"Hmm.... Tibeem had a list on his person when he was caught. Usually that's unremarkable on its own." Neya says as she takes out Tibeem's list. "However, the contents on both are the same. Is there anything on these lists that stands out as strange?"
Obsben relented and with nary a word more, wondered off to start examining the room herself. She walks with care and a seeming focus more on the floor boards and bed (eventually) as Utar worked his magic for a while. While searching for any signs of scuffed floor suggesting the bed's frequent movement or far too easy to pull up floor boards(suggesting a hidden compartments), she comments idly, "Unless there's something esoteric that might suggest particular spell weaving, I doubt they kept receipts of anything incriminating that won't suggest what's already been found so far."
(OOC: Doubt there's anything more to find given the panel, but rolling just in case it would matter)
-> Investigation: 20. (If perception more appropriate, subtract 8 off the current roll)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
"Hmm..." the Sage approaches Neya, showing interest in her discovery: "They are written in different handwriting styles. Perhaps they weren't sure who would get a chance to buy the items and made a copy of the list for each? They are scribes after all; copying is their expertise."
Meanwhile, Obsben walks around the room just to confirm no other hiding places can be found in there. That is exactly what she does.
Then, everyone's attention turns to Utar's discovery of the robes. The Sage encourages the Tormite to take the robes as requested. Utar spends more than just a few moments searching the robes for pockets or double fabric layers and, although he finds instances of both, he determines they are all empty. Graxx then shows more interest in finding the missing wearer of one of the robes than the article of clothing itself.
With Utar's encouragement, the Sage then begins to lead the group to his offices. CRAP can tell once they arrive at their destination simply by looking at the door, which is larger and more ornate than the others they passed so far. Carvings showing rows and rows of books adorn the heavy wooden door. Once inside, the Sage takes CRAP to a small-to-medium personal study room, where a large desk (for the room's dimensions) is the centerpiece and the walls are covered in bookstands. There are enough chairs for everyone, though they are of a simpler make than you would have expected.
"Thank you for your patience. I wanted to ensure we were in a private place before discussing the contents of the tomes." They adjust their robes as they take a sit. "I will not make you wait any longer. The first tome was the original "The History of the North". The title alone should be enough to give you an idea of what was the main subject covered in the book. Of interest, the original work included a chapter referencing the Circle of Scale, a sect of druids that sought to enslave dragons long ago. Upon discovering this first forgery and comparing the tomes, I discovered this chapter was missing from the forgery in its entirety."The Sage places two books that look very similar on the desk.
"The second tome is titled "Lex Geographica". It is a piece that focuses on describing the many geographical and topographical features of the Moonsea region and beyond. It contains an entry referring to a circle of standing stones located in the Dragonspine Mountains, at which a group of dragon-worshiping druids once resided. This entry was missing from the forgery. I am sure you can see the similarities here."The Sage places a third and a fourth book on the desk after retrieving them from the bookstands nearby.
The Sage then looks at you and waits for your reactions.
"All signs point to the involvement of the Cult of the Dragon then. We've the robes and now the books. Seems like whatever these druids were up to, Tibeem and Spernik are hoping to recreate. If they were planning to leave, they must have found something that meant they no longer needed access to the library or its books."
Pointing at the new books placed down by the Lord Sage, "We're not going like the titles of those books are we? Also, do we have a map of the Dragonspine Mountains and surrounding areas?"
(OOC Has detect magic ended and if not, is the Lord Sage's room like a kaleidoscope to Utar?)
"Sorry. I am afraid I left my maps in the last city. But it was rather fortunate that the caravan I was with were more than apt in that area."Obsben then looks to the Sage with an expectant look. "But perhaps you and yours might have one? And do you mind if I peruse those and take further notes? On the grounds of course, as I very much prefer to not wind up on the gallows for any misunderstandings."She said with the same air as one might discussing the weather.
If her request is heeded, Obsben readily breaks out her own spare notepad, ink, and ink pen in a ready display of preparedness. She needed but to be directed to a station to begin the work!~
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
The Sage looks at Utar and ponders: "Either they needed no further access to the library, or they forget more than two tomes and succeeded in taking the other originals with them. In fact, this is another reason I wanted to save this conversation for a more private chamber. I believe that Spernik possesses other stolen books, and may have hidden them in remote places. Killing him ensures that they won’t be found." They then turn to Graxx, who is hinting at giving chase to fugitive. "If you find the circle of stone and Spernik, I kindly ask that you prioritize recovering the books over making him pay for his crimes with his life. We have had enough of that from the Black Fist."
The Sage takes a deep breath and proposes: "I do not know what House Brokengulf is paying you, but I am prepared to offer you an additional 1,200gp for bringing the thief to justice without killing him. I will also pay an additional 100gp for the safe return of any other books or tomes that were stolen from the library. Furthermore, should you bring back any items of significant academic worth such as sketches, relics, rubbings, etc. I am willing to pay you for those as well. There is no reason to waste an expedition to an ancient location if that is indeed what you are planning to do. I am a researcher at heart, after all. How about an additional 150gp for such items of research interest that you may come across? Do we have a deal?"
Noticing Utar then turning to the four books on the desk, the Sage clarifies: "These are not new books, but the books I have been referencing. This here is the "The History of the North", and this is its forgery. This other book here is the "Lex Geographica", and the last one over here is its forgery. You are welcome to leaf through the book as you see fit, though I did my best in summarizing the differences between originals and forgeries already."
When Obsben asks to peruse, the Sage responds by asking for further detail: "What exactly would you like to look through? If you meant the forgeries, you may do so right here. My desk is yours for the time being. Or did you mean something else?"
Neya knows little of the Circle of the Scale on her own, but she is welcome to browse the original "The History of the North"tome for the chapter the Sage referenced.
Regarding the Dragonspine Mountains, Graxx knows that they are much closer to Phlan than his very distant home in the Spine of the World. In fact, the Dragonspine mountains rise just north of the Quivering Forrest which, in turn, borders Phlan itself. The Dragonspines then extend westward for many miles. While not the largest peaks in Faerûn, the Dragonspines are a series of rough crags that are extremely difficult to traverse. They are wracked with frigid temperatures that turned away all but the most experienced travelers. Graxx believes he would feel at home there.
When asked for a map, the Sage agrees: "I can indeed provide you a map of the Moonsea North Region, which I think would be helpful. Unfortunately, I don't believe the cartographer behind this map would know exactly where this circle of standing stones are to be located, and the Dragonspines are quite extensive. You may want to narrow your search area a bit further before departing town."
Utar's Detect Magic indeed picks up a series of magical books on the stands, and other sources coming from within drawers in the Sage's desk. None of the sources are very intense, leading the Tormite to deduce these are either lightly enchanted items or perhaps arcane foci of some sort.
If anyone spends time browsing through "The History of the North", they may peek into the spoiler below:
Paraphrasing/Summarizing what the reader would learn from reading the entire chapter:
The Circle of the Scale was a sect of druidic dragon worshipers who resided in the foothills of the Dragonspine Mountains. The Circle was led by Skovac, a self-titled Scalebinder, who claimed that he could subvert the will of dragons with nothing but his voice using a powerful relic, which legend held to be a scale from Tiamat herself.
Using magic and the labors of kobolds from the local area, they excavated a vast subterranean complex deep within the mountains in a plot to lure a dragon within and enslave it. The dragons of the region, however, would not be so easily subjugated. Using a large host of orcs and kobolds, a red dragon called Scorlworyx, The Scorching Wind is said to have attacked the Temple of the Scale and destroyed the sect within, though no proof of such event has surfaced. Skovac's fate is unknown.
If anyone spends time browsing through "Lex Geographica", they may peek into the spoiler below:
Regarding the circle of standing stones, the passage in the book is quite brief. From it, the reader would simply learn that the circle is generally located in the lowland foothills of the Dragonspine Mountains and that they are estimated to be a two-day trip away from Phlan. The book's passage does not reveal the exact location on the Dragonspines where the circle can be found, but it describes the setup as a 60-foot-wide circle of 20-foot-tall stones.
Preferring to let the others read the books first, Utar pours over the map running a finger up the length of the Stowjanow River until it reaches the Dragonspine Mountains. So CRAP's direction out of Phlan was set. Should the books become free, Utar is sure to take his turn, reading over the text for himself and occasionally looking over to the map to adjust where he best reckons Tibeem and Spernik might have sought to meet before heading off to find these standing stones.
"I think those terms are likely acceptable, although it might be advantageous for us to be allowed access to your stores if you were hoping for sketches and rubbings. I'm not sure any of us are set up for that. Based on what we found in the rucksack and on the Tibeem's shopping list, it might be that they were planning on doing the same thing?"
After giving the Lord Sage a chance to respond, Utar will look to the rest of CRAP, "Do we want to pay Cockburn's, or anywhere else, a quick visit before we get on the road?"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"Hm? Oh, I meant namely the books there. Though, if you might have pertaining to druids in particular, that would be nice."Obsben admits. Whether such an arrangement can be made or not, the halfling happily made her way into a seat to begin her records on the original. With the forgeries however, she sought more to get a feel for any clues into the nature of the creator in the more subtle details. For even if the words were the same(excluding the missing entry) and the goal had been to fool, she figured at least some idiosyncrasies were bound to show up in the more subtle details. Nothing like a little graphology to get to know someone after all!
(OOC: Oh man, what a time to lose the ranger. xD This is gonna be good~)
-> Investigation: 23. (29) (If insight would be more appropriate, then subtract 8 from the above roll)
At the mention of Cockburn's, Obsben cannot help but giggle. "I don't see why not. If they are adventuring supplier, it is not unlikely they may yet know someone with more experience or knowledge on the mountains or Quivering Forest. Assuming, of course, you don't know of a local guide of course. Perhaps even a local druid? Food for thought, at least."She said to Utar, then looks to the Sage. "And yes. As my astute colleague has said, if you have any such material to spare, it would be welcome. My own has been sadly limited."
Graxx smiles as his thoughts of the mountains remind him of home.
"It's going to be very cold where we're going. We should secure some furs for ourselves and for Glory to keep us warm" says Graxx.
Graxx will take a moment to read "The History of the North" .
"Hmm they used Kobolds in the past to dig a vast subterranean tunnel. I really don't feel like going underground but that may be where our journey takes us." says Graxx.
"Considering how late it is, our expedition will need to wait until tomorrow. I doubt any place that sells cold weather gear is open at the moment," Neya observes as she looks through Lex Geographica.
“Paper, parchment, charcoal, ink, quills, empty books for note taking, we have plenty of it all.” The Sage gestures toward the door: “On our way out, we’ll pass by some supplies and you are welcome to take some.”
“Yes, we have tomes on Druidic circles, but I am afraid we do not have much more to offer on the specific Druidic circle in question,” the Sage replies to Obby. Regarding anything Obby can gleam from Spernik’s handwriting style, she first gathers he must be quite young. The writing has some flaws to it that hint at a lack of experience, hence her guess. She notices some trembling as well, perhaps hinting at a scaredy personality. Finally, she notices a few spots where a liquid of sorts fell on the pages as droplets and were allowed to dry naturally. Either the man was unprofessionally careless with his refreshments, has a tendency to bite/drool on his quill, or was sweating a bit.
Utar suggests that they pay a visit to Cockburn’s Groceries and Graxx reminds them they might want to invest in cold weather clothing. Perhaps they can kill two birds with one stone, although Neya reminds them they might need to wait until the morrow. That’s even more likely the case after accounting for the time spent reading the books.
Obby suggests considering hiring a guide or local Druid for the adventure. The Sage has little to offer there but perhaps CRAP itself can make a proposal.
Utar nods, "Being prepared would be best. If we're to catch Spernik horses might be an idea such that we could travel quicker. Assuming he isn't similarly mounted as well. What kind of a headstart did he get?"
Looking to the Lord Sage, he adds, "Might be good to have your scribes look through other tomes linking dragons work Phlan and the surrounding area. Recent cult activity was focused on the Valhingen Graveyard, so might be as good a place to start hunting forgeries as any."
"Mn. Those tomes will suffice."She assured the Sage, all but admitting (despite Neya's suggestion) her intentions of staying up late if need be for research! That is, if allowed to do as much in the end.
"The graveyard? How curious. Mayhaps they hoped to interrogate a dead explorer of the region, or acquire a means to do so."She comments. "By the way, there is a river here leading up to the mountain range. More confirmation would be necessary of course to see if it would be possible. But... mayhaps a small vessel could get us to the region far swifter than horses. Food for thought, if nothing else."
(OOC: Not sure how and I won't count on us truly finding Spernik. But if Obsben does, she is so gonna destroy him emotionally or try too! xD)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Following Obsben's line of thought, Utar turns to Graxx and Neya. "Any ideas on the kind of terrain we might expect out there? And what's the river like, slow and lazy, likely to handle a boat or are we better off on foot or hoof because it's just rapids and rocks?"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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Graxx growls at the sight of the robes.
"I strongly want to find where the other thief has gone. They can lead us right to the nest of the rest of this scum.", says Graxx.
"Hmm.... Tibeem had a list on his person when he was caught. Usually that's unremarkable on its own." Neya says as she takes out Tibeem's list. "However, the contents on both are the same. Is there anything on these lists that stands out as strange?"
Extended Signature
Obsben relented and with nary a word more, wondered off to start examining the room herself. She walks with care and a seeming focus more on the floor boards and bed (eventually) as Utar worked his magic for a while. While searching for any signs of scuffed floor suggesting the bed's frequent movement or far too easy to pull up floor boards(suggesting a hidden compartments), she comments idly, "Unless there's something esoteric that might suggest particular spell weaving, I doubt they kept receipts of anything incriminating that won't suggest what's already been found so far."
(OOC: Doubt there's anything more to find given the panel, but rolling just in case it would matter)
-> Investigation: 20. (If perception more appropriate, subtract 8 off the current roll)
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
"Hmm..." the Sage approaches Neya, showing interest in her discovery: "They are written in different handwriting styles. Perhaps they weren't sure who would get a chance to buy the items and made a copy of the list for each? They are scribes after all; copying is their expertise."
Meanwhile, Obsben walks around the room just to confirm no other hiding places can be found in there. That is exactly what she does.
Then, everyone's attention turns to Utar's discovery of the robes. The Sage encourages the Tormite to take the robes as requested. Utar spends more than just a few moments searching the robes for pockets or double fabric layers and, although he finds instances of both, he determines they are all empty. Graxx then shows more interest in finding the missing wearer of one of the robes than the article of clothing itself.
With Utar's encouragement, the Sage then begins to lead the group to his offices. CRAP can tell once they arrive at their destination simply by looking at the door, which is larger and more ornate than the others they passed so far. Carvings showing rows and rows of books adorn the heavy wooden door. Once inside, the Sage takes CRAP to a small-to-medium personal study room, where a large desk (for the room's dimensions) is the centerpiece and the walls are covered in bookstands. There are enough chairs for everyone, though they are of a simpler make than you would have expected.
"Thank you for your patience. I wanted to ensure we were in a private place before discussing the contents of the tomes." They adjust their robes as they take a sit. "I will not make you wait any longer. The first tome was the original "The History of the North". The title alone should be enough to give you an idea of what was the main subject covered in the book. Of interest, the original work included a chapter referencing the Circle of Scale, a sect of druids that sought to enslave dragons long ago. Upon discovering this first forgery and comparing the tomes, I discovered this chapter was missing from the forgery in its entirety." The Sage places two books that look very similar on the desk.
"The second tome is titled "Lex Geographica". It is a piece that focuses on describing the many geographical and topographical features of the Moonsea region and beyond. It contains an entry referring to a circle of standing stones located in the Dragonspine Mountains, at which a group of dragon-worshiping druids once resided. This entry was missing from the forgery. I am sure you can see the similarities here." The Sage places a third and a fourth book on the desk after retrieving them from the bookstands nearby.
The Sage then looks at you and waits for your reactions.
"All signs point to the involvement of the Cult of the Dragon then. We've the robes and now the books. Seems like whatever these druids were up to, Tibeem and Spernik are hoping to recreate. If they were planning to leave, they must have found something that meant they no longer needed access to the library or its books."
Pointing at the new books placed down by the Lord Sage, "We're not going like the titles of those books are we? Also, do we have a map of the Dragonspine Mountains and surrounding areas?"
(OOC Has detect magic ended and if not, is the Lord Sage's room like a kaleidoscope to Utar?)
Graxx breathes out.
"I bet you if we find these standing stones we can find the cult." says Graxx.
Graxx ponders on the Dragonspine Mountains and tries to recall if he has ever heard of them being from the Spine of the World.
History: 17
"Sorry. I am afraid I left my maps in the last city. But it was rather fortunate that the caravan I was with were more than apt in that area." Obsben then looks to the Sage with an expectant look. "But perhaps you and yours might have one? And do you mind if I peruse those and take further notes? On the grounds of course, as I very much prefer to not wind up on the gallows for any misunderstandings." She said with the same air as one might discussing the weather.
If her request is heeded, Obsben readily breaks out her own spare notepad, ink, and ink pen in a ready display of preparedness. She needed but to be directed to a station to begin the work!~
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Neya wonders if she had heard of the Circle of Scales before.
History: 5
Extended Signature
The Sage looks at Utar and ponders: "Either they needed no further access to the library, or they forget more than two tomes and succeeded in taking the other originals with them. In fact, this is another reason I wanted to save this conversation for a more private chamber. I believe that Spernik possesses other stolen books, and may have hidden them in remote places. Killing him ensures that they won’t be found." They then turn to Graxx, who is hinting at giving chase to fugitive. "If you find the circle of stone and Spernik, I kindly ask that you prioritize recovering the books over making him pay for his crimes with his life. We have had enough of that from the Black Fist."
The Sage takes a deep breath and proposes: "I do not know what House Brokengulf is paying you, but I am prepared to offer you an additional 1,200gp for bringing the thief to justice without killing him. I will also pay an additional 100gp for the safe return of any other books or tomes that were stolen from the library. Furthermore, should you bring back any items of significant academic worth such as sketches, relics, rubbings, etc. I am willing to pay you for those as well. There is no reason to waste an expedition to an ancient location if that is indeed what you are planning to do. I am a researcher at heart, after all. How about an additional 150gp for such items of research interest that you may come across? Do we have a deal?"
Noticing Utar then turning to the four books on the desk, the Sage clarifies: "These are not new books, but the books I have been referencing. This here is the "The History of the North", and this is its forgery. This other book here is the "Lex Geographica", and the last one over here is its forgery. You are welcome to leaf through the book as you see fit, though I did my best in summarizing the differences between originals and forgeries already."
When Obsben asks to peruse, the Sage responds by asking for further detail: "What exactly would you like to look through? If you meant the forgeries, you may do so right here. My desk is yours for the time being. Or did you mean something else?"
Neya knows little of the Circle of the Scale on her own, but she is welcome to browse the original "The History of the North" tome for the chapter the Sage referenced.
Regarding the Dragonspine Mountains, Graxx knows that they are much closer to Phlan than his very distant home in the Spine of the World. In fact, the Dragonspine mountains rise just north of the Quivering Forrest which, in turn, borders Phlan itself. The Dragonspines then extend westward for many miles. While not the largest peaks in Faerûn, the Dragonspines are a series of rough crags that are extremely difficult to traverse. They are wracked with frigid temperatures that turned away all but the most experienced travelers. Graxx believes he would feel at home there.
When asked for a map, the Sage agrees: "I can indeed provide you a map of the Moonsea North Region, which I think would be helpful. Unfortunately, I don't believe the cartographer behind this map would know exactly where this circle of standing stones are to be located, and the Dragonspines are quite extensive. You may want to narrow your search area a bit further before departing town."
Utar's Detect Magic indeed picks up a series of magical books on the stands, and other sources coming from within drawers in the Sage's desk. None of the sources are very intense, leading the Tormite to deduce these are either lightly enchanted items or perhaps arcane foci of some sort.
If anyone spends time browsing through "The History of the North" , they may peek into the spoiler below:
Paraphrasing/Summarizing what the reader would learn from reading the entire chapter:
The Circle of the Scale was a sect of druidic dragon worshipers who resided in the foothills of the Dragonspine Mountains. The Circle was led by Skovac, a self-titled Scalebinder, who claimed that he could subvert the will of dragons with nothing but his voice using a powerful relic, which legend held to be a scale from Tiamat herself.
Using magic and the labors of kobolds from the local area, they excavated a vast subterranean complex deep within the mountains in a plot to lure a dragon within and enslave it. The dragons of the region, however, would not be so easily subjugated. Using a large host of orcs and kobolds, a red dragon called Scorlworyx, The Scorching Wind is said to have attacked the Temple of the Scale and destroyed the sect within, though no proof of such event has surfaced. Skovac's fate is unknown.
If anyone spends time browsing through "Lex Geographica" , they may peek into the spoiler below:
Regarding the circle of standing stones, the passage in the book is quite brief. From it, the reader would simply learn that the circle is generally located in the lowland foothills of the Dragonspine Mountains and that they are estimated to be a two-day trip away from Phlan. The book's passage does not reveal the exact location on the Dragonspines where the circle can be found, but it describes the setup as a 60-foot-wide circle of 20-foot-tall stones.
Here is the map that the Lord Sage shares with CRAP. Note that north is pointing to the left side of the image.
Map of the Moonsea North Region:
I couldn't find a way to post the image here, so here's an external link to the map image.
Preferring to let the others read the books first, Utar pours over the map running a finger up the length of the Stowjanow River until it reaches the Dragonspine Mountains. So CRAP's direction out of Phlan was set. Should the books become free, Utar is sure to take his turn, reading over the text for himself and occasionally looking over to the map to adjust where he best reckons Tibeem and Spernik might have sought to meet before heading off to find these standing stones.
"I think those terms are likely acceptable, although it might be advantageous for us to be allowed access to your stores if you were hoping for sketches and rubbings. I'm not sure any of us are set up for that. Based on what we found in the rucksack and on the Tibeem's shopping list, it might be that they were planning on doing the same thing?"
After giving the Lord Sage a chance to respond, Utar will look to the rest of CRAP, "Do we want to pay Cockburn's, or anywhere else, a quick visit before we get on the road?"
"Hm? Oh, I meant namely the books there. Though, if you might have pertaining to druids in particular, that would be nice." Obsben admits. Whether such an arrangement can be made or not, the halfling happily made her way into a seat to begin her records on the original. With the forgeries however, she sought more to get a feel for any clues into the nature of the creator in the more subtle details. For even if the words were the same(excluding the missing entry) and the goal had been to fool, she figured at least some idiosyncrasies were bound to show up in the more subtle details. Nothing like a little graphology to get to know someone after all!
(OOC: Oh man, what a time to lose the ranger. xD This is gonna be good~)
-> Investigation: 23. (29)
(If insight would be more appropriate, then subtract 8 from the above roll)
At the mention of Cockburn's, Obsben cannot help but giggle. "I don't see why not. If they are adventuring supplier, it is not unlikely they may yet know someone with more experience or knowledge on the mountains or Quivering Forest. Assuming, of course, you don't know of a local guide of course. Perhaps even a local druid? Food for thought, at least." She said to Utar, then looks to the Sage. "And yes. As my astute colleague has said, if you have any such material to spare, it would be welcome. My own has been sadly limited."
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Graxx smiles as his thoughts of the mountains remind him of home.
"It's going to be very cold where we're going. We should secure some furs for ourselves and for Glory to keep us warm" says Graxx.
Graxx will take a moment to read "The History of the North" .
"Hmm they used Kobolds in the past to dig a vast subterranean tunnel. I really don't feel like going underground but that may be where our journey takes us." says Graxx.
"Considering how late it is, our expedition will need to wait until tomorrow. I doubt any place that sells cold weather gear is open at the moment," Neya observes as she looks through Lex Geographica.
Extended Signature
“Paper, parchment, charcoal, ink, quills, empty books for note taking, we have plenty of it all.” The Sage gestures toward the door: “On our way out, we’ll pass by some supplies and you are welcome to take some.”
“Yes, we have tomes on Druidic circles, but I am afraid we do not have much more to offer on the specific Druidic circle in question,” the Sage replies to Obby. Regarding anything Obby can gleam from Spernik’s handwriting style, she first gathers he must be quite young. The writing has some flaws to it that hint at a lack of experience, hence her guess. She notices some trembling as well, perhaps hinting at a scaredy personality. Finally, she notices a few spots where a liquid of sorts fell on the pages as droplets and were allowed to dry naturally. Either the man was unprofessionally careless with his refreshments, has a tendency to bite/drool on his quill, or was sweating a bit.
Utar suggests that they pay a visit to Cockburn’s Groceries and Graxx reminds them they might want to invest in cold weather clothing. Perhaps they can kill two birds with one stone, although Neya reminds them they might need to wait until the morrow. That’s even more likely the case after accounting for the time spent reading the books.
Obby suggests considering hiring a guide or local Druid for the adventure. The Sage has little to offer there but perhaps CRAP itself can make a proposal.
(OOC: Heading to Leadstopper Home for the night?)
Utar nods, "Being prepared would be best. If we're to catch Spernik horses might be an idea such that we could travel quicker. Assuming he isn't similarly mounted as well. What kind of a headstart did he get?"
Looking to the Lord Sage, he adds, "Might be good to have your scribes look through other tomes linking dragons work Phlan and the surrounding area. Recent cult activity was focused on the Valhingen Graveyard, so might be as good a place to start hunting forgeries as any."
"Mn. Those tomes will suffice." She assured the Sage, all but admitting (despite Neya's suggestion) her intentions of staying up late if need be for research! That is, if allowed to do as much in the end.
"The graveyard? How curious. Mayhaps they hoped to interrogate a dead explorer of the region, or acquire a means to do so." She comments. "By the way, there is a river here leading up to the mountain range. More confirmation would be necessary of course to see if it would be possible. But... mayhaps a small vessel could get us to the region far swifter than horses. Food for thought, if nothing else."
(OOC: Not sure how and I won't count on us truly finding Spernik. But if Obsben does, she is so gonna destroy him emotionally or try too! xD)
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Graxx will indeed go to the Leadstopper Home for the night.
Upon morning he will retrieve Glory to take her along for the journey.
Graxx will also seek to stop and buy some food for her in the morning.
Following Obsben's line of thought, Utar turns to Graxx and Neya. "Any ideas on the kind of terrain we might expect out there? And what's the river like, slow and lazy, likely to handle a boat or are we better off on foot or hoof because it's just rapids and rocks?"