20040918 Dulax01

<H1> Dulax Moir: Trouble Brewing </H1>
<H2> Roll Call </H2>
<TABLE>
<TR>
 <TD> Travian </TD>
 <TD> 20th Human Paladin </TD>
 <TD> Robert Giedt </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Mandos </TD>
 <TD> 6th/2nd Aasimar Ranger/Horizon Walker (8th CL) </TD>
 <TD> Ray Chiang </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Deluwen Seradrake </TD>
 <TD> 3rd/3rd/3nd Wizard/Psion/Cerebremancer Grey Elf </TD>
 <TD> John Speck </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Kha'Narek </TD>
 <TD> 8th Githzerai Monk (10th CL) </TD>
 <TD> Matt Miller </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Mirto </TD>
 <TD> 11th Human Wizard </TD>
 <TD> Mark Whisler </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Thorfinn the Lucky </TD>
 <TD> 9th Human Bard </TD>
 <TD> Jim Yonemura </TD>
</TR>
<TR>
 <TD> Foradun </TD>
 <TD> 5th/4th Githzerai Psychic Warrior/Soul Knife (11th CL) </TD>
 <TD> Rick DiRicco </TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
<H2> Session Summary </H2>
<H3> Preparing at Home </H3>
Mirto has been studying the spells from General Vandar are:
<UL>
<LI> <B>Level 0:</B> Arcane Mark, Dancing Lights, Daze, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, Disrupt Undead, Flare, Ghost Sound, Light, Mage Hand, Mending, Open/Close, Prestidigitation, Ray of Frost, Read Magic, Resistance, 
<LI> <B>Level 1:</B> Expeditious Retreat, Magic Missile, Protection from Good
<LI> <B>Level 2:</B> Detect Thoughts, See Invisibility, Web, Bull's Strength
<LI> <B>Level 3:</B> Dispel Magic, Hold Person, Invisibility Sphere, Animate Dead
<LI> <B>Level 4:</B> Black Tentacles, Confusion, Fire Trap, Improved Invisibility, Stoneskin
<LI> <B>Level 5:</B> Cloudkill, Cone of Cold, Fabricate, Hold Monster, Teleport, Wall of Force, Permanency
<LI> <B>Level 6:</B> Acid Fog, Chain Lightning, Circle of Death, Globe of Invulnerability, Move Earth, Greater Dispelling, Geas/Quest
<LI> <B>Level 7:</B> Finger of Death, Limited Wish, Prismatic Spray, Spell Turning, Teleport without Error
<LI> <B>Level 8:</B> Incendiary Cloud, Summon Monster VIII, Symbol
</UL>
During the week of Grackle's mission, Travian has been talking to Kent Galafax about the situation in Dulax Moir.
Kent Galafax is the spokesperson for the village of Dulax Moir. After doing some more inquiring, it appears as though the creatures harassing the village are Wolfweres. The wolfweres are
The troops from Regis Vale had been showing up in a "friendly salesperson" mode, but more recently they have been heavily applying pressure. Kent is concerned it's only a matter of time before the Imperial Forces comes down and simply takes the villagers.
At this point, everyone knows everyone, so it's easy to identify infiltrators. They will still using human form to get close enough to cause trouble.
<H3> Imperial Smackdown </H3>
To get to Dulax Moir, Kill'Dar teleports most of the group to Dulax Moir and then Mirto teleports twice to pick up the rest from Home. They end up at the edge of the farming area outside of town. The group sees a large group of people on horses. Mandos sees that they are wearing uniforms (probably Imperial) and it looks like they are moving slowly and riding into town.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Travian:</B> It looks like you've got uninvited guests.
<B>Kent:</B> Well, I didn't invite them.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
Travian yells and gets their attention.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Guard:</B> Who goes there?
<B>Travian:</B> Who
<B>Guard:</B> This area is under the protection of the Governor of the Occident.
<B>Travian:</B> Last I heard, this area was its own realm.
<B>Guard:</B> And its ruler would be..?
<B>Kent:</B> Get off my damn land!
<B>Travian:</B> We have the mayor of this land over here.
<B>Kent:</B> You heard me well enough.
<B>Guard:</B> Now now, Mr. Kent, no need to get upset. We remember what happened last time. Have you hired mercenaries? You there? Are you in charge of this band of mercenaries?
<B>Travian:</B> Yes, I am. And we are not mercenaries.
<B>Kent:</B> Well, what's your business here then?
<B>Travian:</B> We are here to help out the inhabitants of this area. We are friends of the people of this area and are here to help them remove the bad elements that have been plaguing him.
<B>Guard:</B> What's this Kent? You said you could take care of yourselves last time.
<B>Kent:</B> I told you fools to leave! Now if you don't get out, I'll make you get out.
<B>Travian:</B> How about we talk about this?
<B>Guard:</B> How about you explain why I shouldn't haul yourself in like
Travian: Last I heard, the Occident ended at the Parapets.
<B>Guard:</B> You don't get out much here do you? We are that authority and here we are.
<B>Mirto:</B> You the only troops in this area?
<B>Guard:</B> Yes, us and the 10000 others in this area.
<B>Travian:</B> I'm afraid I don't respect your authority in this matter.
<B>Travian:</B> No, I'm afraid that I don't. Unless you've decided to annex everything in sight.
<B>Guard:</B> Never claimed ownership, just jurisdiction.
<B>Travian:</B> And the difference in your mind is?
<B>Guard:</B> Our re....And occasionally collect taxes.
<B>Travian:</B> They have rejected that authority.
<B>Guard:</B> Well, we'll see about that.
<B>Guard:</B> Well, none of the rest of you are
<B>Guard:</B> As far as I can tell, you are bandits. I have writ to mete out justice in these lands.
<B>Travian:</B> Anybody could write it.
<B>Guard:</B> And in this case, the governor of the Occident wrote it and
<B>Travian:</B> The people living here own the land here.
<B>Kent:</B>
<B>Guard:</B> Now if you'd be good to go back turn back west. We'll have a good conversation with the mayor here. If you hold your ground, we'll be taking you into custody.
<B>Travian:</B> We are here as guests of the Mayor and we have the right to be here
<B>Guard:</B> You're not involved here Kent. You're hiring mercenaries and we're going have to have a talk about that.
<B>Travian:</B> From my eyes here, I'm looking at the bandits and mercenaries.
<B>Guard:</B> That's two counts against you. Kent, I'll want to talk to you about the murders later.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Round 1:</B> "I'll give you one last chance. Lay down your weapons. Anyone who does not lay down their weapons will be treated as hostile." Travian: The same goes for you. The guards double move towards the party. Travian summons his Pegasus. Mirto casts Chain Lightning, killing four of the guards. Deluwen and Mandos delay. Kent shouts: That'll teach you and fires his crossbow, hitting the leader for 10 pts. Deluwen casts Haste on half the party. Thorfinn casts Good Hope.
<B>Round 2:</B> Foradun hits one rider for 8 pts. Three riders attack Kha, but he disarms two of them. The third is fooled by the Cloak of Invulnerability. Mirto is hit by a Lance for 14 points. Travian is hit by one soldier for 14 pts, while the leader hits for 26 pts. Foradun is hit once. Thorfinn is struck for 11. Mandos is hit for 6. Kent is hit and falls unconscious. Travian hops on his mount and swings at the leader. He hits four times ( hit 15, hit 17, crit 29, hit 15 ). Travian's mount hits another soldier for 27 pts. Mirto moves (gets hit for 6) and then casts Lightning Bolt for 31 points, hitting 6 soldiers. Gulgun moves to protect Kent, but misses. Deluwen moves over to Kent and pulls out a potion bottle. Thorfinn fires an arrow for 9 pts.
<B>Round 3:</B> Foradun hits 2 times for 18 points. The remaining leader shouts: "Professionals regroup! Report in!" Travian attacks the retreating officer but misses, while the pegasus hits for 18 pts. Mirto casts a Fireball on the retreating group for 26 points. Gulgun catches up to the soldier and says "Your horse is looking kind of tired...". Deluwen delays and Mandos heals Kent for 9 pts. Kent gets up and fires his crossbow at a retreating soldier and hits him. Thorfinn heals Kent for 19 pts. 
Over the course of the next few rounds, Travian follows the officer and kills him. Mandos bandages two of the dying soldiers, but the rest have died due to their injuries. Travian rides around and manages to round up a few more by intimidation (15, 18, 17). The last one doesn't surrender, and while Travian considers his next action, Mirto casts Magic Missile knocking the Imperial officer unconscious.
The party enters town. They are greeted with the usual friendliness. Kent talks to the villagers alone for about five minutes, and then the rest of the party is welcomed in.
<H3> <A NAME="Chat">Imperial Chat</A> </H3>
The equipment is high-quality scale mail, shields, and weapons (not masterwork). They appear to have the equipment of a medium horse patrol. On the two officers appear to be stranger equipment. The leader has some nice full plate armor (minus the arm). The other officer had a strange curved sword and lamellar armor. Of the ones captured, three appear to have strong orcish blood (half-orcs).
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Gulgun:</B> So, when you
<B>Soldier:</B> Regis Vale
<B>Gulgun:</B> So, you just all ride there separately?
<B>Soldier:</B> Yeah, we know the way. We have plateau kits and fast horses.
<B>Soldier:</B> When you come up against a superior opponent, you either flee or surrender. No need to decimate our forces further.
<B>Mirto:</B> What happens when a patrol is sent out?
<B>Soldier:</B> It depends on where they've been sent. For a place like this town, since we've been coming here a while, we'll probably come back with a larger force.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
Thorfinn identifies the strange sword as a katana. The armor probably provides protection equal to platemail, but gets damaged more easily. It appears to be medium armor (+6 AC, +1 Max Dex). The four soldiers are two half orcs, one human, and one half breed of some kind. The last lady appears to have solid black eyes and some scaly skin. Thorfinn and Deluwen confer (20 Bardic Knowledge, 34 Knowledge Planes) and they think that she might be Tiefling.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Mirto:</B> So, do you think we're going to see 100? 200? 500?
<B>Orc:</B> I dunno. It all depends on how the report looks and how the base commander takes it. We were here because last time a few soldiers get killed.
<B>Orc:</B> Did you guys just get here?
<B>Travian:</B> Fairly recently.
<B>Orc:</B> That's a tough walk.
<B>Travian:</B> Was this your total force?
<B>Orc:</B> Yup, just a platoon. You know 20 soldiers against a small town, there's usually some...
<B>Orc:</B> The command might say screw it or they might say "kill 'em all".
<B>Travian:</B> How quickly are they going to decide.
<B>Orc:</B> They're going to decide quickly. If they decide to wipe out, it will take a while.
<B>Travian:</B>
<B>Orc:</B> The base commander isn't going to be in a huge hurry. He'll probably bring back a thousand guys with spellcasters and trolls and ogres.
<B>Travian:</B> Would he
<B>Orc:</B> He won't come here himself. He isn't stupid.
<B>Travian:</B> Does he have a name?
<B>Orc:</B> I don't know... Sorry, I'm new.
<B>Foradun:</B> Anybody else?
<B>Travian:</B> Hold off a sec...
<B>Tiefling:</B> (Shakes her head in the negative)
<B>Travian:</B> (Does a quick Detect Evil. Gets Tiefling and unconscious Sergeant.)
<B>Kha'Narek:</B> I think we should separate them. (Grabs the human) I'll take this one.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
Travian talks to the orc some more. The troops have been up there for a year or so. He believes that they're planning on taking over the Westmarch. They're paying him 30 GP per month.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Deluwen:</B> So, the strange one that's with you--she's known as Tiefling.
<B>Gruk:</B> No. She's mean though. Really mean. She fights dirty though.
<B>Kha'Narek:</B>
<B>Gruk:</B> She's threatened everyone in the army at least once.
<B>Kha'Narek:</B> Has she followed through any?
<B>Gruk:</B> I don't know. Probably.
<B>Gruk:</B> So, you can only vote if you've been in the army. But you can only vote if you've left the army or you're an officer.
<B>Gruk:</B> You know, lots of retired army guys get bribed. Of course, you only retire when they say you're going to retire, but they pay pretty well in the meantime. But sometimes that's only.
<B>Gruk:</B> Some of them take care of things. You can get elected and assign yourself an honorary officer's commission. There's lots of ways around it. But none of that matters to me. I get to kill things and get paid for it.
<B>Gruk:</B> You didn't leave anyone alone with Jyan, did you? 'Cause she's tricky.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
In the meantime, Foradun and Kha'Narek are attempting to intimidate the human.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Foradun:</B> What's with the Tiefling?
<B>Human:</B> (Stares back quietly)
<B>Kha'Narek:</B> Do you not understand common?
<B>Foradun:</B> Maybe he's not going to be any use. Maybe we should kill him.
<B>Kha'Narek:</B> We'll see what the holy one says.
<B>Travian:</B> (Walks in)
<B>Kha'Narek:</B> This one's not talking. I'm thinking about of killing him.
<B>Travian:</B> Hold off a minute.
<B>Foradun:</B> (Does some intimidating with the psiblade)
<B>Kha'Narek:</B> He doesn't respond to common. I'm not sure he understands it.
<B>Deluwen:</B> Open your mouth.
<B>Human:</B> Doesn't respond.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
Lots of Sense Motive rolls (22 Travian). Travian thinks that this guy is acting.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Travian:</B> I was hoping you could talk to the other prison a bit.
<B>Kha'Narek:</B> What would you like me to ask?
<B>Travian:</B> You have some other knowledge of the area.
<B>Kha'Narek:</B> Very well.
<B>Travian:</B> I think this guy is faking it. He's acting like he's scared.
<B>Kha'Narek:</B> I see.
<B>Travian:</B> I think he'll need magical interrogation.
<B>Thorfinn:</B> (Suggests using Fascination and Suggestion)
<B>Deluwen:</B> (Suggests using Detect Thoughts)
<B>Human:</B> I can tell you. What's going on here isn't going to be in any tale.
<B>Human:</B> General Damos is slow sure and certain as death. Meticulous. Absolutely ruthless. He'll grind you down to dust if you're in his way. This town here has been in his way for too long. They're going to be ground down. Either way, he doesn't take no for an answer. What he tells us to do we do. Either that or we stop breathing. It's permitted for us to surrender to a superior foe, but it's not allowed for us to divulge tactics. I'm just in it for the promotion to officer. I come from a wealthy family, so they'll bring me back if I'm killed.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
As Deluwen does his Detect Thoughts.
"Hmmm...they're good very good. If I spill the beans, there are worse things than death that he'll do to my family."
As Thorfinn talks to him more, the human appears to be more resistant as he brings up the subject of his companions and where they came from.
Thorfinn attempts to use the same tactic on the next orc. The orc appears to be thinking what he's saying.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Orc:</B> Come from a lot of places. Gruk was hired out of the jail. I'm lookin' to retire--my 12th year in the cavalry. Name's Ivan. So, like I said, Gruk comes from the prison. I'm an imperial man. Jyan, stay away from her.
<B>Thorfinn:</B> What should we do that?
<B>Orc:</B> Well, one of her parents was a demon or something. She doesn't encourage a lot of questioning.
<B>Thorfinn:</B> She on good terms with anybody?
<B>Orc:</B> She is what she is though.
<B>Orc:</B> That noble fella Pentocrates. High falutin' son of a bitch. I don't know where his bodyguard went off to. He's been with us on every fight with us so far.
<B>Thorfinn:</B> Can you describe him?
<B>Orc:</B> Shadowy figure.
<B>Thorfinn:</B> Anything else?
<B>Orc:</B> Real quiet. And kills with his hands.
<B>Orc:</B> Crushed windpipes, broken necks. That kind of thing.
<B>Thorfinn:</B> You know where Pentocrates is from?
<B>Orc:</B> No. He says he's part of House Marvad, but of course who wouldn't say that. But that bodyguard--that's their kind of operation I tell ya. Some kind of shadow walker or something. Kex is his name. That thing is bad news. It's the only reason he can talk with us as equals.
<B>Orc:</B> The first time she saw Kex was Day 3, I guess? There's kind of a stable state between those two. Once she saw what was guarding him, he was off her list.
<B>Thorfinn:</B> Well
<B>Orc:</B> I think she knows dangerous shit when she sees it. Some kind of shadow walker or something...
<B>Thorfinn:</B>
<B>Orc:</B> It's kind of nice having a noble in the unit. Having an assassin around helps a lot. He likes to go home bragging of victory.
<B>Orc:</B> Torahk. You wake him up, he'll give you an earful. You got Fannius and Silex. Fannius is a nice enough kid--he doesn't know what's going on. Silex--bastard, don't play cards with him. Quick fingers and a lying mouth. (Ivan continues to detail the others...)
<B>Ivan:</B> Lieutenant. Good man.
<B>Thorfinn:</B>
<B>Ivan:</B> Kolin Mokashu. He's been with the unit for a while. Good horseman, good swordsman. Hardly ever talked. Didn't say much at all. Damn he was a good swordsman. I don't know much about him. Just "Hai!".
<B>Ivan:</B> He was the other sergeant. Torahk and Mokashu.
<B>Ivan:</B> Well, you've gotten the best to take prisoners. (Sarcastically) Good luck to ya!
<B>Ivan:</B> I'll tell you, if the general comes here to rescue us, I'm thinking it'll be my fourth shot of getting out of here. Well, I figure Jyan will pull something. Pentocrates will pull Kex in. Once he does that the bodies will start piling up. The third option is that once you've got everything out of us, you'll let us go.
<B>Ivan:</B> Don't tell anybody I told you this.
<B>Thorfinn:</B> I'm guessing there's two people you don't want to know this.
<B>Ivan:</B> I don't know how much you know about the Imperium, but treason is punishable by lifetime servitude.
<B>Thorfinn:</B> (Tries to get him to talk about unit strengths)
<B>Ivan:</B> Quite a lot. Several corps. 10, maybe 15 thousand troops. Cavarly. Missile troops. Holy warriors. Some monstrous forces of course. The heavy infantry just arrived. They don't move fast, but they're hard to stop.
<B>Thorfinn:</B> Any special units?:
<B>Ivan:</B> Well, the heavy infantry. They're minotaurs. They're quite a set. The other thing is that we're expecting reinforcements. But General Demos wants to get out before the reinforcements. Scuttlebutt is that the reinforcements is going to be led by the Myrmidon. Given that, he may not last much longer. I think the governor is slow and careful. General Demos wants to be out of town before the Myrmidon shows up before he shows up with a writ If the Myrmidon shows, he'll bring his personal guard. Some reinforcements. We might double in size.
</BLOCKQUOTE>
Mandos goes to sleep for two hours during the daytime.
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<B>Tiefling:</B> So, why don't you just let us go?
<B>Foradun:</B> Why is that?
<B>Tiefling:</B> You find a viper, you don't keep it do you?
<B>Foradun:</B> Why is that?
<B>Tiefling:</B> So, that's what you should do. Kill us or keep us.
<B>Tiefling:</B> I can assure you. The longer you keep us the more likely we bite back.
<B>Foradun:</B> I think it we kill her, I think it'll set an example.
<B>Kha'Narek:</B>
<B>Tiefling:</B> They find my body tied up and murdered, what do you think they'll do to you?
<B>Foradun:</B> Treated well is that you give me something to keep you alive.
<B>Kha'Narek:</B>
<B>Travian:</B> What's going on here?
<B>Kha'Narek:</B> She wants to be let go.
<B>Tiefling:</B> I recommend that you free us or kill us. We're too dangerous to keep around.
<B>Tiefling:</B> I'm sure you're friend is in favor of killing the defenseless.
<B>Travian:</B> This conversation is over. Everybody out!
<B>Foradun:</B> (Fires Concussion Blast at Tiefling before leaving)
</BLOCKQUOTE>
Much chaos ensues. Travian chews out Foradun, as does Kha'Narek. Travian considers sending back the two dangerous figures to Aquitaine for further questioning.
Mirto is sent back to Home to provide news to Donner. Donner has a conversation with Seledan. Seledan's advice is to deal with the Imperium from a position of strength.
Father Elias gets a Divination: Safety lies in spreading the word of the future. During the evening, there villagers report were several shadows moving around.
<H3> Scouting out Regis Vale </H3>
Harvey Galafax agrees to be the fake deserter (carrying Mirto's gem).
Grackle possesses Grak to spy on Regis Vale. On the return trip, Sergeant Torahk is leading the way back. He is bullying everyone on the way back, except for Jyan. During the trip back, she appears to be gleeful during the whole trip.
On the return trip, Mirto manages to get a quick view of Kex. At one point Pentocrates gets up and is talking to a figure. Mirto doesn't hear much of the conversation, but he does hear the word "Kex". The figure just melts away as Pentocrates walks back.
He safely makes it to Regis Vale. There, they are debriefed. The area is buzzing with lots of activity of troops and people. There are large rows of crops and pens. There is a square mile of a bazaar. There are lots of troops and tents around as well. Some of the heavily armored minotaurs are moving through town periodically. In terms of racial background, there is a huge mixed bag (ogres, half ogres, trolls, half trolls, etc.)
Mirto gets reassigned with Ivan to a new platoon. There is a lot of scuttlebutt about the Myrmidon. Some are whispering that he has a legendary artifact and set himself up as the military overlord. The buzz among the troops is that they should burn down Dulax Moir and haul in all the people. At the same time, there is some buzz about who has arrived in Dulax Moir.
After a couple of days, Mirto attempts to pinpoint his soul gem. He gets a rough idea where Harvey is near the livestock pens.
Scuttlebutt about Pentocrates is that he is the son of a noble of House Marvad. The thing that gets people's interest is that he's got a shadow. The leaders of the army appear to be in a nearby keep. There are rumors that it's well guarded and protected by magic. Jyan has been promoted and is now an officer in some kind of special infantry unit. There are rumors that she is in with a higher-up. But it's difficult to separate the rumors from the truth when it comes to her.
As he sticks around, there is definitely going to be a strike force of some kind. It sounds like a pretty comprehensive mix, but the mission has not been defined. By observation, it looks like they are part of a larger group. There are three such groups that appear to be training. On the fourth day, all three groups are training together. Word is that there is an assault being planned and each group will be an arm of the assault. One of the rumors is Dulax Moir.
Grackle heads near the tent for these special teams. There he casts Clairvoyance. Looking among the plans, it looks a representation of the entire Dulax Moir area, including Blackvault. It looks like there are four forces, each coming from one of the compass directions into the town.
Fifteen days later Mirto reports back in.
<H2> Foes Fought </H2>
Imperial soldiers