Adventurers' Guild Team Adder IC

[Bonecrusher Doc]

The team searches the docks, but boat traffic is minimal since the river was chained at Midford. Matthew engages a few people in conversation, but no-one seems to have heard anything about a trader named Davison. Vlax wanders somewhat aimlessly, not really sure how to strike up a conversation, when passage south is not openly advertised. Just when they are about to give up hope and start walking, Vlax is hailed by dwarf walking out of the port office. It is Ulfreid, whom Vlax met at Muddy Boots tavern by the river in Bridgeport.

Ulfreid
"Ho, Vlax, we meet again! Wish I could stay and talk, but I'm scrambling to find some rafters - say? Are you looking for work? I bought a small piece of lumber here from some other rafters, to split the trip you know, but now I'm finding my mates just want to wait here until the river opens up, so they can get back as fast as they can. Me, I've no family waiting on me, so I'll make partial trips all season if it pays! What do you say?

Vlax explains that he is here with friends and that none of them have experience riding rafts, but that they are willing to pay for the voyage south.

Ulfreid
"Nonsense! You can all come as crew. Rafting ain't like professional sailing - if it was, do you think we dwarves would be doing it? HAHAHA! You're ready to go now? Let's not waste another moment, time is coin!

The adventurers get some strange looks from the other two dwarves on board when they cautiously step onto Ulfreid's raft, holding their hands out as if to catch themselves when the raft moves under their feet. But after all share the customary toast of schnapps as they get under way, the dwarves take the adventurers under their wing and teach them their duties on the raft (chiefly helping to push the raft away from rocks by using long poles). There are very few other rafts or boats on the river. The adventurers, knowing that all their cares and worries will have to wait until they reach Bridgeport, have a marvelous time, learning to walk with wide, rolling steps, sharing stew and schnapps with the dwarves, learning a few poorly-translated off-color jokes, and enjoying beautiful spring days and starry nights in the open. Even Verona seems to relax a little bit, though she still doesn't say much.

Finally they pole the raft up to the pier at Bridgeport, and Vlax himself ties the raft to the gold-painted (well, really yellow) piling that symbolizes the end of the journey. Once they step off the raft, the solid ground feeling strange beneath their feet, Ulfreid puts a gold piece into each adventurer's bandaged hand.

Ulfreid
"Well done, all of you! I'll make a pretty penny on this lumber, with no more coming downstream these days! If you ever want a job again, look me up in Muddy Boots here!"

The adventurers thank Ulfreid and the other two raftriding dwarves profusely and bid them farewell.

They return to the guildhall, where Bruce is very happy to see them, though he is somewhat concerned about Matthias, Fin, and Berwin.

Bruce
"Ah well, adventuring's dangerous work. I'm afraid I have bad news."

Bruce tells them of Gylvin's death. He also fills them in on what he knows of the adventures of the other teams to date.

"So, quite a lot to take in, huh? Well, the others are out at the moment, and Ana's at the market, why don't you all rest up while you wait for them to get back? They'll want to talk and drink ale with you all night, I'll warrant. Oh, Lankin made a few purchases, weapons and such, he's down in the equipment room if you want to look over the new goods."

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@DB (of course): Enjoy the guildhall to yourself until I can skip some days in the Badger thread, then I'll notify you to start posting there. Shouldn't be long.

[DavidByron]

Matthew heads down to see Lankin about getting a short sword.

Or preferably a rapier, although I suppose this is no time to be worried about appearances....

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Matthew only has about 11-12gp. Short swords are 10gp standard and rapiers are 20gp standard.

Almost identical; Same damage and damage type. Rapiers have an extended threat range for criticals and don't count as "light" weapons although they weight the same as short swords. This means you can wield them two handed to get more damage if you have high strength (which Matthew doesn't).

Rapiers look cooler.

[Bonecrusher Doc]

Lankin
"Oh, actually I have a very nice rapier here in your size - got it at an estate sale this past weekend. Hmm, you don't have quite enough cash, and your friends already helped you out with the costs for your familiar... perhaps you have some other equipment you'd be willing to trade in to make up the difference?

[DavidByron]

Matthew:
Well the only valuable thing I have that I could spare would be a scroll of Disguise Self I made. Potentially very useful to anyone who can use it, but now I have learned to cast the same spell extempore I think I can do without it.

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PHB price would be 25 gp. A second level Bard or a 1st level Sorcerer or Wizard can use it (or anyone with the Use Magic Item skill can try).

[Bonecrusher Doc]

Lankin
"Oh, the scroll is more than enough - not that I'm going to give you change in coin. You can have the rapier for the scroll, and... let's see, I have crossbow bolts, trail rations, candles, parchment, and torches. I buy those in bulk so you can help yourself. Within reason, of course - Bruce wanted me to start outfitting adventurers for free, but I reminded him that we need money for food and peat and ale, and I'm the one with business sense!"

[DavidByron]

Matthew agrees to this deal.

Matthew:
This place is so quiet, waiting for the hammer to drop. I hope Bruce knows what he is doing in standing up to Argos. He needs to push him just so far and no further.

Matthew grabs a few crossbow bolts.

As for business I had always wondered about setting up shop in Bridgeport maybe buying and selling arcana. There seems to be a bit of a gap in the market for it here because Bridgeport has no Mage's guild. If you want a simple scroll made or a spell cast you have to know someone. In quieter times I could do quite well manufacturing these scrolls and selling them. Maybe work up to bigger things.

Well I better get some practise in with this rapier.

[Bonecrusher Doc]

Matthew asks Eldon what kind of conditions can cause a Raise Dead spell to be unsuccessful.

Eldon
"Oh, there are a few obscure and difficult methods I've heard of, not sure if I believe in all of them, but the usual reason is just that the soul doesn't want to return to this existence. Not that Raise Dead is done often, but even less often do people try using it on anyone past middle age, like myself. It may seem strange for a young man like yourself, but I believe that for many people, once they've lived a full life and died, they wouldn't want to go through the experience of coming back and having to face mortality again."

[DavidByron]

Matthew:
But the old Doge was ambitious and had many projects for Bridgeport that had yet to be completed. If he wanted a place in history he would strongly desire to continue his work. He had plenty to live for and besides which if he was a murder victim, as seems certain by the timing of his death ... he'd want to make sure his killer's plot was frustrated.

What are these "obscure and difficult methods" you mention?

[Bonecrusher Doc]

Eldon
"Well, I have heard of Druidic magic causing a soul to be born again in another body, a fascinating concept though I have no proof. So theoretically, the soul of Aloysius III could be happily occupied elsewhere rather than returning to his old, troubled body. And I seem to recall way back in seminary discussing the possibility of powerful dark magic entrapping someone's soul in a gemstone for eternity, which I shudder to think the gods would allow."

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If you want to finish this bit of conversation go ahead, otherwise this thread is (temporarily?) closed as Matthew and Vlax are now joining Team Badger.

[DavidByron]

Story is continued here:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showt...=66912&page=19