Chezarion turns to Roland and says, "Take good care of that breastplate you just got. It came from Mylosis and bears my city's heraldry on it."
"Oh, really? So, don't you wanna use it then?"
"By the way, I can carry Walker if need be. I'll just have to spread some of my equipment, and then there shouldn't be a problem." "Can you walk through the forest, Walker?"
Chezarion replies to Roland, "I can't use the breastplate because I haven't trained in armor that heavy. As far as your load goes, it seems to me that we could probably put everybody's backpacks in the slor skin bag and make things a lot easier all around."
Gromff plays with the bag a little as the others talk, stretching it to full length and back again and reaching his arm all the way in. "Tis a handy thing isn't it. I wonder how much ale it would hold and if things would get wet," he muses. "Beer battered breastplate. Has a nice ring to it."
Back to the conversation. "Forgot about the old man. Maybe we should keep the cart and animal. Walker and the child can ride so we can make good time. And if'n we need to we can pretend to be farmers or traders again. Just need to find a place to stow the two while we meet back at the cave."
Chezarion says, "The problem is that regardless of how much the guard we spared might seem to have liked us, the only safe bet is that he will tell them more than we would like him to when they question him. So we can assume they will be looking for a bunch of farmers with a cart, a mule and an elf and a half elf. Asking questions of the gate guards would make it easy for them to figure out which gate we left through. Then those imps can fly faster down the road than the cart can travel and we would never know we had been spotted."
"It's going to be a hassle, but I can't see keeping the cart and the mule any longer than sundown. If Desna smiles on us hopefully we can sell them off before then. Once we take to the woods it will be a lot harder for anybody to spot, track and follow us."
The gods apparently are smiling on you all, as Chezarion suggested, because 1/2 an hour out of town you come across a human man and his teenage son on the way to town. They greet you warmly, chat for a few minutes with you, and are curious about your racial diversity. After a time they explain they're headed to town in need of tools and provisions, and that the wagon and mule would be handy. They don't have the coin to pay you the full price of what you paid though. They offer 30 gold pieces for lot, including your leftover produce.
Catcher spends several minutes with the magical items, pausing here and there to explain the nuances to the elf child. She is very attentive.
The following information is obtained:
The pouch: unknown, needs a higher roll.
Necklace: The wearer gets a +4 enhancement bonus to Charisma, and all Cha-based skill checks vs the opposite sex are made as if the bonus were +6.
Arrow: +2 Corrosive Arrow, deals 1d6 acid on impact and 1d6 acid for 3 rounds afterwards.
Orange liquid vial: unknown, needs a higher roll.
Metal flasks: non-magical. Each contains a liquor: Rum, whiskey, and dwarf spirits.
Scroll: (there are multiple magic scrolls in Tylz' bag, I have the specific number at home in my notes. I will pick one at random for this roll, then I'll tell you how many more there are.)
Regarding the Slor-skin pouch, as you try to put in backpacks, after a short time the bag begins to simply not accept anything more into it.
Roland,
Yes walker is pretty light for a big guy like you. He weighs about 100 pounds.
Chezarion will consult with the other members of the party and suggest that they take the man's offer of 30 gold pieces.
Noting that the slor skin bag doesn't hold as much as he thought it would, Chezarion opts to carry his own backpack.
When Catcher reveals the contents of the flasks are non-magical spirits he immediately grabs them and takes a whiff. "I'll hold on to those. Might need em for healin and such," he says. Its an obvious lie but everyone knows its dangerous to keep a dwarf from his liquor. When he smells the last one he gives it a taste. "Hm. Battlehammer Brothers Brew if I'm not mistaken, and I ain't. Least Tylz had a good taste for ale."
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”We have some handy items here.” she says to no one in particular.
”We have here on degrumpynizer necklace and three grumpy persons. Tell me Aersensi, who should we give this amulet to? Roland, the mad fool? Chezarion, the ladies killer? Or Gromff, the drunk old dwarf?”
Then she proceed explaining to Tessa how the arrow works. ”When you hit someone with this arrow, it will conjure acid that’ll stay for some seconds. Very handy.”
Catcher, there are 3 arcane scrolls, and the one you were able to identify is a Scroll of Lightning Bolt (caster level 6)
"The problem is that regardless of how much the guard we spared might seem to have liked us, the only safe bet is that he will tell them more than we would like him to when they question him."
"You may assume the guy will tell everything he knows to rise in status. Being overwhelmed by numbers is common, but gathering info from the enemy is valuable, so he will probably tell all he knows. Besides, the guy is called tricky dick, so well, the name speaks for himself."
Roland is ok with selling the cart for him with one condition, that he takes it and the supplies and go back to his farm immediately, and asks Chezarion to tell them any lie so they would believe it's nothing, but it's still important.
”Roland, the mad fool?”
Roland smiles at first, but then he gets serious. His voice carries no sentiment, just the usual blank tone of everyday. "First, I already have a magical necklace. Second, I like being grumpy. And last, call me mad just once more kiddo, and I'll start acting like one... And I swear you ain't gonna like it!"
Chezarion comments, "While I wouldn't want to use the necklace all the time, I might want to borrow it on occasion. Like now for instance." Chezarion grins and goes on, "But I wouldn't want to use it all the time lest Catcher think I was trying to steal her away from Roland."
"As far as the other stuff goes the masterwork longsword is really the only thing that would do me much good."
When the collecting of gear happens, Tessandriel takes the quiver of masterwork arrows and the four hollow-tipped arrows.
When Catcher identifies the arrow Tessa will reply:
"Most useful indeed! I shall save that for a critical moment."
Tessandriel watches the barbarian and the wizard exchange banter with a big smirk on her face.
"You two should get married. Then you can keep arguing and get benefits out of it!" she says while laughing heartily. "This is even better than making fun of short stack!" she says with a sly look at the dwarf.
Roland is slightly disturbed, although that's for Catcher's comment and not for Chez'. Ignoring the loot division completely he focus on the problem with the not-so-little girl, his voice still the same. "Acting like one? Are you nuts kid?" He waves a hand to Tess to take care of her own business and continues. "If I was mad I would have killed that sleeping devil when I wanted to, killed that monster under the guard house, disguise as Chezarion and proceeded to have a meeting with Karaxa, when I would kill her. Then, I would leave some clues about who did all that, so the Ogre could come after me where inside the woods, where his size would hinder his ability so I could kill him too. Then you could call me mad."
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”It may be the best if you have it, only if you don’t dare to risk everyone else with your jokes.” she says to Chezarion.
Then she listens to Roland speech.
”I mean, really? You people are a bunch of old and long-lived persons, and don’t know how to work in-group? For some personal vendetta” she says looking at Roland ”Or some Elf arrogance” looking at Chezarion ”Or a dwarven stubbornness ” looking at Gromff ”you are willing to risk everyone else lives. Now, if only you were endangering only yourself, I would not say anything. It is your life, you choose to live as you see fit. However, right now, we are working for a very specific goal. In addition, that goal is much bigger than any personal motivation. So yeah, if you want to punish me for stating the truth, be my guest. But if you are putting my life and our purpose in danger for some…” she suddenly surprised with her own outburst. She starts to cry and say nothing more, trying in vain to read anything be it the dwarf spellbook or the imp notes.
Sentimental as only a brick can be, Roland do not mind for the crying, and still states his point. "As I said, I did none of the things I wanted to, but you still call me mad." He raises his arms to the skies. "I don't even know why I try... Whatever..." and thus he is ready to resume their trip to Archdale.
Chezarion puts the necklace on and then goes to talk to the prospective cart buyer and his son. Chezarion says, "I talked it over with the rest of the group and they agreed to take your offer. You're actually getting a pretty good deal. But there's something you need to know."
Chezarion lowers his voice a little and continues talking. "We had a little bit of trouble in town. While we were there selling our produce, some of the guards decided that what we really needed to be selling were the girls."
Chezarion nods in the direction of Catcher and Arsensia. He continues on, "The discussion got a little bit heated I guess you could say. It turned out to be easier for us to leave in a hurry than to get the guards to take 'no' for an answer. The potential problem you could have is that if you take this cart and this mule back through the same gate we almost ran some of them over leaving not more than two hours ago they may give you grief just because. But if you were to go back to your farm and wait a couple of weeks or so then things should probably be ok."
"That's the last one for the day boyo. Try not to get killed until tomorrow."
@ Catcher when she asks for the book:"Sure. Can't read the infernal thing anyway," he says, unaware of his pun.
And when no one takes the necklace:"Guess I'll take it then. Be able to Channel Moradin's strength more."
@ Tess "Hey," he says annoyed. "That ain't no way to talk to the elf lass. What'd she ever do to ye?" he says indicating Arsensia.
"Hey," he says annoyed. "That ain't no way to talk to the elf lass. What'd she ever do to ye?" he says indicating Arsensia.
"Nothing. You dwarves are dense, I'll grant you that. Gromff short-stack. Sound better?" Tessandriel says while grinning the whole time.
She starts talking in a mock-dwarven voice: "Hey! How many times do I got to tell ya I'm thicker than a rock?"
With that, Tessandriel falls on the ground laughing so hard that she can't stand up.
"Laugh it up lass. Ye know what rocks are good for sometimes. Sittin." Just as Tess rolls onto her stomach he sits heavily upon it, knocking the wind right out of her. "Awful soft for a rock. Lass, want to sit on a laughing rock? Rare treat in these parts," he says smiling at Arsensia.
"Get off me you stupid lout!" She tries to get out from under the stinky dwarf.
Catcher,
The imp's journal has some really awful stories in there, but nothing seems to jump out as "helpful" at the moment. There are stories of adultery, murder, theft, violence, greed, and the like. Most of the entries involve coercion through bribery.
Just before the transaction for the wagon and mule is conducted, Chezarion puts on the jeweled necklace and begins to admire its beauty. His focus seems to stray from the man who's buying the wagon, to his new jewelry.
The negotiation for the price begins, and Chezarion begins his bluff. What started as a smooth believable story ends with a clunky conclusion. The man seems unconvinced, raises an eyebrow, but nevertheless says "I believe you. That, and this is a good price. Me and m'boy here will steer clear of town for today. We 'preciate the warning." He gives you the 30 gold pieces, takes the reigns and drives the wagon back the way he came.
Aersensi has been giggling non-stop throughout all of the arguing but breaks out into infectious cackling laughter when the dwarf squashes Tessandriel!
I sense Motive the world.
Even with all the commotion going on around and underneath him, Gromff senses that something in the mood has changed. Call a hunch, dwarven intuition, or subtle clue from a greater power, but Gromff's eyes are eventually drawn to Chezarion. Something seems off about him. He knows elves are attracted to beauty in all its forms but he seems overly fond the necklace suddenly. "Hey, Chezarion. You alright." Gromff rarely uses anyone's name. In this case it causes the others to focus on him and Chez.
"I can't do anything from here. Please, get off me."
I sense Motive my finger!
Roland remains wanting to move forward, that's all for now.
Chezarion returns to the group and hands the gold he got for the cart to Gromff. Chezarion says, "I was going to take the necklace off, but it's just the neatest thing. I'll just go ahead and keep it."
Chezarion arranges the necklace such that it is plainly visible over his clothing and armor. He holds it out away from his neck a little and stares at it for a bit. He says, "I can see a whole bunch of tiny reflections of myself. I never knew I looked so good. Maybe I should keep that date with Karaxa and see if I can sway her over to our side."
Minmax takes that as an obvious joke. "Who were you calling mad again, Catcher?"
The other two scrolls are: Levitate (CL3) and Identify (CL3)
Chezarion continues staring at the necklace. He replies, "I'm not joking. You're just so stuck on Roland that the necklace isn't affecting you that much. Tessandriel probably wouldn't be easily affected because she's my half sister. But just about any other woman would be putty in my hands. Gromff is always going on about how we need to save these people. Well, here's a chance. We bring Karaxa over to our side and their entire garrison would be weakened and compromised."
Chezarion's voice trails off into silence as he stares at the necklace with a dreamy expression on his face.
Chezarion continues staring at the necklace. He says, "You're probably right. We sold the mule and the cart. We should probably head for the cave."
Chezarion strokes the necklace and whispers in a barely audible voice, "My Precious."
While perusing her books, scrolls and tomes, Catcher finds a folded up note that she forgot was tucked away. It reads:
I hope you have found your quarries. I have determined that the...sheep have been removed from their pen and are being...herded northwards. Their shepherd is now in pursuit.
Luck to all.
-M
Now Roland understands what's going on with Chezarion. The power went up to his head and he think he can charm the world.
"Archdale, the city where we need to take Walker to, is mostly to the North. We should go in that direction after we got more of a distance from the city. The scouting patrols could come after us if we remained too close to it."
Gromff finally relieves Tessandriel of his weight and helps her up to show there is no hard feelings but he remains focused on Chez. "Karaxa is long gone to the demons side. She'd likely kill ye for even suggesting betrayin them." Then an idea comes to him. A test really. "And what do ye need with that necklace when ye sneak around most o the time, poorly I might add. If today showed us anything its that I need more ways to heal you lot ta keep ye alive. I think its best if I hold on to it." As he says this he moves forward, arm outstretched for the necklace, and watching Chezarion intently.
Chezarion backs away from Gromff. He says, "No! You can't have the necklace. It's mine now and it's precious to me. Besides, I'm also the party's face man. You need me to bluff past or distract guards for the rest of you. As for healing, you almost did more damage to us by healing the wrong people in that last fight than I did by simply not sneaking that well."
While both try to get the necklace, Roland motions the party forward west, and then after another mile we turn north, going around the city from a safe distance.
"Get a hold of yerself ye stupid elf," Gromff yells angrily. "That thing is poisonin yer mind. Toss it away afore it gets worse."
Chezarion simply ignores Gromff and stares at the necklace.
The angry dwarf growls and rolls up his sleeves.
Then, with a might bound he pounces on the distracted elf, using his greater strength and weight to wrestle him to the ground. "Any time ye want to help," he says to the others as they scuffle. Eventually he gets the necklace off and tosses it into the high grass beside the road.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/combat#TOC-Threatened-Squares
And grabbing at an item would a Steal.