I feel I am still somehow being opaque and it is not my intention or that I am not conveying my meaning accurately... What specific questions that still remain unanswered? If there are answers known - I will endeavor to see them provided. Currently I seem to have more free time available to concentrate on Dreams than some others as my own resources were not dispatched researching this upcoming market's affairs.
Regarding questions about the ritual...
While I know that you (Binar) understand the intricacies of Formal Magic and are most likely advocating that at minimum it is explained better particularly for those that may not be... Rarely is formal magic ever a group discussion and almost never a group decision. Formalists are trusted in this regard particularly: Eve, Rusty, Lydia, Ractor who have trust hand over fist in their knowledge and ability as Formalists. Lydia & Ractor have been
frequently called upon to perform "that's not how any of this works" rituals in the past and the four of them have been pretty consistently consulted as the leading experts on such things.
This ritual situation is different from most in a sense that this ritual is completely optional. It is not an End of Society or World Destroying concept as we know it and we have other options to not perform the ritual. Those options are not desired as it means we need to fight through an undead Army all given commands to kill the living. Assuming our success, a Kingdom of undead who now don't follow anyone's orders much the same during Viktor's reminder that even Ancient Elves need nap time as seen in 320. It was researched to restore life to as much of the Ternian Empire as could be managed, and equally remove undead resources from Viktor's command. Which as pointed our by Dramthin, a notable goal. Not to mention help our fellows save their strength to face the Greater Undead who will most likely, not be affected and our attempt to face off against the strongest necromancer we have had the distinct and honorable pleasure of annoying.
While I recognize "
the way its been in the past" doesn't make that method always correct, or the best. However, never has it been done that ritual casting is a group decision. The bulk of everything needed has already been done. Not many things remain as I understand it, just enough to have loose ends and not raise alarm - but still be manageable to do with dedicated effort in a days time. Those tasks I expect to be fairly direct. The Formalists need 'x', here is everything we know about how to obtain it - don't get caught, dont get enslaved, dont get transformed. Volunteers will be asked to defend the Circles because it is expected that once Viktor learns what is being attempted, it is unlikely they will underestimate us... It is expected that those circles will be assaulted by likely powerful undead who have but a single goal; backlash the ritual.
Anything and everything else can,could,would,will be shared as available. To my knowledge, it's not being shared because it's not yet available. As soon as that changes, which should be in the next few days; I suspect little doubts plans can and will be made.
From what I have seen thus far that I feel I can touch at least partially on an answer...
- Can we save any undead Ternians?
- Beyond the efforts of the Ritual being attempted, unlikely. Only those transformed could be "saved", the rest can only be put to rest. One could attempt to limit their destruction of Undead - even this is unlikely. The Ternian empire is an uncomfortable percentage of undead. Just in deathknights alone we are outnumbered 2:1 conservatively. Greater undead I suspect is higher, and waves mindless undead is like 20+:1. Limiting carnage is a pursuit of keeping the plan below alarm until its too late and hopefully as a result save lives that would be impacted by the ritual. Sadly, those raised as undead simply need to be put to rest and we can't tell them apart from those who have been transformed.
- Where is the ritual being performed?
- Part of Ractor's preparation is him choosing possible locations. Very few among us dare to claim to know the Empire better, and he has to balance his area knowledge, his ties to the land, and which circles would be best for whichever ritual plan is decided. Ractor is specifically the best person to make this decision which is why it is his to make.
- What things are still needed to be gathered?
- Eve already touched on this, and I think that those last remaining things were in research. In theory Eve will know more about the remaining items once all of her collected information has been reconciled and can tell others about that soon.
- Where will our offensive launch from?
- Personally, I feel it will most likely start at the Ternian Wall. It is an already established forward base and contains a Greater Earth Circle. But this is both a tactical and magical decision and am not the front person for either. But odds are good i think.
- What is the plan to get to Hook's tower?
- Most likely, we will need to fight our way there and likely establish our standard Triage circle outside as we begin our assult. Based off of described previous visions and scouts there is very little near by and our momentum will be easily discovered and confronted.
- Do we know how many powerful forces are our barrier?
- In 319, we knew that the Greather DeathKnights were less than 100. Throughout 320, many adventurers reduced that number by at least half. However while most of the world was focused on Jonas Stone, Viktor was being left to his usual necromantic devices. And I have been told that the amount of GDK has once again risen to an unhappy three-digit number. To say nothing of the amount of other Greater Undead at his command.
- Whatever happened to those swords we made out of defeated hook stuff at the Great Forge?
- Last I spoke with Thane Nyio these were still radiating power and too hot to be casually picked up by anyone who can't withstand the heat of The Great Forge. It is suspected that they will remain to hot to handle or use until shortly before they are needed. Nyio has them being looked after so as soon as they are ready to be removed, he can retrieve them and bring them to the rest of our planning/staging.
- What are things that we can or could be doing to prepare
- Well there are a number of current world events that are going on that we are still wrapped up in. being mindful of any scheduled talks or plans - don't neglect them. The winter will soon be upon us and you will need to know how they are unfolding to form expectations of the next few months. Short of that, there will likely be interactions with the Dukal council, the two magic guilds and lots of organization. To which my personal recommendation would be to coordinate a Quartermaster of this offensive and those whom are assisting them.
- What would that look like in Shen's eye view?
- They would be the person who reconciles what resources are being made available as donations or via barter. This could be anything from the classic adventuring professions, Formal Ritual scrolls, reagents, spellcrafting, as well as what resources we may be able to acquire/negotiate/barter from various nobles and guilds throughout wayside. Those helping them dispatching communications, and transportation of those resources and facilitating that person becoming the over arching Point of Contact from our first appetizer to our final weapons check. I would have them work with the Flaming Skull to organize a specific area within the tavern for this effort as then there will be not only a direct point of contact to assist in organizing resources, but those resources will also be centrally located near our departure point.
If I missed specific questions, my apologies it is oversight, not an offense.
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SHEN
![Shen [he/him]](/forum/data/avatars/m/32/32549.jpg?1529799462){kind=avatar}
