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?"