If "YES" - what are you going to do about it? Do we need to plan to capture Calcaneous? Do you have a method for body transference?
Aramis has spent several month researching body transference spells but only had minimal resource as all the lore regarding such thing had been purchased by Jerris. there should be a library of info with Calcaneous.
In a related but more pressing issue the powers that keep Aramis in tinkeepo's are fading and the link between soul and body is getting tenuous. the last estimate was a matter of months before the link broke and the body expelled the foreign soul.
4) Having been over it many times before, we have all agreed that subterfuge is the best method. We need to get a bit more specific.
Firstly, depending on where we come out, we may need to slip back into Jerris itself. This could be a little tricky, but we managed it before.
Is there a safe house in Jerris that we can use for a day? Memorise spells etc?
The Temple of Garlen is in the city and they have an orphanage
5) Then we need to get back into the castle. Did we do this before [we must have]? How did we do it? [I don't think it's in the Red Book]
Flew through a window/arrow slit
6) Finally we need to get at Calcaneous.
Mereoni - do you have a map of the palace [yes, see GM web site]?
The map on the website is from the Princes memory (dimensions might be a bit off)
Where are Calcaneous' rooms [Royal apartments, as per map]? Do you know anything about the pattern of guards?
No
Same questions apply to Kellow (what happened to him, and can we get in contact with him?)
He's with the tomb guards at last recollection
Also, who would normally be in the castle? Servants, guards, minor nobles? Can we disguise ourselves as any of these? Which would be least likely to be noticed heading to Calcaneous' rooms?
All of the above are likely to be roaming about certain sections of the castle along with a fairly large number of mercenaries
From Alison:
Sneaking about the castle
- Inside help
From memory, we got into the tombs and down to the rift by convincing Kellow or some other fellow that there was something wrong with the current regime that we needed to fix? If that's the case, did that person thendie in some attack in the tombs? Anyone remember? I can't find anyting on the websites. Anyhow, if they're still about, can we use that to our advantage?- Disguise
Wanted notices were about for Tinkeepo, Kerac, Ethilion, Dayoric, ?? Who else?? Can we disguise an group comprising of an obsidiman, windling, elf and other known party members to look like something significantly different?- Structural knowledge
Giles, does T'Kral know any secrete passageways, doors, etc around the castle from his days working for the King, spying, etc?Removing Calcaneous
- Proof
We must have some proof that we can use to show his guilt and our innocence, unless we want to just come in, conduct a coup and then try to hold the city until our reign is accepted (Unlikely). Any ideas folks?- Subdue or kill?
Aramais either needs to die as Tinkeepo's body dies (the sacrafice?) or get back into his body. Hence, he needs to make the final decision on whether or not we try subduing or killing Calc.- Body transfer
If we try subdueing him for body transfer, Aramais will need to study, in the castle library or Calc's personal chambers, to figure out how to transfer his soul back. That will take some time when we'll need to remain undetected within the castle, or need to get in, take the info we need, and get out. (Then get back in again later ...)- Taking out Calc?
Is there anyway that folks can think of subdueing Calc? He's a very powerful nethermancer, probably with an army of undead (if I remember the rumours correctly). You arcane types - what might work and not alert the entire castle? Do we know how we might kill him, at that matter?Out assets
- Dragon Keep (There has to be something more significant to this place that we haven't learnt or connected yet. It needs some work to be defensible. Remember we could establish ourselves at Dragon Keep and make a public claim on Calcaneous' deceit. We would need to have some popular support, proof, and be prepared to defend ourselves against the innevitable backlash. We would also need to have a better idea of the political support that Calcaneous has obtained from other nations/cities (more than just the rumours that we have currently).
- Members of Cara Fahd or the larger 'Orc Nation', scattered that it is (could we convince them to support our cause, create a diversion? They would likely get slaughtered)
- 1 Airship (can't remember it's name)
- Sara and Cullen?? (Don't know where they are, if they're about)
- K'nin, Captain Maddox, Witch Hunter????? (No idea where they are, if they're even alive, or where they stand)
- Mereoni's contacts????? (are there any sympathetic contacts, an underground, evidence as to Calc's diceipt??)
- Other??????
From GM Giles:
The tomb guard that let you through is still alive but was quite insistent that he couldn't leave the dead unguarded (or should that be the undead guarded). his attitude may have changed but they are regarded as the best and most committed of all the Jerrisian troops and is unlikely to abandon his post
- structural knowledge Giles, does T'Kral know any secrete passageways, doors, etc around the castle from his days working for the King, spying, etc?
Yes. There are a couple of passages known to members of the party.
- taking out Calc? Is there anyway that folks can think of subdueing Calc? He's a very powerful nethermancer, probably with an army of undead (if I remember the rumours correctly). You arcane types - what might work and not alert the entire castle? Do we know how we might kill him, at that matter?
Aramis is aware that nethermancy (any spell witha death descriptor) won't work in the castle that includes all undead creation spells
- 1 Airship (can't remember it's name)
Freedom Flyer (previously the Holmwood Swallow)