An Unchanging Reality (Take two)

[stanleyindraven]

"And free room and board at the castle."

[shugyosha]

Eophyn

She makes a face, not for being admonished, but rather that no one laughed at her joke.

"Did you see her face when I made those symbols? I want to go to a library to figure what they mean. Also do you want to look up that merchant we escorted?"

[Man on Fire]

"I'll go to the library with you, if you don't mind. There are some things I want to check."

[stanleyindraven]

"Well, seeings how you two have the library covered, I will seek out our merchant friend and see how his business is doing," Dromet says before splitting off from his companions.

[meemaas]

The party splits up, and Eophyn and Serph find the library pretty easily. Dromet on the other hand goes into town and starts asking around about the same merchant they helped before, but he can't seem to find anything useful about him today.

Eophyn and Serph

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You may make knowledge (religion) checks to search for information on those symbols. If untrained, you may make a regular check, if trained, you can spend the majority of the evening in the library to make a check with a +4 bonus on your knowledge check

Dromet

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The merchant doesn't appear to have set up shop, nobody seems to know his name, sorry. He has only about a week and a half to try and set up.

[shugyosha]

Eophyn

The elven girl chastised herself, she was never very found of books growing up. However, with a little toss of hair and a batting of eyes she was able to get some help. The librarian pointed her to several tomes that were most likely to hold the knowledge she soot. She thumbed through the text and made a quick study of things.

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I'm using this to justify her new found knowledge in religion (level 3!! woo hoo!!)

If I can I'll take 20 if not 10. She has a +9 with library bonus.

[Man on Fire]

Serph aids Eophyn in her search, as he himself isn't very knowlegable about those things, but being a kind of a bookworm may have been somehow helpful.

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Normal check to aid another (1d20+4)[12]

He also spends some time looking for any copies of two books he had stolen, to compare them and identify any lost pages.

[meemaas]

Eophyn

A lot of searching finds you very little hard evidence on what the symbols were. As you are about to give up, you come across a book that you had overlooked the first time, with a picture of the symbols described. The book, while more one of legends than of fact, states that the symbols are the religious symbols of an ancient and powerful deity that had lost its status through an intervention from the other gods. This deity, it appears, tried to destroy the material plane because it believed that the mortal beings that lived on it were not deserving of living in their world.

Serph

You find plenty of copies of the commonplace legend of Sentan Teishu, the same one you grew up with, but do not find any of the version you have, nor of the other book.

[shugyosha]

Eophyn

If there is time she will cross reference this deity with the shrine at Angara.

At the end of that she'll find Serph. "It's getting late, let's head to the barracks."

[stanleyindraven]

With nothing gained, Dromet will return to the room for a much needed rest.

[Man on Fire]

Serph, dissapointed by his bad results, puts te books back and thanks the librarian for helping him find them. Coming back with Eophyn he continues thinking what had he missed. It's like in the reach of his hand, but it still escaped him.

[meemaas]

The night passes uneventfully, and in the morning the guard escorts the three to meet with the queen again. This time over breakfast. Once the food is served, the queen begins to speak. "As you know, Dendu Vigorn may be plotting attacks on our economy at the same time as the war against the Reynald kingdom. I can't trust this information to the general populace, i must keep the illusion that we are safe to the common folk or else mass chaos will ensue. So on that note, i wish to hire the three of you to help me investigate the now suspicious alerts i've been getting from all corners of my Kingdom. There are a few towns that claim to have an unusual amount of monster or bandit attacks, which may or may not be connected to Dendu Vigorn and the Gestorn Kingdom. I think it best if you check out the rumors of monsters pillaging the town of Liferoot not far from here first." She produces a sealed scroll and hands it to one of the waiters, who in turn presents it to Eophyn. "That is a scroll of the spell Sending. Use it when you have investigated the issues with Liferoot, and i will contact you back with information on the next town i wish for you to investigate." She bows her head for a moment. "I only wish these were better circumstances, but there is one final thing i must tell you. You cannot under any circumstances tell anyone the truth behind your work. You cannot even expect to trust everyone you meet that work directly for me. As far as anyone outside of this room is concerned, you are a group i hired to take care of the monster threat plaguing my country."

She then nods, and starts to eat, giving the party time to think and ask any questions of their own.

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That scroll has Sending scribed upon it three times. There is an obscure magic surrounding the scroll that makes it exceptionally easy for Eophyn to understand. (Translation, making that UMD check is a pain and i want you to be able to use it.)

[stanleyindraven]

"I can agree to this your highness. I will undertake this task to better your kingdom," Dromet says clearly, then looks to his companions.

[shugyosha]

Eophyn

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Just to make this faster I'm going to try to put all her questions down.

She looked at her friends then asked, "Is there anyone you do trust, I mean to say that you are a busy person and you may decide to have someone contact or meet us, how are we to know they are from you?"

"Is there someplace we can get provisions for this mission?"

[Man on Fire]

Serph stays quiet and observes.

[meemaas]

The queen smiles a bit and begins to answer Eophyn's questions. "If i need to contact you, i will be able to do so myself. See, i happen to be well versed in the arcane arts, not quite as much as my court wizard, for there is little time to study while running the kingdom, but i will be able to contact you magically if i need to. If i were to send someone to meet with you, i would contact you magically first to inform you exactly of who this person would be. As for provisions, I have already informed the captain that you are to be given the same access to the guards resources as any normal guard has. Their provisioner will be able to provide you with any necessities, and can sell you anything that is less...important."

[stanleyindraven]

"Thank you your majesty. I hope that we are able to help you and your people," Dromet says.

[shugyosha]

Eophyn

Bowing again she says, "I think I understand, thank you your Majesty."

[Man on Fire]

Serph bows with respect and, to everyone's suprise, manages to even speak open to the queen, saying "thank you, your majesty".

[meemaas]

"You are dismissed. Please take your leave, and depart no sooner than the end midday today. I would like to see this business done as soon as possible." The queen smiles, and then excuses herself from the table, leaving the party essentially alone.

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If you guys wish to see the provisioner for rations or anything you'd like to buy, please be sure to mention it. If you are ready to go as is, i'll get you on the way as soon as i get the go ahead.

[stanleyindraven]

"I am ready when you two are," Dromet says.

[shugyosha]

Eophyn

"Okay, I'll go and get some provisions for us," she says and heads to the quarter master.

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rations for the road. If there is MW studded leather or chainshirt she'll upgrade her armor

[meemaas]

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You can get rations for the three of you for three days, no cost.

Masterwork Studded Leather is 157gp, 5 sp

Masterwork Chain Shirt is 225gp

Masterwork Greatsword is 315gp

The quartermaster is willing to give you a 10% discount off his normal price for this stuff, but thats it. Take your pick, add it to the respective sheets, and let me know when you're ready to go.

[stanleyindraven]

"Thanks for picking up the new sword," Dromet tells Eophyn. "We ready now?"

[shugyosha]

Eophyn

"Hey Serp, got ya some new digs. Not as protective as mine but quieter." she says handing him some new armor.

"Ready to go."

[meemaas]

The three of you take to your horses and manage the half day's ride to Liferoot without event. As you stable your horses, a few guards come up to you, weapons ready.

"Halt, what business do you have here?"

[shugyosha]

Eophyn

"The queen sends her greetings and concerns for your monster problems," she says with a flourish. "Please take us to your superiors please, we have need to talk to them."

[meemaas]

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my apologies. got distracted, forgot i didn't post

"The guard eyes Eophyn very closely and in a distrusting manner. "How do i know you ain't lying ta me? Them monsters is sneaky and smart."

[shugyosha]

Eophyn

"Pretty clever eh? Well is there anything that these monsters won't think of if they were pretty clever?" she pauses just enough to let his mind grab on to a thought but no enough for him to say a word, "A letter of introduction? Right, but the monsters are clever and they would just want you to think that right? So they would have a perfect forgery ready?" She doesn't even pause for a breath, " A royal seal, perhaps? Would you really recognize a royal seal? No not really, I mean it would have the crest an all but that is so easy to forge, right? Oh, maybe I should be in fancy clothes like a court fop, right? 'Cuz that's exactly who they would send, but those monster would know that. Understand? What I'm getting at is this is above your pay grade. SO GET ME YOUR SUPERIOR. "

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Diplomacy check
(1d20+9)[29]

did we get a letter or something telling us our orders?

[meemaas]

The guard stepped back, dumbfounded, and then turned tail and ran. The others stay silent, but keep watch on you nonetheless, waiting for someone to return. Within about ten minutes, another man in a guard uniform, trailed by a young robed person, the larger man pushes past the other men and glares at then. They take their leave, almost afraid, and then the man speaks. "One of my men came running saying that someone needed to talk to me. Which of you was it, and what do you want?"