Sunday, 3 Neth

After much discussion among ourselves, we determined the highest level of comfort seemed to be reached with everyone maintaining their own finances. We shall sell off much of the items we’d recovered and then split the proceeds evenly. If a weapon or armor or magical item is found that somebody else wants to carry or use, they can make a case that it is a ‘group item’ and ought not count against their share, or failing that, have the value of that item deducted from their share.

Things like healing potions and magic weapons we have generally agreed benefit the group as a whole even if wielded or used by only one person at a time, so they have an almost automatic exclusion from group sales. We do not have enough healing potions to have one per person at this time, and while my quarterstaff skills are indeed impressive, those wielding edged weapons are generally closer to the front lines and even more impressive in their ability to slice and dice foes, and it is no small surprise they also tend to be in greater need of healing. I was, however, granted a silver dagger [107] as I do have skill with a dagger, and silver weapons sometimes serve a useful purpose.

It was in the midst of this accounting that we learned Sedgewick was leaving us. He did do us the courtesy of letting us know. Shalelu, the ranger elf, had mentioned something of undead in Magnimar to him and quicker than you could say “ooo, shiny” he was off with her to go score another original tail — oops, I mean original tale, and song.

So we had one less share to allocate so while it was sad to see him go (Rigel seemed particularly affected by his leaving), it did mean a little more for the rest of us. We did decide to allocat one share of the proceeds for ‘group purposes’ which is to say the healing potions I spoke of. If we are wildly successful, it may someday be enough to buy larger equipment like carts or the like. This time, we bought 3 cure moderate wounds potions [177][178][179] at 800gp total and that used up all but 16.8 gp.

Besides, since learning the additional spells I have less need of the weapon physical; a thing I think I will grow to appreciate as time passes. But I get ahead of myself.

My share was 816 gold, 8 silver (or the equivalent, at least.) Add that to the money I already had and I appear to be a rich man indeed. I need to consider how best to carry such wealth around with me. If carried all in coin, it weighs me down some 16 pounds! But some things constrained to reduce this problem for me.

For one thing, I’ve known for some time that I wanted to consult with other sorcerors to learn more spells. It’s not going to just happen one day that I wake up with a new spell, so this newfound wealth provided me the means to seek out a … well, perhaps not a master, but more of a mentor. A paid mentor, of course, but Elgin charged a fair price of 100gp per week, which covered materials, a solid but utilitarian lunch on Moonday, Wealday, and Fireday, and even, I suppose, repairing the bit of fire damage his laboratory suffered as I practiced new spells.

But I can say that after 3 weeks and 300 gp, I do now exhibit a hesitant mastery of the spells detect poison, mending, mage armor, color spray, and flaming sphere in addition to my others. And as with my other fire spell, the flaming sphere seems to burn a little hotter than one might expect. I did not reveal all my secrets to Elgin, but being a sorceror himself he did raise his eyebrows and remark, “I suspect there are some scales in your heritage,” but said nothing again on the subject.

I also bought for myself a better distance weapon than a sling. It’s not fancy, but at least my heavy crossbow [182] might actually hurt something physically rather than emotionally (“mommy, that man threw sling pellets at me and almost got me in the eye”). After all that, my funds were down to 516.8gp – 50gp – 2gp for some bolts + 90gp I had previously for a total of 554.8 gp. Still richer than I’ve felt in a while.

That man Foxglove still is taken with our group and wants to come along sometime. I’ve not been rude to him, but several others in the group think that even socializing with him is a waste of our time. Perhaps so, but my father raised me better. I’ll make no promises but see no harm in an occasional conversation.

Others in the group had also taken some time to find trainers/mentors and improved their skills. So it was we all met together again at roughly the same time to return to Thistletop and deal with some unfinished business.

We arrived without incident, although we did find that the “bramble camp” appeared to have been used and there actually was a few goblin bodies there. Oddly, they were not Thistletop clan. (I’m actually able to recognize this sort of thing now.) But we hadn’t seem these markings before.

The bridge was still down, as we left it. We thought about camping here but felt that Thistletop was much more defensible in case of attack, and unanimously agreed to raise the bridge and enter the “fortress”.

This was done without any trouble; Kane and Nolin climbed up with ropes and we restored the bridge. The area around and in the fortress appeared undisturbed.

Olithar was going on and on about something with his maps, and we found out why it pays to have an anal — I mean, detail oriented cleric along. His map seemed to indicate a room or closet or something which seemed to have no door. Since this was close to the, ahem, bathroom, the room with the wall we wanted to search had a less than favorable coating on it, but Olithar and Kane worked their priestly spells to purify the area. Upon an intense search Rigel did find an entrance, and there was a chest behind this door. Rigel checked for a trap, found none, then picked the lock and managed to dodge the trap she didn’t see 🙂

The chest was old, pre-Nualia for sure. Upon opening it we found a giant pile of coins, and items. A treasure chest to be sure.

After a period of time, we compiled this inventory:

7432 copper pieces
2490 silver pieces
89 gold pieces
3 platinum pieces

for a net value of 442.32 gp. Not bad! Being lightly loaded, I volunteered to carry the gp and pp as they could be taken without need for cart and oxen 🙂

Plus there were

[183] a leather pouch with 34 malakite gems (badly flawed); perhaps 1gp each
[184] a medium chain mail shirt
[185] a medium masterwork scimitar (Olithar groaned; he’d just bought one)
[186] a set of masterwork manacles
[187] a gold holy symbol for Sarenray
[188] a jade necklace
[189] a fine blue silk gown w/silver trim

This seemed a good time to sleep, so guards were set and rest was had.

All but Olithar, who slept but had a dream where a voice said to him from somewhere deep, “The Whisperer will have vengeance.”

Perhaps an undigested bit of beef.

Monday, 4 Neth

And so it was that we arose rested and returned to the lower levels. I and Sabin cast Mage Armor upon ourselves and trudged on. Didn’t take long before we found a room that didn’t quite seem empty. Olithar cast detect undead and did indeed find a moderate aura centered on some sarcophagi. 3 shadows emerged from 3 alcoves. We learned, unfortunately, that these creatures could sap strength from our fighters, and they not only became wounded but weak. Kane, Avia, and Sabin all were affected. However, my flaming sphere proved most useful in helping defeat the shadows, and the fact that I could create it and manipulate it from a modest distance made me very happy. Thank you Elgin!

Olithar was able to restore most if not all of Sabin’s strength, but that was all the magic he had for today. The others would need to cope until tomorrow.

Not too far from here appeared to be a couple of rooms with access to pools! Upon further inspection, we concluded it was one pool that had flooded both rooms. At some time in the past, an earthquake, explosion, or some other significant force had cause the walls to collapse and allow water to enter. It was unclear if there was a flow, or whether this was actually a stagnant pool. The rooms themselves seemed ornately decorated; not in an extravagant sense, but in an artistic sense. There were murals and carvings on the walls of the rooms. One mural depicted a tall mountain, and a stern face above the palace in the picture. Below lay an immense city of spires.

This was all interesting enough, but then we noticed in the pool was a giant golden helmet. I mean GIANT, as in “was once worn by”. Couldn’t tell if it was gold-plated or actually gold but all that became irrelevant when it turned to face us. The water here seemed to be 3 to 10 feet deep, so ropes were brought out and people secured before approaching the water (and the helmet). Olithar tried speaking Thasselonian to the helm, whereupon it stood up and we saw the largest seafood dinner EVER. A giant crab was using the helmet as a home. Weapons were launched but between the armor it effectively wore, and its own natural carapace, we didn’t seem to be doing much.

Then Olithar used magic to heat the metal. Clever! He essentially cooked it in an upside down pot! Yes it took some more blows, but it was like cooking a steak without cutting it from the flank. In no time at all, the water around it was steaming and it had stopped moving. Get me some butter! (We did eat well this day.)

Now able to search the pool, we found

3537 silver pieces
645 gold pieces
[190] 40 precious stones (about 10gp each)
[191] a jade amulet (radiated magic)

The amulet, we found, added +1 natural armor. It was determined this magic could not help me, as I already have developed, it seems, a tougher skin and thus already have a better natural armor than others. It went to Rigel.

We discussed if the helmet might be more valuable as a relic than as something to be melted down. Need to think about that some.

[192] helmet, giant (~300 pounds)

This seemed a good place (and time) to rest again. We set up “the usual guards”.

Toilday, Neth 5

The night passed uneventfully. After searching around some more in the laboratory (and seeing the results of what could only have been gruesome experiments) we found a seven pointed star object that looked like it might be the key we need to enter the room behind the double doors.

[193] surgical tools
[194] silver and gold 7-pointed star studded with nodules and spikes

Key inserted, door unlocked, and …

This room was very warm, in no small part to the brazier-style fire in the middle of the room. For an old room, this fire seemed very active. That suggested it was magical. Nevertheless, heat is heat and while it seems to affect me a little less than my companions, it was still uncomfortable. Corners of the room had golden candles. There was a 7-sided star on the wall opposite us. The entire room radiated strong magic (enchantment).

And Avia immediately detected evil.

Trask and Sabin, consequently, immediately cast Mage Armor. Kane blessed us all.

And then the giant wolf-like creature with primate hands and feet stepped into the light and was a bit clearer to us. It didn’t look pleasant. Olithar cast protection from evil on Nolin, and I started up a flaming sphere. It seemed that only magic weapons could hit it.

The creature started blinking, which indicated it was sometimes in our plane and sometimes not. That made it harder to hit, but also made it harder to hit us. I started up a second flaming sphere. After a round or two of maybe hitting it, maybe not, and after what appeared to be a ferocious blow by Avia, it disappeared.

After a moment of making sure it had not reappeared, we searched the room. We found

[195] ever-lit candles (30)
[196] coffer
[197] seven-pointed ring — magic

The ring, we learned, generated a wall of force shield in front of the wearer.

There was some discussion about who should wear the ring, but it sounded like I was not going to be gifted with it.