The Lost Pantheon (4th Edition PBP)

[cyblazegk]

"Of course. A pro never leaves the house without them."

[Vesth]

"I have 2 sunrods. When we make it there, we could always use whatever light source the miners were using to make our way back f we're low, I suppose. But a more pressing question is, how many supplies are we talking about, Mr Othill? Do we need to bring along a wagon? How are we supposed to secure the ore without leaving someone, hopefully not me, there, to ensure it won't get taken again?"

[dariathalon]

"Not that I'm suggesting we use the words we learn to reason with them. For all we know, they're probably fanatics for their god, Kurtulmak, doing god knows what. At least, I think that's what that little kobold thief yipped when we caught him trying to rob us. Rob us, can you believe that?!

Upon hearing this, Conrad shook his head. His face looked like he'd swallowed something bitter, "No honor among thieves," he muttered quietly.

He turned back to Mr. Othill, speaking normally again. "I too have a couple of sunrods, but we also will need to know how deep we are going. Perhaps you have a map of the region so we know where we're going when we get down there?"

[Vesth]

"Hey, I heard that. Who ever said we worked with them? Never have, never will. The little bugger jumped us.

A map would be useful, I think."

[dariathalon]

Conrad

"It's not time for us to talk about this right now. Maybe later, but in the meantime, contemplate this, how is what he did to you any worse than what you did to others?" Conrad turned his attention back to Mr. Othill.

[IRolledAOne]

"Theorid is correct...as I mentioned already there were no signs of kobolds beyond a hollow, and there are hollows all throughout the world, some filled with kobolds, some with nothing, and some with worse. Now, I can give you a simple map to the mining camp, but Clarity will be your guide, as I also said earlier. She's been there before," he told the group.

"As for securing the mining supplies it will be easy; you do not need to move them or anything, just to see if they are still there and to recover what people have made off with if possible. Once you have them secured you will use this ritual to send me a message, I hear holy men and women are capable of rituals, yes? I have had them used for me in the past and they are quite handy," he said pulling out a slim book and removing a page.

"I will also write down a page of some words and phrases you might find useful if there happen to be kobolds...but I do not suggest trying to kill a whole den on your own. They might have riches stored away but there are a great many of them typically..."

[Haberdashery]

Velvet nodded in response. "I am not the most skilled, but I do know how to perform them adequately enough."

She gestured towards the page that Mr. Othill now had in his clawed hand. "May I?"

[IRolledAOne]

"Of course," the dragonborn said as he handed over the page, "If the supplies have been taken then there is little you can do about that, but it was a good mine site I had so at the very least I want that back," he said with a slight grin.

[Haberdashery]

After briefly glancing over the page, Velvet rolled the page tightly and tucked it down the front of her robes.

Velvet held her tongue for a moment, but then, biting her lip, she let what had been troubling her free. "To be honest..." she started, carefully, "I get the feeling that this will not be as simple as just saving a couple miners and running into a den of kobolds." She chewed her lip nervously. "If it had been a den of kobolds, wouldn't there have been signs of that? And wouldn't the kobolds at least have recognized the miners as they broke through? Breaking through a wall makes a lot of noise, afterall, and the kobolds would not have been happy seeing people breaking into their home." She finally let her lip out of her mouth, red and swollen from chewing at it, "I mean, think about if it was your house, and someone broke through the wall. Well, you'd chase them, or at least yell at them, wouldn't you? I would. I...I don't think there are kobolds in there."

[IRolledAOne]

"Could have been some kobold mineshaft, who knows. And there are no miners to rescue," he reminded.

[Namillus]

"Indeed, no skirmish at the breakthrough and no prisoners taken - the miners simply ran. It's likely that anything dwelling within has only recently discovered the mineshaft leading into the cavern, too."

Theorid looks around at the group. "Does anyone else have anything to ask or add? I think the sooner we leave, the sooner we find out exactly what it is that's been uncovered here."

[cyblazegk]

"I'm ready when you are."

[Haberdashery]

"Well..." Velvet tilted her head, scratching at one of her long ears absentmindedly. "Maybe we should speak with the miners that entered the hollow first. They could tell us what they saw in the hollow before they ran, which might be important, or at least maybe they can give us some clue as to what we should be prepared for."

The elf maid shrugged, and tugged at her ear. "That's what I would do first."

[cyblazegk]

"Excellent idea," Clarity agreed. "Mr. Othill, could you perhaps inform us of where the miners who ran from the site are currently located?"

[IRolledAOne]

"Them? Most I sent to other dig sites of mine, a few quit, some might be drinking away what coin they have in one of their taverns. Hard to say, you can look for them if you want though. But like I said, they saw a cave and ran, not sure what you are expecting to hear." The man said as he leaned back in his seat, letting the group talk and figure out what their first move would be.

[Vesth]

"Well, since Mr Othill say they'll be of little use, I'll recommend not disturbing them; not only will they be difficult to find, when we do find them, they'll probably be in a drunken stupor. I say we head for the mine as quickly as we can. Less time for them to prepare any nasty surprises."

[dariathalon]

Conrad

Conrad scratches his jawline. "I have to agree. It was a good idea, but from what Mr. Othill said I doubt we'll learn much more from them."

Conrad finishes the last of his drink and sets it on the table before him. "Is there anything else we need to know, or should we be getting ready to leave?"

[IRolledAOne]

"Unless you can think of anything else," the man said as he stood, waiting to see if there was anything left to be said. "I have a room for each of you waiting, just ask the bartender, and the wagon with supplies will be ready for you first thing in the morning...but first I need one of you members of the church to agree to take charge of Deadeye here...he will be your prisoner more or less, if he doesn't obey properly well...the hangman awaits."

[Haberdashery]

Velvet turned her head, letting those large amber eyes fall on the thief, and paused--staring at him. There was something all too familiar about the man, a smell that she knew by heart, a glint in his eye that reminded her so very strongly of the Hluthvar waterfront. The heart that beat in his chest was not all so very different than the one in hers.

"I'll take him." Velvet said, not taking her eyes off him.

[IRolledAOne]

"Good, then it is all settled," he said, "If that is going to be all then I will be leaving you," Draden said.

[Vesth]

"Help me tell the girl it was a misunderstanding. I hate to leave around people who hate me for the wrong reasons," he said, finishing the last of his ale.

Standing up, he bowed to Velvet, the effect somewhat diminished by his ale-soaked attire, "Deadeye, at your service, m'lady."

[IRolledAOne]

"I'm not your messenger boy, and you are in no position to ask me anything," the dragonborn scowled, "I've no love of your petty banditing kind...better the noose for you," he said.

[cyblazegk]

Clarity disagrees with Mr. Othill's viewpoint, but doesn't want to get on her employers bad side, so she keeps quiet. She really needs this job, as her fancy clothing is a ruse to hide her poor financial state. She instead makes a mental note to inquire into Deadeye's history at a later point. She has lived with theives, thugs, and murderers her entire life, and knows that they typically are not greedy *******s, but instead the most desperate of people struggling to survive. She is curious about the circumstances that could lead Deadeye to the path of banditry.

[Vesth]

Deadeye sighs, and turns back to the group.

"Well, any of you ladies want to help an 'evil' bandit like me go apologize to someone during the night later? A lady because two men will give the wrong signal, of course. Anyone? Clarity?" he asks hopefully.

[Haberdashery]

Velvet furrowed her brow, having not taken her eyes off Deadeye's face.

"Errm, this has happened to you before, hasn't it? Getting ale dumped over your head. I mean, you are a bandit. Bandits have always been the womanizing type...well, either that or the brute thug type, but you don't strike me as one of those."

She frowned to the side of her mouth, "Unless you're one of those rogues-with-a-heart-of-gold." She watched him for a moment longer, and then finally her face relaxed, "I bet that's exactly it."

[cyblazegk]

Clarity stopped for a moment to ponder the meaning of the phrase "heart of gold." What is gold? It's an nonreactive metal that channels heat and electricity very easily. It's very dense and soft.

The theives she knew never had hearts of gold. A thief's heart was reactive, violently responding to the injustice of his poverty and the stigma of his trade. A thief's heart was never soft. It was hardened by the daily struggles of his life. No, she highly doubted Deadeye had a heart of gold.

[Vesth]

"It's just a matter of principles," Deadeye told Velvet, "I dislike it when they misunderstand my intentions."

Turning around, he called out, "Bartender...Korin, was it? Can you please tell me where the poor lady that was serving us went? I need to apologize to her. This lady here will make sure I won't cause any trouble."

He said the last word with distaste, as if the very idea was abhorrent.

[Namillus]

Theorid too seems intrigued by Deadeye's behaviour. Is it some kind of cunning ploy to ingratiate himself into the group? Impossible to say without prior knowledge of the man, and merely hearing about his crimes has always been insufficient for the Erathisian.

The half-elf stands, ready to go, and nods to Deadeye. "Don't take too long, then."

[dariathalon]

Conrad

Conrad also stands, "It is late, and as Mr. Othill pointed out rooms await." He nods his head to each person still at the table. "I'm going to head up to mine, I will see each of you back down here as soon as Pelor's light blesses us with his presence tomorrow. Good night." With that statement, Conrad leaves the table to find his room key.

[Namillus]

"Yes, that's a fair point, actually," Theorid agrees, stifling a yawn. "Best to face this situation fresh and rested, I think." He goes to collect his room key as well.