The Long Road of the Mage King (Game Thread)

(Ooc 250 gold to buy them the frickin llamas so we can get out of here)

Tock bows, "You are wise beyond your years."

He then turns to the others, "A decision has been made, let us entertain these lovely girls while our goblin and goliath friend finalize the deal."

Tock produces a few small rocks and some phosphorescent moss, mutters to himself for a brief moment and then the stones in turn start glowing in blue, red and green light. He will juggle with them, throw them to others and otherwise make a show of it.

OOC crap I forgot we said we'd pay for the llamas too - should we split up at this point and have some people look for... [extremely McElroy Brothers voice] A Lllama Vendor?!?!?! while other go see if this whole purchase might be easier and cheaper if we just bought them from someone who actually wants to sell horses and a carriage?

"I am confused," Mrs. Altham says. "How many horses do you require? The letter says 7 horses. This means the girls will expect 4 llamas. If you only require 4 horses, and a carriage, then that will be two llamas. I'm not sure I can convince their father of either of those options. Horses we know, after all."

(Either roll a persuasion check on the mom or the daughters to change their bargain. It's fun being the go-between, isn't it?!)

It is now 9:00am.

Gash runs back to the girls, "Girls! 7 horses for 3 llamas and I would commission a portrait for the horses you give us so you can hang it up on your wall so they will always be with you and we will have it sent here as soon as possible."

Persuasion: 13

(i'm taking adv because Dog has been a great help and has Tock and i think a cool portrait deserves it. lol feel free to veto it though, DM)

Looking at this frantic go between the children and mother, and the craziness of horses and llamas, Keyrie finally takes her moment to speak. "I am sure you care for all your horses dearly and I can understand no wanting to part with them but what of their feelings? Just as people have difference preferences so do animals. Some of your horses may prefer the open life on the road, so what about asking them what they think?" Keyrie asks the two girls.

Persuasion if needed: 20
If advantage second roll if not ignore this roll: 13

Critical hit to the hearts of preteen horse lovers!

The girls' smiles slip a little. "You can talk to horses?"

When Keyrie confirms that she can indeed talk to many different kinds of animals, the shrillest squeal erupts simultaneously from the twins. Once they compose themselves, they readily agree and the servants are summoned for their riding attire. The carriage is also summoned to take the girls to the stables just outside the city walls.

The party, unfortunately, is forced to walk where the twins and their mother ride in comfort. Eventually, the prospective horse buyers arrive at the stables to find the girls riding around in an open pasture. Eventually they both come in and dismount, removing their riding headgear and shaking out their golden hair.

"So how will we know that you are really telling us what the horses are saying and not just making it up?" says one of the girls.

(It is now 10am.)

Keyrie turns to one of the horses and asks, "Before just now, when was the last time you were ridden?"

The horse, a soft brown color with dark tips on her ears, muzzle, and feet, twitches its ears and stamps its feet at understanding Keyrie's question. It answers, via Keyrie, "This morning, when Javik took me to the pond and back, just like every morning."

This seems to satisfy the girls, who begin to ask their horses...all fifteen of them...a flurry of questions about their favorite foods, which sister they like riding them better, and which of the other horses are their friends. The girls were clearly reshuffling their favorites as they talked with each of the horses.

The critical question, of course, was whether or not each were content here in the stables or wanted to go see the world at large. In fact, they were surprised to find that 4 of the horses expressed a desire to see what lay beyond the comfort of the stables and pastures. The remaining horses all expressed  contentment at staying where they were.

The girls finally whispered to each other for a few before finally returning to the party. "Our original offer stands. We will sell four horses so that mama and papa will buy us two llamas."

(It is now 11am.)

(The mother came with us right so can we finalize the trade of 4 horses for 2 llamas?)

(Yes.)

Before the group heads off to the stables, Dog will take what he hopes is a quick detour, to  whichever of the other two options is the quickest jog from the mansion (the breeder or the gnome), with the promissory note and whoever else in the party wanted to come along. He's going to check the price of just buying a carriage, draft horses, and 4-5 riding horses from the other option, and also find the price of two draft horses alone.

Same introduction, same showing of the note, etc. He wants to talk price right from the start, after they understand he's got the support of Lord Camman. If the price is absurd, he'll head back and hope to talk Mrs Altham into including gear, a carriage, and two draft horses in the same 750gp exchange (or they'll just have to buy two draft horses elsewhere with party funds). 

Dog (and ??) finds himself at the Fleet Street Hire Cab Company on Cumber Road. It is a small shop in the first floor or a larger building. There he meets Ribbles Pilwicken, an elderly gnome, standing at a small podium pouring over his records through thick spectacles.

Upon introductions and seeing the letter from Lord Camman, the gnome says, "I offered to sell him my entire business, including the only stables inside the city walls. Lord Camman didn't want all of it, though, so the price was a bit high for him. The deal stands. I'll sell my 10 horses, 5 carriages, stables, and turn over the remaining year on the lease of this office for 1500 gold. It's a fair price. A steal really, considering the stables are thrown in to the bargain. But its an all or nothing deal. I'm not interested in parceling anything out,. You're more than welcome to do it, should you buy, however."

Gash would have gone with Dog. 

“Dog we don’t have time to broker that kind of deal...or deal with that much stuff.” Gash looks up at the sun nervously. 

With message, “We either have to take horses by force and leave the writ for the money or we have to go, now.”

Dog looks at Gash when he suggests taking the horses by force with a start, worry plain on his face about trying to flee the city as criminals, given everything else they have to deal with. "Last resort," he mutters back to the goblin.

He thanks the gnome for his time, saying they aren't going to be in town at the end of the day, so taking over a lease wouldn't be a good idea.

He tries to gauge whether there is time to run to the horse breeder before the other group would likely be back from beyond the city walls. If so, he suggests rushing to her to see what her price would be, with the same intro, etc. If it's far away, and taken a while to get to the gnome and talk to him, he heads back, wondering if riding horses would pull a carriage, or if they could find an ox that would pull a carriage, or how many of the party could be on the carriage...

And if they pass by the armorer, he will pick up his scale mail on the way.

(Probably no time for the horse breeder. Keep in mind you can always let a lease lapse, or donate it to someone else, the same with the stables, which the gnome owns.)

DM shield:

Dog and Keyrie ride up to the Temple with 10 minutes to spare astride Ironfoot and Pirate Parley respectively, two stout horses that hold the large fighter and druid with eases. Tock and Gash sit inside an older, but well-maintained elegant carriage with Feytok on top guiding Cherry Charm and Canterbury. The exchange was an easy one. Mrs. Altham was at first uncertain since only four horses were leaving the stables but the price in exchange for those horses, their saddles and tack, and the carriage was too good to pass up.

Inside the temple, a full color, larger-than-life illusion of Gentoa sits in the center of the entryway. The young girl is half-laying, propped on her hands and gazing far into the distance. It is a good likeness and the young girl is fascinated by the magic that is fixing it in place. The gnome illusionist appears to be gone, her part in the business completed.

"A sculptor will craft it into a statue but this will serve for now," Mother Mentiri says. "I do wish you could stay but I know the gods have bigger things for you." When Neventi's lips purse, Mentiri embraces her. "Oh, do not fear, young mother. You will find a life you can claim once all of this is over. And it WILL be over. Remember what I said."

Neventi nods, tears welling in her eyes. But Gentoa snaps her out of whatever past conversation the two had when Gentoa falls spectacularly into the illusion with a bonk and begins crying. Everyone laughs, even as they comfort the child.

With the carriage packed, the party departs, about 10 minutes past noon but without any trouble from the city. The stone road gives way to a well-worn dirt road, which in turn meets up with the well-kept Long Road, leading them south. They cross the Yla river, much wider and deeper here than where they crossed north of Karkarus. And after this, a long stretch of flat road leads them through grasslands peppered with farms and little else. On the one hand, the travelers are easily spotted in the open as they are. On the other hand, they can see for quite some distance in every direction.

The party manages about 30 miles in the first day. As the sun sets, they pause to decide how much longer to continue and eat an evening meal. There are no trees, hills, large rocks, or structures along this part of the road. It is wide open prairie as far as the eye can see.

"Friend go ahead and see if you see anything in the distance." Friend flies straight up and does a large circle.

Perception: 19

Friend flies in a long, lazy circle for several miles, scouting the immediate area. Aside from a few field mice and a family of foxes, there is not a single person, beast of burden, or large animal, let alone angel or demon, within two miles of the party.