beermotor wrote:Chendris, your Patron teaches you the incantation to Read Magic. At least, you may attempt to learn it if you choose. By this time, your teeth have mostly all fallen out, and the palate is hardening above and also below on your mandible. It's very, very painful. You're also moving at -5'/round because of the leg issue, too. And, on your forehead, a strange mark has appeared. It's pentagonal in shape, with curvy rays that snake out from the vertices, and darkly purplish in color, like a birthmark, somewhat raised and puffy. It unnerves anyone who sees it, and your physical deformities are going to requiring hiding very soon, or you risk being killed or, perhaps worse, exiled to a leper colony.
Assuming you can learn Read Magic, what you do with that knowledge is up to you. But remember that he's sort of in a predicament. To save his sorry life, he called upon something ... not of this world ... or at least, outside of it. The price of that aid has been terrible for his physical form, but he lives. It might be possible to reverse, but it could take years of study, perhaps as yet undiscovered arcane secrets. And, all the while, he is now increasingly at risk from the random citizenry of Portsmouth, and especially the guards of the noble houses, because of how he looks. He is becoming more isolated with each passing day.
Have no fear, Chendriss began to cover himself almost from the moment he got back -- just to ward himself against the cold (he alone feels)! He's well hooded and wrapped up. His voice sounds a little funny, like he's talking through a coffee can or something, but there's not much to see.
As for learning Read Magic... I'm already booked up to my 4 -- can I learn more than that with study? Or do I have to wait until Level 2?
Also, do they have giant slabs of obsidian at Home Depot in town? Is it a type of rock that even exists in this area? I imagine that at least two weeks go by (he's got that much to heal, at any rate) and a significant chuck of that time is going into logistics of building an altar: getting materials, porting materials, construction, etc. That is, he is working out the plan, not doing it yet (unless there is a heckuva sale at that aforementioned Home Depot).
Chendriss is also going to need money to make all that happen. So he too would be looking for opportunities to 'earn' more gold...