Chapter 13: A Ghostly Glow

[Ken]

"Whaaaaat?" says Belarin with mock offense. He winks and whispers, "Twelve hours ago, we were in the manor of a necromantic lord in Dolurrh. This felt good."

[Dave B.]

Shorak chuckles. "It did feel good. Even if it was at my expense." He feels for his coin pouch and realizes just how light it is. "Hmm. It seems I may not have enough on me to put any 'wee bolts' on hold. How full is your purse?" He asks Belarin, while looking to see where Adamant is, since the warforged always is offering his money around.

[Darren]

"Worry not, Shorak," says Kal with a wink. "We are well supplied."

Kal smiles at Rinti. "You are very observant. Something has changed with this," he says, holding up his arm and again finding himself fascinated by the new pattern. "It seems time in Dollurh had an impact on us all." Kal grins as he studies the mark.

Snapping out of his reverie, Kal looks around the shop again. "Perhaps we should also seek out a purveyor of mystical items? Belarin and I are certainly in need of protection a bit more....subtle."

[Ken]

Belarin stares at Kal's arm, noticing the expanded dragonmark. "That... is interesting," he says softly. "When we all have a free private moments, I'd like to talk about that." He looks at Shorak. "And other things. I have some stories as well."

[Dave W.]

When Condign makes his choice, Adamant wanders over to inspects a display of shields and so he misses the crossbow quarrel joke. "Very fine craftsmanship" he announces as he rejoins the group.

Apr 30, 2016 14:14:08 GMT -4 Ken said:

[Belarin says] "And other things. I have some stories as well."

Adamant nods at Belarin's comment. "Yes. I would like to hear more about the bridge where Syrdan left us. I... I could see but not hear..." Adamant rubs the octogram on his chest, a nervous habit that his friends haven't seen while in Dolurrh. "I know he was angry with me."

---

I know, of course, but I can't imagine Adamant just letting it go...

[Joe]

Apr 30, 2016 13:24:31 GMT -4 Darren said:

"Perhaps we should also seek out a purveyor of mystical items? Belarin and I are certainly in need of protection a bit more....subtle."

"Agreed." Streko inches over to Kalarian. "Why did you slap Belarin's hand? Did I miss something?"

[Brian]

Apr 30, 2016 23:10:50 GMT -4 Joe said:

Apr 30, 2016 13:24:31 GMT -4 Darren said:

"Perhaps we should also seek out a purveyor of mystical items? Belarin and I are certainly in need of protection a bit more....subtle."

"Agreed." Streko inches over to Kalarian. "Why did you slap Belarin's hand? Did I miss something?"

"Belarin made a rather small and pointed joke," Condign tells Streko with barely suppressed mirth. He hadn't experienced anything close to humor in so long it felt almost alien. "And I agree, finding more items that will help ensure our survival is wise. We will surely encounter many dangers ahead."

Crossing his arms, he waits patiently for the others to finish their business.

[Dave B.]

Shorak nods to both Belarin and Kal, acknowledging both their comments. "If we ever have some private moment, yes." He considers a moment. "Mystical items in Stromreach can be pricey, but I can think of one or two places where we won't get gouged too badly." He says with his customary smile. It feels good to be able to smile again.

[Jeff]

Hular steps away, then returns again. The other male half-giant, a much younger one, follows him holding two separate suits of leather armor. The leather of one of them is a light gray in hue, while the other suit is tightly-packed with spiky metal rivets. Both appear to be well made.

Meanwhile, Hular holds a cluster of handcrossbow bolts in his hand. He unwinds them from some chord which bound them, and shows them to Shorak. There are two bundles of five each. "These," the old half-giant says indicating the more plain-looking five, "I am told possess an enchantment of accuracy. While these," he says, indicating the other five, "are explosive. I have seen one used myself, and I know them to pack a punch." Looking closely at them, Shorak sees the bolt shafts are metal, not wood, and it's finely-wrapped with copper wire and carved with tiny runes. It looks like an artificer's creation.

In Belarin's arcane sight*, he can see both sets of mini crossbow bolts to radiate magic. The second set possess evocation magic.

"I will sell these to you, master elf, for one-hundred gold pieces," the smith says, indicating the first five plain bolts, "and the poppers for one-hundred twenty."

As far as he knows, Shorak believes this is a fair price. House Cannith would probably charge more for such items.

---

*Just saving you the trouble of asking.

The first five bolts are +2 bolts, one-time use each.
The second set are +1 bolts, but if they hit their target they also explode and deal an addition 3d8 thunder damage to said target. These, if they do not hit their mark, do not explode and might be recoverable.

[Ken]

Belarin nudges Shorak, taps his own forehead, and says, "They're quite good."

He asks the half-giant, "How much are you asking for the armor?"

[Jeff]

Hular says the leather armor is 10 gold pieces, while the studded/spiky leather is 50 gold pieces.

[Dave W.]

Adamant quietly makes an aside to Kal and Belarin, "We might want to look at potions or wands or relics that heal or turn stone back to flesh... considering what we plan to face soon."

And then more loudly to the group, "I have about 20 gold coins on my person if someone needs it." Adamant reaches into his pack to get his coin purse.

"I have a plan for the rest."

[Jeff]

As far as potions go—healing or otherwise—Shorak knows of three places aside from House Cannith (who will charge the most but be the most reliable) where they could possibly get good deals:

• One is a shady gnome named Tyrl who owns a tiny stall in the Bazaar here in Marketplace.
• Dagoward’s Apothecary in the Harbor district (which is, of course, rather near the Lighthouse)
• The Feather’s Fall Apothecary—that shop owned by the two halflings who helped the party locate the ir'Serell lair a couple of days ago.

House Jorasco would also healing potions.

That said, those of you who employ magic understand that stone-to-flesh magic is not minor, or cheap. It would not likely come in potion form.

---

In game terms, petrification can only normally be removed by Greater Restoration, a 5th-level spell. Which just happens to be on Streko's spell list.

[Ken]

"The spikes better suit my mood these days," says Belarin, examining the studded leather. "I'll take it."

He reaches into his belt pouch and counts out 50 gold coins. He quietly grumbles to Kal, "I'd normally haggle, but we have a lot to do today."

[Jeff]

The exchange is made, and if Belarin is interested in suiting up now, he finds the studded leather armor to fit well enough. There are buckles here and there that Hular points out can help tighten it in the right places. Visually, his armor would not make him look particularly inviting to hug.

---

Belarin can still wear his feyweave garments above the studded leather if he chooses, but (1) it'll look a bit odd and the spikes won't be visually apparent to viewers and (2) its AC bonus will not combine.

His AC thus becomes 16 and now he's 5 lbs. short of becoming encumbered. But for now he's good.

[Ken]

Belarin does take the opportunity to change. He reverently arranges the feyweave garments - a gift - in a neat bundle. He gives it a melancholy look, as though questioning his decision. "They're only clothes," he whispers reassuringly to an unseen audience, "not a philosophy. And I'll accomplish nothing if I'm dead." He tucks the bundle under his arm.

"Excellent craftsmanship," he says. "My compliments, and thanks for the advice."

[Darren]

Kal looks at the spikes protruding from Belarin. "A bit much, don't you think?" He shrugs and turns away. Kal rubs the high collar of his cloak between his thumb and forefinger, noting the thinning of the material and the stitching where the various tears have been sewn up. "Rinti, growing up with your friends, what is the place you always talked about going to, could you afford it? Where the 'wonders' were said to be kept?"

[Dave W.]

May 2, 2016 12:51:32 GMT -4 Darren said:

Kal looks at the spikes protruding from Belarin. "A bit much, don't you think?"

"Oh, I don't know... it adds a certain metallic quality... an air of seriousness perhaps." Adamant circles around Belarin, appraising. "Do you think Histra will like it? A man in a tavern told me that when humans mate the woman decides what clothes you put on in the morning. He wouldn't expain whether the male then gets to choose what the female wears."

[Ken]

“…says the man with the dragon tattoo,” teases Belarin when Kal turns away.

He initially smiles at Adamant’s appraisal – and quickly frowns. “Well, NO, it won’t be like that at all!” he says defensively. “In any event, black … spikes … what is there for Histra to NOT like about this?” He reaches up to affectionately pat Adamant on the shoulder, then signals to Condign that he’s ready to move on if all the business here is done.

_____________

Great post, Dave! Not that it bears resemblance to real life or anything like that…. {cough}

[Brian]

Condign returns Belarin's nod. "To the bank, then," he says, and leads the others back out into the rain.

[Dave B.]

Shorak looks the bolts over carefully, tracing the runes with a finger. "Very nice. Yes, these will do very nicely. I will take them." He turns back towards Belarin and Kal. "Do either of you have 220 gold? I can repay you when we get to the bank. If not I'll have to borrow Adamants 20 so I can leave a down payment to hold the bolts for later." He stops and starts patting down his body. "Never mind. I forgot about this" His hands disappear from view and return with a large handful of gold coins. He had totally forgotten about the coins they found in the Dolurrh lighthouse. He turns back to Hular and the bolts. "Here you go." He says as he counts out 220 coins and hands them over. "And thank you." Shorak says as he makes the bolts disappear within the folds of his cloak.

"Well then. Let's be off." He calls and follows Condign out the door. "This way," he says as the group joins them outside and leads the way to the bank.

I've added 280gp to Shorak's inventory.

[Jeff]

Where to, then? Bank annex in Marketplace?

No worries in working out logistics of borrowing. Ultimately (and shortly) you'll have access to the bank amount so it evens out.

[Brian]

I'd say Bank annex for now. Let's see if we can conduct our business in one locale. Unless you want to tally up our various costs first and then head to the bank.

[Darren]

May 2, 2016 12:51:32 GMT -4 Darren said:

Kal looks at the spikes protruding from Belarin. "A bit much, don't you think?" He shrugs and turns away. Kal rubs the high collar of his cloak between his thumb and forefinger, noting the thinning of the material and the stitching where the various tears have been sewn up. "Rinti, growing up with your friends, what is the place you always talked about going to, could you afford it? Where the 'wonders' were said to be kept?"

[Ken]

Yep. Bank sounds good.

[Dave W.]

As they leave the shop and head towards the bank, Adamant asks, "Is it really necessary for us to travel together? I fear we will be at this all day at this rate. Perhaps I could just quickly detour to the Temple while you visit the bank? My task should not take long."

"If you are concerned about my getting lost, perhaps I could take your ward with me, Kal?"

---

Thanks Ken for liking the post. BTW, if Colleen ever reads this, that was fictional man complaining about his wife… and he was probably drunk anyway…

Darren, I think you lost the meat of your reply… or is that a ping for the GM?

[Jeff]

May 2, 2016 12:51:32 GMT -4 Darren said:

Kal looks at the spikes protruding from Belarin. "A bit much, don't you think?" He shrugs and turns away. Kal rubs the high collar of his cloak between his thumb and forefinger, noting the thinning of the material and the stitching where the various tears have been sewn up. "Rinti, growing up with your friends, what is the place you always talked about going to, could you afford it? Where the 'wonders' were said to be kept?"

Rinti thinks about this for a moment. "There's a lot of places...but we always knew to keep our distance. Owners don't like 'youngsters'"—she rolls her eyes—"in their stores. But one place that always looked wonderful and we could only ever look in the windows...was Von Ruthvek’s Splendors of the South!"

Shorak knows the place, but has never been. It's here in the Marketplace, in a corner of the district. It's the best-known antiquities dealer in Stormreach, so they say, and it would be plausible to find magic items there.

"But the owner..." Rinti frowns. "She might remember me. Doesn't like kids."

As you head back out into the rain, Shorak steers the party toward the small single-story stone bank affixed to one end of the great tent that is the Bazaar. Doors open to the outside, but also directly into the Bazaar itself. Standing directly in the rain are no fewer than six well-armed Kundarak guards, all of them dwarves. Their heavy armor shines in the coldfire lights hanging above every doorway, and from the gleam you're guessing they're enspelled to repel rain and rust. Equally heavy helms shield their faces, so only dour eyes peer out to watch each person approach.

Within, you find that the Kundarak dwarves will allow the withdrawal of as much as 3,000 galifars of any given account in a given day (and the party has a single account). Only at the Kundarak enclave proper can you withdraw more than this, or access any enchanted vaults.

---

No need to roleplay through this fully right now. Wherever you go from here, we can consider you to have withdrawn up to 3,000 gp as needed...unless you do take the time to go the Kundarak enclave, in which case you can access all of the funds.

[Brian]

Condign looks around, a frown on his face. His hands slips into his pouch and he pulls out Black Wolf's note. He approaches someone who looks official, perhaps a teller, and presents the note.

"I was told to bring this," he says, and waits for a response.

[Ken]

May 3, 2016 10:33:44 GMT -4 Jeff said:

"But the owner..." Rinti frowns. "She might remember me. Doesn't like kids."

"Nonsense, Rinti," says Belarin assuringly. "You're now the squire of a proud scion of House Deneith! No shopkeeper will turn you away." He winks at Kal. "I'd like to see this place, as well, once we're done with our other errands."

At the bank, Belarin takes his portion of gold and then waits for Condign to finish his business.

[Jeff]

The dwarf clerk—a particularly cranky-looking fellow, takes the note from Condign, examines it, looks at Condign, flips it over and reads the crude words on the back, frowns, shakes his head, looks at Condign again, then excuses himself. He returns a few minutes later and speaks with the tone of an adult trying to instruct a child but being as grudgingly polite about it as possible. "While this letter is legitimate, sir, the Bank of Kundarak would like to remind its customers that writing personalized messages on notarized documents is not advised, can cause confusion and delays, and it would appreciate if its customers abstained from doing so again in the future. Regardless, this letter of credit can only be processed at the Kundarak Enclave in Silverwall. Would you like directions to find it?"