Random DM nagging.

[Ebiris]

That's true. It also feels like fencing off 'our' NPCs though and creating our own personal little fiefdoms which I'm not really crazy about, though.

[Corwin]

I've reread Ender's Game lately so maybe it influenced me a bit in the 'selecting people' part. I recognize that it can get that way, but I just figured that since it's 'off screen' for the most part and we'll still continue to mix and match NPCs coming along with us for actual sessions it won't be an issue.

Hmm, suggestions on fixing it. Just like I suggested rotating duties (for guarding the Aurora and the like), we could have rotating commanding officers as well? So the lieutenants don't have to stay that way, but can swap from time to time.

Another possibility is that we make several armies for different purposes, like you suggested, and just assign the officers to _them_ instead of to _us_. And we'll rotate ourselves, to command the different types of armies.

Do any of these sound sensible?

[Anastasia]

I'd prefer not to start claiming NPCs, no. That happened a bit too much in Balmuria 1 and I try and avoid that when possible.  Beyond that up to you guys.

[Anastasia]

Ebony preview, as Jaela selected her to lead the force detachment from Sylica. She's mostly done, but I won't have the chance to finish her for another day or two.

Bard 18//Sorcerer 6/Exalted Arcanist 5/Sacred Exorcist 7

Feats: Consecrate Spell(H), Lingering Song(1), Eschew Materials(S1), Improved Initiative(3), Purify Spell(S5), Inspire Spellpower(6), Skill Focus(String Instruments)(9), Sacred Vow(EA3), Vow of Obedience(EA5), Toughness(12), Requiem(15), Song of Cleansing Light(18)

Song of Cleansing Light [Bardic, Exalted]
Prerequisite: Bardic music, turn undead.
Benefit: As a standard action, you may expend one use of your bardic music ability and one use of your turn undead ability to grant your allies within 60ft bonus damage against undead. They deal an extra 2d6 points of damage on weapon damage rolls, including natural weapons. This damage rises by 1d6 to 3d6 when you reach level 10, as well as by 1d6 to 4d6 when you reach level 20. This effect lasts for as long as you play and for 5 rounds thereafter.

[Anastasia]

On the other hand, what you missed with Dawnhope.

Courre 18(with advanced racial features)//Rogue 5/Paladin of Freedom 5/Knight of Sylica 5/Hellbreaker 3.

Courre Smiting [General]
Prerequisite: Courre eladrin, smite evil class feature.
Benefit: By tapping into the duality of your forms when you smite evil, your attacks strike true. Whenever you smite evil, that attack is treated as having the ghost touch property. In addition, you are able to briefly blink between corporeal and incorporeal. Until the start of your next turn, you benefit from a 50% miss chance on all attacks. Ghost touch weapons and effects that affect incorporeal and corporeal creatures equally bypass this miss chance.

This one was in Balmuria 2 but never made the leap for whatever reason. It's a middling niche feat, but no reason not to have it in. Adding it to houserules now.

Devotee to Sylica [Exalted]
Prerequisite: Must have Alicia or Syala as a patron
Benefit: For the purposes of determining damage from spells or abilities dependent on alignment, you are treated as either lawful or chaotic, whichever is most advantageous. This does not apply to other effects based on alignment, such as the deflection bonus from a protection from chaos or law spell.

[Corwin]

Given a choice between two people I went for the one I met since she seemed nice?

[Corwin]

My own thoughts on armies. I think that we don't really need an airforce. I also feel that rather than a single pillar we could have several, much like in our attack on Earthfall. So I think it might be neat to break our forces down into three main armies, and supplement them with taskforces roughly half their size that are purpose-built and will be diverted to address any issues. Naturally, said taskforces could also have their own thing, such as scouting should we need to rely on that first.

All the different troops will train with each other and learn the other's weaknesses and strengths, not to mention build camraderie and iron out any disagreements. The officers should work reasonably well together, and have a mix of might and magic to handle various situations they might find themselves in. Each army is largely self-sufficient, and has moderate scouting and healing abilities, and naturally a solid combat base.
3 main armies: 440 in each
150 Ysgardian regulars
60 elven warriors
40 catfolk warriors
40 air elementals (Chan)
30 Ysgardian warriors
30 Graceful Blow students
15 air elementals (Cauldron)
15 water elementals (Cauldron)
15 earth elementals (Cauldron)
15 fire elementals (Cauldron)
10 firre warriors/clerics
10 tortles
10 courre scouts
Officers: (1) Drena, Dana, The Master; (2) Mirima, Misalea, Sylvie; (3) Crystal, Lief, Canderella.
In command: PCs, ideally? If not, then the first/second choice listed for each army should do well.

The idea is to have a force that is largely light and swift, and can respond far more quickly to any situation or need for reinforcements. The situation at Earthfall where Afina and Willim fell back with the air elementals comes to mind here, but it could also double for scouting and for hit and run/harrassment tactics.
1 rapid response force: 254
65 air elementals (Chan)
66 dire wolves
43 catfolk
40 pixies from Lifasa
40 courre scouts
Officers: Annalise, Tannin, Arrel
In command: PCs, Annalise or Tannin, depending on the situation.

Magic is really what makes or breaks things in D&D3.5 and battles aren't any different. This mage-oriented force could either serve as artillery or provide aid (having lots and lots of clerics) or buff or debuff and basically be fairly multi-purpose. And since mages are usually squishier and not that suited for melee, they have some really strong defenders attached to them.
1 mage-heavy force: 199
47 firre warriors/clerics
50 Ysgardian regulars
45 Graceful Blow students
20 air elementals (Chan)
12 githyanki acolytes
12 earth elementals (Earth)
8 Ysgardian warriors
5 cloud giants
Officers: Hanna, Kascha, Sage Vul'lath
In command: PCs, Hanna or Kascha, depending on the situation.

I suppose this is really the same as a reserve, but I can entirely see it being sufficient to hold Aurora indefinitely for us, thus freeing our main force(s) for attacking/responding/counter-attacking.
Aurora defense: 147
51 elven warriors
31 refugee warrios from Lifasa
25 conflagration oozes
13 tortles
7 courre scouts
5 air elementals (Cauldron)
5 water elementals (Cauldron)
5 earth elementals (Cauldron)
5 fire elementals (Cauldron)
Officers: Adrian, Baleruk, The Jarl, Elder Magi Teppen
In command: Gisfal

Once we get more troops, we'll break them up three ways, and integrate them into the armies. The remainder will go into the Aurora defense/reserve, and integrate with the forces there. In the case of exceptional forces (i.e. forces very much suitable towards mageness, sneakiness, top speed or whichever else we might come across) we could just create more special forces. For example, the fast response taskforce is a bit large right now, and we can always create two different ones if it ever grew almost as large as an army.

[Ebiris]

I really like this.

Only suggestion I can add on is for the three core armies to give them different training focuses, it can foster friendly rivalry and let them organically grow as we go on so that even if all three are solid at everything, one might excel at static defence, another becomes pro at blitzkreig attacks, and the other can brag about siege-breaking skills. Also leads easily into each army earning cool thematic nicknames.

edit: This is probably a given thanks to officer selection, actually. An army led by Dana and the Master is naturally going to turn out different to one led by Mirima and Sylvie over time.

[Corwin]

Cool. With a bit of hope, Sylica and Ilsenine's efforts with the Seelie courts will provide us with more troops and, therefore, extra flexibility.

Speaking of growing organically, I think this might be accomplished somehow with items/armament. We're next to done with the essential Aurora upgrades once the listed rounds are over, so we could shift the Aurora half of the loot into equipment for our troops. Tower shields for defense, adamant weapons for breaking through sieges, that sort of thing?

[Anastasia]

Is Cor's list what we're going with? Merc'n'Yuth, do you have any opinions here at all?

[Anastasia]

Todo list over the weekend. If I'm missing something add it.

1. Yuth PrC.
2. Log fragments to Cor.
3. Finalize army information above, barring more debate or alterations.

[Anastasia]

For tomorrow since I got nabbed tonight.

1. Yuth PrC.
2. Log fragments to Cor.
3. Finalize army information above, barring more debate or alterations.
4. Worldmeet Glade info check and ruling for Yuth.
5. Ebony post + Sylica forces added to army.
6. Check wilding clasp+weapon, was discussion in chat that one doesn't work with a weapon. Will look into it.

[Yuthirin]

Is Cor's list what we're going with? Merc'n'Yuth, do you have any opinions here at all?

I'm fine with it. Looks good. We'll see how it works out and revise if needed.

[Anastasia]

Todo today.

1. Yuth PrC.
2. Log fragments to Cor.
3. Finalize army information above, barring more debate or alterations.
4. Worldmeet Glade info check and ruling for Yuth.
5. Ebony post + Sylica forces added to army.
6. Check wilding clasp+weapon, was discussion in chat that one doesn't work with a weapon. Will look into it.
7. Post unmatter info Yuth and company turned up.
8. Post information from the books the Guardian gave you.
9. Post Kascha's completed question and answer session with the Guardian.

[Yuthirin]

Worldmeet Glade:

Description: A worldmeet glade is an outdoor location with several different kinds of habitats concentrated in a smaller than normal space. Typically, such a site includes a forest, a marsh, a freshwater lake, a saltwater lake, and some hilly or mountainous terrain. Some even include deserts and frozen tundra, depending on the kinds of creatures present. The temperature in any given section is appropriate for its terrain, and all the sections coexist without "bleeding" into one another.

A worldmeet glade teems with life. The air is filled with squawks, grunts, roars, and growls, and creatures cavort in every part of the space. Nuts, berries, and ordinary prey animals abound to satisfy the hunger of every creature present. If both good and evil creatures are present, they ignore one another rather than fighting. The thrum of life is everywhere, and an intangible sense of peace and harmony pervades the area. When a spellcaster who has successfully drawn power from a worldmeet glade casts a summoning spell, the summoned creature is briefly outlined in a green glowing light.

Prerequisite:
Only an arcane spellcaster capable of casting at least three different conjuration spells of 3rd level or higher can sense and access the power contained within a worldmeet glade. (This is garbage.)

Location Activation:
To claim the power of a worldmeet glade, a qualified spellcaster must meditate uninterrupted for 8 hours within its confines. If this meditation is interrupted, the character can begin again.

Recharge:
Once a worldmeet glade has bestowed its poweron a single spellcaster, it cannot do so again for one year.

Special Ability (Ex):  A worldmeet glade grants a qualified spellcaster the ability to summon an enhanced version of any creature he could normally call with a given summon monster spell. The creature gains +2 hit points per Hit Die and a +2 bonus on all saving throws, checks, attack rolls, and damage rolls.

Duration:
The ability to summon enhanced creatures lasts for one year.

Aura:
None.

Ability Value:
18,000 gp

My request is basically to make this function for any kind of spellcasting, and not just for arcane/summon monster. I'm giving serious thought to shifting my build toward summoning/buffs and shapeshift, dropping most of my direct damage spells. This would be an awesome way to improve that. Plus, it'd give all our extraplanar creatures a place to go and feel more at home. Morale booster!