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Keenan has connected.
Chris has connected.
Keenan: hey, any idea on what questions we should ask, im still stuck on the ones to dtermine whether alignment has a effect on the pools effect on people, and using the 1 remaining 1 to ask whether we will be attacked soon
DM has connected.
DM: So what are your four questions so far?
Keenan: so far we are thinking will the dis it good for a chaotice person to drink from the chaotic pool, is it good for a lawful person to drink from the chaotic pool, is it good for a lawful eprson to drink from the lawful pool, and we'll figure out whether or not it is good for a chaotic person to drink from the lawful pool based on those awnsers, then we will ask whether it is good for a neutral person to drink from the lawful pool to figure that out, and for our 5th question teh only thing we can really think of that isnt likely revealed with the other questions is wehther or not we will be attackd soon, im thinking in like the next 6 months
Keenan: what do you think?
Grike: I think the 1st and 3rd might be reduntant but if we don't have any other ideas then it's fine
Keenan: ok, fair point
Keenan: so we need to think up one final idea
DM: Ico advises that you ask if it's based on alignment first, you may save some questions, and he also wants to ask if the fountain should be restricted.
Keenan: if its ok for a lawful or chaotic person to drink from one, as in can both do it, would it be ok for someone to drink from both?
Keenan: thats a good frist one
Grike: Yeah we can ask Ico's question and I think one about drinking from both would be good too
Keenan: can we jsut ask the questions and while we dont have infinite time ebtween thm, act as if we do for brainstorming
Keenan: as if we already planned out all possible chains of questions ahead of time
DM: that's fair
Keenan: good, that'll save time
DM: Alright, so the casting commences, and you open with the first question:
Keenan: Is the effect of drinking from the pool based on alignment? thats what we agreed on right, basically what ico said
lco: Ohh Nerul, lord of life and death, guiding hand of our people, are the effects of this fountain based upon the forces of law and chaos, and how they hold sway over the drinker heart?
lco: He said "no"
DM: just feed me questions and I will RP with myself on this one.
Keenan: next i guess we should ask if use should be restricted to those that Ico considers would be a safe person to drink, or something along those lines, you guys agree, not too sure on the wording on this, glad the god doesnt ahve to give simple yes or no
Keenan: should we just ask for those considered worthy? but who would consider them worth is the thing, i think we need to be somewhat specific about that, like maybe the council in charge of teh village
DM: The village is ruled by Uder directly as a monarch, but Ico and Tamourne often act as a council of two.
DM: Ico isn't so keen on trying to make the question political, so he is going to ask the more general version...
Keenan: so, you think that would be good then, but changing ico to ico, uder, or tamourne
Keenan: ok good
lco: Lord, should the use of these pools be restricted? Will drinking these waters lead us astray, or unto misfortune?
lco: His answer is mixed. Perhaps our answers will not be as clear as we belive...
Grike: Were there separate answers to the two questions?
Keenan: wait, why would he give mixed awnser, he can speak a few words if that would be clearest?
DM: No, but he can communicate the idea of yes and no at the same time, resulting in a maybe.
Keenan: ah
DM: Commune answers with either "yes" "no" "maybe" "I don't know" or "I won't tell you"
Keenan: i think those ico considers worthy would be a decent qualifier, but he probably wouldnt want just him since he seems to humble for that, so maybe adding uder and tamourne in there, your thoughts?
Grike: Diverging here but we could ask about whether it would be detrimental to drink from both pools should be after we finish this one?
Keenan: i think that should be our final question
Grike: So just need to figure out the middle two. Was the mixed answer to whether they should be restricted or whether they would lead to misfortune?
DM: the two were supposed to be the same question.
DM: That was a mistake on my part. Just treat restriction as a question
Keenan: whether drinking would lead to misfortune, next i was saying if letting those who drink be up to ico, uder, and tamourne be a good idea then
Keenan: since that is a restriction, but not a complete one
Keenan: and if there is still some problem, hopefully the god cna show whether it would be better or worse then the previous mixed, like saying yes, no, even worse
Keenan: you think thats good?
Grike: I think asking whether leaving it up to town leadership is the right course of action like you side should be next
lco: Should those who drink from the pools be limited to those approved by me, Tamourne, and the king?
DM: He lets out a sigh
lco: Again a maybe...
Keenan: so he didnt say whether it was a better or worse maybe...
Grike: Sounds like one or more of those shouldn't be trusted with the decision
Keenan: or aybe its jsut that no ones decistion making is perfect, and that evenutally one mistake will be made that will amke things a tiny bit worse, but still more good will be done, but that would still be a maybe
Grike: I feel like if more good is done then the answer would just be a yes
Keenan: good point, he probbaly would say yes, or would he, would we know that brian?
DM: he most likely would. Nerul isn't trying to trip you up here
Keenan: so, any idea of some other qualifierfor drinking
Grike: We could also ask which pool Torg drank from
Keenan: or just asking whether there are any negative effects to drinking form the pool
Keenan: well asking whether there are significant negative effects from drinking from the pool
Keenan: since that might be causing the maybe
lco: I think it's wise to ask which Torg drank from. Then we can just watch him to see the effects.
Keenan: true
Grike: Since there's only two pools I'd just ask whether he drank from "this one"
lco: Did Torg drink of the waters of passion?
lco: Nerul said yes...
Keenan: so, want the final question to be whether a similar effect will occur form the waters of virtue, or whether its a abd idea to drink from both of them
Keenan: i have a feeling we'll just get a maybe from the drinking from btoh of them question
Grike: No surprises there. Would it be reasonable to connect passion to the body and valor to the mind in terms of their effects?
Keenan: we'll probably actually have to test that out on a volunteer
DM: One more question, bitches...
Keenan: so your thinking we should ask whether it would be a bad idea for an indivisual to drink from both?
Grike: Would the positive effects of drinking from both pools outway the negative?
Keenan: i guess, does ico think thats a good idea
lco: I might just give us another maybe...
Keenan: true
Grike: maybe ask about the effects from our perspectives then?
Keenan: maybe we should just try to confirm whether the others pool's effects are virtue, or just try to ask about whether our town will be attacked soon
Keenan: meant mental, not virtue
Grike: Asking about the town is fine but I'm still curious about the effects of drinking from both
Keenan: ico did say it would likely give a maybe, out of character, i think that means thats wasted
Keenan: and in character i trust his judgement
Grike: Fair enough. Let's ask about the town then
DM: so you just want to ask if it's about to be attacked?
Grike: We should specify a time frame
Keenan: i guess, i guess well jsut assume the other pool does mental
Keenan: and i was thinking next 6 months or a year
Grike: Six months should be good
lco: Will our village be attacked within half a year's time?
DM: Ico's eyes open.
lco: Yes!
Odran: If only we had decided to ask that sooner instead of accidently wasting questions, we may have been able to narrow down the time further
Thad: It sounds like some fortification is in order for our town
lco: This is one of my first incantations of the communing ritual. And it's not like there have been many generations proceeding me...
Keenan: what did he mean by that?
DM: He's new to the spell, and how to use it properly is a very new art
Keenan: oh i know, thats obvious
Thad: Well Odran, your work is of a more spiritual nature. Perhaps you should sample from the pool of virtue?
Keenan: not saying he did it badly, i wouldnt even dare to imply that to ico
Keenan: really hope he doesnt think i did
Keenan: does it seem like he thinks id id?
DM: Ico isn't the most self-assured man. He is insulted easily, but takes them very well.
Keenan: and werent we going to observe torg to see the effects on him to see if any problems arise over time
Keenan: ah
lco: If you wish to be our tester, I will permit you to drink.
lco: I am very curious as to if you think this is wise, my apprentice...
Grike: Talking to Odran right?
DM: yeah
Odran: I'm sorry sir, i did not mean to say you did it poorly, i simply wished that we had more experience with asking these questions, since this is a new magic.(this is said right after he seemed to think i implied insult
Odran: i would be willing to test it, but shouldn't we observe the effects on torg first.
lco: Very well. Let's take this new back to the king. Everyone back to the rafts.
Thad: I doubt there will be much to observe that hasn't already happened that we'll be able to trace directly back to the pool
lco: Do you want to drink?
Odran: I'm fraid that there might be some long term degenerative effects after the intial enhancement
Keenan: i imagine that were aware of herbal subtances that act like sterods or drugs that increase awareness but cause long term harm
Thad: I firmly believe that the greatest good comes from the intersection of passion and virtue and as such I would be willing to drink from both pools
lco: Well, we only got here because we followed what we belived.
DM: which do you drink from first?
Grike: Virtue and then passion
DM: As you drink, the water is bitter and cool. You feel a sense of awakening, as your senses sharpen, but pain also shivers down your spine. As you stand each movement is stiffer, harder, as if you carry a greater weight that you are not ready to bear.
DM: You take a -2 to all physical attributes.
Grike: Fair enough. Permanent or temporary? (for the sake of editing my sheet)
DM: temp
Grike: Alright. And from passion?
Keenan: what about mental effects?
DM: as you reach for the waters of passion, they elude you. The water physically retreats, and your heavy hands are too restrained to catch it.
Thad: It seems that I'm not meant to drink from both. The first pool didn't particularly agree with me
lco: I will stick by you to make sure you are okay.
Odran: are you ok? are you experiencing any problems, and was there any benefit?
Thad: I'm feeling weaker. By no means crippled but as if I was warned that I'm not worthy
Thad: Perhaps some rest will restore me
Odran: I hope so, it would truly be horrible if there are any long term negative effects.
lco: If you were judged unworthy, it was a far stricter judge than I.
Thad: I won't give up though. Perhaps the pool of passion will be more forgiving once I've recovered
lco: Do you wish to spend the night here?
Thad: I do. But there is no need for the entire group to stay with me
Odran: as long as the effects prove temporary, we will have to test what may cause one to be worthy of the pool, and if both ahve such restrictions, and what effects worthiness and unworthiness cause for both
Odran: perhaps you should tell the news to the king sir, while i star with Thad to make sure he is alright.
lco: Will do. Men, let's get this Hydra our of here!
Grike: What are the odds that the hydra had a nest around here?
Keenan: i think hes talking about the large body we have, which will provide alot of food
DM: they also leave you one raft
Keenan: and i imagine a bit of the hydra
Grike: I was just thinking of maybe finding eggs or something else interesting if we could find a nest
Keenan: ah, so just searching while waiting for you to get better
Grike: Right, on the off chance we find something cool
Keenan: good idea
Keenan: so i guess we just search the island then
Grike: Can I use track to find the hydra's lair?
DM: roll some checks
Keenan: just going for 5 min, you can make my search or spot or listen checks for me, i have no ranks in them, 18 wis, and 12 int
DM: Grike, you want to roll for him?
Grike: One roll for each of us?
* Grike rolls: d20+6 => 15 + 6 = 21
Grike: That''s my survival
DM: also roll spot and search
* Grike rolls: d20+6 => 6 + 6 = 12
Grike: spot
* Grike rolls: d20+1 => 7 + 1 = 8
Grike: search
* You roll to the GMs: 1d20+6 => 19 + 6 = 25
Keenan: back
* Keenan rolls: d20+4 => 20 + 4 = 24
* Keenan rolls: d20+4 => 5 + 4 = 9
* Keenan rolls: d20+1 => 8 + 1 = 9
Keenan: search is int based right?
Keenan: and the 20 was for survival
Grike: yep
Keenan: pretty sure we tracked it between our rolls
DM: ok
Keenan: yay
Grike: You and your nat 20...
DM: There are tracks all around the pool of passion, and going to and from the water to this pool, but you see nothing resembling nesting behavior.
DM: It's like this pool was the only thing in the animals life...
Grike: Is it shallow?
DM: it's a foot deep at the deepest
Keenan: you could pass your hands around it to see the bottom then
DM: yes
DM: easy
Keenan: note, odran did not and would not suggest that, as that seems like a potentially dangerous thing to do to mess willy nilly with a magic artifact
Keenan: since this would involve standing in it and not just drinking
Keenan: which may make things wierd
Grike: Well Thad is more curious than wise
Keenan: yep
Grike: I guess I investigate the pool then
DM: uhh, ok. What do you look for?
Grike: How far the water will divert and maybe if there's anything interesting about the bottom
DM: the bottom just seems to be dirt, and the water will pull back whenever you stick your hands in, but if you just walk in it won't back off indefinitely...
DM: similarly if you poke it with a stick
Grike: Does it retreat from Odran?
DM: do you stick your hands in?
Keenan: close yes, but not in, i hoep to test the virtue pool eventually as long as the ffects on thad are temporary, and am afraid that drinking or potentially even touching passion would restrict me
Keenan: so i just get close enough to test if it wont touch me
DM: it will let you touch it
Keenan: ok, i dont actually test it though
DM: ok
Grike: So yeah it's probably from me drinking from virtue
Keenan: thats what im thinking
Keenan: anyway, after that i guess we might just look around for anyhting intersting before going to bed i guess
Grike: I guess we can move onto the other players if there's nothing else then
DM: you Thad?
DM: do you investigate the other island or anything?
Grike: Sure actually. Do another survival/search check over there
Keenan: same
* Grike rolls: d20+6 => 7 + 6 = 13
* Keenan rolls: d20+4 => 7 + 4 = 11
Grike: survival
* Keenan rolls: d20+1 => 11 + 1 = 12
* Grike rolls: d20+6 => 14 + 6 = 20
Grike: spot
* Grike rolls: d20+1 => 3 + 1 = 4
Grike: search
* Keenan rolls: d20+4 => 15 + 4 = 19
Keenan: that last one is spot, the 12 is search, the 11 is survival
DM: you find the remains of other adventure's camps, perhaps a hundred years older than your own expedition, but nothing that seems of relivence now.
DM: alright, then next morning?
Grike: SUre
Odran: I wonder who was here previously? and if we'll ever know
Keenan: then i go to bed
DM: Cool. You feel no change come morning.
Keenan: damn, so he still has the penalty
Grike: Does the passion pool still shy away?
You whisper to Grike: Hey. Get on skype
You whisper to Grike: I wake you up in the night, fool.
DM: it still does. You don't feel that much better even...
You whisper to Grike: but not keenan.
Odran: Don't worry, this is clearly a powerful magical artifact, it wouldn't be surprising if the effects lasted a while but were still temporary( I am more worried however)
Thad: We have no way of know how long the effects will last
Odran: Hopefully it will be short enough that we cna use the pools to help us prepare our defence after some more testing.
Thad: What's your judgement? Should we stay a while longer?
Odran: We should probably go back to the town, if you start to feel better again, we should come back and see how the passion pool reacts to you again, untill then though, i dont think we'll learn anything new here.
Keenan: i guess we then do that, are we switching to adam and chris now?
DM: Uhh, let's switch real fast actually...
Keenan: how long will the switch be do you think, since its been a whole 2 days since weve left, do you thin i likely can go for half an hor or so and then come back without being missed, or should i stay
DM: just stick around for the moment. Still summoning Chris.
Keenan: ok, s you already did there part
DM: ok, we don't need to play his part after all. You guys just take the last raft back to town?
Grike: Yeah. It's still early morning?
DM: yup
DM: the sun is just rising over the trees.
DM: You had hoped for a sunrise over the water, but the lake isn't nearly big enough...
DM: alright, so what do you do when you get back?
Thad: I think it's best that I have some time to reflect. I'll see you later friend
Odran: I hope you get better soon Thad, we will defintiely need you in the fight ahead.
Keenan: I report to ico about how Thad's condition hasnt improved, and ask about torg
Odran is again at the palace door.
lco: Come on in, apprentice.
lco: Is it bad I recognise your knock now?
Odran: Well i suppose i have had much need to ask many things of you recently sir, hopefully this need will go away and things will calm down again, or atleast hopefully they will after we successfully fight back against whatever will attack us
Joeseph Tamourne: What are you talking about?
Keenan: wouldnt ico have already told Tamourne about the upcoming attack?
Chris is disconnected.
DM: maybe he wants to hear it from you
Odran: I am simply talking about the attack that Nerull has warned Ico would be coming within 6 months
Joeseph Tamourne: If only we knew more...
lco: That spell damages my soul everytime I cast it. The gods were not meant to be spoken to.
lco: Not to mention that our lord may not know that much more than us...
Joeseph Tamourne: So Thad drank from the pool of Virtue?
Odran: Yes, currently he is still suffering from some negative effects from the pool, it apparently did not consider him worthy of it according to him, we hope that these effects will go away in time.
Joeseph Tamourne: Indeed. Let's hope these gambles pay off, and that we are worthy of snooping around like this.
lco: Odran, what is your advice in this matter?
Odran: Um, well sir, in regards to the ponds, I believe we should continue to observe Torg and Thad and see if thier conditions change with time, and use this as the basis for future decisionas after a few weeks or a month or so. With regards to the attack, I suppose we should have as many people as possible setting up fortificationsas possible if they do not plan to fight, and to train as many volunteers as we can, while also attempting to stock up on food and possibly redirect one fo the rivers so that we will always have a source of running water if they siege, thuohg with this we would have to be ready to abandon it at any time in case the attack starts. We would of course make further plans as time goes on and wehave more time to think and calculate what resources we have available to us, that we cna gather, and thier respective values and defendability
lco: The water redirection is a good idea. And I think all of us agree on the wall.
Joeseph Tamourne: Yes, well there is another problem it's time I brought up. Torg escaped, and we haven't seem him or Tadryn for two days.
Odran: He left? how? do we ahve any idea of where he went?
Joeseph Tamourne: They were seen leaving northeast. Everyone thought Tadryn had it under control so they did nothing.
Joeseph Tamourne: And it gets worse. Several half orcs fled with them. We don't know who they were or what they were doing on the scene...
Odran: Why did they leave? has anyone gone out to try and find out whats going on?
Joeseph Tamourne: I sent out scouts, but sadly our best warriors were off drinking strange magic waters...
lco: I want you to head up the investigation. You knew both of them well, Odran.
lco: What do you need from me?
Keenan: how likely does it seem like these half orcs that went with them will be aggresive, becasue while i trust Torg to not attack me, I dont know about the average half orc here to muhc out of character, but i would in character
DM: it's possible. Even you admit that half-orcs can lack in self-restraint....
DM: and if they are running around with prisoners...
Odran: I would ask that Thad accompany me, as well as potentially a few other warriors if possible, though not too many since they will be needed to train new fighters. I imagine you will be needed here sir. Hopefully this will be enough so that we can atleast talk to them.
lco: Alright.
Joeseph Tamourne: Odran, if it came down to it, would you be willing to do what it takes to keep this situation under control?
Odran: I will do what it takes to bring any prisoners back to us. Hopefully it will not come to fighting, though.
Joeseph Tamourne: Let us hope. If it weren't for the danger approching us all, I would be leading this one myself.
DM: I assume you start tracking down Thad and get ready for the search?
Keenan: yep
DM: Alright then, I think this is a good stopping point...
Meanwhile, far from town...
Thad: And where is he now?
Torg: He has joined his god.
Thad: That is unfortunate. Such is the danger of following orders it seems
Torg: He was blind to reason and wisdom.
Torg: I hope Odran does not suffer the same fate.
Torg: He does not trust me.
Torg: If anyone can convince him of our cause, it would be you.
Thad: I will try. He means well, but he is loyal to Ico
Torg: *shakes head* Perhaps Ico may be ensmartened too.
Thad: I feel that is not likely. The warrior-priest follows Nerull closely. He even spoke with him last night
Torg: Tell me what they spoke of.
Thad: He inquired as to the properties of the pool but the answers were of little help. He also divined that the village would come under attack within the next half year
Torg: I knew we were in danger!
Torg: We have no time to lose.
Torg: We must find iron NOW.
Torg: You must gain Odran's favor.
Thad: The god of death works in strange ways. We must be remember who we fight for lest we become the danger
Torg: I desire nothing more than to defend my people. This is all it's ever been about.
Thad: Good. We must always keep the goal in mind
Torg: I cannot return to town safely yet.
Torg: While you are there, send for my mother.
Thad: I will. However I'm afraid that Ico and Tamourne will know where I've been. I feel that they will see through any lie I put forth
Torg: Avoid them as best you can. If you can bring my mother and Odran here, you will have succeeded.
DM: Anything else before we call session? I don't see much else we can do without Keenan
Boretos: I've said everything I need to say.
Grike: Not unless the priest wanted to try and cleanse the virtue
Boretos: He will likely need more time, if it's possible at all. (which I doubt)
DM: that's what you get for being virtuous.
Boretos: everyone makes mistakes.
DM is disconnected.