Griff takes the warnings in and gives Elthana a nod, he flexes his wings and flaps them down with sich force that he immediately gains 30ft above the party and then begins ascending further to a height which would cause little suspicion from observers below.
Elthana summons Gust and brings the hood of her cloak low, galloping off into the city which is waking to the first light of morning, she is aided in her stealth by the fanfare that Gewyn provides. Those milling about and starting their day in the lower districts throw a curious glance toward the party as the carriage roll in. One particularly grumpy dwarf calls over gruffly "a bit early for the circus to arrive in town", but most other townsfolk seem glad to hear a cheery tune, a few children dressed shabbily, come running up to the carriage with their hands out expectantly, assuming that the group are merchants. "Where've ya come from sirs?" "Have ya any Alms for the poor?" "Did ye trade anythin special when ye were away?"...
It is not long before the group is stopped, just past the grand entrance to the town proper, where the dirt road slowly gives way to a white cobbled street, a guard asks for everyone's names. They give Sam a questioning glance and then wide eyed take in the large vision of Muir, before quickly bringing a folded piece of paper out of their pocket with a list on it.
After clarifying who the group are, the guard calls over two more of the marbled legion, these two mounted and more heavily armed. The group is led directly to the council District and through the gates, where the white cobble gives way to a flatter marbled floor, complimenting the embellished marble buildings of this elite area of town. Vin whilst in the city chooses to remain on the ground for now, stowing his broom away on his back.
After disembarking the carriage, the group is led into the same building they first met in, though they are not taken directly to the council meeting room. After being told to wait in an auxiliary room you are all left, to your own devices, and after an hour of waiting, still no one has turned up yet.
Muir hands each of the children a gold piece and smiles before continuing on. He notices all the gazes and glares coming his way. He pays no mind to it now being older and accustomed to it.
He follows along not knowing anything about the city or where they’re going. After waiting an hour he asks his companions “Is this normal procedure?”
Gewyn scratches his chin. "Hard to say, but the only other times I've been kept waiting this long, they've been intentional snubs. But why we'd be getting that treatment is beyond me."
"Nice of him to say goodbye," Sam snarls as the birdbrain was soaring higher and higher in the sky. "Or thanks. Or anything..."
"Catch up to us when you can," Sam says to Elthana and gives her a short wave as she is about to gallop off. After a few moments go by watching them both depart Sam urges the horses into action once more and gets the carriage heading to Marblestead and covering the last of the distance. A bit of a calm settles upon him once the old town is in sight again. It's not so much being happy to be home as much as it is he feels he knows and is ready for the problems that'll arise here. The devil you know, and all that...
"We had to return," Sam retorts to the dwarf. "We left the freaks behind! Now climb on and stop bothering the good folk, eh?"
At the calls of what they were trading, Sam digs in his gear a moment and then pulls out the skull of the hag, holding it aloft and pointing it at the kids. "How's this for special?" he calls out. "Out hunting witches and devils and boogies of all kind! Sleep well kids, nothing scary under the beds tonight!" Sam also throws out some coin to the folks, aiming his tosses at those quiet kids who naturally hang back and watch rather than rush forward and beg.
Sam gives the guards a bit of gruff but nothing too serious. It is just in his nature is all, he is going to push back at any authority types, specially those who look at him with that look the guards give him. "Maybe give the paper to someone who can read, won'tcha?" Sam calls out as the guards are still trying to get all the names right and double check their notes. "Maybe one of these mopheaded kids with taters growing from their ears could help ya out, what?" Sam winks to the kids as he says it, this crowd is likely no bigger fan of the guards than he himself.
Sam stretches out his legs and does the best he can to make himself comfortable for the wait. It's no surprise to him that they are kept waiting. Surely the council sees themselves as too important to wait upon others so those wahoos certainly were at home sleeping in or eating breakfast cooked by staff and servants and found the arrival of the Champions a hassle to be grumbled about. They'll keep the group waiting just to try to prove a point, to themselves if nobody else. Still, it does get old after a while.
"Mayhap we leave?" Sam asks with a grin. "Likely they're making us wait just to prove they can. How much you want to wager they'll be ready for us right quick if we start walking out the door? We could tell the guard to call after us at local when they're ready... We deserve a drink to wash the road outta our throats anyway, aye?" Sam rises to his feet and goes to the door. Turning the handle, at least partly to check it was not locked as much as any real intention to leave, Sam looks back at the others to see if they're in.
Neferox seems all but eager to leave, and perks up a bit when Sam makes his suggestion. Vin however communicates something with Neferox and the hound sits down once more, "Elthana expects us to be here, we should stay. Also the quicker we can debrief the quicker we can start investigating things... Those fruit were coming to this town, we don't know how long that's been happening, but we have a name."
After a few more minutes a gruff and greying dwarf dressed in expensive looking smithing smocks walks in and regards the party, "ah I see you're all here, minus two and with an additional loxodon, we've been made aware, by various means, of the young cleric abandoning your group. Where is the treasury girl by the way? Orders were for the guard to bring you all?" Oddly enough the dwarf doesn't have the same Dwarvish accent in his speaking that is common in most dwarves. At his arrival Vin perks up a bit, seeming to be in awe of the dwarf, "hello Master Ironhand, sir, uhh everyone this is Escan Ironhand the master of magical items at the cavalcade"
"Yes, thank you for the introduction there Vin, I deal with reclamation, registration and trading of magical items within marblestead, nothing goes out onto thesestreets without bypassing us first, keeps curses and dangerous relics out if the reach of common folk. Which brings me to my reason for being here, I need to look over any items magical or seemingly mundane that you have picked up on your travels, Vin if you'd like to go first?" The dwarf directs the group to a table and after muttering a few words his eyes glow with magical perception.
Vin heads on over and places his broom, his coat, a ring and the crystal ball onto the table, along with a couple of gems. Escan takes a glancing look at the crystal ball, the coat and the gems and then pushes them to one side with a nod, "common enchantments no curses, and the gems are mundane, not to worry." He picks up the broom with curiosity "this has been broken, and fixed with an unorthodox method... The enchantment will hold but maybe not for long, I'd get this properly reinforced and maybe some kind of backup enchantment added, otherwise it's fine. This ring, do you know what spells are stored inside?" Vin gives a curt nod and Escan looks him up and down, "nothing else eh?" Vin hesitates and then shakes his head no, clearing the table and packing away his things once more, "right, who's next?" Escan pipes up looking around the group.
Sam's eyes meet those of Escan Ironhand but Sam crosses his arms, shakes his head and says "Pass."
"I'm sure you're well intentioned and all," Sam says with a wry grin. "The kid seems to vouch for you and all, but I don't know you. We left and returned on Council business. I don't recall seeing you at the Council meeting that gave us our orders so I'm not rightly sure why you are here getting between us and them or on whose authority. So if it's all the same to you, or not, I'll not be turning anything over to anyone for inspection 'cepting the head of my faction who roped me into this nonsense, or the Council itself. Thank you though..."
Sam then relaxes and offers a smile to Escan Ironhand. This may be not outside what should have been expected but this was never outlined in their duties and Sam never much minded winding up one such as this Ironhand guy. Sam didn't have much of anything he was worried about, really... Excepting the obvious. And the acorns weren't his to handing over to just anyone anyway.
"Welcome to Marblestead, Muir," Sam says sarcastically. "This fine gentleman here would like to thank you for all the heroics and shit you did on his behalf by inspecting your taint for contraband."
Muir looks quizzically at Sam. Myir unaccustomed to city life can’t help but wonder why his taint would be magical or be holding contraband. “Thankfully for myself I do not have anything from this trip that would require an inspection. So if Mr Ironhands would please stay away from my…..uh…..bits and pieces, I’d appreciate it.” Muir says rather nervously.
Escan rolls his eyes at Sam, "the stubborn half orc from the workers faction refuses, colour me surprised..." He adds sarcastically before simply looking at Sam from afar his eyes glowing still, "splint armour is mithril and bears interesting markings, inherently enchanted, if you do that yourself I'm impressed, what I'm less impressed by is the maul at your side, the sharpness and durability enchantments on it are done by myself, that maul is property of the cavalcade, did you steal it?. The bag at your side has some odd summoning magic to it, do you know what it summons? Overall nothing seemingly cursed."
As Muir pipes up too Escan casts a glance in the Loxodon's direction with a sigh, "very well, a cursory look for you then, I won't touch your bits and or pieces.
bracers, common enough enchantment, not cursed, good. The staff... is interesting, it has an essence of curse to it but it is a magic I have not seen before... would you let me take a closer look?"
Vin seems to be struggling with discomfort as one of his mentors is being rude to his friends, but he remains silent, staring at the floor, not wanting to meet the eyes of the group.
Muir looks at the staff given to him by his friend Thunberg. He doesn't really know the totality of its magic. This could help him figure it out. He looks to the others and wonders what the right course of action is.
"Well I....it was given to me by an old friend....I um am not accustomed to this. Is this standard procedure when entering a city? What other searches will I have to go through?" Muir holds onto his staff unsure what to do next.
"this is the only investigation, it is common for cavalcade adventurers and it is to keep the use of magical items regulated within the city, no ne wants some egotistical wizard getting their hands on weapons of mass destruction right? The Council asked me to come and check over a few things with you all, as you may have been subjected to odd magics and picked up some unorthodox items... As peacekeepers, I've not been given the go ahead to confiscate any items, but I will be filing a report. So! For your safety and mine, if there's anything you want me to have a closer look at, pop it on the table." It is apparent that chunks of that speech was Escan remembering and quoting things he had been told, and he sounds bored by having to explain it at all
Sam is mildly amused by the little officiate and finds the whole back and forth just playful banter. "Not impressed by your own work?" Sam retorts, lifting the maul and looking at it's head. "Don't be so hard on yourself. It didn't keep it's original owner alive but it's done a better job in my hands."
"Oh, the bag? The bag is mostly useless. Doesn't work half the time. It's supposed to summon idiotic fools but I used it right before you walked in and nothing appear..." Sam cuts himself off and allows the realization to dawn upon him. "Oh! Ooops."
When Muir expresses concern Sam gives him a shrug. "Can't say I haven't heard tales of them claiming 'contraband' just to seize something they wanted from someone they figured couldn't fight back," Sam says. "But we can fight back and I doubt he wants to get on our bad side right as we're about to be proclaimed heroes and all..."
But when Escan Ironhand invites them to pop anything on the table they thought he should have a look at, Sam is only happy to oblige. Making a show of starting to undo his pants Sam proclaims "We did return with this giant trouser snake... A real one-eyed monster it is! Not sure it's magical but I'm told it never disappoints..."
Gewyn maintains his composure though he is uncomfortable with the scrutiny. That is, of course, until Sam unbuttons his pants. Gewyn is unable to hold back a snort of laughter. He stifles it quickly, hoping he didn't draw attention to himself.
Stepping up to the table while Sam is occupying Escan's attention, Gewyn places his new sword, dagger, and sickle on the table, along with his iron rings of banding. He then retreats back to a corner of the room out of Escan's line of sight and says casually, "That's everything I didn't have on me when I left Marblestead. Oh, unless you'd like to inspect the sealed chest we brought back. It's back with our supplies on the carriage outside. Don't know what it is, but there's an ancient magic about it that I felt shouldn't just be floating about the world in the hands of the careless."
Sam shoots Gewyn a harsh glance that says “Ixnay on the arriagecay,” but otherwise keeps old Ironhands occupied until Gewyn’s stuff is on the table. Luckily Hewyn is quick enough that Dam doesn’t actually have to lay hits stuff there as well.
Escan doesn't look amused by Sam's shenanigans and retorts, "one eyed trouser snake, yeah I bet you've fought a lot of those in your time, either way I can say with certainty, anything that's been between your legs is 100% cursed... Right then! Ancient magic chest is definitely something I'll need to look at, but first things first. Let's be having a gander at these items" he turns once again to the table where Gewyn has now laid out his items. "Ok so, sword and dagger are basic magical enhancements, the iron bands of binding, very useful, and very not cursed, this however..." He picks up the sickle that Gewyn laid out, one that the group know was lifted from the corpse of a redcap, "... This one is infernal made, demonsteel, let me see" he spins the sickle in his hand and gives it a couple of swings getting the balance right, then he draws the blade over his own hand dripping blood onto the blade, it disappears and Escan takes a couple more swings, this time crackling the air around him with more speed, strength and ferocity. "Yep, Cursed, where did you get it?"
Muir steps forward and lays his staff down on the table as he watched Escan finish looking over Gewyn's stuff. He figures this could be an opportunity to learn a little more about the staff....His curiosity gets the better of him. "Hokum....We fought things there and that was their weapon" Muir answers honestly although holding back some information.
“I’m sure the Council would be keeping him informed of where we were and what we were doing if they felt it was information he needed,” Sam chimes in merrily.
"you fought infernal foes?" Escan looks to Muir in surprise and some disbelief. "Summoned foes, goes formed from hardened sentient blood, that came with their own demonsteel?" Escan puts the sickle down and pulls a small pot of salve out of a pocket, smothering his self inflicted wound, he wraps it before picking up the staff.
His eyes continue to glow as he hold the staff up to his eyes inspecting as if trying to read some small writing. "This is otherworldly, feels almost sentient, like you'd ripped the magic from some creature and thrown it into a staff... This was made at great sacrifice. Faint curse feeling but it's not coming from the staff itself, it's like... Hm.. it's like whatever sacrificed a chunk of its power was already cursed. Does that make any sense to you? Does this old friend still live?"
"highly informative and not at all vague..." Escan says sarcastically to Muir as he passes the staff back, "this things seems to have many capabilities and uses, but it's not cursed which is what I'm primarily looking for, safety and all... That being said I suppose I should clarify on this cursed sickle." He turns to Gewyn and gestures to all of Gewyn's stuff letting him take back what he wants. "The curse is short lasting and should not be over used, it's is a tame curse that doesn't effect others, so no mind control or hungering from yourself blah blah blah, no. What this does is it improves your fighting prowess and strength for the price of your blood, but if you don't satiate the blade then it will take more and more from you until you are dead. Not sure sacrifice is really a strong facet of a Jasmina factionary really but if you wish to wield the blade then that is up to you."
Gewyn folds his arms across his chest and tries to shrink away from Escan's gaze. Scratching at the scar on his chest, he mutters, "Well if I've learned anything, it's that helplessness can carry its own price in blood. I think I'll hang onto it and make my decision when the moment demands it. Unless you've got anything you'd like to trade for it," Gewyn finishes with just a touch of sarcasm.
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Griff takes the warnings in and gives Elthana a nod, he flexes his wings and flaps them down with sich force that he immediately gains 30ft above the party and then begins ascending further to a height which would cause little suspicion from observers below.
Elthana summons Gust and brings the hood of her cloak low, galloping off into the city which is waking to the first light of morning, she is aided in her stealth by the fanfare that Gewyn provides. Those milling about and starting their day in the lower districts throw a curious glance toward the party as the carriage roll in. One particularly grumpy dwarf calls over gruffly "a bit early for the circus to arrive in town", but most other townsfolk seem glad to hear a cheery tune, a few children dressed shabbily, come running up to the carriage with their hands out expectantly, assuming that the group are merchants. "Where've ya come from sirs?" "Have ya any Alms for the poor?" "Did ye trade anythin special when ye were away?"...
It is not long before the group is stopped, just past the grand entrance to the town proper, where the dirt road slowly gives way to a white cobbled street, a guard asks for everyone's names. They give Sam a questioning glance and then wide eyed take in the large vision of Muir, before quickly bringing a folded piece of paper out of their pocket with a list on it.
After clarifying who the group are, the guard calls over two more of the marbled legion, these two mounted and more heavily armed. The group is led directly to the council District and through the gates, where the white cobble gives way to a flatter marbled floor, complimenting the embellished marble buildings of this elite area of town. Vin whilst in the city chooses to remain on the ground for now, stowing his broom away on his back.
After disembarking the carriage, the group is led into the same building they first met in, though they are not taken directly to the council meeting room. After being told to wait in an auxiliary room you are all left, to your own devices, and after an hour of waiting, still no one has turned up yet.
Muir hands each of the children a gold piece and smiles before continuing on. He notices all the gazes and glares coming his way. He pays no mind to it now being older and accustomed to it.
He follows along not knowing anything about the city or where they’re going. After waiting an hour he asks his companions “Is this normal procedure?”
Gewyn scratches his chin. "Hard to say, but the only other times I've been kept waiting this long, they've been intentional snubs. But why we'd be getting that treatment is beyond me."
"Nice of him to say goodbye," Sam snarls as the birdbrain was soaring higher and higher in the sky. "Or thanks. Or anything..."
"Catch up to us when you can," Sam says to Elthana and gives her a short wave as she is about to gallop off. After a few moments go by watching them both depart Sam urges the horses into action once more and gets the carriage heading to Marblestead and covering the last of the distance. A bit of a calm settles upon him once the old town is in sight again. It's not so much being happy to be home as much as it is he feels he knows and is ready for the problems that'll arise here. The devil you know, and all that...
"We had to return," Sam retorts to the dwarf. "We left the freaks behind! Now climb on and stop bothering the good folk, eh?"
At the calls of what they were trading, Sam digs in his gear a moment and then pulls out the skull of the hag, holding it aloft and pointing it at the kids. "How's this for special?" he calls out. "Out hunting witches and devils and boogies of all kind! Sleep well kids, nothing scary under the beds tonight!" Sam also throws out some coin to the folks, aiming his tosses at those quiet kids who naturally hang back and watch rather than rush forward and beg.
Sam gives the guards a bit of gruff but nothing too serious. It is just in his nature is all, he is going to push back at any authority types, specially those who look at him with that look the guards give him. "Maybe give the paper to someone who can read, won'tcha?" Sam calls out as the guards are still trying to get all the names right and double check their notes. "Maybe one of these mopheaded kids with taters growing from their ears could help ya out, what?" Sam winks to the kids as he says it, this crowd is likely no bigger fan of the guards than he himself.
Sam stretches out his legs and does the best he can to make himself comfortable for the wait. It's no surprise to him that they are kept waiting. Surely the council sees themselves as too important to wait upon others so those wahoos certainly were at home sleeping in or eating breakfast cooked by staff and servants and found the arrival of the Champions a hassle to be grumbled about. They'll keep the group waiting just to try to prove a point, to themselves if nobody else. Still, it does get old after a while.
"Mayhap we leave?" Sam asks with a grin. "Likely they're making us wait just to prove they can. How much you want to wager they'll be ready for us right quick if we start walking out the door? We could tell the guard to call after us at local when they're ready... We deserve a drink to wash the road outta our throats anyway, aye?" Sam rises to his feet and goes to the door. Turning the handle, at least partly to check it was not locked as much as any real intention to leave, Sam looks back at the others to see if they're in.
Neferox seems all but eager to leave, and perks up a bit when Sam makes his suggestion. Vin however communicates something with Neferox and the hound sits down once more, "Elthana expects us to be here, we should stay. Also the quicker we can debrief the quicker we can start investigating things... Those fruit were coming to this town, we don't know how long that's been happening, but we have a name."
After a few more minutes a gruff and greying dwarf dressed in expensive looking smithing smocks walks in and regards the party, "ah I see you're all here, minus two and with an additional loxodon, we've been made aware, by various means, of the young cleric abandoning your group. Where is the treasury girl by the way? Orders were for the guard to bring you all?" Oddly enough the dwarf doesn't have the same Dwarvish accent in his speaking that is common in most dwarves. At his arrival Vin perks up a bit, seeming to be in awe of the dwarf, "hello Master Ironhand, sir, uhh everyone this is Escan Ironhand the master of magical items at the cavalcade"
"Yes, thank you for the introduction there Vin, I deal with reclamation, registration and trading of magical items within marblestead, nothing goes out onto thesestreets without bypassing us first, keeps curses and dangerous relics out if the reach of common folk. Which brings me to my reason for being here, I need to look over any items magical or seemingly mundane that you have picked up on your travels, Vin if you'd like to go first?" The dwarf directs the group to a table and after muttering a few words his eyes glow with magical perception.
Vin heads on over and places his broom, his coat, a ring and the crystal ball onto the table, along with a couple of gems. Escan takes a glancing look at the crystal ball, the coat and the gems and then pushes them to one side with a nod, "common enchantments no curses, and the gems are mundane, not to worry." He picks up the broom with curiosity "this has been broken, and fixed with an unorthodox method... The enchantment will hold but maybe not for long, I'd get this properly reinforced and maybe some kind of backup enchantment added, otherwise it's fine. This ring, do you know what spells are stored inside?" Vin gives a curt nod and Escan looks him up and down, "nothing else eh?" Vin hesitates and then shakes his head no, clearing the table and packing away his things once more, "right, who's next?" Escan pipes up looking around the group.
Sam's eyes meet those of Escan Ironhand but Sam crosses his arms, shakes his head and says "Pass."
"I'm sure you're well intentioned and all," Sam says with a wry grin. "The kid seems to vouch for you and all, but I don't know you. We left and returned on Council business. I don't recall seeing you at the Council meeting that gave us our orders so I'm not rightly sure why you are here getting between us and them or on whose authority. So if it's all the same to you, or not, I'll not be turning anything over to anyone for inspection 'cepting the head of my faction who roped me into this nonsense, or the Council itself. Thank you though..."
Sam then relaxes and offers a smile to Escan Ironhand. This may be not outside what should have been expected but this was never outlined in their duties and Sam never much minded winding up one such as this Ironhand guy. Sam didn't have much of anything he was worried about, really... Excepting the obvious. And the acorns weren't his to handing over to just anyone anyway.
"Welcome to Marblestead, Muir," Sam says sarcastically. "This fine gentleman here would like to thank you for all the heroics and shit you did on his behalf by inspecting your taint for contraband."
Muir looks quizzically at Sam. Myir unaccustomed to city life can’t help but wonder why his taint would be magical or be holding contraband. “Thankfully for myself I do not have anything from this trip that would require an inspection. So if Mr Ironhands would please stay away from my…..uh…..bits and pieces, I’d appreciate it.” Muir says rather nervously.
Escan rolls his eyes at Sam, "the stubborn half orc from the workers faction refuses, colour me surprised..." He adds sarcastically before simply looking at Sam from afar his eyes glowing still, "splint armour is mithril and bears interesting markings, inherently enchanted, if you do that yourself I'm impressed, what I'm less impressed by is the maul at your side, the sharpness and durability enchantments on it are done by myself, that maul is property of the cavalcade, did you steal it?. The bag at your side has some odd summoning magic to it, do you know what it summons? Overall nothing seemingly cursed."
As Muir pipes up too Escan casts a glance in the Loxodon's direction with a sigh, "very well, a cursory look for you then, I won't touch your bits and or pieces.
bracers, common enough enchantment, not cursed, good. The staff... is interesting, it has an essence of curse to it but it is a magic I have not seen before... would you let me take a closer look?"
Vin seems to be struggling with discomfort as one of his mentors is being rude to his friends, but he remains silent, staring at the floor, not wanting to meet the eyes of the group.
Muir looks at the staff given to him by his friend Thunberg. He doesn't really know the totality of its magic. This could help him figure it out. He looks to the others and wonders what the right course of action is.
"Well I....it was given to me by an old friend....I um am not accustomed to this. Is this standard procedure when entering a city? What other searches will I have to go through?" Muir holds onto his staff unsure what to do next.
"this is the only investigation, it is common for cavalcade adventurers and it is to keep the use of magical items regulated within the city, no ne wants some egotistical wizard getting their hands on weapons of mass destruction right? The Council asked me to come and check over a few things with you all, as you may have been subjected to odd magics and picked up some unorthodox items... As peacekeepers, I've not been given the go ahead to confiscate any items, but I will be filing a report. So! For your safety and mine, if there's anything you want me to have a closer look at, pop it on the table." It is apparent that chunks of that speech was Escan remembering and quoting things he had been told, and he sounds bored by having to explain it at all
Gewyn maintains his composure though he is uncomfortable with the scrutiny. That is, of course, until Sam unbuttons his pants. Gewyn is unable to hold back a snort of laughter. He stifles it quickly, hoping he didn't draw attention to himself.
Stepping up to the table while Sam is occupying Escan's attention, Gewyn places his new sword, dagger, and sickle on the table, along with his iron rings of banding. He then retreats back to a corner of the room out of Escan's line of sight and says casually, "That's everything I didn't have on me when I left Marblestead. Oh, unless you'd like to inspect the sealed chest we brought back. It's back with our supplies on the carriage outside. Don't know what it is, but there's an ancient magic about it that I felt shouldn't just be floating about the world in the hands of the careless."
Sam shoots Gewyn a harsh glance that says “Ixnay on the arriagecay,” but otherwise keeps old Ironhands occupied until Gewyn’s stuff is on the table. Luckily Hewyn is quick enough that Dam doesn’t actually have to lay hits stuff there as well.
Escan doesn't look amused by Sam's shenanigans and retorts, "one eyed trouser snake, yeah I bet you've fought a lot of those in your time, either way I can say with certainty, anything that's been between your legs is 100% cursed... Right then! Ancient magic chest is definitely something I'll need to look at, but first things first. Let's be having a gander at these items" he turns once again to the table where Gewyn has now laid out his items. "Ok so, sword and dagger are basic magical enhancements, the iron bands of binding, very useful, and very not cursed, this however..." He picks up the sickle that Gewyn laid out, one that the group know was lifted from the corpse of a redcap, "... This one is infernal made, demonsteel, let me see" he spins the sickle in his hand and gives it a couple of swings getting the balance right, then he draws the blade over his own hand dripping blood onto the blade, it disappears and Escan takes a couple more swings, this time crackling the air around him with more speed, strength and ferocity. "Yep, Cursed, where did you get it?"
Muir steps forward and lays his staff down on the table as he watched Escan finish looking over Gewyn's stuff. He figures this could be an opportunity to learn a little more about the staff....His curiosity gets the better of him. "Hokum....We fought things there and that was their weapon" Muir answers honestly although holding back some information.
“I’m sure the Council would be keeping him informed of where we were and what we were doing if they felt it was information he needed,” Sam chimes in merrily.
"you fought infernal foes?" Escan looks to Muir in surprise and some disbelief. "Summoned foes, goes formed from hardened sentient blood, that came with their own demonsteel?" Escan puts the sickle down and pulls a small pot of salve out of a pocket, smothering his self inflicted wound, he wraps it before picking up the staff.
His eyes continue to glow as he hold the staff up to his eyes inspecting as if trying to read some small writing. "This is otherworldly, feels almost sentient, like you'd ripped the magic from some creature and thrown it into a staff... This was made at great sacrifice. Faint curse feeling but it's not coming from the staff itself, it's like... Hm.. it's like whatever sacrificed a chunk of its power was already cursed. Does that make any sense to you? Does this old friend still live?"
Muir looks on and answers in a glumly "In a manner of speaking they do still live, but not how I remember them."
"highly informative and not at all vague..." Escan says sarcastically to Muir as he passes the staff back, "this things seems to have many capabilities and uses, but it's not cursed which is what I'm primarily looking for, safety and all... That being said I suppose I should clarify on this cursed sickle." He turns to Gewyn and gestures to all of Gewyn's stuff letting him take back what he wants. "The curse is short lasting and should not be over used, it's is a tame curse that doesn't effect others, so no mind control or hungering from yourself blah blah blah, no. What this does is it improves your fighting prowess and strength for the price of your blood, but if you don't satiate the blade then it will take more and more from you until you are dead. Not sure sacrifice is really a strong facet of a Jasmina factionary really but if you wish to wield the blade then that is up to you."
Gewyn folds his arms across his chest and tries to shrink away from Escan's gaze. Scratching at the scar on his chest, he mutters, "Well if I've learned anything, it's that helplessness can carry its own price in blood. I think I'll hang onto it and make my decision when the moment demands it. Unless you've got anything you'd like to trade for it," Gewyn finishes with just a touch of sarcasm.