Adventures in Fallcrest - IC - Part III [4E]

[Nai_Calus]

Eltain fixes Zyrr with a Look. It's a hard, penetrating look that bores deep into the drow's black, cold, irredeemable soul, judges it, and finds it utterly, totally wanting. It is a look that brings shame to innocent, loving grandmothers and leaves them feeling utterly unworthy and as if their souls were stained with sin. The kind of harsh, unrelenting Look that only a Paladin, that holiest of warriors, could produce.

Intimidate: (1d20)[5] + 14.

[DSCrankshaw]

Lucan - Half-elf bard

Lucan collects the coins and begins to hand them over to Zyrr, when he realizes that the others seem more skeptical of Zyrr's claims than he is. Lucan frowns, thinking, "Wait a moment. How could your coins have ended up in my boot? Are you sure these are yours? Can you tell me what stamp they have?"

Lucan peers at the coins, trying ot identify whatever face may be on them.

[Hzurr]

DM Post

As Lucan examines the coins, one side appears to be stamped with a doorway, while the other has a vaguely humanoid face that appears female. Without too much difficulty, Lucan can surmise that these coins were minted in Sigil.

[Hzurr]

DM Post

Limara reaches over, and puts a hand on Aramil's shoulder. "I want father well just as much as you do, but an extinct Formorian mushroom? Don't you think it's a bit unreasonable?" She pauses, thinks for a second, and speaks again. "However... I need you out of the way for a bit until this business with the Winter Court is completed, but it would look suspicious for you to suddenly leave now, unless it were for a very important reason...like finding a cure for father."

She gives a smile. "Yes, that will work fine. We'll tell everyone that you're off to find this mushroom that doesn't exist, and you can go wherever you please. Once things cool down here, I'll send for you."

[Mando Knight]

"And that, dear sister, is exactly what I was thinking. Something's up in the Feydark, and my group is going to figure out what. If finding a possible cure for Father can be tied into it, so much the better."

[Hzurr]

DM Post

Limara's smile faulters after a moment. "You're serious, aren't you?" She gives a sigh. "Fine, we'll get you to the feydark. Any particular place you'd like to start? It's fairly large, from what I here. She adds that last bit rather dryly.

[Mando Knight]

Aramil nods grimly. "I am serious. And don't call me Shirley The Winter Court recently locked down the Feydark without giving adequate reason. During their last war, they did the same on adamantine mines, so as to gain exclusive access to the ore. In addition, when I was in Mythrassar, Certhiel approached me with an offer to have me ascend to the head of our family in return for turning over an artifact to her. She said that the Prince of Frost was preparing to make a major move. This entire ordeal points straight towards the Winter Court, and Certhiel in particular. If she's at the bottom of this, then everything that's going on right now is a trap, and I won't let you get caught in it. As to where we start searching? We have some leads, but I shouldn't share them with you now, for both your safety and the lead's."

[Hzurr]

DM Post

Limara's gaze hardens, and she stands stiffly. "So that's how it's going to be. Very well." She walks towards the door, and turns. "You can have two more days here. After that, I want you gone."

With that, she storms out the door back towards the rest of the compound.

[Haberdashery]

The Shepherd smiles blithely, and weaves his fingers together before him. Family quarrels, suicide missions, evil fairies that want to make everything winter, political betrayals and traps, deadly poisons with ancient shroom cures. All in a day's work...right? He nodded his head slowly...


Good gracious does it all just go right over his head. The Shepherd truly wondered if he was to understand anything ever again.

[Nai_Calus]

"What in Corellon's name was that about?" Eltain asks in response to Limara's sudden anger and leaving. "She must really love him..."

[Mando Knight]

"She is a bit stubborn, and I don't think that she particularly cares for the idea that her long-lost brother suddenly appears and homes in on a solution to one of her problems but potentially creates a problem with the solution she had chosen." Aramil sighs. "At any rate, I was actually planning on leaving either tomorrow morning or the morning after. Pavick, you should probably contact your gnome friends soon to arrange a rendezvous. I'll be in the library to read up more on our destination."

He turns to leave, but then stops and spins around again. "Oh, and don't leave the grounds until the whole group is ready. We should be safe here, but since Certhiel wants at least my head and possibly Eltain's, we shouldn't give her an opportunity to stage an 'accident.'"

[Toric]

"Of course they're my coins. That's because those are my boots with the special hiding compartment. We must have worn each other's accidentally." Zyrr says before actually looking at their boots and seeing two different color sets. "And the coins are Feydark-minted, obviously. All the better for spending them there." He would continue with the attempt, but the daggers from Eltain's eyes tell him the game is over. "...Okay I've never seen those coins before. But it was worth a try, eh?"

"And I suppose getting on the road will be best. It gives me something to do while I try to think of sane explanations for your sire's state."

[dariathalon]

Pavick - Gnome Wizard

Pavick barely suppresses a giggle as Zyrr is caught in his lie. "But any lie worth telling is worth telling well. That you were caught, my friend, is simply evidence that it was not a lie you truly wanted to tell. I think Lucan might be growing on you."

He turns to Aramil. "I'm sorry we seem to have annoyed your sister so much. It would certainly be worth trying to keep her on our side. Maybe one or two of us should go to her tomorrow and try to smooth things over. I mean Certhiel is pretty high on our problem people list, but her fiance seems okay, from what people have said. She really is trying to do what she thinks is best..."

He lets that thought hang in the air for a moment before continuing. "I will try to contact Yojend tonight to get a location we should try to meet them. We really don't have a whole lot of information to go on so far, and each spell only allows for limited interaction. Can anybody else think of anything else we desperately need to know from him before we depart?"

[Mando Knight]

"If there was one, the Green Court would have found it already for their lords, and yet the Bramble Queen now rules it alone. Likewise, my father's servants, friends, and courtiers would have already found the solution were it a sane one. Instead, my sister is now betrothed to the son of that icy witch who seems to be at the center of it all, and my father forgets which century it is, let alone what hour of the day."

[DSCrankshaw]

Lucan - Half-elf bard

Lucan pulls back his hand with the coin, and shrugs at the others' suggestions. "I guess all we really need to know is where to go next and what to do once we get there," Lucan says. He then starts handing out his platinum coins, giving two to each of his companions--except Zyrr. He pointedly skips over him.

[Haberdashery]

The Shepherd stared at the coins Lucan had placed in his over-sized hand. They were such funny little things--so much bickering over little pieces of metal. His eyes trailed over to his darker companion. If he was ready to lie through his teeth to acquire them, then he certainly must need them more than the Shepherd did. He nodded in appreciation to Lucan, a slight gracious bow of his head, before placing the coins in Zyrr's empty hand. Even the dishonest goat deserves his fair share of the cloves. And besides, money couldn't buy him goats.

...okay, so maybe it could.

[DSCrankshaw]

Lucan - Half-elf bard

Lucan raises an eyebrow as Shep gives his coins to Zyrr, but he trusts Shep's wisdom in such matters, so he doesn't say anything.

[Haberdashery]

A smile worthy of a shepherd spreads across Shep's face as he regards Lucan's expression.

"Only the goat who is in want begs and cheats for his supper. The goat at peace suffers in silence."

The Shepherd winks a glassy black eye.

[Toric]

Zyrr smugly grins as Lucan gives him his just reward, but the look is wiped off his dark face when a large, grey fist slowly approaches him and drops two coins into his hands. He sits motionlessly, staring at the coins while the conversation continues around him. Finally he frowns at the goliath as he shoves the platinum into a special pocket in his trousers. "...You keep feeding the viper. Fine, you win, I'll use this for the 'good of the group.'"

[dariathalon]

Pavick - Gnome Wizard

Pavick accepts the coins with a smile. "Thanks for sharing your good fortune."

He moves off into a corner of the room and pulls out some of the party's shared alchemical materials. "Anyone who wishes to assist is of course more than welcome. We don't know how far away he is, so the farther the ritual is able to send the message the better," Pavick says as he unstoppers two small vials. He carefully measures out two spoonfuls from each vial. One vial holds a black powder and the other tiny bright red crystals. He places the powder in a small metal dish which he uses a mage hand to hold over the flame from a candle. He then carefully arranges the crystals in an intricate pattern in the black powder.

As he begins to chant the incantation for the spell he pulls out a small copper flask. He removes the top and the air is filled with a sweet smell of flowers. He pours a few drops of the liquid into the metal dish. The powder reacts with the liquid turning into a black sludge which immediately starts to bubble over the candle's heat. Within seconds, a cloud of smoke surrounds Pavick. Finally, the red crystals begin to pop and crackle, releasing small but bright flashes of light. Pavick recognizes this as the signal to begin his message, and he speaks to Yojend in a loud, clear voice...

"It's Pavick. We're in Feywild and on our way. Tell us where to meet, how to get in touch, and how we can help you."

Spoiler

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Arcana - (1d20+18)[20]
I used 50 gp from the party's alchemical components for a Sending ritual.
Edit: Pathetic roll, but still enough to send the message up to 500 miles; hopefully that's enough. Unfortunately, even with people helping, I doubt we'll be able to boost it up to the 30 needed for the next distance increase.

[Hzurr]

DM Post

There's a pause, but after a few moments, Pavick gets a response. "Good t'hear from you. Meet me in Ryandez as soon as possible. From there we can make our way to the Formorian mines. Travel light."

History DC 14

Spoiler

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Ryandez is an old Eladrin city not far into the Feydark. The Fey onced used it as a forward base in skirmishes against the Formorians years ago, but it's long been abandonned.

[DSCrankshaw]

Lucan - Half-elf bard

"Hmm," Lucan says, thinking deeply. "I've heard of Ryandez. Let's see, what did people say about it..." He recounts what he knows.

Spoiler

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History - (1d20+7)[18]
And Lucan shares the spoilered text.

[Mando Knight]

Aramil leaves his companions to their own efforts, and heads towards the family library, in hopes of picking up any relevant intel that they hadn't gotten yet.

[Hzurr]

DM Post

OOC: To search the library for information, give me an Int check and one of the following:

Arcana: to find a magical route or try to find the portal address.

History : to try and find an old trade route that can take you there that hasn't been blocked.

nature : try to look at old maps and chart out a new way to the city.

[Mando Knight]

Int's Aramil's best score, and Arcana is his best skill. This is a bit of a no-brainer.
Int - (1d20+9)[15]
Arcana - (1d20+16)[21]
...With rolls of 5 & 6, it'd better be a no-brainer. Still, he'd only get that high on a Nature check with a natural 18.

[Hzurr]

DM Post

In an old book on war strategy, Aramil finds an overview of the city of Ryandez. Most of the information is out of date, but he does find a listing of the portal code for the city. However, the code seems a bit odd. It has the correct address, but the sequence used to travel there is a bit abnormal; but it doesn't appear that the difference will impede your ability to get to the city. If you want to come back tomorrow and do more research, you can.

It's getting late, and most of the household has gone to bed.

OOC: Anything else anyone wants to do before we fastforward to the next day?

[DSCrankshaw]

Lucan - Half-elf bard

Having nothing better to do, Lucan follows Aramil to the library. He flips through some nature books, looking for pretty pictures. He's disappointed to see that most of the books just have a lot of words.

Spoiler

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Nature - (1d20+12)[13]
OOC: I doubt my natural 1's going to help.

[Nai_Calus]

Eltain also looks through the library to see if he can find anything.

Spoiler

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Int check: (1d20+5)[25]
History: (1d20+5)[13]
Arcana: (1d20+15)[19]

[Hzurr]

DM Post

As Eltain searches through the Library, he recognizes a pattern that he has seen once before in the symbols of Ryandez's teleportation circle. It appears that teleporting there without using the proper passcode will activate an alarm throughout the city. It's doubtful that there is anyone paying attention to the alarm, but it will be difficult to enter the city unnoticed.

[Toric]

Just for the sake of the charade, assuming permission, Zyrr will raid the library for information of a different sort. He seeks any information he can find on the Tiemann mushroom. Growing conditions, appearance, method of poison delivery, anything somewhat relevant. Not that he expects to find this mushroom, of course. Something like that is reserved for the storybooks alongside drow who are ashamed of their race.

Spoiler

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As stated, looking for more tangible lore on the mushroom than "The fomorians used it and now they don't." Nature - (1d20+3)[4]

[edit] .....This will not end well.