Endur's Return to TOEE part 2

[Endur]

Lylamwyn finds a wizard in Verbobonc who will teach him spells. The wizard's name is Nogirt.
Nogirt says,
"So you heard of my arcane power in Enstad and knew that only I could had the knowledge to be a suitable mentor? Well, then I'll be happy to oblige you and teach you spells beyond any you would learn in Enstad."

 

[Seonaid]

Toriah, rogue in trouble

“Did you take anything from the Temple of Elemental Evil?
“Did you take anything from an old Moathouse east of Hommlet that was a hidden shrine for an evil god?
“Have you taken anything from any other cultist or priest of a god? Or stolen from any other temple or church or shrine?”

Toriah attempts to be nonchalant, and to disguise his voice. "I've never stolen from any temple, church, or shrine. As for this 'Temple of Elemental Evil,' well, it doesn't sound like the kind of place a smart person would visit, does it?" He tries to smile reassuringly from his uncomfortable position and to remember if he'd ever seen these particular people. [Bluff +2]

 

[Endur]

Toriah does not recall ever seeing his captors before and Toriah knows many of the people in the thieves guild. Toriah tries to explain he has had nothing to do with any temples or priests (Toriah's bluff 8+2=10).

The questioner (a human male with brown hair) replies,
"Guess we picked up the wrong person." (sense motive 5+ ranks)

Rogue number two (a male halfling with sandy brown hair) says,
"I don't think so." (sense motive 10+ranks)

Rogue number three (a human woman with black hair) adds,
"That was a pathetic lie. A falsehood so thin it was sad. My little brother could have done much better than that."(sense motive 20+ranks)

Rogue number one asks,
"What's the penalty for stealing? Oh yes, I remember!"
He spins Toriah around so he can see another person who is tied up and gagged in a chair and is about to get his hand chopped off.

Rogue number two counters,
"But he stole from temples. Cutting off a hand is the penalty for stealing in general. How about branding Temple Thief on his face and then cutting off his hand?"

The woman, rogue number three, counters with a sinister laugh and says in a very intimidating manner,
"No, I have a better idea. Let's induct him."

The three rogues chant while holding hands and circling Toriah,

"Induct him, Induct him, Induct him!


The rogues laugh like madmen.

The woman pulls out an amulet and places it against Toriah.
"Ta Dah! You have been INDUCTED into the Temple Raiders of Olidammara.

The Rogues laugh uncontrollably as they untie Toriah.

The halfling rogue adds,
"Here is your own symbol of Olidammara. If the Thieves Guild of Verbobonc bothers you, show them this. You are a Temple Raider now and they should leave you alone. They shouldn't bother you so long as you only steal from priests and temples."

The rogues show Toriah their facilities.

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

Craven goes to visit the Church of St. Cuthbert. The patriarch invites Craven to his office.

“Craven, Canoness Y’Dey asked me to tell you a story.
“Ten years ago, during the Greyhawk wars, Canon Hazen of Veluna, the head of the Church of Rao, conducted a ceremony using the Crook of Rao and several other relics to drive the fiends from the Oerth and back to the Abyss. The bards call that great event the Flight of the Fiends.

“That ritual ended the Greyhawk Wars, for without abyssal leadership the armies of the Old One would not march on the offensive. Indeed, of all the old one’s fiendish generals, only the Old One himself was able to resist the Flight of the Fiends.

“After the ritual was finished, the Crook of Rao vanished as artifacts often do. We can not rely upon ever performing that ritual again. Now and in the future, fiends must be banished one at a time.

“A new order of knights was formed to finish the work that the Flight of the Fiends started. A knight is inducted into this knightly order by drinking from a sacred chalice, a chalice that was sanctified by the blood of a fallen martyr, a hero that attempted to banish the Old One himself.

“Otto, Elmo’s deceased older brother, was that fallen martyr. The Knights of the Chalice is the knightly order that was sponsored by Verbobonc, Veluna, and Furyondy in the memory of Otto. Canoness Y’Dey has sponsored you for membership in the Order of the Chalice.
“If you accept this honor, a brother in the Order will escort you to the secret hiding place of the chalice, where you will be inducted into the Order of the Chalice.”

At the temple, Craven was pleased they were able to destroy the maruading hobgoblins, and rescue someone. A fine catch of treasure was certainly welcome as well, as it could be turned to excellent use by the people of Hommlet, as well as this group of adventurers during their continuing battle against evil.

When the patriarch told him the Canoness recommended him for the Knighthood of the Chalice, Craven was overwhelmed. It was a great honor, greater than any he had dreamed of. To be counted worthy to use a saint's relic, to learn the sacred truths of such an order, was beyond what he though he aspired to. When such honor was offered, it was all a man could do to simply accept it and attempt to live up to it.

"You honor me. I will strive to be worthy of the Knighthood," he says with a bow. He will willingly go along to be inducted, attempting to be humble and accepting.

OOC - Craven would certainly like one of the potions of CMW or CSW, and/or the wand of cure light wounds. He would also be able to use the amulet of natural armor, and may even be interested in learning to use the two-bladed sword. Maybe. But he would like to give any weapons or armor that aren't immediately needed to the temple, along with some of his gold/silver/copper.

 

[Endur]

Craven leaves the party for two weeks, traveling to a secret location where he is inducted into the Order of the Chalice. The time passes swiftly. Craven is exposed to an overwhelming amount of information and it will take sometime for him to process everything he experienced.

Lylamwyn spends the two weeks creating magic items and learning new spells.

Xaod is in a bar-room brawl (in a different bar) every night.

Kerwyn is practicing his magic while entertaining the ladies of Verbobonc.

Lenya meets an old Rhennee fortune teller who tells her,
"Beware the Evil Eye."

Toriah spends some time with his new "friends" as well as time with old friends. He does not have to wear a disguise anymore in Verbobonc.

Belaver makes a trip back to Hommlet to check on the Grove of the Old Faith (wild shaping into an Eagle to travel quickly back to Hommlet). Yundi seems to have things well in hand at the Grove.

Uncle Joman tells Belaver,
"Now don't you worry about evil cultists infiltrating Hommlet. The Church of St. Cuthbert has sent an Inquisator to find the fiendish. This Mother Confessor is already making progress. She found out that Telna, the proprietar of Telna's kitchen, was actually a witch and a spy for Iuz. You are just in time to watch Telna being burned at the stake."

Uncle Joman continues,
"One of my nieces, Lotha Dart, has been chosen to be the new proprietress of Dart's Kitchen, the newest addition to Dart Enterprises."

While you are watching the burning of the witch, the Mother Confessor is watching the crowd. Before your eyes, she culls an evil cultist out of the crowd and renders him helpless.

 

[Paxus Asclepius]

Belaver looks visiby troubled at the inquisitorial proceedings, but says nothing; his heart may disagree, but he has always been taught that an Inquisitor of St. Cuthbert has an infallible sense of evil.

 

[Seonaid]

Toriah visibly pales at the others' comments and the sight of the caught thief.

When they change tone and induct him into the Order, he looks around, comic confusion on his face. "Wait . . ." he says slowly, still trying to control his drawl. "You wanted me to say yes?" He holds the holy symbol hesitantly. He considers asking about his problems with the Guild but doesn't want to provoke his captors into taking away their offer of sanctuary from them.

He is somewhat impressed with their facilities, having seen only the Guild's previously, and makes comments appropriately.

--

After more time with the Raiders, he relaxes his guard, especially after an encounter or two with the Guild, encounters that went in his favor. A certain swagger comes back into his step, being in his old grounds and no longer harrassed by the Guild.

 

[Pyrex]

On second thought, Raner realizes that Funky doesn't rub him the wrong way. In fact, Raner wishes he had more good friends like Funky (charm person, Raner's will save 5+1+2 spells=8).

Raner pauses a moment, nodding his head as he sees that Funky really does just want to help; and even though he's not entirely certain that trying to sell the stone from the temple is a good idea he certainly can't deny Funky the chance to make it work. "I can see you're a sharp businessman, and I have no doubt that we can come to a mutually beneficial agreement, but we're going to have to find another method of financing. I just don't have 3000gp to get this enterprise off the ground."

 

[Endur]

Funky pats Raner on the back.
"I know we can work together to make this work. If we're short a few gold, we'll make it work somehow. How about if you contribute 1000 gold now and give me a voucher for 1000 gold a month from now and I'll cover the other 4000 gold. Since I'll be investing more gold than you, I'll want a bigger split of the profits. How does splitting the profits 60-40 sound?"

 

[Dalamar]

Early in the morning, a figure moves silently to the stables. Kerwyn takes one of their cart horses, hoping that it won't be too sorely missed while he is doing his business. Touching his new magical bandana, the thief changes his looks so that he looks like one of the townspeople he saw the other day. He then mounts the horse and rides out of the city, setting his course towards the Temple of Elemental Evil.
Darn it's been bothering me that I didn't try saying the thing that addled cultist told me to say back down there. And now that the others aren't bothering me -should've sneaked into Lenya's room to give her a farewell kiss, though- I can prolly talk with the ghost pal that was there. Maybe it knows something.