Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower-Part II-29 July 2021

[Zhym]

I don't think so. Olaf took the potion as part of his treasure share in the previous expedition. Presumably, he could have taken something non-expendable of the same value. In fact, I think it's kind of the opposite—Olaf took as a share of treasure something that ended up being used to the benefit of the whole group in the next expedition. So did he really get the benefit of that potion, or did the whole group?

Put differently: suppose Olaf had bought the potion of Giant Strength for 1,000 gp at the start of the adventure. Or what if Olaf could have destroyed a 1,000 gp gem to remove all the goblins from the tower. Would you still think of that as getting a double-benefit?

I think there's precedent for making treasure split adjustments based on PCs using valuable items for the benefit of the group (including Earc, IIRC), but I don't have time to go back and look.

But it's no big deal. If folks think it's fair to give Olaf a little extra, that'd be swell. If not, that's okay too.

[Marullus]

Florian, Hereward, and Earc all confirm the following:

Magic Items:
(4) Engraved Crossbow Bolts (Created, +3, extraplanar)
Untarnished two-handed sword with flamberge blade (Created, +1, extraplanar, orcish)
(1) Case Magical Inks
Potion (Created)
Scroll (5 spells, 18 spell levels total) (Created; Hagaseth's Idiom)
Black Silk Cloth (Created; Hagaseth's Idiom)
Pair of Stylish Human-Sized Leather Boots (Created; Hagaseth's Idiom)
Tyrell’s Feather-Plumed Helm (Imbued, 4,001xp)
Elf-Made Longbow (Imbued, 4,001xp)
Spellbook bound in human flesh (Created)
(1) Crate of Magical Inks
Dwarven Warhammer (4,001xp, +1)
Sturdy Round Metal Shield w/Raven (64001xp, +2)
Tarnished Amulet of Silver with Bloodstone (Created; Hagaseth's Idiom)
Wizard Scroll (Created; Hagaseth's Idiom)

Earc can TRY to ID things, but that could take a while. He can at the very least memorize several Read Magic spells and ID all of the spells in the scrolls and spell book. Marullus, can we get the XP value on any of the Imbued magical items?

My preference is that you divide things first - more like previous expeditions. You are going to be spending a month in downtime, though, and if Earc wishes to spend all that time IDing things for the good of his party, that's his call.

I'll ask Earc to post his downtime plans in private forum and then I'll do the rolls for what gets ID'd by the time 04 September arrives.

[Zhym]

Do all those things that say "Hagaseth's Idiom" mean that they used to belong to him, and he'll be cranky if he sees one of us wearing or using them?

[Marullus]

Do all those things that say "Hagaseth's Idiom" mean that they used to belong to him, and he'll be cranky if he sees one of us wearing or using them?

You're all familiar enough with his idiom (dimensions, summoning, life essence) to identify his 'mark.' It means that those are items that he explicitly created, and you know it.

How he feels about those items is something you'd have to find out through roleplay.

[Zhym]

If I understand correctly, here is the provenance or claims on the magic items:

Hagaseth
Black Silk Cloth (Created; Hagaseth's Idiom)
Scroll (5 spells, 18 spell levels total) (Created; Hagaseth's Idiom)
Pair of Stylish Human-Sized Leather Boots (Created; Hagaseth's Idiom)
Tarnished Amulet of Silver with Bloodstone (Created; Hagaseth's Idiom)
Wizard Scroll (Created; Hagaseth's Idiom)

Dead Adventurers
Tyrell’s Feather-Plumed Helm (Imbued, 4,001xp)
Elf-Made Longbow (Imbued, 4,001xp)

Dwarves
Dwarven Warhammer (4,001xp, +1)
Sturdy Round Metal Shield w/Raven (64001xp, +2)

Unknown/Unclaimed/Other
(4) Engraved Crossbow Bolts (Created, +3, extraplanar)
Untarnished two-handed sword with flamberge blade (Created, +1, extraplanar, orcish)
(1) Case Magical Inks
Potion (Created)
Spellbook bound in human flesh (Created)
(1) Crate of Magical Inks

We took everything in Hagaseth's idiom past him except the scroll of 5 spells. So I think we can safely assume he doesn't claim any of those items (other than the wizard scroll, that's already under contention, and possibly the other scroll, which he'll have no reason to know we have, if the new owner is careful).

If we're feeling really bold, we could ask Hagaseth to identify all the items he made.

[Alethan]

Considering we saved him from an eternity of being soul-trapped, Hag's being a real crabby dick, so Earc doesn't feel badly about the items he doesn't get returned to him. Plus, that greatly reduces our pool of magic items to choose from for all of us.

Zhym, if you want to be reimbursed for using your potion, I'll factor that first before distribution, but I don't think AD&D costs are equivalent to LL costs for magic items. For instance, a potion of healing in AD&D has a value of 400gp and we can buy them in Gaul for 50gp. Marullus, what's the value of the potion in LL rules?

I'll try and work up a distribution of anything with an assigned value (coins, gems, jewelry, the gold utensils, etc). Can we assume that all of the goods get sold and then we divide the profit from that, Marullus?

[Zhym]

Also, Earc used a fair bit of his invisibility potions. It would also be fair to take that into consideration in loot distribution (and you might have said something to that effect when giving other people sips of the potion).

I mean, I don't want to get to a point where we're counting spent arrows after each expedition, but it might be worth taking into consideration when people use valuable expendable magic items on behalf of the group.

[Alethan]

Yep, no worries. Shouldn't be a problem to do.

I don't think the Invisibility potion has a huge value, actually. In AD&D it only has a sale value of 500gp or so. I think LL sets the value lower, so 1/8th of the potion doesn't have much value. So not really too worried about it. I think as long as Earc gets those scrolls, and crates of ink, he'll be pretty happy.

[Marullus]

Potions, scrolls, and beneficent casting are generally 50-100gp per spell level of the effect. Establish value based on the desirability in bartering. It doesn't help to have a "cash value" for an irreplaceable item.

Can we assume that all of the goods get sold and then we divide the profit from that, Marullus?

Yes.

[Alethan]

Potions, scrolls, and beneficent casting are generally 50-100gp per spell level of the effect. Establish value based on the desirability in bartering. It doesn't help to have a "cash value" for an irreplaceable item.

Ehhh... there isn't really a Giant Strength spell. The Strength spell is only 2nd level, but doesn't give or guarantee any giant strength, so not the right spell.

[onlyme]

I am not sure I see anything specific that Halfpint would want or need, or could use (ie 2 handed sword)...For magical stuff, can she determine if she even has a chance to wear the boots?

[Marullus]

Halfpint tries on the boots. For her, they are rather stylish thigh-highs, but strangely they do fit.

[Alethan]

Ok, so I divided things up. The way I do it is basically in rounds, so you can sort of see where everyone has a row that corresponds to a value.

e.g. I started off by giving Funil and Drunil the golden plates, cups, forks, knives, and spoons (540gp each). Then gave Florian and Steve matching 540gp. Then the PCs got 1080gp work of items - Earc got the two crates of ink, a garnet (75gp), and 5gp; Olaf got 100pp, a topaz (75gp), and 5gp; Halfpint got 100pp, a Zircon (75gp), and 5gp; Hereward got 100pp, an Onyx (75gp), and 5gp.

Look it over and do any math you want to do to make sure my numbers are good. I'm pretty sure they are...

==============================================================

Earc (2936gp)
(2) Crates of magical inks (1000gp), Flawed Red Garnet (75gp), 5gp
1 Ruby (300gp), 300gp
Perfect Deep Blue Azurite (100gp)
25pp, 906gp

Olaf (2936gp)
flawless pale blue tourmaline (1,000gp) (Reimbursement for giant STR potion)
100pp, Murky Golden Yellow Topaz (75gp), 5gp
1 Ruby (300gp), 300gp
Deep Green Chrysoprase (100gp)
25pp, 906gp

Halfpint (2936gp)
100pp, Green Zircon (75gp), 5gp
1 Ruby (300gp), 300gp
Banded Black Onyx (100gp)
25pp, 906gp

Hereward (2936gp)
100pp, Banded Black Onyx (75gp), 5gp
1 Ruby (300gp), 300gp
White Calcedony (75gp), Large Striated Green Malachite (25gp)
25pp, 906gp

Funil (NPC) (1468gp 5sp)
Golden plates and cups (540gp)
1 Ruby (300gp)
Gold Chain Necklace (40gp), Blue Azurite (10gp)
21ep, 183gp, 3500sp, 250cp

Drunil (NPC) (1468gp 5sp)
Golden forks, knives, and spoons (540gp)
1 Ruby (300gp)
Delicate Platinum Chain Necklace (50gp)
21ep, 183gp, 3500sp, 250cp

Florian (NPC) (1468gp 5sp)
540gp
1 Ruby (300gp)
Dull Deep Blue Lapis Lazuli (10gp), 40gp
21ep, 183gp, 3500sp, 250cp

Steve (NPC) (1468gp 5sp)
540gp
1 Ruby (300gp)
50gp
21ep, 183gp, 3500sp, 250cp

[Zhym]

Nicely done.

Olaf would happily take gems instead of gold, if anyone has immediate plans to spend their loot.

[Alethan]

Nicely done.

Olaf would happily take gems instead of gold, if anyone has immediate plans to spend their loot.

Earc likes gems as well because of their portability; I assumed other PCs would feel the same. With 8 rubies, it seemed proper for everyone to get one, but maybe the NPCs would trade theirs?

[Zhym]

Nah. Eight rubies, eight characters, it seems fair for each to get one.

But some folks might have big purchases planned. If so, it would make more sense for them to get gold than spending gems right away.

I don't think Olaf has any purchases in mind. It'd be neat if he could upgrade his armor to plate with the dwarven smiths, but Olaf already has so much XP invested in his banded armor that it probably doesn't make sense to buy new armor now.

[Alethan]

If everyone agrees with the above, then that just leaves magic items.

Magic Items:
(4) Engraved Crossbow Bolts (Created, +3, extraplanar)
Untarnished two-handed sword with flamberge blade (Created, +1, extraplanar, orcish)
Potion (Created)
Scroll (5 spells, 18 spell levels total) (Created; Hagaseth's Idiom)
Black Silk Cloth (Created; Hagaseth's Idiom)
Pair of Stylish Human-Sized Leather Boots (Created; Hagaseth's Idiom)
Tyrell’s Feather-Plumed Helm (Imbued, 4,001xp)
Elf-Made Longbow (Imbued, 4,001xp)
Spellbook bound in human flesh (Created)
Dwarven Warhammer (4,001xp, +1)
Sturdy Round Metal Shield w/Raven (64001xp, +2)
Tarnished Amulet of Silver with Bloodstone (Created; Hagaseth's Idiom)
Wizard Scroll (Created; Hagaseth's Idiom)

I think the First --> Last --> First method of picking is best. In this case, Funil and Drunil will get first pick and automatically get the warhammer and shield. No need to waste Earc's time trying to ID those two items because it doesn't matter. If you guys want, Earc can try to ID other items. Instead of a week, it only takes Earc 4 days before he can test for magical properties (roll to see if he can ID the item). In 26 days (he needs two days to return Hagaseth's spell book and then a day to get something from Beith's Watch and then a day or two to cast a special spell; he's hoping to get something that might help him with researching/IDing even more), he could make 6 checks for items. Also, there are only 13 magic items. If we have the NPCs go first, then all PCs get two picks. Thoughts?

Marullus, don't we usually have some indicator as to how much XP was put into an imbued item?

Pick List Suggested Order:
Funil (picks Dwarven Warhammer)
Drunil (picks Raven Shield)
Steve
Florian
Earc
Olaf
Halfpint
Hereward

If anyone has better distribution ideas, throw them out there.

[Zhym]

Did we ever establish whether we can keep the wizard scroll? If so, can we get an ID of what's on the scroll?

I still like trying to allocate items based on interest as opposed to a draft. Earc is going to want the scrolls and spell books, right? Funil, Drunil, Steve, and Florian are all NPCs, so we can give them stuff the PCs aren't as interested in as long as we don't short them in the process. Hereward's PC hasn't posted in a long time, so he's basically an NPC for magic item allocation purposes. So it's really just a matter of what Earc, Halfpint, and Olaf want as their shares, which we ought to be able to work out among ourselves.

[Alethan]

Oh, sorry...

Spellbook "bound in newly-tanned human flesh" (Tyrell's flesh???)
- Light/Dark (level 1)
- Read Languages (level 1)
- Enlarge/Reduce (level 1)
- Jump (level 1)
- Ventriloquism (level 1)

Wizard scroll
- Shatter (level 2)
- Gust of Wind (level 3)

Not sure why Hageseth was so miffed about the scroll; it really isn't a super fantastic scroll. But it does have two spells on it that Earc doesn't have, so...

I'm also fine with everyone trying to decide on something that would benefit them more than anything else and going with that.

With Drunil's luck (pun intended) with one of the last swords we gave away as loot, I'd be interested in checking this one out more thoroughly, not that Earc can make use of it. But it would be good to know how powerful it is, seeing that it's already tagged as extraplanar.

Earc would be happy with taking the spellbook as compensation for the invisibility and healing potions he used to the party's benefit and then taking the two scrolls as his share.

[Marullus]

Florian has a preference for Tyrell’s Feather-Plumed Helm, as it is Baudhic.
Hereward would like the Warhammer or shield, but you've earmarked them for the dwarves. He otherwise prefers the Tarnished Amulet of Silver with Bloodstone.
Steve is happy with any weapon or item that a warrior can use.