The Sundered Lands of Palladium
Session 40January 16 - February 5, 2015
Redistribution of Wealth
Sunday October 29
Divide and Conquer (the Market)
The remaining loot is divided out in 5 equal shares. Seeker’s share would be determined once he brought back the sack of gold coins he took off with. The material loot is easily sold at a nearby market and the coins are changed into as many platinum and gold coins the local moneychanger could manage. After that, everyone spends the next few hours shopping and purchasing whatever gear they think is needed. Each member of the group ends up with 800 gold coins and 100 silver coins (8100$, weighs 18lbs each and the 900 coins fits nicely in one of the small sacks with a little room to spare. Fortis will definitely need help to carry this around and everyone may consider some precautions to keep people from noticing that they are carrying around 18lbs of coins…)
Silver starts off. “I do need to recharge my amulet. Does anyone know of an alternative to Glittermane? His entranceway messes with my disguise, which would be a problem. If not, I could use some help scouting and maybe covering when I exit again. Fortis, could you perhaps help?” Silver looks around “Unless there’s somewhere else?”
Hearing Silver’s request for accompaniment and realizing the frustration that could be saved by using a simple illusion Fortis agrees. “No problem Silver, I’d be happy to help you. We’ll also need to stop by a jeweler though and the Witchwardens . Would you mind remaining with me throughout the trip to see to our combined needs?” The Ellyl packs the circlet into one of the hats large enough to accommodate it, adds a bag of the coins he intends to dispose of and wraps the whole parcel in a satchel before summoning Gaston to carry the burden over to Glittermane’s and then the that portion of the district most likely to contain fine jewelers.
Upon completion of their errand at the fascinating tower of magical trinkets Fortis senses Silvers reluctance to continue their errands together and, taking his leave, heads towards the street of jewelers to see about commissioning some custom additions to Narcelissa’s necklace. Following the sounds of the tiniest hammer the Ellyl eventually discovers a Gnomish jeweler staring at a fine silver filigree through an almost comically large loupe. “Good morning to you, master gemologist, have you a moment to discuss a potential commission?” The wizened old jeweler peered up through his lense and, in an oddly myopic way, focused immediately on Fortis, appearing to see him more clearly than most of the big folk who have looked at him. “Why bless my stars, you are a delicate looking thing if I may be permitted to say so. What can I do for you today? You said something about a potential commission?” Fortis points to a pair of lozenge shaped emeralds, exactly matching the hue of Narcellisa’s wings catch his eye. “I'd like to have those inset around the central pendant of this extremely important necklace please. I think they would perfectly reflect my lady’s coloration when I have the opportunity to return this favor to her. Can you accomplish that detail?” The gnome swings over an even larger magnifier and lays the necklace down on a smooth piece of black silk. “This will be a challenge, I’ll have to charge you for the extra effort, but I am confident I can perform the task. It will take me three days and cost you three hundred sixty pieces of gold, or an equivalent value of silver. Agreeing to the price without even haggling, Fortis counts out two hundred silver coins and three hundred forty pieces of gold, stacking them neatly on the workbench. “I expect that will settle the bill. Will you give me a bond to reclaim my necklace or would you prefer an Oath?” After their arrangements are set the Ellyl takes his receipt and leaves with Gaston carrying the circlet and remainder of the coins to their next destination.
Fortis heads over to the Witchwardens and, greeting Alzel again, presents his friendship gift then watches as Alzels expression passes rapidly from surprise to calculation to suspicion and then on to regret for having been suspicious before settling firmly into pleased gratitude. He gingerly lifts the circlet from its odd encasement in the hat and places it upon the crown of his head, conjuring a reflective glass to capture his own image. “This is a remarkable and princely gift my friend, I’m afraid I have nothing near so grand to offer you in return, but I have just made a wonderful pot of rose hip tea from the South garden and I always find the aroma delightful. Will you join me in a cup?” Watching Fortis’s eager nod Alzel grins and busies himself with pouring the refreshment, attempting to surreptitiously catch glimpses of his new accouterment at various angles as he goes about the task. “I must say, it is remarkable that you have been able to make this, and I do find the hue quite pleasing. Thank you again so much. Now, a few of the scrolls you requested the other day are ready for you, but most are not. Would you care to conclude that portion of the purchase today? And is there anything else my brethren or I could provide for you?”. Seeing that a series of the spells taking only a single day to create are ready Fortis purchases them, paying for the Purify Air, Test Food, Cook Food, Suspend Spell, Purify Water and Displace Spell scrolls before asking about the expected availability of Walk Through Earth, Steelwraith, Summon Earth Elemental, Control Earth Elemental, Create Water, Create Food, Create Animal, Invisibility, See Invisible, Create Fire, Shape Fire, Extinguish Fire, Fast Fire, Heat, Smoke, Cold, Summon Fire Elemental, Suspend Magic, Maintain Spell, Catch Missile, Return Missile, Catch Spell, Throw Spell, Great Haste, Vermin Control, and a few other spells.
Fortis counts out the value in the large sack of coins Gaston places on the table. “I’d like to pay up front if you are amenable to the idea. There is no point in transporting so much coin when we both know it will eventually find its way back here in any case.”
With most of his business in the district completed Fortis sets out to conduct one final transaction, with the alchemist, and purchases two paut potions for Valinya, as a thanks for her timely healing, even though she was exhausted.
While talking about charging the power item, Silver recalls that the Gnome Glittermane had told her that he would make arrangements for her to be able to enter discretely and without going through the No-Mana Zone at the front door.
Silver looks at her collection of coins and thinks out loud to the group. “I usually just keep my coins in my backpack, but this much might be noticeable. Anyone have sneaky ideas for how to do that? I’m thinking of tying a bunch of small pouches to the inner frame of the pack. You know, keep the coins from making noise and keep the outside of the pack from looking like it has heavy stuff at the bottom. Arn, are you on good terms with any jewellers? It might make sense to make all this more portable.”
Arn is very pleased with their treasure haul this time around. Perhaps the largest share in coinage they have ever had. He plays with his gold coins in his chambers, counts them, lays on them in his bed, rolls around in them and counts them 3 more times.
Arn enjoys a full night of rest and then plans to take his equipment to the armorer’s for cleaning and repair, though he didn’t take much damage in the battles. Still, he likes his equipment in top shape. He also thinks that perhaps some more healing potions would help, and maybe some form of magical protection against spell casters or something should be in order. Maybe even an enchanted axe, to back up his mace.
Arn listens to the others. He suggest that Silver look into a locked satchel like he carries, as it leaves the arms free, can carry enough stuff and still be secure. He also reminds the others that his background is in jewelry and such and knows a bit about gemstones and jewel craft.
Arn makes his way out that later afternoon and eventually finds the means to acquire a very ornate and fancy, balanced, fine throwing axe that is enchanted. The weapon is Balanced (+1 to hit), Fine (+1 to damage, and lessens chances of breakage) with a Penetrating enchantment (magical enchantment divides target’s DR in half before applying damage). Arn is impressed with both the quality of the weapon as well as its deadly potential. He asks the artisan to etch a name into the handle. He decides to call the weapon “Karrzark Cuttrumm” , which translates into the common tongue as “Thunder Cutter”. Arn winces when it comes time to shell out all his money for both the weapon and his armor repairs, but knows this is an investment in their survival and future success in combat.
Eschewing the weighty coins Valinya shops around for jewelry, mentally picking out something that could be on her person but not overtly visible … like a necklace with a pendant that can be hidden beneath her dress. She also prepares herself to deal with Hrag’s injury.
Silver continues with Fortis. “I don’t mind doing the shopping together, although I don’t really want to go near the Witchwardens if I can avoid it. If Glittermane has a surprise in his doorway, I would expect them to at least have something similar. Maybe I could hang out somewhere nearby while you visit them.”
Turning to Arn, she asks “Locked satchel, hmm. They have those in the market, or do I need to look somewhere special for them?”
Arn informs Silver, “Mine was a custom made job, but there are enough leather smiths here in the city, and i’m sure a decent locksmith, that you can have one made for you.” Arn thinks for a moment, and adds, “If any of ye think ye ned guarded protection,I am of course more than willing to make sure ye are all safe”
A Healing Hand
Once Hrag is down for a nap Valinya takes to the city for her shopping trip. Unlike other females, shopping is not a fun experience … at least not when it involves spending money. Still, the idea of buying a power item really wasn’t “spending” … at least that’s how Valinya spun it to herself. It was a more convenient way to carry her funds and have them be useful. Yes, that’s it. And the fact that it would be jewelry was just … secondary. Really. It would help disguise the fact that it was magical. Maybe. Anyway … it took awhile but Valinya finally found a nice upper arm bracelet - a bracer they called it - that she could wear but not have it be obvious. The wrought silver looked like a fancy bit of lacework so it was feminine, though hopefully no one but her would ever see it. Once that was done she returned to the manor and seeing Hrag awake prepared to attempt her new song.
Settling herself before Hrag, Valinya gives him a confident smile - without teeth, unsure of how that might be communicated non-verbally - and closes her eyes to focus. Despite his good manners to date, seeing a huge mountain of hairy, spikey creature was distracting. The smell was distracting enough as it was. After a few moments of silence Valinya begins to sing, letting her imagination merge with her intuition and magical knowledge as she envisions her desired result. Pulling the mana she channels it toward Hrag’s missing hand, willing it to grow. Feeling the connection she has grown to associate with success she opens her eyes to see. The stump looks the same, but Valinya feels confident that something positive will happen. With another smile and a pat Valinya sings her song of Tongues so that she can talk to Hrag. “Hrag, me us magic on arm. Was good … new hand will grow. May take time but it should come. You helped me. I help you. Debt gone. You can go home now if you want.” Even as she waits for his response she starts mentally going over the new song, committing it to memory as she did the song for poisoning poisons. Hmm … maybe she could be a real healer one day at this rate.
Hrag nods sadly at Valinya, showing that he understands. “Not know how to get home. Far way from home here. Too cold. Much water to cross. No swim that far me.” The Grimbor furrows his brow and looks like he is thinking. “Me find way. Even one hand. Much strong. Do work. You help find work? Help make right words?” He looks pleadingly at Valinya.
Valinya nods enthusiastically. “Me ask friend - she live here. Definitely find work.” Valinya furrows her brow in thought. “We need find way you to talk with no words … hand motions. And teach you few spoken words in me tongue so you understand some.” Giving Hrag a reassuring pat on the arm then goes to find Lavinia. Finding her after a short search she explains the situation with Hrag, needing work to save money for a trip home but while very strong also quite limited in speech and perhaps intellect. And if there is opportunity with her in the manor, Valinya encourages her to perhaps consider hiring him to work on the manor, even as a guard, so that his exposure to the public is limited.
A Night On the Town
Later that evening, after the other members of the company return from their various mercantile excursions Fortis proposes the group fortify themselves with a good meal out in the city. “I’d like to carouse a bit and see a few of the more enjoyable portions of this city, after I have fully divested myself of the lingering aroma of dank, smoke and dust we all seem to have acquired.” He smiles at his companions. “Is there anyone who would be interested in joining me for an evening out on the town? I’d love to have stories start spreading about the nefarious deeds of Rowyn Kellani and the cowardly Sea Harpies. Oh, and we may want to drop in on the guard while we are out to let them know about Rosk’s corpse before the difficulty of summoning his shade for a confession grows too much from time passing after his demise, assuming that one of you hasn’t already attended to that detail of course.”
Arn takes in Fortis’s idea. He likes the idea of a good meal and night on the town, but thinks it may be too soon and too dangerous. “As much as I would like to get out Fortis, we need to consider that the Sea Harpies may want to strike back, though they were greatly cut down. We also need to consider the status of the town after this incident and the fires. For all we know, we could have been implicated in the fires or other situations. That being said, I’m still willing to go out, but have to consider our protection and personal safety as well”.
“Some well made points, my friend. I would suggest that we may be able to influence the rumors and tales being told on the street, especially if we go tell the watch what we know and then go ‘let slip’ a bunch of exciting details about the adventure. You know the Sea Harpies set the fire, we can provide enough verifiable information for our story that it can contend with other claims. I really am concerned that we must get our information to the commander of the watch fairly quickly though.”
After some more time spent getting cleaned up and other various tasks attended to, the gathered group heads out on the town, looking for some food, drink and good places to hear and spread news and rumors. Seeker still had not returned to the manor, so was not with the gathered group. Lavinia had been asked to join, but declined to work on some other business she needed to attend to.
Moving ahead into the lead Fortis starts towards the watch post intending to take care of that part of the errand en route to a rolicking good time out in the Merchant district. “Come on guys, we don’t want to miss out on any of the fun!”
 |
| Shefton Rosk |
After shuffling through a few junior watchmen and a useless functionary Fortis addresses the watch commander. “The harbor master was murdered by a man named Shefton Rosk on the orders of Rowyn Kellani. This is what he looked like before he died.” Fortis produces a small illusion of the man with apparently elven ancestry. “His corpse, gained by his treachery during an attempted parlay, is in one of the rearward passageways of the Sea Harpy tunnel network underneath the area of the recent fire. If you summon his shade it can verify this information. The Sea Harpies are either dead or dispersed and their leader, the mysterious Lady Lotus, who actually IS Rowan Kellani, has fled though we may be able to track her. The fire was, we believe, set by the Sea Harpies to cover their escape or to deter pursuit, though it could have been an accident. The caverns are reached either through the old taxidermist building, through a nearby well, or via a secret door under the dock. Inside you will find the remains of many men and their captive worg, who savaged them once he was no longer under their control, as well as some large lizard remains. There are, or were, two idle zombies created from Barmen. They probably need to be disposed of, watch out for their axes as they can incapacitate a Grimbor in a single stroke. Speaking of Grimbor, if you hear rumors of one in the area know that he is well behaved, if fierce in appearance. He is in a safe place recovering from his wounds and attempting to find a way to earn a living as a manual laborer. I think that is most of the relevant information so please excuse us as we are headed out to dinner. As you might imagine we had a trying day yesterday and could use the relaxation.”
The Guard Watch commander listens and takes some notes from Fortis, though mostly he has a bewildered look on his face as the tiny winged gentleman tells his story. He nods and occasionally asks for more details from time to time and promises that the matter will be looked into immediately. He does seem a bit concerned about the thought of a Grimbor within the city but is assured that the situation will be well taken care of.
“If you would like to discuss any of this in more detail, please send a messenger so stating to The Vanderboren Estate tomorrow and one of us will be happy to address your inquiry then. Thank you for your attention madam commander, have a pleasant evening.” Fortis bows formally and departs.
Finally arriving at their destination, a drinking establishment of mixed purpose, Fortis begins his campaign of rumor and propaganda, all based in truth of course, to malign house Kellani and its miscreant scion, Rowyn. A few rounds of drinks and many stories are delivered to the crowd around the bar. Other reports are spread to the gamblers in the card room and yet different rumors are disseminated to the working women in the parlor. The tales, while intended to be entertaining, also convey critical information, such as the fact that the Kellanis murdered the harbormaster and that Rowyn used the Sea Harpy pirates to prey upon the good folk of Essanos and then burned down a section of the city, endangering the lives of many innocent citizens, to escape justice. I do hope those patrons all converse and conclude the truth.
Arn joins Fortis in their outing to the taverns. Arn drinks, eats, and listens in on as Fortis spins his tales about the Sea Harpies and such. Arn tries to pick up on folks who comment or look like they may possibly know more. Arn adds a few extra drinks in the direction of those particular folk, hoping to engage them in conversation and see if he can glean any more information about the Harpies, Lady Lotus, or Vanthus. (use of Carousing skill).
Fortis and Arn wage a publicity war and everyone in the establishment eats it up. By the end of the night, everyone is talking about how the Sea Harpies have been trying to dismantle Essanos’s shipping business. The information seems to have spread so far that the group even hears other folks talking about it on their way back to the manor at the end of the night. It appears that A had returned sometime earlier in the evening but had already turned in. Everyone, bellies full of good and drink, decides to turn in as well in order to rise early the next day.
Cast of Characters:
+Arne Jamtgaard plays Seeker, a teenage Wolfen Warlord
+Mike Biancone plays Arn, a surly Dwarven Warrior
+Amergin O'Kai plays Moonscar, the esoteric Kankoran Druid
+Daniel White plays Silver, a young and curious Dragon
+Mike Williams plays Gorgukk Torgnaz, an Ogre sailor and mauler
and +Jason GURPS as the GM
+Mike Williams plays Gorgukk Torgnaz, an Ogre sailor and mauler
and +Jason GURPS as the GM
No comments:
Post a Comment