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Coming Session(s)
First, I’ll just come right out an say it, since it will be obvious, I’ll be bringing backgrounds into the game at some point soon. So if you want your background to be “featured” make sure I have a page or two background soon. I know that I have enough for Kel & Erythis.
I have an idea for allowing Wil to keep his powers, post level jump, except for the Servant of Vice. So when you make that jump, Wil can swap out that power for free (without “retraining”)
Finally, a little info on the destination.
You are traveling to Argetlahn, the home nation of Cullen. Since you have a flying ship, you can bypass society entirely, if you choose.
Location:
The location is in the mountains, the locals call it “The Cave of Dreams.” It is as close to a “Holy Site” as you will find in the nation. It is said that upon entering, Kalashtar are forced to confront their own spirit. To what end or for what purpose is anyone’s guess, and the “religious” in Argetlahn have argued various thoughts, all immensely convoluted (See one example below). Of those who have gone in, some have not returned, some of claimed to have experienced tormenting nightmares, others revelations of great wisdom, there are even a few claims of developing spiritual powers, though these are generally regarded as tricks or simply magic.
Notes on Kalashtar:
The Kalashtar are not so much concerned with the divine but with dreams as the manifestation of the individual spirit. Coinciding with the discovery of some of the ancient sites, the natural ability of the Kalashtar in the nation was amplified (see below) and a dynamic change occurred in government and culture. A major question arose, is the individual spirit the primary function of the universe, or is the individual spirit merely a portion of a great whole. In the political arena, the latter won out. Over the years, many proponents of the prior have gradually left the continent.
The political fallout was this, a shift from a council of assertive elites to what is best described as an isocracy and direct democracy, but is arguably a rule based on force of will and personality.
Change to Kalashtar Power:
The Kalashtar telepathy on the continent loses line or sight and line of effect requirements and can reach any known target on the continent individually. Additionally, the Kalashtar can communicate with all Kalashtar simultaneously on the continent. Finally, the Kalashtar can communicate with a number of targets equal to their intelligence bonus simultaneously if they are within line of sight and line of effect.
Example of “Religious” explanation of the purpose of the cave:
“This is precisely the paradox that the single individual as the single individual is higher than the universal, is justified before it, not as inferior to it but superior—yet in such a way that it is the single individual who, after being subordinate as the single individual to the universal, now by means of the universal becomes the single individual who as the single individual is superior, that the single individual as the single individual stands in an absolute relation to the absolute. This position cannot be mediated, for all mediation takes place only by virtue of the universal; it is and remains for all eternity a paradox, impervious to thought. And yet this is this paradox.”
Muy background
Muy is a wanderer, hailing from the main toad city. He spent many years wandering alone before finding a kindred spirit in Cullen and joining him in his far flung expeditions. He was formally trained as a martial artist in the toad city before leaving, and in the time since has spent short stints studying under different masters as opportunities presented themselves.
He strives to never put his feet in the same place twice. Once, earlier in his life this had actually been a literal thing, but with age it has evolved into more of a figurative ideal.
Muy’s main weapon is a monk’ish walking staff. Early in his travels he had lost his formal staff and travelled for several weeks without it. Then, one day he was accosted by bandits; knocked down and surrounded by men with bladed weapons, he reached his hand out looking for anything to give him a bit more reach. His hand danced wildly under the scattered blanket of leaves while he scooted himself backwards away from the snarling men. His grasping fingers finally found purchase and wrapped around a stout length of wood. Muy reflexively lashed out at the closest attacker striking the unprotected forehead with a sickening crack, and in a great sweeping arc he hurled the piece at the other nearest foes as he scrambled to his feet. The two nearest bandits ducked to avoid the improvised missile weapon as Muy turned and ran as fast as his squat legs could carry him. A third bandit seemed to catch it neatly in his open mouth, although the tinkling waterfall of brownish-yellow teeth and oozing drool of blood belied the trick. A real storybook monk would have turned and faced down the enemy, Muy mused, as his bare feet thundered down the trail away from the pursuing bandits. However, the young monk knew real life was no epic saga and he was no hero… at least, not yet. That being said, between effortless motions dodging from side to side to avoid oncoming trees, Muy marvelled inwardly at the auspicious events: the feel of the length of supple wood in his hands; the slight bowing of the thick gnurled end and it’s loud report as it delivered his powerful initial attack; the majestic arc it cut through the air as he hurled it away… gods dammit.
The staff was no man-made thing, but it was no less a weapon for it. That was truly the weapon of a storybook monk, and Muy knew he needed to go back and retrieve it. So, as moon-lit darkness flowed into the woods that night, Muy retraced his steps looking for the weapon. While searching, Muy stumbled upon the impromptu bandit camp and killed them all in their sleep. He was no storybook hero, at least not yet.
No, I think when we make the transition, it will be strait to 21. There are still some things to resolve at this location which will take at least a session.
More Importantly….
I realized that this Sunday is one of those where I’m very busy. I’ll leave it up to a vote. If people want to game for 2 hours, I can run from noon-2:00/2:30. Then if you guys want to do board games or whatever after I have to go.
My conditions if I run though: I want to get started right at noon, since we’ll only have a couple hours. And I would also like you guys to have an idea of what you want to do with the next pedestal. You are close enough to it, that telling you should not affect anything in game. It is 5 slots, and you won’t have any new crystals with which to work. That may involve a discussion about whether or not to change the colors of crystals. And if you have certainty about what you want to do with a particular item, letting me know ahead of time will help speed things up.
This will put us at Ancient 3, right? And at level 21 we’ll be Ancient 6? If so, are we going to spend enough time with Ancient 3 to make it worth trying to figure this all out now? If the time skip is close this may be a lot of bookkeeping without a lot of benefit. The time we tend to spend with the pedestals has been significant.
As for Sunday, I’m fine with a half session.
I’m cool with half a session as well; heck I could even be there promptly at 11’ish.
I like the idea of figuring out Ancient 3 before we have to commit to Ancient 6. 4 level jump is a lot at once with the still fuzzy details about the slot value progression, etc.
My Ancient 3 goals are probably pretty predictable at this point: as much green as possible while getting a red bump. If the opportunity presented itself, I would like to mix things up with some pink for Air powers, but I won’t push the point if other people won’t use it too. I imagine my items will go pretty quickly. If we really wanted to be force brevity, we could do a chess clock thing where we go around the table doing 1 item at a time, and each person has e.g. a 5 minute time bank and one pass.
Well, I will try to get there early, but I’m teaching a class at my church, which goes until 11:05.
You may have some time to use the Ancient 3 items, but not a lot. Mainly this is part of the planning process, to get a feel for how the system works, so when we jump to 6, you’ll have a good feel for the process.
I expect to have at least this session and one more before a jump in levels, maybe one more beyond that. Then we’ll negotiate out the events of the the time in between, and jump the characters.
Sounds like we’re on, so I’ll see everyone Sunday, no later than noon!
RE: Next pedestal
Once everyone that’s going heavy red get their enchantments, Kel is going to push to get one of the reds turned to yellow. Both Bal Gaisos and the Ring of Balance are heavy yellow items, and with 5 slots I think a second yellow will be needed (Ring of Balance may need a third). I suspect I will not try to get the Deceiver’s Holy Symbol bumped though. That would be Red/Blue/Violet, with probably a second violet being needed. If we can change colors as much as we want that changes the situation, but until we know for sure that’s off the table.
