Habololy Forum
Icefian Campaign => Reluctant Heroes => Topic started by: whitesword on June 02, 2020, 12:15:57 PM
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You have been in the tower for about ten minutes at this point.
The guardians of the tower are:
Shinjo Ide, the master of the tower. He appears to be the oldest. He is unarmed.
The enchanter is Gahres Inchi. He is mostly bald but with a top knot. He has a friendly face despite its slate grey color.
The warrior protector is Sakune Agashi. He is the largest of the group and more powerfully built than any of you including Roland. He wears the daisho and is in full samurai armor with his great helm under his arm. He looks to be in his late fifties and has a stone faced look.
The seer is Iyuko Kitao. He is the youngest by many years, early 40’s at most, and does not speak out loud. He has a very serene look at all times. He is dressed in robes as well.
The second oldest is Mirumoto Togashi. He is dressed in a gye but armed with the daisho. He has his hair cut short and is wiry in build.
The sword master is Kagetora Uso. He has the daisho and a light breastplate. His appearance is calm but ready. His age is difficult to determine.
The battle wizard is Kaiu Tingsho. He has a staff and a wakizashi. He appears to be in his fifties but has a shaved head and long goatee.
The room as described is packed with racks of weapons, mostly swords, spears and pole arms but also some exotic weapons unfamiliar to most of you. At the far end of the room there are racks of armor, mostly the samurai great armor but some lighter varieties as well.
Against the wall are the seven stands, five with complete sets of armor and weapons two with sets of clothes and weapons.
As you are deliberating, Gahres begins to examine Asinjin’s figurines with the same or greater admiration as Shinjo. “These are magnificent. You would have a place of high honor at court. Or I suppose would have.,†he says sadly.
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Asinjin replies, "Thank you, I think I would have greatly enjoyed visiting your court." cough cough
"If we are able to move the tower, what would become of you?"
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Asinjin replies, "Thank you, I think I would have greatly enjoyed visiting your court." cough cough
"If we are able to move the tower, what would become of you?"
“We do not know. We chose to become shades after many years defending the tower. Our condition is not connected to the curse.â€
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Active spells as a reminder, this does not include always active spells due to magic items.
Asinjin:
Greater Anticipate Teleportation
Blindsight
See Invisibility
Perfect Summons
Darkvision
Locate Object
Benlin:
Reflective Disguise
Blindsight
Interplanar Telepathic Bond x2
Overland Flight
Contingency
Kerkly:
Greater Status
Freedom of Movement
Mass Shield of Faith
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"Is the only way you know of to break the curse to call upon a deity of the upper planes?"
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"Are any of the deities you mentioned that may help lesser deities?"
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"Is the only way you know of to break the curse to call upon a deity of the upper planes?"
“There is only one ritual, even a Wish is not a substitute. We hope that moving the tower will break curse upon us and the items.â€
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"Are any of the deities you mentioned that may help lesser deities?"
I don’t take your meaning.
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I don’t take your meaning.
Ama-tsu-mara you said is an intermediate deity. Are any of the other members of the pantheon that were mentioned lesser deities?
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Ama-tsu-mara you said is an intermediate deity. Are any of the other members of the pantheon that were mentioned lesser deities?
Ah, no Hachiman, the war god and O-Kuni-Nushi, the power of sorcery and medicine are of the same rank.
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Asinjin, can you repeat the message you received from Ama-tsu-mara. There is something there that is tickling the back of my mind, but I can't quite put my finger on it.
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Asinjin, can you repeat the message you received from Ama-tsu-mara. There is something there that is tickling the back of my mind, but I can't quite put my finger on it.
I think it is posted in Discord, but if not I will look and re-post here.
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Maybe this was asked before, but has anyone else with not nefarious desires ever made it into the tower since it has been on the Plane of Shadow?
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Maybe this was asked before, but has anyone else with not nefarious desires ever made it into the tower since it has been on the Plane of Shadow?
No one has made it into the tower. Only the man who retrieved the sword has ever come and not tried to force their way in.
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No one has made it into the tower. Only the man who retrieved the sword has ever come and not tried to force their way in.
Was that before she who hungers for the souls of men and lurks in the darkness was here?
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Was that before she who hungers for the souls of men and lurks in the darkness was here?
Yes. After he retrieved the sword many years passed where there were only disorganized attacks. Then there was a period of siege by her followers; the drow and Tanari. After we defeated them when the next group of mortal treasure seekers arrived she appeared and slaughtered them. She has come ever since.
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Yes. After he retrieved the sword many years passed where there were only disorganized attacks. Then there was a period of siege by her followers; the drow and Tanari. After we defeated them when the next group of mortal treasure seekers arrived she appeared and slaughtered them. She has come ever since.
Are you of the impression that the treasure seekers knew what specifically what was here?
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Are you of the impression that the treasure seekers knew what specifically what was here?
First allow me to correct something I said a minute ago. A few adventurers did make it into the tower to speak with us. None escaped the pocket dimension. Only the one who retrieved the sword has escaped.
As to the intentions or foreknowledge of those that have come before; there have been so many over the years some must have been sent by the forces of evil but most I suspect were just traversing the plane.
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Now that we brought the sword back into the tower, are able to bring it back out, or is it bound to the tower like the other weapons in here?
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Now that we brought the sword back into the tower, are able to bring it back out, or is it bound to the tower like the other weapons in here?
Excellent question
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Excellent question
It wasn't rhetorical, I was asking the noble shades that occupy the tower.
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We have no idea
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We have no idea
What happens if we open the door for a minute?
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What happens if we open the door for a minute?
She that hungers will summon fiends and drow to attack if we leave it open for an extended period.
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She that hungers will summon fiends and drow to attack if we leave it open for an extended period.
We only needs moments to see what happens when we exit with the sword.
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We only needs moments to see what happens when we exit with the sword.
Roland attempts to walk out with the sword slung in his back and bounces back. He then takes off the sword and steps out and steps back in. He has a clear look of disgust on his face.
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Roland attempts to walk out with the sword slung in his back and bounces back. He then takes off the sword and steps out and steps back in. He has a clear look of disgust on his face.
Do you know what prevents the sword from leaving?
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Do you know what prevents the sword from leaving?
After we arrived and attempted to leave Amat stood outside and mocked us. None of us can leave while we live and no work created by us can be removed by any act of will. Master Ishiri disemboweled himself on the very edge of the threshold and fell outward, taking the sword with him as he expired. All other efforts we have made have failed. We even allowed a drow to believe she was escaping with a minor item but the result was the same as you just witnessed with your companion.
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Gahres says: “I have used every divination that does not reply on help from another plane. As long as the Tower remains here the curse will endure.â€
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Gahres says: “I have used every divination that does not reply on help from another plane. As long as the Tower remains here the curse will endure.â€
Dominating someone and commanding them to carry it out?
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What if we destroy the tower?
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What if we destroy the tower?
They look at you and then each other. The master says: “Assuming such a thing is within your power, you would have to kill all of us first. Thousands of years of knowledge are stored here. While we have suffered for our error, we would gladly endure thousands years more to preserve what is safeguarded here.â€
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They look at you and then each other. The master says: “Assuming such a thing is within your power, you would have to kill all of us first. Thousands of years of knowledge are stored here. While we have suffered for our error, we would gladly endure thousands years more to preserve what is safeguarded here.â€
Is the tower an extradimensional space? Bigger on the inside. All of the knowledge is not useful if it is trapped here.
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Is the tower an extradimensional space? Bigger on the inside. All of the knowledge is not useful if it is trapped here.
Some floors of the tower, including the one you are on now, have extra dimensional spaces.
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To the shades, "What is your long term plan?"
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To the shades, "What is your long term plan?"
Shinjo, the master says: “We will defend the tower until none of us remain. While we do not know everything about the curse at this point it seems clear that the dark powers cannot destroy the Tower or remove it to one of their realms, at least while we live. Likely they would have to kill all of us, seek knowledge of the ritual and send servants to perform it. Those of us that remain are powerful enough to hold out for a very long time.â€
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Shinjo, the master says: “We will defend the tower until none of us remain. While we do not know everything about the curse at this point it seems clear that the dark powers cannot destroy the Tower or remove it to one of their realms, at least while we live. Likely they would have to kill all of us, seek knowledge of the ritual and send servants to perform it. Those of us that remain are powerful enough to hold out for a very long time.â€
To what end? In the hopes that the tower will be rescued?
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To what end? In the hopes that the tower will be rescued?
Yes. And now you have come
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“....something something the blade is unaligned as is the tower. Something like that.†Parker muses, half to himself. “Ok, so unaligned blade. That could mean anyone of any philosophical persuasion can use it. Or it is a relic not claimed by a deity. Ok, the deities of these guys wants nothing to do with them. They pissed him off something fierce and he left them high and dry. So the tower, a formal holy-ish place is now left adrift to its own fate, until some other god wanders by and picks it up? That can’t be right, otherwise Lloth would have just up and claimed it.
The ritual is the key then. So we have to call upon a deity, any deity, powerful enough the reach this plane and pull the tower away? Faith probably plays a role in this whole debacle too. It always does with these things. So someone these shades can convert to? That rules out about two thirds of our pantheon.â€
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“....something something the blade is unaligned as is the tower. Something like that.†Parker muses, half to himself. “Ok, so unaligned blade. That could mean anyone of any philosophical persuasion can use it. Or it is a relic not claimed by a deity. Ok, the deities of these guys wants nothing to do with them. They pissed him off something fierce and he left them high and dry. So the tower, a formal holy-ish place is now left adrift to its own fate, until some other god wanders by and picks it up? That can’t be right, otherwise Lloth would have just up and claimed it.
The ritual is the key then. So we have to call upon a deity, any deity, powerful enough the reach this plane and pull the tower away? Faith probably plays a role in this whole debacle too. It always does with these things. So someone these shades can convert to? That rules out about two thirds of our pantheon.â€
Shinjo says: “Much of what you said is correct, though it is not a matter of our devotion. The Kami did not abandon us and we never abandoned them, but we are cut off from them here. It may well be that if you have the means to reach another mighty power they could stand in the place of the Kami but our divinations tell us if we can connect with the Kami the ritual can be completed.â€
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Shinjo says: “Much of what you said is correct, though it is not a matter of our devotion. The Kami did not abandon us and we never abandoned them, but we are cut off from them here. It may well be that if you have the means to reach another mighty power they could stand in the place of the Kami but our divinations tell us if we can connect with the Kami the ritual can be completed.â€
Casting spell to connect with them haven't worked?
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Casting spell to connect with them haven't worked?
They work, they just need to be cast outside the radius of the curse. Which, they can’t do because they are trapped in the tower, because of the curse.
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They work, they just need to be cast outside the radius of the curse. Which, they can’t do because they are trapped in the tower, because of the curse.
So one of us needs to step outside and contact one of them. Or perhaps even go meeting with one of them.
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So one of us needs to step outside and contact one of them. Or perhaps even go meeting with one of them.
I think it was mentioned at one point that we need to get back to the part of the shadow plane that exists outside the bubble of space where the tower is now. That means we need to get to the border where we crossed over the sand or wherever the tower is now resting. The problem is that the instant we step back outside to go the 300 feet we need to get to that threshold, we'll be assaulted by all manner of shadow denizens.
Sadly, I think we need to defeat those who wait for us outside, then go beyond the threshold to contact one of their deities. Once that's complete, we should be able to perform the ritual without further interruptions.
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Casting spell to connect with them haven't worked?
Gahres says: “As the Tower has remained above the politics of our world we rarely had clerics stay with us and none in residence, so we have never had the means to attempt divine spells. The contact outer plane spell does not appear to function inside the tower, but none of our magics can leave the tower so it may not be an issue with that spell.â€
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I think it was mentioned at one point that we need to get back to the part of the shadow plane that exists outside the bubble of space where the tower is now. That means we need to get to the border where we crossed over the sand or wherever the tower is now resting. The problem is that the instant we step back outside to go the 300 feet we need to get to that threshold, we'll be assaulted by all manner of shadow denizens.
Sadly, I think we need to defeat those who wait for us outside, then go beyond the threshold to contact one of their deities. Once that's complete, we should be able to perform the ritual without further interruptions.
Gahres continues: You cannot perform the ritual so far from the Tower. Leaving the pocket dimension would return you to the plane of shadow but it is unlikely you could affect what remains inside the pocket dimension. Moving the Tower can only be accomplished by contacting the Kami through the ritual.
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Gahres says: “As the Tower has remained above the politics of our world we rarely had clerics stay with us and none in residence, so we have never had the means to attempt divine spells. The contact outer plane spell does not appear to function inside the tower, but none of our magics can leave the tower so it may not be an issue with that spell.â€
I assume you have tried to Send and it has failed.
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I assume you have tried to Send and it has failed.
Yes, no magic leaves the tower.
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Yes, no magic leaves the tower.
If we were to step outside and send?
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If we were to step outside and send?
We don’t know
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We don’t know
I will try that.
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I will try that.
Do you have some way of quickening the spell ?(casting time 10 min). If so who do you send and what do say.
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Do you have some way of quickening the spell ?(casting time 10 min). If so who do you send and what do say.
"We can delay it so that it is cast inside and then doesn't trigger until we walk outside."
Delay Spell feat.
"We could also make the sending less time to cast, one minute instead of ten."
Rapid Spell
"We could cast a contingency so the the sending goes off as soon as we step outside."
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"We can delay it so that it is cast inside and then doesn't trigger until we walk outside."
Delay Spell feat.
"We could also make the sending less time to cast, one minute instead of ten."
Rapid Spell
"We could cast a contingency so the the sending goes off as soon as we step outside."
Of those the contingency seems the safest bet.
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Of those the contingency seems the safest bet.
It is the easiest, as the other two require some metamagic we don't have prepared. It will take me twenty minutes to cast the combination. After that, I have two weeks to walk out and trigger it.
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It is the easiest, as the other two require some metamagic we don't have prepared. It will take me twenty minutes to cast the combination. After that, I have two weeks to walk out and trigger it.
Kaiu, the battle mage, says: “Another concern occurs to me: although your recipient can respond immediately, you will have to wait outside for a response. I suggest we hold this option until we are confident it is necessary. Unless you are just going to send them news and not ask for a reply.â€
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How do the creatures that attack arrive?
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How do the creatures that attack arrive?
Those that are summoned by She Who Hungers arrive as is typical for a summons. We have never seen her use a Gate though. Those that come from outside the pocket fly or walk. It does not appear possible to dig more than a foot or so into the “groundâ€
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Those that are summoned by She Who Hungers arrive by summons. Those that come from outside the pocket fly or walk. It does not appear possible to dig more than a foot or so into the “groundâ€
We can cast a prefect summon spells with an increased area to prevent the summons. Or at least delay them.
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We can cast a prefect summon spells with an increased area to prevent the summons. Or at least delay them.
“That is most useful. She will remain in an area where she can see the entrance to the Tower, though near the edge of the pocket as her goal is to prevent escape.â€
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“That is most useful. She will remain in an area where she can see the entrance to the Tower, though near the edge of the pocket as her goal is to prevent escape.â€
A better thought, I can cast it on several people and we can spread out, creating overlapping 40 foot radius circles of it.
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Does Ari's detect evil field pick up anything? 6,000 ft radius.
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Not from inside the Tower. None of the items in the Tower radiate evil.
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Not from inside the Tower. None of the items in the Tower radiate evil.
Ari's detection can penetrate up to 5 ft of stone, if that makes a difference.
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Ari's detection can penetrate up to 5 ft of stone, if that makes a difference.
Based on everything that’s been discussed there is an anti-magic shell just outside the Tower.