First things first," said Eryn, once they had left the orphanage and were standing in the streets of Markhain. She needed to shed some weight from her pack, and had already planned what to do.

"We need to resupply, and then we need to gather information about this ritual and what we may encounter on the way to stop it. I need a new shield, and I also wish to get this vorlag skin fashioned into something useful, so I'll need to head over to a local smith for a while. Ilura, I expect you may be planning on getting some more arrows? We could do our errands first and then meet back up, or we could discuss our plans first so we know what to stock up."

She looked at the other three, each in turn.

"What do you think?"


Is there a well-stocked library or other public resource in Markhain? If so we could gather there.

"Supplies will be a challenge, given that we have little gold.  Perhaps we could sell some of the dead witch's things if we knew what they were.  But if we're going to take on the Overlord, we're going to need some sort of backing.  We don't have a whole lot of time to waste earning an income.  Does anyone know anyone in the city who might be willing to help?  I've tried to avoid civilized society as much as possible the last few years, so I'm afraid I have no contacts here.

For my arrows, I just need a bit of time and to find a butcher who works with chickens, but that's probably lower priority."

I assume that for a day of plucking I can take an ample supply of feathers and that after that it's just a question of time to fashion my own arrows.  Do I need to use an adventuring supply for a knife and thread?

Markhain is quite a large city, so you can find pretty much any type of establishment there without too much effort.  Provided it isn't something illegal.  They would certainly have a nice library or two.


You can get as many feathers as you need for 1 coin, or you can get them for free if you pluck the entire bird(s) for the butcher.  If an arrow-making kit is something you would carry with you, it would make sense to pull it from you adventuring gear.  Otherwise you could probably make a deal with a fletcher to either borrow or buy some of their arrow-making equipment.

Dragging his unseen servant along Hiran was just glad to be back in civilization and out of the cavern. He found an inn and used the main dining area to go through the various items he had come across.

he immediately decided to try and sell the pile of mushrooms he had gathered and then decide from there what else to do.  He knew he wanted to spend more time studying the magical rings, bracelet and hair pin from the hag as well as start digging in depth into the Pit of shadow which would require a trip to the library.  Assuming he had a bit of coin from the mushrooms regaining a set of rations and a few books to bring along were a top priority then all he needed from there were potions of healing though he feared he would lack coin in that regard by the time he had finished.

"I have a handful of coin to spend, but you're right - it won't go far. I guess I should check what the prices would be. I'll go handle my business; let's meet up at the library later."

With that, Eryn set off towards the square near the main harbor, where she knew a few blacksmiths and other traders put up shop for their finished goods. Some were lucky enough to have an open forge in the area, others had to move their wares back and forth each day.

The streets were busy with people, and the closer she got to the ocean the stronger the smell of fish and saltwater became. Eryn had had just about enough of fish for the time being, but she still welcomed the friendly atmosphere and the plethora of goods and services available. Harbor towns always had a certain mix of both local and foreign cultural identity that blended well with each other - unlike other cities, where the neighbors had to tolerate each others differences with the same five neighbors for years on end, the harbor saw folk of all kinds come and go each day. Meeting someone new all the time kept local relationships from becoming stale. If you met someone you didn't like... at least they were unlikely to be staying long.

The sell-sword gave a nod to a fellow hired arm as they passed each other in the street. He was walking next to a farmer with a cart full of produce, and was no doubt present to deter potential pickpockets. The two didn't know each other at all, but Eryn remembered his face from a group of Markhain-based mercenaries she had met a couple of days before. Regardless of familiarity it was common courtesy among sell-swords to acknowledge each other's existence, in case they ever needed assistance. In such a case, a silent agreement said they would also split the payment for whatever job they were working on fairly.

Eryn had taken notice of the guard's shiny new armor, and couldn't help but feel a bit jealous when she compared it to her thoroughly dirty shirt and worn chainmail. Guarding a peasant's cart wouldn't pay much, but Eryn was still reasonably certain the armor must have been the result of a recent well-paid job.

The larger cities always held the best opportunities for escorting rich folk to the next town over. Inexperienced travelers were often paranoid about being mugged on the road. Even on peaceful trips they would pay handsomely so long as you appeared friendly, strong, and capable for the duration of it, and especially if you had a few exciting tales to tell. They could be complete lies, for most couldn't tell the difference. Sell-swords made sport of outdoing each others and getting away with it in front of clueless travelers.

Reaching the square she was aiming for, Eryn took a moment to survey the area and look for a proper blacksmith. Her price range wasn't very high, but she knew from experience that she would at least have enough money to get a shield.

She suddenly became mindful of the blue sword she was carrying, and hoped the daylight would be enough to mask its nature from the crowd. Telling stories of he it came into her possession and pushing away curious blacksmiths with grabby fingers was not something she had time for this day.



I'd like to find a new shield, and unload some of the spoils I'm carrying. What options do I have?

Also, is there anything else interesting going on?

Hiran
After going off on his own and deciding on a plan of action, Hiran searched the streets for a good place to sell his mushrooms.  It didn't take the wizard long to find a respectable looking apothecary nestled between two much taller brick buildings.  The apothecary itself was a single story building with a tile roof.  It had wrought-iron doors and windows and the entire building was well shaded and surrounded by short shrubbery.  The inside was lit by candles, except for the center.  The center of the shop was open to the sky, and herbs were planted in pots, forming a small square garden in the middle of the store.  The outer walls were full of shelves holding various jars and sacks of supplies.  Some potions were even visible in a display case near a door in the back.  And in one corner there even appeared to be a brewing station set up.

"Ah, I see we have a visitor.  Traveler, must be.  You're not one of my regulars." The words came from a squat gnome, wearing a vest lined with a variety of vials containing mysterious liquids.  He had a unibrow, spectacles, and wild unkempt mutton chops.  When he smiled, a gold tooth shown proudly in his mouth.  "I'm Sovek, the owner of this fine establishment.  Let's see what you got there."

Sovek took a moment to appraise Hiran's haul of fungi. "Hmm.  Tuzzlewhisp.  Not particularly rare, but what you have here is unusually fresh!  I could give you 20 coins for the lot of it.  OR!"  Sovek gave Hiran that award winning smile that so many shopkeeps seemed to have mastered.  "Or, perhaps we could arrange a trade.  When you emptied your mushrooms, I noticed you had some jewelry in your pack with... unique, symbols on them.  Magical symbols.  Do you know what they mean? I have a small collection of books in the back, and I remember seeing symbols like that in them."  The shop keep wiggled his eyebrow up and down a bit mischievously.  "If you give me those mushrooms for free, I'll let you look through my tomes.  I promise you, they will be much more helpful than any books you can find at the public library.  At least in the public part of the public library.  What do you say?"

What do you do?

---

Eryn
After heading over to the blacksmith district, it didn't take Eryn long to find an assortment of people who could sell her what she wanted.  It took a bit longer, however, to find someone who could sell her what she wanted at a reasonable price.  Many of the sellers had displays of gold-plated platemail on display, or jewel-encrusted weaponry.  Other places looked to have pieces that were alright to the untrained eye, but Eryn could tell that the quality was poor and the items wouldn't last long after experiencing real use.  Eventually though, the warrior found a blacksmith selling quality equipment without all the gimmicks.

"Ya lookin ta buy or ta sell?" the lady asked as she pounded a horseshoe onto a horse's foot.  She hadn't even looked up.  Her red curly hair bobbed with each swing of her hammer.  "Everything's a fixed price, as marked.  I don't have time fer hagglin.  That's not the way Lady Hammersoft deals."

With one last pound to the nail in the horse's hoof, Lady Hammersoft let the foot fall and finally looked up at her customer.  "Let's see whatchya got."

What do you do?

---

Ilura and Marcus
After Eryn and Hiran went off to do their own thing, Ilura and Marcus were left to make their own choices.  As they discussed what their next move should be, it became increasingly evident that a person from the crowd was hovering ever closer to the two adventurers.  He was an older elven gentleman, sporting a tophat and an ornamental cane.  He even had an embroidered fushia cape flowing down his shoulders.  When he saw you had noticed him, he cleared his throat as if you hadn't yet.  "Excuse me, but I couldn't help but overhear you just now.  My name is Sir Ubir Grandelburry Morteltoff the Third.  Aren't you two of the individuals who just brought all of those orphans into town?  And did you say you were taking on the-"  He lowered his voice to conspiratorial tones.  "That you were taking on the Overlord?"  The elf looked over his shoulders as if he were expecting armies of undead to swoop in and snatch him up.  "You are obviously good people.  Or at the very least, not evil.  I may know of someone who could help you."

What do you do?

---

Hiran
The shop keep has offered you 20 coins for your mushrooms.  Or, if you give them to him for free, he will let you use his private library for your research.  If you use the private library, I will tell you what the magic jewelry does.  If you use the public library, you will have to roll Spout Lore for each of the three magical pieces of jewelry (with a +1 as if you used a bag of books).

Eryn
You can buy any armor at standard price.  And custom gear adds 50 coins to the base price.  She will buy the hide from you for 180 coins, since it is rare.  She'll buy the tail for 10, or make it into a proper whip for you if you pay her 10 (You would have to pick it up in the morning though).  Let me know if there is anything else you want to know.  Feel free to try and haggle if you want, even though she said she doesn't.  It would require a roll though.

Ilura and Marcus
A stranger has offered aid.  Do you decide to trust him, or is it too good to be true?

Ilura's turned to Marcus with a questioning look, then shrugged.  She had no way to evaluate whether the stranger was going to be helpful or not, but he didn't seem like the sort who could be bothered trying to mug them.  And if it meant she could get out of these over-crowded noise-filled streets, so much the better.

"Help is always welcome, friend.  What do you propose?"

"You are straight to the point mistress, that's what I like," Eryn replied. Too many of these merchants speak at length to peddle their pretty but useless scraps. I would much rather pay full price for something that will actually keep me alive."

She unlimbered the pack she was carrying and drew forth the rolled-up skin they had gathered earlier. Despite the smith being distracted with shoeing the horse, she hoped that displaying the rare leathery scales would catch the woman's interest. They had taken care with the knife to keep it free of scratches and to clear off as much of the meat and blood as they could. She was happy when the gnome seemed willing to pay full attention after all.

"Me and my companions cleared out the black caves nearby and rescued a bunch of kidnapped children. We had to kill this beast called a vorlag to do it, so I figured we might as well get something useful out of it. As I understand the creatures are pretty rare, and their skin looks tough. I was wondering if you'd like to buy some of it, and how much it would cost to fashion the thick skin into some scale armor for me. I'm also interested in turning its tail into a whip -- oh, and I need a new shield. That's actually my main priority, come to think of it."

Eryn weighed her coin pouch in her hand while holding the skin with the other, despite already being aware of how little there was. Twenty-two coins - she knew it would be enough for a shield, but she would need a good price for the skin to get anything more fancy than that.

"Fair warning - I don't have that much coin right now, so I will try not to waste your time. Depending on how much you're willing to buy for, I may have to just get a new shield and then come back some other time."


GM: Would crafting armor from the scales count as custom armor, or just regular scale armor where I supply the materials? If it's custom armor, I think I'll just sell it and buy armor she already has.

This message was last edited by the player at 20:18, Tue 27 Feb 2018.

I would say it is custom armor, but since you are supplying the bulk of the raw materials and aren't asking for fancy complicated additional details to be added, you could get it for the standard cost.  Like the whip though, you would have to pick up the finished product in the morning.

Scale armor is 50 coins, plus 10 for the whip and 15 for a shield; total 75 coins. What I can get depends on how much I get for the thin vorlag skin alone, then, so I'd like to know that before we proceed IC. :)

In reply to Game Master (msg # 7):

Hiran debated for a moment before looking back down at the gnome. "Care to throw in a few potions of healing in the deal? Ill be willing to share my research with you when I am done which I promise you is a bargain you won't get from other academics."

Hiran strongly debated testing his newest spell and trying to make this fellow his friend to aid this ordeal but the last thing he needed was magical catastrophe that ended with him in shackles so he fell to classic diplomacy hoping he could haggle a little extra from the curious and unique looking shopkeeper.

Hiran
"HA!" A spray of spittle flew from Sovek's mouth as he laughed at Hiran's proposal.  "Either you have the stones of a colossus, or you are not very skilled at haggling.  All of your mushrooms are not worth even one potion of healing at the current market rate.  Not even half of a potion.  And I am not interested in research.  All the research I am interested in is already in my books."

The shop keep put a finger to the side of his face thoughtfully and rubbed his tongue over his gold tooth. "However, you did give me a good laugh." He clasped his hands together as if he had come to a decision.  "I'll tell you what.  I will throw in a potion that cures seasickness.  How about that?"  The gnome pulled a vial from his vest.  Inside was what appeared to be exceptionally runny grey water.  "Or if you really want those two healing potions, do you have anything to trade that would be worth about a hundred coins?"

What do you do?

---

Eryn
Eryn certainly caught Lady Hammersoft's full attention when she brought out the vorlag skin and told her tale.  "That... is certainly a rare find ya got there.  I could do a lot with that.  I'll give you 90 coin fer the thick hide, and another 90 fer the thin.  I'ld say the thick skin is worth more, but ya got more of the thin to work with.  So yeah, 90 each is my offer.  I kin give you coin, or credit any purchases you want to make."

She looked the skin over admiringly. She continued taking without taking her eyes off of it. "Yeah, this should make some fine scale armor.  I'ld be happy ta make that for ya, since you brought this in to me, if that is what you decide on.  The whip shouldn't be too much trouble either.  That'll be another ten.  And let me know if any shield I have on display catches your eye.  You can try it on fer size.  Fitting it to yer arm is free, so long as you decide to buy it."  It was obvious that Lady Hammersoft was already busy designing an armor blueprint inside her head.

What do you do?

---

Ilura and Marcus
"What do I propose?" Sir Ubir Grandelburry Morteltoff the Third asked, almost as if he were surprised you were willing to hear him out.  "Well, um," he looked over his shoulders again conspiratorially.  "I know of a group.  A group that is trying to do good work for many decades now. But the Overlord's reputation with dark magic has besmirched the public's opinion about this groups... dabblings.  They continue to fight the good fight, slowly and steadily, but must now do it in secret. And it would make things much more difficult if rumors of the Overlord gaining power even after death became widespread.  I believe they would go to great lengths to see to it that the Overlord or his followers never make a comeback."

As the flighty fancy-man spoke, Marcus was busy sifting through his own memories, searching for that ridiculously long name.  The paladin knew many of the names of upper-class families throughout the land, but this was not one of them.  Either Ubir was part of one of the more obscure families, or the elf had bestowed the title upon himself.

As Marcus thought on this, his eyes wandered to a different man across the cobblestone the street. The average-looking human man was sitting on a bench, eating in the shade of a half-dead spruce tree.  Which in and of itself was not very noteworthy, except the sack he was eating out of looked awfully familiar.  The dried dates, cheeses, and nuts he was munching on were also looked suspiciously familiar.  And sure enough, when Marcus checked on his pouch full of rations, they were all missing.

Across the street, the man noticed Marcus looking at him.  He grinned with his mouth full of food and waved his fingers, then continued to munch away.

What do you do?

---

Hiran
The shop keep shot down your counter offer.  Then made a counter offer of his own.  Which was the same as his original offer with a cure seasickness potion thrown in.  Additionally, he offered to trade you healing potions for something(s) of equal or greater value.

Eryn
If I did my math correctly, you can get a shield, whip, and scale armor, then still have 105 coin left over to add to your stash.  You can add the shield to your inventory right away.  You can add the other two when you pick them up the next day.

Ilura and Marcus
All of Marcus's rations have gone missing.  Sort of.  They are across the street, being eaten.

I took the liberty of copying Marcus's roll here.
13:47, Yesterday: Marcus rolled 1 using 2d6-1.  Sprout Lore - Sir Ubir .

'I know of a group' isn't really a proposal...

How about we do this.  Let's go for a walk.  You can take us to find a representative of this group who might be able to make a concrete proposal.  On the way, you can tell us a few things.  Like the name of the group, who's part of it, exactly what sort of dabbling they do in secret and what good ends they name as justification for dabblings that create an association with the overlord in the general population."

Ilura had the feeling that this was likely to be a "the enemy of my enemy is probably also my enemy" situation, but it was at least worth digging into.  In the worst case, she'd have knowledge that could lead to shutting down this ilicit group.  In the best case, she might have a sponsor.  In either case, she'd be out of the bustle of this noisy street corner.  The ill-kempt man across the street waving at her gave her the heebie-jeebies.  She might be low on coin, but she was a long way from being that desperate...

"Excellent! Both armor and whip should be of great use to me, so if you have the time to craft those before I have to leave town tomorrow, I am more than happy to pay for your services."

Eryn carefully rolled the skin back up and handed it over to the blacksmith. She also laid the vorlag tail on the table, before she began looking over the stock of shields on display.

"I'm looking for a decently sized heater shield," she explained, "perhaps with a groove to rest a spear or lance. Although... a kite shield could also work well since it covers more of your legs. Would you say they are very heavy? I haven't carried enough of them to be able to tell what their typical weight is."



We got a deal on the vorlag skin and new gear. I'll update my inventory once I figure out what shield to get.

Just to bother you a bit more - what kind of shields are there? Wooden with metal rims, or full metal surface? Any cool patterns or designs on them? I may end up tossing this one down a ravine too, but if it look nice until then that's definitely a plus. :)

Ilura
What are some of the cool shield designs that Lady Hammersoft has available for Eryn to Choose from?

Also, I am going to wait for Marcus to post before moving your duo's segment forward.

Lady Hammersoft's wares tend more to the practical than the artistic.  She leaves the market segment looking for elegant silver engraving and realistic paintings of elven ladies and severed orc heads to other vendors.  Hers are designed for real battle and for customers who generally don't have the funds to replace or re-finish their shield the first time it comes into contact with an enemy spear or blade.

That said, her work is not aesthetically unpleasing and several designs show signs of practicality, such as exta buckles to allow easy attachment to packs, reverable straps for those who prefer to fight left-handed and even one that seems designed to multi-task as a griddle when placed over a cook-fire.  "I've tested it out.  Makes ok sausages, but make sure you've ample sand ta clean the grease before ya fight with it."

Sizes range from simple bucklers to a full-size body shield taller than Eryn's head.  While one kite is on display, most are heaters or bucklers.  "Not much market for kites anymore.  They's ok for field work an' horseback, but you've got the look o' someone that needs to cut through the odd forest and mebe into a crypt or two.  A heater's gonna wear ya out less an' won't get caught up as much.  I can cut ya a slot for yer spear"

Within her selection, most are wood-framed with a leather cover.  Iron cross-pieces add additional protection to some at the cost of heavier weight.  A few are matt black or polished silver, but most are unfinished.  "I kin paint ya anything that's in the book for the base price.  Ya want something fancier, it'll cost extra."  "The book" is a well-worn tome of relatively simple designs - stripes, skulls, swords, religious symbols, dragons, etc.  A few pages even contain magic-related images - purple bolts of power, a ball of fire, a glowing metal ring.

"Ya can chose the color too, if it's one I got."  She picked another shoe from a pile and went to work on the next hoof.

"You have a very good selection here, Lady Hammersoft. I could tell right away that you deliver quality." Eryn carefully picked down one shield at a time and held them by the straps, weighted them, and swung them a bit from side to side to test how easy they were to handle. "This one here - with the cross-guard - feels very good," she remarked. The black heater shield she was holding covered her torso and a bit more and felt like it had a similar weight to the one she had lost in the cave. "It's a tad heavier than the others, but that's no problem for me. It just needs a few tiny adjustments on the straps - perhaps some red paint on these two sections here to give it a nice pattern - and I'll take it."

She left the shield on the blacksmith's table and counted up the amount of coin they had agreed upon. Upon finishing her count, Eryn shoved the pile of money gently across the table. "That should cover the cost. Do you need me to stay for fitting the armor?"


Removed from inventory: Vorlag skin and tail (5 weight total)
Added: Shield (2 weight)

Between his inability to remember anything about the supposed noble's family and the insinuation of the dark magic put to service of good, Marcus observed the elf with scrutiny, until his eyes found the man that helped himself to the paladin's rations.

"I'll catch up with you." Marcus said to Ilura and Sir Ubir, as he took measured strides towards the bench, not paying much attention to other pedestrians or carts. "If you are in need, you should but ask." the paladin started softly before his voice grew stern "But this is not the way. When you decide to repay me, you can find me near Harbor Boarding School." his gaze lingered on the bearded man for a few more moments before Marcus turned and sought out Ilura and the elf, seeking to catch up with them.

Eryn
Lady Hammersoft had finished shoeing the horse by the time Eryn decided on a shield.  The blacksmith nodded her approval of Eryn's choice and accepted the money offered.  She then grabbed out a container of red paint and a brush from under one of her work benches.  She got right to work painting the shield the way Eryn asked.  "It would probably be a good idea ta take at least a couple o' measurements," Lady Hammersoft admitted when Eryn asked.  "I'm usually pretty good at estimating though, and it isn't often that I know exactly who the armor will be for.  It'll be adjustable to a degree too, in case ya ever lose significant weight or gain muscle mass unexpectedly."

After a surprisingly short amount of time, the shield was painted and the blacksmith set it near her forge to dry faster.  She then pulled out a measuring strip to get some of Eryn's dimensions.  After jotting down the results, Lady Hammersoft retrieved the shield and handed it to Eryn.  "Here you go," she said, "I'll set the leather in an alchemical solution right away so it can start curing.  Then me and a couple o' my kids'll get workin on that armor and whip first thing this evening.  Come by any time after sun up to collect 'em."  It looked like a thought just occurred to the blacksmith and she held up a finger.  "One last question.  Do ya want your whip to be standard, or would you rather it be deadly?  Either is no problem, but it can only one er the other."

What do you do?

---

Ilura and Marcus
As Marcus approached the man eating his rations, the guy began to look worried.  His eyes darted toward the guards nearby, almost as if he were going to call the guards on Marcus.  But the thief's posture relaxed again when it was clear Marcus only meant to scold him.  If Marcus's words had any effect on the man, unfortunately it did not show.  He continued to eat greedily the moment the paladin started to leave.

Meanwhile, Sir Ubir had begun leading Ilura down one of the side streets, further from the main crowds.  They hadn't gotten far before Marcus caught up to them again.  When he did, Ubir began telling them more information about the group, as Ilura had suggested, although it continued to be in hushed tones.

"The group's original name was NECRO.  You can probably see why that might cause problems, but it stood for the Noble Ecto-Curative Rejuvenation Organization.  Long ago they set their sights on finding a way to combine healing magics with pieces of necromancy to find a way to slow, halt, or even reverse the aging process. They have uncovered many useful magics, but are still trying to solve the big aging problem.  And with the public's negative outlook on anything even remotely related to necromancy, you can see why the Overlord's influence would only cause more problems for them."  He turned down an even narrower street now.  An alley, really. Where the rooftops nearly blocked out the sun and stagnant water formed puddles in the street.

"I myself am a member.  Sort of.  I am not one of the great minds of the organization, and I don't have much sway, but I connect them to resources, scout talent, find donors, etc.  I can set up a meeting with one of the founding members if you wish.  I am certain they would be interested in hearing what you have to say, if nothing else."  He paused next to a worn out wooden door in the side of a dilapidated stone building, then turned to face the two adventurers.  "If you are still interested, please, follow me."  The well dressed man then pulled out a key, unlocked the door, and stepped into the darkened room beyond.

What do you do?

---

Eryn
Would you like your whip to deal stun damage (standard) or regular damage (deadly)?

"My spear and my blade are deadly enough as it is. Having one that could inconvenience the enemy in other ways would be good, thanks."

Ilura followed, her hand near her sword and her senses sharp for any sign of an ambush or other risk as Thomas flew into the room.

quote:

12:28, Today: Ilura rolled 9 using 2d6.  Discern realities w/ Thomas.

Forgot the +2 for Thomas, so that's an 11

What is about to happen?
What should I be on the lookout for?
What here is not what it appears to be?

Marcus was coming to terms with what the elf told them. Even he associated necromancy exclusively with raising the dead. Yes, Dr. Krauss tried to explain subtle differences to him a while ago, but he did not listen. But it was the undead that Lusiny, and through her, Marcus, could not let stand. If there were chapters in those books that could help people, it was for the best to hear out the secretive group. And consult with Hiran. the paladin concluded his train of thought, set to have an open mind.

Secrecy or not, the location Ubir brought them to could work well for a trap. Not wishing to walk in unprepared any more than Ilura did, Marcus touched his holy symbol and invoked his goddesses name softly, rekindling the light that had shone through the stone when it transferred to the divine symbol. As his hand left his chest, silver rays raced with Thomas to pierce the darkness ahead.

21:43, Today: Marcus rolled 7 using 2d6.  Cast Light.
Let's go with "You draw unwelcome attention or put yourself in a spot. The GM will tell you how.", seems approriate

In reply to Game Master (msg # 13):

"Ill take your sea sickness potion and the research in return for the mushrooms. I am unwilling to part with possible magic items that I have yet to discern the value of myself."

Hiran proceeds with the same symbols he used in greeting of Mira previously in hopes this alchemist may be familiar with them as a friendly greeting among casters.

He then begins to take out the mushrooms and gather up the reading material and the sea sickness potion.

Hiran then heads to the library to start his research with the books he has just acquired.

OOC: Does the reading material take up weight or count as a use of bag of books? Also what is the weight of the potion?
This message was last edited by the player at 03:19, Mon 05 Mar 2018.

Hiran
"I can respect that," Sovek replied to Hiran's decision.  He was about to offer his hand for a shake to seal the deal when Hiran started using the magical-gesture greeting that spellcasters often used.  Sovek replied in kind.  Although his hands were not as precise as Hiran might expect.  They showed that Sovek knew of the greeting but probably did not cast spells himself.  Not too surprising for someone who specialized in potions rather than spells.

Once Sovek managed to pack away the fungi Hiran had traded him, Sovek went to a back room and brought out several old tomes that would be relevant to Hiran's research.  When the Dr. Hiran went to collect the books, Sovek stopped him.  "Oh no, I am afraid the books must remain in my shop.  They are my only copies.  You can have the information within, but the books themselves are not for sale.  I can provide you with parchment and a quill if you would like to copy some information though.  There is a nice bench over in the herb garden where I like to do exactly that sometimes.  Here, let me show you."

Sovek showed Hiran to a spot in the center of the shop where natural light flooded in from above.  There was a stone bench with a flat block of granite beside it that could serve as a table.  The bench was surrounded by various herbs, such as krakenweed and horseradish and violet grubblecackel.  It was quite peaceful actually.

And true to his word, it did not take long to find magical symbols within the books that matched up with the markings on some of the jewelry.  In the end, Hiran was able to determine that three of the pieces granted magical effects.  The others were just for show.

The sea witch's bracelet was the most potent.  It had an octopus-shaped ruby on the front that would change shape depending on which way you looked at it.  Its markings indicated that it could draw out the power of any sea creature touched and allow the wearer to turn into it.

The ring looked to be made of coral and was inlaid with tiny shells and countless jewels the size of sand grains.  And when worn, it seemed, would allow its owner to breathe underwater!

The hairpin appeared to be a vanity item.  When placed in one's hair, the wearer could alter the appearance of their clothes to look however they desired.  The effect was only an illusion, however, and changed only the clothe's appearance and not its material.  Cloth made to look like armor would not clank, or provide physical protection, or hinder movement.

What do you do?

---

Eryn
Lady Hammersoft nodded to Eryn.  "A standard whip it is then."  Then, with her transaction seemingly complete, the blacksmith went back to her work and began preparing the vorlag skin for Eryn's armor.

What do you do?

---

Ilura and Marcus
As Sir Ubir opened the door, it creaked as one might expect from a door in such a rundown state.  But Ilura's sharp ears also caught the sound of a couple of small pulleys squeaking as a string was pulled tight.  Her eyes caught sight of the string at the top of the door as Marcus's light illuminated the room.  It was probably set up as a signal to notify someone elsewhere if the door was ever opened.

The room itself seemed to be a dusty old storage room.  There were cobwebs all over everything.  Sealed crates, an old portrait painting with a rip in the canvas, a big mirror with a crack running through it, and other assorted items.  Thomas flew into the room, circled around quickly, and came back to land on Ilura's shoulder with his head facing back out the door.  He let out a small caw and the crow's words rang out in Ilura's head. [I saw a room behind the mirror before the light lit everything up.  And there was an air current coming from that painting.]  The crow picked at Ilura's ear a bit. [And hey, look, there is a person looking at Marcus from that window out across the alley.]  By the time Ilura could turn around to look though, whoever was there was now gone.  She could, however, see that the mirror's reflection did appear to be a bit off, and the eyes on the painting looked like they could be slid aside for someone to peek through.  Additionally, there was a line of dust on the floor that showed where some crates were often slid aside.

And Sir Ubir did exactly that.  He slid the crates aside to reveal a passage beyond.  "I will be back momentarily, if the two of you will be kind enough to wait here.  It shouldn't take me more than half an hour to set up a meeting."  As he moved to close the passage behind himself he added, "And please do not mess with anything in here.  It would be in everyone's best interests."

What do you do?

---

Hiran
Sovek will let you read his books, but will not let you take them with you outside of his shop, so they do not add to your weight or add to your bag of books.  The weight of the potion is 0.

Bracelet of the Brine
You can Shapeshift, as the Druid ability, but only into animals with a strong connection to the sea (saltwater fish, seagulls, walruses, etc.).  You must have touched a living version of that animal since putting on the bracelet.  You loose all forms if you ever take the bracelet off and must "collect" them again.

Ring of the Reef
The wearer can breath both air and water.

Hairpin of Fickle Vestments
When placed in one's hair, the wearer can alter the appearance of their clothes to look however they desire.  The effect is only an illusion, however, and changes only the clothe's appearance and not its material.  Cloth made to look like armor will not clank, or provide physical protection, or hinder movement.

Eryn
Was there anything else you would like to do in town?

Ilura and Marcus
You two are about to be left alone in a "storage room" while Sir Ubir goes to set up a meeting with a member of NECRO.  He hasn't closed the secret passage door yet though, if there was anything you wanted to say or do before he does.

What is about to happen?
More people will probably be watching you than it appears.  The mirror and the portrait seem designed to allow people to view the storage room without being seen.

What should I be on the lookout for?
Someone took note of you guys from across the alley when you entered the room.

What here is not what it appears to be?
The room is full of little secret things.  A two-way mirror, a secret passage, a secret viewing portrait, and a signal string attached to the door at the very least.

"Thank you for your time, lady, I will be back tomorrow."

Getting rid of the skins and getting some proper new gear had been the main purpose of Eryn's little excursion. From what she remembered of Markhain there would be many sights to see, but the sell-sword didn't feel like she could afford the time when there was evil afoot.


I'm not sure if I should assume we had time to clean ourselves up after getting back to town - if we didn't, Eryn will stop by a bathhouse or something and do that now. Otherwise, unless there's something particularly interesting to look for, she will go to the library and wait for the others - if she doesn't spot them/someone/something on the way there.