Servants of the Thrallherd IC [3.5, high speed]

[Kish]

"Good idea. We can wait for you; this town doesn't seem dangerous at all so far, so no reason to worry about splitting up."

[J-H]

After deciding to return to the Silver Tooth, the group heads west and a bit south. You’re about two thirds of the way there when you hear the pounding of booted footsteps to your left. Someone darts out of an alley just ahead of you, with the footsteps obviously just behind them. The runner is a short human male wearing normal brown and grey clothing, and carrying a coinpurse in one hand. He pauses for just a moment to decide whether to go straight or change course.

=>Party
(do you do anything?)

[Kish]

Melinda takes in the runner, jumps to a conclusion about the situation, and quickly casts a spell.

Spoiler

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Bigby's Tripping Hand. Touch attack: (1d20+14)[21] Opposed Strength check if it hits: (1d20+6)[13]

If the man's still standing afterward, she yells, "Stop, or I'll have to hurt you!"

[J-H]

Spoiler: Trip check

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(1d20+3)[10]

The hand cracks the man in the shins right as he starts to move, bowling him over. He lands on his shoulder and winces, his hand involuntarily letting go of the coin pouch. He manages to stand back up right as a guard runs out of the alley and tackles him, sending him to the ground for the second time in just a few seconds.

[Cavir]

Opportunity missed, Cendrik continues on unless one of the others directs otherwise.

[J-H]

Got you! the guard exclaims. He pulls a small set of manacles off his belt and slaps them on the stunned pickpocket, then jerks the man up and starts to lead him away. As he does, the pickpocket mumbles "You know the guild'll just have me out in a week."

The coinpouch is still sitting on the street, forgotten.

[Cavir]

Cendrik has his cloak around him hiding his superior armor and nonchalantly moves up to get a better view of the city's finest at work. Conveniently he ends up inches past the dropped coin pouch, blocking it from view of the law. Once the thief is led away Cendrik picks up the pouch and gets the group moving again. "That could have been a way to contact the thieves guild. I'm sure there are plenty more of them around."

[J-H]

Checking it later, Cendrik determines that he’s picked up (3d4)[11]x6 gold.

You return to the Silver Tooth without further incident, passing through the high end district and noticing the Underguard headquarters again, as well as the bank, the city guard headquarters, and a couple of the guild headquarters.

After waiting at the Silver Tooth for a couple of hours, a very grumpy looking dwarf shoulders the door open and stomps inside, heading across the common room. He’s about average height for a dwarf (42”), and has short-cropped hair on top, a medium-length blonde beard, and a thunderous frown on his face. Cendrik recognizes him as Balmor.

[Cavir]

Cendrik discreetly checks the pouch itself for any identifying marks or design that would make it noticeable by the former owner or their friends. Thinking better of it, along the way he watches for a spot to ditch the pouch, after pocketing the coins, such that he wouldn't be seen ditching and it wouldn't be found quickly such as a water well.

At the Silver Tooth he was glad to actually sit for a while. The others had mounts but he had walked. Even with the benefits of his magic armor it was still good to actually stop and relax briefly. Once Balmor entered Cendrik got up and approached so as not to make a large commotion.

"Master Balmor, good to see you again."

Spoiler: OOC

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Sense Motive. How far off his normal attitude is he? What is his normal attitude since I had traveled with him? (1d20+7)[17]

[J-H]

“Eh, Cendrik? What are you doing back here? Someone heard I was having trouble and send you back?”

Balmor looks like himself, but grumpy. Something hasn’t been going well for him.

[Kish]

"Maybe we can help," Melinda suggests, addressing Cendrik but speaking in a voice Balmor can certainly hear.

[Cavir]

"I'm passing through, didn't know of any issue until we got here. I have others from our... mutual employer with me. Do you have someplace we can discuss things privately?"

[J-H]

“Ah! My room then.” Balmor smiles. He has a mid-grade room, at the end of a hall so that there’s less traffic by it. You all squeeze in and he introduces himself. “Balmor Coinshaver at your service, and his.”

(Assuming you intro yourselves; proceeding as though you do)

“So as you know, I am hear to procure adamantine and mithril weapons and armor for our army. I’ve been partly successful, but when the smiths all produce master-crafts at a rate of one or two per week, it’s hard to just buy a thousand sets, even if they are made to be re-fitted to a wearer at a later date.

I have a sizeable cargo, about fifty swords, and sixty sets of armor of various types, plus some raw plates that I think my cousin can work with – although I’m not really supposed to have those plates, but bribery turns heads the other way. I still can’t get the full production from all the smiths though – too many other commissions.

“So that’s a couple of wagon-loads of high value war material, but nobody wants to take on the task of taking it south. There are no caravans, the river’s dangerous, etc. I thought I could buy some bloody teleports, but this isn’t exactly a hotbed of mage schools. There’s one wizard in town with two apprentices, and he says he has never been south and isn’t interested in learning how to teleport there. I thought one of his students might be interested, but not to the extent of risking getting thrown out on his ear.”

“There’s one trader who’s willing to take it on, but his fee is tens of thousands of gold for the risk and guards, and if I pay it, I can’t afford to buy the second half of the shipment later.”

[BelGareth]

Rex introduces himself with a toothy grin, and listens to the two discuss. Something flickers to life in the back of his mind.

"Perhaps we can do each other a favor?" he asks "Can you sponsor us into the mines, so we can reach our goals? the sooner we have found what we are looking for, the sooner we can return, and escort you. And who's to say we do not find anything that could be used to fund the shipments?"

[Cavir]

Cendrik assists with the introductions and listens to Balmor's situation. He nods with Rex's idea.

"Yes that would accomplish both goals, and give Balmor more time to acquire goods. The challenge later will be getting all those treasures through dragon country but we'll be heading home too anyway, Leader willing."

"Are the goods you already have safely stored? What can you tell us about the mines? I'm sure we'll be headed beyond their explored paths."

[J-H]

“Sponsor you into the mines…as miners? Supposedly there’s nothing down there but metal and old things left better buried. They’ve got a whole group of soldiers they call the Under-guardians or something that deal with that. I’ve been more concerned about their produce than anything else, and I may have made a few rather upset with my persistence.

I need to get what I’ve got going – I do have to pay for storage and I only have so much to fund this with. I was actually hoping you might spare some coin to help pay for transportation."

[Cavir]

"Old things better left buried... Great Leader has sent us to fetch something of great power buried beneath the mountains. Miners or whatever, we need some way down there without resorting to taking on the Underguards. Who knows what other riches might be found down there to help fund your quest."

Cendrik glances at the others. "Balmor coming with us would speed our quest while giving the dwarf craftsmen time to continue crafting."

[BelGareth]

Rex frowns, and then takes off the bejeweled golden circlet from his head, "Can you use this, Xaan has told me it will fetch a mighty price, if it be for the cause, then Lord-Rulers will be done."

"But yes, we need access to the undermountain, the underguards told us we would need a chit, perhaps you can say we are your guards?"

Spoiler

Show

As much as it hurts:

Royal Crown of Insight: This bejeweled golden circlet is set with numerous gems. It’s a work of art as much as it is a magic item, and it’s probably very old. It’s a very distinctive piece of headgear, sure to attract attention to the wearer (there's not a mechanic for this, but it's very visible and memorable). It grants the wearer a +4 insight bonus to the Diplomacy & Sense Motive skills, as well as a +1 insight bonus to his or her Will save. It is worth approximately 8,000gp (sale price, not "sells for half this price"), more for the value of its components than the magic.

[J-H]

Balmor

The dwarf shakes his head emphatically, with a frown on his face. "I was given a task, and I will not turn aside from it. Do you think that warehouse that I am paying for every week guards itself? I renew the wards regularly. If I just walked off and left it for two weeks, who knows what would happen?

Besides, I am no adventuring type like you. That's why Cendrik came with me on our trip up here."

[Kish]

"We understand, of course. Duty is all-important. Do you know any way we could obtain a chit to enter the undermountain? We'll do all we can to help you accomplish your duty, if you'll help us with ours," Melinda says.

[BelGareth]

"Balmor, how much, exactly, will it cost to transport the goods? And can you help us get into the mines? We'll work on getting both done."

[J-H]

Balmor again shakes his head. "I am a moderately useful warder and merchant, not a burglar, nor diplomat or warmage. That's why I was given the job I was given. As for the cost of transport? He's asking 35,000 gold. It's outrageous, and I'm sure there must be a better way."

[Kish]

"Might it help for us to talk to him? Some of us are diplomats," Melinda says, restraining herself from quipping "and warmages."

[J-H]

IC thread #2!