Email2020-09-08 10:20

I am handling all queries as questions to Gohde (unless they are things the party should already know).....
Q: 'the Lizardman ambassador reported...' What is the current Alvaran relationship with the Lizardmen? Just in case we meet some, I would like to know what kind of reception we are likely to get. (I had previously assumed they were hostile, but this doesn't seem to be the case)
Gohde: "Our relations with the Lizardmen can be summed up as neutral, we maintain ambassadors in each others capitals, and there is trade - but beyond that... Certainly, if you are in their territory they will want to know what you are doing there, but will not attack you on sight!"
----Q: True to Gilfries comments, there is not a cloud in the sky, and it is almost unseasonably warm.' Unnaturally, warm? - perhaps druidically enhanced good weather? 
Gohde: "Yes, we did help the weather along a little bit..... suspect it is going to rain for a few days now, since these things always come back and bite you."
----Q: Given that Northlake is a centre of Shanah worship, is there any chance of a similar pogrom against Wildewood being started there as well? ie How safe will be for us there - and indeed, for the Pathfinders?
Gohde: "The Shanah/Wyldwood business in Far Haven was over 20 years ago, and appears to have been a one off. The religions can hardly be considered friendly to each other, but co-exist quite happily, in Northlake, and as far as I know in Far Haven as well."
----Q: Unless we just stay with the Pathfinders in Northlake, how will we communicate our discoveries back to Gohde/Cagrun?
Gohde: "If you find anything out that you believe to be critical, as I said I have contacts in both Far Haven and Northlake - and they can be used as intermediaries. Otherwise, I am afraid you will have to find your own way back with your findings, or find some other way of communicating." 
----Q: If we were to initially go with the Pathfinders to Northlake, and decide that we then need to go on to Far Haven, would Gohde or his crew be able to provide any assistance for the onward journey?
Gohde: "Sorry, I don't have an easy way to get you from Northlake to Far Haven."
----Q: Any info on the pleasantly named 'Crack of Doom(?)' (the name on the map in not totally legible) that is adjacent to Northlake? I'm hoping that it's just pair of mountains that look like a builder's bum, but somehow I suspect that is overly optimistic.
The Crack of Doom: Shrouded in mystery, the land itself seeming to seek to guard against intruders into the area. Few traverse these high plains without suffering for their audacity. Insanity, poisoning, loss of memory, unnatural ageing, and many a disappearance are common threads woven into the tales of woe which tell of the place. The black, constantly shifting sands of the desert terrain are frequently veiled in dust clouds, which the mountains surrounding the area hold within their grasp for months on end during the springtime. Finally, in the summer, the storms are of such anger that they reach up to the mountain summits, whereupon an ill-wind, blowing no one the least bit of good, carries the dust across the Island. The storms abate, their anger sated, but only for a time, thence to rise once more the following year. In the nearby city Northlake, when the dust-laden Wind of Doom blows from the west, folk seal their windows and stay indoors, few daring to brave the choking, billowing clouds of fine sand and dust.
Cheers
Darrell
On Mon, 7 Sep 2020 at 16:44, David Gilmore <david.gilmore@virgin.net> wrote:
So the choices are:
a) Go on a relatively safe jaunt (though acting as Elf-bait) up to Northlake with the Pathfinders to mosey about there.
b) Go on a far more troublesome/difficult journey to Far Haven to hope we can find something in a destroyed church library and where our two Druids are likely to be strung up by the local Shanah fanatics as soon as they set foot in the city.
c) Ignore the advice given to us and join the retreat South or even strike out elsewhere on our own.
So going to Northlake does seem to be where the plot-line is taking us - oops, sorry, I mean it does seem to be the sensible choice of an independent party in the exercise of their free-will and self-determinism to go to Northlake initially. We might well want to go on to Far Haven afterwards - maybe having increased in level sufficiently to be able avoid being stuffed by the pogrom. 
However, there is an argument for taking the opportunity of being 'helped' up to Far Haven - which we might not be able to get to otherwise - and then working our way back down south (if we can!) to Northlake and then on down to Starport etc.  So it depends if we want to end up in the north, or 'start' there and end up back somewhere around here. Even so, it does seem sensible to get to Northlake while it is still open and accessible (ie no pogrom against Wyldewood there yet, or fallen/given to Elves ) rather than leave it till later and possibly find that it has become as troublesome as Far Haven.
---------------------------------------------------
Darrell - some questions arising from the latest update, or our options:
'the Lizardman ambassador reported...' What is the current Alvaran relationship with the Lizardmen? Just in case we meet some, I would like to know what kind of reception we are likely to get. (I had previously assumed they were hostile, but this doesn't seem to be the case)
'True to Gilfries comments, there is not a cloud in the sky, and it is almost unseasonably warm.' Unnaturally, warm? - perhaps druidically enhanced good weather?
Given that Northlake is a centre of Shanah worship, is there any chance of a similar pogrom against Wildewood being started there as well? ie How safe will be for us there - and indeed, for the Pathfinders?
Unless we just stay with the Pathfinders in Northlake, how will we communicate our discoveries back to Gohde/Cagrun?
If we were to initially go with the Pathfinders to Northlake, and decide that we then need to go on to Far Haven, would Gohde or his crew be able to provide any assistance for the onward journey? 
Any info on the pleasantly named 'Crack of Doom(?)' (the name on the map in not totally legible) that is adjacent to Northlake? I'm hoping that it's just pair of mountains that look like a builder's bum, but somehow I suspect that is overly optimistic.
Cheers - David
P.S. I hope that the whole party raises a glass or two to toast the launching of Garaf's first fireball.
P.P.S I also hope that the party will have treated the injured militiamen for their minor dart wounds just to try and stop any infection setting it.