Meredith quickly scribbles the address on a piece of note paper with her graphite stick and placing it down before pushing Bell out behind her and joining Little One.
Erudisia, Bell, and Meredith retreat, unmolested, from Korvala’s office, through the hallway and into the living room, in which two more Amnians with jackal’s ears stand balanced on the balls of their feet and clawed hands hanging ready to strike at their sides. The door is open and Little One stands outside, his quarterstaff ready. You exit. A rug, woven in an unrecognized style from the eastern desert, which you cross when passing through the living room, rises behind you as you near the door, shoving you unceremoniously out into the street and then slams the door shut behind you.
Little One seems ready to attack the door, but then when it closes he swivels, dropping his weapon and checking you with quick glances for injuries. Seeing none, he sighs in relief, and when you head away he collects the staff and falls into step with you.
“I see wererat man from other night while I wait. He around here somewhere. We have to keep eyes open. What happen inside?”
But the wererat does not make another appearance. You make your way back to the Black Gate and find yourselves in the Upper City once again where Erudisia leads you to a post office. There is an express rider heading south the next morning who can stop at Beregost and transfer Erudisia’s note to a rider heading thence to Candlekeep. It could take a week for the note to arrive.
Meredith doesn't say a word to the others her eyes downcast in defeat and failure......she blames herself...she had the knowledge needed and still failed to make the right choices......she should go home at least there she couldn't put others in danger......
The glum mood overtakes Erudisia too. After they credit the courier to Candlekeep, she seeks to return to the inn, saying little. Once there, she seeks a stiff drink and some time at a common room table, listening to the patrons at that hour and watching the inn workers as they go about their work, and prepare for the evening rush.
Bell looks to her two friends and notes their subdued moods. She digs into her backpack and removes two items which she slides across the table to Meredith and Erudisia. They are tins of Calimshan tea. Each tin holding 10 servings. Tins she had purchased as they had worked their way across the market stalls looking for the book seller.
"I am proud of you both. You both tried very hard to make an untenable situation work to our advantage. That was not easy. And the longer we stayed, the more variables were heaping on the underlying idea of 'simple book sellers'.
Erudisia... yes, using a charm spell was a real risk. Without all the other circumstances piling up, perhaps it would have gone a different way. Still... it was worth the effort.
AndMeredith... where you came up with your bits of lore that connected the sellers to 'darker origins' was an inspired moment. If only they had seen it as an opening to cooperate instead of as another threat to their tenuous security.
We came out of it alive and with more knowledge than we had when we wandered into town. Major pluses for 'simple scholars' in my opinion."
Bell smiles and pats each of their hands.
"Korvalaand her people may or may not take up the offer for Candlekeep. We will not know if they will be a friendly factor or a potential future foe. Not much we can do about that right now... unless we purchase all their books to help with their gold needs. I am more worried about whatLittle Onesaw while we were inside. If that wererat person is skulking about, we must be on guard so he does not get the jump on us from some dark alley."
She sighs, "Again, I am proud of you two and what you tried to accomplish. Now, let us eat a decent meal and drink (in moderation) and see what tomorrow brings."
She turns to Little One and pats his arm... "I have yet to find the perfect token for you but I will keep looking!"
When Bell slides the object across Meredith jumps a little as she's shocked out of her self-loathing, she stares uncomprehendingly down at the tin but when she recognised it she bursts into tears as Bell pats her hand.
She is so busy bawling her eyes out she doesn't even register the rest of Bells words but just sinks down her head on the table, clutching the tea in one hand and making wet sighting sounds for a while.....
The glum mood overtakes Erudisia too. After they credit the courier to Candlekeep, she seeks to return to the inn, saying little. Once there, she seeks a stiff drink and some time at a common room table, listening to the patrons at that hour and watching the inn workers as they go about their work, and prepare for the evening rush.
(Warlock short rest?)
(Yes for short rest.)
(You three really send me. And… you have solved the mystery of Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions. Bell, Meredith and Erudisia each feel the burgeoning power of a level-up as they ride the hero’s escalator to new heights of glory!)
It is mid-afternoon when a female in a light cloak with a hijab and veil appears at the inn’s door. She asks the innkeeper, Lupin, a question, and following Lupin’s response, they both glance into the common room and find you there sipping your teas.
The woman nods thanks to the anchor-tattooed innkeeper, turns to approach you with a measured step, and while doing so unfastens her veil, revealing herself as Marliza, the twenty-something Amnian you left behind an hour or two ago. She curtsies.
Marliza agrees to sit but shakes her head in answer to tea. “I will only be a minute.” Her glance darts among the three of you and then lingers warily on Little One, who, however, seems to dispel any concern she might have when he merely adjusts his glasses and observes her with quiet curiosity.
“Korvala is smart and she’s led us this far…,” the young woman begins, “safely… and we all owe her life debts. But she’s not perfect. She’s proud, and puts little faith in strangers. She will not accept your offer, even though it is generous. We have our lives here in Baldur’s Gate and she doesn’t want to have to pick up again and start over a third time. I just… wanted you to know.
“But,” and here she casts a carful glance over her shoulder at Lupin, who has left her post to fetch something from downstairs. “But, please, reconsider about the… other thing I mentioned.” Her voice drops to a bare whisper. “The casino.” Her voice returns to its respectful intonation as she continues.
“Won’t you at least meet with the one I mentioned? They can describe the… situation… better than I could. And if you would help me, I know I can help my pack come closer to our goal. And I also know,” she continues in an undertone as Lupin returns to the front desk, “that getting on our patron’s good side could be even more valuable to you than whatever you might find in that vault. Nidalia is old — very old — and can answer questions that confound even the wise.”
“Is it truly as I understand? We would be thieves? Beyond the earnest and compassionate love you bear your Nidalia, is this otherwise true and unvarnished larceny? My father once robbed the vaults of a high demon of deepest hell, and found fortune when he plundered the boudoir of my gloaming mother and she set out to catch her thief, these things are daring-do…”
She sighs. “My heart aches for you. Tell me that this casino is staffed by fiends. That its proceeds go to deepest Thay to finance the undead wizards of that evil place. That its servers are women stolen from their homes, kept by vast debts and horrible chains. Tell me that it would be just.”
“My charge is to stop the danger of these gingwatzim, and you tell me that Korvala will not easily change her mind, and I must infer she will seek to continue to try and sell these duplicates. Our charge is to stop her, and I would sorely seek to do it in a way that your family and your Patron get a kind and just solution.”
“Thieves…,” Marliza echoes. “That’s not really the word.” She makes a face, straining to express a thought. “It’s more like… justice, if you look at it in a certain way.
“Is the casino staffed by fiends? I don’t really know. But it’s run by one.
“The gingwazim?…,” she answers thoughtfully. “Would it make a difference if I told you what happened after you left? Korvala, after she calmed down, she was pacing for a long time, saying nothing. But she suddenly seemed to make up her mind, went to the storage room, came back with the magic wand she needs to cast the gingwazim ritual, and threw it in the fireplace stove. It’s nothing more than ashes now. She told us we would be selling no more expensive books, only the 25-gold-each kind.”
“So… please, about the… place…, I know the person who needs to get into it... And the reason… well it’s her story, not mine. So you should hear it from her. Can’t you just hear her out? And if you decide not to…, well…, that will be that. You’ll never see me again.”
Meredith cocked her head, " Well.....if the gingwazim creation is ceased then we have completed our mission from Candlekeep and are now, somewhat at least, free to act for a time at least."
" I mean it may be there are a number of tomes that Candlekeep covets kept within the private offices of this gambling den........"
" I think we should hear this story at least so we have a full reckoning."
Erudisia smiles to hear Marliza’s words. She nods in agreement. Let them meet this person, and hear what they have to say. Truly, there is no harm in talking is there? The world might be a better place if more were willing to meet over luncheon and air their thoughts.
Bell looks to each one of them... and them all staring at her waiting for her to say something.
Seconds pass and she gives out a 'gah' and throws her hands up above her head almost as if trying to grab the last piece of sanity as it drifted to the ceiling.
"Fine. Fine. We can at least listen but... I just do not.... fine."
Marliza looks equal parts relieved and excited. “Good. Good… and there’s nothing binding you to do anything, just speak with her.” She looks around at the four of you, calculating, then nods, as if pleased. “I will take you to her, tonight. At 8 o’clock, after sunset. I will return.” And with that, she reattaches her veil and leaves without further adieu.
(That gives you two hours and then your evening meal. She should return shortly after that. Is there anything you would like to do during that time?)
Erudisia’s head is awhirl. She needs to write in her journal … if only she hadn’t left it in Moonshae. She may retire to her room to brood, unless the others have a reason to leave the inn before the meeting, or else want her company.
Bell rolls her eyes and moves off to her bed. 'A short nap is never wasted time,' she thought was she stretched out on the bed. It felt good to have sort of completed the Candlekeep mission but it still felt 'incomplete' in some foggy way.
Bell will lightly nap until it is near time to dine before their rendevous. Before going downstairs, she will invoke Mage Armor which then triggers her Arcane Ward.
Before stepping out of her room, she will draw on Arcane Recovery to recover the arcane energies she just expended on her protective armor.
Meredith quickly scribbles the address on a piece of note paper with her graphite stick and placing it down before pushing Bell out behind her and joining Little One.
She visibly wilted and sank to the ground..
Erudisia, Bell, and Meredith retreat, unmolested, from Korvala’s office, through the hallway and into the living room, in which two more Amnians with jackal’s ears stand balanced on the balls of their feet and clawed hands hanging ready to strike at their sides. The door is open and Little One stands outside, his quarterstaff ready. You exit. A rug, woven in an unrecognized style from the eastern desert, which you cross when passing through the living room, rises behind you as you near the door, shoving you unceremoniously out into the street and then slams the door shut behind you.
Little One seems ready to attack the door, but then when it closes he swivels, dropping his weapon and checking you with quick glances for injuries. Seeing none, he sighs in relief, and when you head away he collects the staff and falls into step with you.
“I see wererat man from other night while I wait. He around here somewhere. We have to keep eyes open. What happen inside?”
But the wererat does not make another appearance. You make your way back to the Black Gate and find yourselves in the Upper City once again where Erudisia leads you to a post office. There is an express rider heading south the next morning who can stop at Beregost and transfer Erudisia’s note to a rider heading thence to Candlekeep. It could take a week for the note to arrive.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Meredith doesn't say a word to the others her eyes downcast in defeat and failure......she blames herself...she had the knowledge needed and still failed to make the right choices......she should go home at least there she couldn't put others in danger......
The glum mood overtakes Erudisia too. After they credit the courier to Candlekeep, she seeks to return to the inn, saying little. Once there, she seeks a stiff drink and some time at a common room table, listening to the patrons at that hour and watching the inn workers as they go about their work, and prepare for the evening rush.
(Warlock short rest?)
Bell looks to her two friends and notes their subdued moods. She digs into her backpack and removes two items which she slides across the table to Meredith and Erudisia. They are tins of Calimshan tea. Each tin holding 10 servings. Tins she had purchased as they had worked their way across the market stalls looking for the book seller.
"I am proud of you both. You both tried very hard to make an untenable situation work to our advantage. That was not easy. And the longer we stayed, the more variables were heaping on the underlying idea of 'simple book sellers'.
Erudisia... yes, using a charm spell was a real risk. Without all the other circumstances piling up, perhaps it would have gone a different way. Still... it was worth the effort.
And Meredith... where you came up with your bits of lore that connected the sellers to 'darker origins' was an inspired moment. If only they had seen it as an opening to cooperate instead of as another threat to their tenuous security.
We came out of it alive and with more knowledge than we had when we wandered into town. Major pluses for 'simple scholars' in my opinion."
Bell smiles and pats each of their hands.
"Korvala and her people may or may not take up the offer for Candlekeep. We will not know if they will be a friendly factor or a potential future foe. Not much we can do about that right now... unless we purchase all their books to help with their gold needs. I am more worried about what Little One saw while we were inside. If that wererat person is skulking about, we must be on guard so he does not get the jump on us from some dark alley."
She sighs, "Again, I am proud of you two and what you tried to accomplish. Now, let us eat a decent meal and drink (in moderation) and see what tomorrow brings."
She turns to Little One and pats his arm... "I have yet to find the perfect token for you but I will keep looking!"
When Bell slides the object across Meredith jumps a little as she's shocked out of her self-loathing, she stares uncomprehendingly down at the tin but when she recognised it she bursts into tears as Bell pats her hand.
She is so busy bawling her eyes out she doesn't even register the rest of Bells words but just sinks down her head on the table, clutching the tea in one hand and making wet sighting sounds for a while.....
(Yes for short rest.)
(You three really send me. And… you have solved the mystery of Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions. Bell, Meredith and Erudisia each feel the burgeoning power of a level-up as they ride the hero’s escalator to new heights of glory!)
It is mid-afternoon when a female in a light cloak with a hijab and veil appears at the inn’s door. She asks the innkeeper, Lupin, a question, and following Lupin’s response, they both glance into the common room and find you there sipping your teas.
The woman nods thanks to the anchor-tattooed innkeeper, turns to approach you with a measured step, and while doing so unfastens her veil, revealing herself as Marliza, the twenty-something Amnian you left behind an hour or two ago. She curtsies.
“A moment of your time, Milady? Ladies and… Sir?”
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Meredith indicated Marliza should sit, " Thankyou.", she said ernestly.
( Level Up?)
“Tea?” asks Erudisia as she offers a seat.
(Yes for level up :)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Marliza agrees to sit but shakes her head in answer to tea. “I will only be a minute.” Her glance darts among the three of you and then lingers warily on Little One, who, however, seems to dispel any concern she might have when he merely adjusts his glasses and observes her with quiet curiosity.
“Korvala is smart and she’s led us this far…,” the young woman begins, “safely… and we all owe her life debts. But she’s not perfect. She’s proud, and puts little faith in strangers. She will not accept your offer, even though it is generous. We have our lives here in Baldur’s Gate and she doesn’t want to have to pick up again and start over a third time. I just… wanted you to know.
“But,” and here she casts a carful glance over her shoulder at Lupin, who has left her post to fetch something from downstairs. “But, please, reconsider about the… other thing I mentioned.” Her voice drops to a bare whisper. “The casino.” Her voice returns to its respectful intonation as she continues.
“Won’t you at least meet with the one I mentioned? They can describe the… situation… better than I could. And if you would help me, I know I can help my pack come closer to our goal. And I also know,” she continues in an undertone as Lupin returns to the front desk, “that getting on our patron’s good side could be even more valuable to you than whatever you might find in that vault. Nidalia is old — very old — and can answer questions that confound even the wise.”
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
“Is it truly as I understand? We would be thieves? Beyond the earnest and compassionate love you bear your Nidalia, is this otherwise true and unvarnished larceny? My father once robbed the vaults of a high demon of deepest hell, and found fortune when he plundered the boudoir of my gloaming mother and she set out to catch her thief, these things are daring-do…”
She sighs. “My heart aches for you. Tell me that this casino is staffed by fiends. That its proceeds go to deepest Thay to finance the undead wizards of that evil place. That its servers are women stolen from their homes, kept by vast debts and horrible chains. Tell me that it would be just.”
“My charge is to stop the danger of these gingwatzim, and you tell me that Korvala will not easily change her mind, and I must infer she will seek to continue to try and sell these duplicates. Our charge is to stop her, and I would sorely seek to do it in a way that your family and your Patron get a kind and just solution.”
“Thieves…,” Marliza echoes. “That’s not really the word.” She makes a face, straining to express a thought. “It’s more like… justice, if you look at it in a certain way.
“Is the casino staffed by fiends? I don’t really know. But it’s run by one.
“The gingwazim?…,” she answers thoughtfully. “Would it make a difference if I told you what happened after you left? Korvala, after she calmed down, she was pacing for a long time, saying nothing. But she suddenly seemed to make up her mind, went to the storage room, came back with the magic wand she needs to cast the gingwazim ritual, and threw it in the fireplace stove. It’s nothing more than ashes now. She told us we would be selling no more expensive books, only the 25-gold-each kind.”
“So… please, about the… place…, I know the person who needs to get into it... And the reason… well it’s her story, not mine. So you should hear it from her. Can’t you just hear her out? And if you decide not to…, well…, that will be that. You’ll never see me again.”
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Meredith cocked her head, " Well.....if the gingwazim creation is ceased then we have completed our mission from Candlekeep and are now, somewhat at least, free to act for a time at least."
" I mean it may be there are a number of tomes that Candlekeep covets kept within the private offices of this gambling den........"
" I think we should hear this story at least so we have a full reckoning."
She looked to Bell and Erudisia. " No?"
Erudisia smiles to hear Marliza’s words. She nods in agreement. Let them meet this person, and hear what they have to say. Truly, there is no harm in talking is there? The world might be a better place if more were willing to meet over luncheon and air their thoughts.
Bell looks to each one of them... and them all staring at her waiting for her to say something.
Seconds pass and she gives out a 'gah' and throws her hands up above her head almost as if trying to grab the last piece of sanity as it drifted to the ceiling.
"Fine. Fine. We can at least listen but... I just do not.... fine."
Meredith gives Bell an encouraging thumbs up.
Marliza looks equal parts relieved and excited. “Good. Good… and there’s nothing binding you to do anything, just speak with her.” She looks around at the four of you, calculating, then nods, as if pleased. “I will take you to her, tonight. At 8 o’clock, after sunset. I will return.” And with that, she reattaches her veil and leaves without further adieu.
(That gives you two hours and then your evening meal. She should return shortly after that. Is there anything you would like to do during that time?)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Erudisia’s head is awhirl. She needs to write in her journal … if only she hadn’t left it in Moonshae. She may retire to her room to brood, unless the others have a reason to leave the inn before the meeting, or else want her company.
Bell rolls her eyes and moves off to her bed. 'A short nap is never wasted time,' she thought was she stretched out on the bed. It felt good to have sort of completed the Candlekeep mission but it still felt 'incomplete' in some foggy way.
Bell will lightly nap until it is near time to dine before their rendevous. Before going downstairs, she will invoke Mage Armor which then triggers her Arcane Ward.
Before stepping out of her room, she will draw on Arcane Recovery to recover the arcane energies she just expended on her protective armor.