Yeah, I said 1 project because the rules about the lyre go into a "Grey Area" that I didn't want to deal with. I read a bunch of stories/posts about people trying to abuse the powers of the instruments, so I made it "one project" per performance per week. I still haven't made up my mind yet if it can be performed by one person, then give it to another after who have the same performance abilities. To me, that's leaning towards the "Abuse" of the lyre.

Hm. Interesting. My reading is that it can continue to be used, provided the materials were there. So I wouldn't think shields would be a big deal to add to the ship repair job. Now I agree that handing it around would be cheat-y, but if you say one thing, you start to get a bit absurd. So then just one shield? No one would use it that way. They'd always use it for big, fancy things...

As far as mutiny -  They aren't going to immediately mutiny after we rescue them. We need them armed in case one of the soldiers get on board. We can't have a slaughter.

I can see your point on beans - but this is a time when people are used to keeping care of fires - they had fires on normal ships, even though they were the most dangerous of things to get out of hand. Or we could simmer them while we are flying there, put out the fires, and have the beans ready when the people get on board.

If I've magics left, I can Create Food. It's not exciting cuisine, but it's probably better than mine slave dining options

It's not my call about the ship. It's Myarra's, but I vote against arming the refugees and making a fire to cook. If they've survived escaping with us and on board the ship, they can survive another couple hours eating carrots and potatoes and drinking fresh water until we get to Elturel where they can cook all they want at the campsite next to the river. As for arming them, if they pick up weapons in the caves, then so be it. They have a right to defend themselves. I just don't think we should do it because we don't know any of these people.

The Lyre is BB's department, but with us discussing the description of the Lyre, it winds up being part of all those stories he was talking about with people arguing this and that and I don't want it to go there. The Lyre repairing the Mariasha was HUGE, but asking for more on top of that? I'm not going there.

I'm with Nolan on the use of the lyre. BB gets to dictate its capabilities. Yes, I have a few quibbles, you all know me too well to think it could be otherwise. But they're not important. Getting the Mariasha repaired in such a short time was already near-miraculous.

I think that arming the prisoners is a bad idea. We have no idea if any of them have scores to settle with each other or who might be thinking they can use the situation to get back on the Centauri's side, or foment a mutiny to steal the ship for themselves.  The last is unlikely, but I put nothing past a DM who thinks he can make a situation more amusing.

I just think adding armed unknowns to the mix is asking for unnecessary trouble. It's only a couple of hours to Elturel. Let's just concentrate on getting them there and let Lord Dhelt deal with sorting them out.

Likewise, open flames on wooden ships should only be allowed under very tightly controlled conditions.

So, let's keep it as simple as we can. Nets and padding for safety in the hold, water and rations (or magically created food) for the short time of the flight.

But we absolutely should have a wand of cure light wounds to make sure the badly injured are stabilized until we get them to the clerics. Maybe a couple cure disease spells or even restoration scrolls just in case. If we don't need them this time, we'll just use them on ourselves on a later adventure.

My more pressing concern is hiring some guards. We, as the adventurers, should be in the mines, killing dracoliches and cult members. We don't have enough people to assault the mines and guard the ship at the same time. BB said we could get a couple of the old party members (whose players have left) to help out and we should be able to hire a few trustworthy hirelings, or even just get a few hunters from Daak to help us out.

As long as the ship stays up in the air when not actively loading (and one of us should be escorting the prisoners out as large groups), it should be safe enough. We just need to do our due diligence.

Plus, we really need to start studying the map Amara and Nolan are making and planning how to actually get the prisoners out and kill all the cult members ... or encourage them to run far far away.

Perhaps we can convince Rufus and Lorrik to help on board as well? We could also ask Gunther to help with trying to find an alternate way inside the mines?

I'm sticking with 1 project per performance, but since posting on RPoL is slow compared to actual table top role playing, I'm going to change the time from 1 week to every 3 days.

Is there anything special anyone wishes to do? If not, I will update the day.

It looks like the group at the ship are ready for things to move on. We're just waiting for the scrying to be done.

Got it. Was trying to give Amara options. I just didn't want to assume.

Sorry... still dealing with healing complications... I think I have a surgical adhesion, but the Dr seems to not want to give any opinion... I'm beyond annoyed... But am often ending up too exhausted after what needs to get done in a day to consider doing anything else...

Anyway, I hope everyone in the path of the total eclipse got a chance to watch it! It was pretty awesome! You could see a giant solar flare from where we are :)

In reply to Amara (msg # 104):

We traveled a bit, but got a great view!
We may have seen the solar flare, depending on what it looked like

We set up a pin-hole system with a board which allowed us to watch in safety.  In our area about 85% of the sun was covered and the light was noticeably dimmer.  But it's quite amazing just how much 'daylight' the remaining 15% was capable of. Seemed more like an ordinary overcast day, even if it did come on and leave a bit quicker.

It looked even better from the desert. I used my welding helmet to look at it, but once you've seen one, you've seen them all.

I guess we're just waiting for the ship to return from its flight testings?

Can somebody help me out with the name of that item?

Would that be sending stones?

Magic Item Compendium pg. 184

The problem with sending stones is that they only come in pairs and can only be used once a day.

The Farspeaker Amulet (Magic Item Compendium Page 99) is more expensive at 6000gp but more useful.

One person has the master stone, and up to four other people have axillary stones.  Three times per day the stones can be activated for up to 10 minutes, allowing all five people to be able to communicate with each other.

Just looked it up and Nolan can make that. It will take him several days to complete, though.

Oh that one does sound much better. It was very hard to keep up with all the different magic items in 3.5

Tell me about it! LOL

OK, I looked up the item and Nolan can build it, but it's going to take some time:

5 days 236 xp 2,400 gold

If Nolan wishes to build this item, what is the party going to do for 5 days?

I'd be building the item. *Laughs*. As for the rest of the group, I'd hope they would be making plans. We still need a way to get all those people on board the ship and we also need a way to get inside the mines without everyone in the area knowing about it.

OK, do you guys want a boring 5 days, or do you plan on doing things for 5 days?

Aliana doesn't mind a short vacation, but will join the others if they get ambitious