Robin's Taldoran campaign

[Heren Andercrote]

Rest, with guard?

[Ianthé Jack]

Ianthé was out-of-sorts. Her belt had been taken, which included her belt pouch, and her pouch of spell components, several pieces of chalk, her signal whistle, but most importantly; her vials of ink! She could not write, or make any notation with any sort of convenience. Instead, she set about planning. Given what they had encountered, she was ill-prepared, she had to conclude. Most of her magics were ineffective with sufficient range, and she lacked the capability and equipment to provide any real assistance outside of that.

That particular realization set her features in a scowl that persisted on her face until her turn for watch.

[Melissa Evendale]

Mel was jumpier than ever during his watch prowling around the campsite like a restless cat

[Adjunta Paul]

Adjunta was much of the same mind as Ianthé. The fight had bothered him, his spell selection had proven in inadequate, ranged weaponry was not something he had thought of, and worst of all his mind had proven strangely weak. Then there was the matter of Mel. Things did add up, there was more then a strong possibility that the lad was actually a lady. There were other possibilities of course, shape shifters, strange human like races, even elven blood, but the most likely possibility was probably the correct answer.

[robin]

Malgasir is also downright glum having lost everything in this encounter .
You have also lost the wagon and have to lug around what was in it since I will consider you took it with you
The night pass without incidents and in the morning you resume your travel . Around midday , you arrive at a village (more a hamlet in fact )

All houses are of wood and there are around twenty . Only three are of a more than medium size , one being obviously the tavern , the second a forge and the last a combination of warehouse cum house .
the villagers look at you with some surprise but keep their distance .

[Ianthé Jack]

Ianthé ran a hand through her hair (going to have to cut it again soon) and looked around at the hamlet, taking note of the houses and the uncommon reaction of the inhabitants. "..So much for being welcome.." she muttered. "We should be able to resupply here", she said, carrying one end of the chest along with her standard equipment. "Personally, I'm for making that harpy our immediate priority."

[Melissa Evendale]

Mel's mood had gone from bad to worse during the trip as the young man descended into an uncommunicative silence.

Melissa had not failed to notice the speculative looks she had been getting from both Adjunta and Hasim during the day.'do they know' was the thought uppermost in the disguised girls mind.
If they did then things might be about to get...awkward

[Adjunta Paul]

How did we loose the waggon?

[robin]

The oxen were being fascinated by the song of the harpy .
You seemed more interested in dragging Malgasir out of the zone of influence and only Mel did react when I said the song had stopped so I consider most of you were not inclined to go back for the oxen and the wagon .

Ianthe leads the way to the warehouse . the only open door is giving room to a 10 by 10 room . In one of the wall , is a counter closed by some bars behind which is a man arounf 30 years old .
Seeing you enter , he says
"Hello , newcomers , what do you want ? "

[Heren Andercrote]

'Greetings sir, is this town, Brandon's Crossing?'

[robin]

Yes , it is .

[Melissa Evendale]

Mel asks around to see if anyone in town keeps bees if so he buys a block of beeswax

[robin]

There is no beekeeper per se but he is directed to Alberic's warehouse

[Heren Andercrote]

Before we go and do all this wax getting, will it actually help? i.e. Will deafening ourselves give us immunity to sonic affects but the penalties of deafness?

[robin]

This is a traditional method ...
One point for it is that when you were magically asleep , you did not hear consciously the song anymore which enabled you to a new save .
No , beeswax should only give you a substantial bonus when you are near the harpy and reduces the area of effect of her song

[Heren Andercrote]

Every little helps.

'To Alberic's Warehouse!'

[robin]

robin wrote:

The oxen were being fascinated by the song of the harpy .

You seemed more interested in dragging Malgasir out of the zone of influence and only Mel did react when I said the song had stopped so I consider most of you were not inclined to go back for the oxen and the wagon .

Ianthe leads the way to the warehouse . the only open door is giving room to a 10 by 10 room . In one of the wall , is a counter closed by some bars behind which is a man arounf 30 years old .
Seeing you enter , he says
"Hello , newcomers , what do you want ? "

[Heren Andercrote]

'Greetings, do you have much beeswax for sale?'

[robin]

I do have some beewax candles indeed but there is not so much demand for it here . Most people want simple tallow candles .

[Heren Andercrote]

'Could I presuade you to part with a few, for a reasonable price of course?'

Diplomacy
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

[robin]

'Let me check'
The man leaves the counter and comes back
'I do have 4 actually . It's 3 cp each'

[Heren Andercrote]

I purchase all 4 for 12 cp. Deducted on char profile.

[Adjunta Paul]

"What sort of weapons can be found here?" Adjunta asks, "Dare I hope for a crossbow? Or will I make do with a sling?"

[Melissa Evendale]

Mel is quite Happy to let Herren dip into his pocket..

[robin]

Well most people around do a little hunting so I have mainly longbows and shortbows . now I do have some light crossbows , at least three .
I'll do you one crossbow , one quiver and twenty bolts for 45 gp .

[Adjunta Paul]

"Hmmm," Adjunta muses, "I was thinking of paying more in the range of 35 gp."

[robin]

" Sure, you can walk back to the nearest town if you want to pay less. "

[Adjunta Paul]

"Indeed I could," Adjunta says, happy for the chance to haggle, "I could also persuade my companions not to deal with that harpy on the roadway as well. I certainly won't be returning without a weapon . . ."

The priest pretends to mull the decision over.

"I can't imagine that business has been very brisk with the road under siege, and you've already admitted that you don't sell many of these weapons, I would think that this crossbow would be more valuable to you in my hands then on a shelf. I suppose you could turn me away and wait for the next person to wander by to buy one, or perhaps you could wait for government soldiers to commandeer them. I'm sure they'd offer fair market price for them. How does 37 sound?"

[robin]

Friend , you have some misconceptions there .
Firstly : I mostly deal with the people around here . I have arrangements with some people who come to restock me twice a year and when they'll come , they 'll deal with this harpy
Secondly : People around here are mostly there because the government let us be . Not a surprise , since this area belongs to the druids and they rarely if ever come here . so the chance that soldiers will come is next to zip
Thirdly : Since your friends have already bought wax , I figure you are going to see the harpy anyway
Now it was a good try and you made me laugh : 44 gp it is .

[Hasim Bin Omar]

After Paul - and whoever else - is done with that particular merchant, Hasim pipes up "Excuse me, sir, but if you don't mind my asking, who are these druids of whom you speak? How is it that these druids command such respect that the government of Taldor 'lets you be,' as you say?"

[Adjunta Paul]

"Do you think they'd really run the risk and travel into danger without a priest?" Adjunta asks, eyebrows raised, gently fingering his holy symbol, "I mean even if they did go to the trouble of investing 3 coppers in bees wax. Now I understand the trouble of being out in the wilds like this, the cost of transportation of goods, but you've just now admitted that you don't deal with the government so you're clearly not paying taxes. 39 gp."

[robin]

'43 Gp , you would pay 37 gp in any town and you know it .'
Alberic turns to Hasim
'Way I understand it , long ago there was a deal made between the emperor and the wildwood lodge . Since then the forest is a province of the empire with the lodge as bosses . Now it is a big forest and they are no as interested as extracting every copper peace of a man as in other places I could name ...'

[Melissa Evendale]

"Huh more fusty old men with beards I'll bet..it's always the same with God botherers..begging your pardon Ser Adjunta"

[Adjunta Paul]

"Druids are a different breed altogether," Adjunta says, "they don't always have the best interests of society in mind. We are all living things and are all equal in their minds which means civilization, trade, language, and free will are pretty much lost on them."

"I would indeed pay 37 gp in any town," Adjunta says turning back to the merchant, "I believe that's the fair market price, but I'm willing to accept that you have transportation costs, so I will factor that into the price . . . but 10 gold? Seeing as you're not paying taxes I think three is more reasonable. 40 gp and not a penny more."

[robin]

That's 6 gp more not 10 . And sorry but 43 Gp was my limit

For those who wnat to buy something there , there is a 20% mark-up in the costs

What else do you want to do in Brandon's Bridge ?

[Heren Andercrote]

Heren will ask around about the temple of Aroden.

[robin]

The different replies
' Aroden ? Aroden is dead ! '
' No temple here , you need a priest to have a temple'
' Don't know nothing ! '

[Heren Andercrote]

'Very strange,' Heren says as he returns to his companions.

'Everyone seems to be willfully ignorant of the Temple. Very suspicious indeed.'

[robin]

Heren's sense motive 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
They seem really ignorant of what you are speaking of ...

Mwah ha ha ha

[DM Wellard]

"Bloody peasants" mutters Mel as he watches the exchanges between Herren and the populace

[Ianthé Jack]

Ianthé is keeping her mouth shut for the time being, irked by their set of circumstances that brought them to a place where the merchants gouge -- justified by their viewpoint, and just their experiences so far. Lugging a chest into town was not the way she wanted to arrive, but things were how they were.

Waving her staff over the chest to dissuade any earnest thieves, she does not stray further than the few steps it took to gather everyone that was nearby. Once she had gotten everyone's attention, she looked at the lot of them. "Alright. Given the circumstances that we have experienced, I suggest we make a night of it, evaluate our situation, and do what we can to recoup. We still have the majority of our funds, so I suggest we make a list, and resupply tomorrow. We can find the temple, but it has been a long day."

[robin]

Having no better idea , you progress to the tavern where Audo the publican explain to you that he only gave one room to let for 2 sp whose bed can hold 4 eventually 5 (in fact his own) but that you can with no problem sleep on the floor of the tavern at no charge once it closes if you wnat to . Otherwise his wife Viviant does brew an actually strong good beer and does cook you a salmon so you eat correctly

Asking them about the temple gives this initial response .
'I would not really know but you should ask Gravin . he was here when the village was created, you know'

[Melissa Evendale]

Mel spreads his bedroll on the Tavern floor close to the fire for the night.

Melissa is still slightly paranoid but as noone has said anything she forces herself to be sociable in Mel's persona.

As usual in the morning she makes time alone to repair her disguise(take 10 for a check of 17)

[Adjunta Paul]

Adjunta will ask for some funds to buy the crossbow

"So we need to find this Gravin," Adjunta says once everyone has settled down for the night, "perhaps he can lead us in the right direction."

[Ianthé Jack]

Anyone that is restocking, make a list and put it into the OOC thread. At present, we have ~490gp remaining of the 700.

While the others are discussing plans, Ianthé listens with half an ear, partially distracted with listing and evaluating things that she has been shown to need. Tomorrow, she would go and see if there were any spell scrolls to be had in this town.

[robin]

After a night of sleep , you seek out Gravin who is apparently an healer
When you ask about the temple , you learn that he was indeed in the previous Brandon's bridge but there was no temple there
Now it may mean nothing since this Brandon's bridge was also a new town founded 10 years after Aroden's death .
To his opinion , you should wait for Edgral the hunter to come into town . Edgral knows the forest well and should be able to tell you were this temple is . Now you might be for a bit of a wait as Edgral only comes into town around once a month .

[Heren Andercrote]

'And when was he last in town good sir?'

[robin]

' About two weeks ago'

[Adjunta Paul]

"well he should be back in another two weeks if he keeps his schedule," Adjunta says, "which would give us time to deal with this pest on the road."