The preparations complete, the heroes descend from the Gecko's secret entrance, slowly and carefully.
Nasir feels a cold wind rush across him, or so he says, but sees nothing.
STATUS
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Ezranadir ||
Ayita ||
Yazhi ||
Doc ||
Frantino ||
Nasir ||
All Con dmg is healed one point per day
Cha drain is permanent, unless treated with a Restoration spell
Wis drain is permanent, unless treated with a Restoration spell
Upon returning to Magnimar, Frantino attempts to recover the power that he's lost. FAIL!
Frantino's aunt is able to marshal enough Restoration spells to solve all of your damage, drain and negative level problems.
"Frantino, my boy," she says. "The Council has resources, but they are not unlimited and I will not be able to duplicate this again."
Alert to the point of paranoid, he'll add his last point of inspiration to the roll.
"Aunt Zimandi, please pass along our thanks to the Council. The residents of the Gecko have proven to be quite dangerous but we have not yet uncovered the threat of this plague. We will soon!"
"Yes, Ayita. It is still needed. We do not have za means for everyone to fly at will."
Nasir is interested. How much for the set?A local antiquities dealer has several interesting pieces, but a set of ancient Thassilonian wine cups draws Nasir’s attention. One is made of fine blue steel, the second of copper, and the third of simple black iron. Each is ornately shaped, covered in meaningless Thassilonian runes. No magic deciphers the runes. But each cup is similar to each other, clearly meant as a set.
"Why, I won't part with these unique historical artifacts for less than 2,000 gold, my friend! You won't find anything like them elsewhere!"
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Ayita is watching Nasir bargain with the merchant, drinking ale from her new mug she just bought - an inexpensive wooden one but with Cayden's holy symbol nicely carved on it. (That's Ayita's purchase. 5 gp?) Ter is on her shoulder, and dips her beak into the ale for a sip.
The air around the falcon shimmers for a second. As Ayita, startled, focuses in on her familiar, she suddenly sees... butterfly wings? Scales?? She stares at Ter, who is now a beautiful little faerie dragon, stretching her wings out as if they'd been cooped up too long. Ter winks at the group.
How much does Ter think they are worth?
Ter can't be sure, but... ancient Thassilonian artifacts that do basically nothing? They are curiosities at best. They would likely be worth 2,000gp+ to a collector. But to anybody else, they are useless except as conversation starters.
Too much. How about something less magical?
"Well, that is too bad," says the shopkeeper. "Perhaps Professor G's Goblin Pottery Emporium would be more appropriate for your budget? He has recently opened a branch here in Magnimar."
Indeed Prof G's IS more budget-friendly. You find it in Lowcleft, along a particularly pungent alleyway. A friendly goblin shopkeeper by the name of "ProfG-BigFriend" shows you several examples of goblin pottery. Of note is a stone potion bottle shaped by some sort of goblin magic. On the bottle is an image of an old man, (extremely handsome, Ayita thinks) without hair but a full beard. His face appears kindly and knowledgeable.
"Yesyesyes, you one fine pot-person, know value when you see it," says the goblin. "This is limited edition ProfG merch right here. Made by StickButt Clan in Mushfens. Prof G, smartmansmartman, start trade with tribe. They make COMMEMORATION of great smartman Prof G. Very unique. Probly no other like."
Having seen Nasir examining the pottery earlier and speaking to Ayita, the goblin shopkeeper says, "Yesyesyes, you need three rightright? Here!"
He reaches behind the counter, pulls out a box in which Nasir can see at least 20 pots with the same face on them. He grabs two potion bottles and puts them beside the first one. "There go. THREE! Very unique!"
"Each COMMEMORATIVE potion bottle 200 gold pieces. Even throw in free goblin fire. Throw or drink. Best be goblin if drink. Goblin Fire very spicy."
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Ayita grins, and says in Goblin,
Goblin fire! I LOVE Goblin Fire!
She inspects the potion bottles without touching, asking Ter to "appraise" them. Ter uses "detect magic" and attempts to appraise the potions.
Ter will relay whatever she figures out to the party, in Thassalonian.
(Assuming the positions are something worth that much) Ayita picks up a twig from the ground and asks Ter to cast "Spark" on it as she holds it, to create a small flame, which gives to Ter to hold with honor - respecting the love of fire that many goblins have.
Ayita pulls a "slowburn arrow" (value is 100gp) from her quiver. (She is indeed low on gold, having only a little over 100gp. I don't believe we found anything to add to our gold since we were last in Magnimar.)
Might the honorable sir be willing to consider trade, involving this nice arrow that can hit like a normal arrow, but then bursts into flame? I also have several of the standard Alchemist Fires.
Nasir raises an eyebrow at the face on the three bottles.
"I can definitely say zat zis Prof G is sort of za oddity zat I have been looking for, but clearly zezes bottles is not unique since you have about 20 more of them over there. For za price you quote, zey are not what I am looking for. Burhabs you have some ozer pottery sets zat showcase za unique talents of goblin artistry? Maybe a set of three decorative plates or figurines?"
Ayita grins, and says in Goblin,
Goblin fire! I LOVE Goblin Fire!
She inspects the potion bottles without touching, asking Ter to "appraise" them. Ter uses "detect magic" and attempts to appraise the potions.
[dice=Appraise]1d20+10
Ter will relay whatever she figures out to the party, in Thassalonian.(Assuming the positions are something worth that much) Ayita picks up a twig from the ground and asks Ter to cast "Spark" on it as she holds it, to create a small flame, which gives to Ter to hold with honor - respecting the love of fire that many goblins have.
Ayita pulls a "slowburn arrow" (value is 100gp) from her quiver. (She is indeed low on gold, having only a little over 100gp. I don't believe we found anything to add to our gold since we were last in Magnimar.)
Might the honorable sir be willing to consider trade, involving this nice arrow that can hit like a normal arrow, but then bursts into flame? I also have several of the standard Alchemist Fires.
"Ohh. I like fire arrow. I give you one of mine in exchange," he says, bringing forth a quiver of fire arrows. All of which are faintly magical.
Ter's appraise reveals that the bottles are not magical, nor do they contain anything. The add'l bottle of goblin fire is alchemists fire, except made by goblins. Although not magical, Ter finds the bottles with faces on them soothing. The man's face seems honest and kind, like a gentle professor who takes care of his students.
And the fact that they are so... unordinary, makes them valuable. maybe not 200 gold valuable, but... value is in the eye of the beholder.
Nasir raises an eyebrow at the face on the three bottles.
"I can definitely say zat zis Prof G is sort of za oddity zat I have been looking for, but clearly zezes bottles is not unique since you have about 20 more of them over there. For za price you quote, zey are not what I am looking for. Burhabs you have some ozer pottery sets zat showcase za unique talents of goblin artistry? Maybe a set of three decorative plates or figurines?"
He shrugs. "You no understand value. These amazing," says the goblin, sadly.
He is very sad at your poor artistic eye.
"Prof G found these," he says, bringing forth four clay figurines of pregnant goblins. "Because they so exotic, they cost 100 gold each. Very dangerous to have exotic goblin statues. Goblin men would kill for these."
"Oh, erotic. I mean erotic. Not exotic. Knotty."
Frantino eyes the various oddities and analyzes the goblin fire.
"I don't mind chipping in to help buy some of these items, if we can get some answers from that gargoyle. Doc may need to convince him of their rarity or unusualness."
Frantino eyes the various oddities and analyzes the goblin fire.
[dice=Craft Alchemy]1d20 + 9
"I don't mind chipping in to help buy some of these items, if we can get some answers from that gargoyle. Doc may need to convince him of their rarity or unusualness."
Frantino finds the goblin fire to be far superior to other types of alchemists fire!
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"Why are we going to try messing with the Gargoyle/Vampire again? He will probably be very upset we destroyed his minions, and I doubt we will get any information from him. We were already directed to where the cultists plague monster is located by the men we saved. Unless they were secretly the cultists whom we just freed without question. By the way, I can now get myself and three others up to the tower instantly with one spell without having to rely on flying."
"Maybe to try to abbease him wiz za kinds of zings he would like. Berhabs he knows where all za cultists went because we haven't seen one yet. We know where za monster is, but we don't know where its creators went."
Nasir turns back to the goblin dealer. "Zat is too many. I am looking for zings in a set of zree. I do not want zem to be za same zree zings. I want zem to be different but complement each ozer. Do you have somezing like zat?"
Xanesha was defeated by destroying her skull in that last room with the doppleganger undead guy.
The plague remains an unknown. The vampire-food bums did mention a "monster" in the Gecko, the section of the Irespan you have begun exploring.
While sleeping in Magnimar, each of you experience a bizarre nightmare.
You are standing in a pleasant green meadow. Before you stretches a vast ocean, while behind you rises an ominous forest that you instinctively feel contains great dangers. A moment later, a complicated-looking scepter appears in the air before you, apparently pointing out to sea toward a distant city on the ocean’s far horizon.
You feel compelled to reach for the scepter, but as you do so, the scepter warps and twists back on itself, distorting into an infinity symbol before it suddenly snaps and flies apart into glowing fragments, causing the green meadow, forest, and ocean to distort and transform as well.
The meadow, forest and ocean warp and eventually settle into a new scene . You are standing with all of your fellow heroes, together on the Irespan in Magnimar. As you look upon each other, you see your companions twist and transform into hideous monsters that then clamber down the sides of the Irespan to enter a piling carved with reptilian figures.
You bolt upright, suddenly awake. The dream's imagery felt strangely familiar and carries a strong sense of déjà vu.
"Maybe to try to abbease him wiz za kinds of zings he would like. Berhabs he knows where all za cultists went because we haven't seen one yet. We know where za monster is, but we don't know where its creators went."
Nasir turns back to the goblin dealer. "Zat is too many. I am looking for zings in a set of zree. I do not want zem to be za same zree zings. I want zem to be different but complement each ozer. Do you have somezing like zat?"
"Sure sure. I have everything!" he says. He reaches below the shop counter and pulls forth three goblin ceramic objects. Each appears to be a full size goblin head. Each is different, but they bear a familial resemblance to each other.
Upon examination, Nasir can see that each head retains a small bit of stone neck. Turning them over reveals quite lifelike anatomy within the neck.
"Gorple, Smorkle, and Stew," the shopkeep says. "They cross wrong wizard."
ProfG-BigFriend is sad to part with them, but he will suffer the tears and despair for 300gp. Each.
Really? WTF GM Derek.
(It’s unlikely that the PCs will be able to succeed at these Knowledge checks at this time, due to the high DCs, but as they continue the campaign, feel free to allow them to try again as their skills increase.)
Upon examination, Nasir can see that each head retains a small bit of stone neck. Turning them over reveals quite lifelike anatomy within the neck.
"Gorple, Smorkle, and Stew," the shopkeep says. "They cross wrong wizard."
ProfG-BigFriend is sad to part with them, but he will suffer the tears and despair for 300gp. Each.
Nasir nods in appreciation. "Now zis seems bromising. But 300 gold each for the heads of dead goblins? Zat price is outrageous! Goblin heads are much cheaper zan zat. I know how easy zey are to find and collect first hand. But I am feeling generous. I will offer you 300 gold for all zree. Do not insult me with your counteroffer, shobkeeber, or I might leave with four heads..."
Nasir nods in appreciation. "Now zis seems bromising. But 300 gold each for the heads of dead goblins? Zat price is outrageous! Goblin heads are much cheaper zan zat. I know how easy zey are to find and collect first hand. But I am feeling generous. I will offer you 300 gold for all zree. Do not insult me with your counteroffer, shobkeeber, or I might leave with four heads..."
ProfG-BigFriend shocked at sad offer from aggressive Keleshite man," says the shopkeeper. "But ProfG himself tell me of goblin courage (he has book about it), so I no be bullied by scimitars. My head stay where it is. But you seem like you need Gorple, Smorkle, and Stew. I kind. I give you heads for 250 each."
He pats each goblin head gently. Then looks at Nasir.
"Oh, Keleshite bad at math? ProG-BigFriend help. 250 each, for three, means 750gp total," he says with a calculated cut, in retaliation for Nasir's little negotiation-threat. "You must know this from Qadiran bazaars, yes? Qadira have great bazaars. You so lucky."
"ProfG fire me if I go any lower than 250gp. You want goblin-wife and goblin-babies to go hungry, cuz I fired? We about to have three more. Poor poor goblin babies so hungry."
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While Nasir is bargaining, Ter flits from party member to party member - glad to have her real wings back.
She listens to Nasir bargaining and decides to "help". (It's unclear how uniformly helpful her "help" will be...)
She disappears for a bit and soon comes back with a nice plump rodent.
Goblin babies love fresh rat! Here is nice rat, well fed from rich human area. Protein!
(Ter thinks she's telling the truth. GM Derek, if you'd like, she'll have used one of her 3 daily Greater Invisibility spells and some cantrips like "Jolt" to have caught the rat.)
She disappears for a bit and soon comes back with a nice plump rodent.
Goblin babies love fresh rat! Here is nice rat, well fed from rich human area. Protein!
[dice=Negotiation to help Nasir]1d20+9
"Oh, uhh, thanks. Any protein, good protein," says the shopkeeper with an awkward smile. "My dog-eaters also chase most rats away, so this is delicacy."
Despite the rat protein not really working in this negotiation (Ayita thinks the goblin's starving children are likely a negotiating tactic, and perhaps not even real), the goblin smiles at the faerie dragon.
"First you offer me copied items when I said I was looking for somezing unique, zen you try to rob me by quoting an outrageous price for zree petrified goblin heads, and zen you insult my ability to count?!? Incredible! I have never been so affronted by a trader in all my years.
Do you really zink zat I believe zat you are taking zis money to feed your children? I'm sure zat any children you botentially have certainly aren't being fed by you.
It would have been more convincing if you would have told me zat you were enslaved to and being tortured by zis fiend, ProfG. I mean look at his face! It's twisted and cruel. I bet he can't even speak a word to someone wizout insulting them. Does he even have any friends?
Listen, you don't want to end up like zat sorry old man. I am intrigued by za heads, but I don't zink I won't walk away wizout zem. I would be willing to burchase za set for no more zan 450gp."
ProfG-BigFriend's big goblin ears sink dramatically, as if he were incredibly chastened.
"But Keleshite-man, you steal my honor. How can I look self in mirror, or talk to goblin-wife like goblin-man, if you steal Gorple, Smorkle, and Stew for only 150gp each?
His ears sag. Even more. Dramatically.
"I give up job as shopkeeper, if I cannot do basic sale. My wife will leave me for Poopsadookle, goblin hero next door. He raise my children as snacks for when hungry. It will be as if I cook and feed little ones to him myself, if I take 150 for each."
He puts his hand on his heart and looks at Nasir. Nasir swears there are tears forming in his big goblin eyes as he looks up.
"But maybe Keleshite man have heart and not want me lose job, lose wife, lose children. I can save honor and family if I sell Gorple, Smorkle, and Stew for 225 gold each. Gorple and Smorkle and Stew full of honor in life. Would be happy if Keleshite man bought their heads for 225 gold each. Blessings from goblin afterlife for sure!"
ProfG-BigFriend waits and looks pathetically at Nasir.
But then he cannot restrain himself. He adds, quietly, "That 675gp total."
It would have been more convincing if you would have told me zat you were enslaved to and being tortured by zis fiend, ProfG. I mean look at his face! It's twisted and cruel. I bet he can't even speak a word to someone wizout insulting them. Does he even have any friends?
Ayita pulls Doc aside.
I don't know about those things... but some of us are a little short on gold. Can you help us sell those magical aklys? You have such an honest face, I've even seen my cousins tone down their conniving during bargains when you're around!
Ayita, Doc and Ezranadir find a nearby weapons broker who is willing to discuss the aklyses.
"Friends, there's not much demand for aklyses, although these appear to be great specimens."
Yes.
4,305 x 4 x.2 = 3,444gp
With the add'l monies from the sale of the aklyses (aklysi?), does anybody want to make more purchases?
Seeing the desire to get moving from his companions, Nasir decides to wrap up his negotiations seeing that he has managed to get the merchant to give him a 25% discount.
"Done! You drive a hard bargain goblin. I do zink zat za intended recipient of zis gift will be bleased with it."
Nasir pays the merchant and tosses the heads into his bag of holding. Then he catches up to his companions.
"Are we ready to return?"