C.A.R.P.S.

[midwinterdreams]

"The more help we have the safer we are. The downside for you is you get all the risk and none of the reward, but it would be greatly appreciated if you could help."

[Edrial]

I already have a great toughness potion made, so I can donate that.

I would suggest as well that anyone who is capable deal with the brownies at their special market to buy a circle of life scroll to be cast outside during the fighting. IF these are agents of death then a life circle is bound to do bad things to them. even if we can't place the ritual inside of one, placing them around the area as things we can use as defense would be highly useful. Anyone that can read magic would be capable of putting one up.

[Wrexton]

Wrexton chimes in:

"Unfortunately, I have not attained even basic skill at Ritualism yet, but I have a Circle of Life I can summon to protect the Grand Ritualist. I am, of course, willing to see how well it works, if at all, against Death and Its minions. Also, if the sun is a hindrance, I'll gladly test if Radiance works on them as well as it does against the undead. Practical field experience and academic inquiries both satisfied."

The gnome rummages around his traveling bag for a moment. After some digging and mumbled utterances, he tips a pouch out onto the table. Six uncut topazes, two uncut ambers, and a teardrop amethyst spill out.

"I had plans for these, but the people I know who would benefit from the ritual are more important."

[melaenarose713]

Melaena speaks up from her seat in the corner:

"Wrexton, let me speak with Nowan to see if he has any extra gems he can donate or trade. I know that you've been collecting those topazes for quite some time, and I know he and Volcor mentioned that they'd be willing to do what they can to help when we spoke about it last moon. I also know a few other people who may be willing to chip in to the gem cost to help offset it. Let me go bother them about it."

She shuffles some of the notes she's been taking and thinks for a moment, "I should be also be able to get at least one of the Circle of Life Scrolls as well and would be willing to either cast or donate it when the time comes. I don't have much, but I'll do what I can."

[Anya]

Anya speaks up, "The Brownies are very capable of making the Circle of Life into a spell weaving item for the same cost as the scroll, and then anyone would be able to use the item." She smiles, "Those little buggers can make almost anything magical...unless it requires some additional component to craft."

[Clonk]

"Just tell me what I need do, and it get done. I will watch the spirit realm around us, and can help others see it for a time."

[Volcor]

-Volcor overheard his name and came over-

"Aye, Many of the ones who would gain from this have literally saved my life... I have a little more to give than others because of it"
-Volcor drops one of the two circle cut rubies in his pouch onto the table.-
"If you need more, let me know... Also, can we guarantee circles of life will work? And, are there any other circles we could use aside from protection? I might be able to make some of radiance if given warning"

[celegar]

*ziggy sits in his chair at the corner with his labs, listening to the goings on before speaking*

There are many things to consider when doing this, and while i am not one who will ever shun the assistance of another ritualist, having someone of his caliber there would be a very expensive alternative to what we need.

I have seen this town perform a great many tasks, many of which required protecting something and more often than not we are successful. should the ritual backlash it would affect those within the circle at the time or those targeted at the time of casting, and when facing death, there is no telling where he will poke up as such i could not recommend relying on a circle of protection for the healers for this ritual, it would most likely not deter death as it is everywhere.

i am not sure as to what the true abilities of this ritualist are, but at my current ability he must at least be on par with myself. and so also would be near maximum power do act against any unforeseen issues. while i am not expecting anything more than i could handle with the discussion i have had with other certain town members in aiding in the ritual, i believe two expert ritualists to assist would be more than sufficient in providing power i could channel to counteract the negative effects. believe it or not i do have some experience with dealing with power of this magnitude and some of the different things to expect when performing it, as such my experience tells me realistically a single expert or at least half expert to assist would most likely be more than sufficient if i were to remain undisturbed throughout, but were i disturbed perhaps an expert to master would be needed. also, it must be considered that a ritual can be twisted or corrupted and changed, and so hiring a person who is stranger to most of us does not sit well with me considering the nature of the ritual being used and the persons it will be used on.

*drinks*

Again, i do not know this person or their motives, but as i do not require this ritual for my own spirit i would leave it to those who do to decide who they wish to have do it. I have offered my power as a high magic ritual caster for this free of charge.....tips appreciated, but i will never require payment for such a need, especially considering what the heroes of this town have done for the kingdom.

[celegar]

oh, i should also note, for those intending to guard through the ritual, it would be strongly recommended that you have as many resistances to death as you possibly can and that you yourself be targeted by this ritual, as these minions will VERY likely be throwing nonstop death at you and should you fall your vitality would be restored in the meager way this ritual works. we are not talking about a full restoration but a small portion, if it were a full restoration i would ABSOLUTELY SAY YES YES HIRE THAT GUY RIGHT NOW TAKE MY MONEY, but its not. its a single deaths work of vitality.

[Wrexton]

Wrexton smiles and waves to Melaena. "Thank you, my friend. I greatly appreciate if you would contact your sources. I have been gathering the topazes, but the B.A.R.D. Project can wait. Besides, I'm still missing the mass of copper required for it.

"I have to concur with Volcor. What can we deduce or discover about what we will face with this ritual? Is it possible to have House Toevass scour their libraries for information on any appearances of Death and Its hordes? We at the Mages Guild can search our own archives at the same time.

"It also occurs to me that we, meaning the defenders, will be vulnerable as well to attack from the many enemies we've made. This is not a secret endeavor we've undertaken, so I believe caution and diligence should be taken against other threats, too."

The gnome tips his hat to Ziggy.

"I share your concerns. I believe a thorough conversation is in order upon the Grand Ritualist's arrival. I sincerely hope he takes the time to answer our questions, especially regarding what we may contend with on Death's almost certain arrival. It stands to reason that we are tampering in Death's domain, as It has a rightful claim on the vitality we hope to restore."

[celegar]

*ziggy returns a hat tip to wrexton*

i can see where your coming from friend, but i do not feel this stranger has any more sway over the arts as a grand master ritualist than i do as a grand master ritualist. we, the both of us will not truely know what death may decide to send, i have a good idea in that it will most likely be death elementals and reapers, but this is not typical as rituals do not regularly call in attacking forces unless you fall into dark territory, which would happen regardless of whomever is casting the ritual without support of additional ritualist caster to aid in its performance.

That being said the performance of this at night or during the day would be a non issue, death creatures, true death creatures not those twisted into undeath, are in no way deterred by night or day. they are a whole other beast on a higher level than those of undeath and necromancy. I would urge those thinking a day casting of this will put them in a better position belay that line of thought.

This person being a stranger, and unknown to most of us, is what puts me at the most unease. those whom this ritual would be cast for would be putting their very essence into the hands of someone they are likely to have just met, whose motive appear to be those of finance rather than true aid. were he to offer to do it without payment or at least significantly lower payment i would feel more comfortable supporting this line of thought, considering all the additional aid we will be required to provide him for him to even attempt the casting, as i am able to do exactly as he is able to do but with clear intentions and motivations and out of the goodness of my being, rather than those of a hired caster who appears to care for himself and his wallet.

[midwinterdreams]

Raedir listens and nods a lot that is being said before speaking, "High Ritualist of Windcrest is a well known position, and if he is truly willing to aid us I do not see why we should not accept his assistance. I know if I were going to fight death, the blessing of the Phoenix sounds worth this price alone. I think we may also be able to speak with the man about other things as well. Perhaps he may have insight into other issues we may have. It is rare for a man of his caliber to show up in midway, we should make the most of it."

He looks to Anya, "I do not have much in the way of money or gems, but I can offer my healing."

[Dietrich]

Dietrich speaks up, "Ziggy, I was under the impression you were our only ritualist and as far as we have found out, no one can 'help you hold the ritual' whatever that means. The ritual all hinges on one individual maintaining focus for almost two hours while Deaths minions, NOT undead by the way, Death hates those, try and kill or otherwise interupt the Ritualist. All they have to do is break your concentration, just make you lose focus for an instant and have you without the skill to recover the ritual in that instant. Are you willing to wager the life of the townspeople on your untested ability to do a ritual? I'm leery of that."

[WAAAGH!]

*Temil sets down his drink*

"I'd rather put my trust in someone I know and have worked with before like Ziggy then in some unknown outsider. But that's just my thoughts on this topic, which probably don't matter to most since I won't be partaking in the ritual."

[celegar]

dietrich what makes you think i am so inferior to this person you claim is the end all of this topic? i am not sure what i have done to get you so angry about wanting to perform the task i was assigned by the town council two years ago and subsequently spent two years dedicating all of my time to mastering in order to do this one thing, something i gain nothing from personally. I have the same level of skill in the matter as this person you felt you needed to replace me with and ask the towns members to pay for his services. he will be just as incapable of overcoming a distraction in the ritual as i would be, because he too will be at full power and without the capacity to overcome falling into dark territory.

*pauses to drink*

I know what is at stake, this is not my first time round the bend and i am no novice to the risks of ritual magics. I worked all this time knowing there would come a time when this ritual would need to be performed, and when the town council members asked me to do this i agreed without hesitation, because that what a good person does. I would give my life for these people and have died twice doing so, and would happily do so again.

I am not aware of why my charity is spit on or met with hostility so regularly in this town by those people whom are just as capable of doing so as i am, and i hope that this move without so much of a mention to me about it is not motivated by ill will and just a matter of peoples doing what they please. i have never asked for payment when something i can produce is needed. I did not ask nor did i take payment when we originally got this scroll and i was asked to copy it.

*ziggy takes the last of his drink with a long pause to stop himself from ranting, clearly distraught by the implications being levied against him in this notion*

If these good people would rather buy a ritualist whos interest is that of his purse over that of the people, then i will not judge them for it. but know that he holds no more power than the one among you that was more than willing to risk his own spirit for your sake, the threat he claims to be impervious to is exactly the same should he be here doing this or not, he will not be able to overcome dark territory just as i would not be able to without the assistance of a second ritualist.

*ziggy takes his before him as he sits back down to work more on his rune script*

And i may have missed it, but this blessing of the phoenix, whatever that may be, i do not believe has been explained.