"Send?  You are always free to refuse anything that is asked of you.  There is accommodation for everyone in the residential area, and sufficient food and water whenever you want it.  Netherworld is a welcoming place, and a place of refuge for many.  However, those who contribute more are looked on more favourably.

For example, Esmerelda, has her small farm and cider business to support her work - and recently found that she had a new mill.  Not only does it take some of the drudgery away from crushing pears, it also makes an interesting addition to the landscape.  Then, of course, there are people like the NSA.  They have more comfortable accommodation and all the training facilities they need.  I understand that recently they discovered that their armoury had been upgraded.  Both helped out with a small task that was asked of them.

Some people are lucky enough to be based in the public workshops.  Making use of the tools that are available there, with free run of the resources, and getting to meet the adventurers who arrive here hoping to buy new equipment and, perhaps, helping them out as they practice their skills.

The more helpful people are, the more that either Nishka or The Keeper look favourably on them."  Once he is finished, The Librarian takes a sip of his tea then wanders back around  behind his desk, and reclaims his seat.

Camber mulls over what is said, and has to grudgingly admit he could use some help getting set up here in the Netherworld. A smirk fleetingly crosses his face as a thought crosses his mind.

Would Torm even favor him with a blessing since he'd turned his back on his order to come here? Well, if the God would favor him again, he sure could use some new equipment and a bigger shop which the man at the desk had suggested could be the reward for his help. A bit of work to bring about some good, should he be redeemed by the deity, wouldn't chafe him too much. Even if he didn't get a blessing, he was fairly good with his weapons, and could dole out a healing potion just as fast as a spell. His blasphemy didn't cause any guilty feelings inside him, so perhaps some worship time was in order, he muses.

"Aye, I get your point, and would be happy to lend a hand,"
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 23:03, Wed 24 Aug 2022.

"The Librarian speaks true, My concerns are roots, brews and remedies....an herb witch by trade, and the defense of this place is defense o my place in it, and my livelyhood as well.  You see you are part of this places, with great power comes responsibilities, it is not all your rights here, you owe services.  You can opt out at times, but not always....."


The gnome lady walks to the new comers...
"Always glad to have straping yopung lads to keep me safe, and in return we keep each other safe."

It wouldn't be out of character for Camber to isolate himself from everything but his work since leaving the order. The propagandized bamboozling from his family as well as the order had made him resentful of most religious practices, yet he remained pious and committed to worshiping Torm. He'd begun to find solace in his reclusiveness, and should have realized that such comfort still would demand a price.

Camber was beginning to understand what would be required of him should he stay in the Netherworld, and in his mind, it was a small price to pay for the bliss he felt as he answered his true calling.

"I understand, milady, and will do all that I can to protect the Netherworld from within as well as out."

Camber raised the right hand of his white spiked gauntlet, palm outward, a gesture that finalized his statement. He had said what was needed to be said, committing himself and his morningstar to the cause.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:23, Thu 25 Aug 2022.

It is a killing mission. We have a target, a druid. And a hostage to free. TO make you feel better we can say it is a rogue or insane Druid, something about history and the people who write it I think.


Does that challenge your conscience?

"As much as Esmeralda deals with brewing beer and remedies, I'm working with jewels - NOT lifting them from others, I have to stress. But if you need a nice ring for your bride to be, a necklace or a fancy headband to be enchanted, I'm the one to visit." the tiefling shared, whether anyone cared or not.

"And no, I don't have a challenge of conscience going up against this druid. Kidnapping is a crime and needs to be answered."

"A problem of conscience?  With someone who kidnapped another and desecrated a temple to Nethys?  Hardly," Tremaine offers in an offhanded way.  "If those in authority here have declared his life forfeit for his crimes, then I can't see how that's a problem, and even moreso because they  actually sound like they are crimes."

A surprised and please look crosses his faces as he sips the tea.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:41, Thu 25 Aug 2022.

"If the druid finds death from one of my spells, then so be it.  If instead she is captured, her death will be at the hands of the Security agency, as they are the closest thing to a legitimate non-deific authority, judge,jury executioner, we have here.  No worries with that though as they have never abused their authority in any way, that is just my view of it, however."

Esmerelda sips her  tea....

"If an agent ever gets out of line, with me, I would cook him in a pot, dearies, so there is that."

Tasch chuckles and bows to Esmerelda. His question answered he faces the Librarian in silence.

Jaqueline seemed to reflect on something before turning to address Tremaine directly "Did I get this right, you craft weapons? - If that is right, would you have a scimitar of masterwork quality that I could purchase from you?" she asked seeming quite interested.

"A scimitar?  Yes, it so happens that I do.  I've been carting it around for a while now.  Would you like to come take a look at it?"  Tremaine seems to brighten more than a little at the prospect of showing off his handiwork, and loses some of his slightly abrasive air.
This message was last updated by the player at 03:06, Sun 28 Aug 2022.

Esmerelda laughs a little....

"A nice new scimitar to kill a druid, I like the cold irony of it....."

Jackie raised an eyebrow at Esmeralda's comment "Cold iron? That's a thought for another day." she answered and took out a notebook and started scribbling something into it.

Once the tiefling was ready with whatever she had written, she turned to Tremaine "Indeed it would be nice to take a look at that scimitar, you have it with you or should we visit your place before we leave?"

"It's at my shop, of course," Tremaine replies, "and I'd love to show it to you once we have a free moment."

He turns to The Librarian and absently half asks, half demands, "Well then, where is this place?  How shall we find it?"

OOC:
Apologies here, all.  I'm trying to play a character with below-average charisma, in the form of slightly lower levels of social grace.  I keep writing dialog for him which is overly harsh, instead of mostly-OK-but-occasionally-awkward-or-rude.  After I write it, I go back and try to revise it to make it fit.

Camber looks expectantly at the man, waiting for an answer to Tremaine's question. He finishes his tea, returns it to the saucer, and sets it down on the table The Librarian is sitting at.

Esmerelda finishes her current cup of tea...

"Are we ready?"

The guard perks up ready to act.

The Librarian nods.  "Follow the South Wing, and walk through the caves you will find there, then keep going.  Eventually you will find another cave mouth, with will lead you to your destination.  Be sure to mark your exit well, for that same cave will lead you back here, once you are ready to return.""There is a short pause, then The Librarian smiles softly and continues, "May you have the blessings of The Lady, and complete your task successfully and safely."

Once Jaqueline's new scimitar has been collected, and you have gathered your possessions together, you meet again in the central hub.  There are a few people milling around, collecting fruits and even some of Esmeralda's pear cider, and even a few vendors selling, or bartering, small home-made items - but the South Wing stretches before you - becoming you forwards.

The ubiquitous pergola rafters and overcast sky.  Stone benches are paced either side of the walkway, close to decorative brick walls, under the ubiquitous pergola rafters and overcast sky.  It makes a good place to sit and talk, when you have leisure, but that gives way to rough stone walls and an uneven floor with a winding path that leads the way onwards.  Soon, the roof closes over completely, and you are in a narrow cave, where the pale grey walls drip with water.  Dim light comes from glowing mosses, growing in patches on the roof and upper walls, while the lower walls are covered in dark green moss and has strange-looking ferns cling to the bare rock. The cave floor is covered in a rich, dark loam, punctuated by loose boulders and rocks.  A stone path leads between banks of mosses, ferns and fungi that you know help to provide sustenance to the residents of Netherworld.

Eventually, the path leads into a smaller, drier, cave with a shingle floor - and the path winds on towards another cave entrance.  You can see a night sky beyond, speckled with stars of a constellation that you don't recognize.  But as you press forward, the darkness is replaces with a growing light, and soon you are standing in another shallow cave.  Beyond, you can see the early morning light of a brand-new day.

OOC: You all got some XP for good RP :)

Tremaine cautiously moves forward, taking in the area beyond the cave mouth while his eyes are still in shadow, trying to get a sense of their surroundings before his eyes are dazzled by the more intense light.  He also moves his cloak to cover his breastplate, so that errant rays of light cannot be reflected and give away his position to anyone looking toward the cave.

Camber stands silently amongst the others, looking out as the sun peeked out over the horizon. He thought to himself that the sooner this was over the better, as he waited for someone to take the lead. He planned to stay in the second rank of the party to lend support with his morningstar or a prayer to either the front or back of the party as he was needed.

Jackie was taking notes in her notebook and barely paid attention as they walked into the cave and only looked up when the light of the day was illuminating the second cave. The tiefling looked around appearing a bit like a dreamwalker waking up. "Are we there yet?" she asked, nobody in particular and not exactly expacting a reply.

Seeing that nobody was taking point the woman shrugged, might as well be her. With that she moved forward, out of the cave, blinking in the bright light...

Esmerelda sets down one of her jugs just inside the cave,
"There is a mark for us to know we are back in the right place....."

"No." the Librarian responds, "Although you could mark the cave when you get there."

Tasch follows Esmerelda as he sees her as the leader. He arrives with the others, he shows them a piton with a link, and some chalk "I'll mark it." then pockets those follows Jaqueline through the next cave, a heavy spiked chain over one shoulder as he walks.

If they come to an exit - he will mark it with chalk and look around and listen and smell for any threats before considering his hammer and pitons.

21:36, Today: Nether Security Agency rolled 24 using 1d20+10.  perception.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:50, Fri 02 Sept 2022.

To be continued ...