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Netheril
post Mar 15 2019, 07:37 PM
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((Immune to scrying so the following notes are only shared IC if I’ve said so. These are notes for the “fixing the baronies” campaign))

Initial information shared by Sonasello:

Sonasello,

I do hope matters around Bornheim can calm down - our nation needs no more turmoil.

I have spent most of my professional career studying secundal incursions and breaches in the fabric of reality within the Baronies. My understanding of our land’s nature is that it has been intrinsic to it since the lands to the South of the Brandins were summoned from the ‘nacht prior to the commencement of the second age.

The Chaos (Choas) Wars did not cause this, but the lands of Voradal and Dachton suffered more from turbulent entropy because of this inherent weakness.

It is doubtless possible to create small areas where the fabric of primal reality is more stable around a village perhaps, maybe even a Barony given time, through the use of Vandling Shards and Primal Anchors, and the idea has merit.

The underlying issue is a failure of underpopulation. Outlying lands of the Empire maintain their integrity through a metaphysical link from the people to the Throne of Glass. I witnessed first hand the events in Alguz when it became part of Talthari heaven, and however desirable to the people it caused a wide range of unforeseen effects that were troublesome to accommodate.

Hypothesising, there are three immediate routes I can see to improve our situation. The first, and most obvious, would be to create a series of anchor points in key Baronies. That would create islands better protected from the mists but not remedy the underlying situation.

The second would be a grand project seeking to draw the power of the Throne through Takalia and then conducting it via Vandling Stones across the Baronies. It would be a titanic endeavour.

The last would be to draw islands from the ‘nacht around the coast, giving a stronger fabric to anchor the land of our home.

What scale were you considering working on?

Isaac
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Netheril
post Mar 15 2019, 07:38 PM
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So a bit of history/stuff:

 

The Mittlenacht encourages on Primus where it is weak. Some of these places benefit form it. For example the far north can allow access to totemic realms and dream quests because of its weakness.

Each nation has found ways to deal with the problem.

 

In Ishma there are place spirits scattered across the lands

The Empire has the River and city spirits, as well as lesser place spirits.

 

The Shaman of the Far North and the Brokenlands channel the weakness to allow them to talk to their totems and travel to their own crafted realms.

 

In Amles they have only recently returned and how they will deal with the issue long term is unclear, but at present it has not begun to cause a problem.

 

The Empire was ravaged by the effects of the Magorical wars and ritual action was used to contain and reduce the effects. Place and river spirits bound and used to channel the power away, mighty ritual and relics twisted to ensure that the worst of the effects did not unleash. As time passed the bindings faded the river and city spirits returned and normality began.

 

The Baronies is different. Instead of the problems of the magorical wars over worlds, those of the Foe, sought to open portals to Primus, to travel through. These weakened the very nature of the Baornies, and were made worse because the rituals used to strengthen the Empire drew the power of the place spirits from the south but did not protect it. This lead many of the place spirits that remained to go insane, perhaps explaining in part the Circles distrust of Earthpower.

 

The matter was made even worse by Amora. The Souths refusal to bend near to him resulted in him enacting a great ritual to conceal the Baronies from his people. The result caused a weakness that lead over places to over layed the baronies. Almost replacing it on Prius (OOC: A justification as to why the Darkmasters lands were always south of the Brandins before the Baronies book came out and changed everything, it also fits with more below).

This land was touch by the power of the Creator and the Destroyer and it began to seep through in o the Baronies. Such raw deific power only magnified the problems of the rifts as the Heavens and Hells sought to gain entry to Primus. So the Circle acted and faith in Gods was denied.

 

Time passed. The Baronies remained weak, and separate. When Amora's rituals unravelled and the Baronies reasserted itself the rituals binding the place spirits had gone, but the break had not touched the baronies so it remained devoid of them.

 

Across the baronies, as tales were collated, talk of missing villages that re-appear for a night, or battles that re-occur, became common place. These attributed to the nature of the Baronies and how the 'Nacht touches it.

 

Simple investigation reveals that such events are common across the Baronies, and all seem to have core themes of death, or betrayal. A significant event that shaped the area but seemed to have occurred at the same time as some being from another world sought to enter Primus where they happened.

 

OOC bits

Its a bit difficult trying to take what Jan wrote, what happened before him, and everything else and keep it together as a lot of it doesn't properly fit. That said I think I have a way to make it all come out in the end working.

 

Within each Waldgrafine there is a significant weakness, it is fuelled by a small number of other weaknesses/groups that use it. Some are easy to find, others more difficult. Stabalising a Waldgrafine would require dealing with the main problem and all the little ones. The nature of the main problems is they only appear once every so often. So it would be a case of plan to get one done. I set the objective and you get to the dungeon. You get one shot at it, or have to wait a year to try again.

 

The logic being this sort of things means I can farm bits out to other refs. You can hire parties to deal with problems. And in general it gets better.

 

Solving the rifts means the general problems are solved.

Then stopping them coming back if up to your planning since there are no proper place spirits and stuff to prevent random portals being opened like there are in the Empire.

 

 

 
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Netheril
post Mar 15 2019, 07:41 PM
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((Brief for the first day))


Eisenstein
The largest weakness in the barony appears to be tied to an assault on a keep called Meldars Keep.
The Keep, dating back to the 600’s as best can be told, was the focus of a demonic attack. At the centre of the keep was a ritual chamber that the demons believed could be used to open a gateway to hell for their armies to enter Primus through.
Realising defeat was near certain the ritualist that lived their enacted a ritual and the attacking army, and the keep vanished.
Every year on (insert a date for the 4th dungeon) the keep re-appears. The local grafs form a circle of forces around it, perhaps half a day out, but leave it to remain. Those that guard talk of the sounds of bloodshed and battle before the keep vanishes that evening.
The lesser known issues, all tied to the central one somehow, are:
The Burning forest – Near Veidleburg there is a moderate sized forest. At its centre is a ruined manor house. The area is calm, tranquil, and normal, but for a single day in March. On the morning of the 17th of March the entire forest begins to burn. The fire rages until the evening, and then the next day all is fine.
During this time the few brave people that have travelled into the forest say the manor seems intact.

The Mist filled Road - Ever month, at the full moon, for a single night the road is filled with mist. Those that have travelled along it talk of finding themselves in strange tavern.
(Dungeon two falls on a full moon)

Flooded mine – in the 950’s a demonic force gathered seeking to claim a mine not far from Gressen. The mine was a source of a strange black gem, similar to opals, that was used to hold ritual power. The mine was overrun and the demons secured it. Fearing the worst a group of miners hiding in the mine broke through the walls to a river near by, causing the mine to flood.
Over time the mine was emptied, but so unstable it could not be used. On the anniversary of the event (Dungeon three) the mine begins to flood again for the day.

Brief for Sunday
I am going with investigating, and trying to resolve, the burning forest. Then see where you go from there.
Advance comms and the like reveal very little, and it seems that scrying about the specifics of the events is difficult until they manifest.

You have also managed to secure a few people to speak to (Lunch/after lunch type thing. The option of an IC lunch in the tavern is there if you want it).
They are:

Bernard Remorn – He claims to have travelled the Mist filled road and remembers the events of it.
Helda Brenvar – As a little girl she was stuck in the mine when it flooded. She was found 2 days later alive.
Jurgen Nav Crelus – He served as a spear that was stationed around the Meldars Keep. His Baron ordered his men into the Keep to try and save the souls he heard screaming. Only 6 of the hundred that entered made it out, and of those 3 committed suicide, and 2 died serving in the war with the spiter.
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Netheril
post Mar 18 2019, 08:54 AM
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Whilst it's fresh, these are my notes from the first expedition. Any who were there who can add further detail, please do.

Firstly and most importantly, we were partially successful with regard the first echo. As successful as it was possible to be on the day. The echo in the burning forest is not currently resolved. But we have written pacts that are key to its resolution. We need to find someone with the power to break such pacts, and after doing so deal with a demon lord. So the actual resolution does not need to be done on the day of the event for this first echo. We believe we have what is needed.

We met the three people at lunchtime. I spoke mostly with Jurgen, the sole survivor of the assault on Meldar's keep. I have his rough drawing of the keep, although he did not see much of it. They travelled across the outer courtyard, and whether by luck or judgement, avoided the fighting that was occurring there. The air was hazy with supernatural powers being unleashed and he could not see what was fighting, just that two forces were doing battle.

They then reached what would once have been the outer gardens of the citadel. These had recently been turned into a killing ground. His company were there assaulted by creatures that at a distance seemed shadowy, but as they closed proved all too corporeal, black skinned and probably demonic. These creatures seemed to have blades dripping noxious liquid, although the blades proved to be actually their claws. They were capable of eviscerating proven soldiers in a matter of seconds, three of their company fell before any could even react. And the creatures were highly resistant to all of their blades, even those few soldiers who had enchanted blades.

There was a green light that seemed to be coming in waves from outside the citadel. It did not seem to harm the living, but was destroying the very stones of the citadel, and othersuch inanimate matter. It did not seem acidic, he described the light as more like that sometimes seen in the skies, the light that forms the tail of a comet, etc.

In this courtyard, he fell and was buried under several of his companions, so saw no more personally. He did hear shouting from within the citadel, calling for people to retreat to the ritual chamber. Those rare times his fellow survivors spoke of what they saw within the keep, they spoke of beautifully featured black skinned people, humanoid in form, with eyes of purest jet, that seemed to be controlling and ordering the demons in the assault. He also heard of a man with golden eyes and white wings that rescued several of his companions, and was apparently stood over him when his fellows found him and dragged him out. It seemed likely from his description that the wounds he suffered from these demons were tainted and difficult to heal, yet this angel may have partially healed him and saved his life. Though he did not believe these tales, having been unconscious and seeing nothing himself, they nonetheless seemed credible to me.

….

I received a brief synopsis of the misty road. The man we spoke with was thoroughly spooked by having seen someone elses reflection in place of his own, whilst drinking in this tavern. It sounds like he wandered quite extensively in the mist without encountering any peril. The town within the mist seemed normal to him, he mentioned a smithy and a manor house, amongst other buildings, but he headed straight to the tavern and saw little else. The reflection he saw was of a pale, dark haired man, but nothing outwardly supernatural, just a man.

….

The mine I heard least about, I believe Theo spoke at length with the lady rescued from there.

….

The last thing to mention, we encountered members of a cult called Withered Love. Be careful when speaking that name, it serves as a very potent unhallowed word. They were led by a man named or titled the sacred hand. They were demonic cultists, somehow corrupted from serving my parents, into service of their opposites. But beyond any redemption as far as I could tell. They sought to harness the power of one of these echoes to complete the ritual within Meldar's keep.

We destroyed all the cultists we found. I believe we slew the leader, but he had already proven his ability to leap from body to body, so I am unsure if, having tracked him to his lair, we killed his actual form or just another host.

The usual provisos apply, the above are my recollections as accurately as I can manage, but always at the risk of misunderstanding or misremembering after a long day's struggles.

May Harmony guide our thoughts, and Purpose our actions,

Sirac Drakeson.


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Will
post Mar 19 2019, 10:52 PM
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To add.

Meldar's Keep

I believe the demonic cultists who attacked here were possibly named the Fateful Blade, and served a demonic lord called Brilgath Tolgaz, who were the ones who assaulted the Debden Manor (below). I need to confirm. They were seeking a ritual chamber as we know. The enacting of the ritual to protect the keep is undoubtedly at the heart of what has caused this echo, or scar, in Eisenstein.

The Burning Forest

This was the focus of our efforts this day. Near Veidleburg, this area is situated in the Barony of Debden.

The story that we managed to uncover was that the Fateful Blade attacked, seeking to reclaim the soul of Wilhelm Debden, the previous Baron. Wilhelm had managed to trick Brilgath with a hidden pact. Brilgath had granted power to Wilhelm and his ancestors, in exchange for his soul. And then trapped his own soul and caught Brilgath eternally in a manner I will not speak publically. It was all quite complicated and deceptive. Anyway, the upshot is that what the demons were making their way through the manor, Debden ritualists unleashed a watery ritual to destroy the demons. The unleashing of this ritual plus the flux and stress on the area caused the echo. In order to properly resolve this we need to sunder the pact which we can do by releasing Brilgath and killing him.

At the same time the Withered Love group were trying to claim the power of this area, the pacts, Brilgath. They are hunting him down, and I think they are getting closer. They have located a way of seeing the future it seems, which will help them in this task. It may be that we need to stop this as well. Also, as they have failed at Debden it is likely they will move on to the next echo. I think they see the Flooded Mine as the easier target so that may be the most logical next target.

Flooded Mine

I spoke with Helda Brenvar, survivor of the disaster. Theo spoke most to her but one thing I believe I uncovered, from her description of a tattoo on one of her saviours hands is that they may have in some way been linked with the faith of St Michael.

From paperwork uncovered at the end of the day, it is apparent that the Withered Love have managed to set up base in a cavern nearby. They have also raided graves to help create their defences, so those adept at destroying the Undead would be helpful I have no doubt on such a mission.

The Misty Road

The Withered Love appear to have set up some sort of base of operations in some secundal realm full of were-wolves with fey blood. Very... interesting.

Broader Plans

I understand that the Withered Love plan to either take over, join or manipulate the forces of one of the Barens charged to defend the area during the echos to allow them access en mass. We should try and disrupt this plan.

If I uncover anything else I will let you know.

Sonasello


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RichFromant
post Mar 26 2019, 01:20 PM
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Apologies for the delay in providing an update here. As mentioned, I spoke to Helda Brenvar vover lunch regarding the flooded mine. It was quite a traumatic time for her but I was able to gain a number of details, some of which may be relevant, some not.

The flood came from within the mine itself, rising up from below. The miners were digging in to a new part of the mine when it happened.
She was rescued by someone who brought her out to safety.
When the water receded all of the gems that were in the mine had gone, leaving black empty holes where they were.
The water was fresh clear water and not murky or muddy as you would expect.
The mine hasn't been used since and floods every year on the anniversary.

As discussed on the day, myself and Josiah would be happy to assist again and lend the full support of the Throne and the Empire in strengthening the Baronies. However, should Radah be in attendance it would be inappropriate for us to be there or support you directly while he remains a Wolfshead.

Theo


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Will
post Mar 26 2019, 02:02 PM
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I fully understand Theo.

Was it your impression also that the symbol she drew was comparable to the cross of St Michael?

Sonasello

QUOTE(RichFromant @ Mar 26 2019, 01:20 PM) *
Apologies for the delay in providing an update here. As mentioned, I spoke to Helda Brenvar vover lunch regarding the flooded mine. It was quite a traumatic time for her but I was able to gain a number of details, some of which may be relevant, some not.

The flood came from within the mine itself, rising up from below. The miners were digging in to a new part of the mine when it happened.
She was rescued by someone who brought her out to safety.
When the water receded all of the gems that were in the mine had gone, leaving black empty holes where they were.
The water was fresh clear water and not murky or muddy as you would expect.
The mine hasn't been used since and floods every year on the anniversary.

As discussed on the day, myself and Josiah would be happy to assist again and lend the full support of the Throne and the Empire in strengthening the Baronies. However, should Radah be in attendance it would be inappropriate for us to be there or support you directly while he remains a Wolfshead.

Theo



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RichFromant
post Mar 26 2019, 02:04 PM
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QUOTE(Will @ Mar 26 2019, 02:02 PM) *
I fully understand Theo.

Was it your impression also that the symbol she drew was comparable to the cross of St Michael?

Sonasello



Yes, very much so. Was that cross with a symbol over the top of it wasn't it? She drew it at a different table to one I was seated at so didn't get a good look.

Theo


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