Aila had come back downstairs for breakfast, her hair pinned up today with the pin with a phoenix motif.  She tucked into breakfast with the determination of one who was not entirely certain when the next decent meal (as opposed to rations) would be available.

"Were you able to learn anything interesting?" she asked Petar, remembering that he had tucked away whatever that book was that had been found on the group of dead bodies.  "Something that will help the search?" she added in clarification.

While tempted to weave the sparse and clinical journal entries into a fantastic tale of bone golems, goblin sorcerers and sinister cults (with a few spicy nymphs thrown in), somehow Petar decides that Aila might want a summary cutting closer to the truth.

He has the diary essentially memorised, so between bites the elf explains how the as of yet-unnamed scholar/author met a dark fate (along with a certain Rickard and Dohlen) while studying the 'lost Exidamarall expedition'.  "I don't know when it happened, or why the goblins had his notes and tools, and .. that skull," Petar adds.

"We," he goes on, with a nod to Angus, "figure a visit to the Mage Doromas will help, after we see to the bounty.  Also, we have that map, so .. we can go ... there ..." he trails off, a bit daunted by the prospect of stumbling into mines and tackling undeads.

Camille enters through the front door. She sits down and grabs a plate of food, eating like it was meant for two.

Between bites she manages to get a few words in.

*Chomp* "Good morning." *Nom nom* "Are we ready for another day? There is still a lot of terrain to cover." She doesn't really wait for an answer, but allows her appetite to speak for her.

After a while she stops chewing and begins to smell the air.

"What is... is that... the goblin heads?"

Her face distorts into a grimace of disgust.

Marille woke up with a slight headache. She made her way downstairs with her gear over her shoulder. Her bulky arms were on display with her shirt minimally covering her size. "Murnin ull. Dud ye sleep wll?" The muscular woman rubbed her right jaw.

She looked to Camille at the talk of goblin heads, but Marille didn't respond. She took up a seat and smiled at all.

Phelan woke up and washed. After checking nothing was missing, she put on her basic gear and headed downstairs. Leaning her axe against the table she sat down with the others and started eating.

"Morning...".

After finishing breakfast, your party gets all their equipment ready and heads out to the round to visit Master Garrel.

You are greeted by the hall's guards with impressed looks and hands to their noses. You are immediately moved along guided into the Master's office. As you enter, he stands up and comes forward to take your hands.

"Ugh, nothing like the stink of victory..."

He kneels to open the sack and look at the dirty, misshappened heads in there.

"Yes, yes, this will do well. Joemer will be satisfied. Now, let's count them out."

You go with him over the heads as one of the guards comes in to take some orders from Garrel. As the gaurd departs, your tally stands at 18 goblins and 5 orc heads. He doesn't seem to pay attention to the difference between the old desiccated ones and the ones killed yesterday. Once complete, he walks back to his desk and pulls a small coffer from the bottom-most drawer. This he opens with a key on a chain around his neck. The coffer is full of coins and other small gems, a few jeweled rings and other small pieces of jewelry. He counts out 180 coins for the goblins, and 100 more for the orcs. Once the pile is neatly layed out in front of him, he pushes it to the front of the desk.

"It's all yours. You deserve it. That's going to be a few less hands killing things here in town, and perhaps the rest of the orcs will be convinced to stay away. For good this time."

He looks up at you with a sternly serious expression. Then he smirks, and his facade can't keep up.

"Hah! Who are we kidding? Those orcs will keep on coming."

He walks around his desk back to you, and pats you on the shoulders.

"Good job! Now go out there and get rid of all of them. By the looks of it, you should be able to clear them all out in about a week."

He begins to shoo you out of his office with a big grin on his face.

"Go. Go! Be heroes. Brings us the heads."

As you find yourselves back out before the hall, you face your second day in Emberdell with a fat purse and a new set of choices:

0. How to divide the spoils of the first day?
1. Go out in the fields and seek out more tribesmen, goblin, orc, or ogres?
2. Visit Doromas and see what it is he desired?
3. Go attempt to find the lost expedition the written log mentioned?
4. Something else entirely?
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:45, Fri 26 June 2020.

"I want to see Doromas to find out about the skull and see if we can get any hints to find Camille's sister, at least a direction. We can divide the gold and shop a little if you want to too."

As you consider your next step, a pair of men approach down the northern main road. They look like soldiers: dressed in serviceable leathers, sword, shield, and spear each. One of them also carries a bow and quiver.

As they get closer you recognize Sowen and Olagh under all the armor and weapons. They are dressed like they are going to war.

"Good Morrow to you, folks!"

Sowen greets you with a big grin.

"Just wanted to see if you were still opposed to another pair of arms for a share of the coins. We won't get in the way, and we have our own food and water. All we ask is a chance to join in a larger band, as there is strength in numbers."

They look at you expectantly.

As the gaurd departs, your tally stands at 18 goblins and 5 orc heads. He doesn't seem to pay attention to the difference between the old desiccated ones and the ones killed yesterday.

Well that's a relief, Petar figures.  He had not been looking forward to a dressing down from the bounty collector on what was - and was not - an acceptable bounty.

Adding quickly Petar concludes that 280 gold divides well into seven shares.  "An extra share for group expenses?  That's 40 each.  Otherwise, it's, umm .. 46 and change.  What do you guys think?"

***

"I want to see Doromas to find out about the skull and see if we can get any hints to find Camille's sister, at least a direction. We can divide the gold and shop a little if you want to too."

"Yup, yes, let's do that.  Doromas may know something about the names in the journal and so on on," Petar says in agreement with Angus.  He hopes Camille comes with since she seemed to know something about necromancy too - plus she was friendly with Doromas and it might be easier to talk to him with her around.

They could split up and agree to meet at the Chiress fountain by a certain hour.  "Marille!  Buy some chainmail!" Petar says with a smile.

***

Sowen greets you with a big grin.

"Marille, your pals are here," Petar announces, hoping the muscular fighting woman would take care of this.  He has no problem with the bumpkins joining them .. it is better than if they tromped around in the woods alone and more shares were not a problem with the elf.

Actions
Visiting Doromas with Angus.  Anyone else?
40 gold added to sheet, not shopping yet
Fine by me adding the two NPC redshirts fighters
This message was last edited by the player at 20:27, Thu 25 June 2020.

Marille smiled at the two. Before she said, "me huv no prublem wid ye cumin. Bu be knuwen dat der wull be the unknuwin." Marille clasped Sowen on the shoulder.

OOC: Well, it looks like Marille's was the last comment. Since no one else is adding to the loot division line, it will be the first suggestion.

Moving on.

Sowen and Olagh seem delighted that the group is allowing them to join. And they would get a share, too.

"Thank you," says Sowen beaming. "You won't regret it."

Camille smiles to herself.

"Let's refill our bottles for the day. It pays to be prepared." She shows you one the small bottles she's talking about, the ones she filled with water from the Chiress fountain yesterday.

Sowen and Olagh look eager to follow.

OOC: Refill and then where to? Doromas first?

Yes

Angus fills his water from the fount and readies to go see Doromas for a short visit.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:51, Sun 28 June 2020.

The elf figures they could split up at this point for a few hours: himself, Angus and Camille visit the wizard, Marille and her new pals shop if they wished, and he can't imagine what Phelan and Aila might do, so Petar doesn't suggest for them.

"How I wish I could spend this day at the range, or perhaps working on my singing," Petar says wistfully to himself.  Singing was something he knew he had to master to really become a bard.  Now the previous day had been a grand adventure, but he hadn't expected every day to be like this.

No no, he reminds himself with a jolt, Alinda was missing, there was no time to lose!!

Yes Doromas first please.  I expect we can split up at this point with no harm done to time lines and no need for private threads (this isnt that kind of game ;)

Marille will ask the two if they know of a blacksmith that might have a breastplate. As her leather armor might not be sturdy enough in case they need to fight another group monsters.

They sturdy woman chugged her water. Then splashed some on her face to pray to her god of might.

"I should like to know something of what Doromas had in mind," said Aila, after filling a bottle with fountain water.  "It should be quite interesting, if I may accompany you?"

It seemed that perhaps they would be spending a good part of the day--if not the whole day--in getting more information, which seemed to be a far more likely path to success, in her mind, than simply heading out and hoping to land on the correct answer.

"Of course, and I think he's taking apprentices, maybe?" Petar says to Aila, perhaps genuinely confused as to her abilities.  "I hope he is," the elf continues, "I would love a chance to learn from him.  My old master, was, umm, well .. old, I suppose."

Petar grimaces and sneaks a sidelong glance towards Angus.  "No offense!"

"I would not be looking for an apprenticeship," said Aila, smiling.  "I have chosen a different path altogether.  I just remember that he was offering a good deal of money, and it seems worthwhile to find out what he wants for that coin."

She was thinking, too, about what to do with the coins which now weighed rather too heavy on her, but there were so many things that she had not yet fully taken in about the town, she did feel confident that she would find a solution for the matter.

"I know, those platinums seemed like an afterthought to him, almost!" Petar says, remembering Doromas' manner the other day, and his offer for more pay for 'a number of small tasks'.  No doubt there was going to be nothing small about them.

"Well, he said he's renting a shack just in the western farms.  Can't be that far ... lead the way, Camille?"
This message was last edited by the player at 22:57, Mon 29 June 2020.

"None taken Petar, I'm not that old, only about 30 winters, magic has aged my appearance. I grayed young, I don't know." He said with a smile.

Was the man joking?  Petar peers closely at Angus, noting the aged features closely.  Anything was possible with magic, but premature aging?  That seemed horrible.  "Ahh .. perhaps it can be un-done," was all he said, a little lamely.

"Perfectly all right lad, snow on the mountain but plenty of fire in the hearth!" he says with a grin to Petar as they walk to Doromas' house.

OOC: Is there a place in Emberdell that has a chain shirt or breastplate for sale?

OOC: Well, this is Basic D&D, so those kinds of "models" are not exactly available like you think they are.

However, I can take the D&D 3.x model and say that a chain shirt or breastplate count for 4 points of AC, which is basically the equivalent of Scale mail (AC 6) in this game. That is something you already have in the form of Studded Leather, one point of AC higher than leather. There would be no difference.

You would have to upgrade yourself to a higher armor type, like Chain (5 AC), Banded (4 AC), or Plate (3 AC), but those are also more expensive. The fastest way to increase your armor class is with a large shield, which adds +2 AC, and only costs 15 gp.

Let me know what you'd like to do.

OOC: Oh, and since everyone decided to allow for a 40 gp "group expenses" share, if everyone agrees, you can take some from there and buy more expensive armor without breaking your bank. =)

In reply to Game Master (msg # 27):

OOC: Marille will hold off for now.