Chronicles of Arcania: B/X Homebrew game.

Game Master Peet

Wallia smiles and says, "I may have come across that tome in our travels. How much would that be worth to you?"

Looks like you got ninja'ed by Zynazyr. But you already told him what books you had and he already made you an offer, so this post is kind of redundant.

books are great ... for kindling.

I would think toilet paper would be more important in a dungeon like this... unless dwarves refuse to use that. :)

My point was to negotiate a higher fee for the book they really want. Not to mention

Wallia says, "The Astrology book for 500 gold pieces and 600 for the remaining. If you want to deduct it from his spell learning, I am fine with that. So in end effect 1100 for the lot,3000 minus 1100 and you are still 1900 in the plus. What say you Magus?"

Walia, what are you doing? Did you even see the offer that he made on the prior page? It looks like you are conducting a separate negotiation from Zynazyr.
Auriga's original offer was 100 per book, and 1000 per spell taught.
Now it is 500+2 books. So that is valuing the books at 500 per 2, or 1500 total -- more than what you are asking for.
"Deal!" says Brathas to Auriga, ignoring Walia.
He whispers to Zynazyr,
"I think that's as good as we're likely to get."

He is offering 600 per spell plus two books. Which is 200 per book.I am trying to get a little extra for the astrology book.

Auriga

Auriga's counteroffer was 600 to be paid to him

Okay, even so, at 6 books that is 1200. We are offering six books, right?
Whereas you are asking for 1100.

I admit, I was on the subway when I wrote the numbers for each book, I should have written 800 +500 for the astrology book, I have big fingers.

Brathas actually works for a merchant house and he is tired of this bargaining. We have SO MUCH gold that to quibble over a couple of hundred feels like a waste of time.

Yes, but it is xp....

For the record, the actual value of the books you are selling varies between 50 and 100 gp per book. At least if you took them back to the "real world." His initial offer of 600 gp was arguably good, depending on what books actually go for around here. And you picked someone interested in books.

Some of the ones you are holding back may be worth much more.

But Auriga is willing to make deals because it is a "package deal" for 3 spells and he is performing a service that doesn't really cost him anything. How good of a deal was based on the charisma roll, and could have been better. But he's not really giving you more for the books... he is charging you less for his service. So the XP granted for selling the books is not going to fluctuate.

"Deal!" says Brathas to Auriga, ignoring Walia.

He whispers to Zynazyr,
"I think that's as good as we're likely to get."

Auriga smiles.

"Very good! I will see you tomorrow then. From your words, I gather you wish to learn stinking cloud first. I shall have that prepared for tomorrow."

"Remember, I am making this offer sight unseen! If it turns out that the books are not in good shape, We will have to renegotiate."

As long as nobody casts fireball on you enroute to the magi, you don't imagine this will be a problem.

"I take it you don't want to buy water from us again? Well, if that is all, then I will bid you good day and will see you on the morrow."

Unless anyone has anything else they want to ask we can move on.

Elbows the dwarf and whispers, Whew, thought we were never going to get out of here alive...

Retcon: 2:20 PM, Day 7

3d6 ⇒ (2, 2, 1) = 5

The party makes its way up to the second tier and to the room they once used as a camp. The second tier seems deserted. They drop off the gold, platinum, and valuables there.

Do you want to leave all the stuff you found today in there? Or only the more valuable stuff?

I'll have a follow up post shortly.

1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Retcon: 2:40 PM, Day 7

After leaving behind its treasure, the party makes its way back down towards the magician's tomb.

When they reach the passage where the rolling boulder trap was located, they hear a voice, saying,

"Don't worry Doggos. We'll find a healer soon."

Soon a group of four people comes into view. They wear colorful robes and a variety of masks (one like a fox, another like a fish, a third like a cat, and a fourth like a hawk). They are carrying a stretcher, upon which a fifth figure lies wrapped in blankets.

They stop short when they see the party.

"Uh... who are you?" the woman in the hawk mask asks.

"Not again," Ana sighs.

Brathas, in his parakeet mask, uses its Ventriloquism ability to make tweeting sounds coming from various places in the hall.
When in Rome...

Wallia rushes over to the injured person and says, "It seems as though you might be in the need of some divine assistance. May I ask, have you been honoring the gods and giving them their due? Both their tithe in grain and in coin."

"Let me guess," Ana says aloud, "He was bitten by spectral snakes?"

Wallia says, "I surmise he done got run over by a boulder."

The man in the fox mask looks confused.

"What's a spectral snake?" he asks.

The man in the cat mask looks at Wallia. "Oh, we give the priests what they want, all right. If you don't make your offerings, they feed you to Zargon."

"Which is supposedly an honor," interjects the man in the fox mask.

"Right," continues the man in the cat mask. "And they don't care if you're sick, though they say they'll heal you... for a price."

"But we heard that there are other priests, up here in the Pyramid," says the woman with the fish mask, nodding. "Maybe they can do something."

The man with the fox mask looks at the others, then back at you. "Do you know where we can find them?" he asks.

BTW, the shortest route from the stairs down to the stairs up does not pass over the spots that trigger the boulder trap. You would only trip that trap if you went the "wrong" way.

Wallia says,"It saddens me that you have been taking part in idolatry because Zargon is a false god. I am of whom you seek and may help you if you are willing to join the flock of the righteous and denounce that swine of a mock god Zargon."

The four people look at each other in confusion.

"I wouldn't say that when the priests of Zargon are around," says the woman in the hawk mask.

"Maybe you goblins can get away with saying that," adds the man in the fox mask. "But if people try to say those things in the city they don't last long. Unless you can make it to one of the forts, and the priests of Zargon watch the paths to those pretty good."

"I think Zargon must be real, no matter what you say," says the man in the cat mask. "Otherwise, what are they doing with the people sent to be sacrifices?"

Wallia says, "I won't take your money and not perform. The priests of Zargon are idolaters and partake in severe evil. Your group seems as one that are sick of talk and you want to see proof. I can understand your point. Let me see the one who is injured."

He then pulls out his holy symbol and performs Hands on 1d4 ⇒ 2

"Our friend Doggo here is very sick," says the woman with the Hawk mask. "If you can help, we would be grateful."

They set down the stretcher, and she pulls aside the blankets.

Underneath is a huge mushroom, about 4' long and slender with a narrow head that is full of holes, much like a sponge. Tied to the head with a string is a dog mask.

(it looks a lot like one of these)

"As you can see, his condition is very advanced," says the man in the cat mask. "He can barely move at all. We're lucky you came along; I don't think he will last the night."

This place is insane. the dwarf mutters to himself. And if another one of these mask wearing fools calls me a Goblin I will not be held responsible for my actions.

"Put on a mask, Ferrous. We have a few. Do you want to be a raccoon? A wolf?"

"I don't want to wear a mask," Ana protests. "I want to meet someone who makes some semblance of sense!"

Zynazyr does his best to stifle his laugh when he sees their "friend". "Perhaps there is something in the water," he says quietly to his companions.

Gods for once I be siding with the elf over a human. The dwarf walks about 20 feet away from the party muttering to himself and kicking at the floor.

Had you going there for a minute. :)

The group of masked people looks at the group expectantly.

Walia says, "Farming is not my specialty. Good luck with that."

Peers over, Yes, alas, it appears that his condition is so advanced that our good priest is unable to intercede... perhaps you should carry forth and find a comfortable spot to watch over his last minutes? he suggests.

Brathas contemplates a cure that involves a hot skillet and some butter.
He says nothing, however.

Let's move on

"I could tell you were a phony," says the man in the Fox mask.

The woman in the hawk mask cries out, "Have you no sympathy for this man? Look how he is suffering! The mushroom sickness is no laughing matter!"

The man in the cat mask gives Fistep an ugly look. "His condition may seem dire, but we will not give up on our friend! Let's go, and find a real healer."

The group leaves in a huff.

Retcon: 2:50 PM, Day 7

The party returns to the camp, and greets the rest of the group.

I have to make a bunch of identify rolls, but first I need to know what spells Zynazyr and Ana will be scribing from the book today.

Zynazyr: whether you or Ana scribes detect magic really only makes a difference in the sense of who wants to expend a spell slot to teach the other. Since Ana doesn't usually use all her spells, it might make sense for her to scribe it (if she can) and teach it to you.

Sounds good to me.

Over the course of the afternoon and evening, Ana, Zynazyr, and Wallia scan the various items the group has collected, trying to discern their function. They use some incence of perception to enhance their perceptive abilities.

First they sweep over the items that so far have not read as magical.

* Zynazyr determines that the amulet from the herald's burial chamber is magical, but does not discern its function.
* He also determines that the shield from the herald's tomb (blue with three white stars) is a shield +1. I believe that Ferrous is carrying this.
* Wallia discovers that the holy symbol from the high priest's tomb is a holy symbol +1. Grants +1 to turning checks
* Two of the flasks of oil from the wizard's tomb are discovered by Zynazyr to be oil of smoldering. I'll post the official description but basically it can be used as a smoke bomb.

They then go on to analyze items they already know are magical.

* Wallia identifies the last tablet as a scroll of detect evil.
* Ana identifies the queen's sceptre as a powerful wand of paralysis with 8 charges remaining.
* The banner and the potion found in the zombie room remain unidentified. Zynazyr tries but is unable to decipher any more spells in the spellbook.

In the morning, Ana manages to decipher the detect magic spell in the spellbook. She scribes that along with another spell before preparing her spells and teaching detect magic to Zynazyr. I'm thinking Ana would scribe protection from evil since Zynazyr already knows that one.

Guys: please discuss any divvying of these items and then we can move on to tomorrow.

Brathas would like to carry one of the Oils of Smoldering.
He doesn't want to wear the amulet until it is identified, and really can't use anything else. But between his magical armor, sword, and tools, he has made out quite well so far.

Might as well get going.

10:00 AM, Day 8

The party assembles and prepares to continue exploring.

So where do you want to go first?

* Back up to Tier 2 to get the Magi to teach stinking cloud to Zynazyr?
* Visit an unexplored area on this level:
* * The other secret door in the royal tomb at S?
* * The fire beetle nest at B?
* * The unfinished passageway at E?
* * The tomb with the eternal flames at F?
* Go down to the next tier:
* * By way of the stairs at D?
* * By way of the trapdoor at T?
Something else?

The King's tomb

Agreed.
Fistep and Ana should skip putting on their armor for now, or put on something lighter.

Back to the magi. We said we would return today. We should do that first before we risk getting in a battle and are to injured to go. Then we can go to the tomb

Sounds good.

Magi is fine with me. I noted that I still have my chainmail, so can wear that if absolutely needed in certain circumstances.

Of course, without padding... :|

Nice Ferrous' first magic item. He is quite happy with the shield if no one else wants/needs it.

going commando is mad fun

10:20 AM, Day 8

1d6 ⇒ 5

The group gathers the books and silver coins and makes their back way up to the second tier to visit the Magi.

The plan is to give them the books and the fee in silver coins (because silver is too heavy to carry away from here). The fee is 600 gp, so from the loot sheet most of the silver is from the royal tomb (5000 sp = 500 gp) and there is also some from the killer bee room (1000 sp = 100 gp). I assume you are taking that.

Once again the Magi greet you in a friendly manner.

"Greetings, my friends! What a wonderful day to do 'business,'" he says enthusiastically. "Is that it?" He points at the book The Mystery of Fate.

Once he gets the chance to look at it, he caresses its pages almost lovingly. "Yes, this will do very nicely. Just what we need."

He looks back at the group, and explains, "We are trying to assemble an astrological chart for Zargon. We do have some records from when he appeared. A proper chart might tell us what his weaknesses are. The problem is, so much knowledge has been lost. This book might give us some insight we hadn't thought of before."

He looks over at the sacks of coin. "That is a lot of silver!" he says as he smiles again. "Oh no, don't worry. Silver is fine, though I expected gold, or perhaps some gemstones. But silver is quite useful when buying ordinary items in the city market."

He pulls out a few coins, and looks at them. He seems happy at first, but then he frowns, and looks at the coins more closely. He holds up one of the coins with the holes in them to the light.

"Hm... Brother Alenikos, give me your dagger," he says to one of the acolytes. The man hands Auriga his dagger, and Auriga takes the coin and the dagger over to the altar. He forces the point into the hole, and widens it. Eventually he is able to bend the coin this way and that, until it breaks in two. He looks at the pieces of the coin, and turns to the party with a glare.

"What in Hades is this?" he asks angrily. He flings the broken coin at the party.

"Our bargain was fair. You really want to cheat me? Never cheat a wizard in a deal. Nobody can avenge an insult better than a wizard!" he growls.

The other acolytes turn and look at you. Some of them place their hands on their daggers.

The party picks up the pieces of the coin and examines them. The coins are in fact lead, with a thin veneer of silver washed over top of them. The silver has some value, but no more than 1/100th of what was originally thought. An examination of the other coins reveals that all the coins from the royal tomb are phony, though the coins you have brought from the Killer Bee room look to be genuine.

Ferrous and Brathas feel foolish for never noticing this before.

You did make multiple rolls to detect this, but you kept blowing them.

"Our apologies, Brother Auriga. Our senses are not as keen as yours. We were fooled and have been carrying around counterfeit coins! Look, our dwarf comrade has even woven them into his beard!
We will rectify this at once with proper coins or gems.
You may use magic on me if you wish to ascertain that I speak true."
Brathas did in fact worry at first that the huge haul was too good to be true, but Ferrous's judgment on the coins swayed him. Who would know gold and silver better than a thief and a dwarf? Well, a wizard, as it turns out.

He does feel foolish for missing this. He now suspects the jewelry from the fake royal tombs is also fake. (But even at 1/100th that is 270 gp).

One of the gems and the ruby ring from the tomb of Hezkanos-Thalos would add up to 500 gp. Brathas will offer those in trade.

"I believe these to be genuine."