Yeah, I'd say given as this is a general access website we'd better keep it fairly PG,...not sure a half-bovine woman isn't pushing the boundaries already LOL

After spending nights of varying interest ;) you all gather in the common room in the morning.  Myrtea greets you with individual trays, each bearing a full traditional Abyrstwyth breakfast: ] Fried laver with cockles and bacon, oat porridge, small dark brown sausages, mushrooms and eggs.  She is equally courteous to all of you as she serves this, but Artifex notices Glyn giving them a brief knowing look as they enter before his face settles into a professional neutrality, and Myrine is conspicuously absent.

After you have eaten, Myrtea approaches you again.  "I'm so glad you've decided to help Mr. Leewamba!  He left word that he thinks your best course will be to start out by traveling up the Penveryll River until it curves off towards Cricket Tor, and then explore the cluster of hills and mountains just north of that curve. He has had certain divinations made to seek more information about the matter, and they have given some clues which will be useful in finding the right spot. You are looking for a lair, a warren of tunnels on at least two levels, that the party whose box you are in search of inhabited for a long time before he was driven by his restless madness to move on. The diviner is sure the box was left there, and furthermore stated that the place would be

"In a mountain cave marked by bones ...
... watched over by berries of life and death ..
.. behind stone that is locked with shadows; and behind the shadow of stone ..."

They also thought, but weren't certain, that it would be located either in the eastern end of the range that extends out from Feywild Landes in a loop, or in the ridges and peaks just north of that range.

Now you could, it's true, travel up the river path as far as the ford to Reykkholt and then travel on Ulvsnesshjolm roads all the way to the first range you want to check. But their tolls are high, and although we here in Llandovion are supposed to be strictly neutral, in my personal opinion the Duke of Ulvsnesshjolm does a far worse job of controlling bandits in his duchy than the Duke of Abyrstwyth. And its not just because I was born there; Glyn agrees with me too. I think all in all you'll find it more pleasant to bushwhack your way up the river from the point the path turns off.  And the borders have shifted since this map was made; the river is now directly on the borderline, and neither Duke wants to inflame the situation by trying to collect tolls on the Penveryll itself or any paths so long as they follow its course."

In a leather purse that the map Myrtea handed you was wrapped around, you find your first fortnight's stipend, 38 gold cyfreith, and directions to the merchants Mr. Leewamba said you would have discounts at if you need to equip before heading out.

------------------------------------------------------------

Zladark, I think you will need to add 1 gold to your inventory. 1 gold was in my inventory when it should have been 0, and I think it was from when Tarton stole from you, but he gave it back already.

-------------------------------------------------------------

How do you handle selling of items, or do we just discard what we won't use anymore?

"Does anyone else wants to go see the merchant? We should probably at least buy some provisions for our trip" Said The Black Rose.

——————————————————————————————

Quote from badfishingdad75 >>

------------------------------------------------------------

Zladark, I think you will need to add 1 gold to your inventory. 1 gold was in my inventory when it should have been 0, and I think it was from when Tarton stole from you, but he gave it back already.

 I think I gave one gold to Myrtea as a tip, so everything should be okay. I don't remember if I started with 15 or 14 gold. But it is okay if im am missing one. We are now getting 38 gold after all. 

“Black Rose. I think it wise that we visit merchants this morning. The sooner the better as I am ready to put miles under our feet and have the stars as our canopy,” says Erolith.

He studies the map of town where the merchants are located to get his bearings.

"The only thing I need that I can think of is better armor but I will come with you to the equipment shop. It has been some time since I bought something" Tarton admits.

Along the way Tarton keeps an eye out for would be thieves and ruffians. If he finds some that are older than him and he thinks are not with the thieves guild he will try to steal from them.

Perception roll in log: 7

Slight of Hand roll in log: 17

Along the way Erolith keeps a watchful eye to see if they are being followed.

Perception roll in log: 18

Artifex finishes their meal, getting up to follow the others. "Thank you kindly for your hospitality. Sweet water and light laughter find you, till our stories meet again." 

It's much less focused than the others as the group walks, humming quietly to themselves, grinning widely.  "I don't believe I'll need anything at the moment, though I may top off on crossbow bolts."

“Fellow adventurers. Plan carefully as we embark upon this escapade. We will be following the river north until we arrive in the highlands. In my experience the water draws out the most foul beasts. Once we arrive in the highlands we will be leaving the blessed forest scape for the drafty under dark and will need adequate lighting and provisions. The map also shows us traveling close to feyland so our path leads us into countless experiences. Do not be caught unaware.”

Erolith continues to actively scan to see if the group is being followed. “Pardon my paranoia. I am much more at home amongst the trees and under the canopy of the eternal blue sky.”

"My dear Erolith, you have nothing to apologize for," The Black Rose said with a big grin. Then he looked thoughtful for a moment, his expression almost turning sad as he continued, "Where one feels at home is where one should be...." But he quickly gathered himself again, saying, "Of course, we need to be careful, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy this fine day." He took a deep breath through his nose and exclaimed, "Can't you smell the adventure in the air?"

As you walk your winding path downhill from the Riverkin's Arms, a fresh morning breeze stirs your hair and spirits, bearing just the faintest tinge of salt from the distant Bay of Spirits. The directions you were given to the shop of Tiquisi Nienatho and the smithy of "my friend Glynogan" were eerily similar, and you soon see why. Nienatho's shop is halfway down Lochllanych Lane, the foot of which entwines into Little Twyrch Tywyth Street on the other side of the road from Glynogan's smithy. You are currently standing at the head of Lochllanych Lane and would pass Nienatho's shop on your way to the smithy.

As they approach Nienatho's shop, Tarton says, "I'll watch from outside. I don't want my need to test myself to affect our patron's friends." and before they get to the shop he tries to hide in the crowd, if there is one, and moves to an ally or some other low lit area (again if possible) to watch the shop front from the shadows on the smithy side of the street, looking back. If there is nothing for him to conceal himself, he'll just stand 10 feet past the entrance to the shop and watch the street openly.

Upon hearing Erolith mention feylands, Artifex perks up, murmuring a poem in elvish as they walk alongside each other. 

"Nielen dath chas / syl'el
Len ava, len lyth
Ernath nar lareth"

It glances at Erolith, a glint of curiosity in their eyes, switching to common. "You seem quite wary of the Faelands. Does treading so close to Durmista not excite you, Ar'aral?"

Erolith relaxes slightly and the twinge of a smile appears at the mention and hearing the elven dialect. “Indeed it does. Come, let’s see what this store is about.” He gestures towards the shop and enters.

The Black Rose steps into the shop as well.

As you step into the Wonderarium of Tiquisy Nienatho, a scent of spice and shadows swirls around you.  Mingled with it is the smell of places far and near, individual scales of scent too fractaled together to distinguish where from where but the whole giving the sense of a spread-out map covering full half of the world of Sauvogia whence you (mostly) were born.  A rack of bottles of all shapes, sizes and colors glitters behind the counter, and a compendious assemblage of all sorts of gear is to be glimpsed through the stockroom doors on the smithy side of this rack.  The proprietor, a middle-aged satyr woman whose charcoal-brown hair is gathered in three braids which are then intertwined and coiled into a crested helmet atop her head, turns to welcome you as you enter.  She throws her arms wide:

"Welcome, welcome to the Wonderarium of Tiquisi Nienatho!  You will of course have heard of my world famous artistry and come to secure some of my wares?  Ah, but I have so much more than my own special metier to offer!  I have contacts among the finest artisans in all the guilds, so naturally I am able to carry a wide variety of excellently crafted  goods of all types.  I'd even have some ironmongery if that sorehead Glynogan didn't keep saying, :"A bet's a bet!"  like he's always ..."  She notices she's drifting off the subject of how much of your coin would be required as a token of esteem before she might deign to allow you to obtain samples of her wondrous wares, and clears her throat momentarily.  "I'm certain I'll have something eminently suitable for whatever purpose you might have in mind.  And given the first-rate quality of the wares you will be getting, I assure you my prices are not in the slightest  bit unreasonable, contrary to whatever rumours you may have heard of the malicious gossip spread by my more ... unscrupulous ... competitors.  It's not only their prices  that are cheap, I assure you.  Indeed they hardly know a good bit of work from a bad, though they usually have a good notion of the current market value; and they can't make a thing for themselves, not even mend a little loose ... ah, but I digress.  Whatever you need, I can supply it to you!  Either myself personally, right now, or through my contacts in a week or two at the most!  What can I do you for?

=================

OOC: Post lists of whatever (non armor/weapon) items you might like to ask the good satyr if she's carrying for you to purchase, as well as anything else you say or do

Erolith steps forward and bows low to the storekeeper.

“Well met and good day. My name is Erolith Nightshade of the wood elves and I, along with the rest of the party, accept your gracious hospitality. We prepare for a short excursion into the north hills along the riverside and seek provisions to assist us along the way.”

”Might you have any healing potions available? Additionally, do you have any knowledge of the hillside north of the city? Any knowledge you could share would be most appreciated to assist our journey.”

A concerned look crosses Tiquisy's face when you mention the north hills along the riverside, and she hesitates.  "Ah .. north along the riverside.  North you say.  Not northEAST?  You're not headed far enough for the river to loop northeastwards towards ... ?"  She pushes her loose sleeves up far enough to rub her arms nervously, and you admire the indigo and gold tattoos twining up her arms in abstract, flowing vine-shapes which flower -- as it were - into bracelets of curving crescent moons.  Or perhaps they're meant to evoke the claws of a displacer beast ... the blue-black of the indigo is just about the color those legendary creatures' hides are said to be, and the gold is a fair approximation of the hue of their eyes.  After a moment she recovers her composure.

"I can't say I know much about the hills directly north of Llandovion until you come to the Carnival grounds and environs.  Lots of fun folk there, that's where I came from actually, wandered around the worlds with Mister Witch and Mister Light for quite some time actually but then I met Phipnaxi there ... Phipnaxi Leewamba, you might have made her acquaintance? ... and she told me what incredible crafters her people were and that was it for me!  I mean, usually when you find a world with fine crafters they're all dwarves and dwarves won't teach you ANYTHING!  Anyway, by that point you've got pretty far northwest of Llandovion.  East of the grounds, straight north from here, it's pretty bleak.  Once you leave Abyrstwyth and Ulvsnesshjolm behind you're pretty much in goblin territory, as much as you can be said to be in any territory at all beyond just the general Northern Wilderness.  I'd definitely recommend stocking up on healing cordials.  Not much grows there that's fit for a field poultice even and you'd have to come halfway back to Llandovion before you run across a town big enough to have an apothecary."  She takes down a case from the shelves and brings it over to show you.  Nine small bottles rest in its velvet-padded compartments.  The top three are all similar; they are dull red except when Tiquisy sets down the case and the bottles are slightly shaken, when you see faint glimmers swirling through the liquid.  The next three are red also; one pulses slowly with dull light; and two have tiny bubbles of light sparkling up through them like fine champagne.  The bottom three are green and have various things floating in the middle of the bottle, respectively from right to left: a tuft of fur, a tattered and shredded clump of grey fibers, and a pitted-looking green scale whose edges look half-dissolved away.

 =====================

Artifex: roll for Arcana