He had started to respond to the question of his memory when the large biped simply toppled. Going down with a huge thump on the floor, he eyed the creature with a cocked head as everyone fussed over it.
Only the production of pants diverted him and he slipped them on quickly, "Thank you." As her got the pants in order everyone seemed to be hauling the large hairy one away. He took the moment to collect the swordbelt and slip it on, feeling somehow comforted by the action.
As they all seem to congregate he looks around, studying surfaces and items as he goes, often with his left hand resting at the hilt of the sword without realizing it, "Is this your domocile? It seems... cluttered."
"Indeed, Verrad. This building is the Foundry Tavern, and I guess you can say I am here more often than I am not, since I mostly run it. Though we are shut down til Dad is back. "
"That reminds me, all of you-- and you too, Charles-- are welcome to stay here while you are in Torch, if you do agree to band together to reignite the torch and save my Dad. I'll pull out some bedrolls, I'll make you free food and give you free booze, at least til we run out. Your home away from home. "
"You do plan on joining, don't you Charles? The group could use a scout, I think. Or someone good with a lock... There is a lot of money in it, helping out the town."
"I'm in. I'll stay here. Less crowded."
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The dwarf put down the hammer, the crack in the head completely gone-while not a student of the Forge, his work was fiber than most smiths'. Hopping from the stool he'd been sitting on, he grabs a bottle and a few glasses, joining closer to everyone. He smiles widely, a twinkle in his eye as he started filling one of them "Ya had me at reignitin' the torch, though I'm sure not gonna say no to free drink or yer hospitality." He pours another. "Zeke ya can't stop from goin if ya tried" With a flourish of the glass with the skill of a proper barkeep, he pours two at once without spoiling a drop "The decommissioners ain't gonna pass up a chance to break more bots like the one we fought earlier, I'd think. And the little one, he's said as much" He puts two more, then with quick hands, slides them all across the table to each person, including one for Val. "Varrad, ya seem like an interestin fella, and like a curious one. I know Id be thrilled to travel with ya. If you want in, I'd say yer in."
He put the glass down in front of the android. Realizing he was one short, he held up the bottle for himself. "We hardly know each other, but there's an old Dwarven phrase-Those that drink together exceed together... it sounds better in Dwarvish. Still. To us-finding Baine, fixin the Torch, and gettin paid. Aye?"
Zeke is shaken from his reverie by the glass sliding to a halt in front of him, and he looks questioningly at Garfaulk, as if to ask if this a toast. Then he shrugs, apparently deciding that it doesn't matter, and holds his aloft. "Yessir!" he cries.
"Hhh. Drink to excess to exceed together." Charles raises a tall glass of whiskey.
These people are out of their minds but seem useful. Khonnir deserves help. And I need money.
Garfaulk has a look in his eye that clearly yells back "of course its a toast!" though he admittedly has the ulterior motive of trying to find out if a synthetic human gets as drunk as a real one
Val smiles at the dwarf's toast, feeling like with a few well placed words, he really calmed the whole situation down and helped everyone relax.
"Ok, I'm cooking everyone a side of lamb and some spicy potatoes. Tomorrow, we are heading to the city council for their blessing and then you head down to get my Dad back!
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Lifting the glass he looks at the liquid curiously and leans down to sniff it once before looking at the dwarf, "A kind of bonding ritual around this liquid? Interesting." With a small tip of the glass he inclines his head, "Atrast Vala Dwarva." Lifting the glass he tosses the liquid back with one gulp and looks at the now empty glass with a curious eye as his lips rub together.
When he looks up at the dwarf he inclines his head, "Is it supposed to taste so... abrasive?"
Garfaulk raises an eyebrow-he hadn't expected the android to know his language. "Astrat Vala, Salroka" He says with a curious grin watching as the android downed the glass. "heh, it's funny-ya speak languages I wouldn't elect-yet ya don't know how to do a proper toast. Gotta wait for everyone else, lad" He poured him another drink. "And of course it is-Tha's how ya know it's good"
"To new friends and allies; to finding who we've lost and what we seek; and to free room and drink!"
"Thanks for the help. We'll get your dad back, and with your skill at healing I don't see what can stop us." He smiles at Zeke, finding it hard to thank him straight up but feeling a little less on edge around everyone here.
Standing up on shaky legs he feels a lot better, stepping over to the bar he takes up a shot. "Ton let's leave it for now. The money good, and I suppose you all showed your worth in that fight. Let's get down there and make some money." He toasts and down the shot in one. "We'll get their dad back and the drinks will be on him!" He laughs and moves over to Ton.
Whispering so the others can't overhear easily. "Look, we could make a lot of money here. Its been too long without any gold to spare. "
---
He moves over to Val, attempting to show some class as he swaggers but just coming off as looking like an ass. "Sorry about that window... and the door. I'll make it up to you since I'm a little strapped for gold right now."
Val gets a stern look on her face. "Yeah, this is my house, ya know. What's the big deal?" But she smiles and softens the blow. She lays a hand on his arm. "I believe you. I have a feeling you all are going to come into a big pay day really soon."
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The Grey Goo pours out from the mountain, somehow flushed out of some dank cave or ruin, and washes against the Kellid village like a flood. Barbarians swing axe and hammer, but it is akin to attacking the wind or a cloud, and their faces and chests burn like they are rolling in a patch of stinging nettle.
Many throw their weapons down and run, but some stand their ground to fight. Not that it makes any difference, or has any effect. One in particular, tall and muscular, wielding a giant hammer that is not his, stands against the deadly fog. “You shall not have me! You shall not have me!”
But the fog has him. It wraps around him, pours down his mouth and nose, and shoots out of his toes and fingers. His arms and legs begin to turn to a grey metal; it spreads further and further up. His groin and chest do the same, the metal spreads and spreads. Finally it reaches his neck, his mouth, and his eyes.
His metal eyes see his father come up and stare down at him. “You failed. You stole my hammer and then failed to protect this village, foil. You are nothing to us.” A foot rises and stamps down on his metal chest; it splinters and shatters into pieces. And with the final breath pushed from his lungs, the barbarian screams in agony, “WAAAAAAARRRRR…”
***************************************************
“RRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!” Wulf awakes with a shriek and a jump! He pants heavily in the dark.
It was the same nightmare again. Again and again. Wulf feels his flesh. Not entirely metal, not yet. That cloud had done something to him.
It was still doing something to him.
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Wulf is not the only one to sleep restlessly this night. For a long time after the others fall asleep, Varrad stares at the ceiling. It is hard to sleep when a body has already been sleeping for three weeks. “Do androids even sleep?” , Varrad must wonder. But eventually he drifts off, slowly.
Flashes of dreams pop-up in his mind. Sheep. Electric sheep? Remnants of tonight’s dinner? Maybe at first, but the images change and shift.
They are fragmented pieces; not making sense. A enclosed space- a box, a coffin? Androids falling from the skies. Androids chained together; androids being whipped. A sea of androids, who all look like him.
The flashes change. They become a bright metal wheel on fire; it turns into a spinning dragon, shimmering in gold; it turns into female human, soaring in the clouds with eagle wings; then it morphs into a golden-skinned angel. Finally the images blend together and a beautiful woman, exquisite beyond all measure, wearing full shining armor and holding a majestic longsword, looks into directly into Varrad’s eyes and says, “You can save them, if you are of valor and honor. Find me, Varrad.”
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Gozran the 5th, 4714.
The smell of bacon and eggs stirs everyone up.
“Rise and shine, friends! Get your sorry, booze swiping, window breaking arses out of my tavern and go save my Dad! First stop: The City Council. They have information that you need. On the way, you should stop at the Copper Coin and see what deals they have going on. You might need to buy a wand or three, after all.”
"Going underwater was mentioned. Could be a problem. Armor's heavy."
"Town council has a solution for the water problem. Oh, almost forgot, I was going to give you this." She fishes around behind the bar and pulls out a box, containing 160 gold. "Zeke is good, but he is a young acolyte. This is our emergency fund; help you buy those wands I mentioned."
Charles has literally never seen so much money. He tries to hide his shocked expression but fails. "So much ..."
Zeke cocks his head, wondering where the money came from and what sort of arrangement Val has with the proprietor of the Copper Coin. Still, if the party could "purchase" a couple of wands for their trip, Zeke wouldn't complain. He smiles. "Aw, Val, that's mighty generous of you! I'm sure your dad will be proud when he hears of everything you've done to help. And that breakfast was divine! Can't remember the last time you cooked anything for me that wasn't mud." He laughs at the memory and double-checks he has everything before they take off.
Ton hadn't said anything while the discussion was ongoing. He smoked and reclined, letting the aches flood out of his body.
He was not going to question joining forces. It just made sense, and he was always a pragmatic man. The fact that several groups had already made the effort, and failed, was concerning. But the group seemed diverse and skilled, even if some of them were a pain in the ass.
Sleep now. Worry later.
And sleep he did. But not fitfully. The pain in his hip and upper thigh was like a constant stabbing of needles and the long hours stretched out before he finally dozed off.
The smell of bacon and eggs made Ton's stomach rumble loud enough to wake him up. He stretches and rubs sleep from his eyes, the other hand immediately fishing for cigarette and in that moment he realises that last night he had done nothing but smoke and drink.
He barely ever got a hangover these days - one byproduct of long years of making acquaintance with all manner of spirits - but his head was still pounding.
Pulling a crumpled shirt over his head he sits down at the table and helps himself to breakfast, eating as though it might be taken away from him at any moment.
Thanks Val, I appreciate it. he says through mouthfuls of food, his cigarette still streaming smoke even after stubbed it into an empty coffee mug. Still those are the first words of kindness he has uttered, in spite of his ongoing discomfort.
Yeah, figure we should be as well prepared as we can be. Thinking about that, does anyone know how long the swim is?
Getting up nice and early, ready for the long day ahead, Garfaulk made sure he had a nice belong of bacon before heading for the door as well. "Ya've a wonderful hostess, my dear. Best lamb I've had in a while, and yet bacon is truly worth writing songs about. And yer too kind-we'll be sure to pay ya back fer that there fortune" He lowered his tone, leaning towards her "Usin Zeke's share o course" He winked, a mischievous twinkle in his eye, before heading out with everyone else "town council first, yeh? Gotta keep by beauties safe from the water for sure " He reached up and patted the guns over his right shoulder
Ton wakes up without the painful, throbbing, strange headache. Though, on the other side of the room, Zeke is holding his head in his hands. A headache with the same symptoms is now pounding in his brain.
1. Wulf
2. Ton'iel
3. Charles
4. Zeke
5. Varrad
6. Garfaulk
Zeke tries to be chipper though he awakes with a splitting headache. Knew I oughtn't have drunk last night, he quietly chides himself while performing his morning acknowledgement of his deity. Then, after remembering Ton's complaints of a headache yesterday and feeling like he hadn't had more than one glass, he suspiciously goes to the mirror and examines himself to see if he can determine the cause.
Zeke stares at himself in the mirror, but the only thing he can deduce is that his eyes are really really bloodshot.
Wulf's nightmares always hit him hard, he's glad he hadn't woke anyone at least he assumed he didn't. He stayed in bed until the very last second, his stomach growling for him to move. He gets up stretches, checking his skin again not notices any chance but still spotting the speaks of silver he puts on a dirty thread bared shirt, his trousers and boot and heads downstairs.
Following his nose he hunts for his breakfast, finding it smiles. Sitting down he starts to shovel it into his mouth as if he hadn't had a thing to eat for a month.
"This is good breakfast thanks, Val." He says in between mouthfuls. "It was nice to sleep in a bed too."
The party sets off towards the City Hall, passing the Copper Coin along the way.
A quick stop at the Copper Coin reveals it is a good location to buy and sell goods.
There is a wide variety of gear, but it is the display case with several magic items catches everyone's' eyes.
Arcane Scroll (Cat's Grace (150 gp))
Arcane Scroll (Grease) ((25 gp)
Arcane Scroll (Mage Armor) (25 gp)
Arcane Scroll (Swift Girding) (25 gp)
Divine Scroll (Cure Light Wounds) (25 gp)
Divine Scroll (Summon Nature's Ally I) (25 gp)
Wand of Cure Light Wounds (10 of 50 charges) (150 gp)
Wand of Cure Light Wounds 30 of 50 charge)(495 gp)
Wand of Cure Light Wounds (50 of 50 charges (750)
Wand of Burning Hands (33 of 50 charges) (495 gp)
Wand of Cure Moderate Wounds (37 of 50 charges) (3330 gp)
Wand of Acid Arrow (48 of 50 charges) (4320 gp)
10 Potions of Cure Light Wounds (50 gp each)
Potion of Invisibility (300 gp)
Outside the Copper Coin, standing by a little pushcart with a collection of pots and pans, is a strange looking man. He smiles and nods at the party, giving a wave, and beckoning you closer. Both Zeke and Charles recognize him, a wandering tinker who comes and goes from Torch, selling and buying random goods and cooking ware.
Zeke waves absently to the tinker, squinting with strain in the morning light, trying to remember his name.
Zeke side-eyes the wands of cure light wounds, silently calculating their comparative value compared to scrolls or potions.
Garfaulk side-eyes the scroll of swift girding, silently calculating it's comparative value compared to the rest of the stuff until he notices Zeke noticing the wands, then realized that would be a better buy. [Ooc]works for me[ooc] still, the amount of trouble he could've avoided with a spell like that...
Then he notices the gentleman pushing the cart of more random goods and his face lit up. "Well now, whaddya got there fine sir? Anythin interestin or excitin fer sale? "
He talks to you in a too-loud voice.
"Greetings to you, fine sir. Sanvil Trett's the name, peddlin' n wanderin' is the game. Sanvil Trett's got a fine collection of pots, pans, hip-flasks, hair nets, and tin soldiers for the little ones. Yup, that is all I got."
Then he starts talking a little quieter.
"Old Sanvil Trett knows an adventurin' party when he sees ones... Actually, the whole town knows, since y'all gone talkin' about it pretty loudly yesterday at the Merrymaid. Now don't you go spreadin' this round, but Sanvil Trett has had his hands on a good amount of tech in his day, and he knows how to use it. Say, you go down in the caves, and find something a little... complicated, you come see Sanvil Trett, and he'll help you out. Of course, all tech officially belongs to the Technic League, so we'll just keep things nice and quiet, hmmmmm? And maybe you'll give Sanvil Trett a little somethin' somethin' for his efforts?"
Sounds good to me Sanvil. Ton says. I reckon based on the fact that a bunch of people have gone down there and not come back, the wand seems like the best bet to me.
He rubs his chin as he appraises the collection.
Hey Sanvil, how about a down payment on the one halfway full?
Before we go to the pool is it worth checking out the flame? Ton asks Val. Garfaulk might know what's gone wrong with it?
Everything just seems that much harder with his head aching as it does.
When he wakes he spends several minutes contemplating the dream. Sitting still and watching the early morning light around him, he sits unmoving like a statue. Only when the smell of cooking food reaches him does he move even at all. Only enough to reach to the side of the small cot he'd taken residence in and lift the sheathed longsword. With a moment's hesitation he draws the blade from the scabbard and stands in his newly acquired small clothes, staring at the surface of the blade as the voice from his dream drifts back to him.
You can save them, if you are of valor and honor. Find me, Varrad.
Sliding into the clothes he was given, he slips on the sword belt, feeling better for having it near. Scooping up the coat he slips it on with the wide brimmed hat he'd been provided to hide his face in public before stepping out for the morning meal, all too aware of the glances he received from time to time.
By the time they reach the shop he slips along to the side of the others, looking at the wide variety of knick-knacks on display. Even when the man with the cart walks by he turns to look, feeling like he's looking for something specific without knowing what quiet yet. Something that makes him furrow his brows at the cart filled with what appears to be more random items and cooking pots of various types. He eyes a particularly large pot and points at it as he speaks to the dwarf, "Your pet may want that. He seems to enjoy large metal objects and that seems less dangerous than the oversized tool he carries. Perhaps you could teach it to cook."
"Staying alive's good. Anyone other than Zeke know how to work this? Contingincies."
As the party steps into the store and purchases the cure light wounds wand (10 charges), and others look at Sanvil's cart, Varrad makes a snide comment about Wulf... whether he knows it is snide or not would be debatable. Perhaps he himself does not know.
Suddenly Varrad feels a tug from his longsword. He looks around, but sees no one near him. It happens again-- tug, tug, tug. Like a magnet, the sword draws Varrad away from the group, into an alleyway and around some buildings. He is quickly out of sight of the others.
They do not notice his departure, in their dealings with the store and the tinker.
Garfaulk nods to Sanvil as he spoke, taking in everything he said. He knew tech could be tricky sometimes, given all the trouble his lances had given him. "Good to know ya, Sanvill Trett. If anything is a bit beyond us, we know where to go to ask" He gives him a wink, then looks up at Varrad. "On one hand, ya got a point, might be good to do a little trainin with the pup, though teh be honest, I'm not sure I'd eat sumthin made by someone that hairy unless he had one of these" he said with a chuckle, holding up one of those hairnets. "Honestly, if anyone's doin any cookin down there, it'll probably be me." before heading in with the rest of everyone else.
As they steps from the shop, at Charles's question, he gives the wand in Zeke's hand a once over, checking it out. "Hmph. My magic is more arcane than from a deity, but I think I could probably make it work too, if need be." Then, looking about, he noticed that Varrad was gone. "Ah crud-looks like we lost the mannequin. Maybe he made his way over to City Hall? And if not, I'm someone as new to the area as him will end up there sooner or later, whether he walked there on his own or not. Shall we lads?" Again, despite calling the android a mannequin, there was still concern in his voice-he hoped their new ally would be around for a bit longer than that.
Zeke considers Garfaulk's words, and wordlessly hands the wand to him. He grimaces as they step back out into the light, and nods to his suggestion that they proceed to the Town Hall.
The party makes their way east through Torch, following Charles. The Town Hall is one of the grander buildings in Torch, made up of three floors, and it seconds as a backup garrison and lookout tower.
With a short explanation to one of the door guards, the group is escorted in to see an old dwarf woman in a side office. She sits at a desk, but as she looks up from her paperwork, you can see the shrewd eyes set in a tough face. A beautiful warhammer hangs over her desk, and you guess she can still wield it.
"Aye? I recognize a couple of ya, but you lot are mostly outsiders. Come about the problems, have ye? The stories are true don't ye know, 6000 gold for the torch and 6000 for Khonnir Baine. Get Baine back alive, and ye can even have the scroll of resurrection that we are hanging on to raise 'em. The name is Dolga Freddert, and if ye are here to help us, then ye are very welcome indeed."
"Hi Mizz Freddert," Zeke says, trying to perk himself up and make a good impression despite the ringing in his ears. "I'm determined to go after Mr. Khonnir, and these fine folks here heard about our troubles and have agreed to head in too. Try to relight the torch, if they can." He looks at each of them in turn, in case they care to introduce themselves. Then he finishes, "We'd like to be off as soon as can be, if it's all right with you." He closes his eyes and tries to concentrate. He was forgetting something, he was sure of it, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was.
As he turned down the alley he ran a gloved hand along one wall, feeling the small amount of soot buildup. The tugging of the sword at his belt kept him moving, following whatever it was that was leading him on. Enough that he laid a hand on the hilt and felt it to more easily track where it was trying to take him.
Wulf steps into the side office, noticing the Warhammer and appreciating it as he tightens the grip on his earthbreaker sizing it up.
He steps forward, wanting to add to what Zeke said. "We all very well prepared, we just want to get going now." He pulls up his hammer showing what he means by prepared.
Yeah we're going to take a look. Ton confirms. Over the course of the morning his headache has faded and he starts to feel a lot more like himself.
Ms Fiddert, you got any advice for us? Seems like a few groups have already gone down there and not come back, anyone interested in recovering them by the way?
Garfaulk was surprised as the wand was handed to him, but he knew that having two people who could heal was better than just one. Folliwing the rest of them, he smiled widely upon meeting Dolga Freddert. Taking off his hat ince more, as he was in the presence of the lady, he bows a bit. "Tis nice to meet ya mum-the name's Garfaulk, Garfaulk Sharpstone. Aye, we intend to go down there, find Baine, and reignite the Torch. And while we'd certainly like to be off as soon as possible, as Ton here said, any infermation from the other groups would be most helpful-and I believe the entrance to this place is underwater, and some of us have... sensitive equipment. We were told ya might be able to help with that?"
The sword continues to pull Varrad like a magnet. When it brings him to an old stone building in an run-down neighborhood, it stops. Varrad steps in.
It is a small chapel, but it is very clean and well-tended when compared to the neighborhood in which is resides. A mere three or four pews lead up to a centered shrine, which is topped by a statue of a picturesque woman in full armor and wearing a sword. Religious paintings are on the wall: a metal wheel covered in flame; a golden dragon; and an eagle winged woman.
A small man stands up from his prayers as Varrad enters. It is a halfling. "Yes, my son? Can I help you? My name is Father Will."
Dolga answers in question in turn, with a very professional and clean voice.
To Zeke and Wulf: "Aye, yes, best ye be on your way. Don wanna be havin' our Councilor Baine wait for yer arrival any longer. But temper ye enthusiasm young'uns. Rush off before yer really ready and yer liable ta die afore ye get through the watery cavern."
To Ton: "Yer absolutely right about that. Many of tha adventurers were out-of-towners; and nobody has come in lookin' for them, so I wouldna worry about draggin' them corpses back. But ye find any locals, it think it would be worth yer while to return the bodies ta the families. I'm thinkin' the weaponsmith's daughter would be a most grateful to see er fiance again, if ye take me meanin'."
To Garfaulk: "Thisin be the best aid that I can give 'ya, so I'm glad ye brought it up. Father Joram, over a' the Temple o Brigh, has been preparin' water breathin' every day, and with this special rod he has, he can extend tha spell ta cover you all for a total of 24 hours. With five of ya, that means a little less than four hours ta get in, explore, and get out. Get what that means? Don't ya tryin' to be heroes and do everythin in a single day. So many lost souls, goin' down there. Explore a little, an get yer asses out. Don'na ye be tryin' to sleep down there or rest. All of us are happy enough for ye to take yer time and stay alive, then to disappear like all tha rest. As fer yer gear, canna help you there. Any of ye got a waterproof bag?"
Hmmm nice to know how me and Wulf are gonna be treated if we don't come back. Not that I'd expect... the boy.... to come looking for his old man.
"Good to hear about Joram, I wasn't really looking forward to that swim. I was going to pick up a waterproof bag for my spellbook too Ma'am. Aside from that I reckon we're all ready to go..." he looks about him then at the group. "...wait, where's the android?" he asks suddenly.
Garfaulk gives Ton a quick glare as I'd to say maybe not announce that or other pal in an android, one that only the truly astute would catch. "ah, Ton-Ms Anne Droyd be waitin fer ye back home, remember?"
Before turning back to the dwarven woman with a smile "Noted. I'll just bag what I need and leave the rest behind. Father Joram, Temple o Brigh. Yeve been most helpful, thank ye mum. Anythin else we ought to know before goin down there?"