Eberron - Echoes of the Past (Inactive)

Game Master Dennis Harry

Rhukaan Draal - The Streets - Twenty Seventh Day of Dravago

The Bugbears look to the Kobold who relaxes as the group appears to be willing to negotiate, they relax their grips on their weapons.

The Kobold grins, "You are wise beyond your years Human, this one is likely not worth it but he owes Snogg 140 gold, plus interest, which amounts to 180 gold".

Failin scowls, "It should be 140 with interest".

The Kobold chuckles in response.

Erix heaves a sigh of relief. "How much would you be willing to accept up front? As I said, we're on a recovery mission, so I don't have all much currently. Ya know, gotta buy supplies and such for an expedition."

Rhukaan Draal - The Streets - Twenty Seventh Day of Dravago

The Kobold cocks his head and considers Erix's question, "Half now. The rest when you return".

Remaining quiet, Ama took notes on the exchange and manner of everyone involved, glad it was not going to turn into a fight— for now, at least. As the negotiations continued, she tried to gauge their moods. It was difficult to understand how someone could have ended up owing such an unsavory individual the amount of money that their guide did, but not outside the realm of possibility. Such as it was, her thoughts were more occupied with where they were going and what might be in store for them. To say that she was apprehensive was an understatement.
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Player note: Hold Portal, Alarm, Shield still to be scribed.

Rhukaan Draal - The Streets - Twenty Seventh Day of Dravago

Erix turns to Gauntlet, "Alright, you have 70 to resolve this dilemma and get us moving along?"

Eying the Kobold's curious looks, Gauntlet moves to remove the enchanted backpack and nods.

"I will check, it should not be a problem."

He then moves out of direct view BEHIND pink-eye so he can avoid the greedy eyes of the possible enemies, and carefully counts out the needed coin from their reserves.

He then fully closes the pack and puts it back on his back before presenting the 70 to Erix.

Updating backpack money.

Once Gauntlet brings out the coins to give to Erix, Xetovia readily positions herself to block out any view from her side (basically, any part of viewing angle that was not yet blocked by Pink-Eye's imposing form) that the Kobolds or Bugbears may have had of the both of them while the 70 gold coins slowly gets counted and passed on to the d'Orien scion.

Keeping her lips closed in a taut, compressed position, the Silver Flame Vampire Hunter keeps a close and narrowed eye out for any signs of trouble that might yet befall this negotiation.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20.

Rhukaan Draal - The Streets - Twenty Seventh Day of Dravago

Erix hands over the coin and the Kobold grins, "Looking forward to the rest Failin". He and the group of Bugbears stalk off.

Go ahead and shop in the Discussion read Recruitment thread off screen, I'll move us forward now.

After the shopping in the Bloody Market is compete, Failin leads you to a large stone outcropping in a secluded area not far from the Bloody Market. He rolls up his right sleeve to expose a dragonmark, touches the birthmark to the stone, and mutters a strange word. He steps back as the stone rumbles, and a strange covered wagon emerges from the rock wall. The four-wheeled vehicle has a canvas cover that encloses a large rear compartment, while an open bay at the front features a bench and foot well. The wagon appears to be made of wood, but an undulating pattern of constantly shifting rock, gem, and crystalline structures seem to overlay the wagon’s wooden frame.

"I appreciate what you did back there.

My land cart, Earth elemental powered. Get in. Time’s short. Long road ahead.”

Failin fits the land cart with various banners of safe passage. Then the trip to Rose Quarry begins.

The elemental bound to the land cart rumbles with a sound like Eberron itself stirring from an ancient sleep. The wheels slide partially into the earth itself, and then the land cart slides along without regard to broken ground or other natural obstacles.

Feel free to RP or ask Failin anything you think you may want to know from him. I will be slow this weekend as I will be away but will try to post if able.

Dragon, do I recognize the dragonmark as Orien, or if it's not, can I roll my Dragonmark Lore to ID it?

Dragon, do I recognize the dragonmark as Orien, or if it's not, can I roll my Dragonmark Lore to ID it?

The cart was providing one of the smoothest rides that Ama had ever been on, and she spent a good half-hour examining the cart to see how it worked. While she did not want to poke at it, she was mesmerized by the construction and function of the item. So distracted was she by the cart that she did have some curious questions about it for Failin, but they quickly became too technical for the casual user. Even still, the sound of her voice was a soothing, if curious sound.

Eventually relenting, she took the time to copy the scrolls that she had purchased into her spellbook, still impressed at the smooth ride that the cart gave. While she participated in conversations, her contributions were limited to short replies, somewhat distant as she focused on the copying that she was doing.
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Previous checks had Alarm at 27 to scribe, and Hold Portal at 14. Have they been added to her spellbook?
Spellcraft for Shield: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29
Spellcraft for Hold Portal: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13(just in case)
K.(Arcana)@10= 17

Appreciating the efficiency of such a vehicle, Gauntlet realizes it was not going to be speedy having seen similar ones back in his army days. IN addition, the vehicle was obviously very surefooted and almost impossible to budge without some sort of major outside force involved. The best part: it could easily take his weight!

Climbing aboard easily, he settles in and cradles his crossbow for ease of use near the back, suspiciously keeping an eye out for anybody trying to follow the group. Since he needs no sleep, this was an easy thing to do and allowed the others to rest normally.

Pink Eye slides into the opposite side of the cart from gauntlet with a toothy smirk and a nod to balance the weight and then settles himself against the side and pulls out a large straw hat made special for himself to fit over the horns and give some shade for the head. He tips the hat down over his eyes and says always dreamed of a hat like this. Nice to afford dreams

Meridian quietly joins the others, curious where the road with them might lead. While they travel, she entertains herself by summoning a little of the fire that is hers to call, and shaping it into various animals and humanoid shapes in her open hands.

"This beats putting wear onto my boots," says Caelan with a grin.

The Rose Quarry - Twenty Seventh Day of Dravago

Twilight descends on Darguun as the land cart closes on Rose Quarry. The wall of dead-gray mist that forms the border of the Mournland can be seen in the distance. The sight seems to make Failin nervous and sad at the
same time. As the land cart crests a small rise in the land.

“Were you expecting company?”

Failin asks. A vast plateau, bounded to the west by a narrow canyon, stretches before you. The quarry extends for at least a mile, and the nearby village spreads across the plateau—at least, what’s left of it. Anything made of wood has been burned to cinders, leaving a handful of stone facades, rock foundations, and chimneys behind. Though warm weather surrounds you, the village appears covered in a layer of ice that glitters in the light of the rising moons.

You also notice another source of light. In the southern part of the village, a fire glows in a large pit, which is surrounded by four large tents. Figures move around this makeshift campsite.

Characters without low-light vision or darkvision receive a –4 penalty on the checks below.

perc: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21

this does not look like the welcoming party Pink eye says as he climbs off the wagon and draws his battle axe.

there are skeletons among them, be wary and ready

Perception: 1d20 + 3 - 4 ⇒ (16) + 3 - 4 = 15

"I only see a large group...and it almost sounds like someone is working an anvil made of ice. Skeletons? Are you sure? Then they are most likely Karnathi. What are they doing this far away from home? Could they be natives...so to speak? I've heard many of those that were here when the calamity happened were somehow forced into undeath..."

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17 Perception

"I count sixteen horses, but only seven figures, as well as a pair of covered wagons."

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11.

Meridian quenches her fire immediately upon seeing the destroyed town. Though she peers into the growing darkness, she sees little of note. "Isn't it a little warm for ice?"

Know:Arcana: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13.

When Failin reveals his elemental powered, horseless wagon to the party, Xetovia peers at the strange vehicle with some amount of trepidation and askance but will freely enter within it once all the others start to do so.

During the trip, at some point, Xetovia will ask Failin about what sort of hazards the party can expect from entering the rose quarry. Otherwise, she'll quietly watch Meridian's fire-show. Dol Durand seems to occupy itself by lightly tracing a random-seeming pattern along the interior of the wagon-side where Xetovia's sitting at; the pattern seems to match the movement of the undulating rocky exterior on the outside.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8.

Although Xetovia is unable to determine much of anything else besides the glowing firepits and tents, the mention of Karnathi skeletons from those in party who are better able to see puts the Thranish Vampire Hunter on high alert.

When Xetovia is able to do so, she'll activate her Detect Undead ability.

The Rose Quarry - Twenty Seventh Day of Dravago

Dol Durand knows nothing of this site.

Meridian is correct, it is warm for ice so if there is ice, it is magical in nature.

Detect Undead activation noted, currently Xetovia is too far to have the spell detect anything as the range is 60'.

The group is entering from the south west up on the ridge which is 50' up. You will need Acrobatics checks to get down safely from the ridge side you are on with a Stealth check to do so quietly. There is a path around to the south that leads into the Quarry which no doubt this group took to get in with the horses and wagons. That way would require Stealth -5 as it is out in the open. If you wait until night falls completely, that -5 modifier disappears but the lighting will be pitch black for the non-humans.

Failin crosses his arms, "While I appreciate you all sticking your necks out for me, I'm not heading into some encampment with Undead about. I'll wait for you here until day break then I'll move back to a safer spot a mile back where any scouts will not notice me. After that I'll give you another day, if you scout and don't return I'm not waiting any longer".

Rose Quarry map is now up.

Gauntlet gets down from his perch on the wagon-back, and checks his crossbow for damage.

"This is our destination? Correct? Then we need to check why these people are here. I do not think we can avoid them easily. If they are Karnathi, then they can be reasoned with. If they are Blood of Vol Or treasure hunters, anything is possible."

Moving to get the best vantage of their group and the surrounding area (and still hear the group speak), Gauntlet goes into 'search mode' acting as the group's watchman and guard until needed for something else.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

its not like the group of us walking in anywhere is going to be mistaken for subtle, eh? Pink Eye says with a motion to the group and a toothy grin.

lets just walk right in there and say hello. Either way we get an answer, and that way we get to the business at hand as well.

There is a fair amount of fretting from Ama about the decision to find out who these individuals are. Pink-Eye did have a valid point, but provoking a fight seemed so... "last resort". "There's no other way around them, is there?", she asked with a tone of resignation that sounded like the sigh of the ocean at low tide. The cart had been amazing for copying the spells into her spellbook without the jostles and bumps that would have utterly ruined anything that she was trying to carefully copy.

The only magics that she had prepared were the one for reading scrolls from memory, the minor magic for light to read by, and the other minor multipurpose spell. That was going to be a problem if things became hostile. "I do not have much magic prepared", she admitted. "If we have time and information, I can have a little more magic to lend."

Squinting, she tried to look in the direction everyone else was, to see what was down there. Pink-Eye said skeletons, so she believed him. "Skeletons? Are there a lot of them?", she asked in a small voice.
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Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19
I'll consider Shield and Alarm copied, with another check to be made for Hold Portal
Disrupt Undead (0th), Shield (1st), Color Spray(1st), Magic Missile(1st) to be memorized in that order, if only a few can be memorized.

The Rose Quarry - Twenty Seventh Day of Dravago

Gauntlet does not see anyone approaching their position no one at the camp below appears to be paying attention to anything outside of the ruined quarry itself.

Ama squints at the figures around the campfire now that her allies have pointed them out. She is able to spot that the insignia on the armored figures contain a green flame hand, clearly a mark of affiliation but to what or who?

Ama has as much time as she needs to prepare unless the other PCs push forward.

Will take 10 on Know:Religion for information on the Blood of Vol at a 15 total. Otherwise, if there's no real rush forward, Xetovia will attempt to take 20 instead. ;)

Upon hearing mention of the Blood of Vol, Xetovia will add, "If they are truly foul worshipers of Vol, it might be for the best that I stay towards the back then? I doubt that ones such as they would be too welcoming of my faith...". After a brief pause though, Xetovia will hastily amend her words with, "Although if need be, I could hide my symbol of faith, if need be- may the Silver Flame forgive me for this."

If we were to try and parley, does this mean that we should go down the south path openly with no attempt at stealth during the daytime?

If it comes to a fight, I can summon a mist to make it harder for them to shoot at us." Meridian stands ready to sneak, fight, or talk as the group decides.

Pink Eye looks from one group member to the other knowing Gauntlet and he have no chance at stealth and seperating the group is foolish so Pink Eye just starts walking right into the damn camp waving as he approaches saying

Hello to the camp. Looking for some folks here, wondering if you might be them?

diplomacy... yeah right: 1d20 ⇒ 2

The Rose Quarry - Twenty Seventh Day of Dravago

As Pink-Eye approaches the camp from the road a few of the armed guards break from the camp and head towards him.

For now I am assuming that PE is approaching alone.

"And who might you be looking for big fella?" The man's disposition is foul and he does not have a smile upon his face.

Gauntlet will follow Pink Eye at a distance of 30 feet, his crossbow in hand but not threatening anyone.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

I am looking for the person in charge so I can make a deal to pass with a small bunch I am guiding in the mournland.

The Rose Quarry - Twenty Seventh Day of Dravago

The lead soldier chuckles, "You leading a 'Forged back into the Mournlands?

Walk away, this is the only chance I'll give you".

Gauntlet, you see that the rest of the human guards are beginning to creep forward within ruins.

Can I at least get a gist of how many enemies there are?

Gauntlet speaks up here. Loud enough for at least Pink-Eye to hear.

"Ware Pink-eye. He is not bluffing on his his group's size. I can see many of them moving through the ruins now in this general direction."

well if I was going to have to fight, I would kill you horribly so your men would see that smirk die with you. No fight today however. I shall as you say, find another way. Pink Eye will back out away from the soldiers and then turn and walk back to the group.

The Rose Quarry - Twenty Seventh Day of Dravago

The soldier nods, "Yes, today is not a good day to die for either of us. Ware in the Mournlands, the place is less forgiving than I have been".

You see now more than were already pointed out Gauntlet, based on the number of horses, there may be up to 7 more here.

Pink-Eye returns to the group and relays the conversation. The Emerald Claw soldiers remain at the edge of the path on alert now that they know there are strangers about.

Actions?

Gauntlet moves up to their guide, cradling his crossbow.

"Can the cart go around? This is not looking good. They may be treasure seekers who found a cache or are here for a specific reason, trying to dig whatever it is up. Either way, we can't go through without a fight it seems. If they really are Emerald Claw, I personally have no problem removing them from our path forcibly. The Claw are considered enemies of the state back in Sharn."

too many to fight, so we should find a way around since they will not negotiate and won't let me talk to who is in charge

"What are they even doing here?" wonders Caelan. "They must have a pretty unusual task - like we do - to bother with the Mournlands."

The Rose Quarry - Twenty Seventh Day of Dravago

Failin approaches once more, "Perhaps I can assist you further, this is the Rose Quarry, do you seek to retrieve something here? I am sure that the Cannith wish you to be discreet but if you do not tell me more I've no way to be of any further use to you besides as a transporter".

Gauntlet nods.

"You make a good point Failin. However, we have been sworn to this adventure...you have not. You learn of our endeavor, then you are bound to it in a way. Our enemies become your enemies...which appear to be many. What say you all? Do we take Failin into our confidence? Other than his choice of loan sharks, he appears to be trustworthy in my opinion."

we have to find a thing past here and bring it back to this location where we are now. I do not think our employer wished us to trust others in what specifically we are doing. Pink Eye says shrugging

The Rose Quarry - Twenty Seventh Day of Dravago

Failin nods to Pink-Eye, "I understand how you feel but your group appears a bit at a loss for what to do next. I get the sense I have a feeling as to the purpose of your visit here as it is clear your employer did not fill you in entirely in what this location was.

My help will not be free of course but considering your assistance in Rhukaan Draal I am disposed towards making a deal..."

At this point I don't even remember what we're looking for.

Here is the reminder: In Rhukaan Draal, find a man named Failin in the Bloody Market. He can provide you with transport to Rose Quarry. From there, travel into
the Mournland to fi nd Whitehearth and the second schema. It is an adamantine plate in the shape of a diamond, about the size of a human’s palm. Once you have retrieved it, return to Rhukaan Draal, where I will meet you. Succeed, and I will see to it that you are well rewarded for your courage.

I posted that OOC, thanks for posting it IC Pink-Eye. In typical d'Cannith fashion, you have an assignment but because they are so secretive and vague, it is not clear why you needed to come to the Rose Quarry and what that has to do with Whitehearth. OOC, that is one of the functions of Failin, to provide you that link but no one asked him any questions on the ride over... :-)

"What have you got in mind? As you said, we bailed you out, so hopefully you'll keep that mind when negotiating." Erix counters, curious to see what the exile wanted.

Thinking quickly, Gauntlet adds to the conversation again.

"Would an equal percentage of anything valuable found in the Mournland, beyond our actual target goal, be of worth to you then Failin? We are reasonable people. Our final destination is a place called...Whitehearth. Have you heard of it?"

Xetovia, deciding that the others have things well in hand for bringing Failin up to speed as to the entire party's ultimate destination in the Mournlands, opts to wrack her brain in figuring out a method for dealing with the Emerald Claw in the unfortunate (but still unlikely) event that they might yet prove to be an obstacle.

What would be the likelihood of trying to get their gathered horses to "stampede" away instead of engaging in a headlong fight with the Emerald Claw? ;p

The Rose Quarry - Twenty Seventh Day of Dravago

Failin pauses for a moment as Gauntlet speaks, "Tempting as that offer is, what I would prefer is an end to my exile. Use your contacts in House Cannith to get me back in the good graces of my former House and I'll tell you what I know about Whitehearth and why I suspect the Cannith sent you here first.

I'm not sure how we can negotiate this exactly but..."

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Xetovia, the horses appear tethered so you would need to get down there and cut the reigns or untie them first but it's a good plan!