Session 9: A Stool and Guntho? Report
General Summary
The Party has made it back to the Temple with Kontos in tow, yelling for Elcas. A receptionist runs over asking if everything is okay, to which Vadania responds, "Obviously not, we have a hostage!" *cue concerned glances from the rest of the people in the temple*
Quickly, the group is escorted to the back, with Kelldor's office being taken over... again... much to her chagrin, she gets Elcas. Once he appears, the Party lets them know that they found the thief. "And you brought her right through the temple?!" "Sorry, were we not supposed to do that?" The Party then explains everything that happened at the house on Dix Street, and the black demon that they fought, noting that once you go black you never go back (FACEPALM). The group begins snacking on Kelldor's chips and queso, Elcas amazed at the quality of her snacks. He then crouches to check on Kontos, realizing that she is in fact alive, but confirming that her friends are not. Elcas then gives each of the Party 12GP as a reward.
Then, he tells them, "we made an agreement - the Circle will assist you in hiding from your friends from your hometown," with a pointed glance at Vadania. She asks to keep Elcas' sending stone for now, and he agrees, but admits that he won't always be available. The Party decides to go to Simon's to iron out a few things and then they will meet Elcas back at the Temple. At the door of Simon's, the Party is stopped. Simon has a new prestidigitation station! Rothgar goes first, feeling super refreshed after using it. They then ask Simon about the items that they found at Kontos' house, telling him that they would like to know what they are/what they can do before they possibly sell them.
Vadania asks Simon about trick arrows, who points to a sign showing a sale on Lightning Arrows (these arrows cast a streak of lightning in their wake. Any creatures within 5ft of a line between you and your target (including your target but not yourself) must make a DC15 dex saving throw or take 1d8 lightning damage) - only 50GP for each of them. Vadania decides to take all 5, she likes sales! (she used store credit to buy them). Rothgar is looking for boots, and Simon points out the Boots of Striding and Springing, which Rothgar tries on. They're 65GP, so Rothgar decides to hold off on that purchase. Vadania then asks Simon what he figured out about the glasses. He tells her that the ring and glasses are both enchanted, but the glasses allow the eyes to focus more keenly, and allow the wearer to aim better with spells (+1 to hit with ranged spells). The glasses also allow for advantage on persuasion checks with academics/scholars/nerds, as well as advantage on history checks.
Simon then tells them that the ring, appears to be solid at first glance, and is very fine craftsmanship, but the inner edges of the outside of the ring are actually detached and are free moving - it can spin. There are runes inscribed around, with notches. Vadania can read them, each rune corresponds to a skill - there are 18 total runes. You turn the dial to increase one's aptitude in a certain ability. Simon can't activate it, he needs more time to figure it out. He offers collateral (20GP) to Andry so that he can keep examining it, and the group will return in a few hours to find out what he can figure out. They then head out, and as soon as they get outside, Rothgar says they need to go a furniture shop so that he can buy Simon a stool for the prestidigitation station. (Vadania wants to hook Andry up with Simon, and his shop assistant is totally on board).
They head to the Salvage Beast on Annandale - there's a giant carved lion out front, with various other thrifted/restored furniture out front. Rothgar goes straight to the clearance rack, and they hear the owner, a dwarf who is a bit rough around the edges. Rothgar finds a stool, but has Andry get on the stool to try it out - "now rate your experience from 1 to 10" "it's definitely a solid 7." At this point, the dwarf owner (with a fez on his head) says that it'll be 2SP, and Rothgar just hands the dwarf a GP. The dwarf disappears to the back on the shop, accepting the ridiculous overpayment. The group then delivers the stool back to Simon, after Rothgar prestidigitates it.
Then, the Party returns to the Temple, where Elcas is still lounging in Kelldor's office again, still eating her queso. They have to wait for Simon, but didn't know what else to do, so they came back to the Temple to bother Elcas, who tells them that Kontos has been thoroughly dispatched. Elcas then explains that the safehouse for the group is in the city on the grounds of the university, but it's not technically Elcas' safehouse, it's a friend's. They discuss taking on the Avariels, but realize that one night away will not dissuade them. The Party is his favorite group of people, but if he gets involved, the rest of the Circle would be against Vadania's "friend". However, Elcas' friend is a neutral party,
and he can offer assistance for at least one night. Vadania isn't sure that they can trace Nox, unless there's some magical way to do it. The Party plans on leaving the city first thing in the morning, but they want eyes on the Avariels.
Elcas' friend is a professor at the university - Guntho Halbert. Falnour University is located in the upper class area of Kilead, with three gated entrances at the north, east, and west. Once inside the university gates, there are two main buildings - the first with administrative offices and meeting halls on the first level and classrooms on the upper levels (it's like 6 stories high), and the second with a small number of apartments, the multi-floor library, an auditorium, and a few laboratories for alchemical studies. Both towering buildings are connected via a sky bridge, and by a secret set of tunnels for the gnome security that most people don't know about.
Elcas leads them into the first building and asks them to wait while he gets his friend. He comes back with a LARGE humanoid person (just over 8 feet tall). His skin is pale, slightly tinted blue from what the Party can see. He's a half-giant! With a southern accent, he confirms that the Party are the ones that need the safehouse and he strolls outside. Elcas leaves them with Guntho. Guntho then leads them to a building on the university property, explaining that it's a special kind of safehouse. As he walks around the building the Party can see fancy looking houses around them, what may be faculty housing. He goes to one of the houses, where they can see a large open space with a staircase on the side He says it doesn't look like much, and pulls out a key without teeth - almost like a needle. Guntho then puts the key into a hole that is completely inconspicuous unless pointed out, and twists it. The room shudders, and a barrier shows up all around this side room. While the key is in place, no divination magic can be used to find them while they're in the room, and no one can see them from outside. Someone can open the door to the room and it looks empty.
Andry decides she wants to try it, so Rothgar shoves her out of the room in the safehouse and closes the door... it works... Guntho then pulls the pin out and the room goes back to normal. He says that he only has one pin, and gives it to Rothgar, who puts it on his wolf paw necklace. Guntho asks about the people looking for them. Andry points to Vadania, focusing on the wings, telling Guntho that they are large and wearing black clothing (well, large to us, not you). They're elite elven warriors. Guntho replies, "worst kind of elves, tenacious ones..."
The Party tells Guntho if he feels the desire to join their plight, the Party will leave and purposely take the issue away from the safehouse and university. "Well it's always best to fight at high noon."
Guntho then explains that there are some tunnels underneath the university, which he should not be telling the Party about, that can lead them out of the city. It's decided that they will stay the night, and be ready for the Avariels in the morning. Guntho will get them out of the city through the tunnels and then the Party can take them out....
