In the morning, you wake healed and feeling better than ever.  Your meals have been grand and the healing brings you back to as good as new.

A courier comes in, bids you good day, and says that when you are feeling up to it, a brunch will be served and the results of your mission will be discussed.

You know what that means.  Giving a report, giving the dwarves their gold, and preparing for the imminent battle with the orcs.

XP Handout:

Please update your characters accordingly before the battle begins.

This message was last edited by the GM at 17:30, Thu 07 July 2011.

I am on vacation until Monday.  Please level up your characters and feel free to converse with each other and do the things you think are necessary.  The dwarves allow you to have free weapon access now that the orc invasion is imminent.

I have to assume the weapons they would provide us will be mundane? Also, I already finished with my level; I realized I still have a NWP slot but I will be saving it for Herbalism when I get another (2 more levels away... ugh)


Kahan will attempt to find a priest who can help revive his friends without having to waste his scrolls, especially for Draaz, since he already failed an attempt at being brought back. Also, he'll ask if the priest can scribe scrolls or teach him how to so that he can replenish the ones he used in the temple.

Remember also the house rule about NWP Levels.  So, for example, it is possible to have a Level 2 Healing proficiency, etc.

OOC: Coming up, you will have encounters with Krugoth.  He reacted to you well before, but that was because Azaron was with your party.  Now, his reactions will be more tepid.  In addition to pleasing him with your words and trying to convince him of something, you will need to make reaction checks (charisma, leadership, etc.).  Keep that in mind when speaking with him and let me know if you have any particular charms or skills that may add a bonus to his reactions.

Currently, you each get the following:

-2:  No dwarf in your party
+3:  Saved Prump
+1:  Returned with gold and weapons per contract
-1:  Azaron is gone
+1:  Did not previously offend him in prior encounters
-1:  Haggled with him previously over his proffered reward
-1:  You are blamed for setting loose the volcano and demons
-2:  Earthrocs were killed
-1:  You have a half-orc in your party
___
-3:  Total Current Adjustment

There are other ways during these upcoming encounters that you can also change this total, including making certain revelations to him that immediately affect the compound or his trust.  Look for them.


Krugoth also has the following individualized reactions:

-3:  To any orc or half-orc (in addition to the one above)
-1:  To any elf or half-elf
-1:  To anyone seen as an orc sympathizer
-1:  To anyone using non-clerical magic
-1:  (Per incident) Trying to haggle or argue with him
+1:  To those deferential to his authority
+1:  To those giving gifts
+1:  To those who would take his side over the side of someone in their own party
+1:  To those who can make him believe they are at his service instead of their own

This message was last edited by the GM at 23:04, Mon 11 July 2011.

Krugoth summons you to his feasting table.  He frowns a moment upon seeing you.  "I do not recognize you two," he says, pointing to Grizz and Grung.  "Why is there an orc in my hall?"  Then he waves it aside.  "I assume he knows the danger of being here.  Better yet, where is the portable hole and the treasure and weapons which will help us fight this war?"

You look around.  A feast is set for you, and Krugoth indicates that you should be seated.  You eat as if it is your final day on earth, which is the way the dwarves like to eat before battle.

Around the table are Krugoth, two dwarf advisors who appear to be religious scholars or clerics, a gnome mage, and a half-elf ranger.

"Ah, forgive my rudeness," Krugoth says, standing and ushering you to your seats.  "I forget my manners being so besot with the orcs surrounding our keep.  Sit and eat.  I must assume your orc friend is a traitor to their kind and a friend to us."  But Krugoth's smirk shows he is dubious.  He points to the two dwarfs.  "This is my Chancellor Rimm and my Wisened One Kruinn.  They must help me make difficult decisions."

Then he gestures toward the gnome and half-elf.  "These are two in our compound willing to fight.  I thought it best to put them with you.  They are travelers but willing to join us.  Their names are Naj and Dimith."

The half-elf and gnome nod in your direction.

"Adaran has the portable hole, and I am sure he will be willing to hand it over as per our prior agreement." Kahan answers to his first question, bowing as the dwarf leader stands up. He knew their relationship would be... tested today, with them allowing Grung into their party and losing their 'Friend' card when Azaron left. Sitting down as offered, Kahan nods in response to being introduced to the new people, and replies, "I must thank you for being so willing to help us. We lost two of our members, Marcus and Draaz, and I have been unable to find anyone more skilled in healing to resurrect Draaz after my failed attempt, or to find the antidote to Marcus's poison. But enough about our problems. I know you are not pleased we lost two of your earthrocs. They were slain by a treacherous mage we found who had killed Prump as well.

"While we were inside the Temple, we collected what items we could and which we knew to be magical inside of the portable hole you loaned us. We also happened upon a treasure of sorts filled with magical weapons and gold. Sadly, lava was leaking inside of it and some of the weapons had been likely lost, along with some gold. We saved what we could with the time given. Also, we found Augmantium..." Kahan explained, lifting the ornate dragon box onto the table in front of him. "Inside is Augmantium, the gold dragon... statue. It has the power to dispel all magic that is in it's vicinity when it is outside of the box. All of our worn and carried equipment was disenchanted when Tarimar opened its chamber, much to our dismay. We were, however, able to slay the evil wizard, who fell into a pit of lava after two altercations. Azaron left us shortly after, using teleportation magic to go... somewhere else. Honestly I'm not sure where he went. There is, of course, more to the story, but I have summarized it to trim off the extra. Grizz here," he says, pointing to the large fisherman, "We found, poisoned. Luckily, we were able to save his life, but not that of his accomplice, Bernard. Grung aided us in the fight against Tarimar, so has more then proved his loyalty to us and, most importantly, to you."

Borimer returns the nod of the two travelers and then stands with Kahan while listening to his conversation with the Dwarf king.

Krugoth ponders Kahan's words, stroking his beard.  He snaps his fingers and tells a steward to bring in his general and his moneychanger.  He turns to you.  "We need to work quickly here.  If we can press back the orcs tomorrow, then we can use this gold to fund our war effort.  Any weapons you found will be immensely useful right away."

He points back to a staging area behind him where entertainment is probably sometimes had.  "Let us spread the portable hole up there and see what we have."

The Chancellor Rimm has had his eyes wide open since Kahan retrieved Augmantium.  "That," he says, pointing, "needs to be away immediately.  That is what caused us to lose our magic.  It is not just in a vicinity.  That...thing...is responsible for the Kuvla Tah."

Krugoth freezes in mid-stroke of his beard.  "The Kuvla Tah is legend."

"Is it?" Rimm says.  "Then why did all our magic items suddenly lose their potency?  That artifact of destruction sent a wave throughout the world..."

Kruinn finishes thoughtfully, quietly, "...and all we know shall be destroyed."

"Bah!" Krugoth says with a dismissive wave.  "But keep that thing away to appease my superstitious friends."  He steps up to the stage, waiting for the portable hole with a goblet of ale in one hand.

Rimm says, "Pardon me, but I must leave.  I had suspected the Kuvla Tah was at hand, but now...now it is certain.  I will find the ancient tome and see what it predicts."

"And if it can be stopped," Kruinn says with a grin.

Krugoth dismisses them with a wave.  "Go.  Both of you.  Report to us tonight what you find.  Now," he says, stroking his beard again, "I can't express enough my impatience about seeing treasure.  It is like a child on the morning of Chritchmatch with wrapped packages of toy weapons.  Let's see it all.  What was our deal again?"  He seems excited.

"Yes, I will keep it in my pack. We noticed when it was released that it effected our own magical equipment. I hadn't realized it would have such a far-reaching radius though..." he replies, stuffing the box back into his pack where he got it out of. "I believe our agreement was that we got to pick a magical item out of the items we found, trading in something of equal value, but it has been a long few days and I might be mistaken." Kahan adds, scratching his head lightly as he tries to recall the agreement.

Adaran, who has been standing silent at Kahan's side, steps forward. Reaching into his cloak, he produces the folded Portable Hole and spreads it over the stage, then steps back to allow Krugoth to examine the hoard of treasure...and the bodies of Marcus and Draaz. "There are two other concerns that need to be addressed." he says to the dwarven warlord. "According to the mage we fought, Tarimar is still alive. He said the man we defeated in the temple was merely Tarimar's 'copy' - one of many that Tarimar created with his magic."

After this sinks in, he goes on, "Prump also suspects that there is a traitor somewhere in your compound - a spy working for Tarimar and supplying his forces with key information. Tarimar's dwarves knew of the temple's location somehow and were already well on their way to the island by boat by the time we set out on the earthrocs."