Grand Dream, the Rod of Seven Parts - Cleanser [IC]

[true_shinken]

Amanda's inn is a small, cozy and beautiful place. Merchants and nobles of all races stay there. Standing behind a counter, a middle-aged human woman, just a tad overweight, wearing a simple yet elegant dress, stood ever watchful. When the crew goes through the door, she can't help but smile.
"You're back! And you brought Hildar with you!"
Tears gather in Amanda's eyes and she seems deeply moved.
Sense Motive, CD 15
She is actually an ogre mage in disguise.
Just kidding, no she isn't. She is just a human widow 3/innkeeper 1.

[thorgrim29]

For reference:

Treasure splitting: The Captain gets first pick of 13.5%, Holtz gets second pick of 12.5%, you all get 11% each, and the balance (30%) goes to ship improvements, bribes, down payments on shipment, plus building a trust fund in an Alsacian bank so we can get a loan for a ship should something happen to this one. What do you think?


Artificing: Holtz will charge 55% of the base cost to the ship and Shelaine and 65% of the base market price to the rest of the crew. Everyone gets a 4gp discount per xp they bring to the process

[Toliudar]

Shelaine smiled. She was moved - moved enough, at least, to forebear complaining about their treatment at the hands of the half-elves. Before they would talk business, she took a step to the side to let Hildar have a moment with his old friend.

Thanks for the kindness, Thorgrim, but I think we talked about co-captaining, so I'd be fine with both of us getting 13%, if that works all right for you. Otherwise, I'm of course fine with the split as descirbed. And thanks for the discount!

Sense motive: [roll0]

[thorgrim29]

He was revisiting an old battlefield, we had to pick him up. Tell you what Mrs Amanda, we're hungry and thirsty, so we'll eat while you and Hildar get reacquainted, do you still have some of that beer we had last time?

Catching on the captain's intent, Holtz motions the crew to a table.

[OMG PONIES]

Hildar's eyes dance at the sight of his old friend. Words race through his head—first the innocent questions, then the deeper ones, followed by the hidden things he had longed to say to her since first they met. He opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. As tears well up in the corners of his eyes, he feels his skin begin to tingle as claws poke at the tips of his fingers. Not now, damn it, he scolds himself. Keep it together, Hildar. He fights back the urge to change form, the desire to flee into the night and hide in the shadows, the compulsion to just dart right back to that damned swamp and roar the night away. It is only now that he realizes he still hasn’t spoken.

”Amanda…” is all he can muster.

As he looks at the woman for the first time in years, soaking in every half-remembered detail, the half-elf realizes that something doesn’t mesh. There’s no old man with a Van Dyke beard sitting by the fire pulling on a mug of grog and reliving old war stories. No scent of aged leather and armor polish in the air. No new hunting trophies mounted and hung with pride above the bar. No attempt by Amanda to hide her emotions at Hildar’s return.

”…Eric?” Hildar manages to add, fearing the worst. Though the old bastard was competition for Amanda’s affections, he was also more than that—the fellow soldier was the closest thing to family that Hildar had left.

[Volthawk]

Eli walks over to the table, watching Hildar and Amanda. Looks like we're going to have a bit of emotional overflow here. Joy.

[Toliudar]

As the group gathers without Hildar, Shelaine gestures for a server. She leans in to confer with her colleagues.

"So, ever since we lost Han to those giant vultures a month back, we been down one in the crew complement. I've been watching this Hildar on the trip here. Anybody who can learn to control the impulses of a werecat, and survive for weeks in a swamp-infested swamp, has got some moxie.

"This guy's hated by everybody within a hundred miles of his home. He's got nothing to go back to. I figure we offer to bring him on, standard rate, one month probation. See what he says. What do you all think?"

[true_shinken]

Amanda holds Hildar fondly in her arms. "Eric is gone.", she whispers. "Lost to the White Tundra. He... he left something for you."
The woman can barely talk. She is overwhelmed with emotion.

[thorgrim29]

Sounds fine to me.

[OMG PONIES]

Gone. Gone. Gone. The word echoes in Hildar's ears, and he almost doesn't hear anything after that. It was hard to imagine that the man who had taught him how to fence, how to hunt, how to woo women, and inspired him to first protect those too weak, afraid, or dense to protect themselves was just...not here anymore.

As Amanda mentions that Eric left something, Hildar merely nods. He can't bring himself to speak; what could he even say that would be of any use? Sometimes, the best answer was a silent one.

[true_shinken]

Amanda and Hildar spend a few minutes reminiscing. The innkeeper then aproaches Shelaine and gives her a small bag with money.
"350 platinum pieces, as we agreed. As a bonus, I can only give you this."
She puts forth a small round silver shield, with a blueish shine to it. "It was my husband's and I think you would all make a better use of it than I. Thank you a lot."
She fondly caresses Hildar's arm as she hands him a package with her other hand. "This seemed... important. I don't really know why."
Hildar receives a cylindrical metal bar wrapped in white linen. It's composed of a lusterless black metal with weird geometric facets in both ends, riddled with protrusions and depressions. It feels heavy at first, then light the second afterwards. It's defininetely similar to the wand he found in the swamp.
Eli hears the devilish familiar voice echoing in his head when he sees the present Amanda is giving Hildar. "THAT!", instead of whispers, now he hears a real shout. "That is all I need! All we need! Release me, youngling! RELEASE ME!"

[thorgrim29]

Very nice, platinum has a comforting weight to it wouldn't you agree?

Asks Holtz to no one in particular as he makes a mental list of things to buy. Something, perhaps Eli's reaction, perhaps the peculiar weight the air took as the item was unveiled, attracted his attention.

What's that? Looks shiny

knowledge arcana [roll0]

[true_shinken]

The unveiled item doesn't ring any bells on Holtz. (thorgrim, make a Knowledge (the planes) check as well)

[thorgrim29]

Knowledge the planes: [roll0]

[true_shinken]

While the item itself is not at all familiar to the artificer, he notices the weird geometrical facets are all regular, something almost impossible for a mortal to achieve due to the time required. It looks like something a being of order would craft or how an item of order would behave to ward off a force of chaos.
The lustless black metal, though, doesn't look like it came from the planes of Law at all.

[Toliudar]

Shelaine receives the bag of platinum and the shield with a smile.

"Amanda, you're as gracious as you are lovely. Let us know if you ever need something at hand. And also -"

Shelaine leans in close to murmur.

"We haven't taken many jobs in this area yet, but it would be great to get more established. If you hear of anyone looking for reliable and discreet transport, we're docked just outside the walls. As a matter of fact, I thought I'd give the crew a night away from the ship...and would book rooms here, if you've got space. I've got the coin."

Shelaine hefts the bag of platinum for a moment, then carefully tucks it away for distribution later, in private.

Appraise on the shield: [roll0].

[Volthawk]

Why should I?

Eli looks over at Holtz, while he examines the item. "What is that thing? Something to do with demons?"

[thorgrim29]

The distraced artificer takes a very academic tone.

Quite the contrary, much too precise to have anything to do with primordial chaos.... Or to come from the material plane, I'd have to examine it to be sure, but it's an odd thing, the form brings to mind an object I once saw from Mechanus, the Order plane, but the material is wrong... It requires research, if Hildar lets me. I'll worry about it tomorrow, tonight is party night.

Why did you think of demons?

[Volthawk]

"Eh...I'll tell you later. Not out here."

[OMG PONIES]

Hildar takes the odd item, and a faint flicker of recognition sparks on his face. Reaching into his pack, he pulls out a wand of similar construction. "Found it back among the shadows," he says to nobody in particular, still reeling from the shock of Eric's passing.

Holtz's words shake him back to the matters at hand. "You can research it, but I'd prefer to be present. Nothing personal."

[thorgrim29]

I understand perfectly, but as I said, tomorrow afternoon, tonight the crew of the Brass Ring makes merry.


To Amanda:

It has been a pleasure working with you Amanda, as Shelaine said should you need anything delivered or fetched in the future contact us. While we're in town I can also offer my services as a skilled artificer and alchemist if you need anything done for the tavern or for yourself. We can discuss this in the morning, for now I will leave you and Hildar

He catches the attention of a serving girl

Hello there, would you know of a tavern more suited to drunken revelry then here? I understand the owner is greiving and I don't want to disrespect that.

[true_shinken]

A young and skinny barmaid winks at Holtz. "Sure do, sir! Just across the plaza, you will find Wolfcrest's Tavern. It's as good a place as any, I hear! Haha!" She stares at him awkwardly for a few seconds then rushes back to her job. Amanda smiles at the crew. "Once again, thank you. Thank you all of you."

Shelaine notices the shield is very, very well done. She thinks it's worth 549 gold pieces.

The voice inside Eli's head whispers "Fool. Just grab it and it'll all be over."

Amanda touches Hildar's arm fondly. "My good friend, would you join me for a glass of wine and more memories?"

[OMG PONIES]

Hildar nods, hardly able to choke out his words. "Of course," he manages to whisper with a smile. "Of course."

[Toliudar]

Shelaine actually managed to relax a bit over the evening, especially after the third glass of wine. She noticed that Eli seemed a bit more withdrawn than usual, but had no idea why. So instead she focused on trying to get Tuco to tell the joke about the ogre and the doorknob again.

[true_shinken]

Over drinks and memories, the night swims by fast both at Wolfcrest's and Amanda's. Jack attracts the attention of a few girls, most people remain somewhat interested but even more scared about Eli, Tuco wins a few drinking contests, Shelaine is approached by a few young elves seeking her 'blessing', Holtz remembers a bit of Shelaine's previous self in more than a few ladies around. Amanda and Hildar talk about the past, about the departed Eric... but never about the future. The lady just dodges every possible question about it. "I'm very tired, my friend", she says, tipsy from the wine. "I'll go to bed now. I'll talk to you later." With a kiss on Hildar's cheek, she leaves.

When the night seems like it's already over, an elf with white hair wearing dark round glasses and a spider-silk cloak aproaches the table. "Gentlemen", he says in a whisper. "I believe you have something that belongs to me."
Sense Motive, CD 32
Something is not right about this guy. He is lying.
Knowledge (history), CD 30
Spider-silk was a material used in Visper millenia ago. It's strong and durable and there is no record of why it's not used anymore.
Knowledge (local), CD 25
The drow are a subrace of elves. They parted during the Old War, millenia ago. The elves disagreed on the stance they should take regarding the younger races. Some wanted to side with the dragons and live along with them, some wanted to be as far away form them as possible and some wanted to conquer them. The war torn the elf race apart, with the faction that wanted to conquer the younger races banished underground, defeated with the help of the dwarves. The dwarves then kept them locked underground with extreme effort during the years. They are the drow. The faction that wanted to flee did just that - they left to Ravencastle, a demiplane ruled by Wee Jas. Those are the shadar-kai.
Not one drow was seen in Rubia's surface since then.
Spot, CD 19
Something is wrong. He is not an elf.

[thorgrim29]

Sense motive: [roll0]
Knowledge history: [roll1]
Knowledge local: [roll2]
Spot: [roll3]

Despite not being able to put his finger on it, Holtz is seasoned enough to know being approached by weird people at the dead of night is usually bad news. He decides to appear more drunken then he actually is.


S' hat your beer then? Must be, don't remember payin' for it, 'll replace what I drunk

He hands the stranger his drink after topping it off with the Coors Light-like "beer" produced by his everfull mug.

[OMG PONIES]

Is Hildar present, or is this happening at Wolfcrest's? If it is, can Hildar be present, having left Amanda's as she went to bed?

Hildar parts ways with Amanda for the night, though he is loathe to do so. While he wishes to spend every moment with her, he must allow her time alone. Time to grieve, time to find who she is, time to control her own beasts. He makes his way to Wolfcrest's, shambling in and sitting down with his crew. His crew--what an odd sentiment. He hadn't been a part of a unit for years now. It was odd and awkward, but it was secretly refreshing as well.

As the elf approaches the table and whispers his request, Hildar arches an eyebrow. "Is that so, friend?" he whispers back. "We've not acquired much but alcohol since landing." He casts a sideways look at Holtz, then adds, "Some more than others. Pray tell, what is it that we have?"


[roll0] boosted with Fate Mantle power for the day.
[roll1]

[true_shinken]

Is Hildar present, or is this happening at Wolfcrest's? If it is, can Hildar be present, having left Amanda's as she went to bed?
Yes, I left that as a hook for you. :smallwink:

[Volthawk]

Seeing the elf, Eli tenses up a little, his mind racing. Right, not a drow...involved with the Skullfires?...don't give anything away. He then makes himself relax superficially, although he doesn't speak, and just watches the elf. Good thing he hasn't been drinking much.

[true_shinken]

"It's a lusterless black wand. You seem to have found it. I'm willing to pay dearly for it.", he says, carefully gauging the crew's reaction.

[OMG PONIES]

Hildar shakes his head. A sad, sympathetic smile crosses his face. "Sorry, friend," he says. "Must have us confused with another. We've found nothing like that in our time here. I wish you luck in your search."

OOC: ready action to Shadow Jaunt away from the stranger if he takes hostile action.

[true_shinken]

"Is that so?", the strange elf smirks. "Then I'll take my leave.", he bows. "I hope nothing... unfortunate happens to you... or your loved ones, my friends."
He walks backwards, keeping his eyes on the crew, while he moves toward the door. He even bumps into a barmaid, knocking her prone and splashing beer all over the floor.

[Private-Prinny]

I'm not even going to attempt the Sense Motive check, but I will use Cunning Knowledge on the other three checks.

Knowledge (History): [roll0]
Knowledge (Local): [roll1] (+5 if this qualifies as identifying a creature)
Spot: [roll2]

Son of a... :smallannoyed:

"Is anyone else a bit confused, or just me?"

[Toliudar]

Spot: [roll0]

Shelaine watches the elf go, stunned by the unsubtlety of his threats.

[OMG PONIES]

How far away from us is he? Hildar has a move speed of 50 feet, so I can use that, burn Hustle to move another 50 feet, and still have a standard action. If I can't get behind him in that time, I'll just have to use Shadow Jaunt as my standard action to teleport the final 50 feet.

In a blink, Hildar appears right behind the stranger, as cool and calm as when he was seated. "It is so," he whispers, "and my crew don't take kindly to veiled threats or empty accusations. If you've got more to say, then say. Elsewise, take a peaceful leave." The half-elf steps aside, extending his arm peacefully toward the open doorway.

OOC: Ready action to initiate Mighty Throw if he takes hostile action.

[thorgrim29]

I've received more subtle threats from drunken orcs...

Mutters Holtz as Hildar makes a rather stunning show of speed

Wow... fast

He puts down his mug and draws with exaggerated care a wand from his belt.

((I'm going for a drunk but not completely wasted thing here, I'm guessing a -2 on everything involving dexterity would be pretty accurate))

[Toliudar]

Shelaine settles in her chair again and picks up her wine.

"Little does he know that Tuco has no loved ones."

[true_shinken]

With a scournful glance toward Hildar, the elf takes his leave.
The barmaid standa up and offers the crew another rounds of drinks. "Unpleasant fellow, that one.", she mutters.

[Toliudar]

Shelaine takes a sip of her wine, watching her newest crew member dash off in pursuit of the hyper-aggressive elf. She glanced over at Holtz speculatively.

"New guy is full of surprises."

[true_shinken]

The night goes by under more wine and beer, the threat of the weird elf seeming more and more like a weird drunken memory.
Eventually, the crew retires to their much needed sleep (or reverie).

[true_shinken]

The morning sun bathes Ivalice with warmth and comfort. Under Pelor's gentle embrace, people march forward to another day in their lives.

Jack searches the streets, looking for an old wizard or alchemist who happens to have the magic item he wants. After hours of searching and asking around, he finds word of a shipbuilder who received such an item as payment for a ship a group of explorers bought from him. The shipbuilder, a brawny short man with unruly black hair and small eyes, makes the trade easily for the standard market price. The man is happy to have some extra gold in his hands. "Good luck, kido", he says after shaking Jack's hand firmly.

Eli doesn't have anything to do, so he follows Shelaine as she haggles around to get their rescued loot into gold. They cross with Jack every now and then. After a long and tiring day, they manage to convert everything they didn't want for the standard price. All in all, a good deal.

Holtz spends the whole day back in the ship, in his lab, working on the weird metal things (wands? rods?) Hildar and Amanda had. The metal was from a plane of order - that much was a sure thing. It seemed, however, to be tainted by chaos and evil. They were also really powerful, giving of a magic aura overwhelmingly strong with hints of all schools. The most startling he found when he compared the two of them - their ends seemed to match, as if they could connect onto each other.

[Toliudar]

At the end of a long and tiring day, Shelaine is doubly thrilled to make her way back to the ship. She spirals up to the deck and drops the knotted rope down to help Eli climb up.

After partitioning the cash proceeds and preparing bags for everyone, she heads over to Holtz to deliver his cut and check on his research. She knocks on the door to his lab.

"Hey, it's money. And Shelaine. Can I come in?"

[thorgrim29]

A distracted yes yes come in Is all the answer Shelaine gets.

The room is a mess, open tomes, beakers full of strange alchemical liquids and pages of scribbled parchment are everywhere.

[Volthawk]

Eli climbs up onto the ship, and follows Shelaine as she heads down to the lab. "Have you got any idea what's up with those metal things?"

[Toliudar]

Shelaine piles in with Eli, tucking her wings in tight to her body. She could still remember the time that she'd knocked over a beaker of something or other, and Lawrence had sulked for a week.

"I have discovered that, in negotiations, Eli does an excellent bad cop to my good cop. Which is good, because I completely lost track of Tuco. If not for the fact that I realized long ago that I didn't really want to know, I'd work up the nerve to ask what he does with his days off.

"Anyway, yes. Can't wait to hear what was getting that asshat so worked up last night."

[thorgrim29]

I wish I knew... Or rather I don't. These things are hugely magical, more then anything I've seen since leaving Alcasia, and even then... If I had to hazard a guess, I would say they're part of an artifact of law, corrupted somehow by demons. Because that's the worst thing, they're part of something else, either both are it or there are more parts, even bigger and more powerful, something of a magnitude not seen in today's world, and vanishingly rarely in earlier ages. I'm terrified and exhilarated by them. This is power on a scale I never wanted, even if it wasn't corrupted by abyssal forces. This is what ancient ballads are made of, what legendary heroes quested to obtain, to destroy. Rationally, I want nothing to do with it, yet I can't help formulating a hundred different scenarios, planning how to get more information on them...

Lawrance's eyes are haunted and bloodshot, and he speaks in a hushed voice, punctuated by exclamations.

[Toliudar]

Shelaine blanched at Holtz' words - which is hard to do with scales.

CHARming. Well, I was going to be heading back to Amanda's tonight or tomorrow anyway, to pick up Hildar and start in on finding us some work. Why don't we head over there this evening and try to get some more information about where she got such a 'gift', and why she might have given it to us."

[true_shinken]

Shelaine, Holtz and Eli return to Amanda's Inn, where they meet Hildar and the innkeeper chatting.
"Hello, friends.", she says under a joyful smile. "What brings you here today?"
(Sorry for the delay, I thought someone wanted to do something.
...That just sounds weird, doesn't it?)

[Toliudar]

Shelaine smiles back, and gestures towards a secluded table at the back.

"A surfeit of questions, I'm afraid. Do you have a moment?"

[true_shinken]

"Oh, of course.", she says, walking towards the capitain. "Ask away."

[Toliudar]

Once everyone is settled at the table, Shelaine leans in close.

"Please understand, Amanda. We appreciate the work, and I consider you a friend. But your, um, gift to Hildar last night. Well, we've already drawn some bluntly aggressive attention for it, and Holtz has discovered some odd things about it."

[true_shinken]

The woman seems surprised. "Oh. I... I had no idea. It's just something Eric told me to give Hildar. I believe he found it during his last expedition to Viken..." she gazes at Shelaine for a few seconds remebering she is still an elf behind those scales. "...I mean, Visper."

[thorgrim29]

Hah... odd is one word for it alright...

Still shaky, Lawrance lets out a small laugh.

[true_shinken]

OOC: Let's roll some Listen checks, people

[Toliudar]

Shelaine nods.

"I don't suppose Eric mentioned where he came across it?"

Listen: [roll0]

[thorgrim29]

listen roll: [roll0]

[Volthawk]

"So...he didn't mention why he wanted Hildar to have it?"

Listen: [roll0]

[true_shinken]

"No, he never mentioned it. I didn't have the opportunity to ask...", she looks sadened for a moment.

Eli hears footsteps upstairs. Nothing weird about that - but guests don't usually try to move silently.

[Volthawk]

"Um...there's someone sneaking around upstairs, by the way. Just thought you guys should know."

[Toliudar]

Shelaine winces, then turns to Amanda. This was getting messier and messier.

"Do you have your own rooms upstairs, or is it just guests? Would you like us to investigate."

[true_shinken]

"Hm, that would be nice indeed" she whispers. "But the stairway and the hall upstairs are very narrow. Be careful."

I'm going to need a marching order. And Spot checks.

[thorgrim29]

Great...

He stands up and follows Shelaine's lead

spot: [roll0]

[true_shinken]

As the crew goes up the narrow stairs, a crossbow bolt comes streaking through the air to lodge itself in Holtz's chest (46 damage and make a Fortitude save DC 20 to avoid 2 Constitution damage).

OOC: Roll initiative.

[Toliudar]

Shelaine initiative: [roll0]

Um, ouch. Can we tell where the crossbow bolt came from?

[true_shinken]

Um, ouch. Can we tell where the crossbow bolt came from?
It came from the hall up the stairs.

[The Antigamer]

The window adjacent to the hall where the bolt flew from smashes inward as Tuco Benedicto Pacífico Juan María Ramírez flies through it, gun held in front as he sights on anyone holding a crossbow at the top of the stairs.

I'm assuming we roll initiative now, but I'm ok with acting on a surprise round :smallwink:
Init: [roll0]

[OMG PONIES]

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]

Hildar curses under his breath, feeling the urge to change shape but desperately suppressing it in Amanda’s presence. She had already lost Eric—to feel as if she had also lost Hildar might be too much for her. In a blink, the half-elf is up the stairs. Away from the eyes of his love, he lets the ferocity take hold of his heart, and he begins to change. Fur emerges from beneath his skin while his teeth and nails elongate into claws and fangs. He feels the power of nature course through his veins, and he suppresses the urge to roar, instead letting out a soft purr. Hildar remains motionless besides a soft flick of his tail as he sniffs the air for unseen foes and gazes down the hall for those he can see.

Double move (thanks to Hustle) 80 feet, standard action to change shape (only if he’s out of sight of Amanda) Scent is active.

[GrandDreamer]

Tuco, you got that surprise round. Go for it.

[The Antigamer]

Tuco, you got that surprise round. Go for it.
Kinda need a description so I know what to fire, spell or bullet.