3.5 Political Adventure [IC]

[redzimmer]

Ivor simply nods, picking imaginary lint from his lapel.

[Starbin]

Caladeran watched this for a moment, then shook his head and headed back for his cabin. This appeared to be more plotting and such from Aquarius - something he was not particularly interested in right now.

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So Aq tells the fish-folk 'If you REALLY want to punish the thief, cast atonement and the captain will have to find the original thief - you win!" They counter with, "Hey, great idea, but since we don't want to admit that we're going to bind you, too!"

Nice ...

[al'Lan Mandrag]

The merman shakes his head. "Perhaps we will never see you again then, but if you have honour or a hope for rest in the coming days then you will meet us one week hence. We will find you by the shore of whichever isle you rest on."

"For now, bring us this captain."

[sdream]

Although Sel was busy staying away from the rail, it would be foolish to assume her lack of proximity intimates lack of concern for the events.

[redzimmer]

Ivor the Sly

"Come along dear fellow," Ivor says, catching the captain's arm, "I assure this won't hurt at all. Unless it is miscast. Or you violate the tenets of the spell. Or if you resist me."

[al'Lan Mandrag]

The weasley man struggles with Ivor, but the barbarian proves stronger and draws him towards the edge of the ship. A number of sailors look on with a horrified fascination as their captain is held with his head over the side. The elderly merfolk begins to chant and the captain thrashes but he doesn't escape Ivor's steely grip. There is a lapse in the wizards chanting and then he mutters in the common tongue; "You will search for those who stole our Seeds, all the way back to the dwarves who looted our cities. You will learn each man's name, and once you have reported those names to me you will hunt and kill as many of these men as you can."

He passes the man a ring and tells him how to contact the merfolk once he had learnt the names of those they sought.

[redzimmer]

Ivor the Sly

Satisfied, Ivor releases his grip from the seaman and gives the crew a look.

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Intimidate
(1d20+10)[24]

"Well, let's get back to wherever it was we were heading to to begin with!" he shouts at no specific crew.

[al'Lan Mandrag]

The captain steps back, ashen faced and the mermen withdraw with one whispered word; "Remember."

The next morning as the captain steps from his cabin covered in vomit he orders the ship's course changed, only slightly, but you are not heading due south any more.

[sdream]

Sel, hearing of the captains extreme situation goes to offer the captain the benefit of her years of hands on experience withstanding and inflicting your will upon others.

She begins by explaining that when someone is bending your mind, either through magic or the innate magics for diplomacy and filial obligation, you sometimes need to try NOT to fight them head on, but to surrender unconditionally with everything they want right now.

This takes off the immediate pressure, giving you the space you need to survive healthily in the short term.

Then, over time, you learn to keep your eyes open for opportunities to justify your needs to whatever logic they are using to control you, and gloss over examination or trains of thought that would bring serious problems to you long term, even if they may follow the letter of the order.

In particular, if the captain cannot take care of his business, pay his crew and keep command of his ship, his ability to track down the names for the mermen will be greatly impaired, so the best, fastest way to serve their command is to treat their command as a long term goal, and take jobs that would bring you profitably near places to gain the information you need, with the resources you need to get it and survive to bring it to the mermen.

Finding a couple people who you can trust to help with some aspects of the overall mission is also a good idea, but you need to make sure you can truly trust them, as sometimes, when people learn you are constrained in certain ways, they just try to take advantage of that for their own purposes. This would directly harm your pursuit of the geas by sidetracking your efforts and indirectly harm your likelyhood of ever completing the task by sidetracking your efforts to balance it yourself.

It will probably benefit your ability to work with and for the mermen if you accept that they are a new kind of employer. One with a vested interest in your health and ability to do the job, who would probably look out for your interests as long as you are serving theirs. Such an employer might be a very handy thing to have on the high seas.

[al'Lan Mandrag]

He nods and grimacing yellowly. "Uh-hm. Bu-but, I won't find anything at the Linian isles will I? I could go to South Harbour and trade these things there, and they say that that was where the excavations were taking place." His open eyes stare at you guilelessly, hoping for an escape.

[Starbin]

Caladeran watched as the Captain came out, wondering what had happened to the man. Seeing Sel walk over and start talking to him, he wandered to find Ivor. In a low tone, he nodded towards the pair. "What seems to be the problem with the Captain?"

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Guess I should have stayed awake ... oh well.

[redzimmer]

Ivor the Sly

Ivor explains the magically-enhanced changed of heart that the captain has undergone.

[Starbin]

Snorting, Caladeran nodded. Of course, if this delayed their arrival and subsequent search for the Heart, he would need to have a talk with Aquarius and his infernal plotting ...

[redzimmer]

Ivor

Ivor took this time try gleaning more information about the Heart. Thus far all he knew was it was Heart, and somehow it was related to Ice.

[sdream]

"You could change directions now, but how far away are you from Southport, and how far from the Isles? Will the cargo you selected for the Isles sell as well in Southport? Will the lack of funds delay or stop you at some later critical juncture? It sounded like this task is an extended one, and saving resources now will let you move faster later."

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That question about the destinations is important actually, id Southport is on the way, we could just stop there and find other transport onward.

[al'Lan Mandrag]

"You're right, Southport is too far away, and there are always ships there: I'd lose money. The Linians are always so happy for whatever scraps I bring them." He nods and calls for their course to be adjusted once more, and clambers back upto make sure you are heading to the Linian isles again.

Time Jump

Days later, with a little bad feeling on the ship (luckily outweighed by fear of you), you arrive into the bay and only port on the largest of the isles, Laria. It is a colourful port, filled with fluttering red and yellow silks. The sun burns down in this part of the world, and much of the small town you can see is covered in sand.

[Sgt. Cookie]

At seeing the bright and beautiful place, Aquarius felt a sudden burst of joy, expressed as a rare smile. "My my, this is a wondrous locale. I wonder if I can find any of those red silks for sale. My grey wool cloak is getting tattered. And at the same time, we can learn the lay of this port, should we need to make a quick getaway."

[sdream]

Feeling slightly guilty for the way the captain seems to have become humanity's scapegoat for the sins of a multitude on the whole pearls issue, but believing this way seems to be somewhat reducing racial tension (which has a much broader effect) Sel offers to help him fulfill his geas, arranging ways to communicate with him should they find relevant information.

She makes it clear that her help with the project is conditional upon his continued health and success, and that he should let the mermen know that as well.

Sel's first purchase is a comfortable wide brimmed hat, and she consults Fade's notes on any leads or suggestions he might have had as she follows the others onto shore.

[redzimmer]

Ivor the Sly

The wily barbarian "prince" was thrilled to be back on solid land in a metropolitan setting. Immediately after disembarking he set about getting a feel for the town, starting with the most ideal accommodation, followed by the most reputable person to sell or identify the group's purloined magical swag.

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aka Gather Information

(1d20+3)[23]

Even Ivor himself is impressed with the open nature of the people he encounters.

"Indeed, I shall like this town," he smiles.

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Ivor parades through town, gathering followers like a corpse gathers flies, and he soon learns a great deal of the town. Just behind the harbour is an expansive marketplace that runs into the backstreets as well, and there are a number of streets containing permanent shops as well, yet beyond that there is little in this city; a small gathering place for the townspeople, a small manse and adjoining barracks that contains the ruling Arvanian officials and some of the troops that have come from Cleyarna.

He discovers that there is a side street with a more prosperous array of shops that deals in exquisite arms and armour, though it is more commonly frequented by travellers than any of the natives.

Some of the people shower this travelling prince with gifts, and some of these gifts find there way into the hands of his companions: Selena gets herself a hat free of charge, Aquarius gets a few bolts of the silk, and Cal gets given a filmy scarf of an exotic orange material that is cool to the touch. Ivor receives mundane items worth 10 gp (which you can simply sell, for 10gp).

[redzimmer]

Ivor

After his jaunt, Ivor returns to his associates.

"I wonder, beloved friends, should we sell these lovely gifts from the sea captain? Or perhaps retain one of them should it prove valuable?

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ooc question

[Sgt. Cookie]

"Whatever we decide, we should do so quickly. Sel and I will look for a tailor, have one of this silk fashioned into clothing. Ivor, ask some of your new "friends" if they know of our thieves or about our destination."

[redzimmer]

Ivor

Ivor makes discreet inquiries in regards to the thieves and any info regarding the Ice Heart.

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Gather Information

(1d20+2)[14]

Bugger. If you want to find out about a specific rumor, or a specific item, or obtain a map, or do something else along those lines, the DC for the check is 15 to 25, or even higher.

[al'Lan Mandrag]

The people that have been merrily chatting with Ivor cannot recall seeing these two thieves nor hearing of an item called the Ice Heart.

[Starbin]

Caladeran looked at the scarf, then to Ivor, then back to the scarf. "Uh ... my thanks." Putting the scarf away in his pack, the duskblade then sought out the closest thing to a library or archive. Time to see what the local histories might say about the Ice Heart.

[redzimmer]

Ivor the Sly

After greasing a few palms for the location and begging money off his companions for the cost, Ivor sets off to find a magically-inclined merchant who may be willing to identify his newly-gotten gains.

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Technically it is party treasure, I just don't know its value yet for the sake of divvying. I think I will be adding Identify to my spell list, mundane as it is.

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Cal

You learn from Ivor's sources that there is a library within the Cleyarnian manse, but that the Laria has no public library or record office. One young woman confides to you that the Linian people keep their lore in their hearts, not upon the wrecks of trees.

Ivor

You head to a shop where a young man with a swarthy complexion welcomes you jovially: "I am Garzo Greenhair, and you have a look about you my lord, the look of an important man, what wonders do you seek, for I have them all beneath this roof!" His name seems apt for he has a shock of vividly green hair sprouting in an unruly way form his head, though his eyebrows are a dark brown, almost black.

[redzimmer]

Ivor

"You flatter this poor, humble traveller, o noble sagacious archmage!" says Ivor with a very low bow.

"I offer you the singlemost single-sided trade in the history of commerce. If you, o wise one will for me perform the simple, nay infinitesimal act of casting the minor spell of identify on these two items," he brandishes the two weapons, "I will bequeath to you this, my most valued possession, my ancestral sword Dreathul'ak."

Ivor unsheathes the scimitar at his waist. It was a well-made masterwork sword to be sure, but he had in fact nicked it from a small-time bureaucrat after he had bedded the man's wife. Or daughter. Ivor forgot.

The name he chose at random, being orcish for "a sword I will not miss."

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Bluff

(1d20+10)[23]

Ultimately the sword would be worth about 157.5 gp, not quite the 200 required.

[Starbin]

Cal wandered to this manse, ready to petition for use of the library. However, given what the one townsperson said, he also used the people he saw as a living library as necessary.

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KS (Local): (1d20+8)[27]
KS (Religion): (1d20+8)[24]
KS (Arcana): (1d20+8)[16]

Whoops - forgot to say I was looking primarily for info about the Ice Heart ... and secondarily for the two other hunters.

[al'Lan Mandrag]

Cal

Despite the woman's earlier words, it seems few of those that Cal meets know anything of the Ice heart, and instead direct him to various waterfront cafe's that serve chilled beverages.
The manse is situated in a large compound, with sandstone walls that enclose a number of buildings, though the manse stands clearly amongst them. Two guards stand sentinel on the gate as Cal approaches.

Ivor

The man warms to you and takes the 'treasured' sword with obvious reverence. He then takes the two items and casts his spells upon the pair of them. He seems stymied by the sword until he snaps his fingers and with a crack the outside of the sword loses it's shape and he removes the 'sleeve' to reveal a golden longsword with its blade shaped as though made of golden flames.
"This sword, it is known by many names," he mutters, "Flame Tongue, Dragon's Claw, the Widower. This is a great prize." After being so enamoured with the sword, he seems only to take a cursory interest in the javelin: "This is a cheap trick; it will hurt your foes but once, and will wreathe them in lightning, but then it is done. And this sheath, it is a favourite of the Acharite brotherhood: it shows no magic of it's own, but it conceals the true nature of things."

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Flame Tongue, DMG 226
Javelin of Lightning, DMG 226
A metallic sleeve that will cover any weapon and make it appear mundane (can be used for other things of a similar size depending on how ingenious you are)