Valrieth thanks Finley and again feels his bravery bolster her own courage.  She equips her shield just in case the "woe" meant some immediate attack.  Val says a quiet prayer for Guidance and watches the pile of gold that Finley is scooping into the Portable Hole.  She's looking for anything that's "not like the others."  For example, maybe the gold is fine, but it hides a gold-colored monsters or some other bauble that poses some danger.  She also tries to stay alert to any threats sounds or other signs of a new threat.

Perception: 26 + 1 (Guidance) = 1

Quote from Ben_Evolent >>

in case the "woe" meant some immediate attack

If something bad happens immediately when Finley takes the gold, or if the party notices any change, then we'll have to deal with that.  Otherwise, I think that we're ready to leave Nib's cave and go looking for Clapperclaw and their balloon. Valrieth says, "Hopefully, Clapperclaw is still there with the balloon, and we can leave today for Downfall." 

When they first arrived in Thither, Clapperclaw said that he'd stay with the balloon, which was tethered north of Nib's cave, just a short, 20-minute walk.  After their long rest, Elidon brought them to Nib's Cave in 6 hours, so it should still be mid-afternoon.  If they can leave today and make good time getting back to Downfall, they still have a chance to bring the portrait back to Bavlorna within the deadline of Finley's bargain.

The gold goes into the portable hole and an accurate count would need to be done at a later time unless Finley wishes to take the time to count each coin one by one. 

All the gold coins now stored the party walks back the Clapperclaw he is still waiting by the balloon. He says "Ah your back and with new friends. Does that mean you are done with your business in Thither"

Aoife listens carefully to Val's predictions, and nods. "Seems logical to take the gold."

She is about to offer to help Finley move the gold when the discussion of curses stops her. "I have no ways of stopping a curse. That would be pretty amazing!"

Aoife follows the group out of the cave once they are ready to leave, and gives a nod of hello to Clapperclaw.. 

This is Clapperclaw. 

Valrieth makes introductions: "Clapperclaw, this is our new friend Aoife.  Aoife, Clapperclaw."  Seeing Aoife's expression, Val realizes that in all of their conversations, she never mentioned that Clapperclaw is a sort of animated scarecrow.  "Not like the screaming scarecrows outside of Loomlurch, of course.  We found Clapperclaw in the town of Downfall in Hither.  He had lost his head to the hag who rules Hither.  We got it back for him, and in exchange, he pilots this balloon for us."

"The balloon is the fastest way to get between Hither and Thither because these mountains," Val indicates the mountains running north-to-south to their west, "separate Hither and Thither."

Val turns to Clapperclaw and says, "Yes, we have done what we came to do -- and more!  We can tell you about it while we ride.  But now we're in a terrible hurry.  We have to get back to Downfall as quickly as we can.  Finley made a bargain with Bavlorna Brightshaw, and we must get back to Downfall to fulfill that bargain.  Do you think that you could get us back to Downfall before the end of the day after tomorrow?"

Aoife looks the scarecrow up and down, and then surveys the balloon. "Thank you for piloting this contraption. I certainly could not do so!"

Finley will most likely count the gold whenever they decide to bed down for a long rest. Finley gives a slight smile to Clapperclaw, "Aye, hello there, th' faster we get going th' better ah'll feel ah think."

Clapperclaw sticks his right claw in the air to gauge the wind direction and speed "I believe I can reach Downfall in time though a lighter load would let the balloon travel faster. Is there a geary or weighted object you are willing to part with?"

Quote from Weathervision >>

Clapperclaw sticks his right claw in the air to gauge the wind direction and speed "I believe I can reach Downfall in time though a lighter load would let the balloon travel faster. Is there a geary or weighted object you are willing to part with?"

Valrieth isn't sure that she understands the request.  She says, "We mostly have just what we brought from Hither to Thither.  I mean, we found other treasures in Thither, but we've put most of those in a magical item that Finley carries.  I think that it weighs about as much as a tablecloth no matter how much we put inside it."  

When they came to Thither, the party included Finley, Val, Ilifir, Lerak, and Otto.  Now, they've replaced Lerak and Otto with Aoife. Val says that the group should be lighter than it was when Clapperclaw brought them to Hither.  They have the bracers, boots, and bag of beans from Nib's cave, but those can't weigh that much.  Val has a few trinkets from Loomlurch that she didn't have time to properly pack away in the Portable Hole while the place was collapsing, and she could put those in the portable hole before they leave depart.  Val asks Clapperclaw whether the balloon would travel slower because of the items they have inside their Portable Hole.

(Who is Otto? The newer members are Ilifr and Aoife) 

Clapperclaw says "True the number of people is the same, but the trip back can be rather bumpy. I hope to make the same time as before but anything to lighten the load would help and I don't believe the items in the magical napkin would affect the balloon. It's just it may be cutting it close to your deadline and that is assuming Bavlorna won't do one of her tricks like keeping you from seeing her just to delay you long enough to be past the deadline. You don't know her like I do" 

"how close are we cutting it?" ilifir cuts in after simply staring worriedly at a wall for much of the conversation "i can leave about a hundred pounds, maybe a bit more if it really matters"

Aoife looks troubled.

She checks in her pack and brings out a hunting trap. She holds it up for inspection, saying, "This is about the only thing I can leave behind. It's about 25 pounds, if that will help."

"Or will it fit in that magic tablecloth of yours?" she asks.

"Well, you can place items into the magical napkin I believe. That way you can keep you gear just in a napkin. As for weight the lighter the better." says Clapperclaw. 

Quote from willow_ivyleaf >>

"how close are we cutting it?" ilifir cuts in after simply staring worriedly at a wall for much of the conversation "i can leave about a hundred pounds, maybe a bit more if it really matters"

Valrieth says, "In timing, it's hard to say.  When we came from Hither to Thither, the balloon ride took less than two days, remember?"  (If the party left Hither on day-1, they arrived in Thither on the morning of day-3.)  "If the ride back takes the same amount of time, we should be fine," she says.  Val checks her notes to be sure and then says, "Finley promised to return with the portrait 'in 8 days.'  That was 5 days ago this morning.  If the trip back also takes about 2 days, then we'll land in Downfall some time on day 7.  That will give us that afternoon, the night, and part of the next morning to deliver the portrait to Bavlorna."  As she puts away her notebook, Val purses her lips and says, "We'll do our best, but like Clapperclaw said, I don't expect a hag to play fair.  In the end, we should get ready for another fight in case the hag tries to take Finley's heart anyway."

Val is a little worried about putting too much equipment in the Portable Hole.  She says, "We're not sure how much it can really hold or what happens if we overfill it."  She starts looking at her own gear and considering what she could leave behind.

"Hmm, ah'll leave behind an old crossbow ah've 'ad since ah left home. Ah dunnae need it anymore and don't have too much other 'eavy gear on me other than me armor." Finley sets the crossbow down on the ground, alongside some old bolts. "Th' hole is only ten feet deep and six feet around and we dumped a whole lotta gold in there. So we can probably buy back anythin' that ye wannae leave behind, aye?"

"i'll need someone to manage my pack if we get in a fight" ilifir informs them, and turns to walk away past the basket, looking for something to break line of sight "dont follow me, i'll be right back"

Quote from willow_ivyleaf >>

"i'll need someone to manage my pack if we get in a fight" ilifir informs them, and turns to walk away past the basket, looking for something to break line of sight "dont follow me, i'll be right back"

"OK," Valrieth says, turning her back.  But she wonders what heavy gear Ilifir secretly carries. 

Val goes through her own gear.  She unpacks her torches, thinking that she can always create her own fire.  Besides, she doesn't need a torch for light anymore now that she has the Moonlight Monocle.  She also asks Aoife to help her remove her tent from the portable hole.  She worried about sleeping outdoors unprotected when she started this adventure, but she has gotten used to sleeping outdoors while they traveled through Thither.  Since that frees up some room in the portable hole, Val will put a few of her found treasures in the portable hole before they depart on the balloon ride.

Leaving behind:

• 9 torches
• Tent

Moved into portable hole:

• 2 inch tall marionette (taken from the chest in Bavlorna's room)
• Dragonfly Sundial, 3" diam (taken from the Brigands' Tollway)
• Boot about Fairies (taken from Loomlurch)

Since the tent was already in the portable hole, that only reduces Val's contribution by 12 lbs or so.  Her only really heavy gear is her armor, shield, rope, bedroll, and blanket.  She'll need her blanket and bedroll since the balloon ride takes more than 1 day, and she feels like she should keep her armor and the rope handy in case anything attacks them during the balloon ride.

The only other thing she could leave behind is her scimitar.  Wearing a sword makes her feel like a proper hero, but she doesn't really use weapons that often.  She can leave it behind if the others think they need to shed the extra 3 lbs.

Quote from Weathervision >>

(Who is Otto? The newer members are Ilifr and Aoife)

(OOC: Valrieth meant that the Clapperclaw took 5 of us from Hither to Thither: Otto, Lerak, Ilifir, Finley, and Val.  For the return trip, the party is back down to 4: Aoife, Ilifir, Finley, and Val.)

Valrieth thinks that the group is ready to go.  

 If Aoife leaves behind her trap and Finley leaves his crossbow and bolts, the group will have shed ~50 lbs of weight.  Instead of leaving a bunch of gear in the middle of a clearing, she proposes that they take a quick trip back to Nib's old cave and leave the gear there.  Once Ilifir returns from whatever he was doing, Val tells Clapperclaw that they've lightened the load, and they're now ready to board the balloon back to Hither.

"Ye should keep yer sword, dunnae worry about it. Ah forgot ah had a couple daggers that'll make up fer th' weight of ye keeping th' weapon, Val." Finley nods, setting down a couple daggers from his earlier travels and a torch he had forgotten about that he kept around for those who couldn't see much in the dark.