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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Softwind" data-source="post: 1338572" data-attributes="member: 13893">Twice betrayed!Thirty-Second Session (Sept 03) Early the next morning, there is a knocking at the door to the room the party shares. While the rest of the party groans in frustration, Athena opens the door to see a young human boy bearing a summons from the Guild of Mining & Merchants. They are requested to arrive at the 6th Hour past noon that very day.Upset, the group discusses their options. Tired of the constant accusations, troubles and trials, the party echoes Brynn's sentiment about being accosted so often in Everlund. Less than 3 days in town, and already so much had happened! Reluctantly, they agree that going to the Guild is in their best interest, if only to find out what is going on.They spend the day attending to tasks, shopping, researching, caring for weapons, eating. Tombit attempts to make up for lost meals by gorging himself on "egg pie" in the tavern's eating room, as Athena looks on with amusement. Genoa and Brynn head to the Green Hall to relax and attend to their companions. Skylar returns with Daladariel to the Mage Guild's library to study the history of the Tri-Towns founding, and Qonos attends his trainer in the learning of the Arts of a Bladesinger. (Mostly, he runs, tumbles, and recites poetry)Skylar determines that she would like to try to use one of the party's magic items, something determined to be Oil of Increase. This rare alchemetical elixer is said to have the ability to alter an item's properties, whether by granting a power or an increase in effectiveness. While applying it to her bow, she sees a minor glow from within the wood. Then she and Dal spend several hours trying to divine what has occured. From what they can tell, two effects have occured - the bow will now embue arrows with a Shock effect, and the bow itself adds a Commanding air to the wielder. Skylar is quite pleased with her new "acquisition".On the way back from the Green Hall, Brynn spies a wanted poster, posted by the Guild of Mining and Merchants, with the name and description of a halfelf by the name of Shiara - the same woman that Skylar was mistaken for! Brynn rips the poster off the board, and hurries back to the Inn to share with his traveling companions.Between the wanted poster and the summons to the Guild, the party is very curious, and not a little apprehensive. Still, with nothing else to do, they head to the Guild Hall. At the front door, they show the summons to the none-too-friendly guards, and are allowed inside, where a servant guides them to an ornate door. Seemingly made of gold with inset gems, some members of the party are sorely tempted to, ahem, aquire some of the trappings. They are forestalled when the door opens and they are admitted inside.At first confusing the chamber for Subguildmistress Gwynnth's, they are suprised to see an older human gentleman seated at the desk at the far end of the room. (They had assumed that Gwynnth summoned them, since the note bore no signature, albeit being written in a masculine hand) They are invited to seat themselves in the chairs arranged before the desk, and help themselves to the libations prepared. The dwarves take it as their due, and drink, finding it to be passingly well made ale. Tombit fidgets, not trusting the situation. Indeed, the rest of the party has trepidations still as to the reason behind the summons.The elder gentleman looks familiar, and the party realizes that this is the self-same man who hired them in Merikest to clear the Silverhall Mines. Some members of the party (Qonos, Dal) do not recognize him, never having met him, and so he introduces himself as Guildmaster Harncar. He inquires of the party the state of the mines, and wants to know of their progress. He is taken aback to hear that the mines have been cleared for some time now, ready to be claimed again by the dwarven miners, and asks many more questions. Harncar seems unaware of his lieutenant Gwynnth's actions in this matter, and so he summons her to his chamber.Gwynnth arrives shortly with her guards, and is momentarily taken aback at the presence of the party. Harncar waves aside her questions, and proceeds to ask her pointedly what has been going on. Gwynnth begins to tell her version of the story, which contradicts certain parts of the party's story. In order to get the full story, Harncar calls for more witnesses to the events - and Larry and Shemp arrive shortly! To aid in the questioning, Athena offers to cast Zone of Truth, and the offer is accepted. With the spell active, Harncar turns to Gwynnth and asks why he has not been informed of her activities, and of certain matters in the Guild itself. Her silence seems to imply culpability in recent events, and neither Larry or Shemp add much to the discussion. Genoa cast Command "Tell the truth" at the same time Athena casts Suggestion "Talk", and under the force of the three spells active, Gwynnth blurts out "I want you dead!" as she points to Harncar. And then she shouts "Kill him!" Her guards, including Larry and Shemp, jump into action.Tombit, having been a typical Halfling and bored by the talk, talk, talk had been poised for such a possibility. As soon as Gwynnth revealed her true colors, he leaps to the desk in front of Harcar, brandishing a book to defend the Guildmaster from attack. Genoa cast "Tortoiseshell" about the guildmaster for protection. Brynn and Qonos unsheathe their weapons, and Skylar steps back for a clean shot at the attackers.Athena is caught by surprise, but readies her weapon for the ensuing attack. Dal, ever cautious as a good mage should be, standing behind the chairs, has a good view of the combatants. His readied spell hits the chest of one of the guards, and the acid arrow begins to eat away the armor on the man.Larry and Shemp fan out to attack the party, with axe and broadsword, while Gwynnth casts Mirror Image upon herself in preperation for the coming attack. Her remaining guard jumps to the dais to attack the Guildmaster. In the next moment, under concerted attacks by Dal, Qonos, and Brynn, the extra images of Gwynnth disappear. Genoa, standing besides the cowering Harncar, comes under attack by the wounded guard, and is hit several times by his axe. Dal casts empowered Magic Missiles towards the guards, injuring them such that attacks by Brynn and Qonos slip past and heighten the injuries. Athena steps up to wield scimitar and mace against the man, furthering the wounds. The injured guard near Harncar swings his mighty axe again, causing Genoa to go down, unconscious from injuries. Tombit rushes to her aid, defending her prone body from further attacks. In the mean time, Guildmaster Harncar cowers beneath the magic shell that protects him from attack.Dispatching Shemp with artful sword strokes, Brynn focuses on Larry, demanding surrender. Larry continues his grim battle, and is further injured by Qonos. Dal fires more Empowered Magic Missiles into Gwynnth and the axe-wielding guard on the dais. The strengthened missiles sorely injure Gwynnth, causing her to slump - and then vanish in a puff of smoke! The party cries out in dismay at the loss of their foe, but quickly turn back to the on-going battle. Athena rushes to aid Genoa, to heal her and bring her from death's door. Larry again is given a chance to surrender, especially now that his mistress is gone, but he refuses, even unto death dealt by Brynn. The dwarven ranger feels but a small pang at this, having offered surcease many times to his opponent.With acid continuing to eat away at his breastplate and the flesh beneath, the axe-wielding guard grasps a small sphere from a necklace, and throws it to the ground - and then all is fire! The resultant explosion, and the ones following as the remainder of the necklace also explodes, kills the axe-wielder and another guard, while the party manage to escape only partially scorched. Harncar and Genoa, huddling under the Tortoiseshell, are not even affected by the blasts.The last enemy being dispatched, Genoa lets her spell lapse, and is quickly attended to by Athena. The maternal gnome bustles about, tending to wounds, as Brynn surveys the rubble of the once-impressive office of Harncar. Recovering his wits, the Guildmaster thanks the party profusely for their timely assistance in saving his life, and promises rewards, to be named later, once he has fully recovered from the shock. The party asks a boon of the Guildmaster, to have him use his influence to clear their names with the Justicar. This he promises to do, and more besides. With this assurance, they leave the Guildmaster to recover with help from his assistants, who come rushing in moments later.Sore and tired, the band returns to the Scowling Orc, to ponder the events that have taken place. They decide to busy themselves, to keep their minds off of events they seem to have no control over.The mage Daladariel returns to his Guild, to research the events that lead the dwarves, gnomes, and Halflings ancestors of the tri-town townsfolk to make a long journey and found the towns in the first place. He is joined by Brynn and Genoa who, with the promise of ale to wet their throats, will tell tales to Daladariel that may assist him in the search. Skylar also heads to the Mage Guild, in the hopes of scribing from Dal's spellbook anything she feels is lacking from her own. Qonos again looks up his trainer, to continue his lessons. Athena goes shopping for Alchemistical components, feeling their stock of potions is growing low.</blockquote>

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