Interlude: With Strange Aeons...

[Ebiris]

You guys are free to do what you like! Also, I reiterate what I said before about Amarysa needing to get her shit together before adventuring, so you guys have some time before even heading to Candlekeep.

I don't really want to force you one way or another, but bear in mind that the Drow have been sitting on their stolen artifact for over a decade. Admittedly they could be on the verge of a major breakthrough and therefore time is of the essence, but that's your call to make.

Anyway, if you guys just want to lay low and retrain and craft items and shit until Amarysa's ready to go, we can basically start with the journey to Candlekeep on Sunday. If you have anything you'd like to do in the meantime, however, please tell me what so that I don't have to toss a random encounter together at the last minute on Sunday.

Really, the ball's entirely in your court. We're past the days of me needing to railroad you guys - you have various options available to you, and there's nothing to stop you coming back to a previously researched quest after doing other stuff in the meantime. Just so long as I have some preptime to work with, Faerun is your oyster.

Or even beyond. I'm up for more planeshopping if you guys feel like doing that.

edit for more content:

I'm also willing to toss up a few sidequest hooks if people want more options and directions than just 'go to place X and look for trouble'. I had you guys on the run for a while with the Githyanki stuff, so this is really your chance to have a free choice in what you want to do.

[Carthrat]

Well, if nobody else has any better ideas, Alveria would like to hunt down Wild Magic zones and take her apprentices along, so she can study them and gain INSPIRATION for chaos-sword-themed-spells.

Sidequest hooks are also plausible (particularly if we can get them from the university or silverymoon's government.)

[Dracos]

Well, really it depends a bit on the result of our hunt for ancient books for entrance into candledeep.  If we know of a way to get one here, that's probably something to wrap up while waiting.

If not, I'm fine with the quest hooks and with checking for mercenary work.  Wouldn't want to commit to anything major though with knowing we have some gunghoness behind going to fight drow, even if they've had it for a decade.

Outside of the drow stuff, I'm totally up on:
Treasure hunting
Sailing and doing some pirate hunting
Doing some high tier merc work for silverymoon.
Doing some merc work for Vrishchika~  Rawr.  
Recruiting NPCs via deathmatch!  Because frankly Gourash isn't about to seriously put together his own troop, but if he's expected to pull his weight he's entirely willing to let someone who ended up on the wrong side follow him...  Eh, no, =p  Don't actually really want an army with him.  He's really a lone berserker build more than a leader.  Amonet has the leadership down.


Not so much up on wild magic zones.  That sounds really like just an alveria session, no offense.

And on a long term whim:
Gourash would like to have a bracer formed from the scales of every chromatic dragon!  To honor surviving killing one of each type~  =p  Obviously, he has a ways to go, but reds sure as heck can't be on the up and up with his axe =p

Anyhow, really I see us having two major arcs pealed out and thus, fish for sidequests but not trying to think of a long term agenda to add to the mix that can have a small chunk done now.

Anyhow, point taken on it opening up. =)

[Ebiris]

Sidequests go!

The following are found out without too much effort:

The shipping route between Yhaunn and Telflamm isn't safe at the best of times, but recently a group of pirates flying under the banner of a shark's jawbone have been exacting an especially heavy toll in the waters around the Dragon Reach. They seem to have an affinity for monstrous creatures of the deep which aid them in their predations.

The woods around Moonhaven are starting to become choked with vicious lycanthropes and worshippers of Malar. Historically they've kept themselves to the far North of the Moonwood, but now they're being sighted barely a stone's throw from the town walls, and numerous farms and homesteads have been attacked. The Knights in Silver have reinforced the town and stepped up patrols, but someone needs to find a way to send these beastmen packing, permanently.

Vrischika would like if someone could get her the Ring of Dessication. It's currently held by the champion of the Bloody Tusk tribe of orcs, in the mountains east of Moonhaven. She'll pay 25,000gp for the ring.

[Carthrat]

If we go to Moonhaven, we could do two of the quests at once, probably in the time it'd take to have, say, Keylin organize a crew for us back in Sembia.  It'd take a bunch of days to sail down and try pirate hunting, anyway, so only losing a couple seems acceptable to me.

Taking on an entire pirate ship could be a bit of a problem if we don't have a bunch of fighter-dudes, too. But we could advertise that we have a BOAT, we're going PIRATE HUNTING, join for LOOT, it's all good. Of course, as the ones who provide the boat, we can easily take the most money...

Or we could go to Mulhorand and have Amonet raise an army, that could also work.

[Dracos]

I like Rat's style.

Gourash is always up for making the most of his trips.  And defeating orchish champions is in his portfolio.  Anyhow, let's go hunting werewolves...  After we check and make sure we're ready to kill them.  Are we Rat?  Damage reduction in 3.5 always throws me.

Then let's go for the orchish mountain.


Gourash IS a bunch of fighter dudes~ =p

[Carthrat]

Damage reduction?

Well, I'm pretty sure there aren't CR 10 monsters with DR of more than 20.

So, Gourash will always deal an effective amount of damage, and we have nothing to worry about!

[Dracos]

Heh, 'we'll see'.

Anyhow, just to say, I'm also okay with handwaving our fee negociations with the knights.  Fun to play, but also fine to skip.

Dracos

[Ebiris]

[14:03] <Ebiris> After delivering her lecture on the wonders of wild magic, and briefly discussing the subject in more detail with a few of the more senior members of the college, who eagerly insist Alveria return with her insights in the future, the elven Wild Mage has a few moments to herself... or not, as she's shortly accosted in the halls of the college outside the lecture theatre.
[14:03] <Ebiris> A pair of young women with vaguely elvish features but the more solid builds of humans approach her, looking like perfect doubles in shape and stature, if not attire and demeanour. Slightly taller than Alveria, one wears brownish/grey robes decorated with red sashes, her light brown hair in a short pageboy cut that almost obscures her ears. Her companion wears similar robes, albeit with a pure white mantle on top, and has her own hair tied back into a scrunched ponytail.
[14:03] <Ebiris> "Miss Calhadre!" the one with the pageboy hair excitedly waves to Alveria, a cheerful smile on her lips. "That was a fascinating lecture you just gave - I really enjoyed it!" Her twin merely nods and smiles in a more reserved fashion, standing just behind her.
[14:05] <Alveria> "Ah, I'm glad you appreciated it," replies Alveria, smiling back. "I really wish I could spend longer on the subject here at the university; everyone has been most supportive."
[14:10] <Ebiris> "As an evoker myself, I feel especially touched by what you said," she nods animatedly, before her eyes widen briefly. "Oh, I'm Katrina, by the way - this is my sister, Henrietta."
[14:10] <Ebiris> "We've both been studying at the College this past year, but they hardly ever mention things like Wild Magic, and the Shadow Weave is only something you hear people whisper about in rumours - but you were so frank and gave it all the fair treatment it deserves!" she gushes adoringly.
[14:13] <Alveria> "They're fairly advanced topics, so it doesn't surprise me that they're skipped over. I think your tutors may frown on me for mentioning such things- but I feel that every mage has a right to know the options- and realities- that exist," replies Alveria, bowing slightly. "Today's taboo is tomorrow's science, after all!"
[14:19] <Ebiris> "That's right," Katrina grins happily. "I- we've even started to feel like we're getting stifled and not realising our full potential, here," she goes on, prompting a faintly disapproving look from the silent Henrietta. "So it's almost like providence that you show up just now, laying out so many exciting new possibilities before us!" Her head whips around to her twin as she adds, "Isn't that right, Henrietta?"
[14:19] <Ebiris> Henrietta gives a rather strained smile in reply. "Well, it is true that the sylabus here seems slow, at times... and I suppose there's no substitute for real experience."
[14:22] <Alveria> "It is true that active use of magic, 'in the field' is it were, can spur the growth of mystical abilties faster than formal instruction," replies Alveria. "I must point out, of course, that you never leave the onus of constant study and revision behind. Learning, after all, is an ongoing process." -more
[14:26] <Alveria> "Still, if you are serious about taking up my offer, I'd like to know a little more about you. Perhaps over some tea?" Lightly clasping her fingers together, Alveria gazes expectantly at the two witches.
[14:29] <Ebiris> "Of course. We have questions of our own before we can commit to accepting your tutelage," Henrietta smiles pleasantly, though she does give Katrina a rather firm look.
[14:29] <Ebiris> The other half-elf wilts a little bit but swiftly rallies with a smile of her own, "Yes, we know a nice place nearby where we can have a drink and chat things over," she nods, stepping away from Alveria. "This way?" she gestures down the corridor.
[14:34] <Alveria> "Of course," replies Alveria, stepping quietly after the girls. "You said you've been here for a year? How have you found it, overall?"
[14:39] <Ebiris> "Everyone's really nice!" "Some people are a bit too competitive," they both say at once, before looking at each other and laughing. Henrietta then gestures for Katrina to take over, which she does with gusto.
[14:39] <Ebiris> "We've learned a lot here, but it's not the same as having a dedicated instructor - the tutors have to divide their time between everyone, after all. Having access to the library and the labs makes up for it, though, I think. And it's easy enough to pay for tuition just by helping out our seniors, now and then."
[14:44] <Alveria> "I've had to make use of the library many times myself- there's no better source of spells in all the West, I believe," replies Alveria, nodding. "Are you both evokers, by the way?"
[14:46] <Ebiris> Henrietta puts a hand over her mouth and giggles softly. "I can't cast spells from that school at all," she admits. "Illusion is my trade."
[14:46] <Ebiris> "I can't cast Illusion spells, so we fill in for each other, that way," Katrina nods cheerily as the three of you step out into the bracing wintry air of Silverymoon. It's a clear and mild day, by standards, but still a tad frosty. Numerous robed figures mill about the wide courtyard of the Ladies College, coming and going.
[14:52] <Alveria> "They are both extremely useful schools," replies Alveria, calmly. "The greater illusions can emulate much of evocation, did you know? As long as you're suitably convincing. But, tell me, how far have you progressed? Of which circles can you cast?"
[14:55] <Ebiris> "That's why I decided not to bother with evocation and conjuration, since illusion can really fill in that gap all by itself," Henrietta gives Alveria an approving smile. "We're still only on the second circle, however, so those spells are a ways off," she admits, her expression falling.
[14:55] <Ebiris> "We're close, though!" Katrina insists, "I can feel it, like I've almost got the formula for fireball in my head, and it's *this* close to clicking!" A few passing students give Katrina an alarmed glance and quicken their pace.
[14:59] <Alveria> "Ah, the old rite-of-passage! I've been working on ways to push them beyond ordinary boundaries recently- spells like that one really start to shine when you learn a bit about metamagic. Oh, and you'll have to study that anyway, if you're curious about Wild Magic- being able to modify the nature of spells is somewhat fundamental."
[15:04] <Ebiris> "Yes, metamagic is really interesting, but there's not much point to it until you've got a few circles of magic to play with," Katrina muses, leading you into a bistro just outside the campus. A blast of hot air strikes almost as soon as you enter, prompting a delighted shiver from the twins.
[15:04] <Ebiris> Numerous young magely types fill the establishment, trading stories, playing chase, casting cantrips, or just simply enjoying a hot drink. A few wave and greet your new friends, who only briefly respond before leading you to a free booth near the back.
[15:04] <Ebiris> playing chess*
[15:07] <Alveria> "True enough, but it's a fascinating study- ah, but I'm getting sidetracked. Well, before I go on, do you have anything you wish to ask about me? I'll explain what arrangements I think we'll make after that."
[15:10] <Ebiris> Henrietta pauses at the bar and is swiftly furnished with three cups of steaming hot tea which she brings to the table and sits down, the two twins opposite Alveria. "Hmm... well, first of all, why don't you tell us how you first discovered wild magic? We heard the lecture, but what drew you personally to it?" Henrietta asks probingly.
[15:14] <Alveria> "Wild Magic has interested me for some time, now, but I never really embraced it until quite recently," replies Alveria, chewing her lip. "I will go into further detail later if you wish, but in short, I was conducting a ritual based on drawing energies from Limbo. A miscalculation resulted in the Limbo going astray, and for a brief period, I was literally out of my mind... such is the danger of experimenting foolishly." (More.)
[15:18] <Alveria> "Ultimately, I came to study Wild Magic as part of a desire to control these surges in the future. A brief glimpse into.. the heart of the Weave, you might say, stirred a kind of fascination in me, one that would not go away. Since then, I have been more cautious in my work, but I must warn you that there is a constant temptation to 'let it all go', as it were, which must be constantly kept at bay."
[15:21] <Ebiris> Whatever Henrietta was going to say as Katrina speaks over her, "Well, magic can be dangerous," she acknowledges blithely. "But you really saw the heart of the wave? And it drove you mad?" she presses, leaning forward over the table with palpable interest.
[15:24] <Alveria> "It is not something I am proud of, regardless of what I managed to learn. I admit that I am not telling you everything, and I will, I promise- but I can assure you both that it *is* dangerous, it *is* hard, and it is *not* something to be toyed with- and I have felt the consequences first hand. The question, of course, is if you already got this warning when you started studying magic in the first place-" (more)
[15:25] <Alveria> "-in which case, I'm sure, you'll find it a bore to hear me repeat. But, one must be bold to undertake this study."
[15:27] <Ebiris> Henrietta looks more thoughtful but Katrina just bobs her head up and down. "Yes; magic is not for the faint hearted, got that drilled into us often enough before, right 'sis?" she smiles at Henrietta.
[15:27] <Ebiris> The other half-elf merely murmurs, "It's an important lesson," in reply.
[15:29] <Alveria> "Can I ask why you began studying?" queries Alveria, taking a sip from her mug.
[15:33] <Ebiris> "It'd be a waste not to use our natural talents!" Katrina declares emphatically as Alveria finds her tea to be pleasantly mild, with a faint minty taste. Certainly warms you up, however.
[15:33] <Ebiris> "Our father was a wizard himself, and began instructing us a few years ago, before he felt the call of Evermeet," Henrietta goes on, with faint bitterness in her voice.
[15:33] <Ebiris> "Dad's a great wizard, and so will we be, some day!" Katrina finishes cheerily, seeming to ignore her sister's tone.
[15:38] <Alveria> "Ah... I am sorry," admits Alveria. "I have never felt the call.. indeed, Evermeet is where I resided to begin with, and returning is not on my agenda for some time. Still, back to the present- the arrangements of our agreement." (More.)
[15:40] <Alveria> "Now, if it is acceptable, I will be spending the next couple of weeks here in Silverymoon, doing some work at the university; I will certainly have one or two hours every day I can dedicate to you two. After that, I believe me and few companions are travelling to Moonhaven to sort out that dreadful business with the werewolves. It's like that after we return, I'll be departing-" (more)
[15:42] <Alveria> "-and that's when I'll expect you to accompany me, if you wish to continue. I admit this is a bit hasty, but I hope this will be enough time for you to decide."
[15:45] <Ebiris> "Oh, I heard about the problems up there with the werewolves. So you're going to help solve that?" Katrina asks admiringly, before giving Henrietta a fairly smug look for just a second.
[15:45] <Ebiris> The other half-elf looks slightly huffy, but nods anyway, "We can meet you tomorrow for our first lesson, then, and take things from there?" she allows.
[15:48] <Alveria> "OF course. I think we'll start with metamagic theory, but I'll speak to your tutors- unless you have something in mind?"
[15:51] <Ebiris> Katrina looks about to say something, but Henrietta smoothly speaks over her, "Theory sounds a fine place to start," she smiles approvingly over her teacup.

[Dracos]

Was rereading over backstory and realized that we never really got a proper shiny artifact (well we did and broke it) for Amonet to stake her claim with later.  We should go do that sometime between now and Mulhourand.  Possibly after pirate hunting.

Dracos
Pirates always have shiny treasure