Carousing for E.N. Lightenment

Summary:

Because Killing Frost doesn't worship itself.

Carousing for E.N. Lightenment

foner 19 Aug 2010 23:14

I haven't delved into the whole carousing thing yet, so I thought I'd take a poke at it.

EN would like to go on a spiritual journey for greater understanding. He hopes to gain a deeper appreciation of his faith. He would like to know more about what the Church wishes of him. Should he embark missionary style to convert more followers to the faith? Should he setup shop and deal with the locals? Is there an item of deep religious importance he could recover? Are there writings that he could do to further explain the meanings of the church to future generations? Are there rituals or prayers he could do to further his spiritual enlightenment?

He wishes to learn more, be more, and do more. However the Killing Frost guides him, he shall go.

Re: Carousing for E.N. Lightenment

TavisAllison 20 Aug 2010 04:54

Awesome!

Knowing what you want to achieve is a good start. The next thing to think about is how you're going to use your surplus gold to achieve that. Some ideas:
- pay Celerion to take you to the Church of the Killing Frost in Hruhrudingfallor and ask your questions there, exposing yourself to the hazards of aerial encounters and the creepiness of your co-religionists
- establish a local church or shrine and pray therein for guidance, exposing yourself to regional entanglements, the mendacity of merchant suppliers, and the creepiness of your religion
- purchase mystic sacraments to speed you on a journey of revelation, exposing yourself to the potential creepiness of what you find within or beyond your soul

Re: Carousing for E.N. Lightenment

foner 20 Aug 2010 21:24

EN will first pay local townspeople for some goods to bring as tribute to the church. (What do they like? Winter boots? Ice cube trays? A nice smoothie, perhaps?) With tribute in hand he will hire Celerion to take him to the Church in Hruhrudingfallor. After giving his tribute, and spending the requisite time in prayer, he will seek counsel with a high priest and ask for guidance on his spiritual journey.

Re: Carousing for E.N. Lightenment

TavisAllison 20 Aug 2010 22:08

Good news about Hruhrudingfallor:
it's a mid-size town, so you can spend 333 gp for a +1 bonus, 666 for a +2, or 1,333 for a +3, and earn that many XP

Bad news about Hruhrudingfallor:
to get there and back in time for next adventure takes a chariot ride which costs an extra 100 gp (sometimes it's more, but Celerion has other trips out that way this time); this extra spending doesn't earn XP

The Church elders like good things of the earth which can be despoiled by the frost. In your experience, do the priests prefer things they can eat, drink, and smoke and then give what's left to the frost? If not, why not?

Let me know if you do indeed want to travel, and how much you'll spend.

Re: Carousing for E.N. Lightenment

foner 21 Aug 2010 05:18

Yes, travel he shall. According to the spreadsheet EN has lots of money, and is ever so close to leveling. So let's go for the 1,333 GP spend. Add in the chariot ride, and it's an expensive trip, but it's worth it.

The priests accept such goods of the earth as tribute, on behalf of the Frost. They sample the goods as they come in. All goods determined to be of the highest quality are sacrificed to the Frost. (This involves a ceremonial freezing, through which the Frost is assumed to have consumed them.) Anything determined to be of lesser quality is deemed unfit for the Frost. Such goods are burned in disgust.

EN considers this as he gathers goods for tribute. This is why he pays so much: he pays local farmers extra to get the finest portions of their crops: corn, soy, and alfalfa. (The Frost seems to enjoy these best.) He takes time to inspect them carefully to make sure they are good. He pays for fine cloths to wrap them in, so they are presentable. He pays Celerion more to make sure they are transported carefully and safely.

He also purchases a ceremonial gift to bring to the priests: a fine blanket woven with bits of gold thread.

Upon reaching the Church he humbly offers the gift and the tribute to the priests. He spends a few hours praying in the Church. (A cold, cold building, even in the middle of summer.) He then seeks counsel with the priests. He has done his best to fulfill the Frost's wishes, as best he understands them. He now wishes to understand more. How best can he serve the Frost?

Re: Carousing for E.N. Lightenment

TavisAllison 21 Aug 2010 21:00

The exterior of the Church is stone carved to resemble an ice cave, and the main altar is a solid block of permanent ice.

Your gifts are warmly received, and you are given an appointment with the Deaconess Lea Caja. 'I cannot tell you how to proceed,' she says, 'but the breath of the dead may aid you in obtaining guidance from the Frost.'

Long ago the Church developed a prayer that allows a dying breath, or air expelled from the lungs of a corpse, to condense on a piece of chilled metal, forming letters of frost that carry messages from beyond. A vault below the church holds sheaf after sheaf of these revelations, organized by no system other than inspiration and synchronicity. What questions guide your search as you read through these letters of frost?

(You rolled a 7, +3 is 10: you earn 1,333 XP, spend 1,433 gp, and choose three.)

Re: Carousing for E.N. Lightenment

foner 22 Aug 2010 00:52

I didn't see a specific table for this, so by choose three, I'm assuming you mean three questions? If so, the questions are as follows:

- How can I best serve the Frost?
- Which path shall I take to further my appreciation and understanding of the Frost?
- How can I share the greatness of the Frost with others?

(Also, I believe the 1333 XP puts him over the top to 5th level. Woo-hoo!)

Re: Carousing for E.N. Lightenment

TavisAllison 22 Aug 2010 02:46

Oops, I thought we'd decided to use "delve into occult secrets". Given the chaotic nature of the Church, however, and the fact that you already have questions that aren't part of any move, let's use:

One of the pieces of chilled metal reads:
"Most men will never love the Killing Frost, but it is easy to make them fear it. Frost giants do share the love of our master, and are thus feared by their lesser kin."

Questions for you:
- What does the Frost want?
- Which is greater, the cold or the one who directs it to his ends?

Re: Carousing for E.N. Lightenment

foner 22 Aug 2010 04:32

The Frost sees this Age of Creation as corrupt. It is full of lying, cheating, stealing, decadence, and all other sorts of evidence of Man's failings. The Frost wants to end this Age and bring about a new one. Similar to the flood in Noah's time, the Frost wants a cleansing frost with which to wipe away all of it and start again.

The cold is greater. The Frost has given its followers some ability to control the cold. But they are never greater than it. They are only using it to further the Frost's objectives.