"Ahem... V-erm... Milady," Albricht said to Vsaati, also getting into the act, "you'd asked me to remind you to inquire about other tasks, discoveries and so forth in addition to the undead rumors that we might help with. You told me to not let you forget to ask about another possible supply route your Sisters in the narrow world above were, you know, wondering about..."

Roak's eyebrow shoots up. He successfully suppresses a smirk. This time.



Roak kicks Albricht. "Speak when spoken to," he growls. Albricht might hear a snort come from him. Maybe.

Vsaati turned an exasperated look upon Albricht after he gently reminded her of the other activities they might milk the sisters with.  "I appreciate reminders when I have forgotten something, thank you.  We are still talking about the first item on the list, however."  She was about to turn back when she stopped and nodded to the halfling.  "Thank you, Roak."

"Please excuse that interruption, General.  I'm sure it won't happen again," the cutpurse apologized, loud enough for the group to hear.  "Now, where were we?  Ah yes, an exchange!" she smiled sweetly.  "I should think that putting a dent in the dangers below ought to free up resources in your Order for other initiatives that will better the citizens of the city.  If we are able to deliver on that, it ought to be worth some compensation for the effort, no?"

Before the general could reply, Vsaati slid in Albricht's reminder too.  "And if that task isn't of significance to your Order, perhaps you could suggest another?  As the bristly one so gratefully reminded me, there are Sisters in the narrow world above who seek to establish an effective trade route back to the city.  We have information that could prove invaluable to establishing such a route, which would undoubtedly strengthen the Order and improve the lives of people in the city and above."

"That would be quite an achievement, for the leader who was afforded the credit."

General Amamentena snorts and laughs.  "Sly ambition?  If you can stay lucid and play it right, you might go far, but not with us.  The Magi of Usamigaras or the priesthood of Zargon would suit you better if you hope to be sly or manipulate others.  Still, you will be lauded in the city, by those who can pull themselves together enough to realize what you've done, and there will be no lack of celebrants at your victory party, whether or not they know what they're celebrating or why."

She pauses and ponders for a moment, "Even so, it would be ill for us to have not assisted when asked.  I can send you with water and food for three days, and post other Maidens near the entrance to the catacombs below for that time, should you require assistance getting back to the city from there."

"As for the narrow world above, we will continue to supply our sisters there as we may, but we've spent too much in resources on it already, and I greatly doubt that it will bring us much closer to blessed Madura."

Albricht bristled at the reprimand, but played along. Leaning forward, he whispered something to Vsaati.

Elboc also played along, although this was growing quite tedious.  Certain persons had a mighty high opinion of themselves, to say the least.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:34, Sun 11 Nov 2018.

Voran stood, waiting quietly. There was no need for him to talk; Vsaati seemed to be handling herself quite well.

Roak stood still, trying to be stoic and to not have an opinion.

"I think perhaps you misunderstood my intent," Vsaati countered with a slight look of confusion.  "I was thinking of you and the Order receiving the credit.  Though my band is freely willing and motivated to assist in such a worthy endeavour, just as we are with the catacombs below, claiming any societal gain would be left to you.  As you must know from the running of your own organization, expenses are never ending.  For our part we would settle on suitable compensation, enough to keep a roof over our head and food in our mouths, plus some extra margin for the risks taken."

"A grateful populace, both here and in the narrow world above, could swell your faithful.  But it is your choice, of course."

Vsaati deferred to Albricht for a moment, then nodded.  "One last thought.  I gather you do not think much of those who seek out the dream-inducing mushrooms of this place.  My band and I have found the practice rather...unusual ourselves, to say the least.  Is there aught to be done about that, do you think?"
This message was last edited by the player at 01:58, Mon 12 Nov 2018.

The General snorts, "Anything to be done about it?"  Her voice grows hard, "They grow everywhere, girl.  Just as soon try to get the people to stop fornicating.  When such can be had at every turn, and they enjoy it so much, what possible hope could we have of stopping it?"

"Bah!  Do good deeds to help your fellows, or don't!  I will send supplies, as I said, and Maidens to wait, if you're still interested."

At this, the general turns, a clear act of dismissal, and re-enters the fortress/temple.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:16, Mon 12 Nov 2018.

Lanliss can't help but chuckle after the General leaves the scene.

"The General knows if they interrupt the supply of the people's drug of choice, they'll wake up to the fact they're wasting their lives trapped in these caverns! They'll make a mad rush to the surface and the whole power structure here will collapse!"

Albricht did a double-take when Lanliss uttered a very astute conclusion. Sometimes elves surprised him in a good way... not very often, but sometimes.


[When away from the Madurans]
"Aye, the problem I see is that we've yet to identify a wealth of resources down here besides these mushrooms and the underground lake... Trade with the surface world would change things down here by giving these people sustenance that doesn't liquefy their minds. But food caravans won't come down here for nothing. The water is certainly a resource for the desert folk, but they'll need dwarven engineers and perhaps a decade of work to get a water-lift up and running... We need to keep our eyes open for something other down here that would be of worth to both enrich this people and get them out of the mushroom's grip... In the meantime, let's see if we can't lay up a big pile of treasure for ourselves!"

Helping rescue an enslaved city-state from their own captivity was all well and good, but one certainly needed to look out for one's self in the process. After all, there was the chance that introducing the mushrooms to the surface world would only corrupt them as well and then the entire world would be walking around in a daze! It would be like a weird Elven Yuletide celebration year-round!

"Hrrrumph!"

Roak waits for Vsaati to finish discussing with the maidens before sharing his opinion.

Once away from the maidens, Roak shrugs at Albricht's words. "Yeah, well, let's see what we see, I guess. I vote we go to the other church and then head down."

Voran nods his head solemnly in agreement with Albricht, but does not contradict Roak.

After watching the departing general stalk off and bidding the Task Mistress at the gate farewell, Vsaati joined the others in discussion some distance from the temple.

"Thank you all for playing along.  You helped immensely."  She smiled at each of them and favoured Roak with an extra wink for his chastising of Albricht.  She would have laughed at the time, had the role allowed.

"I'm with Albricht and Roak on this.  Trying to save the city from the mushrooms, or establish the supply route all by ourselves is far too much work for the reward.  With apologies to any more used to the underground, I still want to see the moon and sun again before I pass on."

"Let's try the other church in case they're more like the first, and then have a go at the catacombs.  When our purses are full we can see about returning to the surface and being on about our lives."

Voran nods. "I agree, for now. If I can find a way to save these people, I will, but we must be pragmatic."

Roak rolls his eyes. "Yeah, saving the world is pragmatic. Anyway, let's go visit this other church. With my luck, they'll only talk to hafllings."

"Agreed," says Silverglade. "On to the next church."

Fortunately, the temple of the Magi of Usamigaras is right between those of Madura and Gorm, and only requires a short walk to get the the front gates, which seem to be unguarded.  A shallow bowl full of coins sits to one side of the twin gates, and a much more steep-sided bowl sits to the other side.  A quick glance shows the second bowl to be full of snakes.  No knocker or pull-ring can be found on the gates, an no one appears to be moving beyond them.

"What mushroom inspired madness is this? Are we supposed to make donation in one bowl to purchase a snake in the other?"

Roak plays a hunch and, grabbing a coin, tosses it into the bowl of snakes.

Elboc has his doubts that these degenerate people are worthy of survival, but he keeps these dark musings to himself.  But he hopes the dwarf’s altruistic tendencies don’t end up hurting their bottom line.

Gar tossed a coin of his own into the bowl with the coins, and then turned to his companions...

"I'm all outta snakes... Anyone?"

Silverglade looks bemusedly at his companions, before turning to the snakes. "Greetings, oh mighty Magi of Usamigaras. We are but humble adventurers, come to offer our services to you.

"I'm all outta snakes at the moment.  Maybe one day-something about sticks or something...hrm."  Sherborne shakes his head.