Shadows of a Crimson Blade

[J-H]

Gladius greets the kenku.
"I'm back. The wand I bought a couple of days ago was very helpful. Do you have a wand that will help me see in the dark?"

[Darth Ultron]

Winúŋna "Yes. Something like a wand of light? Very cheep. Or a wand of darkvision ? 4,500 gp for one of them....fully charged."

[J-H]

"Yes, a Wand of Darkvision will work, thank you." Gladius buys the wand, then heads back to the Sword & Axe for supper and rest after a strangely exhausting day shopping.

Spoiler

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Sheet updated

[Darth Ultron]

Winúŋna nods and sells the wand.

The Sword & Axe is full later in the day and many folks come in for an evening meal.

A woman in a black robe waits until just after a server takes away your empty plate and then she comes over to your table "Well met, are you for hire?"

[J-H]

Gladius smiles. "That I am. I take it you are hiring?" He gestures at the chair across from him. "Welcome, sit down and tell me what you seek."

[Darth Ultron]

Deledra Morovan I'm Deledra Morovan, my companions, the Grim Penance. have found a bunch of caves. They are full of construct guards. Now we found seven ways in, all filled. But what we want to do, is send in forces in all seven caves. Standard danger pay so 45 gold a day. And you can keep what you kill. Sound like something that would be for you?"

[J-H]

"It might be. What are the constructs guarding? What type of constructs have you seen so far?

Also, who would I be working with?"

[Darth Ultron]

Deledra Morovan "Well, we have no idea what is down there. But guards guard something right? Dread guards and effigys are what we encountered. And like I said we will be sending people down each of the seven entrances. "

[J-H]

Spoiler: ooc

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K: Arcana? Not familiar with either of those

[Darth Ultron]

Spoiler: Knowledge

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''Effigy'' is just another word for construct. They come in all shapes and sizes, most like animals.

Dread Guards are simply animated armor with a weapon. They are pretty common, lots of shops have them for guards.

[J-H]

Spoiler

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Ok, doesn't sound bad. Shocking Grasp gives +3 to hit against metal so Gladius should expect an easy time against them...plus he has an adamantine sword.

"You keep what you kill." Do these things have market value? Should I bring a cart to haul half-dismembered constructs back for sale?

[Darth Ultron]

Spoiler: ooc

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You can sell constructs for scrap.... a ''killed'' dread guard is just a suit of armor and a weapon....you could scavenge them and sell them, if you think that is worth the trouble.

[J-H]

Spoiler: mercenary economics

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Are dread guards typically made from magical armor & weapons, or just mwk?

[Darth Ultron]

Spoiler: ooc

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Masterwork. The whole idea is ''cheap'' construct warriors.

[J-H]

"I think you have a deal. Where are the caves, and when are you ready? I have a few things to pick up in the morning."

Spoiler

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If we fast-forward: Need to get potion belt picked up. Would like to buy cheapest bag of holding (2500gp) for looting masterwork armor and weapons. Each set should be worth around 225 gp based on masterwork value alone.

[Darth Ultron]

Deledra Morovan "We have some preperations to make. We plan to leave at the north gate five days from now. Be there and your hired. "

Spoiler: time

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You can pick up both items.

[J-H]

Gladius exchanges whatever other information is needed (where she's reachable, who to look for, start time), and then sleeps for the night. In the morning, he picks up his potion belt and purchases a small bag of holding.

By mid-morning he's done, and begins to check a couple of common notice-boards to try to find something to do for the next three to four days.

Spoiler: ooc

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Deducted 2500gp, 236gp remain. Bag of Holding Type 1.

[Darth Ultron]

There are a couple of jobs, but only a few short term ones. You can find a job as a door guard at a warehouse for 25 gold a day...

[J-H]

"That's beneath me..." Gladius heads towards an area more likely to be frequented by favored servants of the Red Wizards. Perhaps they will know of something more interesting to do.

[Darth Ultron]

On a red pole you do see:

You see a scroll that says "Be a spell target'' does pay 100 gold a day

And a scroll that says ''Fight a monster, live and get 500 gold''.

[J-H]

Gladius goes to the address listed on the "fight a monster" poster to see what it's about...

[Darth Ultron]

The address leads to a small red stone tower. A human male in light yellow robes answers the door when you knock. He takes you around the back of the tower to a small walled garden and courtyard with a couple tables and chairs.

A couple minutes later a bald human male in a red robe comes out the tower back door.
Zandro Lekitton "Ah, I am Zandro Lekitton. You look like a fine fighter type. Just what we need. Now the job is very easy. I have a couple of miners and want them to get me some crystals in a cave, but a monster lives in the cave. So they mine and you fight the monster. Pays 500 gold."

[J-H]

Gladius gives a slight bow. "I am Gladius Rojaferro. That sounds like a reasonable job. What kind of monster is it, and how far from here?"

[Darth Ultron]

Zandro Lekitton "A crystasmal and it is an infinite way from here, but also closer then your shadow. Don't worry the travel there is quick and easy. You will be back in time for dinner. Are you ready to go now?"

[J-H]

Spoiler

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Knowledge check?
K: Arcana at +7, Planes at +7, Dung at +5...not sure what other checks I'd need.

[Darth Ultron]

Spoiler: knowledge planes

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A crystasmal is a crystalline creature from the Elemental Plane of Earth composed of a mixture of stone and crystal. They can be found in subterranean places rich in mineral formations, on which the crysmal subsists. It is particular fond of eating quartz, beryl, corundum, and carbon crystals. The crystalline planes of their bodies absorb and refract natural light, which some claim is the source of their supernatural powers.

[J-H]

"I'm ready, unless you have any tools that would help me deal with it first."

[Darth Ultron]

Zandro Lekitton "You have your weapon and your skills, what more do you need." He then claps his hands. Three kobolds in red leather work overalls, with red bags and red pick axes.

Zandro Lekitton points at the garden and a bunch of dirt flies up into the air to form a circle. In side the circle is a long gray tunnel. The kobolds waste no time and simply walk over and down the tunnel.

Zandro Lekitton "Success!"

[J-H]

Gladius enters the portal, his blade out and ready.

[Darth Ultron]

The tunnel is made out of gray smoke that is oddly solid enough to walk on and twists and turns for a good couple hundred feet. Then the tunnel ends at the far end in a brightly lit cave. The cave is a good 100 feet long, but only 30 or so feet high and wide. There are no tunnels anywhere you can see. Much of the cave is filled with crystals embedded in the stone, and about half of the crystals glow lighting the room.

In the middle of the cave is a huge rock and crystal like moving creature shaped like a spider or scorpion.

The kobolds scramble out of the tunnel and head for the left cave wall as the crystasmal moves forward.

Spoiler: initiative

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(1d20+2)[19]