When Mercwri wakes he’ll look around, “Does anybody know what Black Dragons eat? I don’t know much about them, but they makes me trepidatious. I mean, my only experience with dragons was when they tore up a city and almost dumped us into a sea of boiling stone.” He shook his head vigorously, “Don’t see any reason to trust’m further than I can throw’m.” Grumbling a bit as he works out the nights kinks he continues, “Hopefully the Lords o’ the city will have a plan.”
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Panic is a mechanism that strengthens the gene pool.
"Far as I know they eat anything they damned well please." Hitticus chimes in to Mercwi's complaint. "But a babe's a babe. Can't go murdering it without due cause."
„It is a Cloak of Protection, and it does just that, it protects you. Your enemies will have a harder time hitting you, and you yourself will become generally more resilient. It just a bit more involved than just wearing it; you will have to allow the enchantment to take hold on you.“
"Now hold a minute," Randrak says. "Just exactly what do you mean by 'take hold on you'? I've seen what magic has done to some of you, and I don't want no nasty side effects."
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“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
Alanis, channeling any will power she possesses, narrowly avoids rolling her eyes. With renewed patience, she continues.
“You have been on the receiving end of supportive magic, yes? For example healing? There is such a thing as beneficial magic. This cloak is an example of that. If you were to find an enhanced weapon like Mewcri or Hitticus, would you decline that as well?“
She does remind herself of the usual dwarven stance on magic in general and Randrak‘s apparent lack of exposure to the less nefarious uses of it.
“But I understand that the prospect of bonding with the magic in it might be uncomfortable for you. I am certainly not going to force it on you. How about this?”
Alanis fastens the robe around her shoulders and gestures to herself.
”I am already attuned to it. So how about I wear it for now and you can observe wether or not it comes with ‘nasty side effects’? You can make a decision based on that.”
"Healing... makes sense," Randrak replies. "It is to heal. I'm failing to understand what you mean though. How do you attune to it? And what exactly does that mean?"
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“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
Alanis takes a seat next to Randrak and wonders how to explain such a process to someone who has never done it and next to no experience with magic.
”Well, there are magic items that grant you their benefits just by picking them up. But others require you to bond with them. To do that, often times you hold that item and meditate for a while, feeling the power inside it and make a connection. When you do, it grants its benefits to you. If you don’t do that, it might as well be a mundane item. This cloak? Without attuning to it, it will keep you warm as any cloak does, but not more than that. It’s like, mmh…”
Her face brightens and she pulls out a healing potion, showing it to Randrak.
“Now this comparison is very lacking, but… you can hold a healing potion in your hand all you want, but it will not heal one single scratch on your body if you don’t dare to drink it.”
"Yeah, that makes sense," Randrak says hesitantly. "Just simply holding a healing potion wouldn't work. It needs to come in contact with you to work. Although has anyone tried using it by rubbing it into the wound? What happens if you are allergic?"
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“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
”Well, you can try that if you are interested. Do tell me the results. Besides, that is still making contact with you.”
She turns serious again and looks at Randrak openly.
”I’m not going to tell you that there is no risk, because there is. A magic item may, indeed, come with nasty side effects. A potion may not be what it looks like.”
Alanis gestures to the cloak and the bottle in turn, but then proceeds to point at Randrak’s armor.
”An armor may look fine, but turns out to be poorly crafted and lets you down in the midst of battle, no magic involved. The way forward may seem safe, but is riddled with traps.”
She pauses for a moment, regarding Reggarn with a thoughtful expression.
”You are a warrior, Randrak. Always the first to rush into battle, always closest to danger. Are you, of all people, going to tell me that you are living risk free?”
Mercwri bursts out laughing, “Risk free! Hah! Look, Randrak, ye just throw the thing around yer shoulders and forget about it. It’s not going to turn you into peasant spear fodder, or anything thing like that. It certainly ain’t gonna enhance yer charms with the ladies,” he slapped his knee and guffawed again. “Not that ye had much to begin with, ye understand.”
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Panic is a mechanism that strengthens the gene pool.
Randrak chuckles, "I never said I live a life risk-free. But it is by understanding weapons, fighting styles, and your opponents you can minimise that risk. I train with weapons and it is something that has taken years to learn. This magic stuff, you move against the natural order with seemingly minimal training."
Then in response to Mercwri, he says, "Well I was always better at intimidating my opponents than charming anyone.But I would like to see you stare down a hell hound without flinching."
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“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
“You may be surprised to learn that using magic does take training, too. A lot of it, in fact and with just the same goals you just described.“
Alanis absentmindedly sorts through her assortment of flasks.
“Personally, I have never thought of magic as opposing the natural order, but rather as a part of it. An element, just as fire. Just as stone. A sometimes chaotic element, admittedly, but not inherently good or evil. What one chooses to do with it, that is a very different story. But then again, that can be said about any weapon, any tool of trade.“
Regarn says under his breath, "You all are so close to see things the way I do yet you rush to kill anything that chooses to defend itself. Magic takes as much understanding as the sword, both will take your fingers off if you use it in foolish manners. The same goes for every living creature. No creature is inherently evil, they may do things in a way we don't agree with but they aren't evil, just different. We need to understand these foes so we can go about this in a more thought-out way. If we just kill them we never know if someone or something could be behind their beliefs. If we learn about them we can cut at the root instead of the branches."
Randrak replies to Alanis, "I will think about it." Before being interrupted by Regarn.
At Regarn's remarks, he jumps to his feet, "Are you still crying over the fact that we prevented another horrendous act today? I'm not. Do you really think it was a good idea to let those goblins go back out there and butcher more? Sure not everyone is evil, those wolves weren't. But that was a very evil act, making those goblins evil.
The goblins who invaded Baldenvelt were evil too."
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“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
"They chose to leave. They turned their back and we struck at them. Any other time that would be called cowardice. I will decry those who seek for no peace. Those actions were not those of peace. If they would have stood their ground I would have struck them down with no qualms about our actions. If we are meant to be better than the enemy then we must act as such."
"Maybe next time we broker peace we don't let them take the creatures that can bring about genocide single-handed? I understand you want to know them, I simply don't want them having the eggs... Truly I don't want anyone to have them 'cept maybe you or Lanny." Hitticus stands unapologetically, knowing he's a coward and accepting it. "You're not gonna make me feel guilty about what just happened, but I am willing to let the egg live so long as I get an 'I told you so' when flame hits the follicles."
I can stand with that. Now that we have some understanding of the egg and that it fears for its life from the goblins I will not let them take another egg. Please forgive me for letting my passion take over. I will also ask this now, please allow at least one to survive if we run into them again. I will try for peace with them but if it comes to blows, and I fear it will, then leave me one to learn from.
When Mercwri wakes he’ll look around, “Does anybody know what Black Dragons eat? I don’t know much about them, but they makes me trepidatious. I mean, my only experience with dragons was when they tore up a city and almost dumped us into a sea of boiling stone.” He shook his head vigorously, “Don’t see any reason to trust’m further than I can throw’m.” Grumbling a bit as he works out the nights kinks he continues, “Hopefully the Lords o’ the city will have a plan.”
Panic is a mechanism that strengthens the gene pool.
"Far as I know they eat anything they damned well please." Hitticus chimes in to Mercwi's complaint. "But a babe's a babe. Can't go murdering it without due cause."
Randrak tilts his head as he listens to Alanis talking about the cloak and something about attuning to it, he didn't really understand her meaning.
"An enchanted cloak? What does it do?"
“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
Alanis just smiles and explains.
„It is a Cloak of Protection, and it does just that, it protects you. Your enemies will have a harder time hitting you, and you yourself will become generally more resilient. It just a bit more involved than just wearing it; you will have to allow the enchantment to take hold on you.“
Alanis |lvl 3| |gnome artificer| (Stonebound)
"Now hold a minute," Randrak says. "Just exactly what do you mean by 'take hold on you'? I've seen what magic has done to some of you, and I don't want no nasty side effects."
“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
Alanis, channeling any will power she possesses, narrowly avoids rolling her eyes. With renewed patience, she continues.
“You have been on the receiving end of supportive magic, yes? For example healing? There is such a thing as beneficial magic. This cloak is an example of that. If you were to find an enhanced weapon like Mewcri or Hitticus, would you decline that as well?“
She does remind herself of the usual dwarven stance on magic in general and Randrak‘s apparent lack of exposure to the less nefarious uses of it.
“But I understand that the prospect of bonding with the magic in it might be uncomfortable for you. I am certainly not going to force it on you. How about this?”
Alanis fastens the robe around her shoulders and gestures to herself.
”I am already attuned to it. So how about I wear it for now and you can observe wether or not it comes with ‘nasty side effects’? You can make a decision based on that.”
Alanis |lvl 3| |gnome artificer| (Stonebound)
"Healing... makes sense," Randrak replies. "It is to heal. I'm failing to understand what you mean though. How do you attune to it? And what exactly does that mean?"
“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
Alanis takes a seat next to Randrak and wonders how to explain such a process to someone who has never done it and next to no experience with magic.
”Well, there are magic items that grant you their benefits just by picking them up. But others require you to bond with them. To do that, often times you hold that item and meditate for a while, feeling the power inside it and make a connection. When you do, it grants its benefits to you. If you don’t do that, it might as well be a mundane item. This cloak? Without attuning to it, it will keep you warm as any cloak does, but not more than that. It’s like, mmh…”
Her face brightens and she pulls out a healing potion, showing it to Randrak.
“Now this comparison is very lacking, but… you can hold a healing potion in your hand all you want, but it will not heal one single scratch on your body if you don’t dare to drink it.”
Alanis |lvl 3| |gnome artificer| (Stonebound)
"Yeah, that makes sense," Randrak says hesitantly. "Just simply holding a healing potion wouldn't work. It needs to come in contact with you to work. Although has anyone tried using it by rubbing it into the wound? What happens if you are allergic?"
“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
Alanis can’t help it, she snickers a bit.
”Well, you can try that if you are interested. Do tell me the results. Besides, that is still making contact with you.”
She turns serious again and looks at Randrak openly.
”I’m not going to tell you that there is no risk, because there is. A magic item may, indeed, come with nasty side effects. A potion may not be what it looks like.”
Alanis gestures to the cloak and the bottle in turn, but then proceeds to point at Randrak’s armor.
”An armor may look fine, but turns out to be poorly crafted and lets you down in the midst of battle, no magic involved. The way forward may seem safe, but is riddled with traps.”
She pauses for a moment, regarding Reggarn with a thoughtful expression.
”You are a warrior, Randrak. Always the first to rush into battle, always closest to danger. Are you, of all people, going to tell me that you are living risk free?”
Alanis |lvl 3| |gnome artificer| (Stonebound)
Hitticus is watching the conversation between Alanis and Randrak. Wondering if she'll convince him to open his mind a little
Mercwri bursts out laughing, “Risk free! Hah! Look, Randrak, ye just throw the thing around yer shoulders and forget about it. It’s not going to turn you into peasant spear fodder, or anything thing like that. It certainly ain’t gonna enhance yer charms with the ladies,” he slapped his knee and guffawed again. “Not that ye had much to begin with, ye understand.”
Panic is a mechanism that strengthens the gene pool.
Randrak chuckles, "I never said I live a life risk-free. But it is by understanding weapons, fighting styles, and your opponents you can minimise that risk. I train with weapons and it is something that has taken years to learn. This magic stuff, you move against the natural order with seemingly minimal training."
Then in response to Mercwri, he says, "Well I was always better at intimidating my opponents than charming anyone. But I would like to see you stare down a hell hound without flinching."
“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
“You may be surprised to learn that using magic does take training, too. A lot of it, in fact and with just the same goals you just described.“
Alanis absentmindedly sorts through her assortment of flasks.
“Personally, I have never thought of magic as opposing the natural order, but rather as a part of it. An element, just as fire. Just as stone. A sometimes chaotic element, admittedly, but not inherently good or evil. What one chooses to do with it, that is a very different story. But then again, that can be said about any weapon, any tool of trade.“
Alanis |lvl 3| |gnome artificer| (Stonebound)
Regarn says under his breath, "You all are so close to see things the way I do yet you rush to kill anything that chooses to defend itself. Magic takes as much understanding as the sword, both will take your fingers off if you use it in foolish manners. The same goes for every living creature. No creature is inherently evil, they may do things in a way we don't agree with but they aren't evil, just different. We need to understand these foes so we can go about this in a more thought-out way. If we just kill them we never know if someone or something could be behind their beliefs. If we learn about them we can cut at the root instead of the branches."
Randrak replies to Alanis, "I will think about it." Before being interrupted by Regarn.
At Regarn's remarks, he jumps to his feet, "Are you still crying over the fact that we prevented another horrendous act today? I'm not. Do you really think it was a good idea to let those goblins go back out there and butcher more? Sure not everyone is evil, those wolves weren't. But that was a very evil act, making those goblins evil.
The goblins who invaded Baldenvelt were evil too."
“The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules.” ― Gary Gygax
"They chose to leave. They turned their back and we struck at them. Any other time that would be called cowardice. I will decry those who seek for no peace. Those actions were not those of peace. If they would have stood their ground I would have struck them down with no qualms about our actions. If we are meant to be better than the enemy then we must act as such."
"Maybe next time we broker peace we don't let them take the creatures that can bring about genocide single-handed? I understand you want to know them, I simply don't want them having the eggs... Truly I don't want anyone to have them 'cept maybe you or Lanny." Hitticus stands unapologetically, knowing he's a coward and accepting it. "You're not gonna make me feel guilty about what just happened, but I am willing to let the egg live so long as I get an 'I told you so' when flame hits the follicles."
(Using a dwarf beard idiom I just made up)
I can stand with that. Now that we have some understanding of the egg and that it fears for its life from the goblins I will not let them take another egg. Please forgive me for letting my passion take over. I will also ask this now, please allow at least one to survive if we run into them again. I will try for peace with them but if it comes to blows, and I fear it will, then leave me one to learn from.
Hitticus nods "I can knock a skull as easy as slit a throat. Deal"