AvB - Hagan

[Rizban]

Hagan reads the contract thoroughly.

[roll0]

Trained when he did the latest psychic reformation.

[planswalker]

it'd be nice to know when you do them. just a spoiler note that he's reformed is sufficient.

The contract seems to be nothing more than specifying the verbal agreement exactly as spoken, without any unfair loopholes or hidden clauses.

[Rizban]

Sorry, I forgot to mention it in game. You were sitting right next to me while I was tinkering with his skills for the reformation...Hagan signs the contract and thanks the man.

[planswalker]

Contented, the man walks off with the contract to deliver it. He gives you a magically copied copy for your records. The original would be held on file at Monroe's Law Firm.

[Rizban]

Hagan pockets the contract and heads home to the GoSS. Once there, he sets his dedicated wright to making the warhammer for the half-orc, files the copy in his room, then sits back to closely read the student applications.

[planswalker]

Umak FLintgrinder, a dwarven wizard grad student hoping to push the envelope of itemcrafting. He has mediocre marks in most of his undergraduate classes, where no special focus was shown. However, in grad school his first semester, he managed to pass every class as the top student in itemcrafting. He is getting a master in Arcane Creationism with a focus in Wondrous Itemology.

Tubal Cain, a seniour-level undergrad who is looking at going to grad school to take transmutative magics and apply it to environmental problems. His work so far has all gotten moderately high marks, but nothing so exceptional as to be the top student in any of them. He has rather focused on courses to create long-term transmutative magics of all sorts. His specific major is Arcane Tranmutationism with a minor in Envirnmental Magics.

[Rizban]

Hagan checks to see if any more applications have been submitted.

He then writes a letter to the university asking for an interview with each student.

[planswalker]

apparently, item crafting is not a popular thing. Especially since the rumor is he's just some random street vendor.

The interview with Tubal is tomorrow at 3:00 pm. Umak is at 6:00 pm.

[Rizban]

Hagan sends a letter to his associate Mr. Emily's-Husband-Who-Has-No-Name -Of-His-Own asking what he knows about the needle mine.

He then spends the rest of the day asking around town about it, trying to gather as much information about it as he can.

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[planswalker]

He informs you that it seems like the prices going up is making the ones who own it rich. He did an augury which said that the needle mine's lack of production is actually not intentional on their part.

other than that, your snooping only revealed that it's owned by a consortium.

[Rizban]

Hagan tries to recall anything he knows about the consortium who owns the mine as well as the mine itself.

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[planswalker]

It is a group of rich and powerful men who invest in all sorts of join ventures. They have no formal company, but the same half-dozen of them are minor investors in all sorts of ventures. No one knows for sure who the majority owner of the mines is.

also, when can Bear Grylls expect to get approval or corrected?

[Rizban]

Hagan heads out to the mine and tries to find the foreman.

[planswalker]

The foreman for this shift is on duty. He looks at you and says, "Did the boss finally decide our operation was worth investigating?"

[Rizban]

"I suppose so. I actually approached him about it, because the problem interested me personally. Would it be acceptable to ask you a few questions and then look around a bit?"

[planswalker]

"The boss came by this morning, said his boss told him he had hired someone to take care of the production problem. The felllow matched you in description, so I assume you're him. My boss has to follow your lead, so I guess that means me too. Ask what you want, but please don't disrupt my work to interrogate me all morning. It's down, but we're still producing something."

[Rizban]

"I just have a few small questions.

How long has the mine been in operation?

When did production start to slow?

Can I correctly assume that the drop in production is not due to labor issues?

Did anyone new start working here or become associated with the mine just prior to the decline in production?

Can you please provide a brief list of the methods that have been attempted to restore production?"

[planswalker]

"Don't know. My grandfather talks about the days before they discovered the mine, but they've been around all of my life."

"Last spring, a week after the spring festival."

"Nope. Enough criminal activity sent to the mines in fact, that everyone we hire is hired into a safe and well-paying position." There was a note of pride at that.

"Well, a fresh back of convicts arrived the week before, and I hired on a new taskmaster then, but that's about it."

"Well, none actually. The bosses so far have said that as long as the lack in production isn't due to us slacking off, they're not concerned right now. None of the convicts have reported anything, and the taskmasters haven't seen anything."

[Rizban]

"Are there any particularly dangerous places in the mine or nearby that I should avoid?

I believe that answers all of my questions. I should take a look around."

[planswalker]

"Old number 5 is rather more prone to collapse than the others. Besides that, just the dangers associated with being near convicts and mines."

[Rizban]

"Thank you, I'll keep that in mind.

So, the surrounding land is rather safe then?"

After getting that answer, he thanks the foreman and decides to walk the area around the mine, looking for anything of note related to the mine.

[planswalker]

"Of course. The countryside around the capital has been safe for generations. This isn't some border town."

Other than the entrance to the mine, nothing notable is left aboveground. Well, unless workers hauling out cartloads of ore is notable.

[Rizban]

He follows the workers to see where they are hauling the carts.

[planswalker]

The carts are transported to portable holes of unuual size. The PHOUS, when at capacity, are folded up by swift runners and carried off into the city, assumedly to where smiths are refining the ore.

It doe not seem that all that much ore is being carted to it at once.

[Rizban]

"Interesting..."

Hagan follows the carts back to where they are being loaded.

[planswalker]

Inside the mine, elevator shafts running vertically bring up ore periodically where it is unloaded and placed into the carts that are carried outside.

[Rizban]

He looks for any signage around the elevators.

[planswalker]

None of them have any labels to indicate anything more about them. Apparently, the supervisors are familiar enough with the mine to not need them.

[Rizban]

Then he stops one of the workers and asks him... politely.

[planswalker]

The poor worker has had his tongue cut out, and is marked as a prisoner. His supervisor says, "That one's tongue was cut out. He kept insisting that the King's justice was unfair. Apparently, he thought five years hard time for trying to break into the noble's quarter was unfair, so he complained about it for three weeks. Sadly, one of the other inmates managed to cut hit tongue out with a sharp fragment of rock while my back was turned. When he gets out, I have made sure the foreman has it on record to officially petition the boss to pay for his regeneration spell."

[Rizban]

Poor man... probably had it coming though.

"Then, perhaps you could tell me which shafts lead where?"

[planswalker]

"Well, they all lead down to where the workers are freeing the ore from the rock. Each leads to its own work tunnel. The convicts down there are unsupervised, provided that they make quota. Those that don't aren't fed. When production diminished, we had some supervisors watch them to ensure that the workers weren't just slacking off, but all of them are. They just can't mine as fast as they used to, and no one's sure why."

[Rizban]

Sorry about the pestering about an update. It wasn't letting me see it, but I can see it now and see the time it was posted. Weird."Are they just mining slower, or is there less ore, or maybe something else?"

[planswalker]

"Best I can tell, the ore's just simply harder to mine. Takes ten strikes with a pick to do what they used to do with two. Perhaps the rock's more dense now, or harder, or maybe spirits of the land simply don't want us mining more needles. The bosses told us not to let it stop us or investigate too hard. We can't report to them what we don't know."

[Rizban]

"Ah, thank you, that clears things up nicely..."

Hagan finds an outcropping and sits to think for a moment. He pokes at the rock and wonders just how needles are formed anyway and tries to observe what he can see of the mine, trying to recall anything that might be of relevance.
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Wow... two nat 20s in a row.

[planswalker]

Locally, how to mine needles is a trade secret, and it's not known how they work magically or religiously. Perhaps a more natural or geographic approach would help.

and, nodding off. gonna sleep now.

[Rizban]

Cursing his specialized knowledge, Hagan gets up to explore this level of the mine a bit further. suddenly realizes that they are only carrying ore out of the mine. Curious as to what happens with the rest of the rock, he picks a shaft at random and hitches a ride down.

Note that he has his touchsight active so that he can sense everything with line of effect within 60feet. He also has detect hostile intent so that anyone who means him harm within 30ft is identified as such.

[planswalker]

Every time he gets within 30 feet of a convict, he detects hostility.

Down the mine shaft, lines of prisoners are working at hauling the ore away. The mine tailings seem to be hauled up through a different set of shafts.

[Rizban]

Hagan again stands back to the side watching them work, with one hand on his dagger and the other on a crystal, alert for danger.

[planswalker]

It's hard, hot, sweaty work to pick at ore from the surrounding rock. Two men work at the edge of the tunnel chipping away rock while a smaller man will come in while they are taking a breather to gather up the scraps of good ore. Two larger men take the tailings and carry them to an elevator shaft going down, while the good ore is taken up.

[Rizban]

Hagan walks over the the tailings shaft when no one else is standing nearby and looks down.

[planswalker]

The elevator shaft seems to head straight down, and a light on one side shows how more workers are carrying the tailings off elsewhere.

[Rizban]

Hagan hangs out nearby after deciding to catch the next elevator down to look around.

[planswalker]

The next elevator down leads him to a chain gang of hostile convicts who are hauling the slag away and dumping it over the edge of a pit.

[Rizban]

He waits until they finish dumping the current load then walks to within 10 feet of the ledge and tries to look down. As almost an afterthought, he readies a move action to move out of the way should someone try to shove him over the edge... these are, after all, criminals.

[planswalker]

As you approach, you hear a splash. The pit is unlit and you can't see down it.

[Rizban]

Is it deeper than 60 feet?

[planswalker]

Indeed it is.

[Rizban]

He looks around for any small, scurrying creatures... like a rat.

[planswalker]

a cave-dwelling newt skitters by.

[Rizban]

Feeling particularly nasty, Hagan manifests forced sense link on the newt, linking to its sight. He then tosses it over the edge and watches to see how far down the pit goes.

[planswalker]

It drops 100 feet before hitting water, wherein the shock of the impact knocked it unconscious.

[Rizban]

Hagan thinks for a moment then attempts to leave the mine the way he came.

[planswalker]

He is not harassed, although the convicts give you dirty looks. They don't like fancy clean folks poking around.

[Rizban]

He heads back to the Plaza to think about things for awhile and try to sell a few things. In the meantime, a man named Gotchka comes up to identify items and makes a trade.

Hagan receives:
+2 fullplate, painted blue
Three +1 Human Bane daggers
A potion of shield
A hat of disguise
+1 shadowed silent moves chain shirt
Divine scroll of enthrall
A non-magical ring (worth 500gp)
A cognizance crystal (5pp)
A wand of magic missile with 27 charges remaining (CL1)

And promises to leave the following items at the GoSS for Gotchka to pick up at his leisure when they are completed:

+1, Valorous/+1, Valorous gythka
+10 Move Silently boots
+10 Hide, +2 resistance cloak
+4 Strength belt

[planswalker]

... having ripped someone off that well could only mean one thing: Hagan has gotten the best of a pc.

1000 xp for defeating the bug dude without having to even lift a finger.

[Rizban]

Hagan heads home as night falls, sleeps the night through, then wakes up, heads out, and sits at his cart for awhile. If nothing of note happens, he heads over to the empty storefront he's been eying here on the Plaza at attempts to find the owner so he can purchase it.

[planswalker]

That information is classified.

a gather information check will reveal it.

[Rizban]

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He also tries to remember anything about the owner that he can.

[planswalker]

The man who owned it was named Adolph Schults. He died under mysterious causes in another city. His bereaved widow has closed down business ever since.

He was a man. He is now dead.

[Rizban]

Hagan begins trying to find a way to contact his widow.

[planswalker]

He finds her in her estate.

[Rizban]

He approaches the estate and knocks on the door.

[planswalker]

An elderly woman opens the door. "What is it?" She asks tiredly.

[Rizban]

"I'm here to discuss the building on the Plaza. I feel somehow responsible for it falling into disuse and think that it would be the best way to honor the memory of your late husband by returning it to use."

[planswalker]

"Oh, another shark wishing to tear down the building and turn it into their own place? Trying to prey upon an old woman's heart? Please leave. I don't care for your predation."

[Rizban]

"I have no desire to tear it down or even refit it. I just would like a small shop out of the sun to sell my goods and do research."

[planswalker]

She pauses for a moment. "You're that street peddler, aren't you? The one who has young Zeke in a twist because he can't undersell your identification, aren't you? Tell you what, tell an old woman how you do that, and I'll sell you the place at a fair price. Just be sure to honor your words."

[Rizban]

He points to his face and sighs.

"Magic monocle keyed so that only I can use it. I still haven't quite managed to pay of the production cost though, so it's definitely going to have to be a long term investment."

[planswalker]

She smiles. "It's good to hear that someone is continuing to innovate the market. My Adolph was the one to introduce letters of credit forty years ago. Really upset the stodgy old ones. Child, I wish you the best of luck."

[Rizban]

"Thank you, ma'am. Though, I'm afaird I've never actually done this before and am not sure exactly what needs to transpire at this point..."

[planswalker]

"You give me the money, I give you the deed, and we sign it. It's not hard, child."

[Rizban]

"Was there an amount you had in mind?"

[planswalker]

"Fifteen thousand, dearie. And please, I'm old and could die at any point in time. Don't have my last words be haggling about you starving me to death."

the costs to refurbish will end up being exactly the rest of the market price of your final product.

[Rizban]

He produces the 15,000gp and signs the deed when proffered.17,901gp after refurbishing to specs.

[planswalker]

"Congratulations. I guess now you're the proud owner of a shop."

[Rizban]

He thanks her, asks if there is anything he can do for her, then goes to conduct his interviews.

[planswalker]

"Just keep tweaking Zeke's nose." She says.

When you arrive, the secretary tells you "Your first candidate is waiting for you in room 121F. I'll send in the other afterwords. Oh, and be sure to pick up the new cursed items for disposal. The department head was specific in his instructions for me to tell you of that."

[Rizban]

"I will."

"Any indication of what the items are?"

He thanks her and proceeds to the room.

[planswalker]

"I think another mace of blood, but this one only needs applications once a week, and a cursed short sword that actually hinders its users attacks compared to a mundane sword. Oh, and something wrapped in oilcloth that he said not to touch but specifically said was yours now."

[Rizban]

He enters the room and looks for the applicant so that he can begin the interview.

[planswalker]

do you remember which one was supposed to be first?

[Rizban]

Umak FLintgrinder, a dwarven wizard grad student hoping to push the envelope of itemcrafting. He has mediocre marks in most of his undergraduate classes, where no special focus was shown. However, in grad school his first semester, he managed to pass every class as the top student in itemcrafting. He is getting a master in Arcane Creationism with a focus in Wondrous Itemology.

Tubal Cain, a seniour-level undergrad who is looking at going to grad school to take transmutative magics and apply it to environmental problems. His work so far has all gotten moderately high marks, but nothing so exceptional as to be the top student in any of them. He has rather focused on courses to create long-term transmutative magics of all sorts. His specific major is Arcane Tranmutationism with a minor in Envirnmental Magics.

...

The interview with Tubal is tomorrow at 3:00 pm. Umak is at 6:00 pm.This is all I know.

[planswalker]

The young human male waiting on you in the room stands as you enter. "Hello, Mr. Erbaur. I am Tubal Cain. Let me thank you in advance for the honor of being considered for this position."

[Rizban]

"Thank you for coming. Do you have anyquestions before we begin?"

[planswalker]

"What was your major when you went to school?"

[Rizban]

"I was raised in a country where official schooling never went beyond the basics, so I've never actually attended an institution of higher learning; however, this has benefited me in the long run, as it has allowed me to explore paths in item creation that no one else here has yet to even consider. That's why they agreed to let me run this internship."

[planswalker]

"Interesting. My professor in Natural Remedies to Supernatural Diseases spoke of the benegfits of self-teaching. No further questions."

[Rizban]

"Okay, first, what do you expect to get out of this internship?

What skills do you bring to this position?

What is your strategy in table tennis?"

[planswalker]

"I expect to get some hands-on experience with crafting magical items for practical purposes, as well as having to meet deadlines to do so. I hope to some day be able to use my skills to create magical solutions to aiding the natural environment adapt safely to the changes civilization puts upon it, and I see the permanency of magical items as a good way to go about this."

"I am competent at crafting wondrous items based in all schools but necromancy and evocation, as well as scrolls. I've recently begun to work out the craft of enhancing armor and weapons magically, but am still only rudimentary in that craft."

"I am sorry, but what is Taebel Tin'nes? I'm not familiar with that term."

[Rizban]

"Nevermind the last one then.

What items have you crafted recently?

What has been your biggest crafting success? Biggest failure?"

[planswalker]

"My latest ones are bracers of armor."

"My worst failure would be when I tried to create a lesser version of a mirror of life trapping. All it could trap were small animals. Not worth the cost of creating it, which was added to my tuition and I'll probably be paying for until I die. My best success would be a shirt of health I made. Guy who wore it won his brawl, and paid me double for it. Sadly, the school kept the profits, since they were also the ones who paid the expenses. Not that they knew I gave it to the brawler to help him cheat."

[Rizban]

"It sounds like the university is rather unfair..."

[planswalker]

"Indeed. They say fair is for those who pay for their own materials."

[Rizban]

"I suppose that's legal, but it's not very good for inspiring loyalty or hard work.

Tell me something important about yourself."

[planswalker]

"I hope to one day to influence the world to where the natural and civilized worlds can work together as one."

[Rizban]

"And how will you do this?"

[planswalker]

"That's the million gold question, isn't it? That's what I hope to learn. I'm studying at the university to learn how the world works. I'm hoping to then be able to apply that knowledge to solve my problem."

[Rizban]

"How much are you expecting to be paid for this internship?"

[planswalker]

"100 gold a month? I don't know. I've never done this before. I have no idea how much this kind of thing goes for."

[Rizban]

"How about this deal? I pay you 10% of the profit from every unit you make. The more you make, the more you earn. You make a bad one, you don't earn anything. Sound good?"

[planswalker]

"Sounds great to me. How profitable are the units you're going to be making?"

[Rizban]

"Well, at that rate, you'd be making around 50 gold per unit sold.

Hmm... tell me, have they taught you any ways to optimize your efforts so that you can craft more quickly without compromising quality?"

(Basically asking if he has the -25% time feat)

[planswalker]

"Sadly, no. Itemcrafting is only a small part of my chosen degree. Such stuff is generally reserved for majors in graduate classes."

[Rizban]

"Well, if you're willing to learn, I'll try to teach it to you.

Well, I'm hiring you. Meet me in the Plaza at this address tomorrow."

[planswalker]

"Very gladly. Thank you sir."

He frowns just as he is about to leave. "I thought I was the first interview today though. Will you not be seeing the other one?"

[Rizban]

"If he promises to be as good as you promise to be, then I might hire him as well. Is that going to be a problem?"

[planswalker]

"Not with me, but the bureaucrats will have fits because you said there was one internship."

[Rizban]

"Well, then, I suppose they'll have to work something out, won't they?" Hagan winks at him as he says this playfully.

[planswalker]

He chuckles. "It's all the same to me. If that's all, when should I start?"

[Rizban]

"Well, it's about 1:20, and the next interview shouldn't take too long... so, let's say 3:00 today, unless that's inconvenient."

[planswalker]

"um, sir, it's 3:20 now." He says.

[Rizban]

"Ah! So it is! I should remember to wind my watch more often. Tomorrow would be best."

[planswalker]

"Very well, sir. What time should I arrive?"

[Rizban]

"What is your schedule like?"

[planswalker]

"I've got classes every day of the week from 9:45 in the morning until 12:45. I also have a lab Tuesday through Thursday from 1:30-3:30. It normally gets out a little early, though, since I tend to already know the answers to the transmutation problems and showing the answer is faster when you know what you're supposed to get. I can be there at four."

Today in your time unless I'm mistaken is a Monday.

[Rizban]

"Then just come by at 4:00 daily. Grab something to eat first, as I'll be working you four hours."

[planswalker]

"Very well." He stands up to leave. "Is there anything else?"

[Rizban]

"Just send the other guy in, please. And have a nice day. I'll see you tomorrow."

[planswalker]

"I'll tell the secretary that."

About five minutes later, the other candidate walks in. He says, "So, Haggy, what's up?"

personal reference:

Umak FLintgrinder, a dwarven wizard grad student hoping to push the envelope of itemcrafting. He has mediocre marks in most of his undergraduate classes, where no special focus was shown. However, in grad school his first semester, he managed to pass every class as the top student in itemcrafting. He is getting a master in Arcane Creationism with a focus in Wondrous Itemology.

[Rizban]

"Thank you for coming. Do you have anyquestions before we begin?"

[planswalker]

"Nope. I figure the gem of sound transmittance I slipped in the other dupe's pocket told me all I needed to know."

[Rizban]

"Interesting. Tell me about yourself, and don't lie to me."

[planswalker]

"I am Umak FLintgrinder, a dwarven wizard grad student hoping to push the envelope of itemcrafting. He has mediocre marks in most of his undergraduate classes, where no special focus was shown. However, in grad school his first semester, he managed to pass every class as the top student in itemcrafting. He is getting a master in Arcane Creationism with a focus in Wondrous Itemology."

He pauses, grins, and says, "That is what your little dossier says, right?"

[Rizban]

"Congratulations, you can read. You still haven't told me anything worth noting."

[planswalker]

"Well, I'm good at crafting items. Really good. And I find it a breeze. Did you know that most of the time, people go about crafting almost backwards? They waste a lot of time, money and energy that way. Me? I prefer doing things the smart way. I'm better at making items that the other bozo is, so if you want him, you'll love me."

[Rizban]

"Examples and explanations are always welcome. How do you go about doing this?"

[planswalker]

"Well, I created the gem of sound transmittance yesterday for the interviews. As for how I make items, there is a lot of the ritual involved designed to get oneself into a proper state of mind. Skip that junk and just get in the right state of mind, and you save yourself time. There's also inefficiencies in how conventional itemcrafting is done, which saves you on materials, and if you know what you're doing, it takes far less effort to craft than people normally do. I can do what would take a normal apprentice 8 hours in 6 with 3/4 the resources and finish with less of my own personal energy invested."

[Rizban]

"And I save nearly 75% on resources and 72% on personal energy expenditure with research near culmination that should increase efficiency rates to 80% and 77% respectively. With hiring out the work, as is my purpose for this internship, time becomes nearly a non-factor.

As I will be expending the resources and energy at my rates rather than yours, why is two hours worth my hiring you when you've already proven brash and duplicitous?"

[planswalker]

He looks taken aback. "Wait, what do you even need me for then? Why bother with talent at all when all you need is warm bodies? Prove that to the dean of the department, and he'll set you up with a class of itemcrafters just barely out of intro to wonder to serve as dummies. Seems like my talents are wasted here."

[Rizban]

"I assumed you wanted to be the best you could be so that you could learn to reproduce my secrets for yourself. I also assumed you wanted to learn how to work in the real world rather than just a lab and to be paid for your time. If this is not the case, then I guess you're not the man for the job after all."

[planswalker]

He stands there speechless for a moment before saying. "Well, looks like I've really started this interview off about as badly as I can. You're right, it would be an honor to work under you and hopefully learn some of your secrets. And your proposed pay for the job is far beyond the standard."

[Rizban]

"Indeed... Well, I will hire you... provisionally. You may be talented, but you need to work on your people skills.

And remember one thing. If I catch you spying on me, lying to me, or stealing from me, I will terminate your internship."

[planswalker]

"Understood."

[Rizban]

"Well, you know the details, so be there. I have other things to which to attend today."

Hagan heads back to the GoSS and sets his dedicated wright to building a soarsled. After that, he heads to his new shop to make sure it is ready for the next day and all the refurnishing is taken care of.

[planswalker]

It is.

now go set up shop.

[Rizban]

The shop is setup, a sign is hung out front, then Hagan checks the time of day.

[planswalker]

It's 4:30.

[Rizban]

Hagan checks in to see how his soarsled is coming.

[planswalker]

the basic enchantments have been laid down. The slave worker automaton is working tirelessly.

[Rizban]

Hagan, tired from the day, goes to sleep, checking on the progress of his little worker the next morning.

[planswalker]

how long is the hoversled supposed to take?

Work is progressing apace.

[Rizban]

three days, so it should be ready "tomorrow"Hagan heads into town to "buy" a magical item. Bringing a glass ball worth 50gp, he finds a spellcaster capable of casting glowing orb for 150gp.

[planswalker]

He indeed finds such a caster. 150 gold poorer but now the proud owner of a glowing orb, Hagan leaves that shop.

[Rizban]

He spends the rest of the day in his shop puttering about, hoping that people will walk in. If not, he waits until his new apprentices arrive.

[planswalker]

Indeed, five people come by. Two of them are each looking for cloaks of resistance +1. Another wants a +2 tower shield. The last two are a pair of wizards who each want bracers of armor +3, shirts of constitution +2, rings of protection +1, and rings of wizardry (IV).

[Rizban]

What were the items I picked up from the university?

The cloth wrapped one, I have my homunculus examine while I am in another room.

[planswalker]

"I think another mace of blood, but this one only needs applications once a week, and a cursed short sword that actually hinders its users attacks compared to a mundane sword. Oh, and something wrapped in oilcloth that he said not to touch but specifically said was yours now."

The mace of blood is valued as per standard for the item. the -2 cursed sword should be obvious. The item wrapped in oilcloth requires you to take off the oilcloth to learn what it does.

[Rizban]

Again, Hagan stays in the next room while his homunculus removes the cloth and examines it.

[planswalker]

beneath the cloths is a two-sided mirror.

[Rizban]

Hagan has him cover it again and then goes in to retain its essence without ever looking at it directly. A mirror that has been covered just seems too dangerous to mess around with.

He carefully examines the mace of blood for any indication of who made it.
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He then retains the short sword.

[planswalker]

The fashion of the craftsmanship is good, and the magical signature it has is pretty distinctive, if somewhat sloppy. You're pretty sure you cold recognize if another mace of blood was made by the same person as this one. A spellcraft check could help you recognize other items made by the same person.

that is a two-sided mirror of life trapping where the rightful owner of the item gets a -5 to the will save and there is no side to the mirror which does not trap one's life.

when you retain the essence of the mirror, five halflings, a nymph, an ogre, and seven disoriented students appear in your workroom.

[Rizban]

"Alright, you're all free of that cursed mirror now, so off you go. If any of you need help or find yourselves too disoriented, I'll be glad to help you."

[planswalker]

The students, halflings, and the ogre depart. The nymph, though, said, "Excuse me, good sir, but can you tell me where my lake is? I seem to be outside my usual range."

[Rizban]

"I can help you try to find it. Do you know about where it is located? Or maybe you can describe it?"

[planswalker]

"It's a small lake located ten miles from the ocean..."

[Rizban]

"That is... vague. I would need more details than that to help you find it. You are welcome to stay here with me though until we can locate it."

[planswalker]

"I do not know where I am, so I do not know how to relate where I should be to there."

[Rizban]

I would assume that he knows this, because it's common knowledge that everyone should know, and he's lived in the city for a few years now, probably having traveled at least some of those lands to get here."Well, you're in the city of Aldhaven. There's a river here that flows west into the sea. The mountains of the gnomes and dwarves are the to the east. The Empire of Seven Dragons to the north. That's about all I really know about the surrounding areas."

[planswalker]

"Then I am far away from my home indeed. The empire of which you speak as to the north of you is a far-distant southern land I heard spoken of once by an adventurer who passed through. My home is far to the north of here, near the Ice Lands that are ever frozen."

[Rizban]

"I fear that it is beyond my powers to help you return home beyond perhaps seeking a spellcaster capable of sending you there magically. I still offer you a place here should you choose to stay instead."

[planswalker]

"Thank you. I don't mean to be a burden upon you, for I do not have any material goods with me and probably will not be able to buy such service for a while. Is there anything I can help you with to earn my keep?"

[Rizban]

"Do you know anything about trade or market? For example, do you know anything about selling goods?"

[planswalker]

"Not really. But I'm told I have a winning personality. Does it involve talking with people? I'm well versed in the arts of conversation and persuasion."

[Rizban]

"Indeed it does. In fact, that is the primary requirement."

[planswalker]

"Then I suspect that I'm going to be quite capable. What specifically would you like me to do?"

[Rizban]

"Well, just ask what it is they want to order and write down what they request and contact information. Entice them with promises of discounts but try to convince them to pay more than the discounted rate. Then you just have to give me the orders when I come by."

Since I missed this earlier:
Indeed, five people come by. Two of them are each looking for cloaks of resistance +1. Another wants a +2 tower shield. The last two are a pair of wizards who each want bracers of armor +3, shirts of constitution +2, rings of protection +1, and rings of wizardry (IV).Hagan providesall but the rings at 80% market price.

He explains to them that the rings are very difficult to craft and the raw materials hard to obtain, so they won't be discounted and will need to be paid for up front.

[planswalker]

"I think I can do that. My charms often befuddle men anyways, and it's amazing what a winning smile can get you."

they do so.

[Rizban]

"Indeed it can."

Hagan is subconsciously grateful that he is effectively a eunuch without physically being so. He just has no interest in that kind of thing. He views himself as just not really suited for love and as such completely uninterested.

He takes the money, goes to buy Rings of Wizardy IV and delivers them to the two wizards.

[planswalker]

The wizards happily accept their goods.

[Rizban]

Hagan spends the remainder of the day going over the finer points of his business with the nymph so that she is capable of running the shop in his absence.

[planswalker]

She seems quite bright and picks up on the business quickly.

[Rizban]

Hagan sets up temporary sleeping quarters for the nymph in the back storeroom, promising to put together something more suitable for her later then leaves to collect his soarsled.

[planswalker]

"If you could manage something with running water, I would be forever grateful." She requests.

[Rizban]

"I will gladly do that for you as soon as possible. Unfortunately, I'm not sure I can do much tonight."

[planswalker]

"That's fine. I tend to take the lake's view on things. Sometimes, the water level is low in the lake for a decade or two."

[Rizban]

Hagan collects his soarsled and retires for the night.

[planswalker]

nothing untoward happens in his sleep, although he does wonder where the concept of using carrots as projectiles came from. That was a weird dream.

[Rizban]

The next morning, Hagan grabs 2 power stones of energy wall from the shop, checks to see that (nypmh) is doing well, and heads back to the needle mine.

[planswalker]

The nymph, whose name you learn is Clearwater, is doing well.

The needle mine seems much as you left it. Well, except that a new foreman is on duty.

[Rizban]

Hagan stops to talk to the new foreman and asks what happened to his predecessor.

[planswalker]

"He has the graveyard shift tonight, I've got the day shift." He says matter of factly.

[Rizban]

"I was hired to examine the mine and see if there are any ways to boost productivity. I have examined my preliminary study, and I would like to continue to study the mine."

[planswalker]

"Oh, right. You're the one who came by the other day. I'd watch out for the convicts today. They seem irritable."

[Rizban]

Hagan thanks him and heads off into the mine.

[planswalker]

It seems much as before, although the poor man whose tongue had been cut out isn't present.

[Rizban]

Hagan slowly and carefully proceeds to the ledge where the tailings are being dumped, doing his best to stay as far from the inmates as possible.

[planswalker]

The tunnels are cramped and don't allow for very much leeway, but you do manage to keep a gap of ten feet between you and the nearest inmate to the edge as you approach it.

[Rizban]

Once there, Hagan takes out Mattel Hoverboard soarsled, mounting it, and his glowing orb, lighting it to the full 120ft. He takes a moment to look out into the cavern before entering it.

[planswalker]

The shaft opens into a large underground lake about eighty feet below.

[Rizban]

Hagan places his glowing orb in one of his spare hands, takes out his energy missile dorje and his dagger. These he holds in his hands.

He urges Mattel forward over the brink and descends slowly (half speed) towards the water's surface.

[planswalker]

the lake remains dark, wet, and silent.

[Rizban]

He examines the cavern structure more closely, trying to see the distance from the roof to the water and the general proportions of the caverns as well as the composition of the stone.

Forgot to mention that his second spare arm is holding his shield, which doesn't add to his AC but is retrievable as a free action.

About the cave:
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[planswalker]

it appears to be a natually-forced cavern that is fed water from the surface, one in which the miners used cracks in the rock to dig tunnels to.

[Rizban]

Hagan flies down into the cavern and tries to determine if the water is stagnant or flowing.

[planswalker]

It appears stagnant, although signs from the water marks on the wall indicates it used to flow.

[Rizban]

Hagan tries to follow the signs of flow upstream to try to find the source of the water.

[planswalker]

Make a will save.

[Rizban]

Hagan does so.
[roll0]

[planswalker]

whatever minor suggestion someone had tried to put in his mind the mind behind it was feeble ompared to his own will.

The signs of the flow indicate that it apparently flowed in from the north wall. There is no apparent surface-level source of water.

[Rizban]

Hagan, disappointed, turns and follows the course downstream.

[planswalker]

the opposite end of the cavern seems to be clogged with tailings from the mine abovve. You notice quite a few shafts like the one you came in through on your way over.

[Rizban]

Well, since there is apparently nothing else for him to do, he flies closer to the clog and examines it more closely.

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[planswalker]

The tailings from the mine accumulate here due to the current. A larger chunk of rock must have started damning up the return flow, and over time a large buildup of rock has occurred. You notice signs that something with humanoid dexterity has been trying to clear the rubble, but the task seems to pile up faster than it can be cleared away.

[Rizban]

Hagan decides that this is a problem which can best be solved with excessive force.

He spends a moment to infuse his dorje so that he can use Twin Power without wasting charges. He then starts to sonic blast the blockage.

[roll0] Ref DC 19
[roll1] Ref DC 19

He waits a few moments to make sure it's not triggering a collapse or something else nasty before continuing.

[planswalker]

it does not.

[Rizban]

He continues the barrage with four more attacks.

[roll0] Ref DC 19
[roll1] Ref DC 19


[roll2] Ref DC 19
[roll3] Ref DC 19


[roll4] Ref DC 19
[roll5] Ref DC 19


[roll6] Ref DC 19
[roll7] Ref DC 19

Realizing that his dorje is about half expended, he makes a mental note to make another, better, one when he gets home.

[planswalker]

The wall of rubble seems to be getting rather unstable. It looks like one more barrage is all it would take.

[Rizban]

Well then, Hagan blasts it some more, stopping when the pressure of the water begins to break through.

[roll0] Ref DC 19
[roll1] Ref DC 19


[roll2] Ref DC 19
[roll3] Ref DC 19


[roll4] Ref DC 19
[roll5] Ref DC 19


[roll6] Ref DC 19
[roll7] Ref DC 19

[planswalker]

He breaks through after one more volley. The water is flowing once again.

[Rizban]

He examines the water's flow, and if safe, he proceeds forward to see where it goes.

[planswalker]

"Safe" is relative. It does not appear that it will collapse on him, but it is a dark, underground waterway with an unknown amount of debris in it.

[Rizban]

Well, he's flying and has light.

He waits a bit until the surging waters calm some. He then approaches the passage for a better look.

[planswalker]

As he approaches, a http://campaignwiki.org/test/GoldenLanterns/download/Kopru kopru launches out of the water and slaps you with its tail. Your heavy protective wards save you from harm. It splashes back into the water.

[Rizban]

Hagan is frankly surprised to find a living creature down here. He wonders if this is the creature that dammed the water.

[planswalker]

Hagan can make out the outline of the creature in the water if he wishes to not pass his turn in combat.

[Rizban]

He calls out to the creature using his tongues enchantment.

"Why are you attacking me?!"

He still readies the action.

[Rizban]

He also tries to identify it better.[roll0]
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[planswalker]

It responds, "You surface people trapped me here, hungry and alone."

sadly, it's a knowledge (nature) check....

[Rizban]

"And now I've opened the way for you. Is there anything else I can do?"

[planswalker]

"Yes. Kill those who murdered the earth." He swims off downstream and into the depths of the lake.

[Rizban]

Hagan calls out after him.

"Wait! Can you tell me anything about that murder of the earth? I need to know what was done and who did it!"

[planswalker]

unfortunately, if it heard you, it ignored you.

[Rizban]

Hagan very carefully follows the course of the water downstream.

[planswalker]

Beyond the obstruction is another lake much like the first. This one, however, is lower in the ground and about twenty feet into it, it fills up with water to the ceiling.

[Rizban]

Being unable to breathe underwater, Hagan turns around. He officially has no idea where to go from here.

[planswalker]

Perhaps the foreman knows more than it initially seems. Also, perhaps, it would be useful to equip himself to breathe underwater.

[Rizban]

Hagan flies back up the shaft at full speed, flies through the tunnels at the same, and finally blasts up and out of the mine.

He then tries to find the foreman.

[planswalker]

He finds him overseeing a shipment of ore being loaded.

[Rizban]

Hagan leaves the mine and returns to his shop, awaiting his interns.

[planswalker]

They both arrive on time.

[Rizban]

He spends the next hour explaining that they will be crafting communication devices and diagramming the basic flows of energy and such on the chalkboard and answering their questions. He then starts the process on each unit for them and turns it over to them.

"Based on my calculations, a unit should be able to be completed in about six hours, though I'm only requiring you to work four hours each day. I'll be back in about an hour or so if you run into any problems."

Hagan uses that transferring XP thing from the web enhancement to transfer the XP to them so that they can craft it without draining themselves. He of course covers the material cost as well.

Assuming no additional input from them, Hagan heads back to the GoSS where he gets his dedicated wright to start work on the core unit, which will take fourteen days. After that, he heads back to the shop to check in on his interns.

And that consumes almost all the gold I had left and a huge chunk of my craft reserve.

[planswalker]

The trivial comments from the interns don't matter too much. They carry on the work in your absence, making good progress. The grad student with the attitude is slightly farther ahead than the environmental wizard.

[Rizban]

He hangs around the shop piddling around with a few gadgets until he is sure the first foreman he met is going to be on duty. He then heads back to the needle mine and searches him out.

[planswalker]

"Yes, What can I do for you?" He asks when you finally find him watching a line of workers hauling ore up to the surface.

[Rizban]

"I wanted to talk to you about what I had found to see if you could provide any additional information. I followed where the tailings were being dumped and found an underground lake. It appeared to have once been an underground river, and a creature within it was angry about the "murdering of the earth." Is there anything you could tell me about this?"

[planswalker]

"No, not particularly. We dump the tailings in the cavern below because it's cheaper than hauling waste rock out. Don't see what that has to do with our production though. Needle ore isn't wet, after all."

[Rizban]

"So you don't have any idea what it meant when it said the surface dwellers had murdered the earth?"

[planswalker]

"Not unless they mean mining the needles. Doesn't mean a thing to me."

[Rizban]

"Other than that you dump the tailings there, do you know anything at all that you think I might should know?"

[planswalker]

"Not really. As long as it makes money, we're encouraged not to question it too much. And we could triple maximum production by dumping the tailings down the shafts instead of carrying them out. Once we saw that nothing was immediately seeking vengeance and no ill came of it, we made it company policy."

[Rizban]

"Hmm... I can see the benefits of that."

Silently, he wonders if the tailings are somehow blocking the source of the needle ore...

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[planswalker]

You can't think of anything directly, although it seems likely the two are related. Probably be means of that spirit mentioned.

[Rizban]

Hagan heads home and does another psychic reformation because he's so damn frustrated at not knowing anything.

Costs me 66xp, 11 for the PS and 50 for the reformation of one level.

[planswalker]

Hagan is reformed.

[Rizban]

He now stops to think about things in a whole new light.

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[planswalker]

It seems likely that harming the flow of the underground river harmed whatever sort of spirit protects this place. Possibly, this same spirit is involved in the process for generating needle ore. It's not unheard of for spirits to change the nature of the land they inhabit, and if the spirit was harmed by the damming, this would explain things.

[Rizban]

He thinks more about such spirits, proceeding to the local library to do a bit of research on it.

[roll0]+ whatever library bonus

[planswalker]

At the library, Hagan learns that spirits tied to locations of land often are literal manifestations of that location's latent will. Such spirits are normally quite powerful but highly sensitive to the land on which they govern. Any sort of disturbance to the health of the land can cause them significant harm.

[Rizban]

Hagan decides that the tailings being dumped into the water must somehow be poisoning this spirit. He studies a bit longer to see if his guess is correct.

[roll0]