September 7th finally arrives. It is a mild and sunny day.
At breakfast, Stiff announces that he has reconsidered Occa's request for nine wishes.
"Upon investigation I think it will be beneficial to the party to grant them. We will discuss payment thereof later."
Before everyone wanders off...
Stiff says, "Occa, I have had a talk with somebody greater than myself and we feel it would benefit the party greatly if you became an arch mage as I am not adventuring much these days. It can't hurt to have another powerful mage defeating the hordes of enemies. It might give the party a greater chance of wealth."
Occa says, "Well, that is great. Thanks Stiff." Occa smiles at the thought of being an arch-mage.
"Occa: From your list I don't have:
1 - colour spray
3 - wraithform
4 - improved invisibility
4 - magic mirror
7 - finger of death - (this is a druid spell )
7 - spell turning
I have the rest on your list."
Occa smiles and says, "Thanks!"
Darian approaches Stiff cautiously. "Sir, can we all copy from your spell books? I've got everything from Pharian, Valdar and Occa's that I could learn, but if you've got additional spells, I'd like a crack at those as well."
Stiff says to Salaam, "Salaam - I am still looking into what I have and don't. I have so many that it will take awhile. Will get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks."
Jesse asks Orlon if he can cast the restoration spell to see if it has any effect.
"I can only restore you to your highest previous level. No higher," Orlon tells Jesse.
In the end, you all head for Occa's house in Sandas.
"Who wants to hit the taverns to se what they've got to eat in this town?" Gilstrock asks, generally.
Jesse will go clothes shopping and look up Catrina. She'll also spend time at the inns and taverns with Gilstrock et al., learning the songs of the town, and quiet time with Darian, when he is not training, doing.. well... none of your business...
Angst will go and purchase a first level spell book. Then he will try and learn as many spells as he is allowed from some ones' spell books.
"Is there anyone who will allow me to copy what spells I can learn?"
Darian nods. "Sure, you can look through my book. You need only first order spells, right?"
Occa says, "here is my most current spell list, help yourself from it..."
"You are welcome to look at my books if you wish," Phil tells Angst.
Stiff says, "Darian, yes I will let you look at my spell books as it will help the party."
Darian gives Stiff a deep bow. "Thank you, sir."
Stiff says to all, "In the past I was used to charge a lot for giving access to spells as I had been charged and or fought very hard for most of the spells I have. However, there is an important event upcoming and I may need all your assistance. You all need to be as powerful as possible. More to come."
Gilstrock gives Stiff a sidelong glance. After looking silently at him for a few minute, the large fighter says, "I always get nervous when people start to talk like that."
Darian chuckles. "That's only because you like your head firmly resting on your shoulders. An understandable reaction."
Occa says, "Well, whatever I can do to help, just let me know! What is mine is everyone's. All have free access to whatever I have."
"Does that include Tracy?" asks Valdar.
Jesse begins to laugh again. "Occa... Occa... Occa... what are we going to do with you?" she asks, smiling and looking around for Tracy.
Occa says firmly, "No. However, that might provide me an opportunity to use some of these new 9th level spells..."
"Wow," Gilstrock says. "An' I thought Jesse and Darian were kinky!"
Darian looks at Jesse, puzzled. "We are?"
Jesse looks at Gilstrock, "How would you know?" she asks and then to Darian and shrugs her shoulders. "I think that he is talking big... perhaps he is even a bit jealous of you? Who knows sometimes."
Occa says, "I think he is making that assumption from his own interactions with Cat. Plus the fact that you and Cat were an item. Not a very common thing for two women. Not that there is anything wrong with that..."
You see a tear well up in Jesse eye at the mention of Cat. "Yes," she sighs softly, "That was a strange time for me."
Gilstrock blinks twice, and gives Occa a confused look. Then his face lights up, and he says, "Oh, that. What did that look like, anyway? I pretty much slept through the whole thing."
Jesse puts her hands up, "I'd rather that we not talk about this anymore, it has many memories associated with it, some good and some bad. I'm still learning my lessons, and it has been hard for me to part with the disguises of my past, but I have learned much from the people here. I hope someday to be and feel whole, as I should be. Enough." she says, sighing softly, but heavily. She blinks away a tear or two and then wraps her cloak around her. "To the pubs." she says softly.
Occa says softly, "Well, if there is anything we can do just name it." and then realizing that he is actually being nice quickly adds, "Otherwise stop yer belly-aching!"
Jesse smiles at Occa for his suprising kindness.
He laughs.
"No, I don't know about Darian and Jesse, I'm just teasing, ya know. C'mon, let's hit the pubs! Then, when we're done, we'll scope out the town and see if there're any good weapon shops to browse in."
Darian grins at Occa. "Thanks! I'll be taking that mansion in Sandas, I think..."
Jesse suppresses a giggle and smiles at Darian. "We don't need the whole mansion." she says.
Darian winks. "Okay, then we'll take half..."
Occa says, "You are welcome to it as long as these love....things...don't keep cropping up. I am going to be sick."
"Who said anything about love things?"
"As for spells, I am content with the lightning bolt. Are there any good fourth order spells I can learn other than blink and stone skin?" the bard asks.
"You are welcome to copy anything out of my spell books. Valdar, Pharian and Occa gave me access to their books and while I wasn't able to learn everything, I got the majority of them. Here's the list, Jesse: charm monster, confusion, dimension door, enchanted weapon, Evard's black tentacles, extension I, fire trap, hallucinatory terrain, ice storm, minor globe of invulnerability, monster summoning II, plant growth, polymorph other, polymorph self, stoneskin and wizard eye."
"I have recently gotten fire shield and leomonds secure shelter from Stiff as well. Fire shield is a very nice spell."
Darian's eyes twinkle. "Well, Stiff said I could copy from his spell books so I hope to learn those as well."
Phil takes an interest in the sudden talk among the spell-casters. "Does that also include me? I may have some spells that you need. Wanna look?" he asks.
"Of course that includes you, Phil. You're welcome to look at my books, if you wish as well."
Occa says, "I would love to see your books? Can you let me see a list? Help yourself to mine if you like."
"Not much for me to do around her so I'll go with the bunch of you pub crawling. Heh, seems everything reminds me of Jen. She took me to a bar in this quaint little place called the Village of Greenwich. A pub underground called the Hole in the Ground. We had some drinks called Kamikazes. Quite excellent." Salaam says with a fondness in his voice as he tags along.
Finally, Gilstrock, Jesse, Angst, Salaam, Pharian, Brightaxe, Phil and Stiff set out for a pub crawl.
Valdar grabs Darian by the ear and drags him off to the Magic User's guild to begin his training.
Orlon word of recalls to his temple in Carnovy.
It is a stinking hot afternoon in Sandas, as you set out from Occa's house. The city is in the midst of a late summer heatwave, and the temperature has to be at least 110F. The humidity is low, though, which almost makes it tolerable, and the sky is overcast.
Still, it is no day to be walking any distance, so after a bit you hail a hansom cab and ride into the city proper.
Stiff directs you to your first stop: The Dog, located in the scholarly and magic-user's quarter of Sandas. The common room is a quiet place, and the patrons are mostly mages from the nearby Guild, sages and teachers. Stiff and Phil rather like the place, but Gilstrock announces that it is not his sort of place, and so you move on.
Taking another cab, you follow the south wall of the city until you come to The Tattered Scroll. It seems to be a haven for merchants, office workers and scribes, and so you move on after one drink...which is watered.
"This seems more like your type of place," Phil needles Gilstrock.
Still following the wall, you eventually arrive at the East Gate, where the Old Dwarvish Road exits the city for Strabath. Just inside the gate is a well-known inn, The Bell, obviously a haven for travellers, traders and the local garrison. The beer is good and cheap, and so you stay for several.
Continuing your tour, Stiff next takes you to The Dragon's Arms, located within the Inner Wall, not far from the Baron's Keep, and in an area dominated by military barracks and government offices. The bulk of the clientelle late in the afternoon are off-duty soldiers. Gilstrock and Angst think this is pretty good, but Phil, Stiff and Pharian soon want to be on their way.
Still within the inner city, in a rich neighbourhood close by the Keep, you stop next at the Rose and Thorn, a very posh inn and casino. The beer and food are excellent and expensive (a pint of beer goes for a silver piece while a beefsteak is 3gp!), but it is clear that your kind are not really welcome here, and so you move on after a bit.
Stiff next takes you to the red light district, and to the Inn of the Former Virgin. It is busy, it being suppertime, with many young clerks and merchants out for a good time, and many attractive young ladies of the evening seeking to provide a good time.
You spend several hours here...
Finally, feeling rather enebriated, you make your way down to the dockyard area of Sandas, the toughest part of the city. There, you stop at the notorious inn known as the Sailor's Rest, but you decide not to enter. Gilstrock and Jesse recognise it as being the place where they went after Pharian but a few weeks ago...
At last, you end up at the Inn of the Drunken Dwarf, in the middle of the city. It is a place frequented by adventurers such as yourselves, and you immediately feel at home upon entering.
"Home sweet home!" Phil grins.
"Mister Stiff!" exclaims Luthus the innkeeper, upon seeing the arch-mage. "It has been a very long time since you last visited us! And is that Mister Donohue as well?"
"Yes it is my good man. How has business been lately?" Phil smiles.
"Can't complain...can't complain," the half elf replies. "What with all of the troubles, lately. Why, that dragon alone in the Borderlands attacted almost every cavalier and paladin in the kingdom!"
He immediately leads you to the best seats in the house: a table by the fireplace. The first round of drinks are on the house.
"I'd reccomend the pork pie, tonight, gentlemen and lady," he says, as he sets down a platter of cheeses and fruits.
"Fine choice," Phil remarks. "I'll have a jug of mead to go with that too."
You settle in for awhile, and by the time you leave, you have been brought up to date on all the local gossip.
While things have cooled down in the Borderlands northwest of the city since Yuri the Incredible slew the great red dragon that had been terrorizing the area, the number of humanoid raids along the northern border of the kingdom has increased sharply in the past few months. Lord Morg's rangers have been kept very busy in the area of Strabath, and the Duke has pulled out most of the troops that he had sent to Sandas to aid the Baron. Many of these have been sent south to aid in the defence of Marmador, but not as many as the Duke would have liked, because of the raids.
Yuri has returned to the lands north of Ar'Razam, where he has been aiding a great lady ranger named Leslie to establish a stronghold. This does not sit too well with some of the locals, who think he should be spending more time in his own backyard, as it were, dealing with more immediate threats.
The most immediate of these threats remains the evil Temple of Tyaa, in the Borderlands. A party of adventurers went there and started battling the denizens of the temple and the adjacent ruined Black Keep over a year and a half ago, but they turned to evil, some say, and started working for the Temple instead. The Baron finally dispatched a large number of troops to the area several months ago. No more has been heard of the evil party, but many of the troops remain.
King Ormund of Nlad, down in his palace in the capital city of Hork, far to the south, is said to be very unhappy with the paltry number of troops that the Baron and the Duke have thus far dispatched to the South lands.
It is late at night before you finally return to Occa's house.
There is no sign of the new arch-mage.