"Gkirkan, I was talking about a hypothetical situation. It does happen to be eerily similar to that event we don't talk about."
Wood laughs and says, "In the end, you will always get the girls, so give a lonely, love-starved wizard a break."
"Gkirkan, I was talking about a hypothetical situation. It does happen to be eerily similar to that event we don't talk about."
Wood laughs and says, "In the end, you will always get the girls, so give a lonely, love-starved wizard a break."
"Vell at least hyu didn't mention de plants."
Gkirkhan looks like he suddenly remembered he left the fire going back home and gives himself a dopeslap before turning about and saying.
"Anudder hi-po-de-tick-all situation! Hy did not get knocked out by plants."
A whetstone makes a blade sharper, Gkirkhan. There is little difference. Besides, a sharp mind is dangerous as a sharp blade.
She looks critically at his hammer.
Or a heavy stick, I suppose.
"True, a sharp mind is dangerous as a sharp blade.
But a weapon is only as good as the one who forges it, and who welds it."
Vertielle laughs at Gkirkhan's antics, and makes note to revisit these stories with the carny later. They could make excellent skit material!
Interesting thought, that, inversely, a mind is only as good as the body that houses it.
Zhiden smiled at Vertielle's dirty look, though with any luck he'd timed it to appear that his humor was directed at Wood or Gkirkhan. Now he knew something that he could use against the half-elf for her casual 'slip' comments. All he had to do was figure out whether her dissaproval came from the devil mention, or the mention of Cheliax. He continued to smile to himself, not really offering anything for the conversation.
You all continue on toward Lepidstadt, making friends with the Crooked Kin and in general, enjoying the trip.
Your arrival in Lepidstadt is...strange. The city appears to be celebrating something. Gkirkhan and Rova get odd looks from the city guards but nowhere near the issues they'd experienced previously.
@Wood: the dagger is a +1 humanoid (shapechanger) bane dagger.
the potion, is, in fack, a potion of fox's cunning
Oh! Whaddya suppose the occasion is?
Vertielle seems thrilled at the prospect of a celebration, despite (or perhaps because of) the excitement of her last.
Wood shares his discovery of the anti shapechanging dagger with the group.
"We may need this. Vertielle, this may be too big for Zhiden, too small for Rova, but for Gkirkan it may be just right."
Wood refers to a common children's tale.
As you enter the town to locate the man to whom you are to deliver those books, you do bcome aware of just what they're celebrating.
It seems that the so-called Beast of Lepidstadt has been captured and is to be burned in the central square...though many of the locals seem to be upset that they have to wait through a trial first.
You locate Dr. Montagnie Crowl at his office in the Lepidstadt University.
Everyone be on your best behavior around the good doctor. He's a reputation for eccentricity, and he'll likely be on edge, what with the theft from his department. Lucky the heist ended in this "beast's" capture, though.
Vertielle takes to the crowds like a fish to water, and seems particularly apt to garner information without raising suspicions. She tries to distance herself from the Kin once entering the town, knowing being associated with them might close certain doors for her.
"Bot Hy got a bigger blade den dis already. Vhy vould Hy need dis?"
Wood looks hopefully at Zhiden. "Maybe you can use this dagger?"
Maybe Eva had better have it. She's pretty scrappy, but flesh and bone won't hurt a lycanthrope.
"I can take it," Zhiden said, smiling impishly. "You'd better stop giving me stuff though, I'm starting to feel like the favored mistress of the lord mayor of Egorian." He watched Vertielle as he said the last part, wondering if he'd get a similar response."
Oh, did you errr- work- for him? Vertielle asks delicately, but without any trace of discomfort or annoyance. In fact, she's rather taken by a silver cloakpin, and is maintaining the conversation more out of courtesy than interest.
"Hmm? No, I didn't, but I heard that such a woman must be very well off indeed. You know how those good for nothing slips talk, after all." A bitter smile crossed Zhiden's face, before he looked away, presumably to take in the sights of the town, but it was really to hide his look of disgust.
They're quite useful, actually, she responds with a hint of venom.
But yes, I do.
By this point, she's forsaken the cloakpin for a deep purple featherpin.
When do you intend to make your delivery,so you can collect your payment?
Now while all are in a good mood.
Following directions, you all arrive at the Lepidstadt University.
Dr. Crowl is in his department's combination workshop and library. It's a mess, albeit being slowly cleaned up. Dr. Crowl is busy directing the efforts, waving his arms about enthusiastically.
He turns to greet you as you enter. "Good morning. How can I help you folks?"
He looks you all over, blinking in surprise at Rova and Gkirkhan, but seemingly accepting of the odd group.
"Gute Morgen! Ve is lookink for a schmott guy called Doctor Crowl. Vould hyu know ov hem?"
Gkirkhan is in a very good mood and he hasn't had anything to drink in two days, though it may be because he's about to come into possession of a sickeningly large amount of money.
Dr. Crowl slips past the others to take Evangline's hand and kiss it. "It's not often I get such an attractive young lady here. How can I help you?"
You get the impression he's not talking about the reason the rest of the group is here.
she blushes a little
"Why thank you, Doctor Crowl."
As the group fills in Dr Crowl about why you've come, his good humor fades a bit. "Such a loss, both professionally and personally. He was a good friend. I'll miss him. How is Kendra handling it?"
"On the outside she looks fine, on the inside she's still a bit at a loss."
Wood nods at the exchange.
Eva's doing just fine.
Vertielle stands ready to step in, but lets the conversation unfold naturally.
Gkirkhan stands dumbstruck in the same posture he was in when the professor walked past him and straight to Eva.
Vot iz et? Iz et my breath?
"I know that everyone who knew the professor well, will miss him"
We were all very close to the professor, in our own ways. Dr. Crowl, do you mind me asking... what happened here, exactly?
Vertielle looks around at the bustle of workers repairing the area, and the general chaos that's happening.
Zhiden did what he seemed to do, sat quietly and listened. He couldn't help but wonder what that 'in our own ways' remark meant. Apparently the PRofessor's relationship with Vertielle had some special meaning, perhaps not unlike Zhiden's own. It wasn't just Halflings that they enslaved in Cheliax, after all. . .
"It's one of the oddest things to happen here in a long time. I'm sure you've heard of the flesh golem known as the Beast of Lepidstadt? One of those types who gained sentience and destroyed it's creator? It broke into the Univerity two nights ago and stole an artifact - the Seasage Effigy. No one knows why. The thing itself -the Effigy, that is- was just an odd curiosity on display in the lecture room. On it's way out the Beast was captured by the city guard and some of the university's own people. It's being placed on trial - the trial begions tomorrow - for several of it's most recent crimes. Ones we have witnesses for."
He pauses, looking puzzled. "No one knows why it did it...or what it did with the statue. Maybe that will come out in the trial.
He suddenly looks up. "Oh, that reminds me, I'm sorry. You'll need to speak to Judge Diarmid to collect your inheritance. Here."
He pulls out a sheet of paper and starts writing. "Take this to her house. She should be there now, it's just on the town square opposite the courthouse. Give her this receipt and she'll pay you."
she takes the receipt.
"That is odd that it went after an oddity."
Wood speaks up, "As a scholar I am interested in magic relics and artifacts. Anywhere I can look at some books and brush up on this Seasage Efficy?"
Wood tries to remember what, if anything, he knows of this effigy.
...Did Hy show too many teeth? Is my fly undone? Did I forget my pants?...
Gkirkhan, unable to contribute to the current conversation continues to wonder why the good doctor had gone straight for Eva and totally ignored him.
...Did a pixie turn me pink? Does he *gasp!* not like hats?! Is dere ghoul bits on my coat? Did Hy not scrub myself gute enough last time Hy had a bath?...
Vertielle thanks the doctor, but senses there's something very strange at work here.
I can't imagine that this was random, nor that this creature- if truly sentient- simply lost or hid an effigy.
"I get the feeling we are going to be dragged into something very soon."
"Vot do hyu mean 'hyu get de feelink?' Hy know ve iz goink to get dragged into sumtink! Ve iz heroes, et iz in de job description to get dragged into schtoff."