Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Mendez Strains Brains for Understanding

Mendez had, up until now, always relied on being really, really good looking to get through life’s problems.
But now he tries to assess the current situation...

We are standing near the top of frozen, Mount Snaefang.
Kobolds have taken over the above portion of the mountain and a few of the external Gnomish buildings but they 'seem' to want peace.

We are searching for: ‘The Gondian Primer of The Most Protective and Secure Devices Encompassing Most Mundane and Commonly Available as well as Arcane Dependent Building Materials for The Purpose of Creating a Secure Gnomish Homeland’.
This seems to be a ‘How-to-protect-your-home’ manual.

What was the ‘horrible cataclysm’that drove the people out? Why couldn’t the Gnomes rebuild?
Why is everything ‘vandalised’?
It doesn’t seem like something the ‘cool headed’ Kobolds would do.

MUNCAGON. (Mobile Ursine Nocturnal Carnivorous Avian Guard Station.)
Owlbears. (Maybe more active during nighttime?)

Looking over Telfis’ shoulder at the map it suddenly occurs to Mendez that the map is a ‘Side elevation’. That means if they got through the ‘Access hatch’ by the statue of ‘GOND’? They could probably avoid the Owlbears and traps (that could kill dozens at once).

They could possibly get to the Library and Treasure room. (My Precious) with a minimum of fuss.

The Map was made by the Gnomes but fell into non-Gnomish hands at some point. ALL Gnomes would know who ‘Garl Glittergold’ was.
But who?
Not Kobolds, Orcs or Goblins, as they are too stupid.
Not Elves or Dwarves as they aren’t that ignorant.
Humans?
How did the Gnomes get it back?

Why were the Gnomes ‘Exiled from their home land’ in the first place?

Why are the words on the sealed door written in 'Common' rather than 'Gnomish'?

What does: E-U-F-I-M-I-S-M (not euphemism) mean?

Exile G M-C-o-o-D I Research Group? What does this acronym stand for?
Why write Dilettantes? (Amateurs/artists/dabblers.)
Gnomish Military Command of our Deities Intelligence?

Also the door had three circles on it, which has spheres that can be moved around them, perhaps some sort of Gnomish lock?
Did ‘Petra’s’ Anvil and Dias have the same markings on it as the door supposedly has?
Why didn’t Chico or one of the other Gnomes come with us?
She said that the ancient DoGS map SHOWS the secret route into Snaefang Mountain.

The ‘Snowcatcher’ is probably just a roof of sorts under which we’ll find the ‘Main Gate’.

‘Big Monsters’ are probably Owlbears. (Funny that the Kobolds had no fear of them and actually hunted them to protect the sheep farmers.)

‘DoGS’ were the Gnomish leaders but possibly not Gnomes themselves? Celestials perhaps? (Deities of Gnome Society?)

What does ‘Spare Boats’ mean?

Could ‘Secret’ mean another entrance?

Will The Kobold leader ‘Patriarch Thelgez’ keep the truce? Will he help us in exchange for non-violence towards his people?

Why haven’t they tried to go deeper inside and gain access to the Gnomish city?

Also, Some angry Goblins are still probably inside.

6 comments:

RoboGeek said...

I read it as Spare Parts ... but for what? A machine??
Remember that the title MUNCAGON indicates a mobile guard station - could be some kind of large crossbow type machine.

The MUNCAGON obviously was disbanded or collapsed and the Owlbears/Monsters then occupied the crater in their place. The map was drawn after these events by someone other than Gnomes.

You are right to point out the Secret access a bit further up the mountain, but my guess is that it leads into the Kobold area.

I think our only real option is to go in via the main entrance, or spend ages searching for clues.

RoboGeek said...

PS - DoGS - is Department of Gnomeland Security ...

Hedzor said...

Could the Map have been purloined by Halflings?
'My Precious'?

Joebroesel said...

Ok, I think we somehow decided to go through the main door, wade through a sea of dead owlbears and (previously) survived goblins, look what spare parts/boats are, get the book and carry as much of my precious as possible on the way out.

Do we want to get a night sleep beforehand to fully heal, prepare spells and pray to our gods that they show us the way?

TieDye said...

A full night's sleep with three guard-watches would be good. Also, can Telfis do or take anything (potions, spells, drugs, meditation, etc) to up his "Detect trap" skill points? I'm thinking we'll need it in an abandoned gnomish headquarters.

Hedzor said...

Dag mentioned something about the 'Rodents' that made me think.
Maybe Assif and I were both wrong about: 'Spare Parts'/'Spare Boats'.
Could it be 'Space Boats'?