Wymond doesn't mind so much the exacting count of the fee, even though as a Riverman he disliked tolls. Where he DOES bristle, however, is when they bar Slaagh from entering Fort Inevitable with them. He indignantly asks to be directed to whomever he needs to speak to to amend the charter of their adventuring group to include Slaagh, gruffly declaring he'll cover any costs or fees associated with it if that's what it takes for them to treat Slaagh with the dignity any and all good, honest folk deserve!
'That sounds like a good spell to know as well. Let's see if I can't find a written copy. There's a few others I wouldn't mind finding in town.
Perfire also offers to help Slaagh being added to the charter.
Lukas will pick up the potions that were discussed, and back Wymond's play when he goes to discuss the charter. "That sounds like it'll concern me as well, no?"
"Yer part of our band too, so yeah!" Wymond replies.
"I need three gold!" Frizz asks.
After receiving it she runs into a nearby stall.
Frizz comes dancing from within the stall twirling a dull brown feather.
After seeing the quizzical looks, she says "It's a ladder" and continues to whistle and skip along on their shopping.
Wymond blinks in surprise when Frizz returns with a feather she says is a ladder, but doesn't question it. Probably magic, he figured.
It is a full two days before you gain an appointment with an official in the Hellknights and you are somewhat surprised that the appointment is with Signifer Oritian Hast, chief priest of Mephistopheles.
Signifer Hast's office is in the dungeons below the imposing Hellknight citadel. The area stinks of smoke and sweat and from time to time you hear the rattling of chains or a muffled scream.
"Gentlemen," says the Signifer, leaning forward from a comfortable chair, the only chair in the room. "We have heard so little of this expedition, and now nearly all your members are unlicensed. This is an unpleasant situation. Why don't you give me the report you were supposed to file regularly?"
"No one told us that was somethin' we needed to do, an'afore ye go on saying 'didn't ye read the contract,' ye know bloody well most riverfolks like myself ain't got a lot of reading skills! I'm lucky te even know HOW te read, I ain't gonna understand them 3-crown words ye devil-kneelers like te put in yer contracts te confuse honest folk! Courts are fer kings." Wymond grouses.
Heh, bein' a grumpy dwarf's kinda fun! he thinks to himself.
"And who might you be?" says the Signifer.
"But perhaps you have somehow missed that this is not some rude River Kingdoms pile of logs where the king marries his cousin. This is Fort Inevitable and we are the Order of the Pike. We take laws very seriously here, and contracts even moreso. Ignorance of what is in a contract is absolutely no excuse at all if you have signed it."
"Now, before this little meeting becomes a confrontation, I will tell you that I am a reasonable man. Make your report now. Pay the fee to add your new members to the license and all will be well."
As if to punctuate what happens when all is not well, a muffled yell echoes dimly outside.
"Wymond Dwerryhouse, Champion of Erastil, a PALADIN," Wymond replies. "An' I don't take kindly te ye insultin' my kinsfolk. Ye Pikers ever notice that nobody 'round these parts likes you? This kind of stuff is why! What do ye even need us te report for? Ye say yer a reasonable man, but ye ain't talkin' to us like one. I'd be more inclined to answer whatever bloody questions yer report needs if'n ye spoke to us fair and decent. Yer fancy armor an' yer fancy words an' yer fancy laws don't make ye better than yer neighbor."
"Ummmmmm.... excuse my friend. He's grumpy from being reincarnated." Frizz says as she shuffles up to the desk.
"We found a whole bunch of them" She jerks her thumb to Slaagh. "guarding a giant magnet they worshipped as a god. It all this wonderful loot on it... that they all took." Her shoulder slump.
"Then we went to this level that was all full of water with portals to the plane of water, probably, and there was a mud man there that gave us a big wallop on the head and almost drowned me."
"And then we went to Level 6 because we couldn't beat the mud man but once we got there, there were two cats with bad attitudes and a demon with one big eye. After we killed those things, we found Lukas trapped in a rotating wall. So we thought he'd better come with us."
"And then I found this sickle on the wall of level 6, and picked it up instead of my shortsword." She pinches her lips in thought. "which I should have kept to sell..."
"And then we came into this room with a great big machine in it and there was this technomage that didn't like us there or something so he started shooting farts and electricity at us. And then we all almost died but at the very very last moment, Perf here knocked him a good one with some magic. Or at least, I think it was magic, but I'm not sure because I was unconcious." She looks to Perfire, beaming a smile, but then gets sad againg.
"But that's also when ol' Wymmie here died... and I think it upset Lilika real bad because she left after we got out of there. So I lost two friends at once..."
She perks up one last time "But now we have Lukas and Wymond is a Dwarf! And I already like his beard better than his mustache."
Frizz cocks her head slightly to the side.
"Is that enough reporting mister sir Hellknight, sir?"
Perfire shrinks back as Wymond and the Hellknight argue but breathes a sigh of relief as Frizz begins talking... and then doesn't stop.
Signifer Hast is about to tell Wymond that his fancy laws and his dedication to them are in fact what makes him better than his neighbors when Frizz breaks in and talks up a blue streak. By the end, all attention is on her and the argument laid aside, if not forgotten. Despite his slight regard for travelers and adventurers, Oritian Hast is a man fascinated by the legends of the Emerald Spire.
"It is a start, Miss...?"
"Portals and demons and technomancers. It does sound interesting."
He pulls a scroll from his desk along with a quill and ink. "Now. Start again, from the beginning. And spare no details regarding the Spire itself."
Wymond is about to protest Frizz's intrusion into the conversation, but once she gets going, he shuts his mouth and just glowers at Hast.
"For their new life, on their own to honor Skraa-Orm Thagh's sacrifice to bring their tribes together and a bounty of tools and other such things to begin it," he comments when she describes the events at Godhome. "Slaagh here was assigned to come with us as our torchbearer, an' he's done a fine job of it, even facin' down the dangers of lower levels with us. He's as honorable and law-abidin' as any citizen here, so he don't deserve te be barred from enterin' the Fort like some sorta vermin!"
When she comments that he likes his new beard better than his mustache, he's taken aback a little.
"Erm...thank ye, Frizz!"
Frizz has no reason to withold anything so will fill in the details.
Signifer Hast listens to your tale, paying closest attention and asking the most questions about the parts of the story relating to the Emerald Spire itself, but he also seems fascinated by the story of the Godbox and of the Clockwork Mage.
"Very interesting," he concludes, fingering the pentacle that is his unholy symbol. "Very interesting indeed."
"Well. You have been engaged by the Order of the Pike to fight bandits and solve the threats and mysteries of the Emerald Spire. So far as I can tell you have done this with a surprising degree of fidelity. On this I compliment you. Your apparently high rate of casualties is your own affair, I suppose."
"There is no law, Mister Dwerryhouse, against the entry into the Fort of any individual based on their species. But there are a variety of laws against nuisance, and your friend stinks badly enough to cause a strong man to retch. Perhaps you no longer notice for you are not so very sweet smelling yourselves."
"More to the point, the xulgath have a reputation for murderous betrayal and bloody excess. It is on that basis that this creature is forbidden from entering the fort. However, I will permit you to add it to the charter and it may enter the fort when accompanied by one of you. But it must be outside the walls by sundown. If it is found within the walls of the fort after dark, it will be arrested on sight. That is as far as the Order is willing to go on this matter."
"Now then, to other business. The charter must be amended to add Miss Doctrina and Mister Vanivek, as well as the creature Slaagh. And your race, Mister Dwerryhouse, must be amended as well. The fee is five gold crowns."
"Stop callin' Slaagh 'creature' and 'it,' ya book-botherin' bell-end!" Wymond barks. "He's a person, an' more importantly he's our friend!"
He marches up to the desk and slams the requested money down on it.
"You want us te get him a bath, that's fine, but I'll not have him insulted by no one! Otherwise I'm gonna keep extendin' ye the same courtesy. An' what if we're inside the walls of the fort after dark with him, does he still get arrested if one of us is with him?"
"Your 'friend' will be arrested if 'he' is found within the walls after dark," says the signifer. "Make sure that doesn't happen. Now get out."
"Hmmph! Well if'n he ain't allowed in the Fort after dark, then *I* won't be here after dark either! Rather camp outside with a friend than sleep in the inn of a town that don't treat decent people neighborly! Say what ye will, I LIVE FREE!" Wymond retorts as they complete their business and he marches out of the room. Triath gives an indignant grunt to the Signifier as well and then trots after him.
"Sorry ye had to go through that, Slaagh," he says. "That man was an even bigger tosser than most Hellknights are."
"Slaagh understands. Once, xulgath tribe hated humans and dwarves, too. Now, just dislike."
"Not you, though."
"I gotta get my armor refitted a'fore we delve back into the Spire, an' we better visit Abenard. He'll want ye to tell him all about Godhome an' stuff. We'd best hustle if we're gonna finish our business an' be outta here by sunset."
Frizz nods in agreement.
"Lukas, are you any good at making camps? If we're to camp outside the fort I think we'll need a nice setup!"
You make your purchases and arrive at Abenard Royst's house. After hearing your report on Splinterden and the Godbox, he gives you 75 gp and notes how much he's looking forward to further maps and reports of deeper levels.
After awhile, you leave the Fort and march back to the Emerald Spire. As the sun goes down over the Echo Wood, it glimmers and gleams off the green glass of the ruined Azlanti castle.
'I don't think I'll ever get comfortable around those Hellknights. It almost makes me glad to be back at the spire.' Perfire frowns slightly at the thought. 'Well, shall we attempt the mud creature again or return to Klarkosh's lair and see if we can find those wizards? I hate to think of those wizards locked away down there alone.'
"I agree, Perry. Besides, once we've cleared Klarkosh's lair, we can see about finding the way back up to the higher level an' attack them fish-folk from behind," Wymond replies. "Should be easier now that the big boss is dead."
Frizz nods in agreement.
"Lukas, are you any good at making camps? If we're to camp outside the fort I think we'll need a nice setup!"
Lukas stammers, "Uh, I... wouldn't say it's a strength of mine, but I can probably get it done." He's not keen to admit he had a little bit of a cushier upbringing than this. He leans into Perfire. "What sort of preparations are we talking about here?"
Perfire waits until everyone has gathered close and draws out the token emblazoned with an Azlanti '6' and activates the spire, hoping to teleport to the intended level.
"Let's go find the wizzzzzards!" Frizz shouts with a skip and fist pump into the air.
In a flash of light, you all disappear.
You reappear in a chamber lit only with the eerie glow of the Emerald Spire, which fills much of the chamber. To one side of the room is a closed door. On the other, the room chamber wall has been excavated...and is still being excavated! A small wiry humanoid creature with a large pickaxe is chipping away at the wall. On the floor is a large sack with something squirming inside. The creature ignores you and keeps chipping away at the wall.
Wymond blinks, both in surprise at how much easier it is to see down here with his new dwarven eyes and at the apparent new activity that has been going on in their absence.
"Um, ho there!" he calls to the digger. "Whatcha knockin' the wall down fer?"
Frizz crouches down to get a better look at the sack and slowly starts moving toward. Her eyes flitting up to the man to see if he notices her.
Lukas stays a step behind Wymond, following his lead in engaging with the being working with the pick. He keeps hs hand on the pommel of his sword, not trying to be ready without being provocative.
Perfire reaches out and instills his spear tip with magical light then squints into the dark.
The creature ignores you. The bag squirms and rustles.
Lukas steps forward. "Hello, may I ask, who or what is in the sack?" He steps forward and tentatively toes the sack with his boot.
The miner turns and regards you with large, unblinking eyes. It speaks in a strange gravelly tongue which you do not recognize.
"Hmmm..."
Lukas points to the sack, then shrugs the "I don't know" shrug, hoping the charade will convey his curiosity.
Frizz will try to sneak a peek inside the bag.
Frizz reaches for the sack, but the small miner is more or less on her height and shouts in alarm when she does so. He kicks the sack and a moment later, it bursts, revealing a very angry creature, half rooster and half serpent!
STATUS
Frizz
Miner
Rooster/Serpent
Perfire
Wymond
Lukas
Frizz whips out her sickle and tries to catch the rooster off guard with two quick slashes...
Frizz draws her sickle and slashes in surprise at the rooster before stepping back.
Wymond is about to ask Frizz if she can understand what the strange little man is saying, as she's the smart one of the group, but the consequences of her curiosity cause him to shout a startled swear instead! Triath lets out a frightened squeal!
Yep! You were trying to be sneaky, so you can definitely use Stealth.
Is anyone else up or do Tiny John Henry and his awful bag go now?
Frizz leaps forward and attacks the lizard-chicken with her evidently razor-sharp sickle, leaving it badly injured.
The strange miner yells in anger and gestures at the stone of the cavern and suddenly the stone begins to flow! It rapidly rises up and falls down and closes in from all sides until a stone wall separates the room into two sides, with Frizz on the wrong side!
Then the strange beast attacks the trapped gnome.
STATUS
Frizz 62/63 damage
Miner
Rooster/Serpent - 36 damage
Perfire
Wymond
Lukas
"OI! WHAT ARE YE DOIN'?!" Wymond bellows when the room is suddenly split. He stubbornly hammers on the wall with his bardiche, ineffectually.
Perfire attempts to recognize the effect generated by the creature to see if he can attempt to dispel it.
Perfire reaches out and attempts to unravel the magic separating the room by stone.
Perfire reaches out and imbues Wymond's weapon with magic to help beat down the wall.