The Valley #17

Well it looks like we’ll be continuing the Valley uninterrupted for a bit longer.

Dale will be unable to play for a while, so I’m back to full time DM’ing for the time being.

Speaking of Dale, he was heartbroken over having missed the previous session that had a cameo appearance of fairy dragons. He probably would have spent an hour of time trying to play with them, and possibly take control of role-playing them.

Dale really, really likes fairy dragons.

One thing that several people (Dale being one of them) have mentioned to me is that you can ignore the “role” a class is designated as “if you build it right”.

I only partially agree, and even then only begrudgingly so.

To do this, first you have to have more than the PHB because the PHB really only gives you just enough to do your main role.

Second, you have to scour your available races, feats, powers, and magic items for the right combination of options to allow you to break free of your class’s mold.

Third, chances are all that work and you will still not be as good as a class designed for that role.

Fourth, the last I checked, wizards can’t heal. “Sure they can”, you say. If you multiclass them…and spend so many feats and powers, then you have a healing wizard…who can kind of heal… and kind of control.

You can make a fighter or wizard into a damage dealing machine, but if a friend of yours puts the same amount of effort into making a damage-dealing ranger or warlock, you will find that his damage outshines yours most of the time.

So yes, in most cases you can change your PC’s role, but it will never be as good as a class designed for that role.

One concession, 4E caster multi-classing is definitely much better than 3E’s version.

Now to the game, and everyone was there.

This session was also one of those rare “95% role-playing” nights, which I think helped make up for those multiple “75% combat” sessions we’ve had a lot of.

Our cast:
Admon (Scott); level 8 human war wizard
Duncan (Justin); level 8 Silverhome dwarven cleric of Moradin
Edward (Aaron); level 8 human paladin of Brekaneth
Ander (Dale); level 5 halfling sorcerer
Kergan (Mike); level 7 dwarf rogue

We did a quick jumping back in time to take care of some things that Kergan did while Duncan, Admon, and Edward were in the fey-realms.

Kergan had been given a task by the Thieves’ Guild to spy on Mayor Ryan at his home prior to the Silverhome representation vote.

He scouted the location thoroughly in the time he had, and found that only Girvan Torl was patrolling the area, and Torl was running his rounds like clockwork.

When Kergan finally snuck into the home, it was just prior to the end of Ryan’s workday.

He searched the house while not disturbing anything. He found the place to be quite Spartan, with just enough comforts to live with.

He did find the mayor’s official seal, which he took before he left the next day.

Eventually the mayor and Niyah came home, have dinner, and finally retired to the bedroom where Kergan is hiding out (the perv).

At that point Niyah kisses the mayor and he gets a glazed look on his face and she begins questioning him about his day.

He answers all of her questions in a far-away, monotone voice.

Niyah: “And what of the special addendum to the law my dear?”
Mayor Xavius Ryan: “When we are married, you will be my successor in case of my death”
Niyah: “And what of those adventurers?”
Mayor: “Per your request we keep them quite busy.”

Other things are talked about, but the only thing that is of interest to Kergan is about the zombie elixir. All of the people working on it for the council are being intentionally interrupted so that they can make no progress in finding a cure.

When the mayor is snapped out of his trance, they get down to business, and Kergan takes notes.

Kergan reports to his Thieves’ Guild boss, who tells him that others were watching the rest of the council and he does not know what will be done with the information.

Next we go to Ivellios’s house (and portal to the fey realms) where the entire party regroups and meets with Thlyria Isara, an hour before the vote is to be held.

Duncan tells Thlyria the whole story and leaves nothing out about their journey in the fey-realm (see last session’s write-up).

She tells him that he has failed in his task and orders them out of the elven areas.

Duncan makes a plea and tells her that they have much of Ivellios’s written works that Ivellios believed would help with the situation.

She responds by showing them the problem and leads them to a cave, carved out of the “wall” of the Valley.

Everyone has an intense feeling of unease staring into the thin shimmering field that holds in the once-elven undead.

Gargoyles, originally just carved as a warning to all, now have glowing red eyes almost look as though they are moving.

“No one can rest near here. The things inside haunt their dreams.”

And with that she walks away as it is almost time for the council meeting.

Everyone save Admon goes to the meeting as well.

On the way Duncan pulls Kergan aside and asks him to find a way to discredit the Gorn family (leader of the Ironmonger dwarves).

Kergan agrees to and also tell Duncan to keep an eye on Niyah, though he doesn’t explain why. Later Kergan also sends Duncan an anonymous letter telling him to look into what happens if the mayor were to die. (Duncan pays the courier to tell him who sent the letter.)

Once at home, Admon begins delving into the books.

They’re written in Elven. That’s ok; Admon knows Elven (and has the Comprehend Languages ritual).

But they’re also written in a semi-code format with a lot of cross-referencing.

Admon quickly finds that this will require a lot of intelligence and patience to decipher and put to use. Everyday he will have to make 3 skill checks, one each for Arcana, Religion, and Nature to properly grasp the next “level” of the books.

On that first day, he realizes that these books will be a great resource, and not just for the problem at hand.

At the council meeting the party is scattered amongst a large crowd of mostly dwarves.

The two dwarven sides each form a distinct semi-circle around the meeting area.

Edward, Girvan, and many others positioned to keep order at the meeting.

Many people are heard from, and they’re all the same speeches that everyone has heard before.

Eventually it is time for the council to vote.

Each councilmember must stand and announce publicly their vote, with an optional short speech.

Brandon Accord (human, elected) says this day has taken too long to arrive.
He votes yet.

Jason Adrek (human, Church of Brekaneth appointee) gives a speech about honor and doing the right thing.
Duncan translates the speech to “We need them and this is the price we have to pay.”
He votes yes.

Ilustaria Joron (half-elf, elected) gives a speech about needing a non-human on the council to balance the obvious human bias in the governing of the Valley.
She votes yes.

Hilfan Tryst (human, elected) gives no speech.
She votes yes.

Thlyria Isara (elf, elven appointee) looks distracted and unhappy.
She gives no speech and votes yes.

Horgred Gorn (dwarf, Ironmonger appointee) gives a speech about bad blood and making amends. He says it would be an honor to have a member of the Silverhome clan on the council.
He votes yes.
Duncan tells Kergan to cancel that whole “discredit the Gorns” thing.
His keen eye also notes a slight irritation in Horgred’s expression.

Aegris Zahn (human, elected, corrupt) looks confused and stares around the council.
He hesitates, but votes yes.

Then the Silverhome dwarves erupt in celebration while the Ironmongers glare and quietly walk back to their homes.

The rest of the day is filled with drinking and song, all on Silverhome’s tab.

During that time, and for a few days after, everyone is doing their thing.

Duncan hears that his name is on the shortlist for the council seat, but so is his superior Agramarr Flamehammer.

Ander attempts to garner acceptance for the Sorcerers’ Guild, but he is blind to both the history of sorcerers in the Valley and everyone’s looks on their faces when they think of the horror that some sorcerers have caused.

Later Ander attempts to get help from Polaris about the elves and their undead problem. Polaris has sympathy, but he is “too busy protecting the Valley with other major problems”.

Duncan goes to see Lita, the mayor’s secretary, and asks for information about recently passed laws. She declines saying the mayor has strict orders about that. He later tells Kergan about this.

Admon and Edward visit Tonus, who is relaxing near a school.

Their chat encompasses the current problem on their plate, the elves. Tonus tells Admon that being given those tomes was a great honor and tells them that they are on the right track, but has no further help.

Continuing the potpourri of role-playing gathered information…

Duncan and Kergan find out from Agramarr Flamehammer that the dwarves are secretly working on a zombie-elixir cure.

Everyone except Ander is doing their best to keep the elven-undead issue quiet.

Kergan uses the mayor’s seal to make a “get out of jail free” letter.

The group gathers together at the Silverblade compound when planning.

Kergan cases the city offices, which is quite protected during the day and moderately protected at night.

So he buys a chicken for use as a distraction at night.

Justin: “You’re such a fag. You just paid a silver for a cock.”
(Sadly this is tame for Justin.)

The few guards in the area are distracted by a loud chicken not far away, giving Kergan the opportunity he needs to pick the locks of the offices and sneak upstairs to the mayor’s office.

While trying to pick the lock of the mayor’s office he hears a dog growling, but sees nothing.

When determines that he can’t pick this lock, he decides to bash it open.

When the door is successfully open, a hell hound appears and attacks him.

After a couple of rounds Niyah appears and calls the hound off of Kergan.

The dog obediently comes to sit by her side as she sits in a chair and offers him one as well.

Niyah: “So what were you looking for?”
Kergan: “That’s a nice beast. Where’d you get him? Somewhere hot I suppose.”
Niyah: “No, actually it’s quite cold.”

They have this sort of back-and-forth for a while, until she comes out and says that she is in charge of the city and there is nothing he can do to stop her. She tells him that he and his adventurer friends need to continue on their little adventures with the elves and ignore her.

He agrees to “take it under advisement” and leaves.

Through the week that all of the above happened, Admon’s understanding of the books increases, and he learns several low level rituals of Ivellios’s.

When it comes to the seals of the “prison” (or Ghostbuster’s Containment Unit”) he finds that Ivellios had tried many things but he had always been missing a key ingredient.

The group tries to hypothesize what that ingredient may be, but they are doing nothing more than guessing.

Next they visit Thlyria Isara again, hoping she’d be able to offer some guidance.

She was impressed that they were actually researching the problem.
But she is also depressed as the elves that have done so much to help the Valley, have apparently left nothing positive and may be the cause for its impending destruction.

She has no guidance, other than that they haven’t mentioned visiting Sibylline Tarn.

None of them are fond of this idea, and had intentionally avoided seeing him.

But with no other leads available they reluctantly go to see Ander’s foster father.

Tarn’s place is empty.

There is no evidence of a fight as everything is tidy and in the usual order Ander would expect to see, just nothing of value left.

The only thing that is out of place is a note with Ander’s name on it, but the note is empty.

When he says “Sibylline Tarn”, writing appears on the paper.

“Repeat this one more time at night when the moon is full.”

And we stopped there.