Palace of the Vampire Queen (Inactive)

Game Master Terquem

Voranzil and Owen take the rope from Rownig and heave with all their might. The rope tightens on Exanames' neck. The mad king’s eyes bulge, his face twitches, and then he sees his scimitar on the ground near him and he puts all of his strength in to reaching for it.

lets call that the end of round 1

Exanames thrashes around, struggling to get his weapon, and fighting to extinguish the flames that torture his body.

Exanames takes damage from being on fire, and being in the area of effect of the flaming oil 1d6 + 1d3 ⇒ (4) + (3) = 7 and at the beginning his turn he can attempt a save to put the fire that is on him out,1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19

He wriggles and trashes sufficently to extinguish the flames, but not before suffering some damage

being prone within the area of the burning oil, the last turn it will burn, there is a chance Exanames catches fire again, the DC is still 15 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Exanames catches fire again

at the beginning of his next turn, if he is still concious, he will take another d6 damage - Begining with Exanames' third turn he will have to make a suffication Save, DC 10, + 1/2 damage he has suffered, or lose conciousness from being choked (this is a bit different from rules I can find, but reflects the situation better, in my opinion)

But just as Exanames stretches for the weapon, Luca calls for the power of Bescourt. From within the flaming oil a new kind of flame appears, ghostly, and uncontained the wisps of blue green fire swirl and coalesce around Exanames and something is driven out of him.

Exanames’ stops reaching for his scimitar and his back arches unnaturally. The ethereal form of a tall, gaunt, and mournful humanoid rises from Exanames’ chest. The long thin arms of the ghost claw at his body desperately trying to stay within him, but the divine energy rips the ghost out of him.

For just a brief instant the ghost hovers over Exanames and its visage grows stark white. The long, seemingly wet hair of the spirit swirls and floats as if caught up in a current of water and reveals a twisted and deformed human face with blackened spheres for eyes and lips pulled tight over nightmarish teeth.

Everyone is required to make a will save, DC 17, failure means you are shaken, this is a game specific Ghost special attack, ‘Frightful Presence’, don't forget to add you +1 bonus for the Bless spell

The Ghost appears trapped by some force, and before you can draw a breath it becomes clear why. The ghost is drawn, pulled by some powerful magic, toward the scimitar, and before your eyes the ghost shrinks, contracts, and is sucked into the blade of the weapon.

Mazrim can take an action, and then the rest can act in the regular order established.

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17

Hal grits his teeth. "Steady, steady!" he says trying to reassure the others.

will Save: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 2 + 1 = 4

Rownig piddles himself.

will save: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (1) + 0 = 1

Apparently the universe hates me

If he still can Mazrim will use his pole-arm to slide the scimitar farther from exanames hands

[edit]correcting autocorrect[/edit]

Will: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 5 + 1 = 8 Shake n' bake.

Luca's eyes widen in fear, offering up another prayer to Lorenze for aid.

"An' protect us from it..."

Channel Positive: 1d6 ⇒ 4 to harm undead DC 10 for half.

Her prayer is answered by the roaring of a forge's fire and another burst of divine energy.

we may have skipped ahead a bit. Exanames has acted in round 2, as has Luca. Mazrim can act, he is shaken, then Hallister and Rownig, also shaken

saves, Azram, 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8: Atharessa, 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10: Galana, 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3: Voranzil, 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3: Orson (sorry called him Owen above!) 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14: Petrazta, 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20: Norrisa, 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13: Boris, 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (19) + 0 = 19: Vanapstos, 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (11) + 0 = 11

Exanames is stuck once again by the flame of Bescourt!...something else, some other entity is driven from him, but for a reason unknown, it only appears momentarily and then sinks back down into Exanames’ body.

Azram yells out, his brow knitted in concentration, his eyes held tightly closed, while with one outstretched hand he gestures toward Exanames, “It is connected to the amulet in some way! We have to get it off of him before we can drive the sprit that possesses him out.”

Mazrim will try to sever the amulet from Exanames

sunder: 1d20 + 3 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 3 - 2 = 2

[edit] and probably ends up stabbing the poor bloke[/edit]

Am I able to act with a negative to my attacks (-2)

yes, you are shaken, so you can act, with a penalty

Rownig continues to hold onto his rope.

Rope: 1d20 + 2 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 - 2 = 13

He steadies himself and buckles down tugging on the rope.

"Hold it together, lads. We're almost done here!"

Steal. bonuses from Flank and Aid: 1d20 + 4 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 4 + 2 + 1 = 21

Hooking at the amulet with the beard of his axe, Hallister tries to sever the chain and yank the infernal thing away.

As a note, I am not touching the thing. Is that enough? Can anyone give me an Aid Another?

Taking a look at what is going on, and making a few decisions – Hallister is taking a risk in trying to remove the necklace from Exanames. Exanames is on the ground – on fire – writhing forcefully – and is surrounded by flaming oil – I think Hallister’s roll is a success, but I’m going to ask Hallister to make a REFLEX SAVE, DC 15, to avoid taking 1d6 fire damage, and catching fire himself (he can have a +1 Aid Another bonus, as Norrisa (the female bandit) takes a hold of his belt from behind to pull him back from the flames should he lose his balance – if Hallister fails by 10 or more, Norissa, and Hallister may fall into the flaming oil). Mazrim can, as a free action, knock the scimitar aside, and still try to dislodge the necklace (which happens before Hallister’s attempt, and since it was unsuccessful, is of no consequence. Rownig pulls hard on the rope, furthering Exanames’ lack of air, and Luca channels positive energy, for the second time – okay, were clear on this?

Exanames cannot scream, and it appears the combination of choking ropes and fire are taking a toll on his resolve

Exanames takes damage from being on fire, and being in the effect of flaming oil 1d6 + 1d3 ⇒ (6) + (2) = 8

Desperate to remain conscious, he hardly notices as the light silver chain around his neck is broken and the amulet flung away from his body.

this is the end of round 2

Exanames tries to save versus losing conciousness, fortitude, DC 17 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

The flaming oil goes out, Exanames is still concious and struggles to extinguish the flames on him.

1d20 + 3 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 3 - 2 = 12

But he is too weak, and continues to burn

the only action Exanames takes in round three is to try and extinguish the flames - but he fails.

The blue and green flame of the Fire of Bescourt swirls violently around Exanames as if the divine presence of the goddess herself is tormenting an unholy entity, driving it out of his body. Much like only a few moments ago, another spirit, this one looking thicker, and more masculine, erupts from Exanames’ chest, and is twirled, and buffeted by the divine flame. This spirit flails long arms that end in oversized hands tipped with talon like claws, and shrieks a hideous moan –

All must make a will save DC 17, failure turns your Shaken condition into Frightened, or if you are not Shaken, you become Shaken. Those who become Frightened suffer 1d8 Non Lethal damage (the source of the damage is Negative Energy, and if you are reduced to 0 or fewer hit points, you faint and remain unconscious for 2d4 rounds

The pitiful and otherworldly moan seems to last for an eternity, and then the room is filled with silence. The spirit, trying to rise through the roof of the building is suddenly pulled down and back, and it is drawn into the Amulet.

Reflex: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10

will: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Will Save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Nonlethal damage: 1d8 ⇒ 3

Rownig piddles a second time as he feels punch drunk.

Hallister, straining to reach the necklace, gets too close to the flames, and his shirt sleeve catches fire.

in this round, round 3, Hallister takes 1d6 damage from being on fire. he can, as a standard action, in this round, try to put out the flames, DC 15, reflex save, two Bandits nearby will help by slapping at the flames, +2 bonus
1d6 ⇒ 4

"F%#@! Blasted... damn." Hal curses beating at his sleeve.

1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 3 + 2 = 20

Managing to get the fires out he looks at the dwarves who had helped him and rolls up his sleeve.

"Thanks." Looking at the rather nasty burn on the underside of his forearm he shakes his head. "Well that ain't gonna feel good later."

Looking down at the burning man on the ground, he shook his head.

"Poor bastard."

Lets hope this one works out better.

will save: 1d20 ⇒ 7

...then the specter rose from the burning man right in front of Hal's face, then actually brushing him and passing through him as it was wrenched into the amulet.

"Gha!"

Huffing as he watched he put a hand to his chest over his heart and grimaced. Yanking his shirt down he looked at a terrible looking scar on his chest.

"Ow. F%$~."

Looking around at the scattered and frightened dwarves he wiped his face with a hand.

"That's it. We did it. It's done. Don't touch th' sword or th' pendant."

"Well done."

WILL: 1d20 + 5 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 5 - 2 = 16
1d8 ⇒ 3

Luca's feet slide back a few steps before she bolts for the furthest corner she corner she can. She curls up clutching the hammer for dear life as she trembles in fear.

"Lorenze an' Bescourt take that ill-forged sword an' tha damned necklace."

As the spirit manifests and then is drawn into the amulet, lying on the ground, fear spreads through the Dwarves around the room

Saves for the npc(s); Azram (Shaken), 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14: Atharessa (Shaken), 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5: Galana (Shaken), 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (6) + 0 = 6: Voranzil (Shaken, holding rope), 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (19) - 1 = 18: Orson (Shaken, holding rope), 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (8) - 1 = 7: Petrazta, 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14: Norrisa (Shaken), 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (16) - 1 = 15: Boris (holding rope), 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (18) + 0 = 18: Vanapstos (Shaken, holding rope), 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (6) - 2 = 4

damage: Azram,1d8 ⇒ 8: Atharessa, 1d8 ⇒ 6: Galana, 1d8 ⇒ 8: Orson, 1d8 ⇒ 8: Norrisa, 1d8 ⇒ 4: Vanapstos, 1d8 ⇒ 3

Azram and Atharessa turn and run to the other end of the building, following Luca, while Galana feints, dropping her rope, and letting Exanames have control of his feet once again. Orson drops his grip on the rope he is holding, and staggers, weakened, and flees following whatever direction Rownig is headed, leaving Voranzil, who is shaken from the experience, holding onto the rope as tightly as he can. Voranzil, looking across the room to the stranger holding the rope on the other side of the mad king writhing on the ground, tries to keep his composure as the two of them struggle to keep Exanames pinned to the ground. Of the other two bandits holding the rope that Hallister had handed them, one of the bandits flees out through the doorway.

end of round three

Exanames, sensing his leg is free, tries to roll, and extinguish the flames burning his body, and at the same time will try to get to his feet before he blacks out from a lack of air.

Exanames takes damage from being on fire, 1d6 ⇒ 5 and attempts a Reflex save to put out the flames 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17, he must, FIRST, save versus suffocation, the DC is now, 21 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Rolling onto his stomach, fighting the ones holding the ropes, and trying to bring his knees up under him, Exanames manages to extinguish the flames, but the effort, and choking ropes, are too much foir him.

Like some great wounded animal that has finally lost its will, Exanames collapses. His arms splay out wide to his sides and he crashes down onto his face. He is still, and he is not breathing.

The effects of Fear are gone. Everyone can act as normal.

Rownig reenters the room he looks long and hard, exhaling deeply. "Aye, that thing was scary. Bedder make sure he's dead."

Hal nods, staggering to his feet and trudging to the fallen madman. Dropping a knee down on the body, his axe fell in a steady rhythm severing the head in three blows.

"There. No chance of him gettin' back up now. We should still burn th' body though."

Looking around at the room as people began to wake up and come back inside from where they had run, Hal grinned weakly. "How 'bout we get cleaned up an' make a bonfire, then head out in th' mornin'? Ah doubt anyone's gonna want t' stay in this place a second longer 'n they have to."

Nodding, the mumbling "Sounds like plan. Where's 'is room, we should search it?" Does the madman have any other weapons or items on him? Using his long knife and a handax to poke at him.

Finally able to shake of the fear that had him frozen in place, Mazrim seeing Hallister taking the unenviable task he is on will look to the scimitar, lifting it up with the end of his weapon. "Does anyone know where the original box is, or failing that, two sturdy boxes that we can secure these in?"

"A-anyone 'urt? I've got a b-bit o' magic left."

Luca moves from her hiding place, still shaken, but more from how her resolve crumbled than the effects the ghosts had on her. The hammer she had borrowed from Rownig was still held in a death grip and goosebumps were visible on the skin exposed by her tunic burning away from the strange mark on her back.

Orson sits up, and puts his hands to his head and moans, “I want to go home.”

Azram shakes himself all over, and noticing that Galana has not recovered immediately, he rushes to check on her. Atharessa follows him, and when Hallister begins his gruesome task, she throws her head onto Azram’s shoulder and hides her face.

“He had no place of his own, other than the pile of furs behind the throne there,” one of the Bandits says in answer to Mazrim’s question. “We used to have money, but for weeks we’ve been here and most of what we had we spent on supplies we could get from Eight Fountains Springs, the village up the hills to the southwest. I’ll tell everyone the news that Exanames is dead, and I’ll see if we can put together enough wood to burn his body. We don’t have the ornate chest that those things,” he gestures to the scimitar and amulet, “were found in. It’s back at the mine still, unless someone else has found it and drug it off. Thing weighed a few hundred pounds.”

Voranzil rubs his hands together, working out the soreness from pulling the rope, and then calls to Azram, “Is she alright?”

“She’s fine,” Azram says, “She is very weak, but she’s awake now. That, thing, whatever it was, had some way of channeling the power of the dark world. I’ve heard about it, but never experienced it myself. I’ve always heard that the life draining effect it can have is often fatal, but we were lucky, or blessed,” he looks toward Luca and smiles, “that’s for certain and for sure. You two knew him,” Azram says to the bandits, “Would you, please, take him outside, and we will join you and your friends in a moment. I want to talk to my friends in private for just a moment.”

The two (you still don’t know their names, but they are Boris and Vanapstos) take the body by the arms and legs, drag it a short way, toward the door, then one of them retrieves the head, sets it on the body, and they once again lift and drag the body of Exanames out of the room.

The female bandit, shaken and looking a bit pale, pulling the bandit, Petrazta, by the arm, approaches Azram and says, “You, and the girl,” she nods toward Luca, “you are holy people, I can see that. I would ask a favor, though after what you and your friends have done, I am ashamed to put myself in this kind of place, but, please, if you would hear me out. We want to be married. Exanames would not allow anyone to marry, anyone. Now that he is dead, Petrazta and I want to marry, and we want to stay here, some of the others want to stay as well. We can keep rebuilding the camp. Maybe we can make it a working bloomery once again. We’ll make certain that everyone Exanames chained is set free, but there are a couple of them that might be trouble. We hope that someone can take them back to the capital, there’s probably a reward for them, for us as well, but if you can see it in your hearts, we hope to start new. If you could marry us, tomorrow morning, before you leave, just a simple ceremony, please, it would mean so much to me, to us.”

She presses herself into Petrazta’s arm, and a tear rolls down her cheek.

Atharessa smiles, and elbows Azram in the ribs.

“Well,” Azram says, “let me talk to my friends, in private, and we will let you and your friends know what we will do. Give us just a few moments.”

The bandits, Norissa and Petrazta, leave, following close behind the two bandits dragging Exanames away.

Only Azram, Atharessa, Hallister, Rownig, Mazrim, and the three bandits from the bridge (lfollowers of Turrand) Galana, Voranzil, and Orson, remain in the long hall.

I want to take this time to remind everyone that each of you is sort of responsible for one of the NPCs, Rownig is responsible for Azram, Hallister for Moralane (who is not here), and Mazrim for Atharessa. You can control the actions of these NPCs to a certain degree, so use them if you want to.

What about Luca? Is she just in limbo? ;)

Ack!, my HUGE mistake, sorry, so very sorry

With bandits, and heroes moving about the room, talking and exchanging plans, Luca moves, quietly, unobtrusively, toward Hallister, Mazrim, and Rownig. Certainly, at this point, she must be wondering, “Just who, exactly, are these people, and what are they up to.”

"Ye handled yer self well...proud te share a tankard or three wit ye" Rownig grins at Luca.

"Azram, seems like some happiness is in order...ye shuuld marry 'em." Pulling out his pipe and stuffing it full of tobacco and lights it with a tinder. He looks over to Luca and toss his tobacco pouch to her.

@ Terquem: Heh, don't worry about it, you've been doing really good.

Rownig's compliment catches the dwarven woman off-guard, and so does the tossed pouch. Luca fumbles with it for a bit as she blushes.

"Didnae do anythin' worth praisin'. Ran skerred after tha second one o' those- things appeared."

She speaks up a little louder as she tosses the pouch back.

"Sorry, prefer the smoke of a forge-fire. An' I think ye said ye wanted yer hammer back."

She gives the weapon back to Rownig before sitting down and falling within her thoughts.

"Nae." the gruff black-bearded dwarf says to the priestess, cleaning off his axe. "We couldn't a done it with out ye. That's the truth."

"Hallister Silverspike." he said, extending a black-gloved hand.

"They're right, I doubt all of us would still be here if it wasn't for you and your faith. Thank you Luca. My name is Mazrim."

"Luca Shatterstone. I should be thankin' ye fer freein' me. Pleasure tae meet ye as well Mazrim."

She gives Hallister a firm shake with a callused hand and Mazrim an appreciative nod of the head.

with introductions done now Mazrim can check on the survivors and Antheressa

"Anyone know where Moralane got off to?" Hal asked, looking around. "She alright?"

"I haven't see Moralane since the battle."

sheesh, guys, really? Rownig you told her to wait outside of the camp, remember?

Rownig scrunches his brow a bit as he puffs his pipe. A light bulb goes off. "Moralane is outside wit a young goblin," pausing a bit "nearly fergot meself." Rownig stands up, "I'll go fetch 'em.' He leaves the room and heads to the gate. When he gets to the gate he waves the others forward.

After a few introductions are made, an uneasy silence fills the Long Hall.

While Rowning goes to call Moralane , and bring her to the rest of the group, he passes by a group of Dwarves working solemnly to build a pyre of small pieces of timber, as well as scavenged wood from around the camp. As Moralane and Rownig pass them by,on the way back, the Dwarves and Goblins around the pyre look to the new strangers with an expression that is both relieved, and unsettled.

“What has happened?” Moralane asks quietly.

Back in the Long Hall, Mazrim checks on the rest of the group, he finds Atharessa sitting on one of the stools near the overturned table. She appears shaken still, and her head is held low.

Galana leaves, saying, “I’m going to see if these folks have a cart that we can borrow to carry Turrand on to Eight Fountain Springs. He had family there. He should be buried in their cemetery. I’ll go on with you, but Voranzil and Orson are going to head back. They’ll take anyone the bandits here are afraid of back to the capital for any rewards. When you pass this way again, we’ll see to it that you get a share of the reward. These people owe you a great deal.”

It is late afternoon. Stopos has been going about the camp and freeing the slaves. He approaches Hallister, after an hour or two has passed, and says, “There are a couple of these folks, a few Goblins and two of the Dwarves, who want to stay and help us keep rebuilding this camp. The others, there are about eight of them, would like to follow your group on to Eight Fountain Springs in the morning. They promise to be no trouble. It’s a safe walk of about three miles, across a small foot bridge, and up a winding road, you should be there tomorrow at noon, if you set out in the morning. Thank you for everything you’ve done. If you come back this way, we’ll make a place for you and we can offer a small meal, but not much more than that. If we get any mony from the capitol, we’re going to buy a few goats, maybe a pair of pigs for breeding. In time we might bring this camp back to what it used to be. If Exanames was right, about the mine, we might have some iron to trade in a few weeks. Good luck to you and your friends.”

When the sun begins to set, Exanames is placed on the pyre and a small amount of oil is poured on the wood. Two of the ex-bandits agree to watch the fire, and keep feeding small pieces of wood, to make sure the body is entirely consumed. Turrand’s body has been laid out on a plank of wood set up over a pair of work horses. Azram says a prayer of Turrand’s body, and feels confident there is no chance he will rise as any kind of undead creature.

As it begins to grow darker, Stropos oversees a crew of dwarves who places a makeshift barrier across the opening in the wall around the camp. When he sees a member of the party, he reminds them that there will probably be an attack on the walls during the night, ten to twenty undead will try to push past the barricade, and a few of the Dwarves will man the walls, throw rocks, and push the undead away with long poles. They haven’t been able to destroy any of the undead who been attacking them, but of they can keep them out until sunrise, that will be enough. The undead usually break off their attack a few hours before the sun is up. Stropos will also provide a cheap wooden crate and a few old blankets, to pack the scimitar and necklace. None of the bandits will touch the artifacts. It will be up to the strangers to decide what will happen to them.

The camp has a small cart, with two wheels, that Galana will work on during the night to add a length of planking to so that Turrand can be brought with them. She will need help pulling the cart. It has two poles, one on each side of the cart, that extend about three feet to the front.

Do we update our sheets now or later, after we rest?

Luca sits apart from the rest for a while, her fingers running over the pendant that hung from a fine silver chain about her neck. She eventually gets up and finds Ingot and pulls her aside for a bit.

"Tomorrow, we git ye home, boot I want tae ask ye somethin' afore then. Would ye like tae be me apprentice? It'll be hard work, boot it'll be worth it when ye ken be tha best smith in Watermaker."

She gives the little Goblin a wink and a grin and waits for her answer.

-----Later-----

As preparations are underway, Luca tracks down whoever's taking charge.

"I ken help ye fight tha ghoulies, boot I'm gonna need some armor and me hammer. Know where I ken find either?"

"Dark things, Lass." Hal says to Moralane when she askes about what happened. "Any one o' these folk's probably be happy t' tell the story, but the short of it is that Exanamus was possessed. We exorcised him. It wasn't fun."

Hal seemed very preoccupied with getting the amulet and the sword back into whatever container they were taken out of.

"Aye, Stoops." he answered the other dwarf, "We c'n take 'em that far. We leave first thing tomorrow mornin'. Make sure they're all ready to go that wants to."

"Ye wouldn't happened to know where th' case fer Exanamus' toys went, would ye?"

Rownig will get Hal and Mazrim together, "Luca's guud wit d'a weapon and da magic's strong. We really could use dat in our group." He pauses then continues, "T'is group of survivors" clearly describing the bandits "could use a bit of 'elp. We've some coin remaining, I think we could 'elp." Taking a puff of his pipe, "Besides better ti leave friends behind."

Terquem how much is a pig or a goat?

One of the Bandits runs off and returns quickly with Luca’s hammer, and her armor.

Stropos, gives Hallister a strange look, and then says, “The chest we found those things in is, as far as I know, is still back in the mine. We tried to move it, but it would take six or more of us to carry it. Damn thing must have been made out of lead, or lined with it at least. I’ll get a box and some old blankets, and have someone bring them to you as soon as the barricades are up. And Luca, it’s kind of you, after what we’ve done to you, to offer to help us, but I don’t recommend anyone taking on the undead, if they attack. From everything we’ve seen they can’t be destroyed, slowed, yes, even stopped, for a while, but they always come back and you don’t want to be hurt by one of them. I think, just my opinion mind you, that what happened to Navalli was that he survived Exanames, but, left beh9ind, he was bitten by one of the undead who attacked us at the mine as we were leaving. Best thing we can do is use long poles, torches, and rocks to keep them from tearing down the barricade or the walls through the night. They always give up before the sun rises.”

A pig, young for breeding, would cost thirty silver pieces, and one ready for slaughter could fetch fifty. A goat, young or old, will cost forty silver pieces. Most people trade for animals like these. Five chickens for a goat, ten for a pig, or two weeks labor, in a mill or at a wheel (pottery, or spinning), for either. Also, there are two bandits, Miskos and Foronul, who have some very bad habits, that the the other bandits will want taken back to the capitol for rewards. These two Dwarves will bring a reward of five hundred silver pieces to the people who turn them in. And these two will probably be hanged, after a short trial.

Just asking, Leather armor and a masterwork hammer, right?

"Are ye daft? I'm helpin' ye, not chargin' out tha gate tae me death. I've still got a little fire left in me that I ken burn 'em with from behind tha wall."

Luca calms down a bit and gives Stropos a small smile.

"Thank ye fer givin' me hammer back."

"There's a reason the thing's so heavy. You put those things in any old box, they're gonna be reachin' out, lookin' for other folks t' do what they did to Exanamus. We need that box brought out of th' mine, and we need a place t' lock it up an' keep it safe and out of sight until we can git th' right folks t' come an' collect th' damned things for disposal. Ah need that box as soon as ye can get it. Consider it priority one."

"Luca, you and I, we need t' make sure th' forge is ready to go. We got some work t' do b'fore we leave. Moralane, Ah need every single scrap of chain ye can scrounge up. The heavier the better. Ah don' care what ye have t' break or dismantle. This is more important."

@ the GM: How much work would it take to get it ready? Assume that Luca's willing to work nonstop. And did Ingot ever give an answer to Luca's proposal to being her apprentice?

"A'right, boot what are ye plannin' on makin'?"

"Cuttin' and resealin' chain links. We're gonna make sure that no one wit' out a lot o' time and th' right tools can git inta that box."

"Oh, then what if we weld tha lid shut? If we had tha scrap, we could encase it in iron. Methinks a solid hunk o' metal would be harder tae get intae than a chained box."

"Sounds like it'd take longer than we got, but if we already have banding material, then yeah."