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Post by tengen on Nov 3, 2013 5:42:11 GMT
Alicia Contemplates the map for a long while weighing the various options in her head. "So you would rather go with the choice that has the most unknowns?" She says calmly looking from Hans to Leathe with her dissenting opinion.
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Post by Admin on Nov 3, 2013 7:28:29 GMT
"The city of Byzantium is naught but a gilded serpent's den. The bureaucracy would rather engage in wasteful wars and lavish celebrations while their borders fall and people starve," Jiao added, siding with Alicia. "Although the idea of advanced technology and magic on Newton intrigues me, I shudder at thinking what horrors they are capable of in twisted hands. The dwarven stronghold may give us a decisive technological edge to break the stalemate, as well as perhaps make allies we can count upon. The bodyguards of the Byzantine Emperors hail from the far north, the Varangians. If we befriend some Scandinavians with ties to Byzantium, then perhaps we will make some trustworthy contacts."
Elgeon nods in partial agreement. "I dislike going too far underground," the ranger says. "But I imagine my talents could be useful in other ways no matter where we go."
"How about you?" Brandon turns to Teo and Aldeus.
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Post by jon on Nov 3, 2013 10:07:42 GMT
Hans asks Brandon, "Surely you could lower the price moreso? After all you are asking for our help to save the world from this Yog entity." Hans spreads his hands wide as if to suggest what a vast force this Yog is.
Hans turns to Alicia with a smile, "I would rather be surrounded by bureaucracy than futuristic weapons and dwarven traps. Bureaucrats are such simple creatures when it comes down to it. You just have to push the right buttons. That said, I am not entirely averse to Newton, but I will need a lot more convincing if you are going to have me spelunking inside a cave." Hans shudders at the thought of whatever deep caverns these lost dwarves inhabited.
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Post by Admin on Nov 4, 2013 6:02:15 GMT
"Very well, but the war on Newton still requires gold. I can lower it to 1000 gp," Brandon says. "Such a pitiful state, as humanity is capable of far grander when not destroying themselves and their planet in war."
[Appraise roll=19] Hans realizes this is significantly cheaper than he'd have to pay for building such a weapon himself from scratch, or some ad hoc workshop in Venice.
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Post by tengen on Nov 4, 2013 7:44:05 GMT
She looks to Hans slightly incredulously,
"I have been a part of that dance before and I did not like what I saw, thank you very much. " she pauses her face contorting slightly in a pained expression as if recalling a troubling memory before continuing her tirade unabated, "Besides oversimplifying those that play games of politics is foolish and quite dangerous indeed. "She says not breaking eye contact with Hans as she advances on him
" Go into such an endeavour without the proper prior knowledge of the players and you might as well be asking aloud if you want more poison with your tea or a larger knife with your lady of the night." She says with her usual harsh pedantic tone she gets when she finds a course of action unwise.
"At least with the others we know where we stand.." She says in an almost casual tone breaking eye contact and crossing her arms in indignant finality.
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Post by jon on Nov 4, 2013 9:48:59 GMT
"That sounds only fair." Hans happily hands over the gold with a hearty handshake. He carefully checks that the new pistol is unloaded before placing it in his belt.
Hans turns back to Alicia. Sensing that this topic uneases her, Hans tries to steer the topic away from politics. "True on all counts, while Byzantium is still my preference, politics isn't free of perils. What would your preference be?"
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Post by tengen on Nov 4, 2013 21:14:16 GMT
She lets out a long sigh her shoulders & hands drop letting up on the rough treatment for a bit. "All I'm saying is if you really wish to dive into the Byzantium dilemma that we do it right and do our research before hand..." She says her posture and tone seem to relax more as she paces slightly beginning to more or less giving word to her thoughts.
"If we are to assume that we are to collect each of these orbs in turn it would come down to two factors in my opinion. Those would be our window of time and resources gathered from completion that would aid in collecting the others." She continues probably not letting much word edgewise till she finishes. "From this standpoint the Dwarven stronghold can wait. While it would provide useful resources once explored it should stay pretty intact for the time it takes to complete the other tasks. That is as long as we do not have rivals that is" She gives a brief glance at their new friend as she posits the question.
"As much as I hate to say it both of the other two choices could fit my criteria, as they both leave opportunity to gather new resources that could help with the others, as well as having a time frame that would lead to opening and closing of windows of opportunity based on how long it took." She says pausing for a moment to think
" If I had to choose, it would be Newton as it sounds as if they are in more dire striates. " She says stopping her pacing and talking to finally look to the others for feedback.
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Post by henwen88 on Nov 5, 2013 18:24:53 GMT
Jiao's idea, and some of Alicia's arguments, appeal to Leath more than those of Hans, whose self-interest is all too evident. Byzantium is a city, after all, and Leath would rather avoid urban environments for as long as possible. The Dwarven strongholds would be quiet and remote, and could prove interesting. "If Newton is a true stalemate, there is no rush to intervene," he says. "And if Jiao or one of you other more mechanically inclined people find something that can help us in the Dwarven strongholds, all the better. I want no part of any gadgets we find there, personally, but if it aids the cause..." He shrugs. "I retract my earlier motion to head for Byzantium first. I don't do politics well, and I agree that the more prepared we are, the more we know about whatever scum we will find at work there, the better."
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Post by jon on Nov 6, 2013 9:08:28 GMT
"I do have one concern, and that is if we go off doing acts of heroics around the world, while we might find out more about the situation in Byzantium, no doubt they will also learn about us. Being unknown is a very valuable resource." Hans says rubbing his fingers together.
"That said, I have seen you all in combat and I'm sure you'll keep poor Hans safe from dwarven ghosts and men from the future, so I will be happy to accept whatever decision the group comes to." Hans gives a resigned smile.
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Post by Admin on Nov 6, 2013 23:28:56 GMT
"How about you, Aldeus?" Jiao asks.
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Post by tengen on Nov 9, 2013 18:51:01 GMT
"Yes, it seems a tie breaker is in order, Although for the sake of compromise and expediting a decision I would be willing to explore the Dwarven ruins." She says rubbing her temples slightly in thought.
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Post by Admin on Nov 10, 2013 23:16:54 GMT
"I regret to inform you that I have other plans," Aldeus says. "Mrs. Perin has offered me a job reorganizing the town watch at Scalo Est."
"I want to come too!" Teo says.
Brandon looks across the diminishing party. "While it is lamentable some of us have gone, I believe we will attract less attention this way," he says. He turns to Leath. "I am not sure if you have ever heard of the Green Roads."
[Knowledge (nature) roll=11]
Leath becomes curious, having never heard of this before. For a moment, he wonders what lore was lost from his own dying order, and how much he could potentially rediscover by traveling.
"Before man knew how to smelt iron, the first druids used a network of fey-created magic portals to rapidly cover great distance," Brandon says. "That is how I arrived in Venice from Newton in less than a day. Many of the portals have long since been damaged, destroyed, or left to fail, but I can verify the ones connecting Venice, Newton, Constantinople, and remote Norway still function."
"Anything involving the fey sounds dangerous," Jiao says. "They are capricious and whimsical, but I would trust your judgment on the matter. But what if we were to take a ship or overland caravan?"
"That would take months, time we do not have," Brandon says. "Now, is everyone ready?"
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Post by henwen88 on Nov 11, 2013 19:21:09 GMT
Curious about these portals, the use of which had been lost to his clan, Leath assents to Brandon's suggestion. "It will be good to feel the magic of our people alive around me again," he says. "And avoiding the loss of many days in needless traveling sounds marvelous. I doubt the worshippers of machines will ever find something to compare to the magic the ancients once had. Let's go, already. We've dithered too long in this place."
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Post by jon on Nov 12, 2013 9:24:54 GMT
"Could these portals be used to move urgently needed goods from one region to another? In case there was an emergency?" Hans eyes widen at the prospect of these potential routes of merchandise delivery, temporary overcoming his sense of dread about the current destination. "I will need to purchase a few items before we leave." Hans disappears for a while in search of something to protect himself. [craft a musket and buy amulet of +1 AC and a nice bottle of strong wine if possible and my remaining gold allows]
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Post by Admin on Nov 13, 2013 23:37:31 GMT
[Hans is able to purchase a musket, +1 Amulet of Natural Armor, and the masterwork Dragoon Pistol with his current funds, leaving 200 left over.]
"The Green Roads require a druid to navigate," Brandon turns to Leath. "And even then, druids require specialized training to do so."
---
Hans feels much more confident after his shopping trip to Venice, and it is not just due to the expensive wine he has. He waddles back to Anafesto's estate. The party has spent the last few days preparing for their expedition, restocking supplies and preparing themselves for the dungeon crawl. Once they are ready, Brandon meets them in a wooded area to the north of the city.
The grove is old and the same time, unremarkable to outsiders. The ground is soggy and soft, insufficient for growing crops and the wood is of no interest to loggers. Perhaps that is why the grove has survived to the present, the party muses. At the center is a stone circle covered in strange symbols, which Brandon is running his finger along.
"To the north!" he calls. "Come!"
He steps into the circle, and vanishes in a flash of blue energy. The party reluctantly follows him in.
[The adventure continues in part 2-1: Into The Underworld.]
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