Errands in Town

John W. said: Common The simpler accomodations and training help keep him tough, though he doesn't get as much practice with gentle conversation. He'll keep getting a +1 bonus to Fort saves in town, but lose his +1 to Diplomacy.

How much do houses and land run for and building costs etc? Would love a handout for that that could be adjusted up or down for local economy etc. Also I would like to hire a hireling who can make a detailed map of the world as he travels with us and see it grow as we travel. I like to have an idea of where things are and a reference to look at from time to time to get a better feel for the world. And to better direct my armies of conquest.... errr... I mean to better guard the poor innocents of the land.

John W. said: How much do houses and land run for and building costs etc? Would love a handout for that that could be adjusted up or down for local economy etc. Roll Appraise. I can make you an editable handout if you want to Appraise in each town and keep track, too. John W. said: Also I would like to hire a hireling who can make a detailed map of the world as he travels with us and see it grow as we travel. I like to have an idea of where things are and a reference to look at from time to time to get a better feel for the world. And to better direct my armies of conquest.... errr... I mean to better guard the poor innocents of the land. A cartographer hireling would charge 5-10sp per day, depending on how skilled of a person you want to hire (the better their skill, the more accurate and detailed the maps will generally be).

I'd like to change Limars upkeep to Self sufficient. Happy to keep sleeping in Leos room but I've lost so much gold and im trying to keep it all for my hoard. 

Josh said: I'd like to change Limars upkeep to Self sufficient. Happy to keep sleeping in Leos room but I've lost so much gold and im trying to keep it all for my hoard.  Leo has to move to a somewhat smaller room that he can afford by himself, but doesn't mind you crashing there. With your much hardier new lifestyle, you'll lose the Appraise bonus but gain a +1 to Survival checks while staying in town instead.

I'd like to suggest a few uses for that favor note - trading it, it might be worth enough that we could get that bag of holding,which would be good for long trips. -giving it to Merla so she can get help with investing also, should've done this sooner, I'd like to buy 3 bells and rig it with some rope for  an alarm system on Leo's room don't need zeke sneaking  in again -I'd also like to see what those other rings at Ryellys an if he would be interested in taking a personal favor note from limar.

Josh said: also, should've done this sooner, I'd like to buy 3 bells and rig it with some rope for  an alarm system on Leo's room don't need zeke sneaking  in again Jackson's, one of the local pawnshops, has some bells. One of the proprietors, a middle-aged tallfellow halfling named Jackson, tells you that the cheapest are 1 gold and 5 copper, but he only has two of them right now. He also has this one, but the craftsmanship is a bit finer, so he couldn't let it go for less than 1 gold and 3 silver. If you buy at least one, roll a Craft (trapmaking) check to set up your alarm. Josh said: -I'd also like to see what those other rings at Ryellys an if he would be interested in taking a personal favor note from limar. Ryelly doesn't seem particularly interested in a favor note from a wizard's familiar (remember, you guys are undercover ;), but he has  heard of some of the deeds the Wayfinders have done. In the last few months, it seems word has spread of your accomplishments in Bowhery. And even though public opinion of you in Waterwend is low right now (for your public support of Balmon at his trial), Ryelly has enough experience in business to know a good investment when he sees one. He says if Leoavor can provide a favor note redeemable by any current or future leader of your party, he'd value it at 60 gold pieces towards the price of anything he has in stock. In the meantime, he's happy to show you the other rings he has. "This one is called a Ring of Protection," he explains, showing you a beautiful silver ring. "It generate an invisible, imperceptable field around your body, which can help to deflect fast-moving objects and magic rays. Only 2205 gold, a fine price for something which might well save your life. Then we have this, a more whimsical device... the Ring of Prestidigitation, 1102 gold. It can create a variety of small magical effects on a whim." Setting aside that ornate silver ring with a variety of shapes worked around its circumfrence, he shows you a heavy gold coin of very fine workmanship. "Now this one is quite a bit more utilitarian, but it protects the mind rather than the body. A Ring of Mind Shielding! It will block mages from using their spells to read your mind, tell whether you're lying, or find out your alignment, for the very reasonable price of 8820 gold pieces. And finally, a Ring of Improved Jumping. As you might guess, it grants great power to the wearer's legs. Simply putting it on would make you as mighty a leaper as any hero of legend. A steal at 11025 gold!" I also just realized that I didn't factor the taxes and Guild surcharge into the prices he quoted you before, so I went back and edited that post to show the correct numbers. Josh said: I'd like to suggest a few uses for that favor note - trading it, it might be worth enough that we could get that bag of holding,which would be good for long trips. -giving it to Merla so she can get help with investing I'm not sure if you guys Appraised it, but go ahead and roll for that if you like. 

2 bells, 18 that's worth a whole lot of nothing forget it.

Josh said: 2 bells, 18 That's good enough to set up a simple alarm trap on the windows that might alert you if a wallcrawler tries to sneak in.

It'll be 6 days before the next encounter in-game, so if anyone wants to do anything in town or work to earn some money, just post here!  I know Kraggan wanted to get more details about Limar's new ring. Leoavor suggests asking at Ryelly's Wondrous Vault, the local magic item shop where he and Limar were shown other magical rings for sale. 

Profession (painter) check: 21.

Not gonna reject a chance to show off my new bling. Not going to trade it in just want it properly valued  would also like to look for any big gold contracts like the flowers. -rolled gather info 3 times no gold spent, Id like to visit a few inns or pubs trying to find some adventurer contract preferably local anything from finding a lost horse to killing a group of bandits/pirates, if it's something I can handle by myself all the better. if nothing turns up or I finish before the next encounter I'll help leo with his cult search, he learned anything worth sharing yet?

Ritt K. said: Profession (painter) check: 21. Xankoris earns 9 gold pieces for the lovely landscape painting of the Wend he sells to Object d'Art. Josh said: Not gonna reject a chance to show off my new bling. Not going to trade it in just want it properly valued Ryelly takes a look at it and listens to your description. He thinks for a long minute, but regretfully tells you that he's never come across such a ring before, so he can't be sure what limits their might be on its use. He tells you that he'd probably price such a thing at about 2200 gold pieces, though. If you want to have it identified fully, he suggests speaking to Frimin Moonbrook at Frimin and Asgeifr's Armaments across the street.  Josh said: would also like to look for any big gold contracts like the flowers. -rolled gather info 3 times no gold spent, Id like to visit a few inns or pubs trying to find some adventurer contract preferably local anything from finding a lost horse to killing a group of bandits/pirates, if it's something I can handle by myself all the better. Your efforts pay off, as you hear about a merchant who's looking for adventurers for some big job. After tracking him down, the man tells Leoavor that his caravans have been having problems on their trade route about a day's travel north of Waterwend. Several times this year, they've been attacked by a huge dragon killed several guards and stole a significant portion of their goods. He's fed up with it, and is looking for a party of dragonslayers willing to hunt down the beast. He's willing to handle payment one of two ways, depending on your preference: either he will pay 200 platinum pieces to the party upon their return with proof of the dragon's death and the recovery of his stolen goods, or he will permit them to keep any and all of said stolen goods that they find in the dragon's hoard (in addition to whatever else is there). He can give a rough description of the beast's location, based on where the attacks on his caravans occurred.

Huge....dragon? Like actually huge or the guards felt like it was huge but it was really only the size of a pegasus?

Oh does he know it's color? Would help us prepare ,show him you maps leo for the location, of course we're going to need to speak to our leader first before we promise anything. I wonder if I can get kalemne to fake her death for a 100 platinum  and return the goods

John W. said: Huge....dragon? Like actually huge or the guards felt like it was huge but it was really only the size of a pegasus? Leoavor, discussing it with Orrick and Limar later: "He seemed to think we could handle it, but he might just not care if we die in the effort."

Josh said: Oh does he know it's color? Would help us prepare ,show him you maps leo for the location, if course we,re going to need to speak to our leader first before we promise anything. I wonder if I can get kalemne to fake her death for a 100 platinum  He wasn't sure about the color, and seems surprised you'd ask such a thing. Leo conferred with him about the location using his own map of the Catacombs surface, and the merchant gave some basic information about where to go: basically cross Land Bridge, then travel 10-20 miles due north.

Is that near her lair? If so I'll fly over there and see if I can find her again.

Josh said: Is that near her lair? If so I'll fly over there and see if I can find her again. It is, as far as you can tell from the map. Let's move this meeting with her to PMs.

Alright but to bring everyone who doesn't know in the loop kalemne is limars mom if she is responsible for this I'm hoping to convince her to fake it so I can swindle some coin off this guy, how ever if it's another dragon she might help us to get it off her territory. 

While Limar is off visiting his mother for the day, Leoavor buys a new cloak to replace the one that burned in the boat fire.

So when limar returns around night time he'll report to leo and others "Had a nice hunt with mom learned and relearned a few lessons about being a dragon, anyways she's not willing to fake her death and I've no intention to fight her. She is willing to give the merchant 5 years of safe passage in exchange for 30 right thumbs of the bugbear that have been vexing her. Leo would you mind talking to him about it?" 17 diplomaCy to assist leo in convincing the merchant or just 17 since it's my plan.

Kraggan can go with you too, her diplomacy is high. You would probably do better assisting me. We may have to go get some bugbear thumbs personally, and if we do we may even get paid.  Diplomacy (rolled in chat) 20 +4 from Leoavor and Limar's assists

We heard you had been having problems on the trade route about a day's travel north of Waterwend. As we were looking for a bit of adventure, we checked it out and a party member even found the dragon. We are not dragon slayers though, even if we had wanted to we probably wouldn't have been able to defeat a dragon yet. However our wizards familiar was able to talk to her and we have reached a somewhat profitable deal.  She's willing to to give you 5 years of safe passage in exchange for 30 right thumbs of the bugbears that have been vexing her. I hope this arranging this deal was worth something to you, and I think we would be willing to discuss bugbear thumb retrieval with you. Before you had offered either to pay 200 platinum pieces for proof of the dragon's death and the recovery of his stolen goods, or to permit us to keep any and all of said stolen goods. Since we haven't defeated the beast a new deal would need to be decided upon. It's a dangerous task and I am sure you would like to begin your 5 years of unmolested profit as soon as possible.

The merchant listens to your proposal with skepticism, but your reasoning and confidence soon seem to sway him. "Five years is a good start... not as long as if the dragon were dead, but it would be worth something to me. If you can broker this deal with it, I will pay..." --he weighs you three for a long moment with the experienced eye of a veteran trader-- "...100 platinum, once I have sent one of my men to confirm the dragon's satisfaction with its grisly payment."

I'll take you offer of 100 platinum, with the caveat that since we are risking our lives, you give any of my team, if they should die, a proper burial. No need for fancy but I would rather not dig a grave for a friend ever again.

"Very well. If you see to it that the bodies are returned to Waterwend, I will cover the costs of a funeral and last rites. Although," the merchant explains, "it is not the custom to bury the dead here, per se. They're committed to the river instead, at the funeral pier beside the Shrine of Wee Jas and Urogalan." Knowledge (religion) applies.

Appropriate funeral rights for a river city, i suppose.

On another note, Kraggan wanted to discuss a plan for minding the docks with the merchants guild. Setting up locks along the mooring posts and one guard per dock as a part of a docking fee to keep business steady, reduce wasted time for incoming merchants, along faster trade, keep damages down and a guard would help prevent theft and fire.

On your way to the merchants guildhall on Reaping 22nd, there's some strange weather... clouds of roiling smoke shot through with red embers drift across the sky. Occasionally a bird will fly into one, and there'll be a burst of light from it, then the poor creature's charred body will fall to the streets below. Knowledge (arcana) and Survival (trained only) apply. Go ahead and roll Diplomacy to convince the guild of your ideas.

So, I got Survival 29 +2 in aboveground natural environments and my diplomacy was a 24.

so planing time for the bug bear hunt. rolled 6 on int to recall what ive seen off the bug bears the first time i went hunting with mom " Didnt seem all that tough...." (2 months of relaxation right there) 16 survival to point out the bug bear area on leos maps.+ rolled 19 knowledge geography if that helps this. " we planing on taking the boat further up river or using the bridge?"  "will orrick be joining us?" "when do we leave?"

Kraggan recognizes this surreal weather as a kind of supernatural event called incendiary clouds. They're quite rare, but only dangerous to flying creatures, who run a high risk of being burned to a crisp if they fly into one. When she arrives at the Merchants Guildhall, she's shown in by a servant and presents her case to a member of the guild. He's quite swayed by her well-reasoned argument, and calls in a more senior member to hear it as well. She tells Kraggan that she will bring this before the guild council at the next meeting. Josh said: so planing time for the bug bear hunt. rolled 6 on int to recall what ive seen off the bug bears the first time i went hunting with mom " Didnt seem all that tough...." (2 months of relaxation right there) You just remember them being big ugly furry bearmen. Savage humanoids. Kind of goblinoid, maybe? Josh said: 16 survival to point out the bug bear area on leos maps.+ rolled 19 knowledge geography if that helps this. " we planing on taking the boat further up river or using the bridge?"  Using Leo's map and your experience flying with your mom, you're able to get a general idea of where to go. The bugbear territory is 20-30 miles due north of Waterwend, you believe. You could pay for the bridge toll, or you could take the boat to the north shore and dock it there, but you don't know what sort of docks there are on that side. Josh said: "will orrick be joining us?" "when do we leave?" Leoavor, to Limar and Kraggan: "Actually, I think I'd like to sit this one out, and I'd like it if Orrick would go with you guys in my place. I feel like I'm near a breakthrough in my research on the Cult, and I don't want to lose the thread by leaving town yet. The cultists are Orrick's enemy too, and I think he could be a great asset in Treefall, but I want you guys to get to know him better too. Take him with you, and fight alongside him. Boccob knows we'll probably be depending on him in battle when we finally confront the Cultists, and it would do a lot of good then if you got used to working with him now."

Orrick will go. He has a beef about the fire and the reward though. He is much more laid back about himself not being included in the loot or being compensated with some amount of gold since your party took the ring for itself but he is incensed that his men were left out and it fell to him to try to save their feelings of injustice from his own pocket. Will the party take these things into consideration in the future or just assume he and his men enjoy risk for its own sake? I could leave them here in town and go with you alone but that could be construed as a dereliction of my duty to my orders. But if I take them with me then it's an operation with friendly auxiliaries who are aiding with my current orders.

John W. said: Orrick will go. He has a beef about the fire and the reward though. He is much more laid back about himself not being included in the loot or being compensated with some amount of gold since your party took the ring for itself but he is incensed that his men were left out and it fell to him to try to save their feelings of injustice from his own pocket. Will the party take these things into consideration in the future or just assume he and his men enjoy risk for its own sake? I could leave them here in town and go with you alone but that could be construed as a dereliction of my duty to my orders. But if I take them with me then it's an operation with friendly auxiliaries who are aiding with my current orders. I think Kraggan said she'd take them all out for a night of drinking after the fire, to make up for him not getting a cut. Krag, did you still do that?

Of course I did

Separately,  Your men should definitely be compensated in the future,but just as you didn't get any ring we would not get any carousing. Actually only Limar got something out of the last encounter due to it being a singular treasure, and I at least did it out of altruism. If you were to accompany us, which you haven't even discussed with me as party leader, we can definitely come to a fair agreement for all. However you are a skilled leader and will get a bigger share than your men, who don't rank into the same kind of pay because they don't have the experience o the rest of us. (does Orrick expect himself and all his men to get an equal cut? Each? That's excessive)

maybe just pay them as trained hirelings 3sp/day? I don't see them doing much more than pulling guard duty at night anyways. also being a money pincher can Limar convince kraggan to take the bridge toll of his debt? he'll be ignoring it by flying over the river and a coin saved is a coin earned.

Explain this bridge toll debt?

I'm 2200 gold in debt to the party. the party is going bugbear hunting, pretty sure we planned to leave the boat in waterwend go across the bridge which I believe had a toll, and the last time we paid a toll to those hobgoblin the party funds covered it. Since limar won't be crossing the bridge with the party he won't need to be paid for therefor saved/earned gold coins removed from his debt.

When you get to Lang Bridge just west of Waterwend, you find there's a small garrison of Waterwend's city guards (tallfellow hallfings with longtridents, pretty recognizable) at either end, with a few guards patrolling along the bridge itself. There's some sparse traffic going over the immense wooden structure in both directions, and the guards at the south end tell you that the toll to cross is 2 copper pieces for each person and animal. On an unrelated note, everyone gets more boons! Orrick: Improved Toughness [+1 hp per hit die, adjusts with his level] Drusilia: +1 Wis Kraggan: Weapon Focus (longbow) Xankoris: Ki Shout [Oriental Adventures p64] Leoavor: may ignore material costs for next 9 spell levels copied into spellbook [not including 2 free spells when leveling up] Limar: Shape Breath [Metabreath] [Draconomicon, can turn it into a 40' line for increased time between breaths]

only 2 copper pieces? I'll still hackle kraggan about the debt because why not. so what party assets are we bringing? torches and food? 

I updated the Party Assets handout to show what the main party is carrying now. So, does anyone want to do anything else before settling down for the night?  And as for watches, you used to have Leoavor on first watch, so you'll need someone else to take it now. I recommend Drusilia, since elves only need 4 hours of trance each night to fully rest, but it's up to you guys.

Hope for pleasant dreams and to not be attacked during the night.

Regardless of the watches (this time), the night passes uneventfully. Everyone heals naturally (1 hit point per hit die), and by morning you have grown stronger! You each get the following boons: Drusilia: Resist cold equal to HD Kraggan: Mounted Combat Xankoris: learn two new lv1 spells from his class spell list (any elements) Limar: +1d6 acid damage to breath weapon

Awesome I also hope for 1000 platinum and my magic hand back.

The night passes uneventfully once again, with Riet and her timberwolf Duncan helping with the watches. Everyone heals naturally (1 hit point per hit die), and by morning most of you have again grown stronger from your battles the previous day. You get the following boons: Kraggan: 2 bonus orisons per day and add overgrowth to spell list Xankoris: +1 Charisma Limar: trapfinding (special quality, as the rogue class feature)

Still more boons, after escaping the spiders! (they'll probably slow down a bit soon thanks to recalculations that happen behind the curtain at Lv6, so enjoy it while it lasts) You get the following boons: Kraggan: animal companions gain Improved Natural Armor Xankoris: lv2 bonus spell Limar: 4 skill points

This time you guys get a rare set of mid-battle boons, which should hopefully help you survive the boss fight going down right now: Drusilia: DR 1/- (any damage she takes that's only slashing, piercing, and/or bludgeoning is reduced by 1) Kraggan: +1 bonus to damage rolls with bows Xankoris: +1 Con (remember, this increases his max AND current hp by 1 per level) Limar: Ability Focus (breath weapon) and +1d6 acid damage to breath weapon

After a good night's sleep in your own beds, everyone gathers for a hot breakfast of fried eggs, barley bread, warm goat's milk, onions fried in bacon fat (and the bacon for those with better upkeeps) at The Harlequin's Goblet to catch up with Leoavor, who looks quite a bit stronger and more confident now as well. You notice him now looking a bit more at the busty tallfellow hallfing waitresses that the inn is famous for, too. He shows his journal to everyone (now updated in-game) and tells you a bit about the adventures he's had while you were gone. "...so  Wyatt Ferris agreed to help us break up the Cult of Erythnul in Waterwend. I think it'll be a great test run for us. What do you guys say?" The food and rest helps restore you, and everyone regains their upkeep bonuses. If you'd like to change your upkeep level, please do so now as well. Here's a current table of morale bonuses and weekly costs: Orrick: common (+1 to Fort saves)                                            (11gp, 2sp, 5cp, plus 10gp, 5sp stabling (21gp, 7sp, 5cp total)) Drusilia: self-sufficient (+1 to Will saves)                                   (5sp, or 1sp in Bowhery when staying at Companions guildhall) Kraggan: self-sufficient (+1 piety per day)                                 (5sp)      Jess: stabling                                                                        (3 gold, 5 silver) Xankoris: common (+1 to Knowledge (nobility) checks)            (11gp, 2sp, 5cp) Leoavor: good (+1 to Concentration checks and Will saves)     (25gp) Limar: self-sufficient (+1 to Survival checks)                              (5sp) Everyone also gets a set of boons for the completed quest: Drusilia: Run feat Xankoris: Silent Spell [Metamagic] Kraggan: +2 Con Limar: +2 Cha