Dracolyptica- Ratification Year One

So the Uprisers slew the black dragon, drove back the Deep Empire's army and freed the remnants of the northern Human city from the shackles of slavery (see previous entry). The celebration that ensued was immediate and the exuberance was such that the party worried about the tactical situation should they come under attack. Dancing under the sway of the purple peyote-like goo that served as their food and intoxicant, an old man pointed out to Aurora Pelor's tiny symbol, carved on the ziggarut with hundreds of other gods and goddesses.

Ancient fireworks were shown to Jorel, "the one who wields fire." Shaped like great hollow staves with dragon heads, each one was masterful and when lit off, each flashed forgotten scenes of long-ago humans spearing dragons, whose blood in the the fireworks gushed out in great sparking geysers. The fireworks were contained in surprising numbers in protective but strange metal boxes from a forgotten age when humans ruled dragons and used their blood to power terrible magic. So this city, discovered by a chance long-range arial patrol had once been a mighty center of human power. To the party (except Jorel) such a concept seemed incredible.

But now the humans were living for sustenance, eking out a living with their meager hunting and farming skills. Their lands were not very fertile but then they had been plagued with zombie rot for a long time so the scene was only too common for Wikipedia Jones and the rest of the party. Now that they were themselves again they would pull themselves up. Talking to the intoxicated locals, Jones learned that the Firbolgs from the lands nearby raided regularly here, so the residents were happy to be free of the black dragon but they were a bit concerned about that. Jones wisely advised them that the Firbolgs could be trading partners and allies instead of enemies - with the help of the Uprisers.

Remembering that the Firbolgs had been on the short list of settlements the party intended to free from the Deep Empire of dragons, slavery and zombie rot, they prepared to set off to help the humans by helping the Firbolgs.

Meanwhile, Hadji and Foxy patrolled the woods, no further than a mile out of town. Five giant winged dragonborn guards in full Deep Empire regalia accompanied a Yuan-Ti snake man, even more deeply embellished. This time the elven ranger struck to subdue rather than kill, which made attacking the individual who it turned out was an Emissary of the Deep Empire slightly less bad manners. Hadji brought the Yuan-Ti Emissary into town and before long negotiations began between him and the Uprisers within the privacy of one of the building basements. It turns out the Deep Empire is facing a new unidentified threat and needed to save face against the Uprisers.

So the Deep Empire was offering a truce. For 20 years the Deep Empire would not come to the surface raiding for slaves, attacking settlements and supporting the dragon Surface Lords. In return, the Uprisers would not delve below to attack and sew rebellion below. The line of demarcation was 200' below ground. The deal was written in magical blood and goo by the Lord of the Flies, Asmodeus himself and if signed, breaking the treaty would result in "unthinkable suffering." Several details were argued and changed in regard to options for versions of the treaty that included provisions for the Deep Empire to offer 3,000 GP rewards for the return of escaped slaves, but this was rejected. The plain, 200' belowground line of demarcation version still lay on the table. All that was required were the signatures of the majority of the Uprisers present, four signatures. Jorel signed it immediately without reading it. Wikipedia, well versed in the written word, poured over it carefully for loopholes or anything fishy and finding none, signed it. Aurora, hungry for peace, signed it. Willikers refused to sign it, as did Hadji. Though it looked like success or victory, Shamash felt that it would be wrong for him to influence the vote of anyone else and though personally opposed, he diplomatically chose to abstain from voting (which is to say he didn't sign it; of course he couldn't, he spent his whole life fighting the Deep Empire). Elle Enchanted signed it with enthusiasm after speaking with Jorel. Four signatures. The Yuan-Ti emerged from the building with the Uprisers and saw the five giant dragonborn bodyguards release the human villagers they had taken hostage in case things went sideways. Then the Emissary and his contingent departed. The deal was done.

All of this still did not change the fact that Deep Empire or no, the party was still committed to helping the humans prosper by helping the Firbolgs overcome the three curses of their Dragon (a blue one), slavery and zombie rot. So off they went, it wasn't that far.

The Dracolich was waiting for them.

In terrible wisps of blackness and surreal dreamlike mist, the enormous undead dragon perched atop the broken ziggarut of the Firbolgs. In his hand he held a copy of the contract as he taunted the party from the comfort of his incorporeal state. At the foot of the ziggarut below him lay the body of the blue dragon. He wasn't here to fight the party, he said. Instead, let's play a game. Let the Firbolgs decide who they wanted to be in charge of things. The debate was to be three days.

Though the Uprisers had might and right on their side (or so they believed) the Dracolich was well prepared. Day one he brought forth strong arguments against the party. Jones has a little bottle, the cure for zombie rot? Who do you think made zombie rot in the first place? With a vile gesture, the dracolich pulled his disease's blackness out from those Firbolgs he chose to dis-infect. His argument regarding slavery was weaker and included mutterings along the lines of would you rather be my slave - or theirs? He even brought the Eladrin Queen (see earlier entries--that one ended up looking like we failed even though we did what we thought was the right thing at the time). Oh this was not going to be good for the party. Even the Moon Feast was ruined. Love that Moon, hate those maggots but the moon provided attacking werewolves so the Firbolgs killed and ate them instead, with help from the party. To deal with the situation by bringing her together with our diplomats against a common foe, during the night Hadji, Willikers and Rholain attempted to kill her, each in turn, but as a high level plainswalker with bodyguards she was tough and well defended, plus the other party members knew killing her would probably just prove the Dracolich's point so they helped to defend her. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, in the end it ended up appearing to split the party (even though this wasn't really the case) with everyone but Rholain defending the Eladrin Queen. It was learned during the night that this group of Firbolg counted the Eladrin among their allies, which changes everything really. Actually I think we knew that and had forgotten. Anyway, we ended up killing Rholain and saving the queen in the hope that when she speaks, she might not speak out as negatively against us on Day Two. At least the Eladrin Queen made friends with Aurora. Even though he despises her because she's a slavelord, Shamash never attacked her, and neither did Jones or Aurora (Jones and Aurora weren't there when the party ruined her life). Hadji initially was going to attack her, then defended her and Willikers did attack her earlier but not later on. As a band of warriors, violence is how the Uprisers resolve things. But as debaters and diplomats we have some skills also and we went two for two on not killing people we hate who just want to talk and not attack us. Come to think of it that's pretty remarkable.

From the Eladrin Queen's point of view, the Uprisers are not so great. But for her to join forces with the Dracolich, she must have either been influenced in some way, or have a crazy determination to return her people to the life of slavery she imposed on them before we stepped in. Letting her speak is a huge gamble but killing her would have been wrong, and diplomatically disastrous. Day 2 is going to be interesting. Shamash figures the Dracolich is doing all of this while sleeping, that his true form could be hundreds or even thousands of miles away. Though it's frustrating for the party, some of us would probably do the same thing to the Dracolich if we could. We're supposed to be the good guys but it seems like the harder we push to win at all costs, the more we risk paying with our own morality. From this point of view, by sparing the lives of both the Yuan-Ti diplomat and the Eladrin Queen, the Uprisers held their moral ground (though only barely, admittedly). So that's a good thing. One wonders if killing them both might also have been a good thing though... Probably not.

The real question is what are the ramifications of the treaty, and more importantly, what is scaring the millions of the Dragon Empire below, to the point that they would abandon their interests on the surface to focus on their own problems?

Experience: 1,100 (we did not level, we're still 16th). Treasure: 33,000 GP each party member who took a share of the 200,000 GP one time signing bonus from the Yuan-Ti negotiator.

Next Session: Saturday, August 14, 3 pm -- we will begin with "Day 2"

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“The dracolich has set himself against us, but also against your community. As Firbolgs, you can have your own way of life and be free as you were long ago, long before you were enslaved by the blue dragon. The dracolich is one dragon replacing another because he wants you to be his slaves now – for different and deadlier purposes. He makes his arguments from the mists like a phantom, while his real self could be miles – even thousands of miles away. To win his arguments he has invaded the minds of the free looking for weakness and defeat, and found the Eladrin Queen. No doubt she will defend slavery, which from her perspective as a ruler must have been grand. Many of her subjects who didn’t work themselves to death under her rule died in the conflict between freedom and slavery. To live a life in forced drudgery is no life at all compared to living your own lives.
Once, long ago Firbolgs were free. You roamed the land, hunting and fishing for what you needed and wanted. You were free once under the moon, running among the trees to the sound of birds. You can be free again. Or, you could make a bad choice and enslave yourselves to an undead dragon and his proxies. You can decide to live free among the birds and trees, or die along with them when the dracolich drains the life out of you and your land. You can join with us and prosper in trade with your neighbors in the cities nearby as friends, helping each other build a better world. Or you can join the dracolich and follow his every whim, including the eternal conscription of your children into his army of death. If you choose the dragon, know that you will be seen as monsters and villains by those around you.
Are the Uprisers promising you the Moon? Yes, yes we are but only if you TAKE IT for yourselves. Reach for the sky and the future will be yours. Will we always be here for you? Yes, yes we will but only if you MAKE yourselves listen and learn what you like about us, and pass that on to your children. It is not us you need, but our ideas. We can help you remember how to live free, and when you are truly free you will not need any help from us or anyone. Can the Firbolgs be happy again? Yes,yes but not as slaves. Among the dracolich’s minions you would be again shackled in chains, whipped into obedience and intimidated into working yourselves to the edge of death for nothing more than the amusement of your torturer, the dracolich. Your potential new slavelord, the dracolich– is the same as your old slavelord, the blue dragon – only bigger, crueler, colder and more uncaring. Given the choice, wouldn’t you rather embrace your families than serve that black-hearted pile of bones?
Love and hope are stronger than hate and fear because death has no future in it for you. Light and truth have more power than blackness and lies because deceit has no future in it for you. Freedom and fun are more desirable than slavery and pain because death has no future in it for you. Will you be given what you want? No, you will have to work and fight for it. But do know what you want. Do work and fight for it, you are big and strong. You are brilliant and you can do it. Reach for the moon. Reach for life. Reach for freedom.“
--Shamash Kriv, excerpt from speech at Firbolg City, year 1 of the Dracolyptica Ratification