Lun Tsu learns very little from the inactive golems. A large helmet still looms in the distance.
No Levar raises his hand with just a little bit of frost at his fingertips, "I'm all out of lightning, not to mention it probably isn't safe bringing things back ta life in a place where a war is going on. Shall we move on?"
Behind a great heap of broken siege engines lies a massive helmet, now completely petrified. The insides of the helmet echo when words are spoken - it is big, massively so, and empty.
At the base of the helmet is an equally giant ring, a great hoop of metal, that once must have been around a colossal finger - a foot in diameter. The ring bears the inscription Travel home to where the heart is.
The stone of the ring is missing.
The gap the stone was in is about the same size as the ruby in the gargoyle statue.
Bart needs the group's help to read the inscription with his bad eye, but his examination of the ring leads him to find a small indentation. "Say, fellers. Didn't that Gargoyle have a stone about this size?" the knight says, marching to the statue to pry it out of its hands.
The gargoyle indeed has a stone of about the same size, which is lodged inside a cavity where its heart would be. It takes a bit of force to pry it loose, after which it falls to the ground. A quick examination reveals that its size and shape match with the cavity in the ring.
Lun nods to Bart, "It seems that you have discovered the way back. At least I hope you have".
Once everyone is gathered inside the ring Cedric will take a moment to dismiss his living armor. "I really do not feel like researching the long term effects of staying inside that thing right now." Once he is back to his normal self he looks at the group. "Well lets put that stone in and see where this thing takes us."
"I agree, I don't want ta be in this warzone any longer." He kicks one of the broken siege engines and ponders what it is before looking over to see Cedric emerging from his armor. "Good ta see you again, little friend. Glad that monster decided ta spit you back up."
Bart obliges, gripping the gem in his mailed fist and sliding it into place with a loud scrape.
The red stone fits seamlessly into the ring, and a loud crackle is heard as the pathfinders move through the portal near the gargoyle. The air changes, and is filled with smoke again. As the party adjusts to the dim light of Sigil, they soon notice that neither the huge ring, nor the red stone, is among their possessions anymore.
After that little stint in Acheron, our party emerges mostly unscathed and - fortunately - unpetrified. On top of that, they're not even that far from Gray Dragon Lane, so if that Ogre Mage is still stuck in that stairway...
Lun retains his grip on the Ledger, "Shall we?"
"We should. After all, we seem to have passed the trial."
Along the way, he will focus on each of the moral and ethical choices to see what his companions follow.
Cedric takes a deep breath, "good to have some fresh air again. I shall enjoy this walk through the city with my own senses this time."
I think yes we will head back to the shop where the ogre Mage was left.
No Levar has no aura, of anything.
Back in Gray dragon lane, the stairway leading to Balthazar Thames' office looks damaged, and the Ogre Mage is gone.
In between two of the planks making up the stairs is a folded note:
"You thought I'd still be here? For goodness sake, no. I'll be visiting Balthazar at the Healing Hovel, on Thistlewind Way. Catch me there if you're quick enough, or at my office if you be slowpokes"
-E
"Well, we should get moving then. Hopefully we can catch them both." and he'll head down the stairs.
Lun reads the note and nods in the affirmative to Krachxton.
"Yes, let's".
Thistlewind way is but a short distance, and the Healing Hovel is a ramshackle wooden building, with a sign outside that indicates it as a healing house. If you can't make it to Arcadia, go to the healing hovel.
With the bad air and the state of the building, it looks like Arcadia is the far better choice.
Still, Balthazar thames can be found in here, severely beaten and bruised, bed-ridden. Estevan is nowhere to be seen.
E's just dozed off, e did. Making progress, he is. Ooh. E was very bad when 'e came in, he was. Dusties ready to take him, they were. But we kept this one out of the dead-book, we did.
"So where to now, gents?" No Levar asks the group.
"Prhaps we should wait until he awakens? After all, he was the one who would be rewarding us for the trouble we went through to retrieve this ledger".
"Let's visit Esteban now and then hopefully Balthazar will be awake by the time we return." offers Krachxton. "We can leave a message for him in case he awakens soon."
"That seems a solid suggestion Krachxton. I suppose sitting here will be a waste as we do not know how long it will be until Balthazar regains consciousness".
Ooh, I can care of a message, I can. You just leave yer note here, an'I will make sure Mister Thames gets it, he does. the nurse says reassuringly.
The long walk to the market ward passes by the great gymnasium and the grand bazaar, until the party reaches the office of Esteban. It reads "Esteban, Merchant Lord of the Planar Trade Consortium". An imposing building, marble columns and a grand entrance hall with a staircase, leaves nothing to the imagination that business is good.
A secretary looks up as the group comes in. Visitors for Mister Esteban? he says, without waiting for the adventurers to announce themselves, Please follow me.
Esteban himself can be found in a luxurious office with finely crafted, oversized wooden furniture. The looming figure of Esteban sits behind a desk.
Aaah, Balthazar's associates. I've been expecting you for quite some time. I suppose you have come here because you succeeded in retrieving my ledger?
Bart will detect evil as he enters the office, glancing about suspiciously. "You said it were pinched off of you." he says, pointing a gnarled finger at the ogre magi. "Well I've got a mind to be inquirin' who, and why? Incriminating evidence, mayhap? P'raps they meant to sell it to some competitor, some fiend or other. Or mayhap some coded message to the lower planes, eh? What'd'yew say to that?"
Krachxton will roll his eyes at Bart's lack of social graces. But he'll wait a moment before correcting him.
No Levar too will shrug at Bart's forwardness but can't complain since he isn't much of a talker and lets him continue with his inquiry, sword on his hilt in case this Estevan fellow takes too much offense to Bart's words.
"Before you get to upset and my friend's questions. We did retrieve the ledger as requested," Cedric adds meekly.
I had hoped you would shed some light on the pincher's motives, Esteban says, but I conclude from your reactions that you haven't.
The ogre mage is not evil, but he's definitely refusing to answer the question
Now, if you would just hand me over the ledger, I can write you this, he says, as he scribbles a note. This is a letter of credit, which can be used for services in any of the Consortium's trading posts.
Krachxton is wondering if there seems more. Do I get the feeling that there is anything odd about how much he wants the ledger?
Lun sensing his allies apprehension, well Bart made his suspicions quite well known, holds onto the Ledger just a bit longer.
"Bah. What's it to me?" he grunts, dismissively. "We've no use for it anyhow. Bloody well glad we could be of service."
He will nod and hand over the ledger. "Please forgive Bart. He tends to be the suspicious sort."
Lun at the nod of Krachxton hands over the Ledger and allows the Oread to take the letter of credit.
That is indeed it, my ledger. Of course your companion has questions, and he is in his right to ask. Aleena Jerkot has been most troublesome, and every now and then she thinks she can thwart my operation with these... petty thefts. Unfortunately, your associate Balthazar has become the victim of their plans.
Esteban rolls up the credit letter and puts it in a small scroll case. Here. make sure Jerkot's thugs don't get a hold of this, that would be... embarrassing.
Cedric excepts the payment. "Glad to be of service. Be sure to call on us if you have any other needs in the future." Cedric pauses as he considers something. "By the way, as someone who deals in different wares. Have you ever seen anything like this." Cedric presents the strange staff they found. "Or know anyone that might be able to tell is what it is?"
No Levar, being too familiar with the mercenary business, steps up towards Estevan, "Do you need someone to handle this Aleena Jerkot?" The gold was a good start and it wouldn't hurt to milk some more shiny pieces out of this merchant, he thinks to himself.
"I wonder what I can buy for 1000 gold......probably best to save for that handy haversack." Cedric ponders as No Levar asks for additional work.
That staff? Let me have a closer look... hmmm.. Estevan says, examining the piece. It doesn't look familiar to me, but it is a one-of-a-kind. My advice would be to hold onto it, it might prove useful.
Then, No Levar's question comes in, and Estevan answers: that would be unfair business practice, wouldn't it? I cannot request you to do such a thing. All I can hope for is that you run into her by accident. You'd be more than capable of handling yourselves.
"Well, we should check on Balthazar. He should be recovering by now." He says with a smile, offering Estevan his hand.
"Right then! Let's be off."