Thorn give a slight bow once more, " V-Very Well, The Father here is m-more versed in the Inn name t-than I. "
"Thanks kindly. We look forward to hearing from you.", Burdock shaking the Orc-hammer brothers' hands.
"Let us go to the guard. We need to get some funds to prepare ourselves as well."
Elsa will be keeping herself busy hanging out with the new guy from Irrisen.
Paying a visit to the guard station, you bump into the dwarf from the warehouse. A reward of 450gp each is handed to you, with the remark that, should you ever feel up for it, they'd pay for any assistance you'd be willing to lend.
Bjärn's happy to catch up on the 'what's been going on' with you.
He tells you your brother's doing fine and that he's been regional champion within the nobles' fencing competition as of late.
Your family's the same as when you left, mother's still in the politics but your sisters had falsely accused you of taking a prized item upon departure, so as to hire Sven. He guesses, but thinks it unlikely for the nearby future, Sven would try again due to his honor.
"...that aside, Elsa, would you care to pick up a frost combat style, that requires no magic? I know your family's frost magics are superb, but even magic reserves run out eventually, or are even nullified in some parts of the world."
[ooc]He's offering the training of levels into kineticist.
Sivar scootches around to hear about rumours and such.
Sivar goes and works on the docks casting lesser restoration if he becomes fatigued
Save for the fact you're dealing xd6 like there's no tomorrow, opposed to your limited ammo of snowball.
Father Burdock's playing a kineticist in a PFS i run, believe me when i say they are very versatile....and deadly. Well, as long as the group's not bottlenecked.
You didn't hear that from me.
Hw many days do we have.. Sivar works until a decision is made
Sivar ponders his cash bounty not enough for mithril plate or similar yet...
During the wait, you get a visit from your brother Turk.
The two of you sitting at a table, a tankard of a cousin's homebrewed mead in hand, he shares some findings.
"Brother, good to see you. It's come to my attention you and your friends are going to the darklands with the Orc-hammer brothers. While that is a surprise, and i pray Torag for his blessing, it might also be essential that you do."
He takes out a few pieces of paper and unfolds them onto the table.
"This is a copy from some pages from the smiths' guild older crafting manuals. As you know the smiths' guild encompasses a variety of crafts like armor, weapons and also craftsman of jewelry and decorative items, like the decorations in Torag's chapels.
But this here, see this passage on runes? This is about locks and runes, like those on your tome. If the Orc-hammer brothers are venturing to seek out lost heirlooms and history, keep a lookout for anything about runes and old locks. It might be key to opening the tome."
There has been no protecting needing done for Elsa, as her training with Bjärn has progressed quite well. Foregoing magical force, Elsa now has knowledge of influencing the elements around her in a more direct matter.
Bjärn had made some mild comic wordplay in Skald, about how Grint looked a little soft, compared to Ulfen standards.
All in all, though, he let Grint know he appreciated his promise of upholding Elsa's safety.
Working the docks, you found yourself the only one with elven blood. While the humans didn't, some dwarves sometimes made jokes about an elf-blood working for dwarves. Despite it, they appreciated your effort in the physical labor.
They shared some stories when in the tavern during off-time, of past adventures and other cities within Varisia.
One in particular, spoke of a young skilled varisian fortune teller woman, who could see future with eerie accuracy.
Her name was Malena Omoroi.
Spending time sparring with a diversity of dwarves and sailors had paid off. You had become stronger and found there were some like minded individuals, determined in work and with strong moral codes.
Almost after a month of doing your own business, the younger of the Orc-hammer brothers showed up in the tavern, seeking you. With the message of them having finished preparations, he asks you to pack your essentials and follow him to their shop.
At the shop, the elder brother awaits you, 5 dwarves and 2 humans were geared up. 2 dwarves were clearly not for combat, looking like a humble clergy and a scholar. The dwarves were obviously frontline muscle, with the humans a bit more versatile.
Elder brother: "Ah, there you are, are you all set?"
Yo was anything said about where this fortune teller was in Varisia or is that for me to find out?
She is a traveler, often staying a few weeks before hitting the road again. Latest hearsay has her spotted headed to the town of Galduria, in southern central Varisia.
A few sailors have docked in Kharum some months ago, saying a fortune teller at the docks matched her description, but that during their more recent last visit, they heard she hit the road.
Thorn had come much more cut and hardy but no less short or hesitant. His stare seemed distant before eyes laid upon the Dwarf.
" M-More or less, T-though I am not sure if I will m-make the trip. H-Hopefully the m-mission will succeed. W-We will help as we can. "
The grip on his axe was tight but practiced based on the clear bruising on his hands and wrappings there. His armor a heavier set than last.
Grint looks to buy a longbow and some more stuff, hoping he can find it in Janderhoff while Elsa is training with Bjarn and comes back later to see how the two are progressing with the training.
Grint visits the local armoury/weapon trader for a longbow and then strolls through the more magically inclined shops searching for any of the following items: Efficient Quiver, Bracers of Falcon's Aim
Finding a bow isn't too much of a problem, as the dwarves guarding the tunnels down below need bows too.
The magical items he's looking for, however, are not in the Janderhoff shops.
No spellcasters for Bracers of the Falcon are currently living in Janderhoff.
An elder dwarf, master scholar and strong wizard, resides somewhere in the district for magics and rune studies.
The expedition, now commencing, takes you down Janderhoff's lower levels and districts. Eventually, the elder Orc-hammer brother points ahead.
"Yonder is a border outpost. 'T seals access between Janderhoff and the tunnels to the Darklands, we're taking a small tunnel from just up ahead."
A little talk with a few guards, still declaring him a fool for the venturing, you are allowed passage. The trip through the initial tunnel is fairly uneventful.....
"Aye, I'll look for them. I appreciate the advice and company. It is a strange lot I am traveling with, but they are good folk and I can only pray that our meeting was guided for a reason."
Burdock calls for one more round for him and his younger brother. "It's still good to see you, even if it's a bit more for business than family gathering."
If Grint still has the money available he will buy himself a chain shirt to sleep in, need to be prepared when attacked at night.
Some smaller tunnels further down, the group makes a stop.
Eldest brother: "Right, we need to check two passages.
It won't be far apart, but these 5 will check north and you'll have to go south."
The brothers are both steadfast in their choice, and you find yourselves a 60 feet south. While walking, Sivar and Father Burdock, through their enhanced vision, notice a wriggling mass on top of a spider carcass.
The light from the human party members draws attention though.
Thorn
-------
Swarm
-------
Sivar
Elsa, Father Burdock & Grint
" Wait.. I see something... "
Thorn narrows his eyes trying to determine what type of Swarm they be.
Creepy and crawly, these centipedes normally eat insects and, if none present, vegetation. However, if very hungry, they will attack bigger prey, using their numbers to crawl all over and bite the target.
Said bites carry poison.
Thorn switches his training towards defense and waits.
How much bonus AC and saves does the team get?
Insects, unless made fiendish, aren't evil in nature.
Thorn switches tactical methods and waits.
-------
Swarm rapidly closes in, a blanket of crawling insects.
As it does, it crawls all over the party except for Grint.
-------
Sivar
Elsa, Father Burdock & Grint
Sivar resists the effects of the bugs and then attacks with an acid flask
and
Elsa resists the worst of the swarm. She moves and hurls a freezing ray of ice at the swarm
and the Swarm is entangled. The swarm can remove the entangled effect with a standard action and a DC 15 STR or Escape Artist check.
Elsa accepts the burn of her new magic, and her body begins effluviating ice.
Yes drops it at his feet then
Grint feels useless as he didn't prepare for swarms at all.
He curses himself for not having alchemist's fire or a bludgeoning weapon with him to squash the bugs.
" Guys? Can you handle this, my archery skills are useless here."
Thorn switches tactical methods and waits.
-------
Swarm rapidly closes in, a blanket of crawling insects.
As it does, it crawls all over the party except for Grint.
-------
Sivar grabs a flask of acid and drops it at his feet.
It breaks, splashing Elsa, Father Burdock and Thorn for 1, as well as the swarm.
Elsa moves away, swatting off centipedes. Trying her new found technique, she notices potential, but it's a miss by just the tiniest bit.
Father Burdock & Grint
Burdock shrugs off the bugs, stepping back while pulling out an alchemist's fire, then tossing the vial in the area he was just at.
Father Burdock takes some distance and also lobs a vial of chemicals.
Grint, Sivar & Thorn take 1 splash dmg, while the swarm takes 6.
Grint
"None will stand before the swarm".
The queen