[Continued] - Quirin/Dwarves - 5 April, 1 VC

[AleBelly]

Crivit memorizes Detect Evil. He has a feeling about this Thane.

[sulldawga]

Quirin

I propose we buy some rations and head back to that tower/labyrinth. I'd prefer to get going as soon as possible. Not liking the Thane much anymore.

[Spartakos]

(Night...)

Before going to bed, Galen talks in low tones with his comrades, about the possibility of making this beast-hunting plan work.

I dunno, King...it's not like he took those lizardmen single-handed. He had a charmed lizard-lieutenant who killed 1, and a party of adventurers who took out 4 more. Granted, he did 1-round-kill those 3 guys he offed.

It's a shame Orrin and Lug just left on April 5th; depending on how that expedition goes, they (and their arrow eminently suitable for wolf-shooting) might not get back for a week or more. Then again, if luck is poor (or especially good) they might be back by the time we are.

We are currently at April 8th, won't depart before the 9th, and are what, 3 days back to Vaul? Figure we'll get back the 12th, if we go direct. If we mean to stop at the tower, that's even longer...bad for Fangir perhaps, but maybe good for our plans of an alliance.

Melvin should still be in town, and Zhym doesn't have anybody with our current group. It might be possible to get Valorei and/or Constance to join us as well. Val's got a nice new sword...

I say we ask Fangir to leave and meet us in Vaul in X days (enough time to get back, recruit and equip); we can meet him outside the town with whatever forces we can muster and gear we can purchase, then go for it.

As far as tactics...
1.) I still favor trying nets; I don't know what kind of mechanics the DM would use, but if we could entangle the beast, it would make stabbing--or better still, pouring oil and lighting it on fire--considerably easier. Even if we only held him for a round or 2.

2.) Ranged attacks seem to be our best bet; the book range of Charm Person is 120', outranged by both magic missile and good old fashioned bows. Not sure exactly how fast it can close, but if we can get in bowshot of it without putting its wind up, we should have a round or 2 of free missiles...that's not nothing. On the downside, it might try to escape rather than attack a large group.

3.) Not sure if there are trees or anything close to the druid circle where the beast likes to hang out...maybe we could lay an ambush, wait for him to come home and open fire?

4.) Perhaps our newfound items may help; we still don't know what the staff does.

(Morning)

"I am still well-enough provisioned, and ready to follow your lead." Galen stretches well in the morning before donning his armor and going outside to check on his trusty steed. Before this, he asks the others quietly "Have we made any decision regarding Fangir's offer?

CLW for today

[Keehnelf]

April 9, 1 VC - 8:20am

As Galen is out checking on his horse, the Thane's steward arrives and indicates that the Thane would like them to meet with him before they depart, if they are amenable to that.

[AleBelly]

Crivit will cast Detect Evil just before meeting with the Thane. As the steward arrives, he'll pretend he's finishing up prayers and will cast the spell

[Spartakos]

Galen's cool with meeting the Thane one more time.

[GTan_Baq]

Abi will meet with the Thane.

[KingOfCowards]

Let's see what he has to say. Even if he is a jerk, his money spends the same as any others. "Go kill Fangir for me" is not a mission I would take on, but "Get rid of some goblins" might be something we are doing anyway.

My guess, if the Thane is not evil, his advisors might be. Very interesting Mr. Crivit. We'll see how this goes.

[OGRE MAGE]

Buryl isn't filled with the mistrust of his companions and is willing to hear what the bogus Thane has to say.

Buryl wouldn't know this.....but his player does.

The beast will not easily burn. If your thinking about starting his fur on fire.....think again. He will also have nothing to do with attacking a large group that he knows could hurt him.

He is not some stupid creature and I personally think it's a battle we couldn't win if we had 20 party members. But, I'm up for whatever.

[sulldawga]

Quirin is happy to speak with the Thane again, as he wants to give the party a chance to buy more rations before they depart.

We've moved on from attacking the Black Beast. Fangir agreed to bide his time and wait for us to get stronger.

[Keehnelf]

April 9, 1 VC - 8:50am

The party gathers once again and heads back to the Thane's audience chamber. Only one of his advisors, the one who seems not to like elves, is with him.

"Good morning, my friends! I understand that you are set to depart from here this morning. While I am sad to see you go, extra mouths to feed are extra mouths, after all, and we are stretched thin. I was glad to hear you were able to spend some time among my subjects at dinner last evening: I believe it will strengthen our alliance if you understand our plight and can appreciate the nobility and resolve of all my people in the face of this demanding situation.

"That said, I understand that you have other commitments as well. Before you left, I merely wished to extend to you a possible offer of employment, such as it is, if you wish to take it. Centuries ago, the elves that lived to the east of here, on Crystal Lake, stole an item of great importance to my clan--a signet ring inscribed with the ancient original crest of the Firedeep thanes. If you have no other demands on your time at present, and are journeying in that direction, I would ask that you seek out this seal and return it to me. In exchange, you would be rewarded with one thousand gold pieces and the eternal friendship of the Firedeep Dwarves.

"I know it may seem a silly thing in a time such as this to be worried about heirlooms, but despite appearances the morale of my people is sagging and if we are ever to recover we must have something to bring us back into the light of hope.

"Of course, it goes without saying that you may lay claim to many other treasures of the sort gathered by elves while you travel, and we would consider those just reward for your efforts on our behalf."

---
Neither the thane nor his advisor read as evil to Crivit's divinely-inspired senses. Oh snap! Plot twist!

[KingOfCowards]

Bertram bows his head slightly, "It seems a noble cause Lord Thane. Could we perhaps ask you some questions about this mission before we depart? How far to the east is this Crystal Lake? Obviously this must be a dangerous journey or you would not be sending us. Can you tell us anything of the dangers at Crystal Lake?"

[sulldawga]

Quirin will make sure to note what the Firedeep crest looks like, so they can identify the ring.

He will also inquire about the possibility of buying rations from the dwarves before their departure.

Before leaving, he will ask the Thane if he has any message for the Arch-Duke which they can relay.

Did we get the other half of our payment from the Thane for delivering his message to the Arch-Duke, and returning with the reply?

[hedgeknight]

Krysta has listened and remained quiet since supper last night and is somewhat shocked that Fangir wants to go against the Black Beast...which is clearly a very dangerous mission. And now the Thane wishes to send us against the elves of Crystal Lake? Dwarves are very strange.


Apologies fellers for my delay in posting > been a rough few days at work/home. If we are to go against this black beast, we will need some help...even a few extra hands might prevent all of us from getting killed. What if we journey to Crystal Lake and ask the elves for help? Surely they must also fear this black beast and his minions. Perhaps they would help us in exchange for the signet ring. Couldn't hurt to ask.

[OGRE MAGE]

Wait till the Thane finds out that a Dwarf already has the ring.

[sulldawga]

Wait till the Thane finds out that a Dwarf already has the ring.

I was thinking we needed to speak with Dorvar as soon as we got back to town.

I'm also thinking we need to give the ring to Fangir, not to the Thane.

[Keehnelf]

Yes, the Thane provided the remaining 10 platinum pieces of the reward when you met with him last night.

The Thane explains that the nearest shore of Crystal Lake lies three days' travel overland to the northeast, skirting the edge of the eastern wood. No elves still live there, to his knowledge, but the majority of the trip is through a rocky and barren wasteland inhabited by the spirits which the elves had once summoned and bound to establish the infrastructure of their magical civilization and whose revolt had brought that civilization to an end. It is most certainly a dangerous place, and thus the offer of such a significant reward (and why no dwarf had yet recovered it).

He describes the seal: a heavy, broad band of mithril with a wide, flat square face encrusted about the perimeter with small rubies. One of the rubies was missing when the ring was last seen, in the upper right corner (shaken loose and lost when Thane Branbart Coalbellows punched a stone giant bare-fisted and knocked it--the giant--out, according to legend). The signet on the face is of two manticores rearing up on their hind legs to face one another, with their stingers raised along the outside edges and their barbs meeting to form the top of a slightly broken circle.

The Thane has no messages for the arch-duke. His treachery in allying with the dwarves' enemy is enough to incense him and to want no part of the duke's plans.

[sulldawga]

What does the party want to do? Head back west to Vaul or head east and explore Crystal Lake?

Quirin votes for east (assuming the dwarves will sell us rations).

[Keehnelf]

If the party agrees to attempt to recover the seal, the Thane will provide a week's rations apiece free of charge.

[KingOfCowards]

Is the obsidian tower an option? That is close at least. Crystal Lake sounds like a lot of fun, but I guarantee it won't be easy. Keehnelf doesn't throw around 1,000 gp rewards for nothing. The black beast is only worth 300 gp! The spirits are tad unsettling, could require magic weapons to hit. On the bright side we do have three clerics. I am up for whatever.