Six From Gate Pass - Chapter 3: Shelter From The Storm

[Adjuntive]

OOC: Catching up on all the dialogue

Alric nods his head in respectful salutation only saying, "Master Simeon."

To his grief of his friend druid Alric says nothing and respectfully averts his eyes to Simeon's show of emotion.

Having been paid for the decanter retrieval Alric feels he has nothing more to say. He bows deeply then hefts the bag of coins and leaves with Kirio.

Along the way Alric picks up some salted beef, hard cheese and bread for a midday breaking of fast. He then returns to the house to meet with Hrimr and Bannock to see what portion of the take is needed for Bannock's healing. Once he meets with Hrimr he listens grimfaced to what the required amount is to heal Bannock, and counts 400gp to Hrimr for the purpose.

 

[The Bashar]

Hrimr thanks Alric for the coin.

"I'll stay with Bannock until the spell is complete. I will see you all tomorrow."

Hrimr makes his way back to the Temple in the Lyceum. He gives the 400 gold to the Cleric.

"If it is all right by you I'd like to stay with my friend."

 

[fromage67]

Lars accompanies Arnir in town and assistes him in selling the loot.

 

[Gregor]

********
Lars and Arnir

You spend a few hours in the market and going to various experts and shops: gem cutters, jewelers, smiths, food stuff merchants and general trade-all stores. You even stop by a recently opened pavilion in the market which is staffed by merchants from the Shahalesti blockade. They seem to be ignored by many of the Seaquen civilians and the armed elven soldiers serving as guards appear to provide an extra disincentive to do business. You barter and appraise your way around and eventually manage to sell all your items.

When all is accounted for, your profits equal 1388 pieces of gold.

GM: All the art, the gems, the trade goods, etc. recovered and appraised is now sold off (unless a character indicated they were taking it for personal use - e.g. Hrimr and the wand). In addition to the 1388 gp, the party also had a sack containing 368gp and the remaining 1600gp from your mission reward. In total, the party now has 3356gp. When split equally amongst the party, each character's share equals 559gp and 3sp.

********
Hrimr and Bannock

The head cleric thanks you for your donation and the payment. He then sends an acolyte to the Lyceum to purchase the required material components.

Bannock is ushered into the middle of the temple, beneath a domed ceiling painted in a fresco detailing a great unfurled scroll surrounded by maps, instruments and other icons of knowledge. The head cleric instructs him to remove his armor and clothing, which is left with Hrimr, and many acolytes are summoned into the main chamber. For the next 8 hours, the head cleric and the acolytes prod, poke and examine every inch of Bannock's body. Strange instruments and tools measure unknown things, great tomes filled with drawings of the human body in gruesome detail are consulted and pages upon pages of parchment are scrawled upon by the acolytes. Presumably having learned enough, the clergy begins to organize the main chamber and return books to their proper places. The head cleric then announces that he is retiring to his chambers to request certain powers from Oghma.

Hrimr and a now robed Bannock are invited to dine with the clergy on a simple meal of stew and bread in the temple commons. When the meal is complete and you return to the main chamber, an ornate wooden table has been moved under the dome and Bannock is asked to lay there facing the iconography of their god painted upon the dome. Candelabras are brought out, filled with candles and lit whilst other acolytes stand ready with buckets of water should a fire break out in their treasured archive. The dimly lit temple is then filled with chanting as the head cleric returns dressed in his proper vestments.

Over the course of the next hour, the cleric calls upon Oghma, Lord of Knowledge and Binder of What is Known as he draws intricate designs with the diamond dust upon the chest of Bannock. Finally when the pattern is complete, the chanting reaches a crescendo and the cleric finishes uttering his direst words. Bright energy coalesces in his hands as if pure sunshine could be held in ones' palm. He reaches out and touches the design of diamond dust which immediately glows with intensity. The radiant arcane design upon Bannock pulses and soon the young warrior begins to convulse with tremors. His muscles flex, fists clench and sweat forms on his brow. Minutes pass as Bannock struggles with some kind of internal battle and then, as if from far off comes a scream. It begins low, just on the threshold of audibility and then grows, increasing both in pitch and intensity. The design pulses rapidly now and Bannock opens his clenched jaw to add a scream of his own. The two tones match perfectly and in the blink of an eye a translucent shadowy simulacrum of Bannock is ripped into existence from nowhere. The screaming image falls from a black rent in reality and lands into Bannock. At that precise moment the second scream ends and only Bannock's cry is heard. He runs out of breath and passes out from exertion. The design upon his chest, once glowing with sunlight, is now dark and it appears as if the diamond has turned to charcoal.

Bannock is covered with a blanket and left to rest, while the aged cleric stammers out a declaration that the warrior's soul has been restored. He is assisted by his acolytes back to his chamber where he retires for the evening. Hrimr, you are offered a bed in the commons.

GM: Bannock you are once again a level 5 fighter and any negative levels are gone.

 

[funkmamagoat]

Kirio gladly takes his share of the loot and heads off "Going to the Inn to play tonight... but we should consider our next steps. We all need a good night's rest first, but Simeon is still anxious for us to secure the Lyre of Building from Naizelasa. I've no interest in trying to steal it from a full grown green dragon, but I'm sure it would be "grateful" if we returned its egg to it. The question is, do we approach the beast first and offer our services to it in return for the Lyre of Building, or do we secure the egg first and then go see big green and scaly...? I'm honestly for securing the egg first, the less I have to talk to a dragon the happier I'll be." Kirio looks to Lars

I now know exactly where the Green Dragon Egg is. And I've been inside the place. Would be a piece of cake with you guys."

"What exactly did you learn Lars? How many are there? What are their capabilities? Are you suggesting we storm in and take it from them?"

*****
Once the groups has discussed plans for the morning, Kirio heads over to the old Inn with however is interested. He makes sure the owner is amenable to him performing, then orders a roasted quail suffed with figs and wrapped in bacon, served with steamed asparagus swimming in lemon and butter with a generous amount of white wine on the side. After his meal, feeling pleasantly light headed and inspired from the last few days of trudging through swamps and ruins, he makes his way to the stage and begins playing... hopping to project the emotions of the last few days into music.

Weather he is tired or had a little too much wine, Kirio is disappointed in his performance. Although certainly pleasant and technically proficient, there was something... lacking.

 

[Bannock]

Bannock wakes at dawn the next morning feeling rested, and in better shape than he's ever been in. He hops out of bed and does a little dance, then shadow boxes with the wall for a few seconds. Then he bursts out of his room, still wearing only robes, and runs down the hallways of the temple, shouting, and searching for the head cleric and Hrimr.

"It worked! Haha! Hrimr! Your Holiness!"

He passes by a pair of surprised acolytes and gives them each bear hugs, lifting them off their feet and mussing their hair under their cloaks. He continues running about until he finds the High Cleric, by which time he's roused half the temple who watch his antics with a mixture of bemusement and shock at the impropriety. He gives the flustered Head Cleric a hug and a kiss on both cheeks.

"I'm in your debt your eminence, to you and the god of this temple. Orgar was it? Omgor? Oh, Oghma! Yeah, sorry about that. I was *this* close to socking you in the nose for all that poking and prodding you did, especially when you got down to the, well, you know. But you did it! I want you to know that I'll be paying this Oghma his dues from now on!"

Then he looks up vaguely towards the ceiling and speaks as if directly to Oghma, "Thanks again, Oggie, I owe you a big one!" He slaps his chest and then motions to the heavens in some comical pantomime of the reverent hand signs he had observed the acolytes making earlier. He thanks the high priest again and goes to collect Hrimr and his things before setting out again back to the party's house in Seaquen.

"Let's go get some dragon eggs!"

 

[digimattic]

Arnir takes his share of the coin and heads off to the library at the Lyceum for a couple of hours to study, and unwind. He returns to the house in the mid-afternoon, whistling happily as he opens the door and climbs the stairs, eager to put his affairs in order. Finally he takes the opportunity to examine the scroll tube and skin covered tome on his desk. Peering at them, he first casts Detect Magic to see if either are emitting a magic aura.

OOC: If they do, Arnir will cast Identify, granting +10 to spellcraft checks made to identify the items. If not, Arnir will use examine the books and cast Read Magic if necessary

 

[fromage67]

"What exactly did you learn Lars? How many are there? What are their capabilities? Are you suggesting we storm in and take it from them?"

Lars says, "Its at Lowduke's warehouse. There are 2 ways to enter: by the skylight in the roof, or through the front door. But better yet, some of us should masquerade as potential buyers. I know exactly who can set it up, too. Then it would really be a piece of cake. We could have 2 or 3 inside with Lowduke, 2 more outside ready to charge in, and I could create a diversion by entering by the skylight. Lowduke is in there with 4 other men. I killed one, but at least one of them is a mage of some sort. There are some caged animals in there, too."

*****

Weather he is tired or had a little too much wine, Kirio is disappointed in his performance. Although certainly pleasant and technically proficient, there was something... lacking.

Lars buys a round for everybody and raises his glass to all those present, "Don't worry Kirio, there is wine! I propose a toast to the Gatepass 6." Lars smiles and takes a deep pull from his glass.

 

[Adjuntive]

Lars says, "Its at Lowduke's warehouse. There are 2 ways to enter: by the skylight in the roof, or through the front door. But better yet, some of us should masquerade as potential buyers. I know exactly who can set it up, too. Then it would really be a piece of cake. We could have 2 or 3 inside with Lowduke, 2 more outside ready to charge in, and I could create a diversion by entering by the skylight. Lowduke is in there with 4 other men. I killed one, but at least one of them is a mage of some sort. There are some caged animals in there, too."

Lars buys a round for everybody and raises his glass to all those present, "Don't worry Kirio, there is wine! I propose a toast to the Gatepass 6." Lars smiles and takes a deep pull from his glass.

Alric raises his glace and smirks in genuine contentment to Lars' toast, then savors a gulp of the smooth tangy necter.

"Quite an excellent plan. Strategically sound and just the right amount of violence to amuse us all. At least amuse me. Kirio strikes me as the most adept at the mummery of a potential buyer. Bannock and I could pose as hired bodyguards. It might get us inside before things get rough so we're closer to bringing our steel to bear when needed. What say the rest of you?"

 

[The Bashar]

Bannock wakes at dawn the next morning feeling rested, and in better shape than he's ever been in. He hops out of bed and does a little dance, then shadow boxes with the wall for a few seconds. Then he bursts out of his room, still wearing only robes, and runs down the hallways of the temple, shouting, and searching for the head cleric and Hrimr.

"It worked! Haha! Hrimr! Your Holiness!"

He passes by a pair of surprised acolytes and gives them each bear hugs, lifting them off their feet and mussing their hair under their cloaks. He continues running about until he finds the High Cleric, by which time he's roused half the temple who watch his antics with a mixture of bemusement and shock at the impropriety. He gives the flustered Head Cleric a hug and a kiss on both cheeks.

"I'm in your debt your eminence, to you and the god of this temple. Orgar was it? Omgor? Oh, Oghma! Yeah, sorry about that. I was *this* close to socking you in the nose for all that poking and prodding you did, especially when you got down to the, well, you know. But you did it! I want you to know that I'll be paying this Oghma his dues from now on!"

Then he looks up vaguely towards the ceiling and speaks as if directly to Oghma, "Thanks again, Oggie, I owe you a big one!" He slaps his chest and then motions to the heavens in some comical pantomime of the reverent hand signs he had observed the acolytes making earlier. He thanks the high priest again and goes to collect Hrimr and his things before setting out again back to the party's house in Seaquen.

"Let's go get some dragon eggs!"

Hrimr wakes when he hears the ruckus outside his room. The ruckus sounds a lot like Bannock. Hrimr dresses himself and steps outside to see Bannock making strange motions to the heavens in front of the high priest. Hrimr chuckles loudly.

"Glad to see you full of energy again Bannock! Let's get back to the others and see what Lars' plan is."