V. Town of Belhaim

[AleBelly]

Sylvan delicately takes the wand from Nilos's hand. "So much power in such a small instrument" he says to himself. The hooded young man flits the wand about with short quick flicks of his wrist, taps the point of the wand with his finger then threads it into his belt.

Added to inventory. Do you want me to keep track of charges or will you do that, Dave?

[dmw71]

Okay, quick summary of the current situation: The group was able to purchase the wand, and encounters Grim, a dwarf that arrived in Belhaim with plans on exploring the fallen tower after learning of it.

Is that the plan then? Is the group ready to make another trip to the tower?

[Alethan]

Ummm... I think we were waiting for a response of some type from Grimm.

[dmw71]

"Aye," Grim replies. "I was planning on exploring the tower myself, to try and find out what happened, but I suppose I can tag along with the lot of you."

"Is after this meal soon enough for ya'?" he asks.

[AleBelly]

Sylvan extends his hand to the dwarf. "You're welcome to join us as far as I'm concerned, if you plan to stick around. Our last dwarf left us high and dry with nary an explanation.

Now, about next point of exploration. That crazy wizard's manor might be more interesting now that we have his keys. I'll return to the tower but would prefer the manor myself."

[OGRE MAGE]

Sparrow agrees with the nature boy.

I think we should at least try the keys to see if they work.

What else do you know about the tower Grim?

[dmw71]

Grim indicates that he was merely passing Belhaim on his travels, so his learning of the tower falling was pure happenstance.

"I'm here for the tower," he reiterates after listening to Sylvan and Sparrow discuss possibly exploring some wizard's manor. "I ain't gonna stop you, if that's your wish, but maybe we will part ways sooner than expected, no?"

[onlyme]

Fulp replies

Suit yourself. The tower looked like a dead end without more information

[Alethan]

Ciar asks Grim, "So what drew you to checking out the tower, then? Maybe you heard something we haven't? To be sure, there are still a few mysteries in it that we haven't explored yet..."

[saalaria]

Grim pauses to give Ciar an appraising look before answering.

"Oh nuthing really I just heard tell of it in the tavern I was in a few days ago. Thought iKd come check it out misself. You know the old sayin' don't ye?"

[dmw71]

As Grim is being introduced to the rest of the group, the front doors of the inn open and Baroness Devy enters along with a small entourage. "Words of your return are true," she says. "May I join you?" she asks, pulling up a chair and, assuming the party doesn't object, takes a seat. "Please, tell me what you've learned."

[Storm11]

Kassal ushers her to sit with a wave of his hand. "Please, take a seat. We found the old wizards course buried under a cave in. Signs of kobold activity as well. I am afraid the signs aren't clear yet whether he had gone to help find out what was happening or causing it. Rumours aren't good though that he was such a nice fellow!"

[onlyme]

Fulp adds,
That place sure wasnt set up as a town park, that is for sure. And no one around here would have any knowledge of what was down there? It is practically a prison down there.

[Alethan]

"I don't think we could rightly say whether or not he was working with the kobolds or against them at this point. We did find a dead kobold outside his manor house. It looked like it had set off a protection ward of some sort. If they were working with him, you'd think they would know about such measures. But we also found dead kobolds near his body and it didn't look like there was any signs of fighting between them."

"We were going to see if we could find any information that might clear it up at his residence this morning and then maybe head back to the tower to continue our search. Or..." Ciar pauses for a moment, apparently in thought.

"Isn't there a quarry not too far from the tower? The tunnels we saw appeared to be worked with tools. I wonder if there is some connection between that and the quarry. Perhaps the tunnel even leads to the quarry!"

[Storm11]

Kassal thumps the halfling in the arm good naturedly. "Good thinking Ciar!"

[OGRE MAGE]

Sparrow slaps his own forehead.

Of course! The quarry! I forgot about that. There has to be some correlation between that and the tunnel.

Good thinking Ciar! Perhaps we should take a look there as well?

Or, maybe the Lady here has more insight now?

[saalaria]

"Hmm a quarry eh? Now that would interest me for sure in no mistaken! Well I guess the tower aint so important after all"

The dwarf visibly brightens up at the thought of mining.

[AleBelly]

Sylvan frowns. "The quarry? Don't misunderstand me, I'd much rather be out under the sun and starlight. But the spells I've prepared today are much better suited to the indoors. But we can venture that way if you wish."

[dmw71]

Upon hearing the findings from the group, the baroness waves forward one of the men in her entourage. The man produces a large sack and places it on the table in front of the baroness. "Here," she says, reaching into the sack and producing six pouches closed with drawstrings. She places them on a tray and passes Sylvan, seated immediately to her left. "Take one and pass it on," she says, eyeing Kassal as she speaks.

The baroness pauses briefly and waits until everyone has received their pouch, then informs the group they can open them. Inside, the group will find their agreed upon payment for investigating the tower -- 600 gold pieces. Smiling as she watches the group eye their coins, the baroness begins speaking again. "How would you like to earn a fair bit more reward?" she asks.

"I've kept quiet about this, but in light of recent discoveries, it seems withholding it much longer wouldn't be prudent." Hoping she has the groups interest, she continues. "I've been suspicious of a local kobold tribe living near the flooded quarry to the east. They have always left the townsfolk alone, and have never caused any problems... until the other day. I don't know what's caused their recent behavior change, but I cannot allow this trend of mysterious and invasive behavior to continue."

She reaches back inside the large sack which still rests on the table in front of her, producing a small, finely-crafted wooden chest. With all eyes on her, and the chest, she opens it to reveal a dozen, finely-cut gems of a deep violet color. "These amethysts will be yours if you're willing -- and able -- to drive them away."


---

Not sure how you guys want to handle the sixth pouch and the extra 100 gold pieces. When the deal was struck, Festus was the sixth member. Now there's a new dwarf in the group. Please hash that decision out in the 'ooc' thread.

[Storm11]

Kassal will eye the gems up, trying to get a closer look at them to appraise their value.