After steeling himself(themselves?) for the foul trip through the rancid water, Morin(and whoever decides to go with him) dives down into the water and pulls himself hand-over-hand along the prepared rope and through the underwater tunnel. For better or worse Father Kyte's spell allows him to breath the awful water, and soon he emerges under the hot Numerian sun. (DC 15 Fort Save or sickened for 1 minute.)

On the pond's shore he finds a contingent of guards already waiting for him, though it seems he isn't why they are there--a number seem to be properly injured and being treated by others or being loaded onto and carried off in stretchers. Nearby a mass of oil-soaked fungus burns--occasionally twitching as it does and being stabbed by a watchful, spear-wielding guard. A few better-dressed people, possibly from the nearby estates, stand about either gawking or helping to tend the injured. As Morin(and company) regain their composure and take in the sight, the same guard who had greeted the party as they emerged the day before, though now with his left arm bound in a sling, approaches while eyeing the pond's water for signs of any more disturbances, "Good, at least some of you made it out! We assumed the worse when we saw the monster come out."

Only a few steps behind him comes a middle-aged woman in finely made clothing covered by a leather apron and unfortunate smudges of dirt and grease. She passes the guard, unfazed by the stench of the water and the violent surroundings to kneel down and offer a wineskin to the gnome--filled with proper wine--and ask, "Are you alright? And your team? Are there more beasts coming?" She seems genuinely concerned for Morin's well-being though it is eclipsed by her concern for the town and the evils emerging from beneath it.

OOC: I'm not sure how much help Khonnir would need getting out of the cave.  If it seems necessary, I ask Cael to manhandle him through the tunnel.

After he had finished puking out industrial waste, Morin took a long, horrified look at the chaos around him, and felt a pang of guilt over his role in causing it.  Still, he reassured himself, it could have been worse.  From the looks of things, nobody was dead. Well, except for poor Mr T.  Maybe if Synn had been alive, she could have gotten the fungus through town without any kind of disturbance.  But a confused monster, bursting out of that tunnel in a panic and running into the guards posted by the water?  There was only one way that was going to go.  The poor kid never had a chance.

Taking a deep swig of the offered wine, Morin gave the guard and the councilwoman a weak smile.    "Don't worry, everything's under control.  Totally fine!  There shouldn't be any more monsters coming out of that cave.  Mr Tentacles here just...well, he slipped away in the middle of a fight and made it to the tunnel."

He looked the middle aged woman over.  Anyone who wore an outfit that nice as work clothes had to be important.  "Are you with the council?"  He asked.  "I've already met Freddert and Kyte and Baine, which means you must be Solantha Olandir.  Perfect!  We need to have a talk with you in private, but first the good news:  You owe us a scroll of resurrection!"  Clearly enjoying the moment, the gnome made a sweeping, theatrical gesture towards the pool, where the others were still pulling themselves out from the muck.  "Ladies and Gentlemen, I present: Khonnir Baine!"

21:06, Today: Morin Matzylford rolled 5 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 1.  fort save.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:44, Wed 05 July 2023.

Cain waddles out of the foul water while helping Khonnir as much as he can. The dive was as just as unpleasant as he remembered it, but at least he managed to avoid losing his last meal. Or he would have, had he anything to lose after the previous dive inside.

The sight of the mess waiting for them outside worried him for a moment, but it appeared that the guards managed to handle the monster without more casualties. Not exactly an ideal outcome of this situation, but it beats having it go on a rampage through the town. And at least they would not have to search for the councilor and the guards now.

"Khonnir may not be dead, but he is injured somehow. We should get him to a healer as soon as possible. And I guess those three would need some healing as well, but that's up to you." He indicates their prisoners, leaving to the rest of the party to fill in the details on what has happened.

Just managed the save. I guess I could have used Twist Away, but I could not think of a way reflexes could save Cain from throwing up.
13:53, Today: Cain rolled 15 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 14.  Fort save (DC 15).

"Well, if I must." Councilor Olandir jokes to the gnome as she listens to his report. She seems somewhat puzzled by the Gnome's claim she owes him a scroll until Khonnir rises from the putrid water of the pond with Cain. She rushes over to the mute mage, now worse for wear after being overcome by the water, and greets him, "Khonnir, you're alive! What happened down there? ...are you alright?" She looks puzzled as the man returns her a weak, familiar smile but otherwise doesn't respond, his short attention drifting off somewhere else, and instead asks the nearby Cain, "What happened to him?"

Meanwhile, inside the Black Hill Caves Cael takes some time to gag the prisoners' mouths shut since the others seemed concerned about news of the Technic League spreading and begins the process of dragging them through the underwater tunnel.

As the prisoners begin to arrive the councilor looks to the party and asks insistently, "What's going on, did they do this?"

Ionaya looked like a drowned fay as her body was wracked with coughing convulsions. She shook, shuddered, and writhed like a wild thing freeing itself from a corrosive bath. She looked miserable and furious all at the same time.

Stumbling well away from the edge, she coughed up more of the liquid offal that somehow passed for water. Staggering over to Khonnir and the others, her lips moved as she softly coughed out something that could have been a spell or a curse.

[Language unknown: Nte tic yinti notmensta ic Oslin leic Thu werillart wasousave her u eeillear nini estartyin. Erepr aring tiooveine o Lathisenc ort ear ect. ]
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:29, Thu 06 July 2023.

After a concerned glance at the cursing sorceress, Cain gives an answer to the councilor. "Hmm? Oh, we found him stuck in a... something. Not sure what happened to him there, he seems to recognize us and can walk - more or less - but that's about it. We hoped that Joram might know what is wrong with him, and how to fix it."

He busies himself helping Khonnir and the rest of the party out of the water, letting someone else inform the councilor about the prisoners.

Morin nodded along with Cain's explanation.  "Yeah.  We did our best look him over, but none of us are healers.  So the only thing we could really figure out is...well, that he needs a healer!" 

With a gesture towards Sanvil and the ropefists, Morin loudly added: "And while we were rescuing the councilor, these scumbags were setting up an ambush!  They killed our new girl Synn while she was alone, and they drove that fungus creature out into the town."  That was pretty much all Morin was willing to say in public.  The details could wait until there were a few less people around to listen in.

"Look, we need to get Khonnir some healing.  Would you folks mind locking up these scumbags somewhere secure?  And careful with Sanny, he knows magic.  And, uh..." Morin motioned for the councilor to crouch down, so he could whisper in her ear. "You shouldn't let them talk to anyone, except people you really trust." Letting Olandir stand back up, Morin continued in his normal voice.  "Once you've got them squared away, I would appreciate it if you could round up the rest of the council, and meet us down at the temple.  There's some important business we need to discuss."

Zorden brought up the rear as their expedition once again made its way through the black ichor that was supposedly water which separated the tunnels from the outside world.

As was customary he then spent a short while purging the foul liquid and just about everything else from his insides and then lay in a sodden heap for a few moments until he'd recovered himself enough to get to his feet.

As Morin and Cain appeared to be doing a fair enough job of explaining things to councilor Olandir, Zorden took a moment longer to pull the things he'd tucked into his dry bag for the transition out of the tunnels and ready it for quick access.

There were guards enough he wasn't very worried about the trio of prisoners attempting to escape, but he kept one eye on them while he busied himself none the less.

Zorden rolled 10.  Fort save (DC 15)

The councilor furrows her brow as she looks between the party members with a mix of confusion, disbelief, and sorrow as Cael finally emerges from the water with the body of Synn. After a pause she calls to a guard behind her, "Captain Langer?"

"Yes, councilor?" a stern-looking woman with fiery hair and finely crafted, if worn, breastplate armor heavier than the common guardsmen asks as she approaches.

"Take these men into your personal custody--the highest precautions for Mister Trett--and no one but you or the council is to speak with them."

"Right away." The guard captain affirms before turning to gather a few uninjured gaurdsmen to escort the prisoners.

The councilor looks disapprovingly at the two hoodlums, but then to the bound and gagged merchant and assures him apologetically, "We'll get this sorted as soon as we can, Mister Trett." She then turns to a pair of younger boys gawking from the edge of the recent battlefield and calls out, "Gannek, Jorga!" and waves for them to come. As the boys arrive she instructs, "Gannek, go to the Otterbies' and then Crowfeather to track down the councilor or Father Kyte. Tell them Councilor Baine has been recovered and they're needed urgently at Temple of Brigh. Jorga, go to the Town Hall where Councilor Freddert should be and then the guildhouse in case Otterbie is there. Same message." The boys nod obediently, grasping the importance of the chore, and quickly split up and jog away. The councilor then looks to Cael cradling Synn's body and offers, "We can get a stretcher to carry--" but is quickly cut off by a stern grunt and shake of the head from the barbarian.

The party, lead by the eager Serantha Olandir but slowed by the feeble and confused Khonnir Baine, then make their way through the streets of Torch past Silverdisk Hall gambling house, The Copper Coin tavern, and Market Square. After a turn and crossing the bridge over Seven Tears River they even pass the Town Hall, where the stout Dolga Freddert is already emerging to join them and even the young Jorga can be seen jogging off to the north ahead of them. Finally, they arrive at the Temple of Brigh and upon approaching the domed portico of the complex Councilor Olandir opens a door to the northern building and gestures for the party to enter with a simple, "In here," before moving to enter the southern building--which most of the party knows to be the temple's workshop and storefront.

This northern building, after a small foyer of closets, cabinets, and cubbies, seems to be a hospital or barracks of sorts. There are ten beds lined up in the room, five to a side, but they all lie empty for now--with the Torch out the town's industry shuttered no one seems to be injuring themselves. Cael gently sets Synn down in one of the beds and soon Council Olandir joins the party with Councilors Kyte and Freddert right behind her. The elderly Joram Kyte happily pats Cain and Zorden on the shoulder as he moves to greet and check on Khonnir while the dwarven Dolga Freddert stays back, visibly happy to see her fellow councilor again but staying out of the priest's way.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:58, Fri 07 July 2023.

"Khonnir! It's good to see you! You had us worried! Can you tell us what happened to you down there?" the priest asks the councilor but gets the same dumb smile he's been giving to everyone he's familiar with. Concerned, he takes a small wrench from his tool-laden leather apron and with a whisper causes one end to shine brightly which he then holds up to Khonnir's face, "Can you follow this with your eyes?" But the injured man only winces and turns away from the light. The priest frowns at the alchemage's uncooperativeness and moves on to examine the deep, surgical cuts on his limbs as he asks the party, "Is there anything you can tell me about what happened to him?"
This message was last edited by the player at 02:22, Fri 07 July 2023.

Cain scratches his head, not sure anything he could tell would be of help to Joram.

"Not much I can tell, I'm afraid. We found him stuck in a metal tube of some sort, in what may have been a hospital, though not like any I have ever seen before. Metal walls, strange technological lights, weird monsters and beasts and even weirder machines and tools are everywhere down there. One of those machines must have dragged away Khonnir to that tube after a fight. Ionaya here may tell you more on that, she was part of Khonnir's party."

OOC: I assume we looted the usable items we found in that room?



Maybe something in this junk we found could help Joram? And if not, he may be able to at least identify it for us.

Zorden watched Councilor Olandir deal with Sanvil Trett and wondered if the deference apparently offered was because his connections to the League were known, and he was going to be cut loose in short order in some bid to appease the League, or if she was just trying to keep him from doing anything overly rash.

Once at the temple he stood towards the back as Kyte examined Councilor Baine.  He didn't have much to add beyond what Cain had already stated.  Zorden did worry as Joram didn't immediately seem to know what had happened to the other man, or quick to try something to aid his fellow councilor, which Zorden did not take as a hopeful sign.  Though perhaps Joram Kyte was always slow and methodical about things, and this was just another such example.

Morin nodded at Cain's explanation, and joined him in laying out the wide variety of tech items looted from both the metal ruins and from Sanvil's backpack.  Digging through the various supplies, he pulled out the scroll of technomancy that had been with Khonnir's equipment.  "We've got a big enough pile of this stuff, it might be worth the scroll.  The magic doesn't really jive with my way of doing things, but it might be better off in your hands, Cain."

OOC: Morin can't benefit from technomancy, since he's using bardic knowledge to bypass the technologist feat.  I know Cain has technologist, so it should be good to give him a +10 on checks to identify tech.  Or it might be better spent by Cain scribing it into his spellbook for future use.

Turning back to the councilors, Morin cleared his throat for attention.  "And now for the other reason we asked you all to come here.  I hate to be he bearer of bad news, but you folks have rats in your house.  Sanny's with the Technic League.  He said so himself, when he tried to jump us.  And what's worse, is that he claims to have sent a letter home telling his boss that there's a treasure trove of artifacts hidden below the town.  I'm going to ask around, see if I can find out if he actually did send a letter yesterday.  Assuming Sanvil's not full of shit, can anyone think of a good way to intercept said letter before it gets where it's going?"

Stepping forward to both look over Khonnir and to speak with Joran Kyte, the airy sorceress replied "I am Ionaya. I was travelling with
Councilor Baine to lend what assistance I could. After overcoming many foes, plants, other planer and otherworldly creatures,
we were finally overcome by many large machine monsters. They defeated us because the double-crossing coward Gerrol Sonder fled almost instantly."

After a windy sound of disgust, she continued, "We were taken prisoner and the machine monsters injected councilor Khonnir with many strange fluids
and drained us of our lifeblood and other body fluids."

"Take care, lass. Gerrol is a friend to many in town and braved to enter those caves twice for the good of Torch. Everyone who goes down there is a hero ... even if they lose their nerve." He nods respectfully and eyes each of the party in turn before adding, "But if he hasn't returned I'm afraid he may have met a worse fate than you or Mister Baine."

"Injected, you say?" Father Kyte repeats thoughtfully as he notes the variety of injectors the party begins to unpack and display from their looted goods. "Numerian ruins contain all kinds of healing and bolstering injectors ... there must also be poisons and diseases." He takes another close look into Khonnir's eyes before stepping back and excusing himself, "Please, allow me some time to pray," and leaves the room to head to the Temple's chapel.
07:54, Today: Dungeon Master, on behalf of Joram Kyte, rolled 25 using 1d20+12 with rolls of 13.  Heal Check(ish).

As Father Kyte is leaving the room he crosses paths with a raven-haired, middle-aged Taldan woman. Despite her fine and clean clothing she appears fairly disheveled with strands of her long hair clinging to her face and eyes tightly squinting even in the shaded hospital. "Another of the headaches?" Kyte asks briefly, getting a nod in return, before patting the lady on the shoulder and continuing on.

As the lady enters the hospital proper, Dolga Freddert introduces everyone, "Councilor Bazlundi Otterbie, the adventurers braving the caves ... recovered and lost--" the dwarven woman nods respectfully to Ionaya and Baine and then to Synn. Otterbie smiles and nods in greeting through her squint, and pauses to briefly to observe Synn sadly, before joining the others to hear Morin's accusation.

"Sanny?" Dolga asks and looks about confused along with Bazlundi.

"Sanvil Trett, the trader," Serantha explains and it seems he is well-known among the council, "They pulled him out of the pond, gagged and bound, along with two young ruffians."

"I never trusted the man. Too smarmy. Too much tech." Dolga notes, briefly flexing her grip on the warhammer hung on her belt.

"I will check with the guild, but there aren't many trade caravans heading out with the torch out." Bazlundi offers groggily.

"But there are more leaving, abandoning town. And they'd be harder to track and in smaller groups." Serantha adds grimly.

"We'll have to talk to Captain Langer, see how many men and horses she can spare to ride north. That is, after we talk to him. See to the truth of all this. Make him narrow down the search." Dolga concludes, the subtle, frightening implications of how efficiently the old woman wields her authority hanging in the air. The other two ladies nod in agreement, recognizing the justice and need in getting Sanvil's side of things--and every bit of it.

As the talk of Sanvil's betrayal wraps up, Father Kyte returns from his prayers and offers a scroll to a member the party--the promised Scroll of Resurrection--as he passes by to Khonnir. The old man explains, hedging his expectations, "If what afflicts him is like a disease, Brigh may be able to remove it, but these ancient technologies are often ... problematic."

Steeling himself and focusing his mind and prayers, he then lays his hand on Khonnir's head. Soon, a light shines from his hand and spreads into the mage's head, eliciting a small gasp. The priest pulls back and blinks, and then chuckles and says mostly to himself, "Brigh forgive me, I should not have doubted." He turns to the party and council together and proclaims, "And there you have it! With some time and rest our friend should be back to himself." He turns to rest his hand on Khonnir's shoulder and adds as another soft light moves from his hand and into Khonnir, "Time, rest, and a little help from Brigh..."
09:18, Today: Dungeon Master, on behalf of Joram Kyte, rolled 20 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 19.  Caster Level Check(-5 v Tech).

...That was supposed to be harder.

"What? I..." Khonnir blinks and looks around as if he is just waking from a confusing, and sometimes horrifying, dream. He smiles slightly, confused but pleased to be surrounded by a number of friends, but soon sadness dawns on him and he mourns, "Oh, Dannug ... they ripped him open right in front of me..." But as events become clearer to his mind, he reaches a hand out for Ionaya and says almost joyously, "But we made it out?" He then reaches his other hand out for Cain and almost gushes, "Thank you, Cain, thank you!"
This message was last edited by the player at 13:44, Sun 09 July 2023.

In reply to Morin Matzylford (msg # 13):

Cain takes the offered scroll from Morin. "Well, if you have no use for it I could try to learn the spell at least. Might come in handy at some point."

OOC: Cain doesn't actually have the Technologist feat, he's getting by with the Local Ties trait for disable device checks. He also doesn't have any points in Know: Engineering, so his use for the spell is likewise somewhat limited I'm afraid.


In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 16):

He nods at Dolga's words. "Talking to the man first would be wise. While he said he has already alerted the League, I don't think he has done so yet. I'd say he was down in those tunnels to confirm what we found before alerting the League about it."

In reply to Khonnir Baine (msg # 18):

"I... don't mention it, old man. Glad you are feeling better, Val was worried sick about you." Cain replies to Khonnir, obviously embarrassed by his thanks.

OOC: Huh. I was sure we would have to go back to find something to fix Khonnir. But there's still the matter of the torch, of course.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:26, Sun 09 July 2023.

Ionaya takes Khonnir's hand in hers and smiles jubilantly while nodding, "Yes, Master Baine. These fine people, Cael, Cain who you already know, Morin, and Zorden, were able to save us. There was also Synn, a dark and lovely woman, who was ultimately slain by Sanvil Trett and his Ropefist thugs."

As Ionaya gently and briefly hugs Baine with tears in her eyes, a refreshingly gentle wind flows over and around the group.

"Well that's one problem solved."  Zorden commented mostly to himself as he saw Khonnir miraculously recover under Joram's ministrations.

"Sanvil composed a letter.  He said it was written in code and that it would warn the League off, that there was nothing to be found, but the truth of its contents isn't readily apparent."  He informed the assembled Counsilors, circling back to the matter of the potentially impending arrival of more representatives from the League.  "You've got it, don't you Morin?"

"Ha!" Morin laughed in surprise as Joram was able to free Baine from his affliction with apparent ease.  "Great work, Father Kyte!  I take back every mean thing I've said about you!"  Reaching up to pat the old priest on the arm, the bard moved forwards to shake Khonnir Baine's hand as Ionaya introduced the group.  "Nice to officially meet ya, Councillor!  For a second there, I was worried we'd wind up needing that scroll of resurrection after all!  When you get a moment, I'd love to get an interview for a book I'm writing.  Well, it's less like a book and more like background research for a play.  You see..."  He paused briefly, as a sudden realization hit him. "Oh, before we get into all that, I just remembered we robbed you while you were unconscious!  There was a wand, a necklace, and a couple of scrolls we decided to hang onto until you were feeling better, and now that you're feeling better, we should probably give them back to you!  I mean, you're gonna need them for your next expedition into the caverns, right?  With a wizard like you on our side, the Canaries will be unstoppable!"

At Zorden's reminder, Morin patted down his pockets to locate Sanvil's letter. "Hmm?  Oh yeah, here it is."  Finding the coded message, he handed it over to Dolga, who seemed like the most security-minded of the council members.  He quickly went over Sanvil's explanation of it's meaning, along with his own, opposite interpretation. "Unless you know a good cryptographer, I dunno if we're ever figuring out what it really means.  Either way, it's your problem now!"

After welcoming Baine back himself, Father Kyte moves aside to allow room for the others and speak privately with Balundi Otterbie while Serantha Olandir moves to Cael's side to pay respects to Synn.

Somewhat overwhelmed by his own revival and still not quite his former self, Khonnir nods to both Cain and Ionaya, looking towards Synn lying nearby sadly and commenting, "Poor girl..." before looking to Cain with wide eyes and asking almost frantically, "Valerie! Is she safe? Sanvil was with the league? Did he ask about her?" He looks to Morin at the suggestion he goes back into the caves with both fear and doubt as he thinks aloud, "Wizard? I ... I don't know ... if I can."

Dolga accepts the letter from Morin and looks it over, frowning, and observing, "Reads primitive for such a smart man. You'd think that'd give something away." The woman shrugs and tucks the letter away before assuring the gnome, "I'll get to the bottom of it, rest assured. And you should rest! You've done the town a great service, but you look like shit!" She grins, glad to rib the gnome back a bit, but soon adds seriously, "And there's still the matter of the Torch. Have you found out why it went out? How to light it?"

"There's plenty of machines that could have controlled it, and may have broken down or been turned off."  Zorden commented with regards to the torch.

"Finding exactly which one it may be, and getting it restarted, if that's possible, will take more time as we certainly didn't see all there was to see."

Khonnir's questions got Cain worried a bit, though he tries not to show it. "I don't remember Sanvil ever mentioning Val, so I am sure she is alright. I'll be heading to the tavern momentarily to break the news to her, now that we have something to tell her. Father Joram, is Khonnir fit enough to go home, or do you wish to keep him here for now?"

He nods in agreement to Zorden's words. "We certainly we did not search the entire place. There's a whole section of it infested some kind of murderous plant people that we just locked away. And then there's the matter of this party of orcs, rats and a woman with purple hair that we heard about. Apparently they were down there before anyone else, and wanted anyone following after them dead. Call me paranoid, but that's kinda suspicious. Oh, and from what Sanvil has told us, Ulreth has been beefing up security at a warehouse of his right about the time the torch went out. Might be worth checking that out as well."

OOC: Cain will be off to see Val as soon as we are done here. He'll be leaving the matter of collecting the reward for finding Khonnir to others.

Morin grinned back at Dolga's ribbing.  "Yeah, I bet. We smell like shit, too!  Or at least industrial waste."

Seeing his suggestion had upset Khonnir, Morin put up his hands in apology.  "I'm sorry, that was a bit insensitive of me.  You've been through a lot, and you're still recovering.  If you're not up to heading back into those caves right away, nobody's going to force you.  Would it be alright if we held onto your combat gear until you're better?  I'm not sure if we would have made it out of those caves without that wand of magic missile."

"Actually, one more thing.  That Technomancy scroll you had: since it's yours, I'm betting you know how to use it better than we do!  We've got a whole bunch of tech gizmos we just can't figure out.  Even if you're not up for exploration duty, maybe you could help us out with your knowledge!"

OOC: I'm hoping one of the NPCs present will be able to identify our mystery loot, which included "a pad with a few buttons and a mechanical gauge on one end reminiscent of half a clock, a thick, wand-like device with an empty reservoir on one end and a series of needles on the others, a similar but gun-like tool with its own, already filled, reservoir and needles, a pair of partially transparent containers about the size of a grenade but with small, blinking green lights and some kind of liquid inside, and a pair of another needled device filled with a reservoir of liquid."  As well as four serums from Sanvil's pack, and a unidentified grenade.  I'm willing to burn the technomancy scroll if it helps, since none of us can really use it anyways.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:41, Fri 14 July 2023.

Father Kyte and Bazlundi Otterbie return from their aside, Bazlundi still looking pained by her headache but now also saddened by something, and Joram nods to Cain's question, "I've done what I can for today and whatever was infesting his mind has been cleared. It's only a matter of time before he fully recovered."

Khonnir squints slightly in thought before nodding and reporting foggily, "They injected me with something ... nanites? I felt my mind slipping each day. I think they were trying to figure out my spells, but they robbed me of them..."

Joram pats Khonnir on the shoulder and assures him, "It's over now, and I'm sure your magic will return to you before you know it."

---

"Orcs and rats?" Dolga repeats before noting, "I didn't see any gathering of orcs and rats, but I did see a purple-haired woman a while back. We get plenty of strange folk passing through. Or we did."

Bazlundi perks up slightly at the mention of the local gambling house proprietor, "You think Ulreth is involved? I didn't know he owned a warehouse, but the whole district has been quiet without the torch."

---

Khonnir blinks at Morin's question, trying to remember what he might mean, but soon agrees. "Combat gear? ... uh, ok, if it helps stop those machines. I don't know if I can help with the scroll..."

Khonnir's weak response finally clued Morin into the fact that Khonnir Baine might be dealing with more than "mere" trauma and exhaustion, but a full-on brain injury.  Hopefully some rest and magical restoration would be able to restore the councilor back to his old self, but until that happened, Morin resolved to spare the man from any future badgering.  "That's okay."  He replied, reassuringly.  "Just rest up, big guy.  I'll catch up with you when you're feeling a bit more like yourself."

Turning back to the party, he dusted off his hands as though he'd just finished a hard day's work.  Which, to be fair, he had.  "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm beat!  Whatdya say we head back to the inn and catch a quick siesta, then start poking around Ul..." Morin had been about to suggest tracking down Garmen Ulreth's mystery warehouse, but hesitated as he realized the entire town's government was gathered in the room with him.  After all, Ulreth was a powerful man, and the only evidence they had to go on was the suspicions of an enemy spy.  That was enough for Morin to start digging though the man's garbage, but it might be best if the councilors were left on a more need-to-know basis.  He'd mention it to the others once they were out of earshot.

"...Start poking around all the fine liquor Mr Baine has stockpiled!"  Morin finished, doing his best to cover up the slip.

Dolga frowns at Morin's slip, but makes nothing of it while Bazlundi nods approvingly.

Joram looks over Synn's body and begins to ask, "Should I make arrangements--" but is quickly cut off by a grunt and shake of the head from Cael, "I'll take her to her tribe; the witches have their own ways." Joram nods in understand and assures the party, "I will keep an eye on her here until you are ready."

Serantha smiles sadly as she turns away from Synn's body and addresses Khonnir and the group, "Are you headed to the Foundry Tavern now? I can gather the rest of your reward and bring it to you there."

Khonnir nods and answers groggily, "Yes, the tavern! Reward? I don't ... oh," he trails off, realizing he doesn't quite understand, but stands and follows along as the party departs for the tavern.

---

After crossing half the town once again, the party arrives at the Foundry Tavern--Cael for the first time. The smell of cooking food fills the tavern which is well-lit by the high sun through the open windows and soon Val pokes her head out from the kitchen to see who's coming in. Recognizing most of the group she begins to call out, "You're back! I have a pot of stew on--" but soon pauses as she realizes two faces have changed, and after a moment registers Khonnir. "Daddy!" she cries out and rushes across the floor to wrap the weakened man in her arms, nearly knocking him over, "You're ok! I was worried! ...are you ok?"

Khonnir smiles weakly and pulls the young girl back into a hug and assures her, "I am now, honey. Cain and his friends rescued me."

Val nods and pulls away from her father, her eyes a bit wet, and then proceeds to hug each of the party in turn with a long string of, "Thank you, thank you!"

"Tell me, Valerie," Khonnir begins to make sure the young girl listens, "Did Sanvil ever come around here? Mister Trett?"

"He ... came this morning and asked about them," she gestures to the group, "but they already left. There wasn't much I could tell him."

"But he didn't ask about you or me?"

"No, why?"

"It's no matter, nothing to worry about," Khonnir concludes, visibly relaxing a bit as he moves to find a chair to take a seat and rest his wounded limbs.

Val turns towards the group, looking at first a little confused by Khonnir's questions but then by Cael's presence. She smiles, having already hugged and thanked the man, and introduces herself, "Hi, I'm Val!" She looks the group over a moment and asks concernedly, "Where's Miss Kalasha?"

"Told you we will find him. He's a bit out of it, but should recover soon." Cain smiles as Val hugs him.

Her asking about Kalasha however got him worried again. "Oh, shiii... with all the problems we had in those caves, I completely forgot about Kalasha. She and Vin left the party because Sanvil asked to see her. I swear, if that bastard..."

OOC: So, yeah, I completely forgot that our paladin Kalasha left us because Sanvil sent an urgent letter for her. And Vin the duergar went with her. We should definitely ask Sanvil about that.

"Kalasha had to go away on paladin business."  Morin cut Cain off with a cheerful lie. "We hope she'll be able to make it back, but we don't know for sure." 

Taking the party aside a bit, he continued more seriously.  "He might have just sent them off on some kind of wild goose chase.  I mean, goofy religious beliefs aside, those two are a couple of absolute weapons.  Even if Sanny and his boys could take them down, they would have been beat to shit and low on spells by the end of it, and they seemed pretty fresh when they came after us."  He thought for a moment, and his face fell slightly.  "Unless he poisoned them, that is.  Or somehow talked them into handing over their weapons.  I mean, neither of them seemed particularly clever."  As he spoke, the gnome's expression grew more and more horrified.  "Gods...without a trained bard around, they would have been absolutely helpless!"
This message was last edited by the player at 02:14, Sat 22 July 2023.

"Right, paladin business."  Zorden echoed, offering the girl a reassuring friendly smile, which was neither reassuring nor friendly on account of too many sharp teeth being much too visible.

He then remarked to the others, "That being said, we should probably come up with a plan for what to get done tomorrow."

"Right now I just want some peace and quiet to examine Sanvil's spellbook. Ionaya, you said you wish to have it afterwards, right?" Cain asks Ionaya.

"As for tomorrow, we should first ask Sanvil some pointed questions about Kalasha. Assuming he does not tragically perish in an escape attempt by then, of course. In fact, perhaps we should do so now, just in case he does come to a tragic end later. Other than that, I am open to suggestions. Try to gather some information on this mysterious warehouse, perhaps? We still have not heard what the Council is offering for going back in to fix the torch. Doing good is all well and fine, but doing good and getting paid for it is much better."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:01, Sat 22 July 2023.

Morin nodded along with Cain's suggestions finding himself in one of the rare moments where he didn't have anything further to add.

At the mention of further payment, Morin pulled a notepad out of his pocket and double-checked the details of the agreement.  "Four grand, same as our pay for saving Khonnir."  Morin didn't care about the money, of course.  A few thousand gold was a pittance compared to the opportunities for adventure and discovery lying under Black Hill Cave.  But...well, getting paid was nice.

"Speaking of pay, we'll need to find time to sell everything we pulled out from underground that we aren't going to keep."  Zorden figured.

"With one less merchant in town, might take some extra time."

Ionaya nods to Cain, confirming her desire to look at the spellbook later.

She waves happily to Val Baine, "I'm so glad we brought your father back."

"I feel we should take care of ourselves, including selling the items, and then examining the warehouse once we have finished preparations.", she asserted with a decisive tone.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:30, Fri 28 July 2023.

"Paladin business...?" the young girl considers the non-answer a moment, but then turns her attention to Ionaya, "You were together when you went in, weren't you? I'm glad you're safe, too! What of the others?"

"Did you say you had stew on?" Khonnir interjects, turning the conversation and the inquisitive girl's attention away from the fates of the others who ventured into the caves.

Soon the young Val serves a modest meal of stew and bread which hits the spot after a long morning of dungeon-delving, robot-smashing, betrayer-busting, and general hero-ing. Through the afternoon and early evening Morin, Ionaya, Zorden, and Cael visit a number of Torch's many shops to sell off their trophies and track down useful gear to trade for while Cain remains behind to copy Sanvil's spells into his own spellbook. Finally, as the sun begins to set on the town and the last of its shops are closing up, Morin insists on spending a few silver at the Copper Coin--the cheaper of the taverns in town where most of the laborers can be found unwinding after a long day's work, or just filling their days now that most of Torch's industry has ground to a halt.

After a few songs to liven the dreary mood in the tavern and a few lies to gain the trust of some random drunks, Morin gleans a bit more about the happenings around town;
"My cousin says his friend saw a monster snake in Crowfeather Lake, a beast big enough to swallow a wagon!"
"Someone died a few weeks ago at the Marrymaid, cut open from throat to gut. Wrennie’s hushed up the killing because it’s bad for business, but I think she’s covering something up!"
and finally "Yeah, I've seen some of those ropefists hanging around the abandoned warehouse on Ember Street. The place is boarded up, though."

Come morning, Val prepares a breakfast of eggs, mushrooms, and sausage to get the party's day started right but takes a plate to her father who is still recovering in his home rather than the tavern. With his share of the loot and the reward settled, Cael wishes the group luck in their coming battles and departs to the Temple of Brigh to return Synn's body to her people.

Zorden had spent the evening yesterday, after working with the others to cart around the goods they'd found under the hill to Torch's various merchants to sell, making more ammunition and powder.  He'd borrowed a work bench in Khonnir's workshop for the purpose as it wasn't the cleanest activity.

In the morning he enjoyed the breakfast Val prepared and wished Cael good travels before he departed.

To the others he asked, "Is the plan to head back down today and look for the source of the torch?  Or are there other things that might need doing first?  I was able to acquire the materials I needed to refurbish some of my equipment, bit I figure it'll take most of the day to do.  It's not absolutely necessary to do today, but if the plan is to take care of other less... intensive business or other activities, it might be worth me spending the time doing that before we know we're going to be going looking for more trouble."

Having finished copying the spells he was interested in, Cain hands over Sanvil's spellbook to Ionaya.

Likewise, he says his farewells to Cael, sorry to see the man go. They really could have used his help when they return to those tunnels. Right now though, he is sick of that place and would prefer to spend some time in the town.

"Ugh, I had enough of that foul water to last me a lifetime. Let's wrap up whatever we have to do here before we head under the hill again. There's no telling how much further we would have to search to explore it all... or if we will even be able to find and fix whatever has gone wrong with the torch."

OOC: Cain would like to ask Sanvil about our missing paladin first and then maybe check out that warehouse? We don't really know if the warehouse is connected to the main plot at all (it could be an unrelated smuggling operation or something), but maybe we could at least case the place, see if there's anything suspicious going on. Might be some cash in it, if nothing else.

Btw, why does Morrin suffer from a headache? An aftereffect from something down in the dungeon, or just a hangover from last night?

Like the others, Morin sadly waved goodbye to the big man.  Cael hadn't been much of a conversationalist, but he had been pretty good at smashing robots apart.  As the barbarian wandered off to bury Synn, Morin set about scouring the Foundry tavern for coffee beans, or any other stimulant to banish his crushing hangover.

Having located something he was fairly sure counted as coffee, the gnome joined the others at the breakfast table.  Rubbing his aching head, he shrugged in response the others' discussion.  "With Baine out, we could probably spare a day if you really need it.  Depending on how everything else goes, maybe we'll have time to hit the caves after you're done fixing up the old musket."  He perked up a bit at the thought.  "Hey, maybe I could help you get it done.  I'm no gunsmith, but I know a thing or two about a thing or two and I've always wanted to see how one of those things fits together inside!"


OOC: Morin just barely avoids taking the penalty.  Anyways, I agree about sweating Sanvil a bit, then heading over to the warehouse.

07:52, Today: Morin Matzylford rolled 12 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 8.  headache?
This message was last edited by the player at 14:23, Thu 27 July 2023.

"Oh no, you've got one of those headaches?" Val asks as she sees Morin fumbling about for coffee and moves to help him steep a large, strong cup of the stuff. "They've been going around ever since the torch went out. Some say it's bad water--Crowfeather not doing it's job--but even without dad Father Kyte's been looking after it." The young girl looks Morin over, concerned, and assures him, "No one'll blame you if you need take some time to rest."

"You're welcome to watch and lend a hand if you'd like."  Zorden replied to Morin's offer.

"Though if the plan is to talk to Sanvil again, you might be better off helping with that."

Ionaya started to address Val's question, but after a timely interruption, decided that it was better to answer later.
However, the sylph is sure to give Val a hug and a smile while they eat the meal Val prepared.

Before Cael left, Ionaya told him, "I am in your debt mighty Cael, please call upon me whenever you have great need. You're a special person and I hope to see you again."

"Huh. Well, maybe we could also stop by Crowfeather's and check if the purifier is still running." Cain proposes on hearing of a new problem from Val.

OOC: Alright, so we first check in on Sanvil, then the warehouse? Or maybe we check out the purifier then, in case someone was messing with it?

Morin shook his head at Val's suggestion.  "Oh don't worry, I'm fine!  And if everyone's getting these headaches, well that's just one more reason to fix whatever's going wrong!"  The gnome's hand unconsciously moved to rest on his scrollcase, which had recently taken on a curious addition from Khonnir's collection: a scroll labelled "detect radiation".

"I say we check the purifier last.  If Khonnir and Kyte can't find anything wrong with it, us taking a look feels like a real shot in the dark.  Don't get me wrong: I'm always down to poke around some magitek, but I'd wager the headaches have something to do with the torch itself going out."

Leaving Zorden behind to tinker with his musker in the Foundry Tavern's foundry, Cain and Morin(and Ionaya?) head up the road to the town garrison. Still early in the morning, the barracks seem to in the midst of a shift change with a number of men and women in semi-standardized sets of leather armor. A familiar face, one of the guards who has been stationed near the Weeping Pond for the last few days and has helped the party in the past, recognizes the diminished Canaries while seemingly on his way to report in and waves as they approach. When near enough to talk he greets them and asks, "Mornin', friends, you're not going back in the pond, just the two(three?) of you?"

"Not right now, but we are making preparations to go back. Right now, we would like ask our friend from yesterday a couple of questions, if you do not mind." Cain answers the guard.

"Yeah, we're taking a prep day." Morin added casually.  "Sharpening the swords, running down errands, you know how it goes.  Is Sanny still in a state to talk?" 

With a tone of disgust she replies in agreement with her allies, "No sooner than we have to, with Ranginori's blessing! As my allies have said, we need to speak to the Trett before justice takes him."

Looking into the face of the guard she smiles and hands him a gold piece, "This is for you and your kindred, I ask that you share a song with a woman or girl you know and offer to dance with a woman you've met for the first time."

"Oh, uh, thank you?" The guard accepts Ionaya's coin, taken off-guard by the unexpected gratuity and the unusual requirements for how he should spend it, but soon turns his attention to the question of Sanvil. He laughs a bit nervously and admits, "I know it's a bit silly, you being the ones who took him in and all, but orders are no one but the captain and council talk to the prisoners. They won't tell us why, but after their murder spree they'll probably be executed soon." He tilts his head slightly as he catches the expressions on the party's faces and soon explains, "They ... found your friend, the orc lady, dead in Trett's room. Poison, it looks like."
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:53, Thu 03 Aug 2023.

"Son of a..." Cain exclaims on hearing what happened to Kalasha, momentarily lost for words. Once he calms down he continues. "You'd think a paladin would be a better judge of character. I certainly hope the Council does not let this slide."

OOC: Well, I guess that's done. Where to next? We could check out the purifier, or talk to the Council maybe? Or we just return back to base for when we are all ready to head for the warehouse?

Morin shook his head sadly.  "We were all taken in by his act.  If anything, this is my fault.  A paladin could be expected to be big and dumb and trusting, but a bard?  We're supposed to be the smart ones."

Turning back to the guard, the gnome forced a smile.  "Thanks for telling us.  We just wanted to ask him about Kalasha, anyways.  I'm sure they'll kill him soon: After everything that's happened, the people could probably use a good execution to cheer them up.  I just hope it's not too gruesome.  Back in Taldor, poisoners are considered the worst of the worst.  I saw one get executed back in Oppara: They boiled him alive, and it took forever.  Put everyone off of their supper."

Morin shook his head sadly, picturing the bitter end he imagined waiting for Sanvil.  Then the moment passed, and he was back to his cheerful self.  "Well, nothing much else to do here.  Back to the Foundry?"

OOC: I don't have anything new to talk to the council about.  We can poke around the purifier if you want, but I think we might as well skip ahead to tonight and check out the warehouse.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:45, Thu 03 Aug 2023.

"Executions are pretty clean here in Torch," the guard assures Morin, "At least, if you can get the torch going again. Toss a man in and he's nothing but smoke before he even feels the heat. The smelters are always careful about how close they get--some men claim they only realized they lost their hand when they unexpectedly dropped their tongs."

Cain shrugs. "Might as well. Could use some rest before me move on anyway."

OOC: Fine with skipping ahead to when we are all ready. All I really wanted to do right away was to inquire about Kalasha.

Electricity flashes across and between Ionaya's eyes when the guard says that Sanvil Trett has slain yet another friend of her saviors and allies. "Forgive the blood thirst in this, but if it were left to me, I'd crush his hands one finger at a time, pour excrement into his throat, and burn what survived slowly!"

She quickly turns to Morin and angrily says, "Stop that! Don't blame yourself for the evil of others! You are a better being than Trett ever dreamed of being! I'd trust you with a sword behind me before I'd ever trust Trett's bound and burning corpse."

After managing a slight smile at Morin she nods, "Yes, let's return to the Foundry so we can make further plans."

Having learned of Kalasha's death at the hands of Trett, the party returns to The Foundry Tavern for a day of rest while Zorden tunes his musket, aided by the curious Morin. Dolga Freddert and Joram Kyte arrive at the tavern shortly after the party's return intending to inform them of the paladin's passing themselves, offering their condolences and their regrets that the news proceeded them. Dolga explains that the crimes of Sanvil and his ropefists warrant execution, but they will hold a trial once everything calms down. Sanvil's warnings of the imminent Technic League threat didn't hold up under ... pressure ... but she doesn't intend to give him a platform to scare the townsfolk while everyone's worried about the torch.

At lunch time the party is joined by Khonnir, who is still weak and near-dumb from his ordeal, as Valerie serves a meal of sandwiches and cider. Finally, as evening comes and the sun is only a few hands from the horizon, Zorden concludes his work upgrading the mechanisms of his musket.

Zorden took the news in stride, with only a slight gritting of his teeth revealing a bit of regret in not leaving the merchant at the bottom of the pool of black water down in the caves.  It wouldn't have saved Kalasha, but would have seen to Trett.

At least the council seemed to have gotten reassurances about the League, which was likely to have maybe bought them at least a little time.

Come evening he cleaned up his mess in the workshop and moved back into the main area of the tavern as he did his best to use a rag to clean his long pale white fingers of the black oil and dirt that was left on them from his task.

Well, there was one more reason for Morin to get the Torch turned back on: once the beam was up and running, they could watch the townsfolk hurl Sanvil into it!

But first it was time to see if the murderous merchant's lead was worth anything, by poking around the warehouse district.  Once night had fallen and Zorden was done tending to his boomstick, Morin pulled his cloak up high around his head and led the party through the warehouse district to Ember street.

While Cael would certainly be missed if a fight broke out, the silver lining to his departure was that the remaining Canaries all seemed pretty light on their feet.

Keeping to the dark shadows of the nighttime streets, Morin did his best to pick out the suspicious warehouse he had heard about, while keeping the rest of the party as unobtrusive as possible.

OOC: Not sure if a roll is necessary, but if it is, I rolled pretty good.

18:46, Today: Morin Matzylford rolled 15 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 11.  perception.
18:46, Today: Morin Matzylford rolled 30 using 1d20+11 with rolls of 19.  creeping around the warehouse district.

Zorden followed along towards the rear as the group made to go skulking about.

He wasn't entirely sure what they were looking for, but figured they'd know it when they saw it.

With the new gear they'd found, or bought, Zorden was moving a bit more quickly and assuredly.  Plus, if they did somehow get jumped by a bunch of ropefists, the streets of Torch were a bit less restrictive than the caves below the black hill which would hopefully work out in their favor.

Before getting too close to the warehouse, Cain casts a spell of protection on himself. Then, following Morin's example, he likewise creeps closer to the warehouse to case the place.

Casting Mage Armor from a scroll.
12:04, Today: Cain rolled 22,18 using 1d20+8,1d20+10 with rolls of 14,8.  Perception, Stealth.

Now well-rested, well-armed, and well-prepared the party heads out to investigate this supposed warehouse of the local gamblers den proprietor which drew the merchant betrayer's interest. They pass through the market square--the few merchants remaining now coin-poor after buying up the loot brought up from the party's recent expedition--as the various temporary stalls are being packed up and their wares hauled off for overnight storage. As the party passes the Temple of Brigh and into the warehouse district and Ember Street it isn't difficult to spot the abandoned warehouse of rumor; even in the current economic downturn most warehouses still show signs of activity with people coming or going hauling goods or materials, large doors open to the cooling air, or lights flickering from within, but one building in particular stands out with no one coming or going and all of the windows and doors boarded up tightly. A carefully inconspicuous loop around the block to peek at the building from different angles confirm all doors and windows appear to be boarded with no apparent activity within.


This message was last edited by the GM at 19:07, Sun 06 Aug 2023.

"Is someone confident they can get a peek inside somehow?"  Zorden asked after the group had circled about and inspected the warehouse in question from just about every angle, and presumably retreated a bit of a distance away to discuss and plan.

"Or do we need to knock and see if anybody answers?"

"Hmm. That sleazeball mentioned tightened security in a warehouse, but I see nobody, and no apparent way inside either. Maybe we are too late for whatever was happening here? Let's take a closer look and see if we can pull some of those boards down."

Cain takes one last look around to make sure the coast is clear before he proceeds closer to start looking for the easiest way inside.

OOC: Let's start by examining those boarded-door and windows closely. How hard/loud would it be to open one up? Are any of them less secure than the rest, or show signs that someone was there recently?

Also, I don't suppose anyone has a crowbar?

"Wait one tick."  Morin motioned Cain to stop for a moment before approaching the warehouse.  Reaching into a pocket for a single grape, he rubbed the berry against the side of his waterskin with a quick incantation.  Opening up the lid he took an appreciative sniff of the liquid inside, which now clearly smelled of alcohol. "Here, everyone have a little nip.  It'll keep you sharp."  Anybody who took the gnome up on his offer found he was right: A sip of the wine did indeed seem to clear the head and make the drinker more alert.

Once the drinking was done with, Morin joined Cain in creeping forward to inspect the warehouse up close.  If every single entrance was boarded up, that meant nobody was getting in or out without a prybar or a fireaxe.  Meaning that either Sanvil had been lying his ass off once again...or there was some sort of secret entrance.

OOC: Casting tears to wine, giving everyone who takes a sip a +2 enhancement bonus to all skills based off of int or wisdom, such as perception.  It lasts 30 mins.

When we get close, Morin's going to be mostly looking for trapdoors or secret panels that might lead into the building.

Zorden took a sip of the offered drink, savoring the odd flavor a moment as it went down.


He intended to stay posted where he was, in the shadows of the trees, where he could keep an eye on the wider surroundings while Cain and Morin poked around the building itself.

From his pack he produced a set of Grippers and passed them off to Cain.  "Try not to make too much noise."  He cautioned unneccesarily.

The party quietly makes a round of the barred doors, trying not to draw too much attention from the other businesses operating on the street, and finds they are securely nailed shut and would take some effort to force open (Hardness 5, HP 60, Break DC 25). They could spend some time dismantling the barricades(2d4 Rounds), although it would make a lot of noise and like draw attention unless they're very careful about it (Disable Device DC 20). However, when they climb the stairway to examine the raised southwestern pair of doors, a closer inspection shows that the doors are only made to look like they are barricaded--they would each open freely if not for the well-made locks sealing them shut(Disable Device DC 30).

"Oh, that's a good trick."  Morin remarked as they realized only one of the doors looked boarded up.  "They just hammered a few boards to the door itself, so it looks like it's nailed shut from a distance!"

After returning to Ionaya and Zorden, Morin summarized their findings.  "Hey Cain, do you figure you could get take some of those boards off quietly?  I'm thinking we could...I dunno, slip some cloth between the crowbar and the boards so they don't creak so much, then slowly work em loose."  He paused, looking through the sheaf of new scrolls he had picked up during the party's shopping trip.  "I've got a heroism scroll here that could give you a hand, if you think you need it.  The scroll wasn't cheap, but...well, I bought it to use it, and clearly something's going on here."

"Ooh, I've also got a different scroll that might come in handy."  The gnome presented a second scroll with a theatrical flourish.  "Disguise person!  I could make myself look like one of those ropefists we've got locked up, then start pounding on that locked door.  If I spin some story about a prison break or try to convince them the guard is on the way or something, that might stir up enough chaos for the rest of you to slip in the back!"

He looked around the rest of the group expectantly, waiting for their feedback on his ideas.

OOC: Since we're not keeping track of basic supplies, I think we can assume that someone has a tool to pry some boards loose.  I'm willing to burn a scroll of heroism on Cain if he wants (+2 to skills, saves, and attacks for 40 minutes, stacks with tears to wine.)
This message was last edited by the player at 19:17, Tue 08 Aug 2023.

"Nah, keep the scroll for now. And let's try to open the locked doors first. Less noise that way, though it might take me some time. Whoever put this lock knew what they were doing. Keep a lookout for me, will you?"

Cain pulls a lockpick from a pocket and heads for the locked doors at the top of the stairway.

OOC: Taking 20 to open the locked door, got enough skill to pull that off. As for the scroll, probably best to hold on to it for when we get back to the dungeon. More bang for your 10-minutes-per-level buck that way. I just wish I had someone to flank with if we get in a fight here.

Zorden kept to the shadows a short distance from the building where he could get a wide view of anyone taking notice of their activities.

Ionaya took a sip of the offered drink and cast Mage Armor on herself.
After examining the doors alongside her companions, she stepped back slightly to do as Cain asked, namely to keep a lookout for any trouble nearby.

After some time fiddling with the tumblers concealed within the door's lock, Cain manages to free the door and slowly and carefully begins to crack it open to peek through. "Oi! Hey! Who's there? What do you think you're doing, breaking into my place!?" Garmen calls out accusingly from the ground floor overlooked by Cain's raised doorway as he stands from his seat at a desk where he's been keeping books. He gestures towards a nearby open doorway, where Cain can hear others moving. With the seal of the building now breached, Cain notices a dull, unpleasant hum coming from within which can be felt in his bones and teeth as well as heard. (Fort DC 12)


This message was last edited by the GM at 21:06, Thu 10 Aug 2023.

Kelaria had been sitting in angry contemplation.  She had come here for The Great Metal, only to find none.  Her situation had also gotten very trying.

So she was pleased to hear the cry go up.  Something was happening, something better than sitting around with these dullards, who were pathetic excuses for me.

Sliding on her carbon-black helm with its simultaneously sleek design and pointed spikes, she lifted her massive metal frame.  She'd been working on the armor, having recently added stout, wicked points onto the pauldrons which she'd smashed off her last kill who was worthy to join her Metal.

Taking up her hammer, she ignored the rest and strode confidently into the paymaster's office, tapping its haft on one hand lackadaisically.

"This disturbance... is there a worthy foe, paymaster?"  She asked menacingly and eagerly simultaneously.  They had made fun of the way Kelaria spoke.  At first.

Morin shot Cain an awkward look as the group was immediately discovered, then shrugged.  He always said it was better to be lucky than good.  Sometimes it didn't matter how quiet you were on your feet, or how good you were with locks, because lady luck just wasn't on your side.

Never one to keep his mouth shut, Morin called back. "...Uh no worthy foes here!  It's just...the health inspector!"  Frantically looking around his surroundings, the gnome did his best to improvise some bullshit.  "I was just checking out this old warehouse for safety violations.  And oh boy is this place not up to code!  I mean, all these boarded up windows and doors, there's no fire exits at all!"

As he talked, Morin realized that what he had said was true.  Barring some kind of secret tunnel, there was no other way out of the building.  He continued talking, letting a bit of menace enter his voice.  "I mean...say this place got set on fire by a gang of vengeful mercenaries.  Or something.  Hypothetically.  With all the windows boarded up, you'd have no way out but these two doors!  And if someone...I dunno, tied the door handles to this railing right here so that nobody could open them...Then the number of fire escapes basically drops down to zero, doesn't it?"  As he talked through the idea, Morin found himself looking through his pack for a length of rope to do just that.

"Like I said, we're talking about a huge health violation!  I hope you've got a good explanation for this, Mr Ulreth!"

Though still keeping up the paper-thin facade of being a health inspector, Morin's real meaning was clear: That if the gangster didn't do what he was told, The Canaries would tie the doors shut and set the whole warehouse on fire.  Even Morin wasn't sure if he was bluffing.  Sure, burning down the warehouse would probably destroy whatever clues were inside, and murdering the richest man in town via arson would probably have it's own repercussions...But on the other hand, that hulking goon that had just lumbered into the room was very scary, and Morin had no idea what other muscle could be lurking in the back of the Ropefist's warehouse.  If they didn't play ball, arson might just be the safest solution.

OOC: Trying to intimidate Garmen, using Versatile performance to sub in the results of my perform(comedy) check.
19:06, Today: Morin Matzylford rolled 20 using 1d20+10 with rolls of 10.  comedy as intimidate.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:19, Fri 11 Aug 2023.

Hearing Morin talking, Zorden reasoned something had gone somewhat sideways.  They were trying to be quiet after all, so purposefully making noise would mean that was no longer the plan, and maybe not for a good reason.

Still giving a look around to see if anyone had been around to notice the bit of commotion, Zorden moved forward to take up a spot next to Ionaya.

While Morin is doing the talking, Cain prepares for a fight as quietly as he can.

OOC: Casting Shield.

When he hears what Morrin has in mind, he raises an eyebrow, then takes one of the picks that were still in his hand and jams it into the lock of the second door leading east.

OOC: Cain's reasoning is that even if we decide not to burn the place down, jamming the other door so that it can't be unlocked from the inside could prevent us from getting flanked. DM, would I need a Disable Device roll to do so?

edit: Forgot about the save, which means Cain is also staggered for one round and might not be able to jam the door this round at all. Not sure how long Morrin is talking though, more than one round?

07:55, Today: Cain rolled 20 using 1d20+9 with rolls of 11.  Twist Away (DC 12).
This message was last edited by the player at 05:58, Fri 11 Aug 2023.

While Morin was talking, Ionaya noted Zorden's movement to join her and nodded to the tiefling. Once he joined her, she paused to speak with Morin when she sighted the person in the full metal suit of armor. "Shocking" she whispered softly but excitedly to Zorden, Morin, and Cain. "I always like dealing with enemies who girth themselves in metal." she finished with a slight smile.

"You're kidding..." Garmen utters in disbelief at the gall of the burglars to then threaten to burn his place down. He looks over to the large, imposing, steel-shelled barbarian he was apparently wise to hire standing mere steps away from the intruder on the same catwalk and orders her, "Grab them!" He then looks aside through the eastern door of his own room and calls out, "Get around them!"

Since this is a bit more nuanced than us vs them, I thought we'd try out going by initiative and see how that flows. So Kelaria first(Nat 20!) followed by Zorden, then Morin, etc. You largely shouldn't need me summarizing results, but I will summarize when needed and act for NPCs. For the first few rounds you won't need to wait on the other enemies, but I will pepper them into the order as they become relevant.

Headache: –1 penalty on all Intelligence-, Wisdom-, and Charisma-based skill checks

"Finally!"  Kelaria declared, though she still wasn't sure about the worthy part, especially after that tirade, which sounded like excuses to her.

Her step was heavy as she trundled along.  She was swift as she could be, but more out of apparent eagerness than a sense of duty.

Kelaria extended her hammer in her grip to use it like a massive pointer.  Garmen... may not have gotten what he thought he bargained for.  The Ironclaws had a very different understanding of "protection".

"I am Kelaria of the Ironclaw, Slayer of the Metal Ones, and the champion of this warehouse because the rest are pathetic."  The last was the most humble boast and largest load of absolute shade ever.

"I seek The Great Metal, and worthy foes.  Who is your champion!?  Answer!"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:27, Fri 11 Aug 2023.

Hearing the challenge issued from within the warehouse, Zorden unlimbered his weapon and then shifted his position away from the building so he could get a better view through the door, and keep eyes on the other sides of the place.


Moving 10' or 15' west, whichever gets a slightly better LOS into the warehouse where the interior staircase is.

Ionaya kept pace with Zorden, following closely at his side. "I'll keep an eye on the south corner of the building. I'll try to save the wand until we really need it. But I'll be happy to add a little lightning to your weapon when I can."

OOC
After moving with Zorden, Ionaya will cast Prestidigitation to create three small mounds of blood-red dirt near the south corner of the building in a triangle pattern, and a pile of pebbles in the shape of the letter "T" between them.

Well, the arson bluff hadn't exactly worked out, possibly because the warehouse was made of stone like most of the buildings in torch.  Still, Morin wasn't concerned.  Ulreth skipping the negotiation phase in favor of immediate violence meant that his people were probably all spread out through the warehouse.  Meaning they had a little time to deal with the big dumb oaf in front of them.

But presented with the barbarian's challenge, Morin couldn't resist matching her energy with some posturing of his own.  "Champion of the Warehouse?" He laughed. Standing up to his full height of 3'2", the gnome's whole demeanor changed, taking on the stance of a proud warrior.  "Lady, don't you know?  You're dealing with The Canaries!  Champions of Torch!  We've killed more robots than you've ever seen, pulled adventurers thought long-dead out from the bowels of the earth, and pillaged ancient tech-ruins you couldn't even imagine! And that's just in the last two days!  You think we're gonna be impressed that you're the toughest goon in this two-bit, half-wit, small-town gangster's smugglin' shack?"

The gnome paused for a moment to look Kalaria up and down appraisingly.  "Nah, you're not getting an honourable duel from us.  But I'll tell you what: It's not too late to join up with the winning team."  As he talked, Morin's eyes glowed slightly and his voice took on a strange timbre as he called up a measure of his inborn magic.  "Beat up that idiot behind the desk, and we might just have a job for you."

Morin is using his Charm Person SLA on Kelaria.  She must make a DC 15 will save, or treat him like a trusted friend.

Let's see... Kelaria's not great at Will saves.

09:49, Today: Kelaria Ironclaw rolled 5 using 1d20 with rolls of 5.  Will.

Predictable. So she believes Morin's claims of being Champions of Torch, but what Kelaria would do for her most dear friend in this situation is a little... twisted.

There was a logic to what The Small Man said, but, unfortunately for him and her both, Kelaria was only big, not so much a dumb oaf, she just had some very different cultural values than others around her that weren't going to be perceived as particularly intelligent.  Unfortunately, the ability to think logically is an absolute curse sometimes.

"You are Torch's champions, yet won't confront a challenge?"  She sounded incredulous, like her new friend had just said he wanted to cut his eyes out.  It was a logical inconsistency she couldn't appreciate, and these seemed like good and worthy foes so she had to help them regain their way and preserve their honor.  "Especially here, in your own domain?  And I am to gain honor by fighting a pitiful little mewling paymaster and his pathetic louts when he would be at your mercy if I lost the challenge anyway?  No this doesn't make sense, you have lost your way.  You cannot preserve your honor in this way, if I were to just act as you bid, you would not defeat anyone you would just be assisted by an honorless betrayer.  The shame!  I cannot let you do that to yourselves, you are too proud and have worked too hard!  You have lost your way friend, you must defeat me and take this warehouse, I insist."

She readied her hammer.  "Please, draw your weapon.  You have to fight at least a little bit or people will think you're ridiculous, and I cannot let that happen to you."

It took Morin a second to realize what was going on.  The spell had worked, he'd felt it work.  But apparently this barbarian was just too crazy to properly enchant.

Thinking over the "logic" presented to him, Morin raised an eyebrow.  "Okay...I see where you're coming from here."  Once again, the bard's body language mirrored Kelaria's own, conveying a sincere wish to help out a friend from doing something silly.  "I appreciate what you're trying to do for us, and I don't mean to hurt your feeling but...here's the thing: beating you up wouldn't get us any honour.  I mean, you've been sitting in this shack for what, two weeks?  Nobody even knows you're in town.  What am I gonna do, write an epic song about our glorious conquest of the Ember Street Warehouse against some no-name goon?  I'd be a laughingstock!  We'd both be laughingstocks!"

Thinking it over, Morin mused.  "I'm thinking this: first, we gotta get you some street cred, so everyone knows you're a worthy opponent.  Then when I duel you, it'll be super honorable.  Does that make sense to you?"

Cain uses this opportunity to jam the lock on the doors to the east. Not wanting to interrupt whatever was happening between Morin and the armored figure, he resits the impulse to thank Garmen for the warning.

20:24, Today: Cain rolled 18 using 1d20+12 with rolls of 6.  Disable Device.

"You are incorrect."  She informed Small Man, but not about what.  Because the parts he was incorrect about weren't consequential.  "But you are correct that I am far from the land of the Ironclaws."

As if being told you're incorrect and then also correct wasn't confusing enough she continued.

"Paymaster!"  She cried out.  "Where is the greatest foe in Torch!?"

While Morin charms and chats with the menacing brute, Zorden and Ionaya reposition and create mounds of dirt. Garmen quickly moves across his office floor to the western door and, after opening the door inwards, begins to force the nailed planks boarding it up free to make way for him. He shouts out in frustration and answer to Kelaria, "They are! What am I paying you for? Just grab them and we'll turn them over to the guards!" He pauses for a moment in confusion before adding, "I bet 5 silverdisks you don't even have what it takes! The other men will have to carry your dead weight!" Meanwhile, the sounds of other doors being loudly forced open carry out from within.

Headache: –1 penalty on all Intelligence-, Wisdom-, and Charisma-based skill checks
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:18, Tue 15 Aug 2023.

Zorden, hearing the sounds of boards breaking, moved over again towards where he assumed Garmen was trying to escape.

He raised his weapon and trained it on the boarded up opening.

"Honor my ass.  Your League paymaster has you pegged for the sell sword you are!"  Zorden loudly commented.

"I'd hunker down if I were you, Paymaster, probably safer inside than out."


Move: 1 square west, 4 squares north (horizontally aligned with Cain's current position)

Ready Attack Action: If Garment busts out to attempt an escape.

"Hand us over to the guards?!" Cain exclaims in fake outrage. "Garmen, you idiot, why do you think we are here?! We ran into your pink-haired friend under the hill who told us all about your little operation here, and your men have just murdered two people, one of them a paladin! The Council tolerated you as long as it suited them, but now the jig is up. You and your men are in a world of trouble."

Cain is not really trying to convince Garmen of anything here, but rather his men and Kelaria. Now, if only the dice roller was more cooperative.
11:07, Today: Cain rolled 13 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 6.  Bluff.

Garmen casts a skeptical eye and furrowed brow up to the doorway mostly obstructed by the steel brute, notably unphased by the mention of a purple-haired woman, before shaking his head and laughing, "No you haven't. And Dolga and Langer would never send mercenaries to do their jobs for them." He shouts over his shoulder to encourage the other men banging on their own doors, "All the more reason to get these liars under control!" And with that, the businessman delivers another kick to the boards blocking the doorway and knocks enough free to clear a path outside of the building. The sound of nailed boards being torn free followed by heavy footsteps come from the north side of the warehouse.

Headache: –1 penalty on all Intelligence-, Wisdom-, and Charisma-based skill checks
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:35, Tue 15 Aug 2023.

Observing the splintering doorway and hearing the shouting of the thug inside, she quickly moves alongside Zorden. “Change of plan, I'm going to try to stop the first man coming out of the doorway your aiming at with a spell as soon as he steps out.” she says to the techslinger.
A swift wind whirls around her body up to her lips then stills, her whole body tensing as she prepares. She stares at the open doorway, ready to cast her spell.

OOC
(Move) She moves like a knight, following Zorden's pattern, to end up standing next to him. (also horizontally aligned with Cain's position)
(Ready an Action) She's preparing to cast Ear Piercing Scream on the first stranger coming through the open doorway Zorden is aiming at.

As Ionaya moves to Zorden's side, the sounds of another set of nails being ripped from doorframe followed by hurried steps come from the south.

Headache: –1 penalty on all Intelligence-, Wisdom-, and Charisma-based skill checks

Kelaria was just so offput by the Paymaster's response, which was clearly flippant and not thought out at all, she simply shrugged and shifted to the side.

"That's not even an answer.  The Small Man has the better proposal, flawed as it may be.  In you go Small Man.  Have your duel."

18:09, Today: Kelaria Ironclaw rolled 2 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 1.  Charisma.

ROFL laughing so hard

The gnome bard broke into a wide smile as Kelaria finally gave in under the combined effects of the charm spell, Morin's bullshit, and Garmen's own badgering.  "Much appreciated.  Wait, am I dueling him now?"  Between the barbarian's strange worldview and Morin's own hastily improvised arguments, he wasn't entirely clear what - if any - agreement the two of them had reached.

Hearing a group of ropefists approaching from the south, Morin called up a bit more of his inborn magic and brought the undergrowth to life.  The unseen gangsters would find their way hindered by grasping roots and vines, hopefully buying the party enough time to deal with the gang's leader.

With that dealt with (he assumed), the gnome casually walked past Cain and Kel into the warehouse.  "Look, Garmen, could you just...stop?  You're clearly outclassed here.  Why don't we all calm down before you get yourself killed?"

FREE: Talk, talk, talk.
STANDARD: Use Entangle SLA on the trees to the south.  The 40' radius should cover all the trees, and it's a DC 15 reflex save to avoid getting entangled.
MOVE: Move 15' north and 5' east, standing beside Kelaria.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:34, Wed 16 Aug 2023.

"Excuse me for a moment." With the armored fighter distracted for the moment, Cain uses the opportunity to jump down from the stairs and join the rest of the party before the thugs manage to reach them. He reaches in his pocket and pulls out a vial that he then lobs to shatter in front of them.

OOC: Moving two squares left to the corner of the building. If acrobatics is needed for this, DM can make the roll for Cain. Then readying a vial of Shard gel and throwing it at the upper left corner of the square in front of Garmen's door.

09:14, Today: Cain rolled 15 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 9.  Throw.

Idea here is to slow down the reinforcements coming in from the north, like Morin has done for the south. Technically, what I described would take two move and a standard action, but I'm hoping that I still have an extra action left from previous round. Maybe? If not, I'll just move now and make the throw next round.

With a nod from Zorden, Ionaya unleashes an imperceptible scream in the direction of the fleeing Garmen, who quickly clutches at his ears and begins to buckle in pain(-5 HP, Dazed.)

As the large steel brute stands aside for him, Morin calls upon his First World attachment to the lands and commands the vegetation to the south to misbehave before stepping by--which garners a "Shit, what the hell?" and "Calistria's tits! Get it off of me!" from around the corner. Immediately as he steps through the doorway, the humming from within the building courses through the gnome's already pained brain and bones. Morin manages a quick glance around the interior of the building--a plain old warehouse full of variously-sized creates--as Garmen struggles to regain his senses and retorts angrily, "You're breaking into my office, you brigand! We can talk when you GET OUT!"

Seeing the brute stand down, Cain dramatically leaps over the nearby railing to land and roll into position to confront the coming reinforcements--but not quite gracefully enough(5 Nonlethal Damage). He stands shoulder-to-shoulder now with Ionaya, a vial of shard gel at the ready and an ankle throbbing.

Headache: –1 penalty on all Intelligence-, Wisdom-, and Charisma-based skill checks
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:40, Thu 17 Aug 2023.

Zorden kept his weapon up and trained on the opening where Garmen had been busting through.

He wasn't sure if Morin's success had caused the man to reconsider or if he was waiting for the rest of his hired muscle to make their way around the building.

"Might keep that wand handy if we get company from around the corner."  He commented to Ionaya.

ooc: Continuing to keep a ready attack action targeting Garmen if he steps out of the building clear of cover, or it appears he's giving up trying to escape.

Grouping everyone together in Initiative so we can go back to running a bit more smoothly. Post when able rather than waiting your turn.

The footsteps from the north turn the corner--a pair of ropefists decked in newer and better-made armor than the others you've encountered--and immediately halt and duck into cover at the sight of they party lined up and a musket levelled at the ready. One tugs free a sling from his belt and nods to his companion. Behind them a small crowd of onlookers is already beginning to gather across the street at the sounds of shouting and busting barricades.

To the south, two more ropefists emerge looking around the corner of the building, although they are less holding back strategically than they are simply being held back by grasping grass.

Garmen continues to hold his ears and fight to regain his composure as Ionaya's magic scream finally begins to fade away. (Dazed condition wears off.)

Headache: –1 penalty on all Intelligence-, Wisdom-, and Charisma-based skill checks
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:12, Thu 17 Aug 2023.

"Not exactly my best landing." Cain says as he hobbles over to join the rest of the party after his less than perfect landing. He throws the vial he was holding, shattering it in front of the doors before finally drawing his sword.

Throwing vial at upper-left corner of the square in front of the door. Drawing weapon, 5' step north.

"Shelyn's eyes, that's unpleasant!"  Morin exclaimed as the tooth-wiggling vibrations hit him full force. "And you people have been spending all day in here listening to this?"  He turned to Kelaria, shaking his head in disgust.  "You can't expect me to duel in these conditions!  Say, you've been here a while, do you know where that awful humming sound is coming from?"

STANDARD?: Charisma check, (assuming Kelaria wouldn't willingly help find the tooth-wiggler.)

09:23, Today: Morin Matzylford rolled 10 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 6.  Opposed charisma check.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:29, Thu 17 Aug 2023.

Seeing the ropefists, Zorden took a step to his left, which would shield him partially from the gang members while still giving him a clear shot at the doorway Garmen was lingering at.

ooc: 5' step west

Maintaining ready attack action: If Garmen steps out of the building and clear of cover

While Morin tries to speak with Garmen's hired muscle, Zorden takes cover, and Cain lays down alchemical caltrops Ionaya stands uncertain in the middle of the wide alley.

Ropefists from the south continue to struggle against the reaching and grasping grass slowing them down while one ropefist from the north draws and loads his sling and the other loads and launches his bullet at Ionaya--beaning her solidly in the chest(-5 HP) though the sorceress is much tougher than she looks.

Garmen, finally recovering from the storm witch's piercing scream, looks up with a devilish grin to Morin as he draws a vial from a pouch at his side, pops the cork sealing it, and then flings his head back to down it in a quick swig--immediately vanishing from sight.

The red spot on the map is the three mounds and stone 't' Ionaya made with Prestidigitation. I have no idea if it had any kind of purpose, but the ropefists are about as close as they will get.

Headache: –1 penalty on all Intelligence-, Wisdom-, and Charisma-based skill checks

After some consideration, Kelaria thought it might be wise to attend the item.  After all no one else was going to do it.

"I should secure that."  She answered simply, like it was very matter of fact to her, because it was.  Despite the din and hullabaloo around her, Kelaria just wasn't concerned yet as she casually walked toward the crate they were all supposed to guard.

09:16, Today: Kelaria Ironclaw rolled 9 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 8.  Charisma.

They're not exactly in conflict over the idea, but I wanted to see how that resolved.

Sorry last week was crazy, thought I posted this Thursday ...but I did not lol.

After Garmen's dramatic disappearance and Kelaria's more casual exit, Morin shrugged and returned to the rest of the Canaries.  If Garmen had any brains he'd use the invisibility to make his exit, but Morin suspected the crime boss was still dedicated to defending his warehouse to the death.

Hopping down the railing to the stairs, Morin dusted himself off.  Addressing the others with mock solemnity, he declared: "Gentlemen, Ionaya.  I don't mean to alarm anyone, but I think we might be involved in some kind of fight!"  Raising his voice loud enough to be heard by the steadily gathering crowd, he continued.  "It looks like we've got no choice but to do some violent and distressing things to them, in a case of completely legal self defense!"

MOVE: Move a total of two squares left and two squares down, jumping from the balcony. Draw hypogun as part of movement.
STANDARD: Begin inspiring courage: +1 to attack, damage, and saves vs fear.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:04, Sat 19 Aug 2023.

"Right."  Zorden stated in agreement with Morin.

"Your criminal boss has fled!"  He informed the ropefists.

Zorden then outlined the situation for them.  "You continue this, maybe you end up in jail with the other rope guys the council arrested yesterday, maybe you never make it that far.  What you don't do, is win."


ooc: continuing to keep a ready Attack Action.  If one of the ropefists attack, Zorden will try to shoot them (so long as their position doesn't give them total coverage
This message was last edited by the player at 21:49, Sat 19 Aug 2023.

Once Morin joins them outside, Cain smashes another vial against the jammed doors at the stairway, in case someone follows after him. "We figured as much once they started shooting at us. The ones to the north prefer to hold position and take potshots at us rather then charge us to get cut down. Most inconsiderate of them. Might be best to rush them before the others untangle themselves. Where is Garmen anyway?

5' step to the south, ready another shard get and throw it at the lower corner of the doors leading east to cover the two top squares of the stairway in shards.

"Hmm?"  Morin raised an eyebrow at Cain's question.  "Oh, he's invisible and probably about to stab you."

As Morin rejoins the others and begins his characteristic jests, hopping down from the nearby stairway with gnomish grace, Cain tosses another vial of alchemical caltrops to block off the doors at the top of the stairs and Ionaya moves into cover. Zorden calls out a threat to the attacking ropefists from the north which seems to make them think twice about continuing their attack until whispers of unseen origin  steel their resolve.

In turn they let loose sling bullets at the exposed Cain--the first provoking a loud, fiery retaliatory shot from Zorden and his newly improved musket. In the exchange of lead one nearly hits Cain, only barely being deflected by his magical wards, while Zorden's bullet strikes the Ropefist across the way with a glancing blow to the shoulder(-3 HP). The sudden flurry of violence and the painful report or Zorden's musket sends onlookers downrange fleeing and birds in the nearby trees to the skies--everyone in Torch is now aware of the party's conflict.

The ropefists to the south continue their struggle against the overgrowth of grass and vines grasping at their limbs and their slow trudge towards the fight.

Headache: –1 penalty on all Intelligence-, Wisdom-, and Charisma-based skill checks
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:47, Mon 21 Aug 2023.

Zorden kept himself tucked behind the building he was standing against, and began to reload.

Ionaya shook her head to clear her thoughts, the stone that struck her igniting her anger.
"You!" she shouts at the thug who hit her, her voice booming with thunder, "Taste my lightning!"
Her eyes crackled with energy as she pointed her rod at her attacker and sent lightning towards him.

OOC
Using the Reach metamagic rod, Ionaya casts Shocking Grasp at the ropefist who struck her.
Ionaya rolled 23 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 20.  Shocking Grasp vs Touch AC.
Ionaya rolled 15 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 12.  Confirm Critical Hit.

Shocking Grasp damage 4d6 (3d6 base, +1d6 for Aeromantic Affinity)
Ionaya rolled 13 using 4d6 with rolls of 6,1,5,1.  Shocking Grasp (base).
Ionaya rolled 15 using 4d6 with rolls of 6,5,1,3.  Shocking Grasp (crit).

Total 28 HP damage.

(Note, attack rolls do not include "+3 bonus on attack rolls if the opponent is wearing metal armor").

"Whoa!"  Morin called out in surprise as Ionaya fried one of the attacking ropefists.  "Hell yeah!  That'll teach 'em!"

Pressing his new hypogun (which was also a very old hypogun) against the back of Cain's leg, he injected the half-elf with a dose of healing nanobots.  Or at least he tried to: in practice, most of the medicine wound up spraying sideways though a faulty seal and Cain only received a partial dose.

STANDARD: Use nanite hypogun on Cain.  rolled a 44 for glitches, resulting in a minimum dose.
FREE: maintain inspire courage

15:29, Today: Morin Matzylford rolled 3,3,44 using 1d8+1,1d100,1d100 with rolls of 2,3,44.  nanite gun on Cain.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:52, Tue 22 Aug 2023.

Kelaria didn't sweat it, the important thing right now was to secure what she'd been paid to guard.  After all it had to be important.  She still was in no hurry, it was right there after all.

Jumpy even at the best of times, Cain flinches away from the hypogun before realizing Morin was trying to heal him, resulting in even less medicine being administered. "Sorry."

Leaving his side, Cain heads to the edge of the entangled area, draws a pinch of colored sand from his pouch and throws it at the approaching thugs. With an arcane gesture, the sand turns into a vivid cone of clashing colors that washes over the thugs.

Cain also has a trait that reduces healing from allies by 1 point.

Move 1 square left and 3 down, casting Color Spray down.

Zorden begins the process of reloading his musket as Morin attempts to inject Cain with healing nanites--although most of the nanites seem to spill from the sides of the needle as the hypogun acts up from disuse and his subject recoils at his touch(-1 Nonlethal Damage.)

After a moment stewing in her anger at being targetted by the ropefists, the vengeful Ionaya steps out into the alley to shout at her offender. Her shouts, however, are quickly drowned out by the surge of lighting and thunder leaping from her copper rod and to the overly confident hireling. Several loud, rapid screams of high-pitched electrical discharge fill the air in a disturbing harmony with the victim's own, short scream of pain and terror (Link) as his body's muscles seize up briefly before he bursts into a flash of blue flame. When the brief symphony of violent light and noise finally passes, the ropefist fall back--now a stiffed, charred husk of ash and smoke. His friend from across the alleyway shouts in disbelief, "Gram! Shit! Gram!" before ducking low to avoid any more possible bullets and running across the way to try to tend to his fallen friend. Now unseen by the party, the man begins to shout, "They killed him! Shit! Get the guards! Where are the guards!?"

Moving to address the threat coming from the south, Cain sends a cloud of overwhelming arcane colors to engulf the two ropefists. The one in the lead succumbs to the magic of the colors and immediately falls face-first, almost lifelessly, into the animated, grasping grass where he is soon engulfed and lost to sight. The second man, seeing the horrible display of lightning an thunder ahead and his friend being dragged below, looks up to Cain wide-eyed for a brief moment before shaking his head(Link) and turning around to flee back to the corner of the building--still tearing his feet free from grass with every step.
End of combat, although Garmen may still be around, unless you want to press the assault...


Headache: –1 penalty on all Intelligence-, Wisdom-, and Charisma-based skill checks
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:55, Tue 22 Aug 2023.

Seeing that Ionaya's display of raw killing power had finally knocked some sense into the remaining gangsters, Morin went to give the sorceress a high-five infused with healing magic.  "Good shooting, Ionaya.  Cain, Zed, you guys did great too.  Now, uh..." He gestured to the south doors, now smashed open by the overeager ropefists.  "Whaddya say we go take a look?  I'm thinking things might play better with the pigs if we've got something to show them when they get here."

Morin dismissed his entanglement, clearing the way to the doors and allowing the trapped Ropefist to escape.  As the panicked thug scrambled for safety, the bard tipped his hat in polite acknowledgement.  "And a good evening to you, sir!"

09:21, Today: Morin Matzylford rolled 8 using 1d8+3 with rolls of 5.  clw ionaya.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:47, Tue 22 Aug 2023.

"Right."  Zorden replied simply to Morin's suggestion.

He re-slung his weapon and headed for the formerly boarded up opening to see what was inside, and hope it was incriminating enough to justify all the trouble of getting inside to take a look.

Kelaria was not quite yet herself, but had it in mind it was very important she guard it.  She still wasn't in a hurry, per se, but was more devoted to retrieving their objective.  She continued along the catwalk, searching for the ladder.

"Well, that escalated quickly." Cain comments as the stench of burned flesh reaches him.

"Here's hoping we actually find something incriminating in there, otherwise I am not sure how we are going to spin this mess to the guards. Just wait a few moments for the shards to melt before going inside. Oh, and stay sharp in case Garmen is still around."

Before they proceed, Cain takes the weapon off the unconscious ropefist.

After waiting for the alchemical caltrops to dissolve, dismissing the spell motivating the vegetation to the south, and disarming the blind, stunned, and unconscious ropefist of his sling, some of the party complete the 'entering' part of 'Breaking and Entering' and are overcome by the obnoxious hum from within(DC 12 Fort Save if it is your first time inside.) Inside the charmed, hulking hireling stands on the southern catwalk of the warehouse's main room overlooking an unassuming crate among many. Following the hum leads to that same crate.

Meanwhile outside, as the panicking ropefist to the north continues to call, a number of guards begin to converge on the ruckus. "Thieves!" the ropefist accuses as he hovers by the charred corpse of his friend, "Murderers! They broke into Mr. Ulreth's warehouse and threatened us! We tried to stop them, but they killed Gram!" Spotting Ionaya still hovering near her kill, one of the guards levels his spear and demands, "Drop the weapon! Explain yourself!"

"Well that was fast."  Morin muttered with some irritation as he heard the commotion outside the building.  "It's the middle of the night, and like a minute after we open Garmen's door, there's a whole squad of town guards outside?  What is there, a donut shop across the street?"

He paused, rubbing his chin in thought.  "Do you have donuts in Numeria?  They're like little rings of sugared dough, really popular in Taldor right now.  I guess this far inland, it would be harder to import the sugar, so the best you could do would be...bagels?  What do watchmen eat on night shift around these parts?"

Remembering the task at hand, Morin nodded cheerfully to Kelaria.  "Oh, you found it!  Great work, buddy.  But obviously the warehouse isn't a secure place for it anymore.  I mean, all the doors are busted off and everyone else guarding it has either run off, died, or is completely hysterical.  Why don't you pick that bad boy up, and we can haul it back to the town hall for safekeeping?"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:28, Mon 28 Aug 2023.

Zorden wondered if there were enough guards around that making their way back would be that easy.

"Should we know what's inside?  Might be dangerous to move through the town."  Zorden asked, adding that last bit in case the once hired, now likely fired, enforcer for Garmen, might have some notion against opening the crate.

Zorden rolled 18.  Fort save

The two actually had the same idea, though perhaps quite different in details and intent, but this item was Kelaria's proof of duty.

"I hear loud fools.  I've no time for their ilk."  Now Kelaria was in a hurry, at least to the extent her heavy shell would allow.  She sought egress from this building on the side furthest from the yelling fools.  They offered no good battle and were just annoying to deal with.

Ionaya straightens to her full height and looks the guard directly in his eyes. As the rod drops with her hand to her side, she says to the guard, "I and my friends came to speak with Councillor Ulreth. When we got here, these ropefist thugs were lurking around and attacked us before I could get a good look. These horrible thugs wounded me, so I defended myself. The magic that runs through my blood called me to protect myself and my allies. Would you have me do any less!!?" she asks righteously.

Cain does his best to back up Zorden and Ionaya. "Right, we were here to investigate murders of two of our party members, murders in which this gang was implicated. And we were not first to use weapons. So, before anything else, I'd suggest we all first take a closer look at what is so important about this warehouse to require disguising it as abandoned and then attacking anyone interested in it."

OOC: I am just hoping there is some major contraband in there.

While Cain and Ionaya talked to the guards outside, Morin interposed his tiny body in between Kelaria and the door to stop her from leaving. "No.  Actually you do have time for them."  Though he might not have been clear about what he was trying to do, Morin had no intention to sneak the tooth-wiggler out the back door and escape from the guards.  And he wasn't about to let the big barbarian do it, either.

With a sigh, Morin released Kelaria from his enchantment.  The fight was over and the guards were here, meaning he couldn't really justify the force involved in mind control any longer.  "Okay, look."  He implored the giant woman, dropping the buddy-buddy act and speaking more seriously.  "The fight's over.  Your side lost.  There's no dishonor in that: You got magicked, it happens.  But now we all gotta go downtown and explain ourselves to the local magistrate.  That gizmo you've got in the box is coming too."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:48, Fri 25 Aug 2023.

Kelaria cradled the awkward crate.  She was, well miffed.  Getting her angry took something else, that was just annoying.  Clearly the furry hairball did not know The Law of The Tribes.

"No victory unearned by a contest of arms is a victory.  Now out of the way Small Man.  This is my charge, as I have not been recompensed by the paymaster who has a year and a day to claim it.  Or if he has perished his son may challenge me for it, and even the bone-gnawers of the dustlands would recognize that.  There is no Metal in this."

"Well, if the guards see you walking off with that, you'll probably get the fight you've been looking for."  Zorden commented.

"And you won't be getting away quietly given the noise that thing is making.  How much does Garmen owe you anyway?"  He asked.

"Bah, they do not fight properly."  Kelaria complained.  "They always send all their number, and claim right not by might but by some esoteric authority.  It is deplorable and weak.  They have no Metal greater than my own, it is not a worthwhile fight."

She gave a surpisingly straight answer to the question however.  "Three of the standard pieces of the Gold Metal.  Or, I suppose, a goat."

She hadn't quit moving.  She found the nearest spot out, doors be damned, she'd make a door.

As he waited to see if the metal clad warrior would need to bust down a wall, Zorden further inquired.  "So if the guards try to stop you, dishonorably as their method may be, what exactly is your plan?"

He didn't bother asking any more about the payment owed as he assumed she wasn't so mercenary as to have her obligations bought out by another bidder.  She'd been going on too much about honor and such for that.

"To prevent that from ever happening, rendering the whole consideration moot."

Kelaria picked the most vulnerable spot in the structure, be it a ready made door, expedient window or thin, cracked wall, and made to exploit post haste.

"These are MY men, this is MY warehouse, and these adventurers picked open a locked door, barged in, and made threats," Garmen accuses as he steps outside from the nearby doorway after clearly having once again made his way inside. "I told my men to grab them to turn over to you, but that one"--he points directly at Ionaya--"attacked first, some witch hex at me."

"We're just doing our jobs and she killed Gram! We're supposed to be here; they came at us with guns and thunder!" The ropefist pleads with the guard as he continues to kneel over his well-done friend.

Still pointing his spear, the guard repeats his demand to Ionaya, "I said drop the weapon!" He then looks to Cain and shakes his head, "We got the men who murdered your friend, you can't just go around hunting down every ropefist for being in the same club! And what does Mister Ulreth have to do with any of it?"

"Nothing!" Garmen answers immediately, holding up his hands innocently as he explains, "This is just my office and side business trading in magical artifacts. Things too pricey to be on display in a shop ... boarding up the extra doors is a simple security measure. Hiring reliable, competent, and local men as guards is no crime!"

More guards begin to arrive, some kneeling down to console the man kneeling over his friend, some falling behind and backing up the first responder, others begin to move about the building to investigate the scene--one hurrying to help the downed ropefist although by now he is only blinded.

---

From the inside of the warehouse Morin and Zorden can see that the doors of the building all open inward and are still in fine working order--the planks boarding them up were nailed into the door frames from the outside and were easily pushed loose by Ulreth's men with the aid of some crowbars--which now lay discarded near the exits.

The greater warehouse floor is filled with wooden crates, though a simple nudge to most of them reveals they are generally empty and only for show. The crate which the large guard has taken an interest in, however, seems to be fairly heavy. An otherwise unassuming crate nearly five feet in each dimension, it is indistinguishable from all the others apart from the humming in your teeth which serves as a dowsing rod to lead you directly to it. Although being bulky and weighing almost 2 Morins, a woman Kelaria's size could manage to carry it across town--if she's not delicate about it.

And Kelaria was not being delicate about it as she hoisted it up and started to walk it out.  She was taking this as security on her pay since this whole thing had gone decidedly pear shaped.  It seemed the... least unsavory option.

"Over here, officer!" Morin called cheerfully as he leaned out a doorway to wave at one of the watchmen swarming the crime scene.  "Don't worry, I can explain everything!  The situation got a little messy, but I assure you that all our actions were legitimate and legal.  But before I get into it, I could use a little help convincing this big palooka not to scamper off with all the evidence!"

For Morin's part, this wasn't some kind of trick or distraction.  He was totally convinced he could talk his way out of any potential murder charges.  The breaking and entering would be a bit trickier, but he gave himself pretty good odds.  At least, he could get it down to simple trespassing, assuming Numerian laws were anything like the ones back in Taldor.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:25, Fri 01 Sept 2023.

Cain snorts at Garmen's explanation on the reason why he was here. "Riiight, you are just a honest gambling den owner with an office in a boarded-up building surrounded by a gang of thugs. Nothing suspicious here at all. Well, for our part we were looking into why a gang that may be involved in whatever has happened to the torch and that has already murdered two of our friends was mucking around this building. For rather obvious reasons we thought it abandoned until we found this bunch lurking inside, and have not even set a foot inside it before they drew weapons, came at us outside and started shooting. We did not fire the first or the second shot here, and we did not drew first blood either."
This message was last edited by the player at 10:53, Thu 31 Aug 2023.

"My friends died trying to fix the torch! And you just killed another!" The kneeling ropefist spits agrily in response to Cain. Garmen nods in sympathy and laments, "Poor Parda, Kolog, Ganngu, Nannek, and now Gram. Heroes, every one. You can slander me all you want, but besmirching and killing fine men because you have some vendetta is too far." As Morin's yelling comes from the rear of the building, the businessman notes, "They didn't step in when they began their attack, but they're plundering my wares as we speak now."

The guard look towards the call from the south, then suspiciously at Cain as he asks, "So when you found it not abandoned and people guarding it, you didn't just leave? Surrender? It sounds like you started things off, with no authority, fought when confronted, and finished it all with a killing."

---

Responding to Morin's calls, two more guards come jogging around from the east, shields and short blades ready. The visibly wince at the awful hum coming from the crate, but fight through the discomfort to demand, "Drop the crate! Drop your weapons! Everyone out of the building!"

With a slight sigh at the guards' constant shouting, Morin waved his open palms in front of him to demonstrate his complete lack of weaponry. "Relax everybody.  The excitement's over, all that's left is the paperwork.  We're on the same side here." 

He started to reach into his breast pocket, then figured it was in his best interest to give the excitable guards a bit of a warning before he moved.  "I'm going to pull out a piece of paper now.  Don't get jumpy."  Assuming nobody moved to immediately stab him, Morin pulled out the contract issued by the town council and held the folded piece of paper in the air.

Clearing his throat, Morin called out in his best "official declaration" voice.  Which, given his theatrical training, was actually pretty convincing.  "I have here in my hand a formal document, issued on behalf of the governing council of Torch.  This document directs us - the Canaries Adventuring Party - to determine what interrupted Torch's eponymous torch and take whatever means necessary to restore it's function.  Our investigations lead us to this warehouse where we found clear signs of a crime in progress, giving us probable cause to conduct an immediate search of the building."

Doing his best to maintain a serious, authoritative expression, Morin looked around at the gathered watchmen, making eye contact with each in turn. "Listen folks: I appreciate the quick response time, and your enthusiasm for securing the scene.  You've got a hell of a city guard in this town, if I say so myself.  But right now, you're getting very close to interfering with an officially sanctioned investigation.  An investigation with the continued survival of your town riding on it's success, in case any of you weren't aware.  So I'm going to have to ask you all to stop pointing weapons at my team and calm down."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:18, Thu 07 Sept 2023.

"What madness is this!?"  Kelaria asked, just exasperated by all of this absolute nonsense.  These city people, they couldn't do anything without a lot of talking and yelling.  They claimed to follow all the rules but didn't follow any of them.  It was so exasperating she couldn't even be angry.

Zorden hoped Morin's plan was sound.

He kept his hands visible and kept his weapon slung well away from said hands across his back, while he waited to see how things unfolded.

Cain holds his tongue and waits to see how the guards will respond to Morin. Being arrested was certainly not something he expected to happen today, yet here they are.

"Alright," the first responding guard sighs before turning to the other guards who have shown up and directs them, "Let's get everyone in manacles, at least until the Captain or a councilor gets here. Especially that one"--he finishes with a gesture towards Ionaya. The ropefist still kneeling over his friend curses at the thought but relents while two more guards approach Cain and Ionaya cautiously and instruct them, "Turn around, hands behind your backs, drop that rod."

---

The lead guard begins to object at Morin suggesting he's been granted authority to break into and rob warehouses without notice to the guard, but shakes his head as the gnome's absurd claims unbalance his throbbing mind and all he can do is ask, "What crime? What's that buzzing? What's this have to do with the torch? ... What's in the box?!?"
22:32, Today: Secret Roll: Dungeon Master rolled 18 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 14.  Morin Bluff. ... 24 with Versatile Comedy

"What crimes?  I'm glad you asked!"  Morin responded, taking a quick glance at the paper in his hand and casually putting it away once he realized that a promissory note for 20% off at the local merchant stalls wasn't quite the conclusive document he had remembered it being.

"I'll take it from the top, starting with the simple stuff and working down.  First of all: This is a market town. A major merchant can't just pretend to close his business, put a fake board-up over the doors, then use the place to buy and sell powerful artifacts of unknown provenance without any sort of government oversight!  That's tax evasion! That's black marketeering, fraud.  That alone should have been enough for you lot to search this place a week ago even if the stuff in here wasn't dangerous and illegal, which it obviously is."

"Speaking of which: You feel that hum shaking your teeth?"  Morin asked, tapping his own pearly whites for emphasis.  "If it feels familiar, it's because the energy field this thing has been putting out has been giving everyone in town migranes for weeks."  This was a guess, but an educated one.  The headache Morin had woke up with and the one trying to split his skull at the moment felt too similar for it to be a coincidence.  "That's what, five thousand people exposed to dangerous and harmful energy against their will, with a concerted effort to disguise it's source?  And that's not even getting into what the doohicky is actually for.  We haven't had time to properly examine the thing, but speaking as an expert in both magic and technology, anything that can mess up an entire town just by existing is going to be even more dangerous when it actually gets put to use."

"And lastly," Morin continued, clearly coming up to his big finale, "Far more important than the fraud and the black marketeering, bigger than the public endangerment, worse than Ulreth smuggling dangerous and illegal technology into the heart of your town:  The possible connection to the Torch.  Because everything we're talking about, the shuttering of the warehouse, this tooth-shaker giving everyone in town a headache?  It lines up almost exactly with the torch going out.  We haven't made a conclusive link between the two yet, but I'm confident we will.  We just need to take a closer look inside that box.  And once we do, that's a treason charge we're talking about."

Turning back to Kalasha, Morin nodded at the dumbfounded barbarian to address the guardsman's last question: what was in the box?.  "Alright Biggun, you heard the man about the box. How about you show these good people just what Gram died trying to keep secret from them?  Or I guess you could do something stupid and get beat up by like a dozen cops.  Either's good with me, really."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:03, Sat 16 Sept 2023.

Ionaya looks at the two newly arriving guards and speaks tersely, "The rod is attached to me, so while it isn't in my hands, I can drop it no further than it is now." Light winds stream around her as she slowly lifts her arm to show where the rod is attached.

She shakes her head, "No! I will not allow you to bind me. I serve Councilman Khonnir Baine for his sake I will go where you ask, without violence, but my hands must remain free. I won't hurt you unless you force me to." She stepped back, showing her empty hands, the rod at her side and the breezes surrounding her slowly gaining speed.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:36, Mon 18 Sept 2023.

"You make a good point, why carry the entire box?"  Kelaria was still astonished by all this arguing, but as far as she was concerned the contents of the box were her security.  She placed it down and then gingerly proceeded to open it by smashing the crate.

Zorden stayed as he was when Kelaria began working on the crate.

He wasn't sure how the guards would react so he reasoned better not to draw attention in case any of them were particularly jumpy.

"Eeeasy now." Cain waits to see how the guards will respond, but he is not very optimistic. He keeps his hands away from his weapons.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:57, Mon 18 Sept 2023.

Ionaya waits to see how the guards and ropefists will respond to the current events. She prepares herself to attack should she find herself under attack from anyone.

Two guards approaching Ionaya look to each other briefly to steel and coordinate themselves before both lunge forward at Ionaya to grab and restrain her arms, commanding her, "Don't resist! This is for your own safety," as they do. Ionaya manages to pull her left arm away from one quickly, but in twisting away gives up her right arm to the other. In practiced form the guard immediately begins to twist the sorceress's arm behind her back in an effort to prevent a spellcaster from concentrating on any spells.

---

The guard can't help but scoff at Morin's claims, "What, they made you the taxman too?" but the gnome pointing out the obvious, headache-inducing hum coming from Kelaria's package continues to draws the man's attention. He holds back, not wanting to get between the large brute and her smashing of the crate, and soon the contents inside the wooden box is exposed: A large, technological contraption made of glaucite and plastic common among Numerian ruins and the ruins below the town with a base of button-filled panels nearly three feet wide below multiple screens displaying indecipherable readouts of oscillating lines, and topped by a series of thin, many-pronged rods and one large, metallic dish which seems to rotate and adjust on its own to remain pointing to the northeast.

The guard furrows his brown and tilts his head at the reveal, relaxing his arm a bit to let his blade drop to his side. He looks between Kelaria and Morin to ask, "...what is it? We should bring it to the council."

Zorden continued to keep his hands visible and away from his weapon even as the guards near them appeared to get distracted somewhat.

Looking at the machine he pointed to the dish on top.  "That thing looks like it's staying pointed in the same direction, like some sort of compass needle, but I don't think that direction is north."  He observed before looking in the direction the dish on top of the machine appeared to stay pointed to see if there was anything in town of note that it might be oriented towards.

"It is Metal!"  Kelaria declared, holding the device up triumphantly.  "It must be smithed!  Though... it is a most curious Metal, I have not seen its like."

She was, perhaps surprisingly delicate with it, like she respected it.

"Fie on your council, we need a great smith.  You understand this not, though there is more Metal here than I have seen anywhere else.  This is might, power and glory made manifest.  This is true strength, not the dependence on spirits or the falsehood that is magic, however mighty magic may be it is still false.  I have faced the Metal in battle, and claimed some of its power for myself!"  Indeed, Kelaria's heavy metal armor was covered in strange patterns with long, complicated shapes and filigrees.  "I will have its secrets and defeat its champions, I've met no one else who can slay them, or be trusted with the Metal!  This will not go to fools who do not understand its misuse could portend threats most dire!"

Morin nodded at Zorden's observation.  "Looks more like Northeast.  So it's not pointing at the Torch itself, that's more Northwest.  But once we go down the hole, I think we've been heading pretty much due East from there.  So maybe it's pointing to something in the ruins?"

With at least one of the guards clued in to the fact that the warehouse and it's contents were worth investigating, Morin turned his attention to the barbarian.  He had been worried that the brute was going to smash the doohicky, but instead it seemed like she...worshipped the thing?  Either way, he wasn't going to let her claim she was the only one worthy of dealing with the stuff.  "Lady, you really have no clue what's going on, do you?  You're not the only one who can kill "the Metal".  Our crew wasted three robots yesterday.  And one of the council members is both a master smith and a tech expert.  And even if he wasn't, I'd trust this town's elders a hell of a lot more with something like this than the crook who hired you."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:22, Fri 22 Sept 2023.

"Hey, Garmen! Where are you going?" Cain yells to Garmen as he tries to slink away. "You lot, stop harassing her and stop him! He's making a run for it!"

"So you claim Small Man, but you bear no trophy of your kill.  Just as you do not slay a beast and leave its meat, you do not gain Metal and walk about as you do.  Anyone who fight the Metal and win claims its power.  You admit to reliance on magical trickery, which no one with the power of Metal would bother with!"  She clanged on her heavy armor shell.  "And if there truly is a great smith in this cursed place, that vexes me for there can be no one wise in such a place as this, surely."  The big helmet twitched.

"Unless, of course, they were simply outnumbered by the fools!  Of course!"  It sounded like there were going to be more epiphanies from this strange woman, but the news got a reaction out of her.

"The paymaster tries to flee!?  What cowardice he hasn't even fought an honor duel yet!  Worse he owes me money!"

In response to the guards, Ionaya chants and waves her free hand and becomes instantly insubstantial to both.
Seeming to float to Cain's side, she warns the guards, "I have offered to be peaceful while remaining unbound and untouched.
Why do you seek to bind me but no one else? I give you one last chance to leave me free.
The next guard that moves to touch me without my consent, will surely suffer!"

OOC
Ionaya not wanting to kill two of the two guards, she opts to cast Windy Escape and stand among her companions, hoping that their presence will deter the guards, if not her words.

Ionaya rolled 12 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 8.  Intimidate.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:51, Sun 24 Sept 2023.

Hearing that, Kelaria laughed.  "I think I like her."

Like Kelaria, Morin's ears perked up at Cain's yell that Garmen was escaping.  Turning to the guard he was talking to earlier, he gestured towards the sound of the yell.  "Look, you want to know what this thing does as much as us.  Right now, our best bet at finding out is fleeing the scene.  How about you and us go nab that fucker, then we haul this whole spread over to show the council?"

He shot a glance back at Kelaria, suddenly worried about leaving the barbarian alone.  Despite her big talk about honour, she had also tried to run away from the scene not too long ago.  Maybe he could kill two birds with one stone here?

"Hey, biggun: I'll give you ten gold and a goat if you stop your boss from rabbiting on us.  Deal?"
This message was last edited by the player at 02:30, Mon 25 Sept 2023.

"Hold this."  Kelaria supplied the Small Man with the sacred metal.  She had a goat to earn!

lol Kelaria's either faster or slower than Garmen I guess we'll find out.  She's pretty fast for someone in heavy armor but she's still in heavy armor.

The guards attempting to peacefully restrain Ionaya are each baffled as the Sylph suddenly turns to gas as their hands land on her. Ionaya's show of resistance continues to grab the attention of the other guards who are already putting cuffs on the ropefists and approaching Cain, but her continued threats do little to mitigate the idea that she's still a danger who needs to be restrained. The two guards cautiously raise their empty hands as the inch closer to her and one explains, "Lady, you just killed a man and keep threatening us and you expect us to trust you? We don't care who you work for; if Councilor Baine or Captain Langer shadily killed someone on the streets they'd be manacled too until we can get to the bottom of this mess."

The second guard begins to add, "Now just cooperate and we can--" until he is cut off by another guard who had been approaching to cuff Garmen Ulreth, but had been distracted by Ionaya's antics, has his attention raised by Cain's warning and calls out, "Wait, where did he go?" All attention falls to this guard as he enters the doorway in a rush, but soon leans back out and warns the others, "Mr. Ulreth ... he just vanished! He's gone!" The more idle guards, some staying out of the way and others still just arriving after the musket-shot called them, begin to quickly filter into the already-surrounded building ... surely no one could just sneak out...

---

The guard is both curious and afraid of the revealed technological device as some ancient human might be at the sight of fire or the spells of elves. Cain's shout from the other end of the warehouse grabs his attention, but he's not foolish enough to just leave this group of criminals and adventurers, if there is any distinction, unattended. He looks to his partner briefly before addressing the three, "Listen, just ... hand over your weapons for now, and we can all take this thing to Baine and the Council. He's an expert in these things and they'll need to know about it." He pauses on a moment before nodding to Kelaria and saying, as if he is offering the privilege rather than relegating the burden, "You ... can carry it."
These scenes are playing out with an entire warehouse between the two. You could maybe hear some of the shouting from the other end, but I'd need something more specific than you start chasing the man at the other end you don't see or hear. Which way around? Through? Running? Investigating?

Kelaria debated it all.  But she resumed control of the Metal.

"I do want to meet this great smith the Small Man speaks of.  But surely we should stop the paymaster first!?"

"Good luck with that."  Zorden remarked, still keeping his hands fully visible in front of himself and away from anything on his person.

"He probably had another one of those potions he used earlier, turned invisible, and is sneaking off somewhere.  If we're lucky he'll try to get to the council and explain away his concealment of potentially dangerous technology from the rest of the council and why he may have been working with League agents, so he'll stick around long enough for his lies to be exposed."  He considered aloud.

"Otherwise he could be up to something much more nefarious that won't do us or Torch any good, and you, if you expect your paymaster to ever actually pay you."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:36, Wed 27 Sept 2023.

Seeing little point in resisting, Cain unbuckles his scabbard and offers his sword, dagger and bow to approaching guards. "If he is making a run for it, he is likely to first head back to his gambling den to grab his money. He would not skip town without it."

OOC: If the guards want to shackle him, Cain will not resist, but he will offer his hands in front of him.

Hearing the shouts and watching the mob of militiamen pour into the building in a confused rush, Morin shrugged.  From the sounds of things, Ulreth had chugged a second potion of invisibility and scarpered, and there would be no easy way to track him down.  Especially with a bunch of clueless militiamen trampling around and getting in the way.

Unlooping his rope lariat from it's place at his waist, he handed the knotted rope (the closest thing he had to a weapon) over to the guardsman.  Then he turned to address the group that had just blundered their way into the warehouse.  Despite having maybe a dozen guards here, it looked like none of them had actually stepped up to take command of the scene.  Aside from the few who had broken off to speak to/grab people on their own initiative, most of them just seemed to be milling around and wandering towards whatever was making the loudest noise.

What these people needed was a trained bard.

"Attention everyone!"  Morin called out, his voice relaxed and authoritative as it echoed through the warehouse.  "I'm Morin Matzylford of the Canaries.  We've been hired by your Council to turn the torch back on and save your town, which is why we're here right now.  Garmen Ulreth has just drunk a potion of invisibility and escaped, meaning he is currently on the run.  Which is bad news for us, because the man's a fucking traitor!"

He gestured dramatically towards the tooth-wiggler held in Ionaya's arms. "This big buzzing doohicky is what's been giving everyone in the town headaches for the last ten days.  It's been making people so ill that they think they've been poisoned, and they may well have been!  Ulreth activated this tooth-wiggler and hid it in this warehouse ten days ago.  The same day, your town lost the great torch that it depends on for it's very survival!"

"Now, I'm well aware that if any of you could do basic math, you wouldn't have had to join the militia."  This was said lightly, meant as a joke to break the tension. "So let me add it up for you: The power of this device plus the timing of it's activation plus all the effort to hide it equals clear evidence of a conspiracy against the continued existence of Torch.  Garmen Ulreth is a traitor.  The dead guy outside was a traitor, and the two Ropefists you have in handcuffs are both traitors."  After a moment, Morin pointed a thumb back at Kelaria behind him. "This one, I'm not sure about.  To be honest, I don't think she even knows what the Torch IS."

He looked around the room, as if sizing up the people in front of him.

"Right now, you lot need to break up into three groups.  The first group is to escort my party back to the council chambers so we can report our findings and show this doohickey to Councilor Baine.  We're handing over our weapons, and we'll go in cuffs if you really don't trust us, but make it quick.  Time is a factor here."

"The second group needs to secure this warehouse and search it for clues.  That means other artifacts, but it also means paperwork.  A man with Ulreth's money needs to balance the books, even on his criminal affairs.  There might be a clue here as to where this tooth-wiggler came from."

"The third group needs to go raise the alarm, and assemble the rest of the militia for a manhunt.  That means you'll need people at his home, people at his businesses, and sentries posted along the outskirts of town.  Finding out what Ulreth knows about this thing may well be the factor that determines whether your town is still standing a year from now, so look alive."

"Any questions?"

OOC: Regardless of whether the militia takes his advice, Morin is ready to head to the council, in handcuffs or out of them.

12:07, Today: Morin Matzylford rolled 12 using 1d20+11 with rolls of 1.  Diplomacy.
Fuck's sake.  I guess Morin's joke about math didn't land well.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:13, Thu 28 Sept 2023.

The guard near Morin groans at his speech-making as he leads the bunch towards the main road to gather with the others, "Can it; we know how to do our jobs--and without warrantlessly breaking into buildings and murdering people in the streets."

---

As a number of guards head into the warehouse to search for Garmen and move to block off all the exits, the first responder who's been given command by default points to two spare men and directs them, "Janum, head to Silverdisk, fast, to cut him off. Tronek, to the stables. Spread the word Ulreth is to be taken on sight."

As the two groups are brought together and he sees the strange, humming technology and hears Morin's accusations, the guard looks to the two cuffed ropefists and insists, "What do you know of this? What's it got to do with the Torch?"

"Nothing! We're just hired to watch the warehouse; Mr. Ulreth is always usin' it store magic junk. Don't see what it has to do with the torch..."

---

Soon enough, Joram Kyte hurries onto the scene as quickly as his old legs can carry him--his eyes dark and heavy from a long day of shouldering the town's troubles--asking urgently, "Is everyone alright? Does anyone need healing? Oh, oh gods--" his questions are cut short by the sight and stench of the charred corpse of Ionaya's victim. He looks dismayed between the grotesque remains, the guards, and the detained Canaries and asks, "What is going on?"

"Councilor!" the guard greets the old man with a salute before reporting, "It seems the mercenaries broke into this warehouse, investigating..." He pauses, unsure of exactly what they had claimed to be investigating before continuing, "It's not clear what. It was occupied by Garmen Ulreth and some guards, and fighting broke out. One man is dead and Mr. Ulreth is in the wind. ...and there's this." He points the priest towards the strange console carried by Kelaria.

Father Kyte looks everyone over for a moment, still not sure what to make of everything, before checking out the artifact for a moment and shaking his head at a loss. Looking to the Canaries he asks, "What is it?"--but soon seems to recognize it as the cause of the humming in his skull--"Ugh, can you turn it off? What are you doing breaking into buildings?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:06, Sun 08 Oct 2023.

Morin couldn't help but roll his eyes a bit at the guard's declaration.  "Yeah, buddy.  Sure ya do."  Morin absolutely believed the militia was good at their job - So long as that job involved standing in the middle of the street and ringing a big bell if they saw a troll lumbering towards town.

When Kyte showed up, Morin nodded at him in acknowledgement.  "Evening, Reverend!  Good news!  I think we've made some progress towards figuring out how to save your town!  Charmin' Garmen was stashing this tooth-wiggler in his warehouse.  Near as we can figure, he turned it on right when the torch went out.  I think I spotted an off-switch on the casing, but I'd rather not press it until we figure out what the doohickey actually does.  You got any magic you could use to help?"

Noticing the priest's horrified reaction to the cooked Ropefist, the gnome put out a reassuring hand.  "Oh, and don't worry about the dead guy.  He tried to kill us, so Io cooked him.  Standard hero stuff."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:08, Mon 09 Oct 2023.

Zorden shuffled along as directed when everyone was gathered centrally outside the warehouse by the militia.

He was content to stay quiet and compliant for the moment while Morin worked his own type of magic to try and smooth things over.

Cain just sighs wearily as he waits to Father Kyte to fix this mess. He has enough experience with the law (usually on the wrong side of it) to know better than to argue too much with the guards. Fortunately, it looked like Garmen's disappearance and the device they found has lend some credence to their claims.

Kelaria asked her own questions.

"Are you the master smith who can speak to The Metal?"  She asked of Father Kyte, though she didn't know that name.

One of the bound ropefists objects, "Lies! They broke in and made threats! Mr. Ulreth had us try to capture them; we're not killin' anyone with stones and fists! They're the ones with blades and muskets and ... that witch! She almost attacked the guards, too!" Joram's brow furrows at this and he looks to the nearby guard who shrugs his shoulders and eyebrows and tilts his head confirming the ropefist's claim.

The councilor simply frowns in the direction of Ionaya before turning his attention back to Kelaria and the console she carries. At the big woman's unusual question, the priest purses his lips, unsure how to answer, before introducing himself, "I am Father Joram Kyte of the Temple of Brigh here in Torch and serve on the town council. I know a fair bit about technology, but this..."--He pauses for a few moments as he looks the device over--"Is beyond me. Mister Baine might be able to figure it out with his magic, when he's recovered." He looks up to Kelaria and asks, "And you are ... new to Torch? From one of the tribes?"

While Joram turned his attention to Kelaria, Morin figured he'd take a moment to address the gangster's accusations towards the party more directly.

"Sir," he began, his tone slightly amused.  "I would like you to explain - In your own words - exactly what you believe happens when a sling bullet impacts a human skull?" Humans tended to underestimate the sling as a weapon, but Morin had met enough halflings to know a skilled slinger was fully capable of killing a man, armored or otherwise.

"Actually, while you're at it, maybe you could fill me in on exactly what we said that forced you to resort to immediate armed violence?  Because I don't recall even having time to threaten you. One second I was cracking a joke about your boarded up warehouse being a fire hazard, the next second you lot were coming at us."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:09, Sat 02 Dec 2023.

Ionaya takes a step forward and responds to the ropefist's allegations against her, crackling bolts of lightning traveling between her eyes. "I did not attack your people first," she replies, pointing to the ropefist. "You brutal thugs attempted to murder me before I could consider attacking you! My just response was to defend my life and warn others against trying to murder a Storm Sorceress!"

She looks to the nearest guard, speaking angrily,"Can you or any other guard swear by your gods that I've done anything to break the laws here other than defend myself? I have neither lifted arms nor spells against the guards of Torch, I have worked with and for Torch Town Councillor Khonnir Baine to preserve this town!"

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 167):

Kelaria displayed a strange salute.  "There is no need, Metal Master.  Magic will not avail us in this.  The shamans tell me you outlanders do not petition the proper spirits, so all your magic will lead to ruin.  I am Kelaria of the Ironclaw."

She clanged her heavy metal shell.  "I seek the power of the Metal.  This is great Metal, the fool who had it does not deserve it."

Zorden decided to stay quiet.  Pointing out that he hadn't actually shot anyone probably wouldn't help.  Shot in their direction?  Sure, but Morin's line of argument made such warning shots entirely plausible, but he wasn't about to try and explain it that way or any other way.

Like Zorden, Cain stayed quiet to hear what Joram has to say.

Joram squints his eyes at Kelaria's strange assertions--she certainly doesn't seem like someone it would be wise to argue with--before turning his attention to the others.

---

"Not that!" the bound ropefists responds quickly in answer to Morin with a gesture of his head to the charred corpse of his friend. Nearby, the guard nearest Ionaya, still standing cautiously with a shortspear at the ready in case she acts up again, furrows his brow in disbelief at her insistence.

"That's enough bickering." Father Kyte commands of the gathered bunch before turning to the Canaries and insisting, "Tell me truthfully, and this is no time for flippancy."--he glances directly at Morin--"Did you break in to this building? Why?"

Morin put a reassuring hand on Ionaya's arm.  She had sacrificed more than anyone in her efforts to save the people of Torch, aside from maybe Khonnir Baine.  And the sneering ingratitude her efforts were being met with was clearly getting to her.  It was getting to Morin, too.  "It'll be okay, Io." He reassured her seriously. "You did the right thing.  We know that."

Careful to avoid any flippancy, Morin met Kyte's gaze with a direct glare of his own and answered the old man's question. "Yes. We opened that door over there, the one camouflaged to look like a board up.  And it was locked before we opened it.  As for the why?"

The gnome took a moment to collect his thoughts, before once again meeting Kyte's eyes.  "Because unless we find a way to turn the torch back on, this town isn't going to fucking exist by this time next year.  When tribute day rolls around and you don't have the League's money, they're going to send an army of gearmen to sack Torch, and everyone still around when that happens is going to wind up dead or enslaved."  He turned to look around the warehouse district thoughtfully.  "Lotta high value slaves in this town.  The artisans and such, they'll fetch a high price back in Starfall.  You'll be executed, I assume."

After a short pause to let this declaration sink in, he continued.  "And because the best and brightest of Torch have mostly died trying to save it, everyone left is either too unskilled to be of use," At this, Morin shot a meaningful glance at the guard menacing Ionaya at spearpoint. Then he looked meaningfully back at the old priest in front of him, "Or too afraid of death to volunteer themselves.  Which is why your council has given the responsibility of fixing the torch to US."

For a moment, Morin's usual smile fought it's way back onto his face.  "We've done that job heroically, if I may say so myself!  We've gotten farther into the ruins than anyone else, we've slain something like two dozen threats to the town in open combat, and we saved the brave Khonnir Baine from certain doom.  As well as Ionaya here."  The smile faded as fast as it had appeared.  "And we did it without any casualties, until three of our people were murdered yesterday.  Slain by members of the Ropefist gang and their associate in a series of targeted assassinations.  They came close to getting the rest of us, too."

Morin looked back and forth between the councilor and the surrounding guardsmen, his expression of cold anger seeming out of place on his broad, childlike face.  "Before I get into the details of what happened here: Are any of these facts under dispute?"
This message was last edited by the player at 03:35, Wed 06 Dec 2023.

Unbidden, Kelaria added reluctantly.  "They proved themselves more worth of the metal than the foolish paymaster who had it."

No one had asked her, no one would understand it, but there it was.

"Stop. Just stop right there," the old man interrupts the rambling, speech-making, antagonistic halfling as he rubs his temple and adds, "You're worse than that machine!" He pauses a moment to take a calming breath before continuing, "I won't have you insulting the men and women working hard to keep this town from falling into chaos! You weren't hired because no one else will go in; you were hired because no one else can be spared. Mister Baine played at adventurer and now I'm the only one left who can keep Crowfeather from falling into disrepair and poisoning the entire town. The guard, the council--everyone--is shoveling and hauling shit and garbage without the torch, trying to keep what trade can be had going so the people don't starve, and suppressing crime sprees--and you've just gone added to their work!"

He looks among the Canaries before adding, "Right or wrong, the council and the guard do not have to justify themselves to you. You are not the law, we are, and you will obey commands when given."--he looks pointedly and sternly at Ionaya--"No one gave you the authority to to break into buildings and fight in the streets, and I know you know that." He takes another long, deep breath, still rubbing his temple, before concluding, "But you believed Mr Ulreth and this warehouse had something to do with the torch? And that infernal machine must be criminal, whether or not it's related..." Father Kyte purses his lips for a moment before addressing the most senior of the guards, "I'm sanctioning their actions here tonight ... Captain Langer can scold me in the morning. As for these boys ..." he gestures to the two bound ropefists, "Hold them and question them for now ... defending their employer in a break-in isn't a crime, but they seem to be accomplices to ... causing headaches?"

The guards hesitate for a moment, unhappy with mercenaries being given free reign in the city streets, but soon unbind Cain and relax their guard of Ionaya before gathering the dejected ropefists to lead back to the garrison.

Finally, with the situation fully defused and only a few guards still remaining to continue searching the warehouse, Father Kyte addresses Morin and the machine again, "You said you think you can turn that thing off? If that'd free the town from these headaches I'd rather do it now than wait for Khonnir to recover. Or we can take it far enough away to spare the people."

"Turn it... off?" Kelaria asked, really not liking the sound of that.  "You would seek to kill the spirit of the metal?  It has not even offered battle yet.  I think this must be one of their young."

"I don't think it works like that, at least I hope not."  Zorden commented as things relaxed just a bit.

"Besides, if it's turned off it can get turned back on later and then you can fight it, or whatever.  Somewhere that it won't be trying to battle the rest of the people of Torch."

Kelaria seemed intrigued by the concept.  "The Metal holds such mysteries.  I must learn this power of On, or at least bring it back to the shamans if I cannot."

Cain puts his sword-belt back on, feeling instantly better. While he is annoyed to get yelled at for trying to help the town (again), he is smart enough to know when to shut up. And speaking of that, he nonchalantly positions himself next to Morin, ready to accidentally step on the his foot should the bard continue arguing further.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:47, Thu 14 Dec 2023.

Quickly realizing that they had managed to avoid fighting the people they were supposed to be trying to help, despite the attitudes of the guard and their willingness to listen to known thugs, Ionaya took a long deep breath and crossed her arms. She met Joram Kyle's first gaze at her with silent defiance, understanding that fear was in control of his and the guards' actions.

She looks to her allies, especially to Cain and Zorden, "You know we are here not to cause unnecessary trouble to innocent people, but to bring necessary trouble to those who would destroy Torch. I hope that more people come to understand this sooner than later." she said tersely.

A number of cutting remarks sprang to Morin's mind, largely focused around the relative importance of "saving the town from certain doom" and "failing to organize a town dump for two weeks."  But he managed to hold his tongue, even without a kick from the half-elf behind him.  Like Kyte had said, it didn't matter who was right because the local authorities considered their hired fighters beneath them.  It wouldn't matter how many lives the Canaries saved, how many monsters they killed, how many of them died heroically on behalf of the town.  As far as people like Kyte were concerned, they were nothing but expendable meat to hurl into the grinder.

Which...was fine, actually.  Hells, it wasn't like Morin respected the old coward either!  As long as Morin had his chance to be the hero and to explore some ancient ruins, the tinker-priest and his goods could think whatever they wanted.  Morin would have the last laugh, when he completed the epic play about his adventures, and made the guards into comic-relief idiots.

Turning his attention to the machine in Kelaria's hands, Morin started inputting what looked to be the machine's shutdown sequence. "Don't worry."  He reassured Kelaria.  "I'm not killing it.  It's just going to sleep."

While he tinkered with the tooth-wiggler, the gnome offhandedly looked over his shoulder and asked: "By the way, since you're telling me how to do my job...Why don't you use your healing powers to just magic Khonnir back to health?  I don't mean to complain but, well, it'd be real handy if the one person who actually had any clue about this stuff didn't have brain damage anymore."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:20, Sat 16 Dec 2023.

"Mister Baine is on the mend and Brigh's healing has been spent tending to the more immediate injuries of the men and women felled by a horrific tentacle monster which escaped from the caves," Father Kyte explains curtly, clearly tired of the bard taking the efforts and duties of everyone else for granted.

With the holding of a button and the turn of a dial from [Language unknown: "Intearthu"] to [Language unknown: "Any"], Morin causes the strange machine to cease its functioning. The inaudible humming which vibrates through everyone's skulls immediately ends and along with it a nagging weight of frustration which had grown to linger in the backs of everyone's minds and between everyone's shoulders, so subtle that one would doubt its existence were it not so suddenly removed, lifts. A look, and even a few sighs, of relief spreads through everyone gathered. The various screens and doodads of the machine go dark and the rotating rods atop it fall still.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:26, Tue 26 Dec 2023.

Kelaria stared at the demonstration in a combination of awe and mistrust.  She wouldn't admit it but the terrible sound, for lack of a better word in her vocabulary, coming from it had been very annoying.  She wondered if its power could be harnessed to her armor, that would be a decimating capability in war.

"Well, I'd say that's an improvement. But does anyone have any idea what that thing actually is and does? Somehow I doubt giving folk a headache was it's main purpose."

"I'm sure there's a specific someone we could ask who might have had time to ponder that question already."  Zorden speculated in reply to Cain's question.

"Ah. Right."  Morin replied, deflating somewhat as Father Kyte reminded him of Mr. Tentacles' attack. "Nasty business, that."  That had largely been his fault, after all, though he reassured himself that it was even more the fault of Sanvil and his Ropefist hitmen.  It also reminded him that Kyte and the guards hadn't been completely useless themselves.

Deciding not to press the issue, Morin turned back to the party's discussion.  He raised an eyebrow at Zorden's comment, genuinely curious.  "Okay, you stumped me.  Who?"

"Ulreth.  I'd be surprised if he wasn't at least somewhat familiar with the things he had sense enough to keep hidden and under guard."  Zorden reasoned.

"Not that it would do us any good given his disappearing acts and likelihood of deciding not to share that information even if he was around to answer questions."

"Mr. Ulreth is a smart man." Father Kyte offers with a frown, "If he makes the mistake of leaving through the main road or visiting the stables or Silverdisk Hall I trust the Guard to apprehend him ... but Torch isn't a walled city."

"I think he would head home to gather his valuables before leaving Torch. Given that he's comfortable using magic, I think that he might be able to evade or defeat the Guard. We should search his home to see if he's still there or find what knowledge he might have left behind." Ionaya said tersely. She crossed her arms and looked to her companions then bowed to Joram, "With your permission of course, Father Kyte."

"Who is this... Ulreth?"  Kelaria's voice echoed from within her precious Metal shell.

Morin nodded in agreement with Ionaya.  "Agreed.  No matter how careful he is, he's gotta go somewhere.  There's sixty miles of windswept plains between us and the nearest town, and - No offense father - this land isn't exactly known for it's safe roads and kindness to strangers.  Some kind of badass survivalist might be able to slide down the back of Black Hill and walk into the night with nothing but the clothes on his back, but Garmen struck me as more of a townie.  He'll need to round up some food, gear, money, and probably a few friends to keep him from getting eaten.  If we start kicking doors and taking names, we still have time to nab him before he makes it out of town."

At Kelaria's interjection, Morin turned to stare at the armored hulk, briefly lost for words.  "...You serious?"

"You judge much knowing little."  The barbarian replied evenly.  "I do not take you to the motherland and laugh when you say you know not Grug The Manskinner, or Ulaga The Dancing Night Witch."

Zorden gave the armored woman a skeptically  surprised look.  "Garmen Ulreth is the man who promised you 3 pieces of gold, or a goat."  He informed her.

"Did he give you a different name when you two struck that agreement?"  He asked.

"He was The Paymaster.  His name was not important, just as my name was not important.  I pay no attention to the name of a man who does not pay attention to mine.  And my question stands.  I know nothing of who he is.  His name is incidental."

She continued.  "All I have seen is he is a poor Paymaster who could not keep his charge.  You speak of all these ways to capture the Paymaster, but you speak not of who he is.  Who he is will tell you where to find him.  If you wanted to find me, you would go to the high place and declare yourself greater than I.  Eventually, I would come.  Who is he?"

”A lot of trust, working for someone if you don’t know their name.  Most folks can't be summoned via general proclamation from the nearest mountain. ”  Zorden offered with a shrug.

”As for knowing him,”  He said with a look towards Kyte.  ”I’d say most of us are at a disadvantage there.  Though Ionya and Morin offered a few guesses.  Might be they’re onto something?”
This message was last edited by the player at 04:24, Mon 01 Jan.

"Yeah,"  Morin added, trying not to sound too dismissive of the giant, unpredictable barbarian's suggestion.  "I mean, you're the one who was guarding his secret crime base.  I feel like if anybody here was going to have some kinda deeper insight into the man, it would be you."

"Failing that," He continued breezily "I'd say that Garmen Ulreth is a man who wants to get the fuck out of town.  I'd wager he probably wants to survive the road long enough to get where he's going, and he probably wants to take as much treasure as he can, too.  So if we find Garmen's stuff, we've got a good chance of finding the man himself.  If the militia thinks they've got his casino in hand...well, like Io says, that mostly leaves his house." 
This message was last edited by the player at 18:46, Thu 04 Jan.

Cain shrugs at the idea of searching for Garmen. "We can look for him, but I fear it may already be too late. A man like him probably has his stuff all ready to go, and an extra potion of invisibility as well, just in case. Proper paranoid, he was."

Ionaya looks to Joram Kyte while pointing towards Silverdisk Hall, "I'm on my way to find Garmen in his lair before he escapes town." She pauses to speak to Kelaria, "You call him Paymaster. He is a coward who uses others to fight his battles, steals from the weak, who hides from those trying to save this town and these people. Would you like to join me to find him?"

Kelaria hoisted her oversized weapon overhead and pumped it in the air.  "He should be found and made to fight for his honor!"  So apparently, that was a yes.  Kelaria was certainly... enthusiastic about it.

Joram shakes his head at Ioyana's question, but as the Canaries seem adamant hunting down Garmen themselves, the priest advises, "I don't know that he has a home in the city. I suspect he spends his nights in Silverdisk, or possibly here--" he gestures towards the recent de-boarded warehouse "Though now that I think of it, he also had some business dealings with The Marrymaid. What business, exactly, I suspect I don't want to know." He considers a moment before another possibility dawns to him, "Or he could simply lie low in the homes of one of the ropefists." His look turns from thoughtful to serious as he addresses the Canaries pointedly, "But we cannot go kicking down the doors of ropefists hoping to find him. And neither can you. The council has been debating this for years, but being members of a boxing club doesn't make every one of them a criminal. You'd need some real evidence of likely wrongdoing, not just ... increased security on the wrong day." The priest gestures to the scene of the street brawl and the charred remains of the unfortunate warehouse guard.

Zorden gave a nod.

"So we have permission to go looking?"  He asked for clarifications sake.  "Assuming such a search is conducted civilly, and discreetly of course."


Zorden rolled 9.  Know: local.

Zorden isn't from Torch, so he don't know nuthin

Ionaya bows to Joram Kyte, "Thank you for your blessing and your permission to seek Garmen Ulreth, Father Kyte!" Turning to address the others she says, "We should be going now. Kelaria of the Ironclaw, I, and any who wish to join us will seek out Garmen in his lair."

Joram's guess sounds plausible to Cain. "Makes sense. I'd say to leave searching for him to the guards, but if the rest of you wish to do so, alright."

16:01, Today: Cain rolled 20 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 13.  Know: Local. – 20

"Maybe some of us should stay here, and take a look inside the warehouse."  Zorden suggested.

"There might be some clues as to what this thing is, or what Garmen was up to, and if he's planning on laying low and then coming back, having someone here might catch him coming back."

"...Did we just get permission?"  Morin asked skeptically.  "Cause it kinda sounds like the opposite, really.  I mean, no offense father, but it's really starting to feel like you don't take this whole "existential threat to Torch" thing very seriously.  What's the issue?  Do you not think that what's going on puts the whole town's survival at risk, or do you not buy our reasoning that Garmen's operation with the doohickey is related?"

"Action is more important than permission."  Kelaria quipped, though she did so very somberly.

"Be that as it may, I'd prefer a bit none the less."  Zorden commented, with a look towards Kyte, who had yet to answer his initial question regarding said permission.

Ionaya nodded, "Much of the time I would agree with you, Kelaria, but this time I think I'll wait a little longer to see if we have both; you and I will have action, but with both we can count on others to help us. Right, Cain and Morin?"

Kyte nods grimly in response to the questions and affirms, "Yes, Garmen is a fugitive and you can search for him and investigate. But you can't just go breaking into buildings unless you have good reason to believe he's in them--and don't get upset when you're asked what that good reason is! Unless time in essential, get the guard involved. We're all held accountable in Torch, and the council will be held accountable for your actions. I'm already going to be spending my morning explaining why the mercenaries we hired felt it was a good idea to break into a building and get into a deadly fight in the streets without notifying anyone."

"Well, that's permission sorted."  Zorden remarked.

"I still think it's worth taking a look in here for any clues about what he might have been up to, or where he might be running."  Zorden continued with a gesture towards the warehouse.

"A few heading to the Silverdisk to have a look and see if the guards ran into anything there might be good to.  With the guard looking, if we split up too, we might have a better chance of catching him.  Assuming he hasn't already left town with what he had on him."

"In that case, I vote for looking in here first. This may be where Garmen was running the less-than-legal part of his business from."

OOC: Are we splitting up then? It should be probably be safe to do so in town. Probably.

"This will be here, our fleeing prey will not!"  Kelaria pointed out, grabbing her massive hammer eagerly.

And he may have more Metal!

"See, this is exactly what I'm talking about."  Morin replied to Kyte's scolding with disappointed shake of his head. "You just found out that the richest man in Torch betrayed your people, putting all 5000 citizens at risk of slavery or death.  And your biggest concern is...what?  Getting in trouble?  Getting yelled at because we uncovered his evil plan without getting the proper permissions first?  I think you should take a second and rethink your priorities."

"Speaking of priorities..." The gnome's expression brightened as he turned back to his companions. "I think we got a solid plan here.  Io, me, and this Biggun will go bust into Garmen's office at Silverdisk hall.  Zed and Cain, give this place a good once over for clues then meet us there when you're done."

He shot a glance back at Father Kyte.  "Well we're doing that... Father, I think you should take some guards and sound the alarm.  Raise the ol' hue and cry, y'know?  Make sure everyone in town knows that Garmen Ulreth is a traitor and an outlaw.  After all, we have a lot better chance of catching the man with a few thousand people looking then we do with a few dozen."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:44, Tue 23 Jan.

"A thousand guinea pigs could not do the work of two hounds, small man."  Kelaria pointed out, none too sagely.  But she liked where this was going, even if these people were awfully slow about it.  Her voice had a weird echo due to that helmet of hers.

"I don't think that's what he's going for."  Zorden commented to the strange woman.

He then headed into the warehouse to see what there was to see before Kyte changed his mind.

"Spoken like a woman who's never been outside of her own backyard."  Morin quipped back.  Picking up on Kelaria's impatience, the gnome started heading in the direction of the Silverdisk Hall, though not so fast that Kyte couldn't respond to his remarks if the priest so chose.  "You would be astounded by the things a thousand rodents can accomplish with the proper motivation."

Ionaya looked to Kelaria and Morin saying, "Now we have action, permission and even a nimble ally to join us. The only problems we face now will be those we bring ourselves or Garmen and his thugs bring us. Let's go!" With her patience clearly at an end, she quickly headed with the others towards Silverdisk hall.

Cain joins Zorden in his search. "Let's see what we can find."

Kelaria was baffled by the idea of a backyard, but let it go for now.  She knew the word, but the concept was quite strange.

She began to wonder if she were going to like Ionaya.  Despite her heavy metal accoutrements, Kelaria moved fairly easily, and even skipped a little bit.

Father Kyte frowns at Morin, again, but nods to the party as they make their plans. "Coordinate with the Guard if you find anything. If you need me, I'll be at the temple ... after I visit the Ingrams." He looks sadly to the dead ropefist as he adds, "They'll want to know the fate of their son." He lingers for a moment longer, moving to the charred corpse to offer a silent prayer to Brigh and prepare his thoughts before nodding his goodbye to the guards and adventurers gathered and heading westward down the road.

After splitting up and taking different paths in their investigation to track down Garmen Ulreth, Zorden and Cain make their way to Silverdisk Hall to meet up and catch up with the others. As they approach the gambling hall, the find Kelaria and Morin speaking with a pair of guards across from the building, where a young man, likely a ropefist, waits outside wearing a vibrant red hat.

Kelaria and Morin note the other two arriving as the continue to speak with the guards.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:00, Fri 22 Mar.

Coming up the road, Zorden deviates from the path towards the Silverdisk's front door, to one that brings him in to rendezvous with Kelaria and Morin.

Once within courtesy range, he gives them a nod of greeting but holds his peace so as not to interrupt whatever conversation they're having with the guards.

Seeing the party arguing with guards again fills Cain with a familiar sense of dread. But at least his time there is no smoking corpse to explain. Hopefully. He goes right ahead and interrupts whatever conversation Morin had. "Hey, Morin. Learned anything useful? We... wait, where's Ionaya? Please don't tell me she killed someone again."

Kelaria knew what she had to do or all their efforts could be for naught.  She wheeled on Cain.  She had no hatred for him, for he knew not, but he must be stopped.

"Have you come to reap the whirlwind of shame?  What you speak of, be not wolf tongued and a dolt!"

Kelaria had figured out these people spoke very strangely, and she could speak plainly without them understanding and that this confused and distracted them.  She was loud because that seemed to confused the ones who warded.

Morin was about to respond to Cain's question, only to be interrupted by Kelaria's latest outburst.  After taking a moment to decipher what the hell she was talking about, he raised a hand to ward her off.  "Calm down, Biggun.  Our friends here already know about the warehouse kerfuffle, and nobody else is gonna hear us if you just stop yelling."

Turning back to Cael and Zorden, he shook his head with an embarrassed smile. "Nah.  I tried to bluff my way into the back of the casino, but...no dice." He waited a moment for the group to appreciate his incredibly weak pun, then continued.  "Io snuck off while we were getting herded out the door, and we were just talking with Marus and Joref here about whether or not to go in the hard way.  How about you?"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:45, Fri 22 Mar.

"The screams of plenty were the only reason anything happened, and even if it were not so I made the effort."  Kelaria reminded him, but she'd gone back to standard volume.  This was a strange land and she would let the strangers go about it in their strange ways.

"Got a line on a place might be worth checking out.  A residence affiliated somehow with Garmen, over on Seven Tears road."  Zorden answered Morin, leaving whatever Kelaria had been going on about unconsidered.

"Wha..." Cain runs Kelaria's words through his head again, then shakes his head and gives up on trying to figure out what was going on. It's been a long day. "As Zorden said. We have no idea if he is there or not, so I'd suggest we just leave looking into it to the guards and go for a drink instead. Right after we find Ionaya."

OOC: The way Cain sees this, we may not actually wish to find the guy. Him running away makes him look guilty of something serious and gets us off the hook for breaking into his place and killing his goon. Catching him risks discovering his crimes aren't actually serious enough to warrant our actions.

Morin mulled over Cain's suggestion for a moment, then shrugged. "Yeah, fuck it.  I could absolutely murder a beverage right now.  This manhunt stuff is giving me grey hairs.  "  He smiled as he said this last part, but the grin was a bit more strained than usual.  For a gnome, grey hairs meant Bleaching.

He hooked a thumb back at Silverdisk Hall.  "I think Io's still inside.  The biggun and I aren't getting in without a fight, but you two could probably poke your head in.  Ooh, tell her we're drinking Khonnir's best hooch to celebrate pulling him out of the ground!"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:33, Sat 23 Mar.

Zorden gave a shrug, and with a look to Cain to see if he had any objections to Morin's suggestion, turned to need towards Silverdisk hall.

"Alright, let's track down our missing sorceress first, and then get a drink." Before leaving, he gives the location they found to the guards. "The place is supposed to be at the Seven Tears road, the third house on the right after Seven Tears lane. Maybe Garmen is there, maybe not."

Then he follows Zorden to the gambling den, flipping a gold coin in the air while doing so.

Watching the pair head into the gambling den, Morin nudged Kelaria. "Hey Biggun. Now that your boss is on the lam, does that mean you're looking for work?  How would you feel about dying in a weird cave full of monsters?"

As Cain and Zorden approach the Silverdisk Hall the guard out front tips his red hat to them--evoking a strong sense of Deja Vu. But as they both consider the slippage of time, Ionaya emerges from within to meet them halfway.

Zorden reached up and touched his brow in a greeting to the man but as he brought his hand down he slowed a step as everything seemed a bit strange.

His brief reverie was broken when Ionaya emerged from the hall.

Stopping, he gave her a nod.  "Perfect.  We were just on our way in to find you."

"That's Oleg's place, isn't it?" Marus, the younger of the two guards remarks.

"Yeah ... I haven't seen him around in, what? Like a week?" The more senior guard, Joref, answers slowly as he mulls it over. Turning back to his younger partner, he suggests, "Why don't you go have a look? I can stand here with my thumb up my own ass just fine."

Marus nods in agreement with the other, then nods his goodbye to the adventurers, and sets off to the north.

In reply to Morin Matzylford (msg # 233):

"Where have you been all week!?" Kelaria demanded to know.  Not yelling this time, just, really, really excited.

"Believe it or not," Morin responded, appreciating the way Kelaria set him up for a line. "We've been in a weird cave full of monsters, trying not to die!"  His smile wavered for a moment. "Some of us had less luck on that front than others, and we lost all our meatshields - I mean our sturdiest warriors.  Okay, I know how that sounds, but it wasn't like that.  They went off on their own, and without their trusty bard around, they were easy pickings for tricks and treachery." 

The gnome's mood brightened again, as quickly as it had dimmed.  "Which means we've got an opening.  The others would have to agree to let you join, but I don't think any of them like getting hit in the face any more than I do.  We're talking equal shares of the pay, loot and glory."

"I only need to know were this cave is."  Kelaria replied, her tone unhinged.

"Great, we are all here, and we even found a new friend. Now, I don't know about the rest of you, but I could use a drink after all this excitement. And maybe Joram or Khonnir have figured out what that device was by now."

OOC: Was there something else we needed to do in the town?

Ionaya nods in reply, "Zorden, Cain, I guess Morin and Kelaria found somewhere else to bring chaos. Once things calmed down, I was able to discover that Garmen had cleared his office of anything of worth besides a lonely wand. Where ever he's gone, it isn't here." She concluded with notes of disgust and anger in her voice.

The wind blew a little faster around her, filaments of blue lightening briefly arcing between her eyes, as she asked, "So, you came looking for me, where do you need me to be?"

"Depends."  Zorden stated.

"We had one more location we found out was affiliated with Garmen in some way.  I think one of the guard was going to take a look while we rounded everybody up.  Then we either go see if there's anything to see, or assume Garmen was smart enough to get out of town as quickly as possible and we leave the guard to keep an eye out while we get back to figuring out what we need to do to get the torch back up and going again."

"I heard a cave full of monsters.  That is my focus now."  Kelaria stated simply, but the way she wringed her hands over that hammer, well a lot could be read into it.

Ionaya snaps her fingers in anger, causing an arc of blue electricity to crackle and thunder between them. "It's obvious to me that the coward has abandoned this place, disgusting craven cur that he is! Let the guard try to prove their usefulness. Let us go and save this town, so I can dance with Councilor Baine under the stars."

"Right."  Zorden replied to Ionaya, leaving her desired reward for this endeavor unremarked upon despite its remarkably unexpected nature.

"Back to the Foundry then.  We'll want to make sure we have everything we might need to take with us and figure out if there's anything else that needs to be taken care of before we head back down."

Morin smirked a bit at Kelaria's unhinged enthusiasm.  "Patience, Biggun. Patience. I've already done a good three hours of work today, and I'm just beat."  One of the few similarities between Morin's newfound adventuring life and his career as a professional artist was that he never came CLOSE to an 8 hour workday.  "Let's grab a drink, take a rest and swap some stories.  That way you can actually get an idea about what you'll be fighting, and we can decide if you're up to the Canaries' standards.  I mean, no offense, but your last job was guarding that warehouse, and you didn't exactly cover yourself in glory there."

The party gathers and heads back to the Foundry Tavern, the sun finally set over the horizon and the streets slowly being lit by the few remaining lamplighters in Torch making their rounds. The small home behind the tavern is dark, but the tavern where the party has been unwinding and sleeping on cots is lit by several candles within. The smell of fresh stew drifts from the establishment, and as the party enters they find Khonnir Baine sitting at the bar across from his daughter Valerie. His arms and legs are still heavily bandaged, his long hair is oily and matted from the full day of sleep he's had, and he wears a simple sleeping gown as he slowly eats his stew and shares time with his daughter.

The two turn to greet the party as they arrive, Khonnir whincing with the movement, and the man speaks first, "Good, you're back! The guards came by, talking about some commotion and looking for Ulreth. I was hoping you didn't get into too much trouble."

Val smiles and offers, "Are any of you hungry? Stew's still warm, I could pour some out for you."

"That would be welcome."  Zorden responded to Val's offer of dinner.

He also looked towards Khonnir trying to gauge if the councilor seemed to be on the mend compared to how they'd found him, beyond the cuts and bruises that was.

"Proprieter, I would purchase your fire heated meat squeezings."  Kelaria flopped an assortment of small coins down.  At least she understood the concept of money.

Despite seeming to still be a bit feeble from the incisions made on his arms and legs, Khonnir's faculties have returned enough to make conversation--a far cry from the barely coherent mumblings from earlier the day before.

The man's eyes wander between the coins, the gauntleted hand, the armored brute, and rest of the party for a moment before responding genially, if a bit nervously, "Any friend of my saviors is a friend of mine. Put your coin away and have a seat, please." He gestures as much as he can with his bandaged arm to a sturdy stool nearby before adding to his daughter, "And bring some drinks too, dear. I'm sure our friends need to unwind after a late night's work."

Soon young Val returns with bowls of stew and a large pitcher of ale to pass around as she introduces herself to the stranger, "I'm Val Baine, and this here is my father Khonnir." She looks Kelaria's armor over for a moment, especially the strange bits displayed in places, and asks, "Are you from the northern tribes?"

Cain readily accepts offer of food. "Some stew would be fine. And some wine as well. It's been an eventful day to say the least."

He looks over Khonnir with obvious concern. "I take it then that Joram has not been around? We, uh, stumbled upon something Ulreth has been doing and discovered a device of some kind. Ulreth made a run for it once it has been found, and we've have been looking for him since. Joram took the device to examine it."

"I am Kelaria of the Ironclaw, Slayer of the Metal Ones."  She replied, not as loud as before.  Her hands went to the base of her helmet and unfastened a latch.  It didn't exactly hiss as it came off, but once it was on there, it took a deliberate motion to remove the helmet, which seemed to rely on the rest of the suit for support and had a strange articulation.

As it slid off and revealed what she actually looked like, Kelaria looked, well surprisingly normal.  No crazy tattoos, no big scars, a face with relatively soft and feminine features and expressive dark brown eyes.  Her medium brown hair was tied back, a long braid coiled into a low bun, but many strands, now sweaty, had worked their way loose.  She was pale, almost like she wore a helmet constantly.

When it touched the wooden surface, the helmet made a satisfying metallic "clunk", betraying its weight.

"That stew smells AMAZING."  Morin declared, clambering up one of the bar's stools so he could poke his head above the bar and reach the offered victuals.  As he dug in to the stew and beer, he nodded along with Cain's explanation.  "Yeah, he had this big buzzing thing with a bunch of dials on it.  I figure it's gotta be a big deal, since Garmen skipped town the moment we found it.  I mean, the guards were completely on his side, but the second we found his gizmo? *POOF*"  Morin made a sort of splayed-finger gesture to emphasize his point. "He vanished into thin air."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:54, Sat 30 Mar.

Val fetches a wine glass and a bottle from below the bar to place in front of Cain as she notes to Kelaria, "Oh, well it sounds like metal ones have been a problem down in the caves. Are you joining the Canaries while Kalasha is off doing her Paladin things?"

"A buzzing device with dials?" Khonnir asks in thought, but soon winces and shakes his head, rubbing his temple. Pulling himself back to the conversation, he frowns and notes, "We've always figured Ulreth was more of a nuisance than a problem. Pretty sure he does some smuggling and cheats at cards, but nothing we could ever really nail down ... and the ropefist boys getting jobs actually reduced crime. But why would the guards be on his side?"

Morin shrugged broadly.  "Man, who knows.  Garmen caught us snooping around his warehouse, and he wasn't in a talking mood.  He told his boys to grab us, and they decided to grab us with bullets.  So we..."  Morin paused, glancing meaningfully at the young Val Baine as he considered how much detail to go into.  "Well, we elected not to let them.  Which is apparently against some kind of local custom."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:06, Mon 01 Apr.

Kelaria ate viciously, but not sloppily.  Spilling food in her tribe was a taboo, for food was scarce and sacred.  But one phrase got her attention.

"Metal ones?"  She asked, more excited than anything.  Her voice sounded different without the echo from her helmet.

Cain winces when Val mentions Kalasha, but does not say anything. He does pause at stuffing his mouth to offer his own comment to Morin's explanation.

"Yeah, for some reason the guards objected to having to clean up a burned corpse off the street. Forget it, all has been straightened out now and we are once again ready to delve deep into the horrors under the hill for the good of the town. Speaking of which, do you have any idea of what we are even supposed to be looking for in there?" He asks Khonnir.

"Yes, we had to deal with several of these metal... things in there. Annoyingly hard to put down." He tells Kelaria.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:04, Mon 01 Apr.

"All the more Metal to take, all the more power to be had."  She raised her hammer momentarily.  "I have made a weapon specifically for them, from their very bones!"

"Hopefully it works pretty good, if you haven't had the chance to already test it already that is."  Zorden commented with regards to the brandished hammer.

"Well, I'm glad none of you seem hurt." Khonnir responds as Morin's telling of the fight, then thinks on Cain's question for a moment before responding, "I don't really know. Numerian ruins often have strange, complicated sources of power. The Black Hills must have a great one to power the torch. It could have merely broke, but the tracks which led me to the caves would imply someone is doing something, and the torch going out is too great a coincidence."

The party finishes their meal and conversation shortly after, as Val helps lead her father away to their small home behind the tavern. After having a few more drinks and snuffing out the candles set up through the room, the Canaries each claim a cot to sleep on for the night. Come morning, Val prepares a meal of toasted bread, meat, and eggs and even packs some jerky and dried berries as rations for the day's delve while Khonnir remains in his room focusing on his rest and recovery. As the party eats and prepares for the day, Marus, the guard from the evening before who went to investigate Zain and Zorden's lead, arrives to report, "So we went to check Oleg's place, and he wasn't home. After gathering a few more men, we went in--No one's seen Oleg in about a week now so something was up. We found no sign of Oleg, but after a few hours of searching, we found this note left by Ulreth." He hands the note off and continues, "We followed up with the Tannogs, but he had already claimed his stash and moved on before we arrived. The trail went cold after that; Ulreth is in the wind."



After a small detour to collect a great deal of rope for the Skulks, the party returns to the putrid Weeping Pond. After being greeted by and making small talk with the new cadre of guards stations to keep an eye out for more escaping monsters, the Canaries hold their breaths and make their way along their secured submerged guiding rope--their exit the day before proving it was possible without Joram's Waterbreathing--and even preferable to breathing the pond's water. (DC 11 Fort or be sickened for 1 minute.)

Emerging within the cave, the part finds it nearly pitch black. After recovering from the underwater trip and searching about, only one of the squashed beetles from their first day retains its luminescence. Lighting torches for Cain and Kelaria to see by, the party delves into the caves and navigates their way to the Brown Mold-dominated pit containing the body of Gerrol Sonder--member of Khonnir's ill-fated expedition who fled when the fight against the cave's robotic defenders turned and fiance to Emelia Otterbie, a niece of Councilor Bazlundi Otterbie.

Belated 300 XP each for discovering and deactivating the device in Garmen's warehouse. 400 XP each for dealing with Garmen and his Ropefists.
Please check the "Party Resources" to ensure they're accurate for current prepared spells and expendable resources.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:37, Wed 03 Apr.

After emerging from the "water" once more, unusually, Zorden did not spend a period of time emptying up his insides as a result of ingesting the black chemical substance.  Though he did spit several times in a vain attempt to rid himself of the vile flavor of the stuff on his lips.

When they reached the area infested with the mold he stood by to keep an eye out for anything that might have changed.  He would be of little assistance either clearing the path or retrieving the fallen man, but he could at least try to make himself useful in other ways.



Zorden rolled 21.  Fort save

Kelaria emerged, intrigued with this new situation and place.  To her credit, she did not go charging in immediately looking for the best enemy to kill.  She would avail herself of the knowledge of others.  She did not appreciate the stench, as she thought of it, but managed not to blanch.

Thinking about it, she flicked up a small stone that seemed to burn without burning, one that went whizzing around her dark, carbon black helmet, illuminating the area around her.

Let's activate that ioun torch right about now.

21:24, Today: Kelaria Ironclaw rolled 16 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 11.  Fort Save. – 16

"Huh. Was wondering why he was making payments to Tannog, but a farmer just seemed like the least promising lead we had. Ah, well, live and learn. At least we now have a name for our purple-haired friend. Probably."

At the Weeping Pond Cain wades in the water with an all too familiar feeling of dread.

OOC: Not sure if I can use Twist away on this, so I made two rolls. If I can use it, then I made the save. Else, definitely not.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
14:16, Today: Cain rolled 26 using 1d20+9 with rolls of 17.  Twist Away? – 26
14:16, Today: Cain rolled 3 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 2.  Fort save. – 3

---

Once the party reaches the body, he starts slinging his cold spell at the mold covering the pit. "Here goes nothing."

OOC: Casting Ray of Frost repeatedly until something happens. Or nothing happens and we all grow bored.

Morin wholly agreed at Khonnir's suggestion.  Finding the power source was a reasonable idea, especially since the ruins themselves were still lit up and functioning.  He chuckled a bit as the guards handed over the note they had found at Oleg's. "You know, if nothing else it was nice of Garmen to leave us a written confession!  Sounds like our buddy Oleg is down there too, along with this Meyanda and probably a couple more of the local boxing enthusiasts."

---

Morin nodded down to the moldy pit with the body in it.  "Brown mold."  He explained to Kel and Ionaya.  "It's real nifty stuff, freezes anything that touches it.  Usually people's first instinct is to try to burn it off, but brown mold actually LOVES fire.  The trick is to make it even colder until it dies."  He settled in to watch Cain deploy his frosty cantrip, hoping the spell would be cold enough to clear away some of the deadly fungus.

12:24, Today: Morin Matzylford rolled 22 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 18.  Fort save.

Cain's Ray of Frost makes an excellent precision spell, but it leaves a bit to be desired when it comes to clearing out the brown mold. Each casting kills off a small patch of the fungus a few inches in diameter, but almost immediately the fungus begins to regrow and fill back in--fueled by the heroic heat sources nearby. It is a slow, painstaking process which feels like one step back for every two steps forward and Cain's repeated casting draws a spectator to the south: a skulk almost invisible to the eye until it shakes in a chuckle and heads back into the skulks' makeshift settlement ... only to return with another to gawk at the effort.

After what feels like an hour of work, and well after Cain's casting wrist feels like it is on fire, the body and a narrow path to it are filled with only the blackened remains of dead brown mold.

Cain finally stops, rubbing his wrist. "Ugh. Not getting much better than this, I'm afraid. This spell just wasn't meant for this."

He looks at the cleared path, trying to determine the best way to get to the body.

OOC: Can one of us safely walk up to the body and carry it back or tie a rope to it so that we all drag it out? Or is it more complicated than that? It is supposed to be a pit of some kind.

Kelaria approached, knowing a fair bit about climbing, and surprisingly athletic even in her metal shell.  She appraised the situation, looking for a good approach, if there was one.

Is it up or down?  Kelaria has a decent Climb check, could she traverse it with a Take 10?

Zorden wandered over to take a look when the spells stopped going off.

It'd taken a while but it looked like it did work.

He then resumed his lookout as those more able prepared to retrieve the fallen man.

With a ten foot drop down into the small mold-infested cavern, Kelaria easily climbs down into the pit to grab the body of Gerrol Sonder, drag it back to the raised tunnel while avoiding the encroaching mold, tie some of the party's excess of rope around it, and then climb up herself to pull the body up. The man's body is frozen solid from days lying among the brown mold and his clothing is stiff and difficult to search through, but the body still wears a masterwork chain shirt, masterwork thieves tools, masterwork hand crossbow, an array of now-empty vials, and 75 gold pieces. As the party searches the body, they notice strange rust-colored ribbons along his throat and chest, but don't know what to make of them.

"Any idea what made those?" Cain asks pointing at the rust-colored ribbons on the body. "And what the we do with him? His fiancee would want the body back, but we can't really drag it with us through this place."

OOC: Dibs on the thieves tools, pass on the rest.

"We can get him on the way out, same as the other bodies." Morin responded easily, bending over the corpse.  Clearly more interested in the discoloration than the gear, he prodded the rusty streak with the tip of a writing quill.  "I'm thinking maybe some kind of blood poisoning?" He suggested, clearly just spitballing. "Like, something made his blood coagulate in his veins, and that's what those brown markings are?  That one robot basically had a bunch of syringes, maybe one of them was deadly?"

OOC: Not interested in any of the gear.  Morin has no skill with heal, but he does have a bunch of knowledges.  I don't know which one would be most appropriate, but I have at least +6 in everything but geography and nobility.
15:31, Today: Morin Matzylford rolled 17 using 1d20 with rolls of 17.  Knowledge (unclear)

"We should take him back to the entrance before we proceed further."  Zorden suggested.  "I don't recall anything that would bother the body while we're deeper in the caves."

ooc: Nothing needed from the gear found.

Kelaria had only one opinion.  "This looks like a bad death.  His shaman will have to do many rites."  She hoisted the corpse as respectfully as one can hoist a corpse for transportation, however brief.

Ionaya looks at the remains of Gerrol Sonder and reaches into her backpack pulling out a flask and looking at the others. "This cowardly traitor doesn't deserve to rest in peace! Also, I don't like leaving this corpse behind with what looks to me like more of that mold growing inside him. I have some acid here we can use to destroy his body. Unless anyone has a good reason I shouldn't use this, I'm going to destroy him!" she concluded with anger and disgust in her voice and small electric blue arcs walking up and down the outside of the flask.

Cain is surprised by Ionaya's reaction. "The guy is dead and beyond any justice or vengeance, and I just spend an hour working to get the body out of that mold. I do agree that bringing the mold back with it is a cause for concern, but we can just warn whoever will be handling the body about it. Or even leave the body right here if we decide to take no risks whatsoever. Either way, it makes little sense to me to now use up even more time and resources to destroy the body."

"Yeah, that would have been something to mention earlier.  What did this guy do anyway?"  Zorden asked.

"I'm sure Joram can handle it." Morin responded, referring to both Kelaria's concern for the dead guy's rites and Io's worry about the fungus spreading.  Admittedly, he wasn't particularly sure in the doddering old priest's ability to handle much of anything. But public health and body disposal definitely fell under the cleric's domain.

He turned to Ionaya, not unsympathetically.  After several days tied to a table, he understood that the sorceress might have some hard feelings towards any party members that might not have pulled their weight.  But he did see a small problem with her plan.  "I don't mean to nitpick, Io, but...look, I'm not sure exactly how much acid it takes to dissolve a human body, but I'm pretty sure it's more than you've got in your pocket."

"Maybe we could compromise." He mused, brightening up. "You could, I dunno, just dump some acid on his face?  Y'know, mutilate the body a little, make it a closed-casket funeral.  We could say the robots did it!  Would that make you feel better?"
This message was last edited by the player at 17:49, Sat 06 Apr.

She looked at Cain and replied, “I appreciate your efforts to recover the body, even though I don't quite understand why you did. But anything I might use on him are my own. In addition to safety, I seek a measure of vengeance for those he abandoned, Councilor Baine, and myself.”

Looking at back at Gerrol's body, she replied with renewed anger and disgust in her voice, small electric blue arcs continuing to walk the flask. “This mold sucking, slimy coward abandoned us while we were fighting for our lives! He fled the battle as it started, leaving us to fight alone, leaving us to die! That's what he did!”

Turning to Morin, her anger fading from her voice as she looked at the bard, she added, “Morin I am not beyond reason or compromise. If I was, I could have simply used magic to destroy what is left. But I'm not trusting those brown markings to be anything safe especially since no one seems to know exactly what they are. I have a need to feel safer. I know I can't completely destroy him with this flask of acid, but I am happy to use it to destroy something I consider a danger.”

Addressing the entire party she asks, “Does anyone have more to say? If not, then help me or get out of my way.”

"If it is such a concern, why not throw it back where it was?"  Kelaria asked.  That seemed like the solution to her.

Zorden gave a shrug.

The man was dead.  It didn't seem worth getting into a fight over that he wasn't certain could be won.

Without any further comment or objection, Ionaya carefully poured acid on the discolored areas of Gerrol's body until they are all gone (along with much of Gerrol's throat and chest).

Resealing the empty flask and putting it down besides the smoking remains of Gerrol's body, with a grim smile of satisfaction, she says, "Let's go on, we have things to do to save Torch."

Cain gives up on arguing the matter further. "Well, then. Excuse me while I don't stand next to a human body while you proceed to slowly dissolve it with acid. The vapors would just wreak havoc on my complexion."

He puts some distance between himself and what Ionaya is doing, but keeps in sight of the rest of the party. There's still that monster they fought the first time somewhere around here.

Morin backed away slightly as Ionaya burned off the discolored flesh, covering his mouth and nose with a handkerchief as the fumes made his eyes water.  "Phew, that's foul!"  He called out cheerfully.  "Alright, uh, good work Io.  Now back to adventuring!"

While the others gives Ionaya some distance for her gruesome vengeance, the sorceress pours out acid from her alchemical flasks onto the exposed, discolored skin of the tragically fallen Gerrol Sonder. The corpse snaps, sizzles, and hisses as the heat of the dissolving flesh boils away the frozen condensation and blood and soon the partially dissolved, partially cooked flesh sloughs away, leaving the rust-colored skin replaced by the color of fresh, concentrated acid burns(Not googling that for a reference.)

With the grim business finished, and once everyone recovers from the horrible sight, the party presses on into the caves. Taking the nearby intersection of tunnels south, the caves quickly open up into a cavern so large that the light Kelaria's floating torch can't reach the opposite end--though the echoes assure her he blackness does end. The ceiling of this vast chamber rises nearly thirty feet overhead. A five-foot-wide ledge runs along the western wall, sloping down to the cave floor ten feet below. Four ramshackle huts made of what appear to be strips of metal, hides, and some sort of fibrous plant matter sit in the cave, while to the south yawns a dark pit. Four skulks inhabit this small cave settlement--lithe, bald humanoids with little more clothing than the straps to carry their gear, their exposed skin constantly shifting to match the red-brown rock and grey metal of their surrounding.

The nearest skulk, their female leader Sef, greets the party as they arrive, "You kept us waiting." Despite the terseness and possible accusation in the statement, it's not hard to sense the fear and relief behind it. She looks to Kelaria, the stranger to her who is visibly carrying the bulk of rope she had asked for, and gestures to the group to follow her as she slides down the ledge between the junk huts below and towards the southern pit, where the skulks have gathered the spoils they mean to trade.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:39, Mon 08 Apr.

Zorden offered a shrug, but said nothing to Sef, leaving that to Morin or one of the others.

Instead he brought up the rear as they were lead through the Skulk's camp.

Cain followed after the skulk leader, tense and eager to be done with this. It did not look like the skulks were out to backstab them, but who knows what could go wrong in negotiations. He'll feel much happier once the skulks have left this place. "We came as soon as we could."

Morin once again nudged Kelaria, the newcomer to the party.  "I don't trust these creeps as far as I can throw them." He told her. His voice was fairly quiet as he did so, but he clearly wasn't making much effort to keep the skulks from hearing what he was saying.  "Hand over that rope and lets see them off, but stay ready to get murderous if they make a wrong move."

Turning back to Sef, the bard flashed a broad, insincere smile.  "Better late than never, right?  Here's the rope, have a nice trip!"  He didn't make any attempt to inspect the gear the skulks were trading in exchange for their escape.  It would probably be enough to cover the cost of the rope, but the real reward was not having a band of chameleon-skinned killers lurking at the party's back.

Kelaria grunted to Morin.  Not trusting strangers was always good advice.

This was a strange cave.  But it didn't bother her, a cave full of worthy enemies must surely be a strange place, right?  She followed, not sure what to make of these creatures herself.  That thing with the corpse was weird, but she had no real opinion on it.   She hoped this would go the  same way.  The creatures seemed interested in her.  No, not her, something she was carrying.  How very strange, she mused as she followed.

Taking the offered rope, Sef nods her appreciation to the group and gestures simply to the pile for them to take. She and her crew then begin to lay the rope out to ensure no tangles, tie the ends of each together, secure one end of the combined length to a nearby stalagmite, and even fashion some rudimentary descenders to aid in the climb. They then tie one of their members to the end of the rope and, using the friction of other stalagmites nearby, ease him down into the pit to the Darklands--ensuring the rope doesn't get caught up on the way down. Finally the weight of the rope eases as the skulk reaches the bottom of the pit and a sharp whistle drifts up from below. The remaining three then make the climb down one by one, each waiting for the line to clear with a whistle before heading down--avoiding putting their shared weight on the rope at once. Sef heads down last, with another silent nod to the party, and soon the party is alone in the cave. With their frenemies gone, the party takes a moment to appraise the skulks' trade--a masterwork buckler, a masterwork sap, two potions of cure moderate wounds, two sets of masterwork thieves’ tools, a scroll of shield, a scroll of identify, and 143 gold pieces.

"We should probably pull that back up."  Zorden figured with regards to the rope.

Of the trade offer he gave a nod.  "Not a bad deal."  Though he didn't have much use and the gear itself.

Cain likewise passes on the gear. "Time to get to work."

OOC: Should we go back to where we found Khonnir and look around first? Not sure what we did and did not explore there. Or should we head for the pygmy territory right away?