Vale's Dealings w/ The Dwarven Temple
~
A boon to my efforts! Surely Moradin, Silverbeard, Brightmantle, Brightaxe, and Duin be well pleased! This scourge in the forest shall be met with dwarven oaths and divine might!
~
Vale calls out praise and thanksgiving to the Dwarven pantheon. A member of Clangeddin Silverbeard's military priests, he was always at the edge of Silverbeard's tolerance. Occasionally, it would manifest itself in such moments similar to his exchange with Beringer. He found himself firmly a polytheist, not so much as a zealot of dwarven religion, but as a practical matter. He owed allegiance in principle to Moradin, the All-Father of the Dwarves. Even base and evil dwarves grudgingly nodded respect to Moradin, even if they loathed his lawfulness and immutable insistence on good. Clangeddin filled his sense of service, that is, to military action. However, for his wit, dedication to knowledge of all kinds, wanderlust, and willingness to live at the edge of the rules, he had always remained at the periphery of Clangeddin's guard, far from command. He was a solid fit, however, as a quartermaster and an engineer, where his wide interests and find-the-needed-weapon-or-tool-damn-the-rules was admired and even envied by dwarven commanders who valued Vale's ability to imagine, find, make, or hustle supplies, weapons, armor, and libraries of divine magic and military tactics. Handicapped for his age and experience, he had the widest range of know-how-to-make-it-go of any cleric in any order, military or otherwise. That made his affinity with the other dwarven gods and demigods all the more understandable. It wasn't a dalliance or lack of focus; it was a respect of what they each represented to the dwarven faithful. Strength and Earth with Knowledge and Travel and even a little roguishness sense of humor. Especially these five dwarven gods, greater and lesser, are the deep abiding essence of what it means to be a dwarf. In respect of Vale's contributions, he was given the opportunity to travel to Greyhawk, taking his time upon his way to establish relationships, make friends, and given the opportunity, to bring the pain to any and all undead.
Vale was a tolerant dwarf. Many dwarves would attack orcs on sight. Makes conversation a little tricky. Not Vale. He'd tolerate the most foul-smelling, vulgar-spoken cretins, orcs or otherwise. Undead however, were a different matter entirely. It was a common thread in him as a quartermaster, his delivering of tools, weapons, and surprises to the dwarven fighters and priests who battled them. He studied them from afar, collecting battle action reports from his clansmen on their contacts with any and all range of undead and binding them into tomes. From these tomes he found ways to procure items that would repel them or render them more "agreeable" opponents.
And in the course of his procurements he had been presented a magical dwarven waraxe of unknown origin. It was large, sporting a solid silver, mithral-coated blade with a hole in the middle of it just the right size for a standard sized dwarven (or other) holy symbol. It was a nasty looking weapon of exceedingly strong craftsmanship, sharp and menacing in a way that even experience dwarven axe-wielders might give wide berth. It had been found by several lower-ranking dwarves among other weapons, armor, pole-arms, and shields in a large cavernous hall where the mountain dwarves had stored such items for many decades, perhaps even a century. It's markings were not readily identifiable, though clearly dwarven. As it was given to him, no dwarf, nor any nearby elves, could ascertain its origin nor its purpose. Recently, Vale has become aware of one of its magical attributes, and he is keen to ask more cosmopolitan and worldly dwarves about it. This dwarven temple should prove a most hospitable place to do just that.
Vale to the priests of Clangeddin & Moradin: "I am grateful beyond measure for your favor, good tidings, and gifts. They are appreciated. The Ephod of Authority will provide me additional strength in my turning efforts of any undead we find in Skorane. I agree also to swap the Mithral Shirt (+2) temporarily, and I shall indeed return it to you forthwith. As for the mace, I should gladly take such a grand item, and I am humbled that you would find me worthy. (pays him 1000pp) Thank you. As to the scrolls I would like to purchase from the temple inventory, I am grateful too, for your generosity. Given the purchase of the mace, I will pair down my list as follows for 506 gp, 2 sp, and 5 cp total."
[sblock=Group Scrolls]
Hide from Undead (6)
Sanctuary (6)
Remove Curse (1)
[/sblock]
" I would make a request for a significant amount of Holy Water, of which I can certainly contribute in creation as well as blessing. Would two (2) gallons be too much?"
[sblock=Holy Water]
Vale is willing and able to cast Create Water and Bless Water to contribute, if the temple shrine can spare the flasks/bottles/vials, then he spends the bulk of the morning filling those flasks/bottles/vials.
[/sblock]
"I deign to ask you to send the message back to Caltaran to my kinsman Maxwell (if he should continue to be there) through Sheriff Denby that we arrived safely with only a single failed attempt on our cargo's life. We protected him, and he is in custody. Ask him to relay the message that I am in Dyvers now, with intent on engaging in the business we discussed shortly. Good tidings and safe travels to him. As to our order, please forward along that I am well and diverted to this mission to investigate the forest of Skorane and engage the undead reported there. Upon its successful completion, I shall return to Dyvers and present myself for examination and report, as well as for further orders to the Priests of Moradin and Clangeddin. Awaiting none, I shall continue to Greyhawk or present suitable rationale for any additional delay. Any deviations that the order wishes to make to my current path should be relayed to the temple shrine authorities here in Dyvers, and I will make the necessary adjustments."
After securing the Mace of Disruption and Mithral Shirt, and during the preparation and bottling of Holy Water, Vale mentions that his objective in visiting the Mage Guild is to obtain Grave Bane, an alchemical substance substituting a concentrated grenade of garlic, a "stinkbomb" versus the undead. Odorless to living beings, it produces an immediate repellant effect in undead. He has 5 flasks of it, and should the Mage Guild not have it for sale, he will leave a single flask at the temple such that they can duplicate it in the future. He trusts that they have a proper wizard with whom they have a comfortable enough relationship that it can be made by that person.
"Before I go, gentlemen, I have another query of you. My axe here, I acquired at my original post. It was put away, hidden among the stored weapons and items of curiosity. I was allowed to keep it, and it clearly has magical properties of which I believe I know at least one of them, and it will help us in our efforts in Skorane. However, it has a circular hole in the base of the blade. The hole does not seem to affect it's strength nor its ability to be wielded. It appears to be the size of one of our typical holy symbols. I've tried two varieties. A wooden one, and a silver one. Neither quite fit and pop out. I've taken to practicing with it. It's comfortable. Feels solid in my hands. However, I am supremely curious of what, if anything, is known of its history, it's effects, and why I feel so damn comfortable with it. More than any other weapon. Were it not for the Mace's formidable power and my need for a bludgeoning weapon, I'd have not entertained any other weapon. Thoughts, my fellow priests? "
Regardless of the answers or lack of, upon completion of this encounter, and hopefully by 1pm or so, Vale is done with the Dwarven Temple Shrine for the moment and on his way to the Mage's Guild. He is proudly wearing the Ephod of Authority with the new Mithral Shirt, axe and mace holstered appropriately. His backpack, belt, and bandolier the only items notable on his person.
Upon reaching the Mage Guild, he politely and deferentially inquires of Grave Bane and if they have any in stock and it's cost (usually 50 gp per flask).
If he doesn't reach the party by the Mage Guild, then again, regardless of his answer, he proceeds back to Laramon's by way of the Dog and Hammer (directions provided by Respen and Dewydd and occasionally asking folks on the street for directions). If he does not reach them during this leg of his tour, he shall meet them in the late afternoon at the Inn. Along the way, he scouts for suitable longer-term lodging if the Dwarven Temple Shrine lacked it.