...


BTW, you're really putting me in a bind with that last post. I wish I could make faster posts, but they demand more attention, more thinking and lore and...just more.

On one hand you have an excellent grip on the situation with that knowledge roll. You know that a lot was taken away from Arcania with that nuke on their capital. Just as their national pride was rising, they were getting their shit together and becoming more than just one giant camp of undesirables from everywhere else, BAM they're taken down a peg by the greater powers and reminded of their place. That they're nobody. Keep your head down and get by best you can, but never dare rise above where you are. People come to Arcania when they can't cut it elsewhere as a last resort. Those with talent generally leave (that's why there are so few mages and magic in general, not counting the magic item trade), save for the ones at the very top (the guild masters and stuff) who'd rather rule in hell. The "fight" was taken out of them and Alba (for all his brilliance and desire to stay and rebuild) is a perfect example of that. He's deathly afraid of Arcania trying to be "more", lest they be struck down again. Those who show those traits are not nurtured. Paths that can lead to it are not taken even if in secret. Even when right at their fingertips.

But on the other hand you can't exactly determine where Old Teller stands. Is he of like mind? Was he one of those who desired more when younger (or even in old age) but fell in line out of fear and now regrets it? Does he want to do it but is still afraid of going against the flow? Was he disheartened that too few youths had such ambitions? Does he secretly want you to ask, to take the risk he didn't? Give him a chance, an excuse to take risk now when he couldn't before, make up for it? Has he always wanted to do it but never found anyone worthy? Or does he want you to do it without asking him so that he can maintain plausible deniability because he doesn't want to risk it because if he fails here there is no 2nd chance for him. He's too old to start anew elsewhere. Or...was he perhaps opening all possible avenues and just letting you choose which and going to assist you in whatever you chose?

...You know what I'm just ganna make this be the post.

I think I know the direction Irfan wants to go. Old teller won't admit it, old people can be like that sometimes.

But someone is getting bored enough to keep messing around even though they know they shouldn't Often enough and persistent enough that it requires multiple guards placed on the area despite there being essentially "No risk/if we got found there is little we could do".


Meta wise, Irfan has two goals, establish continuity for the place if old teller finnally gets too old, by helping both him and the 2nd best canidate realize they could use each other instead of fighting each other. And to get a personal peak and maybe a few trinkets to tinker with.

Also i'm ok with going slower,  we both have been gravitating towards bi weekly posts with a few days to think.


Also thats not exaactly how the scout ability works, but I figured it was a reasonable use for it.

Was actually hoping to find something like a hobby to leverage when trying to influence him, or appeal to him. Some aspect or research or study that he leaned more towards. Some aspect of weakness about him to nurture or avoid triggering.



The way he talked about Shin, and Skimmer Pilots made me thing he was one or worked closely with Shen during the war. It would kinda make sense for some of Arcadia's best senior citizens to be war or war scarred vets.




---------

Edit
Perhaps Irfan saw some details about the workers in the reports.

Might be fun to just throw out a few examples of a few not very fleshed out npcs, or if you have a diamond in the rough idea.

Could be interesting to see one of the workers prefering to sneak off and tinker then listen to stories, particularly if the guards were distracted.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:12, Sun 20 Sept 2020.

Irfan askes for a tour -> find out someone's been tinkering(somewhat good, but still clueless) -> Figure out which  worker it is.


I'm always  going to give my opinions/thoughts strongly in game, and wait for your next post to lay down the reality of the situtation. It's kinda like playing a character and waiting for the director to make his changes. If you say something is meta then it's meta. I also don't quite know what to make out of that meme, not sure if it's shock, outrage, confusion, or what.


Here I have a older Arcadian, Who was curious like Irfan, who got swept up in or around the war and wound up here, alone, isolated, with 4 dirt walls to look at.

He sounded like he genuinely gave the research the old college try, even after Alba abandoned it, or told him to stop.

The war literally broke Arcadia's back, it was a total wildfire. But from those ashes sprouts will rise, Irfan is one of those sprouts. I'm not sure what criteria Alba used when staffing his workers, or the age groups of them, but there are probably two promising sprouts or buds in the bunch just waiting to grow.

The heavier guard bit struck me as sticking out a bit like a sore thumb, slightly reasonable but didn't really make a lot of sense given how lazy security was elsewhere. There is no one to guard against but yourself right? Two people maybe to keep each other accountable. Its not supposed to be a huge outfit, maybe 50/60 people at tops,  probably closer to 25-35, so 1 look out, 1 guard, and more guards is a large number, even if it's rotation duty.




Another Direction Irfan could go, is to try to present something that will inspire Old Teller, like the work he's done on his staff/Lightning rod. The idea of embedding Kwon weapon/engine components in it for a power boost is tempting. The concept is already strangely similar to Nami's Climate baton, so having it thematically shoot lighting instead of call down lighting seems better to me.


I'm not trying to downplay your Out with the cooks, but honestly the guards and the cooks are probably both distracted at the moment, unless they are particularly diligent or deaf. Particularly since most everyone probably was assembled to deal with intruders right before this.


Teller could have his own health problems, experiment injuries, or war injuries that make life difficult. Working with and helping Irfan could easily have taxed him more then he cared to admit, even just from joint pain. The way the scout ability works it would kinda make sense for Irfan to see something like how heavily he is leaning on his cane, and how shakey his other hand is getting.


By the same notion, This is probably Irfan's best chance to get a look at the good stuff without having to get some override from Alba or bluff his way in or get a escort.



Any kinda of Arcadian inovations into skimmer and skimmer hyrbidization/optimization, Arcadia could at best field some better skimmers, but not enough, and wouldn't have the piliots for half of them. Either side that implemented such improvements would need aditional manufactoring changes to accomidate it, and probably have advanced their own designs after the war a bit. Probably only a +1 or +2 in how effective skimmers are in any mass battles. But it's a tool that could save Arcadian lives with good ships, and information/tech that could help one side and hinder another(targeting limitations by design).



One way of Looking at it is Mass Effect 3's war contribution system. The more fighters, the more diverse, skilled, trained, equiped, talented you can accumulated, the better the outcome. Irfan knows the Kwon are looking for a fight, and that they probably will get it sooner then later if they keep looking. Which is why he is concerned about restarting/advancing this man's innovations, on top of helping him as a kindred soul, and ensuring the continued operations here.



I also have this image in the back of my head of

Ironian Wooden gears and cogs spinning. Powered by a central energy/spin generator passing along energy

Then

Kwon Wooden Gears,  only instead the Kwon version is powered by crystal/runes on the cog forcing it to turn each time it connects with a discharge.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Monst...rld_is_bad_remember/

There's more, I just didn't have time to post more. You can respond but I do have an idea what to write about the inside of the facility.

https://www.deviantart.com/rio...Dwarf-Edit-510489260




This message was last edited by the player at 08:47, Mon 28 Sept 2020.

In reply to Irfan (msg # 380):

How are you so good at finding these?

A: Free time

B: Deviant Art

C: Find more like this

D: Magic the Gathering is XX years old now.

Yes Irfan does wish to respond, rather then letting Teller do all the talking. Gonna play coy, try to seem disinterested infufilling the servery and reporting back to Alba that it will need to be handled by someone else at a later date.

Thoughts on pictures?


Do you need anything from me for Liv?

Honestly, I haven't had the time to post in that campaign. I know what's about to happen next, given the most recent decision, but this campaign was always like a secondary thing without a great impact on the overall worldbuilding of the world (there are basically 4 main key points in history that determine the general course of the world/Story. THe 1st one is Irfan's current campaign. The 2nd was Woren's, or rather that time period, the 3rd is the one right after that. The 4th is, lets say some time after that, but not as big of a time gap as between the 1st and 2nd campaign, and the last Act is the finishing/conclusion whose set up depends entirely on the previous 4). Liv's campaign was a filler, a spin-off if you will where a bit more on a specific Mark is explored and casts a little bit more light on their nature.

I didn't think you still cared for that campaign but ok, I'll resume that campaign as we. I'll post when I can, though it'll probably be slower.

In reply to GM (msg # 384):

Nah I feel like that campaign is headed towards Solo adventures of the Barbarian Pirate Queen. It's a fun campaign if nothing else, Secondary but fun. I'm approaching Spheres of might from a directly i can actually enjoy it.

https://www.deviantart.com/jet...ous-Things-736391636

https://www.deviantart.com/rod...-Alchemist-626741741

Beauty and the beast.

TBH, I want to see where the build goes, maybe unlock a lasting martial tradition variant in it that comes back later.

I'd hardly call the old man a beast but yeah, spot on.

Also I probably haven't mentioned this before but you've seen plenty of different race thus far. I don't point it out because that would be weird just like saying "hey look, a black man" in America. Eh yeah, duh, they're 13% of the population so it's not noteworthy to see one. If he's of that culture (and Arcania is very culturally uniform). If I said "look a black man with a spear, tribal garbs and bone through his nose" THAT would be noteworthy because it sticks out from the rest of the norm/culture.

Irfan grew up with this, it's normal to him so he just filters it out as irrelevant unless (as in the example earlier) it sticks out of the norm. The Kwon captain was human but recall how different he was from the surrounding in all ways? The other Kwon were also of other races but, again, all wore same uniforms, spoke the same language, held the same values, thus were as alien to the Arcanians as you could get.

I only mention this in case you thought it was nothing but humans thus far and the few other races I've mentioned thus far (Hana, the Kitsune, the dwarf guard and now this girl) are outliers. They're not.

In reply to GM (msg # 388):

Well i got the impression the poorer a place is, generally 2 things happen. Either people are pitted against each other, or they band together, and Arcadia is the second.


I was assuming the Kitsune were more common in the grasslands, but with sailors and traders, and travelers Arcadia sees most everyone pass through, and where people pass through some always stay. So it's a good point, but i think we were on the same page. Arcadian is more a way of life and style rather then a race.

I just wanted to step away from this stereotype that race determines culture. Like in other games when you meet lets say a dwarf (regaedless of where he is, born or raised) it's a given that he's the rowdy stuborn hard spoken dude (even if a girl) that gives equal emphasis to the cultural significance of a beard and has an innate connection to the underground. It's like, no. People change, especially when their environment changes, even more so when they are a minority in a prevelant culture or their personal values didn't match the ir previous culture (hence why they left in the 1st place) and it just so happens they find a new society that does share their personal values. I mean seriously, when was the last time you heard of a bodybuilder elf? You don't think the men in a community of elves would become more traditionally masculine if they found themselves living in a society that doesn't look too kindly upon pansies and in an environment that demands more physical labor as a matter of survival? Yeah, all that art and poetry doesn't quite seem as important anymore, does it, when time could be spent on more necessary things.

Take Milkweed for example. You'd think a kitsune as the short, mischevious but ultimately harmless furry equivalent of a halfling, but he's taller than any of you and obviously deadly with his blade.

I'm modeling this based on the Roman empire.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:18, Tue 06 Oct 2020.

Level 4: +1 BAB, +1 Reflex/Will, Scholar’s knack(Lightning Rod: Skimmer parts(that core?)), 1 combat talent (Alchemy: Improved Fuse Grenade (formulae)?, Alchemy:Elixir (formulae) [Warden])

Level 5: Advanced medical training, material imposition (Skimmer Fluids, Kwon Vial, Reseach notes), Feat (Skill Focus: Alchemy? 3 Int, 3 Class, 5 level, 3 skill focus = 14, Homebrew Feat: add Alchemy and Healing to my inspiration pool options?)

2 levels worth of skill points.


From 5th level on, the scholar’s research has taught her advanced medical techniques for treating certain ailments; the scholar may expend 5 uses of a healer’s kit as a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity and make a DC 20 Heal check to cure any one of the following conditions affecting a creature: blindness, deafness, paralysis, or poison.

In addition, the scholar increases healing done by the hit point healing option of the medical training class feature to 2 hit points +2 for each point by which the scholar exceeds the DC (DC 15), and may activate it as a move action.



Pst. Hey: Universal Alcohol (formulae) [Apoc]

Source: Spheres Apocrypha: Dipsomania

For the future npcs(Drunken healer type).

Sure, go for it. This particular event won't provide you with the advanced medical knowledge, but yes on everything else.

Still waiting on a response.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:55, Wed 07 Oct 2020.

In reply to GM (msg # 392):

Character sheet updated to level 5, Might have forgot to change something or other.

In reply to Irfan (msg # 393):

From level 1 to 5 is roughly 10k gold in wealth.

Level 3 to 5 is 7.5k


https://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats...ts/master-alchemist/

+2 to craft alchemy, craft much faster.



Also I've decide on a core element of how Irfan plans to rescue Hana. Using the Beast Lure Alchemaical creation on the Tents/Camp to lure in predators. Why try to fight/sneak into the camp head on, when Irfan can rely on the age old strategy of letting the Desert fight for him.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:35, Tue 03 Nov 2020.

In reply to Irfan (msg # 394):

From my perspective that is obviously a fey or a bard, probably the latter.

Where does in game Irfan jump to logically. The effect was astounding, probably even a bit of wasn't it just bright out?

It wasn't the danger the broke the effect, the music stopped. So clearly there was intent in that lack of action.

I see danger here but less malice and more sorry.

From a in character perspective I see no reason to not be curious but respectful. Also to immediately try to put less dangerous terrain between him and that tree.

Which knowledge check do you wish for here? Or Sense motive.

Circle of Salt

The scholar carefully lays out an unbroken circle of salt, creating a protective circle around herself and up to 1 adjacent ally per 2 class levels (minimum 1) that lasts for a number of rounds equal to the scholar’s Intelligence bonus (minimum 1).

Irfan could put up a small 30ft barrier around a camp, (say 5-10 uses of material imposition points) but the barrier would lose effect quickly.

Traps would be effective here though. Simple trip wires should nearly auto succeed, and the trip should bring whatever back to reality quick enough. A few sticks and some rope encircling camp.

Checking on how fast Irfan can make a thunderstone. 3 hours with a good roll.

Well he just needs a flashbang to deafen.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:16, Mon 09 Nov 2020.

Could be the Kwon, probably not.

You said the river was recently enlarged let alone doing earthworks, yet no one should be out here, well besides maybe Alba's men. Even then Irfan didn't think Alba had men out here in the first place.

Does Irfan see signs of work, or does he see signs of flooding, what gives him the impression that the river was enlarged this late at night.

Irfan rolled 25 using 1d20+7.  1 d20 now, the d6 in the morning with sleep. Knowledge engineering. Irfan rolled 6 using 1d6.



The Lute player is a distance away from the camp yes?


The main changes to rivers are to deep, straighten, or  curve it.

Alternatively their good for adjusting farm ability and even flood hazards.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:56, Tue 10 Nov 2020.

A little recap: The Lonely One sleeps at the bottom of "The Great Hauyne of Arcania" as you dubbed it. It is a great place for harvesting Exalted remnants (very valuable, huge market/demand worldwide), basically a big industry operation site like a gold mine during the gold rush, hence the why they build a dam. Until recently it was a great source of conflict between interested companies/guild/party/unions (hence the lack of an actual settlement, just an "industrial" complex. That and the presence of water isn't THAT crucial in a world filled with magic, even in Arcania. Every settlement has at least a public fountain whether magical or natural) until the "furry lass" Old Teller told you about unified them under a simple company/trade/union guild. Alba never had anything to do with this place (unless you count Old Teller having worked here as a young man to eek out a living). The salvage geysers back in the sandship graveyard were based on the activity of the Lonely One. Exalted affect the physical world around them in a big, terraforming, landscape-altering ways. You confirmed that it went into a heightened state of anxiety around the same time The Cruel One stampeded across the desert and smashed your skimmer. So it's likely it caused a tidal wave.

With your roll, from this distance, you can tell the dam is damaged and more water is leaking out, hence the larger river right now, but that is likely temporary since you can see hasty construction all over the place to restore things to normal ASAP. The tents probably being a temporary measure by the survivors, of which there seem to be quite a lot. The lack of activity now, in the night, probably means everyone is resting for an early start instead of doing whatever workers do in the night (meaning right now this is a community in need of probably anything, like anyone would be after a disaster). Yes, there are signs of a LOT of flooding, like the plays has been destroyed by flooding. The river is straight, created by an outlet of the dam's spruce gates.

It doesn't look like any effort has ever been made to farm here despite the water (more likely becaus it's more cost beneficial to just work on salvage and import whatever goods they need). Would you plant crops on an oil field?

The lute player is about 100-ish feet from you. You are both quite a ways away from the industrial camp below, like maybe a mile (less if we're talking about literally the shortest distance between 2 points).