1. GM Edwin's Zeitgeist Campaign

Game Master Insnare

"Here is my totem. Thank you for its use. It was amazing." She removes the piranha totem and holds it out.

Iva picks up the dagger. "Lovely. "

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Falko shifts his sight to find magical auras and loots the corpses of their magical possessions.

He takes a closer look at those Damata has found.

Spellcraft: Dagger: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Spellcraft: Armor: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

Spellcraft: Shield: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

"Certainly. What will you and your family do now? Furthermore, are you an enchanter of sorts? Perhaps Risur would interest you? I know someone that teaches there who might be able to get you a position as an adjunct in a few months."

Damata says, "Well, I need to go back to Ber and return the totems and other things to my tribe. So tomorrow, my family and I will be on the train and stay a day or two in Sid Minos before boarding a ship to Seobriga. I am still in the railroad industry and I would love to link Flint with Seobriga by train. Thanks for the offer. But Senor Mulheer or Dufrene, you always have a friend in Ber and one on the Orkan warchief council."

He turns to Iva, "Thank you for assisting me my attorney."

Falko

Falko gives back the totem and asks Damata about the weapon, having a different read than him. After some back and forth, he finally agrees to have someone else look at the three finds.

"Damata, we might need your help. We think there's something wrong with the locomotive. Do you have the pull necessary to just go in with a few people to inspect? Or perhaps to give a tour?" he asks.

After this is settled, he asks: "Ok, about this... What is this thing you've been invited at? Will you need your bodyguard?"

Generally, this game is atypical in the sense up until now most of the combats, any gear found would be turned over to the RHC but since you are on a mission outside of Risur, it would make sense for you to keep any items you find. Anyone else want to try and decipher the dagger or the shield?

Damata says, "According to my nose, it has something against humans."

He thinks about it for a second and says, "I could go and talk to them at the enclave station and request to look at it? I do not see why not."

He then says, "At 10pm there will be some gladiatorial games in the arena. Senor Mulheer or was it Dewir said he had also gotten an invitation as well."

"Mulheer it is. And yes I did get an invitation. I assume it is a trap but that is my nature."

what do i need to roll to try to figure out the items?

KNowledge Arcana or Cast Identify

Damata says, "Why would she want to trap me? She seemed to get along decently with my wife and children. But it seems her ward is missing. Strange."

Isaac, Iva and Angus, where do you guys want to go: the games, the train or I do not know alpine skiing.

"I did not receive an invitation to the games, but the sound interesting. I think I will go and see what they are about." Iva decides.

Isaac looks over the items with detect magic active and then asks "Can I take a look at those a little closer?"

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15

After looking at the items he turns to the group, "I think we should take a look at the train while we can. We need to find out what those runes do and what was put into the train funnel. There are planar marks on the lamps in the train and they are somehow used to extend the effect of something. This effects more than just us."

Isaac

arcana: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29
arcana: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (7) + 14 = 21
arcana: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (8) + 14 = 22

"Yes, and it happened during her trip here. I wonder how many people she invited, seeking to snake out information from those she blames. I'm not sure I want to be threatened for someone else's mistake."

"What mistake is that Sir Mulheer? I would not like to walk into a situation that I know nothing about."

"Someone took something that wasn't theirs, it would seem. I doubt her ward is missing because she lost her, and she seemed very submissive so likely wouldn't have run away."

"Well, now that you put it that way, I'm definitely coming as your bodyguard!" says Falko with a laugh.

"I will go with you all. Has someone determined the magical properties of the knife? I may wish to use it."

Damata says, "What would you guys like me to do?"

Iva was the only one who wanted to go to the games.

Isaac answers Iva "That is a human bane dagger with a further minor magical enhancement."

Isaac then turns to Damata and says, "Something was placed into or onto the smokestack by Luc and we need to find out what it is. There are runes on the lamps in the train cars and they are some sort of linking and extending magic. The entire train may be in danger. If you think you can get access to the smokestack without raising suspicions I would be glad of your help. You are much more familiar with trains than I."

Damata says, "I might be able to do that, I do work in the railroad industry and maybe they might be able to sell the locomotive for the Beran railway or I could talk with the manager within the train while you inspect the smokestack from the outside."

You leave the stone forge and make your way back into the enclave overlooking the train you have been riding for the past few days. Up ahead is the guarded train. The station is very ornate with stone carvings. Out front are two armed men and there is the station master's office. On the other side of the station's walls is the train. Far off in the distance you can see a group of men loading fire gems into the locomotive for use for the trip to Sid Minos tomorrow.

What is your plan?

So we're not going to the arena-thing?

The only one who kind of wanted to go to the arena was Iva and then she said she wanted to come with you.

What is your plan? Do you want to talk your way in? Have Damata ask to tour the train while you sneak aboard on the roof and examine the smoke stack? or some other option? What you want to do will dictate what rolls I will need you to make.

I'll go with Damata on a tour. Iva's good at sneaking, but has no idea what she's looking at when it comes to magical items. Her bluff is ok and her Diplomacy is good.

Yes, the tour is probably the best idea, but the important thing is to get Isaac to examine the smokestack. He is hard to hide though... Perhaps we can disguise him?

But remember it is night time. Ok I will need either a bluff or Diplomacy roll to help get a Damata a tour and to keep the guards' eyes off of Isaac. Isaac I will need a stealth, climb, and perception check to start.

Falko smoothes things up, using a lot of jargon and a lot of praises to impress the importance of the visit and the importance of those allowing the visit. Once allowed the visit, he will take a lot of space and distract others away from Isaac.

Diplomacy with Heroism: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 11 + 2 = 20

"Mr. Damata would like a tour this evening. It's very important that you accommodate is request. We will be joining him as his barrister, and body guards." Iva pulls a notebook and pencil from her bag, and begins to take notes

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

This will be amusing.

Isaac waits for the guards to start the tour and then tries to examine the smokestack.

Stealth: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (6) - 1 = 5
Climb: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27

You walk with Damata towards the station master's office. The two guards look at you and recognize you from the your arrival earlier this evening and wave you into the station master's office.

An aging man in his late 40s sits there with a monocle over his right eye and studies some papers on his desk and says, "How may I help you?"

The man hears Iva and says, "What pray tell is a barrister? Is that some oddball word for Advokat or how the Chryssiliri say avvocato?"

Damata then says, "I am a businessman working with the proposed Beran railroad and I think my organization would be very interested in purchasing a locomotive to connect Ursalina with Seobriga. So having a tour when there is not so many people around might be a good idea."

Diplomacy 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

The station master scratches his chin and says, "I do not see why not."

I need a bluff check from you guys to cover Isaac's slipping away

When Isaac manages to let a hammer clank on the floor, Falko/Gauthier plays the bodyguard role and rushes towards the sound: "Who goes there!?" then uses a short incantation to make a scared cat sound, ignoring Isaac's wide eyed stare. He comes back to the group and says with a dismisive shrug: "False alarm everyone, just a cat. Pray continue the visit."

Bluff with Heroism: 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 12 + 2 = 34

Iva makes sure she is standing between the station master and Issac. "A barrister is nothing you need to concern yourself with unless the tour is not going to happen. Then there will be documents written to your main office about the lack of support for a possible locomotive purchase." she tries her best to draw the attention of the others.

The station master says, "Well, I have already agreed to the tour. So threatening me is a complete waste of time."

He shows you the train as you have seen it before and he lights the gas lamps as you move further inside.

Isaac stays put for a bit while you move towards the engine, he climbs up the slick, cold ladder at the back of the locomotive stubbing his toe as his foot hits the side of the iron locomotive making an audible tinnnngggg....

The station moves in that general direction but Falko jumps in the way.

Isaac makes his way to the smoke stack and finds the panel at the top and takes out a phillips head screw driver and opens it behind the panel is a lantern.

Isaac

I'm about as quiet as a bull running through a china shop. He lets out a quiet whistle as he pulls out the lantern which stops when he remembers he's trying to be quiet and begins to examine it with his analyzer.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 12 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 12 + 10 = 32

Isaac

So this coupled with something is going to effect the whole train. That's not good. I'll take it with me. If I'm caught climbing down I'll make sure to drop it hard so it breaks.

Isaac takes the lamp and closes the smokestack then he climbs down and heads toward the others.

You guys finish your tour and Isaac meets back up with you. You then go back to the enclave hotel and into one of your rooms and Isaac shows you what he has found.

Falko and Angus DC 10 Perception

Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (4) + 14 = 18

"This is strange. When you said lantern, I was sure you were going to show us the very same one Luc Jierre had with him. But no. This is a different model. I mean, it looks the same and probably does the same thing, but Luc's was his very own product. He cared about it. He worked and reworked it. This one has no scratch. No sign of continuous work. This was... assembled, following a plan, instructions. This is a reproduction. It suggests that Luc's invention was stolen from him..."

Your sources told you he put the lantern on the train in Trekhom

Chretien, does anyone want to spend some time experimenting with it.

You can still catch the tail end of the games, you can tinker with the lantern on the train if you wish.

Giving some time for others to chime in. Also, Falko's last comments make little sense, as he also believes Luc is the one that put the lamp in the locomotive...

if it is brought to me, i will definitely take the best look at it i can.

Iva has no magical inclination so she's inclined to check out the games, but also realizes the lanterns are something important that needs dealt with so she'll go with what the party wants to do.

if it is brought to me, i will definitely take the best look at it i can.

Ok, moving the conversation to the cabin, with my previous post edited.

Falko/Gauthier accompanies the others as they walk away from the locomotive. A look at Isaac's mix of frown and smile tells him that he found whatever was there, but also that it is something they should be worried about.

Back at their cabin, with the others, he asks: "Ok, I managed to wait this far. Tell us what you found!"

Once Isaac explains and displays the lantern, he comments:

"This is strange. When you said lantern, I was sure you were going to show us the very same one Luc Jierre had with him. But no. This is a different model. I mean, it looks the same and probably does the same thing, but Luc's was his very own product. He cared about it. He worked and reworked it. This one has no scratch. No sign of continuous work. This was... assembled, following a plan, instructions. This is a reproduction. It suggests that Luc's invention was stolen from him... It seems he's making more, now that he has a working prototype..."

You can go to the games too. If I don't hear anything contrary, I will have Iva at the games by herself.

As the group examines the lamp Isaac asks "Does anyone have any idea how to figure out exactly what this oil does? Or what might trigger the lantern? I don't see how someone would activate it in the smokestack."

i was gonna go to the games, not because i wanted to but simply to not be rude to the lady.

knowledge engineering: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (16) + 18 = 34

knowledge arcana: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (8) + 14 = 22

knowledge planes: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (10) + 13 = 23

Cretien takes a long look at the device.