Quest #21 "Island Hopping"

[Quonundrum]

This is the last reference I could find.

viewtopic.php?f=446&t=8259&start=2140&m ... op#p467393

[wolfpack]

maag has it

[OGRE MAGE]

Thanks guys! Very helpful!

Maag?

[Jernau35]

Maag

"Let's see...der last time I remember seein' it was on der bartop in der Treehouse when I woz offerin' to armwrestle Randall for annuvr shot of rum. 'e kept tellin me twelve woz enough..."

Maag starts to rummage in his pack. "Maybe it is in 'ere...'ang on, 'ere it is". He holds it up for inspection. "Does dat look a bit bent? ... Ah, it will be alright."

Maag cautiously steps over to the slot and inserts the disc partway in. Then he steps away and from a hopefully safe distance, pushes it further in with his bamboo pole.

[OGRE MAGE]

The Bull Knows
Starday, 20th of Goodmonth
Early Morning, Sunny, Warm, Humid

Alordan steps back, knowing full well what is about to happen. Tlachtga hears only silence in the dark tunnels beyond their lights. Andron reminds his thuggish friend that he still carries the copper ring as he too vacates the immediate area in front of the slit.

Maag remembers a contest or two, drinking way more than 12 shots of rum, and letting Randall beat him in arm wrestling. What he doesn’t remember is showing off the copper ring to everyone with eyes, bragging about where he found it, and actually wearing it as a crown on his plump round head for the last couple of rounds of drinks. When he pulls the artifact out, it is badly bent, stained with what might be blood, sticky with rum, and slightly scorched in one spot. (That, he doesn’t remember.)

The hefty footpad just smiles and shrugs, bends the disc back into shape, and sticks it into the slit in the rock. Though he is able to get it to slide in a little, it is evident that the soft metal disk will not fit completely into the narrow slot in its current wonky condition.

Actions?

map:

6FD767A1-9214-471E-8EF9-07D2E00217D0.jpeg (172.7 KiB) Viewed 450 times

Alordan 18/18
Lerrick 7/11 2/4 1st (Light stone 40'r)
Carucenus 10/10
Tlachtga 8/8 4/4 1st Torch 40’r
Gramble 16/16 (Light stone 40'r)
Andronichishche 6/6 0/3 1st / CL, DM, RM 1/1 1st (Light stone 40'r)
Maag 12/12

MIA
Sir Crestbrook 9/11 LoH (Petrified in Melania’s bedroom?)
Cu AC:3 13/13 (Whereabouts Unknown)
message on tiny decorative box
Mina's note

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche

While Maag struggles to remember where he very carefully stored the valuable copper ring, Andron's thoughts return to Cu and his whereabouts. His hand brushes the small pouch attached to his belt and a sudden recollection of what the pouch contains gives him an idea. It's a stretch, admittedly, but they've already lost Sir Crestbrook, possibly permanently, and recently almost Lerrick, he wasn't going to forget about Mr. Cu so easily.

He reaches into the pouch and procures a couple strange looking mushrooms. The same kind Cu sampled in the grotto and was briefly intoxicated by. Andron collected a few for study and possible use. He has now found a use. Taking his dagger from its sheath, he carefully slices the mushrooms into thin layers. When done he presents the handful of fresh cut fungi to the group. "Mr. Cu partook of these mushrooms in the grotto. With that powerful sense of smell he has, I expect he should be able to detect them again quite easily freshly prepared."

He then proceeds to toss the mushroom slivers down each northern tunnel so that a sparse trail of fungi leads from the main tunnel to the slitted wall. "Hopefully, while we're gathering the treasure, Mr. Cu will catch the scent and follow a trail back here."

Andron then waits patiently as Maag clumsily attempts to bend the copper ring to a somewhat flat shape and inserts it into the slit. As it quickly becomes apparent the ring in its current condition won't slide completely inside, Andron gives Maag a sideways glance with a questioning eyebrow raised. "What else happened exactly while I was unconscious, Mr. Maag..... ?"

[ravenn4544]

Alordan just shakes his head with a sigh...

[Jernau35]

Maag

"Wot?" says Maag, trying his best to look innocent. "I'm pretty sure it looked like dis when we found it...sort of..."

"It jus' needs a bit of spit and polish an' it will be good as new."

Maag splashes some water onto the ring and wipes it down with the edge of his cloak. He holds it up, ready to try and bend it back into shape but then thinks better of it. "Er ... maybe we should put it on sumfin' flat an' sort of tap it a bit...like a shield or sumfin'"

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche

Andronichishche closes his eyes and allows his mind to relax and enter into a state of calm serenity. A method he learned as an acolyte of Rao to clear away extraneous thoughts and thereby increase the efficiency of the mind's ability to reason. Several moments past as he rapidly assesses the situation and sifts through permutations of different courses of action. Settling on what he believes offers the best chance of success, he releases a deep breath in a slow and controlled manner.

"I propose the following", he says in clinical matter of fact way. "I have a spell that can mend simple breaks in ordinary items. We return to the medusa's chamber. Cut the ring at an angle on one point of the bend. We ... Maag ... then holds flat the broken end on the floor with his unusually large foot while I cast the mending spell. He gives Maag that same sideways glance with the arched eyebrow. "This may restore the shape enough, but if not, we ... Maag ... removes a bar from the portcullis and uses that as a dowel to flatten the remainder of the ring. I will also need to scan it for magic before we do this, though. The spell won't work on magical items."

Andron leans on his bamboo pole with one hand and strokes his chin with the other as he considers a related thought. "Unfortunately, even if we find enough white pearl in the treasure for the identify spell on the magical dust, I won't have the strength to cast it today. We ... Maag ... will therefore need to haul Sir Crestbrook back to the boat. I also obtained that mending spell from a new arrival, Mr. Darklin. If this plan is successful, we ... Maag ... should consider buying him a few rounds of rum."

[kruk]

Lerrick

The cleric rolls her eyes in disbelief as the attempted by Maag to put the ring in to the slit fails. She tries in vain to remain positive.

[Rex]

Tlachtga

"I appreciate the attempt Andron, hopefully it bears fruit. If not by the time I pray for spells I intend to pray for a spell to locate him."

Seeing the bent ring she just shrugs.

[Karaunios]

Carucenus "I guess you'll have to keep trying. At some point something will bring a reward... or kills us."

[ravenn4544]

Alordan doesn't like the idea of trying to break the one thing that could be of value. "Let's carefully try to tap it back into shape first. That seems to be a more practical first attempt"

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche

"I had considered that option ... the metal is quite soft, though. Dents and indentations, however minor, from tapping or hammering may further damage its function. The mending spell is of no use in repairing such flaws. I am admittedly not a metalsmith. Perhaps with suitably dexterous hands this could be accomplished. I, myself, am not a viable candidate. I still strongly suggest we retire to the medusa's chamber to work. Noise of that kind will almost certainly draw Brutus here."

[wolfpack]

this is unacceptable, we need to get this thing straight to get the loot

[OGRE MAGE]

The Bull Knows
Starday, 20th of Goodmonth
Early Morning, Sunny, Warm, Humid

Andron's mushroom trail doesn't bring the dog around any faster, but Tlachtga appreciates the gesture all the same.

After some of Maag's half-orc spit and polish, the copper ring is cleaner, but still badly bent. Tapping on the soft metal seems to help a little, so the thug sets the ring on a flat portion of the floor and steps it down with his boot and immense weight. When he looks at it again, it is indeed flatter, possibly flat enough to give it another try inside the narrow slit in the rock wall.

Actions?

map:

Yes, I am stalling until I can get back to my maps later today.

Alordan 18/18
Lerrick 7/11 2/4 1st (Light stone 40'r)
Carucenus 10/10
Tlachtga 8/8 4/4 1st Torch 40’r
Gramble 16/16 (Light stone 40'r)
Andronichishche 6/6 0/3 1st / CL, DM, RM 1/1 1st (Light stone 40'r)
Maag 12/12

MIA
Sir Crestbrook 9/11 LoH (Petrified in Melania’s bedroom?)
Cu AC:3 13/13 (Whereabouts Unknown)
message on tiny decorative box
Mina's note

[Quonundrum]

Andronichishche

Andronichishche continues discussing options to repair the copper ring with Alordan, oblivious to Maag applying his immense weight to the task. It was only when the half-orc lifted his foot and picked up the ring that Andron realized what Maag was up to. A glint of light reflecting off the smooth copper surface attracts his attention. As Maag balances the ring in his hand and checks its level, Andron blushes slightly as he again fails to remember the advice of his old mentor to consider the simple solution.

He never quite noticed just how large the hefty footpad is, and consequently the amount of force he could apply with his feet of unusual size ...

"Yes ... well ... hmmm ... I believe that will do, Mr. Maag. That will do."

[kruk]

Lerrick

The cleric moves back a few paces and says a silent prayer of hope as the Maag gets ready to try to fit the ring into the slit again.

[Rex]

Tlachtga

"Go ahead and give it another try now Maag."

[Jernau35]

Maag

Maag grins at Andron. "It's like my old teacher used to say: if it's stuck, force it. If it breaks, it probably needed fixin' anyway".

He retries inserting the disc with the pole. If that doesn't work, he steps up and inserts it, carefully, by hand.