Servants of the Thrallherd IC 2 [3.5, faster posting speed]

[J-H]

He wordlessly pulls out and flashes a bowie knife carved entirely out of a piece of bone. “Fentir will be there when you need him, don’t fear. Survivors always make it. At the secondary mine entrance, dusk, 3 days from now?” He stands. “I’d best be going. Still lots to do tonight.”

[Cavir]

"Fine."

Cendrik looks to the others. "Back to food across the street?" Once the group is back at the table in the Short Stout he asks "What do do for three days? Some way we can help Great Leader? Help Balmor help Great Leader?"

If the halfling female servant is working that night, she'll get an extra gold piece tip.

Spoiler: OOC

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I'm fine with a fast forward if that's the plan.

[BelGareth]

Rex watches as Cendrik does a masterful job at handling the guide, he didn't like the questions the little dwarf asked, but it would have been obvious information that anyone who heard about the tower could get, he was obviously being hunted, or looked for, and Rex did not want them to get tangled with that, but it seemed there was nothing to be done, they needed a guide, and they had one.

"I'm not sure I like him." he says simply as they move back to their table. "I am not sure what we can do in 3 days to help our cause, perhaps just resting is the best plan? I am still not 100 percent from our previous fight. I will be checking in on Lockheed and providing the stables with funds for his needs, it is a shame he cannot come, but perhaps it is for the best. Fentir talked about silence....I am not adequate at such a thing, is there something that can be done to mitigate my inability?"

[Cavir]

"Best thing is probably a wand of Silence. Not cheap, but well worth it. I don't know about the rest of you, but I have a decent chance of making it work. Maybe Albin or Filister have one for trade? If we don't have the coin for it, some scrolls at least."

Cendrik gives things some more thought. "We took care of a headache or two for Balmor, maybe he can help us with getting the wand."

"Still bruised up? With all that armor its hard to tell." He uses his healing belt on Rex.

"Three days to go. Find some work to pay for the wand? Where? Or just enjoy three days of sun before going under?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Healing Belt (2d8)[10]
Don't forget the healing from sleeping. How much more to go?"

[Kish]

"I don't trust him at all, but we don't need to trust him for him to be useful to us. If we look for more work, let's make sure it's something relatively safe, that won't delay us further," is Melinda's current contribution.

[BelGareth]

Rex nods to Cendrik, "That'll probably do it, one more night's rest, and I'll be tip top to take any hits you don't want to." he says, ending in a toothy smile.

"I'm fine with a job, but I agree with Melinda, let's not over reach."

Spoiler

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5 hp's left, so a nights rest

[Cavir]

While the group walks back to their inn a thought crosses Cendrik's mind. He ponders it for a while before bringing it up with the group.

"What about Lockheed? He coming with us? He'd probably have to squeeze through some parts. We could use magic to help. A Benign Transport Wand? Polymorph? ... A while back- I guess much longer since i spent time as a statue, I was considering getting a handy haversack. The merchant had an Enveloping Pit. Like a Portable Hole but 50' deep and much cheaper. Drawback is not everyone can use one, but I can. I didn't have the coin for it back then but if you can convince Lockheed to get into when needed that could solve a number of issues along the way."

"I still don't have the coin for a pit. Do any of us? If not let's talk to Balmor tomorrow about one. Or maybe our recent employers can handle it. What do you all think?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Unless something comes up sleep for the night at the inn and after breakfast go pay Balmor a visit. Perhaps I can talk to Balmor and others can talk to Albin and Filister. If we end up with 2 Pits that's just more dwarven mine treasures we can ship back to Great Leader

[BelGareth]

Rex nods as they walk back, "This could work, and he would be good in a fight, but can you breath in such holes? He has a magical ring for food, but nothing else, i only have a little money left over, how much are these holes?"

[Cavir]

"Under 4,000gp if I remember right. We're probably saving Balmor more than that with the storage we've arranged. Bonus is when we make it back we can transport all his goods easily within. Win for us, win for Balmor, and win for Great Leader."

"It's a pretty big space inside so air should last a bit even if we close it fully. I don't imagine him being in there for long at any one time, though I haven't seen the tunnels yet."

[Cavir]

Spoiler: OOC

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If there's an interruption before morning I'll change/delete this post.

The next morning Cendrik eats a hearty breakfast. He addresses the rest of the group. "I'll go find Balmor. Maybe our efforts have helped out his mission enough for him to aid us in ours. Anyone want to come? If that doesn't work out, maybe Filister has something we can do in our short time left here to make some more coin. Healing supplies and something to help with Lockheed in tight places would be useful."

[Kish]

"Sure, I'll go with you," Melinda says.

[BelGareth]

Rex nods, "Yes, I'll come, I am eager to reunite with LockHeed" he says simply

[J-H]

You meet with Balmor the next morning. He actually seems cheerful! “With the connections you’ve built, I’m making progress on what I need, and I’m saving on storage costs. My job has gotten a lot easier. It’ll still take a couple of months to get everything made.”

“An Enveloping Pit? Like a pit that opens and closes envelopes around letters? Where would you get one of those?
Just kidding.” He suggests an enchanter in the central district who works with some of the merchants and miners. Going there, you find one for sale for 3,600 gp.

Spoiler

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Not sure if you have enough available gold to pay for this or not

[Cavir]

Cendrik bit his lip slightly then calmly pulls out a wand and shows it to the enchanter. "The Pit is more than I can do at the moment. I do have this wand of Order's Wrath. It's used but being such a spell should still be worth some. I'm interested in wands of Protection from Evil and Lesser Vigor in trade for it. I realize this wand won't cover two new wands, but partly used ones are useful too."

Spoiler: OOC

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Order's Wrath has 5 charges. Should be worth 1200gp. Wands of PFE and LV total would be 1500. One new wand and one used or both used would be acceptable. If I can only do one of them I'll choose PFE. Some spare coin left over isn't a bad thing.

[J-H]

You collect the items you’ve bought, and go by the psion’s dome to get the remaining items that were being made. After that, you heard through the city to the agreed-upon secondary entrance….
(any last things in the city??)

[Cavir]

Cendrik sells his wand for two lesser but more useful wands. After picking up the items it's off to pick up Rex's stead Lockheed, then off to the tunnel entrance.

[BelGareth]

Rex is grinning as he picks up LockHeed, it had felt like too long, and he almost mounted his companion, hoping to ride it, but after several disdainful looks, thought better of it, merely walking beside his steed.

He was ready, though, LockHeed looked confused.

[J-H]

Arriving after breakfast at the secondary mine entrance, you present your pass to the sole bored-looking guard standing outside. He notes your information down on his slate. “First ones in this entrance today… rumor is you’re trying to travel through? Good luck with that…”

After just a couple of minutes, Fentir saunters up, looking healthy and alert. “You ready to go? Do you have the gear as agreed upon?”

Lockheed sniffs at the dwarf and snorts, not seeming to like what he smells.

[BelGareth]

Rex frowned as LockHeed sniffed their guide and instantly was suspicious of him, he trusted LockHeed's instincts with his life, but he knew he had no other options.

He looks to Cendrik for the mans gear.

[Kish]

Melinda's eyes go to LockHeed as well, but she doesn't say anything.

[Cavir]

In the brief period of wait for Fentir, Cendrik closed his eyes and relaxed, embracing the feeling from Great Leader that pointed them in the direction of the ancient artifact they quested for. Was it northeast of the city? Northwest? Was upward or downward? Direction in mind, he compared that to his mental image of where they are in the city.

"Yes, quite ready." He hands over the items meant for the dwarf then points in the correct direction. "Our journey leads us in that direction, but I don't know how far."

"Rex, care to guard the rear and I'll follow Fentir?"

Spoiler: OOC

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What's the sense of direction felt?

Sense Motive on Fentir (1d20+7)[10]

[J-H]

The feel is on towards the north, not really down.

The dwarf takes the gear and inspects it briefly. He hefts the boots, and then looks around. A building just across the street has a bench on it, and he heads over there to change into them.

Spoiler

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I rolled again for this, and the rolls were really not very good.

A wagon pulled by a couple of horses comes past at a faster-than-normal clip. As it passes you, a dwarf with a cloth gag around his mouth and his hands bound together is shoved out of the back. He looks just like the one you just handed the equipment to, aside from being dusty, dirty, and tied up! He lands, and rolls quickly to his feet, looking around as he fights to remove his bonds.

The dwarf you just handed the equipment to is not in sight, but you hear a voice drifting back to you. “As agreed, you paid me the equipment, and you got Fentir as a guide! Dwarf, your debt is paid off, but don’t come back to my city.”

The wagon is to your right (facing away from the entrance), and the voice seemed to come from your left a little ways away.

Xaanthios thinks the voice may be created by a spell.

[J-H]

Party is in green box

[Cavir]

"Oh no you don't. Someone handle Fentir."

Cendrik takes off running parallel to the wagon then teleports on top of the wagon right behind the driver. "Stop the wagon or I'll skewer what little brains you have." His finely crafted metal claws on either hand are quite visible. He readies himself for a sudden change in the wagon's motion.

Spoiler: OOC

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Move 30' parallel to wagon to get in range. Shadow Stride (Move action, 60' range) on top of the wagon at O11.

Stay in stance: Hearing the Air (Blindsense 30'). Between the stance and what I can see... what kind of wagon (enclosed box, flatbed, with sides)? Occupants including the driver (race, description, location, weapons)?

Was debating go for the driver or teleport onto a horse and pull the reigns.

[Kish]

Melinda considers her options, the ones involving fire coming to mind first, before she settles on something multipurpose. If those horses are actually constructs mentally directed from somewhere else this might be useless, but if they need to breathe or see...

She casts a Stinking Cloud, positioning the epicenter to the west of the horses such that their most recent movement puts them just barely inside it.

[BelGareth]

Rex nods, "LockHeed." he says simply, pointing to Fentir as he strides toward the dwarf. The wyvern taking flight, but just for a second as he glides over the ground and lands near Fentir, craning his neck around, he stares at the dwarf, his nostrils flaring.

Spoiler

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Move 20ft toward fentir, not sure where Rex is exactly.

[Cavir]

Xaanthios

Xaanthios walks up to the discarded dwarf while manifesting unseen psychokinetic force armor. "No need to run. We are hoping to have your help. Just wait while my friends deal with your captors, ok?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Inertial Armor, 9PP for +8AC for 9 hours.

[J-H]

Round 1, Part 1
Melinda casts a spell, causing one of the horses to buck, snort, and begin sidestepping and vomiting noisily and messily. The cart slows with a jerk.

Xaanthios walks over to Fentir, who looks up at him, the dragonborn, and the wyvern, while ripping the gag out of his mouth. “Who in the black dark bowels of the earth are you? Is that thing going to eat me, or do you have a way out of this city? I’m done here.”

The guard looks a bit nervous.

Cendrik teleports next to the driver, who freezes and pulls back on the reins as one horse goes out of control anyway.
The wagon is a covered wagon type, with 4’ high wood walls and a curved fabric top supported by several arches of wood.



There are two humanoids in the wagon, no wait… three… plus a few crates and barrels.

Round 1, Part 2

The cart rolls 15’ forwards, further into the Stinking Cloud, but manages to stay moving in a straight line as it comes to a stop.

The driver and the unknown figure closest to Cendrik both begin retching uncontrollably. It’s hard to see in the cloud. Cendrik also needs to make a save.

Spoiler: Map & status

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?? Nauseated in cloud and 1d4+1 rounds
Horse 1 nauseated in cloud and 1d4+1 rounds
Driver nauseated in cloud and 1d4+1 rounds and 1d4+1 rounds

[Cavir]

Cendrik is happy with the driver's sensibility to pull back on the reins. He glances into the back of the wagon. The glance is enough to catch him without enough time to avoid breathing in the noxious fumes. He starts gagging. Figuring the best way out of the gas is back towards the group, the swordsage swings himself off the side of the wagon and tumbles back the way he came. "More <cough> in the back! <cough> <cough>"

Spoiler: OOC

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Failed Fort save in OOC even with Mind over Body.
Move to M10.
Out of the cloud, Nauseated (1d4+1)[3] more rounds.

[Kish]

"Yes, we're leaving the city, but we want to beat up your captors first. On general principles," Melinda says. "The wyvern won't eat you."