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Liandra's Journal, Flying City of Aulos
Jun. 6th, 2005 01:47 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
indigodove.livejournal.comLiandra's Journal, Flying City of Aulos ( read more )
indigodove.livejournal.com
indigodove.livejournal.comDear Mother,
I trust that you have received my earlier letter about the ritual to heal Agondre. Only a few hours have passed since I wrote you, but I have something new to discuss.
I didn't mention in my earlier letter, but Kyle made an offhanded comment about our fight with the mummy dancers at Castle Blood. Specifically, he mentioned that one of them kissed me. Viggo made light of it, but I could tell he was concerned. I cannot blame him -- I'd be worried to hear of the same happening to him. I told him that I was able to completely resist the mummy's touch, but I think that was small comfort to him.
He has seen how Turok's wound from Weeping Wounds afflicts him, and now Larissa has taken some of Agondre's disease upon herself. She is recovering quickly, but you know that there is precious little I can do for her. Viggo sees this too. Tonight he and I went outside to make our sunset observances, and afterward we had a long talk about all of this.
We agreed that wandering separately was best for both of us. We've each grown and have found strengths we didn't know we had. However, he feels that it is time that our paths merge again. He is concerned that with Turok and Larissa's strength diminished, our goal will be harder to achieve. He also admitted that he has a more personal concern -- that we both return to Oakhame safely. Viggo feels that the best way for both of these goals to be realized is for him to stay with me and our party until we can finally return to Oakhame together.
I feel that he is right, but I worry that my heart is clouding my judgment. With two of our number weakened, having Viggo come with us makes a great deal of sense. We agreed that the safety of the party and the good of our quest to heal the land must come first, and that neither of us will sacrifice our quest to save the other. This will be difficult, but we feel we can do it. We know each other's strengths and weaknesses, and can combine our talents for the good of the Land.
Kyle, Turok and Larissa all agree with our thinking, and think Viggo will be of great help to us. I cannot disagree. His skill at archery has continued to grow, and there are points of nature lore that he knows better than I do. He helped us with the last ritual to heal the pool. and although he helped to protect me, he put the party's needs first. In fact, Viggo saved Turok from death when none of us would have been able to aid him. He is a great asset to our quest.
Mother, I do not usually doubt my own judgment, but I worry that I will delude myself for obvious reasons. What do you think of this decision? Is it based in the greater good, or are our own desires clouding our thinking? Please let me know what you think -- we shall not leave Cardior until we hear from you.
Thank you so much. I value your counsel.
Love and Blessings,
Lian
I trust that you have received my earlier letter about the ritual to heal Agondre. Only a few hours have passed since I wrote you, but I have something new to discuss.
I didn't mention in my earlier letter, but Kyle made an offhanded comment about our fight with the mummy dancers at Castle Blood. Specifically, he mentioned that one of them kissed me. Viggo made light of it, but I could tell he was concerned. I cannot blame him -- I'd be worried to hear of the same happening to him. I told him that I was able to completely resist the mummy's touch, but I think that was small comfort to him.
He has seen how Turok's wound from Weeping Wounds afflicts him, and now Larissa has taken some of Agondre's disease upon herself. She is recovering quickly, but you know that there is precious little I can do for her. Viggo sees this too. Tonight he and I went outside to make our sunset observances, and afterward we had a long talk about all of this.
We agreed that wandering separately was best for both of us. We've each grown and have found strengths we didn't know we had. However, he feels that it is time that our paths merge again. He is concerned that with Turok and Larissa's strength diminished, our goal will be harder to achieve. He also admitted that he has a more personal concern -- that we both return to Oakhame safely. Viggo feels that the best way for both of these goals to be realized is for him to stay with me and our party until we can finally return to Oakhame together.
I feel that he is right, but I worry that my heart is clouding my judgment. With two of our number weakened, having Viggo come with us makes a great deal of sense. We agreed that the safety of the party and the good of our quest to heal the land must come first, and that neither of us will sacrifice our quest to save the other. This will be difficult, but we feel we can do it. We know each other's strengths and weaknesses, and can combine our talents for the good of the Land.
Kyle, Turok and Larissa all agree with our thinking, and think Viggo will be of great help to us. I cannot disagree. His skill at archery has continued to grow, and there are points of nature lore that he knows better than I do. He helped us with the last ritual to heal the pool. and although he helped to protect me, he put the party's needs first. In fact, Viggo saved Turok from death when none of us would have been able to aid him. He is a great asset to our quest.
Mother, I do not usually doubt my own judgment, but I worry that I will delude myself for obvious reasons. What do you think of this decision? Is it based in the greater good, or are our own desires clouding our thinking? Please let me know what you think -- we shall not leave Cardior until we hear from you.
Thank you so much. I value your counsel.
Love and Blessings,
Lian
Added notes on the pool healing entry
May. 1st, 2005 04:19 pmindigodove.livejournal.comHere are some out-of-character notes on Liandra's ritual:
The d&d spells used follow. It is essentially the same ritual I used for the last couple pool healings, with some tweaks. I wrote it myself with some help and approval from Ralph. I think some of my own religious biases show up a little, as does my limited knowledge of Celtic spirituality. I really enjoyed writing it.
North: Remove disease
East: Restoration
South: Neutralize Poison
West: Heal (I used to use Plant Growth here, then I got better spells)
Center of Pool: Hallow, then as many healing spells as possible
At the end of the entry, I mention a specific herb. Valerian is a known sedative and is used to help people sleep. I have a tea that contains it. It has a fairly distinctive taste. Viggo has healing and knowledge nature, so he would know that. Also, he's been around Liandra enough to have picked up a thing or two.
Okay. I really need to grade now.
The d&d spells used follow. It is essentially the same ritual I used for the last couple pool healings, with some tweaks. I wrote it myself with some help and approval from Ralph. I think some of my own religious biases show up a little, as does my limited knowledge of Celtic spirituality. I really enjoyed writing it.
North: Remove disease
East: Restoration
South: Neutralize Poison
West: Heal (I used to use Plant Growth here, then I got better spells)
Center of Pool: Hallow, then as many healing spells as possible
At the end of the entry, I mention a specific herb. Valerian is a known sedative and is used to help people sleep. I have a tea that contains it. It has a fairly distinctive taste. Viggo has healing and knowledge nature, so he would know that. Also, he's been around Liandra enough to have picked up a thing or two.
Okay. I really need to grade now.
indigodove.livejournal.comWow. We had a great D-n-D session today. And I don't always say that. But, a lot of plot and character happened AND the party beat up some nasty monsters while Liandra (my character...a druid healer) and Larissa (our sorceress) healed a mystical dragon and Larissa became empress! We also found out more about our fighter, Turok and why he came to our land from his. (A side note: Turok's player plays the foreign aspect by speaking with an exagerated Russian accent...it is good fun) Also, Mike played Viggo along with Kyle tonight and kicked major ass. It was all great fun.
It was also a lot more complex than this but what a night! :-)
Oh yeah...Turok died again, and we are down to one pearl. Yikes.
It was also a lot more complex than this but what a night! :-)
Oh yeah...Turok died again, and we are down to one pearl. Yikes.
Note to Viggo from Liandra, Gorge of Fire
Nov. 28th, 2004 10:03 pmindigodove.livejournal.comDear Viggo,
I feel like I can only write this to you. As you know, we are in the midst of the Gorge of Fire, hoping to enhance Kotara-nar for Turok. I was prepared for the idea that it would be hot here, but not prepared enough. I don't think anything could have adequately prepared us for this hellish landscape.
I hate it here. I have never been in a place of such disharmony in my life, and I feel that I am failing to appreciate nature's boundless wonder.
I realize that this place brings balance to the rest of our world, that pockets of extremes are necessary for the land as a whole. Nevertheless, being in a place so unbalanced has me feeling at odds with the world.
Smoke and ash suffuses the atmosphere, and a dull red glow is the light each day, dimming only at night. Firestorms rain over us several times a day, growing more frequent the closer we draw to our goal.
We have been attacked each day by creatures born of the flames of this place. Strangely, many that we subdue are bowing to us, then dissipating and disappearing. We suspect that some intelligence is watching us, and sending these beings as some sort of message. A test? A warning? It is difficult to discern. I wonder what lies ahead of us.
However, do not worry unduly for us. Although this place is difficult, I sense that we will survive and leave stronger. We are all keeping in good spirits, and our bonds of friendship remain strong. These things, more than any other, will ensure that we leave this place with what we came here for.
I admit, I yearn to be up to my neck in a cool pool in Oakhame right now...and for both our journeys to be over for good.
Give our greetings to your companions, and know that I pray for your safety each night.
Much Love,
Lian
I feel like I can only write this to you. As you know, we are in the midst of the Gorge of Fire, hoping to enhance Kotara-nar for Turok. I was prepared for the idea that it would be hot here, but not prepared enough. I don't think anything could have adequately prepared us for this hellish landscape.
I hate it here. I have never been in a place of such disharmony in my life, and I feel that I am failing to appreciate nature's boundless wonder.
I realize that this place brings balance to the rest of our world, that pockets of extremes are necessary for the land as a whole. Nevertheless, being in a place so unbalanced has me feeling at odds with the world.
Smoke and ash suffuses the atmosphere, and a dull red glow is the light each day, dimming only at night. Firestorms rain over us several times a day, growing more frequent the closer we draw to our goal.
We have been attacked each day by creatures born of the flames of this place. Strangely, many that we subdue are bowing to us, then dissipating and disappearing. We suspect that some intelligence is watching us, and sending these beings as some sort of message. A test? A warning? It is difficult to discern. I wonder what lies ahead of us.
However, do not worry unduly for us. Although this place is difficult, I sense that we will survive and leave stronger. We are all keeping in good spirits, and our bonds of friendship remain strong. These things, more than any other, will ensure that we leave this place with what we came here for.
I admit, I yearn to be up to my neck in a cool pool in Oakhame right now...and for both our journeys to be over for good.
Give our greetings to your companions, and know that I pray for your safety each night.
Much Love,
Lian
second salamander fight
Nov. 24th, 2004 09:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cellioHere is the log of the second salamander fight.
This one was longer and had more delay/ready actions,
so the order got scrambled and I may not have gotten
everything right.
As before, I welcome corrections from the other players.
( Read more... )
first salamander fight
Nov. 24th, 2004 09:11 pmcellioFor grins, and because the in-character writeup would
never be this detailed, here is a transcription of the
turn log from the first fight with the salamanders.
(It's reasonably thorough but not absolutely complete.
Sorry. I invite other players to augment this.)
( Read more... )
Seamus and Jorvik's Strategy Notes
Oct. 15th, 2004 02:54 pmralphmelton.livejournal.com[In-game, Seamus won't deliver this speech until you return from the Gorge of Fire. But I might as well work on it now, while work is being low-key. I may revise and extend this at times]
At some appropriate time, Seamus says, "So, I've been trying to devise advice to give on how to prepare for your next assault against Garrett. For another perspective, I've been talking a bit with Captain Jorvik--he doesn't know the secrets of the arcane so well, but he's got excellent perspectives on military strategy.
"His first point was about the description of your last battle with Garrett." Seamus does a very recognizable imitation of Jorvik's manner. "He said, 'Wait a minute. I'm a scout and sneak, I've been honing those skills since before the first Cataclysm, I'm a vampire that helps those even more, and I'm engaging them in a head-to-head fight? I should be hiding, hitting them and running away.' After further discussion, we've agreed that you had two factors that brought him into a protracted fight: he was overconfident and did not fear your abilities, and you managed to take him by surprise and disarm him of Weeping Wounds.
"Unfortunately, you cannot count on being so fortunate a second time, especially if you do not know where to find him. So I think you need to think about two parts of your strategy: ways of getting Garrett to stand and fight instead of retreating, and ways of avoiding attrition. As Jorvik puts it, 'Every time the vampire scratches you, gets chopped nearly in two by your sword, and runs away, he wins.' You'll want lots of healing magics, and some way to prevent or recover from the effects of his stealing your life.
"Also: Prolix's efforts have established that Garrett's castle has areas without breathable air. Jorvik agrees that Garrett would be delighted to take the battle to those areas, where he can breathe and you cannot. I know of two magic items that could help in that situation: the bottle of air could be shared among you; the necklace of adaptation would provide more effective help for a single person.
"When I mentioned these ideas to Jorvik to see what he thought Garrett's response would be, he asked, 'Can I take your air-breathing device away?' So, you may want some sort of backup plan if you think that Jorvik's ideas match Garrett's. But, of course, that adds to the expense.
"I mentioned to Jorvik Prolix's proposal of using an antimagic field in a confined place to hamper Garrett. His response, after a moment of thought and some exploration of the ramifications of the spell: 'I grab the gnome, jam the dagger in his gut so that Turok can't knock it away, and try to suck down on his blood. Either he'll have to cancel the antimagic field to get any healing, or before long, I can move the antimagic field wherever's convenient for me. Your idea might work, if Turok and Kyle are whacking on him while he abuses the gnome--but I sure hope you didn't need that gnome for something else.'
[added Jan-7-2005:]
"One thing more: your plan is to teleport in, do what damage you can, and then teleport out. They are expecting this, I'm sure--so I would expect them to have prepared the dimensional anchor spell to keep you in place. It would be obvious to cast it on Larissa doing the teleporting--but it would be perhaps even more effective to keep one of the others in place while all the other members of your squad vanish."
[more later as I think of advice to give. I welcome OOC feedback from my players about this advice; do you want more or less?]
At some appropriate time, Seamus says, "So, I've been trying to devise advice to give on how to prepare for your next assault against Garrett. For another perspective, I've been talking a bit with Captain Jorvik--he doesn't know the secrets of the arcane so well, but he's got excellent perspectives on military strategy.
"His first point was about the description of your last battle with Garrett." Seamus does a very recognizable imitation of Jorvik's manner. "He said, 'Wait a minute. I'm a scout and sneak, I've been honing those skills since before the first Cataclysm, I'm a vampire that helps those even more, and I'm engaging them in a head-to-head fight? I should be hiding, hitting them and running away.' After further discussion, we've agreed that you had two factors that brought him into a protracted fight: he was overconfident and did not fear your abilities, and you managed to take him by surprise and disarm him of Weeping Wounds.
"Unfortunately, you cannot count on being so fortunate a second time, especially if you do not know where to find him. So I think you need to think about two parts of your strategy: ways of getting Garrett to stand and fight instead of retreating, and ways of avoiding attrition. As Jorvik puts it, 'Every time the vampire scratches you, gets chopped nearly in two by your sword, and runs away, he wins.' You'll want lots of healing magics, and some way to prevent or recover from the effects of his stealing your life.
"Also: Prolix's efforts have established that Garrett's castle has areas without breathable air. Jorvik agrees that Garrett would be delighted to take the battle to those areas, where he can breathe and you cannot. I know of two magic items that could help in that situation: the bottle of air could be shared among you; the necklace of adaptation would provide more effective help for a single person.
"When I mentioned these ideas to Jorvik to see what he thought Garrett's response would be, he asked, 'Can I take your air-breathing device away?' So, you may want some sort of backup plan if you think that Jorvik's ideas match Garrett's. But, of course, that adds to the expense.
"I mentioned to Jorvik Prolix's proposal of using an antimagic field in a confined place to hamper Garrett. His response, after a moment of thought and some exploration of the ramifications of the spell: 'I grab the gnome, jam the dagger in his gut so that Turok can't knock it away, and try to suck down on his blood. Either he'll have to cancel the antimagic field to get any healing, or before long, I can move the antimagic field wherever's convenient for me. Your idea might work, if Turok and Kyle are whacking on him while he abuses the gnome--but I sure hope you didn't need that gnome for something else.'
[added Jan-7-2005:]
"One thing more: your plan is to teleport in, do what damage you can, and then teleport out. They are expecting this, I'm sure--so I would expect them to have prepared the dimensional anchor spell to keep you in place. It would be obvious to cast it on Larissa doing the teleporting--but it would be perhaps even more effective to keep one of the others in place while all the other members of your squad vanish."
[more later as I think of advice to give. I welcome OOC feedback from my players about this advice; do you want more or less?]
