Chapter 3, The Temple of Nehalenia.

Linda rolls her eyes. Stupid temple. Her father is a wizard of sorts, and is always going to the temple to bargain with the custodian for bits of makt and Votive stones that enforce promises. The temple is a few miles up the coast. It sank beneeth the waves centuries ago, like a lot of stuff in the area tends to do.

The Godess has some weird name Linda cannot recall, Nehi soda or something. She owns the temple, but is never there.

The sea hag is just a sea hag, like any other sea hag. She is ugly and mean, and the only man that ever (willingly) warmed her bedchamber was evil putrid Pete.

She also tells you a bunch of irrelevant information. These are the useful details you can pick out.

Mind you, only the buildings inside the covenant’s ringwork are made of stone. All the houses in the tiny town are wooden.

It would be just covenfolk, some of our teamsters. You don’t need Marcello’s help, but they still grumble and complain.

Did you figure the aura into your roll?

You need a 12+ (easy 9+, month’s work for @+3). Still, I am thinking you neglected to figure in the aura.

Your magic did not have the wild and chaotic result you had feared (I know you are disappointed). Someone else will have to check the math though. I am not exactly sure how aura strength and the region spread out. Let’s ask Max.

Max! What is the layout of the region? I know that in the towers it is 6 and at the gatehouse/guesthouse it is 4. What is the strength between the towers and wall? That’s the bulk of the crumbly buildings that are ours I think. What is the aura strength outside the walls? The tiny town by where the dock used to be, what is the aura there? I am presuming we only raise the aegis around the covenant proper, not the town or the beach.

Anyways, I really think you need more than just the three spells to accomplish everything you want. Mind you, I am thinking you are only working on the buildings and walkways inside the covenant’s walls. I don’t imagine anything is made of stone out in the town. Still, you have a lot of work cut out for you if you want to repair our crumbling situation. I should have copied down what you did so I could check it against my rule books at home last night. I will do that tonight. And in any case, I think if you finish your first task early, keep on working! Various buildings need repair. Heck, they all need repair! And don’t forget the earthworks and wall. When people want to walk into the town or to the shore, it is easier to walk through the three foot gap off to the side than to walk all the way around to the gate house. The portcullis on the gate house are rusted, and they barely open and close (it takes effort).

Still, let Max decide. This will set the pace for the ease/difficulty for Craft Magic for the rest of the game.

Max! Hammer Time! Rate Jebrick’s efforts and results :smiley:

+4 The towers are +6 and the surrounding hill is +4

Not quite sure I understand. Aura is in the casting total. I can redo it if I figured wrong.

I assumed that there were many piles of stone since the town was described as "deteriorating". The main job is to repair the road.

If it needs more spells then I will make more rolls.

I was referring to your required Finesse roll. Your spellcasting rolls are just fine if you calculated the aura.

The Covenant is deteriorating, not the town. We have the Crumbbling hook. I don't know if there would be lots of spare stones, but I figure you could grab them from the wall (all along the perimiter on both sides there are stones falled from the top, and the height is two to five feet short in some spots.

Seeing as you were successful fixing the cobbel stone walkways, I figure you should take a crack at the wall next :smiley:, but that's your call.

In other words, we still have the Crumbling hook, the place just looks a little bit nicer. Do whatever you desire with the remaining 2/3 of your season. I still want Max to make the ruling though, and I plan for Roberto and Wirth to keep working all season long. We are going to refurbish the warf, pier, breakwater, build a new dock, and streatch a chain accross the mouth of the harbor. We can PeHe & ReHe just as well as we can with Terram.

Now, this is interesting...

You could ask! :laughing:

Although I'd agree, we need this, and the sooner that season of work is done, the better. Wirth has more important things to do.

Iolar will spend a while chatting , she does not mind gossiping about random rubbish with other people. However she does not discuss the other magi or her own personal details.

However after finishing chatting she will return to the covenant and look for Okeanos she intends to have a conversation with him , regardless of his opinion on the subject. If she got this much information from one young mermaid he must know more and perhaps he is holding out .....

She seriously considers speaking to other magi first but settles on talking to Okeanos before possibly maligning him to the other magi.

Iolar locates Okeanos down by the docks, as he is heading back up to the covenant swooping down and landing next to him, before assuming her human form clothes as usual when she has been flying in illusion.

[color=red]"There you are. So what has Lucy told you about the Sunken temple? Or the Sea Hag? Was one of them the source of the storm ? Do you know if it was a deliberate attack or aimed at someone else or even an accident? I couldn't get an exact location for the temple just that the father of the two girls go's there and is a magician.

I couldn't get much information about this from Linda as she was a bit too young to understand everything going on. And if Lucy Spawns you had better be willing to look after all the little faeries as I don't tolerate fathers abandoning their children it's not very polite.

She pauses awaiting a response

Ulrich One-Eye

You are late to the dance. I think you were supposed to be Havlard’s companion, but I am thinking you guys don’t know each other at all. None of your retinue yet has Covenfolk status. They are all Wanderers

However…

The town accepts you.

[color=green]Fed the new Pirate Leader: [color=red]Ulrich, you old son-of-a-bastard! How have you been? Check it out! Pete’s dead! He drowned when our ship capsized in that storm. Ulrich knows nothing about any storm. [color=red]What’s more, them freaks up on the hill have changed member ship. The old man died, but the really-really freaky one is still there (he refers to Aelianus and his Blatant Gift)[color=red], but these new ones are not as bad. Still weirdoes and all, but the one of them has made a deal with us and will help us hijack a new ship. He’s got nads this one does. I respect that. Another one, smells like he sleeps in a tub of fish, but he rescued Bob and George from the wreck.

Anyways, you ol’ land lubbing son-of-a-b!+c#, what have you been up too?

Not everyone likes Ulrich though. Walter Eyke remembers having to pay protection fees to him. But things are different now. He has become a valuable asset to the pirates, to his mysterious business partners of House Tremere, and to the wizards on the hill. Time to flex his new authority.

Roberto and Wirth are making fantastic progress on the harbor. Technically, their construction gives the covenant the right to name the harbor. Roberto tosses out name ideas; Mystic Harbor, Port Flambeau, Illuminated Harbor, and so forth.

Then Walter Eyke approaches them, warning of a terrible bandit that has ridden into town. The fella missing an eye talking to Fred and Reginald. He may be trying some kind of shakedown.

Wirth is certainly concerned as he just made an alliance with these folk and he wants to protect his investment. Roberto grabs his sword (it is never far from him). He is not wearing armour though. In fact, he is bare chested. He just heats himself up periodically, and he was too hot and uncomfortable working with his cloak on. It is early March I think. Anyway, he puts on his cloak, straps his sword to his side, and goes forth to confront this bandit Walter is complaining about

[color=green]Wirth

[color=red] :unamused: Sigh... Well, what about the Mouth? :smiling_imp:

[color=red] :imp: No one threatens my men :imp:
I drop what I'm doing, swiftly marching onward

We are in solidarity then! :smiley:

It is up to Kang to figure out how Ulrich intends to win us over.

[color=red] :imp: No one threatens my men :imp:
I drop what I'm doing, swiftly marching onward
[/quote]

Kilica who shadows Wirth around everywhere unless sent off to do something else . Follows , not really having a clue what was said but seeing that Wirth looks angered. She pays even more attention to potential toruble

Aelianus and Diodorus decides to take a walk around the covnant. Both inspecting the work of the other magi and for showing of that they are amongst the lords. Aelianus has his flame throwing wand with him.

Roberto casts InTe15 Howl of the Steel Weapons and InHe15 Shriek of the Wooden Shafts. Just to be on the safe side.

Ulrich, while chatting up old times with your buddies Fred and Reggie, you see that pipsqueek Walter Eyke approaching with two rugh looking fellas. Walter owes you money. You did him a service and protected his interests from brigands. He calls it extortion, you call it protection. Those other brigands didn't work for you. They just backed off out of fear of your legendary temper.

Depending on the time of day, Havlard is either asleep ( morning) or reading in some well lit area.

Ulrich..

[color=red]"So does the Mouse come to pay the debt that is owed?
your interests are safe and my drink is starting to run low..."

Reaching out grabbing Walter by the back of his collar, pulling it tight.

[color=red]Now would be a REAL good time to pay me...

Okeanos suddenly falters coughing before croaking ... [color=red]WHAT??!

righting himself he regains his poise
[color=red]
Follow me this is not the place...

he heads back towards the covenant, well away from the docks where prying eyes and ears from the water could not hear... standing tall stroking his green beard that has filled in.. muttering
[color=red]
hmm unexpected but will play well into my plans...

Looking intensely at Iolar,
[color=red]
" I can't say i had known of her wishes but this most definetly can work to my advantage, I definetly could use some help in the lab and this looks to be the perfect way to get some workers.. oh and did you say her father is of the arts? oh this is good! oh what knowledge could i gleen from him!"

Eyes narrowing looking sternly at Iolar...

[color=red]" and by the way, I.. I AM THE MERINTITA of this covenant, it is up to me to decide how to handle relations with the faeries!"

with that he turns his back to Iolar and heads back towards the council chambers.

[color=green]Wirth arrives, magic at his fingertips
[color=red]Hold on. What's going on here?

I need someone to come up with an excuse as to why Roberto does not suddenly leap into combat!!!! I am thinking Wirth told him to hold on while he does the talking. Roberto would be cool with that, though he may ignite his sword for intimidation value.

Okeanos

Swimming around and exploring the area will count as source Quality 7 for Area lore, as per page 164 of ArM5. I suggest English Channel Area Lore, specializing in Underwater or the Flemish Coast. Your call though. A tigher more specific area would be Flemish Coast specializing in Underwater.

Anyway, at some point you wind up meeting this fella…

[u]Lawrence the Mere-Lad, Lucy’s Big Brother[/u]
Faerie Might: 15 (Aquam)
Characteristics: Int +0, Per +1, Com +0, Pre +2, Str +1, Sta +1, Dex +1, Quik +2
Size: +0
Age: n/a
Confidence: 1 (3)
Virtues: +0 Faerie-Mermaid (Undine Heritage (+2 to underwater activities), Faerie Eyes (Second Sight), Immune to Age, Fatigueless, Compulsion-Curiosity, Aquatic, Dependency on Water), +1 Improved Characteristics, +1 Privileged Upbringing, +1 Keen Vision, +1 Animal Ken
Flaws: -Reckless, -1 Compulsion -Overprotective
Personality Traits: Curious +2, Brave +2, Overprotective +2, Reckless +3
Reputations: Protective of siblings 2 (local-underwater), Mermaid 1 (local-shore)
Combat:
Evade: In +2, Atk n/a, Def +6, Dmg n/a (using Swim as his evading ability)
Grapple: In +2, Atk +5, Def +10, Dmg +1
Knife: In +2, Atk +7, Def +11, Dmg +3
Soak: +1
Wound Penalties: -1 Lt (1-5), -3 Med (6-10), -5 Hvy (11-15), Incap (16-20), D (21+)
Fatigue: n/a
Abilities: All Languages 5, Swim 4 (gracefully), Animal Ken 4 (fish), Animal Handling 3 (fish), Awareness 3 (danger), Brawl 4 (knife), Faerie Lore 3 (undersea faeries), Folk Ken 2 (sea folk), Hunt 4 (fish), Second Sight 3 (underwater), Single Weapon 4 (spear), Undersea Lore 3 (channel)
Powers:
+3 Aquatic: This is the power to move and breathe freely underwater, as well as perceive clearly.
Weaknesses:
-3 Dependant on Water: Suffers Depravation if separated from water more than an hour
Equipment: Knife
Encumbrance: none
Vis: 3 Aquam in her body
Appearance and Description: Larry is Lucy’s over protective older brother. He does not like the fact that his sister is crushing on a mortal at all. Granted, Okeanos is only part human, and as a magus, his mortality is not an absolute. Still, Lawrence is bigoted in this one regard. He gets really pissed off at anyone who confuses him with a mermaid, but the fact is, with his long hair and svelt body, he indeed does look like a mermaid (flat and bare chested, but feminine).

He confronts Okeanos by surprise under water one day. [color=red]It is time to make good on your promise. You told lucy you would meet her again, and the time has come due. Follow me

He is not happy about his task, but he was sent to retrieve you. If you go with him, he is taking you to another sunken ship further out in the channel. It sunk at least a hundred years ago or more. He messes with you a bit, trying to compete with you as far as swimming speed and grace.

Him: Quik +2, Swim 4 (gracefully), Aquatic (free movement underwater), +2 bonus for being an undine; total = +8 (+9 gracefully)

You: Dex +0/Quik +0, Swim 3 (underwater), -3 penalty as applied to everyone, +2 for being an Undine, +1 for the double combo; total = +3 (+4 underwater)

You need to get better at underwater swimming!

Anyway, the long and the short of it is that Lucy has arranged for you to have dinner with her parents. I presume you agree to follow him, because you know what horrible things befall people who don’t keep their promise to a faerie :wink:

Do you comply or try to weasel? Tell me some of your interaction with Lawrence, and anything you might do up until just before meeting mom and pop for the first time.

Honor.
This is a matter involving his sodales and the men he recruited, and roberto knows it. Thus, while he'd be willing to help or assist a comrade in arms, he wouldn't rob him of his "right" to settle the matter however he chooses.
Nonetheless, this doesn't preclude flaming swords and all :wink: