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I guess my perspective might shift with items and gameplay experience. But it does seem to me that characters that are half my monk's age are progressing much faster and are much more capable. So that's where I'm at.

[Problem: Flatfooted.]

Monks have it pretty hard. Despite good saves and the ability to glide through some pve content, they are still hamstrung by opaque NWN mechanics and group composition. Compared to a class like fencer, monk has a handful of marginally useful features that create needless frustration when compounded with flat-footed or their reliance on spells.

So I'm just going to address two of these problems and suggest a couple of fixes. (TLDR give monks UD and Silken Mail to ease 70% of the frustration with the class.)

Problem: Flatfooted.

This probably accounts for 1/3 of my total deaths on my monk (I have a lot). My ac inexplicably drops while defending against a squad of orcs and suddenly I'm getting hit for rolls of 25. I'm still only vaguely aware of the causes of this condition since it's not signposted on the character sheet. To say that dealing with the flatfooted effect is frustrating as a new player is an understatement. In my opinion it should just be ripped out of the module.

Failing that,

Solution: Uncanny Dodge

Just give monks uncanny dodge at 6 or something. I doesn't make any mechanical sense that a martial should lose so much ac for throwing some caltrops or an alchemist's fire. It makes even less thematic sense that the monk dodge-rolling fireballs between attacks would suddenly forget to duck five attacks in a row.

And of course, I would be able to stop pulling my hair out because my pc suddenly died before I could even click away.

Problem: Buff/group composition dependance.

Monks need too many buffs to be effective. Mage armor, dexterity and wisdom are mandatory. Everything else is a luxury. It usually takes two mages to get everything. And sometimes they just forget or double cast. A monk can fill some of the gaps with trinkets and potions but it's expensive and the short durations create an attention economy hell for a monk player that's also keeping an eye out for taunts, positioning and dispels. Also mage armor potions are a trap if you're not eyeballing their short durations.

Solution: Silken Mail

Fortunately there's a feat that helps with one of the most important buffs. Silken Mail should really just be given to high level monks that have waded through the 7-8-9 hump with potions.  It would ease the dependency on casters by a significant margin and help with the mages that just decide to leave mage armor out of their repertoire.

I would even replace improved evasion at 9 with silken mail because I think it would be that much more useful.

So just give monks Uncanny Dodge and Silken mail. They still won't be as good as other classes but they would feel a lot better to play.

Edit: renamed title for clarity

[Three Banda slain by friendly fire.]

Kazadun Azkalhson,

This has come far too late. A list of names of the fallen during the first battle of Arslan. Composed at your request with the assistance of Balladeer d'Lyon, Lieutenant Colmes, Speaker Dudley.

Three Banda slain by friendly fire.

Bruce Danebluuf
Ottavio Banducci
Propaea Cala

"Veteran Vanguard"

Do'od Hawke
Findal Myst

Fourth Legion

Daoud al-Maaz
Rojan Duskwood
Hazran Sahar
Chocola Parfait
Reynard Marshall
Theo Kyon
Alexandros

Unknown Affiliation

Ephicus Bos the Agasian
Vesryn Aradan
Atticus Naros
Bongo Cobble
Tor Un

-----

I will prepare more names for you in the coming battles.

~Scribe Kiran al'Arith

Lieutenant,

I owe you thanks and favor. This will allow me to conclude my work.

~Scribe Kiran al'Arith

Legates,

These days of turmoil have no doubt had their toll on both yourselves and your time. For this reason I will attempt to keep this letter as brief and direct as possible. Yet I will not mince words.

The public are uncertain and afraid. Rumors swirl and this scribe can only make vague gestures towards recent diplomatic proceedings to explain them. They look to me for answers when they should look to you for leadership and vision. To my observation, both are at an unfortunate lack.

Upon the bellows transcripts I see legates at odds with their warmaster. I see lickspittle clamouring for spoils and I see pundits reigning our foreign affairs. This scribe shares their fears of the future because our legates are silent.

And most damning, my knowledge of Arslan's recent liberation has come to me not by official proclamation. It has come by rumor and innuendo. Same with the massacre at the warcamp if not for Lieutenant al-Asal's updates. This scribe has seen no announcement regarding any of this. And like the citizens of The Well, I am left to speculate. How could there be NOTHING from either of you!? This state of affairs is unacceptable. If it carries on it may be ruinous.

I write this not in admonishment but in earnest plea. Now more than ever, Ephia's Well needs your leadership. Seize the narrative before it seizes you! Cease this malaise of torpidity and give our citizens and soldiers a reason to look to the future. Tell them what is happening. Tell them how it will happen. Tell them why. Do it by writ, or by bellows. See that your vision is known! Show them that you have a plan!

If words escape you, think of what Marcellus Saenus would say. Or even the villain Argent Argyris. I know neither of them would let this moment chance them by.

I wait with held breath at the ponderous turn of The Wheel.
~Scribe Kiran al'Arith

P.S.

That gold league claiming ownership of The Argyris Quarry is a farce. The quarry's deed is in state hands. It is you who decides who it will belong to. If you award the quarry to anyone, do so as a reward for fealty or service. Or place it in trust with The Sublime Garden. Or auction it for the treasury if you must.

But PLEASE do not hand it away for nothing on the say-so of golden clad windbags (sitting legates excluded). They'll laugh all the way to the coin changers and spend their new income on scorch and whores in Qadira.

[// The above documents have been provided to The Fourth Legion.]

// The above documents have been provided to The Fourth Legion.

Ser Aurelio,

This is good labor! I was unable to find these records after a brief search myself.

Let me know if the whole balladeer thing does not work out for you. There are vacancies here at the pyramid. Talents like yours should not go to waste.

In the meantime, please inform this humble scribe of any way she can assist you in the future.

~Scribe Kiran al'Arith.

Prelate Edmund Lothere,

What a fascinating gambit. I'll hear it in person.

~Scribe Kiran al'Arith

P.S.

If your love for me is as enduring as you claim it is, I will expect you to put your money where your mouth is, literally.

Have a marriage contract ready and reviewed by a legal advocate. Have a fat sagging sack of dinar ready for my dowry. And if this is some clever needless little ploy to play with my heart, I swear upon Urazzir that my wrath will have no end.

A lottery comic.

(A scribbled squat, gnomish figure with a comically oversized moustache and a sleeping cap dashes away from a janissary soldier. The gnome has the smug smile of a mastermind criminal while they speed away with lottery tickets scattering from their bag. The soldier reaches as they run, unable to grasp the fleeing gnome.)

(Captioned) Stop Lottery Gnome! Buy a Victory Raffle ticket today!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In robes of blue, I sought the djinn's sweet flame,
To claim their power, rise and carve my name.
I knew the cost, the price that brooking asked,
Yet saw it clear—no evil task unmasked.

But standing near, a Janissary in green,
With laughter bright, a warmth I'd never seen,
He said, "Beware, for brooking leads to chains,
A binding curse that twists the heart in vain."

His words were firm, yet soft with playful grace,
A soldier who saw darkness in my face.
His humor held me, yet it made me pause—
For in his eyes, I saw the weight of cause.

With a chuckle, he turned, his back to go,
And I, in silence, felt my heart below.
For though I'd craved the power, sharp and pure,
His warmth and wit made all my doubt endure.

And so, my heart was brooked, though not by power—
But by the soldier who made my soul flower.

[Thesis Query #8]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thesis Query #8

Duo-Autonomous Personhood

Subtitle: They Live Among Us.

• ZZ & Scribe M.
• A.D. may have an infinite number of bodies
• E/A
• Possible attempt to subvert democratic system by inhabiting multiple bodies for multiple votes?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There were tears on my pillow again. They couldn't be mine. I hate her so much.

[Why do this?]

In the end I could not flee. My pessimistic shell could not shield me. What a failure I am. Melting in one moment of validation.

The starbeast, whatever became of it, or whatever Apother L. made of it; It still rattles inside my head. Pain echoes in a rhythmic thrum. At least it seems to be slowly receding. Meanwhile the finger I broke has been splinted. I'm warned that it may heal crooked. Another lifelong reminder of black horror. I'm glad I had the forethought not to damage my writing hand.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Scratch Thesis Query #1. Anything dealing with Djinni is not just anathema, it's practically gauche. No need for such risk. That war priest is more than enough evidence of what could happen. And sometimes it's too hard to have faith in myself.

Scratch Thesis Query #2. Has little interest outside of a "cover thesis".

Shelve Thesis Query #3. The snake that can not shed it's skin dies.

Thesis Query #4 seems to be the most promising out of the batch.

Shelve Thesis Query #5. Maybe if I'm a Zenithar some day.

Thesis Query #6 is a scratch. Apothar E/A tried to point a finger at Nadiri D. and insinuate something dire. She treats her pawns like toys. Unacceptable.

Why do this?

• Act of dominance?
• Veiled threat?
• Careless hubris?
• Deflect attention away from other plots?

I wonder if Nadiri D. understands the united front I tried to present. It seems like none of them did. Another lesson. I will have to bear the wrath of E/A alone, should it ever find me.

Thesis Query #7

Nadiri T. suggested something a bit more abstract. I should consider it out of respect. (Remind him he needs to pay back complaint gnome.)

What is the source of elemental energies that fuel arcane magics?

• Clearly define problem of "instant energy" upon spellcasting.
• Muddle through a few potential theories, interdimensional drawing, aether pools, world weave etc.
• Could be a decent cover thesis if I wanted to focus on something underhanded.

[Thesis Query #1]

I have discarded my previous journal. Reviewing it found little need in keeping those tear watered pages. What is important will remain sacred memory. The 41st is behind me. The whimpering girl is dead. With her death, the hardest part is over.

Their corpses form a path. Water will be abundant in that place.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From where I sit, scrawling at these papers, I can see the astronomer's observatory. Supposedly they glean some meaning from the way the heavens move. I won't grudge them their vices. How could they know that all the stars are fake? And why should I inform them? Most importantly: will they take me in if I play the part?

Their foolishness is not unlike my own. Remember the shores of sacrifice.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bless them for thinking me so naive. What a perverse thrill it is to pretend.

But just as I put down my roots, I discover the early warning signs of a plague. This city is not prepared. No stockpiles, no containment measures. The priory focuses on their intrigues and the astronomers sit on their hands. A democracy. A shining beacon on a hill. And not even a mention of the approaching horror in their bellows during this "election". Fools.

Be ready.

• Keep a bag together.
• Keep the green outside of the gate happy with dinar.
• DO NOT allow yourself to be trapped in the city when the gates are sealed.
• Flee at first sign of sickness in streets
• None of the other cities will be safe.
• Join desert nomads.
• Bandits/pirates even.
• Survive as you always have

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thesis Query #1

Do Djinni lie like I do?

• dangerous thesis.
• Nadiri J. did not seem disturbed
• cover from brooking speculation

Thesis Query #2

Why not just graverob the depths?

• they already are.
• still some plunder to go around.
• promising with a little risk

Thesis Query #3

What can be recovered from the shores of sacrifice?

• speak with ZNA
• seek translocational allotment for the 41st
• prepare internal geometries
• kill her as many times as you need to

Thesis Query #4

Magic and the altered self.

• Scribe H. says there is a market for narcotics.
• safe. profitable.
• mindbloom

Thesis Query #5

Deity Killing Spell

• speak with ZNA
• starbeast opportunity
• obfuscate true intention

Thesis Query #6

Apothar E/A personal assassin

• Sister S. Nadiri K. agreement
• informal clout inside outside tower
• potentially vast transactional protections inside tower
• extreme risk
• Apothar E/A liability
• is this a snare?