At the appointed time, you return to Billian's townhouse.
This time, you are led indoors, to a large living room furnished with overstuffed leather sofas and chairs. Large doors again open out into the central courtyard.
Once again, Billian greets you with urbane manners. Once again, Razamataz sits off in a corner, in a straight-backed wooden chair, glowering at one and all.
After an exchange of pleasantries, Billian asks, "And so, have you arrived at a decision?"
Niko looks to Occa.
Merdwin looks at Darian when they get to Lord Billian's, listens in on the conversation and waits for a good time to speak as signaled by Darian.
Occa says to Billian, "Yes, we have."
He pauses and says, "We are willing to help recover the sword, if you help us recover our friend Salaam. We feel we must make his recovery a priority. Afterwards, we will be happy to get teh sword for you."
Billian nods.
"Your loyalty to your own is admirable. Very well."
He turns to Razamataz.
"Stop horsing around, and tell them where he is," he says.
"What do you mean, 'horsing around'?" snaps Razamataz, his red beard bristling.
You sense a certain amount of tension between the two men.
"Tell them where that daemon friend of yours is," says Billian, firmly.
The two men lock gazes for a moment. Finally, the arch-mage glances away, and glares at Occa.
"I'll do better than just tell them," he mutters, then stands up, waves his arms and says -
"ALAKAZAM!"
You are all engulfed in purple smoke.
When the smoke clears, though, you are still in Billian's living room.
Razamataz looks surprised.
"I'll have to think about this!" he says, and abruptly leaves the room.
Billian watches him go, his expression mildly perplexed.
He turns back to you.
"I am sorry, but it looks like I am unable to help you find your companion, after all. I bid you good day."
"You do know he just tried to cast a spell at us, Lord Billian. I can't be sure what he was trying to do, but if I had to bet, I'd say he was trying to send us wherever Salaam was being held."
Billian regards Darian.
"Indeed?"
"Well, he definitely cast the spell at us. If he was bringing Salaam here, he wouldn't have cast it at us."
"And if he can do that, that means he can teleport. Just think of those implications."
"Perhaps he thought he could teleport," says Billian. "But tell me, what is the source of your knowledge? All I saw was purple smoke."
"I'm a mage of no small ability. I bet Occa would concur with my suspicion. Besides, did you see the look on his face? He was betting his spell would work. If he has been with you for this long, then he would KNOW that teleport spells don't work. He expected his spell to work, that was why he was so surprised."
While Darian and Billian are chatting, Occa starts to cast a spell.
"Please, no spells," says Billian, noticing Occa. "I could take it as a hostile act."
"So, how should we feel about Razmataz's spell? Was that a hostile act?"
"On my word of honour, no."
Niko glares contemptuously at Billian and glowers. "As if what you've done already wasn't one."
He ignores Niko and turns back to Darian.
"Indeed?" says Billian, eyes narrowing. "It is definitely time for you to leave. I invited you in here in a spirit of trust, and you come in with detect spells cast, and then proceed to cast other magics within my own home!"
As he speaks, several servants come out of side doorways.
"No detect spells have been cast, Lord Billian. And we came in the spirit of trust. It seems you hold a serpent to your breast. I only hope he doesn't bite you as well."
Occa stops casting his spell.
He says to Billian before he leaves. "You seem like an honorable man. It is clear to me and this group that Raz is working for the enemy and you are being used by them for their own ends. Think on this and where your motivations come from."
You quickly find yourselves back out in the street.
As soon as you are outside of the gate to Billian's residence, a discussion erupts.
"Boy, talk about a frigging hypocrite," Op Code snorts. "He accuses us of casting spells, and his so-called buddy tries to cast a spell right before his very eyes. Maybe Raz has Billian hypnotized."
"Is there some spell that can sow distrust?" ask Emm. "If so, that may be what Raz has cast, to cause enmity between Billian and ourselves."
Darian swears. "Sorry about that folks. It's always on, just in case."
Ric looks at Darian. "By the fates, at first I feared we would be in the abyss, but come to learn otherwise." he says. "What is always on?" the man asks, "If you do not mind me asking."
"I don't mind you asking, but not here. Tonight, when we can be sure there are no prying ears."
Outside, Niko starts cursing. "Well, that's just great. We didn't get our revenge, we didn't Salaam, and now we're back to square one! By Poseidon's beard, we should just toast this whole place! At least I'd feel better afterwards!"
"Yeah!" Gilstrock says, tossing his spear to his left hand and drawing his frost band Thawbreaker with his right. "Give the word, Captain!"
"Sorry, Niko. I guess we could've pressed the issue. Wonder what Raz was trying to do to us? Whatever it was, I'm sure we wouldn't have liked it."
"Eh?" Niko replies, giving a confused look to Darien. "Oh, I wasn't blaming anyone. Just rantin' and ravin' a bit, that's all."
Niko grumbles, "Well, I'm heading to the docks to find me a tavern, a wench, and an ale! Anyone else? It's better than just standing out here in the sun."
Looking at the elf in surprise Varlen says, "Surely ye give up too easy."
He pauses and glances about at everyone. Then he continues, "It is obvious that this Razamataz could send ye to where thy lost companion is. At least that is what he appeared to be trying to do. However, his efforts were interfered with by whatever Mestom is using to prevent such transportational magics from working within its borders. I think that ye need to rethink the order of thy objectives. If the sword were retrieved and Mestom's hold upon Casablanca broken, then surely Razamataz would be able to use his powerful magic to send ye to where thy companion is held prisoner."
"That sounds very plausable," Op Code rubs his chin, "As to why they want that sword. If Raz can cast his magic, they would become all that more dangerous. If only we could get Salaam back without their help. But how?"
"MMmmmmm, ale," Gilstrock says. "But, er, if we're gonna go looking for Salaam, aren't there other ways to get there? How big is this Mestom place anywya? Can we, you know, go out the old fashioned way, and then zap ourselves to wherever Salaam is? We can still beat his location out of Ratzass... I volunteer to do the beating."
Merdwin, says, "You may beat the spells out of Ratass later. But logic says that if we break the sword Casablanca is no longer part of Mestom. Then we teleport to hell, the abyss or where ever to get Salaam."
"How do you suppose we get Ratz. Just walk in and haul him out?" Op Code remarks. "Then again, if we hire someone to assassinate him. Nah, likely wouldn't work as the place is probably full of spies."
Varlen looks impressed with Gilstrock's thoughts, at least up until he mentions beating the required information out of Razamataz.
"Another possible solution," he says. "Though hopefully it would not require such extreme measures as physically accosting the wizard. I had a similar thought as well. If we were to travel beyond Mestom's influence, could ye not then use thy obvious wealth of magical powers to transport us to the desired location."
Merdwin says, "One flaw Varlen. We don't know where that is."
Looking appalled at all the talk of assualting Lord Billian's home and assassinations, Varlen responds to Merdwin, "Either outside of Mestom's influence, or once their influence over Casablanca has been broken, Occa and the others would be able to use their scrying magic to uncover their companion's location."
"Maybe," Gilstrock says. "Ya never know, if it's some demon or somebody who has him, it might be hidden there too."
The large blond fighter looks around, slightly ill at ease. "Sure wish Pharian was here," he says.
Once outside, Occa casts wizard eye and sends it back into the house. He will try to find Raz.
He says in a whisper to the group, "Prepare yourselves...we may assualt this place shortly."
Ric shakes his head. "Not a wise policy, Occa. You are in a foreign land, with no backup troops and no quick way out. It would be suicide to attack a respected member of the society of Casablanca. You would all be stoned or worse," the man says. "It seems more logical to get what he needs and then negotiate from a position of strength."
"I agree with Ric. Although you maybe more experienced in these matters I will have to say that if we get the sword and break it. Thus freeing Casablanca from Mestom's rule. Then we can teleport to where ever Salaam is and get him. But we must make haste."
"We have a friend who could be getting tortured right now! There is no time to waste!"
"I'm ready to kick some serious ass. This whole place stinks," Op Code has his hand on his sword hilt.
Merdwin, says, "Guys, guys wait for a second. I think the powers that be want us to break Mestoms Hold over Casablanca. Then it will no longer be a part of Mestom. With that in mind if we get the sword then break it as soon as possible we should be able to rescue Salaam."
Occa looks on with his eye.
Emm moves over to Gonzo and speaks to him.
As soon as Occa's eye passes through the gate, it winks out.
At the same time, one of Billian's servants comes out through the gate and approaches you. Walking up to Occa, he speaks.
"A word with you, aside, if I may, sir?"
Gonzo comes out of his daze and looks around. "Hmmmph... " he says in his dwarfish manner.
Merdwin, readies his q-staff. He realizes that this guy might have hostile intentions.
Occa moves off with the man to see what he has to say.
After a moment, you see Occa and the servant turn and head back in through the gate, leaving the rest of you outside.
"It seems that Occa has another lead." the man says.
After perhaps ten minutes, Occa returns.
Darian, barely able to keep his calm composure, asks, "Well? What happened?"
Gilstrock's stomach rumbles loudly.
Occa says, "It seems that Raz was going to send us to the 1st layer of hell. You see, travel to the outer planes is not restricted, but travel here is. So...I told them we wanted a ticket to hell and after we free our friend, we would help them regain the sword. Sound good to you all? If so, let's hit the shops hard and fast...we have provisions we need to get before we head into the hells. Any questions?"
Merdwin says, "Provisions like what? What can we expect in the Hells?"
"Well, lots of demons and that kind of ilk. Nothing pleasant, I'm sure. You'll need a magical weapon to harm anything, though."
"Just devils, hags, daemons and the like. Cold iron, silver, holy water are a good start. If you know of anyone who sells magic, that might be good to look into as well."
"Don't worry. If we can get back to Sandas, we can get you equipped with whatever you need. Make a list and if we don't have it in our possession, we'll buy it for you."
"What about Raz, Occa? Do you believe he was just going to send us to Salaam or was that the story he invented to save his hide?"
"I believe him."
He shrugs.
"Guess I shouldn't have stepped in and interrupted him, hmmm?"
Merdwin says, "Finally some direction. Look he hates all of you and probably wants to get the sword for some reason. He sends us to hell to get Salaam and if we don't all die we come back and get the sword for him. He wins either way. Also I don't feel like running around with a sleep spell, a cloak, and a mundane q-staff. Don't you need an enchanted weapon to hit demons or something like that?"
"Life is an adventure." Ric says, "Prepare to duck a lot." he adds, "and bring plenty of holy water. it is good to throw at things."
Occa says, "Why are you so worried? We will make sure you are raised if you die. Think of this as the quick path to power. No matter where we go, you are going to be outclassed. Darian was when he first entered this group...you will be too, but you will learn and you will grow stronger than you could believe possible. Don't be so woried and have some faith."
He pauses and says, "My only recommendation is that you learn magic missile. It will be more useful. We will aslo get you a magic item as soon as possible so that you can be used as artillary."
Merdwin says, "I think I have it."
"Indeed. If it will help you newcomers to the group to have faith in us, I can explain that when I first came to this group, I couldn't survive a shot from an orc. I died a few different times, but I rose in power very quickly being exposed to the experiences that we had. It took some time, but now I can contribute to the party usefully. If you're feeling inadequate at this point, keep that in mind."
"Nah! Twas the best thing you could have done, Darian. We weren't fully prepared, yet."
"Thank you. So, Occa, Raz hasn't figured out why it didn't work?" Darian grins. "Wonderful."
Looking back at Occa, Niko asks, "So, what kinda provisions do we need? Some holy water, some silver, what else? Just remember, we gotta carry it ourselves now that we don't have that portable hole of yers."
"No, you did the right thing. He doesn't know what to expect anymore." Occa smiles.
"Let's make a list of what we need...holy water and the like."
"Lots of holy water. And perhaps some protection from evil, demons and the like scrolls or items that duplicate that behavior."
"And perhaps some healing potions. With Salaam gone, all the healing falls back on me. Lucky for us, we have Niko's paradise to fall back on for extended periods of rest."
"I almost hate to say this, but we could probably use Al at a time like this," Gilstrock says.
"I know, but we have no way to get him."
Occa says, "Darian has a pouch of holding that willl help. We will be a few days march from the fortress of the demon that holds Salaam...so we will be there for a while. We will have to be as discreet as possible. Let's go see the Arch-mage that Merdwin was talking about."
Merdwin then mentions "She is very deep within her studies and I see no reason to bother her. And you Niko will stay far away from that nice young lady."
Niko merely snorts in Merdwin's general direction.
"Yes, we can cram lots of things in my pouch."
"Discreet? In Hell? Is that possible?" Niko shrugs "In any case, I just remembered that I have a Deeppockets spell that will also allow me to carry more."
"We will see....we can try. Deep pockets...that is a good idea."
"By the way, does this mean we could arrive anywhere we want to when we come back from Hell? Or are we coming back here? And how soon did you promise Lord Billian we'd start after rescuing Salaam?"
"Yes. We will go to Sandas first to drop off Jesse and then back to the island and then back here."
Jesse looks at Occa. "How is this possible?" the bard asks, "with all the travel restricted?"
Occa says, "We will be coming back from the hells, not from Mestom."
Niko seems excited at the propect of meeting Magda...and her maid...
"Two other things. One, Jesse, if yer not going with us, do ye want me to introduce you to some people who kin help ya start yer business? Two, Occa or Darian, can ya Identify this ring fer me before we head off to Hell?"
"I'll do it tonight for you, Niko."
"Thanks!"
"And the only way Jesse stays behind is if you can also provide protection for her, Niko. She's half-elven and I've heard how people of Mestom treat elves."
"That's not a problem. Down at the docks it's different. I'm a fullblooded elf and I have friends down there. They'll take good care of a pretty lass like her. Watch out fer her and what not. Anyway, you should be more worried about yer own hide considering where we're going..."
Darian shrugs. "I'm not as worried for me as I am for Jesse. Is that the nature of love?"
Jesse laughs lightly, "Indeed it is." replies Jesse, smiling at Darian.
Suddenly the earth splits open under Merdwin's feet. Flames and smoke belch out, scenting the air with brimstone and sulphur, as he falls into the flaming pit.
The crack closes up again.
You wonder if you'll be seeing him again...anytime soon.
John watches the scene without emotion and as the crack closes, he slowly edges away from the area and stands across the room.
Darian looks at the ground for a moment and then at the new members of the group. "And let that be a lesson to the rest of you newcomers. Push me too far and it might happen to you, too!"
Occa laughs at Darian's humor.
Darian glares at Occa. "Just remember that I like you Occa. And I need you to train me. Otherwise..."
"Ah...now if ya could only make it rain brandy, Darian..." Niko says wistfully.
Darian wrinkles his nose. "Sorry, Niko. Maybe wine, though..."
Taking the directions that Merdwin conveniently gave you before he met his demise, you set out for the mage's quarter of Casablanca. It is midmorning, and hot. Soon, you enter a quarter of the city given over to small tenements, shops selling interesting and obscure items and services, and narrow, windy streets. Studious looking robed men and women hurry about, clutching bundles of scrolls and armfuls of tomes. The area is dominated by its two Halls of Learning and the Mage's Guild. The Halls are actually enclosed, walled in campuses where people come to learn of subjects both mundane and arcane. The guild, of course, is similar in purpose to the one in Sandas, though considerably larger.
Near the guild you find a block of townhouses, similar to Billian's but on a much more humble scale. You stop before a closed iron gateway opening into a small courtyard. A brass plate on the door announces the resident as simply 'Magda'.
You pull on the bell cord by the gate, and after a few moments a man appears. He is very heavily muscled, and bare chested. His head is shaved, and he reminds you a bit of Salaam. He wears only leather pants. Belted at his waist is a sheathed scimitar.
"Good morning," he says in a strangely soft voice, through the iron bars. "May I help you?"
Occa says, "We are here to see Magda on very urgent business concerning the war with Mestom, the freeing of Casablanca, Lord Billian, a trip into hell, and the problem with teleportation and divniation in the land."
"Do you have an appointment?"
Darian speaks up from just behind Occa. "No, sir, I'm afraid we don't. But, surely Magda will wish to confer with the arch-mage Occa, won't she? Considering the difficulties of teleportation, the very fact that the arch-mage Occa is here in Casablanca should illuminate the seriousness of his business."
The man regards the elf.
"And are you an arch-mage, too, sir?"
"No, I'm only a warlock. That's what happens when you split your time between magic and swordplay."
"I see."
He returns his attention to the alleged arch-mage Occa.
Occa turns a couple of shades of red and purple. He then says, "Tell Magda that an Arch-Magi and a group of VERY powerful adventurers from Sandas would like to see her about the problems of Mestom."
"I can do that, sir, but you will still need an appointment."
He jingles the coin purse on his belt.
Occa slaps his forehead.
"Ah, I forget about the customs of this world." He pauses and says, "How much of an appointment would get us an audience?"
"One hundred gold would get you an appointment for this afternoon, sir."
"Very well."
Occa hands over a hundred gold.
The man takes it.
"Come back after the siesta hour," he says, and turns away.
Occa then heads over to the Mage's guild.
"Let's see what kind of items they have to sell."
Occa looks through his stuff as you head over and says, "Hey, I do have a couple of minor magic items. I now only have 89 gps left after giving away that 100, but I do have alot more if you include pearls, diamon dust and powdered ruby."
He looks to hear from everyone else on the way over to the guild.
"Did we ever divide the stuff we found when we fought the pirates? If not, there might be some things there. As far as your money, goes, I've got quite a bit in my pouches. Here's your 100 gold pieces back."
"All the magical items that I carry, I actually use, so there's nothing I'm willing to give up."
Darian hands him a handful of platinum coins.
"Oh, that is okay, hold onto it. We will find more. Unfortunately, I think Salaam has the treasure from the pirates or did you carry it?"
"No, Occa, you don't understand. I could set up shop as a moneylender. Not a very rich one, but I could be comfortable..."
"I must apologize, I have little to my name. Just what I carry," John says apologetically to the arch mage.
You get to the Guild of Mages. It is an imposing ediface, shaped like a pyramid. The entrance doors are two large valves located about a third of the way up one side of the pyramid, and reached by a broad flight of stairs. Two stone statues of gargoyles flank the doors.
You head up and pass through, to find yourselves in a luxuriously furnished lobby. The air in here must be a good fifteen degrees cooler than it is outside, now.
In the middle of the chamber sits a mage behind a polished desk. As you approach him, he looks up from his tome and speaks.
"May I help you?"
Occa says, "I would like to talk to whoever sells magic items here. Is guild membership required for such access or can we talk to them without joining?"
"You must be a member of this guild, or of another mage's guild," the man replies.
Darian flashes his Mage Guild's ID. "We'd liked to buy and sell some magical items. And stock up on some holy water as well, if you have a source of it. If not, could you please suggest one?"
"Sandas, eh? Please sign in," the man says, sliding a book and a quill over to Darian. When he has done so, the mage directs you through a door off of the lobby.
"Thank you, sir."
Niko slaps Darian on the back "Way to go! How do I get me one of those IDs?"
"You pay a large amount of money to one of the guilds."
"Ah! Sorta like the merchant's guild! And what benefits do you get from this mages guild?"
"Access to their magical store, their research library and their magical component store. All of which are hard to obtain otherwise. Plus, they can train you for a reduced rate."
"Hmmm..." says Niko, while stroking his non-existant beard "Perhaps I will join before we leave."
Through it, you find yourselves in a small room, bisected by a high counter. In a high-backed cahir on the other side of the counter sits an old man, dead asleep, snoring loudly. Otherwise, the place is bare.
Niko clears his throat. "Ahem!"
The old man snaps awake.
"Who? Wha? Wazzat?"
"Good day to you, sir. We're interested in buying and selling magical items. What do you have for sale?"
"What do you want?" he says, somewhat grumpily.
"What do you have?" interjects Niko, "Your shelves seem to be quite empty!"
"What do you want?" the old man repeats.
Niko ponders a moment. "Let's see...Do ya have any of the following items? A ring of regeneration, a girdle of giant strength, or a scroll of protection from devils? If so, how much would ya charge me?"
"How about a wand of illumination, a portable hole, a crystal ball, magical arrows or anything useful against demons and the like?"
"We're also going to need holy water. Can you provide it, sir, or suggest a trustworthy temple that sells it?"
Darian looks at Ricbane and Varlen. "Well? Speak up now if there's something you want. Otherwise, you lose out."
"Oh, and you, too, John. What do you need?"
"A crossbow with enchanted or silvered bolts would help me greatly," John says.
Varlen, who has been watching with silent curiosity as the group has begun its shopping, blinks at Darian's question. After another moment he says, "Good Sir, I am at a loss for words. I know little of magic and even less of the Nine Hells. All I know is what ye have said so far. As for weapons, all I am skilled at, other than unarmed combat, is the use of this quarterstaff. I will have to rely upon thy knowledge in determining what I will need to survive within the Hells and to combat its inhabitants. Though I must also tell ye that I will not don armor or the like, for to do so would hamper what combative skills that I have."
Varlen then bows to Darian and the others. "So I will gladly take whatever you offer, and use it to the best of my ability."
Ric watches critically. "Your bow was 1 inch too high for the status of the persons you were bowing to. Except for me, as a religious figure, it should have been 2 inches lower. You should remember these things grasshopper," the man says.
Darian looks at Ricbane in confusion. "What status of person am I?"
"Your status is yet to be shown Darian. You bear the mark, of what, I am not sure," the man says, "As do several others in this group, bear the mark. The bow he gave was a bit to low for one with an unknown status. For except for Occa, the arch-mage, it is not clear what status you possess. Once he knows your status, he will be able to bow appropiately. As for my status as a religious man, that is afforded by the rules he has been taught, if memory serves correct."
Darian frowns and looks at Jesse. "I'm not sure whether or not I've been insulted." He shrugs. "Well, since I'm not sure, I won't be."
"If it helps, Ricbane, I was born a peasant on another world. I served in the army and was a citizen of the Kingdom of Celene before I started adventuring. I'm a warlock although Occa's training me to become a sorcerer and I'm also a champion. In addition, I have other talents by which my hair marks me. However, I don't talk about those in public."
Ric laughs and looks at Occa, "Again, I see that a simple trick of words gets one to reveal all. Fates be praised. It is as it has been written."
Niko shakes his head "Darian, do ya think Ric knows his own fate if we took him to Hell without givin' him any magic?"
"In fact, Niko, I do, and I am already prepared for that fate. Are you?" he replies. "Magic is powerful, but so is faith."
"How about if he keeps insulting party members?"
"Again, it sees Darian, that you are more thin skinned that would be expected from one of your skills and abilities. To fear the words that I might speak, be they true, false, or otherwise. Be they to seek information for my own reasons, to see your weaknesses and strengths." The man looks to the others and then points to Gilstrock. "There is a man who can see when tricks are being played and understands them for what they are. He has yet to rise to any bait, but you and Niko both took the bait very quickly," Ric says. "It is ashame that you take my words as hostile and insulting actions, when there is a play of words that mean nothing when ignored."
"Huh?" Gilstrock says, hearing his name mentioned by Ric. "Uh, actually, I wasn't really paying attention. When all of y'all get talking philosophy or something, my eyes kind of glaze over. Not really my ball of yarn. If you wanna make fun of me, though, better come up with something I haven't heard before, or I might get bored."
Darian shrugs. "You're reading more from my words than I meant with them. However, if you laugh every time you make an observation about someone, they're going to take it as an insult. Try not to laugh and perhaps your words won't be taken as such."
"Am I?" the man replies. "As for laughing, I will take your suggestion under advisement. Thank you," he adds.
"Walk da plank, maybe?" Niko suggests.
Darian shakes his head. "Was there something I was supposed to hide, Ricbane? You are a member of this group and I see no reason not to tell you about my abilities. It's no simple trick of words. I was simply trying to be helpful."
Ric looks at Darian. "Not that, you seem to misunderstand me. But that is normal," the man says. "How do you know I am not an agent of those you seek to destroy? Like that mage, Raz? You see, you took me in with little regard to your safety and have given me a great deal if information about your abilities. A trusting soul, you seem to be."
Darian shrugs. "We don't know that you won't destroy us. But, you were in that tavern when we arrived and no one, including us, knew that we were going to end up there. And I am a trusting soul. It took time, but when no one here knew what the streak of white hair in my head meant, it became easier."
"If you're going to go around and make fun of each of us, you're not going to be well liked within the group."
"I am not making fun of anyone, I speak with deadly seriousness and intent. I interpret the fates, and try to understand what they are about. I am learning more and more each day, and understand more about you now Darian, and thus will be able to see more of what the fates have in store for you."
"Well, you laughed at both Niko and myself. It certainly seems like you're making fun of us. As far as the rest of it goes, I'm afraid I don't understand."
Ric stares at Darian, "Do you know what it is like to hear voices in your head? To not remember events, and yet be pulled towards them? Do you have any idea what it is like to be a cleric who follows the God of Fate? My only defense is laughter or else I will go insane," he says in anger.
Darian shrugs. "Maybe you're telepathic? That'd explain the voices. As far as insanity goes, how do you know you're not already there? How does any of us know?"
"That is the real question, Darian, is it not? Are we all mad, insane. But with the fates, sometimes it is even more so, not knowing why you are called, but knowing you are called, to observe or to be part of the situation," Ric replies.
"But, isn't that life?"
"For those without a link, that is life. For those of us who understand, who have a link, who know, it is our fate to see fate and know what we can and cannot do," Ric replies
"Well, that's a shame. I'd rather not know what I can and can't do and discover that for myself. It sounds like you lead a very confined life."
"Sometime confining, sometimes rewarding, depending on the fates." Ric replies, "I am a man of action and to be hampered at time by fate can be a test of my faith, I am sure."
Niko gives an exasperated sigh. Lifting his eyes toward the heavens, he asks "You couldn't have taken Ric, too?"
Niko snorts at Ric. "Really? Then you should be bowing to me so low that ya kiss yer own arse! Har! Har! Har!"
Emm smiles broadly at Niko's joke. Then he turns to Darian "I need a ring of protection from fire and a ring of defense. Also I need a quiver of magic arrows, preferably arrows that do as much damage as possible to demons and the like."
"I'll ask." And Darian does so.
"Yeah, and my name's Santa Clause!" says the old man.
He takes out a list and starts checking it...twice.
Ric looks at Niko with a contemptable glare. "You should learn to watch your tongue when you speak else the Fates strike you dumb." the man says, "Your station is yet to be demonstrated, and I suspect, based on your actions thusfar, you would like to have someone kiss your arse, since you cannot seem to get it any other way."
Niko laughs "Firstly, this elf makes his own fate. Where chaos reins, nothing is certain."
"You may think that, Niko, you may try to delude yourself." Ric replies, his hands wide.
Niko shrugs. "One elf's delusion is another's reality."
"Secondly, it was yer own arse that ye were kissin', if ya had listened more carefully. I care not for such behavior, nor for what station I should demonstrate."
Ric laughs, "I know what you said, and I know what you meant. What else could be expected from such a poor excuse of a sailor as you, losing your crew to mutany and your first mate lover, who's name I forget to the seas. You should watch watch you say and to whom. It often comes back to bite you on your own arse."
Niko smiles and says simply, "Perhaps you are the one being delusional."
"I know only what I have heard on my time on the docks. If you are the Captain Niko talked down there, do not blame be for what others percieve of you. I suggest that you seek to understand why people say such things about you. Perhaps it is they fear you, or perhaps it is the fact that you are an elf and there are those elements in Casablanca who would seek to defame you for that reason," Ric says. "You have much to learn about the fikle winds of fate, and I fear they blow in a northerly direction for you." Ric says matter of factly.
Niko shrugs. "I care not fer ya gossip. However, if I were you, I'd care what these people around ya think, 'cause there the ones that are gonna be watchin' yer back."
Emm remarks to no one in particular "I think that the new members of the party will be quite an asset in hell. They can argue with the demons, while we rescue Salaam."
Darian looks back at the old man. "How about magical staves or something to help a monk in unarmed combat?"
Ric shakes his head and laughs. "I can provide the holy water, as I am sure John can as well," the man says, "As to magic, I am a poor one to know what to ask for. A nice mace would be a start, I think , or a flail. As I am proficient in the use of both of these items. And something other than the mail I carry to protect myself. However, I have no money and do not feel quite right asking for yours. But if the fates would have it, I am more than willing to accept your help."
"How much holy water can you and John provide a day? We'll be leaving tomorrow morning most likely and we're going to need a lot of it."
"I know. That's why we want as much holy water as we can carry."
"Magical maces or flails. What kind of armor? Chain or do you want plate?"
"I have no preference to armor. I have worn chain, as it was the best I could get, a used chain at that. Is you appear to be a warrior, I would appreciate any suggestions you could offer." the man says.
"Well, I wear chain because I always have. And we don't ever seem to come across magical platemail that fits elves. I think we should see what they have in your size and go from there."
He looks at the clerk. "So, we need magical maces or flails and whatever magical armor you have for humans."
"Is that all?" says the old man, somewhat sarcastically.
Darian grins at the man. "Probably not. You did ask what we wanted, my good man."
"Don't worry about the money quite yet. We don't what they have or how much everything is. We do know what our funds are, though and I'll make sure we have enough..."
"That is mighty kind of you. The fates seem to be smiling on me this day," he says. "And may they continue to smile on us all as the road ahead continues."
"Well, everything we can do to be prepared will make the journey seem shorter."
Gonzo waits his turn then asks the old man, "Iffin ya please, kin I have somethin dat would make me more dan invisible ta demon and the like... or if there's not an item like dat in yer inventories, I'll take something that will slice and dice-em as quick as youse pleases."
"We don't do weapons or armour, here," snaps the old man. "This is the MAGES guild."
"Hmmm..." ponders Gonzo. "Den whut woods you recommend fer a dwarf o' my persuasion given weez iz goin' ta tackle some demons and their likes?"
"Very well, sir. Can you suggest where we should go shopping for weapons and armor?"
"Try the fighter's guild."
Darian looks at Ricbane, John and Varlen. "Any of you know where that is?"
"Sorry, Darian, I have not been out of the temple in quite awhile, or at least no further than the market and few other places," John says with a shrug.
Ricblane wrinkles his brow and tries to remember if he remembers where the fighters guild is .. the big building with the crossed swords or something like that... and if so will direct the others that way.
Giltrock's head perks up at this. "The fighters have a GUILD?" He asks, sounding surprised. "FIGHTERS?"
Shaking his head, he mutters quietly to himself, "Now somebody's gonna make me join the union. Sheesh. I miss Vill."
"You mean you aren't a guild member?" asks Robert, overhearing him.
"Uh, no," Gilstrock says. "Where I come from, there were no such things. Oh, the thieves invariably had guilds, and in some cities and even some countries there was a sort of, er, wizards guild, but not for fighters. Why? Am I in trouble now?"
"I have to admit that I've never joined the fighter's guild, either, Robert. I only joined the Mage's guild because Occa bullied me into it."
Robert looks long and hard at them.
"This party is a closed shop. Only guild members can be in this party. I'm afraid you'll have to leave...scab."
Darian laughs. "Well, Gil, looks like you and I are to look for other work then."
Gilstrock looks long and hard at Robert, before he bursts out with loud guffaws. "Had me going there, you did!"
The he stops, and peers at Robert with an uncertain look on his face. "You are joking, aren't you?"
Robert laughs in reply.
Gilstrock laughs some more before getting serious again. "Robert, are you a member? If so, maybe we can use you as an in if we want to try to buy some more magic weapons. Me, I've got Thawbreaker and Hangnail. I like to keep Hangnail as a backup in case Thawbreaker ain't gonna work well somewhere, but I could loan it out."
"I used to be in the Sandas guild," the warrior admits, "Back when I was Garsh's follower, he'd pay for me. But I let it lapse after he retired. We aren't in Sandas much, anymore."
Occa says, "What about any bracers of defense? Rings of protection? Aslo, a rod of absorption, staff of power or magi would be wonderful. Of course, this is all wish list stuff, but can't hurt to ask."
"Oh, and we need some offensive wands...magic missle or lightning bolt,s, but whatever you have might do..."
"Occa, I've got a rod of cancellation. Do ya think we'll need it or maybe we should trade it for something else?"
"Those are actually very useful at times. Let's see if we can get by with money first."
Ric looks at Occa and laughs. "It seems your comrades do not know the Wizard's first rule very well. To be goaded and tricked by simple words. It is a wonder you have made it this far."
The old man, who long ago gave up on his list, is finally able to get a word in edgewise.
"I have for sale the following:
He pauses.
"We can make the other items, but the cost is great and the labour is time consuming. For example, a set of the weakest bracers of defense would cost around 30,000gp and would take around two weeks to make and enchant. The cost of an item is payable in advance and is nonrefundable. There is the chance that the magical incantations might fail and the item be rendered useless, and you would still be out the money."
He looks at you expectantly.
Op Code breaks out of his silence, "If that's what you have to sell to guild members, I'd hate to think what you have to sell to non-members. Let's go find this fighter's guild that was mentioned."
Niko shakes his head sadly. "I doubt we'll find anything cheaper there?"
"Occa, do we at least want the scrolls protecting versus devils and magic?"
Gonzo listens intently and mumbles.... "Sheeez an' me ta dink da thieven's guild was harsh... looks like da only one ta look afteren me arsh is meselfs."
He then stands aside and waits for the rest of the party to finish their negotiations.
Emm nods his agreement and moves over by Gonzo.
Niko whistles loudly "By Poseidon's beard, ya think that these be the last magic items left in da realm!"
He nods.
Niko asks the old man, "Do these be the only items ye have to sell?"
He nods again.
"Magic is in great demand, because of the war."
"How much and how long fer a girdle of giant strength?"
"Provided the components and the mages are available, several weeks. The cost depends on the type of girdle you want."
"Could ya check on the time and cost fer me on the various girdles. I won't be able to decide until I have the information."
The old man grumps.
"A girdle of hill giant strength runs about 25,000gp. A girdle of storm giant strength will set you back about 250,000gp. I don't know how long it would take to make such a girdle, exactly."
Darian nearly chokes at the prices and the lack of selection. "Did you have a run on magical items my good man? You're prices are extremely high and there's not much of a selection."
The old man grows impatient.
"I don't know what things are like in elf-land, but here and in these times, magic is rare and highly valued. You want a better deal? Find a dungeon and bring the stuff out yourself!"
"Well, I guess having a war would cause a run on magical items. Does that mean you're buying things at inflated prices as well? If so, we'll come back this way after finding a dungeon or two."
Occa heads to one of the other shops that Lord Billian told him about to see if they have any of the aforementioned items for sale.
Darian looks at the old man. "Thank you for your time, sir. I hope we haven't been too much of a nuisance."
Darian motions everyone to follow Occa and then takes his own advice.
Niko, seeing everyone leaving, sighs and tells the old man "Ah...ya better just forget about the girdle..."
When the party enters the lobby, they see an old man leading a younger, darkly clad man by the ear across the hall to the exit.
"I've had it with you!" the old man exclaims. "You don't care about learning the Art! You don't care about anything but yourself! I've wasted enough time on you! Begone! Fend for yourself for once!"
The old man reaches the door, and with a well placed foot upon the young man's rear, sends him flying out through it. He then turns and strides back across the lobby and exits down a side passage.
When you reach the door you see the young man sitting on the first step, rubbing his ear.
The human warrior, as if suddenly possessed by a message from the beyond, rubs his chin and says, "I need a shave."
The elf with the funny streak in his hair ignores the young man. "Occa, where are we going now? The fighter's guild or do you have another place in mind? Although, if the prices in there are any indication, it's going to be hard to find anything useful except may be the holy water from a temple."
Occa says, "Billian told me of 2 other places we can try. We will try and if it doesn't work out, then it doesn't." He shrugs. "We have done other things with less."
The young man looks up for his seat on the step. His face almost as red as his sore ear. He stands up and straightens his shirt. He has a clean face with green eyes. His eyes are set back and he has thick black eye brows. He wears a long sword off his left side and carries a dagger in his gold laced belt on the right. His belt also holds several small pouches.
He looks at the group in the lobby. Watching them closely, he tries not to let them know of his examinations as they go about their business. As their eyes meet his, he looks away as if he never was looking in that direction to begin with.
The blond warrior, having seen the young man kicked out by the older wizard with such fanfare, can't help but notice the young man. When he tries to meet the man's eyes, and the man looks away, the warrior says, "Hey, don't take it to heart. Powerful magic users can get really crabby. Believe me, I know all about that. But they don't usually really hate you. Anyway, the world can always use another good warrior. Let me teach you the spell I taught my friend Darian here: Bash Heads!"
The blond warrior gives the young man a lopsided smile.'
"Well met, I am John,." Garbed in a thin white sleeveless shirt, black pants, and black leather boots, John is a decent looking and normal sized man. He has a lean body, a shaved head, bright blue eyes, and sports a well kept black goatee.He is tanned, but considered to be of the accepted color in Casablanca, his home. A quiver lies on his back next to a worn leather backpack. A small crossbow hangs from his belt. "Seems you have had a disagreement with your former teacher!" he states as he helps the man up.
Occa goes over to the young man and says, "I am Occa the Arch-mage. I need an apprentice. Additiionally, we are a band of adventurers, as you can see, we are all outcasts. If you wish to join us on a romp in hell, then feel free to do so." He sighs and says, "I remember the first couple times I was kicked out of guilds." He smiles and looks nostalgic, "Good times."'
The young man says, "I would very much enjoy being your apprentice, Master Occa. I am Fores, your humble servent." He nods his heads to the blond warrior.
He then heads out to the other shops Billian mentioned.
The elf with the streak in his hair holds out an arm in greeting. "Darian Trist. Pleased to meet you."
Fores shakes Darian's hand, "Nice to meet you Sir."
Niko seems to be lost in thought as he mumbles, "25000 to be as strong as a hill giant...250000 to be as strong as a storm giant..."
"Excuse me Occa," interrupts the man, "but perhaps this coincidental ejection in front of us is a ploy by Billian or Raz to put a spy in our midst." Then he turns to the young man, "My name is Emm. And I apologize to you for possibly besmirching your character; however ...." Emm leaves the statement unfinished.
Occa says, "Didn't we find you in Sin City under almost exactly the same circumcstances?"
"I do not know what interactions you had with others the day before you rescued me," he replies. "I simply offer a thought, that can be accepted or dismissed as you and the rest of the party decide."
After Emm states that Fores may be a spy, Fores's hand moves toward the hilt of his sword. A neverous look on his face as he slowly makes his back obscure to any attack. Quickly, and wisely, he removes his hand from the sword. "I am no spy. And I know nothing of these men you speak of. Surely there is someone in this group you can tell if I lie."
"We can take care of it later, Emm. But, it's good to remind us of the dangers."
Occa says, "Don't worry. Someone will detect if you are evil later. If you are, we may kill you. However, I don't think there will be a problem."
One of the young men steps forward and bows, "I am Varlen, a seeker of enlightenment and justice."
Gonzo looks at the new fellow as he is introduced to others in the party. He is a dwarf wearing a golden colored suit of leather armor, a floppy hat, a girdle circles his waist and a large satchel is slung over his shoulder. He is an ugly dwarf.
"Iffin youse eva had a hankerin ta die in hell, tag along... I'm sure we'll be able ta ablige youse," he says to the fellow.
With Fores in tow, you set off after Occa. Following the directions that Razamataz gave him, you soon find yourself standing before a small, musty-looking shop in a back alley. A sign over the door reads -
Deorg - Dealer Of the Arcane.
You enter.
Inside, you find yourselves in a small room, jammed high with an incredible array of paraphanalia. You see books, scrolls, what appear to be various and sundry mundane items, and lots of junk.
Behind a counter sits a balding, middle-aged man.
He eyes you from behind his thick spectacles.
"Well?" he asks.
"Good morning sir. We are interested in purchasing magical weapons, magical armor and other miscellaneous items. Do you have a list of what you carry or should we start naming the items we're interested in obtaining?"
"What do you want?" he asks. "I have one weapon, but it is beautiful. No armour. Lots of miscellaneous goodies."
"Okay... We'd like to see the weapon. And we're interested in a wand of illumination, girdles of giant strength, magical arrows, a portable hole and bag of holding."
Occa says, "Items for defense, id est bracers, rings or what not. Any wands or staves as well."
"And one o' them barrel things, with lobster legs, if ya got it," Gilstrock adds gratuitously.
The man shakes his head.
"I could sell you a singing teacup, though."
"Hmm, tempting, but first let me ask, do you have pouches of accessability? Or Girdle of many pouches?"
"I have none of them. I could sell you a talking storybook, though."
From under his counter he pulls out a sheathed longsword. The sheath is plain and battered, but when he pulls out the sword you are impressed with the craftsmanship. The blade is inlaid with gold and adorned with scrollwork. The pommel is carved, and set with ruddy gems. The blade sparkles only slightly.
"Is it not beautiful?" he asks. "It is not of this plane, though, having been forged in the Hells. Its magic is much more powerful there. 300,000 gold and it is yours."
Darian gazes at the blade. "It is indeed beautiful. Do you know what it can do in the Hells and here?"
"On this plane its powers are limited. In the Hells, though, its touch spells immediate death to demons."
"Sounds like this would be incredibly useful."
Occa says, "I have a magic book that shows a view of an outer plane. Would you like to take a look at it? Maybe we could trade."
His eyes light up.
"Indeed I would. I am always interested in a barter."
He hands the book to the dealer for his perusal.
The man inspects the covers of the book for a long time.
Finally, he opens the cover.
Occa discretely steps back.
Suddenly, a hairy, clawed arm reaches out of the book, grabs Deorg, and pulls him into it.
The cover slams shut again.
You are alone in the shop.
Varlen stands there stunned looking from the book to the spot where the man stood only moments ago.
Niko looks wide eyed and stunned for a moment. "Well...that was interesting. I guess ya can't judge a book by it's cover!"
Emm breaks out laughing. "Looks like one of you gets the sword at a discount."
"Surely ye can't be serious," Varlen says in an appalled tone as he looks at Emm. "Ye can't just take the sword. Shouldn't we try and rescue that poor man?
"Ye are just going to leave without making any attempt to help him?"
"Caveat Emptor, my friend, buyer beware. Shame I never learned to use a blade," John says with a shrug.
"Ummm...Occa, just out of curiosity, what's exactly inside that book?"
Occa sighs.
"I can't believe he did that! Of all the hair-brained, idiotic things to do. Don't open a book to another plane! It is an oddity, not something to be trifled with. Great!"
He shakes his head.
He turns to Niko and says, "It is a portal into the Abyss. There is something big and nasty on the other side. Haven't had a chance to look into it yet. I thought I might trade it, but obviously we can't do that now."
"What about the man and his sword? Can we rescue him? The sword sounds incredibly useful considering where we're going. It would serve Gilstrock well."
Occa says, "The sword is there on the counter."
He pauses and says, "However, it is fake. Why would he tell us of this sword? Because he could read our minds. He knew where we were going and made up this tale. Maybe Raz warned him. Who knows? Anyway, I expect he was a lowly mage with magic mouth. He peddled his wares and paid the price for his ignorance."
Darian stands agape at Occa. "He read our minds? I never felt a thing... Do you want to take the sword anyway?"
"Well, I am assuming. How else would he know to have such a sword suited to our purposes?"
"You have a point. I just assumed it was good fortune. Kind of like that protection from demons scroll back in the Mage's Guild."
"And maybe we should look to see what else this man has. We can leave the money behind should he ever return."
"I doubt he will be back. However, it is up to you. I doubt there is much of value here."
Varlen stares at Occa, a look of confusion and incomprehension on his face.
"How do ye know this, and how can ye be so certain? Please forgive my questions, Occa, but I am very confused by thy actions and the uncaring manner ye seem to hold towards the poor man that fell victim to the book which ye carry."
Occa says, "You are a funny one Varlen. I do care, but he chose to open a book that leads to the Abyss. Stupid. A dealer in magic must know that such things are very, very dangerous. I could probably get him back with a wish, but should I? Hmm, I wonder if I could get Salaam back with a wish? What is interesting to me, Varlen is that you didn't want to help our friend Salaam, but you want to help this man. Why is that?"
He doesn't wait for an answer and moves on.
Darian shakes his head in amazement. "Occa, you are truly beyond me."
"Thank you!"
Darian bows his head. "I hope one day I can be as insightful as you."
"Insight, skepticism...same thing." He chuckles.
"So, Gil do you want it? We can leave some money behind."
Gilstrock says skeptically, "Well, it's a good looking sword, but a lot of gems and things are not what makes a fine sword."
Gilstrock picks up the weapon and hefts it. It feels perfectly balanced. He tries a few experimental swings and thrusths. "Yo, Darian, wanna try some non-lethal sparring, to see if this sword is anything special?"
"If you wish." Darian draws his frostbrand.
He looks at Occa. "Is it even magic?"
"I don't know. I don't carry that spell."
Gilstrock looks around the group. "Darian? Anybody? Is this sword even magic?"
"I'm afraid I don't have the spell memorized right now, Gil."
"Seems magical ta me, Gil. Ya might as well take it. We can Identify it later. Just leave some gold, not that I think he'll be back any time soon."
"Actually the sword is pretty useless," points out Robert. "There aren't too many demons in the Hells. Demons inhabit the Abyss. Devils inhabit the Hells."
"Oh. I didn't know that. Thanks, Robert. I've never been to the Hells before, so I don't really know what to expect."
"Well, expect your magic to be less effective in Hell, anyway," says Robert. "Hopefully, we'll pick up some good stuff there."
"When ya say magic, do ya mean only our spells or also our weapons and such?"
"Weapons and armour," the warrior replies. "I don't know about the spells."
"What about my other abilities, Robert? Are a lot of the devils capable as well?"
"I don't know."
"Yeah, but think how much a devil would pay to have one just in case demons come to pay him a visit!"
"Sorry," says Robert. "I wasn't thinking of the business angle. I wouldn't want to try to negotiate a sale to a devil, anyway."
Occa says, "Okay, let's go see Magda."
Still somewhat stunned, Varlen follows Occa.
"Arch-mage Occa," Varlen says in a humbled tone, "I apologize if my naivete and lack of worldly and otherworldly experience make me appear strange to ye, but there seems to be some discrepencies in your logic the I would like clarification on if ye would not terribly mind."
Occa chuckles.
Without waiting Varlen continues, "First, how was that man to know that the book allowed creatures from the Abyss to reach into this world and pull beings from it into their own plane? Did ye know that this would happen? All ye told the man was that the 'magic book that shows a view of an outer plane.' Now, to me, that does not suggest that it opens a gate to the Abyss that demons may reach through and haul thy physical form to their domain kicking and screaming. If such as statement suggests that to ye, then I must acknowledge that ye are by far the most intelligent and insightful individual that I have ever met."
"I have been on this world long enough to know that there is danger everywhere. ANY dealer of magic should know that. Let that be a lesson to you as well. We have had the same kinds of things happen to our group. It is a dangerous world, best to treat it as such."
He says, "True, I could have said more, but I expected he would ask and not open it straight away."
"Now, as to not wanting to help rescue Salaam, I will admit that I was hesitant in the beginning. Any hesitation was due to the fact that I felt that I lacked the skills and abilities to properly assist ye and thy companions for such a task. As I expressed earlier, I have no knowledge of much beyond Casablanca and Mestom. I only know about such places as the Nine Hells and the Abyss from tales and stories, and such things always contain much more powerful individuals than myself, people such as ye and thy associates. At the time, I felt that retrieving the sword would be more within my capabilities, not to mention accomplish two goals. One, assisting in freeing Casablanca from Mestom's rule, and two, gaining ye the assistance of Lord Billian and the wizard in thy search for thy lost companion. However, since ye have chosen not to follow that course, I have promised to help ye rescue Salaam, though I am certain that I will perish in the attempt."
"Fair enough."
He moves out to see the Arch-Mage.
Emm holds the door open for Occa and the rest of the party as they exit the shop.
You time your arrival back at her home perfectly, and are admitted into a small den. The place is crowded with all of you in there.
After a few moments the arch-mage Magda enters. She is a middled-aged woman of average build and appearance. Her hair is cropped short, and streaked with gray.
"Good afternoon," she says. "Please introduce yourselves."
Niko, who had been on the lookout for the young woman mentioned by Magda's former apprentice, bows to the arch-mage "Nikodemus Ebrenheart, at your service."
She nods her head.
Occa bows and says, "I am Occa of Sandas and Arch-mage. At your service."
He then adds, "Please excuse my face. I have been cursed with this horrid appearance. I used to be a bit more distinguished." He sighs and then lets the others introduce themselves.
"I think your face is rather handsome," Magda replies. "You could stand to tone up the rest of your body, however."
"Really? How interesting. Perhaps I will have to work in an excercise regime. Or maybe just use a wish to take care of it for me." He chuckles.
With a dazed look still lingering on his face, Varlen bows, though it seems almost half-hearted. In a dull, emotionless voice he says, "I am Varlen, a servant of Forseti."
"Emm Silverband, ma'am," Emm replies with a bow, such as a commoner might give to a person of high station.
Darian bows deeply. "Darian Trist, ma'am."
"Well met, Mistress, I am John," he says with a slight bow to the magess.
The young man in red robes nods his head slightly and replies, "I am known as Ricblane, interpreter of the fates, and servant to such."
"Ah."
"To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"
Occa says, "We have been fighting a battle to save this world. This battle has lead to Mestom. I believe it will end here as well. Anyway, we are preparing to go to the Nine hells and thought we should stop by to see if we could possibly share information about the current state of this world, Mestom and the oddities of divination and teleportation here."
"Who are you aligned with?" she asks.
"Do you mean this group? We started out helping Lord Valdar of the North against pirates and dragons. We have fought dozens of the dragons. Then we have come to the south to finish the evil pirates. That lead to a temple and then to here. We have since talked to Lord Billian who wants our help. Can you tell us about him?"
"He is probably the most powerful person in the city, outside of the government. He is popular with the people and respected by the syndicates. What aid from you does he seek?"
Niko grumbles something unintelligent, but by the tone, definitely not something friendly.
She pauses.
"How did you get into Casablanca?"
Niko smiles. "We teleported."
She regards Niko.
"Tell me more."
"We got in via a teleporter. One way it appears."
"Where is this teleporter? Where did it send you?"
"It sent us here, although based on what Lord Billian said, I would bet there's one to teleport us out of here, too."
"Where here? And where did you teleport from?"
Occa steps in and says, "Niko, you have said enough." He stays to Magda, "I am sorry, but we don't know who to trust."
Niko shrugs. "Sometimes, in order to gain trust, one must show it first."
"Anyway, before we go too far, who are you aligned with?"
"I am aligned with myself," she replies. "But I know of Valdar."
Niko crosses his arms. "Harumph! Seems a lot of people these days are aligned with themselves."
"These are dangerous times," the arch-mage replies. "It is difficult to trust."
Niko sighs. "I guess we'll find no alliance here."
"Now that we've answer some of yer questions, might ye have any knowledge of the Nine Hells that might aid us while we are down there? From what we gather, our magical weapons and armor might not function as well. Anything else you might be able to add?"
"Certain spells do not work at all. Others have their effectiveness reduced."
"I see. Thank you for the information."
"We are happy to share more with you, but this is a dog eat dog world. Is there any useful informaiton you can provide us about Billian or the government?"
"I am afraid not."
He then adds, "We would also be interested in possibly purchasing some magic if you have any to spare. Our luck has been poor at the guild."
"That is because all of the good magic has been taken by the government, for the war effort. I, personally, have none that I will part with."
He nods. "I thought as much. That is okay, we will find plenty before it is over."
"Excuse me, ma'am, but would ya be willin' ta trade?"
"No. I am quite content with what I have, thanks."
Occa says, "In that case, it was a great pleasure to meet you. I hope that we can meet again one day." He bows and says to the rest of the group, "Let's go get some holy water and any other mundane supplies."
Fores, shocked at what has happen to him in the last few hours, follows Occa around like a little child clinging onto his mothers skirt. He almost had a heart attack when the store keeper disappeared into the abyss. Still in shock, he was speachless at Magda's. Now that things have died down a bit, he asks, "Occa, why did Magda want to know how you got into the city?"
"Because that represents power. If you can get free access to the city the city is weak or someone is strong. She was awfully interested in knowing. Of course, she could be interested for herself, for the people or for the government. That is the problem. We don't know. She was just too eager to be trustworthy."
You spend the rest of the afternoon purchasing supplies. 500gp buys you a24 of holy water.
Niko gives an evil grin. "How much holy water can we afford? I've got a neat trick we could use on those devils..."
"As much as we can carry. I'd say at least 240 vials."
"Each?"
"Some marbles with Continual Light wouldn't hurt either. Anything else?"
Niko gets the sudden urge to train to become a Warlock and to use a dagger.
"I'd like to finish my training as well, Occa. It'd give me access to fifth order spells. But, time might be of the essence in rescuing Salaam. It's really your call."
Occa will spend whateer time is needed training any of the magelings in the gorup.
Niko says to Gil with exasperation and a wink, "I can't believe you left that sword in the store!"
Gilstrock shrugs. "I've got two. It had a lot of fancy gems, but Robert seemed to think it wasn't that great anyway. And that guy did seem to be a bit shifty."
"Before we head off to train, let's go back to the store and get that sword. Ya never know, it might come in handy!"
"Sure," Gilstrock says. "Why don't you keep track of it."
"Occa, where are we plannin' to train? Here or in paradise?"
"Paradise."
"Why go to Paradise to train? It seems an exorbitant waste of a spell that we may need when we are in real trouble," Emm states.
Fores says, "You should be careful going back to the store. By now some else may have stopped in and notice the keeper missing. There may be guards or the sword may not even be there anymore. In any case, I suggest caution."
"Good point. We will approach and see if the town guards are out in mass."
You head back over to the store. It appears to be in the same state from the outside as when you were last here early in the afternoon. There are no signs of curious onlookers, and no sign of the city watch.
You enter the place.
It is still deserted. Everything is exactly where you left it...except for the sword, which is gone.
Suddenly Emm lets out a yelp, as something unseen tries to bite him! Luckily for him, his studded leathers protect him.
You hear a growling beast, circling him...yet you see nothing.
Occa says, "Don't hurt it. It may just be a dog!"
He casts alter self and changes his form to look like the former owner of the shop.
He then says, "Here boy!"
He is ignored.
"Ummm, Gilstrock. Do you still want to try out the sword? Here," Emm says removing the sword from a blanket he had concealed and giving it to him.
He smiles a little sheepishly.
Gilstrock takes the sword and says, "Allright, let's see what it can do."
As soon as Gilstrock takes the sword, the invisible beast turns on him.
He tries to locate the growling creature by its sound, and makes a few stabs in its direction, trying to avoid hitting any of his own companions. "Show yourself, you cowardly beast!"
He swings the sword but misses, as he feels something buffet him harmlessly. His second swing is more effective, and he feels the creature weaken somewhat.
Darian casts detect invisibility before drawing his frostbrand.
Niko does the same, but draws and ignites his flame tongue instead.
Occa says, "What are they, Darian?"
Darian attacks with his frostbrand. "It's an invisible stalker. Probably to protect the sword or the shop."
Focusing on the growl, John thrusts out his right foot in a side kick to hurt the beast.
He misses badly.
Ric laughs at the irony of the situation and does his best to stay out of the way of flying swords, fists and the like, rather looking around the shop.
Suddenly you hear three more invisible beasts coming from the back room of the shop...targetting John, Niko and Darian.
"We got four invisible stalkers. Anyone got an idea of how to take them down?"
Niko casts Protection From Evil 10' Radius centered on himself. As he is doing so, something slams him hard for 9 hit points, and his spell is ruined.
Upon hearing the extra beasts, Op Code jumps in and tries to attack the stalker on John, sword in hand. The ranger lands a glancing blow.
Darian lands a solid blow on one of the stalkers as he somehow dodges a strike. Niko scrambles for his sword, swinging wildly, but misses. Darian lashes out again, and lands a second hit.
Occa starts magic missiling them until they are dust or he is out of magic missiles. His first spell kills the stalker on Gilstrock. His second spell does in the stalker on John and Op Code.
Unsure of what to do, Varlen holds his staff ready to attack. He listens closely to the sounds of the growling, trying to get a sense of the location and size of these creatures. Then, once he thinks he has zeroed in on one, he swings his staff, praying to Forseti that he was right.
Unfortunately, his swing is wide.
It takes nearly two full spells for Occa to knock off the third stalker.
Fores too is unsure of what is going on. So he stays close to the store entrance and keeps an eye on the street more that the store, sure that the others will finish off the foe quickly.
Finally, Occa kills the last invisible stalker, and the shop becomes quiet again.
Outside, a small crowd gathers, peering through the doorway and the grimy windows, evidently drawn by the sounds of the fight.
It is late afternoon.
"Hey guys, we got company!" Fores goes to close the door to the store and turns the sign to read 'Closed'. "Is there a back door to this place? We better get out of here fast!"
Emm attempts to prevent Fores from his action. "Look," he says. "We just tell the truth. We came into the store; the shopkeeper was not here; and we were attacked by invisible creatures."
At the frist sign that Emm attempts to stop Fores, he stops. "I still want to check if there is a back door just in case." Fores moves to the back of the store and looks for another way out. "And if things start to get out of hand, don't kill anyone!"
Looking through the doorway into the back room, he sees a door in the far wall. It is closed.
Darian moves over to Niko, sheathing his sword as he walks. He casually lays a hand on Niko's shoulder, gently squeezing. As he does, he quickly heals Niko. "Good fight, Niko." He removes his hand.
Occa is still in the form of the shop keeper. He says, "I can take care of this. Why don't you guys go into the back room? I will clean this mess up and we can see if the guard is going to come or not."
Niko heads into the back room, sweeping the area with his Detect Invisibility for Invisible Stalkers that might be hiding about.
He sees none at first glance. The place seems to be piled high with odds and ends, boxes and crates, and junk.
Occa smiles and waves at the people outside and then shoos them away. He pulls the blinds and begins to straighten the place up...until you are sure the guard isn't going to come.
When nothing else in the way of violence takes place, the people in the crowd begin to disperse. After five minutes they are all gone, and the ally outside is back to normal.
Occa says, "Maybe we should make this our base of operations. In fact, we could probably make some money here....not that we really need any, but people may bring items in to sell to us. Heck, if he is selling a sword for so much, he must have a ton of cash around here somewhere."
Darian looks a little uncomfortable. "Are you sure that's fair to the shop owner?"
Occa says, "That shop owner is dead by now. There is no fair when you are dead. I will tell you what...we can send some money to his family. I suppose I could wish him back as well." Occa frowns, "A risk to do it. It also depends on if I can."
"Could you not wish your friend Salaam back? Maybe wishing that he never fought with whatever took him or just wish him here back in good health?" John inquires.
"I could probably wish him back. However, his items would likely remain in hell. That is an option I may soon explore. As for wishing he hadn't fought...that would be unwise. You can't change the past."
"Perhaps we could buy it from the family and maybe set Jesse up here?"
"Would that be okay with you, Jesse? Maybe hire a bodyguard or two?"
Niko gives the place a look with his merchant's eye. "It's perhaps a tad small, but it has a decent location. Assuming you stick with small, but high end quality material, Jesse should do pretty well. What with her charming smile and personality, she's sure to attract customers to visit. Plus, I think I know a few trustworthy guys on the wharf who ya could hire for muscle."
"Plus with her story telling ability..."
Jesse looks to Occa, "I thought that you had a plan to get me to your home in Sandas," the bard says, "I'd rather stay there, but if not this would be ok."
"Well, you would have to go to hell first. From hell we can teleport back to Sandas. Your call. You can go to hell with us or hang out here. I can make a Cannon Fodder and polymporhp him to look like the old guy. Then give you control of him. If you want to stay that is. Of course, we would come back."
"Ummm...just out of curiosity, we don't really need to go to Hell first. Couldn't we go to one of the other planes and then to Sandas...and then go to Hell?"
"Yes, actually. In fact, I could take you tonight Jesse, but I couldn't come back here till tomorrow."
He pauses, "Actually, I used up one of my spells already, so I would have to wait till tomorrow." he shrugs. "Little difference if I am going to be training people."
"That is a great idea. Maybe we could use a speak with dead to see what the owner would like in exchange."
"I ain't no expert on clerical magic, but don't we needs his body fer dat?"
"Good point."
"The Store owner would probablly want more than he wanted for that sword. And that was over priced." Fores saids as he opens the back door to take a look at whats behind it.
Through the back door is a narrow alley...dirty and litter-strewn.
Then Occa says, "Of course, we could just go to Sandas and then come back here after training to let Raz send us to this area of hell. Wanna do that?"
"I would prefer that, Occa. I don't like this city and there are things that Ray Jay should know. Plus, I'd feel better if Jesse were somewhere safe."
"Fine. I will send a message to Billian and Raz to let them know we are going to train and then go on to hell. We will return in a couple of weeks. We can then pop out to the astral plane and then to Sandas. I have been to a couple of other planes, but they aren't very safe...hell, the abyss, limbo, and hades. I haven't been to the nicer planes. I expect the ethereal won't work since it touches here. We will be teleporting to a cave in a large rock on teh astral that I have been too...a group of mindflayers called it home, but they died abruptly. Still, we should be prepared in case anything has moved in. We can stay the night here."
Occa sets up behind the counter and scribes out a note.
Then he grabs Gilstrock and they depart.
An hour later they return. All remains quiet.
You spend the night in the shop. It is not a very comfortable place, and you all sleep poorly.