From your years of fighting for the rich's entertainment, you can instantly see a bit of seniority in the trio's movements. These were no amateurs. The leading man was most likely from the north district, otherwise he couldn't afford the rings on his hand, the precious metals on his scabbard, or that impeccable shine to his hair. The elf may seem slender, but there is no wasted movement as she marches along. She seems fairly strong, maybe even stronger than the leading man. As for the half-orc, it strikes you as odd that he be bound in chains, but still be allowed to hold a weapon. He has many scars on his body, from countless battles, and doesn't seem to care much for what's going on, merely following the other two.
Definitely a group you should think twice before engaging in open hostilities. Maybe think it over at least five times.
Arnek and Trini move over to the door to eavesdrop on the conversation. It doesn't seem like anyone will stop you, or that the group outside detects what you're doing.
"-making the final push today."
"And our part?"
"Just make sure no one comes into the cave. If all goes well, we should be out of the town by tonight."
"Fine, fine. We'll send some men to guard the entrance while you and your men are inside. Will that be fine?"
"Perfect darling."
Footsteps sound like someone is heading back to the inn.
That must be a member of the adventurers who ruin the lives of these people.
Emerich pauses for a moment, before starting to follow Arnek.
His eyes widen.
Vivi is working with them!
He whispers. He hears the footsteps and rushes back to the table.
Arnek pads back to the table and shares what he heard with the others trying to put two and two together.
Trini rushes back to the table as well. "Who knows who to trust in this town? Vivi may have been lying about the apparition we saw. We should take the smith up on that opportunity soon."
Korunar tells the others about his observations.
"We should not provoke them. I don't think we can deal with them in an open fight."
"Well, that fits the story she told us yesterday." he says to Arnek. Then he looks at the others. "This must be the man who told her, to send everyone away from the mine. I don't think Vivi is lying to us. She just has no other option than doing what they want her to do. Perhaps we can join the guard for tonight? We also promised the smith to deliver the supplies for him. We could explore the area around the mines already while we do so. Also we wouldn't appear as suspicious when guarding the entrance, if they already know us from the delivery."
Trini nods. "Good plan. We had better pick up the supplies now. I wouldn't mind seeing more of this world today. There was something special about that ritual tree in the village..."
"Special?
I saw everybody lying down as if taking a nap, with a tree leaf on their chest. What about it?"
Arnek looks at Trini... Looks at Daniel... Looks at Trini... And gets up stretching his arms.
Whelp... I think it's time for me to stretch my legs... Good luck Daniel... I think you will need it.
With that the gnome steps away from the table watching to see what happens... With a grin on his face.
Daniel is unsure of what Arnek's talking about.
Emerich looks at Daniel, then Arnek.
Why's he doing that?
He gives Arnek a strange look, then says:
So.. it's agreed. We're picking up our supplies now and try to get guard duty?
Trini smiles at Daniel and merely says, "One of those things you just have to experience for yourself..." though Arnek seems to think she will have more to say.
She nods at Emerich. "Let's do it."
As you all are about to exit the inn, you run into Vivi who is making her way back inside.
"Oh leaving so soon? Did you grab the sandwiches I made you?"
Dwarven words, as Daniel shakes his head.
"How i prefer the straightforwardness of my fellow dwarves.
Oh well..."
"Whoops!" Trini runs back to get them. "Thanks, Vivi. We'll see you later! Important Guild business to conduct."
I don't know... I've met a dwarf or two who wouldn't mind lying to you. True your folk do tend to be a bit more sturdy in both temperament and build then most folks.
Arnek give Daniel a wink and continues on with the group as they leave the inn.
"Those were likely the greedier merchants or criminals.
I could think of one other profession, but that seems to be a thing of humans."
"Oh, I see. Well take care now."
She watches as you all depart the inn heading for (I'm assuming) Smith's shop. But then you hear her calling your names. You turn and find she has chased you down. She clutches her chest, panting heavily.
"I'm sorry. I know its sudden but, since you mentioned it yesterday...Please, make sure you stay away from the mine today, alright?"
Trini puts her hand on Vivi's shoulder. "Vivi, what's the matter?" she asks, hoping to draw out more details.
She seems reluctant to speak.
"The group at the mines is planning to make a final push. The townsfolk and I are taking steps to make sure they won't come after us afterwards. Just....don't go, okay?"
She's worried the adventurers will link us to the towns folk.
Emerich tightens his jaw as he thinks about the implications of going.
Don't worry, Vivi. We won't endanger the town.
"Vivi, we heard some words about guards needed for the mine? You could send us there. We'll make sure not to make trouble for you. You know, we've promised to help you and the town."
Vivi ponoders this for moment, reflecting on her brief interactions with all of you. She frowns when she looks at Arnek, but her eyes wonder over to Trini as she remembers her eagerness to participate in their ways.
"Alright." she finally relents. She rummages therough the pockets of her frock and pulls out a scroll of parchment.
"Give this to Smith. He'll make the preparations, and a few more townsfolk will meet you over at his shop soon."
She leaves you to make preparations.
Daniel listens carefully, seeing miss Vivian all nervous.
"Us being the guards...i'd not be surprised if those just now would eventually spot and recognize us."
You all move onto Smith's place and find him at work on some repairs.
"Ah, what do you want now?" he says as sees you walk into the main room.
AS you offer him the scroll, he takes it and reads it, his expression falling.
"I see...alright, I'll get everything ready. Give me a moment here."
Smith goes off upstairs and returns moments later with a few items.
"If Vivi let you deliver this, must mean you're helping us out one way or another. You should be a bit better outfitted in case there's trouble."
He sets some items on a nearby table. The first thing you notice is a pair of wristguards that have symbols of a hammer and anvil etched into them [Bracers of Armor +1]. There is set of boots that have been reinforced with hardened leather and have been blackened on the soles [Daredevil boots]. And lastly, a scabbard that has been decorated with strips of silver and bronze metal. Smith picks this one up and demonstrates that whatever weapon he puts at the mouth the scabbard melds to the weapon. For the case of non-bladed weapons, it attaches as a classed when carrying the object [Scabbard of Vigor].
He leaves the items on the table for you to deal with and goes outside to get ready.
"How nice of him!" Trini squeals as she inspects the items. "Nothing that suits me, though, I don't think. All yours, boys!"
"So, the situation at the mines seems like serious business. Anyone have a plan?"
"Thank you!" he says to the Smith as he shows the items. After the Smith went outside, Korunar continues to speak. "Looks like we're in troubles if he gives this things away for free."
He takes a quick look on the boots and the scabbard but doesn't seem to care about them. The wristguards however catch his interest. He lifts them with his hands and feels a small force that seems to push the wristguards away from his hands.
"These look like they could protect from a hit or two. Does anyone mind if I take them?"
Soon afterwards he waits for a moment he can talk to Trini unnoticed by the others. "Trini, it's a little embarrassing for me to ask you this, but I still feel stricken after yesterday and I want to be prepared for this. Back in Terrace I often was heavily wounded in backyard fights. A lovely girl, Laura is her name, used to care about me afterwards. She used some kind magic I don't quite understand by reading from some paper. Do you think you could heal me if we find such scrolls in this little town? I would pay for any expenses of course. But please, don't tell the others about it."
"Of course!" says Trini. "Not a problem. The magic store that made off with Bently may be a good place to find scrolls. The others don't have to know."
"Thats a good idea. I'll try to find some of those papers. It might look suspicious if we both leave." he says to Trini.
"I'll be right back." he says to the others as he is leaving.
A grin splits Emerich's face.
Thank you, sir Smith. You are very kind.
Emerich tries the boots on.
He feels the spring in his step immediately.
Woah.
Arnek picks up the scabbard and hands it to Korunar.
There are some creatures in that can only be hurt by magic blades. You will be very happy to have this if we ever meet one of those.
As for the bracers... well we all have armor that is just as good or better. But they will still help any one of us against some magical attacks. So who wants em?
Koruna makes his way over to the magic shop. He finds the owner muttering to himself as he carefully makes potions on the shop counter. He occasionally references book propped on a wooden stand. He does take notice as you enter his shop.
"Yes yes, make it quick." William Wackabee says to you. "Don't think I've forgotten your words when you were last here. I believe they were along the lines of searching for magic items elsewhere? Hmm?"
He smiles wryly as it seems you need his services after all. After hearing what you need, he still offers to sell you what you request, but at a 1/2 price markup. So each scroll of cure light wounds would be 75 gp each rather than 50 gp.
"Well, you know, we maybe had a little rough start." Korunar tries to comfort him. "I'm here because Trini send's us to the mine to help you townfolks."
Korunar hands William 75 gp for one scroll as he isn't familiar with magic and doesn't know the market price. He thinks William charges him too much but has no other choice, so he thanks him reluctantly for his service and heads back to the smith.
He takes the scabbard Arnek hands him as he arrives. "Well, if you say so." He attaches the scabbard to his belt, hangs the battleaxe in it and watches a little baffled as the scabbard melds to the axe.
"Looks like Mr. Wackabee hasn't forgot about us." he says to Trini. "He charged me 75 gp for a scroll. I don't know the value of it but it can't be this expensive?" He hands the scroll to Trini.
Trini wrinkles her brow. "The Church of Gozreh sells them for 50 gold. Maybe it's different at shops than churches, though." She tucks the scroll into her pocket.
Daniel raises an eyebrows.
"They charged you what??"
He shakes his head.
"I'm afraid you've been conned, Korunar.
Those scrolls normally cost a mere 25 gold pieces. Be watchful of any other prices. I'm coming with you next time."
Daniel raises an eyebrows.
"They charged you what??"
He shakes his head."I'm afraid you've been conned, Korunar.
Those scrolls normally cost a mere 25 gold pieces. Be watchful of any other prices. I'm coming with you next time."
"Yeah, well I had no other choice. I am not used to trading magical stuff and we will need it. That woman yesterday knew how to use her hammer and very soon we could meet some even deadlier folks."
"Oh sorry, Daniel's right, 25 gold. I was thinking of potions. We should go to my parents' shop when we get back to Terrace. They can supply us better than that horrible old wizard."
"Oh sorry, Daniel's right, 25 gold. I was thinking of potions. We should go to my parents' shop when we get back to Terrace. They can supply us better than that horrible old wizard."
Smith soon appears before you all, and motions for you to follow. Outside he has a cart prepared, full to the brim with various items, weapons and armor. These are most likely for the group that's heading inside the caves. Standing by the cart are six young men and women from the village, each armed and ready for a fight should one occur.
"Have you all made your preparations?" One of the guards asked. "If we're lucky, maybe there won't be a battle today."
Trini lights up at seeing the crowd. "I'm ready if everyone else is. If we do end up fighting, I can get us blessed by my deity, Gozreh, provided we stay together at the start."
Daniel shrugs with a rogue-ish smile.
"Us dwarves have an eye for business, even if we don't all practice the profession."
Will they survive? I hope so. Will we survive? Maybe not.
Emerich gulps.
I hope we're lucky. We're going to need the luck.
Who takes the bracers? Korunar got quite low touch armor but he already took the scabbard.
"I'm ready!" Korunar declares with a thrill of anticipation regarding the upcoming event.
The trek to the mines is a long one, but onlly takes a few hours. The sun is shining brighter than yesterday, and it feels hot on your skin as you ride or walk along the marked path. Interestingly, it seems the villagers had planted a specific plant in order to mark the way to the mine, rather than make a path.
When you arrive to the site you are greeted with quite a spectacle. There must be 30 or so adventurers of all kinds. Most are younger and probably about your level of power, but there's a good half dozen or so that look very formidable. A young woman with long blonde hair is shining her steel helm while sitting on a stump, occasionally spitting on it before she gets back to rubbing. A spindly man who is as almost as tall as Korunar laughs as he seems to be in a game where you juggle knives before tossing them at various fruits stacked on bottles. There's a carpenter as well, busily making repairs on wagon, taking bits of discarded wood, such as old signs or smashed tables, and hammering away at it.
Eventually someone notices your party and comes up to you. It is a young looking elven lad (though they all look young don't they), but the fire of youth is still in this one's eyes.
"Great!" he says as he greets you with a smile. "We're about to head in. Just leave the supplies over there and make sure not to let anyone in, alright?"
"Of course," the head guard replies."More than happy to."
The elven lad is about to take off to share the news of the upcoming departure when he stops and looks at you all, a quizzical look on his face. It occurs to you now that there is almost no doubt from Terrace as this village is only inhabited by humans.
Still, he doesn't really care what you're up to and turns to lead the others.
"Are you lot ready?" the head guard asks you all. He seems tense, but hasn't one for a weapon yet. "If everything plays out according to plan, then none of us have to draw a weapon. It's almost time..."
Trini smiles at the group and repeats her injunction to stay near her at the start of any fighting breaking out.
"I'm ready!" she says.
You all wait, tense, ready to fight at the slightest signal from the head guard. And yet... no fight breaks out. You all watch as the massive force in front of you starts to file into the cave.
Ten minutes later, the entire force has entered the cave leaving only you all and the guards.
"C'mon," the head guard says to you all.
You watch as the group of men and women who came with you go back to the wagon. You hear the splintering of wood and watch as they break open the false bottom, and begin to pull packets of tightly packed bundles from the cart.
"Let's be quick about this."
He and the others hurriedly carry the bundles to the entrance of the cave.