Chest of Wonder: Prologue

[Falconknight06]

Remember the noise of battle? Remember the blood, and the sounds of the dying? Remember the energy you felt at the last instant before death? But you are not yet ready for death, you still have something to do......you must......Chest of Wonder......

Adelle

You can feel something wet falling on your forehead, warm liquid falling down, followed by a whine and a whimper. The familiar feeling of your dog's tongue licking your cheek with an urgency you are not used to. The ring on your finger feels heavy, and a small kobold lies dead next to your right hand, his dagger by his side, though it is now broken and useless. The kobold's throat appears to have been torn out by a canine of some sort. A small line of blood at the knuckle below the unremembered ring is quickly closing. You quickly realize that the kobold had been trying to take the ring off, but it was apparently unable and resorted to cutting. What happened next should be obvious.

As you stand, you see the carnage around you. Dead Orcs, dead ogres, dead human, dead elves, dead dwarves, creatures of all sorts surround you, all dead.

You can feel the presence of two others, as if this odd ring is telling you where they are.

[Jeff the Green]

"This... isn't good."

Adele stands shakily, leaning on Barnaby for assistance. She looks around for any sign of orange fur, and, seeing none, calls out. "Rabbit! Svaklar re wux? confn tenpiswo." Rabbit! Where are you? Come here. A strangled "mew" comes from underneath the kobold. Adele shoves the body aside and a orange tabby looks up at her reproachfully.

"Tir ti vorq sva ve! Coi ui wer dril di Barnaby; jaci svent coi." Don't blame me! It's Barnaby's fault; he killed it.

The cat meows. He clearly doesn't speak Draconic.

"Alright, come on up. Confn svern." The cat springs up to his master's shoulder and Adele begins checking herself and her equipment. No wounds. That's good. Armor intact. Also good. Acid flasks unbroken. Even better. No wands snapped, no rods bent, not even a crossbow unstrung or an inkpot spilled.

But then there's the ring.

"I definitely didn't buy this. What do you think, guys? Tracking device?" Adele tries to remove the ring, but it won't come off.

"What the hells? I'm pretty positive I'm not pregnant, I'm too young for rheumatism, and I think I'd feel it if this had been burnt into my flesh. This isn't good," she says, sitting to think.

After a minute, she says, "You smell glue, Barnaby?" and proffers her hand to the mastiff. He sniffs, and then licks it. "Alright, curse it is, then." Adele mutters a brief incantation and strokes her temples, focusing her eyes. The spell cast, she concentrates on the ring for several moments.


Crunch Summary
Cast Detect Magic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/detectMagic.htm), and focus >3 rounds. If there is an aura, Spellcraft check to determine school: 1d20+16 in OOC thread.

[tonberryking]

One of the unseen stragglers, very close by, would have preferred that the ring the woman's spell wouldn't tattle on her position...

Under both a pile of dead dwarfs and a pile of dead orcs, the latter of which formed a corpse awning over her prone form, keeping her from being pinned, a lone she-dwarf lies still on her side. For a brief moment, anyway until her 'lifeless' eyes focus on Adele and realizing that, even if she doesn't know what spell it is, someone's casting magic.

Rolling out from under her hiding place, the dwarf whips up the long knife she had hidden in her hand. She doesn't say anything but crouches back, as if ready to hit Adele a knife's throw away and defend herself.

"What's going on?" she rasps, sounding not unlike a frog's croak.

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin

Coming in bursts and flashes memories of thrusts and parries. The gears of Norlamin's mind begin to whirl, he should be able to remember more. His mind is disjointed. As he sits up he examines himself making sure all of his possesions are still on him. He can't seem to recall the weight of a strange ring on his finger.

As he gets to his feet, he notices the staggering amount of dead. He draws his blade, checking for blood. Making sure it wasn't damaged. He spots two figures moving through the corpse. Unsure of their intentions he silently stalks up to them.

[roll0] Move Silently
[roll1] Hide

[Jeff the Green]

"Jergal's moldy teeth!" Adele shouts, half in surprise at the dwarf with the strange, evil-looking knife and half in anger at having divination magic bonded to her flesh. Deciding that the dwarf is (for now) more important, she continues to concentrate on her spell, but turns to address the dwarf:

"Hold! I'm a friend. Well, at least I don't want to hurt you." Certainly not while you're holding that thing, she decides not to add. "I think I must have been hit on the head. I don't remember a battle, and I certainly don't know why I would be in one."

OK, Adele, angry dwarf with a knife. Let's get this diffused now. She slowly drops her hands to her waist, grabbing and dropping her daggers and crossbow to the ground.

"I'm unarmed" Well, except for the acid in my belt pocket, but she doesn't need to know that. "Will you put that knife away so we can talk? What happened here?" Adele pauses for a moment before adding, "For that matter, where is here?"

[tonberryking]

"Why were you casting a spell?" she's all business, this one. However, her arm dips down slightly, and then to the hip. It's a different poise, Adele may or may not realize, to toss a knife from, but it lacks the urgent finality of the original threat. Where are you from and who employs you?"

It then becomes apparent that this dwarf isn't wearing armor. She has a professional looking shortbow quiver bundled with a thin shortsword over one shoulder, and to Adele's dismay probably more than one of those knives, but past that she wears a jerkin and wide trousers made for walking the earth, and a wide cloak wrapped more like a heavy scarf over the shoulder without weapons. Hardly the sort of raiment you'd wear to a battle. It may also be apparent, from her barrage of questions, that the autumn haired dwarf doesn't want to answer any herself.

"What were you doing before now if you don't remember being here on the battleground?"

[Jeff the Green]

"I was just trying to figure out what this ring is, Adele says, holding her hand up so the dwarf can see it. "The spell was just to detect any aura on it." How do I prove that? "Ah, I'll show you."

Adele concentrates on the dwarf for a few moments before reporting: "Alright, your pack is magic. Same with that sword on your back, your armbands, that crown, and your cloak. You don't have any active spells on you. Is that proof enough?"

With no response from the dwarf, Adele decides to try on her new identity and get it broken in.

"I'm from the city of Halepool, in the Calsan Empire. I have no employer. I'm what one might call a freelancer. As for what I was doing, I was travelling. I needed to get out of Halepool and I thought it would be nice to use my talents elsewhere for a change. I spent a night in a dreadful inn. I don't remember much after that. Weapons? Something about a chest."

Adele squints at the dwarf and says "I've answered your questions; what about mine?"

[tonberryking]

Acama risks a glance down at her own ring, damnable piece that it is before back up at the human.

"What about them?" she huffs, her voice softens with less of a harsh edge. "This battlefield will reveal few answers by itself. See if you can find any heraldry among the fallen forces--but make it quick! I don't plan to stay very long, what with skulkers and other dangers present..."

Acama waits for Adele to retrieve her gear and poses with arms akimbo for a second, a gesture of goodwill, perhaps, before she herself takes her own advice and looks around, trying to find any clues to whose forces were waging war. However she's still very cautious. With her sword now drawn, she prods any suspicious forms ((unless she comes across any pole or basic spear-- then she will take that for purposes of corpse poking)) or any bodies that look to be in decent enough shape to jump up suddenly. She shuns the notion to loot the dead, aside from practical things such as rations or water. Heaven knows when you might need them.

As Acama said, she's just trying to find out any any of these dudes have, like coats of arms or banners to give her a name/clue/etc. as to who threw this fight. Hence a search check: [roll0] Also a spot check to see what time of day it is/ get a sense of direction so she knows where to haul towards. [roll1]

[Jeff the Green]

Adele picks up her daggers and crossbow, and begins searching the bodies as well (though somewhat more slowly, and with less prodding, than the dwarf). She also sweeps the area with her arcane sight, looking for signs of magic items or auras of strong spells cast recently.

Crunch Summary
Taking 20 on Search (20 + 8 = 28) and Spot (20 + 5 = 25).
If there are any survivors, Heal check to stabilize so they can talk: [roll0].
If there's a magic aura, Spellcraft check to identify school: [roll1]

[tonberryking]

I'm not killing anyone. Emphasis on prodding. Even if it's with something sharp, she's not trying to murder everything on the ground, just make sure she's not taken by surprise.

[Jeff the Green]

I'm not killing anyone. Emphasis on prodding. Even if it's with something sharp, she's not trying to murder everything on the ground, just make sure she's not taken by surprise.

Edited to reflect that.

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin

Observing the two women and coming to the conclusion that they don't know what to make of all this anymore than he does, Norlamin decides that is time to make his presence known.

Finding a spot where a couple of orcs are piled to comfortable sitting height and perching himself in a comfortable pose. Norlamin interrupts, "Well ladies", quickly looking them up and down and muttering under his breath in a mock whisper, "Although from the looks of you two, I could be mistaken. It would seems we find ourselves at an impass. For I make it a rule not to trust strangers, but I do not have the foggest idea how I arrived here, and I am fairly certain that that would apply to you as well."

Holding up his hand and indicated the ring, "And finally, I don't know where this gaudy eyesore came from, but it would seem we are in the same boat."

"Where are my manners, allow me to introduce myself." Norlamin stands and with a slight bow he speaks, "You may call me Min."

[Jeff the Green]

Adele covers her mouth as she tries not to laugh at the comical figure in front of her. It's hard to take someone seriously when they seem to have taken their nomme de guerre from an anthropomorphic mouse in a Elven children's book.

She makes a mocking bow and says, "Well gentleman, though I'm quite sure I'm mistaken on that count, I am Adele Blancheart, thief nonpareil." A smile plays on her face. "Allegedly."

The alleged thief turns to the dwarf and says "That leaves only you, my reticent friend."

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin

A sly grin comes across Norlamin's face as his eyebrow *****, thinking to himself, 'Indeed! Well if nothing else this one has fire. As they say 'May you live in interesting times'. Interesting indeed.'

Looking at the dwarven woman, Norlamin is unsure what to make of her. Thinking, 'Hmm...strange blade, no armor...I don't know that i've ever heard of unarmored dwarf before...intresting, intresting...'

It would appear i've done something dirty with an eyebrow. Let it be known that I have commeted the first nasty act involving eyebrows. It shall be called the 'Caterpillar Squeeze' (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=caterpillar+squeeze)! Or a 'Dirty Eugene'...

I am going to add that to Urban Dictionary.

[tonberryking]

"Just 'dwarf' is fine for now," Acama calls back with a rasp, still searching hastily, "I seem to be the only one left though I brook no allegiance with any of these poor souls already past on...

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin

With an expression of mock pain Norlamin objects. "Dwarf? That will hardly due!" He exclaimed. "How about Brunhilda? Gerturde perhaps? Ah, I think I have it Agatha!"

"Well Adele and Agatha, shall we remove ourselves from this field of death?"

[tonberryking]

"Make yourself useful!" "Agatha" snaps, continuing her search. "While I would like to be well away from this carrion field, I want to know who was waging this battle; it's a mystery I shan't walk away from. Find me a banner or some heraldry and then we flee this hell."

[Jeff the Green]

Adele grabs Min by the arm and turns him aside. "Do you want that knife in your gut, you foolish fop? Be nice to the dwarf," she hisses. "Besides, she's right. This damned thing," she says, holding up the ring, "reeks of divination, and if there's anything that might tell me who is trying to find me, I want to find it."

Without waiting for a response, Adele returns to scouring the plain for clues.

[Falconknight06]

Adele

You’ve been wracking your brain about the ring as you move around the bodies. Then it hits you like an Ogre’s right hook. The ring isn’t broadcasting a divination somewhere else. The ring allows divination of the other rings. For some reason, the ring lets you empathically know where the other two rings are, as if you are supposed to be linked to these other two. You can’t remember for the life of you who they are though

Norlamin
Yah, you’ve got nothing. No idea who these people are or why you sort of recognize them

Acama
As you search the bodies, a thought occurs to you. A memory surfaces. You remember meeting a man of regal stature. He hired you and two others to find a chest that is fabled to be able to be able to save the kingdom. From what, you’re not sure, but you know that chest is important.

You also remember being part of a large battle outside the walls of the city of......you’re not sure. You actually can’t remember what the town was called, or where it went for that matter. You were sure the battle was occurring right outside the city walls. Now the walls, and the city, are gone. They’re not there. That’s the last thing you’re able to remember before something interrupts your groups little scavenger hunt

As you all poke around the aftermath of the battle, you all hear a loud noise, as if a large boulder were falling down a mountain. Or a giant flaming rhinoceros was charging towards you. Seems like an odd thought to have, especially as it is happening. You all dive out of the way, to varying degrees of success, as a creature that resembles a gigantic beast made of flame charges past, incinerating everything in its path.


If you have evasion, you take 0 damage
If you don’t, you take 13 fire damage

The beast continues its charge long after it passes the group, a path of scorched earth 30 feet wide in its wake, before blinking out of existence about 20 feet before it would have collided with what looks to be 3 skeletal griffins fighting a Gargoyle made of plants riding a zombie wyvern.

Something seems off. As if magic had run amok

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin

With an over embelished double take. A burnt looking Norlamin asks, "Did a flaming rhino just hit me then charge a suspiciously large number if undead monsters, and one bizarre looking plant monster?"

[Jeff the Green]

Adele stands slowly, apologizing to Rabbit for landing on him in her dive to avoid the beast. She beats out the smoldering embers that have landed on her crossbow and the charred tip of her ponytail, and turns to Min. "No. It hit you and then disappeared before charging the skeletons." She blinks as she turns her divination toward the charred path, trying to pick out any lingering aura. "You're right about the flaming rhinoceros bit, though."

After searching for the rhinoceros's aura, Adele turns to her companions and says "I think I know what my ring does. Can I look at yours to see if they're the same?" She swings her gaze over to Min's hand, since he's the closer of the two.

Crunch Summary:
Three rounds concentrating on the area where the rhino was.
Spellcraft check to ID rhino's aura (if any): [roll0]
Three rounds concentrating on Min's ring.
Spellcraft check to ID ring's aura (if any): [roll1]
Knowledge (Arcana) check to determine whether Min's ring is the same as hers: [roll2]

[tonberryking]

"What are the two of you doing??" the dwarf hisses, switching her short sword to an inverted grip, blade low, and looks ready to spring away like a gazelle. If she cried out from the burning pain, no one heard it, nor is she showing any sort of grimace or such concerning her wounds.

"We've no time! Not anymore!" picking the direction opposite the fracas between undead, plant, and just plain strange, Acama/Agatha urges the other two to get ready to run.

[Jeff the Green]

As the dwarf finishes her warning, Adele falls to the ground. Barnaby trots to her side, whining, and she once again uses his collar to steady herself as she gets to her feet. She coughs a couple times, like she'd swallowed too much dwarven whiskey, and says hoarsely "This is not good," she turns to Min. "She's right; I'm getting out of here, at least."

She moves to cast Expeditious Retreat, but then realizes that she'd leave the other two behind. She sighs and, calling for Barnaby to follow, begins running without magical aid.

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin

"Perhaps a stategic retreat is for the best. May I suggest we inculde an element of stealth to this escape?" Norlamin adds as he flicks his shadowy hood up as he begin's skulking away.

[Falconknight06]

As the rag-tag group begins to move away from the odd creatures in the sky, and the scorched trail left by the flaming beast, they stumble upon what looks to be the final stand of a group of elves, with an odd chest in the middle of a circle of dead elves and orcs, as well as two elephants.

Adele
You hear a faint voice calling out in Elven from underneath a pile of dead Orcs, Damnable beasts, get off of me will you!

The cadence of the voice sounds as if the speaker has spoken Elven for quite some time, and seems noble in dialect. The voice sounds odd, but you're not sure why.

[Jeff the Green]

Adele pulls to a halt, signalling with a raised hand for Min and the dwarf to stop.

Cautiously approaching the mound (certainly no closer than 30 feet), she calls out in Elven: "Who's there? Are you hurt?"

[Falconknight06]

No I'm not hurt! I'm just stuck under a pile of the most foul smelling beasts I've ever had the displeasure of meeting. And for some reason, I can't get them off of me! The voice shouts back. You all hear it this time, and it reminds you of something, but you're not exactly sure what.

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin

A puzzled expression comes across Norlamin's face, "That voice...it's..."

He shakes himself out of his reverie, ''Well let's get to it then!" Norlamin goes to move some of the deceased off of the voice.

[Jeff the Green]

Adele is a bit more hesitant than Min. Granted, Redmarch was hardly the most cosmopolitan region of the empire, but there are enough nobles out there that could recognize her a Adella to warrant caution. Still, better not to do anything suspicious.

Adele signals as best she can to Acama to ready her sword, just in case and calls out in Elven: "Hold on, we're going to dig you out." She begins lifting the dead bodies out of the way.

[Falconknight06]

As Min and Adelle move the last of the orc bodies away, a shape flutters out and lands on the chest in the middle of the circle. As your eyes adjust, you realize why the voice sounded familiar. It was coming out of a Magpie. As you all stare, the creature clears its throat and speaks in Common, Thank you for removing those bodies. Now if you would kindly stop staring, I would appreciate it. The creature's Common is stunted, as if he has not spoken it in quite sometime.

[Jeff the Green]

Adele shakes her head and blinks a couple times before bowing and addressing the bird in Elven.

"Forgive us. You have to admit that it's a little odd to encounter a bird that speaks elven.

You seem a little out of practice speaking common; perhaps I could translate for the others?."

[Falconknight06]

The bird looks at Adele confused, saying in Elven What talking bird? I suppose that would be an odd encounter, but I don't see how that has anything to do with our conversation.

[Jeff the Green]

With a horrified look on her face, Adele translates for Min and the dwarf. She draws one of her daggers from her belt and shows the magpie its reflection in the blade.

[Falconknight06]

Before Adele pulls the knife away, the Magpie's foot grabs it from her hand as if she were handing it over. The bird looks as surprised as a bird can look, and in perfectly normal common says, well damn. There goes this little ruse. I swear I was supposed to resemble an elven noble. I wonder how long this odd illusion will last. Maybe Grimes can tell.....me......if Grimes is dead, than this isn't an illusion. How the hell can I recover the amulet if I'm a Correlan damned bird?!

[Jeff the Green]

Adelle takes the knife from the bird and re-sheathes it. "Maybe we should talk while we run... or fly, as the case may be," she says. "I'd rather get moving before one of us turns into something even less conducive to my continued sanity."

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin

Working hard to mantain the illuision that he doesn't speak elven. Norlamin makes an overture of searching the horizon for any potential threats.

"Well I don't see our friend the 'Flaming Rhino of Doom', but shouldn't we get a little further down road. Oh Bird Whisperer?"

[roll0] Spot check

[Jeff the Green]

Adele distractedly slaps Rabbit's paw as he prepares to pounce on the magpie.

"Emphatically agreed," she says, taking off at a lope.

When the others catch up, she continues. "Let's try introductions again. I refuse to call you 'Magpie,' and I'm fairly sure your name isn't 'Agatha' any more than it's our dwarf friend's. I am, as I told these two, Adele Blancheart, retriever of riches and locator of lucre. This one," she says, pointing over her shoulder at the fop, "is Min. He even has the oversized dagger for the name."

[tonberryking]

The nameless dwarf tries to look concerned during the translation, trying harder not to let slip that she can understand the bird just fine. And while she's all for fleeing the scene, as it was her idea and all, she noticed the bird naming names.

"Is...is that bird telling you who fought here and why? Because flaming rhinocerous aside, that would be a darling bit of information to know."

[Falconknight06]

What say we get somewhere nice before we talk, though if you want to know, the name is Colin. Colin Grange.

As the bird introduces himself, a strange rumbling can be heard behind the group

Those who look back

Take [roll0] damage from tripping, and you'll see a 45 ft tall human fighting an equally as tall Owlbear made of smoke.


About 2 Hours later

The odd looking group has found themselves in a quiet grove around a deep, clear pool of drinkable water, far from where the battle had taken place. Colin will tell you, between heavy breaths, that you have been running to the West, seemingly away from the battlefield. As the group rests, Colin will answer any questions you have for him.

[Jeff the Green]

Adele plops down on the ground and starts absentmindedly scratching Rabbit's belly.

"Let's start with the obvious," she says to Colin. "What happened down there? You seem to remember more than any of us."

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin

After planting his face directly into an exposed tree root, blood bursting from his lips and nose. As he stood and attempted to get further down the, he managed to trip again, incuring a few severe cuts and bruises and perhaps a dislocated elbow, Norlamin nearly collapses when they reach the grove.

"Ugh, this just isn't my day." Coughing and spitting some blood on the ground from his mashed face he manages to gather himself up and move to a sheltered position. His voice garbled by blood and his injuries he speaks, "I am going to need to rest for a while."

[Falconknight06]

Adele and "Agatha"

Colin will land on a branch near the small pool, and turns to the two women as he begins to speak Well, a lot of things happened back there. I'm not sure what you all were doing, but I was disguised as an Elven noble, and I had infiltrated the group on the request of the Elven intelligence community to ensure the chest back there got to the capital of "the human lands" as it was so delicately put to me. We were ambushed on our way there, and as we were defending the chest from a group of Orcs, a large explosion of magic came from the castle. When I awoke, I was buried under a pile of Orcs and I was a Magpie. After his story is through, Colin leans to take a drink from the pool.

Min
As you lie on the ground, you feel an odd warmth spread through your body, dulling the pain of your wounds and knitting together broken flesh and bone.

You heal
[roll0]

You're not sure how this happened, but knowledge Arcana might help you find out

[Jeff the Green]

Adele slaps her hand to her face, remembering that she had planned to plunder that chest before leaving. What a wonderful thief you make, she thinks.

She continues her questioning. "Wait. What castle? I don't think I saw one, and I have no idea where we are."

[Falconknight06]

You know, the human capital...what was it called again...well, whatever. The battle was between the King of the East and the Orc armies of the West. As the king's allies, Silvermarsh sent a group of us to help fend off the Orcs and their allies. I was sent to find an amulet that the Orc general supposedly had, and to find who the king had given the quest to find the Chest of Wonder. I was supposed to accompany them, whether they knew it or not.

[Jeff the Green]

"'The Chest of Wonder'..." Adele muses aloud. "I don't think I've heard of it. Is that the chest you were escorting?"

[Falconknight06]

No, the Chest of Wonder is supposed to reside far across the land, in an ancient tower overlooking the western sea. The King was supposed to pick a small group to retrieve this relic, as it is easier for a small group to sneak through the Orc tribal lands. As for the chest I was helping to guard, it merely contained some silverleaves for the king's mages to use in the battle. I have a feeling that the chest has likely been destroyed in the chaos on the battlefield.

Colin will stop to take another drink. It is hard to tell if he knows you were lying or not, but if he does, it doesn't seem to phase him much. Now, I'm wondering what you lot were doing on that battlefield? You seem like an odd bunch to be traveling together

[tonberryking]

The dwarf makes a surprising show of altruism as she walks past the downed fellow, clapping his shoulder in an odd way before doing the same to herself.

Now properly healed from when she glanced back, [roll0][roll1] Healie belt for Min and me, in that order.'Agatha' sits quietly looking to the rather talkative bird. Inwardly, Agatha Acama tries to use the time to piece together her own involvement in this mess based on what the bird said. She thinks she can guess most of it, or at least the important parts. Otherwise, it just appears that she's taking this time going over and checking all of her gear that she unloads and puts back from her pack. It's mostly mundane things should anyone glance but there are strange capsules and parcels amongst her stuff, one of which she straps to the blade of her long knife with care. Attaching a quickflame capsule to her threatenin' knife.

Even after she's finished with the rest of her accoutrements, that knife sits on her thigh, a hand over it. " I only met you two after I woke up, and that my employer is my business," she huffs, looking around their impromptu campsite. "But if what you say is true, we're in the human lands, near the capitol no less, or at least close enough that their army would march out here. We should be able to find some sort of settlement and get our bearings from there.

She checks the capsule'd knife closely upon finishing.

Also, all this while, I'm making some spot checks for trap making related things, which I'll discuss in the OOC thread. [roll2] Also, edited Acama's statements after piecing together everything she's ICly able to know and realizing I goofed some of it.

[Jeff the Green]

Adele nods at the dwarf. "I agree," she says. "I don't like being out of the city much, and certainly not when all that is happening."

She remembers the chest and turns to Colin. "There was an odd chest on the battlefield, surrounded by orcs and elves, and I'd like to go get it. Do you know what was inside?"

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin

Feeling significantly better after his rest and Agatha's boon, Norlamin strolls over to his newfound compadres and the strange little bird. After wiping the blood off his face with a small hankerchief.

He joins the conversation with, "Danger? Adventure? Chance to find a chest, of wonder no less? Color me curious."

With a thoughtful pose he adds, "Perhaps a stealthy approach, to retrieve this Elven mages chest, would be best. I am also pondering what manner of, reward shall be say, the elves might we inclined in their gracious hearts to foist upon us?"

[Jeff the Green]

Somewhat crestfallen at the realization that Colin had meant that chest was likely destroyed, Adele calls Barnaby over to her and starts pulling out her camping gear.

"I think he meant the chest was likely destroyed, Min. But I don't see any reason why we can't make a short detour on our way to the city. Even if it was, I wouldn't mind seeing if those curious creations are still creating catastrophe 'cross the... copse? No, that's a small wood." She pauses for a minute to think of another alliteration. "Well, bugger that. Anyway. Why don't we pitch camp and then do a small bit of reconnoitering before turning in?"

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin

"Drat." then with a contemplative look, "Then I would suppose that engaging in rest in this some what sheltered locale would be advisable."

"Shall I perform the requisite reconnaissance of the surrounding environs?" Upon getting an affirmitive response Norlamin stalks out into the evening examining the surrounding area.


Stealth Rolls
Move Silently [roll0]
Hide [roll1]

Perception Rolls
Listen [roll2]
Search [roll3]
Spot [roll4]

[Jeff the Green]

"Good idea, Min. I'll help our shorter companion with those improvised traps she's setting up," Adele says. She suddenly grins. "I may have a couple surprises of my own."

As Min goes slinking into the woods, Adele calls to the dwarf. "Can I help you with those traps at all?" she asks.

Aid another for trapmaking: [roll0]

[Falconknight06]

Acama and Adele
Though Adele seems to be fairly knowledgeable about traps, she doesn't seem to be able to build one to save her life. She ends up causing the ordeal to take about 30 minutes longer than it needed to. When you are done, you return to the clearing to see Min

Min
You move through the woods as if you had spent your entire life. Finding nothing, you return to the clearing. You can clearly see Colin, the Magpie, building and lighting a fire. You're pretty sure you've never seen anything like that before.

As Adele and Acama return to camp, you notice someone built a nice campfire, around which now sit Min and Colin the Magpie.

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin

Struck with this curious Norlamin remarks"The novelty of watching a small bird ignite tinder bemuses me Colin. I forces me to imagine other scenarios in which someone forced into performing tasks associated with humonoids while in an inhuman form."

Norlamin sits down on a conventiently placed log and draws his rapier. While inspecting it's length he poses a question "So, do we have a plan? Chaotic Magics, Transcombulated Elves and Armies of Orcs. Undoubtable what ever course of action we deceide opun will be frought with danger, and presumable excitement."

[tonberryking]

"My plan is the same..." Acama sits down on a convenient stump opposite the log, while giving a somewhat sore look at Adele (if only because she values making sure the traps are done right), but she again draws the dagger with that odd capsule on it.

"We make for the closest town or settlement, or even fort if one's still standing. From there I'm going to go back to my own mission after getting what supplies and information I can from the inhabitants. I suggest the pair of you do likewise if you want to survive."

[Jeff the Green]

"A good plan, for now," Adele says. She stands up, stretching a bit and yawning. With a few mumbled phrases in draconic, she points at three of the more obvious paths to the clearing. The flickering shadows of the forest coalesce to form spears pointing down the paths, nestled in taut willow branches.

She turns back to Min and the dwarf. "Like I said, for now. Have either of you remembered anything from before the battle? I've got a voice or something, but nothing about what I was doing here."

Casting 3 shadow conjuration versions of create trap (RotD). Spear traps (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/traps.htm#cr1SpearTrap) will last 12 hours, with a Will DC of 19 to disbelieve. Even with disbelief, the traps will deal 20% damage.

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin

"Well I was seeking a rare tome, prior to waking on the afore mentioned chaotic mire that appeared to be a battlefield." with a thoughtful pose he adds, "There was a voice, it seemed to speak of a chest."

With a shrug he continues speaking, "I simply cannot fathom what would give me cause to chase a mere chest. I am sure it would not contain the tome I seek. Quite the mystery!"

[tonberryking]

Acama stirs slightly and heaves a bit of a sigh. Clinging to her spotty memories, she fears that part of it is starting to repair itself, and she's not happy with the idea.

"I am also to retrieve a chest." she starts, gripping her knife a bit looser. "And so were my companions, though I've only found the two of you since then."

She lets the implication sink in, though she really hopes this doesn't get awkward and it turns out the three of them were all sent from three different employers.

[Jeff the Green]

"Huh," Adele says, sitting down next to the dwarf. "That explains the rings. Oh, they're not dangerous, by the way. They locate each other. I mean theoretically there might be more that could find them, but there's no way to know." She's quiet for a few minutes. "Does that mean you'll tell us your name now?"

[tonberryking]

"Acama."

She then goes back to musing with her gear and shaking her head so that the massive braid atop it sways like a pendulum. "Though I don't recall either of you before this, nor would I expect the King to force these rings on us... Now I think we should add something else to our criteria: we need to find someone who knows the full story on what happened and complete our mission. The quest and what happened at the battle are linked somehow and it won't do us any good to stay in the dark about it."

[Falconknight06]

The group of adventurers spent time talking, and as they did, each began to realize just how tired they had been. The adrenaline caused by the encounters with the odd creatures having warn off, each moved to their respective spots in the makeshift camp and drifted off to sleep, or meditation as the case may be.

Dreams of the three
Min
You find yourself in a grand ballroom, standing before the king. You can't quite remember his name, but you are sure he is the king of the human lands. You look to see that Acama and Adelle are also present. Though the exact words of his majesty are unremembered, the vivid memory of receiving the rings as the noise of battle echoes outside the castle is not. The only words that are clear are ....find the chest.......only hope......doomed

The rest of your sleep passes quietly and without further dreams

Adelle

You dream of the entrance exam to the Elven Intelligence Academy, but you've arrived naked! And a giant owlbear appears to be standing in the crowd, as if it wasn't unusual at all

Acama
You find yourself in a grand ballroom, standing before the king. You can't quite remember his name, but you are sure he is the king of the human lands. You look to see that Min and Adelle are also present. Though the exact words of his majesty are unremembered, the vivid memory of receiving the rings as the noise of battle echoes outside the castle is not. The only words that are clear are ....find the chest.......only hope......doomed

The rest of your sleep passes quietly and without further dreams


The night passes quickly and uneventfully, and the group awakes to the sun shining gently through the trees, reflecting off of the crystal clear pool.

The traps lie undisturbed where they were placed the night before.

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin

Waking from this strange vision, Norlamin is perplexed. He goes about his normal morning routine, checking his gear and preparing for the day. All the while attempting to hide way his mind is whirling.

'That... would be vision is quite the mystery.' he thinks while cooking a light breakfast. 'It is clearly false, no one in the capitol knows of my skills. And for what other reason would I be selected for a mission. As far as the fools at court are concerned I am nothing but an example of bored noble youth, albeit one who is quite handy with a dueling blade.'

Then with a slight start Norlamins comes to a realization, 'It's a fallacy! A scheme, manipulation someone or perhaps something. To what end? Certainly it doesn't know me, a request by a king wouldn't motivate me.'

With a grin he chuckles to himself, 'Well the've got me now, whatever there goal. I could never turn down a mystery...'

Speaking aloud to the others, "It is time to wake, the great grand jewel of the sky has made it's self known and we have somethings to discuss. But first, food!"

[Jeff the Green]

Adele pushes the ball of orange fuzz off her face and begins to get ready. Clothes on. Armor can wait. Breakfast first, then spells. She opens her tent and gets out. Rabbit bounds out, ready to catch his breakfast. Barnaby whines, rolls over, and goes back to sleep.

"Zexenuma, Rabbit," Adele calls. "itheik halkvri yth leor nomenes loritic." Stay, Rabbit, until we disable those traps." The cat jumps up onto Adele's shoulder and starts to kneed it. She winces, and begins rummaging through Barnaby's saddlebag for her trail rations and mug. Drawing water from the pool, she begins breakfast.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" she asks Min.

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin

"We need to decide on our next course of action. There seems to a chest thats in need of finding." Norlamin eats a little then continues, "But the looming question is how do we go about finding it?"

[tonberryking]

"Haven't we had this conversation?" Acama rose early to disarm her traps, and joylessly chews on a jerky ration that looks like it was made using old straps of leather and a bulletin board while sitting by the cooking fire. The water is the biggest joy of her breakfast.

"There are two possibilities as I see it. A known person or power holds the chest in their grip. Hence the warzone we escaped from. We should get to a settlement, and from there find out where armies are gathering; perhaps one of the armies or their target holds the chest...

She swallows the remnants of her rations. "Mmff. Or, if it's hidden away somewhere we will need to find a sage or some library and research the matter, to find any sort of clues that we can compare to what we were doing before now to get an idea.

[Jeff the Green]

Adele looks at the two with a confused look on her face. "I gather that we're not talking about the chest of silver leaf. Maybe one of you could fill me in?"

[tonberryking]

"Our employer is royalty; he hired us to find a chest that would be of dire importance to preserve his kingdom..." Acama sighs, realizing that this is going to be a most annoying puzzle if only because of memory loss, "And I don't think it's a chest of mundane gold or treasure; something of vital importance is in it. I have no proof but I feel that the battlefield we left had some role in this as well."

[Jeff the Green]

Adele looks a little confused as she finishes her breakfast. "I suppose that's possible. A little strange that said nobility would pick me, though." She gets up and shoves Barnaby out of the tent. The mastiff whines until Adele tosses him some of the jerky and hazelnut butter her everlasting ration bag had produced. "I'm guessing you don't remember much. I don't remember anything other than a voice and a few odd words. But lets try to reason this out." Adele begins packing while she thinks out loud. "I'm hardly the type one chooses to traipse about the wilderness, and certainly not one you'd send into battle. And, no offense, neither of you look like warriors either. So I doubt it's hidden in some cavern or ruin guarded by an abomination that needs a good slaying. On the other hand, I could sell greatswords to a wizard circle for a 30 percent mark up, and the two of you look like the perfect ones for... creative acquisitions. So I'm going to hazard a guess that someone has it, and we're meant to steal it."

She of course leaves out the part where she is actually working for a rival empire, one that probably has its own interests in said chest.

[tonberryking]

Acama says nothing to either discredit or agree with the sentiment she's not prime warrior material, but she lets out a sigh of appreciation over Adele's speculation.

"Good thinking. That still leaves us with the investigation though of where the chest would be guarded, and, assuming this is the case, why the three of us would even be on the battlefield. Using stealth there or all places would be pointless; too many rogue factors could make it succeed or fail no matter what was planned. Though I fear this means our main objective could be hazardous leagues away from here."

[Jeff the Green]

"Alright," Adele says, finishing her packing. "Our first move should probably still be to head to the nearest city. I'll do a little poking around there and see if anyone can tell us about our employer or the job he hired us to do. Give me a few minutes to meditate and I'll be ready to go." She sits down cross-legged and closes her eyes.

[Falconknight06]

The land of Felewar is vast and diverse, replete with adventure and adventurers. Towns of all shapes and sizes, lands of all creatures. But, the land is dominated by the four kingdoms. There is Kingdom of the Undermountain, with its capital of Hammerfell. There is the Great Elven Empire, with its capital of Silver Wood. The Orcish Tribal lands cover the eastern most portion of the land, while the western land is home of the Calsan empire, with its capital city of....of....hmmm. I can’t seem to remember the capital’s name. Come to think of it, Calsan’s capital has been rather quiet of late. I wonder what may have happened? Oh bother, I’ve been writing my thoughts down verbatim again. Now I’ll need to restart. Hey, I wonder who those two are?

-"A Bard's Guide to Felewar" by Banren Tasslefoot [Draft 27]

Chapter 1: A Tale of Three Kingdoms

In a quiet spot next to the road, a Halfling caravan begins to settle for the night.

“Tell us the story grandpa!”

Four young Halfling children sit around a campfire, a wisened old Halfling man sits across from them, his face bathed in the fire’s light. He shifts slightly on his chair, clears his throat and then begins

“I believe I should tell you of an adventure I was on. I once followed two adventurers as they searched for the fabled Chest of Wonders. Now it is said, that the chest holds the secret to saving the kingdom, though the legends have never revealed which kingdom it refers to. Could be Silver Forest, land of the elves. Or perhaps Hammerfell, where the dwarven artisans and gnomish tinkerers dwell. It could even have saved the legendary kingdom of Calsan. The only ones who know are the adventurers who found it.

Now, to be truthful, I’m not actually sure if they did find the chest, as the last thing I remember while following them was a brilliant flash of light, but something in these old bones of mine just makes me think they did it.

Anyway, our story begins in the small town of Sweetbrook. I was sitting at a table, writing my guidebook to Felewar, trying to remember the name of a city, when the two tallest adventurers walked in, followed closely by a dwarf, obviously trying to be inconspicuous."

"Wait" says one of the children, "you said that you followed two adventurers, but three walked in?"

"Of course" the old Halfling said, "I wasn’t going to be in the back of the group now was I? Know as I was saying, I met the adventurers at the Golden Unicorn in Sweetbrook, and they walked in…”

After a short journey of four hours, the odd quartet reaches the city of Sweetbrook, and heads straight for the inn for food and drink, as well as some rest from walking. As you enter, a few heads turn to look, then quickly return to their meals and other activities. The inn is well kept, and a large, handsome Half-Orc wiping down the bar and talking to customers. A buxom young lass is currently waiting tables. A few empty tables sit around the room, allowing for many choices for the group to sit.

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin

Shortly after entering the tavern Norlamin spots a nice warm spot next to the fireplace. He relaxes into a worn chair. He looks scans the room, keeping an eye out for a gossip.

He flags down the serving girl, "Miss, bring me some stew and a decent Merlot. Dark rye bread if you have any." Looking over at Agatha, "Some Dwarven Ale and..." He squints at Adele, "And a fine Elven Mead Wine, for my lady friends."

[Jeff the Green]

Adele pulls a face, recalling the sugary swill her mother served whenever elven nobles visited Redmarch. At least gathering information means making friends with locals, and that means drinking what they're drinking, and that means good dark beer. She sighs and resigns herself to a glass of mead.

"I'll also have whatever you have roasting right now," she says to the girl. "Thank you, miss."

Once the serving girl leaves, Adele looks at her companions, trying to get a better read on them. "So, I thought I'd let the two of you get us lodging and do any shopping you need to do this afternoon while I get a sense of what's going on. I'll also try to find a sketch artist to do our portraits, see if anyone recognizes us from before today." She looks at Colin with a slight scowl. "I don't think it'll help in your case, though."

[Falconknight06]

The young girl seems to notice the face Adele pulls at the mention of the mead, and asks Adele Is that really what you want? You don't get far in this business without being able to read people's reactions. Perhaps a nice Ale or wine is more your style?

[tonberryking]

Acama doesn't argue that she was wrongly named again, nor does she argue about her drink. In fact she wordlessly raises a hand to second Adele's order for roast.

"Actually, I will accompany you when gathering information," she says plainly after the waitress leaves. Her serene attitude says that this isn't due to some lack of trust, but just factual. Acama despises what she doesn't know and intends to find out firsthand what her memories have locked away.

[Jeff the Green]

Adele glances at Min and then flashes a smile at the serving girl. "I'll have the darkest, most bitter beer you have. Thanks."

Adele scratches her face, rearranging plans in her head. "Alright, Acama," she says. "First I just want to get a sense of what's going on here and the surrounding areas. It shouldn't be a problem for both of us to do that. But figuring out what we're doing might be a little bit harder. It's going to make people suspicious if we go around asking 'Have you seen us before? What were we doing?', so I thought I'd disguise myself and pretend to be someone hunting us."

Adele takes a sip of her beer and smiles.

"I'm not the greatest with mundane disguises, so I'll have to use magic, and I can only use it on myself. Maybe you could sit in the shadows and I'll let you listen in telepathically?"

[tonberryking]

"I lack equipment to put on a proper disguise," Acama admits, but it doesn't seem like an agreement, "Actually. it wouldn't take much to get a disguise kit the means for a simple facade. A dwarven maid asking about the goings on/whereabouts of her sister would seem simple and unassuming, though I wonder if we should try that first or alongside your own plan of action."

The EVIL Plan: Buy disguise kit. Have Adele assist on skill check and Not-Acama goes around asking if anyone's seen her sister.

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin Gellentara

"It's a disguse you seek, eh?" Norlamin rummages around in his pack. "Voila! I believe that this will suffice."

Norlamin produces a cloth bag with dyes and cosmetics. "Shall we retire to a private room and I'll prepare an alternate idenity for you?"

Disguse Check, Pre-emptive. Five ranks, two for having a disguse kit and finally five for making only minor changes. (Making Agatha look like a different dwarven maiden) [roll0]

[tonberryking]

"Watch your hands." Acama growls in a very low, astoundingly deadly hinting tone. She goes along with the plan, knife in hand for the duration, but along with it nonetheless. She asks Adele to meet her out back after the salon session is over.

[Jeff the Green]

"I don't see any reason why that won't work," Adele says. "It's not like anyone is going to be all that suspicious of us. But before we get in character, let's get our sketches done."

Adele goes to the bar and smiles at the half-orc bartender. "Any chance you know of a decent sketch artist in town? My friends and I," she points over her shoulder at Min and Acama "want to bring a gift back to a friend. She just loves charcoal drawings."

[Falconknight06]

The Half-Orc looks up from the bar he has been wiping to a sparkling cleanliness, and says Well, my daughter seems to have some talent with the coal, she might be able ta help ya. The bartender moves towards the stairs up to the second floor of the inn and calls out Mia, bring down yer sketch things, ya got a customer.

A young girl, looking to be about 16 years old, comes down the stairs carrying a small case. She walks over to her father saying Papa, who needs a drawing?

[Jeff the Green]

"That would be us, miss," Adele says. She smiles and points over her shoulder "My friends and I would like to have our portraits drawn as a gift for a friend. We'd be happy to pay you if you think you're up."

[Falconknight06]

The young woman invites the two who would like portraits into a small side room with a window and an easel. She sits the women down one at a time and begins to sketch. As the women are being drawn, Norlamin notices a rather gaudily dressed Halfling writing in two separate books, looking up towards Min occasionally, then quickly returning to his work.

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin Gellentara

Upon noticing the halfling writing, an intrigued Norlamin wanders over to him, "Would I be out of line as to inquire what you're writing? I ask because I am quite the fan of well crafted tome."

[Jeff the Green]

"Mia, right?" Adele asks as she and Acama are led into the room. "Maybe you could tell us a bit about what's happening in town. We've been traveling for a while and haven't heard any news."

[Falconknight06]

Norlamin

The Halfling looks up with a slight blush, which quickly turns to a friendly smile as he says I'm trying to write a guide to the land of Felewar. I figure I can make my parents proud of my traveling lifestyle if I can show them something tangible can come of it. Anyway, you lot seemed a bit lost when you wandered into the Unicorn. Aren't you all from around here?


Adele

Mia directs Acama to sit down across from the Easel first, and pulls out a charcoal pencil and piece of rubber, and sets to work sketching the dwarfs face. As she sketches, she answers Adele's question with Well, aside from all of the soldiers being called away to defend the capital city of Ar-. The girl pauses as she tries to recall the name of the capital, Ar-... well anyway she continues to draw as she says it has been rather quiet around town. So, what brings you into the Unicorn?

[Jeff the Green]

Crap. I knew I was forgetting something. I could... no, that would make things worse.

"Business, mostly. I'm a procurer of antiquities, and one of my clients had heard that the Hand of Karlia had been dug up by a farmer or somesuch nearby. Have you heard of the Hand of Karlia?" Adelle waits politely for an answer. It's 'no' of course, since there is no such idol. "Beautiful work of art," she tells the girl, letting her eyes go dreamy at the imagined treasure. "Anyway, we're here to find out who has it and if they can be persuaded to sell it. Acama here and Min are my bodyguards, porters, and companions."

Going to try something new. Rolling Bluff first, then roleplaying whatever the result is. [roll0]

Eh, good enough.

[tonberryking]

Acama may be used to alot of different bluffs, but having to sit and have her picture done is a first for the ninja. However... she inwardly sighs, now having to corroborate Adele's story whether she wants to or not for the sake of appearances.

Yes, Adele, although it certainly sounds like yet again you've given me more work to do if something's afoot making the soldiers go to... Ah.. what did you call it, miss? My geography of the human lands can be spotty at times..."

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin

With a cocksure grin Norlamin responds to the halfling "Lost? If I wasn't wandering astray I wouldn't know where to be. Adventure waits for no man, we must seize any opportunity for excitement."

Norlamin gives the halfling an appraising look, "Allow me to introduce myself to a fellow traveler, my companions call me Min."

[Falconknight06]

Acama and Adelle
I truthfully can't remember the name of where the battle is happening. It's odd, it is like it was erased from my memory the girl says, still drawing

Min
Well met Min, my name is Banren Tasslefoot. Perhaps I could buy you a drink and you could tell me your story. I'm always looking for interesting new tales to tell the Halfling will say, ordering two glasses of Halfling Mead.

[Jeff the Green]

"Don't worry, Acama," Adele says. "You get hazard pay, remember? In any case, We're not going anywhere near... damn the human capitol.

"You know, we're going to be staying in town for a while. Does your father rent rooms here?"

[Falconknight06]

Of course he does silly the girl says, clearly enjoying the chance to draw and the conversation. She finishes up the sketch, and turns it for the women to look at.


Roll for Sketching
[roll0]


The sketches turn out to be relatively good likenesses of your faces, though you do get what you pay for

Using the sketches gives people a +4 to their wisdom checks to remember you

So, what do you think? Will these work? I had to rush a bit because you both looked a bit impatient the girl seems a bit flustered at the pictures not being her best work

[Jeff the Green]

Adele beams at the girl. "What are you talking about?" she says. "These are absolutely wonderful; Danielle will love these." Adele clearly does not have an eye for art. Fumbling to estimate an appropriate price for the sketches, she fishes through her pockets and pulls out five gold sovereigns. "Thank you so much, Mia. Do you think this would be about right?"

Appraise to estimate what I should pay her (DC 13): [roll0]
Edit: No estimate.

[Falconknight06]

Yes, thank you! Mia will say, positively beaming, I can use these to buy some more supplies. With that, Mia will give the ladies there drawings and head over to her father, telling him how it went.

[Jeff the Green]

Adele tosses a conspiratorial glance at Acama. "Well, that's the first part of the plan," she says. "Shall we go get a room and get our disguises on?"

[tonberryking]

"Yes, that will be fine, but Min will have to watch his hands..." Acama sighs, reminding herself to change outfits as part of her disguise. "What is he going to be doing while we're doing the inquiry?"

[Jeff the Green]

"Whatever he wants, really," Adele replies as she holds the door to the common room open for Acama, "as long as he stays well away from us."

She spies Min talking with a halfling and decides to leave him alone for now. She strides to the bartender and smiles at him. "I don't suppose you have any rooms available for the next, oh, two nights?" she asks him winsomely.

[Falconknight06]

Of course miss the bartender will say with a smile, the rooms will be on the house, after your generous payment to my daughter. How many will you need? Two or three? Or one, I'm not one to judge.

[Jeff the Green]

"Oh, thank you. Two rooms, I think," Mirielle replies. "We aren't quite that familiar with our companion over there. Do you mind if my pack dog stays in my room, or do you have a stable where he might stay?"

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin

With a look of false humility Norlamin responds, "Me? I am merely a scholar wandering the globe looking for hidden mysteries and wonders that have been obscured by time."

Then with a conspiratorial glint in his eye, "So what adventures lie in wait in a town such as this, my fine friend?"

[Falconknight06]

Min

Not much is going on in town, what with the battle all of the men left for the Halfling will say. Seeing the Human and the Dwarf re-enter the room, he'll say to Min well, it seems your friends are done. You seem an odd group to be traveling together, how'd you come to be adventuring as a group?


Adelle

Your dog is free to stay in your room, as long as he stays quiet. But I'm sure he is well behaved the innkeeper will smile at Adelle as he says this

[Jeff the Green]

"He is," Adele says. "Well then, Acama, shall we move our things into our room and get ready?"

I'm going to assume the portraiture took a while and that Min's conversation is in the past relative to us, so we can use Mo's disguise check as an aid another and not have to interrupt Mo's conversation with the halfling. (Adele has a +6 mod, higher than Min.) I should read the whole post, shouldn't I?

Disguise Acama (including Aid Another bonus): [roll0]
Disguise Adele (using disguise self, 80 min duration): [roll1]

Adele is disguising herself as a tall, heavily built 30-something woman with dark hair and a scar across her eye.

Takes a total of [roll2]x10 minutes

[Falconknight06]

Acama and Adelle do a bit of a double take as they look at each other in their disguises. This is among your better work Adele. The rooms you have checked out are nice, especially considering the size of the inn.

Min hasn't answered the Halfling's question. Where is he?

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin

"Honor my friend, why what kind of gentlemen could I condiser myself to be if I let two young women travel the dangerous roads without a suitable escort."

"A battle you said, would you care to elaborate?"

[Falconknight06]

Norlamin

Well, there was the battle for the capital. You know, you came from that direction didn't you? At least, that is what my familiar told me Banren will say, as a small sparrow lands on his shoulder.

[tonberryking]

For once, Acama is impressed. With simple touches like putting down her immense braid and dying the hair as a starting touch, and more complex ones like lightening the sheen of her skin, she ends up looking as a slightly more venerated dwarven woman with an obvious relation to her true identity. Though getting her to remove telltale marks like her sword and...espionage gear is a bit trickier just in terms of actually getting any of that away from her and into more plebeian garb.

"Now once again," she says, trying to soften her oft-gravelly voice, "We are looking for my dear sister Acama who has come by in recent months, yes? We need the exact same cover story or else we'll be juggling fibs in case one of us were to slip up...

[Jeff the Green]

"Right." Adele rubs her chin and considers the question. "Let's say you--Acama--fell in league with disreputable sorts. Min and I, swindlers both, took a family heirloom with your sister's assistance." Adele smiles. "People get unwholesomely civic minded about thieves. Anyway, I, an old family retainer, was sent to find them--us--and bring the thieves back. You came along to try to convince your sister to come home."

Adele pauses a bit. "I think that should work. Simple enough, and it'll let us play on their emotions a bit. Probably you should let me do most of the talking. You're... not all that experienced in swindles."

[tonberryking]

"Wait... are you saying that you are my family's loyal retainer?" she scoffs. Dwarves wouldn't keep human servants around in any capacity, "Or did you mean you are a retainer from your/Adele's family?"

"Also, don't tarnish my name too much; I need to have an agreeable reputation if I'm to take jobs when this whole fiasco is finally over."

[Jeff the Green]

"A 'professional recovery expert' hired by your family, then. And don't worry about your reputation. I'm a highly successful con-artist, after all," she says with a smirk. "There's no shame in falling for my schemes."

Adele adjusts her eye patch and opens the door to the room. "Shall we go, then?"

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin

"I can't say I recall any such battle..." A puzzled face flashes across his face. "It seems odd that I can't recall such a battle."

[Falconknight06]

Min

You're not the only one who doesn't seem to recall a battle. That there was a battle is all I seem to recall, but anything about it is still unknown to me the Halfling will say, feeding his familiar a piece of bread.

Min can roll a wisdom check to remember the battle

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin

Min ponders for a moment, attempting to recall any details.

Whoops, never saw your response Falcon, so sorry for the hold up.
[roll0]

[tonberryking]

"Yes. We need to hit up any chemists or smiths in the area, first; I would have likely tried stocking up on provisions. Obviously, I didn't stay at this inn, but let me stretch my little legs around here and I could try to spy a place the past-me would have patroned."

[Falconknight06]

Norlamin
You remember something about a royal messenger asking you to the King's Library to meet with the king himself about some sort of mission. You also remember taking part in some sort of battle outside the walls of the capital city, and you remember fighting a snake-woman.


Everybody
Wow, sorry about the long hiatus guys

[Jeff the Green]

"Alright," Adele says. She leads Acama out into the street in search of... themselves.

[Falconknight06]

As Acama and Adele come down the stairs, the bartender does a bit of a double take as he clearly does not recognize the two women. He seems as if he is about to say something, when a small sparrow lands in front of him and drops a silver piece of the table, and begins twittering excitedly. The bartender sufficiently distracted, the two head out into the town to look for themselves.


Where are you guys going first?

[Jeff the Green]

Let's try a Gather Information check to find local chemists and smiths. Take ten gets me 18. And to save time, here's Acama's aid other to bump that to 20: [roll0]

[Falconknight06]

As the pair enter the Alchemists shop, their noses are instantly met with a smell of sulfur and brimstone. Small jars, meticulously labled, sit on shelves around the room, as braziers with fire of various colors burns without fuel. An older Gnome sits behind a counter, weighing some sort of powder on a scale, with an empty bottle next to him and a mortar and pestle on his other side. He smiles as the group walks in

He is currently helpful based on your diplomacy, and he seems like your best bet to find yourselves based on your gather information

[Jeff the Green]

Making a small flicking gesture with her wrist as Acama opens the door to the alchemist shop, Adele strides in with the bearing of an experienced fighter. She places the portraits of her and Acama on the counter in front of the old gnome. "Hello. I am Zorya," she says in the rough accent of the human tribes living on the border of orc country. "Look at these women. This one," she says, pointing to her own portrait, "stole something of my employers. I want to get it back. The other is my employers' daughter, this little one's sister. The thief and her accomplice tricked her into helping them. She thought she was doing a great service for her country. Hah! Those swindlers must have talked fast to trick her."

Oh, I do love using this accent. It's so easy to fool people who think they're smarter than you.

"Have you seen them? There is gold for you if you help," she says, bouncing her purse in her hand.

Casting Glibness right before entering the shop.
Bluff:
[roll0]
:smallamused:

[tonberryking]

Acama blinks, and then just stands there like a goof feeling sorry for herself. Much suited to the role her mouthy companion has chosen for her, she doesn't do anything to argue or contradict her statement. Head hung low, barely glancing up and around, (that the gnome notices anyway) and overall very, very quiet.

[Falconknight06]

The Gnome looks at the paper with a squint, then turns to Adelle saying, Well miss, I might have seen a pair like this, but why did ya say you were lookin fer 'em again? The two I saw were not thief-like in the least, in fact they were very pleasant to me. They also had a note from tha king 'imself. I'm thinking you maight be tha ones doin' the swindlin.

[tonberryking]

Time to up the ante. Still presenting herself in a dour way, the dwarf maide rubs at an eye.

"I thought my sister was upstanding, too," she starts with a glumly delivered sort-of truth, then another: "And i don't know anything about a theft, just that she got mixed up with this mean other lady or there's been a huge misunderstanding and to get to the bottom of it, I need information to start searching for her. Please, we just want her to come home..." Acama isn't much of an actress, but she damn well means to try if it means saving this from becoming a fiasco.

[Falconknight06]

Hmm the Gnome will say, peering over his glasses at the dwarf I suppose you wish to keep this charade up, and I'm sure those two could take you even if you do find them. They came into my shop about a week ago to buy supplies for some sort of mission for the king, they had a letter of introduction and everything. They bought some alchemical supplies as well as a few poisons, and then went back towards the capital. I don't know where they are now though, what with the capital disappearing

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin

After he takes a sly look around to the room to be certian that no one is over hearing he asking "Being the well traveled accumulator of knowledge that you would seem to be, what do you know of snake women?"

[Falconknight06]

Snake women? the halfling stares at Min as if he is being fooled. What in the world is a snake woman?

[Jeff the Green]

Mirielle's eyes widen suddenly. "Wait. What?" she blurts. She drops the illusion hiding her form. "How, exactly, does a city disappear?" she asks, waving off the shopkeeper's astonishment.

Dismissing disguise self.

[Falconknight06]

I figured you could tell me the gnome shopkeeper will say with a smile, you two said you were goin' back to the capital after you left my shop. I figured everyone was gone with tha capital, so its good ta see you two are ok.

[Jeff the Green]

I'm assuming he can't remember the name of the capital for sake of time; if I'm wrong I'll edit it.

Wheels turn in Adele's head. Not necessarily an accurate metaphor, she reflects. More like...snow falling on a branch until it can't take any more, and the snow of realization falls on one's head in one cold, soggy moment of realization.

Actually, that needs work too.

"Do you remember what the capital is called?" she asks the gnome.

His expression answers Adele, and she interrupts any verbal answer. "So, the capital disappears, everyone forgets the name of it, and we--who apparently were in or near the place when it's erased--forget a considerable bit more. That's why we were lying. Sorry about that. We thought it would have been a little odd to say 'Oh, hello, have you seen us before? What were we doing last week?'

"Speaking of what we were doing last week, do you remember anything else about that note? And which king it was from?"

Some checks to figure out what's going on:
Is there any spell that messes with memories?

Spellcraft: [roll0]
Knowledge (arcana): [roll1]

Is there any mage known for tampering with memory or for trying to research memory alteration?

Knowledge (arcana): [roll2]
Knowledge (local): [roll3]

Is there any precedent for such massive memory loss?

Knowledge (history): [roll4]

Do I remember anything about the capital?

Knowledge (local): [roll5]
Wisdom: [roll6]

[Falconknight06]

Well, it was from the king of this land, but like the city, I can't remember his name either. From what you were allowed to tell me, you were getting supplies for three people, in preparations for a journey to the other side of the continent, and that you had a time limit of some sort. Then, a messenger appeared and whispered something to you, and you paid and rushed off. The gnome shall sit down on his stool

Adele's Rememberings


Wait, we only have a year?! Adele says, standing in the library of the castle, the king and his archmage standing across from her, Min, and Acama

The archmage says calmly, Yes, if the spell is set off, you three will have one year to find the chest, recover whatever is in it, and bring it back to the town's former spot. If you don't, our country is doomed and will fall to the hordes of the Orcs.

The King says, I've chosen you three because you are the most unlikely group to be on this quest, and as the legend says, "Three shall journey for the Chest of Wonders, and shall meet companions on the way."I've chosen the three of you, so go to Sweetbrook to buy the supplies you'll need. I don't want anyone from within this city to catch on. You must hurry, as the Orc's army is but a week away, and you must not be within the walls of the city if the spell activates. Also, take these rings. They will allow you to always know where your companions are, and no one shall be able to take them from you, not even with charm spells. Now go

With that, the three begin their journey to sweetbrook, off to buy supplies for the journey ahead.

That is all you remember, though you recall something about a spell removing something from memory, and time, for a set period of time.

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin

Norlamin attempts to cover his gaffe with a wry grin and a glib comment, "You are to easy to fool my friend! Snake Women, Ha!"

After that last comment Norlamin waves down a waitress and orders another drink. "Shall we drink to adventure?"

[roll0] Bluff.

Also huzzah! We have gained some traction in the main plot!

[Jeff the Green]

Adele pinches the bridge of her nose and bows her head. The returning memories give her a burning headache. When they pass, she grins ruefully at the gnome. "Thank you, my friend. You've been very helpful." She turns to Acama. "I just remembered something, and I think it's something that shouldn't be shared."

As she walks out the door she turns back to the gnomes. "I shouldn't worry too much about the memory loss if I were you. I'm pretty sure it will be temporary."

[Falconknight06]

Adele and Acama arrive back at the Inn, and see Min and a Halfling talking, drinking, and laughing as the Halfling writes in a large book.

[tonberryking]

Quivering in anticipation, Acama experiences a very quiet, smoldering walk back towards the inn where, regardless of who's watching, attempts to drag Adele back into their room and explain everything. Her persona seems about to crack, what with her finally having a lead. Impatience forces her onward.

[Jeff the Green]

"Well," Adele says once she's drawn Min and Acama into her room, "there's bad news, good news, and bad news. The bad news is that unless a certain chest is found and brought to the former location of the human capitol, it's doomed. Apparently they used a spell to remove the entire city from both memory and time. Why is beyond me.

"The good news is that they chose us to retrieve it.

"The other bad news," she adds sourly as she flops on the bed, "is that they chose us on the basis of a half-cocked prophesy, and the fact that we're the most unlikely people to be sent to find it. Which always seems to be a polite way of saying 'you're incomptetent, but all we could find on such short notice."

[Falconknight06]

Well that explains why the city is gone, and it lets me know who I'm supposed to follow a familiar voice says from out in the hallway. The door swings open and in walks the Halfling from downstairs with Colin on his shoulder and the book he was writing in a satchel at his side. Colin continues saying so it is you three who have to find the chest within the year then. Perhaps we should get going as soon as possible. We only have a year. And I got us a Bard!

At the mention of a bard, the Halfling says to the group My name is Banren Tasslefoot. And assuming what the young lady on the bed said is true, you're the group I was told to keep an eye out for. The Bard's College of Winterspan was requested to send a Bard to help a group find a thing. That is what the king told the head of the college, and that is why they sent me. I figured I'd know the group when I saw it, and that explains my good feeling about you three! Oh, also, we should probably keep this mission on the down low. A lot of people will probably rather the human capital stays gone.

[Mo_the_Hawked]

Norlamin Gellentara

Eyeing the halfling, "Well my diminutive friend we have been keeping a low profile, unfortunetly we seem to be at an impass. We don't seem to know where to look for this 'chest'.

[Falconknight06]

That is exactly why I've been sent to help! Banren will say with a grin, I am a master of historical tales of artifacts. From what I remember, the chest is supposed to be in an abandoned Wizard's tower deep in the heart of the Orc lands. That is where we need to go to save this land it seems. As for an exact location, we would likely need to talk to someone in either the Dwarven capital or the Elven capital. A scholar there may know the exact location

[tonberryking]

Nearly hurling her long-bladed knife into either of ther intruders, Acama bristles with indigance at having their privacy invaded, as well as the more pressing matter of her memories being wiped.

"And why, pray tell," she hisses quietly, still actually fingering the aforementioned blade gingerly, "Should we trust you? You realize you've just asked us to delve into the accursed orclands after barging in on such a...delicate matter of secrecy???

Sense, sense sense the motive! [roll0]

[Jeff the Green]

Like Acama, Adele is suspicious of the stranger, though more from her training than out of principle. "A bard, right? As in able to tell lies with magical fluency. Forgive me if I'm skeptical." She makes a fiddly motion with her hand and mutters a smattering of draconic. Her eyes glow almost imperceptibly as she studies Banren intently for a few moments.

Sense Motive: [roll0]
Casting detect magic, and studying for 18 seconds.
Spellcraft to identify auras (if any) [roll1] <= Heh. I could identify auras from 19th level spells. :smallamused:

[Falconknight06]

Acama and Adele
Either he is truly a gifted liar, or he is telling the truth about where he is from and why he is here. I'm also going to give you guys the "sizing up a threat" part of sense motive too
Halfling Bard
High Dex
Good Charisma
Good Intelligence
Low Wisdom
Between Levels 4 and 8


Adele

The first thing you notice, is that you can detect magic even before you start to cast it, as if your eyes can innately see magic's ebb and flow. As you study, you do not notice any auras coming from him, though his cloak has a medium abjuration aura on it, and he has transmutation aura on his ring

You can cast Detect Magic as a spell like ability 5/day

[Jeff the Green]

"Hmm. Well, he seems to be telling the truth," Adele says to Min and Acama. "No magical enhancement to his speech. He might have been tricked, but he believes what he's saying."

She flops down on the bed and pinches the bridge of her nose.

"I suppose the next part is finding one of those scholars. You're right, we'll have to head to one of the capitals. Personally, I vote for the dwarves," she says. "There are some people in the elven capital I'd rather not run into."


You can cast Detect Magic as a spell like ability 5/day Nifty!

[Falconknight06]

Agreed Collin will say at Adele's sentiment in avoiding the elven capital. But I suppose we should ask our Dwarven companion's opinion on returning to the Dwarven tunnels.

[tonberryking]

Acama's brow arches somewhat, and clearly giving away that she knows something, she turns her face away from the inquiring bird.

"The sages of my people would be the more trustworthy..." she starts, suddenly feeling very small, and conscious with her hair down, "But we must still tread lightly;we remember the last time our kind traversed the orcish wastes and we don't want to be reminded of it."