Master of Jade, Mistress of Iron - a World of Conclave adventure

[Dr Simon]

The chest makes a small noise of protest when Blue tries his magic on it, but it doesn't seem to have been powerful enough to have any other noticeable effect. Shem looks a little surprised at Hang's request, but returns a little later on with a selection of possible jemmies. Hang and Mal apply their strength to the problem and soon the first of the boxes is open. Inside, lying in hollows made in a lining of silk padding, are three irregular chunks of a deep red coloured mineral, that seem to glow faintly with an inner light.

 

[Voda Vosa]

Hang

Hang sighs visibly with relief before quickly closing the chest again. "Here's our evidence, we should take this to our honourable patron. But lets open the other chests to see what else we got." He says, reato crack open the rest of the chests.

 

[GlassEye]

Blue Eye Bellows, shaman

"Looks like you were right," says Blue. "Ok, let's see what's in the others."

He stands back while Hang and Mal work.

[sblock=OOC/Actions]--[/sblock]
[sblock=MiniStats][size=+1]Blue Eye Bellows[/size]
Initiative: +1
AC: 14 (touch 11, flat-footed 13)
HP: 24 Current: 16 [15 nonlethal]
CMB: +3 CMD: 14 Fort: +2 Ref: +2 Will: +4
Speed: 30 ft.

Current weapon in hand: spear
--Spear +3 (1d8+4 /x2)
Conditions in effect: none

Spirit's Advice: 5/5 remaining
Artificer's Touch: 4/5 remaining

Shaman Spells
1st level: 2/2 per day (DC 13)
animate rope, detect spirits, enlarge person, hunter's howl
0th level: unlimited (DC 12)
create water, guidance, light, spark
[/sblock]

 

[Dr Simon]

It perhaps speaks to the mentality of the strange snake-y merchants that any protection that they may have put on the strongboxes doesn't seem to be designed to stand up to brute force. Between them, Hang and Mal jemmy open the other two boxes without much trouble, although the decorative wood casings are ruined by the attempt. Nobody dies from poison.

One box contains paperwork - a couple of small books and some scrolls, all covered with ornate glyphs - they recall the pictograms of High Imperial but are far more elaborately and sinuous. The books contain neat colums - maybe accounts ledgers, maybe a logbook, could be a form of poetry for all anyone can tell. The papers are mostly in the same writing, with a few in Low Imperial that mention sales of innocuous-sounding cargo: spices, ingots, chickens and so on. They bear the mark of House Turif.

The second contains some small glass phials of various liquids all carefully packed in an padded box. Unfortunately a couple have been broken but that still leaves twelve intact, of various different colours and consistencies.

 

[Maidhc O Casain]

[section]

Mal looks at the boxes and their content, a wry expression on his bluff features. "Well, it looks like we've got some kindling and firewood, drinks to consume as we sit 'round the blaze, and the red jade we've been employed to find."​

[/section]

[sblock=Actions/Rolls]--[/sblock]
_______________
Malachite the Unfettered

 

[Voda Vosa]

Hang

"And we have already sent those responsible to meet their ancestors." Hang says. A bit of a religious phrase for one so skeptic as himself, but non the less, fitting for the situation. "All in day's work. Lets move out, I don't want any surprises before we deliver this evidence."

 

[Dr Simon]

Shem is staring at the red jade and rubbing his chin between forefinger and thumb.

"Just putting this out there..." he says slowly, "but that amount of red jade would buy you a ship, and crew, and still have change left over, you know." He shakes his head as if to get rid of the though. "It'd have to be a fast ship, though, if you tried to cheat the old lady."

 

[GlassEye]

Blue Eye Bellows, shaman

Blue frowns at Shem. "Don't even think that sort of thing. It's dangerous." He turns to Hang and Mal. "The sooner this red jade is out of our hands the better. I'm certainly not going to sleep near this. So, what is our next step?"

[sblock=OOC/Actions]--[/sblock]
[sblock=MiniStats][size=+1]Blue Eye Bellows[/size]
Initiative: +1
AC: 14 (touch 11, flat-footed 13)
HP: 24 Current: 16 [15 nonlethal]
CMB: +3 CMD: 14 Fort: +2 Ref: +2 Will: +4
Speed: 30 ft.

Current weapon in hand: spear
--Spear +3 (1d8+4 /x2)
Conditions in effect: none

Spirit's Advice: 5/5 remaining
Artificer's Touch: 4/5 remaining

Shaman Spells
1st level: 2/2 per day (DC 13)
animate rope, detect spirits, enlarge person, hunter's howl
0th level: unlimited (DC 12)
create water, guidance, light, spark
[/sblock]

 

[Maidhc O Casain]

[section]

Mal's teeth click audibly as he closes his mouth with a snap. As he's putting his trusty coin back into whatever pouch he pulled it from, he says sheepishly, "Erm, yeah, Shem. Dangerous thoughts, those. The Red Jade goes back where it belongs."​

[/section]

[sblock=Actions/Rolls]--[/sblock]
_______________
Malachite the Unfettered

 

[Voda Vosa]

Hang

"True, lets leave the rest of our profits here, and bring the jade to our patron at once. I don't want to remain close to this stone more than strictly necessary." Hang says, closing the chest and looking ready to depart.