Are you looking to live in? It wouldnt be hard to turn half the cellar into living bunks. That is until we can inflate the space on the inside.

Living in it would be a bonus - at least in the short term. Could move out if/when money stops being a problem.

In reply to Eithan (msg # 38):

Roger Dodger. I'll buy the building. You buy the gear. And we will be all square after some adventure to turn your purse obese.

Not to step on Adam or Ethan's toes.... Alban would be willing to help finance the mage tower with his own money in exchange for access to any arcane lore or spells they may obtain.

It's an option.  Just let me know.

How much are you willing to chip in. If I buy the main tower. Ethan buys the labs. You could chip in on a vault or living quarters.

Alban has enough downtime units for crafting to generate 100 - 200gp; maybe up to 400gp.

Draw up the plans on what you two want to have in the tower and I can help cover the costs.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:01, Wed 09 Dec 2020.

We will be starting out small so 25 from everyone should cover a bulk. We will use your coin for a sturdy basement level. Then work up from there. I kinda want Adam to front most of the cost as it is his perma home XD

That's fine.  One of Alban's main motivations is acquiring arcane and magic item knowledge which is why I made the offer.

As a player I also want to help everyone collaborate more with each other and this seemed a good way to do that.  I'm not trying to hijack your dream, Adam; just helping it along.

Roger that. We will go in for 25 each for the building. that will get the basement and the first level done. The other levels put in over a short time. That way you have your "membership" I wanna call it.

:} You have deal. 25 gp for "membership fees". I can front Ethan's 25 gp if he needs be to move things along. just let me know.

Santio is practising his Perception and observation skills.

Dedicating 4 Downtime Units towards learning the Skill Proficiency 'Perception' ... and 250gp.

Between Warship Diplomacy adventure, and his next, Santio will pay 30gp to a temple in the city for Moderate Lifestyle for a month.

{Character Sheet amended}
This message was last edited by the player at 02:50, Sat 06 Feb 2021.

Tidelan, realizing he's promised a potion he doesn't have as part of his tournament winnings, will craft another one with his herbalism kit while at home.

BTW, I forgot how much it costs to get the materials for a basic healing potion? Also, I don't remember; do I get xp equal to the downtime spent, or the material cost?

5gp, 1 downtime unit. XP is equal to the downtime unit cost (before dividing it by the number of crafters involved.)

[Thanks :D]

During her extra day in town, Chelsie would like to spend 25 gp and 1 downtime unit to scribe a scroll of cure wounds. If I can stretch time enough to spend 2 downtime units, she'll scribe a second as well.

You may use 2 downtime units.

So how much downtime to make that sword?

1.5 downtime units (so, you'd spend 3 to make 2 swords)

So this sword gets me 1.5 XP, correct?

As Santio waited to be approved/allocated to some local patrols,  or for work to be posted on the Job Boards, he practiced and trained.

As the days and weeks went by,  those of Smith's Gambit  could often see Santio practicing his kata at various locations around the outskirts of town.
They ranged from the slowform yoga exercises, to fast paced combat forms ... both utilised both weapons, and unarmed techniques.
Recently, Santio had been practising his forms with longsword, moreso than the quarterstaff that he'd previously worked solely with.

One day, as Tidelan wandered the town, awaiting the chance to meet with Smith over some personal matters, he noticed his friend Santio training nearby...

There was a truth to the Common phrase "Distance makes the heart grow fonder" yet there was also a truth to the opposite. It was easy to grow apart. Tidelan didn't have the words in this language to express this, but still he had motivation to approach Santio in between a set of reps he was performing.

"Greetings, friend Santio. Your acts here look good, to my eyes. I am here to speak, though. You and I are 'friends', yes? But, I know it is true that the Heart of men is small and weak. So, I desire us to know the other more good. Do you desire the same?"

The man's intonation and timing for words were awful, but that much was the usual. He had to construct sentences as he went, since he wasn't truly fluent in this language.

Nevertheless, he seemed to be insisting that the two get to know each other better, in whatever form Santio chose, since otherwise there was a risk that their friendship could fade away.

Though he hadn't spoken it, Tidelan was also interested in the quiet man, specifically because of how little he spoke. The genasi had the history to know better than to push for information that another did not want to share, but he was hoping that Santio, even without opening up more than he was comfortable with, would have some willingness and inspiration on ways to become closer with Tidelan.

As Santio saw the blue man approaching, he slowed his exercises to a halt, and was standing politely waiting when Tidelan arrived.
He listened to the man, curiously.   To be sure, he felt the two had developed some working manner … and a positive one … but he wasn’t sure if they were ‘friends’ yet.   Then again, maybe in Tidelan’s mind they were.

Santio was a quiet man, reserved.  And wasn’t sure what to say to this proposal.   So he said, “Ah, sure.     What would you like to do?”

Tidelan might remember that Santio enjoyed hearing about the gods, and their effect on people’s lives.   Or notice that he was a man who enjoyed martial training.   He might remember that Santio enjoyed playing the tactical board game of Dragonchess,  and playing his flute.   He had also shown some skill in woodcarving.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:21, Sun 29 Aug 2021.

Tidelan thought for a while then said, "Hm. I have much of the fey to tell, if you desire. With you, I can false battle, also... If you do not know it, I can give to you power in far-scouting... uh, with items as the "nodatoca" and the "astramotoco"? The words for them in Common, I do not know now"

Perhaps Santio was only interested in stories of true divinities, in which case the fey would not qualify, though they had in some times and places been worshipped as Gods.

Tidelan had a slightly bloodthirsty smile when he offered to spar with Santio... though, it may be valuable for the trainee monk given that Tidelan already has Martial Weapon Proficiency as can be seen by the fact that he carries a magical spear.

Far-scouting seemed to refer to a different practice than what Santio had already displayed on their mission, and was likely a reference to long-distance navigation. This made sense, considering it was no secret that Tidelan had come from a land outlandishly far away with few political connections with this continent.

Santio nodded, and offered, “Then, perhaps in exchange for a meal, you will tell me more of the Fae … and this far-scouting of which you speak?”
Learning of these two seemed to interest Santio much more than hitting each other.

If Tidelan agreed, Santio would pack away his meagre possessions, and join Tidelan somewhere around town for a meal … which Santio pays for in exchange for the learning he will receive over said meal.

“So, tell me more of these Fae, please … and your people”, he asked.

Sitting down to eat and speak, Tidelan considers which story he should tell...

He settles on one, eventually.

"Okay. I will tell you now, the sad story of the Cult of Cromm Cruach. First, do not ask me 'when' or 'where' this did happen, because I do not know any of that, just that it did happen."

Clearing his throat, Tidelan began to weave a tale over the freshly-cooked meat that contrasted with the frigid air, creating a mist that seemed to sway in time with Tidelan's tune, as if solemnly remembering the events of the story itself.

"Many time before, in a land where the Gods had not yet touched the men of it, the Fae did walk on the earth of it. That world was Gaea, and the Fae had come from Annwn, so they were many welcome, yes."

Tidelan dug his toes into the ground through his one pair of worn 'civilian' shoes, reinforcing this connection with earth, and the sense of gratitude and humility that only one who realizes they have treaded upon another their whole life can feel.

"But, there was life on Gaea then too. They were the 'humans'. First, the Fae did not do many acts. They did only watch and feel wonder at this world. To us, the Fae lands are great and odd, yet to the Fae, the mortal world is the great and odd thing."

Tidelan begin to stir the mist in the air with his finger, and it danced anxiously.

"But, the Fae did not know the world at that time. They did not know the mortals did see them as Gods."" Tidelan continued, addressing Santio, "Witness, do know that the most great Fae do have great power, even near that of the Gods. But, no Fae has the mind of a God. But, do not let their skin lie to you, also not do they have the mind of a mortal being. They are just not too strange for us to speak with the other, but we will never have the power to know their minds, and they too will never in their life know us for true."

The mist seemed to shiver as a cold gust shot by, and Tidelan reached out to stabilize the meat on his desk, which almost seemed to have shuddered. "Now, back then. One of the most great fae of any time, the name of who is Cromm Cruach had made an act, that he did not know the greatness of. Humans in the land of then had been hungry. They had died from hunger. The fields of theirs did not fill with the goodness of the earth any more... But, Cromm Cruach had just moved his hand over the earth, and the hundred hundred seeds that did not yet have growth, did grow at once."

Tidelan seemed to breathe out a heavy sigh, as if his heart was weighed down by the majesty of it. Then, he abruptly took a bite of meat with his bare hands, not touching the utensils which were made of metal and not wood or ceramic.

An observer may swear the meat struggled in his grip for a moment before they blinked and gave a double take. Perhaps it was just a trick of the mist, which was still unsettled, and refracting the light...

Tidelan wiped a drop of blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his offhand, before speaking up, "The humans did not see that Cromm Cruach had cut the most small finger of his first hand. Just one bit of the great Fae's blood did give truth to the great act. Yet, he was asked by the humans, "How?" and the great Fae did say, "

Tidelan's eyes, which are normally sea-green, seem to become a perfect shade of vibrant, almost unbearably bright green... The voice that comes from his throat is not entirely his own in tone, it sounds much older and heavily accented, "Blood makes the grass grow greener"

... Things quickly returned to normal, and Tidelan continued his tale with no sign of recognizing any oddities. Only, the mist still swirled "The humans did not know the truth of the act, as I do now. The great Cromm Cruach has two of the most great powers. But then, he had just one. His first hand can give power to any life and even to the land."

Finishing his meal, some of which seems to have vanished, or was simply being obscured by the fog that had poured off from it. Either way, Tidelan gave a silent prayer to the mists, which had grown almost unbelievably bloated, before they shook once and dispersed.

Tidelan nodded to Santio, "A giving of food to Annwn, for speaking of her own.", he finished his mug of ale, which warmed his belly like fire and continued.

"The humans did think that the great Fae had killed for the blood they had not witnessed. The humans did fear death by hunger, but they were not weak humans. They were a people of war, and they did not fear death in great battle."

Tidelan seemed to be getting nervous, indicating they were nearing the 'tragic' part of the story... "So, the humans... With their hunger healed... They did go again to war... But, this time they did so in the name of Crom Cruach."

Tidelan shivered even though the fireplace had long ago warmed up the small eatery... "The humans did get great power. In little time, they had the most power in their lands..." Tidelan inhaled shakily, "Then, they fell." the genasi seemed unwilling or unable to let out the breath he was holding in anticipation...

Eventually, he sighed through his nose, a long, almost-pained sound before continuing "Some say the Gods sent more great fighters to 'heal' the bloody humans, while some say the ones who loved Cromm Cruach did kill all their foes, but then soon did feel the hunger again, and did use their own blood to grow their bad, bad fields."

Tidelan's eyes seem to tear up a little, but then again it could be nothing more than a little freshwater; that was totally usual for a water genasi!

"I do not know the true way they did end, but I do know they did die in their own blood, yelling the name of their false God, Cromm Cruach..."

Tidelan shakes for a moment, as if holding back bile, "This is hard lore for me to say, because I still do feel the pain of Cromm Cruach, as Annwn did show me with this lore."

Tidelan explained, "The great Fae was not human, so he was not sad at the death... But, the fae know better than mortals the true greatness of being 'KING'. Their honor does not let them make false kings. Cromm Cruach did feel he was a bad king in his heart, yet his honor did not think so. So, he felt great guilt, because he knew he would not see the pain for the evil he felt that he did."

Tidelan smiles softly, in an ironic way "Yet, from all this, he got his second great power. Anything that his other hand touches will die at once."

Tidelan's face and whole body goes stiff. "Witness, you now know of The Hand of Life" a warm breeze rolls over the two, and a flowery scent as well... Tidelan's hand (which rests on the table) twitches, as the two men both notice a small, verdant clover stuck to it...

"...and of The Hand of Death" nothing happens for a few moments, but then the mist halts to a stop, loses all motion, and vanishes... Tidelan winces and his eyes seem to grow a little dark before he coughs.

Pulling a tablecloth from nearby, Tidelan wipes his mouth, from which a dark red stain is left. Breathing heavily for a few moments, Tidelan smiles to Santio and says, "The lore of Cromm Cruach ends, Witness."

Tidelan's eyes droop as if he's about to faint, but then he seems to recover. Perhaps the... red stain... was just from the meat he had eaten? Maybe he had gotten indigestion and coughed it back up? He had spoken a lot and eaten very quickly... Or maybe...

Tidelan leans back into his chair, "You also did ask of my countrymen? I can say little of them, but that they fight a war for a false king. This war is not great. There is no Honor, and no Heart. It is an evil war. I hate it."

The genasi has grown deeply upset, but manages to pull himself out of the funk after a couple moments, "Farrad is not a powerful place. It is small, has not many powered men, and also has not many magic things."

Tidelan shrugs, "The only thing it has that this land does not is... doors to the planes of water, of earth, of fire, and of air"

Though he had finished his meal, the druid would wait to see is Santio had any questions, any comments, or other things he wished to ask about or put forward.