Unintentional Encounters - Everchange Exchange

General Summary

Finding themselves in Everchange Exchange with a few days before Onsprey came to port the Wardens took to Shopping. With Kanna mentioning a magic shop in the Block of Eternal Might most of the group ventured into Kharon's Gift finding the creepy owner Revi standing silently in the back. As they entered Revi reacted to Raijun entering refusing to sell to him or anyone who would follow his patron. Raijun waiting outside, she turned to the rest of the group and asked "What can a servant of bones do for you?"

Gifts and Curses

Turning to Gwen Revi smiled, "I believe your mistress would entice you to my more exotic wares. A touch of nightmare, a touch of the hounded stalker, one of the rot within."
Gwen looked at Revi with horror, insisting that her goddess was Selune, and that she was sure that she would not want anything to do with those, clutching her brooch.
Revi sneered, "I talk about that which embodies rot. The one you owe a great debt. The driving force. Your choice will catch up with you eventually."
As Myra paid for the potions Revi asked if any of them wanted to make a donation to the church before leaving. Myra said that they were good thank you but that perhaps she would stop by the temple later and donate there. Revi suggested that she should stop by the temple and count her blessings or go on a pilgrimage. Myra inquired where one pilgrimages to, the holy land of the undying king. She asked if Revi had made a pilgrimage herself and Revi said of course and rolled up her sleeves showing mutilated arms beneath saying she has sworn herself to him and suggesting Myra do the same.

Belly of the Beast

Going into the Belly of the Sand Dragon disguised as an old man Adama is greeted by a older dwarf asking how he can help him. Adama mentions that he is looking for the jobs board and the dwarf asks if this is his first time working with the Shikari. Adama indicates that he doesn't know who that is so the dwarf leads him over to the public bounties board. As they walk through the bar people get out of the dwarfs way. After reading the bounties, Adama asks for the dwarf's name and he introduces himself as Rantos Flintstone. Adama mentions that he must have good stories leading Rantos to say that he is "free to regale you of a story at any time." Before launch into a story about how he beat up a dragon with it's own foot.
As Adama goes to leave Rantos comments, "We always have work for nice young men like you." As he slaps Adama forcefully on the arm.

Maps and Magic

As the Wardens approach, Kanna introduces them and Wilth introduces himself as the owner of the establishment. Wilth asks how many rooms they will need and after first talking about sharing one Gwen indicates that she doesn't want to share one with Tintreach so requests two. Wilth says that will be 5 Sp per night, which Tintreach huffily pays for two rooms for three nights before walking off to one of the rooms. Wilth asks what we are planning on doing back out at sea and Myra answers that we are hunting down old fairy tales. Wilth mentioned that he grew up in an old house with many stories before turning serious and saying "You must take care as some of those things must stay buried." Wilth mentioned that in his time as a cartographer he found lot of places like that. As Myra inquires about his old map making Wilth ran off and came back shortly after with a map of the nearby desert. In asking about the regions he had the following to say:

• Stay away from the Writhing Pillars - Large bugs inhabit it
• Stay away from the Scarabs and The Wheelhouse.

It used to be a prison but since the lost city returned it seems to have changed. He's only known one person to have escape it, Zachariah Topp, who is kind of considered a local celebrity. Other individuals helped him escape but shouldn't be talked about around here.
We talked to Kanna and Wilth about the jobs, Wilth mentioning that the chitinous creatures probably came from the Writing pillars. Kanna wondered what someone needed a Rok eye feather for, noting that other feathers are often used for archery. Myra asks if Wilth had seen someone named Unintentional Asymptote and Wilth mentioned someone in purple robes who was sweaty saying he would fetch him from his room.
As Wilth walked away Kanna sighed saying "What a man right?" Myra asked where Kanna grew up and if it was nearby. Kanna mentioned that she grew up in the desert as part of a nomad clan. When she was younger and still learning her shifting powers she was captured and sold which is how she ended up joining forces with The Silver Talons of Justice. Onsprey and Lady Adalphia "Mama" found her as she was busting the smuggling ring.
Wilth comes back shortly with a thin half elf who introduces himself as Unintentional Asymptote asking if we are here about the job. When we agreed he asked how much magical knowledge had, suggesting that we were not qualified to go after the object (even after Raijun did the Warden's Dance). We indicated that we had previously met Prime Radient and Radical Exponent and asked if Asymptote was here to do something similar. Asymptote said it was similar but said that his formula was much better than anything that Radical Exponent had. We asked if there was general Ay Collective building in the Everchange Exchange but he said no.
Asymptote indicated that he was here to set up the teleportation circle for The Carrefour when they were attacked. They were part of a larger group escorting the device, the group went to go retrieve the device after it was stolen but that was about two weeks ago. Ten of them went in Asymptote gives their names and descriptions. Myra suggested that they be paid extra if any of the crew is left alive and an additional teleportation sigil given to the group if it is completed. Asymptote hedged saying there was no extra funding for the individuals and that he could get in trouble if he gave out that kind of knowledge but after the group threatening to walk away agreed provided that we were successful. As Myra turned to Kanna about transportation Asymptote said he would be joining us as he was not leaving "Untrained hands" near the cazaltium.
Adama asked if Asymptote was any use when the cazaltium was originally taken and he said that he "provided adequate support". Meanwhile Kanna indicated that the only real way to travel through the desert was sand sleds. Myra, excited by the idea of a sandsled, asked how they moved causing Kanna to look at her like she was crazy and indicate the sails asking how she got around. Myra mentioned that if they needed to cover large distances she traveled by train, causing Wilth to chip in that she must be from near his old stomping grounds up by Bismuth Abbey. 
Kanna said that if we were idiots enough to take the job she'd show us where to get the sled and led us to Martin. After some convincing Martin rented us the sleds for 2 SP per day, so we paid for two days just in case. With three sleds total we took off into the desert.

The Writhing Pillars 

As we travelled we noticed the rising heat, while it didn't take it's toll on us for the few hours we were outside it could easily have become a problem had we planning a longer journey. After a couple of hours Unintentional Asymptote  indicated that we were nearing the area that the cazaltium was taken. Off in the distance we could see a writhing structure, large insectoid mounds, exactly where Wilth's map indicated the Writhing Pillars to be. 
As we pushed closer we asked Asymptote if he had any way of tracking the cazaltium and he indicated that no his specialty was in Conjuration magic. Tintreach made an offhand comment that if Radical Exponent were here he would know how to track it causing Asymptote to start throwing a hissy fit insisting that he was the better mage. As he began to shout and stomp around Myra and Hagren noticed that some shapes in the distance seemed to be getting closer, as though they were attracted by the noise. Myra told Tintreach to shut him up and made everyone move quickly to a rocky outcropping nearby. Tintreach slapped Asymptote backhanding him almost off the sled and threatened him should his attitude continue. 
Asymptote insisted that we couldn't treat him this way as he was our benefactor, to which we replied that we could always leave him in the desert and take the cazaltium for ourselves should he prove uncooperative. Taking a second and realizing the state of everything Asymptote paled and moved to the rock as Myra instructed. After a minute of silence the shapes stopped moving closed and Myra and Hagren declared that it safe to go back to the sleds but to try to be quiet. 
Tintreach asked Asymptote if he had been having a hissy fit the last time they were attacked and Asymptote indicated that he may have been upset previously. As the group moved back to the sleds Raijun and Gwen tripped causing a larger vibration in the ground. With the shapes moving closer with intent, Myra and Adama instead started stomping around in a circle off the rock while telling everyone else to stay on the sturdier land so as not to draw attention. 
From below a small horde of bugs appeared around Myra and Adama, while they didn't last long as we were fighting some of the smaller bugs seemed to contain acid that spilled out when they were hit. After quickly extinguishing the bugs Myra brought out the Magnetic Mana Shard Cube and asked Asymptote to cast something conjuration based into it. A spectral apparition of a manga-esque woman appeared briefly before getting pulled inside. The mana shard continued to point toward the Pillars so the group, carefully, got back on the sleds and continued in that direction.

Into the Mounds

As they approached the pillars some of the tunnels opened up like caverns before the group. Asymptote, first indicating that he wanted to stay outside then thinking better of it, summoned a buff wolf hound named Brad to help search for the Cazaltium as Myra continued to reference the mana cube. 
As they entered the tunnels the cavern seemed more living and wet than a normal cave with with walls feeling as though they were constantly shifting. A viscous, flowing, green liquid streamed through the center while glowing rocks and fungus sprouted from the walls. As Myra tried to part the liquid with shape water it had no effect and Brad sniffing it indicated that it was 'not good'. 
As they progressed deeper into the tunnels the found half eaten bodies of Asymptote's former people and asking Raijun to sense for any larger signs of life he felt none. Moving further in we were assaulted by another band of insects which we again dispatched easily. Entering a third chamber Tintreach noticed that  the larger caverns seemed to not be natural in make as though something large had dug them out, with the holes being 20-25 ft in diameter. 
Hagren, scoping ahead noticed a crack in the floor with a small light emitting from below. Dropping a rock down it made an almost metal like noise as it hit the bottom. Lowering a rope Raijun eagerly volunteered to go down first. Coming back quite excited he said that he saw a big shiny thing in the room. Turning to Asymptote he indicated that it was most likely the cazaltium but indicated that we could not simply have Raijun shadow step with it or Adama misty step as it may amplify the power of the teleportation spell and put them who knows where. Deciding to further scope out the situation the group proceeded stealthily down the rope after securing it to a nearby pillar. 
Making their way into the room below the orb of orange and gold light was giving off a warm glow of the mound of dirt that was under it. But as eyes adjusted we realized that mound of dirt was moving.

Map of the Exchange

Everchange Exchange

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Report Date

03 Apr 2021