Part 6: Another Return to Hommlet

Sep 26, 2021 7:04 pm
Official XP and Time Tracker

https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C_6HSVpB-58/WD50q79XFlI/AAAAAAAABMY/elDIRTkzTCMjvEj_NyrAPxdqNutyzlrhwCLcB/s1600/Hommlet_sketch_blue.jpg

The morning of the 15th of Eleint brings you to a village just getting into the bustle of the day. It’s around 9am and the temperature in the village is somewhere around 55-60°. The air is still but rain has come down hard since the party left the ruins earlier this morning and the square and the roads passing through Hommlet are sloppy and slick with mud and the group is soaked to the bone.
The party knows that there will be a few errands to be run and some special orders ready for pick up in the next few days if they want to wait, but the more that can be taken care of today, the sooner they can head back to that black dungeon below the ruins.
As the party dismounts and begin to walk their mounts to the hitching posts outside the Welcome Wench Inn, all notice that the Man-at-Arms doesn’t follow suit, but breaks off from the group with not so much as a word of goodbye to the others (not that that would surprise anyone), and rides directly for the Trading Post to check in with his employers, presumably.

Likewise, the two merchants that the group rescued give their thanks once again and assure the group that they are in need of securing some horses and traveling gear of their own as soon as possible and intend to set out again for home after a night's rest at the inn. Unless the party has any further use for them, they will take their leave but before they go they promise that when they get home and have another shipment delivered to this area they will be sending a reward to the group to be given to the proprietor of the Welcome Wench for safekeeping.

As Bramblecatch dismounts from Gilly's pony, the gnome walks up to the cleric and pulls her aside. " I want to thank you again," he says to Maloria. "Not only for rescuing me before that dreadful ogre could make a small snack of me, but also for fixing my legs and bringing me here safely." As he releases his grip, Maloria feels something small and round is the palm of her hand. Looking down she sees he's given her a small, simple iron ring. It would probably only fit around one of the dwarf’s stout pinky fingers. "If you ever find yourself in need of aid, show this ring to any gnomes you might find within a hundred miles of here and very likely they will recognise it as a sigil of my warren, and its bearer as a friend and ally." He looks at the merchants walking away. "Unless you have any further immediate needs of me, I should like to be on my way as well. Until we meet again, Bramblecatch is in your debt."
The gnome begins to walk away, thanking each of the others in turn as he passes, and starts heading out of the village to reunite with his people somewhere north.

Selling the small amount of loot the party collected on their last raid of the ruins takes relatively little time. The Village’s jeweller purchases the peridot and amethyst stones from the adventurers directly. The ivory box, unexpectedly, he takes a particular interest in as well. When everything is sold off and the coins counted up, the party finds themselves with 670.34 gold to divide among the group.
Gilly recalls that the Man-at-Arms was to get a 10% cut of that for services rendered, according to the terms agreed upon, and that someone will have to deliver 67 gold and 3 copper. Knowing how shrewdly the two men at the Trading Post dealt with the halfling during negotiations last time, she has no doubt they'll be sure not to overlook the three copper pieces, leaving the group with 603.31 gold to split up between the remaining six party members.

By the time the loot has been sold and the coin handed out it’s around 10am. The party is soaked to the bone, and likely still has purchases to be made and individual errands to be run. The dwarf had mentioned buying a couple axes for the doors below the Storage Room. There is consideration as to whether to add more hirelings to the group, and hopefully the Church has some potions to sell the cleric. Eltrezar has some outstanding orders to pick up in the village, though none today, most likely.
OOC:
A few questions:
1. How would you like to divide up the remaining 603.31 gold? XP has already been awarded; this is simply for purposes of carrying loot.
2. Who would like to run personal errands?
3. Is the group heading out right away this evening, or are you staying at the inn for a day or a few days to take care of other matters?

KCC

Sep 26, 2021 11:34 pm
OOC:
1: I wonder could we keep the gold in our lock box at the inn, to save us having to carry less back next time with encumbrance!
2: Gilly has no special errand that I could think of!
3: I have no money put in for potions and such, and so I’ll happily stay if people want to wait for their purchases to be ready before we head out! Equally happy to leave after a rest at the inn.
Sep 27, 2021 1:59 am
OOC:

1: I have no head for math, but it seems like we promised 10% to the Man-at-Arms, and we can probably just split the rest evenly. Eltrezar will be storing his share back in the lockbox or the bank, whichever he had already stored money in.
2: Eltrezar will be heading to the Druid to talk about potions, and will be looking at the tailor-shop longingly.
3: Eltrezar would likely want to stay the evening in town, to get some good food and ale, heading out in the morning. We need to warm up first at the very least.
Last edited September 27, 2021 2:00 am
Sep 27, 2021 4:26 am
OOC:
I agree with the others. Bors will look for a blacksmith to get his current sword cleaned up as he found it in the ruins so is probably not in the best condition.
Sep 27, 2021 1:57 pm
OOC:
We should definitely grab another hireling or two. I actually liked the silent Man-at-Arms, and he was fairly competent with a bow. Maybe him and another frontline warrior if we can find one?
Sep 27, 2021 5:13 pm
OOC:
Yes, we pay MaA his 10% and split the rest, Mal will leave hers (less 10%) at the inn then go to the church to tithe and check on heal potions. I definitely want to hire at least one retainer, two if the group thinks best.
Sep 27, 2021 5:32 pm
OOC:
So do we want to rehire the Man-at-Arms? Or look for someone else? And do we want one or two hirelings? Two is safe, but one means we'll get more XP.
Sep 27, 2021 6:25 pm
OOC:
More XP is good, but only useful if we live to collect it. We fought an ogre and survived by pure luck. My vote is for two retainers and definitely the MaA since we know we can trust him.
Sep 27, 2021 6:37 pm
OOC:
So right off the bat, it sounds like the consensus is pay the 10% fee for the Man-at-Arms and split the rest evenly. That leaves each PC with 100.55 gold (I always just turn all your coins into gold pieces as best as I can. For the decimals, the digit in the tens place are silver pieces, and the ones place is copper pieces. It's easier for me to math out since I have to do the bookkeeping, and I'm not interested in messing around with stupid, heavy piles of random coins for each PC.

This is what I have for gold for each PC after this last haul, including any gold stored at the inn, in saddlebags, or on your person...
This is how much you each carry in one way or another:
Gilly: 292.94 gold
Eltrezar: 255.74 gold
Maloria: 120.44 gold
Bors: 109.55 gold
Norris: 110.55 gold
Personally, I would consider converting this to either some jewels/gems/jewelry, or consider letting the money changer store it. At this point, even turning all the treasure you carry into gold for bookkeeping purposes, the weight you're beginning to carry in gold coins is going to become a serious issue. Even your saddlebags can only store so much.

KCC says:
OOC:
1: I wonder could we keep the gold in our lock box at the inn, to save us having to carry less back next time with encumbrance!
3: I have no money put in for potions and such, and so I’ll happily stay if people want to wait for their purchases to be ready before we head out! Equally happy to leave after a rest at the inn.
OOC:
1. This would have occurred before Gilly joined the party, but when the original party first arrived in Hommlet they looked into where to store their coin, so as to not get themselves over encumbered. The inn does have a strong box, but it comes with a number of stipulations. You have to be a guest, currently renting a room at the inn to store valuables there (a least one PC *ahem* Eltrezar, is already flirting with this rule, considering he didn't secure a room before leaving town this last trip out). The innkeeper will not store more that 1000 gold per guest at the inn. The valuables can only be stored for 1 week at most.
Basically, holding on to lots of guests' valuables puts his inn at risk of being attacked by bandits and other no-gooders, which he obviously would like to avoid. The innkeeper would much prefer you store your valuables with the moneychanger, Nira Melub. Melubb can convert coins into other medium of equal value (for a 10% fee of course). He can make jewelry as well. He also will straight up store your treasure in his vault at no cost, but charges a 10% fee for any withdrawls you make.
I believe general consensus was 10% was too great a fee to pay, especially when everyone was pretty broke at the time, and so far everyone's been carrying their coin in their saddlebags for the most part, but that's about to get problematic as you gather more treasure, and Melubb is not flexible on the withdrawal fees. As DM, I will be continuing to penalize players for encumbrance if you're dragging too much coin around, so you guys should probably get this sorted out some way, before you find yourself in the moathouse dungeon broke because you had to dump your coin or else be too weighed down to walk or fight.
3. You currently have 190 gold in your pony's saddlebags, according to my spreadsheet, and 2.39 in your pocket. Add to it the 100.55 from this last haul and you're up to 292.94 gold. That should set you up for any shopping you need to get sorted out.
cowleyc says:
OOC:
1. Eltrezar will be storing his share back in the lockbox or the bank, whichever he had already stored money in.
2: Eltrezar will be heading to the Druid to talk about potions, and will be looking at the tailor-shop longingly.
OOC:
1. Eltrezar currently has 155.19GP in the innkeepers strongbox. Again. That's been sitting there for two days now, despite the innkeeper not recieving payment for two days' room rental. The not abiding by the inn's policies on storing your valuables is going to put you on the wrong foot with Ostler, innkeeper and sergeant of the village's militia. Not having a roof to sleep under form time to time could be a problem if you burn bridges with him. I have a hard time believing that he's just gonna let you walk in and dump more gold in his strongbox and walk out again. In fact, he's probably wondering why a non-paying guest still has their crap in his lockbox.
2. The druid's potions will not be ready for pickup until at east the next day.
OOC:
So far, I'm getting the feeling that the Man-at-Arms is a definite possibility the group is considering, if only for his for ranged capabilities. If you want a melee guy as well, Elmo, drunk as he seems, has shown he can handle pretty well himself in a fight using his battleaxe, slow as that weapon may be. Elmo is expected to return to hommlet in around two days (Day 8, by my notes; you're on Day 6), if you want to wait that long. It's only two days, so how much can a dungeon fill up in that short amount of time, hmm? And it would probably give you a chance to see how the healing potions are coming, and Eltrezar a chance to wait for his potions tomorrow, and he can't place another order until, at the earliest, the day after that. And his robes will be ready on Day 9

Just some food for thought.
Sep 27, 2021 6:46 pm
OOC:
So if Mal has 120gp on her then she will probably just head to the church and see about heal potions.
Sep 28, 2021 3:18 pm
Eltrezar immediately heads for the Inn, having provided valuable assistance to his group in selling their treasures. In his excitement in the adventure to be had, he had forgotten to tend to the innkeeper's needs and rules! He offers to pay for an extended stay, as well as backpay for the days he had used the lockbox without actually being present. After all, it was a paltry sum compared to what the group had found in the moathouse.

Bathing and attempting to dry his clothes took some time, but he was eventually ready to head to the druid's residence. He takes a moment to feed Isolde, who had been waiting quite impatiently in the stables, before going on his way. Knocking at the door, he gathered a few gold coins in preparation to donate in full view of Ashstaff.
Sep 28, 2021 7:56 pm
@dominion451:

OOC:
I’m assuming Mal is the only one headed to the church for the time being. I’m going to make another assumption that anything of importance to the party that occurs on this excursion would be shared with the group by Mal when she rejoins them later, so I’ll just make this open for all to see instead of a private note, and if we decide that there’s anything Mal wouldn’t mention later, we can retcon it and make a rule about no metagaming off of said information. Fair?
Maloria heads to the Church of St. Cuthbert. Like every other time she’s been here she’s expected to wait in the room that serves as the Study and Audience Chamber. Like clockwork, after being offered a seat on the hard wooden benches, Calmert excuses himself. At this point his eyes barely flicker to the donation box as leaves for a short moment; he knows you both know the score by now.

After a few moments, just enough to allow for Maloria to take care of anything she might find *ahem prudent, he returns to the room and turns a chair around to sit before her.
"Acolyte Stoneforge! I had heard you had set out yesterday to revisit the ruins outside of the village, and if the birds that chirp their silly rumors sing true, you've brought back some folks in dire straights, though word has only recently arrived so who knows. You must tell me everything! Also, I must say, I am relieved to see you’ve returned in one piece yourself. Happier still to see I am not being asked to heal or perform last rights on any of your companions this time! Maybe things are getting sorted out then? In any case, how may I be of assistance to you?"

Assuming that Mal gets to the point and says she’s looking to purchase some more healing potions the lesser priest’s face falls a bit. "I am afraid they will not be ready until tomorrow morning, last I heard from our acolyte who brews for the church. I promised I would have some set aside for you then if you’d like, and I intend to keep my word, but I must say, I have some concerns relevant to the matter at hand and I feel compelled to share them with you. You see…"

Calmert then begins to express his concerns. It appears that the church has seen an influx of "accidents" of late, especially within the last week or two. These aren’t occurrences that would generally draw suspicions by themselves, being incidents that would seem entirely random and easy to disregard as being part of the dangerous folks of this time and place sometimes encounter relative to their victim’s circumstances, but in whole the numbers have been concerning: A farmer’s son was kicked in the head by a mule in the last week or so, while another of his daughters was charged by a particularly aggressive bull while retrieving milk buckets to churn to butter. The stonemason recently injured an eye when a chisel mushroomed and a flake broke off when struck with a hammer. A woman had a particularly hard labor which nearly killed her and her newborn infant, though everything seemed to be going well beforehand.
Not to mention the rash of accidents happening to laborers working on the new castle being built... A number of incidents have injured those digging and laying the mortar foundations of the walls that will surround the structure, and a particularly nasty bout of what appears to be food poisoning recently occurred in their camp one recent evening that resulted in a number of workers needing help.
In and of themselves, none of these "accidents" would seem out of the ordinary, as life in this world can be dangerous indeed, but with so many happening all at once, Calmert seems concerned. The efforts that he and the other clergy are putting forth to constantly keep healed those in need have begun taxing their spellcasting capabilities and pressure has been put on the one acolyte that brews the potions. Normally, one acolyte is enough, because the clergy can offset any need for potions by simply casting their divine magic. But this strange wave of a series of seemingly unrelated unfortunate events is becoming difficult to manage, to the point that the potion production has suffered, and frankly, selling all of the stores of potions to Mal alone so she can investigate the ruins adds to that hardship.
At the same time, Calmert can’t help but wonder if perhaps the recent events might be related to more activity and attention those ruins have been drawing to themselves, and might they have something to do with the evil luck that the village has suddenly begun to experience? Perhaps Maloria’s work in exploring these ruins may be what the church needs most in the long run. Therefore he would like to present a proposition to Maloria:

Calmert doesn’t foresee, with the needs of the community to be considered, how his acolyte can continue to provide for Maloria the number of potions she would request in the timeframe he originally anticipated, which was around 3-4 potions (give or take 2 or so) per seven or so days. Instead he suspects he might have to tighten this down to only having that many available for her every tenday.

"An alchemist is a fairly expensive cost for the church, I am sure you can imagine, he says. However, if the church was able to bring in a skilled specialist, say from Verbobonc, to assist with the chemistry side of our brewing endeavors, allowing our acolyte to focus on the divine end of things, I believe we may be able to double our output and at half the cost to the church. This of course would mean we could set aside twice as many potions for you and your companions, and I would of course only have charge you half the cost, even taking in consideration the discount we allow you now.
"Do you think you and your companions might be interested in such a prospect? If so I can begin making arrangements as soon as possible, and we could front the initial costs through donations already given to the church. We would of course ask that you and your companions fulfill your end of the bargain at the end of the month."
OOC:
In other words, Calmert is stating that a strange spell of bad luck seems to be hovering over the village and the availability of healing potions is becoming more scarce as the clergy's spellcasting is exhausted . Rather than finding 1d6 potions available for purchase at a cost of 40g/ea every seven days, the church may only be able to provide 1d6 every tenday. However if the group would be interested in putting forth 1000g/month, an alchemist can be brought in from Verbobonc that would ensure that Maloria could purchase 2d6 potions every tenday at a cost of 20g/ea The availibility would still be once every tenday, but she might get twice as many for half the price each time.
Calmert can front the initial costs immediately using donations collected by the church, but the party would need to reimburse the church the 1000gp at the end of each month. Considering the value of treasure the group has hauled out of there so far in just the last few days alone, this seems doable, assuming the gold keeps pouring forth from those ruins… That 1000g price would have to be paid on the 30th of each month; today is currently the 15th of Eleint.
Sep 29, 2021 3:17 am
OOC:
Oof, 1000 bux a month? Doesn't seem worth it to me but Mal will run it by the group.
Mal explains what has happened in the ruins to the Priest and mentions the flaming eye mentioned by the ogre. She goes on to say that she believes some sort of dark cult is operating out of the ruins and evidences the eye, the torture chamber, and the undead. She talks about what was said by the prisoners regarding their capture and captors. She thanks the Priest for whatever potions he is able to provide upon the morrow and says she will talk to her companions aas to wether they will be able to pay for the alchemist. Once the conversation is over, Mal will tithe 20gp and bid the Priest farewell for now. After returning to the inn, Mal will pay for a room for the night and order food and ale and regroup with the others, sharing what was said.

KCC

Sep 29, 2021 12:23 pm
Gilly gathers up a few coins, and sets them aside in a small pouch. When she sees Maloria head off for the church, she too sets out on her own endeavor. Having been the one to hire the man, it only seemed right that she would be the one to pay him. In fact, she was surprised that he had parted ways with them without a coin crossing hands. Though I suppose he knew where to find the group in town. Nevertheless, she sets off towards to storefront where she first recruited his services.

When she arrives, she slinks in among the items for sale, and tosses him the coin pouch, before nodding to the man. She waits to see for any response!
Sep 30, 2021 3:11 am
@cowleyc: The wizard makes his way to Jaroo Ashstaff's grove and knocks on the door. There's no response, and Eltrezar tries a couple more times, but as the minutes crawl past, his knocking continues to remain unheeded. He hears no sounds coming from within.

@dominion451: Calmert's facial expressions seem to register a combination of concern and interest in Mal's description of the events that have taken place, especially after mention of the possible cult and the "eye". He says he will look into the matter and see if he can put anything together and get back to her, but should he come up empty, any further information she can share would be of great service. He thanks her for the tithe and sees her out. A sparse private room on the upper floor at the inn tonight costs 1 gold, and a plain dinner another 5 silver.
OOC:
(I have deducted 22.5 gold from Mal's inventory)


@KCC: Gilly enters the Trading Post in an attempt to hand off the Man-at-Arm's cut of the loot to him, but the store is completely empty. As she stands around waiting for someone to show up and attend to her, from the front door coming from the stables, the shop's groom enters. At first he doesn't notice her, the grubby filth-encrusted index finger of his right hand digging enthusiastically in his right nostril as he walks past, but suddenly he glances over, makes a double take, and quickly withdraws his finger when realizing he's not alone. A long two or three inch string of mucus follows his extracted finger which he wipes on his trousers, and his face flushes red. "Er... Are you being helped, kid?"

KCC

Sep 30, 2021 1:06 pm
Gilly rolls her eyes. The long legs always churn out the same old spiel. She decides that she won’t even bother correcting this one this time.

"This is for the quiet one. Where is he?" she says, as she jingles the coin purse impatiently.
Sep 30, 2021 3:40 pm
Hrmph! "Perhaps I will try again later, but it is more likely he is quite busy. Us masters of the mystical energies often are," Eltrezar grumbles as he deposits a single gold coin into the donations box and walks away. He heads to the general store in hopes of catching up with Gilly and helping pick out new mercenaries.
Sep 30, 2021 11:04 pm
@KCC:
The groom looks blankly at the halfling for a moment as if she's speaking a different language, before a light of recognition suddenly crosses his pimply face and he nods. "Uh huh..." hes says quietly, and puts up a finger, indicating that Gilly should hold on a moment while he goes and looks for the Man-at-Arms.
The groom leaves the through the door he just came through and Gilly is left alone for a moment in the shop. Preoccupied with arranging for a hireling last time she was here, and paying attention to her companions search for suitable mounts the time before that, this is the first time she's been left a lone a moment to examine the wares and get a good look at the layout of the place. There's the front doors she came in through facing southeast (east on map) and another side door facing west (southwest arrow on map) to the right of the front door is another room curtained off:
https://i.imgur.com/RZaeVWw.png
1. Clothing and Packs
2. Footwear, Gloves, Belts
3. Hand Tools
4. Lighting Equipment
5. Food and Herbs
6. Ropes, Chains. and Dungeoneering Gear; Writing Materials an Religious Items
7. Polearms and Shields
8. Other Weapons, Missiles, and associated gear
9. Armor ad Helmets
10. Tack, Harness, Wheelbarrows, Dungeon Carts


As Gilly quietly walks around the shop browsing the items for sale, she hears two separate voices speaking quietly from the room just right of the Trading Posts front door, obscured by a heavy curtain. From where she stands in the main area of the shop she can't make out exactly what's being said, but she can tell that the voices she hears are certainly spoken more quietly than a normal indoor speaking voice would entail. Whomever is in this side room and whateveratever is being discussed, it is certainly not for just anyone's ears to listen in on.
The clandestine tone the voices seem to put on begins to arouse the halflings natural curiosity. Perhaps if she were to try and sneak closer to the curtained off area she could make out more clearly what is being discussed, she thinks, followed immediately by the acknowledgement that there's no reason to necessarily believe that the conversation should be any of her business. And peraps if she were to sneak closer to try and make it her business she steps on a loose floorboard and give herself away, looking like a fool to whomever is alerted...
OOC:
If Gilly would like to feed appease her curiosity and try and sneak over to the curtained off area for a snoop, let me know and I'll make a secret roll for the halfling. This would definitely be a DM's roll. If she would rather play it safe let me know and we'll continue on.
@cowleyc:
Eltrezar waits a moment, and after coming to the conclusion that the druid is probably busy, he decides to drop a coin in Jaroo's donation box he begins to make his way to the Trading Post. It will take a few minutes to get there so he takes in the sights of village life while he walks..
OOC:
Eltrezar will not arrive at the Trading Post quite yet, but he's on his way.

Rolls

Gilly Wisdom roll - (1d20)

KCC

Sep 30, 2021 11:52 pm
OOC:
Gilly will meander her way to the curtain, yes. She’ll grab something from one of the tables on the way over to examine thoroughly, should she get caught! A flawless cover story!
Oct 1, 2021 1:42 am
Gilly, lifts a ridiculously oversized polearm off the table nearest her and approaches the curtained area trying her best to remain silent. She hears two voices. One a deep, low baritone, the words too quiet to make out. Then the other speaks. It's a raspy sounding voice that Gilly recognises as belonging to the taller of the two Trading Post owners..She thinks she recalls his name being Gremag.
"Keeping an ogre was a poor calculation on their part. Rannos and I both said as much to each other. I must say I'm surp--" His words suddenly cut off as if he's been interrupted, and the room beyond is silent for a second or two before Gilly hears a chair slide across the floor and footsteps begin walking towards the doorway the halfling lurks beside.
Then the front door of the Trading Post opens and Eltrezar comes noisily barging into the room, slamming the door behind him with a loud bang, cutting the relatively silent tension her senses were attuned to, and Gilly can't help but think of Kramer the Cosmic, a comedic wizard character in a series of plays that run in her village known for grand, buffonlike entrances every time the character enters a scene from stage right.
As the Magic-User obliviously saunters into the room, the curtain is suddenly pulled to the side, and Gramag looks intensely down at Gilly, a piercing, knowing scowl in his brown-colored eyes...

https://i.imgur.com/J5EucjR.png

Rolls

Secret Roll

Secret Roll

KCC

Oct 2, 2021 12:37 am
Had the wizard not arrived, Gilly might have acted more sheepish than she did now.

"The quiet one. Where is he? Unless he wants me to keep his coin…"

She meets the gaze of the man defiantly, holding it as long as needs be before he must turn his attention to the mage. The mage was one to demand attention, so Gilly felt she could wait it out.
Oct 2, 2021 3:46 pm
"He's recovering, my dear. His delve into the depths with you and your companions has left him exhausted. I trust however that he represented himself and his employers superbly?
"If you'd like, I can see to it the his ten percent cut, or rather I should say, the Trading Post's ten percent of the cut is received, and Ravos and I shall see to it that our employee is recompensed appropriately."


Gremag pulls the curtain shut behind him making it clear that whatever lay in the room beyond is not privy to the public.

Rolls

Secret Roll

Oct 2, 2021 3:59 pm
A wizard does not make a comedic entrance, he makes a grand entrance. Just as everything he does in life is with power, so too is his entrance. Eltrezar swings the door wide open and strides into the establishment, unaware of what he is interrupting.

The Halfling not being immediately visible (they rarely are), he starts looking at supplies. Oil is on his list, as well as more daggers. Finally, axes meant for chopping rather than hacking. It is only by happenstance that he stumbled upon Gilly, almost literally. The Halfling was standing there in the way, discussing matters of money with a man who must be the proprietor. Knowing Gilly to be more than capable, he leaves her to continue the discussion. He keeps his ears open, however.
Oct 2, 2021 4:02 pm
OOC:
Un momento, por favor...
https://i.imgur.com/sRMAu7g.png

As Eltrezar barges into the Trading Post in his wizardly fashion of making a grand entrance, he begins gandering at the shop's wares before realizing there is a tension on the air in this store coming from the shop owner Gremag and Eltrezar's small companion Gilly. Gremag seems to be is cooly explaining to Gilly that the Man-at-Arms is unavailable, currently resting after the exhausting trip to the dungeons, but that he will take the ten percent fee the Trading Post charged the group for his services and see to it that the man gets his allotment of coin.

As he is closing the curtain to the adjoining room shut behind him, however, Eltrezar gets a brief glance at the interior. He sees a fireplace, and a number of tables. One table is simple and round with a few chairs circling around it. Similar to what the wizard would see in the tavern down the road. Beside this are two long tables, standing high off the ground. More like tall, long countertops, or workbenches. No benches or stools line either side of these, reinforcing the speculation that these are for work, not leisure.
At the round table, Eltrezar spots a imposing, cloaked figure of the Man-at-Arms. His back is to the door and his hood is pulled up, but Eltrezar has seen the man's broad back and shoulders in poorer light that this many a time now and is certain that its the hireling before Gremag pulls the curtain closed, obscuring any further view into the room.

https://i.imgur.com/xRJQCpY.png

Rolls

Secret Roll

Oct 2, 2021 5:51 pm
OOC:
Uh-oh, think our guy might be in trouble.

KCC

Oct 2, 2021 11:12 pm
Gilly shrugs, and tosses the coin purse to the creep. It frees up her hand, just in case…

"Does he always rush back here without collecting his pay? I should charge a delivery fee."
Oct 3, 2021 2:13 am
"He must have been exhausted. That or he trusted you and your companions would make good on the terms of his contract. In any case, I am happy, though not exactly surprised that his services were of use to you. Was there anything else I could help you with today?" He looks back and forth between Gilly and the Mage.
Oct 3, 2021 3:19 am
Eltrezar puffs out his chest and tugs his beard. Hrmph! "Yes, actually, there is something else would could use. We could stand to have some words with the man we hired, for both discussing what we had seen as well as arranging future employment. Now, if you don't mind, I'll be just a moment as I speak with him." The wizard begins walking towards the back room, hoping to nudge his way past the man he had not yet learned the name of.

KCC

Oct 3, 2021 3:48 am
Gilly had planned to usher the wizard out the door and spy on the store from afar. She winces when the magic user tackled the thing with his usual assuredness.

A few words with the silent man…

Gilly didn’t move from where she stood upon tossing the coins over. She waited to see how the shopkeeper would react to the wizard’s ‘request.’
Oct 3, 2021 4:06 pm
"I'm afraid... Gremag raises his hand outward towards Eltrezar before the wizard can cross the threshold. "The man you seek is little for words, as surely you must have noticed while he was in your employ. Fortunately, he trusts Rannos and myself implicitly in negotiating the terms of any employment opportunities that come his way, and seeing as how his primary responsibilities are to oversee the security of our merchandise and the safety of ourselves and our customers, his absence always leaves us at great disadvantage should something unfortunate occur, such as the presence of thieves or brigands... something I hear is becoming a more acute concern of late if rumours be true. I'm sure a man as learned and wise as yourself can understand why we believe this must be taken into consideration when Rannos or myself become engaged in negotiating said terms our associate's employment. That said, if you're interested in obtaining a renewal of his services, then I am gladdened that he proved himself as capable as to meet your needs, despite the liability to our store. "
Oct 4, 2021 2:23 pm
Eltrezar harrumphs at being stopped as well as the man's attitude, but relents. He looks to the Halfling, who had been speaking prior to the mage's interruption, hoping she might have a few words.

KCC

Oct 4, 2021 11:56 pm
Gilly shrugs when the wizard looks at her.

"If the longlegs doesn’t want to want, then he doesn’t want to talk."

She turns to leave, giving Eltrezar eyes that say come-on-talk-in-private.
Oct 5, 2021 12:28 am
Eltrezar turns on his heels, and strides back out the door. He gives yet another Harumph! on his way out. Once outside, he looks down at his little companion. Hrmph! "Not the most cordial gentleman. I suspect something is afoot with him."

KCC

Oct 5, 2021 11:47 am
"Aye, I heard them speaking before you arrived. About the troll… I don’t know that our hired help is all that quiet when it suits him. Unless there was a third man behind the curtain. Should we get the others and barge in there? Or sneak about and watch?"
Oct 5, 2021 3:03 pm
Eltrezar looks a little confused. Ahem! "For what reason would we barge in? Sleazy merchants and talkative employees are not uncommon. Of course he would tell the boss about dangers he experienced. That may influence the going rate in the future. I fear your curiosity is getting the better of you, little one."
Oct 5, 2021 7:58 pm
OOC:
@Nezzaraj: What is Bors doing while Mal is talking with the clergy and Eltrazar and Gilly are discussing their next course of action right now?
Oct 6, 2021 11:08 am
OOC:
He is looking for a blacksmith to either get the old sword he found in the Moathouse repaired or else buy a new sword, whichever would be better.

KCC

Oct 6, 2021 11:54 pm
Gilly put a stop to the side eye she was going to give the wizard before it even began to form on her face.

"Ha! Yeah, you must be right. We aren’t in the dungeon now! We can relax, Lean Meat!" she laughs, good natured at the wizard!

"Let’s get some rest then!"
OOC:
Gilly will accompany the wizard for a moment or two back to the inn, and then double back to the store and keep a watch out, careful to keep her cloak up and herself out of the way!
Oct 7, 2021 9:43 pm
Eltrezar, unaware of what Gilly has planned, heads back to the inn. After all, his work for the day is over.
Oct 8, 2021 8:59 pm
Boris heads over to the blacksmith's shop across the road from the inn. Horseshoes are nailed to three faces of the post in front of this shed, and within sit a forge and bellows. This is obviously the smithy. A short but brawny man is vigorously pounding away at a piece of red-hot iron.
The smith, who oddly enough goes by the name of Brother Smyth recognises Bors as being part of the party that delivered his wheels to him a couple of days ago, defeated some bandits just outside his shop, and are investigating the ruins of the moathouse, and has a happy disposition with the fighter. Hearing Bors's desire to have the sword put into good order, Brother Smyth offers to do it at no cost to Bors, but says he'll need a day as he has some other business agreements that need fulfillment, but that he'll do it on his own time this evening and it should be ready by around noon tomorrow.

Eltrezar and Gilly head back to the inn for a moment where they find Mal has returned from her visit with the clergyman named Calmert. Angel is nowhere to be found and the group has seen him since the party split up to handle their own personal affairs.

It's about noon or so when Gilly then makes her way back to the Trading Post.
OOC:
@Demagor: What is Norris working on while back in the village?

@KCC: What is Gilly's plan?
1. Is she going to sit outside the building and watch from a distance? Is she approaching the building to look inside windows?
2. How long is Gilly intending on keeping watch of the place? An hour? All night long?

KCC

Oct 9, 2021 6:34 am
OOC:
I had anticipated her just watching the comings and goings and maybe following someone that look suspicious!

I want to say she’ll wait for 8 hours, but realistically, she won’t. She’d probably put in an hour, and if nothing happens, I might rethink. But I feel like the iron is hot right now, so to speak, so she will strike!
Oct 9, 2021 4:48 pm
OOC:
Hold please.

Oh! A "Natty-1" on an Ability roll?
https://i.imgur.com/srZGWOF.png

Gilly creeps back to the Trading Post and cosies up underneath one of the windows of the shop's back office. With her natural ability to easily hide outdoors, aided by the excellent elven cloak, she is for all intents and purposes invisible, and several of the village's locals pass by with no notice of the halfling.
The noise from inside is muffled and at first she can't make out what is being said, aside from being able to hear the low, quiet baritone voice again. Then Gremag replies in his very distinct, raspy-sounding voice:
"The wizard is a fragile, doddering old fool, judging by your report, and his spellcasting capabilities appear too limited to be of concern to us. We could likely lay out a rake and wait for the bumbling idiot to step on it and he'll put an end his to own life hitting himself in the face with the handle.
"The halfling I'm more concerned with. I can tell on my own now that she's far too clever and suspicious for her own good. Rannos was already ill at ease with the nosy welp after negotiating the terms of your employment, though I must admit, I failed to share his concern at the time.
"The new cleric, I think, should also not be taken lightly, if what you say is true. You give the impression that she stands as the group's 'pillar' and at the least she's is a leading light, if not a leader proper. If she were to be removed from the situation the rest might quickly fall apart in her absence.
"As far as the two thieves are concerned, I wont trouble myself too much with them. One sounds to be getting disenfranchised and may not be long interested in continuing the exploration of the ruins much longer. And if what you say about the other is true, he couldn't unlock a door if you handed him a key and showed him which end fits in a keyhole.
"The fighter may be quite capable in his martial skills, as you say, but in the end he's just a fighter; no more and no less.
"Hmm... No, it's definitely the cleric and the little one that are going to steer that comedic troupe of misfits to their own deaths. Those two will have to be dealt with."


For a few moments Gilly hears nothing coming from inside, and she gets the sense that the conversation may have come to an abrupt end. A number of long minutes go by as the Trading Post owner and his audience say nothing. Then she hears Gramag again:

"Leave me and rest. You are likely exhausted, though only time will tell if they will return with the intent of renewing their contract for your services. I believe however, that that runt suspects more than she truly knows and will try and convince her companions that they should find retainers or hirelings elsewhere. In the meantime I have some birds that must be put to wing."

With that Gilly hears the groan of a chair being dragged across the wooden floor and footsteps leave the room and into the Trading Post's showroom area.

Rolls

Gilly Wisdom roll - (1d20)

KCC

Oct 10, 2021 12:11 am
Gilly feels a reddening on her face as the man talks of her wizard friend. It’s followed by a strange blossoming of pride when he speaks of worrying about her. What follows is a seething, deep feeling as he remarks on all her companions in turn.

She smirks to herself when he thinks she will ask the group to find help elsewhere. She had the opposite intention, in fact. She would send one of the others to hire the man in the morning, and they would get what information they needed out of him. She thought of the cave they passed on the way. And the trees there.

As she stole away from the store quietly, heading back to the inn to await her companions, she reminded herself to ask Bors if he had some strong rope and a good knot he knew how to tie…
OOC:
When everyone gathers after their odd jobs, Gilly will fill them in on what she heard, insults included. She won’t mention who they fear the most, however. She warns them that the men might try something tonight. And she fills them in on her plan to interrogate the man outside Hommlet tomorrow, though the cleric might intervene there.
Oct 10, 2021 1:15 am
Harumph! "They said what about me? The actually discussed beating an old man senseless with a rake? I ought to march down there and show them just what it means to be an arcanist! I ought to turn the straw in their beds into snakes. I ought to curse their sense of smell to always detect excrement! I..." Hrmph! Deep in his cups, Eltrezar shows outrage at what was said about him, though it takes some time for the old man to realize the context of what was occuring. He licks the suds out of his whiskers and settles down, though it is clear that he is quite irate at not being taken seriously.
Oct 10, 2021 3:43 pm
Mal listens to Gilly's story with a grim expression. Once Eltrezar has finished expressing his rage, the cleric leans forward on her seat and speaks to the group in low tones.

"He said he has birds to put to wing... So Garmag is likely working with whoever is responsible for what's happening down there. It is him I'd like to interrogate, though he would likely feign innocence and we would be facing down the law. I wish you had tailed him to his aviary Gilly, but you did excellent work just in bringing this back to us. We might get what we want if we rally Elmo to our cause when he returns on the marrow, he could raise a possie and brace the man lawfully. If we take the quiet one into the bush and corner him we will likely have to kill him as he will either fight off our attempt or elsewise tell us what we want where after we would still have to deal with his custody. I don't like this position they've put us in, but it cannot be ignored and at the least we must share the watch tonight."
Oct 10, 2021 4:44 pm
OOC:
Okay, a couple of questions:

1. Is there anything else the group wants to do this evening before we move to the next day?

2. If you're keeping watches tonight at the inn, how do you plan on arranging sleeping accommodations? I have Maloria as already having paid for a single room, but it's a small room with only one bed. I don't have anyone else having made arrangements at the inn yet.
Oct 10, 2021 5:13 pm
OOC:
One of the first things Eltrezar did upon returning to town was rent a room and pay for previous nights as well, since they were holding his money. Outside of getting grumpy drunk, I don't think he has any other plans.
Oct 10, 2021 6:18 pm
OOC:
Ah yes, you're correct. Eltrezar offered to pay back pay for keeping your coin safe up until now, and to pay for an extended stay. I'm going to rule that Ostler doesn't let you pay any back pay, because it's Sunday and the DM is lazy today, and because I forgot. The innkeeper waves the money owed, as it slipped his mind too.

How long of an extended stay did Eltrezar want to pay for and what sort of accomodations was he looking to get? A private room can cost anywhere between 2-5gp depending on the accommodations inside, or a dormitory-style communal room (Room 15)costing per night 1sp. Maloria is staying in a private room (Room 12), or at least that's what she paid 1gp for.
https://i.imgur.com/OTqsPZL.png
Oct 11, 2021 12:23 am
Bors listens to Gilly fill them in and shakes his head disappointedly. "Not a single mention of my sword. I make the effort to bestow names and glory upon it, and it gets not a word of recognition. Quite impressive with such bad judgment they described the wizard perfectly, though."
OOC:
Bors is a communal soldier-y type so he'll spend 1sp to sleep in the dormitory room.
Last edited October 11, 2021 12:25 am

KCC

Oct 11, 2021 10:14 am
OOC:
Gilly will pay for a space in the dormitory and enough to cover the cost of keeping her coin in the lock box too!
Oct 11, 2021 5:30 pm
"If we are to keep watch together we should room together. I will stay in the dorm as well."

Mal asks the tavern keeper to stay in the group area instead of her room but insists that he keep the original payment as a gesture of good will towards her favorite establishment.
Oct 11, 2021 5:48 pm
OOC:
I'll deduce 1sp from Gilly and Bors's inventory. I'll assume, to keep things moving along, that Eltrezar and Norris are staying in the dormitory room as well, so I'll take a silver piece from them as well, unless told otherwise. Ostler obviously isn't going to take a silver from Mal, her having paid ten times that already from what she thought was going to be a stay in a private room.
As the group sits around the tavern discussing the events that transpired today during the various attendance of your affairs, everyone but Bors seems to notice that a number of the tavern's patrons seem to have taken a keen eye to the group. Among them, sitting at one table is a man in scale mail armor and a shield resting on its side, who has been drinking quite heavily and has a decent stack of empty horns and steins stacked on the table before him.
At another table, Eltrezar has noticed a man, dressed quite plainly in common attire, has been watching the wizard all night while writing in a journal.
At a third table near the bar a man sits alone with a deck of cards, playing some version of solitaire. His eyes seem to look up at the party discussing matters a little too often to be an merely wandering gaze, or innocent people watching, though whenever spotted, he quickly looks back at his cards on the table.
And at an adjoining bench sits two men. One is a huge, hulking figure with splint mail armor. His companion is a smaller, thinner fellow. They whisper and speak quietly, and never look over at you, but you've noticed that whenever someone in your own party is speaking, neither men at the adjoining table seem to be carrying their own conversation and sit quietly, listening to you all.

Bors seems to bothered by the lack of title his sword is earning to notice anyone else around him.


https://i.imgur.com/89R4Lw7.png

Rolls

Gilly Wisdom roll - (1d20)

(8) = 8

Elteezar Wisdom roll - (1d20)

(2) = 2

Maloria Wisdom roll - (1d20)

(7) = 7

Bors Wisdom roll - (1d20)

(14) = 14

Norris Wisdom roll - (1d20)

(3) = 3

Oct 11, 2021 5:50 pm
Eltrezar huffs at the thought of sleeping in a common room. After all, he's anything but common. But with his companions sharing the same concern, he relents and finally agrees. He does pay for another three nights as well.

KCC

Oct 11, 2021 11:39 pm
Gilly nudged Bors, as he sits oblivious in the common room.

"Cheer up. People will be talking about your sword tomorrow!" she whispers.

"I think it’s going to earn another title tonight!"

And she throws he head to the two large men sitting together, but says no more!
Oct 11, 2021 11:52 pm
OOC:
Just for clarification, one man is big and in splint mail armor. The other is smaller and thin with no armor.
Oct 12, 2021 12:06 am
In a loud whisper, Eltrezar comments, Ahem. "We seem to be attracting quite a bit of attention. Are any of their faces familiar?" He points his chin at the card player and the man with the journal, before turning to stare at the latter quite intensely.
Oct 12, 2021 12:22 am
Bors looks at where Gilly indicates. His brow furrows in incomprehension, and then his face clears in understanding. "Oh, you're right, I should tell those adventurer-looking people the many deeds of my sword! That'll get people talking!" Bors stands up and walks over to the two men Gilly points out, pulls up a chair, and sits with them. He begins a long story on the history of his sword and its many titles.
OOC:
Low INT and high WIS characters are the hardest to roleplay haha.
Last edited October 12, 2021 12:22 am
Oct 12, 2021 1:47 am
Having already found the bottom of a handful of tankards, Eltrezar adds his own commentary from the other table, especially when it comes to Bors stealing claim from titles he does not deserve. Especially when it comes to the ogre. Harumph!

KCC

Oct 12, 2021 1:04 pm
Gilly decides against drinking anything for the night.
OOC:
Someone has to survive this encounter.
Oct 12, 2021 6:23 pm
https://i.imgur.com/MlfI1kD.png
While the two men seemed to be somewhat discreet beforehand, the they now listen attentively as Bors begins rattling off the names he's given to his sword as of late. "Ah very good," the smaller, thinner of the two men, a Baklunish with middle eastern features, replies with good humor in his voice when Bors finishes. "Well, I must say you've made a very generous introduction of your weapon. I know your sword quite well by now. But I haven't caught your name yet."
The man raises his hands as a gesture of peace and says, "My name is Turuko, and my brawny companion here is Kobort. We are but two travelers who recently met on the road here and have fallen in together after the big man rescued me from a group of gnolls who ambushed me on the way here from Verbobonc. The terms of his engagement to aid me against the carnivorous beasts, you see, was that I would secure for us some work when we reached Hommlet, as we've both found ourselves short on coin. I may have mentioned that I knew some people here, which wasn't exactly true, but Kobort has thus far optioned to not take me to task for any untruths I might have said under duress, for any man might be inclined to say whatever he can after being treed by a hungry back of gnolls like a common racoon.
"Unfortunately, I have had little luck the last week or so that we've been here, but who should arrive to bring tidings of adventure only shortly after we did? I believe it was you! Well, maybe not you exactly. But some brave fellows and a lady who eventually formed a party you each have joined in turn. I've kept my head down, and instructed Kobort here to do the same, for it took us some time to decide if you're of good standing or little more than highwaymen yourselves, but the days of waiting and watching have shown that your intentions be true. Perhaps you could use a couple of extra swords to aid your endeavors, in exchange for a bit of the coin you return with?"
Oct 13, 2021 12:50 am
Bors gives his name as "Bors the Fighter" and listens intently to the rest of the man's jabber, only understanding about half of what he says. After he finishes, Bors scratches behind an ear while he thinks. "Well, I'm not sure we need many extra swords. I have a shield so I only use the one sword, although I guess it doesn't hurt to have a backup...The wizard doesn't use swords, of course, and I think the rest use hammers or knives and the like. We could use some extra people to help out though if you're interested in that. Oh, and congratulations on your engagement, I think you will make a great couple. I'm also glad you are no longer a tree either, that seems like it would be a very bad way to live. Magic that could turn someone into a tree is powerful indeed. I wish our wizard could do that."
Oct 13, 2021 1:08 am
Overhearing a snippet of Boris' conversation from across the room, Mal snorts up a nosefull of ale as she stifles a sudden peal of laughter.

KCC

Oct 13, 2021 1:22 pm
We could need their swords before tonight is done… the Halfling thinks darkly. There were still the other men about the tavern and beyond to worry about.

She puffs up her chest, and approaches.

"Gilly Puddlefoot. Adventurer!" she meets their eyes, and then brings them low, respectfully. She extends a hand in greeting. Secretly as she can, she searches their persons for any symbol of an eye.
Oct 13, 2021 7:57 pm
Turuko listens to Bors and a look of confusion crosses his brow as he stammers back, "No not swords in the literal sense; I carry a quarterstaff. Eh? No.. . No not like that type of engagement. What? No, like yes! Yes, extra bodies! We'd be willing to lend aid for a share of the coin you procure from your adventures."

As his attention is drawn away from the confusing fighter, he looks down at Gilly. "A pleasure to meet you, lady. As I said, I am Turuko. I come in search of coin, and the adventures that must be undertaken to win such wealth."
OOC:
Gilly looks over the man but sees no sign of an eye, or anything that might reasonably resemble one.

Rolls

Gilly Wisdom roll - (1d20)

KCC

Oct 14, 2021 3:00 pm
Gilly visibly relaxes, happy that the two men aren’t more than they seem. Still, she’s wary of the others, and so she speaks a little too loudly.

"There are a lot of us now, isn’t there? And we killed an ogre today…"

She pauses to let the implications of that feat trickle across the group, and whoever else might be listening.

"Sound like something you’d want to get involved in?"
Oct 14, 2021 5:12 pm
Hrmph! "If we can hire these two, then perhaps some sleep is in order, and an early morning. I must admit, my curiosity is getting the better of me regarding those doors we could not budge... Speaking of which, did you manage to purchase the axes for that purpose?"
Oct 14, 2021 6:25 pm
"Unfortunately my business at the church distracted me from that purpose and I did not get the axes. We can purchase them tomorrow before we leave, I'll have to stop by the church again as well to pick up more healing potions."
Oct 14, 2021 11:59 pm
"And I still have to pick up my sword from the blacksmith. By the way, wizard, you should look into a spell that can turn people into trees. That sounds like it could be useful."

KCC

Oct 15, 2021 12:02 am
"Or trees into people…" the Halfling offers with a shrug.

Save us marching back to town quite so much!
Oct 15, 2021 3:02 am
OOC:
A few questions then before we continure based on what Im reading:
1. Are you letting these two join the party in exchange for a share of the wealth?
2. Are you assigning them to keeping watch tonight?
3. Are you ready to proceed to the next day?
Oct 15, 2021 3:06 am
OOC:
There's no way Mal trusts any tavern rats enough to keep the watch
Oct 15, 2021 5:56 am
OOC:
Alright, noted. Should we assume everyone takes an equal turn on watch then?

KCC

Oct 15, 2021 12:37 pm
OOC:
If there’s a mechanical implication, yes. If it’s pure flavor, then Gilly will stay up a bit longer due to being the one to hear the two talk earlier and being extra watchful for it!
Oct 15, 2021 4:10 pm
OOC:
Hrmph! "It would behoove us to let the wizard get plenty of rest, as he will need all his energy on the morrow. But if you need me to stand watch, I will do so."
Oct 15, 2021 4:13 pm
OOC:
equal turns except for the wizard ;)
Oct 15, 2021 6:03 pm
OOC:
Alright, I'm going to assume everyone had a plain dinner and an ale for their evening meal and will deduce your current wealth by 7sp. Let me know if that's not the case and we'll make adjustments accordingly.
The party spends the rest of the evening relaxing at the tavern, enjoying some food, still weary and a bit exhausted from their explorations of the dungeon the day before. The sun sets around 7:30 and with it the tavern room dims as table lanterns and wall sconces are lit, and between the dimming of the room, the warmth emanating from the fireplace in the tavern's common room, and their lingering fatigue, the party finds themselves getting heavy-lidded and turn in early. Everyone save the first watch, are asleep by 8pm.

The evening is uneventful for all save Eltrezar standing a 2-hour watch, and most of the party is up well before the roosters begin crowing. By 6am on the 16th of Eleint you're all washed up and ready to begin your day. Some of you note that ,curiously, the last member to take a watch last night was Angel Purafore yet as you all rose to make your toilet, wash up, get dressed, and to begin your day, none have seen him at his post. You head downstairs for a breakfast and discuss the following items on your itinerary:
1. Maloria wants to visit the Church of St Cuthbert to purchase healing potions for the party.
2. Eltrezar wants to visit the Druid of the Grove to pick up some Detect Danger potions that are ready, and possibly place another order to be brewed.
3. Bors wants to visit the Trading Post to purchase some axes.
4. Gilly???

KCC

Oct 16, 2021 12:17 pm
OOC:
Gilly will root around the village for the morning looking for any signs of the eye symbol. On people or places!
Oct 16, 2021 6:30 pm
"I may need some extra coin from the group to buy all the healing potions available. Is anyone able to contribute?"
Last edited October 16, 2021 6:31 pm
Oct 16, 2021 8:55 pm
OOC:
I'll wait and see if anyone is going to contribute to the healing potion funds before I address Maloria's excursion. As a reminder to the group, Mal is able to purchase 1d6 potions of Cure Light Wounds at a cost of 40gp each. so were looking at somewhere between 60-240 gold, depending on how kind the dice are to her when she arrives at the church.
Meanwhile...
Gilly sets out early in the morning, searching the town for any signs of a cryptic looking eye, either on people wandering the village or on property. Other villagers seem to pay her no mind at all, or on a few occasions she gets friendly nods from shop owners and laborers getting ready for the day's work to begin. Those that do watch her as she wanders around seem only interested in the fact that she's a new face, or perhaps more so, a new face that has been the subject of whispers as rumours of the party's endeavors to the ruined moathouse have been spreading. None of the stares or glances seem hostile, though, and while she's somewhat disappointed to find no sign of what she was looking for, the morning isn't a complete waste of time as she does get a bit more familiar with the layout of the village and what sort of businesses are in this town.

Eltrezar sets out for the druid's house right away after breakfast. He knocks on the door and waits, and after an log enough while that the wizard begins to think the druid isn't available yet again and begins to walk away Jaroo opens the door.
"Ah, a man as prompt as you can only be desperate. I have not yet even had my morning tea!" He sees a round, medium-sized wicker basket in the druid's right hand, held like a waiter would hold a serving tray. As he lifts the basket lid 5 Potions of Detect Dangerare set inside.
After handing the potions to Eltrezar he tells the wizard that if the wizard is in further need of his assistance in creating potions or scrolls for the party he will be able to take another order on the morrow, and then stands at his door and looks conspicuously at the donation box hanging on the side of his house.

https://i.imgur.com/kJpFLBp.png

Bors heads across the road with Eltrezar, but as Eltrezar continues on towards the home of the Druid of the Grove, the fighter stops over to speak with Brother Smythe who is getting his furnace ready for the day's work. Seeing the fighter he says, "Ah! Earlier than I expected, but give me a moment and I'll get it for you."
He heads inside his shop and is gone but a minute when he brings the sword back with him. The sword is returned to the fighter in excellent condition, and Bors's keen eye can see no evidence that it has ever been damaged.
"I worked late into the night giving your weapon this fine edge, but it was well worth my time as I'm quite proud of how it turned out. In fact, I felt such a keen focus on the work I was putting in, time rather slipped past my notice and it was early this morning when I looked up and saw the eastern sky turning a dark shade of indigo. I do believe that if you were to leave it with me, rather than subject it to more wear and tear right now, I'm certain I could make it even finer if given some time in the evenings after I have finished my work for clients, no more than a few months, I would think."
Brother Smythe looks on waiting an answer from Bors.

Rolls

Gilly Wisdom roll - (1d20)

Secret Roll

Secret Roll

Oct 17, 2021 12:23 pm
OOC:
Did we do communal gold or did we split it?
Oct 17, 2021 4:31 pm
OOC:
@nezzaraj: You guys split the gold equally after taking out a 10% cut for the Trading Post Man-at-Arms as per the agreement Gilly made to hire him. Everyone got 100.55 gold for this last excursion to the dungeon. After taking into consideration the costs of last night's dinner, a bed in the dormitory room at the inn, and this morning's breakfast, I currently have Bors's wealth total a 108.7 gold (he was pretty broke before joining the party, you'll recall).
Oct 17, 2021 7:12 pm
funfungiguy says:
Eltrezar sets out for the druid's house right away after breakfast. He knocks on the door and waits, and after an log enough while that the wizard begins to think the druid isn't available yet again and begins to walk away Jaroo opens the door.
"Ah, a man as prompt as you can only be desperate. I have not yet even had my morning tea!" He sees a round, medium-sized wicker basket in the druid's right hand, held like a waiter would hold a serving tray. As he lifts the basket lid 5 Potions of Detect Dangerare set inside.
After handing the potions to Eltrezar he tells the wizard that if the wizard is in further need of his assistance in creating potions or scrolls for the party he will be able to take another order on the morrow, and then stands at his door and looks conspicuously at the donation box hanging on the side of his house.
Eltrezar takes the potions and stores them in his many pockets. Hrmph! "A wizard is never desperate, only busy. As I am sure you are as well. These potions will be most appreciated, as we have found many dangers lurking behind doors and hanging from the ceiling in this moathouse. I do not know when we will be returning next, but if I could request some in advance that you would brew when you have time? My companions have been adamant about being able to transform into trees, which seems more of your specialty than it would be mine." As he speaks, he reaches into his purse and retrieves five gold coins, which he deposits in the donation box.

He waits for a moment for Jaroo to respond, but speaks out again before the druid has an opportunity (or possibly interrupting him). Ahem! "Have you come across anything about a symbol of an eye, perhaps on fire? It would seem that an ogre we found in the depths was working for an organization or person with that symbol, though we have come across no other instance of it. There seems to be another group of bandits using that place as a lair, with secret underground passages, and I fear we have stumbled upon something more sinister than simple brigands."
OOC:
You wanted it? You got it. Eltrezar is requesting potions of Tree Shape.
Oct 17, 2021 9:34 pm
@cowleyc: Jaroo listens to Eltrezar's requests and inquiry's and notices that at the mention of a burning eye the druid's eyes light up and then scowl suspiciously, in contemplation. "I have heard mention of this 'burning eye' symbolism a few times as of late, actually, though I must admit I have been too focused on tending to the affairs and needs of this community's followers of the old way as of late and have not felt the need to press for more information recently. I believe I had heard the name mentioned by a number of gnomes who reside north of us a league or two, in the Kron Hills. Rather, while exchanging news by bird, they mentioned recently that a group of gnolls, I believe, were in service of a man who bore the mark of a burning eye. Wait one moment please..."
The wizard enters his home a moment and Eltrezar can't help but recall that the gnome rescued from the Ogre's closet said he was ambushed by a group of gnolls and dragged to the ruins, or that the original members of the party had spoken of encountering gnolls on the way to Hommlet from Verbobonc that nearly killed one of their companions, a dwarf, the wizard believes. Could the incidents be related?
Jaroo returns with a book in hand. A quick glance at it by the wizard shows the writing to be handwritten in some language that Eltrezar can't read, but the layout appears to be similar to that of a diary or a journal of some sort.
"Aha! Here it is," he says after flipping through some pages a while. "Hmm... yes about a month ago. *mumble*...* 'eye on fire'... *mumbles some more*... 'Lareth the Beautiful'... Hmm..." The druid mumbles a bit to himself while reading the strange writing before he closes the book and looks up to the wizard.
"Well the bird wasn't of the strongest memory, I'm afraid, as things sometimes go when I exchange news with fellow druids over long distances but I hardly doubt you could fit much more information on a pidgeon's ankle if you were to exchange news by bird the more traditional way, and blessings to the little fellow for trying anyhow, right?
"The best I can reduce from the creature when it appeared and I spoke with it was that a group of gnolls has been harassing a number of gnome warrens in the Kron Hills under the direction of one called 'Lareth the Beautiful' who wears an eye of fire as his symbol, though to what purpose, I know not, and none was mentioned of the ruins at the moathouse.
"I concede, again, that I did not pay it as much attention as maybe I should have, but it was mentioned only briefly and the gnomes are a capable enough people despite their diminutive size, and as their concerns had not seeped into our village yet, I felt I should focus on attending to Hommlet's more immediate needs, as I'm sure you understand. As you now mention it to me, I an beginning to deduce that the some darkness is now beginning to finally make its way here and I shall pay more attention in the matter. If you like, I can send some birds north to see if any more information can be gathered from the gnomes, but it might take a few days at least to hear word back.

"As to your further potions needs, I generally would not be interested in listening to or accepting your request until the morrow, as I told you the terms of our agreement and I am far to busy to listen to a man who doesn't listen to me. But I am feeling generous today, to your great benefit, so I will take your request now, though I refuse to begin working on them until the morrow, when you should have placed your request!"
He looks at Eltrezar sternly on his emphasis. "Will you be needing anything else besides the one Potion of Tree Shape?"
OOC:
Tree Shape is a Level 3 spell, and you can only place orders of up to five Levels worth of spells each time. That means you have two Levels worth of spells you can still add to your request. Eltrezar could add one Level 2 spell in the form of a scroll or potion, or he could add two Level 1 spells to the order. Is there anything else the wizard would like?

Rolls

Secret Roll

Oct 18, 2021 3:04 am
Hrmph... "We had rescued travelers and merchants from this ogre of which I spoke, and they spoke of gnolls... one of which was a gnome. I mean of those we rescued, not the gnolls. I must clarify that none of the gnolls seemed to be gn... I digress. I do not believe this to be a coincidence. We, my companions and I, will continue our investigation into matters; it would be very helpful if you did speak with the gnomes, and hopefully word will return by the time we next come to town. And I did not intend to be rude in requesting your alchemical wares out of turn, I really did mean 'whenever you can get to them.' We have become more comfortable camping in the place, and so we will likely be spending more and more time at the moathouse. A few potions of magical healing would be most useful, especially in the coming days."

With a sheepishness that seems uncharacteristic of the wizard, Eltrezar places another three gold coins in the donation box.
Oct 18, 2021 5:38 am
OOC:
Thanks, updated my sheet. Bors has no problem contributing a share of gold to the health potions.

KCC

Oct 18, 2021 9:08 am
Gilly cursed herself about halfway through her circuit of the village. She had forgotten to give her share of coin to Mal for the potions. She would gather a small pile as soon as she got back to the tavern, and make sure she got it. When she eventually returns to the tavern, she does so with a slightly fuller heart than she had yesterday. Not all the people in this place were as rotten as the trading post owners, and not a single sign of an eye had been seen.

She had enjoyed the morning of nodding to strangers, and so she amassed Mal’s pile while humming a happy tune!
Oct 18, 2021 2:04 pm
With Bors and Gilly's coin supplementing her own, Mal heads for the church to take care of the potion business.
Oct 18, 2021 9:59 pm
@cowleyc;
Jaroo Ashstaff listens to Eltrezar and makes note of the additions to his order then nods. "I shall have those potions ready for you as soon as I can, though they may take some time. I have other affairs to attend to, not including sending out some birds to the north as you request. The 21st of Eleint, if you will, and I should hopefully have good tidings on both fronts. He nods a quiet gratitude at seeing the coins dropped into his box and returns inside to do whatever druids do in their strange little houses.
OOC:
I adjusted the gold in your inventory to reflect the 5gp and then 3 gp dropped in the druid’s box.
@KCC:
Gilly returns to the Inn to await the others' returns from their respective errands. When she gets there she finds two persons of interest sitting around the tavern's common area. The first is the man who was playing solitaire the evening before. "The hero returns," he says with a wry smile. Again, he sits alone playing his game of cards, and as Gilly looks at him, he lifts a card from a row on the table and with a flourishing flick of the wrist the card disappears from his right hand. He seems to act nonchalant at the trick, though it’s evident that he meant to impress her with the sleight of hand maneuver. Then, with a snap of his fingers, the card reappears in his left, though only momentarily, for with the fingersnap, it springs forth from his hand and the edge of it strikes him in the eye and he suddenly flinches back, pressing his palms to his stricken eye, knocking over his horn of ale, which spills his drink across the table, soaking his cards.
"Dammit! he exclaims, grabbing his jacket off the chair back behind him and using it to sponge up the ale soaking and damaging his playing cards. "Oh! These cards aren’t cheap, and now I have to go buy another deck from those jackasses at the trading post," he mutters under his breath.
Gilly watches with some humor at his folly and sees that he is occasionally looking at the halfling from the corner of his gaze, embarrassment clearly written on his reddening face. She must admit that until he flicked a card into his eyeball, the dexterity his hands demonstrated were sort of impressive.
From across the bar she hears a man quietly guffawing at the scene, and when she looks over, Elmo sits at the tavern’s bar chugging a stein of drink despite it only being mid-morning. "Well if it ishn’t th’ mightiesht of the wee-est of folk," the man exclaims. "I -hic- hear word from Ostler that yeh’ve been keepin’ yerselves busy over at the ruins, eh? Come ‘ave a seat o’er ‘ere and tell me wha’s news over in those parts an’ I’ll buy yeh an ale an’ mebbe let yeh ‘ave a smell o’ my -hic- o’ my fingers..." He crassly drags his thick middle and index fingers under his nose and Gilly recalls that the drunkard had mentioned that he was going to spend some time with a lady friend before he left, after returning from the ruins the last time.


@dominion451:
Maloria heads back to the church where she again finds herself waiting in the Audience Chamber a while before Calmert returns with a surprisingly small woven basket. As he opens it before her, Mal finds only a single potion inside, and the priest can’t help but notice Mal’s face fall.
"It is unfortunate that out acolyte was not able to produce all of the potions that we were hoping for. The alchemy, as I’m sure you understand, is both difficult and precise. Any introduction of foreign materials to the brewing process, any mistakes in the divine incantations spoken in prayer, any failings whatsoever in the process and the entire batch of potions is compromised and the ingredients rendered worthless. Our acolyte’s abilities to brew our much needed potions were not enough, and mistakes were made. Only two of the potions met our standards, and as I gave you my word that half would be made available to you and your companions… well…" He gestures sadly at the single glass bottle.
"As I said before, our needs for these potions has increased as of late due to a rash of ill fortune that has enveloped our community. Have you spoken to your companions about the prospect of hiring an alchemist for the church to devote their undivided attention to the brewing process so that our acolytes can focus on the divine aspects of the endeavors?"

Rolls

Secret Roll

#Potions of Cure Light Wounds available to purchase - (1d6)

(1) = 1

Oct 19, 2021 11:59 pm
OOC:
Updated yesterday's post, for those that check for updated posts by date.
Oct 20, 2021 12:57 am
OOC:
Boooo!
Mal's face does fall indeed, but she thanks the Priest for his efforts none the less and pays him the 40gp for the single healing potion.

"To be honest father, we have found very little in the way of treasure in the moathouse thus far and my companions do not think it prudent to enter into a contract of service until that changes. I would very much like to help with the alchemist but unless our luck changes we would surely fail in our obligation."
Oct 20, 2021 2:39 am
Eltrezar takes the potions and heads back to the inn, where there horses were waiting. He sits down and awaits the rest of his companions. As they arrive, he lets them in on what he learned from the druid. After all, knowledge is power.
OOC:
I'm heading out in the morning, and should be back in about five days. Eltrezar is more than happy to share the info with the party and then head back to the moathouse.

KCC

Oct 20, 2021 12:41 pm
Gilly found that she didn’t much like wandering around by herself. Well, the town had been okay. But there were a lot of strange men in this town too, and she thought it best to avoid them. Not that she was afraid. No, no. Not afraid… The long legs were all so… weird.

Confusion as to who was calling her hero turns to mild amusement at the failed trick. A genuine, if distant, gladness at the sight of Elmo, quickly turns to a rolling off the eyes and a move towards the door ever so slightly.

Bloody weird long legs…

It’s when he back is almost to the door that it opens, and the wizard is once again by Gilly’s side.
Oct 21, 2021 7:34 pm
@dominion451:
Calmert listens to Maloria's explanation regarding her refusal to commit to the hiring of an acolyte, and his face falls. He sits quietly a moment, eyes closed in thought, and Maloria can read not only disappointment in his demeanor, but possibly even a sense of anger which the man is focused on stilling.
When he opens his eyes again, he looks at Maloria and nods. "That's unfortunate indeed," he says staring at her. "My suspicions tell me that this recent and prolonged spat of ill fortune that has started to plague the simple folk of this community, and the rumoured activity that seems to be swirling around that moathouse of late are quite possibly related in some way, and that having the means to assist you with your needs would in turn allow you to assist us with ours, and again back to you... 'One hand washes the other', as they say.
"If lack of coin, though, is the reason given for your inability to help us, Acolyte Stoneforge, far be it for me to question your motives, and I shall tell others I would hear no more of the rumours of the wealth you and yours have pulled from those ruins in the last few days already.
"Perhaps the meager coin you find there is better put to use through the purchase of your horses, and your new weapons, and your hirelings. Perhaps those two men at the Trading Post are more equipped than the church to attend to the needs of this village, nevermind the degree to which they mark up the prices of their goods when sold to the community or mark down the value and any wares dragged out of crumbled ruins that they buy from new arrivals.
"Perhaps when the innkeeper has no more room in his overnight safebox for yours and your companions' newly acquired coin you might feel secure enough in your wealth to reconsider and distribute a small amount of the overflow to aiding our church help those that serve our deity St. Cuthbert of the Cudgel, Acolyte Stoneforge."

The man sits quiet a moment, and then stands up with a start. "Well... In any case, as I've impressed upon you before, I have many pressing matters to attend to. There is a woman in the village who has suddenly and inexplicably gone into labour far earlier than was expected, and the birth has not been easy on her. There is good reason to believe that neither woman nor child shall survive this. Certainly not without the limited aid those such as I and others here might be able to provide. And other rumors have spread that a farm to the north of here was raided by a group of gnolls, though as you have made apparent to me, not all rumours carry any seeds of truth to them, so perhaps they have only lost a few livestock to dogs.
"As agreed upon, the cost of this potion which you and your companions can put to service in the exploration of that bountyless pile of debris is forty gold. I trust you will leave the coin on the table as you leave."

With that Calmert walks out of the audience chamber leaving Maloria to sit alone as he so often does with visitors, and the cleric can't help but wonder if the social dynamic between her and Calmert has changed now.
OOC:
Gilly and Bors each agreed to throw in for potions, but having only one potion available for this tenday period, there's no way to divide the cost into three equal parts. I will deduce 13 from Bors and Gilly's inventory, and 14 from Maloria's. Let me know if you would like to adjust that differently somehow.
OOC:
@everyone else:
1. Is it safe to assume that everyone besides Maloria is now at the Inn awaiting her return with the potions before setting off for the ruins again?
Also, Demagor has not been active on this site for 22 days, and has not posted to this game in almost a month. They have the "Zzz" next to their avatar. I'm willing to proceed under the assumption that they have abandoned ghosted the game. So:
2. Have you come to a decision on whether you're going to hire the services of the Man-at-Arms or Elmo?
3. Have you decided if you are going to let Kobort and Turuko accompany the party in exchange for a share of the wealth?
4. Lacking a thief in the party, let alone one that can attempt to unlock any doors they have thus far been unsuccessful with, are you still planning on getting some axes for the doors in the basement?
Oct 22, 2021 4:37 am
OOC:
Can't trust MaA anymore and Elmo is a disgrace, seems like Kobort and Turuko are in, definitely need the axes.
Oct 22, 2021 4:43 pm
OOC:
Alright, I'll give it a bit of the day to let anyone else weight in on it (save cowleyc, obviously) and then we'll go buy some axes.
Oct 23, 2021 1:01 am
OOC:
Eltrezar doesn't trust hireling thieves. They never perform, and always disappear at inopportune times. He does like the honesty of Kobort and Turuko.

Weather forecast cut my hike short, but I'm still cruising around.

KCC

Oct 27, 2021 12:34 pm
OOC:
Whats the next move then?
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...
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...
Mal and Bors (and anyone else who opts to head out) make their way back to the Trading Post to purchase axes. As the party walks inside, they see the Man-at-Arms once again standing silently at his usual post. Gremag stands behind the counter counting coin, which looks conspicuously like that which was turned over as the Man-at-Arms's share. He places the coin in a small lockbox and sets it behind the counter.
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."
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 town
OOC:
Ah, gotcha! Interesting... We'll leave that up to Gilly.
@dominion451:
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."
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."
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.

KCC

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 explore

KCC

Nov 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.
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...
Gilly walks over and gets Elmo's attention who was deeply involved in a drunken, rambling monologue with one of the barmaids regarding annual grain yields and how they influence the overall price of ale a season or two later, citing numerous examples of various local yields of recent and how much he has to pay at the Welcome Wench. The barmaid, who has a look in her eyes that says she'd rather have a tooth extracted by Brother Smythe than be forced to stand here and endure this, has been desperately looking around the room for anything that she might use as a reason to cut the one-sided conversation short, and takes a brief moment to silently whisper thanks to the halfling for the distraction, immediately dashing to the kitchens as soon as Elmo looks down at Gilly.

"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)

KCC

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…"
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."
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?
Nov 4, 2021 12:54 am
OOC:
I vote we head out.
Nov 4, 2021 1:19 am
OOC:
Onwards and upw... downwards!
Nov 4, 2021 1:24 am
Mal inquires of the two new hirelings as to wether or not they own horses.
Nov 4, 2021 3:11 am
They look at one another, and then at the cleric. "Err... we do not, lady. But we can keep on foot."
You can't help but notice the apprehension on Turuko's face, fearing his employment may be in jeopardy.
OOC:
Woah. I thought something wasn't loading right on my phone. This is a new format I'll have to get used to.

KCC

Nov 4, 2021 12:31 pm
"I’d offer you a spot, but Timber’s a bit small! Sorry!

It’s not a bad bit of road anyway. Except for them fairies that attacked us that one time. And the part with the frozen forest cave thing. Other than that…"
Nov 4, 2021 3:04 pm
"So long as you don't mind the walk."

Mal readies her horse to leave.
OOC:
yeah they switched to a mobile friendly view, which is fine by me since I only post on mobile but it was already the most mobile friendly PbP site out there lol
Nov 4, 2021 3:17 pm
OOC:
Don't we have a few extra horses? And Eltrezar has Isolde the mule, who has been oh so lonely in the stables.
Nov 4, 2021 8:51 pm
OOC:
hardly seems fair that we would have let Angel or any of the others that left take a horse with them...
Nov 4, 2021 9:26 pm
OOC:
I'd have to go back and check, but if the horses were purchased with group loot, they would probably leave them If they were paid for by the individual PC, those would be "personal property".

Angel did pay for his own horse, so he would have left with it. Kelric's horse was bought for him by Sister Alice, so he would have left that one in the stables. Coulson's warhorse was probably given to another PC after the dwarf's death, and I believe Loken was riding thast one, so we'll assume Lokken left the warhorse in the stables when he left. So I think you have Kelric's Old Horse and Lokken's warhorse.
Nov 4, 2021 9:38 pm
OOC:
We found a bunch of horses at the moathouse, next to a bunch of bandits who were suspiciously murdered. By us.
Last edited November 4, 2021 9:39 pm
Nov 5, 2021 12:03 am
OOC:
Whoa whoa, let's not bicker and argue over who murdered who.
Nov 5, 2021 4:00 pm
OOC:
dead bodies just happen all the time, no way to know where they come from
"Well it seems we may have a couple of extra nags for you two, let's get them saddled up and make all haste to the Moathouse."
Nov 6, 2021 12:07 am
And with the decision to leave made, the party departs the Welcome Wench, this time armed with the knowledge that things below ground may be more dangerous than initially expected.

As the groups heads out the door to retrieve their horses from the stables, Elmo suddenly opens his eyes with a start.

"Ey, little'un," he shouts to Gilly. [ ]"Come back in one piece, eh, an' then 'ave a chat wi' ol' Elmo 'ere when you do. I'll be settin' 'ere awaitin' more tales o' yer courage."[/b] He gives the halfling a wink and folds his arms before lowering his chin to his chest and returning to his nap.

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