The Gnome Tinker shows you his wears. Beyond a wide assortment of common tools he has the following items.
A jar of Universal Solvent.
A packet containing one application of the Dust of Dryness.
A pair of Goggles of Minute Seeing.
Several Gnome Hooked Hammers including one of Masterworks quality.
A Masterworks Quality Repeating Hand Crossbow.
Then he shows the party some things that they have never seen. "My village elders wouldn't want me to show you these."
He pulls out a wooden case, "We are still learning how to use these. Our patrol's carry one with them."
In the case is a Pistols and a Blunderbus. Tinker has a stock of black powders, caps, shot, and fifty bullets.
"Anything that might interest you?"
Even Electra is very much interested in the gun.
Damn... those are rare
He actually has two Pistols, 2000gp each.
The Blunderbus is 4000gp.
The fifty bullets are 100gp.
Keg of Black Powder is 2000gp. (100 uses)
Enough pellets for 50 shots. (100gp)
Three Powder Horns (6gp each)
100 caps (100gp).
Not interested in the other stuff?
My Father was mentioning some of these, and the intention was to trial them for the caravans. But I don't know how the horses would stand it at first.
He looks with interest at the cased firearms, and accoutrements.
So would you be willing to part with those indicating the firearms. For these Indicating 12 of the Ogre Hooks.
We come by them honestly, and would like to dispose of them as they are weighing us down.
Would you be having any more shot and shell along with the other equipment ?
"I will take these magic waepons, but you will need to do better," The Gnome Tinker says. "What you see if what I have."
fair enough, lets see if I can dig up some more for the rest of the items.
Brandark goes back to digging though the gear for other stuff.
After a bit of haggling with Brandark, the Gnome agrees to trade the firearms, black powder, bullets, etc. for the 12 Ogre Hooks.
All right, now that that is out of the way, lets see about the rest of the items that you be having.
Brandark looks over the googles, along with the dust, and solvent.
I am sure we might be able to find something to work with for them.
I will be seeing those, and wondering if you would take 3 of the remaining Ogre hooks from us for those items, or would you be wanting something else?
"Deal," he says.
So can you show me how this works, I am sure we will gladly carry these.
Brandark looks at the pistol, and proffers it to the Gnome to learn how to load and fire it.
Electra looks at the gnome and speaks up.
"Do you have any spells on sale? Maybe a spellbook I could trade or a few scrolls?"
The Gnome looks at Haskyll, "Unfortunately, we can not test these around here." He does show the party how to load and clean the weapons.
The Gnome will look at Elektra, "I do not have spells or a spellbook." He shakes his head. "But Balazar may have something. He lives outside of town. He does not like to be disturbed though." The Gnome Tinker gives the party directions.
Brandark goes over to and stores the powder and most of the shot on the pack horse.
He carefully pours powder into the 3 horns from the barrel, then stows that.
Myself the blunderbuss, Flynn and Severo for the Pistols he thinks to himself.
Electra will of course move to the Cottage to check for spells.
It is almost a full mile away from Big Oak before you reach a rather large two-story cottage.
When you knock upon the door a large bird-like creature swoops out of a window above the door. "Go away. My master does not want company."
Electra smiles at the bird and replies.
"I am not here because I desire your masters company. I am here to do business. In gold, gems and magic. Please tell this to your master!"
The bird swoops back into the window. After several minutes and with an obvious commotion going on inside, the bird flies back out of the window.
"If you want to do business with my master you must help him first. There is a dragon threatening the village. My master works day and night to protect the village from this threat. But he fears he lacks the proper spells to defeat it. He has been able to drive it off or cause it to go elsewhere. But he fears he will not be able to stop it next time. It lairs due west on the tallest peak overlooking the Sanos Forest. Will you help my master and our village?"
Flynn audibly sighs a dragon, Oh goodie...
After stowing and sorting everything, Brandark will go through and purchace some food for the party.
AKA, aprox a weeks worth to stow as well.
"Choices? Do we rush to Sandpoint? Or do we take on a Dragon?" Devora questions without expecting an answer.
"If we rush to Sandpoint, then the Gnomes of the Sanos may be doomed to the fate of this Dragon. But if we fight the Dragon then Sandpoint could be run over by Giants. Which is the more imminent threat? To bad we couldn't just pop up at Sandpoint and see what the situation is there?"
tactically, the dragon will be a more long term threat. Goblins an immediate though lesser issue. Either way i agree, we need to find a way to check in on Sandpoint and handle this dragon.
Aye, Instant transport would help us. But only Lady Elektra would be able to advise us on that, and how much it would take.
After all, I would not fight giants unless it is on the back of my horse.
Electra ponders for a moment. "Well the village are just a few people and a dragon is really a danger. And I can only teleport twice per day. I can port some of us there, and the horses are too big anyway."
So does that mean that we fight the dragon, and then leave the horses?
Brandark looks really sad at the prospect of leaving his steed.
only one of us really needs to go to check the situation in Sandpoint, the rest can begin making our way or preparing no?
Sandpoint is four days by horseback. The note does not say exactly when the assault will take place, other than soon. How soon is soon?
Having our steeds at Sandpoint would be a benefit if we have to ride to scout out where the force of giants threatening Sandpoint are.
Brandark thinks a few seconds.
I trust my steed to bring me there in 2 days, but that would kill the others, Which I would not want to do.
He then brightens up considerably.
How about we deal with the dragon,
Then we start riding for Sandpoint.
When we reach the end of the day, Lady Elektra could take a couple to Sandpoint,
She could then return in the morning, that day, we could repeat.
I could then push myself and the horses to come in the next day by riding through the night.
Devora looks at Brandark and nods, "That sounds like a good plan. That is if we survive the Dragon."
Is there another way that we could send the message other than by 1 person going there, and coming back ?
I be thinking carrier pigeon, or other item like that.
Devora will listen to the party and then call out"Great bird, could your master give us any information about this dragon?"
The great bird creature flies out of the window and hovers over the cottage that is more like a house.
A Gnome comes to the window, "So you are willing to help. Unusual for your kind. But we could use the help. It is a Forest Dragon. For years it left us alone as it fed off the wildlife around Lake Ember and within the Malgorian Mountains. But now it has killed several of my kind, mostly hunters that ventured too far to the west. I have managed to mask our village to appear as simple forest, but I do not believe I can keep this ruse up for much longer. It is a smart and clever creature."
He sighs, "As best I can tell, it originally came across the Steaming Sea, maybe even the Emberal Ocean beyond. It is not from Avistan, so there is little more I can tell you about it. I can give you a map to its lair. It took over a shrine once used by the Serpentfolk. The shrine sits in a cave atop Beta Malgorian overlooking Viperwall, a keep still inhabited by the Serpentfolk. Beta Malgorian is the second tallest of the Malgorian peaks. The tallest one is Malgorian Prime further to the north." He turns away.
He comes back after a few minutes and tosses a scroll out of the window toward the party. The map indicates that the party can go most of the way by horse, but it is a narrow path to reach the shrine and the lair of this dragon.
"I would say it isn´t that far?"
The party should be able to get there in a day.
Elektra will know a little more about Forest Dragons. They can mimic sounds. Depending on their age, they are known to walk the earth as humanoids. Their breath weapon is a cone of sharp stone shards.
It is unusual for them to lair on a mountain peak. Elektra is a bit confused about this, particularly when there is an entire forest nearby.
"Either the dragon has a strong lair close, or there is another danger in the woods. But anyway, we will prevail!"
The Gnome looks down toward Stone, "Be careful. It's a Dragon." He shrugs and goes back inside. The bird-like creature swoops back through the window following the Gnome.