Once they're away... We rest and find the cove at dawn, the Captain may know it or can find it easily. If we spook Garreg, Bonegnaw will be alerted.
If we take Bonegnaw out, Garreg will have little leverage. We do this in the day so darkvision is not an advantage. And, no more killing of the defenseless. It's disgusting, wasteful and bad form.
"What's in the bag?" she asks nodding to Embrianna.
He shrugs, "don't know...did y'put anything it? It was empty. I was going to use it with the drop.
His lips twitch and he blinks rapidly when he says this to you Chell. clearly the sign of a neurological deficient from the blunt beating Astri put to his head.
Bri sighs. "It is a magic bag and only the person with the keyword can find what is in the bag. Which means that either Redd needs to key the bag to me so I can look in it or he has to die so that I become the owner of the bag. Those are the only two ways this magic works."
Chell sighs and pulls out a scroll. After running through the arcane runes on it she touches Redd on the shoulder.
"Please tell the truth. You have a chance here to not just walk away alive but to try and do things better. These people are strong, I have seen that. They will succeed. So it would be better if you didn't fight us every step of the way. What is in the bag?"
Astrianna chuckles softly at Redd's attempt to conceal the properties of the bag. She continues to watch with interest.
Bri turns thoughtful. "I am capable of dispelling magic, but I would hate to ruin such a useful magic item..."
Dispel Magic: If the object that you target is a magic item, you make a dispel check against the item's caster level (DC = 11 + the item's caster level). If you succeed, all the item's magical properties are suppressed for 1d4 rounds, after which the item recovers its magical properties. A suppressed item becomes nonmagical for the duration of the effect. An interdimensional opening (such as a bag of holding) is temporarily closed. A magic item's physical properties are unchanged: A suppressed magic sword is still a sword (a masterwork sword, in fact). Artifacts and deities are unaffected by mortal magic such as this.
*He doesn't have his cloak on so his saves a bit lower.
"Ok...you can have my satchel."
Torgue sips some of his fine home-brew to ease his nerves after the events of the last few minutes and will accompany the others when they leave.
As the party gets closer tot he Green Dragon Inn Torgue's nose twitches and his mouth begins to water, the scent of ale is nearby. His pace quickens as he pushes through the front door of the Inn.
The inn still has a variety of customers most of which are deep in the bottle.
Sorrin wants to move out at dawn... we need 8 hours.
Once they're away... We rest and find the cove at dawn, the Captain may know it or can find it easily. If we spook Garreg, Bonegnaw will be alerted.
If we take Bonegnaw out, Garreg will have little leverage. We do this in the day so darkvision is not an advantage. And, no more killing of the defenseless. It's disgusting, wasteful and bad form.
Astrianna rubs her temple with a hand as they walk. "Captain Shakes is an incredible navigator and seaman, but all we know is Bonegnaw's cove is to the south of Shaw, hidden behind a bluff. Even the most skilled navigator in the world needs to know where they're going first so they can get there. It could take an entire day or more to find the cove."
She ponders for a moment. "I propose we sell and split up the loot tomorrow, while simultaneously paying a visit to the cartographer's guild. We are sorely lacking a good map of the Razor, and specifically they may have a well-scouted map of the surrounding area of Shaw that we can purchase. Perhaps even ask the explorers about this bluff the cove is hidden behind?"
On entering the inn, Astrianna sighs and relaxes. "We can discuss matters further in my suite if you wish." She immediately heads to the bar and purchases an entire bottle of their best gin before heading up to her suite.
How many coves do you think there are around where we saw those canoes... Planning is good, but everything doesn't need to turn into a show and production.
Sometimes, it's just work and it just needs to get done. We take their scouts, then the base of operations. Maybe, we make it ours. Simple.
Torgue ambles up to the bar and half-listens to Astri as she starts making plans to try to find Bonegnaw's cave. Waving tot he barkeep, he buys a bottle of ale and follows her to the suite.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Astrianna shrugs. "I just prefer to know where I'm going is all, but we can skip a visit to the cartographer's if everyone is so inclined to spend a few hours listing at sea. In any case, we must prepare, because this is going to turn into an assault at some point. I want some alchemist's fire and acid flasks, holy water, not to mention a new canteen." Her brow furrows. "Rotten kid..."
The bard wrinkles her nose at the thought of inhabiting the cove. "I have never aspired to live anywhere a gnoll has bedded down."
And here, I was beginning to think of you as open-minded. Suddenly, there are standards. It will not "become" an assault, it is one. Proper gear is warranted.
Some bows or crossbows will be a good idea if they meet us at the dock or beach. Torgue sips at his bottle. I know how to use a bow and can see if I can get one from the weapon shop.
Inside the satchel you find two keys. They look like they could open a small lock - perhaps the desk - and some door. There is folded piece of parchment tucked in a ledger. There is also two small sacks of pocket of gold and silver coins.
Entering her suite, Astri tosses her pack near the bed and flops down on the bed with a sigh. She takes off her sword and bow, similarly laying them near the bed. The bottle of gin is opened, and the half-elf pours herself a glass.
Astrianna rolls her eyes at Sorrin. "I'm going to assume that somewhere in that barb was you agreeing we can cash out and stock up before leaving. And if you must know, those hyena-mongrels give me the creeps. Ugh." The thought of gnolls clearly disturbs her.
On hearing Torgue's request for a ranged weapon, she pulls one of the longbows they acquired from her pack and hands it to him, along with a quiver of 20 arrows. "Here Torgue. I was just going to sell it, best if you have it." Torgue may notice there appears to be teeth-marks on the bow where she used it to fend off a dog earlier...
"Missy th't'll be 10 gold pieces fer the guud stuff, 5 if y'like a little cheaper kind."
the bartender looks at Torgue, "Seen y' fight once," He frowns, "lost a few silver shoulda bet on you, 2 silver fer a gallon jug."
Torgue rubs the back of his head as the bartender gives him the stinkeye. Ah, hehe, wrasslen is somethin I was never good at. If he hadn't put me in that clinch, I would have drubbed him good with my fists. Torgue tosses some silver onto the bar.
Up in Astri's room, Torgue gives the bow a few testing pulls. Hmm..Good bow. Much obligied.
Astrianna puts down a Taldan platinum piece for the gin with a weak smile. "The good stuff. I'm drinking for a friend tonight."
Potions, Identifying Potions: In addition to the standard methods of identification, PCs can sample from each container they find to attempt to determine the nature of the liquid inside with a Perception check. The DC of this check is equal to 15 + the spell level of the potion (although this DC might be higher for rare or unusual potions).
So tomorrow will be taken up with selling the stuff we got from the fight and then checking out maps of the coast. How long you reckon before we head out to sea?
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Torgue hefts his jug when Astri drinks but is rather lost for anything to say since he never knew the elf.
I'll be by bright and early to meet the rest of you. He then takes his leave and strolls out of the inn.
Arriving back at his shack, Torgue lets himself in and looks about the much less luxurious abode. A comfy but plain bed, some other places to sit and eat(and drink!) and a place to stash his clothes and equipment.
There was also....Shirley
Shirley was made of gleeming copper, glass and other items. The well tended still was surrounded by sacks of grain, hops and potatoes. Outside his shack were crates of bottles and jugs waiting to be filled.
Twisting a few valves and checking the fermentation of his brews, Torgue settled back onto bed and was soon soring away.
In Astrianna's suite Chell crashes on one of the comfy chairs. Exhausted by the social interaction at the bar and physical interaction during both fights. Not only that but being low on spells had its own, almost metaphysical drain. It was hard to describe to those not of the faith. Even still she expends the rest of her spells for the others who stood at the front.
"That is everything. How long do you think you all will spend shopping. I could use that time to create scrolls. Any suggestions?"
*I couldn't find a distillery for you Torgue but I figured the large fireplace did the trick with all the various grains in the house.
Once their meeting had been concluded, Astrianna shares a drink of gin with everyone that wants some. Despite a great desire to be alone, she doesn't make a comment about Chell crashing on one of the chairs. The priestess had been far too helpful to ostracize, even if her naivete may cause problems in the future.
I'll take her niavete over the righteous stick up Sorrin's ass any day. She thinks, lighting a candle and opening up her journal to make a long series of notes about the day's events in Elven. All the while she is polishing off the gin and waiting for Chell to fall asleep.
She finishes her notes and feels her head swimming from the alcohol, placing her head in her hands while elbows on the desk support her frame. Emerald eyes stare at the wood for several moments as her thoughts wander to Adriel, another friend dead. Should I even bother making friends with my colleagues anymore? It's easy for them to end up dead in this line of work.
Giving her head a shake that sends the room spinning, the bard sighs and retrieves the ring and amulet from her pockets and places them on the table, whispering a cantrip to study their magical properties.
The magical auras are carefully studied by the half-elf as she quickly drains another glass of gin, and by the time she has finished the candle seems far too bright and everything is so, so tiresome. The usually rowdy and loquacious drunk is nowhere to be found, and after blowing out the candle she tries to carefully steady herself towards the bed, but ends up stumbling into it with a thump.
Struggling, Astrianna moves herself to the center of the bed and curls up into tight ball, sobbing quietly over the loss of Adriel until she passes out moments later.
---------------
The following day, Astrianna is business as usual, going out shopping after getting lunch. She hawks the equipment and goodies they picked up, purchases some items, and gives everyone their share of the loot.
Selling:
- 1 masterwork long bow (187.5gp)
- 3 daggers (3gp)
- 3 masterwork short swords (465gp)
- 1mwk studded leather (87.5gp)
- 250gp in pearls
Buying:
- A metal canteen (from Jasper Jak's) (2gp)
- 2 Acid Flasks (20gp, if there is another alchemy shop other than Sagacious Sam's she will go there instead for the acid and fire flasks, 'cause he's a butt)
- 2 Alchemist's Fire (40gp)
- 2 Holy Water (50gp, from the Quell Chapter House of Course)
- One Scroll of Heightened Awareness(25gp, from Fiddlesticks to say hello to Lefty.)
After her stocking up on various supplies are complete, she meets everyone else at the Cartographer Guild's Campus, giving them each their take from last night's job.
With the rest of her magic gone, so too was her will to stay awake. Without meaning to she passed out in the comfy chair at some point. As the cool night air invaded the room she shivered and jerked awake. The others had long left and Astrianna appeared to have gone to bed too. Chell stood and stretched, meaning to leave and go to her own room. She looked over at the sleeping half-elf and regretted missing her chance to talk. It was then she noticed the damp spot on the woman's pillow. Tears. Looking over at the table she also noticed the empty bottle of gin.
As quietly as she could the Quell priestess went to sit on the edge of the bed and gently wiped away the remaining moisture. As she did she hummed a tune from her youth that her mother used when she couldn't get to sleep. A soothing melody that never failed calm her. She had intended it to do the same for Astrianna though she was asleep, but unfortunately she could feel her eyelids getting heavy. Maybe just a nap. Without really thinking she laid down on the edge of the bed intending to rest her eyes for a moment. But that moment drug on until the morning.
Astrianna wakes the next morning, still slightly drunk from the night before. It is an extremely slow process, her consciousness only barely registering at first. Uncurling from the ball she found herself in, the half-elf flips over on to her back, her stupored mind not noticing that there was a bit more weight on the edge of the bed than there should be.
She lays silent and still for several more moments until deciding there was too much to do to continue laying in bed, propping herself up on elbows and opening her eyes.
The shadowed mass on the edge of the bed was now in full view... laying... waiting...
Instincts quickly shut off all rational thought pertaining to the mass on the bed, and she gives a startled, unintelligible, shriek. Her legs lash out as she scrambles backwards with her arms, heels colliding with Chell's back as she launches the unknown lump off of her bed.
Quickly finding her reflexes still dulled by the drink, Astrianna's mad clawing manages to tangle her arms up in sheets and she too unceremoniously tumbles from the opposite side of the bed and into the floor, thrashing against the self-made cloth bindings.
In here dream she was master of the sea. She stood at the head of a magnificent galleon, exploring the uncharted regions of the world. Not only was the ship at her command but the weather as well. She could calm a storm that threatened to sink the ship or conjure one to hit a ship that was trying to do the same. In today's dream she was taking on the latter. Three smaller but no less well armed ships approached. To get a greater vantage on the ensuing battle she conjured winds to lift her high in the air. For a moment she was just caught in the thrill of flying. Really there was no greater rush than flight. But there was also no greater fear than falling. Her magic seemed to just stop when she was high in the sky. So she fell, plummeting towards the sea at terrifying rate. Then she hit the floor.
"Ah. Oof." She managed to squeak out a cry of fear before hitting the ground. The dream made the impact more painful than it really was as she rolled on the floor groaning. She also wasn't completely awake and it took her awhile to process what had happened. She was on the floor. Check. She was awake now. Check. There was a pain where she fell and on her back for some reason so that was probably why she was here and awake. Check. Now why was she here?
Groaning again she got up on wobbly legs and peered around the room. The room that was not hers. The room that she was not alone in when she heard the thrashing on the other side. Then it clicked and she smacked herself in the head. She crawled across the bed and pulled the covers off the panicking bard.
"Astrianna. I am so sorry."
Astrianna makes an attempt to get away when the thing rounds the bed, but she stops struggling when she hears Chell's voice. "Oh! Chell! Calistra's t*~+..." Relaxing with a loud, audible sigh, she starts to calmly (well, more than before) get out of the bedsheets with the help of the priest. "I think you just scared a few years off of my life... I thought you were a bugbear, or a skin-stealer, or an attic-whisperer..."
She finally gets up and the whole room wobbles, the bard having to steady herself on the bed. The half-elf's facial expression in the dimly lit room suddenly starts to look ill as the adrenaline quickly wears off, and she covers her mouth with one hand. "Oh Cayden Cailean I drank too much last night... Cayden Cailean bless my bowls keep this liquor down for a night of drink should notleadtoamorningofstinkHUURRRAAAUGH!"
To her credit, she finishes the prayer before falling to her knees, doubling over, and beginning to dry-heave for several seconds. Taking several deep breaths, she stays in her current position, looking quite pitiful. "Sorry... too much gin... what... I thought you were in the chair?" She says with effort.
Chell takes affront at being called an attic-whisperer but can't really be angry at her. The bard reacted a little more violently then she would have thought but that's what you get for falling asleep next to a paranoid drunk. When Astrianna begins dry heaving she scoots across the bed and helps the poor woman to the bathroom in case the dry heave becomes wet.
"I...was in the chair," she starts hesitantly. "I think I woke up soon after you went to sleep. I saw the bottle was empty and the, um, tear stains. I didn't think you should be alone but I also didn't expect to fall asleep like that," she smiles sheepishly.
"I think you should take a bath while I go see if the innkeeper has a hangover remedy. If not I know of one." Once Astrianna is settled and no longer in danger of ruing the floor she prepares to leave. Just before exiting the room she turns back. "For what its worth, I am sorry for your loss. I can tell Adriel was a good friend. And I wish I had been able to help. But it seems the best I can do is not get in the way." With her head downcast she leaves in search of hangover cure.
"Hung over...aye...sure thing, got yeah covered." The bartender mixes a concoction that inclued 1 part gin, 2 parts water firewhiskey, hot pepper sauce, a radish and celery. "Have her drink this up...she'll be a good as new in a jiffy." She winks. "A good tumble in the sack fixes it up.
Chell blushes at the last comment but manages to squeak out "Um. Thank you for the advice...and this," she says gesturing to the drink. She is holding it at arms length as the smell threatens to upset her own stomach. "Wouldn't physical activity make things worse?" she asks no longer blushing but curious.
Taking the drink back to Astrianna's room she gingerly hands the foul concoction over. "Bartender said this would work. I am glad I never picked up drinking from sailors. This thing smells worse than someone stuck on bilge duty for the day."
Astrianna accepts the assistance, but it seems she's going to mostly be all right. The bard nods at her explanation, raising skeptical eyebrow at the tears part. "Tears? Was I crying? S#&+... All I remember is sitting down to study some magical items and after that... next thing I know I'm kicking you in the back and tangled up in sheets.." She chuckles. "And not in the usual way... ah.." Astrianna doesn't say anything when the priestess speaks of Adriel, instead getting up and whispering a cantrip.
When Chell returns with the hangover cure, she is beginning to make some coffee on the desk. The amulet is gone, and the ring is securely on one of her fingers. It doesn't look like she took a bath, but the half-elf seems magically cleaned up and half-ready for the day. She is sitting watching the coffee percolate, turning briefly as Chell enters, and then going back to staring at the coffee.
Noticing the concoction that she has in hand, Astrianna blanches at the smell of the thing. "Ugh. One of those "regional cures" I take it... This smells like a goblin dish I had once... damn things never work, trust me. Also never take food from a goblin." Eyeing it up, she gets an idea. "Just... turn it into water..." She mutters, turning back to the coffee.
"Isn't it strange elves are mortal to begin with?" She says suddenly. "To live so long, and still risk your life? Perhaps it has to do with their reincarnation cycles under Desna... knowing they will return as an animal and then one day as an elf once again." She rambles on for some time, suddenly interested in discussing religion with the priestess, relishing the opportunity to discuss matters with an individual educated in such matters. An intellectual discussion to take her mind off things...
Torgue grunts as he manages to swim up from the depths of sleep. A hazy reminder of heading to the mapmaker for their trip gets him out of bed and shuffling to finish his morning business.
Once that is done, he boils some water for porridge and dumps some alchemist's kindness into a mug to get rid of the cobwebs in his head and gummy taste in his mouth as he putters around, getting dressed and patting his hair down in some semblance of neatness before eating and checking his bottles before reequipping himself and strolling out into the morning light..
When Astrianna denies her offering Chell looks at the cup with disgust. If it didn't work then why drink something so foul? Using alcohol to fix an alcohol related hangover sounded silly anyway. Instead she casts her cantrip and purifies the concoction back to water. Handing that over she makes herself comfortable as well.
"I think even elves realize that reincarnation that way can take a long time, even to them, so I don't think that is a motivator. And the soul might be the same but the person will be different. Born under different circumstances, during a different, and in different place. Thus they will miss out on the here and now if they ignore the dangers because they know they will one day return. That would go against everything Desna stands for. Desna has always been about what I consider the chaotic aspect of living life to the fullest. One of her domains is travel so a true believer lives life to the fullest by seeing the world and experiencing everything life has to offer, even its dangers. Its about etching onto ones soul as many memories, both good and bad, so that when she looks upon that soul she can see the amazing story of their lives. So that even among the countless souls in existence, theirs will be unique and different and completely their own. And hopefully she will look favorably upon them for the next reincarnation. At least that's what I think," she adds a little sheepishly at the end.
Shortly before the fifth afternoon bell, the group converges at The Cartographers and Explorers Guild, it is a sizeable campus area on the outskirts of the Silk District. Once a plantation before Port Shaw expanded to engulf it. Over the archway leading into the ornate door is inscribed, "“To The Edge of The Map”