Kovax speaks up for the first time, "Will the council allow us to discuss amongst ourselves for a moment?"
"Something we need to be sure of is can we trust her? We should see if the priest can cast discern lies or whatever ability he has to learn the truth of things before we just agree to put ourselves on the line with her"
"I was fine with the idea of having her be locked up while we teach her but if she is supposed to be under our guard now I don't know if I trust her yet to not just run away and/or kill us at her first chance"
Urgeon shrugs, "It's a risk, but she could be a very useful ally. Her knowledge of technology could really help us. I say we accept the offer."
Olandir indicates you may have the time you need.
"As far as I can tell, there is no deception in her. I don't trust her completely, but I believe she will do what she says she will. It will be up to us to keep her engaged and learning." He shakes his head, "I did not wish to burden you all with this. Do not feel obligated to her because of me."
Kovax grasps Razorend by the shoulder and says, "We are friends, and this is what friends do, we will do this together to lesson the risk to the town"
"We should look to either securing our home better so she can not escape or see if we can house her in the jail at night while we are sleeping."
Ridic listening to this, can't take it anymore and stands up. "This is absolutely absurd! We go into to find a problem this city is having and she is the cause, then we fight against their laws to take on the responsibility of someone that none of us knows! Are we going to babysit all of Scrapwall while we are at it? There may have been some good people there before they turned utterly horrible!"
Ridic storms out before anything can be said, clearly irate at the idea that we now have to care and be responsible for Meyanda, someone that he feels should be handled by the city.
Kovax watches Ridic leave and sighs, "He's not wrong either but I have to believe that some people can be redeemed, given a chance. We have some time to learn more before we have to make any decisions, and we have to learn more about Scrapwall and this is our best way to do that"
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Urgeon stifles a yawn. "Yes, I suppose he is correct. But I prefer to see her as a useful tool versus a prisoner to be watched. We will need all the help that we can get once we get to Scrapwell. Speaking of which, I'm eager finish the crafting so that we can be on our way."
Urgeon will focus his energies in the next several days to crafting magic items.
Razorend shakes his head. "She is not a tool of any kind. None of this had anything to do with Scrapwall until the council dropped that ridiculous ultimatum."
He turns to Meyanda. "I apologize for talking around you. You have a say in your fate, more so than any of us. What do you think?"
Meyanda shrugs, "I had no intention of returning here, so exile is of no concern, but I think my continued existence would benefit from not having some strange thing implanted in me. I am also interested in seeing what you have to show me, so I'm inclined to prefer this alternative option."
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"I would not have let them implant any such controlling device," Razorend growls.
Councilwoman Olandir clears her throat and asks, "Have you come to a decision, then?"
Urgeon nods in the affirmative but allows Razorend to speak for the group.
"Meyanda has agreed to come with us, exiled or not. I do not understand the need for a 'succeed or don't come back' ultimatum... we have proven our loyalty to Torch, and would have been happy to take the mission without it."
"It's not you, Razorend. It's her. If you come back with her and haven't ended the threat to our town, we have no defense if she or her cult have subverted you. This is why we implant the exiles. We can't take the risk if the threat is still out there."
Urgeon looks at Khonnir and notes his disagreement with the councilwoman. "Well I guess we better succeed then. I wasn't planning on failing, so we don't have a problem."
Urgeon nods respectfully at the councilwoman. "Thank you for your leniency. We will leave for Scrapwall as soon as we complete our crafting. We will do everything in our power to thwart any threat posed by these gangs."
The Councilwoman indicates you're free to leave saying as you part, "Do not tarry too long. You may have earned a short respite, but they will figure out they're not receiving their power fairly quickly. We want you to take the fight to them, not bring them to us."
So I have changed up my toon quite a bit so I don't need Urgeon to make me my Dex belt for now, I will wait until I can afford str/dex belt.
We'll need 12 days for crafting, plus the week for the tech transfer - so we leave after 19 days.
I suggest we invest in horses to minimize the travel time. If no one disagrees, I will subtract the cost of the horses, saddles, etc. from the loot list.
; Int Headband
; Bag of Holding
; Pearl of Power
; Dex Belt?
In the off time, Razorend will study the lay of the land between Torch and Scrapwall.
Ridic would like to buy a light combat horse. Are there any for sale in Torch?
As for Crafting. A refresher since I don't do that much. The cost to craft a scroll from a spell that I already know is half the purchase price, correct?
I will ask the Blacksmith to make me a Adamantine Dorn-Dergar in our downtime
As for Meyanda, Ridic doesn't care. He wants nothing to do with her. as far as he is concerned, the others took ownership of her and not himself.
Ridic will make three additional scrolls of Cure Light wounds
Urgeon will defer Meyanda's care to Razorend. "We should lock her up at night in one of the rooms to be safe."
Urgeon will spend any spare time he has over the three weeks researching Scrapwall and the surrounding area. He will discuss with Khonnir, the village elders and anyone else willing to discuss .
Kovax will assist with Meyanda, helping keep watching and in the process, introducing her to a human who cares might be good for her
Kovax will also see if it's possible to build an easier way into the first area we explored, if the town council is interested.
He will also see if Sif and her people have anything interesting from their version of Underdark
Razorend will escort Meyanda whenever he is awake. "I want to research the lands between Torch and Scrapwall to plan a good route. Perhaps you can help. Which path did you take to get here?"
Having come to an agreement with the Council, the party sets to planning and learning more about their newfound technology. They sell off items and source horses and components for crafting as well as dropping off orders at one of the local skymetal smiths. He states it will take a week for each item. Most of the time is spent exploring the copious lore stored on Meyanda's tablet and watching over the purple-haired android. She seems quite content to sit and absorb and the evenings watching her quickly turn boring for Razorend and Kovax.
Urgeon tries to find out more info about Scrapwall and digs up a few tidbits.
Kovax looks into reinforcing Khonnir's house, but the Councilman isn't entirely interested in construction at this point. "Feel free to use the Foundry Workshop while you're here, but I'd prefer you didn't tear it up. I'm kind of fond of it as is and we're reopening the Tavern so I don't want folks distracted by the construction effort."
Kovax asks Dolga about digging an alternate route into the Black Hills and touches base with Sif, who doesn't have a problem with it since it aids her arrangement with the town as long as the access is controlled from the town's side and that it doesn't interfere with her current living space, leaving the cavern where the northern entrance was as the only entry point. Dolga notes that 10% of the population is dwarven and should have some thoughts about digging a tunnel, but most of them are highly skilled artisans and likely unavailable for menial labor. She suggests sourcing some miners somewhere. She's willing to sell you a plot of land if you wish to undertake the mining project if you broker a favored rate for them to use the tunnel to exercise their trade with Sif and to guarantee the conditions of that agreement are still set in place. They reserve rights to tax anything mined out of the hill and recommends that the Council propose a regulation on mining licenses.
Part way through the week, Joram Kyte approaches you with a request. He believes that an old associate of his, a woman named Dinvaya, has taken up residence in Scrapwall after she was forced to flee from the Technic League’s persecution many years ago. His research has indicated she’s not dead, but he hasn’t been able to contact her—he gives you his personal symbol of Brigh as a token to show Dinvaya in order to help earn her trust. Should you find her, Joram merely wants you to let her know that the Technic League’s interest in her has passed and there’s a place for her in Torch if she wishes to rejoin society. At the very least, Joram would like confirmation that she’s dead or not living in Scrapwall. Joram promises to give you his lesser rod of extend metamagic as a reward once you complete this mission.
The 15th day since you turned off the Torch comes with its own surprise. In the middle of the night, you awake to a serious commotion outside the Foundry ... the sound of gunfire. You all run outside to encounter a fight between the Town Guard and some bizarre masked gunfighters. Wearing oval white masks with metal spikes on the sides and goggles in the front, you wade out to help the Guard put them down. Several other locations throughout the town were hit as well to include the barracks and Garmen's warehouse ... now on fire. During the commotion, one of the attackers breaks free and attempts to get through the Foundry door, firing at Meyanda and screaming out, "Hellion punishes failures!" before a Guardmens intercepts him and stabs him through the heart, but not before he takes a fatal shot to the neck.
The butcher's toll ends up being 10 attackers and just the single guardsman, but several of the men say they saw one of the attackers rush out of town half way through the assault.
Meyanda listens to Razorend's request and then shows him the map on the tablet,
"It's a 4-day hard trek from Scrapwall to here. We came down the Sellen river and then along the southside of the canyon you call the First Blade's path. We encountered some Kellid tribes, but didn't have much trouble with them. They were riding beasts that were unable to handle the flames of Hellion's wrath."
Meyanda stands over the man who attacked her staring down at him and occasionally looking at the Town Guardsman as his compatriots recover his corpse. Her expression is unreadable, but her purple nanites are racing up and down the sides of her neck.
Kovax will assist in burying the priests that were murdered and will spend some time checking out the buggy.
Knowledge Engineering -
He will also ask about Scrapwall and try and learn more about the layout of the place, is there more than one way in and out, anything that we should be concerned about while there? Anyone the paladin knows that we can trust?
Kovax fools around with the buggy long enough to realize that it still runs, but the battery is shot so it will only work in direct sunlight. The smilers have mounted a crossbow to the top. The rest of the info on the Rover is in the loot page under Artifacts.
Settling down in the burned out stables or in the courtyard for the evening, you spend some time around the fire talking strategy and the That night as you rest and prepare for the next morning. Andalen tells you things about Scrapwall, but most of it is info you gained in Torch. He does note that other than climbing the very dangerous metal walls, there is only one way in or out, and that some times he sees a great flying beast leaving or coming from the tallest scrap peak in the southern part of the city. As far as people you can trust, he doesn't know of anyone but he has heard that there are a couple non-gang related neutral parties in town that may serve you well, one being a priestess of Brigh.
Shortly after you settle down and try to fall asleep, you are startled by a tortured cry tortured, sobbing cry, calling out "Justinia!!!"
Kovax looks around to see if the paladin or knights are reacting or if this is pretty much the normal night here.
He will be curious enough though to see if he can catch a glimpse of the ghost
Ridic will jump up and run over to the man calling out Justina, not registering that it could be a ghost.
What does he find when he arrives?
Urgeon will cautiously follow behind Ridic.
The knights are in the other area sleeping, Kovax watches the doors and windows and sees no response from them.
Ridic and Urgeon head towards the noise which leads them to the door of the Ruined Chapel.
What sized battery is needed for the buggy? Have we seen on yet that would be the right size? Could we jury-rig anything with what we have?
Can we rig the Power Relay to send power to the buggy in some way?
Ridic will open the door and step in, with his weapon drawn.
If I remember correctly that door is sealed, we may want to leave it that way as I assume it's for a good reason.
Urgeon will study the seal and will attempt to determine it's purpose.
He will also listen at the door.
Razorend hangs back a few steps. "Yes, best we leave it be rather than stir up trouble with the ghost. If it does not confront us directly, I have no wish to see it."
Ridic will step back from the door. "So you guys believe this to be a trap?"
Razorend shrugs, "I don't know. The paladins were content to let the ghost be."
"I don't think it's a trap as much as this is just what the ghost does most nights, I have never seen a ghost myself so I am curious to see one, and I wish I knew what to do to assist it but he is looking for forgiveness, which isn't something anyone living can give him"
"well, I suppose it is best to just leave it alone. I was afraid the screams were from a person with something attacking them"
The door is sealed simply with nailed slats of wood.
The party decides to leave the ghost his mourning as 100s have before them.
As you settle down to rest, you find the crying continuous and somewhat distracting and find yourselves struggling to sleep but eventually morning comes.
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