Oct 27, 2021 1:29 pm
OOC:
Next move is buy some axes then get back to the dungeon I would think, unless you wanna clue Elmo in on what you heard from the shopkeep...Part 6: Another Return to Hommlet
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Oct 28, 2021 8:52 pm
OOC:
Sorry for the holdup. Got swamped at work big time this week with an unforseen workload. Should have everything caught up now, at least enough to stay back on on the daily again.There's a bit of debate as to whether the group wants to bring Elmo back on an excursion. Some seem to think he's capable, some dislike him for his drunkenness.
There's also some discussion about the incorporating of Kobort and Turoko who claim they will accompany you if you allow them to split a share between them. Are they a go?
In the meantime...
With a suspicious look he looks to those that have entered. "Looking to obtain the services of our associate so soon," he says with an oily grin.
Oct 29, 2021 1:32 am
OOC:
If we were taking a vote, Eltrezar is pro Kobort and Turoko. He likes Elmo, but also wants to actually earn some experience, so limiting hirelings is key.Oct 29, 2021 1:25 pm
Mal puts on her best parishioners smile and addresses the shopkeep,
"Not this time friend. We know well the risks where we go and we do not wish to needlessly wager such a good man's life. Perhaps on the next venture. In the meantime we would like to purchase some hand axes if you please."
"Not this time friend. We know well the risks where we go and we do not wish to needlessly wager such a good man's life. Perhaps on the next venture. In the meantime we would like to purchase some hand axes if you please."
OOC:
I certainly didn't mean to imply that we wanted, or at least that I wanted, to bring Elmo to the dungeon, only that maybe Gilly should tell him about the sneaky conversation she overheard between the shopkeep and the man at Arms since Elmo is some sort of authority in this town
Oct 29, 2021 5:32 pm
Having opted not to return to the tradehouse, as Eltrezar's ego still burned from the remarks he had been told of, the older man remains at the tavern and looks for both Kobort and Turoko. If they are present, he offers both employment for the foreseeable future, and offers each a ten percent share of the treasure should they perform adequately. Hrmph!
Oct 29, 2021 5:56 pm
dominion451 says:
OOC:
I certainly didn't mean to imply that we wanted, or at least that I wanted, to bring Elmo to the dungeon, only that maybe Gilly should tell him about the sneaky conversation she overheard between the shopkeep and the man at Arms since Elmo is some sort of authority in this townOOC:
Ah, gotcha! Interesting... We'll leave that up to Gilly.Gremag looks down at Maloria for a moment and she can't help but wonder if she doesn't see suspicion in his gaze, but as she stares back trying to read his face he turns and heads over to where there is a rack of weapons and tools. "Hand axes are 5 gold each, if you please. How many would suit your needs?"
@cowleyc:
The two men are sitting together, having little else to do but wait at a tavern for a party of adventurers to give them work it seems. After hearing Eltrezar's offer Turuko turns to Hobort. "You see Hobort. Did I not promise you I'd find us work if you saved me from those gnolls. I admit it took some time, but I always follow through on my promises."
The big man, Hobort, simply grunts a non-committal grunt. "Suppose so..." he says with as little interest or animation as he can possibly muster.
"A ten percent cut each, eh? Eltrezar, you've made us a far better offer than I could have hoped for. You've negotiated yourself a deal. As I said before, Hobort here is one fine fighter. Killed a whole pack of gnolls on his own, he did to save me. As for myself...
well, let's just say I've got a few tricks and surprises up my sleeve."
Oct 29, 2021 7:06 pm
Hrmph! "You two come as a pair, so I was going to give you, as a single outfit, ten percent. However, I am open to negotiations. Ten percent each is quite steep, especially when I have not seen you perform. I can offer, on behalf of myself and my subordinates, seven percent each with a renegotiation on wages after we return to town."
Oct 29, 2021 10:04 pm
@cowleyc:
Turuko looks at the wizard, and nods. "Ah, I see. Well as I said, your offer, or at least the offer I thought you were making, was more than I expected. Upon clarification, seven percent it still plenty generous. At least for now. Maybe when you see our usefulness we may negotiate better terms."
Turuko looks at the wizard, and nods. "Ah, I see. Well as I said, your offer, or at least the offer I thought you were making, was more than I expected. Upon clarification, seven percent it still plenty generous. At least for now. Maybe when you see our usefulness we may negotiate better terms."
Oct 30, 2021 2:50 am
Mal deadpans the shopkeep and holds up three fingers.
"Three axes will do nicely."
Mal counts out fifteen gold and hands it over to the man.
"Thank you for your time. Do take care, dark times have come and a reckoning is sure to be had. Look to the church and may you there find salvation."
"Three axes will do nicely."
Mal counts out fifteen gold and hands it over to the man.
"Thank you for your time. Do take care, dark times have come and a reckoning is sure to be had. Look to the church and may you there find salvation."
Oct 30, 2021 7:39 pm
Gremag stares at the dwarf as she leaves before returning to the small lockbox with the coins he was counting earlier.
When Mal returns to the inn she sees Eltrezar wrapping up negotiations with Turuko. The others in her group are present, and she notices Elmo has returned, sitting up by the bar, once again cradling an ale in his hands.
When Mal returns to the inn she sees Eltrezar wrapping up negotiations with Turuko. The others in her group are present, and she notices Elmo has returned, sitting up by the bar, once again cradling an ale in his hands.
Nov 1, 2021 8:37 am
OOC:
Happy to tell him, especially if we aren’t going to pursue it ourselves. But do we trust him enough not to mess it up?Nov 1, 2021 3:30 pm
OOC:
I'm sure it will come back to haunt us but I don't know what choice we have, we got a dungeon to exploreNov 2, 2021 12:01 pm
Gilly rolls her eyes.
Fine… I’ll do it…
And she marches towards the drunk at the bar. Not grabbing a seat, she taps him on the rump, until she gets his attention.
Fine… I’ll do it…
And she marches towards the drunk at the bar. Not grabbing a seat, she taps him on the rump, until she gets his attention.
OOC:
Gilly will fill the man in. I don’t know if we want to get back on the road and hand wave it, or RP it out! Last edited November 2, 2021 12:02 pm
Nov 2, 2021 8:42 pm
KCC says:
OOC:
Gilly will fill the man in. I don’t know if we want to get back on the road and hand wave it, or RP it out! OOC:
I'll make a post that basically summarizes things and leaves the ball in your court. If you feel like roleplaying it, we can do that. If you all feel like leaving it there and starting your return to the ruins, we can do that too.
One moment please...
"Well, well! If it ishn't my fav'rit smallun'... Fancy a 'orn o' this ale? Come an' 'ave a seat an' I'll tell yeh what I was jes' tellin' this here--" He looks around for the barmaid, who took the opportunity to make herself scarce, probably for a while if possible. "Well anyway... What do yeh be knowin' abou' grain yields and the price of goods econ-- econominally?"
Ignoring the man, Gilly begins to simply bend the man's ear about some recent events, beginning with a brief summary of events from that last delve into the moathouse ruins, and then relating them to the conversation she overheard at the Trading Post. She makes sure to include the parts about the fact that there appeared to be two persons carrying the conversation in the back room, despite only Gremag and the Man-at-Arms being seen inside and the fact that Man-at-Arms up to this point was presumed a mute, having never uttered a word in front of the party the entire duration of his employment.
She mentions that Gremag spoke as if the Ogre in the basement was not entirely a surprise to him, and that Rannos seemed to know something of it as well, and she mentions Gremag's seeming hostility, or at least suspicious demeanor, when he discovered that Gilly may have been eavesdropping.
She also mentions news that there has been news of possible gnoll activity to the north, affecting both the gnome communities in the Kron Hills, where the prisoner Bramblecatch was captured, as well as a few small farms in the area, not to mention on the road between Verbobonc and Hommlet.
As she tells the man this she maintains careful watch of his reaction, initially wondering if he would be sober enough to understand or care, or if he would show any interest at all, as intent on discussing grain prices and local economy as he seemed to be. Far from anything she might have expected however, Elmo remains dead silent, listening intently to the halfling's tale, and Gilly suddenly is taken aback when she notices that his eyes, rheumy with drink when she began her rundown, are bright and clear when she finishes, never leaving her own as she spoke.
When Gilly finishes speaking with him he looks down into his own horn of ale in thought. After a moment he nods his head the tiniest bit and looks down at her again. His eyes are red and bloodshot again, though she could swear they weren't before he looked into his drink. A trick of the firelight maybe?
He says to Gilly, "Tha's quite a tale there, little'un. Soun's like yeh been busy. I'll tell yeh wha' I can do...
"I can maybe see if I 'ave some time to 'ead north meself to these farms that be 'avin' gnoll troubles and see if I can't make sense of things. Make sure we're not gonna be 'avin issues with their grain 'arvest this time next year, so our prices of ale don' be risin' even more? Would that alve-- 'hic --aleeverate yer concerns?
"An' also, if yeh're decidn' on 'eadin' back there to them ol' ruins, and yeh decide to take tha' Tradin' Post man wi' yeh agin, maybe yeh let me tag along with, eh? I won't charge yeh much for the comp'ny, an' we'll see if we can' get your new frien' to maybe at least give us a chuckle or two. If ol' Elmo 'ere can do one thing, it's gettin' fellas 'ere to 'ave a laugh at Elmo's jokes. Maybe I take a look at this ogre meself... Prob'ly jes' a orc... or a bugbear at worst. They be lookin' like they're bigger than they are if you be just a littlun lookin' up at 'em like you 'ave to, yeh know... I bet tha' bruiser o' yers wi' the sword wi' all the silly names would say it' was much smaller than a ogre."
Elmo shuts his eyes and you see him nodding affirmatively, like he just took care of any of the halfling's concerns in one great stroke of alcoholic wisdom. His head stops nodding but his eyes remain closed, and a moment later he seems to begin snoring, wavering a bit but somehow remaining seated upright in the stool he sits on.
The barmaid comes out from the kitchens and sees him sitting there as he is, but rather than wake him and risk another dry conversation from the local drunken expert on all things, she clears off some tables and returns to the back.
Rolls
Gilly Wisdom roll - (1d20)
Nov 3, 2021 12:16 pm
Gilly nods and nods as the man lets loose his spiel. When he slumps into supposed sleep, she eyes he barmaid that swims up close.
What was that with the eyes…
She wonders to herself. Something in the drink? Something put in the drink? Nothing at all? Maybe a problem for another time, but for a moment she saw a glimpse of another man there. She shrugs to the barmaid to cover her suspicions and walks away.
Once safely distant, she turns to the others:
"Something weird about that fella’s eyes. And I don’t just mean all the roaming around here that they get up to…"
What was that with the eyes…
She wonders to herself. Something in the drink? Something put in the drink? Nothing at all? Maybe a problem for another time, but for a moment she saw a glimpse of another man there. She shrugs to the barmaid to cover her suspicions and walks away.
Once safely distant, she turns to the others:
"Something weird about that fella’s eyes. And I don’t just mean all the roaming around here that they get up to…"
Nov 3, 2021 2:05 pm
"The man is practically pickled. Too much o' tha creature makes monsters of regular folk. Or maybe he's in on it."
Mal finishes her breakfast in one bite and rises to leave,
"Either way, our destiny lies elsewhere."
Mal finishes her breakfast in one bite and rises to leave,
"Either way, our destiny lies elsewhere."
Nov 3, 2021 3:38 pm
Somewhere deep within Eltrezar's impressive facial hair, a frown grows. His eyes furrow slightly at the obvious and early heavy intoxication of Elmo. He had seen the man perform impressive deeds, but right now he could hardly form a sentence! Nevertheless, it would seem the time had come to return to the moathouse, with two hirelings in tow (more, if the wizard counted the Halfling, Dwarf, and warrior).
Nov 4, 2021 12:11 am
OOC:
It's about noon now on the 16th of Eleint. Will you be heading to the ruins on this day, or rest another night and head out?
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