In the Temple of Lathander - Shadow War



  • When it becomes clear that Vladimir plans on leaving the door open for a draft to waft through again, Eluriel hugs her cloak tighter as she addresses him cordially.

    Please, if you wish to be part of the conversation do come inside. The day is not warm.

    She shuts the door again.



  • having reopened the door

    "I am Of course very happy to aid in the serch. If we can find a number of strong fighters we should be able to take the bugbears with adequate force.

    If we can rally the adventurers of these lands for a specific meeting time to go for this search?"


  • The Halfling Defence League

    Don't doubt for a second that I won't be there alongside everyone else in this. My goddess and my oaths demand it.

    If any are willing, searching the ruins and the circle should not be too terribly time consuming. The difficulty there lies in dealing with the bugbears who live around those woods.



  • Then I will play the puppet till I cut my own strings.

    We need true options, good people, not arguments.

    We need faith in our own actions.



  • Hess speaks up

    Leaking the information to us via notes seems very suspect. Lets think about this… we are now going on an errand to find this rod... the rod that they are searching for...

    If I were in the Shadovar's place I would try to trick us into doing all of the difficult work in finding it, then come in and grasp it from us when we finally have.

    I realize that there is no good answer here, but remember to take a step back and look at this situation from above. It could be that searching for this rod is exactly what they want us to do.



  • Fadia, I understand where you're coming from, but answer this: What? What else can we do? We have good people doing research, trying to separate wheat from chaff. Many of them stand in this room. Nearly all of us have fought the Shadovar in the recent past. Cedric has come to us from afar for the task. There are no better minds for the task. But there are also no better clues.

    Looking for more clues would be just as wasteful, but by that I mean that's the only thing we can do. We lack the means to simply storm the fortress of our enemy as the good folk of the Nars have done in the past. We have only what we've blessed with: Strong Hearts, Strong Friends, and a bag of clues that may spell our doom.

    You do not have to come if you do not wish and may pursue another path, but I'll walk the only clear one I see before me, even if it does lead straight into an ambush.



  • @e7a7580685=cardamon:

    If we succeed, we'll have this vital rod. If not, we'll know the true measure of our new 'ally' against the Shadovar.

    Chuckles "Do not judge me on such… There is a very high chance they are trying to confuse us. Yet if it is true it is vital, yet they are clever, perhaps it could be a trick? I do not know, i am merely sharing the information i have found."



  • Eluriel arrives back just behind Fadia. Recalling now where mention of a likely suicidal search of the Lost City came from, she shuts the door behind her and with it Vladimir out.


  • The Halfling Defence League

    We're fighting them. Of course they don't want us to do that.

    Fad looks around the room for a bit

    Would it not behoove them to get us to chase false leads while they continue their work?

    There are several places of great death in the woods. The ruins of the old temple and the old circle where the Defiler performed the sacrifice that turned him into the monster he became, the bugbear warrens where many died in the final battle of the war with him, and even long after. The elven encampment from which I come and which was purged by great and terrible evil and the Lost City are other choices, as well. Mintas Rhelgor is full of extraplanar creatures who, when last I passed that way, frequently used death magic, and it lies in the far northeastern reaches of the woods.

    My point is, we could do with something more specific. There are many places of great death in the Rawlinswood, and thoroughly searching each would only give our enemies more and more time to prepare to end us. We need more evidence.



  • Of course it's probably an ambush. It's always probably an ambush. But the fact that they're even willing to go to these lengths means we're up to something they do not want us to do. And it's still a better lead than we had. Either we find this rod or we find our would-be captors. And given the elusive nature of the Shadow Folk, I'm okay with either scenario.

    If we succeed, we'll have this vital rod. If not, we'll know the true measure of our new 'ally' against the Shadovar. I have spoken often of how if Oscura is to change its ways for the better and without bloodshed, it must be done by Oscurans. It would be hypocritical of me not to allow Vlad the opportunity.



  • Kabul, who was quietly standing on one corner of the temple, hearing about the Shadowar looking for this artifact in the forest south of Norwick, heads towards the Rawlings with enough supplies for days, searching for any leads, everywhere.

    After this long search, he returns to Norwick

    //if Im not mistaken, MS and hide 26, spot and search 10. They may be a bit higher.



  • Eluriel nodded her sound agreement to Hammer's words.



  • Hammer gives Sol a brief look, before starting to gnaw, chew and suckle on the meat, momentarily satisfied.



  • Pointedly offers up another kebab to keep hammerhand quiet. a subtle grin at the paladin's manner as she listens for more imput



  • ((Sarcasm really does not translate into writing.))



  • ponders Hammerhands comments

    Or perhapse they haven't lost their touch after all. When following these leads, we should be on the lookout for ambush. It would not be unlike them to leave clues and leads that lure us straight into a trap.



  • _Hammerhand, generally uninterested in the meetings and talkings - only there because Sol drags him along - mutters:
    "Well, at least it's nice and convenient for us that these shadow-masters use simple notes, in common even, to tell each other their plans. You'd think they'd have the ability to send magical messages with that shadow magic they have, but apparantly not. What a slip-up from this empire of secrets. I guess Sharans are losing their touch.

    At least now we know -exactly- which way we have to look."_



  • @53800fab99=SickFish:

    "Vladimir, we need 't be searching in "places of great death". On that list of places includes th' Oscuran Crypts and th' Keep in Oscura. We could use your help in leading a small group of us into them. 'n thank you fer sharring this with us" Troff speaks up when Vladimir is there.

    I will of coruse aid anyway i can, yet is there any places of "great death" as you put it in the woods? the note we found clearly points to somewhere in the Rawlins?

    And yes, i agree with Rico, the rod needs to be our first priority.



  • Rico comes back from speaking privately with Vlad.
    _I will accept Vladimir's presence without further rebuke, but my trust is something he shall have to earn.

    We might consider the rod and an expedition to find it. What say the others?_



  • "Vladimir, we need 't be searching in "places of great death". On that list of places includes th' Oscuran Crypts and th' Keep in Oscura. We could use your help in leading a small group of us into them. 'n thank you fer sharring this with us" Troff speaks up when Vladimir is there.