Amberdale 0 : "An Introduction to Amberdale" by PDabble Games - Part 16
"Two hundred gold!" Mantreus is incredulous, "That's robbery!"
The head priest of Pelor looks unimpressed by the adventurer's histrionics.
"It is a very reasonable price." she politely but firmly insists, "Less than we would normally charge, in fact. Your friend has been grievously poisoned, and it will take several applications of the spell in order to fully restore him."
"Surely we can negotiate?" the Padre wheedles.
"What is there to negotiate? We are the only source of the healing your friend requires, and we have already provided you with a discount in recognition of your helpful acts to this community."
"Will you accept items in lieu of gold?"
"Certainly. That is, if the items are useful to us."
Reluctantly, the group reviews its possessions. They hand over several weapons taken from vanquished foes, as well as the silk rope Ming Li found in the pit trap. However, they are still far short of the required amount and Stormstrider reluctantly offers up the potion of cure light wounds he only just gained, as well as enough gold to make up the shortfall.
With her price met, the head priest advises that Stormstrider must remain at the Sanctuary overnight, as it will take until the next morning for the priests to fully relieve the poison's effects. The group acquiesces to this: after all, they have little choice.
Returning the next morning, the group finds Stormstrider fit and hale once more. They are on the verge of leaving the Sanctuary when something occurs to the Padre,
"Are you able to identify magical items?" he asks a nearby acolyte, "We know what all the ones we have at the moment do, but none of us are able to work out what such things do, should we find any more."
The young priest shakes his head,
"We can detect the presence of magic, and sometimes what general type it is, but not the specific abilities an item may possess."
"Is there anyone else in town who might be able to do so?"
"Normally, I would have to say no, but there are some people from Mirakest who have just arrived in town. They rode in on a fancy wagon this morning and are moving into one of the houses on the southern edge of town. I heard tell that one of them was a mage."
"I don't suppose you know which house?"
"No," the acolyte deadpans, "But I imagine it'll be the one with then wagon outside it, and people moving in."
The Padre can't argue with that logic, and the group immediately sets out in search of the newcomers. As the young acolyte prophesied, there is no difficulty in finding the house in question. A number of labourers are busily unloading a finely appointed wagon, and are carrying box after box of belongings into the small house.
The Padre strides up to the open door and knocks firmly on the frame. He can see a short hallway strewn with boxes. From further inside the house come the sweet and savoury scents of fresh baking.
After a few moments, a slightly plump middle-aged man with flour-covered hands enters the hall through one of the other doorways.
"Good morning!" he greets the adventurers amiably, "Come about the feast?"
"Uh, no." the Padre and his companions exchange perplexed looks.
"Oh, I assumed you must have. I'm Gendrew - I've been hired to do all the cooking for the feast of the Harvest Festival." The man starts to offer the Padre his hand, realises that it is covered in flour, and withdraws it with an apologetic shrug, "What can I do for you folks?"
"We heard you were a wizard ..."
"Me? Oh goodness, no. You must be thinking of my wife, Andolyn. She's not here at the moment, I'm afraid. Did you have business with her?"
"We wanted to discuss the possibility of hiring her services in the future. For the identification of magical items and similar tasks."
"Well, I can't say for sure if she will be interested, but perhaps if you come back after the festival you can talk to her. We'll both be very busy with preparations until then." Gendrew suggests, "Now, I've left some scones in the oven and I really need to get back to them. Excuse me!"
And with that, he ducks back through the doorway from which he emerged.
Left alone on the doorstep, the adventurers shrug and head back to their lodgings at the inn. It seems they are once again at a loose end.
That feeling only lasts for the time it takes to reach the inn, however, for as soon as they arrive at the inn, Brent Birchwhistle hurries over,
"I'm glad you're back! Come through to the back so we can talk in private. I have a job for you."
, but this was a pretty jaw-dropping sequence of events - and probably the most talked about part of the campaign so far!
