Maxim listens to the interplay, then takes another gulp of his laced coffee.
"Appreciate yer sentiment Taskerhill, but the chiding ain't helpin'. Like Kikinnin I ain't for such occasions, nor to kowtow to the high an' o-so-mighty o' this city."
As talk turns away from the Ball, the gun-mage suggests another approach;
"How about we divide and conquer? I'll go talk to the Alley-bashers... Few bones to pick there. Some o' us talk to the Cudgel and some look for the half-olves?"
:
JJ shakes his head at the dwarf.
"The allybashers on home ground... there is a reason the guard hasn't removed them from the city Maxim. Going in there by yourself. You'd be lucky to get out with your spell pouch intact. Likely end is you head wouldn't be intact either. "
He points to the church
"Best clue is down there, lets try that first."
Once in the dry of the church he looks around for Uncle Alek, but knows the knight has many duties.
"Did we finalise the question? We need to be specific. So we need to know where the wands that were being carried are now, and most importantly how we can recover them in time to stop Cauldron getting flooded."
He thinks.
"How may we recover the wands stolen from Sarchem in time to use them to stop this years floods?"
Looking around he asks "Does that sound about right?"
As he thinks about the wands, his mind casts back again to wondering what Triel would want with them.
Maxim flashes a hard smile;
"Yer right... in most cases I would be. I'll not be going as a Cauldron Watcher. More in a business capacity."
The dwur mulls the situation;
"What do we need to know from the Alleybashers?"
"Their name pretty much tells it, although they do a lot more than bang heads in alley's" admits JJ.
"I used to... ahh... assist in matters of documentation."
Maxim stares hard at the young swordsman;
"Lad, pasts are like backsides. We all got 'em."
He pockets his flask, then rises;
"'Sides want to know what I'm askin' em about. Not who they are. Live in Cauldron an' you've more than an inklin' on the Alleybashers."
The dwur grimaces;
"Reckon we're interested in their bloody link to Triel? An' the hill folk... What about Maple? She bein' brought up or no?"
"It has to be one question only. That's the tricky part."
"Something like 'where exactly are the eight wands Saracem were killed for?'"
"Then we can worry about the whys and hows after that".
"Maybe Ryan should choose; he is doubtless the wisest among us."
Kikinnin waits for the question to be asked, and the answer to be received. He finds the Star of Justice to be useful, for how little it can be used. His mind plays with the potency of the religious weapon. How many items like that exist? Does each Temple have one? Are some more able to answer questions than others? How easily can it be destroyed? How easy to make one?
"Hurry up, and ask the question. Time's a-wasting."
"Y-you th-think you've g-got a way to t-talk to th-them without v-violence Maxim?" Marigold asks, looking surprised. "If you th-think it would w-work...you kn-know m-more about your b-business than we d-do," she admits.
"And our q-question has to b-be specific b-because we'll g-get our answer like a r-riddle m-most likely but it p-probably has to b-be somewhat s-simple, too. M-maybe 'What path leads to the stolen wands?'"
Maxim looks frustrated, shaking his head at Juraan;
"Nei. Questions to ask the Alleybashers not the Cudgelites holy relic... No matter."
As he exits, the dwur flashes a smile at Marigold and pats her shoulder affectionately;
"Reckon I do Lil' Miss... Reckon I do. See you all on the morrow."
Maxim heads back to see his Uncle. The dwur seeks a parley with The Alleybashers and hopes his Uncle's "business" contacts could arrange a meet on neutral ground.
Maxim explains that with the red handed affair at the Lucky Monkey, the Bashers (and those who work with them) will be scrutinised and potentially hunted by both the authorities and The Cudgelites.
To appease those, and his own group, Maxim needs something... hence the need for the meet.
Ryan looks to Maxim, nodding in understanding saying simply and quietly, "We weren't looking for a fight at the Tavern either but one was brewing."
at the church
Ryan looks to the others for their input on the question, nodding wholeheartedly at Marigold's comment about keeping it simple.
"Triel may not have the wands anymore so she is not relevant to our question. And we need them quickly. Why not where are the wands located for the next 24hrs?"
"Sounds good to me."
JJ nods. "Though the answer last time was cryptic, what if they are being moved all the time, surely we should ask how we may recover them."
He thanks Jurran for his share of the lucky monkey money.
"Hey, I have enough to join the Bluecrater academy!"
Awsome!
"Although that will leave me pretty short on cash, and I'd not be able to buy the clothes for the ball, or dancing lessons."
He sighs.
"Life is full of hard choices. And with Orin's family staying at my place, I need to find somewhere else. Maybe I'll hold off until after we get those wands back. "
Juraan used his latest pay packet to buy an Efficient Quiver,
As well as 40 more arrows
"That's much better!"
"It's good to travel light."
"I'm not the strongest there is."
"Not by a long way!"
After some comings and goings Ryan states the question, then he hears a voice in his head Below the slope of the caldera, past the stinky and green water. The three gods that are one hide the wands. Some veiled under magic others under lock. The kitchen hand that holds the hand, knows the entrance to the old glory of the waterworm humanoids.
The waterworm humanoids might be a reference to an old extinguished society of aquatic humanoids known as the Kopru.
"The alleybashers? Well those low burglars... they have not hat a leader for a long time. You might want to talk with individual members" comments Adrick "What's on about it nephew?" he offers the cup of rum he knows the dwarf appreciates.
"The kitchen hand that holds the hand... Could that be Artus at the Tankard, he is like second chef. Or even our newly married friend..."
He tries to puzzle out the rest. "Below the slope of the Caldera. So that sounds like outside of Cauldron itself. Past some stagnant lake or pond. Three gods that are one. ... like that odd holy symbol we found. "
After some time, the voice speaks with Ryan, yet he isn't completely sure where they have been directed.
"It's outside Cauldron, beyond the stinky green water, that sounds like somewhere water drains from Cauldron's sewers.
There are three gods that are one? Some of the wands are hidden by magic other by lock.
Then there is something about a kitchen hand holding the hand, that knows about some entrance to the waterworm humans?!?"
Ryan tries to remember something about the three gods...
"Below the slope of Cauldron, could mean a cavern or something like that." Ryan counters...
"Well, there are all those caverns that led off the Machalite fortress, as well as the ones we found under the bathhouse. The whole mountain is probably riddled with them." sighs JJ.
"I don't think that will help us. Good point about stinky waters, although by all accounts, Cauldron's sewers are pretty easy going compared to other cities, they just point down into the lake after all.."
"Maybe not the cave's under Orak's."
"I got the city guards to block those up."
"If it is a sewer outlet, maybe there's maps to that effect in the academy."
Maxim accepts with rum with a hard smile; the liquor warming his throat;
"Tasty drop as usual Uncle. Darn. Had hoped the Bashers would have had a top to parley with..."
He leans back;
"Ain't rightly sure what its about... As I told ye afore the Bashers an' Hillfolk were involved in the massacre at the Lucky Monkey. Authorities are sniffin' and Cudgelites too, since one o' their own - Priest by name o' Sarcem was murdered. Reckon I've downplayed any connection with our weapons sales an' the Alleybashers. Was hopin' we'd have a broker to work with. Need to put the hard word on 'em. Stick to petty crime an' such."
The dwur downs another shot of rum;
"Prisoners who talked mentioned some redhead named Triel. You know o' her?"
"We had no broker o grand agreement. These people was simply stepping by" he fills the glass with more rum "As for the hillfolk, Thomas took the effort to negotiate with them and bring them the weapons in a cart"
He rejects about Triel "Mmmm... nothing I remember about a redhead Triel"
"Lets go ask the cooks at the Tankard if they can help. Then there is the Mogoth and..." JJ suddenly remembers how many inns there are in the city.
"We have to start somewhere"
When the group reaches the Tankard, the tavern is preparing for the supper. People greet you as usual, then you peek at the kitchen where you do find both Griffon and Artus. They turn to you to greet you "Hello friends, how are you doing?"
JJ smiles at the two familiar faces.
Hmm, best start with Griffon
He waits until he can get a moment alone.
"Griffon, how is married life? " nodding at the reply but not really caring about it he waits and then asks "You might have heard that the wands used to control the flood season have been stolen. We got an auguary from Abdar. One of the clues pointed to a chef or kitchen hand knowing an old entrance to an underground glory hole. Would you know of any such places? Any old caves that you played in as a child maybe?"
Kikinnin finds himself once again asking Artus questions, this time of a more serious bent. No talk of drinking contests, only the ruination of Cauldron Herself. He lets JJ question Gryffon, for what good it will do. Of the two 'kitchen hands' standing in front of them, Artus is sure to be the more knowledgeable.
"It's as JJ said, Artus. Powerful magics have instructed us to inquire with the likes of you. The city is doomed, unless we find the wands that control the waters. If you have any information regarding their whereabouts, tell us now. You know someone who might know, tell us now. There is no time to spare."
Maxim nods and takes another shot of the fine liquor.
"Mind if I speak to Thomas about the Hillfolk. More I know, the more I decide what should be known..."
The gun-mage shrugs;
"Damned bloody business Adrick. Especially with the Guard and Cudgelites makin' it theirs. Reckon I best try an' speak to the Alleybashers..."
He downs the reminder of the rum, the nods toward his mentor;
"Lots o' wheels in motion Uncle... This Blue Duke, damned Beholders, the mysterious red-head and now murders at the Monkey... Still reckon the damned nobles an' their precocious scions - The Storm Blades are involved somehow..."
Maxim sighs, rubbing his forehead wearily with a hard smile;
"Huh. Reckon I'm overthinkin' things a mite..."
As the group decides to try their luck at the Tipped Tankard Marigold trails along, lost in thought. She didn't know anything about waterworm humanoids but maybe she could help piece together where they needed to be by the other descriptions in the mace's reply. Or perhaps figure out what the 'three gods as one' were supposed to be?
Juraan tries to think of anything he can that might be helpful
in making sense of the ambiguous description they got:
"It's all good JJ, we are living together now" answers Griffon "I do not know anything about entrances to caverns but the one you took me through after Kazmojen"
"I do not know what are you talking about" replies Artus.
Griffon is worried and saying truth.
Artus is surprised and avoiding to tell information. He looks nervous at Griffon.
"Hell's teeth! Is just money. How do you think the real money is made?" asks Adrick frustrated "I think your adventures with that group is changing you. Be more practical"
You do remember about the strange holy symbol you found Tongueater was dressing. [ooc]You can unfold the spoiler[/url]
The symbol plus the refrain makes you think of certain evil cult called the Ebon Triad, that believes adoring Rovagug, Asmodeus and Norgorber their gods will one day become one.
Thinking back on the time since they found the cavern below Oriks..."Kikinnin, weren't you able to find some maps for the sewers below Cauldron"
At the Tipped Tankard
Ryan listens as both JJ and Kikinnin speak to the men, guaging their responses...
"It's alright Griffen, we know it was a trying time for you"
"But Artus, are you sure you're telling us all you know? We're not asking you to go there, just if you know where we might go to find it. Without those wands we may well be swimming to the next wedding."
Kikinnin shakes his head, as Ryan questions him regarding maps. "Only got a small chance to look over old maps. Nothing current, I suspect."
He senses some small nagging when Artus speaks and Ryan responds, but can't quite pin it down, so lets the priest continue the interrogation inquiry.
JJ eyes up the chef. "Artus, we've known you for... a long time now. You're holding out on us. We're not doing this for the reward, we're doing this for Cauldron. We're happy to share the credit if you can help us find them. "
Maxim knocks back the last of his rum, then nods in agreement;
"Aye. Yer right Uncle. Playin' the hero is probably messin' with my sight o' things. Reckon I need to sharpen up my view..."
He salutes the older dwur..:
"Uncle. A pleasure as usual."
... then makes his exit and returns to the Tipped Tankard.
Artus Shemwick answers fast "I have told you, I cannot help you" but he stares at the cleric's eyes, then to Kikinnin. The man takes an empty bottle and moves to the storeroom.
Provided you follow him, he closes the door behind "I have no idea who might have told you to come to me." he says. With a sigh he adds "Ok, I might know something that might be useful. But this is dangerous to me, the information will cost you 300 gold pieces" he fills the bottle with oil "And I do not want people at the Tankard to know I earn extra money with information"
Kikinnin looks disappointed when the cook demands coin for confidences. "What would you have done, Artus, if no one sought you out for this information? If you think it's valuable, it's because not many people have it. Did you conspire in the robbery? Speak plainly, Artus. Your words are being weighed here. I can't imagine you'd want to profit from the imminent destruction of Cauldron from the rising waters."
"Keep it simple Kikinnin." Artus talks open hands "I would have ultimately come to you. I do not really know how did you find out you should come here to ask. And I barely spot some of your conversations, did not really knew what exact magic items you were looking for"
He points then to Kikinnin's axe and armor "You risk your life to fight for Cauldron and get a benefit of it. I do take the risk to share sensible information with you, why should I be denied what you get so freely?"
"Kikinnin... we have coin. Us delaying giving them to Artus and putting the people in Cauldron in danger is no better than him holding out. Cauldron needs those wands."
He turns to speak to Artus.
"But if this information isn't correct, we'll be after our money back, understand?"
"Don't misunderstand me. I couldn't care less about the coin. If we need to pay him, so be it. Liberating Malachite from slavers, seems alright that I wear and wield my family's metal. I'm curious as to how Artus knows what he does about the wands, since we barely arrived home. If he comes by his sensitive information honestly, I'll not hold it against him."
JJ listens to the rain pouring down outside, and thinks of the orphans watching the slowly rising tide. Of the families that even now are probably evacuating from the houses on the lowest tier of the city.
"That can wait Kikinning. The sooner we find the wands, the better for the city. We need to know the cave, Artus can help us. You can even ask him about how he knows about it once we are back, but the clock is ticking on Cauldron."
Kikinnin snorts. "I'm sure that will become evident in Artus's words, once we hand over the gold." Kikinnin hands over his own gold, to shut the boy up.
"Now, Artus. Please. As JJ says, time is running out. Weave your words together to include where the wands are, and how we can trust that what you say is true. You have the artistic aptitude, you can even draw us a map. Unless the boy disapproves of the time it will take for you to sketch out our next run."
The black-beard looks over at JJ. "Unless you want to rush in blindly?" Again.
"A man would be good" admits the 'boy'
Just because he's got a beard doesn't mean he can push me around.
fumes JJ silently. But the rather intimidated JJ stays his voice.
Artus takes the money satisfied "I see you do understand the fairness of the deal" he saves the coins in the pocket.
"So you are looking for some magical wands and a woman called Triel" more than a question the sentence is a statement "Triel has joined a cult known as the Ebon Triad. She and her fellow cultists plan to ransom the wands back to Cauldron after the town becomes desperate." he makes a pause to observe your reactions "Triel and her minions have set up a base of operations in a subterranean ruin below Cauldron that can be reached by a hidden lava tube." he then looks for something below his shirt and shows it to the group "As you can see I was planning to share this already" the sheet of paper is a map of Cauldron. He turns and looks for something to write with, picking finally a charcoaled wood from the kitchen. With it, he marks an "X" on the outer northeastern slope, about 200 feet down from the wall "This "X" marks the hidden entrance to the lava tube. Take care and do not reveal who was your informer"
Artus hands the map to Kikinnin or whomever paid the bill.
"And now... if you let me continue, I have a part time job to attend"
"Let's not start squabbling. That won't help us. Or Cauldron."
"Here, Kikkinin, I'll chip in my bit for the information."
Juraan gives Kikkinin 50 gp and one gemstone worth 100 gp.
"H-Hey! I j-just r-remembered something!" Marigold suddenly blurts out amidst the talk of information haggling. "Th-that weird h-holy symbol and that p-part of the r-riddle about th-three g-gods as one? It's t-talking ab-bout a c-cult...the s-same c-cult that Artus j-just n-named, the Ebon Triad," she explains. "R-read about it in a b-book once...they b-believe that one d-day Asmodeus, N-Norgorber, and R-Rovagug will b-become one s-single g-god," she says solemnly. "The r-reason that s-symbol looks so st-strange is b-because it's a c-composite of each of their s-symbols."
Kikinnin takes the map from Artus, and hands it to JJ. He gives the kitchen hand a shake, holding it a moment longer. "She has minions. How many, roughly? There's just the six of us, about to head off. It would be a shame if we didn't know what we really faced down there."
Responding to Marigold:
"That sounds … disturbing … that does!"
"That might explain why the bandits did what they did."
Artus shrugs "That is out of my knowledge, but she certainly has some allies. I would rather have if I planned to intimidate a city. If you plan to look for her, be prepared for a long succession of battles before you get to find her" he opens the storeroom door and adds "For now, let's have a good dinner" he starts working giving a smile towards Griffon.
Some minutes later the dinner meals start to cramp the tables. Just made bread and eggplant to the oven stuffed with ground beef.
It is at that point, where a smug Artus is offset by concerned companions - that Maxim walks in.
The gun-mage looks weary and does little to assess the situation, save a question;
"What did I miss? B'sides orderin' dinner...