"Makin' a copy's all well and good, assuming you'll be the ones taking it. I'm not going to risk my reputation or my payment by misleading my employer with false goods," Carduus grumbles.
we could all turn the schema in together and claim both rewards at once?Pink Eye says with a shrug
Caelan blinks, then says, "That's, uh, not a bad idea."
Gauntlet shrugs as well.
"Then let's let our employers hash it out. We'll work together and convince both Cannith to accept the Schema together. Let them worry about sharing the information."
"Might I suggest not telling them both that fact until we are in front of them? Shall we let them both meet us at the same time - arranged separately for each of them? "
Carduus nods at Viorr. "Aye, that was my thought. If they know ahead of time, it's more like that one or both will just hire someone else to steal it from us rather than negotiate."
Agreed.
Again Gauntlet replies in the affirmative.
"Please do Lady Ama. Our employer never said anything about NOT looking at it. It would be nice to know if this item is really worth the lives of our compatriots that were lost."
Gauntlet raises a hand and shows his strange mark.
"However be warned: If Cannith wants it badly enough, we SHOULD be cautious. Trust me. I know what I speak of from personal experience."
Caelan hikes his thumb at Gauntlet and says, "Yeah, I trust this guy. Let's turn this hot potato into someone else's problem sooner rather than later."
"Study it at your own peril," Taryn advises, "knowledge of that 'schema'" whatever that means "seems to be what got the professor killed..."
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Sharn - City of Towers - 998 YK - Tenth Day of Dravago -
Weary, the two mercenary groups exit the forgotten forges of House Cannith making their way to the City of Sharn proper. Of the Rat's Market there is no sign. No doubt it will return when needed.
As you exit to the surface you find it is mid-morning. Despite the rest you took in the forge you are all quite tired from the endeavor.
Due to the fact that none wish to take their eyes of the prize, despite the haul from the forge, both groups head back to the humble home of Gauntlet's veteran friend Mickey P. Part of the reason too is that he lives just above the lower levels of Sharn so the trip there is relatively quick.
You knock on the front door and after a few moments he opens it, his eyes light up at the sight of you all, "Wow. That is one hell of a haul guys!" He looks at Taryn, Carduus, and Beylinda with interest, "Who are these three? You pick up some mercs to help in the lower levels?"
Ama sits down and begins to inspect the Schema more closely. Unlike most Schema she has read about this one is not shaped like a flat strip of metal. Instead it is an adamantine plate shaped into a seven-pointed star. It is slightly more than six inches long from point to point, and is covered with strange engraved patterns. She pulls out the old map located next to the schema. Basic spells for detecting magic seem incapable of ascertaining the secrets of the schema.
Suthar d'Cannith hired Gauntlet, Pink-Eye, Caelan, Erix, and Viorr to retrieve the schema, their rendezvous point was the Golden Horn.
Meanwhile, Lady Elaydren d'Vown hired Carduus, Taryn, Beylinda, Dharrak, Rission and the fallen Haqueton to retrieve the schema, their rendezvous point was the Broken Anvil.
The question of course becomes, what neutral site would work best for all groups to meet and finalize the transactions? IN addition, some of you will need to fence the goods recovered from the forge, there is a pretty penny to be had from the goods retrieved from therein.
"We've got a unique item, very valuable, which many buyers would love to get their hands on... and we're in Sharn, wouldn't be too hard to find someone else. And we did the job when it was too dangerous for the House to send their own, so threatening us if we don't sell it is not the kind of thing that carries a lot of weight - cheaper just to buy it at our price, rather than hiring yet another team of killers to take it from us," says Caelan, thinking out loud about the team's position and organizing his thoughts for negotiations.
"We need a neutral spot for this exchange to happen, right? What about the Vista View feast hall? Maybe you could act as mediator, Mickey?"
"Whether you realize it or not, Cannith has plenty of warforged still loyal to them. They won't cost Cannith any real money to take us out. They'll just be a few 'hired servants' with plenty of fresh Cannith forged equipment 'out for a stroll' and that suddenly went bezerk for no reason. Unless we want both Cannith masters on our backs, we need to deal with them directly. It is both logical and legal. Sharn does have laws on this sort of thing. Besides...these Cannith will want to know this 'Lord of Blades' is wanting this schema, if they don't already. Who he is and what he wants? Who knows. But I bet the Cannith know something about him. Therefore they will have answers we need."
Turning to the quiet Erix, Gauntlet nods.
"The Vista View is a nice place to do it. Low enough in Sharn to avoid trouble, but a well known establishment. Therefore, the Cannith should not have too many hesitations about it. It is also used often for clandestine deals such as this. The owner is usually very aggressive about his 'Private Parties' being kept private. It may cost us though."
while we set up our mutual and neutral rendevous let us use coin to buy the spell for Ama and fence our goods. I would like to keep some of the metal as my share instead of selling it all.
A scroll of identify would be easy to purchase and then we can get own with everything
Sharn - City of Towers - 998 YK - Tenth Day of Dravago -
Mickey shrugs, "Sure I'll do that Erix, after all, if you don;t get that item to our employer I don;t get my cut. You all stay here, I'll send out feelers to both of your respective employers. Damn Houses. Gauntlet, you were right, can't trust 'em! Err. No offense Caelan and Erix.
You want this exchange to go down tomorrow or the next day?" Mickey takes his leave after he gets his answer.
Taryn quietly smirks at Mickey's bringing up of House Orien in connection with a lack of trustworthiness.
he probably would have included me too if he'd realized, but its still funny...
"I would say tomorrow - let us leave as little time as we can for the skulduggery and the double-crosses."
Sharn - City of Towers - 998 YK - Tenth Day of Dravago -
Mickey P heads out to inform your respective employers of the new rendezvous point at the Vista View Festhall. Of course, he has to book it first so his trip will take some time.
Caelan heads out to sell the goods acquired from the Forges which were clearly not magical in nature.
Ama meanwhile heads to the Library to acquire or buy depending on the mood of the Head Librarian a scroll of Identify.
The rest of you are able to relax in the cramped, dingy quarters of Mickey P. Well, at least he has plenty of food and alcohol...
=======
The Sharn Library
As Ama, Beylinda, and Pink-Eye arrive at the Library they are ushered back to the Head Librarian immediately The young man at the front desk appears to be in awe of Pink-Eye and cannot take his eyes off of the Minotaur, "That will be enough Tsathuk". The Librarian softly scolds. As the young man exits the now cramped office, Atiel sighs, "I am glad to see you well Ama! That you braved the undercity on a quest for knowledge reminds me of myself as a young man. Tell me, did you find what the Professor was looking for? Or our lost reference books?"
Sharn - City of Towers - 998 YK - Tenth Day of Dravago -
Atiel grins, "We have dealings with all of the Houses my dear, do you mean to deal with the Gnomes directly? What magic do you seek, perhaps I can be of assistance?"
Pink eye will stand stoicly and just as the young librarian is to leave will wink at him almost.... suggestively and then chortle and listen to the conversation quietly.
Gauntlet will try and repair his damaged body.
8 hours passes, but the only thing anybody hears are banging noises and curses!
After another 8 hours of banging and cursing Gauntlet comes back into Mickey's main area less bad off than he was before.
Immediately after, he rests and seems to drift off in meditation.
"I've done a little bit of navigating, on one of our house airships..." Taryn comments as items are being separated for sale, "I'd like very much to keep this map if nobody minds?"
As others head off to the library and merchants he departs to meet with Rission and Dharrak to let them know how the remainder of the expedition went.
Caelan wanders off to the market and says, "You all sure nobody else wants to come? I'll write down the sales figures so you can make sure I'm not cheating anyone."
"I'll come with ya cousin, not much else to do" Erix offers.
Sharn - City of Towers - 998 YK - Tenth Day of Dravago -
The two House d'Orien agents head to the Upper Dura to seek a buyer for their wares. Finding a Dwarf who deal in weaponry, a Haskur Grindscale, you step into his shop. He unwraps all of your goods and inspects them.
"Fine quality make, fine quality indeed! I'll offer you 55% of market value for them a you two drive a hard bargain".
Sharn - City of Towers - 998 YK - Tenth Day of Dravago -
Taryn heads to several locations to look for Rission and Dharakk, they are nowhere to be found and no one has seen them!
Sharn - City of Towers - 998 YK - Tenth Day of Dravago -
Atiel chuckles, "Well you certainly set your sights high my dear! I could help you with a contact that can provide you a discount do you have anything to offer in trade?
Is there anything else you would need assistance with my dear?"
Sharn - City of Towers - 998 YK - Tenth Day of Dravago -
Gauntlet repairs himself, after what sounds to be a few difficulties. Then he seemingly shuts down.
Viorr and Carduus remain behind with Gauntlet, after all, having gone throgh all the trouble to get the schema, having someone steal it now would be unsettling.
you've got to be f@#€ing kidding me... Taryn thinks with growing frustration as he runs out of places to check for his associates, first this city swallows up my brother and now the only member of the House I know here has vanished too... not to mention another one of the very few people I've made the acquaintance of... I better get back to Carduus and the others before they're gone too...
He makes his haste back to what remains of his original group and quietly shares his alarming discovery with them.
Sharn - City of Towers - 998 YK - Tenth Day of Dravago -
Now or never, straight face, calm. "I am willing— provided there is no objections from the rest, and I presume there should not be— to offer an adamantine breastplate in exchange. I think the material will likely be more useful to them than its shape."
Sharn - City of Towers - 998 YK - Tenth Day of Dravago -
As the afternoon drifts into evening, Taryn returns to Mickey's home finding Viorr and Carduus in the main area resting. Both appear alert but a bit tired.
Sharn - City of Towers - 998 YK - Tenth Day of Dravago -
Erix Sense Motive - + Caelan Assist =
Erix narrows his eyes, "Alright, what aren't you telling us about these!"
Diplomacy
The Dwarf huffs, "Alright. I'll tell ya. See this maker's mark?" he points to a small mark etched on most of the equipment. "This is House Cannith stuff but old, I mean collector's item old. I don;t know where you found this stuff but I'll make you an offer for all of it".
"These items alone, 48,000 gold. The rest of it, we can discuss but I won't go any higher on these items..."
Sharn - City of Towers - 998 YK - Tenth Day of Dravago -
Atiel smiles, "I will make them the offer and let you know within a few days whether or not it will be accepted.
Now, I cannot imagine you came here just for that..."
Erix eyes go wide "Well, I believe that's probably acceptable, right cousin?"
"I don't think anyone will complain about that, cuz."
Carduus stays behind at Mickey P's place, mulling over their current situation in silence while Gauntlet bangs away at himself in the next room. Rival employers, warforged assassins, ancient metal guard dogs, and a gods-forsaken minotaur - all for a five-way split of 925 marks. Well, four-way split - seems like Haqueton's dead, or unfixable, or whatever. He drums his fingers on the table in irritation. Not my fault he was made a warforged; they got less of whatever it is that keeps most folk alive - and that I now got an excess of - inside of 'em. I couldn't o' helped if I was standing right next to 'im with bandages and magic at the ready. The medic lets out a rattling sigh and turns his mind back to the job. So, a four-way split. Well, a three-way split if Taryn can't find Dharakk again. So 925 three ways is... He stops his tapping and begins counting off on his fingers. ...300 and change. All that for 300 and change. He sits still for several long moments, then shrugs.
Still better than fightin' in the war fer nothin'. Besides, maybe them fancy breastplates will actually be worth somethin'.