Theorectically.

Note though that the last guy got cursed by his Wish, so we might want to go and research up on Wishes and Wishing "successfully".

Please let me know when to plan a short vacation, well out of town...  Maybe take a tour of Shevnia.  I speak the language, but I've never been, and I get along okay with orcs (at least here).

I totally get it Mario.  It's a risk for sure.  Think of the alternative, though.  Who would you rather have with the wish gem than us?  We at least will use it for a reasonably benevolent outcome.

If we give it away or sell it, my first choice would be Gareth...

Because if anyone needs another 1,000 year nap...

"Honestly, if it weren't potentially worth that kind of money, I'd be in favor of destroying it.  Humans (and other mortals) shouldn't have that kind of power.

"Then again, what good is all that money if someone's wish burns down Northport or the like -- and it seems to me it could be much worse than that."

In reply to Jareth Mooncalled (msg # 827):

No, I am sure he chose me because I am such a worthy person!

[Private to GM: When you say no shield modifications, does that also rule out the Lantern hook, the thing that started this idea?]

Worthy of another 1Kyr nap, I agree!

In reply to Ulo (msg # 830):

"Fra Nodwin, we have finished sweeping out the cottages. There are some bloodstains that will need more extensive scrubbing, and we will need some whitewash. One of the rooves needs fresh tiles, but we are ready to start in the gardens."

Nodwin smiles in a fatherly sort of way, and places his hand on the man's shoulder.

"Excellent work, and thank you for taking this on.  We all benefit from having a clean place to live, and it shows well when people come to find out more about Vejovis.  Your efforts do not go unnoticed.

Please, make a list on parchment, or on whatever we have handy.  When we are finished with the business at hand, then I will attend to the items you have noted.  I may not be able to fix them in the moment, but I will work towards that end when my other duties allow me to."

Nodwin will then turn slightly, and gesture towards the courtyard.

"As for the garden, please look over the space and organize it as best as you can.  We need to consult with others to see what we can best grow there.  I may be able to provide you with some seeds to start growing soon.  First, we need to plan for foodstuffs as well as herbal ingredients.

I will meet up with you later to discuss the current layout of the courtyard, and then how we can best organize it.

Now, I need to finish up with my fellow adventurers.  We have a rather large decision to make.  In that interest, I would ask you to remove all the furniture from a couple of the rooms..."

OOC Nodwin will ask the refugees to clean out the room(s) the group has decided will work best for the alchemy/herbology lab(s).  That seems like the first order of business, as it looks like we're leaning towards using the wish stone for that purpose.

When time allows, perhaps during this vague "downtime" we are referring to, he will use Shape Earth in the courtyard to set it up in whatever gardening configuration seems ideal.  The same goes for the improvements required on the buildings.

In reply to Nodwin Zideqick (msg # 832):

Most of these rooms are a trifle small for a good lab. The room that Jareth used the stench spell in two days ago, in the sub sub basement would be appropriate.

OOC Nodwin will reference those rooms then, unless someone else has a better idea.

In reply to Nodwin Zideqick (msg # 834):

A young woman approaches the dwelling and knock on the door, followed by a slightly older gentleman. Both appear to be from out of town.

When it opens (assuming someone answers it) she asks "I heard from the guild that you had a room or two available?"

Are you a) sure you want these people going down into the sewers and b) for us to leave the two gates unlocked down there so they can come and go?

This one might best be handled with a scroll of Clean* (set to 7 hexes for 280$) and one of us passing out from FP expenditure (Brodak could probably handle it at 14FP, Jareth would be face down in the pavers)...

* Or even hiring a discrete Guild apprentice Wizard with the Clean spell for 60$ a day.

However, if you trust them down there, or want to hang out while they clean down there, I'm okay with that.  We can split the party like two days ago, Jareth and Jocelyn go to figure out how to safely make a Wish, you guys deal with cleaning out the Cultist's Lair and acquiring bricks, mortar, roofing tiles, anything else we need for the Junior House (and the non-esoteric stuff Ymid needs to fix his boat, if there is any non-esoteric materials he needs).

Oh yeah... and dealing with all the corpses stacked up like cordwood in the catchment tunnel....

In reply to Anita Drake (msg # 835):

"I can build stuff if it helps..."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:21, Wed 01 May 2019.

OOC Perhaps I should back up a bit then.

I thought the rooms used by the (bad) cultists were in the houses themselves.  Were they the actual entrance to the sewers then, or under the house beside the entrance to the sewers?  I don't understand the layout very well.  Nodwin would know it, but as a new driver I don't.  We could use a better description of what we're looking at, or maybe even a map.

I'm down with whatever makes sense.  We want a good safe lab arrangement that won't be easily stolen from, and where failures might not be so destructive.  On the other hand, we also don't want a bunch of random acolytes down in the sewers getting eaten by random otties or whatever else.

Can I get a little help here?  Even the barest of pictures, or a good description...would help.

A smallish young man, a downy mustache on his lip, with green eyes and long straight brown hair that would be at home on some variety of elf answers the door, a staff slung over one shoulder and a longbow taller than he is over the other.  Two quivers, one with a single arrow, and one with two, hang from his belt.

"Building, you say?  Mason, carpenter, thatcher?  We do have some brickwork that could be helped by a more expert eye and hand."

He sticks out his right hand, a motion that emphasizes the asymmetric development of musculature in his right shoulder and displays the archer's thumb ring on that hand.  "Mario Crowfoot.  Jareth and Nodwin are around here somewhere, step inside if you like."

In reply to Mario Crowfoot (msg # 839):

"Anita and Benito Drake. I do...security, and Benito is a skilled craftsman and merchant."

The shake hands and follow Mario in.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 01:21, Wed 01 May 2019.

Nodwin had just finished with the refugee that took a minute to speak with him, and turned to meet the new arrivals. "Nodwin Zideqick, Initiate of Vejovis.  Welcome to our home.  What brings you to our humble abode?"

OOC I know, PCs set up as a fence and probably as a craftsman.  Still, he wouldn't know that.  :)

In reply to Nodwin Zideqick (msg # 841):

"We heard you possibly had rooms available. Benito is a skilled craftsman, capable as a smith and builder, who seeks a location to set up shop. He is also a Guild member, and fairly high ranked. I...provide security. We do not have cash to pay for a room, but we are willing to work to earn such a location."

From my understanding:

The apartment block is a group of 8 apartments surrounding a small open square.  The cult murdered all the tenants to gain access to a singular apartment that has a basement that has access to one of the two debris catchment tunnels under this block.  Directly opposite this catchment is... hang on I've got maps...

Jareth's (corrected) Map of the Cultist Lair (and where we went that mission):
https://i.imgur.com/FzUvd8b.png

(0 is the ladder down from the alleyway door.  I see I have to recorrect this map... le sigh)

How I imagine the Apartments and everything overlay... Orange being the apartments. green the storm drain level, blue the sewer/maintenance/cult lair level:
https://i.imgur.com/fBKYq9m.png

Jareth addresses Anita and Benito, "Had two rooms, but taken a group of refugees... hmmm.  Hang on a moment, let us confer a moment?"

He motions the crew (Nodwin, Mario, Jocelyn, Mel, Brodak, Clarence, Charlene) off to one side for a private chat.

He speaks lowly to the party, "Fy 'oh fyck no' sense tingle.  Two high ranked guild show up needin space?  Bet Ludlow flapped lips an t'ey lookin muscle in on t'e gate?"

In reply to Jareth Mooncalled (msg # 844):

"Maybe they be craftmen. Wasn't someone looking for craftsmen to help out?"

"And fresh from out of town?  How'd they get high rank, if they just got here?"  Voice just above a whisper, Mario fingers the fletching of his single arrow, left hand resting on the upper limb of his slung bow.

In reply to Clarence Montague (msg # 845):

"Did you ask just how high ranked they are? I understand some merchants need a certain level of rank just to operate, so if he is a skilled merchant, as he says, maybe they insisted on him taking a certain level of rank. To, uh, keep him from being competition. Where they from?"

[Private to GM: Where would Spanish type of folk come from in this world?]

Nodwin sighs, and then offers up his opinion.

"Vejovis is great, but I have not been granted any wisdom on this topic.  I myself am a poor judge of people, which is why I am but an Initiate.  On a theological level, it would be wonderful if Vejovis were to provide us with the people we needed at the time of our need.  However, I have no sense that this is Vejovis' doing.  He does not usually work in this way.  I believe this to be secular activity.

The next question becomes, why have they arrived here at this time?  It could be as simple as it sounds.  Someone may have suggested they come because they need a roof over their heads.  In that case, then the offer is just and right.  We have provided the same service for a group of refugees, although they have faith in Vejovis so we have judged them to be safe.

Someone who is a better judge of people than I should interrogate them.  We should not assume they have an ulterior motive, nor should we absolve them of one.  It may even be worth magical intervention if we are concerned about their truthfulness.  We have much to lose here if the guild does try to muscle in on what we have discovered.

Regardless, they seem to have skills we may need.  I believe we should at least humor their request and feel them out, until we have reason to believe their story, or until we find that they are not who they say they are."