Curse of the Witch-King OOC

[ewancummins]

Zhentil Keep lies not far off the lower left-hand corner of the map, at the western end of the Moonsea.

click here for larger map with scale on right side:

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e1/8b/8b ... 5038f2.jpg

[ewancummins]

Older (in game and out) less detailed map

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/9d/fa/36 ... 16cd39.jpg

Way to get to Vaasa include:

Proceed to Phlan or one of the other towns/cities south of Thar and hike across or around the Great Gray Land. The mountain passes will still be cold and snowy, but by the time you get there they ought to be traversable. Forget about wagons. Mules or mountain ponies would be better.
Watch out for ogres.

Take the long way round, swinging east from Zhentil Keep and passing through the borders of the Ride.
The trails lead west again and through the mountain passes into Vaasa.
The Eraka nomads of the Ride possess fine ponies which they might trade, but they dislike Zhents and may prove hostile to parties coming from Zhentil Keep.
Bribes help.


Fly to cover ground much more quickly and traverse rivers and mountains. For this you will need the services of a wizard or the help of large flying monsters, of course.


Teleport there! This is obviously the fastest way for a small party. Got about 1500 in gold? A Zhentish mage who once visited Vaasa will sell you a scroll.
You won't be able to carry much supplies. But it would save a long, hard and dangerous trip.

[ewancummins]

Things Klokulf knows about Vaasa:


Four centuries ago it was heavily glaciated.

Over a century ago, Zhenghyi the Witch King arose in might, raising Castle Perilous by sorcery and uniting the monsters and wild men of Vaasa, leading them to invade and subjugate neighboring Damara.

Heroes of Damara eventually reclaimed their country. Zhengyi was cast down in defeat and slain.

A collection of petty tyrants, calling themselves heirs of Zhengyi, ruled parts of Vaasa for decades. The Sons of Orcus, a demonic cult, later wiped out most of the Zhengyids but proved unable to impose lasting order.


Treasure hunters search for caches of wealth and enchanted items left behind by the fallen rulers.


In recent years the settlement of Telos, built where a fallen star crashed into the earth, has grown powerful enough that its Warlock Council claims rule of Vaasa. Independent settlements don't recognize that claim. A war may be in the offing.
Rumors tell that the soldiers of Telos, orcs and other inhuman creatures, carry strange magical weapons.

Vaasa's people include humans, dwarves, orcs, and half-orcs.

The dominant local tongue resembles that used in the Moonsea Lands, but seems to be even more like Klokulf's native language.
Vaasans employ both Dwarf runes and Common letters for writing.

Notable trade goods: bloodstones and other gems, furs

It will be chilly up there in spring, like winter in southern countries. Dress accordingly. By summer things should have warmed up considerably, but warm is relative.

Gods and other Powers

Auril the Frostmaiden

The Cults of the Beast

Orcus, Demon Prince of the Undead

Helm

others

[Wolfglide of the Fraternity]

Gather Information (+9):
0

[kintire]

Gather information:

0 Plus 7

[Wolfglide of the Fraternity]

KLOKULF

-learns that a scroll of flying magic could get him to Vaasa, but it would be difficult to use and might fail. The spell is well past his current abilities in arcanism.
And it would not help his friends. They'd be stuck travelling by much slower, mundane means.


But he could purchase another magical formula that would transport a small party there in the blink of an eye! If it works for him. Not cheap. He'd pay fifteen hundred golden glories.

Darn. What I could really use is a higher level cleric casting wind walk. That could get a party to Avang in 3 hours.

I think the critical issue of this teleportation scroll is whether it was made by a sorcerer or a wizard. Klokulf only has 14 Int, so he can only hope to pull off activating wizard scrolls of level 4 or less. If a sorcerer made it, his 18 Charisma would reduce the problem to a caster level check. He doesn't have training in Use Magic Device, so he can't fake a higher score.

If he can't use the teleportation scroll, he will plan on the short route through Hulburg and the mountain pass to Maur-Eturo.

[ewancummins]

KLOKULF

-learns that a scroll of flying magic could get him to Vaasa, but it would be difficult to use and might fail. The spell is well past his current abilities in arcanism.
And it would not help his friends. They'd be stuck travelling by much slower, mundane means.


But he could purchase another magical formula that would transport a small party there in the blink of an eye! If it works for him. Not cheap. He'd pay fifteen hundred golden glories.

Darn. What I could really use is a higher level cleric casting wind walk. That could get a party to Avang in 3 hours.

I think the critical issue of this teleportation scroll is whether it was made by a sorcerer or a wizard. Klokulf only has 14 Int, so he can only hope to pull off activating wizard scrolls of level 4 or less. If a sorcerer made it, his 18 Charisma would reduce the problem to a caster level check. He doesn't have training in Use Magic Device, so he can't fake a higher score.

If he can't use the teleportation scroll, he will plan on the short route through Hulburg and the mountain pass to Maur-Eturo.

It is a sorcerer scroll.

Note that if he hasn't been to a place or scried it and he tries to t-port...


It may be better to find a wizard who has been there and just pay him to zap you there.
Assuming you trust the wizards in Zhentil Keep...

[ewancummins]

Getting a ship to Hulburg should be fairly easy.

[ewancummins]

Klokulf might be able to persuade The High Doom to help him get his hands on air walk scrolls.

[Wolfglide of the Fraternity]

Klokulf might be able to persuade The High Doom to help him get his hands on air walk scrolls.

Checking the SRD, one wind walk scroll would be more expensive than the teleport scroll (at 1,650 gp market price), but it would be more reliable in his hands. He doesn't mind walking back to save money.

It may be better to find a wizard who has been there and just pay him to zap you there.
Assuming you trust the wizards in Zhentil Keep...

Klokulf will look into this. He will also look into seeing if there are any priests (more trustworthy in his eyes) who could cast wind walk for him. Both options would be safer (and hopefully more cost-effective). Gather information again?

Gather Information (+9):
0

[ewancummins]

Wind walk is more useful than air walk for his purposes, as it can affect multiple dudes.

He can purchase a scroll of wind walk from fellow Banites.
Round up to 1700 gp.


He does not (yet, at least) find a wizard who has been to Vaasa, seems trustworthy, and will agree to teleport him there at a reasonable price.

[alhoon]

Hello!!!
Certainly interested but... things are a bit rough right now: Mostly good news.
My sister (Van!!!!) got married a few days ago. In 2 months I'll be the godfather for the daughter of a very dear friend couple. I work full time and paid for it for a change!
And the usual: I have to keep up with work obligations that are piling up.

So... could I step in this game in 2-3 months or so?

[kintire]

Please pass on my warmest congratulations!

[Wolfglide of the Fraternity]

Indeed, congratulations to them for their marriage and child, and congratulations to you for godfather status!

[ewancummins]

Hello!!!
Certainly interested but... things are a bit rough right now: Mostly good news.
My sister (Van!!!!) got married a few days ago. In 2 months I'll be the godfather for the daughter of a very dear friend couple. I work full time and paid for it for a change!
And the usual: I have to keep up with work obligations that are piling up.

So... could I step in this game in 2-3 months or so?

Yes.

Congrats to Van!