Ote looks around the cave in obvious admiration.
”Well, you have food, shelter and...bearskin rugs Gita. You may receive some unwelcome guests looking to join Master Knotten. You could pretend to have shapechanged into a beautiful sorceress...” he japes.
Gita offers a small smile as she also looks about the apparent wartime preparations.
The chest opens easily with the key, and reveals:
4 potions in an iron coffer
4 blue quartz "ice diamonds"
1 silver diadem
1 nearly flawless diamond
1 jeweled necklace
1 painting of...Whitethrone (verified by Nox) - capitol of Thronehold, in Irrisen
3 sapphire rings
1 decorative filigree longsword scabbard
1 small scrimshaw sculpture of dancing sprites surrounding a piping satyr
2,457 GP
3,313 SP
1,760 CP
Ithariel will let out a low whistle upon seeing the contents of the chest. I'm relatively certain this is worth a LOT of money in the right place, think we can carry it with us?
Pausing for a moment and closing his eyes, Ithariel casts Detect Magic re-opening them, he looks again through the chest of goodies, taking things out and stacking them as neatly as possible.
This troll was certainly on the war path, coin, food, housing, he was ready to invade Taldor, don't you think?
Ithariel finds the potions to be magical, but nothing else.
Once finished with his task, Tchezze collects the remaining items from Teb's fallen body. He looks into the belt pouch before proceeding to the cave. Upon seeing the enormous amount of items in the opened chest, he remarks, "Anyone have any clue as to what this all might be worth. I do believe the Rider mentioned the portal opens near a town. Maybe we could carry this stuff for a short jaunt before selling it and gearing up. Just a thought."
I've got no idea what the potions are, Gita, Ques, Nox? any thoughts? I'm really not used to what things are worth, but this whole pile looks valuable - its not like I use a lot of coin wandering around in the wilderness...
Ithariel looks at the others, And should we all rest, help ourselves to some of Teb Knotten's foodstuffs for one last meal with Gita before she heads for home? I'd feel better if I could rest and regain some of my magical connections to the forest before wandering off to Irrisien.
Nox does his best to evaluate the value of the various items.
Tchezze takes a preliminary look over the hoard.
Nox knows of these potions - these are potions of Feather Step. No one seems to know about the rest of the hoard, though Tchezze could take a guess if no one else is more knowledgeable about these.
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Ques just stands there gaping at the virtual dragon's hoard. If he hadn't already promised to help, he would take his share and live the rich man's life.
And gapes.
And gapes.
Then he pinches himself. "Do you think it's all real?"
Ques casts a detect magic and joins Ithariel in the examination, if a bit late to the show. I assume he finds the same thing, only the potions are magical, not that Ques cares when confronted with such wealth.
"An army? You think there is enough money here to fund an army? Wow!"
Ques continues in this stunned state for quite a while, not being of much use.
Ote blinks. Multiple times. Thoughts of lifetimes worth of not finding Babba-yahgahs and retiring to a life somewhere with milder weather flit through his avian mind. The collector in his DNA pulses and chivs, struggling to be held back. But his hand on the hard handle of his no-dachi is firm, and likewise, his resolve.
”It looks heavy, the coinage. Still, not much else but to try to carry it...” he muses, conferring with his cousin to try to estimate what it is all worth...
1 silver diadem 250 GP
1 nearly flawless diamond 520 GP
1 jeweled necklace 370 GP
1 painting of...Whitethrone (verified by Nox) - capitol of Thronehold, in Irrisen 80-100 GP
3 sapphire rings 75-85 GP EA
1 decorative filigree longsword scabbard 110-120 GP
1 small scrimshaw sculpture of dancing sprites surrounding a piping satyr 30-60 GP
Ithariel will gladly light a fire in the cave and start preparing a meal for the party as a farewell to Gita before turning in for some rest....
Ote shrugs.
”Shiny!” is all he offers. He makes preparations to keep watch for a shift and then bed down for the night.
Tchezze takes this opportunity to look over the rest of the stuff collected from Teb whilst Ithariel is preparing the fire for the night. "Gita, you will be missed. I am just glad that we found each other when we did. You have been a welcome addition to this ragtag team and your skills and you in general will be missed, for sure. I think Master Ques feels this in particular." The usually taciturn tengu smiles (as much as a beak allows).
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Ques blushes and tries to avert the looming personal crisis.
"Yea, of course I will miss you. We all will."
Ques grabs a fair share of the treasure and offers "Grey can probably carry some of it. In fact, we've found when he is dismissed the stuff he carries goes with him and then reappears when he comes back. So, really, he is kind of like a big bag of holding. Only I prefer to keep him around. And, NO, he can not drop the stuff off while he is away. He can never remember anything from the time he is away or do anything while he is away."
Ote blinks.
”Now that is handy.”
"Certainly, Master Ques, that would be a good use of my talents."
There is a certain tone to his voice that makes Quest hesitate, not sure whether it was meant facetiously.
You're able to set up camp and rest, and make some idle chat throughout the night. You're actually reasonable warm and comfortable, though perhaps that's relative to the recent conditions you'd had to bear. The next morning dawns much like the last - cold, windy, and white outside. In here, however, the fire still remains and the only discomfort is the melted snow that has made a few large puddles in the chamber that have to be avoided.
Ithariel arises with the dawn; sitting crosslegged facing out of the cavern he meditates for a time, recharging his connection to the lands he's known for the last five years. Standing he arranges his equipment for the trek back into the snow.
When he notices someone else stir, he asks: What do you expect we'll find through the portal? I hope we can close it and cut off Taldor from Irrisien, and then we'll have to tackle this Baba Yaga thing after that. I do think we shouldn't trust too many people with what we're about, as it may cause complications?
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Ques zaps Grey with his remaining Infernal Healing before resting allowing the magic to do it's thing. That's another thing that is strange about his eidolan. Grey does not heal normally. It is totally up to Ques to do that. He wonders if some day, if it progresses as it currently is, whether it will be able to heal itself.
"Well, I guess we have to go through the gate. Whatever that guy did to us, the very thought of heading in the other direction causes me discomfort."
Tchezze rises shortly after Ithariel and sits with his katanas, praising Shizuru for guiding his hands and weapons. After a while, he moves over to Ithariel. "I'm not sure what to expect, but I am hoping for relative peace. We will need time to get used to new land before I will feel comfortable. The only thing I am afraid of is being stuck in the Northlands. I am sure we can handle it, but, what if it is a one-way trip for us? As for trusting people, we need to be really cautious. We may need to put our trust in people in order to survive. But we can't do so lightly. I just keep going back to the idea of of this portal being the last time we see Taldor."
Gita wakes with the dawn. She listens to your plans with interest, but still maintains that her path is set. With eyes wet with tears that will no doubt freeze as soon as she exits the cave, she bids her goodbyes, gives Ques a hug, and takes her leave.
Ote nods a stoic goodbye. He crouches down by Tchezze, nodachi haphazardly slung against his shoulder.
”Cousin, we’ve been stuck here awhile already. What’s one more strange place to travellers such as us.” he smiles.
”Still, we will be strangers in a strange land, and nor know the kinds of people perhaps, as you say. Always hard to tell the kind from the sly in a foreign country.” the tengu continues, perhaps saying more about his own prejudice than a typical occurence.
"Dear cousin, don't get me wrong. I am ready for this adventure. The only hesitation I have is in regards to my Lady Pomponia. I have been out of contact with her for so long, I fear that my absence will cause undue stress upon her. I do not relish the thought of that kind family worrying for any reason. I hope to return to them soon, but will only do so once they and the rest of this land is safe."
Tchezze looks over at his cousin, "At least I am here with you. For that, I am grateful."
Ithariel arises with the dawn; sitting crosslegged facing out of the cavern he meditates for a time, recharging his connection to the lands he's known for the last five years. Standing he arranges his equipment for the trek back into the snow.
When he notices someone else stir, he asks: What do you expect we'll find through the portal? I hope we can close it and cut off Taldor from Irrisien, and then we'll have to tackle this Baba Yaga thing after that. I do think we shouldn't trust too many people with what we're about, as it may cause complications?
"Irrisen is cold, as you might expect. There will be much more of...this. Also, Baba Yaga's daughter an her kin rule with an icy grip. Those inhabitants that do not live their lives in fear are probably her servants, and I suspect even most of her servants fear. I suspect the locals will be suspicious of us." Nox says with a shudder, as he recalls the land where he grew up.
Tchezze rises shortly after Ithariel and sits with his katanas, praising Shizuru for guiding his hands and weapons. After a while, he moves over to Ithariel. "I'm not sure what to expect, but I am hoping for relative peace. We will need time to get used to new land before I will feel comfortable. The only thing I am afraid of is being stuck in the Northlands. I am sure we can handle it, but, what if it is a one-way trip for us? As for trusting people, we need to be really cautious. We may need to put our trust in people in order to survive. But we can't do so lightly. I just keep going back to the idea of of this portal being the last time we see Taldor."
"Irrisen is a long way, but there are farther places. I is not so far as your home lands, I suspect." No says, with a gesture to indicate Tchezze and Ote. At least, I've never heard of a land with bird-men wielding strange curved blades before.
Ote listens to his cousin and nods a firm assent. When Nox is finished Ore reponds.
”Great!”
”Yep!” is all Ote responds. Gear gathered, weapons stowed and with one last baleful look at this side of winter’s gate, he plunges through...
Ithariel straightens up, with a last look at the frozen forest of Taldor, Well, you always wanted an adventure... and steps off through the portal with Stelmaria.
Tchezze, too, returns his katanas to their appropriate sheathes and passes through the gate without a glance back.
Nox follows the rest, one hand on his pistol. Just in case.
You approach the portal, fighting the entire way against icy winds and snowy particles that fly at your faces. A bank of quill-like icicles spear outward in a ring, seemingly grown from a heavy sheet of ice covering the ground. A second ring of giant icicle-shaped monoliths stands inside the outer ring, surrounding a swirling cylindrical vortex easily ten feet in diameter. Icy winds and driving snow blast from the vortex, creating the wintry weather in the clearing.
Those of the arcane persuasion can feel a bit of magic emanating from the other side of this portal - it's safe to guess that the source of the icy winds is there. You feel...lightness...as you step through, as if floating through air - cold air. Then, you come crashing into reality as you step out of it to find yourselves in a much colder place...something that everyone but Nox questioned could even exist. You're on a forested hillside, and can see the faint and distant lights of a village miles away.
”Brrrrr.ackk.” spews forth Ote as his freezing body erupts in chills, and his grimace becomes a crack of his beak mid-caw.
”Cold! Ggggg. Ah - l-let’s hhead to the settlement. At the v-very l-least, we can g-get indoors!” he points with a feathered arm.
Ithariel nods at Ote's suggestion, Agreed, feel that moisture in the air, its about to start snowing, probably pretty hard. We should try to get under cover of some sort. Looking at the town in the distance, the Aasimar shrugs, Might as well try the town, and make it as quick as we can, don't want to get caught outside in the snow- again. and he begins to trudge that way in his snowshoes.
Tchezze pulls his cold-weather clothing tight around his face a pulls out a pair of snow goggles, donning them for the first time.
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"And in a hurry too. I hope the people are nice here. Hey! We can afford a really nice room at an inn if they got one, and maybe some steaks!"
With that thought on his mind, he leads the charge towards the village. But not before dismissing Grey and whatever they load on him.
Though you may want to consider what becomes of all that treasure if Ques dies :)
You plod through the snowy drifts, cold and miserable for the most part, but partially invigorated by the mantle of the Black Rider. It reminds you of the trip through the Border Wood, plodding forward, heads down, step after step. But, within no more than an hour, you hear sounds up ahead - a shout of anger, loud barking of more than one dog and a terrifyingly loud hiss!
You try and pierce through the veil of snow to see up ahead, and soon enough you can see a battle unfolding ahead of you. A massive green insect sweeps around with its strange claws as it tries to move in on several smaller figures - human, by the looks of it. The humans are in between the giant insect and what look to be their dog sleds.
"I've never heard of much of what we've found so far, so this doesn't seem that odd, really. Either way, we've got to help these people." Tchezze draws his white-handled katana and moves in promptly.
Ote follows his cousin...whirling his naginata into a running position...
Nox nods and follows the bird-people.
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"Agreed. We are heroes after all."
At the moment Ques wishes Gita were here so that she could see what a hero he is and sighs a sigh of disappointment. But there is always the imagination, and in it there is a beautiful fawning creature watching him and smiling. Not that he does all that much. From the cold ether he pulls a shadow eagle and plops it into the cold here and now.