The whole establishment erupts in a cheer while a number of people raise their glasses toward Thorfinn. Though the moment dies fast as most of the other customers go back to their games or previous dicsussions. The bar tender asks "What can I get you lot?"
Matsuno, surprised by the treatment, finds a newfound respect for the dwarf. Their exploits must have been greater than originally estimated. Speaking to the man behind the bar he says, "Mead, if you have it. What's with the purse of coins there?" he asks, indicating the bulging purse.
Syuviel typically enjoyed more secluded study places, usually using the library or his own room to avoid any potential distractions. The Rusty Dragon however, was surprisingly tranquil, even in an otherwise busy room. Perhaps it was a quality of Sandpoint as a whole; the town was rather humble compared to Riddleport, true, but it seemed far more peaceful. And then of course, there was the elf woman, Ioxeia. It had not even been a day, yet not once had he felt as though he were under her scrutiny. Still, he could not help but to keep up appearances... so reading his spellbook required that he squint at it from across the table.
His hand moves lazily as he scribes a protective spell onto a sheet of parchment, more a precaution than anything. Preparation was key, after all.
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As she leafs through the pages of her grimoire, soon, she realizes with satisfaction, to be filled out a bit more, Ioxeia considers her options for the next day. Depending on how quickly the others want to set out, perhaps I should prepare the brute way of gaining access to places people want to keep private. It might even last long enough to get through more than one door, if it comes to that, with a bit of luck. All the same...
Growing frustrated with how much she can hope to prepare for, it occurs to her that she still has a scroll to look over from the explorations beneath Sandpoint. She doesn't imagine it would do to quite immerse herself while waiting, but she relishes the challenge of trying to figure out on her own how the writer managed the spell, at least, before trying to translate it into what makes the most sense for her.
Well, that's interesting. Or perhaps ... but no. Her initial intuitions are promising, but don't quite seem to tend in the right direction. Nonetheless, Ioxeia enjoys the puzzle, and isn't quite ready to draw deeper on her arcane bond to use magic to solve it.
Dan grins at the bartender. "I'll put a silver down on that." He takes one out of his pouch and puts it down on the bar. "And ale. Dark, if you have it." The big man looks at Thorfinn. "Should be an easy bet for you, I'd wager."
"Win or loss, you'll h ave that ale afterwards." he says as he sits the tankard in front of Dan.
Matsuno pales at the sight of the man scooping the filthy aquarium water into a tankard, "You are going to drink, that?" he says, feeling rather green in the gills. While Dan is occupied with his most recent trip to the land of the lunatics, Matsuno will ask the bartender, "We are looking to charter a boat for tomorrow. Hoping to find someone not too afraid of a little coastal scouting. Any suggestions on a good captain?"
Dan grins at the bartender and Matsuno before turning to the bar and raising the tankard of murky aquarium water. "May the Lucky Drunk watch over all of us and keep us from harm while we celebrate!"
The bartender chuckles and pats Dan on the shoulder. "A very good try." He fills up another mug with a dark ale and sets it in front of Dan, then pronounces to the tavern "Norah wins again!" which is proceeded by some applause. Turning to Matsuno he nods "Aye, there are plenty of captains that could give you a hand. Though, I would recommend ol' Turch. He runs the Fishmarket nowdays, but has a love for the sea, and bein' invested in the town would likely be more appreciative for the work you're doin."
While Dan chugs down the vile liquid, Matsuno patiently waits for what can only be the obvious outcome of such a feat. Surely the man's breakfast was about to show itself once more.
Speaking to the two, Matsuno asks, "Should we make a quick visit to the Fish Market this evening before it closes? Hopefully we can still catch Turch there."
Dan coughs and shakes his head, a rueful smile on his face. He puts the mug of vile water back on the bar, putting down his head and standing with his hands flat against the bar as he fights to keep down his recent dinner. After a few seconds he grabs the beer off the bar and plasters a grin on his face as he wheels back to the rest of the tavern and raises the beer in another toast. "Now we know why Caiden isn't the god of water!" With a laugh, the big man washes away the disgusting taste in his mouth with the dark, bitter beer.
He nods at Matsuno. "He'll probably be up early in the morning, so now's a decent time to try to catch him."
With the mage armor spell successfully scribed, Syuviel snaps his spellbook shut, before carefully rolling up the newly-crafted scroll. He slides it into one of the cases he purchased earlier, both of them hanging off his belt for easy access. He leans back in his chair, resisting the urge to sigh... and to go out into town again. The Old Light was certainly a fascinating ruin, but it was not particularly relevant to his current field of study. Eager to busy his mind, he fetches some of his old research notes from his pack for review.
"Aye, let's go."
Matsuno approaches the man, raising his hand in greeting as he nears. "Excuse me, we are looking for Turch, as we are seeking a charter for tomorrow. Might that be you?" Matsuno says, hoping they've found their contact.
The man nods as he turns the key on the door and then pockets it "Aye, I'm Turch. Whatcha lookin' ta charter for?"
So how do you ask someone to take you to a goblin fort? Hah
Matsuno, feeling somewhat guilty at involving a commoner into something so potentially dangerous, says "We are looking for passage to Thistletop. We're working to stamp out the danger currently plaguing the town and had a bit of a run in with the goblins there earlier today. They may be expecting us to come at them again and are hoping to find another way into their fortified position." He pauses for a moment, letting the man digest the words, and then adds "An approach by the coast might give us an advantage."
He pauses, waiting to be called a nut or for the man to dismiss them completely.
The man eyes you over for a moment, before seeing your companions and specifically Thorfinn then looks back to Matsuno "Sounds like a crazy 'nough plan." then shrugs "But those damn gobos, after what they tried to do here, they deserve to be wiped out. If I can help with that than I will. Though you'll be payin' for any damages!"
He runs his fingers through his wiry white beard "We'll be needin' to set off early. My boys can take care of the business for a bit but I don't feel comfortable leavin' it for too long."
Matsuno nods and thanks the man, promising to meet at the docks first thing in the morning. Barring any other questions or concerns from the other party members present he will suggest they make their way back to the Red Dragon in hopes that the others have finished their errands and are awaiting their return.
Dan nods at Matsuno. "Sounds like a plan."
A little less than an two hours after Ioxeia and Syuviel arrive at the Rusty Dragon, Dan, Matsuno and Thorfinn return to see the two with their noses stuck in books and papers.
Matsuno takes a seat at the table where the two are seated, nodding at Bahni across the room, a silent request for a drink. Speaking to the wizards he says, "We have secured a transport by water for the morning. We are to meet the captain at first light on the docks. From there he will take us to the waters surrounding Thistletop where we can hopefully determine if there is a less guarded approach available."
Thorfinn returns to his wake for Dorik.
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Ioxeia gathers up her spellbook and scoots over as the others join them with their drinks. She exchanges a glance with Syuviel at Matsuno’s greeting, to which she replies, “That’s good, I suppose. We’ve commissioned some scrolls that might be useful, but they won’t be ready until around mid-day, unfortunately. We might check at first light to see if at least one or two are ready, perhaps, otherwise we’ll have to do our best without, if you or Thorfinn feel like getting a rope up the cliff for us. It’s that, or try the bridge again.”
As the party weighs the possibilities, Ioxeia remembers that she might have something for Thorfinn, but she tempers her enthusiasm in recognition of his solemn drinking in honour of a fallen companion. Quietly, she says, “I’ll drink to him. A warrior’s glory to Dorik! He had a heart as strong as oak, and only treachery and ill-fortune stopped him. May he find welcome among his ancestors!”
After what she hopes is a tactful interval, she adds, “I wanted to say too, that you might be interested in one of the things we took off that thrice-cursed goblin, Thorfinn.” She brings out the wand with the merest suggestion of a flourish. “It’s not my kind of magic – something for people closer to the land, allowing them to disguise themselves in it. I could probably force it to work with a bit of effort, but I think it would be easy for you. We can talk about it later, though.”
Syuviel raises his cup slightly in acknowledgement of Ioxeia's words, albeit awkwardly. It felt awkward toasting to someone he did not know - or ever would, given the circumstances. He sips his water contemplatively, briefly averting his eyes from the ongoing discussion. Death was one of the few things he was unacquainted with. Even in a pit like Riddleport.
Dan gladly raises his mug in honor to their fallen companion. "He had a good head on his shoulders and was a solid dwarf in a fight. To Dorik!"
Not really knowing the man, Matsuno didn't feel comfortable offering his own comments. That was something best left to his companions and those who knew the man. He did, however, raise his glass at the appropriate moments, acknowledging their toasts and their loss.
A bit later, and the evening draws on, he says, "I will be staying at the family manor this evening. I must speak with Ameiko about current affairs. Shall we meet in the morning at the docks?"
"Right after we retrieve those scrolls," Syuviel agrees as he arranges his notes into a neat pile, before placing them in his pack, "Until then, I suppose I will be staying here for the night. We have a big day ahead of us. Lodging should not be too expensive, I imagine."
Excusing himself from the others, he would approach Bahni to ask about the matter, paying whatever price she quotes.
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After the party splits up for the night, Ioxeia settles in in her room to complete her preparations for the next day, thinking uneasily about what it might bring. Flexing her hand one last time to practice the gesture that, with the right incantation, will let her strengthen her hands to tear through wood, if need be, she blows out her candle and goes to sleep.
2nd (2+1/day)-detect thoughts* (DC 16), glitterdust (2, DC 16)
1st (3+1/day)-grease (DC 15), identify*, mage armor, magic missile
0 (at will)-acid splash, detect magic, light, read magic
Waking early the group tends to their morning routines before retrieving the scrolls prepared at the Academy and then heading to the fishmarket to meet with Turch. He takes you to a skiff, large enough to carry you all, but just barely.
"Here she is. Will need some of yer muscle to get us out of the bay but then we should be able to get the winds on our side to head up the coast."
"Aye, I'll lend my back. Just tell me what to do."
Dan nods. "I'll help, too."
The tien man looks over the small boat and remarks, "Never spent much time in one of these, so can't say I will be of much help. But I can keep my eyes peeled for any trouble as we make our way up the coast." He will carefully board the rocking skiff, obviously uneasy away from land.
Turch gets you all aboard getting Thorfinn and Dan to their positions at oars on either side of the vessel then unties the skiff from the dock and pushes if off "Row together." he says then moves across the boat, obviously used to the feel of the sea. After some solid rowing you make your way out of the bay. He pulls some ropes and a small sail starts to extend up the mast where the wind pulls on it. Once locked in place he ties the rope off and the wind starts to pull the skiff along. He moves to the tiller and uses it to guide the vessel a little further out to sea and follows the coast north.
On the way he regails you with his adventures on the sea and his complaints about the youth of Sandpoint. The trip is pleasant enough, the sea mists and breeze keeping you cool. After about an hour you can see the outcropping of the goblins island.
Thorfinn shades his eyes with one hand, looking out at the island. "Take us around the island at about three hundred yards, let us get a look at it."
"I don't suppose any of you have a spyglass? If we're looking for hidden entrances it's going to be hard to do it from out of bowshot." Dan splits his attention between peering at the top of the rock to see if they're being observed and looking for anything that promises to be a way up into the fortress.
Thorfinn shakes his head. "Figured we'd look for open threats first, then have Turch drop us off for a closer look if we didn't see anything. Bad form to take us into a fight. Right?"
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Ioxeia looks up from where she’s idly leafing through the sheaf of scrolls they’ve bought from Master Gandethus, letting her thoughts wander in what she hopes are productive directions. “Bad form for us to take him, more likely. We’re the reckless adventurers, after all.”
She catches Syuviel’s eye and saunters over, enjoying the roll of the sea beneath her feet. It’s been too long since I’ve travelled this way. Oh, for the swift ships at the foot of the Spire…
She cuts her fancies short and confers with the wizard. “It’s a pity we haven’t had time to study these in detail, but I suppose it’s a miracle we were able to get them this early at all. Still, I think it would be best if we try to save most of them until we can copy them into our own grimoires. That being the case, have you thought about how we’d like to do this? I … would be taking a risk if I tried to cast the more powerful of these spells,” she admits, “but I’m not sure how you would feel about going ahead of us unarmoured.”
Turch nods to the request and manipulates the tiller to circle around the island.
No one sees anything of intrest on the island, just steep cliff face until you start to wrap around the northeastern side of the island, where something catches Matsuno and Syuviel's eye.
Syuviel initially seems distracted by the isle; he had never had the opportunity to study it from the water before. It allowed him to see it from several angles that he could not from land. If it were not for the more violent aspects of their mission, he might have taken the time to sketch it... not that he was a particularly good artist. Not that it mattered - what was on the inside is what truly counted, after all. But it is only when his new comrade catches his eye that he fully snaps to attention.
"A pity indeed," Syuviel remarks with a small smile. Like Ioxeia, he would like nothing more than to make the spells they had acquired permanent parts of his collection. "If we are fortunate, then we are overprepared... in which case, I am sure both of our spellbooks could use some new additions." His jovial tone fades somewhat as they discuss strategy. "Sending one of our more martially inclined warriors up with the climbing spell might be ideal. It is hard to say without seeing our point of entry."
As the boat circles the island, something seems to catch his eye.
"Ah, speak of the devil. Look, right over there," the half-elf says aloud, pointing at a seemingly unremarkable spot on the rock face, "There is a cavern, about twenty, no, fifteen feet off the water surface. I do believe that is our way in. It does not seem terribly perilous." His tone when speaking the last phrase is markedly unironic.