Miroslav watches Yaro and Cuivi collect their gear then looks at Loukas and says..."You still keep that wand in your pack yes?"

He looks at Yaro and says..."Vikhor spoke of a nearby village. We will see about getting you back on your feet with gear there once we finish here."

With a grin Loukas nods in reply to Miroslav and pulls said wand out of his pack, "Indeed, I do! Let us see if there is anything 'special' amongst this stuff..."

Loukas produces the wand and goes over the items...
Now this could take forever or we can just shortcut it...yeah that's it!

Of the mundane items:
1 bow
1 quivers 24 arrows
3 short swords
3 daggers
1 sling
1 quarterstaff
3 sets of studded leather armor
1 hand axe
1 leather girdle
2 gold rings 100 gps each
1 silver necklace 100 gps
2000 in assorted coin and gems

Those that radiated magic:

Necklace of prayer beads
Ring fire resist
ring protection +1
dagger of venom
Mace of disruption
Splint mail +2

Once he's used the wand Loukas sits back on his haunches, "So, how should we do this? It has been so long since we have had booty to share out... Beyond the coins, baubles and jewelry only the rings, particularly the Ring of Protection, are of interest to me."

As he speaks a thought occurs to him and with a glance to each of his friends and Miroslav he continues, "It also seems to me that if there is something here that either of our new friends might find useful. Fellows, here is the deal, we serve the Knyaz. He is dying and his son and heir, Vladimir, has disappeared and his mother murdered; however, a crone we have since determined is Baba Yaga offered to return the Prince to Sviatoslav's side if we follow a magickal ball to this place.

"We pieced things together when Vikhor attempted to convince us to slay Baba Yaga's henchman, Koschechei the Deathless, who was apparently his great enemy. He told us that if we asked Koschechei before we killed him the legendary hunter could explain our quest to us. So, once we have finished here we will follow another magick ball provided to us by Vikhor and inform him that we have done his mistress's bidding.

"We do not know what will come after that, but I suspect that once we learn where the Prince is we will then have to free him from Gregor, whom the Knyaz believes responsible for all of this, but whomever it is, we are likely to have to free our Prince from whomever is holding him. One might never know the machinations of one such as Baba Yaga, but without her we would have never freed you, so we might blame her for this meeting... Why don't you join us and help us stop the injustice that plagues the Royal House of the Rus?"

The young blond man shrugs his shoulders and says, "I am as loyal to Prince Sviatoslav as any, but I am afraid I did not know the state of the royal house. It would be an honor to help restore what has been lost."

He gives the enchanted items a once over and says, "I do not see anything here that surpasses what I am used to carrying. Perhaps the dagger but only if that is not wanted by someone else."

Miroslav looks over the good laid out, both the magical and non-enchanted..."Perhaps just a gold ring to take home to my wife. Now that splint armor is good, nearly a match for my own by the looks of it."

He looks at Yaro and says..."Perhaps you should look into going with something heavier than the leather armor you wear if you are going to be traveling with us. We tend to attract trouble."

Yaro picks up the splint armor and takes a look at it then takes a look at the armor Miroslav is wearing. "I do not want to step on any toes here, I will keep my eye on this only if it interests non of those who have come to my rescue.

Cuivi rises from his seat next to the mage. "Baba Yaga!" He lets out a a long and heart felt laugh. "Baba Yaga! Why if that old crone is meddling with your paths I think it is a good thing I have found you. How cunning of her to hide herself from me. How foolish of her not to realise those she would use as tools may yet ruin her machinations. It is she that must have unwittingly drawn me here, and mighty Yaro too, there is I am sure old blood in you. I think perhaps together we may all yet find a way to take the initiative from her."

He looks down at the collection of enchanted items. "Here, these prayer beads. They are marked with the cross now, I do not doubt they could prove useful to the Knight of Christ. But like so much of our world they are older than that, deeper magics still burn in them, it is possible I could achieve much more with them for the good of all. If I could examine them perhaps...."

Jean picks up the Splint Armor and examines the various pieces.

"I am a Christian Old One but I am a Knight of the House D'Arzillieres not a soldier of the Church. Those beads are of no use to me but this armor will serve me well."

Dyanna studies the dagger of venom, then looking at the others says, "This perhaps might be worth keeping, if none objects?"

She also refills her quiver with it's full contingent of arrows.

"Well my philosophy is quite simple.  It all starts from picturing yourself on your death bed and thinking about whether you'd have any regrets if that moment was right now, and then realizing what are you waiting for?"

After Loukas makes his speech, Balthazar sheepishly admits, "Loukas, I don't have much of a clue as to who's a villain and who's a friend, so just tell me where to direct my magic and I'll do it."

Loukas chuckles, both taken aback and charmed by his usually brash friend's hesitation, "I certainly indicate who the villains are, but for now let us assume that anyone who tries to hurt us is a villain... Of course, given the mythic nature of these figures whether we will actually be able to do much against them seems to beg the question."

Realizing that he's beginning to tread on rather thin ice he pauses, "Anyway, if we tread the path as we have to date we will be just fine, my friend; indeed, better, because we are getting rather good at it all it seems to me!"

The old man listens while examining the prayer beads, nodding in agreement at the sage magicians beliefs. "Admirable thoughts sir mage, time on the whole will not stop for mere mortals and we are all measure by time from the day we come helpless into this world. Have a care though, sometimes it is in the waiting that the surer more advantageous path makes itself available to us. However I fear I have waited here quite long enough and a hard but fruitful path has been opened to me by new traveling companions. I long for the sky above my head, I believe the current silence of our Magyar friend attests to his own agreement on this matter. Should we leave this place my friends?"

Miroslav replies to Cuivi..."We will leave at first light. The Djinni had a bed that heals that a few of us will need to visit plus I imagine some of us will need a full nights sleep in order to recharge."

He looks down at the remaining unclaimed pieces and says..."There is no great clamor for the rest of these items so if you see something you want...take it!"

Miroslav picks up the ring enchanted for protection and tosses it to Loukas. He then says..."Dyanna has taken the dagger, Jean the splint armor and Cuivi has claimed the prayer beads. Please lets divvy up the rest."

Mace of disruption and ring of fire resistance are left.

Having been outbid as it were on both the armor and the dagger, young Yaro steps forward and picks up the mace. He gives it a few test swings and smiles, "Once again if anyone else is interested in this, I will relinquish my claim."

Waiting for a response and just possibly doing his best to to discourage one, yaro stuffs the mace through his belt. "My sword never did get much use, it has always been my trusty bow that has been put to good use but perhaps this mace will see some action, it surely is easier to use than my sword in close combat I imagine."

Loukas picks up both items. "Given that Baba Yaga is likely to have some undead friends and one never knows how meets such as the ones we are about to have are going to go, this mace would be a handy weapon to have on our side. I shall bear it, if no one else wishes. The ring too I will wear..."

With a grin he glances around the party, "Of course, in the case of both items, if there is anyone who would claim them, I will happily pass them over, but it would be wasteful to let them go unused."

Glancing at the coins, gems, and jewels, "And the same goes for this stuff, eh? I can not recall how we did this before, but it seems that a share a piece and 3 shares for the Heart of Oak seems right."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:04, Sun 21 Nov 2010.

"Aye," nods A'kos with a grin for their newfound...companion.  "And I've a charger worth his weight in gold whose hooves thunder as he flies swiftly across the plain!  A sword worth swinging, and a song worth singing to lift a true warrior's heart!"

"Ah, and if none object I shall take this little trinket for me!"

Reaching down he grabs the Ring of Fire Resistance.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:59, Fri 12 Nov 2010.

Yaro gladly relinquishes any thought of holding onto the mace. He is just happy to be alive at this point. If the party had not come along he would have starved to death or been eaten by rats.

"I am relatively useless with anything other than my bow anyway. It is best used by more skillful hands than my own.

In reply to Yaro (msg #342):

Loukas pauses at Yaro's words, "Ah, do not misunderstand me, my friend. I picked up this mace, because I did not think anyone else would. If you would take it, please do, and know that the price you shall be expected to pay is to smite anyone who would harm anyone of the Heart of Oak!"

Balthazar says, "I'll hold out for the next pile of treasure."

Jaleh makes her way over, still a bit sore form her earlier injury. "I, like Balthazar will wait as well. I already have a dagger like that." she says as she rests her hand on her own dagger of venom.

Leaning on the broad shoulders of A'kos she looks over the priest and the bowman with a suspicious eye. "I am Jaleh." Her hand strays to her abdomen as she speaks, clearly there is some pain there.

Yaro nods at Loukas and gladly accepts the mace back from him. Never fear, I am forever in yours and your friends debt for saving my bacon. I will put it to good use be that a time comes for me to."

He then turns to the second lady of the party and bows deeply."I am Yaroslav, but please call me Yaro. I am honored to meet you."

"If the spellweavers among us need rest," grumbles A'kos, "of certain Jaleh needs time to lay abed and recover from her hurts.  I say we return to the djinn's sleeping chamber."

Loukas glances one last time around the basement and nods in agreement with A'kos, "Aye, I think we could all use a good night's sleep and we have much before us. Perhaps there is some of that pudding left...?"

Unless there is some conversations to catch up on...which you are more than welcome to finish up here in this thread. I will be making a new thread for the next leg of the journey. Join me @ TO THE DEATHLESS thread.