Silver Moon
Adventurer
Chapter 33, “The Elf Cracks”, July 8th, 1019, 11:30 A.M.
The quartet have arrived at the Magical Stone Inn, a five-story high wooden structure located at the intersection of the warehouse district road and the main southeastern road. Ki comments how the inn is situated so there is an excellent view of the auction house and its entrances from the upper stories. They go inside and find the proprietor, a human named Roberts. Ki-Geloryn and Lannon state their credentials as members of the Jawlt Council. They explain that they wish to see a room that an older gnome was staying in. The proprietor tells them that no gnomes are currently staying there, and suggests that they instead check the One-Eyed Gnome Inn, located in the outer city.
They then describe the half-elf fighter. The man says that there is a guest with that description, staying in room #406. “Was he staying alone?” Ki asks. The man replies “Actually he had a female companion, a middle-aged human female. She had her own room.” Lannon describes Florine, and Roberts says “Yes, that sounds like her. She is in room #306. “Who is staying in room #506?” Furynick inquires. “A male elf with blond hair,” is the reply. “I think we need to check each of those rooms,” Ki states, and they are given keys.
They begin with the 4th floor room, which is fairly sparse. Tapping on floorboards, they soon find a loose board under two of the bedposts. Furynick shoves the bed aside, and Lannon works at prying up the board. In the 4” space between the floor and the wooden ceiling to the room below they find an oiled cloth containing plants, a green robe, a club, a sling and some sling bullets.
Next they go to the 3rd floor room. In the same place they find a loose floorboard, beneath which they find a magical dagger, a pouch of spell components and a spell book. Lannon attempts to read the book. Furynick comments “This is amazing.” Ki replies “What? That both Lannon and Timothy have proved to be useful on the same day?” Furynick answers “No, that a dwarf actually knows how to read.”
The 5th floor room also has hidden treasure under the floorboard beneath the bed. They find another dagger, more spell components and another spell book, this book being much thicker than the other. They decide to also check out rooms #106 and #206. The 1st floor room is unoccupied and has no hidden treasure. They are told the 2nd floor room is currently being rented by a human couple. The group finds nothing in that room, but makes a mess of the couple’s possessions searching it, so Ki pays the proprietor for their stay at the inn to make up for the inconvenience. “See, I knew we brought him for a reason,” Furynick comments.
They head back to the auction house and share their findings with the party. Both spell books are identified as being Illusionist. Serita identifies the plants and items found in the first rooms as druidic in nature, albeit rather low in level. “And that elf was also true neutral,” Blip points out. “And would also still have spells…” Serita exclaims, with a bit of panic in her voice. “I’m on it,” Mojo yells. Serita grabs the Rod of Cancellation. Kharole stops her, saying “No, that would also cancel the Charm I have on him, which has been working well. .
Mojo charges into the room and tells the guards they are relieved. “What?” exclaims the elf. Mojo says “I think you’re holding out on us.” Mojo then strips the man of all possessions, noting delicate elvan features everywhere except for the hands, which are still human-sized. Mojo tugs at the hands, pulling off a pair of flesh-colored rubber gloves. Fastened to the top of his actual right hand is another set of thieves tools while the top of the left hand has a thin blade attached to it. Mojo confiscates both, and says “Do you have any more hidden items? You’d better tell the truth because you won’t want me to search anywhere else!” The panicked elf assures Mojo that he does not.
Kharole casts another ESP spell and enters the room. Mojo shows her the items, saying “Look what I found!” Kharole hands the elf Dar a cloak to wear, and says “This plan of the gnome’s is coming apart at the seams. Why don’t you make this easy on yourself and tell us where the sphinx is hidden. We found all of your other possessions hidden in your rooms at the Magical Stone Inn, but no sign of the chest with the sphinx. We also know you are a druid. What spells do you still have?” He answers “Nothing offense. Mostly communication spells. I was to use Speak with Animals to talk to mice or rats in the prison to find out about guards and escape routes.”
She tells him that the only way to assist either himself or the gnome at this point is to cooperate. The elf’s spirit is clearly broken, and he explains that he signed on for this assignment because the gnome promised him the dress. “It doesn’t look to be your color,” Mojo interjects. “Not for me,” the elf states, “I wish to marry a princess, but her father says that I am not worthy. She is also a druid, and if I give her the magical dress her father might reconsider.” Kharole comforts him, assuring him that love is a noble sentiment, but that the time to think of that has passed. The best way for him to ensure that he will ever see his princess again is to cooperate.
The elf offers to bring them to the sphinx. “Why can’t you just tell me where it is?” she asks. He replies “I could, but it is trapped. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.” She also asks about the replica items, but he tells her he has never seen them, and does not know where they might be. Kharole and Mojo rejoin the others. She says that the ESP revealed the room the sphinx is in, but not the location of that room. She describes the room, which is clearly smaller than the rooms at the Magical Stone.
She wants to take him up on his offer to bring her there. Serita is very suspicious, and does not want to let him out while he still has spells. Kharole names the spells that his thoughts indicated were still memorized, none of which are offensive in nature. They decide to let Kharole go, but insist that she not go alone, with Mojo and Serita offering to accompany her. Blip offers to follow behind invisibly. As the elf is let out of the room Narg says, in a voice loud enough for Dar to hear, “If he does anything tricky just cut his head off.” Serita answers “No problem,” as she fastens her magical scimitar onto her belt, while giving the elf an intimidating look. .
The elf named Dar directs their carriage through the inner city and to the east outer city, to the elvan region. They stop at the One-Eyed Gnome Inn, where Dar brings them inside. Dar tells the gnome proprietor “I misplaced my key. Could you let me into my room?” They are let into the room which matches what Kharole saw with the ESP spell. Mojo notes the gnome-sided bed and larger bed in the room, and comments “Now we know where Timothy hangs out when he’s in the city.”
They soon find the metal chest that housed the sphinx statue, which has been turned invisible. Powder is sprinkled on it, but it is still not visible enough for Blip to feel comfortable opening the trapped invisible lock. The chest in placed inside of the Bag of Holding. A search of the room also uncovers a second item, the Rock Hammer of Bold Edgar. “What was the story about this thing?” Mojo asks.
Kharole tells of the tale, which is a popular children’s story on this continent. A gnomish artifact of ancient times, this hammer was forged by the rock gnome Edgar himself, renowned smith who learned his trade apprenticed to the mysterious being known only as "The Adamant". Forged of the meteoric iron of the Frost Giant's Grand Jarls throne, whom Edgar and his lesser companions bested in riddle games, and smelted in sacred fires of the Dragonkin, the rock hammer is the acme of Edgar’s art and a testament to his wit and daring.
First given to a simple Gnomish peasant who went on to become empress of the great Elvish island nation, and later given to a powerful human nation to seal a defense treaty, the rock hammer grew steadily more and more enchanted. It was wielded in great (and often witty) adventures by heroes throughout the ages as well as used in the forging of great works.
The hammer lost its enchantments, in fact its ability to be enchanted at all, when it was used to smash the Anti-light engine of the Death Scion in the Well of Worlds. This completed the fourteenth and greatest task of deification of the Gnomish adventurer Johnathon Silverhand, as well as completing his revenge against the being who had stolen his knowledge of gem cutting.
Since the Hammer has been a symbol of the Gnomish people, and is prized by collectors of all races. It has the most thoroughly documented history of any item in gnomish history. Every gnome dreams of a chance to add a little tidbit to the history of the hammer, smuggling forged accounts into the great libraries of the land, perhaps even making new "more authentic" versions of the hammers to put into the public eye. The hammer is one of the great practical jokes in gnomish history. But it serves another purpose as well, reminding the gnomes not to be swayed by "history" or great tales, and to evaluate an item as it really is. In this case, just a hammer. Although this one is the original the Edgar made so long ago….Perhaps!
The quartet have arrived at the Magical Stone Inn, a five-story high wooden structure located at the intersection of the warehouse district road and the main southeastern road. Ki comments how the inn is situated so there is an excellent view of the auction house and its entrances from the upper stories. They go inside and find the proprietor, a human named Roberts. Ki-Geloryn and Lannon state their credentials as members of the Jawlt Council. They explain that they wish to see a room that an older gnome was staying in. The proprietor tells them that no gnomes are currently staying there, and suggests that they instead check the One-Eyed Gnome Inn, located in the outer city.
They then describe the half-elf fighter. The man says that there is a guest with that description, staying in room #406. “Was he staying alone?” Ki asks. The man replies “Actually he had a female companion, a middle-aged human female. She had her own room.” Lannon describes Florine, and Roberts says “Yes, that sounds like her. She is in room #306. “Who is staying in room #506?” Furynick inquires. “A male elf with blond hair,” is the reply. “I think we need to check each of those rooms,” Ki states, and they are given keys.
They begin with the 4th floor room, which is fairly sparse. Tapping on floorboards, they soon find a loose board under two of the bedposts. Furynick shoves the bed aside, and Lannon works at prying up the board. In the 4” space between the floor and the wooden ceiling to the room below they find an oiled cloth containing plants, a green robe, a club, a sling and some sling bullets.
Next they go to the 3rd floor room. In the same place they find a loose floorboard, beneath which they find a magical dagger, a pouch of spell components and a spell book. Lannon attempts to read the book. Furynick comments “This is amazing.” Ki replies “What? That both Lannon and Timothy have proved to be useful on the same day?” Furynick answers “No, that a dwarf actually knows how to read.”
The 5th floor room also has hidden treasure under the floorboard beneath the bed. They find another dagger, more spell components and another spell book, this book being much thicker than the other. They decide to also check out rooms #106 and #206. The 1st floor room is unoccupied and has no hidden treasure. They are told the 2nd floor room is currently being rented by a human couple. The group finds nothing in that room, but makes a mess of the couple’s possessions searching it, so Ki pays the proprietor for their stay at the inn to make up for the inconvenience. “See, I knew we brought him for a reason,” Furynick comments.
They head back to the auction house and share their findings with the party. Both spell books are identified as being Illusionist. Serita identifies the plants and items found in the first rooms as druidic in nature, albeit rather low in level. “And that elf was also true neutral,” Blip points out. “And would also still have spells…” Serita exclaims, with a bit of panic in her voice. “I’m on it,” Mojo yells. Serita grabs the Rod of Cancellation. Kharole stops her, saying “No, that would also cancel the Charm I have on him, which has been working well. .
Mojo charges into the room and tells the guards they are relieved. “What?” exclaims the elf. Mojo says “I think you’re holding out on us.” Mojo then strips the man of all possessions, noting delicate elvan features everywhere except for the hands, which are still human-sized. Mojo tugs at the hands, pulling off a pair of flesh-colored rubber gloves. Fastened to the top of his actual right hand is another set of thieves tools while the top of the left hand has a thin blade attached to it. Mojo confiscates both, and says “Do you have any more hidden items? You’d better tell the truth because you won’t want me to search anywhere else!” The panicked elf assures Mojo that he does not.
Kharole casts another ESP spell and enters the room. Mojo shows her the items, saying “Look what I found!” Kharole hands the elf Dar a cloak to wear, and says “This plan of the gnome’s is coming apart at the seams. Why don’t you make this easy on yourself and tell us where the sphinx is hidden. We found all of your other possessions hidden in your rooms at the Magical Stone Inn, but no sign of the chest with the sphinx. We also know you are a druid. What spells do you still have?” He answers “Nothing offense. Mostly communication spells. I was to use Speak with Animals to talk to mice or rats in the prison to find out about guards and escape routes.”
She tells him that the only way to assist either himself or the gnome at this point is to cooperate. The elf’s spirit is clearly broken, and he explains that he signed on for this assignment because the gnome promised him the dress. “It doesn’t look to be your color,” Mojo interjects. “Not for me,” the elf states, “I wish to marry a princess, but her father says that I am not worthy. She is also a druid, and if I give her the magical dress her father might reconsider.” Kharole comforts him, assuring him that love is a noble sentiment, but that the time to think of that has passed. The best way for him to ensure that he will ever see his princess again is to cooperate.
The elf offers to bring them to the sphinx. “Why can’t you just tell me where it is?” she asks. He replies “I could, but it is trapped. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.” She also asks about the replica items, but he tells her he has never seen them, and does not know where they might be. Kharole and Mojo rejoin the others. She says that the ESP revealed the room the sphinx is in, but not the location of that room. She describes the room, which is clearly smaller than the rooms at the Magical Stone.
She wants to take him up on his offer to bring her there. Serita is very suspicious, and does not want to let him out while he still has spells. Kharole names the spells that his thoughts indicated were still memorized, none of which are offensive in nature. They decide to let Kharole go, but insist that she not go alone, with Mojo and Serita offering to accompany her. Blip offers to follow behind invisibly. As the elf is let out of the room Narg says, in a voice loud enough for Dar to hear, “If he does anything tricky just cut his head off.” Serita answers “No problem,” as she fastens her magical scimitar onto her belt, while giving the elf an intimidating look. .
The elf named Dar directs their carriage through the inner city and to the east outer city, to the elvan region. They stop at the One-Eyed Gnome Inn, where Dar brings them inside. Dar tells the gnome proprietor “I misplaced my key. Could you let me into my room?” They are let into the room which matches what Kharole saw with the ESP spell. Mojo notes the gnome-sided bed and larger bed in the room, and comments “Now we know where Timothy hangs out when he’s in the city.”
They soon find the metal chest that housed the sphinx statue, which has been turned invisible. Powder is sprinkled on it, but it is still not visible enough for Blip to feel comfortable opening the trapped invisible lock. The chest in placed inside of the Bag of Holding. A search of the room also uncovers a second item, the Rock Hammer of Bold Edgar. “What was the story about this thing?” Mojo asks.
Kharole tells of the tale, which is a popular children’s story on this continent. A gnomish artifact of ancient times, this hammer was forged by the rock gnome Edgar himself, renowned smith who learned his trade apprenticed to the mysterious being known only as "The Adamant". Forged of the meteoric iron of the Frost Giant's Grand Jarls throne, whom Edgar and his lesser companions bested in riddle games, and smelted in sacred fires of the Dragonkin, the rock hammer is the acme of Edgar’s art and a testament to his wit and daring.
First given to a simple Gnomish peasant who went on to become empress of the great Elvish island nation, and later given to a powerful human nation to seal a defense treaty, the rock hammer grew steadily more and more enchanted. It was wielded in great (and often witty) adventures by heroes throughout the ages as well as used in the forging of great works.
The hammer lost its enchantments, in fact its ability to be enchanted at all, when it was used to smash the Anti-light engine of the Death Scion in the Well of Worlds. This completed the fourteenth and greatest task of deification of the Gnomish adventurer Johnathon Silverhand, as well as completing his revenge against the being who had stolen his knowledge of gem cutting.
Since the Hammer has been a symbol of the Gnomish people, and is prized by collectors of all races. It has the most thoroughly documented history of any item in gnomish history. Every gnome dreams of a chance to add a little tidbit to the history of the hammer, smuggling forged accounts into the great libraries of the land, perhaps even making new "more authentic" versions of the hammers to put into the public eye. The hammer is one of the great practical jokes in gnomish history. But it serves another purpose as well, reminding the gnomes not to be swayed by "history" or great tales, and to evaluate an item as it really is. In this case, just a hammer. Although this one is the original the Edgar made so long ago….Perhaps!
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