"No, I've not been to this town before today. Tsuto told me about the caves one night, when he told me about his sister. Said they exited in the basement of his father's business."
DM
"Well for my part, I'll not recommend the gallows. I think you've been pretty truthful with us about your involvement. What to do with you however. We're at war and you fought on the side of the enemy. I don't think we can just let you leave. What would you have us do?"
Lyrie's response never comes as Belor interrupts.
"She'll be held here for now, until things have had a chance to calm down and we're sure that the trouble is truly over. By then we will have talked through our options and made a decision if there is a crime here to prosecute."
He turns and looks at Deverin. She nods and he continues.
"She'll be here to question further if something else occurs to you. You certainly deserve to be lauded as heroes for what you've done to defend this town. You have our heartfelt thanks for your bravery and condolences for your losses."
Sari
"Desna's folk look to the stars for their direction." She flips through the cards and presents Sari with a set of nine.
"Choose one, my dear."
Sari's hand passes over the spread of cards and selects one near the middle. She turns the card face-up. Its reverse side shows a shapely insectoid queen-ant body. She holds a bunch of grapes aloft while a clutch of pupae grovel around her. With her other legs she offers the fruit to her brood. The card reads, "The Queen Mother".
"This card holds the answer to your question. It may be an adversary, a matriarch, your own mother, or perhaps your future self. It can be a perilous card... queens usually get their way... making the fickle ones very dangerous."
"The reading itself will offer clues on how to interpret the Queen."
She reclaims the nine cards, including the queen and shuffles them back into the deck. She then lays out an array of nine cards, three by three.
"The left column of cards represents your past. They may represent some part of your past that will be important soon. Or they might help create context for the cards that will follow them."
She turns them over one at a time.
The Carvinal - a child or halfling walks alone in a festival, but his joy is in doubt. His face reveals some trepidation as the jester leers and the stilt man menaces.
The Tyrant - a great blue dragon is curled around the world, its claws buried in the surface opening bloody wounds.
The Theatre - an actor in armor clutches a prop sword as a mechanical dragon emerges onto the stage to fight him.
She smiles a thin smile and begins the interpretation. "The carnival and the theatre both reflect a disinginuity in your upbringing. The concealed perils and frights of the carnival are neutralized by their position in the field. Both cards are misaligned, diminishing their importance. Do not dwell on your lack of experience or deceptions in your past."
"The Tyrant's position clarifies the meaning of that card nicely. You face a past tyranny. This card is aligned, validating and strengthening the normal interpretation of the card. It's neutral position in the field indicates that the meaning is not necessarily connected to your past, but may be important to your future."
Her hand moves to the next column of cards and begins to turn them over one at a time. "These cards tell the story of your present. They may help you focus on elements around you today that have particular relevance."
The Teamster - A robed gnome sits perched on the back of a laboring half-orc. The gnome wears a mask and wields a three tailed thong. The half orc is bridled like a horse.
The Betrayal - A beautiful tattoed woman holds aloft the severed head of a man. She leans over offering a kiss to the head as his blood drips into her other palm, which holds a bunch of grapes.
The Rabbit Prince - a rabbit in a prince's doublet and crown sneaks forward. In his gauntleted hand is a broken sword. The amulet around his neck is an hourglass.
"The teamster and the betrayal are aligned, reinforcing two powerful cards. The rabbit Prince may be the most powerful card in the spread, but it is completely misaligned. Melee will not save you from your perils. The Teamster indicates strong and emerging co-dependencies with those around you. It is a strong card in a positive position, reinforcing the importance of cooperation among you and your friends."
"The Betrayal is aligned but in a neutral position. Someone you know is enduring some terrible betrayal. It will affect your fate."
She moves on to the last column and turns the cards over one by one.
The Eclipse - The sun is blacked by some intervening body, painting the sky blood red. The dead rise from their graves and a man cowers, terrified at the bottom of the card.
The Midwife - a halfling midwife holds aloft a new born. The child's skin is red and horns grow from his little forehead. In the background, the new father is consoled.
The Owl - A brown owl, the very symbol of wisdom sits perched on a tree limb. In its beak it clutches a sewing needle and a beaded thread.
Niska's eyes widen a bit as she speaks. "All the cards of your future are of the stars, reinforcing the strength of this reading. I've not seen such alignment in someone's future in a very long time. The Eclipse is a foreboding card by itself, but it's position is perfectly misaligned, reversing its interpretation. Rather it signals an awakening. Something new and powerful emerging. Perhaps this is a reference to your own burgeoning magical powers. It is a very auspicious placement."
"The midwife is misaligned, making its meaning very unclear. I hesitate to read anything from this card. But its suit strengthens the final card, The Owl. The owl represents common intuition. That which seems most natural. But its position in the field is negative, casting the interpretation of the Queen in a negative light. Motherhood is tightly affiliated with natural intuition. The Midwife lends it weight. I believe the queen is an adversary or obstacle of some kind."
She looks up at you and smiles again. "You have been harrowed. You should think on these cards, see if they speak a different message to you. You are, after all a Varisian witch. Some day perhaps I may teach you the Harrow, if you're interested. These cards may speak very plainly to one so strongly allied to the gift."
DM
Sari returns to the inn, and requests much food and ale be prepared in honor of her dwarf friend. She thinks to herself, "We shall sing and drink to honor his memory. He would have liked that."
Sari
"I'm sorry about your dwarven friend," she says in parting. "Remember him as he was, not as he died. Desna's hand would guide such a protector in the afterlife. See that it finds the halls of his fathers."
First order of business for Cha/Ishah will be making sure there are no wounded to tend to anywhere. Then we'll check in with our innkeep to make sure there's nothing to be done there. Once any emergencies are behind us, we'll proceed to price/unload some of the stuff.
I'll make the rolls for Guard later when I'm at the house.
Hey I still have a wand to ID as well and I might want the Masterwork mannacles unless they are worth $$$. It doesn't sound like we are going to Magnimar or are we? If we are maybe we should just get any oddball stuff appraised here and sell it there they might not have enough gold here to get it done and they might have better stuff there
I will probable want to do a bit of shopping fur sure since I am a fighter now as well.
Sari can be found at the inn directing the preparations for a remembrance party for Eberk. There will be much food, drink, and singing in our fallen friend's honor this evening.
I'm all for having a toast to our departed comrade. I'm also all about selling and spending on something useful before we set out. A fighter eh...made me look. Pretty cool. I have trouble keeping up with one class.
The shopping it takes to get these prices takes place over a couple of days.
At Savah's & merchant's tent in the marketplace:
2 kukris - disappointingly, these turn out to be simply masterwork weapons with glammers cast on them to make them seem magical. 600 gp for both.
Nualia's macdaddy bastard sword (bastard sword +1) - 2335 gp
dagger w/ pearl - 100 gp
breastplate + 1 - 1200 gp
chain shirt - 100 gp
masterwork scimitar - 320 gp
At the jeweler's:
pearl earring - 50 gp
34 flawed malachite gems - 34 gp
jade necklace 60 gp
broken jackal amulet (sold for melt-down) 50 gp
golden idol of Saranrae (someone's holy symbol) - 100 gp
At the Feathered Serpent, or the merchant's tent in the marketplace:
Lyrie's spellbook - 1700 gp based on the book's contents.
blue silk gown w/ silver lining - 150 gp
Sihedron Medallion - this is a somewhat unique item that Brodert and Vorvashali offer to study together. It radiates faint necromantic magic.
At the alchemist's:
potions identified by a skilled alchemist (25 gp cost each)
2 potions of cure light wounds.
2 potions of speak with animals.
coinage from the stinky treasure chest:
7,432 cp, 2,490 sp, 89 gp, 3 pp.
scrolls identified for free by Sari, now that she knows how to cast read magic.
whispering wind (from earlier), sleep, comprehend languages, minor image, see invisibility.
The shopping it takes to get these prices takes place over a couple of days.
At Savah's & merchant's tent in the marketplace:
2 kukris - disappointingly, these turn out to be simply masterwork weapons with glammers cast on them to make them seem magical. 600 gp for both.
Nualia's macdaddy bastard sword (bastard sword +1) - 2335 gp
dagger w/ pearl - 100 gp
breastplate + 1 - 1200 gp
chain shirt - 100 gp
masterwork scimitar - 320 gp
At the jeweler's:
pearl earring - 50 gp
34 flawed malachite gems - 34 gp
jade necklace 60 gp
broken jackal amulet (sold for melt-down) 50 gp
golden idol of Saranrae (someone's holy symbol) - 100 gp
At the Feathered Serpent, or the merchant's tent in the marketplace:
Lyrie's spellbook - 1700 gp based on the book's contents.
blue silk gown w/ silver lining - 150 gp
Sihedron Medallion - this is a somewhat unique item that Brodert and Vorvashali offer to study together. It radiates faint necromantic magic.
At the alchemist's:
potions identified by a skilled alchemist (25 gp cost each)
2 potions of cure light wounds.
2 potions of speak with animals.
coinage from the stinky treasure chest:
7,432 cp, 2,490 sp, 89 gp, 3 pp.
scrolls identified for free by Sari, now that she knows how to cast read magic.
whispering wind (from earlier), sleep, comprehend languages, minor image, see invisibility.
Everyone feel free to chime in. I'd love an armor, shield or weapon upgrade, but it's not in our inventory and not in the town as best I can tell.
Quoth the traveling merchant...
"Yeah. Magnimar or Riddleport. Really that's more Riddleport's thing, right?"
Ok then I'll skip the bracers just upgrade the morningstar get the potions sell everything but the ranseur and daggers.
Thats all, I'll be at the bar drinking to Eberk!
Sari can be found at the inn, working on a song in Eberk's honor.
Oh, Eberk the Dwarf was brave;
My lovely arse he did save!
He loved a good fight and a pint or two;
With his axe he did smash a goblin or too!
Sari trails off. "Well, it's not much. I'm sure Eberk would have done better."
Sari receives several earnest proposals from the townsmen gathered at The Rusty Dragon that first night. Some of them even from unmarried men. The boys join after some time getting the inventory assessed. Drinks and tales are swapped with Ameiko and others. Of course everyone is curious to know about Thistletop and the rumor that father Tobyn's orphan daughter had something to do with the tragedy at the Glassworks and the goblin attacks on the town. Everyone wants to hear the tale of Eberk's fight with the witch.
You hear several accounts of Ameiko's and Vorvashali's gallantry against the hordes of Brinestump goblins. And of course several first hand accounts of Hegred's charge to retake the bridge.
Things are still tense in the town for the next day or two. The roads are confirmed clear, the casualties gathered from the roadside battle and interred along with Eberk in the church cemetery. The goblin corpses are carted out of town to a place on the road to Brinestump Marsh and burned - Shal's idea of a message to the offending tribe's survivors. The same is done of the Mosswoods.
Cha
Eventually Ameiko remembers that you have mail - that an envelope from the Scarnetti patriarch came the day before the attack. Within is an invitation for all, including Eberk, to dine at Scarnetti's Manor house. The date on the invitation leaves a day to prepare.
A yummy sit down at a manor, I'll disguise myself to be as non threatening as possible!!
I was going to get a few CLW and 1 CMW did they only have 2?
I was going to get a few CLW and 1 CMW did they only have 2?
I took it into cosideration in the total. Zantus cannot fill your order all at once, but he is able to in the next day or so.
I'll take two CMW potions. I'll inventory the two CLW and one Speak w/Animals potions. I'll go ahead and part with the Masterwork Scimitar, Sickle and Heavy Wooden Shield. I'll take the Darkwood shield. What's Shal up to in all of this? Anything she want in particular?...a cut?
Shal is happy with a cut. Even the cut of such a treasure is a small fortune. Not that she can't spend it or anything. Her regular loop through the countryside takes her to Magnimar every so often.
A brief visit to Brodert and you are soon in possession of a wand of minor image with 38 charges left on it. While you are there he informs you that the Sihedron medallion grants improved resistances and reflexes to the one that wears it . There's more to the item, however, and Vorvashali plans to continue studying it for another day at least.
And the wand goes to Sari.
Dragon Magazine adventures? Are they on the shelf? I'll look next time I'm pilling the cats.
That leaves us 3504gp which we'll transfer into gems and split evenly. Where do we go from here? Do we still need to make a visit to the family offering the reward for info on the tunnels below? Did we take care of that already.
A sympathetic misting rain falls the next day as they lay Eberk, Hegred and the other fallen to rest. Father Zantus leads a small choir of town youth in a properly somber fugue that amplifies and resonates throughout the airy cathedral.
I'll eat a late lunch just in case the food is lame at dinner. Clean up a bit, and SoH my dagger somewhere on me in case there are no weapons allowed in the house. SoH 16+12=28 Or would that be a Hide check?
Whats the attire? Do I need to go buy a dinner jacket?
I guess the wild man and the dog will have their baths as well before the party. What's the general rule of thumb on weapons? It might be that we should polish up our favorite and at least wear it to the door, where we'll take it off and hang it on a peg or something inside the house.
Let's spend a little time talking with Ameiko about the Scarnetti's. Maybe she can give us some background info.
Well I'm not leaving the Ranseur at the door, if I take it in I'll be keeping it near me at all times.
I've become fond of it and I'm not letting it out of my site.
Sari can't wait to dress up in the beautiful new gown. Her rapier wit and her magic is what she will arm herself with for this dinner. "It's nice to see the boys trying to be more civilized. Now, just as long as we don't have too many forks to deal with, this dinner should be interesting."
Ameiko doesn't have a very high opinion of the Scarnettis.
"Titus always has an angle. Looking back, I'm not sure there's ever been a moment that you can point to as one of honest generosity on the part of that man. He constantly feuded with my father over petty things."
"With recent events, I wouldn't leave the comforts of Sandpoint without the means to defend myself, but I also wouldn't expect to keep those arms inside the Scarnetti manor.
In the end the arms aren't an issue, though bringing the ranseur into the dining hall would be if Yod really intends it. A carriage is sent round to pick your group up at the Dragon. It crosses Hegred's bridge (as it is now wont to be called), and turns right to follow the clifftop road. The Scarnetti manor is a multi-story masonry affair built near the cliffside and overlooking the Gulf. A footman escorts you into a grand meeting hall and directs you to comfortable chairs while he stows your arms in a bureau by the front door (the ranseur must lean there).
After a moment, double doors to the left open to emit three men and a cloud of pipe-smoke. The first is a short, bald man in a fine doublet and stockings. In his hand he holds a glass with a half-inch of thick brown liquor.
"Aha! Our guests of honor! Please allow me to welcome you to my home. I am Titus Scarnetti, and this is my son." He indicates one of the men trailing him - slightly taller but otherwise unmistakably related.
"And also a newcomer to our town, sent here by the Paralictor himself. Larson Kimble, distinguished member of the Order of the Nail."
Knowledge(local) DC 10
We rise and shake hands. "Paralictor? Order of the Nail? I'm sorry. This doesn't mean much to me." I look to my companions for clarification.
This third man is tall and wide across the shoulders - a classic brawler's build that rivals Yod's hulking physique. He's dressed to the cuffs in black and has hair and close-cut beard to match. He nods at the introduction, then specifically to the ladies in the room, first to Sari with just a hint of a smile, then to Lady Scarnetti as she enters the hall.
"Our guests!" she calls. "Very good timing. Please... " she leads the group to the fresh-laid service.
Titus takes his place at the head of the table, seating Sari and Cha to his left and right. Larson is next to Sari, with Yod next to Cha. Lady Scarnetti is at the other end. It's a small party that's comfortably spaced around the long table. Titus is clearly very wealthy from the sterling in evidence.
Can we assume I tell everyone whats in the spoiler?
Yod
16+6=22
BTW I decided to leave the Ranseur hidden back at my room but I have the Daggers on me.
Yod is able to whisper the word "Hellknight" to Cha (and Sari) as you all follow the Scarnettis to the dining hall. Larson answers Cha's question directly as you come to your seats.
"We are a martial Order. We serve the principle of Law." He pauses, then seeing that something more is needed, "We've served the cities and churches of Varisia in many capacities for many years. Here, as always."
Titus Scarnetti clears his throat and takes up a glass of wine from his setting. Each of you has one.
"I wanted to personally toast the heroes of our town. To the vigor and boldness of youth. The reward-money for such a service was well-earned."
He takes a healthy pull from the goblet, then raises it a second time. This time it is to Larson.
"And also to the Order. Mr Kimble is only just in this morning, and was good enough to accept my invitation to dine here tonight. Your presence here will make our town a safer place."
Larson nods an acknowledgment and takes another sip of the wine.