Rescuing Madame Baladwell (IC)

[Archmage1]

Alice follows, taking up the rear as Beb and Dayme take the lead.

[Illven]

"Warned? Basic instructions?" Beb starts scanning around for important-looking tomes. "I definitely missed something there ... Well, anyhow, boldly forward!" He doesn't seem to give much attention to his near-brush with death. He walks to the door Dayme opened.

Spoiler: by the way -- Spellcraft?

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Was that boomy voice some kind of spell? [roll0]

[You don't seem to be able to identify the spell if any.]

You start climbing up the steps for what seems to be a minute. Easily, the tower is much bigger on the inside then the outside, not even counting the death basement.

Eventually you come to a mithral silver door.

Do you approach?

[Archmage1]

Looking past Dayme and Beb, Alice examines the door, looking for signs of ways to open it, or signs of something unusual about the door.
(1d20+5)[24] Spot?(Or search, or even listen)
(1d20+9)[21] Spellcraft?

[Dimers]

Beb reaches out to open the door, then snatches his hand back, apparently thinking better of that. "I'll, ah, leave the honors to you, Dayme."

[trysted]

What? Oh yeah, that’s probably for the best. Let me give it a once over first.

Dayme’s eyes turn even more blue, briefly and then back to normal before he attempts to open the door.

Spoiler: Magic

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Again detect magic followed by mage hand

[Illven]

What? Oh yeah, that’s probably for the best. Let me give it a once over first.

Dayme’s eyes turn even more blue, briefly and then back to normal before he attempts to open the door.

Spoiler: Magic

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Again detect magic followed by mage hand

Spoiler

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This one also has minor illusion magic, do you open it?

[trysted]

This one also has illusion magic on it says Dayme. Should we open it anyway?, he muses as he studies the door to see what the illusion could be.

Spoiler: DM

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Reinvokes See the Unseen and tries to disbelieve the illusion

[Archmage1]

Alice frowns. "Hm... let me check something first..."
With that, she focuses, casting Instant Search to check to see if there was a hidden door nearby.
(1d20+7)[22] Search

[Illven]

Roll me a wis save Dayme. Maybe it's worthless, maybe it's not.

Alice detects no secret doors.

[Archmage1]

After a few moments, Alice shakes her head. "It looks like this probably isn't an illusion of a door, with the real door somewhere else. Probably. Or if it is, the hidden one is too well hidden. I'd say try it."

[Dimers]

"Yeah," Beb agrees, nodding. "Uch, I'm too shaken by the close call with the prismatic water ... Now I don't even want to touch anything normal-looking. Which might be a security system, I guess?"

[trysted]

What’s that again? Dayme interrupts, sorry, wasn’t paying attention. There’s this shiny slightly illusionary door here an I’m opening it.

Spoiler: Action

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Dayme uses mage hand again to open the door

[Illven]

The door opens to a formal study.

There sits the enemy of all Gobbleygook. The evil wizard.

Who really looks quite plain as a regular 55ish old man. Salt and pepper hair with more salt in it, thinness. Brown eyes that peer at you inquisitively.

"Ah yes, the sorcerers and sorceresses of Gobblygook, I saw how you rescued Madame Baladwell, and well I could use your talents for myself."

[trysted]

Well now....what can we do for you? asks Dayme, who hesitates slightly before adding and why?

[Dimers]

Clearly the wizard doesn't mean that he's been kidnapped by goblins, Beb thinks. There must be something else about the rescue that he appreciated.

Showing uncommon-for-him wisdom, Beb doesn't vocalize his line of thinking. While Dayme starts the discussion, he steps into the room and bows.

[Illven]

"Well as you well might know I came to Gobblygook for a reason." He remarks. "And no the reason wasn't to rule over a small thorp with an iron fist." He cuts off answers. "The hills around Gobblygook are covered with ancient ruins. And everyone knows ancient ruins means awesome magic!"

He puts a rolled up scroll on the table. "There is a map of the area with the major ruins located. Any questions?"

[Archmage1]

Stepping warily closer to the table, Alice looks over the map for a few seconds, before she looks up at the wizard, her face artfully confused. "Um... why tell us this?"
She knew the answer, of course, but she really, really wanted to be wrong.

[Dimers]

"You want us to ... find awesome magic and bring it to you? But you already have awesome magic!" Beb is surprised, as yet lacking a dragon's compulsion to hoard power and wealth.

[Illven]

"Yes, and I wanted more. And when you saved my old adventuring buddy, I knew you were just the ones I could rely on." He beams happily.

[Archmage1]

Alice, still clearly confused, looks back and forth at Beb and Dayme, before she shakes her head slightly. "Um... why would we?"

[Illven]

"Well I told your mayor, if you do this, I might be convinced to let the town have a second horse!"

[Archmage1]

Alice looks a little sheepish at that. "Ah, well, the mayor might want a second horse, but, well, it's not like we'll ever get to ride it, and not dying horribly in some abandoned ruins is pretty compelling..." Her voice trails off, clearly unconvinced.

[trysted]

Dayme raises an eyebrow “I’m not convinced I like the mayor”, he states bluntly. But ancient magical sites intrigue me. Do you have any more details, like a good starting point?

[Illven]

Alice looks a little sheepish at that. "Ah, well, the mayor might want a second horse, but, well, it's not like we'll ever get to ride it, and not dying horribly in some abandoned ruins is pretty compelling..." Her voice trails off, clearly unconvinced.

"It could easily be your horse." He offers.

Dayme raises an eyebrow “I’m not convinced I like the mayor”, he states bluntly. But ancient magical sites intrigue me. Do you have any more details, like a good starting point?

"I would recommend the ancient church of Boccob, it's one of the closer ones and it'll probably have arcane and divine magic."

[Archmage1]

Alice frowns, thoughtfully, before she speaks again, her voice slow, clearly thinking about what she was saying as she says it. "So... we go into the ruins, and sell things we find? No other obligations? We can take as much time as we need to do things safely? And, in return, we can buy whatever we want, assuming we have the cost?"

[Illven]

Alice frowns, thoughtfully, before she speaks again, her voice slow, clearly thinking about what she was saying as she says it. "So... we go into the ruins, and sell things we find? No other obligations? We can take as much time as we need to do things safely? And, in return, we can buy whatever we want, assuming we have the cost?"

"Well I want fifty percent of the magic stuff, but the gold and silver and gems they can be yours. And you can buy whatever you want, except a THIRD horse."

[Archmage1]

Alice's frown grows. "I don't mean to be rude, but it sounds like you mean for us to take all the risks, pay all the costs, while you claim the rewards."

[Dimers]

Beb swings his head back and forth like he's following a tennis match as the others discuss risks and rewards. He gathers his courage and inserts, "Ehm, would you consider an advance on that 'two horse' thing? Taking along Kelpie would help our cause, but I've been careful not to let him into town."

[trysted]

Dayme graciously allows the others to question the mage, before he chimes in, “There are two things I have to ask. First, what is the deal with you and horses? Did a priestess predict that a horse would eat you, are you just equestrally challenged or.....

Also, more to the point, can you point out on this map where that ancient church of Boccob is?”

[Illven]

Beb swings his head back and forth like he's following a tennis match as the others discuss risks and rewards. He gathers his courage and inserts, "Ehm, would you consider an advance on that 'two horse' thing? Taking along Kelpie would help our cause, but I've been careful not to let him into town."

"How would a horse in town help your cause?" He asked quite confused.

Dayme graciously allows the others to question the mage, before he chimes in, “There are two things I have to ask. First, what is the deal with you and horses? Did a priestess predict that a horse would eat you, are you just equestrally challenged or.....

Also, more to the point, can you point out on this map where that ancient church of Boccob is?”

"Well I'm not trained in riding, but alot of people aren't, so I'm not particularly challenged." He muses out.

"Oh of course." He remarks, pointing to one of the ruins south east of Gobblygook.