Stolig's Plan, and Milo's Bravery.


So, we arrived at Chult recently, and we have met have already met with quite a bit of resistance. On the way from the Ilmaterian Monastary, we were ambushed by numerous spiders, some of a size much more tremendous than I believed possible. I feel that this jungle still holds many more surprises, but we shall see.
When we found the ruins of Procampor, we discovered that they were already occupied. Several ogres had moved in on the location, one of whom seemed set apart from the rest. Stolig tells me that this one likely posseses magical abilities, though I have not witnessed any for myself beyond invisibility. Realizing that we could not likely handle their numbers, Stolig came through once again. (He is truly a God-send. I find myself thanking Gond on numerous occasions.) Knowing of terribly large reptiles that inhabit this island, he suggested that we lure one of them to this place, so that it might dispatch of the ogres. His suggestion was a creature called a "Tylanosaurs", I believe. However, it was reported to be much, much larger than a man, and much faster as well. Without a doubt, it could easily overtake the average man quickly, and tear him to pieces.
Without hesitation or fear, Milo offered himself for the task. With magical aid from Stolig, he went off into the pitch dark forest in search of the beast. I know not what transpired while he was away from us, but after not too long, we all heard a terrible crashing sound from the opposite side of the ogre encampment. Readying weapons, we prepared to face the coming battle.
Even with the information from Stolig, I was not prepared for what came crashing out behind Milo. Seconds after he ran through the throng of puzzled ogres, it came crashing out of the darkness of the trees. Only the blessing I had recieved from my God, and my will to stand beside my comrades kept my feet where they stood, kept me from fleeing into the cover of the woods. This creature pursuing him must have been easily twenty-plus feet in height, and a good ten feet longer than that. It's attention shifting from Milo, it crashed into the ogres, biting one in half before they could even react. While the forest had been silent moments before, it was now filled with the cacophany of this beast raging through their forces, bellows and shouted orders, and a deafening, rythmid pounding, which I now realize was my own heartbeat. I was no longer aware of the forest behind me and the dangers it held, all that existed was what was before my eyes.
What I saw was of course this beast and it's battle, and the shock obvious on the ogre's faces. But I saw more than that. I saw, in front of me, the true greatness of my friend. Had any others among us tried what he had, we would surely have been caught and devoured, and this was still a possible outcome for Milo. He did not think of that, however. My fear has been removed by the grace of the Gods, but Milo has said nothing of that regarding himself. His bravery is all his own, and it is truly remarkable.
Milo, I say this now in complete sincerity; no one, never in my presence, shall speak ill of your courage. You are commendable, and an honorable man. Though we do not always agree, you have my admiration, and my support. Never lose your bravery, ever. I hope, someday, to have the opportunity to prove myself as you have today.

The oil, sweet God, the oil.

Ok, so I used the PHB listing price for oil, and went from there to re-check the guess work I did during the game today. I've been doing some work using this site, because it seems pretty reliable.
http://www.onlineconversion.com/volume.htm
I'm not entirely sure about my math, but it seems to check out. Here it goes.

1 pint oil: 1 silver.
pints to a gallon: 8
gallons to a cubic foot: 7.4805, rounded to 7.5
silver per cubic foot: 8*7.5=60
10 silver per gold piece, so 60/10=
6 gold per cubic foot.

surface area of pool: 55-5 foot squares, or 1375 square feet.
The pool is 3 feet deep, so the volume would be 1375*3, totaling 4125 cubic feet of oil.
Going by six gold per cubic foot, the value would be 24, 750 gold, should we be able to find a buyer. I feel like that ought to be wrong, but I've tried this a couple of times since getting home, and it's come out this way each time.

I'm not trying to look like a money grubber, but figuring this out has been bugging me since I got back, and I'm not sure if I'd have been able to get any other blogging done with this still over my head. So, there it is.

Dragonslaying rules.

Temple Talk

Ilmateri Brothers, why are we here? I ask this, not meaning here on this world. We all know this already. We are here to help the helpless, to ease their suffering. When I ask this, I speak of this church. Why do we come here, day after day? We know our purpose, the road seems laid out for us, our purpose staring plainly in our faces. We come here for one reason. The trials we are faced with are difficult, seeming nigh insurmountable at times. Alone, not one of us would have hope of making a difference in this world. In worship of the Broken One, we have all accepted a life colored by toil, hardship, and suffering. At every turn, we are expected to make personal sacrifices for the good of others, and to do it happily. Beyond the Plea of Rest, there are few moments of respite from the rigours of the lives we lead. How then are we expected to live up to the ideals presented to us, or to fulfill our duties while still maintaining a measure of vitality? To put it simply,
We are not alone in this.
While a burden shoulded by one may be great, it can be carried easily by the arms of many. At some level we all acknowledge this, and we come here for support. When one of us can no longer bear a task, he is held up and strengthened anew by his fellows.
All this talk of cooperation, reliance on others; how does it differ from weakness? One is often considered by society to be weak for behaving in just that fashion. When a person looks to others for support they are too often seen as frail, childish, and unable to stand on their own. Just as their is strength in numbers, there is strength in admitting that you need numbers. It takes confidence to stand up after failing, and say to someone that you need help. This is seen clearly by example in Ilmater. Through the aide of his allies, He and the rest of The Triad have become the greatest force for Good in all of Faerun. We should all aspire to share The Broken One's wisdom, and recognize our own weaknesses. Only through the cooperation of many can we hope to fulfill our purposes in life.
Each of us are but men, but as a whole, we are far greater. When I look out across this congregation, I see more than several dozen worshipers. I see the arm of Ilmater, one hundred men strong. Your priest, Master Hedlin, has been given a number of packages, enough for each of you here today to take at least one. Inisde each are a number of goods, trivial to most, but essential for the less fortunate among us. I ask that each one of you take one of these packeges into the city, and better someone's life, in Ilmater's name.

From the greatest numbers come the greatest Good. Today, I ask that those numbers be made up of this congregation, and that the Good be the work of your hands.

With Great Power...

I learned an unpleasant lesson today. While mercy may be the most attractive, seemingly just choice, it may not always be the best one. Vorak, the orc that we gave a second chance to, has recently resurfaced. He attacked my fellows and I on our journey to Krimmor, and has assualted Celion back in Purskul, carrying with him the head of Thoriks kin. The Sloppy Kettle is no more, and with it went many peaceful residents of Purskul. With the second chance that he begged for, he has continued his system of murder, violence, and evil. Celion, despite all he has done for the Orcish people, has been captured, possibly abused, and used as bait to draw us to him and his allies.

Some men are not made for mercy, and not all hearts can be touched by words. This creature is a stain on the face af Faerun, and if he will not listen to the hope of virtue, will by necessity be wiped away. Unrepentent Evil cannot be permitted to continue at the expense of Good.

May the Gods have mercy on your soul, Vorak, because I have none remaining for you.

Seal Of the Protectorate

I found a bit of free time this week, so I did a little work on the design for our group symbol. It's still a working sketch, so I may have some remaining detail to touch up. As the caster, final call's probably going to be up to you, Scott.

What does everybody think?

Stop the In-Fighting!

Note: This is about the There's an out of character bit at the end of this, so if you read nothing else, read that.

It is not often that I agree with you, Elrose, but I find that I do in this case. As a team, we have a crippling inability to work together. For that, we are all to blame. I understand that. I apologize to you, Stolig, for times when I have ignored your immense breadth of knowledge on areas I could not begin to comprehend. Elrose, I am sorry if the restrictions on my behavior have been chaffing, at times. I realize that I am the only one in this group that has taken a oath to a Code of Conduct, and should be the only one bound by it. Any alternate agendas that have developed as a result of this are there with the best intentions, for I wish only the best for you, my friends. The same goes for you, Thorik. While I may not share your gusto for violence, I appreciate that you have trained extensivly for it, and my negotiations have forced you to take a passive role in the party. Milo, Cloud, I hope that I have not offended you as well, but if I have or ever do, tell me, and I will do my best to make it right.

We were not forced into each other's company. Each of us chose this life, and chose who to associate with. We came together as friends, and I hope it shall remain this way. I am not advocating leaving each other, but rather seeking out that which brought us together in the first place. We all have our own roles, and we compliment each other well.
Milo; while you're not as durable as Thorik, you seem very good at getting into a beneficial position. You dodge past an enemy, and suddenly strike them from behind. I am always finding myself surprised at how well you manuever on the battlefield. While your opportunistic tactics are beyond rapport, your desire to perform in every area can get you into trouble. Focus on your strengths, the rest of us will have your back, and make up for what you can't do.
Thorik; you're very good with that axe. I'd never want to be your enemy. As good as you are, though, you should still use caution, and think of the group. We should plan each fight that we can, so that we can avoid getting surprised. Also, I'm starting to worry about your drinking. If you need to talk to anyone, you know where I am.
Stolig; we didn't mean to imply that we just associate with you for your healing. While it is a vital service that we will all require at times, we know that there is far more to your abilities than that. I am continually amazed by the sheer volume of information your brain seems to hold. Just when I think we've hit a wall, and that none of could know where to go next, you remember the exact detail we need. I don't know where we'd be without that.
I apologize for generalizing you into the role of the healer. I try to do my part, but our needs are often beyond my capabilities. The reason we come to you for healing is simple; we don't know what else you are capable of. Each day, you hace a new grouping of spells, so unless you tell us, we don't know what you can cast. Also, it is not that we do not appreciate your inventions. I for one, see tham as marvles, but do not know quite what to say to you about them, as I have no experience in such matters. During battle, I trust that you will use your creations, for I do not. Do not take our silence as disinterest, just aprehension over what to say to you.
Cloud; you have a unique viewpoint, in many respects. Whether you are two or twenty feet above the ground, you see things differantly than the rest of us, and that is invaluable. However, having an eye in the sky is less useful if we have no way of learning what you have seen. As long as you keep us informed, we can react properly and keep each other out of harms way.
Elrose; I know that you're not bound in any way by my Oath. I, however, am. I cannot stand by as innocent people are harmed by our actions, and I must try to stop the harm, or repair the damage if it is too late. I mean no disrespect to you, and I don't doubt that you mean well.
I know that we have all at some point angered you, and I wish that could have been avoided. Let's both try and respect each other in the future, even if we disagree.
Hakim; I'm glad to have met you, and glad that you've joined us. I don't know about your skills yet, so I have no suggestions about fitting in, but you seem like you'll do well.



-Out of Character.-
Seriously guys, can we stop the fighting already? It's adding nothing to the game, and I know it's making it harder to play in and run. I don't come to fight with people every week, and I doubt anyone else does. So, unless it's something really important, just let it go while we're playing.

If you don't like one of the players, fine. Don't take it out on all of us in character. We're playing characters that have no knowledge of any of us. It's ridiculous for one character to make fun of another, for no reason other than out of character resentment. Talk to that person away from the game, if that's what it takes.

Aaron, I know that you feel underutilized in the group. Well, what do you think should be done about that? Is pouting in the corner, or switching characetrs going to fix it? If I were feeling ignored, then I'd try and put my skills out there for everyone to see. The point is, none of the other characers are the ones feeling neglected, so it's your problem to work on. I'd be perfectly willing to help, as I'm sure everyone else would, but in the end it's up to you. To help, I'd suggest to everyone to focus on your skills. Let's leave the studying/research up to the expert.
I know that you resent the need for healing, but there's no way around that, usually. In every fight, there's going to be a front line, and someone's going to get hurt. Planning can only do so much. For what it's worth, though, we should all be careful in fights. Play to your strengths. Don, you aren't a front-line fighter. I'm sorry, but you aren't. Monks don't have the HPs, BaB, or AC to go toe-to-toe with most things. I'm not saying that you shouldn't fight, far from it. I'm just saying that you should pick the right moment, and position. As long as we all focus on what we're good at, no one's toes should get stepped on, and everyone can get their moment to shine.

I don't want anyone to take anything I said here as personally offensive. If it sounded like that, I didn't mean for it to. I just think that we all want the game to go smoothly, so we can all enjoy it.

Each of us has something that our character's are quite good at. If we all fugure out what that is, then we can figure out when to use them. Amaren, for example, is a diplomat. Sometimes, that's usefull. At other times, it isn't. Some problems need to be solved through combat, magic, knowledge, stealth, etc. It's varied. That's part of what makes a good campaign, but it also means that not every character gets the spotlight all the time. We just have to make sure that we don't take the spotlight at the wrong time, or take away from everybody elses fun.

Tensions Run High

Well. What can be said about the past few days. So much has happened, and yet it all seems a blur. We arrived in Moray several days ago, brought once again by the Last Elixer. While on board, we were attacked by a mercenary band of Harpies. We fought them off, but not without losing several crewmembers, and the engineer, to their ghastly music. We took one of them captive, in order to question it. It claimed to have been hired by the Prince of Moray for fifty gold, to assassinate the engineer. When we arrived, we met with this man, and his brother; the King. The King seemed trustworthy, even friendly. The Prince, on the other hand, seemed to be guarding his words all the while we talked. After he left, we voiced our concerns to the King, who did not take well to the idea of his brother as a traitor. He allowed us to leave peacefully, but warned us that what we were saying could be considered treason.
We had planned to visit the town's historian the morning after we arrived. Before he got the chance, however, an unknown party blew up the historian's shop, killing the historian in the process. Examining the ruins, we found a note clutched in his hand that had somehow survived the blast. Milo pocketed it, so we could read it later in privacy. When we got the chance to, however, we found it written in an ancient language, completely uninteligible. We asked people who knew the victim, and they pointed us to a contact of his; Larenn, a wizard residing in Waterdeep. We were told, however, that he was supposed to be in Caer Callidyr at the same time that our return was scheduled for. It seemed like we owed him a visit.
After docking and reuniting with the rest of the Protectorate, we set off in search of the wizard. Our unofficial guide to the city had placed him in the warehouse district, one of the seedier areas of the city. When we got to the address he was supposed to be at, we were met with two armed half-orcs, who seemed to be holding him against his will. Upon hearing Stolig's name, he leapt to his feet, sputtering greetings, and apologies for not writing. He promised to write a letter for Stolig, his "old friend". Looking over it, Adrian noticed something, odd. He took the letter and studied it for a while, and then returned to us with a decoded message scribbled down. "help hostage" We immediatly set about figuring out a plan of action. I wanted to talk to his captors, Milo just wanted to storm the place, but Stolig eventually convinced us to let him use Gond's magic to extract Larenn. We went over to the bar they were residing above to prepare. Elrose convinced the bartender to take the day off, for the price of eight gold. Just as we were about to begin, however, the bartender returned with a small group of thugs. They announced that they were here to apprehend Xelretch, and that it would be easier for everyone if he did not resist. Still hoping that they would leave without incident, I attempted to scare them away, but to no avail. Xel honorably made his presence known, and they moved to take him. Seeing that conflict was inevitable, we moved to protect him, and a fight broke out. We managed to hold our own for the most part, with some difficulty. Milo was separated from the rest of us, and badly injured. Thorik was pinned underneath one of the bounty hunter's dogs as it bounded in through the door. Despite these problems, however, we turned the tide of battle in our favor. Near the end of the fight, however, Elrose seemed to have had enough. The long day we had endured had seemingly brought him to his breaking point, and these mercenaries had apparently sent him far beyond it. Swearing, he pulled a scroll out from his robes, and used it to conjure a dense sphere of flame on the ceiling of the bar. I know not what his plan was in doing this, and I am not entirely convinced that he did, either. The end result, was, of course, the destruction of the bar, who's safety had been entrusted to us. The life of the man we were trying to rescue was endangered, along with his captor's, and ours. That is not even taking into account the damage that could have been done if the fire had spread past that one building. Everyone involved managed to escape unharmed, but the bar was lost, taking with it the livelyhood of the bartender. When he returned to his establishment, he was shocked, to say the least, to see what had happened in his absence. Distraught and angered, he took a swing at Elrose, and landed a glancing blow. Overreacting once again, Elrose decided to give the man the same fate as his establishment. Taking a step back, he engulfed the bartender in a stream of magical flame. What happened next was just as villainous. Thorik hefted his axe to his shoulder, and ran at the charred, terrified man, apparently moving to "defend" his comerade from the wounded, untrained and unarmed ex-business man. Stunned, it took me a moment to react. Luckily, Thorik's axe motivated the bartender to move faster than the rest of us, and he fled down the street. I searched him out afterword, but to no avail. I left a note in what remained of the bar, apologizing for what had happened. I only hope that he found help somewhere, and that Elrose has not cost the life of an innocent.

We cannot conduct ourselves in this manner. Care for those weaker than ourselves is one of the things that separates us from the depraved. The pirates that attacked the Last Elixer, the followers of Cyric that threaten Uuldegger's life aboard the ship; and who betrayed our location to the bounty hunter, the harpies that lured crewmembers to their deaths in the sea, they are all marked by the taint of Evil. Using violence as a first resort to get what you want from others, or abusing those weaker than you, for no other reason that that you know they cannot defend or retaliate. These are all halmarks of the wicked, and what separates the Righteous from the Vile. Might does not make Right, the ends do not justify the means. Trite as these words may seem, they have an eternal, and unshakable, truth. We're the Good Guys. That gives us an obligation to others. We cannot abandon that without slipping toward Evil.