Random DM nagging.

[Anastasia]

Apologies for delays, football has been extra consuming right now. Updates to resume shortly.

[Anastasia]

The Tower of Flowswaurm.

This tower is the abode of the Compatriots, a trio of elven sorceresses recruited by Jaela. It is a tower only in the loosest sense of the word and via illusions. In reality it is a knotted series of tube, geometric shapes and lines; Flowswaurm is held together by potent magic. This tower can be integrated into Aurora in one of three ways.

The first option is to integrate it within Aurora's main building. This will provide a new area within the tower. As Flowswaurm has its own defenses, this would provide an excellent inner keep in case of a serious siege. This option is also the cheapest, requiring no money to implement.

The second option is to add Flowswaurm above Aurora, much how Baleruk's lair is now. With modifications it can be made into an aerial weapons platform as well as a shield to prevent easy aerial attacks against Aurora. However, this will cost considerable gold to implement.

The final option is to add Flowswaurm below Aurora. This will provide the same defenses from attacks from below as the previous would to above and also offer a strong secondary redoubt, from which counter attacks can be launched in case the Courtyard falls. This option will take money, but not as much as the second option.

Preferences?

[Corwin]

To confirm, the second option provides a backup shield of sorts? And pretty much shuts down an attack from the sky of the sort we saw at Castle Crumbling? If yes to all of that, I'm fine with that option.

[Anastasia]

To confirm, the second option provides a backup shield of sorts? And pretty much shuts down an attack from the sky of the sort we saw at Castle Crumbling? If yes to all of that, I'm fine with that option.

An aerial shield, yes. It would make attacking from above vastly more difficult.

[Corwin]

Let's do that.

[Anastasia]

Okayo, that's a vote for above Aurora. What about the rest of ya? Any opinions?

[Anastasia]

Gwinnan's Travel Logs, Volume 7: Steam.

Gwinnan is a traveling elf, taking in the sights of the planes by his magic and his wits. This book touches on the basics of Para-Elemental Plane of Steam. It provides the following information and traits about Steam.

- Water dominant. Steam is filled with steam. This steam does not burn, but it is thick and impossible to breath. Creatures not native to Steam cannot breath without the aid of Water Breathing or the natural ability to breath water. In addition, the thick steam renders creatures without the water subtype slowed.

- Minor positive dominant. Creatures within Steam gain fast healing 2.

- Enhanced magic. Spells with the water descriptor are automatically empowered and enlarged.

- Impeded magic. Spells with the fire descriptor are impeded.

- Poor visibility. Visibility in Steam varies, but is usually from 10 to 100 feet. Even then, anything beyond shape and size are obscured by the mists.

In addition, there is one tidbit in particular that is of unusual interest.

During my journey within Steam, I happened to come on a particularly barbaric custom. I came on a monastery of githzerai monks known as the Steamsworn, dedicated to mastering a style of fighting like the steam around them. This fighting style incorporates much of the gith tradition and in particular steam based magic. Appalled at a flagrant exhibition of aerial pyromancy, I found myself on the receiving end of several fists of steam!

Only my quickest spells saved me from an unfortunate end. The steam must addle their heads.

[Anastasia]

Verhanez and the Wyrm

This book is a long novel describing the stoic hero Verhanez. His family is wiped out in a black dragon's attack, causing him to swear bloody revenge. The book details the many impossibly heroic adventures of Verhanez, a chiseled, muscled and stoic badass who constantly has comely maidens falling hopelessly in love with him. Indeed, the book soon becomes a slog of overly bloody battles against the blue wyrm's followers and turgid sex scenes with a steady stream of beautiful women. By the end Verhanez has wiped out enough dragon cultists, followers, toadies and kobolds to populate a full town, and likely slept with enough women to refill it; not to mention Afina feels she can never look at any kind of sword again and not think of the 'mighty purple-red blade of the legendary hero Verhanez, to which maidens swoon and wives neglect the sacred vows to chase; lo even the most chaste flower cannot help but...(ect)'.

All that aside, Afina has the knowledge about dragons and arcana to identify one worthwhile aspect. The technical work of this book is wholly accurate and specialized. Whomever wrote this is not a skilled writer but is one hell of a dragon hunter. Someone dedicated to hunting dragons (via the Dragonslayer or Dragonstalker prestige classes) would certainly find this book to be useful.

[Anastasia]

Slambeat

This book describes a method of fighting from the Lyrical Warriors of Kentabrooke. It involves considerable skill in dancing but seamlessly integrates blade and dance together. A warrior of this path could gain considerable powers and 'battle-dances'. However, this is only one book of two and the lessons are incomplete. The style could be salvaged, but it would take a little bit of effort and time. Afina can tell it's not that far from some of what she does, not to mention the Graceful Blow. A consultation with them could bear fruit.

[Ebiris]

Operation Orange Timber

The Aurora will gate onto Lifasa ahead of the Wailing Tree and land to immediately deposit its armies.

Armies 1 and 2 will emerge, supported by elements from the magic force and move to encircle the tree, while Army 3 will hold back to maintain a safe corridor of retreat. The rapid response force will remain in reserve to augment the defences of Aurora and respond to changing conditions.

As soon as the attack commences, Ilsenine will cast Demand on Captain Gibook to suggest he reveal the best method for undoing the curses on the tree. Command staff and mage forces will make undoing those curses their priority. In the event that Gibook does not respond or does not know, command staff will brute force it with Miracles/Break Enchantments while mage forces will focus on simply destroying the tree.

To respond to the direction of unholy energy, an evenly spaced contingent of mages capable of employing barrier spells must be laced throughout the armies at the front. They will maintain readied actions to cast said barriers until the tree issues its energy. After that they have a window of 20 seconds to act freely before they must prepare for further bombardment.

Tepen will maintain telepathic links with command staff during the battle to coordinate movements more rapidly, as well as pass on any information Ilsenine can gather.


Thoughts?

[Merc]

My only question....Why operation "orange" timber?

[Ebiris]

Reference to Agent Orange. Or Fire. Whichever.

Death to plants!

[Yuthirin]

Speaking of plants, Afina are you done with the leaf?

Plan looks good though. :D

[Ebiris]

I assume so! Did Ilsenine have any words of wisdom about it, Dune?

[Anastasia]

Only that Demand is easily thwarted, so that being able to work with or without it succeeding is paramount.  You have that covered.