Darin tells you that he does not expect the city to confiscate the Lordling's belongings, except as to what may be needed for investigative purposes, but that in this case where even the Lordling will surely be executed, that he doesn't expect much given the orgy of evidence at the maid's house. But, a little money goes a long way in the form of bribes to keep his name of the lips of town criers. Also, to pay for medical attention for his servants. So, Darin tells you that he will give you whatever is left after his expenses in the affair.

So, Darin takes the treasure and tells you to make copies of any of the info you want, and to leave the other belongings, especially the mace and shield as there are ways to discern how items have been used in the recent past, especially if they have been used for murder. He gives you the gems and says there is plenty in coinage to cover his costs, and that you should come back in about a week to receive what's left. You should be rewarded for what you have done, afterall.

He does not know why the Lordling would be taking the notes. (OOC: I may have mistated earlier, when the Lordling was knocked unconscious, his face didn't change, just his pallor. For all you know, he is who he says he is and what he looks like checks out with who he is supposed to be.) Someone like him should know this stuff pretty well any, other than the more minute details. To Darin, it almost seems like someone planning war, or a heist or some other type of incursion.

You have plenty of time to copy notes and leave the evidence behind.

You can also mark down that Rando Guard (I forgot his name) and Darin owe you a favor.

In reply to GM (msg # 251):

Are we doing anything special with HP rolls? I rolled a 1.

Roll and if you don't like it take high average.

In reply to GM (msg # 253):

OOC: Ok -- I'm up-to-date-enough on XP, Spells, HP, Invocations. I need to go look up the extra HP granted by the curse I'm under and write down the skull cap and heraldry papers from the attempted murder, but I don't think those are blockers at the moment.

Fergan thanks Darin and tries to gauge how trustworthy he is about the money and, particularly, the mace. (Insight: 14)

From there, I want to do the following that might justify a fast forward.

1) Attend the lordling's trial. If there is an opportunity to telepathically taunt him at trial, I might want to play this part out.
2) Collect my money and any other spoils from Darin.
3) Check in on friend-guard to make sure he came out of the affair clean
4) Determine if things like wands of detect magic or identify are a thing (a real gap in a one-man warlock party) and, if so, price them to use on the lordling's belongings, including the mace and shield if Darin maintains possession of them.

1) You hear the next day that the Lordling hung himself in his cell.
2) He tells you to come back in a week; you do and he gives you 10 of the 18 platinum and the mace and shield.
3) Friend-guard is great. He has been granted a higher rank. His job is less about standing guard and more about patrolling, with the expectation of ferreting out crimes or gathering info.
4) I am going to take a leap and say you ritual cast detect magic and identify on all the stuff. Turns out that the mace and shield are both +1 and the Pearl is a pearl of power (still functions as a component in the identify* spell as well). The cap is a hat of disguise (you can change your invocation if you have the one that casts disguise if you want), and the wand is a wand of Animate Dead. It has 7 charges, each charge casts the lowest level version of the spell, or you can increase the spell level by one for each additional charge, if you use the last charge roll a d20, on a 1, the wand crumbles to dust.

*Quick note on this, as much as I like to leave flavor in the hand of the player, I have this concept for identify that I am pretty in love with. It is that when you are identifying an object with the pearl, it involves sliding the pearl over the surface of the entire object which traces an illusory version of it, but it is expanded version because the illusory tracers emanate from the center of the pearl. Then you magically inspect the emanations which carry arcane information. You can also identify non-magical items, but you will only get information if it has recently been touched by magic, or strong forces, or entities such as undead, fiends, celestials, fey, powerful magic users, etc.

In reply to GM (msg # 255):

Hm. Ok.

- If there is an opportunity to sell/trade magic items, I'm interested
- Re: the "quest", I think Fergan's next steps would, first, be to ask a scholar to look at the collection of heraldric stuff that I've copied and ask if they believe there is a common theme in it and, second, to try to infiltrate the lordling's estate with my familiar or as staff in disguise.
- My mentor might add information, too, so I debrief him on the events.

Your mentor tells you he might be able to set up a trade, you could also find a magic shop and sell items, but they typically don't give you as good a deal as trading.

Of the items you have, the wand would def be an black market item. He might be able to fence it for you, or he will buy it for 1/4 value, or maybe find a trade.

The other items could be sold for 1/2 value or traded for similar rarity items, availability and rarity determined by me, since some items are way better than others.

You debrief your mentor, he doesn't seem to know much, but recommends you ask at the library/temple.

Let me know what you want to do about items, then we'll move on to library.

As far as I remember, I said you can copy identify and detect magic from your mentor into your book of shadows (in addition to any spells granted by invocation/pact).

Wands of such are a thing, though if you want to obtain something like that.

In reply to GM (msg # 257):

This is going to be unsatisfying, but I have to remember what I was building towards before going forward with the magic item trade. I will, however, be keeping the wand of animate dead.

In reply to Fergan (msg # 258):

Ok -- Uncommon magical items I would be interested in include:

https://dnd5e.info/magic-items...ection-and-location/
https://dnd5e.info/magic-items/item/bag-of-holding/
https://dnd5e.info/magic-items/item/broom-of-flying/
https://dnd5e.info/magic-items/item/deck-of-illusions/
https://dnd5e.info/magic-items...tlets-of-ogre-power/
https://dnd5e.info/magic-items/item/goggles-of-night/
https://dnd5e.info/magic-items...rehending-languages/
https://dnd5e.info/magic-items/item/immovable-rod/
https://dnd5e.info/magic-items...dallion-of-thoughts/
https://dnd5e.info/magic-items/item/mithral-armor/
https://dnd5e.info/magic-items/item/ring-of-jumping/
https://dnd5e.info/magic-items...g-of-mind-shielding/
https://dnd5e.info/magic-items/item/winged-boots/

Names in the URL, but URL in case you want the description.

If you are Rick-rolling me, I am going to drop you in a pit.

I ran a "Large City" Shop from this website: https://5emagic.shop/

They use a "Sane magic item price" model based on some post that I have seen floating around. It is based on usefulness. I am going to stick with those prices.

It doesn't include Xanathar items, which can I can roll for/generate by request.

We can re-roll like every month or so.

You can also look for more items from private sellers/boutiques. But it will take time and rolls.

You can look for specific items through a broker. Let's say a broker will charge a markup if they find your item. You can put requests in with brokers, but there is no telling, if/when they will find items, but they will concentrate their efforts for good customers, or ones that give an upfront commission.

In reply to GM (msg # 262):

Don't I need to know the +1 shield/mace/cap prices to figure out what I'll trade for?

Price: Shield/Mace/Cap

Trade: 1,500/1,100/5,000

Sale: 750/550/2,500

Trade-credit can potentially be banked.

EDIT: https://5emagic.shop/check
EDIT AGAIN: I am going to discount trades -20% + Persuasion Check).

So, if you want to trade the Cap of Disguise, you can get:

5,500(80+roll)/100 = trade credit

There has got to be an easier way to write that.

Maybe 5,500(80+roll)%?

Whatever.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:05, Wed 06 Nov 2019.

In reply to GM (msg # 264):


07:47, Today: Fergan rolled 10 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 4.  Trade Persiasion #1.
07:47, Today: Fergan rolled 16 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 10.
07:47, Today: Fergan rolled 19 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 13.

So thats:

- Shield (0.9 * 1500) = 1350
- Mace (0.96 * 1100) = 1056
- Cap (0.99 * 5000) = 4950

Which equals: 7,356. Posting so I can look at the shopping list.

So, I can get:

Luckstone: 4,200
Chime of Opening: 1500
Scale Mail: 1500
Scroll of Absorb Elements: 120

Total: 7,320
Remaining Credit: 36

And then I can turn around and sell the Scale Mail for 750?

Let's just say you can cash out credit as gold at 50% value.

So, if you never 'buy' the scale, you would have 1,536gp, which you can liquidate as 768gp.

Also, I was thinking on the way home to apply the same persuasion calculus to sales.

In other words, anything you bring to a magic shop gets a base value, determined by the item and your persuasion roll, and you can either get 100% of that base value in trade, or 50% of it as currency.

In reply to GM (msg # 267):

You need to make a resource management game. It is your calling.

Ok, so I walk away with a Luckstone, a Chime of Opening, and 828 gold?

Assuming so, then I think we can move on to the library. Will update my CS at my next break.

In reply to Fergan (msg # 268):

I should stop replying in the other thread until this moves. But I won't.

Ok, you go to the library, let's have a skill challenge. What three skills or other d20 rolls do you make and how do you use them to research? This is where you can add to the story, like, "In the library I spot [something] [somewhere] and I [do this thing] to [be able to use that thing]." I would start with the check you want to use and figure out a way to shoe-horn it into a narrative.

Then roll those checks.

In reply to GM (msg # 270):

I don't remember if the library seems magically warded or not. I'm going to assume so.

I get dressed up in a disguise as a traveling scholar (performance? I don't remember how we did this) and start chatting up the librarian in the way that batty, nerdy, extroverts do (not entirely unlike when Indiana Jones goes to the castle to look at the tapestries in last crusade, but not as angry/impolite). I complain about the road and how I lost so much time due to this, that, or the other (Deception) that I now just don't have the time to do the research that I traveled to do and how I hate to be a bother, but if the librarian could help point me in the right direction to....now I have to go to the old posts to figure out what I'm going here. Have to run to a meeting. Probably look tomorrow.

In reply to Fergan (msg # 271):

Ok -- I want to show back up at the library and present myself the same way which (from what I can gather) had me using my real name and a fake voice/persona.

Given that, I want to go to the library in the same disguise [Deception] as before, pull the librarian to the side and explain that my search is not bearing the fruit that I had hoped and that I need pointed in the direction of the city's foremost expert on the topic of heraldry [persuasion] and access to the list of people who have requested access to the same over the past year, or else I will go to the guards and let them know about the connection of this institution to some of the recent...unpleasantness...in the streets, which I intend to take out by the root [intimidation].

Sound good?

Sure, go ahead and roll.

In reply to GM (msg # 273):

15:40, Today: Fergan rolled 26 using 3d20 with rolls of 2,11,13. Skill challenge.

That's 8, 17, 19 after mods.

Ok, going to do a bit of fast forwarding to get you to Seth, with only minor fudging.

The librarians are notoriously nice but unhelpful, pointing patrons to areas, but lacking any coherent method of finding anything specific. You suspect it is to deter people from using the library unless they are true devotees to research, or possess a magical method of finding useful information.

Your disguise is such that it convinces people that you don't want to be recognized as someone else.

But you prove to be both persuasive and intimidating and eventually you are directed the uppermost floor to a wizard/cleric who specializes in divination, but is the foremost expert on local history. His area of interest is finding ancient sites significant to Boccob. His name is Francis.

He, nor anyone else in the library know of anyone researching that heraldry. But Francis knows that there was a warlord that completely dominated the region, particularly to the north. He tells you there may be contemporaneous records in a defunct temple of Boccob near Luskan. He tells you that he recently sent an explorer that way to help set Boccob's eye in the temple.

He shows you on a map where the temple is. The map is a large platform/table of the region. He then opens a book and finds a name, "Saran," next to which is an alpha-numeric entry (I would have to look it up, but it is not important). He then goes over to a set of shallow drawers from which I removes a marked coin from a drawer matching the alpha-numeric combination.

He sets the coin into a contraption (would have to look up what the contraption looks like) and an illusion springs into being, which is a spherical scene or a young man who looks like an apprentice wizard/adventurer traveling with a caravan. Next to him appears to be a wingless sprite.

The scene moves along with him, always keeping him in the center of the vista.

He asks if you would like to accompany him. He warns that while you are with Saran, he (Francis), will be able to monitor you, which you may oppose, but he assures you that his only interest is research and the mission of the young mage. That is, until Saran is rid of the coins Francis gave to Saran. "Though, truth be told, even by virtue of our brief acquaintance, I could probably manage to Scry you without the aid of these baubles. If your wish is to remain truly hidden, I could help you in that regard. Perhaps as payment for helping Saran with his mission."

(You agree)

He then rummages in another drawer and pulls out a hunk of unworked metal and incants a spell over it. He hands it to you and tells you for the next week it will feel drawn to Saran.

Going to hand wave the intervening time and post your introduction into a new thread.

Also collect 50xp for skill challenge.

You need to add the following to your sheet:

-pearl of power (opaque black)
-wand of Animate Dead. It has 7 charges, each charge casts the lowest level version of the spell, or you can increase the spell level by one for each additional charge, if you use the last charge roll a d20, on a 1, the wand crumbles to dust.
-Luckstone
-Chime of Opening
-828 gold (left over from magical item sales)
-10 platinum left over from Darin

Gemstones:
1x Carnelian (opaque red-brown).
 Value 50 GP.
2x Chalcedony (opaque white).
 Value 50 GP.
1x Chrysoprase (translucent green).
 Value 50 GP.
1x Moonstone (translucent white with pale blue glow).
 Value 50 GP.
1x Onyx (pure white).
 Value 50 GP.
1x Quartz (transparent smokey gray).
 Value 50 GP.
1x Star rose quartz (translucent rosy stone with white star-shaped center).
 Value 50
1x Pearl (opaque black).
 Value 100 GP. (pearl of power, listed above)

If there is anything else, you will need to find it in the thread, otherwise it's lost.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:12, Fri 10 Jan 2020.