"I'm not sure it's quite that simple."Aubrey tries to explain. "I sincererly hope that my word would be good for something, but we have a legal system and contracts like this for a reason, in case there are misunderstandings that need to be settled. Also I'm not sure anything we find in those ruins would be considered ours necessarily. If we went there now to find whatChiropperas family wants us to retrieve for them without agreeing to their terms first I don't think we are in our right to simply put it up for some kind of auction or keep it to ourselves. It would likely still be considered their property eventhough it has been in the ruins of Amnifortis for a long time. A finders fee would probably be in order but that is what they are offering us as far as I can see. Agreeing to a contract where a breach would call for compensation of some kind is quite normal in Bardstown and any other civilized areas, and the terms of us making a good faith effort is not particularly harsh I would say. That said, I won't argue any further on this. If you are uncomfortable with this geas we should simply decline and let the Chiropperas keep their gold." Aubrey says with a polite smile. "And one more thing. I wouldn't presume to know better than you how an orc mercenary should think and act, I would appreciate it if you extended me the same courtesy."
Grugga looks concerned with the misunderstanding and he puts a hand on Rohuzar's shoulder and says: "Cousin, ease up; remember where we are. Taking this oath sounds like common practice among the Imperial nobility, and we shouldn't question that. Our word isn't worth anything here when they have ample access to clerics of Asmodeus. Hoping to make them accept our word because that's how they do it in Purgis is about akin to asking Esterwick to accept a king because it works in Easton."
"Treat Aubrey with a little respect. He's the only one here who knows how to navigate the imperial upper crust, and that's extremely valuable, because, if I'm not mistaken, that's where we're heading. The Emperor isn't going to let us go easily if we finish this mission with aplomb and I suspect we'll suddenly become very popular around town. And also, who knows what we'll find in that city that might drag us into the forum... the imperial lawyers could easily rob us blind in the forum if not for Aubrey - I certainly don't know how this tangle of half-unwritten laws works."
He sits back down at the table and tries to ease tensions further. "I don't pretend to understand imperial nobility very well, but I can tell this isn't about the money for Aubrey - hells, he's already said he'd spend his favor on a boat for our group to get us to Amnifortis and use as a base. These missions are worth a great deal more than the 500 gold to our friend, I suspect, because it will elevate his house in the eyes of his peers. I don't understand that, you don't understand that, Leelan doesn't understand that, but we can all see it's important to our friend who has been nothing but a staunch ally to us so far; buying us dinners before we'd made any money and letting us stay in his townhouse - he lost Zeno because of us! - and bravely fighting by our side every mission. None of us are nobles or mercenaries anymore, we're all brothers now!"
He turns to Aubrey and says, "Aubrey, I'd be happy to take the Geas with you. I'm just a little concerned with what this 'good faith effort' means - what happens if we're in dire straits before we get a chance to look for their artifact? Could we make some sort of provision where in the case of life-and-death circumstances we can repay their investment without breaking the contract?"
Rohuzar looks like he's about to say something cutting back to Grugga, but as he continues speaking, he seems to deflate.
"Once again, you are very clever, Grugga. And I have been a poor... Friend."
Rohuzar turns to Aubrey, staring into his chest instead of the face.
"I vill do better. But I think it is clear I am out of my depth for job this big. And maybe I need to stop ignoring your strength. It's not right to whole team. I'm sorry."
Aubrey looks between Rohuzar and Grugga, more than a little surprised over the artificer's interjection as well as the long list of compliments he is putting forth, the young noble's face twitching slightly at the mention of his late servant. "Well thank you Grugga, you're too kind. I admit the use of the wording good faith effort would leave some room for interpretation, but to my knowledge the threshold would not be high to fulfill this requirement. As long as our intentions to do what is reasonable to fulfill this contract does not change I'm personally not worried that there will be any need for compensation to the Chiropperas family. I wouldn't argue if any of you believe this is beyond what we should do in the ruins of Amnifortis though. Trying to retrieve this property for the Chiropperas family will most likely not be without considerable risk, but then again, neither is going into those ruins in the first place." Aubrey says with a small smile.
The young noble then turns to face Rohuzar, again somewhat surprised at the mercenary's sudden change of tone. Somewhat hesitantly he lays a comforting hand on the orc's powerful shoulder. "None of us have ever done what we're about to do, embark on an expedition into ruins where the emperor would not even send his own army, but together we have successfully fought many powerful enemies of the empire and I believe the emperor is right in trusting us, trusting you, with this important mission. You, Grugga and Leelan are excellently equipped to carry out this mission with your combination of combat training, survival skills and extensive knowledge into the field of aberrations. Although I'm hardly trained for exploring ruins I hope to still be of use of course Rohuzar, but it would be up to me to show any strength I have in those ruins. There is no need for any apologies though, and to try to answer your earlier question I do not longer consider myself a mercenary but a Citizen in the prestigious service of his emperor." Aubrey finishes with a polite smile, his hand going to his side again.
[More information learned by Grugga, thanks to the 25 on Investigation.]
Grugga, you continued your investigations into Amnifortis. Looking into lost relics or treasures, he gathers the following information:
When Amnifortis fell to the Breach, the future Emperor Vigor I lead many of the city's noble families, wealthiest merchants, and priests north on his campaign to quell the rebellions in the north, ultimately settling in Bardstown. There were bureaucrats, bankers, barristers, goldsmiths, artists, and all their families and servants. Altogether, more than 1200 civilians accompanied the legions as they fled the city.*
Those who traveled with Vigor brought with them as much of their wealth and treasure as they could carry, and it is believed that many of the manors and vaults in the ruins of Amnifortis sit empty. This is certainly true of the temples on Mons Basilicae. Not only did the priests all evacuate, but their location outside the city proper spared the temples of the worst of the effects of the Breach, and in the decades that followed all of the faiths sent clerics and paladins to brave the horrors and retrieve any forgotten books or relics from the temples. You do learn that much of Mons Basilicae itself, the hill, is honeycombed with crypts and passageways, and not all of those have been cleared or explored.
Not everyone escaped the Breach, not even all of the nobility. Many noble houses were extinguished when their members chose to remain behind (or weren't invited) when Vigor led the legions north. Argentum Heights was where many of the middle/lesser nobles made their homes, and would be-explorers see this as the 'honey pot' of the ruins. On paper, it looks like this should be the tightest concentration of abandoned wealth and treasure.
The Universitas Vitae had some of its collections removed north, but the bulk of its library was left behind. Unfortunately, scholars do not believe most of the written works will have survived a century of neglect.
The House of Glass and Shadows was never evacuated, with all of the faculty, students and arcane lore presumed lost in the Breach.
*Your research turns up an irrelevant but interesting inconsistency. While the official histories indicate the armies of Vigor went north in flight of the Breach, the military records of the legions show they marched out toward Tucker Hills and Bardstown - civilians and gold in tow - several months before the Breach.
Grugga, you also inquire with the Dwarven Historical society. They are able to tell you a little about the more ancient history of the area. The Dwarves' first settlements in the region were southeast of the current city, closer to modern day Purgis, though their towns and villages eventually spread to cover the whole river mouth. They also hold that the area of Mons Basilicae was the site of an even older settlement - that under the foundations of the current human temples lies older, fused stone pilings and cornerstones. While over the years they had many different theories about who had built those ancient foundations, the Dwarves now agree with the claims of the Ancient Elves, that this was indeed the site of one of their settlements from the time before they fled the continent, 3500-5000 years ago. Dwarves have also discreetly sent their own missions over the decades into the ruins of the Dwarven Quarter, but found that much of it had already been looted by scavengers from the disputed lands. They have heard that a terrible plague afflicting only Dwarves is now spreading in the area around Amnifortis... they are deeply disturbed by this. While they are hesitant to speak openly against humans, they confide that over the last 125 years, there have been an number of unusual plagues that target only Dwarves, or only Elves.
You also come across a book in Dwarvish that catches your eye. It is about the collapse of the First Human Empire, 1100 years ago. It is eye-catching to you how similar some of this sounds to what happened, and what you are expecting to find, in Amnifortis:
The Breach at Viktoris
The book is a Dwarven translation of an Elven work said to date from the first decades after the fall of the first empire. Purported to be a collection of the tales copied down from survivors from the elven ghettos of Viktoris. They describe what has come to be known as “the Breach.” All the cities of the old empire suffered calamity but the first and perhaps the greatest is what befell Viktoris. This is a collection of stories about the event itself and the weeks that came after. The tales vary, but the consistent theme is that one morning in the Spring of 1006, the city suffered a powerful earthquake. More than that, a small mountain range was thrust up through the center of the city, and in the middle of this there was a massive tear opening to unimaginable depths of darkness. The river began flowing backwards and flooded much of the city and walls, bridges and castles collapsed, trapping many of the citizens inside the walls. And then the horrors began. Here is where the tales take many different directions. Some claim that demons and devils emerged from the Breach in great black swarms, ripping through Viktoris and carrying off or devouring any poor souls they encountered. Other stories claim a nightmarish plague infected the survivors, with cancerous boils and bloody coughs and worms emerging from the skin. Others claim the human inhabitants of the city went mad altogether as though ensorcelled, roaming the wreckage and engaging in blasphemy, cannibalism, and wanton murder. Whatever (if any) tale is to be believed, the stories all agree that after 40 days there was another mighty earthquake and the breach retreated into itself. Of the population, between 7 in 10 of the city’s inhabitants were said to have perished, with humans suffering the brunt of the losses. And the survivors soon learned that similar horrors had occurred throughout the land and they now dwelt in a world without peace or order.
Finally, Grugga spends a day tracking down a few of the barge captains who have braved the river corridor through the ruins. He hears a number of questionable sailors tales, but the following are consistent throughout the different interviews:
The river itself is mostly safe during daylight hours. The demon-birds that roost in the kingwood come out to hunt at night, and they will attack boats. Otherwise, the only casualties are those foolish enough to leave the boats to go treasure hunting.
Many claim to have seen a giant demon-bird at sunset, perched atop Castle Mastieri and backlit against the setting sun.
The river has broken its banks and flooded most of the old Newport district. The Lower Bridge, connecting Mastieri Gardens and Newport, collapsed as well. Most of the bridge washed away so the river is still navigable.
A large flood 20 years ago inundated the Old City. While the waters are long receded, they carried mud and silt that has allowed a young forest to sprout up on the heart of the city. Many of the streets in that district are packed with trees and tall grasses now.
Stay clear of Fort Breitvasser. Along among the areas inside the walls, it seems to be maintained and in repair. But any ship that docks there is assailed by powerful magics and sunk.
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PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Grugga spends the full ten days needed to prepare for their march on the old capital city. He can be found almost exclusively in the library, though he also journeys to the Dwarven Historical Society and to the docks for some "on the ground" research to give his backside a rest from sitting around all day. Every couple of days he takes the day "off" to work on a new piece of armor for himself, a plain breastplate to replace his relatively beat-up scale mail that still sports his old college's colors. In the evenings he returns to the inn or the Goldentide townhouse (wherever the group is staying) and reports anything he learned that day.
Over the tenday, Grugga uncovers quite a bit of information, some of it immediately useful and some of it simply fascinating to the young Orc:
Grugga starts by showing the group a map of the city and informing them of them of the various districts and neighborhoods, each of which they must visit to complete their quest. ((post 2336))
The Mons Basilicae, the hill on the western outskirts of the city which housed most of the city's temples, has been probably completely cleaned of treasure. However, there are crypts and catacombs within the hill that have remained untouched - possibly a breeding ground for monsters?
The Dwarven Quarter has been mostly looted.
Much of the city is covered in trees and grass growing in silt brought in by a flood.
Newport is still mostly flooded.
Argentum heights lost many low and mid nobility families who never evacuated. There could still be a lot of treasure in those estates.
The demon birds apparently roost in the Kingswood. A giant demon bird is sometimes seen at sunset atop the castle.
The river is safe in the daytime, but creatures attack at night.
The House of Glass and Mirrors, a school for illusion and enchantment magic, was never evacuated and could still have artifacts within.
Fort Breitvasser is ostensibly in good repairs, but whenever a ship docks there it is assaulted by magic and sunk.
On the last evening before setting out, the artificer sits with his allies over dinner and drinks and discusses their combined knowledge. "So it sounds like we should do all our exploring during the day and retreat to the boat at night. The riverfolk say that the river around the city is dangerous at night, so we'll have to take the boat upstream or into the bay to sleep. Like I said earlier, too, they also said never to dock at Fort Breitvasser!
"If I were to make a plan it would be this: We should start on the outskirts before trying to move within the walls. Mons Basilicae and the Dwarven quarter have been looted - that means that common looters and priests have survived these areas, which means they're not as dangerous as, say, Argentum Heights which is still at least mostly unlooted. This less dangerous area will give us a chance to get our feet wet and run tests on as many monsters as we can before heading into the more dangerous areas.
"There's also the matter of actually getting a boat... If we can't get one by tomorrow we'll need to camp outside the city. Has the emperor responded to our request to get one?"
[OK. I may have the riverboat worked out. Waiting for the check to clear.
While we wait... The emperor offered to outfit this expedition. So many of the items you are looking for (ie. Rohuzar post 2335) can be requisitioned. That is not a guarantee that everthing you want will be provided for you. But if you want to ask, now is the time. He seemed skeptical at the idea of providing magical items, but again, if you don't ask, you definitely won't get anything. I request that you put your heads together and ask for whatever you think you may need and let me know. Then I will advise what requests are granted. If there is anything not provided to you, you can always try shopping for it on your own in town.
Between this thread and the discord there have been a lot of ideas thrown around. If I haven't responded to anything you proposed or requested, let me know as I probably missed it.]
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PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Aubreyreceives surprising and welcome news through the Emperor's liaison.
As it happens, his father, Lord Goldentide has been in negotiations with the Emperor's foreign affairs minister and with the Engineering Guilds of Pentwater to purchase several of the mechanical paddlewheel boats [as popularized in our earlier adventures]. As Aubrey made a request of his eminence that he receive his boon in advance, in the form of a riverboat, the Emperor has decided to approve this transaction, even agreeing to finance the first vessel with imperial treasury funds. The first of three ships that will be purchased by the Goldentide's, this vessel will be delivered into Aubrey'scare until such time as your Amnifortis expedition is complete. It will then join the family's fleet of ships in Shelley.
The vessel itself is finishing drydock preparations at Grand Crossing, near Way Isle in Pentwater. You will need to secure your own travel as far as there, where you will take possession of the boat.
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PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Presenting your list of requested supplies to the Emperor's liaison, you receive a response the following day. These items are approved and will be delivered before you leave:
Grappling hooks x3
Chain legths x2
Climbing gear x2
Cartography Tools x1
A sledgehammer x1
A shovel x1
Map/scroll cases x5
A chest with lock and key, x1
A silvered javelin. X3
Blank book for notes/journal x2
Parchment for Maps x5
Components necessary for multiple castings of the spells Protection From Evil and Good and Find Familiar
After much consideration, your request for additional magical weapons is declined. The primary purpose of this expedition is to develop tactics for efficiently killing the aberrations that infest the city. Since it is not feasible to equip the entire legion with magical weapons, merely proving their effectiveness against the monsters would not be productive. However, the Emperor has seen fit to provide an additional item. You are presented with a single shield. It is a little heavier than steel and made of dense rock or bone-like material. [This is a shield, +1.]
Leelanis able to secure lodging for Dandelion at the fancy stables near Aubrey's townhouse in Umbridge. They are happy to have the wonderful Dandelion back for another stay. Given the uncertain length of your journey, they will require a 20gp deposit - this will cover 2 months of stabling.
Consulting with a trip adviser, Aubreyis able to arrange travel for the group downriver to Way Isle on a passenger boat. The boat has been chartered by the Dwarven Historical Society - some of their members are traveling to Tucker Hills to work with the local Society branch office on designing displays and exhibits for this year's Autumn Games. There is room enough on the boat for the four of you as well. The trip will cost 5gp each. but will include individual rooms and two hot meals per person per day. And considering the company, it is likely that ale and spirits will be available as well.
[We can leave now, or if there are items you did not get and want to shop for in Bardstown before you leave, that is AOK too.]
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PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Aubrey explains the travel arangements to the others, hoping it will all be satisfactory. He will arrange and pay for a banquet held at his town house the last night before the passenger boat leaves for Way Isle, hoping to bring spirits high while having a last taste of Bardstown before heading out on a long and dangerous expedition, to go where even the emperor's armies don't dare tread.
(Would 50 gp be enough for a decent banquet for the four of us?:-)
Rohuzar is easy to convince this time around to have dinner and accomodations at the Goldentide residence. He goes out of his way to tell Aubrey how fine his home is, and how he must be proud of his family.
50gp would land you somewhere between very decent to high end on a banquet for four. You can hire a caterer for the evening, with a server, chef and bartender, to provide a high class meal for 30gp. Tips for the staff would be customary, and a couple of bottles of wine and a spirit or two and viola... 50gp.
The menu options (select one) are:
Giant Catfish Steaks with Green Olives; Breaded Oysters and Strawberries; Glazed Eel Skewers in a Plum Sauce
Whole Roast Wild Boar; Apple Puree; Carrot and Celery in Broth; Sweetened Yogurt with Almonds
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Rohuzar, you are able to find the following items:
Healer's kits - 5gp each
Flasks of Alchemists Fire - 51gp each
After discussing with Aubrey and Grugga, you learn the paddleboat is much too large to effectively cover with a blind. It could take weeks to manufacture such a cover, and deploying and uncovering it from the ship would take a much larger crew than you will have at your disposal.
Regarding vault-cracking thieves tools, explain how you intend to find them and make a rule that seems appropriate to you.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
This is a bigger boat than I realized. That's going to be rough to defend.
I figure I'm looking in familiar places, legion specialists or perhaps legionnaires with "discreet" histories. I don't know the material needed, but I know someone else is bound to know. So I go to one Legatis Isme Fazin, and hope she knows who might help me.
Grugga shows up on the final day before departure with a fine, if unadorned, new breastplate. The reduced metallic surface area has left him with more space to store his trinkets, crystals, and other gewgaws in new pouches sewn into the leather armor on his arms and legs.
"Well, everyone, this is it. It looks like the emperor came through - we even got a magic shield! This is going to be... this is going to be something historic. We're going to be the first people in a hundred years to see some parts of this city." He looks contemplative, then shakes it off. "I'm ready on my end. I've learned about as much as I think I can. Hopefully it's enough. I suppose we can decide when we get there, but I still think we should map the quarters outside the city walls before moving in. There probably won't be any treasure, but it seems like it will be safer."
"I'm looking forward to traveling with the Dwarven Historical Society, but I also can't wait to see our new ship! Have you settled on a name for it yet, Aubrey?"
Aubrey would try to be a good host showing his guests a good time at his family's townhouse on their last night before departure, having drinks and cigars served on the wooden smokers patio, enjoying the excellent view of the river and the gardens of Vinicelli beyond. "Thank you Rohuzar, you are too kind. As you know my family is very important to me and I hope to make my father proud by going with you on this expedtition. I know he's not convinced I'm suited for such an endeavour but I've assured him I have the very best of companions." He says to the orc mercenary with a polite smile, puffing at his cigar. "Yes, prudence is the key to success surely Grugga. We will be in no hurry to complete our mission and hopefully we will have decent accomodations as we rest between our daily incursions into the ruins of Amnifortis." He turns and says to the artificer with a polite smile. "I agree, there could be much we could learn from our fellow passengers on the first leg of our trip, and yes, I hear she is a real beauty and a wonder of science my dear Grugga. I've decided on The Golden Empress, in recognition of our sponsor as well as my own famiy."
Later dinner is served in the dining room, a catered menu consisiting of; Giant Catfish Steaks with Green Olives; Breaded Oysters and Strawberries; Glazed Eel Skewers in a Plum Sauce, served up with the Lord's special reserve Honeywine Castle Sauvignon Blanc from the wine cellar. At the end of dinner Aubrey would stand up and hold a lengthy speech, recounting the team's successess so far and making clear what a privilege it is for him to be serving his emperor and his family together with the finest adventurers of the realms. "A toast to the success of our glorious quest to reconquer what was lost and send the empire into a new golden era."He finishes with a wide smile, raising his glass.
Aubrey would retire fairly early considering what's ahead and be ready to leave for the passenger ship next morning after breakfast with time to spare.
"I'm not sure it's quite that simple." Aubrey tries to explain. "I sincererly hope that my word would be good for something, but we have a legal system and contracts like this for a reason, in case there are misunderstandings that need to be settled. Also I'm not sure anything we find in those ruins would be considered ours necessarily. If we went there now to find what Chiropperas family wants us to retrieve for them without agreeing to their terms first I don't think we are in our right to simply put it up for some kind of auction or keep it to ourselves. It would likely still be considered their property eventhough it has been in the ruins of Amnifortis for a long time. A finders fee would probably be in order but that is what they are offering us as far as I can see. Agreeing to a contract where a breach would call for compensation of some kind is quite normal in Bardstown and any other civilized areas, and the terms of us making a good faith effort is not particularly harsh I would say. That said, I won't argue any further on this. If you are uncomfortable with this geas we should simply decline and let the Chiropperas keep their gold." Aubrey says with a polite smile. "And one more thing. I wouldn't presume to know better than you how an orc mercenary should think and act, I would appreciate it if you extended me the same courtesy."
"And how should you act? Are you Citizen or mercenary?" Rohuzar is keeping his voice calm, but his fist keeps clenching.
Paladin - warforged - orange
Grugga looks concerned with the misunderstanding and he puts a hand on Rohuzar's shoulder and says: "Cousin, ease up; remember where we are. Taking this oath sounds like common practice among the Imperial nobility, and we shouldn't question that. Our word isn't worth anything here when they have ample access to clerics of Asmodeus. Hoping to make them accept our word because that's how they do it in Purgis is about akin to asking Esterwick to accept a king because it works in Easton."
"Treat Aubrey with a little respect. He's the only one here who knows how to navigate the imperial upper crust, and that's extremely valuable, because, if I'm not mistaken, that's where we're heading. The Emperor isn't going to let us go easily if we finish this mission with aplomb and I suspect we'll suddenly become very popular around town. And also, who knows what we'll find in that city that might drag us into the forum... the imperial lawyers could easily rob us blind in the forum if not for Aubrey - I certainly don't know how this tangle of half-unwritten laws works."
He sits back down at the table and tries to ease tensions further. "I don't pretend to understand imperial nobility very well, but I can tell this isn't about the money for Aubrey - hells, he's already said he'd spend his favor on a boat for our group to get us to Amnifortis and use as a base. These missions are worth a great deal more than the 500 gold to our friend, I suspect, because it will elevate his house in the eyes of his peers. I don't understand that, you don't understand that, Leelan doesn't understand that, but we can all see it's important to our friend who has been nothing but a staunch ally to us so far; buying us dinners before we'd made any money and letting us stay in his townhouse - he lost Zeno because of us! - and bravely fighting by our side every mission. None of us are nobles or mercenaries anymore, we're all brothers now!"
He turns to Aubrey and says, "Aubrey, I'd be happy to take the Geas with you. I'm just a little concerned with what this 'good faith effort' means - what happens if we're in dire straits before we get a chance to look for their artifact? Could we make some sort of provision where in the case of life-and-death circumstances we can repay their investment without breaking the contract?"
Rohuzar looks like he's about to say something cutting back to Grugga, but as he continues speaking, he seems to deflate.
"Once again, you are very clever, Grugga. And I have been a poor... Friend."
Rohuzar turns to Aubrey, staring into his chest instead of the face.
"I vill do better. But I think it is clear I am out of my depth for job this big. And maybe I need to stop ignoring your strength. It's not right to whole team. I'm sorry."
Paladin - warforged - orange
Aubrey looks between Rohuzar and Grugga, more than a little surprised over the artificer's interjection as well as the long list of compliments he is putting forth, the young noble's face twitching slightly at the mention of his late servant. "Well thank you Grugga, you're too kind. I admit the use of the wording good faith effort would leave some room for interpretation, but to my knowledge the threshold would not be high to fulfill this requirement. As long as our intentions to do what is reasonable to fulfill this contract does not change I'm personally not worried that there will be any need for compensation to the Chiropperas family. I wouldn't argue if any of you believe this is beyond what we should do in the ruins of Amnifortis though. Trying to retrieve this property for the Chiropperas family will most likely not be without considerable risk, but then again, neither is going into those ruins in the first place." Aubrey says with a small smile.
The young noble then turns to face Rohuzar, again somewhat surprised at the mercenary's sudden change of tone. Somewhat hesitantly he lays a comforting hand on the orc's powerful shoulder. "None of us have ever done what we're about to do, embark on an expedition into ruins where the emperor would not even send his own army, but together we have successfully fought many powerful enemies of the empire and I believe the emperor is right in trusting us, trusting you, with this important mission. You, Grugga and Leelan are excellently equipped to carry out this mission with your combination of combat training, survival skills and extensive knowledge into the field of aberrations. Although I'm hardly trained for exploring ruins I hope to still be of use of course Rohuzar, but it would be up to me to show any strength I have in those ruins. There is no need for any apologies though, and to try to answer your earlier question I do not longer consider myself a mercenary but a Citizen in the prestigious service of his emperor." Aubrey finishes with a polite smile, his hand going to his side again.
[More information learned by Grugga, thanks to the 25 on Investigation.]
Grugga, you continued your investigations into Amnifortis. Looking into lost relics or treasures, he gathers the following information:
*Your research turns up an irrelevant but interesting inconsistency. While the official histories indicate the armies of Vigor went north in flight of the Breach, the military records of the legions show they marched out toward Tucker Hills and Bardstown - civilians and gold in tow - several months before the Breach.
Grugga, you also inquire with the Dwarven Historical society. They are able to tell you a little about the more ancient history of the area. The Dwarves' first settlements in the region were southeast of the current city, closer to modern day Purgis, though their towns and villages eventually spread to cover the whole river mouth. They also hold that the area of Mons Basilicae was the site of an even older settlement - that under the foundations of the current human temples lies older, fused stone pilings and cornerstones. While over the years they had many different theories about who had built those ancient foundations, the Dwarves now agree with the claims of the Ancient Elves, that this was indeed the site of one of their settlements from the time before they fled the continent, 3500-5000 years ago. Dwarves have also discreetly sent their own missions over the decades into the ruins of the Dwarven Quarter, but found that much of it had already been looted by scavengers from the disputed lands. They have heard that a terrible plague afflicting only Dwarves is now spreading in the area around Amnifortis... they are deeply disturbed by this. While they are hesitant to speak openly against humans, they confide that over the last 125 years, there have been an number of unusual plagues that target only Dwarves, or only Elves.
You also come across a book in Dwarvish that catches your eye. It is about the collapse of the First Human Empire, 1100 years ago. It is eye-catching to you how similar some of this sounds to what happened, and what you are expecting to find, in Amnifortis:
The Breach at Viktoris
The book is a Dwarven translation of an Elven work said to date from the first decades after the fall of the first empire. Purported to be a collection of the tales copied down from survivors from the elven ghettos of Viktoris. They describe what has come to be known as “the Breach.” All the cities of the old empire suffered calamity but the first and perhaps the greatest is what befell Viktoris. This is a collection of stories about the event itself and the weeks that came after. The tales vary, but the consistent theme is that one morning in the Spring of 1006, the city suffered a powerful earthquake. More than that, a small mountain range was thrust up through the center of the city, and in the middle of this there was a massive tear opening to unimaginable depths of darkness. The river began flowing backwards and flooded much of the city and walls, bridges and castles collapsed, trapping many of the citizens inside the walls. And then the horrors began. Here is where the tales take many different directions. Some claim that demons and devils emerged from the Breach in great black swarms, ripping through Viktoris and carrying off or devouring any poor souls they encountered. Other stories claim a nightmarish plague infected the survivors, with cancerous boils and bloody coughs and worms emerging from the skin. Others claim the human inhabitants of the city went mad altogether as though ensorcelled, roaming the wreckage and engaging in blasphemy, cannibalism, and wanton murder. Whatever (if any) tale is to be believed, the stories all agree that after 40 days there was another mighty earthquake and the breach retreated into itself. Of the population, between 7 in 10 of the city’s inhabitants were said to have perished, with humans suffering the brunt of the losses. And the survivors soon learned that similar horrors had occurred throughout the land and they now dwelt in a world without peace or order.
Finally, Grugga spends a day tracking down a few of the barge captains who have braved the river corridor through the ruins. He hears a number of questionable sailors tales, but the following are consistent throughout the different interviews:
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Grugga spends the full ten days needed to prepare for their march on the old capital city. He can be found almost exclusively in the library, though he also journeys to the Dwarven Historical Society and to the docks for some "on the ground" research to give his backside a rest from sitting around all day. Every couple of days he takes the day "off" to work on a new piece of armor for himself, a plain breastplate to replace his relatively beat-up scale mail that still sports his old college's colors. In the evenings he returns to the inn or the Goldentide townhouse (wherever the group is staying) and reports anything he learned that day.
Over the tenday, Grugga uncovers quite a bit of information, some of it immediately useful and some of it simply fascinating to the young Orc:
On the last evening before setting out, the artificer sits with his allies over dinner and drinks and discusses their combined knowledge. "So it sounds like we should do all our exploring during the day and retreat to the boat at night. The riverfolk say that the river around the city is dangerous at night, so we'll have to take the boat upstream or into the bay to sleep. Like I said earlier, too, they also said never to dock at Fort Breitvasser!
"If I were to make a plan it would be this: We should start on the outskirts before trying to move within the walls. Mons Basilicae and the Dwarven quarter have been looted - that means that common looters and priests have survived these areas, which means they're not as dangerous as, say, Argentum Heights which is still at least mostly unlooted. This less dangerous area will give us a chance to get our feet wet and run tests on as many monsters as we can before heading into the more dangerous areas.
"There's also the matter of actually getting a boat... If we can't get one by tomorrow we'll need to camp outside the city. Has the emperor responded to our request to get one?"
[OK. I may have the riverboat worked out. Waiting for the check to clear.
While we wait... The emperor offered to outfit this expedition. So many of the items you are looking for (ie. Rohuzar post 2335) can be requisitioned. That is not a guarantee that everthing you want will be provided for you. But if you want to ask, now is the time. He seemed skeptical at the idea of providing magical items, but again, if you don't ask, you definitely won't get anything. I request that you put your heads together and ask for whatever you think you may need and let me know. Then I will advise what requests are granted. If there is anything not provided to you, you can always try shopping for it on your own in town.
Between this thread and the discord there have been a lot of ideas thrown around. If I haven't responded to anything you proposed or requested, let me know as I probably missed it.]
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Oh! One mooooore thing: a healer's kit. Something specific to our needs for dissection.
Paladin - warforged - orange
Aubrey receives surprising and welcome news through the Emperor's liaison.
As it happens, his father, Lord Goldentide has been in negotiations with the Emperor's foreign affairs minister and with the Engineering Guilds of Pentwater to purchase several of the mechanical paddlewheel boats [as popularized in our earlier adventures]. As Aubrey made a request of his eminence that he receive his boon in advance, in the form of a riverboat, the Emperor has decided to approve this transaction, even agreeing to finance the first vessel with imperial treasury funds. The first of three ships that will be purchased by the Goldentide's, this vessel will be delivered into Aubrey's care until such time as your Amnifortis expedition is complete. It will then join the family's fleet of ships in Shelley.
The vessel itself is finishing drydock preparations at Grand Crossing, near Way Isle in Pentwater. You will need to secure your own travel as far as there, where you will take possession of the boat.
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Presenting your list of requested supplies to the Emperor's liaison, you receive a response the following day. These items are approved and will be delivered before you leave:
After much consideration, your request for additional magical weapons is declined. The primary purpose of this expedition is to develop tactics for efficiently killing the aberrations that infest the city. Since it is not feasible to equip the entire legion with magical weapons, merely proving their effectiveness against the monsters would not be productive. However, the Emperor has seen fit to provide an additional item. You are presented with a single shield. It is a little heavier than steel and made of dense rock or bone-like material. [This is a shield, +1.]
Leelan is able to secure lodging for Dandelion at the fancy stables near Aubrey's townhouse in Umbridge. They are happy to have the wonderful Dandelion back for another stay. Given the uncertain length of your journey, they will require a 20gp deposit - this will cover 2 months of stabling.
Consulting with a trip adviser, Aubrey is able to arrange travel for the group downriver to Way Isle on a passenger boat. The boat has been chartered by the Dwarven Historical Society - some of their members are traveling to Tucker Hills to work with the local Society branch office on designing displays and exhibits for this year's Autumn Games. There is room enough on the boat for the four of you as well. The trip will cost 5gp each. but will include individual rooms and two hot meals per person per day. And considering the company, it is likely that ale and spirits will be available as well.
[We can leave now, or if there are items you did not get and want to shop for in Bardstown before you leave, that is AOK too.]
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Aubrey explains the travel arangements to the others, hoping it will all be satisfactory. He will arrange and pay for a banquet held at his town house the last night before the passenger boat leaves for Way Isle, hoping to bring spirits high while having a last taste of Bardstown before heading out on a long and dangerous expedition, to go where even the emperor's armies don't dare tread.
(Would 50 gp be enough for a decent banquet for the four of us?:-)
Rohuzar will try to search the city for the remaining items:
Investigation? 12
Paladin - warforged - orange
Rohuzar is easy to convince this time around to have dinner and accomodations at the Goldentide residence. He goes out of his way to tell Aubrey how fine his home is, and how he must be proud of his family.
Paladin - warforged - orange
Aubrey:
50gp would land you somewhere between very decent to high end on a banquet for four. You can hire a caterer for the evening, with a server, chef and bartender, to provide a high class meal for 30gp. Tips for the staff would be customary, and a couple of bottles of wine and a spirit or two and viola... 50gp.
The menu options (select one) are:
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
51
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Rohuzar, you are able to find the following items:
After discussing with Aubrey and Grugga, you learn the paddleboat is much too large to effectively cover with a blind. It could take weeks to manufacture such a cover, and deploying and uncovering it from the ship would take a much larger crew than you will have at your disposal.
Regarding vault-cracking thieves tools, explain how you intend to find them and make a rule that seems appropriate to you.
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
This is a bigger boat than I realized. That's going to be rough to defend.
I figure I'm looking in familiar places, legion specialists or perhaps legionnaires with "discreet" histories. I don't know the material needed, but I know someone else is bound to know. So I go to one Legatis Isme Fazin, and hope she knows who might help me.
I figure a persuasion check 16
Paladin - warforged - orange
Grugga shows up on the final day before departure with a fine, if unadorned, new breastplate. The reduced metallic surface area has left him with more space to store his trinkets, crystals, and other gewgaws in new pouches sewn into the leather armor on his arms and legs.
"Well, everyone, this is it. It looks like the emperor came through - we even got a magic shield! This is going to be... this is going to be something historic. We're going to be the first people in a hundred years to see some parts of this city." He looks contemplative, then shakes it off. "I'm ready on my end. I've learned about as much as I think I can. Hopefully it's enough. I suppose we can decide when we get there, but I still think we should map the quarters outside the city walls before moving in. There probably won't be any treasure, but it seems like it will be safer."
"I'm looking forward to traveling with the Dwarven Historical Society, but I also can't wait to see our new ship! Have you settled on a name for it yet, Aubrey?"
Aubrey would try to be a good host showing his guests a good time at his family's townhouse on their last night before departure, having drinks and cigars served on the wooden smokers patio, enjoying the excellent view of the river and the gardens of Vinicelli beyond. "Thank you Rohuzar, you are too kind. As you know my family is very important to me and I hope to make my father proud by going with you on this expedtition. I know he's not convinced I'm suited for such an endeavour but I've assured him I have the very best of companions." He says to the orc mercenary with a polite smile, puffing at his cigar. "Yes, prudence is the key to success surely Grugga. We will be in no hurry to complete our mission and hopefully we will have decent accomodations as we rest between our daily incursions into the ruins of Amnifortis." He turns and says to the artificer with a polite smile. "I agree, there could be much we could learn from our fellow passengers on the first leg of our trip, and yes, I hear she is a real beauty and a wonder of science my dear Grugga. I've decided on The Golden Empress, in recognition of our sponsor as well as my own famiy."
Link to townhouse
https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/d-d-beyond-general/play-by-post/117213-homebrew-heroes-of-bardstown?comment=205
Later dinner is served in the dining room, a catered menu consisiting of; Giant Catfish Steaks with Green Olives; Breaded Oysters and Strawberries; Glazed Eel Skewers in a Plum Sauce, served up with the Lord's special reserve Honeywine Castle Sauvignon Blanc from the wine cellar. At the end of dinner Aubrey would stand up and hold a lengthy speech, recounting the team's successess so far and making clear what a privilege it is for him to be serving his emperor and his family together with the finest adventurers of the realms. "A toast to the success of our glorious quest to reconquer what was lost and send the empire into a new golden era." He finishes with a wide smile, raising his glass.
Aubrey would retire fairly early considering what's ahead and be ready to leave for the passenger ship next morning after breakfast with time to spare.
(Yes, I think Aubrey is all ready to go now :-)