The Quest of the Missing Quill

[JadedDM]

Gaheris suggests they sell the loot and split it among them evenly, unless someone really wants the mundane items.

"Thanks, padre," he says to Warren. "I'm okay, but I think some of us will take you up on that offer," he notes, glancing at Jasmine's injuries.

(OOC: Gaheris is fine with either pursuing the cult or doing something else.)

[HorizonsDream]

"Yeah, I could use a little healing," Jasmine admits with a sheepish grin. "I guess I let a few hits get through."

[keymeister16]

"well Orc's have always have a 'get it done and i dont care how many bodies it takes' mentality towards things, with this mindset you find ALOT of uses for dead bodies..." Zurgo trailed off sheepishly to Ben, wondering if his casual display of resourcefulness was offending some people, none orcs seem to offend REALLY easily.

"zu jagen , jagen auf einem vollen Bauch" Zurgo mysteriously quoted to Warren and the group.

"lets head back and heal up," he explained when he remembered he was the ONLY orc present.

[Haahque]

Full party
The trip back to town is uneventful. Humfrey brooks thanks you for your help, "I lost half of my herd today, so I'm afraid I don't have anything of monetary value I can offer you for your help, but if you're planning on staying the night I do have a barn you could sleep in, if you're not against stooping that low." Warren, also giving his thanks departs for the town, explaining that his own home doesn't have any guest rooms, but he does have a chair in the study if someone wants to sleep sitting up.

While it's not dark yet, it's in the late afternoon and the shops in the town are starting to close. The inn, however is open all the time.

[JadedDM]

If possible, Gaheris will take the loot and try to sell it off before the stores close down, so the party can split the coin afterward. He'll meet the others back at the inn when he finishes.

(OOC: Not sure what is needed for haggling; diplomacy, maybe? In any case, he'll do his best to get a good deal for the items sold.)

[keymeister16]

Zurgo relished the walk back into town, comparative to today's events a few kilometers was a nice stopgap. Even to cap it off, his basic instincts of rented shelter, NOT FOR RABBITS food, and a good book about colorful factions slaughtering each other for various glories, OR a good book on practical ways for his faction to slaughter their enemies for various glories where filled to satisfaction.

[Vrindlevine]

Ishan spends the trip further away from his companions and after a while decides to spend some time alone with his grim thoughts. While its true that they aren't the most energetic bunch they certainty are talented.

Ishan will meet the group later for now he is going to spend some time preparing more mixtures, perhaps some poison and a potion that could get them out of a tight spot.

(Alchemy/Survival for minor poison and minor curing)

[HorizonsDream]

Jasmine tags along with Gaheris.

[Haahque]

Gaheris, Jasmine, Zurgo, Benjamin (Black Barrel Tavern)
Gaheris and Jasmine go around to the various stores, but finds that some of the crucial ones to sell the equipment are closed, such as the library and the jewelers, while the others are in no mood to haggle over prices as they close down. He however is able to pawn off the shield, spear and daggers for fair price totalling 20 gold.

Zurgo enjoys his stroll back to town, but unfortunately finds the library closed when he gets there. If he's looking for a book to read it looks like he'll have to stick to one of the spellbooks lying around (his own or the necromancer's book) or maybe he could find a holy text from the church. It's rather unlikely that either option will give as much interesting action as some of his favorite orc authors.

When they get back to town they make their way back to the Black Barrel Tavern, which they find nearly empty at this time, the inn keeper tending the bar and chatting with one of the serving girls (who appears to have nothing to do without any clientele).

The basic price of an inn room here is 5 sp per night, there are other options as well including:
Good room: A significant upgrade over the basic in room, bigger, softer bed, cupboards and closets, a floor mat, bigger window with shutters and curtains and a private bathroom. 2 gold per night.
Inn suite (small): A 2 bed bedroom, a small common room with a table+couch and a bathroom: 4 gold per night
Inn suite (medium): two small bedrooms (single bed), and a large bedroom (two single beds or a double bed), a moderate sized common room with a couch, two tables and cupboards, an ice box and a bathroom: 16 gold per night.

The party now has to figure out how to split 56 gold, 3 rations, a necromancer's spellbook and a gem (or they can keep some of it in their sell later and split up pile).

Ishan
Ishan lags behind the others considerably as he searches for some specific plants that he knows contains favorable properties. Specifically holly. Holly is fairly common, insofar as plants for alchemy are concerned (they're all sort of rare) and unless he can find some giant spiders or buys alchemy ingredients from a vendor, he's going to need to find some holly to make the poison.

His search is rewarded as he comes upon a holly patch that hasn't been harvested yet, so he plucks away the useful bits in a way which will allow the patch to grow back in a few days.

Now with his ingredients ready, ishan sets up his alchemist tools and distills some of his holly into an injected poison, ideal for coating weapons with. While he's at it he also pulls out his stash of comfrey root and mixes it into a mixture which should have very positive effects for the drinker.

Ishan searches for Holly (DC 19 (15 holly base + 4 already found an alchemy patch near Trevsville)): 22, success, he harvests 3 holly, patch will replenish on day 5.
Ishan performs alchemy: Loses 1 holly and 1 comfrey, gains 1 weak poison and 1 weak healing potion.

Hihim (Trevsville Church)
Working in the church in Trevsvill is frustrating. Every day there seems to be more and more people falling ill with this malnutrition disease, and despite all their best efforts, the church has been able to do very little about it. They’ve organized free meals once a day for the starving, house visits, prayers, even tried some rituals, but all it seemed to accomplish was more work for Hihim and the improvements for the people were small, if they exist.

Sometimes it’s hard to wonder if living in a different perish would be easier. At least the orcs haven’t attacked recently.

It’s near the end of the day, when Hihim’s just had a long and not very productive meeting about the economics of setting up another free meal and if they would have to exclude people or only provide for the most needy, etc, etc. However, on his way out of the church he spots Warren entering the church. Warren is the pastor of this church, and his presence was sorely missing from the meeting. Of all the useless people in the church, Warren’s ideas have had the most success, although to be fair even his efforts haven’t solved the problem in any way. Also Warren also follows Sarenrae, when the church is made up of followers of many different religions in a town this small and far from the center of the empire, it’s rare enough that Hihim runs into a devout follower of his own religion.

“Greetings Hihim! Good news. I think I’ve found a group you can join to view some more of the world. They seem to be decent folk for the most part, although some of them might need a little of Sarenae’s guidance. They should be in the Black Barrel Tavern if you’re interested in meeting them, tell them that I thought you’d get along.” Warren has picked up some indications from Hihim that he’d rather do something a little less, boring and bureaucratic then his current position in the church, in fact one of the main reasons Hihim hasn’t left yet was because the parish needed so much help with the recent troubles.

[JadedDM]

Gaheris holds on to the spellbook and gemstone for now; perhaps he can pawn them in the morning. But at least he liquidated the weapons and shield. He keeps 3 GP for himself and gives each of the party members 3 GP, as well. The last 2 GP he uses to buy a round of drinks for the party (and tip the barmaid, if she's cute). Whatever is left, he'll give to the church tomorrow since Warren did help them out.

"Wanna go halvsies on the good room?" he asks Jasmine.

[Chris1234]

"Thank you, Warren. Who should I ask for at the Tavern?" Hihim replies.

After catching any reply, Hihim offers his Brother a hand and the favour of Sarenae and heads off to the Black Barrel Tavern.

Hihim is tall for a dwarf, just topping 4'0", with a girth to match, 170lb. His wild ginger beard stretches down, straining to reach his pelvis while his ginger plaits bounce comfortably on his shoulder blades. Apart from the polished silver symbol of Sarenrae that proudly sits on his chest, the hair is the only splash of colour about Hihim - his preferred leisure attire of scale mail and slung steel shield being quite unremarkable. A waraxe and backpack complete the dwarf's outfit and he strides slowly and deliberately onward.

Sarenrae Holy Symbol.jpg (16.58 KiB) Viewed 7077 times

{OOC: @GM: Please will you add the description to the char thread; I think that was locked.}

[keymeister16]

"guess i'll read though the book, apparently their facilities don't staff slaves for 24/7 service..." Zurgo grumbled. "barkeep! what wines are in this season? my throat prays you have a intense red!"

[HorizonsDream]

"Sure," Jasmine says cheerfully. "I could use a more comfortable bed to sleep in tonight."

[Haahque]

Hihim
"I mostly dealt with a Gaheris, he seems to be some sort of leader in the group. He's also got a girl, an orc, a dwarf, a drow and an old imperial in the group, I didn't catch all of their names, but I think the drow was Benji and the imperial might have been Ishan. They sort of stand out, but I think they're good at heart." Warren replies, exchanges greetings and heads into the church as Hihim makes his way to the tavern.

When he arrives the place is empty, save for the tavern keeper, a male drow who's quietly picking away at a lute, a half-orc and two humans who are in conversation with the innkeeper. All of them are armed. The half orc's axe in particular stands out by the dully glowing runes on the blade.

Gaheris, Jasmine, Zurgo, Benjamin
At Gaheris's suggestion, the innkeeper begins pouring a round of drinks for all assembled. "It's really great to have visitors. We used to have plenty of people willing to come out to the far reaches of the empire and curl up by a warm fire with a good drink and promise of a soft bed, but since the disease happened our customer base has shrunk quite rapidly. Here's a cup for you and one for you, and a pint for you. Give me a second to get more mugs."

"Anyways, Sure I have a good room free. Here, take room number 1. Solina, would you mind making sure the guests room is ready for this nice couple here?" The girl nods and exits through a door to the inn interior. Collecting the money from Gaheris and Jasmine, the innkeeper gives them a key for the room.

"Wines? We have Imperial Red and Imperial White, as you might expect. We also have a white wine from a vineyard not far from Porto Tracia. Occasionally we get someone more refined in stock, but our usual clientele likes mead more often then not, and when they want wine, they often want the Imperial brand. Red you say? I guess you'll have the pleasure of tasting Imperial wine then, glass or bottle?"

And at this point the door of the inn swings open to reveal a dwarf, clad in scale mail armour, a symbol of Sarenrae on his chest. He has a healthy ginger coloured beard and he carries one of those large axes that dwarfs often carry. It's surprising, to those who don't know dwarfs much, that they can even wield a weapon that size one handed, but its clear that this one does, for he also carries a steel shield, which is currently slung across his back.

[Chris1234]

"Morning all!" announces the newcomer. "I'm Hihim, and Warren sent me to look for Gaheris and his companions."
Hihiim looks at the human male talking to the inkeep, and taking a pace forwards says, "Would you be he?"