Kal senses the discomfort in their companion, "Devon, right? Do you have a better suggestion? I'm merely seeking to dispatch the beast in a way with the least harm to us. There's a decent chance it wouldn't even feel a thing."
Alcelia listened keenly, curious to hear what kind of strategies they'd come up with. "To catch a beast, one oft needs bait." she noted.
Devon seemed too intent on his studying the area to engage Kal in the discussion of how to kill the trapped creature but at Toots words he responds even as he checks the burrow out. "They can aerate the soil and actually improve the growth on land I've heard but such is the way of nature's duality."
"Are these eggs or something? Toots?"
Devon is laying down on the ground looking into a hidden burrow and he removes a leathery ovoid object about 8 inches long and 4 inches circumference.
"Say, how much would the professor pay for a few o' those?" Grith says with an avaricious grin.
"I don't see the need to take more then one back, we aren't sure if these are the Ankheg's eggs or just some other creature. Are we done here?" Devon looks around for someone to make the call if they can leave.
"Fine size. If not worth a price, at least worth breakfast." Grith suggests with a thoughtful hunger.
"But we're here for the nest. If you can wizard up some way to kill one without making a mark, have at it. I'm here to kill."
He spins his hammer in one hand and dusts off his chest, the runes glowing brightly beneath.
"Is that a request or a challenge?" Alcelia inquired. "There are ways, but then, there are always ways when you're creative enough. Personally, I recommend fixing the corpse after killing it. It's rather more... reliable."
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The remaining ankheg is dispatched. The return trip to the city is uneventful, though there is the logistics of dragging a large insect corpse back with you. Back at Professor Fyber's the professor is delighted to see the corpse. "Ah, yes. This will do nicely." When Devon presents the egg, his smile grows broader. "Excellent, excellent! Well, you've earned your pay and I happily give it over to you, along with a bonus for the egg." He hands the party a bag that rings of coin. "200 pieces of gold, plus an extra 25 for the egg. As for browsing my library, you are welcome to look and I invite all of you to view the museum in the cellar. No charge for you."
Kal nods in appreciation, "Thank you, professor." he says.
With his 'pass' to the library and the museum, Kal tries to learn about anatomy and physiology of various magical creatures, presumably with the aim of learning to aid his transmutation abilities.
Devon takes his money and nods glancing toward the door. "Well I don't know...I probably should be getting back home. Perhaps another time." He began to head towards the door before stopping to address the others. "You all are some of the most powerful mages I've ever even heard of, you probably could do a lot more...big important hero things. If you ever need a bow or arrows my father is one of the best crafters of such in the kingdom. But um...anyways goodbye!" The half elf would head toward The Grey Ministrel to grab dinner and a drink before he prepared for the trip home.
"You don't want to see a museum?" Alcelia sounded faintly scandalized as Devon moved towards the door. "Well... your loss."
"Aye, the museum! I'm sure there's some marvels to see down below."
Grith had simply grunted at the receipt of his payment but was now in a distinctly positive mood.
"Come on lad, unless you're afraid of wasting in your boots!"
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The museum proves to be worth the trip down the stairs. The exhibits are truly strange and unusual: a giant wasp, a baby kraken (or that's what the sign says, anyway), a two-headed unicorn, a bison with wings, a wolf with eight legs, and a giant snapping turtle, each expertly taxidermied. It is difficult to determine if any of the exhibits are fakes, so expertly is the work done. In one section are a selection of human heads; bandits and criminals executed for crimes against the city, the plaque reads.
"Well that's a bit..." Grith strokes his beard as he considers the heads of the apparent enemies of the city.
"Eh..."
"How much did you have to pay for these?" Alcelia inquired curiously. "Normally, the families of criminals want to get the bodies back for a proper burial..."
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Devon dived to the side but he was caught off guard despite his reflexes. He let out a shout of surprise as the carriage barrels toward him with deadly speed.
Devon grunted as he was sideswiped by the rampaging carriage and time seemed to slow down as he spun and the faces of the woman and girl were framed in the window the fear in their eyes clear to see. That was all processed in a second as the carriage whizzed by and he quickly turned himself a ran hard to try to leap onto the back and grab on before the man could escape with the innocent occupants.
Grith considers the sum in his purse with a smile and then looks around. "Drinks?" He says gruffly to the others with a smirk full of avaricious trouble.
Kal shrugs, "Works for me. I have some studies to attend to, and some ideas for a new spell, but that can wait." he tells Grith, and heads off with the dwarf towards the tavern.
"Life is short and food is important." Alcelia said, apparently agreeing with Kal. "...What kind of drinks? Something interesting, I hope? The old favorites are always nice, but I prefer new flavors whenever I have the chance."
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En route to the Grey Minstrel Inn, you pass a street hawker, a young man of about 12 years. "Visit The Diamond Spider! Cheap drinks, and cheaper thrills!" he calls to no one in particular.
Grith completely ignores the sorceress' question as he frankly doesn't care what the drink is if it's alcoholic. At least not today.
As they pass the boy shouting his advertisement, Grith snorts and asks casually, [b]"What kind of thrills?"[b] A much more interesting question, in his mind, than what kinds of drinks.
Devon hangs on gritting his teeth as he is jarred with each bump the carriage hits. He knows he can't count on his strength to save him so he needs to make his way on top of the carriage and try to stop the driver. He strains his weak muscles pulling himself inch by inch toward the top, praying to the gods and goddesses for whatever luck they will grant him.
Kal stands off to the side as Grith pauses, waiting to see the response the boy gives.
Kal snorts softly, turning away and continuing towards the Grey Minstrel.
DC 19
"The most popular of entertainments, it seems." Alcelia said as the group passed the boy. "I wonder if he actually knows what that means... the young ones are quite impressionable, no?"
Grith flips the kid a coin of some value. "No place for a kid. Go home." With a self-satisfied grunt he continues forward with the others towards the Grey Minstrel.
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The driver merely steps off the carriage as casually as though he were arriving home from a lovely evening and opens the carriage door, gently helping the frazzled passenger and her child to the ground. He stands mutely while she digs up enough coin to pay him, then he tips his leather hat and climbs back aboard the carriage, giving you a curious look, as if he were asking if you needed to go someplace.
Meanwhile, back at the Grey Minstrel...
It would seem that a celebration is in progress. A young lad barely of age is being toasted by his mates in celebration of his birthday! The lot of them, five in all, are drunk and mildly rowdy. They are catcalling the barmaids (and any female that happens by) and generally having a good time. One of them notices Alcelia as she enters.
"Ah! Now thersh a fine shpecimen of womanhood!" he drawls.
In a nearby corner, two men and a dwarf are tossing darts at a makeshift board drawn on the wall. The dwarf seems to be winning, as evidenced by the sour looks of his opponents.
"Yer cheatin', Boomer!" one of them shouts.
"I'm not cheatin'! You just throw like a blind shrew, is all." the dwarf retorts, his voice something between a roar and a thunderclap.
"Are you alright?"
Kal looks at the rowdy figures, shakes his head, muttering, "Children" and works a small spell, dampening the sounds as he grabs a drink.
Grith notes the rowdy fellows playing darts and scoffs to himself. Then he elbows Kal. "When they're done I'll take you for the next round." He watches an errant dart rile them up anew, then adds, "Less we have to drag these guys out first."
Kal raises an eyebrow, "I think you're overestimating my throwing abilities." he shrugs, "But if you want to, certainly."
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@Devon: You find yourself along the waterfront. There are several warehouses here, and fishmongers call from the nearby harbor. You are at an intersection of The Dockwalk and the Way of the Seven Seas. In your immediate vicinity are an inn that shows a shingle painted with a golden eel and what appears to be a warehouse with people seated out front, enjoying meals. The sign above the porch reads, "Robab's Fish Market".
@Others: The fellows playing dart complete their game, the boisterous dwarf emerging victorious. "Any other comers?" he roars. "I'm happy to take your money!"
Alcelia watched, a faint smile on her face. "Drinks for the winner are on me." she said cheerfully. People often played better with nice, immediate prizes on the line.
With a raised eyebrow, the transmuter turns to Grith, "You know, you might actually have some competition there, unlike with me. I'm no good throwing things, even like this." he comments absent-mindedly.