Dinner at the Mug, At the Boar's Head, Noctis
Subject What passes for passes
"I was afraid of that. I know we're in something of a hurry, but Why don't we try just hitting a few public stops around town, not asking too many questions, and see if anyone ever stops us to check our passes, and maybe how they check 'em. Maybe they never check, and we won't even have to worry about carrying them on us." After a moment of thought, he puts his pass in a spot as far away from his bed and setup as possible. "I wanna go check out the kitchens before heading to bed. Anyone up to join me?"
From: Karl
Subject Dinner at the Mug
Salix will stick close to Mund. He'll show deference to him and in general act like a side-kick. He'll roughen up his language and try not to appear too smart. The general idea is to let people think Mund's in charge and Salix (aka Sam) is nobody important. Salix will be listening and watching intently for anything that might give some clue as to what's going on.
From: Karl
Subject Dinner at the Mug
Didn't read this before sending my last. Salix (aka Sam) will go back up at Ally's suggestion. He'll be of more use to the quest if he is rested.
(But take my last turn as the general character Salix is trying to show in town. He's just a Mund hanger-on. Nobody special, and not too bright.)
From: Kevin
Subject At the Boars Head
Harp listens to Kal and Surin talk about the passes. Well, probably not too unexpected.
"Well, we're not doing anything wrong yet. I doubt they do much more than let some mage somewhere locate us if they want to - they can't track eveyone who comes and goes in this town.
Surin, go ahead and take a look around and get an idea of the layout - kitchen, baths, exits, stable if there is on, etc. The three of us will head down to the common room and we will meet you there. Anything in particular you want to eat?"
From: Randy
Subject Dinner at the Mug
"Yes, I think I will go up with Sam. I'd rather none of us be left alone here." Ranthir speaks the second sentence in a quieter tone, not wanting to alert any who may be listening in.
From: Mark
Subject Noctis
Just a note of something that Karl and I decided. Noctis, Salix animal companion, did not accompany him on this trip.
From: Porter
Subject Noctis
Good idea.
From: Porter
Subject Dinner at the Mug
Since Alley is going to be with Mund, if Mund gets into any drinking competitions, he'll make sure that Alley is part of it as well.
If Mund ever gets so drunk that he cannot function, he has an ace up his sleeve -- he can always rage, which increases his constitution, and giving him some time to function properly before the rage ends.
From: Mark
Subject Dinner at the Mug
Unless Mund is so drunk he passes out. :)
I might write a bit this afternoon but I have a real life game tonight so it will likely be Saturday before anything major gets written.
From: Karl
Subject Dinner at the Mug
Assuming, of course, he has the presence of mind to rage. ;-)
From: Derek
Subject Dinner at the Mug
Letting real life interfere with your real priorities? :P
From: Porter
Subject Dinner at the Mug
His gaming group is "real life"???
From: Mark
Subject This weekend
Over the weekend I will be e-mailing several people information that they have picked up about the town and happenings about. I will let them decide how they want to tell the party.
Dinner at the Boar's Head
Subject Dinner at the Boar's Head
Harp looks around at the other three in the room and waits to see if there are any objections. Not seeing any he nods to Surin and the halfling heads out of the room to get a feel for the Inn. Changing out of their armor they put on normal clothes and they head downstairs for dinner. It is past the usual dinner time so the normal dinner crowd has been replaced with a noisier drinking crowd. They are able to get some of the left over beef stew, some stale bread and cheese, and a fairly good ale. They spend almost an hour eating and talking of nothing important, trying to get the mood of the crowd.
When the food is obviously gone Harp looks at the others and asks "Ok how do we want to do this? I think a couple of us should stay down here and try and pick up some info. Surin here is probably best suited to moving around with out getting noticed and eaves dropping on people. I can probably get involved with some group that is drinking, especially if I buy some rounds, and try and find something out that way. How about you two head back to the room and start getting a head start on a nights sleep. You can get up early tomorrow and see if you can learn anything from the local merchants in the morning. Or you two can go see if you can find the others. They should be at an inn close to the other gate. Sound like a plan?"
Kal and Ragnar nod in agreement and head back to the room. Bending over so that only Surin can hear him Harp whispers "Ok, you move around and see what you can hear. I am going to go be the life of the party, at least for a while. Try and see if any one pays special attention to me as well as what others are talking about." The 1/2 orc winks at the halfling "What I do in the service of my god." At that Harp stands and moves towards the largest crowd in the bar.
OODM: Ok I will send Kevin and Ashley info on what they found out. Tomorrow I will write up Josh and Jason as they go about town. I will also write up Derek and Porter.
Mund and Ally go drinking, the next morning
Subject A night of drinking
Stumbling back to his room, Harp tries to keep all of what he learned straight. Prices going up, taxes going up, new people moving into the town, rules enforced stricly and harshly, ID's for most everybody. Those passes they had were probably going to have to stay around.
Harp arrives at the room, seeing the sleeping form of Ragnar and Kal meditating on his bed. He nods to Kal and then crawls into his own bed to get a little sleep. He had not needed much in the past weeks, but he probably would need some now.
From: Mark
Subject Mund and Ally go drinking
Mund and Allistair watch as Ranthir and Salix head up to the room. Ally sends a thought to his familiar that the two would be there soon and to not be worried. The small snake sends back the image of a fat mouse and the snake swallowing the mouse followed by the snake sleeping contentedly for several days. Ally grins and sends a thought of approval. Turning to Mund he says "Ok are you ready to get hammered?" Mund grins and the two head out into the bar proper.
The two do not even hear Salix and Ranthir when they go down for breakfast. It is almost noon when Salix starts to wake them. "Ran is downstairs having lunch. He has seen Kal and Ragnar but not made contact with them yet. You two should get up and have some food. When the others get here we can report in and see what we want to do." It takes the mage and the barbarian about half an hour to get up and make themselves presentable. Throbbing headaches make wince when a noise is too loud or when the bright sun hits one of them in the eye, but they stumble down the stairs in time to get a full lunch.
Ranthir had gotten one of the larger tables and when the four were about done eating, Ragnar and the other three walk into the dinning area.
OODM: I am sending out more info to people and then you can role play the party getting back together.
From: Karl
Subject A night of drinking
Why were Ragnar and Kal sharing a sleeping form, and why was it meditating on Harp's bed?
From: Porter
Subject Mund and Ally go drinking
As soon as Mund has some food in him, he says "Did you say something about Ran seeing Kal and Ragnar? Why haven't we made contact with them? Let's make contact and discuss what we've learned."
From: Derek
Subject Mund and Ally go drining
Ally wakes up late with a headache, but it's nothing that he can't handle. Getting hit by that mandrake or those demon bugs and then falling from a tree was definately worse. Allistair gets a quick bite to eat before he goes up into the room to begin memorizing his spells. He tells Mund and the others to be sure that no one disturbs him while he is doing so, since he doesn't want it known what his real profession is. He also tells them he'll talk about what he learned last night after he is done.
OOC: Mark, do we have any pearls left over for an ID spell? If not, we'll need to do some shopping, perhaps discreetly, so that Ally can ID these city passes.
From: Mark
Subject Mund and Ally go drinking
I do not know if any one has any pearls left. Ally would have to ask the other characters.
From: Derek
Subject The next morning
After Allistair finishes memorizing his spells, he gets some lunch and joins the others. "I hear that we've found the others? Then we need to find a place where all of us can get together privately and talk. Do we want to all be in the same inn so that we can have privacy a bit more easily?"
From: Porter
Subject The next morning
Is there enough space in our room for everybody to fit in and talk?
From: Mark
Subject The next morning
Umm, Ragnar, Harp, Kal and Surin at at the Leaky Mug for lunch. They just showed up.
From: Derek
Subject The next morning
Allistair asks everyone of they would like to have lunch up in their room so they can have some privacy.
From: Derek
Subject The next morning
OOC: Sorry, I'm getting some lag between sending and receiving.
IC: "I think everyone can fit if we don't mind sitting on the beds. We can have a table brought up for the food, and I don't think the tavern keeper will care as long as we pay for everything."
From: Kevin
Subject The next morning
Harp saw Ragnar's form on Ragnar's bed (since he was covered with sheets) and Kal meditating on Kal's bunk since Kal does not have to sleep - he meditates.
From: Derek
Subject The next morning
The original phrasing was kind of strange though. I didn't think it was *that* kind of campaign. ;)
From: Karl
Subject The next morning
Ah, gotcha.
From: Mund
Subject The next morning
Mund gestures everybody to follow his brother up to their room, and then as the last person in, closes the door.
"Well, it's good to see that y'all made it in OK. Have you guys learned anything? Last night Alley and I tried to drink our way to information, but it didn't work too good. It looks like the Mayor is probably behind whatever's going on here. Since he became mayor a couple of years back, Bodentown has been growing, and all these rules have cropped up. It sounds like the Mayor also has a secret enforcement squad which makes people dissapear at night. We really don't want to piss off the Mayor until we know what we're doing.
From: Mark
Subject The next morning
Karl has been hoping though. :)
From: Allistair
Subject The next morning
OOC: I only sent this to Porter, I meant to send it to everyone.
IC: Allistair nods in agreement with Mund. "I was able to find a little about magic users in this town. It turns out that magic users are few here, and not trusted. Since I'm literate, I passed myself off as a scribe, and will continue to do so. I also suggest to Kal that he doesn't make known his arcane abilities. Since he fights well too, that shouldn't be a problem. There has been similar problem for priests and their temples here. The mayor started levying exorbitant taxes against all the temples in the town. As such, all temples and organized diety worship has either left Bodentown or gone underground."
"Anyway, as Kal may have also noticed, there is something magical about these town passes. I can determine exactly what they are, but I need one of these 100gp pearls like I used to ID all the loot from the ill-fated caravan we came across. Does anyone have one of those pearls left? With these magical passes and the discrimination against magic users, I fear that someone in the mayor's organization may be a powerful magic user and is using these passes is some way. As such we need to determine exactly what they are for."
If someone has one, Allistair will use it to ID his town pass. If not, then he'll ask if Surin or someone else would be able to go and purchase/procure one.
Allistair continues. "Since it seems that this Mayor is at the heart, or at least head, of what has been happening here, we need as much information as possible on his organization. I was thinking that I could see if they need an experienced scribe. If I could get a position there, access to paperwork at the city offices would give us a lot of information. No matter how secretive their actions may be, if it involves organizing people and their wages then it will show up somewhere in the paperwork."
"Similarly, many of us could probably find employment here as laborers or guards. The closer we can get to the mayor, the sooner we can figure out what is really going on here."
From: Mark
Subject Info check
I have contacted every one with info they found out. Different people got differing quanities and qualities of info.
I would like to see every one check in with the info they got and the group come up with a starting plan.
From: Randy
Subject The next morning
"Ragnar and I were out this morning and learned a little. The town seems to be booming financially. Prices are high compared to what we are used to though. Apparently there are a lot of taxes that the merchants all have to pay." Ranthir scratches his chin and pushes his hair out of his eyes.
"Labourers are in short supply as well which seems odd since there are a lot of new people showing up all the time. It probably wouldn't be hard for some of us to get hired on somewhere. There also seems to be a slave market. To bolster labour I would assume but it could be for other reasons as well. It seems like the mayor is behind the growth of the town over the past year or so. Also, from what folks are saying, those who oppose the mayor seem to be dissappearing."
From: Derek
Subject The next morning
Allistair speaks up briefly, "Did you hear any rumors as to what happens to the dissenters who dissappear? Are they sold as slaves and shipped out? Is there a large jail/dungeon where they all go?"
From: Porter
Subject The next morning
"I've heard the same thing about folks dissapearing, but it's not just people who talk out against the Mayor. People ain't willing to go out at night in groups less than 10 in size for fear of dissapearing themselves."
"Kinda makes you wonder what's happening to all those folks, don't it? Maybe that's what we ought to look at first. We could get jobs and work for a long time without ever getting close enough to anybody to find out what's going on."
From: Derek
Subject The next morning
"So are there press-gangs that abduct people and sell them as slaves or conscript them into military service? Or does something else happen to them?"
From: Porter
Subject The next morning
"Nobody knows what happens to them -- they just 'dissapear'."
"You know, if we really want to know what's happening, the simplest way is get ourselves, or some of us, dissapeared ourselves."
From: Kevin
Subject The next morning
Nodding at Salix to get his approval, Harp dismisses that idea. "We might want to wait before we try that. We don't know enough yet.
There seems to be a larger number of fighting types moving into the town, but I don't know why. Maybe Ran, Kal and I can try to find out if they are recruiting or hiring them as mercenaries. If they are being hired, maybe we can get hired on to get a better idea of what is going on.
Maybe Surin can check those of a little more dodgy nature to see how these changes are affecting them.
Did anyone get the name of the mayor? I don't remember hearing it, but he has to have one, doesn't he?"
OOC: Mark when the groups were heading in, did they see any fields for growing food? I thought you said something about when we met the wasps that there were just stumps cut down, the land was not being truly cleared
From: Porter
Subject The next morning
"Everybody just calls him "The Mayor"." I never heard a name.
From: Mark
Subject The next morning
The sections of the woods that had been cleared were not being farmed or converted to farmland.
The some of the land around the town was farm land, but this far north there is a very short growing season. From what was seen there would not be enough to support a town of this size.
A plan takes shape
Subject A plan takes shape
At lunch, Salix addresses the group. "I did find out that almost nothing is grown in or around the town. All produce, and presumably that means feed for the animals and probably most of the animals themselves, are shipped in from elsewhere. That definitely explains some of the high prices.
"I don't understand how a city can function like this, at least for very long. Whatever this Mayor's plans are, it's going to be harder and harder to keep this city viable if the evil that is killing the forest continues to spread."
(OOC - the first paragraph is info from Mark - except he didn't specifically say the part about animals. The second paragraph is Salix's conjecture.)
From: Karl
Subject A plan takes shape
"No more splitting up if we can help it," Salix says. "Whatever force is out there has likely bested the Stormfather, and he was more powerful than any four of us put together. We don't stand a chance if we split up."
Salix, who has looked heartsick ever since arriving, looks even more crestfallen. "I had hoped the Stormfather was silent because he was here undercover somehow. It was foolish to hope that. I have no doubt he has been taken by the Mayor or some force under his control. I only hope we can reach him before . . ." Salix sits heavily, his head in his hands. After a minute, he gets control of himself. "Unless someone has a better plan, then getting ourselves "disappeared" might be the only way we're going to get any information. I doubt the people here are going to be willing to talk openly about their suspicions, not when people are being taken in the night and sold into God knows what."
From: Karl
Subject A plan takes shape
(OOC - Assume my last turn came after this, and add the following)
"Harp, I'm afraid we don't have time to do an extended investigation. As was said, you could work for months as a mercenary and not find out a thing. Or worse, you could be "disappeared" alone simply for asking too many questions. Or at the very least, there's no guarantee you won't get stationed somewhere useless to us. It's more likely you'll be set to do something odious which you will have to refuse. I don't see how you could go a day in this town's army without blowing your cover.
"No, whatever we do, we have to stick together."
From: Ashley
Subject A plan takes shape
"I wasn't able to get a name either, but from what I hear, he's the most powerful mayor this town's ever had. He has a big fine house in town that's protected by a bunch of guards, some of which I've heard are pretty nasty. He doesn't even spend all his time there, either -- he has a another big place a few miles east of town that's got its own set of guards. Those places seem the best bet to find something, we just have to be careful how we approach it. This Mayor guy's bad news, and it wouldn't hurt my feelings if we somehow managed to avoid him completely. Though somehow I don't think that'll happen."
From: Porter
Subject A plan takes shape
"Our group is small enough that we still might get 'dissapeared' even with us all sticking together, if we wandered around at night."
From: Karl
Subject A plan takes shape
"Well we can't just sit here and wait for someone to come tell us what's going on. I don't think we'll get much at all out of the populace. Asking a lot of questions is going to get us 'disappeared' too, so we might as well get it when we're expecting it? Or what do you think about trying to take a look at one of the Mayor's houses?"
From: Josh
Subject A plan takes shape
"Perhaps his goal isn't to run the town, but to sacrafice the town to destroy the druids."
From: Porter
Subject A plan takes shape
"The elf makes sense," Mund says without the usual derision that accompanies the word elf. "Let's stick our noses where they don't belong."
From: Josh
Subject A plan takes shape
"I didn't see much when we walked around town. There were some elves around, but they didn't look to be friends of the nations. Other than that, I wasn't able to learn much."
When they speak of getting captured, Kal speaks up.
"It may be that getting captured is the only way to learn something, but to me it seems a pretty dire method. Why should we rush to it? Let's just stay together, and poke around where we shouldn't. If we figure out something without getting disapeared, all the better. If we get disapeared, nothing lost. Right?"
From: Porter
Subject A plan takes shape
"Why would he want to do that?"
From: Karl
Subject A plan takes shape
"I don't know what the town would have to do with the druids, exactly, but it's clear he is out to eliminate the druids, at least insofar as they are a threat to him. Whether that is his primary goal or not is still unknown. He could be destroying the woods here to lure the druids to destruction, using the town as an expendable tool. He could be destroying the town for some other purpose and only taking the druids that threaten him. He could be destroying both town and woods for some other darker purpose. I don't think we can guess which it is without more information."
From: Kevin
Subject A plan takes shape
"Salix, I agree with Kal and Mund. Just getting ourselves caught serves no purpose. I would rather do this on our terms, at least as far as we can, than on their terms - we don't even know what their terms are yet.
Lets take another day nosing around. A few of us can head to the mercenary guild and see what's happening there. Maybe Surin can make a few contacts with some of the less savory folks in town. These new rules gotta be causing them some stress. Maybe we can take a walk by the Mayor's house and get a feel for the security there.
Did anyone see any body selling any jewels? Allistair was looking for a pearl to he can see about these passes."
From: Derek
Subject A plan takes shape
"Do we want to try something with stealth first? We have various abilities of invisibility, flight, and shape-changing that could perhaps be used to check out the mayor's place."
From: Karl
Subject A plan takes shape
"Well, I'm not seriously suggesting we turn ourselves in. I just think we need to look closer to the source, and that's *going* to arouse suspicion. I don't think this mayor is the type to just sit back and wait to see what we're up to, which is why I'm very worried about us splitting up again. What if Surin simply doesn't come back from his 'poking around'? We'll be right where we are now but with one less man, and Surin could be. . . well, probably nowhere good.
"But I agree we can probably take another day to poke around and see if we can find out anything more specific.
"As for IDing these passes, I'm thinking that's a waste of time and money. We've seen them being checked, so it's unlikely they give off information automatically. They're probably just enchanted to prevent counterfeits. Ally, are you seriously concerned there's more to them, or just curious?"
From: Porter
Subject Big and small
How small can you go with that magicking of yours? Can you turn into a mouse or a fly?
From: Karl
Subject Big and small
"I'm not sure what good my shape-changing will be here. It's likely that an animal of any significant size is going to be more conspicuous than a normal human poking around."
(OOC - Mark, have we seen *any* animals since we got here, besides the wasps? )
From: Karl
Subject Big and small
"I can only take a wild shape that is roughly my own size. Stronger druids than I can be smaller or larger, but I'm still really new at it."
From: Mark
Subject Big and small
I think I mentioned that there were dogs. There are also the common city vermin, rats, mice, cats etc.
What was missing was the large farm animals usually associated with towns, cattle, sheep, goats, etc.
From: Derek
Subject Big and small
Allistair shakes his head. "No, nothing that small. Maybe something as small as a dog, or a large cat."
OOC: By combining reduce person with polymorph, Allistair could make someone two sizes smaller.
From: Porter
Subject Big and small
"A cat maybe could get into places without causing much alarm. Plus, they're nice and quiet."
From: Karl
Subject Big and small
Can Salix change into a large dog? Would it be a conspicuously large one?
Does Wild Shape work if he is reduced by Ally?
From: Mark
Subject Big and small
He can change into a large dog. By game standards the normal dog is a small creature. A riding dog is a medium creature. Examples given are a St. Bernard. They also list Huskey but I think that a Huskey would be a small dog. A medium dog would be a Great Dane, Irish wolf hound, Newfoundland, etc.
Does Ally have reduce person? I know he has enlarge.
let me do some research.
From: Mark
Subject Wildshape
Salix can change in to a normal or medium sized dog. A large dog would stand out very much. It would take up a 10X 10 square.
We have to be careful when we talk about large and small. In D&D, those terms have defined sizes already. So a large dog would actually be a medium creature. A normal dog would be a small creature.
From: Kevin
Subject A plan takes shape
"Well, maybe Kal can go around with Surin, if that would be OK with the two of them. Kal moves as good as any one of us except Surin, he can wield a blade and he can cast enough to get through most problems.
Mund, Ragnar, Ran and I can check out the mercenary guild."
Salix makes a decision
Subject Salix makes a decision
Ragnar learned pretty much the same thing Ran did, having spent the morning with him. He'll be happy to wander over to the mercenaries guild with Harp and the others.
From: Karl
Subject Salix makes a decision
Salix addresses the group. "Fine, Harp, you take Mund, Ragnar, and Ran and see what you can find out from the mercenary guild. But be careful. We don't want you all getting impressed into service for the mayor or something."
He looks at the others. "I think the rest of us should stick together. I'm really uneasy about any of us going off alone and not coming back. You saw all the dead in the streets. Life is cheap here and to them we are nobodies. I think we should take a walk by the mayor's house, and if Surin thinks he can get some info from the rogue population here, we can let him do that as long as we have set a rendezvous place and time. I'd like Kal to go with you, Surin, if that's possible. Ally and I can try to see if we can learn anything from the merchants or magic community if there is one. Maybe we can do that by asking where we can get something identified, make like we're looking for magic services rather than trying to hook up with colleagues."
(OOC - Mark, if you need everyone to agree with this, say so. If no one objects, then that's what Salix decides.)
From: Mark
Subject Salix makes a decision
I would like everyone to chime in if they are agreeable to this plan. This will let me know that it is ok to go on with the write up.
From: Jason
Subject Salix makes a decision
Sounds good to me.
From: Kevin
Subject Salix makes a decision
Harp is OK with this.
From: Derek
Subject Salix makes a decision
Allistair is fine with it too.
From: Porter
Subject Salix makes a decision
Check.
From: Ashley
Subject Salix makes a decision
Surin's fine with it. :)
From: Josh
Subject Salix makes a decision
Kal's a little uneasy about splitting up, but goes along with the plan.
From: Mark
Subject Salix makes a decision
Karl
I want to be clear on something. The party is only splitting up during the daytime hours? Salix wants all of the party members back to the inn by dark, correct?
From: Karl
Subject Salix makes a decision
Yes, he would have said for them to re-convene at dinner. He would also have the others get a room at this inn, too. He'd advise them to get the room separately and to return for dinner separately with little if any acknowledgement that they were all together*, then after dinner they should all re-gather in this room.
*The idea is to make it hard for the casual observer to see them as a party.
From: Randy
Subject Salix makes a decision
Check.
Life around town, the team splits up
Subject Turn
sorry I did not get anything out last night. It is that time of the year for school concerts and performances.
I will try and get some stuff out today. I just have two projects to work on.
From: Mark
Subject Life around town
I was going back and doing the archive, which is a great way for me to review what everyone wants to do before I write a new turn, and realized I might not have been clear.
In the woods there was almost no life, plant or animal. The wasps were the only things besides Silverbranch and some of the trees that were alive. Silverbranch and the trees were in the process of dying.
As the party got closer to town more signs of life show up, grass, animals etc. Around Bodentown looks nothing like the woods the party showed up in. Whatever is killing the woods is not effecting Bodentown.
From: Kevin
Subject Life around town
Did anyone pick up in the conversations they had or heard any comment about the outlying areas being in such bad shape? You know, complaining about having so far to go to get wood, no game close by and having to buy it, etc. Anything???
From: Josh
Subject Life around town
Kal heard people complaining about this ugly half-orc that just came into town, but that's about it. ;-)
From: Kevin
Subject Life around town
Har, Har, Har.
Your'e funny, for an elf
From: Mark
Subject Life around town
No one has heard anything from the locals about the food supply yet. However the party has only been in town for less than 24 hours.
From: Mark
Subject The team splits up
As Salix finishes explaining what he want the party to do, he looks around at his companions. Most of them seem agreeable, but Kal's face shows doubt. The druid reads the elf's face fairly easily. "Kal, I know you are not comfortable with us splitting up again, and I am not a big fan of it either. However, we have a lot of things we need to find out and a group our size will attract attention." He turns to the others his face growing stern. "Kal is right to be concerned though. I want all of us back by dark. If you can not make it back by dark, get a room at the nearest inn and spend the night inside. We don't need any one disappearing on us. High tail it back here first thing in the morning. NO DRINKING. If a person does not show up with in an hour of sunrise, we are coming looking for you and that would set things in motion we may not be ready for yet."
His eyes look at each member in turn. Kal nods his acceptance of this and even Mund nods his agreement. "Ok, it is a couple of hours after noon. We only have a few hours until dark. Harp, you take your three and check out the Mercenaries Guild. I will go with the others and check out the Mayor's house and see if Surin can contact the local thieves' guild, assuming there is one. Let's go."
OODM: I am going to write up both groups seperately.
Hopefully I will get one done before I go home. The other may be tomorrow.
From: Mark
Subject The Mayor's house
Salix watches Harp and those with him leave the inn. He waits for a few minutes before motioning to Kal, Ally and Surin that they should make their way out the door. As agreed, they each leave the inn by a different route, meeting in front of a store down the street. Once back together, Surin takes the lead. "The guy I was talking to last night told me the general area that that Mayor's house was in. Now he was half way drunk, but the way he described it, we should be able to find it easily enough. I don't think it would do to ask someone about it. Also, don't be looking about like you're lost. Act like you know where you are going, less likely to get stopped." The others nod and follow the halfling's lead.
With in half an hour Surin has been able to lead them to a fairly nice part of town. It seems to be portioned off by a high metal fence. There are gates every so often, where major streets pass through. It is obvious that the fence came after the streets. There are guard houses where the gates are, but they seem to be unmanned at the moment. The four keep walking until Surin whispers to them "That's go to be it." Off to their left, across the road, is a massive house. It sits back almost half a mile from the road with a stone wall running around the perimeter. The wall is about 10 feet high and there are guard positions every couple of hundred feet on the top of the wall. It is easily the largest parcel of land they have seen in town and one of the largest buildings.
The house is self is made of stone and wood. The bottom floor seems to be made of massive rocks with a frame building for the top two stories. The whole thing looks like a small castle and it might very well have been that in the early days of Bodentown. The party can not see much of the ground, but as the walk by one of the guarded gates they see 5 guards in chain shirts standing watch. Salix whispers to Surin "Ok I think we've seen enough. We know where the place is and we know we are not just going to walk in. Let's head back and see if you can find the local guild." Surin nods and the others follow.
OODM: You can ask questions that you have about the house. Remember the party was trying to not draw attention to itself and so did not spend a whole lot of time looking around. However they would notice a few things.
From: Derek
Subject The Mayor's house
Did we see any place where the wall is close to the house? Or is there a wide courtyard between the wall and the house everywhere? What other possible entrances are there? Back doors, 2nd floor balconies, etc.?
The Mayor's House
Subject The Mayor's house
No one has been close enough to the house to see any obvious entrances other than the main one. There is a large open area, almost like a park, around all of the house. There are trees and stuff, so it is not completely bare. The house was three stories, with the first story being made from stone while the other two are made from wood. There small windows built into the first floor, and larger ones on the upper floors.
From: Ashley
Subject The Mayor's house
Is it solid stone? Are there any culverts or weak spots that might not be guarded? Do any of the trees hang over the stone wall?
From: Mark
Subject The Mayor's house
All of the stone is made up of large rocks. Easily climbable for one of Surin's skills, if he had any.
When you ask about weak spots do you mean in the house or in the wall around the grounds?
Around the ground you are not sure off since you did not make a search around the grounds. That might have attracted notice.
The house you have no idea of.
From: Derek
Subject The Mayor's house
Were there any beggars in the area? They might know more than anyone else about the security at the mayor's house. Of course, asking them could be very dangerous.
Between a few invisibility and fly spells, I'm pretty sure we could get a few people into the house undetected. Getting everyone in undetected would be hard though. And we still have no idea what's in there, or even if the mayor would be there or not.
Mark, has anyone that we've spoken to actually seen the mayor? Does anyone know what he looks like? Does he make public appearances at all?
From: Mark
Subject The Mayors house
There were no beggars in the area, very well patrolled section of town.
No one the party has spoken to has been asked directly about the mayor, but the impression is that he has made public appearances in the not too recent past. No one that you know of has ever met the Mayor face to face.
From: Josh
Subject The Mayors house
Kal has a mass invisibilty spell. I'm not sure if we could get enough fly spells off though.
From: Mark
Subject The Mayor's house
Just to be clear, Kal has Invisibility sphere, not Mass Invis. The first is a 3rd level spell, the second is a 7th level spell.
From: Mark
Subject Turn
I am over half done with the main project today, so baring any really new hot rush projects this afternoon, I am planning on working on the Merc guild stuff this afternoon.
From: Karl
Subject The Mayor's house
Not to mention that we'd arrive in the house spent of spells
From: Derek
Subject The Mayor's house
That's what you meat shields are for! ;)
From: Josh
Subject The Mayor's house
With Levitation, could Harp or Mund carry someone like Surin or Kal?
From: Mark
Subject The Mayor's house
Probably. Here is the SRD
Levitate
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal or close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target: You or one willing creature or one object (total weight up to 100 lb./level)
Duration: 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
Levitate allows you to move yourself, another creature, or an object up and down as you wish. A creature must be willing to be levitated, and an object must be unattended or possessed by a willing creature. You can mentally direct the recipient to move up or down as much as 20 feet each round; doing so is a move action. You cannot move the recipient horizontally, but the recipient could clamber along the face of a cliff, for example, or push against a ceiling to move laterally (generally at half its base land speed).
A levitating creature that attacks with a melee or ranged weapon finds itself increasingly unstable; the first attack has a --1 penalty on attack rolls, the second --2, and so on, to a maximum penalty of --5. A full round spent stabilizing allows the creature to begin again at --1.
Focus: Either a small leather loop or a piece of golden wire bent into a cup shape with a long shank on one end.
From: Mark
Subject On the way to the Mercenary guild
Ran and Mund head out of the Leaky Mug by the front door, while Harp and Ragnar exit out the back. They meet a two blocks away and Harp turns to Mund "OK so which way to the guildhall?" Mund looks at him "I thought you knew?" Harp chuckles and turns to the other two "Do either of you two happen to have picked up where the guildhall is?" They shake their heads no and Harp turns back to Mund. "Well, I guess we're going to have to ask someone for directions. Beggar or soldier?" Mund thinks for a minute "Beggar, less likely to get us into trouble." The four nod and start looking for a beggar. Ragnar sees one in an alley a block down and points him out to the others. "Ran" Harp says, you deal with others pretty well, can you see if he knows how to find the Merc guild?" Ran nods hesitantly and heads off to where the beggar is. A few minutes of hushed conversation, a coin exchange, and the 1/2 elf heads back to the party.
"He did not know the exact location" Ranthir reports "but he said it was in the Merchants' quarter, up by the Potter Gate. That is in the north side of town. I gave him a copper. I would think we could head over that way and ask again when we get closer." The four head out, moving west and north, following the streets as they can. They only get lost once, but it is hard to get lost when you don't know exactly where you are going. They finally get to the Merchant quarter. The streets are bustling with activity, people going here and there, wagons full of goods and raw materials rumbling down the street. An old man does not get out of the way of one of the wagons and is run over, his weak screams drowned out by the clomp of the draft horses.
"Let's ask an armorer or weaponsmith if they know where guild is." Ragnar suggests. "If any one who is not a mercenary would know where the guild is they might." Mund, Ran and Harp agree to this simple plan and the four listen. The clang of hammer on steel can be clearly heard and the four follow the sound three streets over. On the edge of the block is a sign with two crossed swords, and the pounding sound of metal being beaten into shape comes from the back of the building. The companions wander up to the front of the shop and see a burly man dressed in a leather apron working on a breast plate.
OODM: You guys can role play this if you want.
The blacksmith
Subject Turn
Ok I was going to get a turn out tonight but the wife has lost the diamond in the wedding ring, so I will be otherwise occupied.
No one from Harp's group wants to role play with the blacksmith?
From: Porter
Subject The blacksmith
Mund takes his favorite knife out of its sheath and his backup out of his boot and hands them to the blacksmith.
"Morning. Could you sharpen these for me?"
While he's sharpening Mund's knives, he asks him where the merchant guid is.
The Merchant's Guild
Subject The Merchants Guild
The man whistles and a young apprentice comes out of the back. "Sharpening while you wait is a copper per knife." The man takes another look at the daggers as he hands them over and stops. "Hey, this one is cold iron. That's gonna cost a silver." Mund nods and hands over the coins. The man hands the knives to the young man saying "Will, go and sharpen these for the gent. Be careful with this one, you will need the stone on the left of the table." The smith turns back to the party and they see the apprentice make a face at the smith and then head through the door to the back of the shop.
While waiting Mund asks "We are new in town and were wondering where the merchant guild is?" A strange look enters the eye of the smith. "Who wants to know about the merchant's guild? You came to the right man, for Bilby knows all about the Merchant guild. Those foul, money grubbing elves that rule the world by controlling markets and prices. For over a thousand years those no good, copper pinching.." . For the next twenty minutes the smith continues to ramble about some eon's long, continent spanning conspiracy between the elves and dwarves to control commerce in the world. According to him every major historical incedent was caused by this guild, including many that the party has heard of and are sure that no guild had any part in.
The man is still talking when Will comes out from the back. He throws the party members a disgusted look when he hears what Bilby is talking about.
Which Guild?, arms and armor, jewel of his eye
Subject Which Guild?
I thought they were looking for the "Mercenary" guild. When did this become "Merchant" guild?
From: Kevin
Subject Which Guild?
Agreed.
IC: Harp edges over to Mund and says as quietly as he can "We wanted to find the Mercenary Guild, not the merchants. Look around the street, merchants we can find. Fighters and guards, those we need to find."
From: Porter
Subject Which Guild
Mund pays the man and examines the new edge on his knifes, cutting his thumb and drawing a single drop of blood. While sucking his wound, Mund says in appreciation "That's a fine edge there. Thanks. Oh, and also, can either of you tell me how to get to the Mercenary guild?"
From: Mark
Subject Which Guild?
The blacksmith stops his rant and looks at Mund with a funny look. "The Mercenary Guild? Well, why didn't you say so? It is over on Sword Street. That's three blocks up and 5 blocks to the east. Say hi to Horatio at the front desk for me." The man takes Mund's coins and waits for them to leave.
From: Porter
Subject Which guild
"Thank you kindly sir. We'll be on our way then."
From: Kevin
Subject Weapons and armor
OOC: Mark, while the rest of the group were waiting on Mund, what did the basic qaulity of weapons look like? Pretty good work, pretty shoddy, etc.? Not looking for an appraise check, but these guys are fighter types and they would have an opinion on what they saw.
From: Mark
Subject Weapons and armor
The overall quality looked fine. There were a few really nice pieces. Nothing looked like crap.
From: Kevin
Subject Weapons and armor
Cool. Just wanted to make sure it wasn't like what we ahve seen in our Evil real life game.
So, someone (somewhere) has some talent, but we don't know how much that talent is going to cost us.
From: Mark
Subject Weapons and armor
Well you have only looked at one guy. He might be the best in town.
From: Kevin
Subject Weapons and armor
Yeah, but at least we know that one guy has some smidgen of talent.
There might be others, but we don't NEED to know that now.
From: Mark
Subject Jewel of his eye
Salix and those with him start to head back to the Leaky Mug. "Hey let see if we can find some type of jewelry shop. I need to get some pearls for my identify spell. Maybe some type of jewelry would be a way to carry extra's around." Surin asks a local person the way to where some jewelry stores are and gets directions. They head through town as the sun starts to fall in the west. They come to a street where there seems to be several shops with signs out front with pictures of gems and jewelry on them.
OODM: Is there any particular shop you guys want to look in or do I just determine by random chance.
It is about 3:30PM and it gets dark around 7PM. It is about 1/2 hour to the Inn from here.
From: Karl
Subject Jewel of his eye
What happened with Surin looking for the thieves guild, if there is such a thing?
Salix isn't too concerned about the pearls, but won't stop the group from shopping if Allistair really wants them. If no one else takes the lead, (doubtful) he'll just head for the first one he sees. (But it seems likely that Surin or Ally would speak up and pick one.)
In short, I'm just checking in and don't have a lot to add at this time. However, Salix is constantly keeping an eye/ear out looking for some clue as to where they should go next.
From: Mark
Subject Jewel of his eye
I have sent something to Ashley. Let see what she has to say.
From: Josh
Subject Jewel of his eye
OOC: Is kal with this group?