Expedition: Fingers/Wizard Tower of the Ghost Keep - 15 Oct

[Marullus]

The intrepid adventurers return to the ruined capital city of the Yoldessi Plains, where the ghostly soldiers of the Keep have sworn fealty to Markd, to open and explore the wizards tower.

Previous expedition: viewtopic.php?f=353&t=7668

• Fingers
• Bandy
• Markd
• Hengist
• Idriss, Templar wizard
• Zirina, Warrior Woman (NPC)
• Alyse, the wizarding shop girl (NPC)
• Sprinkles (Fingers's Dog) (NPC)
• Mitch the pony (NPC) - Bandy
• Buttercup the mule (NPC) - Hengist
• Elmer the mule (NPC)- Fingers
• Owen the Warhorse (NPC) - Markd

Given the revised context, is Fingers still the leader or is it Markd? An IC decision.

[onlyme]

Owen the warhorse would come along.

I personally would prefer to keep Fingers the lead, as I dont really have time to lead 2 expos. But I can if needed.

[Marullus]

Fixed.

[Spearmint]

Did Idriss get the invite?

[Marullus]

I thought there was a new person! Added.

[Zhym]

I was thinking about what might convince Fingers to go back out into the world that keeps trying to kill him (especially given all the grousing Fingers does when he is out about how he ought to retire). The best justification I've managed to come up with so far is boredom—he discovers that staying in town, safe and cozy, is dreadfully dull. But 30 days seems an awfully short time for that big of a turnaround. Optimally, he'd stay in town through winter (which is a crappy time of year to go adventuring anyway), then get wanderlust in the spring. But that would either have us waiting for months (years?) real-time before setting out or it would significantly advance the game clock.

Having someone else convince him to go back out would also work, but Marullus is right that it's harder to justify having him as party leader under that circumstance.

Maybe the answer is not to think too hard about character arcs and motivations, and just play the game?

[Spearmint]

Idriss Trapfinder

The mage templar of Eruanna journeys with the group after upgrading his spell list with new wonders. Well, a wonder he survived, his fingers still blistered from burning hands, and that not of the spell of the same name.

"I am interested in meeting these ghostly guardians. Are you sure of their fealty?" he asks interested in how they function and remain commited to their oaths.

Do you have a blueprint plan of the explored areas (guess there is one in previous thread?). He follows behind the others making note of the buildings.

[Marullus]

October 15, 2021
Your party waits out the rain and sets out on the morning of 15 October. The dawn is below freezing, not something you enjoy, but it warms up (about 45 degrees) to a chilly but passable temperature as you bundle and ride eastward. Your horses move swiftly on the now well-worn roads grom Gaul to Frogmorton Ford, across the new stone bridge and past the Abbey, then northeast towards the White Tower. You don't continue onward towards the white tower, of course, bending off across the plains about halfway there and heading for the Capital City of the Yoldessi Plains. While gargoyles once flitted ominously around the parapets, the skies are now clear... you don't see them patrolling as they once did.

The day is short and dusk passe swiftly - you're still about four miles out from the outer walls of the city when it gets dark enough that you see no more than a sillhouette of the city against the horizon.

Do you approach at night or camp?
How will you enter the city?

Nobody posted to get savings throw bonuses.

Also, nobody bought rations for the Expedition. Who brought how much food for your trip?

OOC: Is everyone ready to begin? I'll like a full roll call.

[Zhym]

Whoa, whoa, whoa!

I mean, whoa just a little, okay? I'd like to buy Fingers good meals for the layover and make sure he's outfitted for cold weather, at the least. And I think we still need to settle on how I spend Fingers's item XP. Hopefully we can do that without too much more negotiating, but I don't think I'll be able to post a wish list until tonight at the earliest.

Is Baudh the only chapel that can bless weapons?

[Marullus]

I asked for those posts three weeks ago and you argued against my request. Just making clear that you're not waiting on me. If you all want to go make the posts now, you may. I can start when the group roll call is positive.

[onlyme]

Yeah, sorry about the delays. Markd is/was still finishing up groveling to the elders. Plus, we need to flip the coin on who is the leader, unless Zhym is ok with it still?
Do we have a groom for the horses? Are there any other npcs we need/want?

[Zhym]

Fingers can lead again, if everyone is okay with him leading from the rear.

[Spearmint]

Idriss is fine with whoever leads.

[Zhym]

Is everyone okay with moving the departure date to Oct 17? That would let those of us who were on the previous expedition get a full five weeks worth of good meals for saving throw bonuses, if we wanted.

[onlyme]

sure, if we dont get snowed in.

[Zhym]

Let's stock up on food, too. The last expedition ran for just under two weeks, so I'd suggest bringing at least 14 days of rations.

I assume we'd want to enter using the back door we left through. Marullus, can we bring mounts through that entrance into the keep, or would we need to leave them somewhere else?

[Marullus]

It would be a tight squeeze, but you could single file them into the kitchen. That entrance is on the top of the rocky escarpment on the east-facing side, so directly opposite of where you now stand. The main gates of the lower city are before you on this side.

[onlyme]

Markd bought a few more rations and deducted his rent and good food for the time. He should be good to go at this point.

[Zhym]

Marullus: one more question before I tally up Fingers's layover expenses: can we leave on October 17 instead of 15, so we can get a full five weeks of good meals? Or is that too much trouble (or do those two days not really matter and we can get five days of save bonuses on 33 days of good meals?

[Marullus]

It's fine. Your arrival was flexible. I'll give you five weeks on the 15th.