Peitry shoots the Asmodean a scornful clance but takes the document in hand and runs trough it and mulls it over, he would not be goaded into signing anything, especialy by a devil.
Finally he sighs, there was nothing to add, and signs.
"Can we be off then?" he asks dejectedly, feeling amost faigued by the lawyering.
Rosa looks on as the other party head off into a long hike into the bad land. To an unesay looking Paladin next to her, she says back to him.
She wask over to her group and they start talking about there plan of action.
Rosa waves the other group off one.
"Well some one has to poor things, maniacal laugh,maniacal laugh,maniacal laugh"
He nods at Rogarson "Goodbye, and good luck in your travels.
Having arrived safely back at the keep, Jin takes stock of his group.
They survived. They worked well together.
He considers Rogarson as the dwarf says his goodbyes.
It pains me that you won't reconsider my friend, I have enjoyed your companionship thus far and you are a fine warrior. Your leaving is our loss, though I wish you well for the future.
With a Heartfelt clap on the shoulder Jin bids the dwarf goodbye.
I agree. I certainly don't, I am here because....well...I guess I am damned no matter where I go. Back home I have no allies and Devils at my heels. Here at least, I have allies and the demons don't wish to kill me anymore than the next warrior.
He turns to the rest of his group
Well friends, what now?
"We plan and drink" Sirhan watches Rogarson heading off "First round is on me, and we can discuss what is needed for supplies and if we want to add to our ranks."
Very well friend, I have worn this ring of mine for many months. I have not had occasion to drink with friends......in a long time. Though I suppose we should trade in those trophies first?
You're right. We should trade these trophies in before they begin to stink.
08/20/4712 18:00
The ferry ride across the bitter river is swift. The group quickly find themselves passing back through the the mighty statues of St. Clydwell and into the keep. The barracks are available for rest as always, but the Watchful Blade has a couple nicer rooms available for rent as well. The inn is much as it was yesterday, though many of the faces are different. Sir Brensen and Balbeck Morann can be seen amongst the crowd, and the buxom fiery-haired dwarven innkeeper is also present.
Jin moves over to the bar early and addresses the Inkeep.
Water, please. I have just returned and must admit the heat out there is stifling. Had any promising recruits come in? Sadly, one of our number has decided to not continue with us, though I guess you'd hear that a lot.
The door swings open, and a massive armored figure enters the Watchful Blade, walking with the careful gate of someone who is drunk, but aware of the fact. Its not hard to identify him as a priest of Gorum, his fullplate bristles with the spikes so beloved of that order, and the hilt of a greatsword juts over one shoulder, the hooved feet are perhaps something of an outlier, but then the Crusades attract some strange folk...
Steadying himself against the doorframe, the big fellow reaches up to remove his horned helm, pulling it clear to reveal a red skinned, but rakishly handsome visage, complete with a set of horns jutting from his forehead, that turn out not to have been detatchable. Its obvious now that a great deal of his bulk is supplied by the armor.
"Drezen Silver, Cleric of Gorum, don't smite me please it won't work - I might look a tad demonic, but I really can't help it," he says in the bored tones of someone used to repeating the same phrase adnauseum. "Tomorrow I kill demons, today I'm looking for an ample supply of woman, and a mouth full of warm ale," he pauses, "'s possible I mean the other way round."
With this pronouncement and a few calls of greeting from patrons within the bar the tiefling clanks on in, followed by a long tail covered in a layer of downey orange fur. The tail sways back and forth, with each step, as if conducting a rather lethargic orchestra.
Approaching the bar and giving the dwarven innkeeper and her ample assets an approving nod Drezen calls,
"Your finest whiskey please my love, I've worked up a rare old thirst training and I might as well sample the good stuff before I'm too drunk to tell the difference between whiskey and horse piss."
He nods at Jin companionably, overhearing the last of the elf's words and offering,
"Don't know if you are the open minded sort, but there's plenty around who can tell you Drez can smash demons good and proper - me and me Ire," his tail taps the hilt of the greatsword pointedly as he says the last. "I'm always looking for a chance to spill some demon blood, s' what I do."
That depends on many things, 'friend'. Though do not doubt your heritage does not disqualify you. The nickname 'Low Templar' doesn't circulate this place for no reason. There are many here of questionable origins and though it surprises me, the Imodaeans here seem happy to ignore ones past provided his is crazy enough to fight demons for pay. The decision to take you is not mine, for our group does not have a leader as such, so share a drink with us and state your case for a few ears who would listen.
Jin did like the look of this one, but they had just got back. There may be someone even better.
He looks over the new comer listening to his words wondering if it is all talk. Looking at Jin "I am here just for the fight Demons, the pay is a bonus." gazing at the new guy "Come let's discuss your want to join our little group and while we are at it you can apologize to the lady for suggesting that she would serve low quality whiskey." He winks at the bar keep and gives a warm smile.
"Oh, but cheap whiskey is a warriors best friend, and it would be sacriledge to quaff fifty year old Andoran, like I am want to do with the cheap stuff when the edges of my better judgment are fully eroded," Drezen replies, grinning contentedly.
"I'll happily join you, if you'll take me, I'll be heading into the fray either way - prefer not to go alone, but go I will. The lot I was training with today are all twoddling on about caution, and being the prudent second wave... Pah! I don't want to mop up stragglers I wanna pull out demon spines and shove them up their puckered arses. Don't get me wrong I 'aven't got a death wish, but I'm the last son of the crusader city that bares my name. Human you know, not a trace of demon blood, but I was still a swaddled babe that warping wave hit my home - now look at me," his tail waves back and forth tapping each of his horns in turn, "Don't see the point in being all brooding and such, but on me oath, I'm going to become strong enough to find that many armed hell b#~%# - Zuhra Aponavicus, curse of Drezen - and make her pay for turning a city of heroes into mindless monsters, and stealing my humanity."
Drezen blinks drowsily and holds up a finger for a second before belching hugely, [b]"Ah, pardon me. Sorry, I've never been great at intense, rather have a good time. Lets see pitch time hey? Hmm, I can heal you, though I generally think I'm better off lopping of demon heads in battle, and then there's my winning personality?" He trails off with a lop sided grin, paying for his whiskey and ambling over to take a seat by Sirhan.
Sirhan gestures to the barmaid for another round. "Well then we have a few things in Common, A curse made me look like this." He raises a hand to his face "I can heal you as well but I am better at battle, I have a few other tricks as well."
Hah. I have only met one Cleric of Gorum before. He was a far better warrior than most clerics. Never healed during a fight though, always said there was plenty of time for that AFTER.
"E'sactly, plenty of time after. Just try not to die, seems like common sense right? I don't know if I'm a better warrior, but I know how to carve demon, and I ain't too bad otherwise. I mean I can do the whole waggling fingers and prayin' bit, but its more about hackin' stuff up. Call me Drez by the way," the tiefling says, taking a swig of his drink.
Peitry goes straight up to the keep with the trophies to look for the commander in charge of doling out the gold to cash in for the group.
Peitry will inquire about a wizard who sells wands before taking the gold to find the group.
"Sir Brensen. I have trophies to sell." Peitry anounces by way of greeting to the knight and fishes out a sack with the trophies.
Urmann walks in confidently and boistrously. "Seems like only yesterday I was down in Osiron ...little too dry there, if you ask me. And everything worth stealing is cursed! But now! Great worship of the Lucky Drunk! Booze, fill my voids!" he exclaims as he approaches the bar. He eyes Peitry's stash. "Not bad, kid. Get that from a temple raid or monsters?"
Peitry raises an eyebrow at the brusque man calling him kid, it had been a long time since anyone called him that, though he was just over 26 years old he didn't exactly have the look of a vigorous youth about him. That and he was more used to dealing with fawning apprentices than barroom bravos.
Clutching the bag just a little bit tighter at the mans attention Peitry gives a hesitant answer. "Monsters, if you must know.. Just returned from the wastes."
Jin seeing Peitry move straight to business shuffles over, mostly to wonder about what sort of bounties the man would be offered.
Crissor paces and gives the tiefling some space. But still feels the need to be friendly. "Aye, I know the worry about appearence, despite intention...to one day make this place safe for good and common folk though...it's worth the occassional jab."
The door swings open yet again, this time revealing a well-traveled woman with a blue scarf around her neck that covers her nose and mouth, underneath it hangs a silver pendant of a longsword surrounded by a sunburst. She tuggs the scarf down as she walks in, uncovering a few thin scars on her cheeks. Her voice is quiet, as she talks to the barkeep.
"Ale, please, and would you know of anyone looking for a strong arm and a good shield?"
Bar Area (Drezen, Sirhan, Crissor, Terri)
The bartender gives Drezen his whiskey and then serves Terri her ale. She points at the group of newly returned crusaders, "Pretty sure I overhead that they might be looking for some new blood."
Drezen smiles lazily at Crissor nodding,
"Aye, kinda ironic that if we ever are succesful we'll be about as welcome as a boar in a bakery though. But people'll be people I suppose, and I dain't have any pressing desire to become a local priest or nothin'. No idea what I'd do if we ever manage to close the wound, but there are plenty of places with trouble and large women I s'pose."
Sir Brensen's Table (Jin, Peitry, Kenan, Brensen)
"Greetings!" The paladin says with a smile. "Back so soon? At least you all appear to be in one piece. Do you have anything for me?"
Peitry draws forth several pairs of birds legs and places them on the table in front of Sir Brensen. Totaling nine pairs, six small ones blonging to the birds dubbed 'chicken', two pairs of the large birds with the large axelike beaks and a pair belonging to the flyer, and looks at Sir Brensen expectantly.
"That's it. Nine pairs of legs and let me tell you those things did not go down without a fight."
"Oh my. These look like cockatrice feet." He says examining the smaller legs, before picking one up and taking a small bite. He quickly spits it out into a pile of concrete-like dust on the table. "These big fellas look like terror birds." The pink feathered one draws particular interest. "One of them a half-fiend at that." He considers for a moment counting out some things on his fingers. "Good haul for a day boys, I'll give you 8,100 GP for the lot." He unlocks his chest and counts out 81 platinum coins into a leather bag, handing it over to the crusaders.
"Thank you. Health and safe travels to yours."
The woman steps over to one of the ones the bartender pointed out and introduces herself.
"Pardon the interruption, my name is Terri Riverrun, and I heard you were looking for some 'new blood'. Would you happen to be in need of a good sword?"
"Quite the haul, that Captain must be a real gourmand," Drezen observes, watching with interest. "Wonder what terror bird tastes like? Probably alright with enough garlic - most things are."
Crissor smiles "I'm pretty sure if it wasn't tainted it just might be, take a couple of eggs, break em' open mix em' up and the coat the bird flesh in it, dip into some bread crumbs, and fry over a fire." The gnoll's stomach rumbles a little.
Peitry gathers up the proffered platinum pieces with a curt nod and a 'thank you' to Sir Brendsen and nodding to Jin and Kenan, indicating their table and heading over there to sit down.
"Alright, you want to split the loot here or move to a less crowded area?" he asks with his usual display of paranoia, looking around at the strangers in the bar.
"We got 8,100 gold, addint the sales value of the two rings totals up to 10,350 gold pieces. 2,070 gold ahead since Rogarson walked away. Deducting the rings leaves Jin with 1,070 gold and me with 820."
Finishing his accounting he looks to see reactions to to exorbitant amount of gold their trek into the world wound wastes brought them and gives a little grin of his own, the closes you've seen him come to smiling yet.
"But we need to talk provisions. The group needs certain things if we're going to make it in those wilds and a wand of endure elements is on the top of that list. I'd suggest a mount wand as well as a rope trick one but I think that's not necessary for now though I highly recommend them."
"A fully charged wand of endure elements comes at 750 gold but a wand of communal endure elements would be much more economical in the long run for us but costs 4,500 gold."
How so? A single charge from a Communal wand would grant 12hrs protection between 2 people. So that would take care of the Daylight hours. But there are going to be six of us.
We would still need 3 charges a day.
Or the Endure Elements wand would be 6charges a day, the higher level wand would last us twice as long but costs far more than double.
Unless I miss my math.
We'd get about 8 days from a Endure wand.
A wand of Mount would certainly be prudent, but I'd rather use it for emergencies than transport. We could communally purchase a pearl of power for you instead Peitry, specifically for an emergency casting of mount. If you prepare one and keep the pearl then that is 2 mounts for 12 hours per casting. I will do likewise and use one of my own pearls. That covers us for horses.
If the others agree, that makes 1 wand of endure elements, 1 communal pearl for you. Costs 250gp more but the pearl has far longer duration for an emergency mount and can be used for other things if needed.
Jin leans back and let's those listening think on his reasoning.
Jin looks at Peitry, Further my friend, my only other immediate interest while in camp is trading of spells to our mutual benefit. I lacked the gold or time before but a day or two could prove valuable to both of us, if you are still willing to share. Our agreement on found scrolls remains in effect of course, since sadly my limited understanding of magic means there are many spells I cannot cast. We can divvy the funds later. As it stands all I can afford to do is buy a scroll of Blindness for my spell book. Less my contribution to party wands etc. I will save my coin. I have heard tell of a certain costly root I shall have to order from the Hedgewizards here for my Scimitar.
Drezen laughs and clangs a fist against his armored stomach, "Stop, you are making me hungry. Why does fried food always sound so good when I am drinking?"
He stays back giving the group have some privacy while counting their spoils, but letting out a couple of low whistles as he hears the figures. Its never been about the coin, but it is good to know they get paid. And being caked in gore is all well and good, but I'd rather not be wet and miserable in the interim.
"If its shelter from the crapstorm of weather we get near the Wound you want, I've found ye can usually make a pretty sturdy shelter with stone shape. Rope tricks alright, but it dain't last long if you are using a wand, and a rope dangling outta thin air s'probably just as suspicious as a boulder with a door in it. Course its a bigger magic, but then ye can always reuse a stone shelter like that since its permanent."