Today Darian and Valdar return...the former having completed his training.
Darian looks around at everyone. "Well, I'm ready to go slay some mighty dragons. Thanks to Valdar, I feel a little bit more knowledgeable in the arts of fighting and spell throwing... Plus, I think I have a new psionic ability, but I haven't figured out what it is, yet. I think the ability has to be useful at the time before I figure it out... At least, that's the way it was with the invisibility and the healing."
"Let's not be so hasty," Orlon tells Darian. "After all, we still have a bunch of magic to figure out."
Darian looks surprised. "What did you folks do for the past month and a half? I would've though you'd all be done with that... Well, if the work still has to be done, I'll volunteer my services. I can memorize up to four identify spells."
Occa has identified a number of items but has been strangely silent about what he discovered.
Jesse looks at Occa. "So, have we discovered anything useful or are you in the cursed mode again?" the bard asks bluntly, "You've been unusually quiet. Cannon Fodder? Whats up? Perhap's I'll look at some of the scrolls." the bard says as she reaches for one of them.
Occa snaps to and says, "Uh, nothing...nothing at all."
Cannon Fodder comes walking over with a large smile.
Jesse looks at Occa, and then at Cannon Fodder. "Did the cat get the canary?" she asks of Cannon Fodder.
Cannon Fodder looks surprised and says, "No, if you mean what I think you mean."
He looks nervously over at Occa who seems to be absorbed in studying some of the items before him.
Tracy grins.
Darian stops Jesse.
"Not yet, Jesse. Orlon, have you cast any auguries on the scrolls or potions? It might be nice to figure out which ones are dangerous before we start looking at them..."
"I already did that Darian. There are no cursed items in the pile." Orlon replies.
"Ok, okay. I didn't know that."
Orlon will start looking at scrolls. "Hey Darian? If there are any scrolls that I can't recognize, could you use your mage skills and tell us what is on them?" He then asks Gonzo "How would you like to taste the potions, one at a time?"
"Sure. And Jesse volunteered as well."
Orlon looks at the first scroll: protection from werecows.
The next one he cannot understand, so Darian takes a look. It contains the spells: animate dead, dolor and hold monster.
Orlon looks at scroll #3: aerial servant, aerial servant, speak with monsters, animate object, forbiddance, aerial servant.
The next scroll is likewise clerical in nature: aerial servant, part water, blade barrier, word of recall, find the path, speak with monsters and stone tell.
The next scroll Jesse looks at: Tenser's floating disk, message and comphrend languages.
Darian takes the next: flaming sphere, shatter, whip and strength.
Jesse looks at another: chain lightning.
Darian takes the last scroll: dancing lights, alarm and jump.
Darian exclaims with surprise, "Werecows?!? Anyone ever hear of a werecow?"
"Must be some horrible kind of lycanthrope," observes Valdar.
"What's a dolor spell do? Anyone know?"
"It is a spell that can be used to impose control over a devil or a demon," says the mighty elf lord.
"I'd like the scroll the flaming sphere and such, if no one else wants it."
Darian takes it.
"I would like the two clerical scrolls, if nobody minds?" Orlon requests.
He takes them.
Occa would like the following scrolls if no one else wants them:
spells: animate dead, dolor and hold monster.
Scroll: chain lightning.
He takes them.
"I'd like to make a claim for this sword. I'll give back the broadsword since I'm not very good with it anyway." requests Darian. "I would also be interested in this cloak. Maybe I'll get hit less often."
He takes them and puts the broadsword back in the community chest.
He looks at the chain mail.
"I'm wearing some, but I wonder if this one might provide more protection."
ring, Makes the wearer difficult to see.
Cannon Fodder says, "Well, if no one wants this, I will take it...I could use it for recon."
He takes it.
amulet, Makes the wearer hard to detect. arm wrapping, Provides the wearer with some form of protection. nice looking broach. Provides some form of protection.
Cannon fodder once again speaks up and says, "Well, I wouldn't mind some protection either....if no one else wants this stuff. Of course, I realize you all have a ton of stuff...so..." He looks around at everyone.
Jesse looks at the amulet and the broach. "If no one mind, I think that I would like one of these. They are both pretty. I have no preference between either of them." the bard says.
Who is going to take which?
wand, The command word is 'surprise!' a wand, The command word is 'yowza'. wand, The command words are 'dance damn you.'
He then picks up the wands and says, "I am suprised Occa didn't test these. We will have to rectify that situation." He takes the first one, points it at Occa and says, "Surprise!"
Suddenly Occa vanishes.
- followed by a quick "dance damn you."
The wand spits out a magic missile.
Jesse takes the first one from Cannon Fodder, and points is in a safe direction and says,"Surprise"
Suddenly a fireball explodes at the edge of the hollow.
"Valdar, is there anyway to easily determine which chainmail is better? Without trying to skewer me?" asks Darian.
"More identify spells would help..or maybe a legend lore...a wish...or a commune..."
"Okay, I can memorize some more identify spells. I'll go do that now. I've got four so if anyone else wants more information on a particular item, I've got two that are available. I'm going to use one on the chainmail and another on the cloak."
Darian does do...and discovers that he can discover no more information bout the armour...being as how the party has possessed it for more than five hours...
"That's not a very predictable wand, is it..." says Darian, regarding the fireball. "Oh, well... Such is life... I guess I'll keep the armor I've got on me and put this back in the community chest."
"I could also cast a commune spell for someone. All I need are a list of questions that can be answered with a yes or no," Orlon tells the party.
"If you are serious about your offer, you might ask if the new set of chain mail provides more protection than the chain mail I currently wear."
"And thanks, Orlon." says Darian.
Orlon Replies "I will make a note of your request and file it away until the next time I commune with Thor."
Suddenly Occa reappears.
Cannon Fodder says to Jesse, "I don't care which either. How about I take the amulet and you take the broach?"
"Ok." the bard replies.
Cannon Fodder says, "Oops, Sorry Occa." after he reappears. he takes the second wand and puts it away from the party members and at a boulder and says, "yowsa!"
The boulder turns into a large steak...a porterhouse, actually.
Darian looks at the steak. "Um... Anyone want to help me cook that? It looks awfully good and it'd be a change from some of the concoctions we've been eating..."
"After that, maybe we should get back to our explorations. There's nothing else we have to do here, is there?"
Cannon Fodder says, "Well, these items are pretty cool..."
He tucks the wands aside and says, "Shall we get going again? I guess we could divide up the magic properly. What say the rest of you? Speak up!"
"Well, I got pretty much everything I wanted. But last time we had a large haul we talked of splitting the treasure more equitably. Should we do that?" asks Darian.
Pharian returns from a nap just as Cannon Fodder says that. "Holy crap!" he blurts. "My alarm clock must not have gone off. Is anything left?"
Cannon Fodder and Occa say simultaneously, "Sure, lots of stuff."
Occa says, "I am ready to press on, of course. We do have a goodly bit of magic, so let us split it up first and then continue into the dungeon."
Occa says, "Here is the list of magic items:"
*****************
Old Treasure (Jesse has one of these I think)
-sheathed (one of these is cursed)
sheathed longsword
sheathed two handed sword - cursed
sword (sheathed)
*****************
ring, Makes the wearer difficult to see.
wand of wonder, The command word is 'surprise!'
a beaker, Contains certain magical liquids.
suit of gleaming plate mail, A mithral-steel alloy.
a longsword whose blade does not gleam, Holding it near a flame the blade extinguishes it.
khopesh sword; You feel a tingle when you grasp it. It has a certain power...
two fancy darts Improve the user's chances of striking a target.
nice looking broach. Provides some form of protection.
2 rings 1. Enables the wearer to go for a long time without food.
2. You are unable to determine its function.
a wand of polymorphing, The command word is 'yowza'.
a staff, It launches a missile.
cloak, Affords the wearer some sort of protection.
amulet, Makes the wearer hard to detect.
a suit of field plate armour (human sized), Makes the wearer more difficult to hit.
suit of chain mail (elf-sized), Makes the wearer more difficult to hit.
sheathed broadsword, Improves the weilder's ability to strike a target.
sheathed shortsword, When held near a flame it extinguishes it.
7 sling bullets
1. You are unable to determine its function.
2. - 7. Improves the users chance of striking a target.
a dozen darts - Improves the users chance of striking a target.
a ring, Gives the wearer some sort ability in water.
wand of magic missles, The command words are 'dance damn you.'
arm wrapping, Provides the wearer with some form of protection.
suit of fancy chain mail (elf-sized) - protects wearer
a sheathed shortsword - improve chance to hit
a dagger. - improve chance to hit, venom container in hilt
Darian clears his throat. "Well, Occa, you're not completely correct. I took the longsword that extinguishes flames and the cloak that offers some protection. I'm also interested in that magical elven sized chainmail, but only if it offers more protection than the mail I've got currently got..." "But, I'm willing to put these items back into the pool for our drawing if someone wants me to."
Occa says, "I said what I was willing to do, you can do as you wish."
"I'm sorry, I didn't want Pharian to get the wrong impression."
Jesse pipes up, "I know how to use darts, if no one minds, could I take all these darts and the sling bullets as well, that will let me help out a bit in the combats when I run out of spells."
"I'd like one of these as well." the bard says, "I think that I was looking at the broach, isn't that correct Cannon Fodder."
"What type of missle" the bard asks, "as you know I've been looking for some sort of magic wand to be able to help everyone out. Perhaps the magic missile wand instead." she asks, looking around at the group.
Occa revises the list...
Old Treasure (Jesse has one of these I think)
-sheathed (one of these is cursed)
sheathed longsword
sheathed two handed sword - cursed
sword (sheathed)
*****************
ring, Makes the wearer difficult to see. - CF
wand, The command word is 'surprise!' - CF
a beaker, Contains certain magical liquids.
suit of gleaming plate mail, A mithral-steel alloy.
a longsword whose blade does not gleam, Holding it near a flame the blade extinguishes it. - Darian
khopesh sword; You feel a tingle when you grasp it. It has a certain power...
two fancy darts - Jesse Improve the user's chances of striking a target.
nice looking broach. Provides some form of protection. - Jesse
2 rings 1. Enables the wearer to go for a long time without food.
2. You are unable to determine its function. - Occa
a wand, The command word is 'yowza'. - Occa
a staff, It launches a missile. -Jesse
cloak, Affords the wearer some sort of protection. - Darian
amulet, Makes the wearer hard to detect. - CF
a suit of field plate armour (human sized), Makes the wearer more difficult to hit.
suit of chain mail (elf-sized), Makes the wearer more difficult to hit. - darian
sheathed broadsword, Improves the weilder's ability to strike a target.
sheathed shortsword, When held near a flame it extinguishes it.
7 sling bullets - Jesse
1. You are unable to determine its function.
2. - 7. Improves the users chance of striking a target.
a dozen darts - Improves the users chance of striking a target. - Jesse
a ring, Gives the wearer some sort ability in water.
wand, The command words are 'dance damn you.' - Jesse
arm wrapping, Provides the wearer with some form of protection. - CF
suit of fancy chain mail (elf-sized) - protects wearer
a sheathed shortsword - improve chance to hit
a dagger. - improve chance to hit, venom container in hilt
At this point, Robert, Luann and Tracy, who had been out keeping watch on the road, walk into the campsite with two strangers.
One is a dwarf wearing the holy symbol of Silverbeard.
The other is a human in leathers with two horses.
"These people are Brightaxe and Angst, respectively," Robert says, introducing the lot of you to them. "Brightaxe is a cleric and a fighter while Angst is a - what? A traveller? They may be interested in joining us in the battle."
"You haven't forgetten about the dead dwarf in the paladin's portable hole, have you?" answers Pharian. "I thought we were carrying it around so we could ask it some questions."
"Yes, I did. Thanks for reminding me. Orlon, we probably should talk to the child before we head back down. Do you also have a raise dead spell handy? We might wish to bring the child back to life after talking with its spirit..." says Darian.
"Come to think of it," says Pharian, "we ought to make a practice of this. If we had tossed the drow leader's body into the hole, we could have learned something really useful."
"That's a pretty good idea, Pharian..."
Pharian says that he wants:
> nice looking broach. Provides some form of protection.
> a wand of polymorphing, The command word is 'yowza'.
> amulet, Makes the wearer hard to detect.
Here is an updated treasure list of who wants what...the only people who haven't spoken up are: Orlon, Al, Gonzo, and Aargh!.
*****************
Old Treasure (Jesse has one of these I think)
-sheathed (one of these is cursed)
sheathed longsword
sheathed two handed sword -
cursed sword (sheathed)
*****************
ring, Makes the wearer difficult to see. - CF
wand, The command word is 'surprise!' - CF
a beaker, Contains certain magical liquids.
suit of gleaming plate mail, A mithral-steel alloy.
a longsword whose blade does not gleam, Holding it near a flame the blade extinguishes it. - Darian
khopesh sword; You feel a tingle when you grasp it. It has a certain power...
two fancy darts - Jesse Improve the user's chances of striking a target.
nice looking broach. Provides some form of protection. - Jesse, pharian
2 rings 1. Enables the wearer to go for a long time without food.
2. You are unable to determine its function. - Occa
a wand, The command word is 'yowza'. - Occa, pharian
a staff, It launches a missile. -Jesse
cloak, Affords the wearer some sort of protection. - Darian
amulet, Makes the wearer hard to detect. - CF, pharian
a suit of field plate armour (human sized), Makes the wearer more difficult to hit.
suit of chain mail (elf-sized), Makes the wearer more difficult to hit. - darian
sheathed broadsword, Improves the weilder's ability to strike a target.
sheathed shortsword, When held near a flame it extinguishes it.
7 sling bullets - Jesse
1. You are unable to determine its function.
2. - 7. Improves the users chance of striking a target.
a dozen darts - Improves the users chance of striking a target. - Jesse
a ring, Gives the wearer some sort ability in water.
wand, The command words are 'dance damn you.' - Jesse
arm wrapping, Provides the wearer with some form of protection. - CF
suit of fancy chain mail (elf-sized) - protects wearer
a sheathed shortsword - improve chance to hit
a dagger. - improve chance to hit, venom container in hilt
A human comes forward and says, "I am Occa Larsor." He is dressed in grey robes and has long black hair pulled back into a pony tail. He says, "I am a mage."
A duplicate of the same man steps forward and says, "I am Cannon Fodder." He points to Occa and says, "he is my simulacrum."
Occa says, "No, you are my simulacrum, you idiot."
Cannon Fodder looks at the newcomers, winks an eye and nods his head up and down, "Okay, if you say so...I am your simulacrum."
He looks back at the newcomers and shrugs.
Looking a little confused, Brightaxe says, "Greetings Occa and Cannon. I know not the ways of magic and am very confused... is it possible you are brothers?"
He takes a swig from his beverage skin.... "ahhhh it's clearer now... some spritis?" he smiles pleasantly....
He points to his recently set up tent and small alter setup out of the way... "I have setup an alter with an emergency store of spirits...Clanggedin loves everyone who does battle bravely."
Occa rolls his eyes and says, "Great! A drunken dwarf."
Cannon Fodder says, "Better than an old fart."
"I drink in moderation, unless it's a religious day... Mr Fodder a jigger for you?"
Cannon Fodder says, "Sure!"
He goes over and gets a drink, takes a sip and spits it out. "ugh! I forgot you dwarves drink battery acid."
"'Mr. Fodder'??" laughs the grey elf in the battered plate mail. "I'll remember that! Oh...I am Valdar," he adds.
Brightaxe looks and sees another robed figure, "Is Pharian okay ? I noticed he is not the picture of health, I do have a little skill in the way of healing? But I would say he could use a stiff drink and the feel of his axe ripping through a hill giant."
He steps back and performs a clan salute to the memory of the best battles.
Angst speaks.
"Greetings neighbours, I am a ranger from the south. I was told that I would find a destiny, not neccessaryly mine, if I journied north. I have since heard that there are creatures against the weal of the world and as such I am bound by a code to stop them."
A human dressed in singed and dirty grey robes is hunched greedily over a pile of treasure. He is skinny, not quite old, and just short of ugly. His grey hair is thinning and disheveled. The way he shifts from foot to foot gives an impression of nervous energy and distrust.
He looks over his shoulder at the newcomers, says "Pharian," and returns to poking through the pile.
A human cleric of average size approaches the newcomers. He is dressed in a green robe with a purple hood. He is middle aged and carries himself proudly. Around is neck is a metallic amulet that is in the shape of a hammer. He is holding a spole that is shaped like a snake. He introduces himself "Hello, my name is Orlon, messenger of Thor. Welcome Brightaxe and Angst."
Pointing out people in the camp Orlon introduces a human ranger in plate mail as Op Code, a human mage with flowing white hair and beard as Phil Donahue, a blond-haired halfling rogue as Who Knows, and a human fighter in a suit of plate mail as Oh Well.
"I extend greetings and warmth to all of you." says the dwarf in plate. He looks to be a normal dwarf if a bit proud but friendly and excited about being out of his clan in decades. He wears the symbol of Clanggedin Silverbeard proudly and offesr any who will partake a jigger of spirits in his name.
"I thank you for your warm welcome."
An young elf stands up. "Greetings, Brightaxe and Angst, I'm Darian Trist, an inexperienced fighter and mage. This group can always use a few more folks helping us out. They took me in without any complaints."
Darian looks over at Occa.
"Well, a few have complaints, but nothing serious."
Darian has light brown hair with a prominent white streak running through it. His face is not remarkable and is easily forgotten. He wears a grey cloak, but you can see the chainmail on his arms and you note the longsword across his back. A shield lies on the ground along with a backpack.
"Well Sir," Brightaxe says, looking at the amount of magic around, "you and I may be more inline as battle partners. I have never seen so much magic around, some of these people must surely be powerful." he thinks for a bit and adds, "but one always wants powerful friends instead of powerful enemies"
"I'd be interested in that, Brightaxe. My other fighting partner has decided to leave the party and I'm in need of one. Our skills should compliment each other very nicely."
Cannon Fodder says, "We can be both really...we pride ourselves on our versatility."
A short female laughs lightly, "Can we three try that versatility later, perhaps with Tracy as well." she whirls to the newcomers, and smiles, "If we're doing introductions, I am Jesse." she says lightly.
Al is also looking at the treasure pile. Inspecting the khopesh sword, he says, "Occa, can you explain what precisely that means ??"
Occa says, "Nope...just what I said...I am no warrior."
Accepting Occa's non-helpful answer, he picks it up and swings it, to see it in action....
As he holds the weapon he feels a tingle.
The paladin turns to the newcomers.
"Well met, travelers, my name is Alhamet Horuson, champion of Horus. I welcome any aid in cleaning these ancient halls of evil..." he says as he intensely examines both of the newcomers...
Gonzo looks over the items from the various hauls, mumbling "... mmagic... nasty stuff, but necessary for me karrumba..."
He looks at the amulet, "Dis make me harder to detect? Might be good when me sneak up on dings to do big KARUMBA from behind... what you guys say me take dis one."
He then picks up one of the strange shortswords that extinguish flames... "Dis one be good for puttin red dragon's breaths out... whut youse guys dink bout me havin one o' dem to make KARUMBA on smart mouth dragon with bad fire breath?"
"Dez sling bullets would make good for my sling" says Gonzo, pulling his from his handy satchel.
"What kind-o-darts is dez? Would dey fit in me blowgun?" Gonzo says, pulling that from his satchel and comparing it to the darts.
"Dis one would make me harder to hit perhaps?" says Gonzo, screwing up his nose and picking the armband up by a corner. "Me dinks dis be good to have for dem whatzits dat want to do Karumba ta da Gonzo. Me like dat idea."
Gonzo puts in dibs on the armband, amulet, sling bullets, darts, and shortsword. In that order of preference.
Then realizing there are new guests in the camp...
"Hey me be GONZO, of the clan Gallahad. Dis place be the home of me ancestors...", pointing off in the general direction of the place, "what you dink, kill a few dragons, restore da home of honest working dwarven folk? You only git toasted bits around da edges", he says, grinning broadly.
He is wearing a faded yellow suit of finely crafted leather armor, dragon looking by the unique scales on it. He has on brown trousers and tunic, light grey boots, a strangely un-dwarven cap on his head with unruly looking hair jutting out at strange angles. He as a dwarf is UGLY, more than likely, the crooked nose, or lumps and warts on his face.
You continue to haggle over the treasure...
It is noontime.