MIRROR - The Wraiths of Ilien

[X-DM Jon]

[OOC: A few questions of mine:
1) Have we killed one or more Wraiths? If we have do we have a number of how many we have killed?
2) Regarding warning; for the purpose of exactly not to be completely taken ofguard by the incorperal undeads we have brought a couple of caged rats. The point is that when the wraiths come within 30 feet as per "Unnatural Aura (Su)
Animals, whether wild or domesticated, can sense the unnatural presence of a wraith at a distance of 30 feet. They will not willingly approach nearer than that and panic if forced to do so; they remain panicked as long as they are within that range. ". Bjørn does this apply in RoE and if it does will it help us.
3) Can a player (in this case Thorsten) decide to turn the direction - e.i. decide that the center of evil is not where we have been moving to all along, as per divination and as decided by bjørn?
4) Do we have any idea of wether or not we are getting closer to their lair]

Ooc: 30 feet is less than 10 meters and the range of a charge move is 60 feet for a human, 120 for a flying wraith. Not much of a warning even if you know where they come from (ie. they aren't comming from the wall, floor and ceiling).
As to an idea, both Kaven and the Patriarch seem convinced of their words, the Baron clearly trusting the Patriarchs feelings on the matter.

 Oooh! A rat scanner! That takes me back

ON HUDSON  scanning the med lab and the nearby barrier.

                                  RIPLEY
                          (voice over)
                   Anything?

        BEEP.  Hudson's tracker lights up, a faint signal.

                                  HUDSON
                   There's something.

        He pans it around.  Back down the corridor.  It beeps
        again, louder.

                                  HUDSON
                   It's inside the complex.

                                  VASQUEZ
                          (voice over)
                   You're just reading me.

                                  HUDSON
                   No.  No!  It ain't you.  They're
                   inside.  Inside the perimeter.
                   They're in here.

                                  RIPLEY
                   Hudson, stay cool.  Vasquez?

        ANGLE ON VASQUEZ  swinging her tracker and rifle together.
        She aims it behind her.  BEEP.

                                  VASQUEZ
                          (cool)
                   Hudson may be right.

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

I agree too much OOC can be contra productive for the adventure thread - I concur with that. My question to that was purely practical - Bjørn have not seen the questions since he was not the one moving them. I guess I will put them in a mail as well.

Regarding players changing the course of an adventure I see it not as matter of authority between one the players but rather a matter of how these adventures work.
I have been told by Bjørn in mail earlier that we as players can change the minor stuff without GM input/output.

Before Kaven & Co decided that the source of evil should be another place than our current course, and hence not directly aimed for Thorsten’s idea, Bjørn wrote to me:
"..you have pretty free reins to write what you want and move things forward, as long as you don’t try to dictate everything that happens."

I asked Bjørn to elaborate and got this reply yesterday:

" As long as it stays within the general context of the adventure and doesn’t try to conclude and/or significantly change the setting. I.e. you’ve followed the wraiths deep into the catacombs; writing in something that happens down there – more attack for example – is OK, but getting out of the catacombs of finding the wraiths’ lair would be wrong"

Since I was uncertain if Thorsten’s idea for moving along the adventure conflict with Bjorn’s two above statements I wanted to get confirmation before acting upon it.

And for my own understanding of the situation we are in I asked a few other questions to Bjørn. Foremost I am interested in knowing how many Wraiths we have killed if any at all.

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

Oooh! A rat scanner! That takes me back

And where do we move your OOC posts to Jon 

[X-Medoere & RCS/KE (Thorsten)]

I agree too much OOC can be contra productive for the adventure thread - I concur with that. My question to that was purely practical - Bjørn have not seen the questions since he was not the one moving them. I guess I will put them in a mail as well.

Regarding players changing the course of an adventure I see it not as matter of authority between one the players but rather a matter of how these adventures work.
I have been told by Bjørn in mail earlier that we as players can change the minor stuff without GM input/output.

Before Kaven & Co decided that the source of evil should be another place than our current course, and hence not directly aimed for Thorsten’s idea, Bjørn wrote to me:
"..you have pretty free reins to write what you want and move things forward, as long as you don’t try to dictate everything that happens."

I asked Bjørn to elaborate and got this reply yesterday:

" As long as it stays within the general context of the adventure and doesn’t try to conclude and/or significantly change the setting. I.e. you’ve followed the wraiths deep into the catacombs; writing in something that happens down there – more attack for example – is OK, but getting out of the catacombs of finding the wraiths’ lair would be wrong"

Since I was uncertain if Thorsten’s idea for moving along the adventure conflict with Bjorn’s two above statements I wanted to get confirmation before acting upon it.

And for my own understanding of the situation we are in I asked a few other questions to Bjørn. Foremost I am interested in knowing how many Wraiths we have killed if any at all.

Ahh, I think you've mistaken the Patriarchs words then. He speaks of the sewers/catacombs, but in another direction (ie. not at the end of the long "path" we are following now) and further down into the ground. 

[X-Medoere & RCS/KE (Thorsten)]

Oooh! A rat scanner! That takes me back

And where do we move your OOC posts to Jon 

Oh, touché Kasper! 

[X-DM Jon]

Oooh! A rat scanner! That takes me back

And where do we move your OOC posts to Jon 

Oh, touché Kasper! 

 You zhall never heskape ze Jon!

[X-DM Jon]

Now; as to your questions.

 1. How many wraiths have you killed. Not one - that you know of. It is however hard to know with such incorporeal beings. They have struck fast and retreated, using surprise and speed to their advantage.

 2. Moving the adventure ahead. The prime directive here is trust. Every player has an obligation not to take the adventure into crazy town (good thing I'm not a player anymore  ), but each player also has an obligation to keep the story moving. So it's a balance.
 Bjørn will build on what you throw him and I've litterally seen adventures slowly go down because people were waiting for Bjørn to start "the train", so to speak.

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

you see Wallac as the leader of this adventure, and thus feel his authority undermined by Kaven. But are you sure that others (Kaven for example) see it the same way IC? 
- Thorsten

In addition to my above elaboration to your post I will try to answer this one separately.

Yes Wallac Isilviere sees himself as the leader. He has taken the initiative to gather the group and have most men under his command (or at least he had so lol). However he sees himself as a leader though among equals and thus it is another matter than merely giving an order to the other regents or their men. He will take their council and perhaps even do something different than what he prefers to as long it does not contradict violently with his beliefs.
Beside this Wallac Isilviere is very much aware that down here we simply have to stick together to survive and even more so to succeed. Mind you he is a stubborn and at times ruthless man.

I, Kasper, see this adventure as something several players do together and so it's important (to me) that everybody have an impact and an important role to play. I would wish for Bobby and Alexander to more visible though I appreciate the fact that those who are active have the greatest influence.

Mind you I decided to try to do this adventure long ago and with ETN going MIA I looked for alternative company. First I got Alan hooked albeit he managed to get his character off the hook and pay homage to his new lady friend. Then I got Alexander and Bobby convinced to lend me a hand. Due to a complete brain-fuck of mine I did not think RCS as an option and so you got aboard rather late. I Thorsten am very happy you are here now though. Both because we need the help and because you write some nice posts :-)

But I never the less try to balance the adventure between, me in charge and me as part of a band of equals (haven taking the initiative and having spend the most efforts, resources and character actions for it - at least that what I think).

That said Wallac Isilviere perceives himself as the leader albeit among equals and honor bound not to simply leave those behind that do not dare to carry on, since they all agreed to assist him and not to commit suicide

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

Ahh, I think you've mistaken the Patriarchs words then. He speaks of the sewers/catacombs, but in another direction (ie. not at the end of the long "path" we are following now) and further down into the ground. 

Ahh I see.
In the very start of the adventure Bjørn said that we got our direction/aim from guides and divenation spells. So this could be a matter of different oppinions and to be played out IC.

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

After reading Bjorn's post -- I am kinda happy I didn't go.

I personally would have been advocating falling back at the moment to get additional resources. 

Undead which use tactics are never good...

Heh that is right. Note that when the shit hit the fan Wallac exclaimed how he misses Osoer being present?

I take comfort in this mail from Bjørn a few days ago:
"Both senior priests seem very satisfied - as satisfied as you can be when about to enter the sewers and catacombs of an ancient city, hunting for the worst kind of undead there is. But if any group can survive - nay actually win a major victory and end the menace - it is you.

OOC: Your part is very well suited to the task at hand, and has more power than could reasonably be expected to be needed to complete the average adventure. "

[DM B]

Why not use the energy IC in the actual adventure? Write in a few rats if you will - I'm sure that humans also feel quite unwell when near the undead, but as always animals tend to have keener senses.

As long as its not completely over the top, it just cool if you contribute and move things forward. Example: In this case rats are written in, and then I reply that well, rats do scurry around in the little cages, but the wraiths strike suddenly and swiftly, so their warnings are barely enough to allow you to get ready - and maybe the wraiths start feinting once they understand what you are doing...

[X-Haelyn's Aegis/RK (Andy)]

Hmm, I note that Bjorn didn't say 'complete the average adventure without crippling injury' - the adventure examples so far seem to be brutal (the Roesone DO example was a classic) - Looey's cost a fortune to attract and so need to have reasonable survivability, not to mention regents!

[X-IHH/Wallac Isilviere (Kasper)]

A thought: We have several clerics with us of high level.

Why no use "Hide from Undead" level 1 spel? 10 minuttes/level and the cleric can affect 1 person/level. Combine it with Death Ward lvl 4 for the major show down and I say our party have a rather good chance to succeed.

I mean IHH have 3 clerics present & RCS at the very least 1. The Swordmage and her magic missiles plus force spells combined with Baron Bellamie and I think we have an ok chance. Ok one or more of our characters can die but so it should be or the excitement would decrease a lot and without risk what honor can be won? (IHH is however not here for the honor)

[X-Bellam & BC/TB (Bobby)]

Sorry, wasn't clear.  The idea was that the wraith struck as you began casting your spell - I imagine they're more than intelligent enough to wait for moments of distraction like that to try and bring down our casters.

[X-Medoere & RCS/KE (Thorsten)]

Mind you I decided to try to do this adventure long ago and with ETN going MIA I looked for alternative company. First I got Alan hooked albeit he managed to get his character off the hook and pay homage to his new lady friend. Then I got Alexander and Bobby convinced to lend me a hand. Due to a complete brain-fuck of mine I did not think RCS as an option and so you got aboard rather late. I Thorsten am very happy you are here now though. Both because we need the help and because you write some nice posts :-)

But I never the less try to balance the adventure between, me in charge and me as part of a band of equals (haven taking the initiative and having spend the most efforts, resources and character actions for it - at least that what I think).

That said Wallac Isilviere perceives himself as the leader albeit among equals and honor bound not to simply leave those behind that do not dare to carry on, since they all agreed to assist him and not to commit suicide

Hahah! A good thing I noticed your post in time. We where doing the same thing, though form different sides (and me without inviting those I felt might upset my liege lord )
If we did not team up, we might have gotten in each others way, as Kaven was adventuring and researching in Ilien too. Either, I would have gotten Kaven killed, sending him of alone, or you would have experienced losses yourself (though not as strong as some, I very much respect the RCS' experience with the shadow. They where a though bunch when I took them over (thanks, Rune?) and I nurtured that toughness.
But I think we have stuff to discuss IC afterwards (yay! )... If we survive, and don't dissolve due to various leadership!