Isawa moves his head in agreement, and touches Zelligar's shoulder delicately. The witch seemed wondered with where their path was taking them.
Tal'ariel assesses the captain to see how sincere she is being with her offer. 500 gold each to track down and slay the leaders didn't actually seem like that much to her, though the elf understood this was a small village with limited resources.
"Would you be able to give us a partial advance on the payment? We'll need some tools to detecting these invisible leaders -- probably magical scrolls and the like -- and they'll be pricey."
Bran understands the need for the cash in advance, but doesn't make any comment on it.
"Can we have a room to serve as our base of operations? You never know what may be in the wild and planning is paramount."
Iris looks the brute up and down and says, "Yeah, you wish! If we're going to be sleeping in our "base of operations", then we'll be needing at least two rooms."
She pens two documents quickly, carefully affixing her seal to the second one.
"This is a letter for the proprietor of the Old Bridge Inn; give it to him, and he'll provide you with room and board. His smoking room will serve as your 'base of operations' as you put it."
She hands over the fancier-looking document to Tal'Ariel.
"That's a letter of credit for a thousand goldpieces. It won't spend outside of Drellin's Ferry, obviously."
"If that's all, I will find you at the Inn later tonight, with the results of the interrogation. If you could conclude your business tonight, and be ready to set out tomorrow, I'd appreciate it."
Bran grins at the halfling, "I was going to just sleep outside but two rooms works I guess." He quickly skims the document, "Thank you, this will help a lot. I have no plans of doing anything outside the town for today so you will find me there, perhaps outside if anything." He leaves them there for one of the others to take.
He starts to head toward the door, "I'm going for a jog to check out the town, anyone want to come with?"
"Hmmm... I do not jog, my friend, but perhaps I shall take an afternoon constitutional around the town. I think my business is most likely with the wizard, who will be busy with the interrogation, but perhaps he has an apprentice who can provide us with the necessary items. Or perhaps there is a village priest who can assist."
Tal'ariel bows graciously to the Captain as she receives the letter of credit. "Thank you - we will make our preparations this evening."
As they begin deliberating, she offers the letter to Zelligar. "If you'll be seeing the wizard, you might see what you can obtain with this letter of credit. As for me, I'll investigate the sale of our hard-earned hobgoblin equipment. You are all welcome to come along if you wish."
Assuming business is complete, the elf will find herself a smithy or the like to begin selling.
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A quick circle of the town reveals that there's a number of places that carry magical gear of various provenance.
There's a fairly impressive temple to Abadar, with a chapel where people who follow other deities can make their obedience.
The clergy of Abadar sell scrolls. They currently have divine scrolls of Bless, Cure Serious, Light or Moderate Wounds, Dispel Magic and Invisibility Purge. If you want other clerical spells, they can be commisioned.
At Sertieren's manor, his apprentice, a somewhat nervous half-orc sells from his stock. He currently possesses scrolls of Dispel Magic, Fireball, Invisibility, Fly, Mage Armor and Web. He also has a potion each of Cat's Grace, Invisibility and Fly. Finally, he has a set of Bracer's of Armor +1, and a Ring of Protection +2. You can commission scrolls of 3rd level spells or lower, as well as wondrous items.
Morlin's Smithy carries a number of magic weapons and armor; a +1 shortsword, +1 Longsword, small-sized +1 rapier, +1 heavy steel shield, +1 chain shirt, +1 breastplate and 50 +1 arrows.
Across the river, the standing stones known as the Old Ones are home to a druid, the elf known as Avarthel, who sells potions. Druid list potions of 3rd level and below can be commissioned here; he has potions of Barkskin, Cure Light Wounds and Lesser Restoration in stock.
Isawa walks around the circle of the town, impressed with all the magic items. As a witch, it's hard for him to find anything that could be affordable and yet useful, but it doesn't mean he can't have fun and admire all the fine crafting work. He gets himself wondering if he could use any lesser rod, at the moment, and if he'd be able to afford them.
Iris follows Tal'ariel to the smithy. She covets the magical rapier sized perfectly for halflings, but tries not to show it. She happily takes her share of the loot and considers how best to spend it as the two rogues wend their way through the town.
Zelligar enters the temple.
"Greetings to you, servants of the Master of the First Vault. I am Zelligar, servant of Nethys. I seek, as you might imagine, magic. Specifically, a scroll of Invisibility Purge. I have this letter of credit from Captain Soranna. I believe 375 is a fair price? Please amend the letter of credit accordingly. Yes, make your mark there and I will make my mark there, yes, yes, all correct, it is a pleasure doing business with you."
Commerce is not an area where I like surprises. Always nice to work with Abadarans.
He then makes his way to the wizard's manor and greets the half-orc apprentice.
"My good sir. Greetings, and my deepest respect to you and your profession. Have you the ability to scribe scrolls? Specifically of See Invisibility and Glitterdust? How long would it take to get two of each?"
He will commission them, though maybe he'll have to pick them up in a few days for another outing. That would be another 600, leaving 25.
Assuming Tal'ariel and Iris are able to sell the various items as planned, she will distribute the proceeds to the group. Then she will find the wizard. She is definitely taken aback at finding a half-orc apprentice, but does her best to hide her surprise.
"Um, hello. My name is Tal'ariel Rhuidon. Is Master Sertieren available? I've heard that there are such things as pearls imbued with magic that will allow a wizard to recall the spells she has used and cast them once more. I wish to meet him and offer him the sum of 1,000 gold pieces for its creation, if he is willing."
While Sertieren is unavailable for the evening, his apprentice is willing and able to take your orders. The four scrolls will be done tomorrow evening, while the pearl will be ready in two days.
After doing a quick lap around the town Bran finds himself getting anxious. All this talk about magic, scrolls and spells worries him somewhat.
Have I gotten into more than what I can handle?
He sees the giant standing stones and decides to head out toward them, feeling like the rush of fresh air may help his mind. Upon reaching them he finds Avarthel, the elven druid and strikes up a small conversation, eventually leading him to see his wares.
"I have an interest in your Lesser Restoration and Barkskin potions; I have a feeling that heading anywhere without these could prove troublesome. Are you willing to part with a few of them?"
He doesn't really know how to address the Druid, so he tries to be as respectable as he can.
Iris accompanies Tal'ariel on her shopping expedition. The halfling cannot find anything she can afford that she actually wants, so she decides to save her money.
Zelligar returns to the Inn to await Soranna. He will take a seat in the corner of the common room and observe the crowd. If it is a cool or cold night, he will request a mug of mulled wine. Otherwise, ale.
Yulai visits the clerics of Abadar and prays in the attached chapel. After an hour, she emerges to speak with the priests.
"Greetings Vaultkeepers. I am, regrettably, ill informed of local religious matters, and seek instruction, and possibly an introduction. If there is a priest capable of scribing the higher arts, and writing the very breath of life to parchment, that it might be called forth in an instant, I would consider the introduction to be worth a small offering of gold or similar service in kind."
All but Yulai are successful in your purchases. Alas, bringing people back from the dead is beyond the banker priests, as well as everyone else in town.
The evening is, compared to the smoldering heat of the day, pleasantly cool. The Old Bridge Inn has plenty of customers tonight; while there are few outsiders and travelers due to the hobgoblin threat, the locals fill much of the gap, coming out to enjoy the pleasant evening.
Although the weather is nice, and the sunset gorgeous, there's still a sense of unease hanging over everyone. The townsfolk keep their weaponry close.
The innkeep sees you installed in seperate rooms, and only grumbles slightly at giving the smoking room over to you for planning sessions or whatever you may want to do with it. It's a comfortable room with dark wood panels on the wall, green armchairs, and the walls lined with bookcases.
You can have food and drink served in the common room, although if you take undue advantage of the free bar the innkeep might get cross with you.
After tending to her horse in the stables, Tal'ariel is happy to set her pack down in her room. She keeps her weapons and wands near, though, just in case.
In the common room, she fetches a large pitcher of ale for all present to share. "Here's to our victory today! The first of many to come!" Tal'ariel is clearly feeling enthusiastic and confident about the prospects of what lay ahead.
"To victory!"
Zelligar has set his pack down in his room, along with his armor, though he keeps his staff.
He enjoys the ale, but makes sure to pay for it, and for the food he orders for the group. Bread, cheese, sausages, and fruit.
Iris sees that her ram is properly cared for in the stables, then carries the saddlebags and the rest of her gear to her room for safekeeping. She keeps anything of great value, such as her healing wand, on her person as she joins the party for some ale. To survival! May we all live to tell the tale.
Isawa parties with the others, happily repeating the words of each of his friends. The witch was thoughtful - he didn't have many possessions and didn't use any armor. Even his spear was mostly working as a walking cane. However, he was seeing himself surrounded by a brave group, who basically came out of nowhere and now were already working together as a unit. He lived several decades, and yet never ceased to be surprised.
"Great victory indeed!" He quickly swigs down the ale, worrying not for what tomorrow brings. He drops the bag worth of stuff on the floor beside him, though he doesn't take his armor off.
"We will live to tell the tale! Believe me of that. Hobgoblins have nothing on our battle prowess, preparation and camaraderie. And to think, we have only been together a short while, imagine what we can do in a few days time."
He flashes a smile and he has to hold in his disappointment, "Though, you'll soon learn I'm going to need much more sausage." He heads up to order some more, tipping well in the process for all the trouble.
"I was able to procure one scroll that will help us against our hidden foes, and four more should be ready tomorrow night. I am happy to set out in the morning and pick up the next batch after we return here, so we can get started as soon as possible. But let's see what Soranna says about how far we must journey."
Yulai smiles at the sausage comment, but doesn't stop eating her share.
"Tis best to eat and drink while times are pleasant, I've found. Stories of heroes don't mention the bugs."
Iris agrees with Zelligar, "Yes, I, too, am ready to set out tomorrow morning, but we need more information."
"We'll see what news tomorrow brings," says Tal'ariel, recognizing that the information from the hobgoblin will likely influence their next steps.
As evening turns to night, Tal'ariel retires contentedly to her room, delighted that she has found profitable employ for a good cause.
"As I said, can't worry now, we don't know much about the whole situation." He stays up a bit longer in case someone comes by with pressing issues but otherwise heads to sleep after unwinding with some quick pull ups on the rafters and a few short stretches.
As Soranna said she would find us at the inn later this night with details of the interrogation, Zelligar stays up waiting, nursing his ale and writing in his journal. He will head to bed at midnight if she doesn't show up.
Soranna does indeed arrive, although by then it is late at night - Zelligar is probably the only one who's still up by this point.
She's trailing a finely clothed, if somewhat bedraggled-looking middleaged man.
"Good evening, mr. Zelligar. I'm sorry we're here so late. Could you rouse the rest of your companions? We'll meet you upstairs in the smoking room."
"Of course, Captain."
Zelligar goes up to the rooms, knocks gently, and says "Duty calls."
He'll start with Iris and Tal'ariel, expecting them to be light sleepers.
If Bran has fallen deeply asleep after those sausages, we may have to go in and rouse him... Without startling him and getting slammed to the ground.
As an elf, Tal'ariel was indeed a light sleeper. She immediately gets up, retrieves her weapons once more, and heads into the hallway.
"The Captain has arrived? Thanks for staying up to greet her, Zelligar."
Bran gets startled awake by Zelligar's knock and he lunges out. A little perplexed as his strike whiffs air, Bran offers some apologies to the doorway for making a ruckus, not realizing he's making more of it "Sorry about that, the jumpiness is a small price for living." He grins at the door and is thankful it hides his embarrassment.
"Give me a few moments to don my stuff and I'll be right down."
Expecting the captain to arrive earlier, Iris had lain on her bed fully clothed planning only to rest her eyes and think. Zelligar's knock wakes her from as sound a sleep as she allows herself to have. She rises swiftly, makes herself presentable, and collects Yulai on her way to the smoking room. "Well met, captain."
Yulai nods, then begins pulling on her kit. "I'll be along shortly, if we're in a hurry you could lace me?"
A few minutes later she joins Iris and heads to the rest of the group. Yuki, ever practical, tries to sleep on yulai's shoulders.
"Sure thing," says Iris. She pauses long enough to lace Yulai's top and help her get ready. Then she walks with her to the smoking room.
Iris left her fox sleeping on top of her dresser.
"Hey." Bran waves to the denizens of the smoking room and looks fairly enthused.
"Has anyone seen Isawa? He does sleep right?" He asks, unsure if the answer or the stories were true.
"Huh, does he sleep? I really don't know either way." Despite having been woken up, Tal'ariel looks reasonably alert. "He may have his own agenda, but I expect he'll arrive momentarily." Tal'ariel looks to the Captain. "If you're ready, feel free to start and we can help Isawa catch up."
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I... I think I sleep. - says Isawa, approaching with tired eyes. It was clear he was late, but he was still on his usual smiling attitude - Every time I try to find out about the mystery if Samsarans sleep or not, I end up passing out, tired. A shame, I say!
The witch shakes his hand, as if signing for the others to continue.
I apologize for being late. Please, go ahead. - the warlock completes with his very slow and deep voice tone.
"Thanks for seeing us this late at night. As you might imagine, I have news from the prisoner. Introductions first, though. This is Norro Wiston, town speaker of Drellin's Ferry. He's the leader of the town council, although I advice him on martial matters."
She points to the well-dressed, but rather haggard-looking man sitting in the chair next to her.
"Speaker, this is the group I told you about." He nods at you in greeting, although his face is halfway a frown. "A pleasure."
He otherwise seems content to let the woman take the lead.
"On to business. The prisoner tells us that their leader is a bugbear sorcerer by name of Korth, who's holed up in an old keep in the Witchwood, almost on the foothills of the Aspodell mountains. I'd like you to go there and kill him."
A yawning serving girl enters the room, setting down a large pot of coffee and a number of mugs. She could probably bring you something else if you asked.
"Can we get a rough map? I'd rather not murder the wrong bugbear. I'm all for dispensing with monsters, but there's monsters and then there's inconveniently monstrous raced hermits, and you won't believe the scolding if we mistake the latter for the former."
She trails off, then smiles apologetically.
"Which is to say that as heroes we're quite capable of hero things, but still, a map would be a big help."
"I'm afraid I don't have one. I do have directions though, and they should be simple to follow. The Dawn Way, the road that runs north from town, leads north into the Witchwood. Follow the road through the woods until it crosses the Old Forest Road, where you'll turn west. Vraath Keep overlooks the Old Forest Road, sitting less than an hour west from where the two roads cross. Local legend has it that the place is haunted - it dates back from the time of the Taldane Empire - but if the goblins are making it their base camp, that can't be more than superstition."
"A bugbear sorcerer, you say? Most intriguing. I shall match my magic against his and we shall see who Nethys favors."
He seems pleased at this thought.
"Or, perhaps one of my colleagues will defeat this Korth in their own manner. Either way, the job will be done.
How long is the journey? I am as fast afoot as most of you tall folk, though I would purchase a pony if we are all riding."
"Water for me, please," says Tal'ariel, declining the offered coffee. She listens intently at the news, then considers if the names of the bugbear or keep were familiar to her.
"Did our hobgoblin friend share any information about who else might be with this bugbear? I'd hate to encounter a camp with hundreds of hobgoblins. Also, do you have any knowledge of this keep and its layout? A secret unguarded entrance would be best."
"Supposedly, this 'Koth' keeps his personal guard in the keep, the rest of the host is roving the countryside, returning only once every week or so. As far as the hobgoblin knew, the sorcerer's guard consists of a minotaur, four of his best soldiers and his pet manticore. There's also a few goblin scouts attached to the camp. I'm afraid that we don't know much about the keep itself. Supposedly, the last master of the place angered the giants of the Witchwood, thousands of years ago. They tore down the gates of his keep and killed him in retalliation."
"Getting to the keep should be just over half a day's journey on foot. Still less than a full day for a gnome, I'd think."
"Do the giants of the Witchwood still live?" asks Iris. "I wonder if we could trick them into storming the fort and killing its defenders." She says this half to herself, remembering her goblin mask and ability to speak their tongue.
I like your line of thought, my dear. - speaks Isawa towards Iris, as he sips the coffee with a smile - I fear that if they somehow deciphered the ruse, however, we'd have two issues at hands.