Oler accepts the gift and thanks Nym "Thank you Nym that is much appreciated. Where did you get this?"

The vault of Anthel's keep.  I knew we would be seeing you again and I know you will be needing it if you intend to go to Waterdeep with us.

"Waterdeep, that's the big city in the North right? How do they welcome such as I and Fineli?" Oler inquires of Nym

Rivka, a skilled hunter who prided herself on never letting her guard down or being taken by surprise, was totally caught off guard by the kiss.  Not that she minded, of course.
Though she stiffened up reflexively, she instantly relaxed and let herself be pulled in tight against the jeweler's surprisingly muscular and fit body, wrapping her arms around his waist as he held her close.
The battle hardened ranger found herself blushing like a schoolgirl, as her eyes closed so she could focus on Zell's soft lips against hers.  While not a total novice to love, she was nonetheless a bit inexperienced, and felt slightly overwhelmed by the man's passion.
But she liked it.

Coming up for air, she gasped and smiled awkwardly.
"Zell, I....wow, I didn't...I mean....that's....um.........wow...."
She blushed scarlet and let out a sound that, had she been any other woman besides a rough huntress, might have been described as a playful giggle.
"I'm....I'm not sure what inspired that...but I like it!"
She looked up at him, her warrior's face looking shy but excited, her hands running over his waist and back, almost like she couldn't believe he was really there.

Zell smiled back and thanked the gods she didn't slap him!

"I've been wanting to do that for quite some time now. I'm sorry I surprised you."

The touch of Rivka holding him passionately made Zell feel so much calmer than he has been in weeks and Zell embraced her again like he didn't want to let her go. But, he did and took her hands in his and kissed them,

"You want to get that drink now? I'm sure we can find a nice, quiet table for two."

In reply to Yacob Stoneveins (msg # 39):

Kell nods. "Yes, that is a disadvantage to metal armor. But there are far more soldiers and monsters in the world than there are spellcasters. So for certain professions heavy armor makes sense. Something I have wondered, however. I have seen the spells Mage Armor and Shield in action. They are effective even against direct attacks like rays. I assume one cannot make use of both, correct? Armor and magic? But what if a buckler or bracer were imbued with a Shield spell? It need not be a permanent enchantment, but something a warrior can call up at need. It would leave both hands free to concentrate on pressing an attack, and I believe the defensive properties of the spell are at least as effective as a heavy shield."

Like any other city. Some people are going to have their prejudices against you, me, Yacob, Nino, any other non-human or half human being.  Others won't give 2 coppers about you other than caring if you pay your bill for food or lodging or anything else you have to buy while we are there.  Some may try to kill us because of what we uncovered in the caves, others, hopefully, will try to help us on our tasks at hand.

Nym smiles at his friend.

It doesn't matter much to me.  As long as you and I are together, anyone trying to do us harm is going to have a bad day.  The same goes for Fineli.

Nym lowers his voice and continues.

I know it is late and that you are a druid, but I want you to try and remember everything you can about Lloth, Drow, and the Dark Dwarves.  I don't care if it is fact or legend.  Something in this mystery doesn't quite add up, and I'm sure it is going to affect more than just the dwarves.  We can discuss it on the way to Waterdeep.

Reply msg # 34 Sonori

I've never heard of any Holidays or special events concerning Fharlanghn. Really other then the orphanage I grew up in and a couple real small churches I've never even been in a real temple to our guard. Really until Farther Tucker and brother Marcus died I really wasn't even sure how the whole God thing worked. Then an old wise man and a young foolish one came to me in a dream for the first time. When I woke up I just new that if I prayed he would grant me powers.


Tracks sits head titled in thought for a second. Some of the followers of Fharlanghn did record their travels I use to read the stories at the orphanage. Then when I was old enough farther Tucker and brother Marcus started taking me with them on some of their less dangerous adventures. That's when father Tucker taught me how to make maps he said cartography was a real good job for a young man with a wandering spirit.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:18, Sun 16 Feb 2020.

In reply to Zell (msg # 50):

Rivka chuckled, almost hiding her face a bit as she felt blissfully awkward.
"You surprised an experienced ranger.  No small feat."
She was obviously trying to make a joke to hide her emotions, but was doing a poor job as she looked back up at Zell with almost doe-like eyes

"A nice...private...drink sounds lovely.
She blushed again and smiled at him with a silly grin that she wanted to stop using but couldn't if she tried.
She was suddenly glad she hadn't put off her bath.

Oler nods to Nym's request as he reaches and rubs behind Fineli's ear. He takes a moment to ponder what he knows about drow and duergar.

19:26, Today: Oler Bearstrider rolled 14 using 1d20+10.  Know (Nature)  legends - duergar.

19:26, Today: Oler Bearstrider rolled 29 using 1d20+10.  Know (Nature)  humanoids - duergar.

19:22, Today: Oler Bearstrider rolled 28 using 1d20+10.  Know (Nature)  legends - drow.

19:21, Today: Oler Bearstrider rolled 21 using 1d20+10.  Know (Nature)  humanoids - drow.

Sonori was surprised at their seemingly continued similarities. "Oh, interesting. You didn't grow up with your family either, then? We do have a lot in common.

I was swept away in a river when I was little more than a toddler. I should have died - but Shaundakul gave me the ability to breathe water, and had the river deposit me at the hooves of twin hybsil clerics of Shaundakul, Rangifer and Tarandus. They raised me as we wandered around. Eventually, a few years ago, we did finally find my family, but really, I'm far more close to them than to any gnome, and think of them, really, as my two dads."  She hesitated for a moment. Some of those raised by people not their family had relatively good outcomes, like she did. But some, most that she knew of, were raised by others because their parents were dead. She decided probably now was not the right time to ask.

Arm in arm, Zell slowly walked and looked for a nice place to have a drink. He didn't care if it was Dwarvish or not. As long as there was a table where they could have their drinks and have small conversation, Zell would be happy. He smiled at Rivka's blushes and remembered what his father told him.

Aye boy. When I first seen yer Ma, I knew she be the one. I felt it in me bones. I knew if I didn't go after her, I'd regret it fer the rest of me days...

Where ever Rivka and Zell end up for their drinks, Zell treats Rivka with courtesy and respect and she might notice that his social etiquette is one of his strong suits.

"Well, today has been pretty exciting. I went from thinking I was going to get fired and yelled at, to surprising the most beautiful woman on the Sword Coast. How was your day?"

  "It might be possible to do just that. In fact it would be fairly easy to do with the proper material and spells. And the scariest thing in the whole world is a mage who wears armor. Because killing him is gonna be difficult." he jokes. "The reason most of us don't wear armor is because it hampers all the fancy hand waves and gestures we need to do. So either he can do them without the gestures or he doesn't need the gestures to begin with. Both mean he is a pretty powerful mage. Doesn't mean I'm not gonna still try and kill him just means it won't be easy."

Kell answers "magic is fluid, is it not? It can be shaped in new ways?" Kell strokes his chin in contemplation. "would it be possible to stiffen cloth with magic? Make it as difficult to move in as armor? Such magic would constrain other wizards, would it not?"

OOC: Kell is theorizing that just as normal armor has ACP and ASF percentages, it might be possible to hinder wizards by making their clothing acquire ACP and ASF penalties. As clothing is rarely magical or masterwork, it would have a poor save vs the condition.

In reply to Zell (msg # 57):

Rivka was a bit overwhelmed by the courtly finesse of her dinner date, feeling like a country bumpkin compared to the smooth talking jeweler.    She blushed anew as she spoke
"I was just happy to be out in the open air again, and was planning to just be spending time teaching my new bird friend to fly and hunt.  I never expected anything like this.   Honestly, i think that you might have me mixed up with some Waterdahvian Lady of Substance or something. "
She grinned almost shyly at Zell, obviously not unhappy at his elegant behavior in any way.   The ranger obviously wanted to bask in such ladylike treatment, though was at a loss as to how to do so and was following Zell's lead, letting him set the tone of the evening.  She smiled in confusion at his talk of being fired.
"Why would you be yelled at?  You were a valuable member of the team, helping us find many details of the stronghold and helping to keep us safe"

"Nope, no mix up at all. You're REAL, Rivka. Those dressed up socialites are the fake ones. Take their money and they have nothing. They wouldn't even know how to survive. Their constant devotion to be popular in society is their tomb.

You're free to do what you wish because you can survive where they cannot. You don't hide your true-self because you don't need to. You are completely self-sufficient and because of this, people will know the real you...and that' what I like about you."



Zell smiled and stopped the social etiquette to explain. He ordered Dwarvish ales in regular clay tankards for the both of them.

"That's what I like about you, Rivka. You're not tainted like the city socialites...like me. You felt awkward and didn't know how to react while I was trying to impress you. Now you know how I feel when I was crawling through the dirt and fighting monster spiders trying to find some old, dirty ruin that might not even be there. You were out of your element here and I was completely out of my element there. I'm truly grateful that you didn't laugh at me, but instead helped to lift me up.

There are some bad things I've done in my past that come back to haunt me. Seeing undead really freaks me out. When I saw that ghost and ran away, I couldn't control it. I was in a panic and completely surprised I didn't soil myself. When that happens in my previous line of work, that doesn't happen again...if you know what I mean. So, I completely thought I was going to get yelled at and fired for not doing my part in protecting Yacob. Sure, I found a few things to help the party out, but fleeing from that ghost...I thought that was a deal-breaker. And then you followed me and wanted to buy me a drink...I can't describe how happy that made me feel. I'm still overwhelmed."

Rivka smiled and put her hand atop Zell's
 ""Silly  man...well, I'm not saying that fleeing from a battle was a good thing, but I'll admit that undead are terrifying.   That's how they're designed, after all.    If I'd been alone, i surely would have run away.   It was just my instincts to protect the people in my party that kept me there.  But i was scared the entire time.  Those things are just...unnatural "
She gave a little shudder
"But a mistake is different than a fatal character flaw.  I think Yacob and the others know that.  If you had fled from EVERY fight, perhaps they would have felt differently, but having a fear of the undead is totally understandable.   "

Zell caressed Rivka's hands and could feel the warrior in them. Not like his. Zell's hands were smoother than a baby's bottom and it embarrassed Zell a bit to think about it. But, she was right about the undead. They were scary and he doubted he'd ever get over not being afraid of them.

"Yeah, you are right. I don't back down from fights all that often, except for when I was running away from Lord Frederic's guard dogs when he caught me.....yeah..forget you heard that." Zell chuckled

Rivka gave a shy chuckle at Zell's mini confession.
"I'll admit that I'm not a fan of guard dogs either.  We rangers learn to train animal companions, who are more friends than servants.  Rich people with guard dogs treat them little better than a soldier treats their spear.  "
She shrugged, smiling wryly.
"But any good warrior knows when to run.  My mentor, Garic, always said that the option for running away was the most important part of any battle strategy."

With the official part of the dinner over, the group descends into socialism. Zell, clearly upset over something, leaves early, barely eating.  Moments later, a concerned Rivka follows after him, the two disappearing for the night.


Shortly after leaving, the half orc, Oler comes in with his huge wolf at his side. Though the group who travelled with him are pleased to see him, it is himself and Nym who get discussing things like deurgar and drow, of which the two seemed involved with.


Yacob spends his time talking the essence of magic and armour with Zell as well as his uncle, which the two whisper a bit to themselves in dwarvish.


Johnathan, Sonori and Turbalio talked religion, withSonori and Johnatahn talking about their separate aspects of the seemingly same god, with both awe and fascination of both their separate  gifts and branches.

Nino, between eating food and drinking ale, demonstrated his gauntlet and the summoning of weapons, which varied from a dagger that he sliced a piece of meat with, to a huge axe he brandished proudly while hollering 'NINO' like a warcry

Quinn sat by, listening to the group[s with a smile, talking with Turbalio, Alstadin and others

Before long, Alstadin stands. "This is where i leave ye....i will meet you in the morn at th' front gate witrh ponies and supplies.  Johnathan, th' items ye requested will be with them."

with that, the group slowlyt made their way out, some to bed, some to the main hall to drink some more, where it could be seen Rivka and Zell talking quietly to themselves in a corner.

<OOC: NExt morning post will be done in 48 hours.  If there is something you want for the truip, let me know. Now is the time for anything else done in the town before we leave.>

Sonori thanked Alstadin for the feast.

To Jonathan she said, "Let's continue to talk on the trail - I want to make sure to be rested up. But, when I'm in a city, I usually try to wander, letting the Wind Rider lead me, to those who need healing, and convert some of my spells to healing. Would you like to join me?"

Before leaving, she went to introduce herself to Oler, seeming to not be bothered by his ancestry. The pale gnome, looked up at the half orc, "It seems we will be traveling together. I'm Sonori, Cleric of Shaundakul. It's good to meet you."


After introductions, with or without introductions, she will wander the town's streets, trusting her god to lead her to those who most need healing, and convert more of her spells to healing for those who need it.

Yes I would be pleased to help you this evening put remember we need to be at the front gate early tomorrow. Jonathan leaves with the little Gnome let their god lead them where he may.

  "You could in fact do that, but there are easier ways for me to deal with a fellow spellcaster." he pauses thinking should he give away all his secrets."There are spells of silence or paralysis for instance. Rivka doesn't know it yet but she is a potent anti-mage candidate with that bow of hers. Then there is yourself and that crazy big hammer of course. No sometimes subtle is good, but more often than not brute force is best."

"Well, technically about timing, I'll leave that up to..." She paused, "Do you know of a name for our god that incorporates both aspects? Maybe she should make one? Maybe Fhardakul? Kind of sounds like "far to go" and incorporates how he is really about travel, primarily?" She happily skips out into the town as they talk, pausing sometimes to wet a finger, hold it in the air, and head the way that most closely aligns with the way the wind is blowing while looking around for those who might benefit from some healing. "Or maybe just use one of his nick names? Wind Rider? Helping Hand? Horizon? I'm thinking us calling the same god by very different names is going to start getting confusing to others. On the other hand, people outside our group might get even more confused if we call him by non-standard names." She doesn't seem to be joking, but also doesn't seem to be strongly tied to any one thing.

Oler smiled a bit at the conversation while he was finishing up his dinner. He would speak with Nym about the Drow and Duergar when they had a private moment or as the group left the next morning. He made sure to slip Fineli some meat for the wolf's good day.

"I've always found that people in general seem to dislike insects crawling on them. If need be I could prepare such though that would lose me some of my other spells related to combat. It should work well in distracting spellcasters though." Oler adds to the ongoing conversation "I will travel to Waterdeep with you, it might do well to see that blight on the land for myself."