I still have three questions. First. What is this relic and what are its abilities? Second. I already asked, but you ignored it. How is the Lord of Blades involved in this? He's not a collector as far as I know. And the third question. The reward. How much? Beren is outwardly calm, but his eyes are coldly and piercingly studying this creature (he is not sure who is in front of him, it could be a mask of anyone).
I still have three questions. First. What is this relic and what are its abilities?"
"It's a Schema. A pattern used to making things valuable or mundane. According to this journal, it's one part of four."
"Second. I already asked, but you ignored it. How is the Lord of Blades involved in this? He's not a collector as far as I know.
"The Lord of Blades wants the schema for himself, he may already have the other three parts, or looking for the rest of them."
"And the third question. The reward. How much?"
"I can pay you one thousand gold pieces. I can pay you one hundred now for good faith. I'll pay the rest when you return."
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
She's trying to be forthright with you. She can only guess at the Lord of Blades' motives.
Usgar Looks at the Pages.
“Ahh, I can see it now. How do you do that? What does it say?!?“ he asks.
She's a very good liar. I don't believe her, but I still can't figure out the deception. Maybe she is just a puppet in someone's hands and sincerely believes in her words? Who knows. However, apparently we will find out soon. The money is good.
Fine. Let's see what's in the book.
"That's because it's magical, watch," she says. And she takes the journal and opens it. She begins to wave her hand over it and inscriptions began to appear.Lia eyes the woman for a few seconds and then pulls out the journal and lays it on the table between them.
"We found this but it appears to be blank. I have a feeling you may be able to glean some information from it."
She raises one eyebrow.
Lia nods. "As I expected.."
Escher seems intrigued. This implies a much greater adventure than simple jobs in the city. "I will join this mission."
She scans the book and checks a map that she has with her. Satisfied, she says:
“The location of the lost foundry is deep within the Dorasharn Tower,” Lady Elaydren proclaims. “Fifty-seven levels below the tower’s present-day sewer system. I offer you one thousand gold pieces and the good will of my house if you recover the heirloom and return it to me. Will you help me?”
Karch'e looks down and swallows hard, then speaks, "Lady, what does the schema make?"
Usgar nods.
“I am ready for the THE JOURNEY YET TO COME! Let’s go. Oh … what’s the pay?!“ he
Escher turns to Usgar with the patience of somebody who has had to manage countless drunk people
"She's already told us the pay. One thousand Gold." he stands, "Why don't we go to the bar?"
It smells of big problems and the intervention of third forces. How to pass by?
It's a deal.
Usgar grunts.
“Oh. That’s a lot of gold!! Yes. I’m always ready for the journey!!“
Lia looks around at the... interesting company she has found herself in and gives a gentle sigh.
"It appears you have a deal. How will we identify this Schema? I am unfamiliar with that area, who or what are we likely to find there?"
Lia looks around at the... interesting company she has found herself in and gives a gentle sigh.
"It appears you have a deal. How will we identify this Schema? I am unfamiliar with that area, who or what are we likely to find there?"
“The relic I seek is an adamantine plate in the shape of a seven-pointed star about the size of your hand,” Elaydren explains. “It has no special power by itself, but is an ancient schema—a piece of a pattern used by the Cannith artificers of old to craft unusual items. Recover this piece of history for us, and House Cannith will be extremely grateful. But you might find danger in the depths.”
Karch'e looks down and swallows hard, then speaks, "Lady, what does the schema make?"
"I'm not sure," she explains. "Probably a magic item if the Lord of Blades wants the schema."
Karsh'e thinks. Even split six ways, one thousand gold pieces would let him survive for a long time. With thoughts of a warm dry hearth, he says, "I accept your offer."
"Your terms are acceptable. We will find out what we can and report back to you."
1000 gold? I can use that, that's for sure. Maybe I can afford to hire someone to investigate my past then.
"Your terms are acceptable. We will find out what we can and report back to you."
"Good, does anyone have any more questions for me?"
No. We're ready to go.
Escher shakes his head.
She hands you a map to Dorashan Tower. "Be safe, then, and be careful," she says.
The tunnels and corridors at this level of the tower are narrow and dark. An occasional window slit looks out upon the crowded walls and foundations of other towers, and infrequently placed torches sputter here and there, giving off pallid pools of light and clouds of smoke. Even so, rough and dirty people crowd the narrow corridors, and the smell of sweat and sewage permeates the stale air.
One tunnel opens onto a large chamber, where a mix of goblins, humans, and shifters gather around a small pile of garbage spread across three rotting blankets. One of the goblins shouts, “No pushing! No pushing! There’s always enough for everyone at the Rat’s Market!”
[dice=Local]1d20 + 6
Yes, sort of. The Rat Market is in the sewers. And only the really poor take advantage of it.
Usgar is ready to confront any foe.
“So what is special about this place!?“ he asks.
Usgar is ready to confront any foe.
“So what is special about this place!?“ he asks.
I wondered about that myself. I'll provide you a map to the sewers in short order.
...
One tunnel opens onto a large chamber, where a mix of goblins, humans, and shifters gather around a small pile of garbage spread across three rotting blankets. One of the goblins shouts, “No pushing! No pushing! There’s always enough for everyone at the Rat’s Market!”
But is it anything anyone would want? Karsh'e shudders with the memory of some meat he bought down here once when he first arrived in Sharn. Food was supposed to put weight on you, not drain it from your bones.
Other memories prompt him to unwind his whip from his waist and coil it in one hand. He keeps his other hand close to his knife as he moves through the crowd. His large pack makes it hard to move without bumping into people, and some down here are quick to fight, whether to guard their pride or simply because they are mean through and through. This city breeds cruelty far more than the wilds of the western swamps.
Escher watches the market, glad that he doesn't have any biological reaction to the smell. He keeps an eye out for those paying interest to our group.
Usgar is ready to confront any foe.
“So what is special about this place!?“ he asks.
Here's the map to the next scene.
“I’ve got a rare stick of sealing wax, only partially used, for a mere sixty coppers,” the goblin merchant says. “Or maybe you could use this fine woolen blanket with just a hint of mildew? Only thirty-nine coppers. How about a skewer of boiled rat meat? For you, just five silver. Or, perhaps, if I could point out the way to a certain valve cluster, what would it be worth to fine explorers such as yourselves? One hundred silver?”
Karsh'e shudders at the offer of rat meat, but can't contain his curiousity.
"What's a valve cluster? And why would we want to go there?"
Usgar thinks.
"Yeah valve cluster? And what is a sealing wax? And where are we going? Does anyone know??"
Beren lights up, coughs and continues smoking. He carefully looks around, looking for thieves who are going to rob his pockets or the pockets of his allies. He is also looking for someone more dangerous who would show interest in their group. However, surveillance is another thing that he will immediately pay attention to.
Usgar also looks around.
Usgar thinks.
"Yeah valve cluster? And what is a sealing wax? And where are we going? Does anyone know??"
"Don't you want to find the lost forge?" the goblin merchant says.
"YES!! Move on to the forge!!" the shifter grunts.
"I don't do things for free," he grunts.
He hands the goblin a sovereign.
“That is enough, right?!“
If not he’ll pass a galifar but he’s definitely not happy.
"Do people often come looking for a lost forge? And what does that have to do with a valve cluster?"
Karsh'e is confused by the technological wonders of the big city, so unlike his home. These artificial caves are impressive, and unpleasant. Are valves like mushrooms that grow in clusters? And are they close to a forge?
He hands the goblin a sovereign.
“That is enough, right?!“
If not he’ll pass a galifar but he’s definitely not happy.
"Yes, that will be enough," said the goblin.
"Do people often come looking for a lost forge? And what does that have to do with a valve cluster?"
"Boy, you're full of questions today," the goblin snidely says.
The goblin leads you to the opening to the sewers. What you can smell is not pleasant. It's dark, dank, and too awful. "Beyond this point lies the sewers," he says.
Lia audibly rolls her eyes...
...
"Boy, you're full of questions today," the goblin snidely says."Do people often come looking for a lost forge? And what does that have to do with a valve cluster?"
"And you have few answers. "
Usgar immediately stopms forward into the sewers.
"Ahh, finally some action! Maybe something attacks! Yes!" he says grinning.
Beren lights a new cigarette. Slowly inhales, looking into the darkness of the sewer.
They say that in order to float up, you need to push off with your feet from the bottom. Naive, behind one layer of the bottom there will be new and new. There is no limit... And here we are in the sewer. A classic place to die in Sharn. Sometimes your corpse is hidden here to rot, and sometimes you come here yourself so as not to strain your killers by carrying heavy loads... This place is literally a metaphor for us to be at the bottom of life anyway...
He blows a smoke ring up. I'm ready. Who will carry the light? I'll need two hands to shoot.
Escher says, "I can bring a light." He pulls out an everburning torch and affixes it to the sconce on his shield. "Is anybody else carrying anything?"
Not finding herself up front, Lia also pulls bow and arrows...
"That is plenty of light for me."
"Well, what do we have here?" a warforged voice bellows. "A couple of adventurers, down here with the key no doubt." The goblin leaves your side and goes deeper into the shadows.
"Sorry, but he pays more," the goblin says.
The Warforged chuckles. "Mercenary to the last. I'll be taking that journal now, for my lord -- the Lord of Blades."
"What journal?"
The halforc eases his pack off his back and to the ground.
"What journal?"
The halforc eases his pack off his back and to the ground.
"I know one of you have it," said the Warforged. "It's a key."