Saberhagen smiles when you accept the job, and pulls a bunch of papers out of his bag. He looks over them for a second, then turns back to the party.
"Now, let's discuss payment. If you return Sladek alive, along with his possessions, you will be given five thousand gold pieces each. If, unfortunately, the mage has passed away, you will be given three thousand gold pieces each, if you return his remains and possessions. You will be lended a small sailing ship for your journey out to the island. If there are no questions, please sign these documents here."
He hands each of you one of the papers he retrieved from his bag and offers a pen as well, though no ink.
"This is a magical pen, it'll function without ink. I only have the one, unfortunately, so you'll have to share."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
Peirpont took the pen and the contract and thought for a moment. The last time he had signed a contract like this it had locked him into years of servitude. Yes it had saved his life, but his life had never truly been his since then.
This may be the break i need, he thought as he signed his name on the bottom of the page and handed it back.
Helena takes the pen after Peirpont, but before signing it she asks"What if we don't find or return his remains and possessions but simply find out that he had died somehow?"
Brotherhood examines the contract in Helenas hand, giving it a cursory glance but ready to sign. He then turns his attention back to Saberhagen.
"On a similar note, how exactly will we know if we found Sladek? Does he have something on him we could recognize, in case things on the island got a bit...well..." Brotherhood shrugs, leaving the gruesome thought unfinished.
"I'm afraid that, if you bring back nothing, you get nothing. At the very least, try and return his possessions, if his body is too much to handle. As for your question, my friend, he will be easily recognized due to the blue shade of his skin. He's a water genasi. Additionally, he possesses six Ioun Stones. These are also how you will track him."
He rummages once more in his bag and pulls out a couple of scrolls.
"Here are three spell scrolls of Locate Object. You can use them to find the stones, and by extension, him."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
Helena nods and signs the paper before giving it Brotherhood next."Any more information you can give us about the island? Even just rumors would be helpful."
Brotherhood takes the contract and signs it, passing it along. He then takes the scrolls, stowing one away and offering the other two to any who want one.
Renn hesitates before sigining, but utimately does sign the contract. "I'll take one of the scrolls. This sword is not all I'm good for." She says with a smirk.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Liarin: Against the Cult of the Reptile God Adewild: Shadows and Light 2 Brother Thaddeus: Rime of the Frostmaiden.
DM IS IN A RUSH AND DORSNT HAVE TIME TO PUT THIS INTO DIALOGUE BUT
Shortly after the island was first sighted, the sea around it became covered by an unnaturally thick bank of fog. That fog never lifts, leaving the island in a perpetual gray twilight.
The water around the island is somehow different than the surrounding sea. It is black and silty, offers poor visibility, and feels unnaturally cold. No fish swim in this mysterious black water, which features a clear dividing line from the blue-green sea.
The Island is unnaturally square and about six hundred feet across. A number of hills and valleys can be seen rising beyond the shore, but it’s impossible to make out details through the fog.
A number of explorers have landed ships on the island, but none have returned to tell of what they found. A number of the ships that approached the island have vanished, while others have been found floating with their crews missing. No useful clues have been recovered from these derelict ships.
“The Changing Island” is so-named because those who pass by it have given a number of conflicting descriptions of it. Some say that the island is nothing but bare stone, featuring terraces of sharp, angular rock in white, red, black, and bronze. Others have talked of the island appearing as a pleasant green atoll of palm trees and plant life, with sandy beaches.
Most disturbingly, some witnesses have described the island as covered with bodies, as if the place were the site of some terrible battle. A large number of the fallen appeared to be armored soldiers of various races, but most were as naked as the day they were born.
I know nothing else besides that, but you could possibly ask around for rumors."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
Brotherhood takes the contract and signs it, passing it along. He then takes the scrolls, stowing one away and offering the other two to any who want one.
Renn hesitates before sigining, but utimately does sign the contract. "I'll take one of the scrolls. This sword is not all I'm good for." She says with a smirk.
Pierpont reaches out and takes the third of the scrolls, tucking it into his belt pouch. He would need to find somewhere a little more secure for it later on.
The island sounded disturbing, but he had seen death many times before. Feeling the life deep from a body in your very hands was left a hole that engulfed all other concerns about death that might show themselves. Pierpont had felt that sensation too many times. If they were heading to an island though he would need to store some of his goods with his benefactor to collect later.
Taking the pen in hand and signing without question Aka speaks up, "Sssaberhagen, it iss my duty to go and hopefully retrieve Ssladek'ss and return him to you. Hopefully we will be returning him alive and not just hiss body and perssonall itemss. I look forward to the adventure and doing everything in my power to help."
"Thiss issland sseemss interessting and I can't wait to disscover what ssecretss it holdss."
"Well, I suppose we better get a move on. If he's still alive, we'll need to find him quickly before he does die. Though, if it is alright with you all, I would like to purchase some supplies before we leave."
"Yes, that's quite alright. Head to the docks tomorrow morning and ask around for Captain Oaksley. Lodging will provided for you as well. Head to the Crawling Spider Inn when you're ready to turn in and tell them you're Saberhagen's friends."
“I have a few things I need to take care of before we leave. I will meet you at the tavern tonight. Saberhagen, would you recommend taking or leaving the horses?”
After getting his response Pierpont heads into town to store his wagon at a trusted stable. He carefully stows his extra goods in sacks to make them as inconspicuous as possible. Even though he had used this facility before, you never invited temptation. Not quite sure how long he will be Pierpont pays 10 gold upfront with a writ to cover any additional expenses on his return.
I will store the wagon and draft horse here. Goods left with the wagon are indicated on the character sheet. Depending on the answer I may also store my riding horse.
"Well, I suppose we better get a move on. If he's still alive, we'll need to find him quickly before he does die. Though, if it is alright with you all, I would like to purchase some supplies before we leave."
"Supplies are a good idea. We should see about getting some healing potions. If this island is as dangerous as it's made out to be then they may come in handy.
Saberhagen, do you have any associates we might be able to make such a purchase from?"
"Leave the horses. The island is quite small and you could easily run from one side to the other in a couple of minutes, so horses are pointless. As for any discounts or anything in surrounding shops, I'm afraid I can offer you nothing. Now, off with you, it's already past midday."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
"That seems unnaturally small, interesting, I very much look forward to seeing this island. Until then a wee bit of shopping I will go and then retire to the Crawling Spider Inn, thank you."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Fairly confident that he has all the gear he needs, Pierpont spends a few minutes at the stables rearranging and packing everything before heading over to the Crawling Spider Inn. Before introducing himself to the barkeep he decides to take a seat in the corner and assess the place. Better to know what he is getting into.
Perception: 17
Looking around the tavern he finds a seat near some off duty sailors. He signals one of the servers over to order a beer and then settles down to ask a few questions. "What a great afternoon to be off the seas and having a drink",Pierpont says to the closest of the sailors. "I hear there are some interesting stories about the seas around here. Care to share any for a drink?"
Persuasion: 15
OOC: Edited to maintain continuity with the description below. Have reused some parts in my next post.
As Pierpont enters, he immediately notices a drastic change in scene. The interior of the Crawling Spider is modeled to look like the interior of a cave, rock rubble makes the floor uneven, and slightly luminous mosses and lichens hang from ceilings and walls. Netted glowing globes help illuminate particularly dark corners, and decorative stuffed spiders are everywhere. Warming the room is a massive stone hearth, and in the center is a circular bar area, built around a large faux stone pillar, made to look like a stalactite and stalagmite joined together to form a column. As Pierpont's eyes travel up the column, he practically falls over when he sees a massive spider clinging to the top of it, looking straight at him! The bartender, a slender man dressed in a black stocking bodysuit and leather, as well as a veiled mask with fake, elongated, black ears, nearly identical to those of a drow, chuckles at that.
"Happens to every newcomer, don't worry about it. Old Wooly up there wouldn't hurt a fly. If he wasn't stuffed, of course, that would be different. Can I get anything for you?"
Pierpont sees no one who might be a sailor. What he does see is more people dressed like the bartender, who he assumes to be staff, as well as a lot of dwarves and half-orcs. Up on a balcony which he missed before he sees a few people dressed in religious garb.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
As Pierpont enters, he immediately notices a drastic change in scene. The interior of the Crawling Spider is modeled to look like the interior of a cave, rock rubble makes the floor uneven, and slightly luminous mosses and lichens hang from ceilings and walls. Netted glowing globes help illuminate particularly dark corners, and decorative stuffed spiders are everywhere. Warming the room is a massive stone hearth, and in the center is a circular bar area, built around a large faux stone pillar, made to look like a stalactite and stalagmite joined together to form a column. As Pierpont's eyes travel up the column, he practically falls over when he sees a massive spider clinging to the top of it, looking straight at him! The bartender, a slender man dressed in a black stocking bodysuit and leather, as well as a veiled mask with fake, elongated, black ears, nearly identical to those of a drow, chuckles at that.
"Happens to every newcomer, don't worry about it. Old Wooly up there wouldn't hurt a fly. If he wasn't stuffed, of course, that would be different. Can I get anything for you?"
Pierpont sees no one who might be a sailor. What he does see is more people dressed like the bartender, who he assumes to be staff, as well as a lot of dwarves and half-orcs. Up on a balcony which he missed before he sees a few people dressed in religious garb.
This was not quite the establishment he had expected, but then he was heading off to a shapeshifting island, what should he have expected? Looking around the tavern he sees groups of dwarves and half-orcs having a drink. Above him on the balcony, the eyes of the men in robes seemed to be scanning the room and judging the people below them. Pierpont had had enough of people claiming their own importance, so instead he casually makes his way over to the table beside one of the groups of half-orcs and finds a seat. He signals one of the servers over to order a beer and then settles down to ask a few questions. "Well this is an unusual place," Pierpont says to the closest of the half-orcs. "Surely there are some interesting stories to go along with the, um, architecture. Care to share any for a drink?"
Persuasion: Roll from above before editing posts was 10
15th of Kythorn, Noon
Tower of the Order, Waterdeep, Faerun
Saberhagen smiles when you accept the job, and pulls a bunch of papers out of his bag. He looks over them for a second, then turns back to the party.
"Now, let's discuss payment. If you return Sladek alive, along with his possessions, you will be given five thousand gold pieces each. If, unfortunately, the mage has passed away, you will be given three thousand gold pieces each, if you return his remains and possessions. You will be lended a small sailing ship for your journey out to the island. If there are no questions, please sign these documents here."
He hands each of you one of the papers he retrieved from his bag and offers a pen as well, though no ink.
"This is a magical pen, it'll function without ink. I only have the one, unfortunately, so you'll have to share."
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
Peirpont took the pen and the contract and thought for a moment. The last time he had signed a contract like this it had locked him into years of servitude. Yes it had saved his life, but his life had never truly been his since then.
This may be the break i need, he thought as he signed his name on the bottom of the page and handed it back.
Helena takes the pen after Peirpont, but before signing it she asks "What if we don't find or return his remains and possessions but simply find out that he had died somehow?"
Brotherhood examines the contract in Helenas hand, giving it a cursory glance but ready to sign. He then turns his attention back to Saberhagen.
"On a similar note, how exactly will we know if we found Sladek? Does he have something on him we could recognize, in case things on the island got a bit...well..." Brotherhood shrugs, leaving the gruesome thought unfinished.
"I'm afraid that, if you bring back nothing, you get nothing. At the very least, try and return his possessions, if his body is too much to handle. As for your question, my friend, he will be easily recognized due to the blue shade of his skin. He's a water genasi. Additionally, he possesses six Ioun Stones. These are also how you will track him."
He rummages once more in his bag and pulls out a couple of scrolls.
"Here are three spell scrolls of Locate Object. You can use them to find the stones, and by extension, him."
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
Helena nods and signs the paper before giving it Brotherhood next. "Any more information you can give us about the island? Even just rumors would be helpful."
Brotherhood takes the contract and signs it, passing it along. He then takes the scrolls, stowing one away and offering the other two to any who want one.
Renn hesitates before sigining, but utimately does sign the contract. "I'll take one of the scrolls. This sword is not all I'm good for." She says with a smirk.
Liarin: Against the Cult of the Reptile God
Adewild: Shadows and Light 2
Brother Thaddeus: Rime of the Frostmaiden.
DM IS IN A RUSH AND DORSNT HAVE TIME TO PUT THIS INTO DIALOGUE BUT
Shortly after the island was first sighted, the sea around it became covered by an unnaturally thick bank of fog. That fog never lifts, leaving the island in a perpetual gray twilight.
The water around the island is somehow different than the surrounding sea. It is black and silty, offers poor visibility, and feels unnaturally cold. No fish swim in this mysterious black water, which features a clear dividing line from the blue-green sea.
The Island is unnaturally square and about six hundred feet across. A number of hills and valleys can be seen rising beyond the shore, but it’s impossible to make out details through the fog.
A number of explorers have landed ships on the island, but none have returned to tell of what they found. A number of the ships that approached the island have vanished, while others have been found floating with their crews missing. No useful clues have been recovered from these derelict ships.
“The Changing Island” is so-named because those who pass by it have given a number of conflicting descriptions of it. Some say that the island is nothing but bare stone, featuring terraces of sharp, angular rock in white, red, black, and bronze. Others have talked of the island appearing as a pleasant green atoll of palm trees and plant life, with sandy beaches.
Most disturbingly, some witnesses have described the island as covered with bodies, as if the place were the site of some terrible battle. A large number of the fallen appeared to be armored soldiers of various races, but most were as naked as the day they were born.
I know nothing else besides that, but you could possibly ask around for rumors."
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
Pierpont reaches out and takes the third of the scrolls, tucking it into his belt pouch. He would need to find somewhere a little more secure for it later on.
The island sounded disturbing, but he had seen death many times before. Feeling the life deep from a body in your very hands was left a hole that engulfed all other concerns about death that might show themselves. Pierpont had felt that sensation too many times. If they were heading to an island though he would need to store some of his goods with his benefactor to collect later.
Taking the pen in hand and signing without question Aka speaks up, "Sssaberhagen, it iss my duty to go and hopefully retrieve Ssladek'ss and return him to you. Hopefully we will be returning him alive and not just hiss body and perssonall itemss. I look forward to the adventure and doing everything in my power to help."
"Thiss issland sseemss interessting and I can't wait to disscover what ssecretss it holdss."
"Well, I suppose we better get a move on. If he's still alive, we'll need to find him quickly before he does die. Though, if it is alright with you all, I would like to purchase some supplies before we leave."
"Yes, that's quite alright. Head to the docks tomorrow morning and ask around for Captain Oaksley. Lodging will provided for you as well. Head to the Crawling Spider Inn when you're ready to turn in and tell them you're Saberhagen's friends."
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
“I have a few things I need to take care of before we leave. I will meet you at the tavern tonight. Saberhagen, would you recommend taking or leaving the horses?”
After getting his response Pierpont heads into town to store his wagon at a trusted stable. He carefully stows his extra goods in sacks to make them as inconspicuous as possible. Even though he had used this facility before, you never invited temptation. Not quite sure how long he will be Pierpont pays 10 gold upfront with a writ to cover any additional expenses on his return.
I will store the wagon and draft horse here. Goods left with the wagon are indicated on the character sheet. Depending on the answer I may also store my riding horse.
"Supplies are a good idea. We should see about getting some healing potions. If this island is as dangerous as it's made out to be then they may come in handy.
Saberhagen, do you have any associates we might be able to make such a purchase from?"
"Leave the horses. The island is quite small and you could easily run from one side to the other in a couple of minutes, so horses are pointless. As for any discounts or anything in surrounding shops, I'm afraid I can offer you nothing. Now, off with you, it's already past midday."
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
"That seems unnaturally small, interesting, I very much look forward to seeing this island. Until then a wee bit of shopping I will go and then retire to the Crawling Spider Inn, thank you."
Fairly confident that he has all the gear he needs, Pierpont spends a few minutes at the stables rearranging and packing everything before heading over to the Crawling Spider Inn. Before introducing himself to the barkeep he decides to take a seat in the corner and assess the place. Better to know what he is getting into.
Perception: 17
Looking around the tavern he finds a seat near some off duty sailors. He signals one of the servers over to order a beer and then settles down to ask a few questions. "What a great afternoon to be off the seas and having a drink", Pierpont says to the closest of the sailors. "I hear there are some interesting stories about the seas around here. Care to share any for a drink?"
Persuasion: 15
OOC: Edited to maintain continuity with the description below. Have reused some parts in my next post.
As Pierpont enters, he immediately notices a drastic change in scene. The interior of the Crawling Spider is modeled to look like the interior of a cave, rock rubble makes the floor uneven, and slightly luminous mosses and lichens hang from ceilings and walls. Netted glowing globes help illuminate particularly dark corners, and decorative stuffed spiders are everywhere. Warming the room is a massive stone hearth, and in the center is a circular bar area, built around a large faux stone pillar, made to look like a stalactite and stalagmite joined together to form a column. As Pierpont's eyes travel up the column, he practically falls over when he sees a massive spider clinging to the top of it, looking straight at him! The bartender, a slender man dressed in a black stocking bodysuit and leather, as well as a veiled mask with fake, elongated, black ears, nearly identical to those of a drow, chuckles at that.
"Happens to every newcomer, don't worry about it. Old Wooly up there wouldn't hurt a fly. If he wasn't stuffed, of course, that would be different. Can I get anything for you?"
Pierpont sees no one who might be a sailor. What he does see is more people dressed like the bartender, who he assumes to be staff, as well as a lot of dwarves and half-orcs. Up on a balcony which he missed before he sees a few people dressed in religious garb.
"Ignorance is bliss, and you look absolutely miserable."
This was not quite the establishment he had expected, but then he was heading off to a shapeshifting island, what should he have expected? Looking around the tavern he sees groups of dwarves and half-orcs having a drink. Above him on the balcony, the eyes of the men in robes seemed to be scanning the room and judging the people below them. Pierpont had had enough of people claiming their own importance, so instead he casually makes his way over to the table beside one of the groups of half-orcs and finds a seat. He signals one of the servers over to order a beer and then settles down to ask a few questions. "Well this is an unusual place," Pierpont says to the closest of the half-orcs. "Surely there are some interesting stories to go along with the, um, architecture. Care to share any for a drink?"
Persuasion: Roll from above before editing posts was 10