The Long Road - Game Thread

Quillary grins at Drusk, and immediately selects a tin embossed with a skull twined with flowering vines. She makes eye contact with the gnome to get permission, then opens it like a kid with a new present.

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Quillary's skull-and-vines tin contains:

• An indecipherable treasure map (not to scale, unknown location, undefined symbols)
• A bit of folded cloth that, when unfolded, turns into a stylish cap
• A small packet filled with pink dust  (food coloring? jell-o? glitter?)
• A glass eye
• An empty vial that smells of perfume when opened. (if you want to make it an air freshener, you can chose the scent, like pine or green apple)
• A vial of dragon blood

Quillary is quite pleased with her discoveries.

She unstoppers and sniffs the vial, wrinkling her nose. “Smells like elves,” she shoots an accusatory glance at the gnome and drops it back into the tin.

She pulls out the map, looking it over and turning it about. Then she gives it to Hildigrim. “You are the master of knowledge bits.”

The stylish cap she laughs and places on Jorin’s head. The packet of shiny pink glitter she hands solemnly to Drusk, saying cryptically, “Lliira wishes you to have this to spread joy.”

The glass eye she pockets, and then she holds up the warm vial of dark red dragon’s blood. “This seems a different sort of ‘trinket.’ Hildi, perhaps you should hold this for the group.” And she hands it to him.

”Now, about why we are here?”

Jorin's eyes light up at the treasures Quillary acquired through her tins, "I should like to try as well!" he says, plopping a gold piece on the counter and grabbing a tin excitedly.

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(The module originally listed 10 trinkets per tin, but I was worried this would happen...)

Drusk to Jorin: "So what flowery pattern is on your tin?"

Jorin's tin contains:

• A metal urn containing the ashes of a hero. ("Those are the ashes of the Moondance Elder, a great hero about here. The singlehandedly drove back a horde of pirates at the docks. But while celebrating in the Guts & Garters, he slipped and bashed his head all over a table. Poor, poor Moondance Elder.")
• A diary written in a language you don't know.
• A multicolored stone disk.
• A rope necklace from which dangles four mummified elf fingers. ("It came that way. I didn't touch no elves.")
• A silver skull the size of a coin.  (replacement since also Quillary rolled a 60)

Hildigrim gives Quillary an appreciative nod, but says pleasantly to the gnome, "That sounds like a fair price," and accepts the gold piece in exchange for the dress. To Drusk, he replies, "It was stuffed at the bottom of my pack. I found it when we were gathering our things at the ... " he trails off as he looks up to see Krystaleen listening in. "Never mind," he finishes, smiling at the shop keep. He looks up at Quillary as she begins distributing the items in her tin. He accepts the map, commenting, "Appropriate so close to Wintershield." He studies the map until she hands him the vial of dark liquid. He turns the vial over, curiously watching the liquid move sluggishly within. "What do you think this is?" When the rogue points out that it is labeled, the halfling grins. "Oh. Yeah."

Does Hildi have any idea where the maps shows? 19 — +2 straight INT, +6 history, +9 investigation, +3 religion, +2 survival

Does Hildi know any good uses for dragon's blood? 15 — +2 straight INT, +6 arcana, +2 medicine, +3 nature, +2 survival

"Do you think they have any interesting keys?" Hildi asks, looking around and then at Quillary.

Quillary’s eyes light up, and like a magpie she begins looking about the shop. “Yes! Keys! Even when they are orphaned, a key without a lock is a treasure. It has unlimited potential, for you do not know what it might open... someone’s heart? A box like these tins? The door back from death? Do you have any like that? A key that might open a mundane box, or it might be the key to someone’s soul..?”

She ends her fanciful speech by batting her eyes at the shopkeeper.

OoC - wow, all of those things are awesome!

The tin Jorin picked out was  without ornamentation, simply colored in pale blue and white, as it reminded him of home.  He is so pleased with his various trinkets that he can barely contain himself.  He fiddles with on, then another, then back to the previous, before moving on to a different one, for several minutes.  The skull and the disc go in opposite pockets, one of each side of his hip.  The urn of ashes goes into his pack.  He wiggles the elf fingers around before putting the necklace on, "A ward against the magic of elves, no doubt."

He then shows the diary to the others in group,  "Any idea what language this is?"

(Reminder that the trinkets are from the table in the PHB. They are meant to be quirky, but generally useless.

However... those were nice rolls by Hildigrim. While he can't think of a use for those items now, maybe there will be an opportunity to tie them into the storyline at some point? Maybe not this module, but I'll keep an open mind. If any of you see a fun way to use them, eventually, in a way that doesn't break the storyline, feel free to make the suggestion.)

"Keys? I got a box of discarded keys over on that shelf. People lose them, or want to use them as part of their artwork, or have a nice bit of metal cut to fit a new lock. Not a high demand item, but there's a little of everything in (dramatic emphasis) Thimblewine's Pawnshop."

Krystaleen relaxes a bit, since the party are now "customers" instead of "window browsers". (But she is still a businesswoman, not your friend.)

“Ya’ll. We don’t quite have ‘nough funds to be spending...” Pascal sighs and pulls out a gold piece, “Who am I kiddin’.”

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(Argh... I should have shrunk it to 4 trinkets.)

Drusk to Pascal: "What's on your tin?"

Jorin's tin contains:

• A silver teardrop earring made from a real teardrop.
• (new choice, since Quillary already rolled this) A purple handkerchief embroidered with the name of a powerful archmage. "Drawmij"
• A 1-ounce block made from an unknown material.
• A piece of crystal that faintly glows in the moonlight.
• (new choice, since Jorin already rolled this) An alabaster mask.
• A dead scarab beetle the size of your hand.

(OOC: For that first item, I keep thinking of Pinhead from the first "Hellraiser" movie: "Oh, no tears, please. It is a waste of good suffering!")

Pascal sighs, muttering, “Really wanted those elf fingers...” He then eats the scarab, but it’s not the same.

Hildigrim flips through the diary. Does he recognize the language as one of the many he knows? If not, he'll say, "Not yet, but when we get a few minutes, I can cast a spell that will let me read it," and then hands it back.

Hildigrim retrieves the box of keys and begins searching for one that looks like the drawing they were given.

Investigation: 21

I've loved this whole exchange lol

Quillary will help him investigate the keys, but it becomes quickly apparent he doesn’t need the help. (21, seriously?)

To quote Matthew Mercer, "Rogues, man."

Advantage roll: 14

Quote from JcAndD >>

Pascal sighs, muttering, “Really wanted those elf fingers...” He then eats the scarab, but it’s not the same.

For just a flicker, the salesperson-smile slips from Krystaleen's face, but then it resumes.

Hildigrim sees no sign of the (distinctive) key you are looking for. After some time raking through the box, Krystaleen offers: "Were you looking for something in particular? I know a reputable locksmith nearby, if you need something crafted."

Hildigrim puts the box back. "No. My friend and I collect interesting keys. Some are decorative. Some are not that interesting to look at, but have a great history or story to go along with them." He laughs and looks at Quillary. "One time, you paid, what? Twenty gold for a key that was supposedly once owned by one of the Lords of Waterdeep?"

Because I'm a glutton for punishment, deception: 18

Oof

Quote from DirtyDogP >>

Because I'm a glutton for punishment, deception: 5  Oof

Krystaleen shrugs. "If you have a fetish for keys, there are certainly worse ones to have. I don't judge anyone who shops here."

(EDIT: Quillary's attempts to help just adds to the gnome's impression that Hildi and Quillary have an unusual interest in keys, that you are embarrassed to admit.)

Quillary is going to Help Hildigrim with his deception.

She quirks an eyebrow at his obvious flubbing of the story. “It’s not nice to lie to the lady. We paid 30 gold for that key.” She looks at the shopkeeper. “It was worth it,” she smiles and makes a snapping motion with her teeth, then looks fondly at...

3...

...Jorin. (Quillary really doesn’t know what she’s doing, but she’s having fun!)