Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

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funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Jul 26, 2022 4:32 pm

Jul 26, 2022 4:32 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Official XP and Time Tracker

It's a quarter of an hour until three in the afternoon when Gilly, Eltrezar, Maloria, Luban, and Ora pull their mounts in front of the Inn of the Welcome Wench, the younger wizard Spugnoir following behind with a wagon laden down with the unconscious body of a dwarf wounded in battle and nearly scissored in half by an enormous crayfish earlier that very day. The small cache of weapons Luban threw in with the dwarf is a paltry comparison to the armory's worth they had hoped to be riding back with.
Despite the unseasonably warm temperatures, the air is muggy and humid, and the sky is overcast. The light rain that falls, muddying up the roads running through the small village of Hommlet, does little to cool the adventurers who are sweltering inside their armor sets. The jostling ride back to town atop the half-orc's horse has done his wounded body no favors, and the waning thief struggles to remain mounted atop his horse, pale of face and losing a great deal of the remaining little left of his life down his horse's now blood-smeared flank.

The inn's stableboy and a groom trot out ready to take the reins of the animals off the group's hands, but they pause and hesitate at seeing Thurig's bloodied form sprawled out in back of the wagon and the wobbling Luban just ahead of him.

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

Maloria "Mal" Stoneforge

Jul 26, 2022 5:37 pm

Jul 26, 2022 5:37 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Mal greets the stableboy with a nod but keeps her horse and cart ready as she intends to head straight to the church.

"Does anyone mind if we pay the church for healing from the spoils? I need to get Thurig back on his feet as soon as possible."

Jul 26, 2022 5:46 pm

Jul 26, 2022 5:46 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

The half-orc groans as he slowly slips off his horse. The journey back had been brutal, a constant reminder of the wound he had taken. "Perhaps I will go with you, as I could stand to use some of their healing as well. This puncture will be the death of me..."

Eltrezar the Medium

Jul 26, 2022 5:53 pm

Jul 26, 2022 5:53 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Hrmph! "I will see to the treasures, and ensure we get a fair price for them. It would be wise to invest in the Church, as we seem to be coming back with grievous injuries. Would anyone join me to the moneylender? I would avoid the traders for now, if possible." Eltrezar allows for his horse to be stabled, and talks while checking on his mule. He had not spent time with her in nearly a week now, though her temperament had not changed much.

Ahem! "And before I forget, Ora, I believe it is time to uphold our end of the bargain. Those scrolls now belong to Spuignor here. And Spuignor, I would have words with you later. I have errands to attend to, but perhaps we could discuss a partnership over ale this evening?"

Last edited July 26, 2022 5:54 pm

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Jul 26, 2022 7:15 pm

Jul 26, 2022 7:15 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

"Ah, perhaps I might accompany Maloria and Thurig to the church for now," Spugnoir says sheepishly. "To be honest, I’ve begun to get cold feet about returning to the Trading Post short a generously loaned man, you see. No doubt I must face that music before sundown, for news will travel fast that we’ve returned I have no doubt, and the proprietors will surely begin wondering why the cart hasn’t returned when they’ve received word we’re back. But at least making sure Mr. Stonehearth is transported to a healer with as little jostling as possible will provide me with a reasonable excuse for my procrastination.

"To the other point however, Miss Rusk... I'm afraid my friend Eltrezar is right, of course..." Again the man seems... regretful, if not exactly sheepish now. "I believe I have performed my duties today to the satisfaction of most of you, if not all. I'm afraid I must truly insist this time that the remaining scrolls be turned over as the agreed upon payment for my services." He extends his open hand outwards for the parchments.

Maloria "Mal" Stoneforge

Jul 26, 2022 9:54 pm

Jul 26, 2022 9:54 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

"Yes frankly I feel the more we stick together it the next few hours the greater our collective chances of survival. Perhaps we all head to the moneylender first and then visit the church as a group?"

Jul 26, 2022 10:09 pm

Jul 26, 2022 10:09 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Luban looks down to his wound, which he had hastily stuffed with cloth to stop the bleeding. Between his exhaustion and the liberal amount of blood, he shakes his head. "You don't want me anywhere near the moneylender until I've been patched up and bathed. Nor Thurig over here. We're better off with two groups."

"Besides, if anyone hassles us, Spuggy here can turn them into a newt."

Last edited July 26, 2022 10:11 pm

Maloria "Mal" Stoneforge

Jul 26, 2022 10:15 pm

Jul 26, 2022 10:15 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

"Perhaps you're right, I just feel the tides turning against us in this town. Eltrezar I think we should stick together but if you want to go to the bank while we heal then perhaps Gilly will accompany you?"

Mal looks beseachingly at the halfling, knowing well that she would likely rather be elsewhere.

Jul 27, 2022 12:18 am

Jul 27, 2022 12:18 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Gilly nods at the suggestion. She had taken a kind of ownership over the treasure. Not an ownership… that was the wrong word. But it was in her care, and she’d go with Eltrezar to see them make good on their loot!

"Who’s gets to do the talking?" she says with a kind of wry smile!

Jul 27, 2022 12:20 am

Jul 27, 2022 12:20 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

"How is your leg?" Ora blurts out to the magick user. She could have helped the dwarf had the rats not gotten lucky.

"Do you need the temple?"

She fumbles around in her pack for a moment and then produces the scrolls.

"You have some means to store them, I suppose?"

Jul 30, 2022 3:14 pm

Jul 30, 2022 3:14 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Luban nods along with the plan, and starts hobbling in the direction of the temple. His teeth are clenched, so he says not a word.

Eltrezar the Medium

Jul 30, 2022 3:18 pm

Jul 30, 2022 3:18 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Eltrezar looks down at he wound he had sustained earlier, which he had completely forgotten about! Damn that Ora and her questions, now it began to throb again. Hrmph! "No, this is nothing a little sleep won't cure."

Turning to Gilly, he gives a wry grin. Ahem! "I do believe that you have been a little curt of late, perhaps I should do the bartering..."

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Jul 31, 2022 8:52 pm

Jul 31, 2022 8:52 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

KCC says:

She fumbles around in her pack for a moment and then produces the scrolls.

"You have some means to store them, I suppose?"

"Yes, of course," Spugnoir replies. He reaches into his backpack and pulls out three tubes made of bamboo, stoppered on each end by an oiled leather plug.

The younger wizard takes the three scrolls from Ora with a satisfied nod, and then carefully inserts each roll of parchment into its own tube with a practiced hand. He pauses a moment before pulling one tube aside, lightly tapping the end of the light yellow cylinder on the pommel of his horse’s saddle as if in contemplation. Then he extends the scroll, still in its container back to Ora.

"Levitate," he says by way of explanation. "A simple spell for most wizards, and limited in its usefulness. No doubt its value in coin would have exceeded its value in utility for me, but perhaps its value in opening a path to reconciliation between the two of us will exceed both."
He deftly sticks the remaining two scrolls in his pack, and after handing the reins of his own horse to the stable's groom waiting below, he turns the borrowed horse and cart around.

Having decided to leave his own mount behind, Luban hobbles on foot, headed for the healing prayers of the Church of St. Cuthbert. The rest of the group still on horseback are forced to follow at a slow crawl, and it takes some time to cover the 350' of road leading to the bridge spanning the small branch of the Velverdyva River that cuts through the village.

https://i.imgur.com/Xk65LhS.gif

It's plenty of time for the Trading Post's own groom, busy tending to the livestock and animals in the yard outside, to notice the party's approach. Those who glance a suspicious eye towards Trading Post as they ride by can't help but notice the boy set his bucket of feed on the ground as the party passes and head inside the darkened interior of shop.
"Well," Spugnoir says with a sigh as they group approaches another small road turning west. "They'll be expecting their horse and cart now, no doubt."
From here the party splits up. Luban, Maloria and Spugnoir continue on the road running north with Thurig. Eltrezar, Gilly, and Ora Rusk head towards a sturdy new building with a sign in front standing at the corner of this intersection.

The sign displays three yellow balls; this must be the moneychanger's. A guard in chain mail stands by the door, wearing a sword and cradling a light crossbow in his arms, with a quarrel ready. Two large dogs are sniffing in your direction.

The man gives a grim side-eye to each, as the new arrivals enter the building, where they find the proprietor polishing a small gemstone with a piece of silk, a strange-looking glass pinched in his squinted eye. Nira Melubb looks up from his work, and the pupil of the eye behind the looking glass gapes like a giant hole and dances in alignment with his other as he looks at the two humans and the halfling before him. "May I help you?"

Outside, those wounded or in search of other divine assistance climb the small inclined leading out of town until they reach the newly built edifice of the Church of St. Cuthbert, standing atop the small incline overlooking the village. An acolyte is outside tending to a small patch of herbs growing near the audience chamber. "Hello. The priest is inside; please make yourself comfortable." She gestures at the door leading into the study, seemingly unaware that the cart Spugnoir pulls contains the bloodied dwarf.

Maloria "Mal" Stoneforge

Jul 31, 2022 9:23 pm

Jul 31, 2022 9:23 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Mal makes the sign of Cuthbert as she enters the church, already counting out the coins of her donation as she goes.

Aug 1, 2022 2:48 am

Aug 1, 2022 2:48 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Ora takes the scroll case almost reverently. Then she looks the man in the eyes and nods:

"Agreed. And I hope it won’t get you into too much bother, having parted with this. I’ll use it… well, I can’t say wisely. But I’ll use it well! Thank you, Spugnoir."

With that, she follows along after Gilly and Eltrezar, paying special attention to give the man on the door a wide berth. She looks around the room curiously as Eltrezar goes about their business.

Eltrezar the Medium

Aug 1, 2022 2:57 am

Aug 1, 2022 2:57 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

funfungiguy says:

The sign displays three yellow balls; this must be the moneychanger's. A guard in chain mail stands by the door, wearing a sword and cradling a light crossbow in his arms, with a quarrel ready. Two large dogs are sniffing in your direction.

The man gives a grim side-eye to each, as the new arrivals enter the building, where they find the proprietor polishing a small gemstone with a piece of silk, a strange-looking glass pinched in his squinted eye. Nira Melubb looks up from his work, and the pupil of the eye behind the looking glass gapes like a giant hole and dances in alignment with his other as he looks at the two humans and the halfling before him. "May I help you?"

Eltrezar tidies his robes before the man, and runs his fingers through his beard. Hrmph? "Ah, yes! We are adventure-seekers in this town, and have come across some valuables that might interest you. Several gems of varying quality, as well as a particularly fine pin of ruby! Naturally we would be interested in exchanging these for coin, as they will do you more good than us." Eltrezar sets the gems on the table, but keeps the pin itself in his hand. No saying what the men in this room might do once they get their hands on it.

Last edited August 1, 2022 2:57 am

Aug 1, 2022 2:57 am

Aug 1, 2022 2:57 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

"Yes! We have some…" and then the Halfling stops up short, remembering what they had agreed.

She sidesteps out of the way and ushers Eltrezar in.

OOC:

Oops. A smidge too late! :D

Last edited August 1, 2022 2:58 am

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Aug 1, 2022 4:40 am

Aug 1, 2022 4:40 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

OOC:

no, no…. Keep this. It’s perfect.

Aug 2, 2022 3:48 pm

Aug 2, 2022 3:48 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Only once he has reached the temple does Luban realize his companions had been following on horseback. Though he is in too much pain to be embarrassed. He stumbles in through the door, does a poor job of imitating Maloria's gesture, then looks to her for direction. He wasn't in the know in this particular establishment, and he usually went out of his way to avoid harm.

Maloria "Mal" Stoneforge

Aug 2, 2022 3:52 pm

Aug 2, 2022 3:52 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Mal ushers the injured half-orc to one of the chairs in the foyer.

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Aug 4, 2022 6:30 pm

Aug 4, 2022 6:30 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Nira Melubb's gigantically magnified eyeball tracks down to the gems the wizard sets on the counter and then to the pin still in Eltrezar's palm. "Hmm... A fortuitous haul, it appears," the mutters looking back up at the medium. He picks up the smallest of the gems and peers closely at it with his glass, then does likewise with the other two. A minute of two passes as he does his appraisal, quietly muttering things just too deep under breath to quite make out, before he looks up and replies to the wizard, "Fifty gold... One hundred gold... Five hundred gold." He raises up a gem with each estimate. "My appraisal is quite accurate, I assure you, though you can certainly search for a second opinion if you like. The pin," Nira replies, extending his open palm for Eltrezar to turn over.

Entering the small room that double as an audience chamber and study, Luban, Mal, and Spugnoir encounter the priest Calmert sitting behind his desk keeping notes in a small ledger book. Looking up, the man

OOC:

[*The priest looks up at the sound of Maloria dropping a hefty amount of coin into the donation box,]

and studies Mal's face a moment. "Acolyte Stoneforge. You look... different. Enlightened? Perhaps you have returned to my study a bit more certain of your path to divine favor?" His eyes turn to the half-orc, "Hmm, or perhaps you've simply come to exhaust our community of my much needed miracles again."
He stands up from his desk and moves to the door leading out into the church's processional. "In any case, why don't you and your new companion have a seat a moment while I take care of a small task and I shall return shortly. Perhaps your friends here might be interested in the admiring our small collection of tracts and scrolls that we keep on display here, and perhaps they might even appreciate your teachings regarding the costs which go into procuring and maintaining such a collection, even one so modest as our may be." He gestures, not unexpectedly, to the collection box before leaving the room for a moment.

OOC:

*Retcon addition of 50 gold to donation box; August 6, 2022.

Rolls

Secret Roll

Eltrezar the Medium

Aug 4, 2022 6:40 pm

Aug 4, 2022 6:40 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Gems were one thing. Eltrezar was sure he was being screwed over on them, but any amount of money was appreciated. The pin, however, was a different matter. The thing glittered and sparkled, and drew the eye. It would look quite nice on his new robes, though they weren't quite his colors. The magic-user hands over the pin, with a side-eye to Gilly to ensure she was being attentive. Hrmph! "Those gems were paltry compared to this fine piece. It is unlikely such quality has come through this town before, and I dare say I might get a finer deal in a larger city. But Hommlett has become like a second... third home to me, and I trust that you will appraise this fairly."

Aug 5, 2022 12:20 am

Aug 5, 2022 12:20 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

"Third opinion!" Gilly corrects the man, with the most innocent Halfling face she can muster.

"We’ve already had one. And now we are here, so the next opinion would be the third!"

She doesn’t dare look up at the wizard as she tries to drum up some phantom competition for these gems in the seller’s mind.

Eltrezar the Medium

Aug 5, 2022 12:43 am

Aug 5, 2022 12:43 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Hrmph? "Oh yes, the traders. I didn't care for the offer they made, hence our presence here."

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Aug 5, 2022 3:45 pm

Aug 5, 2022 3:45 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

The moneychanger's takes the pin from Eltrezar's hand and holds it close to his magnified eye, his practiced stare taking in the metalwork of the platinum, and the quality of the ruby itself, only half listening to Eltrezar's bluff until Gilly interjects. Then his eyes look up, and the great hole of his magnified pupil stares at the halfling. As Eltrezar catches on to the act Nira looks to Eltrezar as well.

https://i.imgur.com/I9frxpC.png

"Traders," Nira scoffs. "No, no... You're not likely to get a better deal selling to a trader, but more importantly, you're not likely to get a fair appraisal from them either, and the two are not the same!" He raises a finger as if giving a practiced lecture.
"You see, the thing with my profession is that everyone assumes that we lie to our customers. Perhaps some do so, but not any who has built his reputation on professional expertise, honesty, and integrity as I have! I shall always pride myself not only on the honesty behind my appraisals, but on the accuracy as well! I tell you the worth of your items with the utmost confidence that my appraisal is accurate! And you will not find an appraisal in all the great city of Verbobonc that will tell you this pin is worth any more or less than what I tell you here, and any that do are either swindling you, or are amateurs and soon to appraise themselves right out of business!
"No, the real reason we have a reputation as swindlers is because the untrained and uneducated come to us seeking our expertise in appraising their silver broaches, and their golden rings, and pearl necklaces, and their decorative cauldrons, and we do so accurately, but said customers mistake an appraisal of value for a selling value, thinking the two are the same! The two are not the same!"
Nira Melubb sets the pin on a piece of black decorative silk and slides it across the counter back to Eltrezar. "I appraise your pin to be worth two-thousand gold," he says, chin raised confidently. "Should you wish to sell it, I would refuse to pay you two-thousand gold for it, for I have to make a profit when I in turn sell it. Normally, I would make you a very generous offer of one thousand gold for this piece. But as you and your companions are beginning to make a reputation of returning to our village with coin and gems in tow, and because I'd like to solidify my reputation with you as a fair and honest businessman in the profession of trading in such coins and stones, and because you seem to know next to nothing about the appraisal of stones, precious metals, and/or other items of value and have already made the fool's first mistake by entering negotiations with traders, I'd be willing to begin what I hope is to be a longstanding partnership with you and your company by offering you one-thousand and four-hundred gold for the pin.
"I would give you thirty-five, seventy, and three-hundred and fifty respectively for the gems, should you wish to relieve yourselves of the burden of having those poking uncomfortably into your backs while stowed away on your travels."

OOC:

I was going to have Eltrezar make a charisma roll, since he was doing the talking, but since Gilly interjected nicely I decided to have her make one first and if she was successful, she'd give Eltrezar a -2 bonus to his roll, also quite successful.
Nira has offered the following totals, exceeding the prices he offers, as written in the module by 20%:
Pin: 1400gp
Gems: 350gp, 70gp, 35gp

https://i.imgur.com/fkc1T3b.png

Rolls

Secret Roll

Secret Roll

Secret Roll

Eltrezar the Medium

Aug 5, 2022 5:28 pm

Aug 5, 2022 5:28 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

The man was quite correct in that the two had no idea how to appraise or sell gems and trinkets. General goods were easy, as it was hard to be taken advantage of when the sum total was several silver coins. But this was in the thousands, and in gold! Something about the man and his honesty (or his great skill in lying) made Eltrezar feel at ease. He seemed to care about his professional reputation the same as the wizard, and that was comforting. Hrmph! "Yes, well, you are quite astute and correct. My partner and I may have blundered in speaking with the traders, but that was out of habit. You see, most of what we do collect in our expeditions belongs in a trading post and not a moneylenders estate. Your words are noted, and your honesty appreciated. I do believe we can make a fruitful relationship here. As for the exchange, I would say that such a value is agreeable. Finances like that will enable us to delve back into our hidden ruins, and return with even more treasures. And from here on out, you will be the first stop upon our return... second, if we are in need of divine assistance."

Eltrezar reaches out his hand to make the deal, but falters for a moment. Ahem! "Oh, yes, before I forget! I am Eltrezar the Medium, known amongst the elves as Tarathiel, the dwarves have called me Dalomdûmir, and the Barbarians of the North have titled me Hrattothvok. And this is my companion, Gilly Puddlefoot, of the Smallfolk. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Aug 5, 2022 7:17 pm

Aug 5, 2022 7:17 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

"Hmm... A pleasure to formally make the acquaintance Eltrezar the Medium, leader of Hommlet's newest celebrities. As well as that of his companion of most modest stature, yet if the whispers be true, one that has slain as many great monsters in only a few days as her elder companion has names among the people.
"And will you be interested in concluding our transaction with an exchange of coin for goods, Eltrezar, or must you confer first with your other companions?"

Eltrezar the Medium

Aug 5, 2022 8:52 pm

Aug 5, 2022 8:52 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

The wizard grins down at the halfling at the mention of her deeds. Hrmph! "I do believe I can speak for my group when I accept your offer. And I look forward to future business."

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Aug 5, 2022 9:16 pm

Aug 5, 2022 9:16 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

"Very good sir. I shall be back in a moment with your coin. I trust gold pieces are your preferred method of payment?" Nira leaves to a back room and is gone for some time. The guard remains at the watch in front of the store, but two war dogs eye the halfling and wizard warily in Nira's absence, as if any sudden movements might set them off.
When Nira Melubb returns he's wheeling a small chest with him of which stacks of gold coins are contained in rows of 100 each. After counting out six rows, and fifty-five more from a seventh, and allowing Eltrezar Gilly, and Ora to watch, he places the coins inside three large sacks and the extra fifty-five in another small sack.
"Will there be anything else today, Eltrezar?"

OOC:

If you would like the coins to be in a different denomination than gold let me now and I can send the man back to fetch something different. In addition someone can add three large sacks and one small sack to their inventories if they wish; I'm only tracking it as the standard 80-coin encumbrance.

The party gains 1855 gold for the transaction. Bear in mind this has already been accounted for as 2650XP for the purposes of gaining experience after Part 9, so it won't be added as XP in the future. As no coin was offered as payment for Spugnoir, each member of your party would wind up with 309.16gp, if split evenly.

Eltrezar the Medium

Aug 5, 2022 9:33 pm

Aug 5, 2022 9:33 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Hrmph! "I have no more business for this day, but I do plan on returning after I retrieve a particular bejeweled blade I had temporarily possessed, though only to ascertain its worth. Until then, farewell my good sir."

OOC:

Eltrezar will be splitting the coin evenly, though only after the 1000 has been taken out for the Church. 142.5 each.

OOC:

I might just use his share to hire the group to take on the Gnolls. That would be 171 per person other than Eltrezar. 30gp to fight some monsters that we know prey on people, and are in one spot for only a few days? Should be a done deal. But I'm heading out in the morning until the 16th, so I won't be around to RP it.

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Aug 6, 2022 12:18 am

Aug 6, 2022 12:18 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

OOC:

I must ask…. Taking 1000gp would definitely provide for the church. Is that a decision Eltrezar is prepared to make for the company? If so, I think we can agree would be something he’d at least have to take up with Maloria, I think.

But from a personal stance, making a decision for the company that you’re not sure the whole group is on board with feels really good….

Would you like to make a decision for the entire group?

Aug 6, 2022 12:27 am

Aug 6, 2022 12:27 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

OOC:

The group put Eltrezar in charge of this mission, and then Nira made the mistake of calling him the group's leader. Eltrezar is absolutely making an executive decision.

Aug 6, 2022 12:35 am

Aug 6, 2022 12:35 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

OOC:

We could raise a force of a hundred halflings for that coin! Halfling standing army, when? :D

Aug 6, 2022 12:36 am

Aug 6, 2022 12:36 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

OOC:

Next delve, I promise! A hilly covered in a milly killy Gilly's!

Aug 6, 2022 1:16 pm

Aug 6, 2022 1:16 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Gilly puffs up a little when her deeds are said back to her! Praise was sparse in Hommlet and things only looked to be getting worse.

"And um… how might we tell a good gem from a bad, anyway? Just in case space is at a premium on the cart!" she asks quickly before leaving!

Aug 6, 2022 1:18 pm

Aug 6, 2022 1:18 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

"Speaking of how… limited the trading post is when it comes to finding quality goods, might there be anywhere in Hommlet to find things of a more arcane nature? Scrolls and such. Anyone have anything like that squirreled away?"

Ora suddenly pipes up while she examines her way around the shop.

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Aug 6, 2022 4:30 pm

Aug 6, 2022 4:30 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Nira Melubb looks to Gilly first and considers her question of appraising gems: "Hmm... Knowing what to look for in a quality gem takes a practiced eye, a steady hand, and many decades experience in the trade, little 'Ogre Slayer'." He says it with a wry smile, and while details may be a bit blurry, it seems that technically it may in fact have been Eltrezar's "swagger dagger" that struck the final blow on the ogre Lubash, but perhaps no need for a hero to correct the minor details found in the songs sung about them. "My best advice for young treasure seekers is, if it looks like a precious stone, and it weighs less than a coin in your satchel, leave the coin behind and keep the stone... It might only cost you a copper piece to be wrong."

He then considers Ora Rusk's question. "Shops of an arcane nature are a peculiar type of mushroom, only sprouting up in the most fertile soil, and unlikely to sprout up at all land as barren as that found in Hommlet. There would be little needs met by setting up such an establishment here. Almost everyone that lives here is either of The Old Faith, or more recent converts of the Church of St. Cuthbert. Any that have needs of a divine nature put their trust in Jaroo Ashstaff of The Old Faith, or if converted then Elder Terjon and his priest Calmert.
"I hear only of rumors, of course, but I believe there may in fact be a visitor here in Hommlet with a particular interest in scrolls as well. A man by the name of Spugnoir? I believe he's staying at the inn with you, so perhaps you've seen one another in passing? No doubt Ostler Gundigoot could introduce the two of you.
"Aside from that, perhaps Jaroo Ashstaff is capable of writing some scrolls for those in need. Like the church, his magics are of a more divine, nature, but I believe he can scribe a few protection spells which any literate man-- er, or woman, should be able to utilize at their own discretion. But if it's a propershop you seek, the city of Verbobonc two days north of here will surely meet your needs, miss."

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Aug 6, 2022 4:32 pm

Aug 6, 2022 4:32 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

After about four minutes of waiting patiantly, the priest Calmert returns to the study, and glances at the collection box which has remained unmolested so far

OOC:

*, now containing Mal's hefty contribution

. "Acolyte Stoneforge, he says sitting back down at his desk. How may the righteousness of St. Cuthbert bless you and yours this afternoon?"

OOC:

*Retcon addition of 50 gold to donation box; August 6, 2022.

Rolls

Secret Roll

Maloria "Mal" Stoneforge

Aug 6, 2022 8:04 pm

Aug 6, 2022 8:04 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

OOC:

I thought I posted that Mal tithed when she entered? I certainly meant to, can we retcon that Mal dropped 50g in the box please?

Maloria "Mal" Stoneforge

Aug 6, 2022 8:15 pm

Aug 6, 2022 8:15 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

"We are drawing close to the head of the snake Father Calmert. We have uncovered evidence that the owners of the trading post are involved in the cult behind the evil at the moathouse, Brother Thurig was struck down while fighting against the creatures within. I seek healing for Thurig and my companions who also risked their lives against the darkness."

Aug 9, 2022 12:56 pm

Aug 9, 2022 12:56 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Gilly’s chest puffs up again, not for a second thinking that the gem-dealer might be trying to smooth over a low price with flattery. Nodding along as he explains the coin to gem conversion, she says finally:

"Right! Well… if we find more gems down there, we’ll give you first pass on them next time!"

Aug 9, 2022 12:57 pm

Aug 9, 2022 12:57 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

"A Druid. Well… it’s a wonder that he hasn’t been dragged along to the Moat by this troupe already!

Is he of the mind for adventure, would you say?" a final parting question!

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Aug 9, 2022 6:13 pm

Aug 9, 2022 6:13 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Priest Calmert listens to Maloria and replies, "The Trading Post? You say Rannos Davl and Gremag have something to do with the ruins? Those are serious accusations Acolyte Stoneforge, and not to be taken lightly. Let us tend to your friend, and then I would hear more. After I will determine if this need be brought to the attention of Canon Terjon."
Calmert leaves the office and has the girl working outside help him with the fallen Thurig, laying him on the ground, and sends prayers to St. Cuthbert. He does likewise for the wounded half-orc. Thurig opens his eyes, still greatly weakened but finally conscious. Luban feels a bit better, but not 100% by any means. Perhaps Calmert has been distracted by the recent spat of ill-tidings, or maybe Maloria's accusations that the Trading Post men are involved, but the priest seemed... distracted in his appeals for a miracle this afternoon, Mal senses.
"Neither man is well yet", he says, "but they'll survive the night with some needed rest. Perhaps if they can find their own way back to the inn, and you may stay and fill me in on these accusations you cast on a pair of staple business owners in our community, Acolyte?"

OOC:

Both Luban and Thurig are healed for 2HP.

KCC says:

"A Druid. Well… it’s a wonder that he hasn’t been dragged along to the Moat by this troupe already!

Is he of the mind for adventure, would you say?" a final parting question!

"Hmm, you might ask. He doesn't seem the type, though I haven't been here long enough to say for certain. Seems the type of man more interested in tending to the needs of those here in Hommlet that still follow the Old Faith.

Rolls

Cure Light Wounds (Thurig) - (1d6+1)

(1) + 1 = 2

Cure Light Wounds (Luban) - (1d6+1)

(1) + 1 = 2

Maloria "Mal" Stoneforge

Aug 9, 2022 6:29 pm

Aug 9, 2022 6:29 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Mal smiles at Thurig as he opens his eyes and nods in greeting. Thurig groans and then looks around in surprise. Seeing Mal there he relaxes and returns her nod. As Mal helps the dwarf to his feet she guides him over to the others,

"I need to speak to the priest about what we saw, would you mind waiting outside for a moment? Don't go far, we need to stay together."

Aug 11, 2022 2:04 pm

Aug 11, 2022 2:04 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

"And might you be familiar with any other brand of… faith in or around Hommlet? Perhaps you bartered for an odd bit of gem work? Something ceremonial, perhaps? Or folk might have been trying to pay in strangely marked coin?"

Aug 12, 2022 12:40 am

Aug 12, 2022 12:40 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Luban, feeling a little better, nods and rises to his feet to walk away. He takes Thurig by the arm, though it's hard to tell who is supporting whom.

Eltrezar the Medium

Aug 12, 2022 12:41 am

Aug 12, 2022 12:41 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Hrmph! "I have spoken at length with Jaroo, and though he is not one to join us, he has been instrumental in providing aid where he can. I will be speaking with him later to inform him of what we have learned, but after we have handled our other business."

Aug 12, 2022 11:54 pm

Aug 12, 2022 11:54 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Ora nods her thanks to the gem-man and goes to leave. She can’t help but wonder if the man on the door has a number of similarly armed friends looking for work.

Her mind wandered to any forces that could be mustered to overwhelm the Moat and put an end to this whole charade.

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Aug 23, 2022 5:15 pm

Aug 23, 2022 5:15 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

OOC:

It's about 2:30pm. I'm going to put Ora, Eltrezar, and Gilly standing outside the moneychanger's, currently in possession of 1855 gold pieces in some large sacks. I believe that Eltrezar decided to take 1000gp to the church to pay for an acolyte to make potions, correct?
@KCC: Will Ora and Gilly be accompanying Eltrezar, or will they be heading somewhere else?

I'm going to put Luban and Thurig standing outside the church's audience chamber/study at the moment waiting for Maloria to visit with Father Calmert and Canon Terjon.
@dominion451: Unless you wish to rollplay this, we can fast track it some, I think. Will Maloria be telling the clerics *everything* that's happened so far? Is there anything you wish to omit?

Aug 23, 2022 5:21 pm

Aug 23, 2022 5:21 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

OOC:

That sounds good to me. And yes, Eltrezar is making an executive decision to pay the priests for their meth healing potion lab.

Maloria "Mal" Stoneforge

Aug 23, 2022 6:41 pm

Aug 23, 2022 6:41 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

OOC:

I can't think of anything we need to omit, and Mal is a pretty honest person in general. No need to roleplay it if there's a quick conclusion.

Aug 24, 2022 1:10 pm

Aug 24, 2022 1:10 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

OOC:

If the wizard is transporting that much coin across town, then oh yeah, they’ll stay with him as security, if nothing else!

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Sep 6, 2022 3:34 am

Sep 6, 2022 3:34 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Gilly and the two magicians leave the moneychanger's establishment. They can't help noticing a young man out front running a plane along a piece of cabinetry in front of the building across the road. A sign hangs in front of the shop.

Quote:

The nicely painted sign shows a painted shield and a chest of drawers.

The young man takes a moment and gives a polite wave as the group heads to rejoin their companions then returns to his woodworking.

It's only a short, six minute walk north to the Church of St. Cuthbert. As the group moves along the road they pass the trading post. Eltrezar and Ora seem preoccupied with their own thoughts, and both fail to even notice the young groom, who typically tends to the post’s assortment of livestock, standing outside a chicken pen, seemingly preoccupied with laying seed. Nor do they seem to notice Rannos and Gremag through the main shop’s front windows, seeming to be engaged in some type of discussion behind the counter, both of which Gilly does. And the two magicians certainly don’t notice as the groom keeps them held steadily in his side-eye gaze, tracking them up the road leading north to the church standing at the edge of the village. Not as Gilly’s keen notice does.
And perhaps it’s because the groom seems so engaged in looking like he’s not watching the three as they pass that he fails to notice the tiny peck at his hip as he squats over and tosses more seed, or the tiny peck after that, or after that as a small, white chicken with a single black wing loses interest in the seed being laid down, distracted by the gleam of a small shiny object hanging from a piece of string on the groom’s belt. The chicken gives a final peck just as the groom stands up to move to another part of the pen the tiny object falls to the ground. The bird quickly stabs at it a couple of more times before Gilly watches the chicken toss a key into its beak and swallow it down to join the rest of the contents in its gizzard.

Arriving at the top of the hill overlooking the village, there stands a modest shack on the left. A grizzled herdsman and three three dogs prowl the property and as the group arrives at the church on the right the man gives the three of them a hard look, showing no desire for niceties before moving away, a couple of the dogs moving with him while one sits and watches the new arrivals walk up the path to the newly built edifice before them.
Luban stands out front of the building’s audience chamber with Thurig, and Spugnoir stands nearby with the empty cart, looking concernedly in the direct of the trading post just down the hill, and Maloria has been visiting with the other two clerics for about five minutes now. All three men watch as Eltrezar, Ora, and Gilly approach. As they arrive it’s apparent that Luban looks better. Perhaps nothing a good night’s sleep can’t heal. Thurig, on the other hand, is awake, which is certainly an improvement, but looks like he needs more than just a nap. It’s possible that without other intervention a few days rest might be needed.

Rolls

Secret Roll

Secret Roll

Secret Roll

Secret Roll

Secret Roll

Secret Roll

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Sep 6, 2022 8:06 pm

Sep 6, 2022 8:06 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

OOC:

Maloria isn't being adressed at the moment, only because for the time being only five minutes or so have elapsed since Luban and Thurig took their leave to allow Mal to visit with the priest and canon. Probably less time, if any, of actually conversing has occurred within, as the canon is a busy (and now powerful) man (at least by the standards of the village), and he's not likely to just come running at once to Calmert's beck and call. We will be presented with at least a run-down of the conversation that takes place inside, and the canon's reaction to Mal's information in a bit here, but first I want keep the focus on rest of the party, only to see if anything plays out outside the church with the rest of the party that may influence anything happening inside.

Eltrezar the Medium

Sep 6, 2022 9:19 pm

Sep 6, 2022 9:19 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

...and that's why I believe it is in our best interest to take on these Gnolls," Eltrezar drawls for not the first nor the last time. Hrmph! "I would even be happy to pay for assistance, though I have not given up my interest in that damned dagger. But removing the threat from the woods would be most prudent. Perhaps Elmo would be of assistance to us in this venture!"

Sep 8, 2022 10:39 am

Sep 8, 2022 10:39 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Like a giddy child, Gilly feels like she might burst from the effort of keeping herself walking away from the chicken yard. When the party finally stops, and Eltrezar stops trying to beat them over the head with that business about the gnolls, Gilly yanks on both of the mages’ robes from a few feet below.

"I fancy a chicken tonight. Don't you?"

The Halfling has a conspiratorial smile on her face that begs a question to be asked. Annoyingly, she offers up no information until prompted.

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Sep 9, 2022 3:38 am

Sep 9, 2022 3:38 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Spugnior, sitting to the side, alone in his thoughts up until now, no doubt worrying himself about the awkward conversation that will ensure later this afternoon when he must return the loaned horse and cart back to the trading post without it's rider and without a cache of weapons and gear suddenly turns his attention to the conversation, perhaps to distract himself for a moment. "Mmm, yes, it has been a rather physically taxing day thus far, hasn't it. I've worked up quite an appetite myself, now that you've mentioned it...
"I cannot speak for the Wench's chicken dishes myself, tough no doubt they're just as delightfull as everything else that I've ordered from the kitchen. But if it's fowl and poultry you want, I must tell you a story:
"The very first night I arrived here in Hommlet, I entered the inn quite late and was very famished. After securing my sleeping accommodations for the evening I asked if by chance their kitchen stayed open twenty-four-seven. To my great disappointment, and with a stomach in noisy protest, I was told the kitchen does not in fact stay open all evening.
"I was ready to accept that I would have to wait until breakfast to finally fill my stomach when innkeeper's wife, seeing my great disappointment, suggested their 'Game Fowl Sausages', for they would be of little effort to warm one or two and eat with a slice of folded bread!
"I tell you, the sausages of that inn are unlike anything I've ever tasted! The meat itself, I believe is simply a ground amalgamation of scrapmeat from whatever local fowl are caught that week and left unused in other dishes the inn serves, but my goodness they are delightful!
"Even better, Gilly, if I might try and persuade you away from fowl and poultry altogether and more along the track of seafood, I must advise you that the inn serves the most amazing dinner of boiled crayfish in drawn butter I've ever tasted! The crayfish themselves are freshly caught, directly from the Velverdyva River running through town here, and are given a good boil with any number of seasonings added to the brine they cook in! And a finely diced dash of fresh garlic is added to the butter, itself churned just that morning.
"You simply must try it, Gilly! I must insist, in fact! This evening, even; on my coin!"

Sep 10, 2022 3:15 am

Sep 10, 2022 3:15 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

"If encountering oversized crayfish in the moat puts you in the mood for seafood, I dread to think what we’ll be feasting on when we clear the forest of gnolls.

Do they sell hyena meat in Hommlet, I wonder?" the mage says with a playful smile on her face.

Sep 10, 2022 3:17 am

Sep 10, 2022 3:17 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

"Well, it does sound good! But I really think we ought to take a look at the chickens…"

She leans in conspiratorially, and tells them all what she saw as they passed the outpost.

"One of us needs to go down there and buy that chicken. Or perhaps we can send the innkeeper? They must sell to him all the time?"

Eltrezar the Medium

Sep 10, 2022 5:06 am

Sep 10, 2022 5:06 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Eltrezar frowns at the sudden change of conversation, thinking to himself that dry chicken with some warm bread was all he needed. None of this strange seafood, or even hyena meat.

When Gilly explains what she saw, he comes up with a rapid plan. A simple one at that. He makes a show of handing a gold coin to Gilly while pointing at the chicken, and then his spellbook. Hrmph! "Just go buy the chicken, and explain I need it for masterful rituals of prosperity or something. You Halflings are good at coming up with stories."

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Sep 10, 2022 10:57 pm

Sep 10, 2022 10:57 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

OOC:

Just a heads up for tonight's post, which I'm not quite done with yet, and probably won't be until later tonight:

There's a small section for the group standing outside the church, and then the camera is going to pan to a scene inside the audience chamber/study with Mal talking to Canon Terjon. Basically I'm just gonna have Maloria give the canon a rundown of everything that happened. If I get any details wrong, or @dominion451 thinks Mal would have done something different, let me know and we'll make adjustments. But basically Mal will tell some of what happened, Canon Terjon will ask some questions, Mal will respond and continue with her story until Canon Terjon has another question, so on and so forth.

In order to avoid this process unnecessarily taking three or four IRL days, I'll put the questions in quote box. We're going to assume that after Mal answers the questions, the canon says nothing and Mal continues on with the story until the canon asks another question inside a quote box. We'll assume Mal answers, the canon gives no response, Mal continues her story, so on and so forth.

And then if @dominion451 can just give me a brief rundown of what Mal's answers are to the canon's questions, we'll go from there. But let's just assume that for the time being, he's receiving Mal's answers in silence and pondering on them while letting Maria continue with her tale.

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Sep 11, 2022 5:56 pm

Sep 11, 2022 5:56 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Erm... Perhaps, uh... Okay, well perhaps if Miss Gilly is going to buy a chicken from the Trading Post, now might be a good time to drop off this loaned horse and cart? With Gilly... with... me?" Spugnoir looks around as if probing to get a read on the rest of the group regarding their upcoming interaction with the men who own the Trading Post. "Orrr... Maybe Gilly buys the chicken now, and then later this evening I return the cart and the bad news about their hired man... we're thinking? Just trying to get a read here on what page we're on, I suppose."[/b]

As the group discusses their next plan of action outside the audience chamber, inside the party can hear the muffled voice of Maloria conferring with Father Calmert and Canon Terjon, do doubt explaining everything that has occurred so far.

Inside, things are not going well for Maloria Stoneforge... Despite the fact that Maloria had been assigned to serve as an acolyte for the The Church of St. Cuthbert, at least temporarily, she had never actually met the Canon Terjon before. She had barely spoken more than a few words to Father Calmert himself in the first couple of days she'd been in Hommlet when she was asked to investigate rumors of squatters at the moathouse ruins outside of the village. Given her low status in the church's hierarchy, combined with the very short time she'd been in the village before being assigned to join the group of adventurers that were probing the ruins outside of Hommlet in search of a gang of bandits that were getting a bit too close to the village’s outskirts, and the fact that Canon Terjon seemed nearly impossible to pin down or corner, even by his assistant Father Calmert, it wasn't really unusual that they'd never crossed paths as of yet. What little she'd heard of the man hadn't sounded promising, however. Other acolytes made allusions to the fact that the man was distant, cold, had a stern disposition, and wasn't known to be particularly friendly. It’s been explained, as well, that his position as the chief cleric has been a rather recent assignment. His predecessor, the Canoness Y’dey had left recently and unexpectedly and has not returned.

As Father Calmert and Canon Terjon enter the room the elder motions for Maloria to sit on the hard wooden bench along the wall. He grabs a rather large and cumbersome table, as well as a chair, and drags them over noisily before sitting across from Mal. Father Calmert remains standing and Mal can't help noticing the two comfortable-looking chairs sitting unused next to the crackling fireplace.

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

As Mal sits across from the man, he gives nothing by way of greeting, staring cooly at Maloria. An uncomfortable moment passes by until, thinking that she’s expected to just jump into telling her tale, she readies to begin speaking when the man abruptly cuts her off.
"Maloria Stoneforge," he says coldly. "I’m told by Father Calmert that you’re an acolyte assigned to this church. I was certain I knew all of my charges, yet here I stand corrected."

Mal begins by explaining to the elder cleric that she had only arrived and been in service of the church for a few days, mostly doing menial chores around the grounds to familiarize herself with her new place of servitude when she was summoned by Father Calmert to investigate the ruins outside of the village, thus she has been around very little. "Mmm, yes... The moathouse ruins... Rumors of squatters, I recall. This is the one you assigned for the task," the canon says turning to Calmert.
Calmert simply nods affirmatively.
"Not the one who came back killed by the reptile, clearly."
"No, Canon Terjon. That was a different acolyte of St. Cuthbert. Sister Alice was her name. She was unaffiliated with our church."
The canon stares at Maloria and says nothing by way of reply to Calmert.

Maloria continues explaining that she immediately encountered a group of bandits who overpowered her and were attempting to feed her and a barbarian they had captured a giant snake. The party she currently travels back and forth with rescued her, and they discovered a basement descending into a dungeon below the ruins before returning back to the village to rest.
It was back in the village that Maloria learned after inquiring about purchasing some healing potions from the church's stores that said potions were in short supply, due to a recent spat of ill fortune sweeping the village. It was also at this time that the party hired the services of the Man-at-Arms from the Trading Post.

Mal continues with a brief rundown of their second excursion, including a fight with pixies before arriving at the ruins, the encounters with a giant tick and a giant spider, the observation that all the animals of the area seem to be exceedingly large and aggressive, and eventually exploring the basement and finding a horde of undead zombies, and an ogre. She recounts slaying the ogre and rescuing two merchants and a gnome, all three of which were taken by force by gnolls or bandits. She speaks of returning to the village and encountering an malevolent chill that near an outcropping of stone but as she begins to describe the sensation of dread that struck every party member as they passed by, but the evil she is describing seems of little import to Terjon who suddenly interrupts again:

Quote:

"This gnome you rescued... Bramblecatch... You sound as if the man expressed a debt to you and to the church by proxy for both his rescue and for the healing elixir used to mend his broken legs, and no doubt you've represented the values St. Cuthbert teaches us to espouse. Did you by chance secure a means of contacting him should the need arise?"

Quote:

"The gnome, Bramblecatch, was staying at the inn when last I saw him, no other way than this do I know of his whereabouts."

After listening to Maloria's answer, he sits without response, so Mal continues. She mentions the conversation she had with Father Calmert regarding the his concern that the party's probes into the ruins were tapping too deeply into the rapidly depleting stores of healing potions and taxing the church's acolyte tasked with brewing and instilling the divine graces of their deity into Potions of Healing. She explains that Father Calmert would like to hire the services of an alchemist to handle the brewing side of things so the acolyte can focus on the divine side of things, the party's unwillingness to pay the one thousand gold per month to do so, and Mal's suspicion that a cult possibly being behind the unrest in the ruins and around the village. At this part of the conversation, Terjon’s face seems to slide from impassive to grim, and Mal gets the opinion he’s not in approval of something related to this as-yet-unresolved matter.

Maloria continues with the party’s next excursion into the dungeon where for the next few minutes she recounts the party running afoul of a particularly vicious pack of ghouls who eventually killed off both of the party’s two new hirelings. She describes their encounter with the gnolls and being extorted in order to pass unmolested from the ruins, as well as the group’s suspicions that the gnolls they encountered are likely part of the group that has been waylaying travelers, and she finishes by describing how decisions that were made in the name of surviving that foray now threaten to tear the group’s tenuous bonds apart, but the canon seems less interested in the interpersonal dynamics of the group Maloria has been exploring with and interrupts again:

"An interesting proposition Father Calmert presented to you isn’t it? The idea that one would need to hire the services of an alchemist at all, let alone one that costs the church a salary of one-thousand gold coins a month… Not to mention the notion that these financial burdens would be covered by those that had donated so generously to our church in good faith. Wouldn't you say, Father Calmert?"

Seemingly feeling abashed, Father Calmert replies, "Canon Terjon, I had no intention of putting the donations of those who have so little towards this proposition. I merely observed that the party which has been probing the ruins, and who rescued Sister Stoneforge here have been returning with a significant increase in their financial resources, and suggested that maybe some of those resources could be better used to provide for the local community without having to use the donations of our congregation.."

Canon Terjon looks at his assistant a moment before returning his gaze to Maloria. Mal continues with her tale, describing the last delve into the dungeon, beginning with the discovery that someone had moved the entire contents within the makeshift armory, indicating that weapons were being stored in a large scale. The canon seems largely disinterested when Mal speaks of the encounter with the giant crayfish, nor does he seem to care that Mal’s old friend was nearly killed. He brightens up again when Mal discusses the encounters with the gnolls and the armed guards seen wearing the cloaks with the burning eye on them.
But when she gets to the part describing the note that was discovered tying the owners of the trading post to the cache of weapons and armor, and the incident of the Man-at-Arms turning on the party, the man’s demeanor turns grim again.

As Maloria finishes her tale Canon Terjon sits quietly and stares at her. He examines the note a moment, looks back across the table at the dwarf, then returns his gaze disdainfully back to Maloria and speaks:

"Mr. Davl and Gremag have been longstanding members of this small community for years, Acolyte Stoneforge; did you know that? Yes, yes, I understand they tend to develop a reputation for fleecing the townsfolk once in a while, and whether it be true or not is none of my concern as it's not my profession and St. Cuthbert watches all with his zeal and a long memory, but let’s also not forget that the proprietors of the Hommlet Trading Post are some of our most generous benefactors to our church in this village, contributing greatly to the improvement and maintenance of our very church every year, so even if the two men do charge a heavy sum for their goods from time to time, what sin has been committed when no profits are gained by either man, and it is the church, aiming only to aid the community we serve under the righteous shadow of St. Cthbert’s bronzewood cudgel, that benefits in order to benefit others?
"Yet here you are, an Acolyte, having been in this village for barely a tenday, bearing a mysterious slip of paper discovered by an admitted thief you’ve known for but a single day, ‘discovered’ on body of yet another man that left with your new friends and wound up dead while they came back all the wealtier, accusing the dead man’s employers of somehow bearing responsibility for the both the death of their own man and the rest of the ills of this village?"

He flicks the slip of parchment back to Maloria disdainfully and leans forward, then says,"

Quote:

"Acolyte Stoneforge… Do you have any usable evidence to support the accusation you're getting dangerously close to bearing against Mr. Gremag and Mr. Davl?"

Quote:

"As for evidence against Gremag and Davl I have only my word as a devotee of the church which I invite you to test magically if you wish. Someone in the depths of the moathouse catacombs is actively raising the dead, this alone merits further action as I am sure I don't have to tell you what danger a necromancer might pose to the town."

He listens to Maloria's reply passively and considers it, staring coldly at Maloria for nearly a minute. Then replies:

Quote:

"Though his approach towards a solution was completely wrong, Acolyte Stoneforge, Father Calmert was right about one thing: This church is certainly in dire need of more Potions of Healing, and our reserves must be re-stocked if we're going to be able to meet the needs of the community. But I don't think we need to bring in the costly services of a specialist to handle the alchemical end of the process. The Adept tasked with brewing and maintaining the reserves has handled herself just fine until this recent spat of ill fortune, wouldn't you both agree?
"And it seems to me that Acolyte Stoneforge here was merely tasked with investigating rumors of squatters in the ruins. She's fulfilled her duties admirably in that regard, and it appears to me her work is done. We might as well return her to our duties here at the church, and as there seems to be a need for more hands in the apothecary and Acolyte Stoneforge here knows more than any how precious such divine medicines are in these dark days, perhaps Acolyte Stoneforge would be best suited to assist Adept Ringclaw in her divine duties, eh Acolyte?
"No, no; what am I saying. An Acolyte wont do, for this task. One must be an Adept for these duties, for you must be able to ask St. Cuthbert for his blessings and miracles successfully and without fail. Perhaps you should gather your belongings from the inn and return here this evening. You may stay in the vestry and tonight Father Calmert will make sure your faith is of sufficient strength to cast the most basic of miracles needed to imbue our elixirs with the divinity of St. Cuthbert, and in the morning the books will be made to acknowledge your promotion to Adept Stoneforge? Congratulations?"

Quote:

"Although the moathouse has yielded some minor treasures, the resource is far from sustainable and comes at the cost of several lives thus far. I will gladly ask my companions to gather what they have found to pay for the alchemist but I do not know how long the payments can last.

I am honored to serve the church by assisting Adept Ringclaw and I am greatful for the opportunity. I will stay here tonight as requested, though I ask that I be allowed to finish my task at the moathouse in the coming days. Many have risked and lost their lives and the truth of the matter is simple to those of us who have ventured there, seen the cultists, faced the walking dead. There is an evil below that good men must stop."

Maloria "Mal" Stoneforge

Sep 11, 2022 8:22 pm

Sep 11, 2022 8:22 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

"The gnome, Bramblecatch, was staying at the inn when last I saw him, no other way than this do I know of his whereabouts.

As for evidence against Gremag and Davl I have only my word as a devotee of the church which I invite you to test magically if you wish. Someone in the depths of the moathouse catacombs is actively raising the dead, this alone merits further action as I am sure I don't have to tell you what danger a necromancer might pose to the town.

Although the moathouse has yielded some minor treasures, the resource is far from sustainable and comes at the cost of several lives thus far. I will gladly ask my companions to gather what they have found to pay for the alchemist but I do not know how long the payments can last.

I am honored to serve the church by assisting Adept Ringclaw and I am greatful for the opportunity. I will stay here tonight as requested, though I ask that I be allowed to finish my task at the moathouse in the coming days. Many have risked and lost their lives and the truth of the matter is simple to those of us who have ventured there, seen the cultists, faced the walking dead. There is an evil below that good men must stop."

Sep 12, 2022 12:28 am

Sep 12, 2022 12:28 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

"I think what Gilly is suggesting is that we sell an unaffiliated third party, so these thugs can’t frustrate our efforts.

However, if Gilly is correct and the bird swallowed a key, then it may just be in our interest to suck it up, and pay the few extra coins they’re sure to ask for and be done with it ourselves!

And I would definitely wait to deliver the bad news until we have our prize!

Shall we?"

Eltrezar the Medium

Sep 12, 2022 12:53 am

Sep 12, 2022 12:53 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Hrmph! "I understand her desire for secrecy, but this is a simple matter of buying a chicken. Her paranoia has truly gotten out of hand these days. I'll do it myself." With a huff, the old wizard begins walking towards the chicken in question (leaving the vast wealth on the cart), and looks at the traders.

Ahem! "Ah, yes! I would require the procurement of several of these chickens, and am more than happy to pay fairly for a selection of my own choosing. What is your asking price, gentlemen?"

OOC:

If the cart is not with this group, he discretely hands the money to Gilly.

Sep 12, 2022 1:09 am

Sep 12, 2022 1:09 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Gilly shrugs as the wizard wanders off to the lion’s den.

"Let’s make sure he doesn’t get himself into trouble."

Gilly watches from a distance as the interaction plays out!

Eltrezar the Medium

Sep 12, 2022 1:54 am

Sep 12, 2022 1:54 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

As the wizard walks, he can't help but roll his eyes as he did in his youth. Hrmph! 'She's probably thinking of this as me walking into a lion's den or something equally dramatic...'

OOC:

Sorry, couldn't resist!

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Sep 20, 2022 8:07 pm

Sep 20, 2022 8:07 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

OOC:

I've edited the conversation to include Mal's responces. The splices aren't smooth by any means, but will be useful for later reference, maybe.

Canon listens to Maloria's responses, and while he maintains an almost confrontational disposition with the younger cleric throughout the conversation, he seems to consider her last responses before responding. "Hmm... No, you're correct. So far I fail to see what you and your companions", (he still sneers with distaste at the word "companions", "should gain by you coming here to seek my audience and mislead me. You no doubt at least believe the veracity of your testimony, though I question some of your assessments.
"In either case, you are correct about some things: If there is a necromancer at work in the ruins, this evil must be destroyed before its malevolent roots creep forth from that wretched soil and corrupt this village. Perhaps further investigation is needed, and as you at least have an idea of the dungeon's layout and the dangers hidden within, it would be unwise to send someone as yet unfamiliar inside merely to assign you to or alchemical needs. Your financial contribution will be sufficient, at least temporarily.
I have none here at the church to accompany you in your investigations, though I will send word to Elmo's father that we should consider increasing our militia's patrols for the time being, and give them instructions to keep an eye out for any further suspicious activities until further investigations are done and the ruins deemed harmless.
"As to the accusations you bring forth against the proprietors of the Trading Post, I personally still have my doubts. Regardless, a single piece of parchment with a cryptic message written in an unverifiable hand is hardly enough evidence to bring forth against two men who have otherwise been pillars of generosity to the local village. Without something more concrete, I'll likely not entertain such notions, nor bring them up with the village elder or the rest of the council. Bring me further evidence or leave it."

Canon Terjon stands alowly from the desk, the conversation seemingly over. "See that you handle any other affairs you need to take care of this afternoon and then return to Father Calmert this evening after dinner. Father Calmert, I expect you to review her lessons and see to it that her faith is sufficient to fullfill the duties of an Adept before Miss Stoneheart returns to her investigation."

With that, he heads towards the door. Father Calmert begins moving the table and chairs to their proper spots within the room, seemingly quiet and content to say nothing to Maloria.

OOC:

I have Eltrezar, Ora, and Gilly now at the Trading Post inquiring about chickens.
1. Is Luban going to the Trading Post, staying at the church, or heading somewhere else.
2. Is Thurig going to the Trading Post, staying at the church, or heading somewhere else.
3. Would the party prefer Spugnoir to accompany those headed to the Trading Post, stay back for now, or leave it to the DM?

Sep 20, 2022 8:10 pm

Sep 20, 2022 8:10 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Luban waits at the temple with Thurig, keeping an eye on the exhausted dwarf. From the walls he can hear a "Wah wah wah" as Maloria communicates with the other religious folk. Nothing to do but wait for her.

Sep 21, 2022 1:16 am

Sep 21, 2022 1:16 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

OOC:

Given that Spugnoir has news that might making doing business with these fellas difficult/hostile, maybe he delivers that news later?

Maloria "Mal" Stoneforge

Sep 21, 2022 2:19 am

Sep 21, 2022 2:19 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Mal bows in respect to Father Calmert and exits the church. Seeing her friends outside, she details her exchange with the Canon.

"So it's not the calvary we hoped for. Seems we are on our own for now but I'll be advanced within the ranks of the church tonight so hopefully that will lead to something. We need to get Elmo on our side in case the trading post seeks revenge publicly. Thurig, you should stay with the others at the inn tonight, just in case."

Thurig nods wordlessly.

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Sep 21, 2022 5:54 pm

Sep 21, 2022 5:54 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

It's about half past three when Eltrezar, Gilly, and Ora walk a hundred yards back down into town and enter the Trading Post The two merchants are in their back office with the curtains drawn, but as the three adventurers enter they emerge. Gremag emerges and seems barely able to contain the hateful disdain kindling inside him as he sees Eltrezar and Gilly enter the room, barely even glancing at Ora, but it's the shorter, heavyset Rannos that steps forth and speaks up.
"Well, if it isn't the brave adventurers returned again from the bowels of that old dust bin out by the edge of the village. Our groom mentioned a bit ago that he noticed you using our cart and horse to bring your fallen friends back to the church. Didn't happen to see our hired man in tow with you, though. I though to myself 'By golly, Rannos, I knew our man was a strong fellow, but he's liable to throw his back out carrying all those weapons and shields we expected you and your friends to return with...'
"Trusting your wounded arrived at the church safely, no doubt you intend to return back with the cart to meet our loaned man halfway, and give the poor fellow's tired back a rest, eh?"

https://i.imgur.com/3y0lfsa.png

Eltrezar the Medium

Sep 21, 2022 6:08 pm

Sep 21, 2022 6:08 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Eltrezar stands up straight, an act that takes longer than one might expect, showing his true height. While he isn't overly tall, it is a significant change from his stooped posture. He looks to Gremag, and clears his throat. Ahem! "It is true that our party has returned, though with fewer weapons and arms than we had anticipated. But the cart is still in use, as you did note our unconscious companion. It will be returned as soon as it is freed of that task. But we three are here to make some small purchases before we rejoin the rest of our party. Some chickens and perhaps a new coil of rope. Oh, and torches. It would seem our expedition has no limit to the number of torches it demands. I would pay you for these, with the chickens being selected by myself, and then be on our way. There is much to do, still, and one of ours is wounded." He peers at the man from under thick eyebrows, and opens a hand to reveal a small number of gold coins.

Sep 21, 2022 11:38 pm

Sep 21, 2022 11:38 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Gilly nods along and holds her stomach at the mention of chickens, only half acting out great hunger; the other half being very real indeed.

Sep 21, 2022 11:39 pm

Sep 21, 2022 11:39 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

"Given that it wasn’t ourselves that contracted with this establishment for the horse, or the man, it’s best if you discuss all of that with Spugnoir.

Only he knows the terms, as you agreed upon them. We couldn’t speak on that."

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Oct 1, 2022 9:48 pm

Oct 1, 2022 9:48 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Rannos looks suspiciously at Ora following her reply, but turns and addresses Eltrezar. "Hmm, with fewer weapons and arms than we had all anticipated, and a man short. My man, to be specific. And while I doubt that you three are completely oblivious regarding the terms of our loan agreement with your new companion, common sense would still dictate that that which is loaned should be returned... That goes for horse, cart, and hired man. And yet, once again you and yours seem to have returned at least one man short…
"So perhaps before we discuss chickens, I might finish the business at hand first. My horse is at the church at the moment. As is my cart. Where is my hired man, Mr. Eltrezar?"

At the church, Maloria emerges into the day, where Luban, Thurig, and Spugnoir have been waiting where she learns that the rest of the group left for the Trading Post, Gilly having mentioned the chicken and the key and her desire to acquire such an artifact.

OOC:

Do these four (aside from Spugnoir and his wagon situation) have any errands to run?

Maloria "Mal" Stoneforge

Oct 2, 2022 4:46 pm

Oct 2, 2022 4:46 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Mal and Thurig do not have any errands but decide to pass by the trading post to support Gilly and Eltrezar in case of the worst.

Eltrezar the Medium

Oct 3, 2022 2:10 pm

Oct 3, 2022 2:10 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Eltrezar hems and haws for several moments, waiting for some sort of plan to emerge. He understands that he looks defensive, and at this point doesn't mind too much. It doesn't take long for the dwarves to reappear, given the distance from the church, and so he decides to be bold. Wizards never gained anything from timid approaches.

The wizard stands tall, strokes his beard, and clears his throat. Ahem! "Well, to be quite frank, your hired man is lying dead in the bottom of the keep. Right where he was killed, in fact, during his betrayal at your orders. You must think us quite foolish, Rannos, to accept help from one such as yourself without a cautious eye on a swivel. And you must have forgotten the dangers we face every day, from which we always return." He takes a few steps back as he speaks, recognizing that inches from an unknown danger was miles too close.

OOC:

As the poet will.i.am once stated, "Bring the action."

Last edited October 3, 2022 2:31 pm

Oct 3, 2022 2:18 pm

Oct 3, 2022 2:18 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Luban follows behind the dwarves, observing their kinship and wishing he had something of the sort. His mind drifts to pretty Ora, and he stumbles over a cobblestone. Right, stay present.

Oct 4, 2022 5:27 am

Oct 4, 2022 5:27 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Gilly rolls her eyes as the shopkeeper refuses to keep things simple and listen to Ora. She’d say "I told you so!" but now wasn’t the time.

She pulls her cloak up close around her, and watches intently, ready to pull her sword at a moment’s notice and end this whole ordeal here and now!

Oct 4, 2022 5:30 am

Oct 4, 2022 5:30 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Ora sighs deeply, and mutters something about the man "… has too much wax in his ears."

She’s surprised that Eltrezar was so brazen, considering the ordeal they’d already been through today, but she nods resolutely nevertheless, and backs him up.

"You really ought to have spoken to Spugnoir, first. Shall we call for the guards, then?"

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Nov 4, 2022 7:43 pm

Nov 4, 2022 7:43 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Maloria, Thurig, and Luban head for the Trading Post as Spugnoir brings up the rear with horse and wagon, though it’s obvious that the man is as intent on dragging the horse’s hooves to get there as he is at dragging his own feet. As Mal and the rest of the group arrive at the shop to rejoin their companions they can hear from inside the shop the voice Eltrezar. The words are muffled and indecipherable, but Maloria has travelled with the wizard enough this last half-tenday to recognize when the old man’s tone turns to agitation or perhaps indignation.

From within, Rannos face seems to change half a dozen expressions during Eltrezar’s outburst. At first he seems taken off guard at the Wizard’s outburst at all. A look of satisfaction begins to creep on the merchant’s face at the admission of the Man-at-Arms’s demise, yet he begins to blanch at Eltrezar’s insinuation that the man was acting on his orders. As the sorcerer finishes with his diatribe at the shorter man, Rannos balks, "What?!? On my orders?!? You return again with dead hirelings and dare try to blacken my honor as a tradesman with unfounded accusations?!?" In the blink of an eye the mans arms seem to wrap around and within his own bulk and from some unknown scabbard the flash of sunlight on steel gleams and the man stands with dagger in hand and murderous intent on the wizard. No doubt retreating from the shorter man’s direct range was a good idea.

Maloria, Thurig, and Luban enter the shown to find the shorter proprietor wielding a sharp-looking dagger, glaring hatefully at Eltrezar, but before any can react a new voice emanates from the doorway of the two merchants’ back office. "I THINK…’" the taller Gremag suddenly says, in attempt to interrupt certain bloodshed. "I think that perhaps the young lady is correct.. He nods in the direction of Ora Rusk. Without any evidence to support our elderly friend’s accusations of perfidity on our part, this man’s incriminations should be taken, friend Rannos, as merely the rambling nonsense of a man suffering from the unfortunate onset of dementia.
"Yet it still seems a bit suspicious that you and your friends here have left with three hirelings in two trips and returners with an increase in your personal wealth, yet so hirelings to pay for. Suspicious indeed. Perhaps we should call for the village guards. I thin k an investigation is in order."

Gremag walks over to and pulls a rope cord a half-dozen times running through the wall facing the stables, and from outside the group hears a bell chiming loudly. A moment later the stable groom enters the shop. He looks flushed and worried, and keeps running his hands distractedly over his pockets. Gremag addresses him. "Run and fetch the village guards. Rannos and I have suspicion of fouled play at foot regarding the fate of our Man-at-Arms."
Gilly can’t help notice a look of perhaps relief on his face as the groom nods and dashes out the front door. She also seems to realize, having wrapped the cloak around herself as she did, that Gremag has taken all of her companions positions in with a brief glance to assess the immediate threat, while Rannos seems to have forgotten the presence of the halfling altogether in his anger with Eltrezar.

Rolls

Gilly Elven Cloak roll - (1d6)

Nov 4, 2022 10:59 pm

Nov 4, 2022 10:59 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Luban catches the young man as he flees the building, hoping that the two dwarfs beside him will look like his muscle. "Hold on there, boy. Looks like we need to talk. Now what's got you running in such a hurry?" He tries to look unthreatening, but his green-hued skin and slightly piggish face do him no favors.

Maloria "Mal" Stoneforge

Nov 5, 2022 1:02 am

Nov 5, 2022 1:02 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Mal quickly glance to Thurig who already has his hand on the hilt of his own sword and nods in the direction of Eltrezar. Thurig rushes forward to stand in front of the wizard as Mal reinforces Luban's position against the stable hand.

"But we do have proof, heir Gremag. And we will confirm it by force if necessary. We will need to see your business ledger, under the command of the church."

Eltrezar the Medium

Nov 5, 2022 1:10 am

Nov 5, 2022 1:10 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Though he tries to hide it, those who are paying attention can see Eltrezar let out a sigh of relief as the two dwarfs enter the shop and immediately pick up on what's going on. This could have gotten dangerous very fast had they not. Though involving the church would likely end with all being persecuted; all except the devout dwarf.

Hrmph! "If you desire the authorities, I can find one for you. I do believe Elmo will see the truth through your lies." With the situation seemingly in hand... mostly... Eltrezar ducks out the doors and begins to head towards the tavern where he fully expects to find the drunk guardsman. Though Gilly had her doubts, Eltrezar had his own reasons for trusting the man.

OOC:

#TeamElmo

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Nov 5, 2022 5:35 pm

Nov 5, 2022 5:35 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Relieved for the dwarves’ muscle, Eltrezar leaves the Trading Post and begins to make haste towards the Inn of the Welcome Wench.

The youngster makes to dash away as well on Gremag’s instruction, but Luban catches the stable’s groom by the arm as tries to pass by. The youth looks at the half-orc before him and begins stammering. "Th-they.. I uh… the bosses, they says for me to go fetch, uh…. Fetch the guards. They, uh…. Misters Gremag and Rannos say that they, uh, they want an investigation about our Man-at-Arms." The kid shrugs, as if to say, "I’m just the errand boy.". He weakly attempts to pull away from Luban.

Shorter, fatter Rannos steps towards the thief, dagger ready, but stops short, seeing Thurig step in his way, but the merchant merely grins at the dwarf, looking at the bandages around the man’s waist. "You’ll do well to advise your friend to unhand my employee, and allow him to carry out our orders, lest those wrappings around your waist be insufficient to keep your innards, innards."

Meanwhile, Gremag scoffs at Maloria’s demand to view the business ledgers. "Ahaha! Read the ledger books..." He shakes his head. "As if! Perhaps Canon Terjon has either exaggerated or simply left you in the dark as to the true length of St. Cuthbert’s arm in the village of Hommlet, for his reach is not quite as long as you seem to think it is. The church is new, and the costs for its annual upkeep are quite generously funded, both financially and in materials and goods, by this very trading post. We grow rather proud of our business’s efforts to help those in our community through both deeds and in giving access to their faith, even if we ourselves are no worshippers of the cudgel. But make no mistake: wile our purse opens for your church often; our ledger books shall not. Even under the the ‘command of your church’". Of course I’ve never know Canon Terjon to look a gift horse so closely in the mouth. Perhaps we shall request his audience as well, and see perhaps if the man is having misgivings as to the sources of funding we provide for the church?"

Rolls

Secret Roll

Secret Roll

Nov 5, 2022 6:42 pm

Nov 5, 2022 6:42 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Luban leans down to the boy and whispers into his ear. 'Go take the day off. You don't want to be in the middle of this.' And he then releases the groom, ushering him to the door. There was no room for kids in this sort of nastiness. But nobody had ever paid Luban this courtesy; not when he was the groom's age, nor when he was younger.

Thurig Stonehearth

Nov 5, 2022 9:26 pm

Nov 5, 2022 9:26 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Thurig unsheathes his blade and squares off with the fat merchant,

"Threaten my life and I'll have no choice but to defend it!"

Nov 6, 2022 2:50 am

Nov 6, 2022 2:50 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Noticing that she’s gone unnoticed, Gilly keeps absolutely still, ready to spring forth at any moment!

Nov 6, 2022 2:54 am

Nov 6, 2022 2:54 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Ora watches the wizard go, and then turns back to face the men arranged around the shop. She understood the implication of the speech on the Church. She had to imagine that morals would come out on top, but that wasn’t always the case, was it? Especially in small, tucked-away places such as this.

"We did find some interesting correspondence on your man." she lets the implication of the note hang in the air.

"Yes! Yes! An investigation is in order. I expect the Guard will want to see your ledgers, if only to check which hand wrote your man’s message!"

Eltrezar the Medium

Nov 6, 2022 3:33 pm

Nov 6, 2022 3:33 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Huff, Huff, says Eltrezar.

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Nov 8, 2022 9:03 pm

Nov 8, 2022 9:03 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

The stable’s young groom listens to Luban’s ads ice and makes his way to the door. As he’s about to leave, he turns and looks at Rannos and Gremag, and Luban can help but notice an almost imperceptible nod from Rannos. The groom then turns and leaves the shop, closing the door behind him.

"The guard can see any ledgers they wish, assuming they provide evidence that might lead to a reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed by ourselves," Gremag says, closing the one currently in use for business transactions and holding it in both hands. "Without such evidence, our ledgers are as off-limits to them as they are to your church.
"As it is, one might ask oneself what we stand to gain by generously assigning a such capable man, and one in our employ at that, to aid you in returning with potential merchandise we can profit from, only to give him orders to risk life and limb by attacking a group of vagabonds so evidently capable of returning to our village each day short their hirelings…. I would argue that if any suspicion is to be roused of foul play, that suspicion will be placed you."
As he speaks, you see the taller man begin making his way to the back room with it.

Eltrezar arrives at the inn’s tavern and enters the front door right behinds a couple of tradesmen, who appear to be just getting off work at the construction site at the edge of the village. The place is quite busy this afternoon and Elmo sits holding down his stool at the tavern’s bar.

Rolls

Secret Roll

Secret Roll

Eltrezar the Medium

Nov 8, 2022 10:03 pm

Nov 8, 2022 10:03 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

The magic-user approaches the drunkard at the bar, knowing that he might be the group's best hope. Ahem! "Elmo, there seems to be an issue at the trade house; a disagreement between my companions and the proprietors. We suspect them of foul play, as their dour man-at-arms was loaned to us with the intent of betrayal. An intent he attempted to carry out; we survived, and we have evidence to this. You have joined us in our exploration of the moathouse, and so you know of our intent and actions. Hurry, now, you are needed with urgency!"

Nov 10, 2022 12:39 am

Nov 10, 2022 12:39 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

OOC:

DM, is it unrealistic for Gilly to attempt to sneak in the back while the others are facing off? Not sure about lighting, clutter, shadows, etc etc.

There’s the cloak of course, but just curious!

Nov 10, 2022 12:43 am

Nov 10, 2022 12:43 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

"This one speaks too much, and the other too little." Ora remarks, waving a dismissive hand at the man.

"Do you speak any other tongue, apart from the Common one? A peculiar language, your man spoke before the end…"

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Nov 11, 2022 2:51 am

Nov 11, 2022 2:51 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

KCC says:

OOC:

DM, is it unrealistic for Gilly to attempt to sneak in the back while the others are facing off? Not sure about lighting, clutter, shadows, etc etc.

OOC:

I would say it's very possible to attempt to sneak. There's a small amount of clutter, but I'd say these merchants probably keep the lighting dim, and not by accident, perhaps. If you're heading to the back room, remember that Gremag is headed back there with the current ledger book.

Thurig Stonehearth

Nov 11, 2022 3:05 am

Nov 11, 2022 3:05 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Without taking his eyes off the fat man with the knife Thurig uncharacteristically thunders a warning towards Gremag.

"If you leave this yard with that book before the guard arrives I will cut through your man and slay you where you stand. We know the truth of the matter, we have spied on your conversations. Your false, pompus words mean nothing to us. Say no more but do not move."

Thurig's face is a stoney mask of death...

Nov 11, 2022 3:13 am

Nov 11, 2022 3:13 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Without the same confidence, Luban steps forward and speaks out. "It was I who found your instructions. And I who heard your man-at-arms speak with those monsters about taking us, on your orders." His hand reaches down to the curved sword at his belt, but he does not draw it. Yet.

Nov 12, 2022 12:01 pm

Nov 12, 2022 12:01 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Ora says nothing, and waits to see what the next moments will bring. She’s ready to fight, if it comes to that. But she was aware of the optics.

Nov 12, 2022 12:03 pm

Nov 12, 2022 12:03 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Gilly creeps forward, careful to hide herself among the shop’s debris. She draws her sword, silently as she can, and waits for the man to re-emerge from the back room, before trying to sneak in!

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Nov 12, 2022 7:13 pm

Nov 12, 2022 7:13 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

KCC says:

"This one speaks too much, and the other too little." Ora remarks, waving a dismissive hand at the man.

"Do you speak any other tongue, apart from the Common one? A peculiar language, your man spoke before the end…"

The shorter merchant scoffs at Ora. "Bwahaha… Our man was a mute. Everyone in this village knows that, and had you known your new companions for more than a day or two they’d have given you a quick run-down on what to say and what not to say before confronting us with these baseless accusations. In any case, good luck convincing any member of our village’s guard that he man ever spoke a single word in your company…". He looks slyly at the Mage.

Gremag returns to the main showroom floor, his ledger book tucked somewhere in the back room.

dominion451 says:

Without taking his eyes off the fat man with the knife Thurig uncharacteristically thunders a warning towards Gremag.

"If you leave this yard with that book before the guard arrives I will cut through your man and slay you where you stand. We know the truth of the matter, we have spied on your conversations. Your false, pompus words mean nothing to us. Say no more but do not move."

Thurig's face is a stoney mask of death...

Gremag suddenly draws a dagger from within his robes as well. "Perhaps, dwarf, we’ll not have time for the guards to sort this business out after all then.". The taller man’s keen eyes dart from Thurig to Luban, who is also standing tensely at the ready, while Rannos’s eyes dart between Thurig, before him, Maloria, and Ora. I would strongly advise you all to remove yourselves from the premises, at once, and you can await for the guards to come and begin their investigation outside. Disobedience will result in Rannos and myself forced to defend our property against those I charge worth our hired man’s assassination." . The blade’s of both merchant’s daggers gleam dangerously sharp in the gloom of the late afternoon sun beginning to shine orange and dusky through the shop’s small windows.

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

Distracted with the looming threat of violence, none notice as Gilly slips past Gremag’s long legs and ducks into the shop’s back room. The room, partitioned off from the rest of the showroom, is adequately furnished with two comfortable bunks, a table and some chairs, wall shelves and pegs, a chest of drawers. A pair of lockers sits at the foot of each bed for storing personal gear. A small coffer sits high atop the center wall shelf.

https://i.imgur.com/ok6QOcL.png

Back at the Welcome Wench, Elmo looks blearily at the old wizard gesturing excitedly before him from over the top of the rim of the tankard of ale raised to his lips. After taking a long pull of drink and wiping off a foam mustache the man slur’s a think greeting to Eltrezar. "Aye, wizard! What ‘ave yeh been up to today…. An’ commin’ teh think of it, where’re yer comman… compranyns… *hic… Where’s the brave litt’un and th’ res’o’yer friens? Don’ tell me yeh misplaced ‘em inna bottom o’ some godforsaken pit again…"
He grins at this witty barb, and looks around at those sitting nearest. "I said it ‘cause the ol’ craven’s got ‘iself a reputation fer scootin’ off to save ‘is own hide whenev’r things start lookin’ a bit too ‘airy." None nearby seem to pay the drunk much attention.

https://i.imgur.com/L2x1Abg.png

Rolls

Gilly’s Elven Cloak roll - (1d6)

Eltrezar the Medium

Nov 14, 2022 10:56 pm

Nov 14, 2022 10:56 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Hrmph! "As I feared, too drunk to be of any use. Perhaps I shall seek an audience with Jaroo, then. At least he cares about the safety of the town and those within," Eltrezar snides at Elmo. He slowly turns and begins walking towards the door, keeping a not-so-sly eye out to see if the man follows.

Nov 14, 2022 10:58 pm

Nov 14, 2022 10:58 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

As the daggers are drawn, so is the curved blade that Luban carries at his waist. His wound throbs from where the man-at-arms had shot him, and his face is grim. He hopes that it will not come to blows, but this does not look promising.

Nov 16, 2022 1:10 am

Nov 16, 2022 1:10 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

"Well, your man is certainly mute now." Ora spits, drawing her own blade.

"You should have just sold us a chicken and be done with it."

Nov 16, 2022 1:11 am

Nov 16, 2022 1:11 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

OOC:

Gilly will examine these things in order:

The Coffer.
The Foot Lockers.
The Chest of Drawers.

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Nov 25, 2022 3:40 am

Nov 25, 2022 3:40 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

"Alrigh’, alrigh’ ol’ man. Don’ get yer pointy lil’ hat o’ yers caught up yer sun-don’-be-shinin’ there. I’m on’y pullin’ yer whiskers." . The man grabs his drink and heads out the front door. "Ang on a minute there, an’ lemme grab some gear offa me ‘orse." Elmo begins making his way towards the stables.

Gilly approaches the center shelving unit containing various items possibly awaiting appraisal. None of it grabs the halfling’s interest as she climbs the horizontal shelves until she’s able to reach the box sitting at the top. The object is heavy and cumbersome. She manages to haul it down, though as she awkwardly does so she hears the unmistakable sound of coins and other weighty objects shifting about inside. Setting the coffer on the ground, she finds it locked.
Outside the room she hears the unmistakable sound of weapons being drawn.

OOC:

I’d say that’s about all she has time to do this "round", so she will begin in on the foot lockers next, unless @KCC decides to do something different in light of unfolding events.

As Ora and Luban draw their own weapons, a dagger appears in Gremag’s hands, possibly a matching sister blade to that of the one Rannos Davl wields. "It seems to me, and no doubt to my partner Rannos as well, that you have killed our man, in a manner suspiciously similar to the methods employed against others previous who have joined your outfit, no doubt motivated by greed. And when your corruptions are brought to light, you draw weapons against us. Rannos and myself sought to have a guard brought to begin an investigation but you forced us to defend ourselves and our livelihood before more proper authorities could intervene."

OOC:

Things appear to be boiling over so I’m going ahead and making initiative rolls for both sides. You can choose to act in any manner you see fit, but for the time being, I believe everyone but Mal has a weapon drawn so we might as well get Initiative sorted for those thast want to use them.
A tie! But sides act together, but as usual, I’ll give the PCs the chance to declare their actions first.

https://i.imgur.com/wbHaNR4.jpg

Rolls

Secret Roll

Party Initiative - (1d6+2)

(1) + 2 = 3

Trading Post Initiative - (1d6+2)

(1) + 2 = 3

Nov 25, 2022 4:40 am

Nov 25, 2022 4:40 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

OOC:

Eff it all. Action, ho!

The flash of steel is enough to put the amateurish Luban on edge. Between knowing the truth and seeing the daggers clearly meant for easy killing, he steps forward and strikes at Rannos without thinking.

Rolls

Attack with Sword - (1d20+1)

(19) + 1 = 20

Damage from Sword - (1d8+1)

(5) + 1 = 6

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Nov 26, 2022 4:20 am

Nov 26, 2022 4:20 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Luban steps forward and strikes a viscous cut across Rannos's face with his sword, ending any further hope of a peaceful solution being found, and the shorter merchant snarls at the Luban in anger. Despite a tendency for the half-orc's eyes to want to focus on the fresh wound he's drawn on his target's cheek, something else catches the apprentices eye: along each side of Rannos's deadly-looking blade, a slight channel runs.

https://i.imgur.com/DuummQH.jpg

OOC:

Round 1 continues. Turn order is as follows:
1. Gilly, Eltrezar, Maloria, Luban, Thurig, Ora, Gremag, Rannos Davl

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

Rolls

Secret Roll

Nov 26, 2022 12:11 pm

Nov 26, 2022 12:11 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Gilly grits her teeth at the sound of drawn steel. Her group are capable…

She has to hope that they can handle themselves; and give her enough time to find something concrete on the traders… for if they survive the attack.

Nov 26, 2022 12:13 pm

Nov 26, 2022 12:13 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

"You’re worse than that wizard for blathering on." Ora says, as she joins Luban in the attack. She had no love for an all-out brawl, but sometimes these things just needed to be dealt with the old fashioned way.

Rolls

Attack - (1d20+1)

(11) + 1 = 12

Damage - (1d8+1)

(3) + 1 = 4

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Nov 26, 2022 6:27 pm

Nov 26, 2022 6:27 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Ora Rusk steps forward and slashes at Rannos as well, but the man easily dips out of the path of the longsword’s blade. The ease with which he does so takes Ora back a bit. For all that the squat little man always seems to waddle about his shop while waiting on customers, the merchant barely even looks in the mage’s direction as he duck out of her sword’s arc.

Gilly leaves the coffer box on the floor for a minute and quickly dashes to the northernmost of the two footlockers sitting at the foot of each bed. The box is unlocked, and knowing that time may be of the essence, she begins tossing the contents out onto the floor looking for some sort of evidence that can tie the merchant’s to the Man-at-Arms’s treachery. The box’s contents appear of little use to the halfling, containing mostly a couple of extra blankets folded up, and some sheets and other bedding underneath. She’s about to move on to the other footlocker when she notices an an natural weight tucked in somewhere between the sheets and heavier blankets, and fingers find the firm, squared lump of a book hastily tickled between. Drawing it out of the fools of fabric, Gilly discovers the Trading Post’s current ledger book.

OOC:

Round 1 continues. Turn order is as follows:
1. Gilly, Eltrezar, Maloria, Luban, Thurig, Ora, Gremag, Rannos Davl

Rolls

Secret Roll

Secret Roll

Eltrezar the Medium

Nov 26, 2022 10:30 pm

Nov 26, 2022 10:30 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

The wizard huffs indignantly at the drunken guardsman, and continues hurrying him out the door.

OOC:

Eltrezar has no idea they're fighting, so this is enough for now.

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Nov 27, 2022 11:29 pm

Nov 27, 2022 11:29 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

cowleyc says:

OOC:

Eltrezar has no idea they're fighting, so this is enough for now.

OOC:

Yah, I’d say so. I’m thinking it’s going to take a few rounds for them to arrive back at the Trading Post. This round, Elmo is retrieving some items from his horse in the stables.

Maloria "Mal" Stoneforge

Nov 29, 2022 7:11 pm

Nov 29, 2022 7:11 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

"Subdue them both, do not kill if possible!"

Mal runs toward Gremag and strikes with the broad side of her hammer in an attempt to knock the man out without taking his life...

Rolls

Attack, Damage - (1d20+1, 1d6+1)

1d20+1 : (11) + 1 = 12

1d6+1 : (2) + 1 = 3

Thurig Stonehearth

Nov 29, 2022 7:12 pm

Nov 29, 2022 7:12 pm

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Thurig likewise draws his blade and strikes towards Rannos with the flat of his blade...

Rolls

Attack, Damage - (1d20+1, 1d8+1)

1d20+1 : (7) + 1 = 8

1d8+1 : (2) + 1 = 3

funfungiguy Inactive forever!

Dec 2, 2022 2:09 am

Dec 2, 2022 2:09 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

OOC:

Rannos will slash out at one of those jumping him with his dagger. Target Selection roll is as follows: 1=Maloria, 2=Ora, 3=Luban, 4=Thurig

While Luban lands a definitive cut across Rannos's face, it may be in part due to the fact that the squat little merchant's attentions are on Mal, and as the cleric moves forward to strike the man with her hammer he dips low and drives the point of his blade toward her midsection, but there's strikes coming from so many different directions he misses wildly and stumbles trying do avoid any more hits.

https://i.imgur.com/xd2nxP1.png

[color="red"]Meanwhile, Gremag suddenly turns his attention to the back room where Gilly is digging for evidence, his head cocked as if he may have heard sounds of her activities. He suddenly brushes the curtain aside to find the halfling digging through the mans footlocker, ledger book in hand. "Thief!!!" The man dashes into the room and attempts to wrest the ledger book from the halfling's grip.[/color]

https://i.imgur.com/LYjc6nn.png

OOC:

Gremag is going to try and pull the ledger book away from Gilly. How do you we thing the best way to resolve this is? I'm thinking the easiest solution is a simple Strength roll. If one passes and the other fails they seize the book. If both pass or both fail they continue to fight over it this round. Sound fair?

Rolls

Rannos Davl Target Selection roll - (1d4)

(1) = 1

Rannos Davl Attack roll; Damage roll - (1d20, 1d4+1)

1d20 : (1) = 1

1d4+1 : (4) + 1 = 5

Dec 2, 2022 3:09 am

Dec 2, 2022 3:09 am

Part 10: -To Be Titled Later-

Gilly steps back, holding the ledger tight against her chest. She thinks about drawing her blade, to ward the man off. But she thinks better of it, and keeps two hands on the book.

OOC:

A straightforward win would be nice… Just once!

Last edited December 2, 2022 3:09 am

Rolls

Strenght - (1d20+1)

(9) + 1 = 10

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Game Details

Characters
- dominion451
  
  Thurig Stonehearth