Everything Has A Price - Lion's Crest

General Summary

Following a lead on the Sea Gate murders the Wardens had previously found themselves in warehouse full of sandmen. There they quickly dispatched most of the sandmen with one escaping and slipping down a tunnel behind a keg. Following, they found themselves in an underground vault full of pitfalls and boobytraps. After finding a small trove the group opened a door to find the man from the bar earlier surrounded flanked by four of the previous sandmen. Before the figure had much of a chance to speak Adama fired off a fireball into the room kicking off combat.

The Price to Pay

As we interrupted the shadow man he glided towards us, "How dare you interrupt my meal," he yelled. However, Tintreach with a well placed chain lightning and the group supporting took out most of the enemies. Adama subdued the shadow man, who as he fell unconscious turned into a grotesque giant form. His hair had white streaks, he eyes turned yellow, and his fingernails grew long. Hoping to question him later the group left him alive but unconscious while they took some time to recover from the fights.
As they rested Myra inspected where the man had been standing and found an unlit torch with script in giant noting, 'A Price to pay'. As Myra investigated the wall Raijun, Tintreach, and Adama investigated the body. While he was still moving slightly, Raijun found his cloak which seemed to still blowing slightly (a version of a cloak of billowing, Tintreach found 10 gold 5 silver and 3 copper and a coin similar to the one Myra had handed over earlier. Tintreach returned the coin to Myra while Hagren and Trenchcoat went to the torch to further investigate. Through their investigation Trenchoat found a slot on the torch that appeared to be big enough for the coin to fit. Placing the coin in the slot, the torch, which had previously stuck fast to the wall, began to rotate. In initial investigation Myra found that the answer was not to rotate the torch all the way, taking a small amount of fire damage. But when Adama decided to try Myra suggested the number 7, the number on the coin the torch receded slightly into the wall and stayed there. As Adama pushed against the wall the torch hung from the wall parted and a door opened. As Hagren and Trenchcoat led the way inside, looking for traps, the found a room with a decadent floor, jeweled patters and designs. In the middle of the room was a single pillar with a piece of a mosaic that looked like a dragon. On the wall was a picture of three hands raised upward. One a clawed beast later identified as matching the white dragon, one of a man, and one of a humanoid a bit lager and more ethereal. Hagren, having cleared the room of traps, remarked that the room looked more like a vault than anything else and waved the others inside. The rest of the group coming in and inspecting the disk found that it was about the size of Hagrens hand, it was about 1/16 of the total mosaic, and the mosaic was of a white dragon curled up with its mouth extending toward the center with blue diamond eyes. On the back of the plate was a written Jyindi, which Myra recognized as being the name of a mountain on the Dragon Spine Mountains south of Nightwell Hold. Raijun tried removing the painting of the hands to see what was behind it, or to sell it later, but it seemed stuck steadfast to the wall.
As the group investigated the room Adama, waiting outside, saw the giant figure begin to stir until he shifted shape and began to make for the exit. Adama hurled a fire bold and some magic missiles after the figure but, in it's new sandy shape it slipped between the cracks, and made an exit out the side. Raijun in reentering the former room looked up to the ceiling and noticed cobwebs in the ceiling, telling the group, Gwen remarked that she would like to avoid going back in the room as she hated dealing with spiders. As the rest of the group left the bejeweled chamber Myra picked up the white dragon mosaic and a small magical sign appeared rapidly flicker between different languages saying 'everything has a price' in each. As they left the door shut behind them and Hagren noticed the coin appear on the floor again.
The group making their way back upstairs, decided to look around the warehouse for any further information on the men before leaving. They found the bodies mentioned by the queen with extremely thin puncture wounds on them, that looked like they had been made by the sand weapons we had faced. While investigating the warehouse Raijun discovered that on the second floor there was a body of a woman with short cropped brown hair and a small black chest under her body. The box has a black felt interior and on the bottom side there was an octagonal indent that would match the coin. As the placed the coin inside the face on the coin turned to the left (switching from its previously right facing gaze) and the chest shut and would not open. Casting identify on the box revealed that the box was indeed sealed with some kind of arcane lock and that the box while created by magic, seemed to be mostly mundane in nature outside of the locking mechanism. In addition to the lock the box appeared to have some kind of non-detection spell on it as well. After making several attempts at words that might open the box the group gave in and headed out with Hagren placing the box in his bag.

A Quiet Night

The group headed back toward the community center, stopping on the way at the post office. Myra picked up several letters while Adama, attempting to be stealthy, dropped a letter in the outbound mail (seen by Hagren, Raijun, and Myra). After a couple of quick shopping stops the group found their way back to the Whitemane community center in time for dinner. While there were still people about there certainly seemed to be less people after the previous nights attacks. As we came in James greeted us. As we asked how he was doing he mentioned how yesterday was a tragedy and how 'frankly those people shouldn't be breathing our air'. Jimmy mentioned he thought we'd be off today and we asked if we might stay one more night in a soft bed before heading off to sea. He said that of course we were welcome and that he was sure Mama would be happy to see us. Hagren and Adama bee lined to Topp, who was busy having dinner with the Kobolds, while Myra joined after ensuring that Jimmy was actually ok.
As Hagren, Adama, and Myra walked over they overheard Topp explaining a complicated scientific law to the Kobolds who were nodding vigorously to what he said. Hagren started, asking about the box they found and if there was a way to open it. Topp inspected the box and asked why anyone lock something into a box, before commenting that he had once locked himself in a box by accident as he forgot the key. He mentioned that the box would open with a word but his alternative would be to smash the box. Myra and Adama interjected, saying we would like to not smash the box and mentioning that they thought maybe it would be useful for hiding the scrolls. Adama asked if Topp thought the box could cloak the scrolls. Topp thought and replied that it was possible but one problem with the size of the magic, essentially that the magic of the scrolls was so large that it overwhelmed the cloaking spells but offered a solution to the problem and pulled out an envelope. Myra asked if the envelope was supposed to be the solution to which Topp looked at what he had pulled out, said oh, and started unfolding it until it was a folder. He paused briefly at the folder stage before frowning and unfolding it further until it was the size of a mid-sized amazon package upon which he presented it to us proudly. When we asked what it was he said it led to a different plane of reality, his own personal pocket plane. When asked how he did it, what materials it was made of etc. he said he didn't know and he had found it in his desk. And that clearly it was his because he had the key to the desk. As we thanked him for the help Myra asked if we might talk more about the anti-magic collars that he mentioned the other night. Topp said he wasn't supposed to work on those any more because the last time he did a student of his ran off with the plans. Myra asked where this student was now and Topp answered that he was in Kolis-Tane making bikes and trains. Topp told Myra that if she came by his lab later he would see if he had anything that could help.
Meanwhile, Raijun disappeared to a dark corner to study the Necromancy Scroll. After failing an arcana check he felt almost something pulling him backwards out of the scroll. Elsewhere, Tintreach seeing Jimmy look upset, brought out the bottle of whiskey he had stolen from bar and offered him a drink. Jimmy, looking around to make sure Mama wasn't nearby, pulled out a flask and told Tintreach it was never ending before taking a sip. Tintreach asked what he had and Jimmy said Jonny Walker Blue Label prompting Tintreach to ask if he could have some of his as it was clearly better than the bottle he had swiped. After taking another look around, Jimmy handed the bottle to Tintreach. As the group talking to Topp was departing, Adama to go work or bringing back Hedwig, Hagren to talk to the Kobold, Myra ran into Gwen who was looking for help with the shield Topp gave her previously. Myra suggested that she could probably help and mended the shield back to its full hit points. After explaining what they had learned from Topp Myra asked if Gwen would like to join her in seeing Topp's lab later.
Indicating her interest Myra and Gwen reconvened after an hour or two to meet up with Topp to go to his lab. Upon entering they found a room that was a mess. It was full of half started and half finished projects, there were bins lying around labeled with different ideas and project names. There were books that looked well used and others that looked like they were there because they had pretty covers. Descending into the chaos, Myra could see Gwen twitching itching to clean and organize. As they entered Topp went to one of the cabinets in the back and opened it and closed it three times until he pulled out two collars. He told us that they were new prototypes but to not tell anyone that he had them as he wasn't supposed to work on them. As Myra put one away and handed the other to Gwen, she asked Topp more about the person who had stolen the blueprints. Topp said he was tricked into giving them away by a previous student named Em'mt. He was a former student who was 'mean but brilliant' and was focused on 'making more practical inventions'. Topp mentioned his hair was a bit crazy, white and frizzy, and that he now resided in Kolis-Tane but that they didn't talk. Myra asked Topp where he was from and he mentioned he was from the big tree in Lunaacre. Topp told Myra and Gwen that he used to be a bit of a bad boy thought he couldn't figure out why women didn't like to come down to his lab. Myra and Gwen gave him some tips for tidying before Myra, noticing Gwen having a hard time not cleaning, bid Topp goodnight.
Returning to the main building of the community center and rejoining as a group, Lady Adalphia entered carrying meat pies and asked how we were. Myra requested an option with less meat with Adama and Raijun immediately expressing concern as she had eaten meat before. They asked why the change and Myra said that once you had eaten people everything seemed to taste like people. Adama sighed and asked if she was still hung up about what she did as a dragon, before giving her a questioning look to ask that it was as a dragon that she was talking about. Myra snapped that of course she had only eaten people as a dragon and gave Adama a look, before thanking Mama for the vegetables and suggesting that perhaps tonight was a good night for Magic Beans. Raijun immediately jumping onto the idea gathered up the group to begin chanting to do a bean. Myra agreed as long as they went to a place with little risk of hurting innocents and Tintreaach convinced Jimmy to come along as well.
Finding their way to an empty lot the group placed one of the beans and a familiar bush appeared with 6 new eggs for the group to try. Everyone tried an egg, except Gwen who convinced Jimmy to take hers instead, with Adama, Tintreach, Raijun, and Jimmy succeeding. Feeling that one bean wasn't climatic enough Riajun asked for another, which Myra provided, and they tried again. From the cobbles where the bean was planted a statue of Raijun rose exciting Raijun, until the statue started hurling insults at him. After telling anyone listening that Raijun kicked puppies and trying to tell people where he was Myra stuffed some fabric in the statues mouth and headed back to the community center explaining to the others that she had work to do. Adama, looking for a fight, looked through some alleys but finding only guards begrudgingly headed back. Most of the group went to bed with Adama staying up for an additional 4 hours to work on copying spells (completing Blur and starting Hold Person), Myra worked on two projects (completing one), and Raijun working on the scroll.

A Rough Trip

As Raijun failed to attune to the Necromancy Scroll again he felt pulled out of his body. As he receded from his body he saw other people following track and threads now visible. As he continued to zoom out he suddenly got the feeling of falling, though when he looked down he didn't appear to be getting closer to the ground. As he fell the light started to fade and the scene changed around him to no longer be Lion's Crest. As he fell he saw trees in the distance and, as he concentrated on them, the moved closer until he was falling through a forest the smell of the forest hitting him. As he focused more he could see a white form moving away from him the sky above. As he realizes he's back in the fall from Nightwell Hold he hears branches snapping and he continues to fall toward the ground with a ruthless pace. Just as he would hit the ground dark black wings and the mask of a raven appear before he is shot back to his body reawakening in the Whitemane community center.
Raijun, feeling unnerved by his vision sought out Lady Adalphia to try to return the scroll to her saying that he doesn't think we should keep it. Mama said that after the previous night she thought that this wasn't the safest place and said that we should keep it, denying taking it back. As Raijun walked away he looked up and asked 'what are you looking for'. As he went back to his room Adama spied the exchange and took note.
Raijun, feeling that he had now tried both sides, tried one last attempt at studying the scroll before bed and succeeded.

Setting Sail

The next morning as the group awoke Gwen found a small parcel outside her room. Immediately suspicious, she inspected the package trying to divine if there was any nefarious intent. Instead she got a sense of peace from the package prompting her to open it. Inside the box sat a silver circle adorned with eight small, white, shimmering flowers in various stages of bloom. At the top was a flower in full bloom while the bottom flower was completely closed with the ones in between in various stages of opening. A pin ran through the back and could be used as a brooch or hair pin. When investigated the flowers appeared to be Moon lilies and the 8 flowers correspond to 8 phases of the moon, on the back very faintly in elvish was 'Just as so.' Gwen smiled and squeezed the brooch to her chest as she went downstairs to join the others.
After getting in some last minute shopping for tools and more crafting supplies the group headed to 'The Right Price' to commence their voyage. Miss Carter greeted them by asking if they had filled out their liability waivers and as the Wardens handed over the forms the captain approached. The captain said they had gotten off on the wrong foot saying that as long as we respected her rules and the crew we should get along fine. She reminded the group that we are expected to help and requested the there would be no extracurriculars that could harm the crew prompting Raijun to comment that she shouldn't worry as he didn't have any beans. This caused the captain to pause and give Raijun an odd look before continuing that as a general rule we should stay out of the way of the crew unless instructed and that we would be told as we were needed.
As we set sail (Gwen rolled) the first day seemed warm and sunny as we left behind the cliffs of Lion's Crest and sailed out of the harbor.

Report Date

19 Feb 2021

Location(s)
Lion's Crest
In Game Start Date
One Day After the Summer Harvest Festival
In Game End Date
Two Days After the Summer Harvest Festival
Setting Sail Day 1
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