Loudwater

Loudwater

Wednesday 12 September 2012

Session 25: Reach Level 9 - The Ousting of King Boris 23/10/1479 DR.


Battle in the Throneroom - Kitana launches herself at Boris, but is swiftly knocked unconscious. Aided by the Banites among Boris' men, the heroes overcome him before the bulk of his forces can arrive. He is stripped, tied up, then banished, along with 'Piggy', his one remaining loyal man. The brigands hail Esme as their new queen. Sir Galtos of the 'Pig Lords' (Timbervale) arrives from the south with 75 men. Esme appoints Karvol her chief of guards, Arya her Magist, Lirael her Huntress (& advisor). She sends off Kitana, consults with Galtos. On Lirael's advice, Esme proposes marriage to young Galtos, he delightedly accepts. Esme has Kitana send in Valtar, Boris' most loyal man. Instead of executing him she appoints him to a position. At his suggestion she has him gather a squad and chase off after Boris to eliminate him. Esme announces a celebratory feast.
That evening as the feast is due to start, Arya visits the ramshackle tower of Olaris Vlakos, only to find a mysterious thief stealing the old transmuter's Amarrindar dwarven records, scribed copper plates. He escapes through a window and runs off; Arya fetches Lirael and Karvol and they track him to an 'Old Curiousity Shoppe' on the north side of Llorkh.

Battle in the Throneroom

Start XP: 15707/16500 for 9th Level
+500 for fight, roleplay
+400 for level 9 major quest - overthrow Boris
Total:16607 - PCs 9th level
Need: 20,500 for 10th.
Rituals in Olaris Vlakos' Ritual Book, 42/128 pages used.

Lvl 1 - 7 pages 
Create Beer (Nature) Ritual components: hops, yeast, water: creates large quantitites of fine beer within a few days.
Brew Potion (Arcana or Religion) - PHB
Comprehend Language (Arcana) - PHB
Magic Mouth (Arcana) - PHB
Make Whole (Arcana) - PHB
Secret Page (Arcana) - PHB
Tenser's Floating Disk (Arcana) - PHB

Lvl 3 - 3 pages
Detect Secret Doors (Arcana) - PHB 

Lvl 4 - 4 pages
Enchant Magic Item (Arcana) - PHB

Lvl 6 - 12 pages
Disenchant Magic Item (Arcana) - PHB
Sending (Arcana) - PHB

Lvl 8 - 16 pages
Analyze Portal (Arcana) - FRPG pg 142
Linked Portal (PHB) - details on using Portals as teleport destinations from anywhere (ie Linked Portal doesn't require an origin Portal). Olaris' notes detail the use as teleport destinations of (1) the Zhent Portal to Darkhold in Llorkh (currently blocked), and (2) a dormant Portal of the Ammarindar Dwarves, outside the ruined dwarf-hold of Tannheim, by a lake shore on the north side of Stonefang Mountain. This is 18 miles south of Llorkh, 10 miles from Timbervale, past the entrance to the Stonefang Tunnel. Olaris' notes speculate that the Tannheim Portal's active destination-link may have been severed in the Spellplague.

In the Realms, Portals are permanent teleportation gateways, typically archways. They often require a key or arcana check to activate. Active or Dormant Portals can often be used as teleport destinations via the Linked Portal ritual (PHB). The Analyze Portal Ritual can be used with an Arcana check to block a Portal so that it cannot be used, the way Olaris blocked the Zhent portal to Darkhold.  A blocked portal cannot be used, either from its active link Portal, nor via the Linked Portal ritual from elsewhere. A portal can be 'unblocked' via another casting of Analyze Portal at the portal itself.

Useful Stuff in Olaris Vlakos' chambers
Blank 128-page Ritual Book (sale value 25gp)
Ritual Ink for Inscribing Rituals into Spellbooks: 3,000gp (sale value 600gp)
Alchemical Reagants for Arcane Rituals: 9,000gp (sale value 1,800gp)
Large Quantities of Water, Hops, Yeast for Create Beer.
Chest holding 450gp in assorted coin.

Per PHB page 298: Mastering a Ritual takes 8 hours of uninterrupted study. You must be equal or higher level than the Ritual. You must either have the Ritual Caster feat, or (house rule) have Training in the Key Skill. If you have both you can make any Ritual Key Skill checks at +2.


Kingdom of Llorkh Average Monthly Revenue & Expenditure

Boris' levies are about double 'typical' tax rates, eg the sorts of amounts Queen Valeris levies on her subjects.

Victoria Mine - 280gp cash
Carlsen Mine - 360gp cash
Jozan Mine - 340gp cash
Irondawn - 320gp cash, plus food levy (about 320gp at market value)
Timbervale - 300gp cash, plus food levy (about 300gp at market value)
Merchant Tolls & Taxes (Llorkh) - 200gp cash, plus misc food, wine, slaves etc (about 1200gp worth at market value)
Total Income: 1800gp cash, plus food, wine, textiles, slaves etc

Most local cash income is silver from the mines; merchants are expected to pay in gold.
All food, wine, textiles etc levied is distributed to the 'army', used to feed slaves, or otherwise consumed.

Cash Expenditure: -1320gp (6gp cash per man) distributed to the 'army'. Each man also gets a similar amount by value in non-cash benefits (food, clothing etc), which is a pretty cushy deal for them (twice the typical soldier or miners' pay, four times the pay of an unskilled labourer), and attracts plenty of 'soldiers' (bandits).
Maintenance/Upkeep Expenditure: 0gp

Net average monthly cash income: +480gp (5760gp/year)

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