nerdytenor's The Missing Warlock

[nerdytenor]

The party sets up a watch, not content to trust the minimal guard inside the town of Greensfen. The evening passes undisturbed, save for a few pitiful cries here and there from various starving town dwellers outside.

At first light, the party meets up at Dardus's smithy as arranged, and steps inside, interrupting a somewhat heated conversation between Dardus and Mardrick.

The smithy is nearly bare. During your last visit here, it took some time to find a bit of floor not covered with a weapon or piece of armor in some stage of creation. You have no such trouble this time. All you can see now is a forge, some other tools of the trade, and a large sack that seems to be the source of Dardus and Mardrick's argument.

"Ah, friends, it is good to see you again," Dardus says. His face looks much better today, but he still has a slight limp as he walks closer to you. "Mardrick just recounted the details of his rescue, the stones, the plant... It's a lot to take in. But it appears you have been successful, and for that the town of Greensfen owes you our thanks. And a fair bit of gold."

"So where is this payment then? And I think something to eat and drink wouldn't go amiss either."

"As you can see," Dardus continues, gesturing around him, "my smithy has been robbed, no doubt by the same crew that tied me up. There were dozens of them - carted everything right out - gold, weapons - you name it. Now we agreed you'd be paid when the town was on the mend, which hasn't happened yet. But I have to be honest - I don't think I'll be able to raise that amount of money any time soon. Without any inventory, it will take me a while to rebuild."

"But, a deal is a deal. Mardrick has generously offered to provide you with something of much greater value. I'll let him fill you in."

 

[Arbanax]

Rellek stoically took in the house, the night and then the smithy. He preferred not to say to much.

Now as he saw the village once more in the day, he was glad to be finishing up business here, despite the blight being halted, he could see it would take time to rebuild and he felt vulnerable and awkward - this wasn't his place to rebuild.

He listened to Dardus explain his situation, one look at the smithy revealed the truth of his words. He grunted, to himself hardly surprised. This village like his own, had been ravaged - they deserved to keep what little they had, he rather suspected they'd need it more.

But then as the conversation turned and Dardus explained an alternative reward, he turned from his continual keen sighted vigilance to face the men, interested to know what this 'alternative' reward might consist off.

 

[covaithe]

"As you can see," Dardus continues, gesturing around him, "my smithy has been robbed"

Karis rolls her eyes. "How inconvenient," she mutters sarcastically to Joshua. "Dozens of them, eh? I wonder how many townsfolk are left. Perhaps... dozens?"

 

[nerdytenor]

Mardrick steps forward. "I have a few items to offer you that may prove far more valuable than 500 gold. This is all I have left - most of my items were stolen, too, but one of my secret compartments in the house was not discovered. Here, look."

[sblock=OOC Karis]
You want a dagger or a crossbow? Your pick.
[/sblock]

As you step forward, Mardrick opens the sack and pulls out a dagger. "This is the very first weapon I managed to enchant successfully. I cannot tell you how many daggers, swords, crossbows, knives, axes and the like I melted or worse while learning the tricks of the trade."

"I can!" Dardus adds, unhelpfully. Mardrick sends him a quick, dark look.

"Anyway, when I completed the ritual for what seemed like the hundredth time, nothing happened. Not being proficient in the use of weapons, I had one of Dardus's men try it out, sure that it was a dud. But it isn't! It flies truer than any ordinary dagger when thrown."

He reaches into the bag again, pulling out a sword.

"This was created on commission for a local paladin. Took better part of a month for me to make it. Given that he hasn't come to claim it in many weeks, I can only assumed he has gone to meet his god in person, if you know what I mean. It harnesses and multiplies divine energy, allowing the wielder to heal nearby allies."

Mardrick turns the sack upside down, emptying it, and a fine suit of leather armor falls out.

"I actually intended to wear this myself, before I gave up on studying combat magicks. It is magically fortified, and provides added protection in battle under certain conditions"

"Here is the deal we are proposing," Darus says, stepping in. "You take these items as payment, and also as down-payment for the quest to follow. Mardrick and I are agreed - our town is not safe while the perpetrators of the blight are at large, even with the discovery of the plant remedy. Your mission is to find and eliminate the threat to our town using whatever means necessary. Do this, and I will pay you in gold, as much as our town can spare."

"And," Mardrick adds quickly, "rescue Elloen from her kidnappers." Dardus frowns slightly at the word 'kidnappers'. "I will reward you with Dardus's finest equipment enchanted with the most powerful magicks I know, even if it takes me months. But you must bring her back to me."

"Will you do this? Will you help us once more?" asks Dardus.

[sblock=Loot!]
Dagger of Great Aim +1 (homebrewed) - property: when making attacks at long range, the penalty is -1 (instead of the usual -2). crit: +1d6 damage

Victorious Leather Armor +1 (homebrewed) - property: when you score a critical hit, you gain a +2 item bonus to all defenses until the start of your next turn. (For area attacks, only the first attack roll counts).

Medic's Longsword +1 (AV) - critical: +1d6 radiant damage. Property - when you Channel Divinity during combat, one ally within 10 squares gains CHA mod + 1 hit points. Power (Daily) - Standard Action - you gain one additional use of Channel Divinity this encounter.

Also, don't forget the party found two gems worth 100gp each, in addition to 25gp.
[/sblock]

 

[covaithe]

Karis has difficulty tearing her eyes away from the enchanted dagger. Perhaps it is the magic, or perhaps something about the machine itself that draws her eye, a shared singleness of purpose. Like Karis, it is a thing made for killing; efficient, utilitarian, without polish or decoration or embellishment.

She is caught up enough in her study of the weapon that Dardus' question takes her by surprise. "Hmm? Yes, yes, we'll... do what you said. Defend the town. Whatever."

[sblock=ooc]Hmm, dagger vs. crossbow... the dagger is +2 to hit relative to the xbow, and doesn't need ammunition, but the xbow is (on average) +2 damage, plus has a much longer range. The dagger can be used with just one minor action, whereas the xbow takes two (ready and load), which is what tipped me that direction. Hard choice.[/sblock]

 

[The Digger]

"Pshaw!" Joshua snorted in disgust. "Didn't I tell you? A couple of paltry enchanted items which probably won't survive the first encounter. Not a gold piece in sight. Typical bloody peasants."

He stomped away in high dudgeon.

After a few yards he turned and stalked back. With a heavy, soulful sigh he continued "I assume you lot will want to help out as usual. I suggest you take your pick from Mardreck's... goody bag and then we can plan our next move."

To Dardus and Mardrick "And please, is there anything to eat or drink around here? My belly feels as if my throat has been cut."

 

[nerdytenor]

"Yes, of course," Dardus says to Joshua. "I'm sure you've grown tired of adventurer's rations and the like. I'll show you to the guard's mess hall as soon as we're done here. Billy, our cook, makes simple food, but it is very good, considering the ingredients he has to deal with."

[sblock=OOC]
For what it's worth, I would have gone for the dagger too. To hit is worth a lot given the potential for sneak attack damage.
[/sblock]

 

[Arbanax]

Rellek look over the Moreen's shoulder at the items but didn't see anything that took his interest or suited his style of fighting. What did interest him was to see what would come of the offer to take what the new back to the perpetrators of this blight. Now that sounded like a fight worth having.

[Sblock=OOC]
I'm good - with what I got I think, so please consider the field open for the other items.
[/sblock]

At the mention of food, Rellek did notice his stomach suddenly lurch. How long had it been since a decent hot stew, fresh baked bread. His mouth started to water, not a pretty sight, so he quickly dismissed the thoughts and followed Dardus and Joshua to the mess hall.

 

[The Digger]

On the way to the mess hall joshua suddenly tuned on his heel and walked back to Mardrick. Stretching down he lifted the Victorius Armour'.

"Well if no one wants, I suppose I could possibly make use of it," he grumps before heading back for his meal.

[sblock=OOC]Since it looks like no one uses leather armour bar Joshua he will probably take it. If however anyone more 'up front' than him is welcome to it if they so desire. I suppose even he could conceivably score a critical now and then![/sblock]

 

[BlueLotus]

Moreen takes the longsword, unsheathes, and studies it. She rolls up the sleeves of her robe and slashes a little at the air, then a thrust, and an imagined parry and a reposte. "The balance is excellent. This is a fine blade and I would be honored to wield it in the paladin's name if I may."

Moreen sheaths the sword and places it back on the table. "Very well. I will continue to help if we are in agreement."