Truk's eyes light up at the mention of the Grotto and he hefts one of the bags of gold in hand.
"Why not? I think it's about time I meet that bastard Alphonse."
The Hungry Hound is our new place for partying. As for The Grotto, I believe John,Truk,Faelyn,Shadow and Lucrezia should go and give Orn his money and deal with possibly buying his freedom. Myself and Orsin are I suspect, on Alphonse's S-List. Not that I really care, but if our presence stirs things up, it would be better if we just be absent for a bit.
After dealing with the Pathfinder's spirit, we can go give our friends their money(Ailyn,Janivan,Talbard,etc), and then meet for our party?
Shadow perks up when people begin to talk about 'revenge'...
Andrea pats Shadow's hand. Don't be too eager. Not until we find out what is new at The Grotto, we are also worn out from our battle and should be in top condition, unless somehow we can figure out a good untracable way of doing it.
Wherever we go, we need to go together! As for Alphonse...don't make me sick a Latern Archon on him!
I say we go in there and get drunk and obnoxious! We are the damn Hellcup Champions!!! Screw Alphonse and his fat, sloppy ass!
"Don't give me any ideas", Truk growls after Faelyn's comment.
Well he is my prize statue if you think you can commune with stone, I'll show you to it." He says with a graceful bow and wave of his arms.Truk rubbed the sore spot where the rhino's horn had dug into his ribcage. The wound was gone but the pain still echoed through his body.
"There's also the additional work I asked you about", Truk says. "The crowd loved it when they saw real people in the area, not wizards's pets. Did you have something in mind or know a place somewhere else in Westcrown?"
"You handle yourself well...but if that is the information the party is really seeking, a pit fight for you, I'll place you in the pits." He glances at Lucrezia, "Is that the information you see from me?"
Lucrezia looks over to Rance. "No, that's not the info we wanted."
"Andrea, do you want to handle the question?"
"You handle yourself well...but if that is the information the party is really seeking, a pit fight for you, I'll place you in the pits."[b] He glances at Lucrezia, [b]"Is that the information you see from me?"
Faelyn leans onto the black mithril staff and his eyes reflect the glow of the two rubies that have been set as eyes of their own on the face of a devil at the top of the finely crafted staff. I am seeking information about Delvehaven personally. What do you know about the current state of the old Pathfinder Lodge?
Rance looks at the half orc, "I am a source of much information, I made a simple business deal with the party. They agreed to fight in the summoner contest and I have agreed to information on a subject matter. If the information the party wants is to know where a fighting pit is, I can arrange it. Right now, I simply want to close my end of the agreement."
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
We are also seeking out a group called The Sisters of Eiseth. They potentially have information that we seek. We are wondering if they still exist in Westcrown, where they are and if it is possible to arrange a meeting with them. This is the information I seek.
He looks from the elf to the human..."which topic is it delvehaven, or the Sisters of Eisteh...apparently you lost interest in the statue?"
Rance looks at the half orc, "I am a source of much information, I made a simple business deal with the party. They agreed to fight in the summoner contest and I have agreed to information on a subject matter. If the information the party wants is to know where a fighting pit is, I can arrange it. Right now, I simply want to close my end of the agreement."
Truk looks at Rance with frustration written on his features.
"Answer their questions. I'll find my answers somewhere else."
The statue is the most important piece of the puzzle. Let's start there.
Andrea sighs at getting side-tracked The statue please
Grave candles are magical candles that draw forth spirits from the mortal remains of long-dead creatures, allowing the living to speak to them for a short period of time while the candle’s wick burns.
In order to function, a grave candle must be placed amid the physical remains of the body to be spoken to. These remains can be partial, or even just a handful of ash or grave dust, but a totally destroyed body (as results from destruction or disintegrate) doesn’t leave enough material for a grave candle to function. When it’s lit, the smoke
rising from the candle grows thick, and a ghostly shape similar to the creature’s appearance in life manifests in the smoke. At this point, the manifested spirit (which is as much an echo of the creature
as it is the actual departed soul) can speak—a grave candle does not impart any additional understanding of languages. In other respects, the
conversation with the dead spirit adheres to the rules for speak with
dead (Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook 346), save that the dead spirit
receives a –4 penalty on its saving throw to resist the spell. Furthermore, a dead body can only be successfully subjected to a
grave candle once—the burning of the candle “burns out” the latent necromantic and spiritual energy left behind by the soul’s parting from the world (this does not harm the actual soul of the dead spirit).
Andrea sighs at getting side-tracked The statue please
"I'm am interested in this statue of mine, if he does have special qualities." His wide smile is showing a full array of teeth. "Perhaps, that will provide you with some questions that I may be able to help with." His thin brows rise a little bit.
Just as an aside, just how vengeful is Thrax? being humiliated in that manner may drive him to do something.
Andrea does look a bit exasperated at the mentain of Thrax. The ironic thing is that even if he lost, it would have not mattered that much, I seriously doubt we would be returning for another bout so he could have just come back and cheated his way to victory again.
"I don't suspect that you made a friend in Thrax." He shrugs, "Thrax has made an exorbitant amount of money betting on himself, a loss hurts him financially, status wise and his ego."
Andrea turns to Orsin and Faelyn. Well let us go and conduct our seance. I trust we have worked out what we wish to ask. Andrea nods to Rance to lead the way.
Rance leads you up to his luxury suite, standing looking out of the window is his prized possession. "Here he is as promised," with a double wave of his hands and low bow towards his unfortunate guest.
You all know that you have a limited amount of questions to ask then spirit, you figure that is four, possibly five given the type of spell needed for these candles.
"I have wonderful Nidal blackberry brandy, about the only think drinkable from that country, but it's stunning on the palate." He moves to the bar and opens the bottle. He pours snifters for everyone. Then opens two ornate tobacco boxes, I pulls out several leafy papers, then liberally places the cherry and maple filler. His hands slowly and methodically rolling the cigars. "My best smoke." He dips the end in one of the brandy's, then he hands the first one one to Faelyn, thereafter he repeats the process for each contestant that came to the room.
"Hail the victors." as his steady hand sparks the tinder.
Orsin washes down the sour taste of bile with the blackberry brandy. It burns a little, but the alternative is hardly preferable. He sets his empty snifter down before removing his doublet, which had been badly stained by Faelyn's sick.
Looks like I'll be needing a new doublet. Again.
"Did you have any suspicions that Thrax was a cheater all this time?" Orsin asks, his tone surprisingly unassuming.
Andrea waves the snifter under her nose, taking in the delightful scents before taking a sip. Indeed, quite the change from the ale we have had to make do with these days.
Andrea also accepts a cigar and inhales as Luccas lights it.
*cough* Mm...Now this is something I could get used to, I have heard that a woman smoking a cigar is somewhow rather attractive. Perhaps blending some masculinity in with her womanhood catches the eye.
Truk takes the offered spirits and sniffs it loudly.
Satisfied he raises the glass, "Cheers!", and then downs the contents in one shot.
Once the cigars are handed out, he nods in thanks again and puffs happily.
*cough* Mm...Now this is something I could get used to, I have heard that a woman smoking a cigar is somewhow rather attractive. Perhaps blending some masculinity in with her womanhood catches the eye.
"It's a good look on you", the big orc says with a grin.
Faelyn takes the fine cigar and examines it like a connoisseur. Mmmmm...I knew you were a good man the first time I met you...my kind of man. Faelyn lights the cigar and inhales deeply. He exhails with little smoke rings. I will toast to victory. Faelyn takes a sip. but I have another toast. Faelyn pauses to increase the expectation. I propose a toast to Rance and the House Lucca...may they return to their rightful place of influence in Westcrown. Faelyn holds up his glass and awaits Rance's response.
"No...Thrax has not cheated before. He, obviously, feared this battle. Why else would he bring in a second caster? he never did that before." He smirks, "Then you all have fame."
Orsin thinks on Rance's remarks. "I suppose he didn't really know what he was in for either. In a way I sort of pity him." The bard shrugs absentmindedly.
"Thrax is a coward and a cheat", Truk says between puffs.
"There would have been no shame in losing to a skilled opponent after a hard fought battle."
Andrea sucks on her cigar, the sweet scent filling her senses.
Suddenly she had an image of herself in a log fur coat, floppy brimmed hat and Fiosa on her lap clad only in underwear.
Andrea blinked and smacked her lips, wondering if the cigar was getting to her and stubbed it out.
Indeed. Potentially losing the chance at further duels was seemingly an acceptable risk for him.
Rance raises his glass at the toast.
To the matter at hand ladies and gentlemen? Faelyn motions to the bust with his glass.
Rance sits back sipping his brandy, occasionally swirling it around the snifter.
Andrea nods and, if Rucca ha sno objections, move the bust to where everyone can see it better. She then takes out a Grave Candle.
So, we are in agreement with our questions correct? Getting inside Delvehaven and finding more information about the other Pathfinders seem to be most important.
Andrea lights the candle and places it near the bust.
Truk puffs on his cigar again and leans forward, eager to see what this business is all about.
Shadow accepts the cigar, though she saves it for later...the Blackberry brandy however, she sips quite contentedly.
After a few moments a weeping sound echoes in the room, the venture-captain, Ghaelfin, spirit awakens. In a sullen wispy voice he answers, "Who calls me forth to the material plane?" his voice crackling as if disturbed from deep contemplation.
Rance sits there blowing smoke rings, each one slightly larger than the one before, they look as if they are swallowing the one ahead of the next.
Truk nearly chokes on the smoke he's pulled from his cigar as the spirit manifests.
"You weren't kidding", the big orc mutters aloud as he studies the sobbing spirit.
Andrea draws in a breath and speaks. Venture-Captain Gahelfin. we have called upon you to answer our questions on your knowledge of Delvehaven so we may end the threat of the Shadowbeasts.
For our first question, How do we safely pass the wards you place dupon Delvehaven?
The mournful voice listen then states, "I can help with five questions than my spirit must fade away." The wisps of smoke float around the bust, "Delvehaven is warded. When Delvehaven was sealed, lodge wizards laced the halls with magical traps and activated several guardians. I did
not pay much attention to the details, but Coriana knows more, if the you can recover her remains." He moans as he mentions Coriana, breaking into whimpers.