His eyebrows rise a bit at Vannwinkle's realization. "Truly, we live in interesting times." He muses some as he continues comparing notes. "Mostly, I meant getting around the entrance, but that sounds even further from possibility. However, it really is rather important that my expedition goes forward to the north. You see, I have arranged it to examine the endpoints of the strange lights emitted above the castle. What we find there could help end the crisis we find ourselves in. Perhaps you could assist with this, since you are a man of not insignificant power now. If nothing else, you could get me in touch with the regent."

((

Mike M said:

I'll throw you guys a bone and point out that there's unlikely to be any actual roads in the White Wastes, let alone any suitable ones leading from Forgerun out to the polar region in the first place. Not a lot of horses underground.

Click to expand...

In other words, it may be best to go forward with the assumption that the horses, in spite of the party's best efforts, may need to stay behind.

How does Ludwig feel about pulling, and possibly building, a sled? Maybe even with handles on the sides for better carrying?

Also, what would the ruling be on a portable fire pit or furnace, perhaps wood-burning or oil-burning variants; what would we be looking at in regard to a ten-person yurt; and can someone find a smaller, more portable, block and tackle set that is only able to handle the standard size rope around here?

Mike M said:

To find out more about the criminal organization would involve finding someone and either deceiving, intimidating, or persuading them into divulging more information.

Click to expand...

Have Ludwig butter them up with comments about their great entrepreneurship. That's sure to get them talking.

Noisy Ninj4 said:

Perhaps you could assist with this, since you are a man of not insignificant power now. If nothing else, you could get me in touch with the regent."

Click to expand...

But Galen and Sagishi were going to make so many fun plans; you can't just have an astronomer do Sagishi's document forgery for him.

-A couple other thoughts-

If, for some reason, the party needed to create a rope bridge, does anyone have a way to simply magically carry a grappling hook across a chasm and place it in a way that it would hold firmly?

And the most important of all, does anyone know if Jackben is still following along? He was making comments at least through the first goblin fight, but he seems to have stopped.))

((I know, Thosar is being too logical and opportunistic. No fun allowed.

As for rope moving, mage hand works up to 30'. For longer distances, there's always my familiar.))

((Does Fhiess only have the drawing, or did he bring the crystal itself?))

<Fhiess never asked whichever party member that had the crystal to let him borrow it, so unless it was retconned that he has it now, he only has the drawing.>

((OK, let's see what Sagishi has been up to. For narrative purposes I'm again gonna assume that some of the planning has been done during the breakfast and that this was also the time when everyone was put up to speed.))

Sagishi can't help but feel impressed by the thoroughness with which his friends have gone about planning their trip. Sure, they weren't even inside Forgerun, let alone the White Wastes, yet, but the foresight at display fills him with confidence.

Of course so far everyone's effort of actually finding a way into Forgerun has been less successful, and it pains Sagishi to add the fact that as far as he can tell, there is no way that they will get rid of the poison arrows, let alone the glurg.

"The only good news is, that should we find ourselves in need of fake papers, we should get them easily. The local students seem to almost have made a sport out of forgery."

Of course as of the moment, they didn't even know who they might want to impersonate, but still it was good to have options.

"Other than that. I have not come very far. The criminal community is a lot more tight-lipped than I'm used to, but then again, the local guards are also doing a way better job than I'm used to, so that might be one reason. I have a small lead I think I'm going to follow up on, but I'm not sure what might come of it, if anything comes up at all."

He looks at Fhiess in sudden realization. "You lived in this city for a while, right? Ever heard any rumors about folks wearing rings made from some strange red metal? Like, whether or not one might want to stay away from them, or maybe that they are the ones to talk to when you want to sneak into a sealed of dwarven kingdom?"

((I gonna assume that the next few things will take place regardless of Fhiess knowing anything. Though I'll redcon if necessary.))

When the breakfast is over Sagishi returns to his room to pick up some things before hitting the streets for the day. On his way he passes by Barrow's room and remembers the dwarf's absence at the breakfast. He knocks at the door.

If there is an answer: "Hey, it's me. You're alright? We missed you at the breakfast."

If there is no answer, Sagishi will try to open the door, If it is locked... well

Thieves's Tools: 1D20+7 = [11]+7 = 18

((We'll see what comes of this, but I guess sooner or later, Sagishi will actually hit the streets so.))

Back in the streets Sagishi ponders what his next step should be. Passing by a blacksmith's shop he considers, going in there and asking about the red metal, but decides against it. First, there might be a number of reddish metals out there and even if he somehow manages to find out the right one, he doubts that this information would be really relevant for his purposes. Second, just asking around like that might get him into trouble rather quick, depending how sinister the meaning of those rings really was.

No, considering that his end goal was to find out whether or not the local organization would be able to help them with there little problem, he would need to take a more direct approach.

Three hours of drifting around in the city's crowds later he finally spotted what he had been looking for. He had been about to abandon this particular approach when he saw the red ring glimmering on a man a few yards in front of him. Sagishi quickens his steps to catch up with the man, following him as unobtrusively as possible and in a short moment, when they both pass by a food stall that has attracted a particular busy crowd, Sagishi slips past the man, their hands touching ever so slightly.

Sleight of Hand: 1D20+5 = [19]+5 = 24

((I'm gonna assume that succeeded, if not ignore the next part.))

The man's ring secure in his own hand Sagishi dives to the side and waits for the man to pass him again, so that he can keep following him. Sagishi knows that this next part of the plan was mostly depended on luck since he has no way of knowing where this man is headed. Worst case he is just on his way home or some other place where it would make Sagishi look very suspicious if he were to follow him.

As it turns out luck is on his side and after only 10 minutes the man enters into a not too shady looking tavern. In his head Sagishi counts down from twenty, and then goes after him. Inside he locates the man at the bar and walks up to him.

"Excuse me, mister. I think you dropped your ring."

Sagishi holds up the ring as to return it but then makes a point of stopping mid motion. He widens his eyes, acting surprised and makes a show of inspecting the ring closely, before turning to the man again. He is careful not to talk to loud, as he does not want the to catch the attention of the entire tavern.

"Mister, please, you have to tell me, where you got that ring? What is it's meaning, really I have to know. You see, it is the only lead I have in finding my father."

Sagishi goes on telling the man a heartbreaking story of a childhood without a father. A father who had been a good man, who had not returned home from work one day. A red ring, just like this, had been all his mother had left of him. Sagishi himself had only dim recollections of the man, as he was too young when he vanished. As he weaves his story in rapid words, he gestures to the barkeeper, to bring him and the other man a beer.

"But this ring. My mother always wore it around her neck and whenever I saw it it was almost as if I could remember. As if I could see it, there on his hand, when he stroked over my hair before he left."

He goes on telling how, even when his mother had become sick and they had run out of money, she had still refused to sell it. Sagishi raises his glass and gestures to the man to do the same.

"It was on her deathbed, that she told me that the rings had something to do with his work and that it was related to an organization here in Hammerfall. It was her last wish that I would come here and find out what happened, or maybe even find him, if he still lives. So. I beg you mister. If there is anything that you can tell me, please do so. He pauses a moment. You see, I do understand that what my father did here... I mean the meaning of these rings...," he lowers his voice. "I know that it might not have been entirely lawful. Mother never made a secret out of that. But at the end of the day, she always said, he was a good man. And that is really all that matters, right?"


Deception: 1D20+5 = [12]+5 = 17

((If the sob story doesn't get the man to talk, Sagishi will just hit him with a charm person to get the information.))

He looks at Fhiess in sudden realization. "You lived in this city for a while, right? Ever heard any rumors about folks wearing rings made from some strange red metal? Like, whether or not one might want to stay away from them, or maybe that they are the ones to talk to when you want to sneak into a sealed of dwarven kingdom?"

Click to expand...

1D20+1+2 => (8 + 1 + 2) = 11 - History roll

Seeming to not know about what Sagishi means, he answers the best he can, "Strange red metal? Perhaps it could be a kind of copper, but I'm sure the art academy has worked with a large variety of metals of varying vibrancy and hue."

((We'll just retcon that Fhiess took the crystal with him, because otherwise he's not going to get a whole lot of useful information out of Halifad.))

Fhiess
Halifad shakes her head as she gingerly takes the crystal from Fhiess's hands. "No, I've never heard of anything about any Endowed, at least not as any sort of title," she says. "As for what it does and where it comes from..." She holds the crystal up to the light, and a series of lenses and other instruments that Fhiess presume are taking some measurement of some sort or another float off the shelves and workspaces around her as she unleashes a chorus of interested murmurs.

The crystal looks different to Fhiess's eye than when it was first revealed; When they received it from the mysterious old man who turned to sand, it had been lit from within by a steady, slow pulse. Now, though, the pulse has quickened, and it no longer fills the whole crystal. The center of the glowing seems to drift around the interior, like a lightning bug lazing about on a summer breeze.

"Hmmm," Halifad says. "This is something, this is really something. I can safely say I've not seen its like before in my considerable experience. I don't even recognize its intrinsic field signature! My gods, that would mean this isn't even its plane of origin! Hold a moment."

Staring into the crystal, she wanders the observatory, seemingly at random, muttering to herself. After a few minutes of this, she looks up and fixes Fhiess with a grin. "Well now, this is interesting. Observe!"

With a wave of her hand, the walls of the observatory seem to vanish. There's no sudden temperature change or breeze, so the more likely explanation is that they have merely become transparent. Halifad sidles up to Fhiess's side and holds the crystal out at arm's length from them. She rotates slowly and deliberately in a circle. As they pass by the Forgerun range in the distance, the pulsing mote of light within shows a notable increase of activity as it seems to bump agains the side of the crystal facing that direction. It seems to lose interest as the mountains are no longer in view, but springs to life again--even more energetic, this time--as they face the hill upon which the City Center stands.

The observatory walls opaquen again, and Halifad clutches the crystal, almost as though she's reluctant to let go. "This is the single most amazing discovery of my career," she whispers. "And you just found it?"

---

Thosar
"Ah yes, those accursed stream of light in the sky," Vannwinkle grumbles. "Their infernal light makes my already difficult task of working without my proper equipment all the harder. Thosar, my boy, if you truly think that you can do something to strike them from existence... Why, I would go so far as to say that it is perhaps the single most imperative action that can be taken!"

With a rustling of robes, he shuffles toward the door to his chambers. "We should go see the Regent immediately!" he says. "He's in council with the Governor of Westreach and the ambassador from the Hegemony of Dragons, surely all of them will wish to work the levers of government to ensure your entrance to Hammerfall and the continuation of your vital mission!"

---

Sagishi
Sagishi's unwitting mark glances about in a manner that can only be described as the exact opposite of furtive before snatching his ring back from Sagishi and cramming it back onto his finger as fast as he can.

"Sorry to hear about your father," he says quietly, turning the ring about his finger as though ensuring it has a snug fit. "I hope you can find comfort in the knowledge that if he fell in service to the True Lords, he almost certainly did not die in vain." He waves the bartender over and buys both him and Sagishi a mug of ale. Raising it to his lips, he slides a slip of paper across the counter to his newfound drinking companion and speaks into his mug so as to not be observed.

"Take your father's ring to this address," he says. "They will know the truth of his fate, and will allow you to sell his shares and draw on whatever pension he may have been owed when he died.

"He was family, and so as his son, you are family too. And the Kin take care of our own."

Thosar follows the professor, smiling. "I hope his excellency is wiling to hear me out... I should probably bring my spokesman for this, I'm not always the most persuasive..."

But Vannwinkle is already on the move and seems determined, the dice already cast. Walking behind him back out the door, he ignores the guard and continues on to the Telmurian encampment. The pair walk past a number of tents housing a variety of officials and officers, and swarms of guardsmen patrol the area. Thosar keeps his composure but remains silent behind the old sage until arriving at the largest tent in the courtyard. Several imposing men in full armor stand watch, keeping eyes on everyone approaching, so the scholar stays behind Vannwinkle at this juncture.

((I'll write out a reaction later today, but wanted to ask if anything came from Sagishi's inquiry into Barrow's room?))

Nezumi said:

((I'll write out a reaction later today, but wanted to ask if anything came from Sagishi's inquiry into Barrow's room?))

Click to expand...

((Crap, somehow I missed that entire part. Yeah, I'll do a write up in a bit.))

As Sagishi opens the door to Barrow's room, the first thing he notices is that the doorknob on the other side has been reduced to its constituent components and strewn across the wooden floorboards. The mechanism seems very clever, if wildly over-complicated for something as mundane as a door knob. Regardless, the door would have been impossible to open from within in its current state.

The next he notices is that the walls of the room have been covered with all manners of diagrams and runes. Some of it is recognizable as dwarven runes, but the rest conforms to nothing that Sagishi has ever seen before. They appear to have been applied to the plastered surfaces by fingers dipped in the soot of the hearth.

Barrow himself is atop his bed, hopping from one foot to the other as he chants in a sing-song voice and waves his small pouch of glass beads in the air. He turns at Sagishi's entrance, allowing the shape-shifting thief to see that Barrow's ad hoc arcane symbology has extended to his own face. "Sagishi, lad!" he says, extending a hand before him in warning. "I beg ye, come no further! I be bedeviled!"

Hopping down from the bed, he takes the room's chair and wedges it firmly under the exterior door knob, securing both it and the door firmly in place. He grunts in apparent satisfaction at this before continuing. "I've been suspicious for th'past few days, but today I be certain of it! Whoever be waiting for us at th'top of that black tower has placed some manner of dark curse on me and sent their dread minion to torment me!"

Holding his hand up, he begins to enumerate his evidence upon his fingers. "The very first mornin' after I found ye in the woods, I couldn't find me knife! I always know where my knife be, it be right here in its sheathe on me belt! And after just long enough time searchin' t'make me look the fool, that's exactly where I found it! But I know--I tell ye, I know--it weren't there before! If it were there, why would I be lookin' for it, hm? Why would I be lookin' for it unless it weren't where it should?

"Th'next night, I was sittin' round the fire, just enjoyin' me pipe as I do, when all of a sudden a powerful slumber came upon me! That... That's not so incriminating, I grant ye, we had been travelin' hard that day... But th'next mornin', I couldn't find me pipe! And just when I done given up and accepted my loss, I found it right beneath my rucksack! But it weren't there before, I be certain of it! Don't you think I'd've bloody well seen it before I put me sack down, what with my eyes on the ground the whole morning? Cursed devilry, that's what it be!

"An' the very next day, me tobacco pouch pops a stitch! 'Oh, that's not so unusual, Barrow,' ye might say, 'that happens all the time!' But I had a good long look at it while I was tryin' t'patch it up on the ride home, and I tell ye that stitch didn't tear! I know what a torn thread looks like, and there was naught even a bit of fraying! It was cut! As though by teeny, wicked sharp devil teeth!

"Oh, but it was this mornin' that the damnable monster decided it'd had enough of makin' things look like mere coincidences! I awoke with a powerful hunger this mornin', but when I went t'open me door, the damned contraption just came apart in my hand! An'when I turned around t'head to me window so that I could stick me head out an'call for help, I fell right over an' landed on me nose! The infernal creature had gone and tied me bootstraps t'gether! And the laughin'! The horrible, terrible laughin'! Like the gigglin' of some deranged wee baby devil from th'Abyss!"

Without warning, he spins on his heel before raising his pouch and shaking it as he shouts to the empty room, "Ah, but ye never counted on contendin' with one of th'Endowed, now, did ye, ye deranged little beast? Barrow Stonecipher knows more than a few things about dealing with th'likes of ye! Get ye back to yer master, an' tell him that he's goin' t'have t'try a whole lot harder than that if he thinks he can stop us on our quest!"

Fhiess is startled by the sudden disappearance of the walls, bracing himself for the ceiling crashing on them.. But no feeling of weight or sudden pain is felt, no sounds are made and only the sense of nothing remains alarming.

When the professor is suddenly next to him, he quickly glances to the crystal, "What is it?" After a moment, he asks, "Ah, wait.. are you saying it's glowing faster when it points a certain direction?"

Afterward, when she revels in the moment of the discovery, Fhiess blushes slightly, "Ah, uh, well.. we didn't find it per se.." As he starts to explain his emotion grows dour, "the man I would credit for originally having the crystal was.. a complete stranger, and he sadly died in the attack on Telmur before we could find out who he is. His handing over the crystal to us was his last wish."

((Apparently Galen put a little too much faith in Barrow this morning...

So, I've got a couple items of business.

First, there are a few questions I had in my last post:

Song of Fire said:

How does Ludwig feel about pulling, and possibly building, a sled? Maybe even with handles on the sides for better carrying?

Also, what would the ruling be on a portable fire pit or furnace, perhaps wood-burning or oil-burning variants; what would we be looking at in regard to a ten-person yurt; and can someone find a smaller, more portable, block and tackle set that is only able to handle the standard size rope around here?

[...]

And the most important of all, does anyone know if Jackben is still following along? He was making comments at least through the first goblin fight, but he seems to have stopped.

Click to expand...

Beside all that other nonsense, if Galen wanted some pieces of cloth that could retain oil, how much would that be? And if he then wanted to light a thin stick with an oiled cloth on a campfire, what kind of action would that be, assuming he would be pulling it out as part of another action? Why, yes, I am asking about the legendary Fire Arrows.

How hard would it be for Thosar to Fire Bolt one of those things mid-flight?

Fhiess said:

The man I would credit for originally having the crystal was.. a complete stranger, and he sadly died in the attack on Telmur before we could find out who he is. His handing over the crystal to us was his last wish.

Click to expand...

That is so sad. Last wish stories are always tearjerkers.))

Song of Fire said:

How does Ludwig feel about pulling, and possibly building, a sled? Maybe even with handles on the sides for better carrying?

Click to expand...

((He'll hem and haw about being turned into a pack mule a bit, but I'm sure he can be convinced to do that.

Oh no! Looks like Barrow has a totally in his head devil problem! If Ludwig can just become aware of it, he can finally make use of his bad things radar and expose that little bugger. You know, if it's there and not being sneaky enough to vanish when Barrow's not alone .))

((If you coordinated, lighting an arrow on fire might be doable. Probably easier and more effective just to aim the firebolt at a critter though, especially next level when the damage increases to 2d10))

Heedless of the consequences, Vannwinkle strolls past the guards stationed outside the central pavilion tent in the courtyard of the government building and disappears beneath the flap, with Thosar on his heels.

The interior of the tent is almost exactly what Thosar would imagine a field command tent to look like, only scaled in its grandeur proportional to the station of the men who inhabit it. The perimeter is lined with shelves of books and scrolls, with an inner ring of desks and chairs. At the very center is a grand table that looks to be a transplant from some great dining hall, only this one has a map of Somnus nailed to its surface with tokens arrayed across the representation of Telmur.

There are a handful of pages and other aides, but the people of importance are arranged around the table map. The regent Thosar recognizes immediately, and the man wearing the sash with a green dragon rampant on a black field must be the governor of the Province of Dumas, the political authority of Telmur in the Westreach region. The third figure is a dragonborn in extravagant silken robes with a frilled collar reminiscent of some species of desert lizard that Thosar has seen preserved in jars. Its scales range from silver to platinum, each with a gilded edge that gleams as gold. Whether this is its natural coloring or a method of beautification is difficult to tell. It's also difficult to tell its gender.

"Vannwinkle," the regent sighs. "My door is always open to you." There is a vein of intense sarcasm running through his words, but the astrologer seems oblivious.

"Fredrik!" Vannwinkle exclaims, weaving through desks to approach the central table. "Fredrik, I have vitally important--"

"Lord Regent Nordstrom," the regent corrects. "I am Lord Regent Nordstrom."

Vannwinkle swats the mans words away with a wave of his hand. "Oh pish posh! We're not in court, there's no reason to--"

"We are in the presence of foreign dignitaries," Nordstrom says, raising his voice to cut Vannwinkle off. He gestures to the other two with his hand in turn. "Or did Governor Crullus and Ambassador Avrice somehow escape your notice?"

Vannwinkle adjusts his glasses. "Very well, Lord Regent Nordstrom, governor, ambassador. I come bearing incredibly important news; this man--an apprentice of one of my former associates--may have information in how we might rid ourselves of the lights of the tower that pollutes our skies! Why, it may be key to how we defeat this threat entirely!"

Nordstrom places his hands on the surface of the table, sighing as his shoulders slump. After a moment, he raises his head to look at Thosar. "You have five minutes."

---

Carefully, reluctantly, Halifad returns the crystal to Fhiess's hands. "You take care of that," she says. "You guard it with your life. Extraplanar artifacts of such power are... are... I don't even know what they are, no one's seen anything like this! If you could see your way to return it here when your task with it is complete... ?"

Eventually she tears her longing gaze from the crystal to Fhiess. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

The elven sage takes a moment to gather his thoughts. He bows before the gathered lords before speaking.
"My lords, I come before you today with a humble theory, but one I am prepared to stake my life on. During the invasion of Telmur, I made contact with a resident of the world from which that tower arrived. It appears that he was in a losing battle with the forces that caused all of this in the first place. Unfortunately, he died before we were able to evacuate the city.

However, before he left this mortal coil, he informed us that the means to help defeat this foe had arrived along with the tower. I will spare the details, but I suspect the aurorae lingering in the sky were left behind by the very things that could help us. As you know, one of those Aurorae point northward, past Forgerun. I have arranged for an expedition to determine what is there and what use we can make of it. The only impediment, aside from the dangers to be found in the frozen waste, is the gate of Forgerun itself.

I understand that certain diplomatic envoys can bypass the blockade, so I come in hopes that you can assist me in my endeavor to save the kingdom. Perhaps all of Somnus."

Fhiess gently takes the crystal back, thankful that it is still intact and still in the party's possession, "If I ever have the time, I'll report back what more we find about the crystal." He respectfully bows with the crystal still in his hands, "Thank you, Professor. There's still more I must learn from Professor Scalis as well, so I must be leaving."

Once goodbyes are had, Fhiess will make the trek down the stairs once more and make his way to the history department.

There is a pregnant moment of silence as Thosar finishes his appeal. After several heartbeats, Governor Crullus coughs into his fist. "Lord Regent, I'll, ah... I'll leave you to your affairs. I'm overdue in my return to Westreach. We've still no word of what has occurred there these past few days, and one of those auroras winds straight over--"

Nordstrom waves his hand. "Say no more and think nothing of it. The agents of the crown have not forgotten the people of Durmas in this crisis, and I would not dare deprive them of as capable of a leader as you in their time of need. Go. With my blessing."

With a curt nod of his blond head, Crullus strides past Thosar and his sponsor in this enterprise. "Vannwinkle," he says on his way out. To his credit, if he holds any negative opinions of the astrologer, he conceals it well.

"Now, with regard to Thosar and his quest," Vannwinkle begins, "I was thinking--"

"Yes, that is frequently the source of a great many troubles these past days," Nordstrom interrupts.

"Well, I am the second most senior office in the government!"

"Only by a tragic accident on a scale we've never considered possible," Nordstrom retorts, sinking into a bare, wooden chair. "You've the position, but none of the experience. Or sense, for that matter. The situation with Hammerfall is tense, we need our very best negotiators bending the Forge Lords' thoughts toward opening their gates and providing refuge to our people. We can't spare positions in our diplomatic envoys for wild-eyed elves who want to go chasing phantom lights in the frozen north at the behest of someone who is conveniently dead and unable to cooperate his statements."

Vannwinkle starts to protest, but Nordstrom pats the air in front of him in a consoling gesture. "Yes, you're trying to help. I understand that, Vannwinkle, I really do. But just as I don't dream of imposing my own views on your analysis of the movement of the stars, I respectfully ask that you not try and muddy my authority with countermanding orders and suggestions. Our hold on the populous is tenuous as it is. Now if you'll excuse me, I have the business of governing a kingdom to get back to."

Dispirited and crestfallen, Vannwinkle shuffles out of the tent without a word. "I was certain he would listen to reason," he mutters. "So certain..."

"Pardon me?" asks a thickly accented voice from the entrance to the tent. The dragonborn ambassador from the Hegemony of Dragons has followed them outside. "I believe I may have a solution to your problem, as well as one of my own."

---

Fhiess winds his way to the history department, and inquiries on the whereabouts of Professor Scalis point him toward the lower levels of the building below the street, where the research archives and texts of historical value are stored. In the very lowest level lit by alchemical lamps, he finds a small room housing the very most ancient of books under lock and key. There he finds a small kobold dressed in a brown smock, its head resting on a desk as it snores loudly.

Professor Scalis doesn't appear to be anywhere in sight.

Thosar silently leaves the tent, hoping the other have had better luck in their attempts. However, he quickly turns back to respond to the dragonborn's invitation. Wanting to put his best foot forward, he replies in the native tongue of dragonborn. (in draconic) "Ambassador, I am glad I was able to reach someone's ear. Perhaps you'd like to discuss the matter in private? I am quite interested in your proposal."

((Trying to get a read on the ambassador's intentions. insight: 1D20+4 = [13]+4 = 17
))

Alarm and a swarm of panic fills Fhiess' mind as a kobold enters his view. He is so startled by the sudden presence of the creature that he trips over and collapses onto a pile of books and scrolls, which may lift a dusty smog into the air from the ground. He yelps, scrambling to push himself back to a standing position.

Ambassador Avrice raises a scaled brow at Thosar's unexpected use of his native tongue before responding in the same language. "Oh, the nature of what I have to ask of you is not so sensitive that I am not able to speak of it openly, even if those about the area here could understand us. You see, I have official business to attend to in Hammerfall, but sadly I am all that remains of my entourage from Baglahm, which included my security detail. Regent Nordstrom cannot spare the men to escort me, and I daren't make the journey on my own. Sadly, I haven't the liquidity to secure hirelings of my own, either.

"What I propose is this: If you can secure us passage to Hammerfall with sufficient protection, I can guarantee access under the aegis of my diplomatic status. I trust you will find this to your liking?"

A dragonborn's face and body expressions are not so far removed from more conventional humanoids that Thosar isn't able to get a read on Avrice. He has the elocution and poise of a dignitary, and probably the charm of someone capable of getting their way most of the time, all of which would be suitable properties in a diplomat. As near as Thosar can determine, it is genuinely his intent to get to Hammerfall.

---

The ruckus of Fhiess sending a shelf of reading material crashing to the stone floor of the subbasement rouses the kobold to startled alertness. "Books!" he squeals in a raspy voice. "My books!"

Eying Fhiess, he grabs a lecture pointer from the desk he is sitting at and hops to the ground. Brandishing the pointer like a spear he approaches Fhiess and punctuates his sentences by prodding the half-elf with sharp jabs. "Thought you could sneak by me, eh? Thought you could steal my books? Huh? Did you? Huh?"

His interrogation deteriorates into more alternating grunts of "Huh?" and "Did you?" as he pokes Fhiess with the pointer, but he makes no further threatening actions.

Thosar returns a smile and nods. "Indeed, this will suit our respective needs quite well, provided you don't mind some less conventional warriors. I should be prepared to leave within two days, shall we meet at the Golden Goose tavern the morning after next?"

After arranging a time and place to meet, Thosar returns with Vannwinkle's apartment. He spends the morning assisting the old scholar with historical relationships between stellar movements and terrestrial events. Once finished, he makes best speed to the tavern with the news.

Sagishi tries his best to hide his amusement at the sight that greets him in the dwarf's room, though a little smirk plays over his lips as he walks towards Barrow, ignoring the dwarf's warning. He extends his arm to help the man climb down from the bed. "Strange happenings, no doubt about that, but I don't think that the tower has anything to do with it or it would have started sooner, wouldn't it?"

Still he doesn't want to dismiss the dwarfs suspicion entirely, after all, this really were a lot of coincidences. Remembering Peaseblossom he adds, "Maybe you picked up some forest spirit, that just enjoys playing pranks?"
Thinking of the time when Ludwig had been able to sense his own fairy heritage, he also suggests, "You should ask Ludwig to keep an eye out for you. He is rather good at sensing such things."

He says his goodbye and advises Barrow to get a good breakfast downstairs. Before leaving the room, Sagishi kneels downs and gives what is left over from the lock a thorough inspection. Trying to determine whether it had been tinkered with or if the dwarf had just misjudged his strength.

Investigation: 1D20+1 = [11]+1 = 12 ((Not sure if investigation is the correct skill here. Will change otherwise.))

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Sagishi accepts the paper and bids the man a friendly farewell. Back outside he tucks the paper away in his pocket. This "Kin" certainly weren't the usual type of criminal and something in the way the man had said the name had given Sagishi chills and not in a good way.

He was pretty sure that showing up at the address without a ring would not be a good idea. He could of course simply steal another one, but by the way the man had talked it had almost sounded as if the rings were personalized in some way, so showing up with a stolen one might be an even worse idea.
He could of course steal one and have it checked for spells or other hidden stuff and make a replica... He sighed. That sounded like a whole lot of work and considering that he wasn't even sure whether or not these kin might be able to provide him with the means of getting into Forgerun it might also be a total waste of time. He decides to see whether or not any of the other's might have had more luck. If yes, there was no need for him to get involved any further and if not... well maybe one of the others had a good idea how to go about this.

With nothing else to do he decides to go back to the Golden Goose to wait for the others and check up on whether Barrow had been plagued by any more curses.

Feeling weighted under the strain falling over put over him, the situation he faces now is very irritating. A kobold with the nerve to constantly poke him with a stick!

He pushes the stick out of the way then pulls himself up, proclaiming, "I would not dare tarnish the treasure trove of research and lore here!"

He then makes a mistaken assumption about who the kobold is, thinking the kobold is just there to keep watch, "I am here to see your master, Professor Scalid; there is something I wish to inquire from him."

((

Axelhortsemchi said:

He'll hem and haw about being turned into a pack mule a bit, but I'm sure he can be convinced to do that.

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Trust me; having Ludwig pull these things is pretty close to a last resort, as far as Galen is concerned. There's even evidence! Ludwig doesn't really get asked to pull these things when there are non-party members as viable options.

Noisy Ninj4 said:

If you coordinated, lighting an arrow on fire might be doable. Probably easier and more effective just to aim the firebolt at a critter though, especially next level when the damage increases to 2d10

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A very good question. Being able to light a flying arrow on fire is only really viable when using a longbow to increase range, and should only be done with time for coordination. In combat, yeah, it's probably better to not even bother.

Is there some kind of meaning to the good ambassador's name, perchance?))

Sagishi isn't directly able to determine whether or not the the door knob mechanism has been tampered with, but he can make a few inferences from the presence of tiny screws and the fact that nothing seems damaged by excessive force. Events likely unfolded as Barrow has described them, subtracting the nefarious intent he has perceived in it.

---

Undaunted by the size difference between himself and the standing height of Fhiess, the furious Kobold reaches up with his pointer and whacks the bard over the head with it. "Scalis!" he says, followed by another whack for emphasis. "My name is Scalis!"

Seemingly satisfied, he stands before Fhiess and gently thumps the elongated piece of wood in his hand. "Now what is it you wish to inquire? And don't think for a second I'm about to leave my books unattended with strangers about!"

---

Song of Fire said:

Is there some kind of meaning to the good ambassador's name, perchance?))

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((Nothing beyond "Oh shit, I never named these characters and need to think of something on the fly" syndrome.))

Fhiess' posture is quickly staggered by the swift hit to his skull, and almost just as it becomes apparent how lasting the pain will be, the second whack to his head knocks him over.

With both hands on his head, he mutters painfully, "I-I seek insight on what happened.. what happened between the high elves and the hobgoblins."

While breathing heavily while recovering, he adds, "The kind of history not often told, only few know. I was.. hoping the professor- err, I mean a professor such as yourself would know, or know somebody that carries such knowledge."

"Hmmmmmmmm," Saclis murmurs as he considers Fhiess's question. "Follow me," he says.

Scalis leads Fhiess down a labyrinth of dusty shelves weighed down with moldering tomes, skittering up and down the shelves like a simian climbing the rigging of a sailing vessel, pausing every once in a while to take a book out and glance through it in his search. "Silly humanoids, thinking that history only began the day that the Hauntaur Empire subjugated the continent," he says before leaping the gap to another shelf across the narrow aisle. "Or maybe they'd rather just forget? Too much history in their history, as it were."

His search leads to a wall of cubbyholes, each containing a sealed cylinder. "But they're not the only ones recording that history, are they? Ah, here we are." The historian pulls a cylinder, hops down to the floor, and walks to a nearby table. Taking great care, he opens the cylinder and gingerly removes an ancient rolled piece of parchment before flattening it out on the surface of the table.

The parchment is covered with pictographs that make absolutely no sense to Fhiess, but Scalis runs a clawed finger along the rows of strange characters and moves his lips as though reading to himself. "This is... sort of a summary of a year's events for a kobold clan," he says quietly, as though excessive volume might damage the document. "Now this part right here? This is about how clever they were in evading the pointy-ear--I'm sorry, that's the literal translation for the pictogram for "elf"--tax collectors. The historical record prior to the Hauntaur is fragmentary--of which this is but one example--but those fragments point to the existence of a period of time in which the elves reigned over much of Aglea. Not so large as the current Kingdom, and certainly nothing in comparison to the Empire, but still a considerable power in those days.

"The information I have gleaned from studying the records of the kobold does not paint a particularly kind figure of this unnamed elven reign, but they are not alone in that assessment. I've seen scraps of annotated Dwarven ledgers, heard oral history traditions of the wood elves in Westreach. If these records are to be taken at face value, they were a nation of slavers who relegated all who were not themselves Elven or bound in chains to second-class status. I've no records regarding hobgoblins specifically, but I doubt their relationship with the elves was mutually beneficial."

Codex updates:

Elves​

Fhiess brings out a sketchbook and begins to quickly jot down a copy of the relevant information gleaned from the calendar and what the historian states. He copies the design of the symbol for elf, writing 'kobolds evades tax collector elves'.

Like a student in the class, he further adds other bits: 'history before Hauntaur fragmented', 'elves once ruled Aglea', 'high elves were supposedly slavers and disliked by many'

After writing 'many', he then asks, "You mentioned the wood elves of Westreach. Am I correct that they dislike the high elves as well?" If the Kobold confirms it, then Fhiess will continue his summary by adding to the last note: 'high elves were supposedly slavers and disliked by many including wood elves'.

When Professor Scalid admits his lack of Hobgoblin records on the subject, Fhiess exchanges his own testimony, "I am only a half-elf, but the Hobgoblins see me and another elf I travel with as oppressors. They have a phrase for it in their language, and it was repeated on different occasions from different individuals."

After sharing what he knows, he finally asks, "If the high elves were such a prominent power before the continent was taken over, how come much of their history is so hard to come by or never shared? Did the wars that were fight really change that much about how we perceive the world?"

Scalis makes a weird warbling clucking noise that Fhiess soon realizes is the kobold version of a chuckle. The shift in his temperament between when he suspected Fhiess was here to steal some or all of his collection and now when he's in his element is remarkable. "The Hauntaur didn't just come into Aglea and invite everyone out for tea. They were conquerors, and the first thing you go about when conquering other people is doing everything you can to erase their culture and impose your own. They may have outlawed slavery and treated non-Hauntaur--whatever a Hauntaur even was--somewhat better than elves treated non-elves, but they weren't exactly benevolent."

"As Hogan always said, to build an enterprise can mean driving competition out of business," he echoes, "I wonder how many cultures and unique ways of life must have been lost as civilizations replaced civilization? The decline of slavery is a silver lining, at least, and you still have records of past history here. Perhaps if given the chance, lesser known cultures could recover and become better known in the modern Kingdom."

A thought springs back, "The tieflings at the King's parade.. I recall a group of tieflings looking to find acceptance among others. Are they a part of pre-Hauntaur history as well?"

"It would stand to reason that they were," Scalis says as he rolls up the scroll and returns it to its cylinder. "I've no records of them, though if they have always been this sparsely populated over such a wide area and rarely settle down with any permanence... Well, that would be the expected outcome."

"I see. I suppose there is still much to learn about them."

Once done, he looks around, "I suppose I should head back. Thank you for the insight." He nods politely to the professor. Then he says to the Kobold, "And, ah.. I'm sorry for doubting your prestige. That was wrong of me."

Perhaps kobolds aren't so bad afterall.

((I believe that takes care of everyone's business at the moment. You can feel free to bounce off one another with the info that Fhiess, Thosar, and Sagishi have learned, otherwise I'll tap the fast forward button.))

((I'm fine with jumping forward. Sagishi's inquiry was basically a dead end, since I'm pretty sure that everyone will just agree that Thosar's method of getting into Forgerun is without a doubt the best and there is still time on the journey to deal with Barrow's insanity problem.))

<It'll probably be fair if Sagishi and Thosar shared what they learned first, since I think Fhiess has crucial information leading to their next goal, but I don't want to distract from what the others have to say.>

((At this point, its pretty much down to Thosar laying out the deal he made with the ambassador and the others providing additional background.))

Once the party is reconvened at the tavern, Thosar informs them of his breakthrough. "It took some meandering turns of fate, but I was able to secure us passage into Forgerun. There is an ambassador in need of an armed escort to get there. We would provide it and be allowed in as part of his entourage."

Sagishi is relieved to hear Thosar's news. "An escort you say? Well, considering that so far we have been pretty good at keeping ourselves alive, I don't see how much more trouble looking out for one more person could be. It certainly sounds a lot better than painstakingly infiltrating an overly secretive, almost cultlike, criminal organization." He quickly informs the other's about the things he has learned that day.

He remembers his earlier meeting with Barrows and turns to Ludwig. "By the way, I talked to Barrow earlier. It appears that he wasn't at the breakfast this morning because he got locked inside his room... from the inside. Doorknob just came apart in his hand he said. I wasn't able to tell if it had been tampered with, but Barrow seems to be sure that it was the work of some evil spirit. I think maybe you can use those two supernatural antennas of yours to see if there is some truth to it or at least give the poor man some peace of mind. He seemed to be rather... distressed when I found him."

Nezumi said:

those two supernatural antennas of yours

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((SO THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE FOR!))

"That is good to hear, it seems that in no time we'll have built up a reputation for being reliable bodyguards. I hope Hogan hears about our success!"

Soon after his excitement he looks to Sagishi. "Evil spirits possessing a door knob? That seems about as silly as the magic horses," the irony is lost on Fhiess after saying that, "perhaps Barrow has been imagining things since we searched the forest, or the magical fairies had helped the horses find us."

"By the way.. I'd like everyone to come outside in a moment. There's something I need to demonstrate."

Sagishi frowns at the half-elf's comment. "Not that I really think that Barrow is being followed by a doorknob possessing evil, but the whole affair certainly was strange and combined with some other happenings of the past days I think that it wouldn't hurt to at least keep an eye out. And besides, no matter how crazy they might sound sometimes, a friend always deserves the benefit of the doubt." There is a change in his attitute when he says those last words and for the first time it becomes apparent that despite his youthful appearance, Sagishi is in fact quite a bit older than his looks let one to believe. Though the moment passes quickly and the kitsune returns to his usual cheerful self.

((

Mike M said:

"I never named these characters and need to think of something on the fly" syndrome.

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Ah. So it has nothing to do with the avarice of dragons. Good to know.

Mike M said:

I believe that takes care of everyone's business at the moment. You can feel free to bounce off one another with the info that Fhiess, Thosar, and Sagishi have learned, otherwise I'll tap the fast forward button.

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As long as business is concluded, I've a couple questions Galen could use some answers for. Think you could take a look?

Noisy Ninj4 said:

Once the party is reconvened at the tavern, Thosar informs them of his breakthrough.

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Nezumi said:

I think maybe you can use those two supernatural antennas of yours

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Mike M said:

SO THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE FOR!

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Clearly, this is the true scientific breakthrough of this age. Sorry, Thosar, Sagishi has outdone you on this one.

Fhiess said:

I am here to see your master, Professor Scalid

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Professor Scalis said:

Scalis! My name is Scalis!

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Mike M said:

"Hmmmmmmmm," Saclis murmurs as he considers Fhiess's question.

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Do you think those supernatural antennae could pick this up as well?

Fhiess said:

I recall a group of tieflings looking to find acceptance among others. Are they a part of pre-Hauntaur history as well?

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The party should get working on this; this is a mystery that is sure to haunt them all.

Fhiess said:

Evil spirits possessing a door knob? That seems about as silly as the magic horses

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Very nice with the horses, though somebody may need to introduce Fhiess to the Magic Jar.))

Thosar said:

It took some meandering turns of fate, but I was able to secure us passage into Forgerun. There is an ambassador in need of an armed escort to get there. We would provide it and be allowed in as part of his entourage.

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Galen taps his finger on the table, as though in thought. "An ambassador here, in Bellows, is in need of an armed escort. But where is he from, and how did he get to Bellows without that escort to begin with? Certainly, he can't be from this city, can he?"

As the discussion continues about Barrow and his haunting issues, Galen chimes in: "So odd, to think he had managed to become a prisoner in his own room. True, he has been losing a few things, but the doorknob just coming apart?" Galen stops a moment, resting both arms on the table's surface. "That has the potential to be a bit different, though I would hesitate to jump to an assertion of an 'evil spirit' being behind his woes. With a glance at Fhiess, he finishes, "Yes, it may be worth looking into."

In response to Fhiess' request, Galen raises an eyebrow. "A demonstration?" he asks. "Whatever of?"

Song of Fire said:

Beside all that other nonsense, if Galen wanted some pieces of cloth that could retain oil, how much would that be? And if he then wanted to light a thin stick with an oiled cloth on a campfire, what kind of action would that be, assuming he would be pulling it out as part of another action? Why, yes, I am asking about the legendary Fire Arrows.

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((Like literally every piece of fabric available to you would suit that purpose. I wouldn't even bother charging for it, I'd just say you could murder a hobo and take their clothes get some rags out of the trash of a tailor or something. Hell, tear up your own clothes if you want. Lighting it would be a standard action.))

How hard would it be for Thosar to Fire Bolt one of those things mid-flight?

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((Well, arrows are relatively small and can fly in excess of 150mph, so I'd say pretty damned hard. As Ninj4 already pointed out, it's easier to just firebolt the enemy : P))

Thosar nods to Galen. "The ambassador from Baghlam was apparently in Telmur during the invasion. He lost his entourage during that time, including his security detail, so he evacuated with what's left of the Telmurian government. A situation no more suspicious than our own."

((Going to preface this post by saying that I'm totally cool with escorting the ambassador. That looks like how we'll progress, and I'm not about to try and derail the campaign over Ludwig hating government officials, no one needs the drama that would entail. So by the end of the conversation, he'll accept escorting the guy. That said... ))

Ludwig listens as the others talk about what they've learned. As all he's done is get his armor made and meet some colorful crafters, he has nothing to contribute. "Hmm, not sure I like the idea of relying on a government official to get us where we're going. Our trip will become riddled with inefficiencies as he probably starts a few wars trying to spread state-sponsored peace or some shit."

He arches his eyebrows as Sagishi goes on, "A crime organization, you say? Interesting, it might take some time to crack, but they probably have a smuggling route that would go where we need to go. Much better than dragging a bureaucrat through blizzards." When Sagishi mentions his antennae in particular, he laughs. "Oh, you think that's how I do it? It's all free market training, man. But yeah, I can drop in on Barrow after Fheiss shows us what he wants us to see."

He's ready to go outside when Thosar mentions the diplomat is from Baglahm, and promptly proceeds to go off. "An ambassador from Baglahm? He's part of the Hegemony, isn't he? Dragonborn? Oh he is. OH HEEEEEEEEEELL NO" As Ludwig says this, his neck sways in a circle before shifting side to side for extra emphasis.

"Those guys are the most statist of statist pigs! They say they're not interested in your land, put on some smiles and call it diplomacy, then BAM! taxes for roads, fees on trades, insisting you wear helmets while riding a spectral horse at full speed. They're the worst!"

Looking desparate, he turns to the others. "There has to be a better option! Sagishi, how hard could infiltrating a crime ring be? You're good at that kind of thing, right? Fheiss, think Hogan could hook us up with a boat around the mountain or something? Or maybe we could fly over! You can magic that up, right Thosar? Nyx? Keranos? What about scaling the mountain, Galen? We could improvise up some pulleys and climbing spikes and just scale that son of a bitch! Anyone? Anything? Please?" He frantically looks back and forth between each member of the party.

Fhiess follows Ludwig's panic with giving a positive spin on the situation, "The ambassador has as much of a need for us as we need them, right? There must be room to balance the deal as an equal exchange. Besides, it seems like a temporary arrangement for the time being."

Once outside, he holds up the crystal, "Look at this. The crystal seems to be some kind of compass, and word has it doesn't come from our world at all!" As he turns, readjusting his steps every few moments, he pans the crystal around the horizon and cities, "If what the professor said is true, the crystal is from another plane of existence, and it was flickering at its brightest right around.. here!" He points it towards the city center where the professor had shown him.

"Fheiss is right, this is merely an exchange of services. It may be a surprise to you, but government officials are entirely capable of engaging in economic activity like this. Besides, who's he going to try to spread his ideas to on the way to Forgerun? It's not like there's many settlements on the road there." The elven sage gives a comforting pat to Ludwig. "As for the rest of us, it'll be alright, your aura of antigovernance shall ward us from his silver tongued sorcery. Just be careful not to give away the secret or he may come up with a way to bypass it, you'll need to make him think you are just another mercenary."

When the bard shows his findings to the group, Thosar nods in understanding. "That makes sense, the magic inlaid in the crystal is similar to a sending stone with multiple connections but also acts as something of a... phylactery. I think it stores a sort of life essence that people like ourselves have come upon." He stops a moment. "We do have a day free, perhaps giving a visit to the city center is in order to determine the source of the energy. Sagishi should handle the stone, though, I don't want anyone to see it if it can be avoided."

"But I- but he- but- the state..." Ludwig looks around to see the party in unanimous agreement. His ears droop, and he says "Well, I guess you're right about us not being government employees by virtue of escorting him." Dejectedly, he adds "Ok, let's see your demonstration." For anyone listening closely on the way out, the J'raffa can be heard repeatedly muttering "We're private contractors," "it's for saving the world," and "this is fine."

After Fheiss does his bit with the crystal, Ludwig hrmmms. "So, some kind of crystal from another plane? Yeah, if it's pointing to the middle of the city, maybe there's some kind of connection between the two planes or something there. I don't know. Like Thosar said, might as well check it out since we have time. Before we do that though, I'm going to see if I can figure out what's up with Barrow.

Ludwig moves around the building until he's at the window leading to Barrow's room. He focuses and projects his detection powers in the direction of the room's interior. Once that's done, regardless of whether it picks up anything, he gives the window a rap with his snout. "Barrow? You in there? It's me, Sagishi said you might have some kind of evil spirit problem or something like that."