The Church of Alvis

"Now that is very interesting." Trinal looks at the drawings again, and draws on what little he may know of the languages of the Western Coast or their derivations. Does the sound of "elk/milk/shelf" ring any bells or connect in some way to the symbols?

"You don't suppose it might have been 'help', do you? Seems a bit prosaic, though."

History: Rolling 1d20 + 9
( 17 ) + 9 = 26

"If you don't mind, Stavis, I'm going to take these drawings and see if there's anything in the local library, assuming there is one that has anything relevant. Still, this place is old enough and big enough that it might have something..."

Will give a small sigh, "It may or may not could be trying to make sense out of sounds where there is none, similar to those that are certain they see faces in wood cuttings."

"Some what on the fence on all this meaning something, if it does can we do something about it, if it doesn't I could be sending us on meaningless goose chase. In any case would rather look into it some at least encase it could mean something, especially something we can stop or fix."

"Don't know that is does but can't help feeling it is related to the devices Tony and Syric went to investigate but that could just be because it is a problem close at hand that is likely to be resolved in some fashion soon." If Trinal isn't aware of the task the Tony Sryic duo are up to will fill him in.

"You are welcome to take that one, I'll make extras for that very purpose." Would presumably be in the middle of making the extras as we speak.

@Tony Syric Maizan: Make a stealth or nature check (your choice) to find a stream to evade the scent.

Jimer Lins wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 28, 2017 5:47 pm

"Now that is very interesting." Trinal looks at the drawings again, and draws on what little he may know of the languages of the Western Coast or their derivations. Does the sound of "elk/milk/shelf" ring any bells or connect in some way to the symbols?

"You don't suppose it might have been 'help', do you? Seems a bit prosaic, though."

History: Rolling 1d20 + 9
( 17 ) + 9 = 26

"If you don't mind, Stavis, I'm going to take these drawings and see if there's anything in the local library, assuming there is one that has anything relevant. Still, this place is old enough and big enough that it might have something..."

You don't think the symbols mean elk, milk, or shelf. And it doesn't look like any sort of symbol for help either. Your best guess is that the symbols relate to the cube, and the "sounds" were something else.

I assume you are going to the library?

Blackferne wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 28, 2017 8:14 pm

@Tony Syric Maizan: Make a stealth or nature check (your choice) to find a stream to evade the scent.

Tony Plush will take a stealth check for 800 Blackferne.

Stealth:1d20+20 - (19)+20=39

Blackferne wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 28, 2017 8:14 pm

@Tony Syric Maizan: Make a stealth or nature check (your choice) to find a stream to evade the scent.

Nature: [d20]+6 = [18]+6= 24

Syric is taking a liking to his new stealthy ability


Stealth
Roll(1d20)+6:
19,+6
Total:25

Blackferne wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 28, 2017 8:17 pm

Jimer Lins wrote: ↑

Tue Mar 28, 2017 5:47 pm

"Now that is very interesting." Trinal looks at the drawings again, and draws on what little he may know of the languages of the Western Coast or their derivations. Does the sound of "elk/milk/shelf" ring any bells or connect in some way to the symbols?

"You don't suppose it might have been 'help', do you? Seems a bit prosaic, though."

History: Rolling 1d20 + 9
( 17 ) + 9 = 26

"If you don't mind, Stavis, I'm going to take these drawings and see if there's anything in the local library, assuming there is one that has anything relevant. Still, this place is old enough and big enough that it might have something..."

You don't think the symbols mean elk, milk, or shelf. And it doesn't look like any sort of symbol for help either. Your best guess is that the symbols relate to the cube, and the "sounds" were something else.

I assume you are going to the library?

On the off-chance I can find anything useful, like historical information on that era and location, yes.

@The Recon party

You make your way up the first hill and walk through the first stream to break your tracks. You continue up the other side for a bit before coming into a rocky jut which you scamper up with ease. Lookign back you see torches spreadign fanlike into the woods. They clearly don't know which way you went in particular so are attempting a wide spread approach. Tony's fire in the camp is still raging and teh horses are causeing chaos.

@Trinal

You head out and ask a few people about where to find a library, after getting directions you get there and find a young elf tending to the tomes placing them away. It is a modest library compared to the one in Waterdeep, but still has plenty of books.

"May I help you sir?" the elf asks.

"Greetings. I hope you can assist me in locating any reference works you have that cover early Western Coast peoples, specifically pre empire." Trinal smiles politely at the librarian.

@Trinal "Are you looking for something specific, we have a few books on weapon designs, and one on fortifications. Some texts on the military tactics encountered by the Antika Sinnum Empire, though our scholars constantly bemoan that the writing is haphazard in it's accuracy." The Elf replies.

@Trinal "Hmmm...I'm not sure about writing, but let me see what I can dig up." He scurries back into the stacks and about 10 minutes later he returns with two leather bound books titled Myths of King Llyr in the Age of the Golden Falcon and Teatise on the Instruments of Warfare of the Northern Campaigns of Consul Flavio the Cunning.

"The first book is the closest we might have on their writing, it is more culture than language, but if I remember correctly it contains notes in the margins of other books which may have more of what you are looking for. We don't have a library designed so much for that was we do on the arts of warfare. The second book here is a copy of a late era historian of the Antika Sinnum who was detailing the events of a campaign which occurred three centuries before his birth. Consul Flavio was one of the famous generals who led the campaigns to civilize those regions. It has some information on their tactics and instruments. I hope that helps. Now tomes are not supposed to leave the library without explicit permission of a colonel or higher, but we have reserve shelves over here you can leave the books while you do your research."

Blackferne wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 29, 2017 1:28 pm

@The Recon party

You make your way up the first hill and walk through the first stream to break your tracks. You continue up the other side for a bit before coming into a rocky jut which you scamper up with ease. Lookign back you see torches spreadign fanlike into the woods. They clearly don't know which way you went in particular so are attempting a wide spread approach. Tony's fire in the camp is still raging and teh horses are causeing chaos.

We'll continue using trail break techniques until we're sure they aren't following our trail and aren't likely to pick it up as we make our way back to the Citadel.

@Recon Party

You make your way up the hill into the denser mountain forrest. You cross several streams and cleverly cut back, make false clues etc. As you approach the road that goes from the hunting lodge to the plain you see some horse ridering scouts going up. There are three of them mounted and they have torches. You lay low as they pass.

You cross the road and make your way to the area you remember as the entrance to the cave.

Syric and Tony make a perception check to find the rock hiding the entrance glyph.

Ah perception, my old nemesis

Roll(1d20)+5:
4,+5
Total:9

Whiteness wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 30, 2017 3:43 pm

Ah perception, my old nemesis

Roll(1d20)+5:
4,+5
Total:9

You and me both bud...

Perception 1d20+11: (1)+11=12

@Recon Team
Neither of you can seem to find the rock. Tony isn't even sure it is in this area thinking you guys walked past it a quarter mile back...or maybe you still have a quarter mile to go.

Options you can try to find another way to the citadel. Syric can try to describe what he remembers of the rock from last time and Maizan and the other dragon kin can try. Wait an hour regroup mentally and try again.

"Of course, that's very kind of you. Thank you for your assistance, my friend. I'll take these and see if they have anything I can use."

Trinal will spend some of his time with the two books, seeing if they have any information that might link to their writing or anything to do with arcane devices they may have used.

(I assume you'll want this):

Arcana/History/Legend Lore (All 3 have +9):

Roll(1d20)+9:
18,+9
Total:27

Unless something truly amazingly interesting comes up, after this Trinal will take Stavis' advice and return to the gate area and check in with the workers, and will start taking his meals with them.

Jimer Lins wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 30, 2017 4:55 pm

"Of course, that's very kind of you. Thank you for your assistance, my friend. I'll take these and see if they have anything I can use."

Trinal will spend some of his time with the two books, seeing if they have any information that might link to their writing or anything to do with arcane devices they may have used.

(I assume you'll want this):

Arcana/History/Legend Lore (All 3 have +9):

Roll(1d20)+9:
18,+9
Total:27

Unless something truly amazingly interesting comes up, after this Trinal will take Stavis' advice and return to the gate area and check in with the workers, and will start taking his meals with them.

Skimming through the Myths of King Llyr in the age of the Golden Falcon you come across lots of stories of an ancient King who was chosen by divine providence to lead and unidy the land. It also tells of his clan's heroic champions and some of their tales. What you find interesting is that often the magic they use is based in part on runes. In addition in the margins you see scholar scribbles making references to other scholarly texts. comments like "Battle with the Wyvern?--Fossett's Illumination Charts Vol III" and "Possibly linked to Myth of Cezarish? See Daunton's Treatise on Ancient Tales". There are many more references to titles of folklore, symbology, and history.

Looking in the book Treatise on the Instruments of the Northern Campaigns of Consul Flavio the Cunning, you see that Flavio was a Antika Sunnim Consul (head general) who had the first successful campaign to acquire Faycrest for the Empire. His tactics had to vary from his training in large part to the runic magic of the locals. While their physical implements were often axes and bastard swords, they were disorganized as units, but fierce warriors using music and runic magic to enter a combat state that was well beyond what the Antika Sunnim had encountered in other campaigns. The Treatise also remarks how one of Flavio's challenges was deflating the myths that had grown about the Bruidach (The name the people called themselves). Reports of them had portrayed them to be fallen angels standign eight feet tall, capable of tearing 40 foot trees from the earth with one hand, and able to leap a river with a short running start.

Blackferne wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 30, 2017 4:46 pm

@Recon Team
Neither of you can seem to find the rock. Tony isn't even sure it is in this area thinking you guys walked past it a quarter mile back...or maybe you still have a quarter mile to go.

Options you can try to find another way to the citadel. Syric can try to describe what he remembers of the rock from last time and Maizan and the other dragon kin can try. Wait an hour regroup mentally and try again.

"Tony Plush is telling you this is the wrong spot. There was a spot a ways back that is where the entrance is."

"No wait, I was sure it was here. I found it last time when Victae couldn't..." Syric looks around him while trying to collect his thoughts and memories.

"... it was a dark gray limestone boulder about the size of a human head... but where..."

"Hmm. Seems that Stavis has somehow tapped into something... I wonder why here and now?"

Trinal will return to the librarian. "Excuse me, and I know it's not likely but I thought I would check- do you have a copy of Fossett's Illumination Charts, Daunton's Treatise on Ancient Tales or any other works that might touch on folklore?

"

Do I have any knowledge of runic magic in general or specific, given my history and training?

Jimer Lins wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 30, 2017 5:57 pm

"Hmm. Seems that Stavis has somehow tapped into something... I wonder why here and now?"

Trinal will return to the librarian. "Excuse me, and I know it's not likely but I thought I would check- do you have a copy of Fossett's Illumination Charts, Daunton's Treatise on Ancient Tales or any other works that might touch on folklore?

"

Do I have any knowledge of runic magic in general or specific, given my history and training?

"Unfortunately not. Like I said we're mostly a military institution. The libraries in large cities often have some of the texts more focused on the humanities." The elf replies.

Your knowlegde extends to the fact that runic magic as described in Flavio's campaign and described in the texts closely resemble what runepriests are currently known to be able to do. But there are some important disctintions. Runepriests in the contemporary period are known to be invoke one magical rune at a time, covering a wide array of similar skills. For example you might choose a rune that improves your constitution and gain stamina and resilience from poisons. But it would not grant you strength. The descriptions you've just read indicate that this is something different. If today's runepriests were doing addition and subtraction, the runic magic used by the Bruidach was like differential topology.