Storm King's Thunder

Ink sighs. 

He poofs Quill and sends her to the back of the tavern overlooking the alley from a tenday before.

Ink grabs the note and looks for Arene. He sends her a message whispering, "Need to negotiate your tip." He heads out back. If the table and chairs are present, he'll sit down and attempt to look comfortable. 

14 Uktar...

Arene finds Ink outside in the alley. “Done with your drink already? I’m off my shift in an hour, and would love to catch up with you then.” She smiles charmingly.

Ink smiles back, "Sounds great - and I'll hold you to that, but right now it's business - and, as you implied, you're on your shift."

He holds the note up in his hand, "There's no way your... establishment... took that much in losses on that expedition. Even if you build in a healthy profit margin. We both know the Kolbaz's staff isn't worth that much."

"You had to know I'd reject this offer - so what do you really want? And I'm sure in talking to you, I'm speaking with someone who could negotiate - one of the many fingers of the hand, so to speak," Ink concluded. 

// 1d20 persuasion = (15) = 15 //

Arene smiles, a little sadly this time. “The staff is most definitely valuable—the item that Kolbaz was after was going to be traded for the staff. But instead, I lost a friend, and we had to give her family recompense.”

// 1d20 insight on truthfulness of her statement = (18) = 18 //

Arene seems earnest in her statement.

There is a clatter and a crash of glass from inside, sounding like a dropped dish. “Oh, for...” Arene stifles a curse and rushes back inside.

Ink sighs. He whispers to himself, "I hate it when rogues go honest."

He looks up at Quill, then gets up and follows Arene inside. As he re-enters he does so carefully, checking the entry points for any "funny" business.

The Wink and Kiss is experiencing a high volume of customers, but nothing funny seems to be happening. Arene is busily cleaning up after a rude customer.

Ink walks up behind her, but still keeps a respectful distance, then says, "I'll wait."

He sits at an open table, takes out his book on the Shadow Weave and begins reading.

After about an hour, Arene is off her work shift and invites Ink out for a drink. “I have a little while before curtain call—maybe we could go someplace close to the theatre house?”

"I appreciate the invitation and would like to, but, first, we have business to discuss," Ink responds. "And frankly, although I feel you've been honest, I also feel you're trying to delay this discussion."

Ink takes a quick breath and continues, "I understand that you lost a friend. I've lost friends in similar circumstances. However, eleven thousand is a steep price, and I don't expect it to be the actual one. Work with me - what do you all really want?"

“I don’t know what else to tell you,” says Arene, sitting down at a table in the Wink and Kiss and waving for one of her server friends. “A rare magic staff like that is very valuable. Look, if you’d like, we can sit down and...maybe...I could go over some details with you. If you were to, I don’t know, happen upon some hobgoblins and they happened to have something of value with them...maybe there could be a trade?”

The server brings over a bottle of aged Luskan ice whiskey.

Ink sits down at Arene's table. "Maybe," Ink says, "we definitely should discuss these details. Please, continue."

When an empty cup is placed on the table for Ink, Ink quickly flips it upside down, commenting, "Seems a fine whiskey, but I suspect I'll be needing my wits about me tonight."

Arene looks disappointed. “Maybe we could save it for another time then. There are some hobgoblins in a cave not too far from here, up in the hills. They seem to be engaged in some illicit trading of some sort, but with whom we don’t know. From what I understand from my colleagues, negotiations went sour and the hobgoblins attacked without provocation. Two of our agents made it out, but the third was murdered by those beasts.”

She looks around to see if anyone is watching, then says to Ink, “I’ll give you directions to the cave if you like. And if you happen to stop by and check it out...” she shrugs.

“I should probably get going, need to get in costume. I’m playing the lead in the show tonight. Wish me luck?” She gathers the whiskey and her belongings.

"Thank you, Arene. I appreciate the candor and would be interested in those directions - and, yes, we'll share a drink another time. As I've heard it from other theater folk, 'break a leg.' Although I'm sure you'll do fine without the extra luck," Ink replies.

“You’re sweet,” Arene replies to Ink at his words.

A little bit after she departs for the theater, Ink goes there himself, and catches the show from a seat towards the back. Ink stays for the full length of the production.

The show is an uninspiring musical about a soldier coming home from war to find his betrothed married to another. Arene is obviously a gifted actress whose talent far outshines the rest of the cast. The twist at the end of the show is that the retiring soldier was a boorish brute who got exactly what was coming to him.

After the final curtain call, Ink departs straight for Waterdeep.

Ink researches book on enchanting mundane objects to imbue them with magical properties (wondrous, weapons, armor, etc.) during his first four days in Waterdeep. Although the research time is truncated (disadvantage) the sheer access to information that The City of Splendors provides is helpful (advantage). Ink spends 50gp going about his research. 

// Research 24, Chance of complications  57 %, possible complication 4 //

Ink, before leaving for Yartar, hires two sages (100gp each , +2 bonus to check) to assist him with his research on Iymrith. He tells them everything he's learned of the blue dragon; although he doesn't give them his source, instead only offering that Harshnag would vouch for Ink and his source if he weren't away from the city on his own sojourn. Ink returns to Waterdeep to aid in the research himself (50 gp personal expenses) taking advantage of the wealth of information available.

// Research 18, Chance of complications 55 %, possible complication 1 //

The time Ink is not researching, he spends it reading his books, and, if any present interesting spells, transcribing them to his spell book. He also daydreams a bit about the waitress who is really an actress in Yartar.

Wanting to ensure a measure of privacy for his research, his readings and his spell book transcriptions he lives a comfortable lifestyle the 14 days he's in Waterdeep  staying in the Castle Ward with a view of Blackstaff Tower. 

Waterdeep, called the City of Splendors, is a bustling, walled city on the Sword Coast. Here are bountiful supplies of trade goods, in addition to superb craft workers, experts, and mercenaries. The city houses a veritable army of potential enemies for those who aren’t careful—and it is widely known that its wide, crowded streets are full of spies.

Several days after Ink arrives in Waterdeep, a cloud giant castle emerges from the clouds overhead and looms above the city, its ominous shadow causing widespread panic. Heralds are dispatched by current “Open Lord,” Lady Laeral Silverhand, to calm the people, and assure them that no harm will befall the city. Nothing else happens in the ensuing days before Ink finishes his research; the cloud castle still hangs in the sky, and the populace seems to have grown partially accustomed to it.

In his research, Ink finds the following information about enchanting items.

• Long ago, kingdoms of men and dwarves would imbue objects with magic, but most of their methods are either apocryphal, or else used the magical weave in ways that are no longer possible. 
• However, there is a mention of a place on the Sword Coast called the Forge of Spells, which an alliance and gnomes, dwarves, and humans used over five centuries ago to enchant weapons and armor. Curiously, records about it do not seem to exist from after that period. 

Dropping Harshnag’s name impressed the Waterdhavian scholars, making them all the more willing to assist Ink. Together with them, Ink uncovers the following information in a week’s time:

• Iymrith is an ancient blue dragon known as the “Doom of the Desert.”
• Iymrith has a secondary name: she is called the “Dragon of Statues,” apparently because she is rumored to have created living statues to guard her lair.
• Iymrith’s lair is purportedly locates somewhere in the desert of Anauroch.

The day after the cloud giant's castle arrives, Ink casts sending targeting Zephyros and asks "There is a cloud giant castle over Waterdeep. Any way you could tell me who they are?""

... Days go by... 

A couple of days before the end of the second tenday, Ink casts sending three times targeting Rip, Marav and Flint. He sends the following message:

"Cloud giant castle flying over Waterdeep. No aggression shown. Investigate? I could scout go on my own. Thoughts? Please respond."

The following morning he casts sending again this time targeting Crownsguard with the same message he sent the others last night.

He then sends a message to Flint, stating, "I have not heard back from Marav. Have you heard from him? When is the last time you saw him?"

"Sounds Dangerous. Investigate at own risk. Be careful. If our giant friend from before, tell them 'hello' for me. Thanks."

Crownsguard replies, “Hello Ink. How are you? I am well. I recently obtained two-hundred and seventy-five gold through what you organics call ‘gambling.’ It was-“ And that’s the 25 word limit.

"No word from Marav, left when we got 'ere without a word. Careful with that castle. Yer swords are ready."

With that, Flint will start reaching Marav daily using his own sending spell and starts regretting he didn't think of that earlier.

Sending to Gheldryn  Foehammer "it's Flint, got me a new suit o' armor. Would ye want yer  splint mail back? Don't know when next ah'll  be in Triboar."

And since ink sent two sending to flint "don't ferget  one o' them cloud castles wiped out that village where we met."

Quote from DarthAvarice >>

With that, Flint will start reaching Marav daily using his own sending spell and starts regretting he didn't think of that earlier.

 All that Flint hears back when using Sending this way are brief echoes of pain and loss. After a few days, even these echoes fade and there is no response at all.

Quote from DarthAvarice >>

Sending to Gheldryn  Foehammer "it's Flint, got me a new suit o' armor. Would ye want yer  splint mail back? Don't know when next ah'll  be in Triboar."

 The response comes back as what seems like a shout, “MUCH APPRECIATED. NEVER KNOW WHEN I’LL NEED IT NEXT.”

Ink finishes his research and takes the research notes made between he and the two sages. He asks them what other great research institutions they recommend he visit to learn more about magical crafting and whether they require 'dobstions' for entry. Off the top of his head he mentions Candlekeep, but only knows of it as one of the greatest repertoires of knowledge and n nothing beyond that. 

He says his goodbyes and travels to Yartar. He visits with Rip and the two of them travel to Mirabar to meet the rest of the party at the Retcon Tavern, as previously decided.

Along the way, he catches Rip up on Iymrith, the cloud giant castle, and his concern that Marav never responded to his message. 

When Ink goes to meet with RIP, he quickly notices the halfling has no gear packed for travel.

"I sorry my friend, but I'm not going with you this time. I can't leave my family again, not again, not this time. Don't fret, I'm not leaving you guys high and dry, I've hired a bounty hunter to help you finish this quest. Goes by the name 'Matrix' I asked him to meet us here but he just said 'I know where your elf and his owl are going, I'll meet Ink there' odd considering I hadn't told him your name or about quill yet... but either way you will have help. I even got these things." Rip holds up the sending stones, one in each hand "They're sending stones, so we can keep tabs on each other without using spells." He hands Ink one of the stones and shakes his hand "it's been an honor to travel with you and to be able to call all of you friend. Tell Crowns Guard he is in charge of jokes, I know he wont let me down. Side note, I think Kara might be developing magic, so I'll need you to not die please. Tell Marav no dying either, he tends to get reckless."

Quote from jr_el_leon >>

Ink finishes his research and takes the research notes made between he and the two sages. He asks them what other great research institutions they recommend he visit to learn more about magical crafting and whether they require 'dobstions' for entry. Off the top of his head he mentions Candlekeep, but only knows of it as one of the greatest repertoires of knowledge and n nothing beyond that.   

 The Waterdhavian scholars tell Ink that Candledeep would be a good bet. “I do not know of any greater place of learning, though a donation will certainly be required for entry,” says one. 

The other one says, “I have never been to the great library, but it is indeed legendary. We had a monk come up for a visit from Candlekeep once a few years back, it was very exciting!”

as Ink is leaving Rip shouts "Oh, Matrix also said you should let 'her' know you're leaving!"

"Well, I'm not entirely surprised by your decision, and it's one I understand. I am surprised that this 'Matrix' you speak of knows where I'm going... although I suppose it depends on which 'where' he's referring to. Also, I've heard the name - I was supposed to be introduced to him but he wasn't around at the time," Ink replies.

Ink holds the stone in his hand and says, "Thank you, Rip, we'll keep you up to date - and likely asking you for advice. I'll tell the rest and, truly, the honor has been mine."

He smiles when Kara is mentioned, then says, "That reminds me..."

He opens the bag of holding and pulls out a small leather bound book. He hands it to Rip. The leather is a bright green; embossed into the cover is an image of a snowy owl. He then pulls a small brass brazier and a small pouch. 

"For Kara. I promise to come back and give her a few lessons, but I'm sure you could teach her just fine. When I wasn't in the libraries researching, and when I grew tired of my own books, I copied a few of my own spells, translated into common phonetics, into that book I had commissioned."

As if reading Rip's next question, "No - nothing fire based... but she may cause you a little trouble with a minor illusion or two, the occasional mage hand and, when she's up to it, perhaps you can help her find familiars of her own."

As he's walking away, Ink hears Rip's final comment which makes him stop. He turns, nods in acknowledgement and continues on his way.

-----

Ink stops at the Wink and Kiss to see if Arene is working. If she is, he'll ask her if she's open to having that drink she mentioned a tenday ago and that he's willing to wait for her shift to end.

Ink departs for Mirabar through the teleportation circle. The words from Rip saying that he knew where he was going has him worried, so he doubles back several times and tries to reach the teleportation circle stealthily and without notice.

As Ink approaches the 'garden' he sees a human Male leaning against the entrance waiting for him. "Clever of you to try and lose me back there, even managed to succeed... impressive, but futile if your tail knows your destination. I'm Matrix, Mr. Dangerfield hired me to keep you all alive. Ready to go?"

Matrix hasn't even looked up yet, oozing confidence in a manner similar to you friend Angel... if Angel was kind of a dick. He wears simple, sleeveless, monk combat garb of black with red trim and a platinum dragon pattern emblazoned across the chest, with a western style cowboy duster kind of coat. He also wears a low rounded hat that when paired with his coats collar hides his face rather well. Setting next to him is a crate on some kind of mini cart/wagon that is absolutely plastered with warning labels in several languages. his pack is on the cart next to the crate.

After several seconds of thinking he seems similar, you realize he was at the play you went to, several seats away from you.

Ink looks him over, finally responding, "Unless you plan on living another few centuries, give or take, that may prove difficult. Grab your crate and lets go. I'll brief you once we get there."

Ink casts sending targeting Kolbaz with the message, "Going to Mirabar. Have a plus one and his crate in tow. Thanks."

Ink walks in with Matrix in tow and waits in the teleportation circle for Kolbaz. He'll then lead Matrix to the Retcon Tavern. Along the way he says, "You and I need to have a private conversation about hobgoblins. That's outside the scope of the current mission though. You'll be briefed at the tavern."