[OOC] Oct 21 - Nov 3: Thistletop Fell

[Elle]

Ok, so, here's the thing:
It's going to cost most of the cash I have to hire an engineer to help build reinforcements or shelters in Sandpoint, and to then travel to Fort Rannick with a crew to consult on needed refurbishing of the Fort, the Mines, and the Dam (i.e. so as to find a way to control floodgates without gruesomely using living enslaved batteries).

I don't know exactly how much it will cost to pay for the materials needed in Sandpoint, but I assume it's significant enough that Dwyn cannot afford to pay for it all plus hiring an engineering crew. Either we get some money when we cash in our loot, and that gives me enough to cover it, or else I'm going to need to ask someone for help. Sandpoint's Mayor and Sheriff might be willing to chip in some money, but I'm not sure how much. What if we need to ask Mayor Grobaras to help support this community's defense? For him, it's a relatively paltry sum, considering how he has rewarded us in the past. And I'm willing to match funds with him as an incentive. I suppose Sandpoint might have a few wealthy residents we could appeal to for matching funds as well, so Dwyn can start by making that offer.

Anyway, I'm not going to ask him if people don't want me to talk to him. You can talk Dwyn out of things, as I say, but then how do we pay for all this? Am I the only one who has a wild hair about doing this, as it seems?

Regarding Mokmurian, I am not happy about this but in the end I agree we have to take the fight to him, or at least somewhere out of town. I still think if he wants this thing in sandpoint so blasted much, he'll come here to get it, and that fight would be better than trying to invade a fortress defended by hundreds of stone giants. The big problem for me is not that Sandpoint can't defend against him, but that in the process he might damage innocent people in sandpoint. So if there's going to be a crisis and fireballs flying around, better than it happen somewhere far from the citizens of the town. That's where I come out on the thing.

[Tahlvin]

My suggestion: Don't spend much money trying to reinforce Sandpoint. Focus on early warning and evacuation, but don't hire engineers, don't build defensive fortifications.

Don't talk to the Lord Mayor of Magnimar. Sandpoint is nothing to him; Magnimarian holding or not, he doesn't care all that much about defending it from giants. The only way he'll put up any money to defend Sandpoint is if he stands to get back more money in some fashion. Whether that's increased taxes on Sandpoint's residents, or personal favors from the residents, or further chits our company owes him. He will not lift a finger unless there is a personal benefit for him.

If you want to spend money on engineering for Fort Rannick and the damn, etc., then that's a reasonable expense. Since our company now runs Fort Rannick, I think we should start setting aside of a share of party loot to be devoted towards maintenance of the fort. So while our various member's can contribute personal cash towards getting things started, as they see fit, moving forward we carve out some cash off the top to provide support. Perhaps we build that into the new group charter.

[Mike]

I agree. Gunrus says that when Mokmurian figures out what happened, he will marshal a real army and bring down the wrath of the gods on Sandpoint. I don't think any amount of fortification will protect Sandpoint from a full on giant army. Our best bet is to head him off at the source and make sure no such army ever gets here. And in case of the worst happening, we help them plan for early warning and evacuation.

[Tahlvin]

I just figured it out: Lord-Mayor Grobaras of Magnimar is the Donald Trump of the Pathfinder world! That's why I always want to pronounce his name as "grab ass"! That's why Eldthor really doesn't want anything more to do with the man.

[Elle]

Ok, I won't talk to the Mayor. But Dwyn wants to hire the engineer and I doubt she can be dissuaded from that at all. These are her relatives at risk.

[Tahlvin]

It's Dwyn's money to spend however she wants. And Eldthor certainly understands her wanting to protect Sandpoint given her ties to the area and her background. He won't stop her from spending her money on defenses, but he will try to help her see that a better way to protect them may be to purchase equipment for her to use in defeating Mokmurion. There's certainly a middle ground where she can spend some on an engineer to beef up Sandpoint's defenses a bit, and spend some on giant-killing equipment for herself. As for the Fort, if she wants to spend some of her cash on that she is also welcome, otherwise I think it needs to be funded from future party loot.

[Mike]

Dothan is up for investing some money in the Sandpoint engineering project. She doesn't understand the full reasoning behind it, but she'll feel obligated to help.

"Look, I understand leaving Sandpoint with plans and basic assistance to make sure everyone can get to safety, but the whole engineering project seems a little overboard. But if it's that important to Dwyn, I'll help her with some of the cost. I know her generosity sometimes surpasses her means."

[Mike]

Everyone check the loot thread and see if you want to claim any of it or add stuff to the list.

For the shopping trip, I think it's safe to assume that everyone has an extra 3,000 gp to spend. Get any weird purchases approved in the Darcs thread, and then make up shopping lists. We can have the shopping part of this done mostly before play starts tomorrow.

I think that at 750 each, the team should consider investing in two or three Wands of Endure Elements. Each wand is worth about a week's worth of protection from the elements, and it would eliminate the need for a whole bunch of cold weather gear. (Alternately, we can just spend 10-15 gp each for a bunch of cold weather clothes and store them in a Bag of Holding when not needed.)

[Elle]

Dwyn already has a set of Cold Weather clothing, specifically, and she has the Snowbound trait that helps a bit. However, snow shoes are always handy.

If I am going to receive 3000 gp or thereabouts, then I can fund all of my random engineering projects by myself, so no need to worry about that. I would like to purchase some potions though.

Question: in one session I was trying to give a CMW potion to Anna but I don't know if she ever used it and I can't find that anywhere, so don't know whether I should take it off my sheet and buy a new one in Magnimar.

[Bluedevyl]

She didn't use it, so keep it on your sheet. I just checked and she's got 3 stashed away in her bag of holding.

For the shopping, do you want us to get you Cure Moderate potions for 300 or Cure Serious for 750? I'm sure that Sam can do better than both of those, but whichever, we can probably pick up either of them.

[Eliahad]

Oh shit. Potions. Those are the things I always forget to grab...I'll try and come up with a potion list for Illian before you go shopping this evening

[Mike]

Don't worry about making the list for anyone else. We don't actually have to roleplay the whole shopping excursion. Just update your character sheet accordingly. It looks like pretty much any common item and any magic under 3-4 grand is automatically available, so just write it down and do the accounting. We'll assume it all went to task.

[DMDarcs]

[DMDarcs]

Snowshoes
School transmutation; Level cleric 1, druid 1, ranger 1
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
EFFECT
Range touch
Target creature touched
Duration 1 hour/level (D)
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless); Spell Resistance yes (harmless)

The affected creature can walk lightly over ice and snow without having its speed reduced. The affected creature gains a 10 foot enhancement bonus to speed and is not required to make Acrobatics checks or Reflex saves to walk on ice and snow without slipping and falling, to avoid cracking ice it walks over, or to avoid falling through cracked ice. In addition, the affected creature does not leave a more readily discernible trail through ice and snow than it does on solid ground, denying trackers potential bonuses to follow the affected creature's path.

Snowshoes, Mass
School transmutation; Level cleric 3, druid 3, ranger 3
Range close (25 ft + 5 ft/2 levels)
Targets one creature/level, no two of which are more than 30 ft apart

This spell functions like snowshoes except as noted above.

[Eliahad]

Have fun tonight, everybody!

[Mike]

Aw! I miss Dave.

[Elle]

Who is this Dave?

[Mike]

Oh... he used to play a gnome or halfling or something in our game. But it's been years since he's been around. It's too bad, too, because I remember him being a really nice guy.

[Eliahad]

Sounds like a jerk. Complete kneebiter.

[Elle]

Well, let's not judge his, uh, proclivities.