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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Funeris" data-source="post: 1943893" data-attributes="member: 22792">Chapter 8: Into the DeepThe Heroes stared into the forest.  Calyx had gone.  She had left them just as quickly as she had joined them.  It was unexpected.“Uh…” Magnus started then abruptly just stopped.“Why?”  Tobias began but likewise silenced himself.“She travels her own path,” Motega answered.“She knows what she’s doing,” Fitz agreed.  “Let’s move on.  What’s next?”“We have to return to Llyndofare,” announced the paladin.  “How can we defeat that…creature?”Fitz turned toward Tobias.  “Well, our weapons won’t be of much use against the spirit.”“And we don’t have enough money to purchase new weapons,” Magnus declared.  “Don’t have enough money to do much of anything,” he added in a whisper.“We’ll go back for the gear,” grunted Motega.“Yes,” Magnus said doing rough calculations in his mind, “if we get the gear and sell it, we should have enough money to purchase some scrolls…” his voice trailed off in thought.  “We’ll need a cart!”  Everyone turned and stared at the mage.  “What?  It’s a lot of gear!  And not to doubt the strength of our warrior here,” he added quickly, “But, if we have a cart, it will speed the whole process up.”“Can we afford a mule drawn cart?” Fitz asked.“Well…um…”“I can,” answered Tobias.  Then he turned and entered Dun Moor.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------“Ahh, well I’m sorry I can’t help you.”  The Stable Master uncomfortably answered.“It’s just for a few days.  You have my word.”   Tobias’ eyes measured the Stable Master up.  He was an older fellow, probably in his forties.  His unkempt brown hair hung loosely over his shoulders.  And his face was covered by a layer of filth, probably from working in the stables.  Tobias noted the man’s clothing, which was not much more than rags held together precariously by a handful of remaining seems.“Well see…the carts are needed…” the Stable Master began again.“What’s your name?”  Tobias interrupted.“Harold,” the man answered raising his eyebrow questioningly.“Okay.  Harold, look I am in dire need of a mule drawn cart.  I, well my companions and I, are transporting goods for sale.  But as I’ve said, we need a cart.  It will only be a few days.  But if you can provide the cart I need, I promise to bring you more business.  And,” the paladin reached into his satchel of money, “I tip heavily.”  Tobias dropped two silver pieces in the man’s hand. **Harold’s grin could have lit up the room.  Two Silver Pieces, he thought.  That’s more than I make in a month.  “You will have the very finest cart.  And try to have it back at the end of three days.  But if not, keep it as long as you need.”  He grinned again and moved hurriedly to secure the cart for travel.** - On top of slipping the Stable Master money, I had to roll a diplomacy check.  I rolled a twenty.  The man idolizes me <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" />  Also…remember that silver pieces are actually gold pieces in the Valus.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Several days had passed.  The Heroes had gathered the gear from their hiding spot in the woods near Llyndofare, transported it back to Dun Moor and sold all of it.  The proceeds had gone to a few scrolls the mage suggested and to Harold the Stable Master.  Tobias had also slipped Harold a few more silver pieces for his time.  The only problem the Heroes had run into was a small band of Orcs and Goblins.  The problem didn’t last long.The Heroes looked through the archway at the well.  The solid oak door was still beside the well, and nothing else seemed to have changed.  Magnus used a scroll or two to enhance the blades Motega and Tobias wielded.  They headed in toward the well.A few feet from the well, the shadowy apparition slid up through the ground to attack.  The insane babbling of voices attacked the Heroes, but could not pass through the magical enchantments on the party.  Smug smiles cracked on the Heroes’ faces.  Then they sent the spirit to its final death.</blockquote>

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