Seldom Spring

“What item do you want us to bring from the cave?” Erric says, frowning. “You have the directions but is there anything else you can tell us about it? Also forgive me if I missed this but Jambiya mentioned two voices in her head. Are they both the Flindbar? You mentioned it was found near Ann but do we know anything else about it? Also do you know where Jambiya’s mother is, and what that stick is? Another question. Do you know Eliakasys?” (Forgive spelling errors - can’t find reference to older posts to confirm.)

He pauses and realizes he’s asking a lot of questions and might want to slow down a bit (character progression!!) He turns to the Ebokk and asks, in addition to the transportation, if the party could supply up in their armory decorating the walls of the study, as well as take a look through any other assets which might aid them in their quest. If he still seems to be reluctant, Erric will launch into a persuasive speech about how removing the Flindbar from Anafrey is really the Lockforges’ cause as well, both because the Lockforges owe them for the services provided and because it is the right thing to do.

He will also ask what Ebokk and his mother were arguing over before Anafrey lost it.

“Ebokk, you sailed the seas, braved the wilderness, fought, killed, and died with us. These are among the strongest bonds you can form. We all saw how well you wielded that shield and mace out there, and the fighting spirit in your eyes when the beard ring was at stake. Join us, not only because this is a Lockforge duty as our bard friend clarified, but also because we are now adventuring brethren!”

OOC: I'm going to address the first three sentences of Maldorn's post first as if he responded right after Ebokk. I'll let Erric try to guilt Ebokk into going afterward. Also, Maldorn persuasion: 1; Erric persuasion: 25

Ebokk shakes his head at Maldorn, his bashfulness turning into seriousness. "No, really. Now that we know what happened to my father, my mother and I have many things to take care of here in Waterdeep. Your words are very kind, but I know I wasn't really much help on the island. My father was the adventurer, not me. Perhaps our paths may cross in the future."

Erric then peppers Skadoula with a few more questions, to which, she replies, "I'm not sure what the item is. It would be helpful if one of you were gifted with the ability to detect magic. As with almost all magic items, I'm sure you will feel the object is special just by holding it, even if you're not sure what it does. As for the two voices, I'm not sure what Jambiya heard." She looks at the goblin girl who explains that one was masculine and one was feminine — that the masculine told her drop the weapon while the feminine told her to fight. Skadoula smiles at her. "I can't say for sure, but it sounds like you have someone looking out for you, whoever she might be. It could have been your mother, but without hearing the voice myself, I wouldn't know." She looks back at Erric. "I'm afraid I do not know anything more about the weapon than what I could learn from the beard ring's history. One day, Anafrey, or maybe even Flindbar himself might be able to tell you more." The elder dwarf's smile widens a little more. "And, as for Eilikasys, yes, I have met her on more than one occasion here. She is quite a fascinating gnome. Very powerful and resourceful."

Almost as if it made sense, Erric then turns to Ebokk and begins requesting weapons and repeating Maldorn's suggestion that the dwarf accompany them, throwing in a bit of heroism and (some would say) guilt to strengthen the argument. So impassioned is Erric's suggestion (with Maldorn helping) that Ebokk seems emboldened by it. He looks around at Jambiya and Maldorn, then nods at Erric. "I ... I will accompany you. You're right. As my father's heir, it is my duty to undo this danger that he has inadvertently unleashed on the Sword Coast."

When Erric asks Ebokk about the argument, Ebokk blows it off. "Mother is difficult," he says flippantly.

"What Master Lockforge means," Skadoula interrupts, "is that Esmet has lived for many years with a missing husband. She wasn't happy when Ebokk chased his ghost story, and she wasn't happy when he returned with strangers. Do not judge her by what you have witnessed tonight."

"I meant every word I said, Ebokk. I am glad you'll be joining us." Turning to Erric, Maldorn says: "Thank you."

Separately but still talking to Erric, he adds: "A wise fellow once told me that mothers are the antonym of adventures. I think I finally understand what he meant."

Otherwise, Maldorn sits and listens, trusting the curious halfling and the peppy goblin to ask all the right questions, as usual.

Ebokk rejoining the adventuring party is a happy circumstance for Jambiya, but she has the bit in her teeth now.

”But you know my mother?” the dam finally bursts. “I don’t know anything about her! My fathers found me in an orc cookpot! Is she here in Waterdeep? Who is she? Is she a goblin? Does she want to see me? Why hasn’t she ever come to see me? What does she look like? Is she green, too? Is she nice?”

Jambiya looks at the floor, her eyes falling on the stick Skadoula gave her, “And what is this?”

Erric replies to Skadoula's first entreaty about needing to detect magic.

"We may not have the ability to detect magic, but perhaps there are items in Waterdeep we could obtain that can function in this manner and help us? Do you know of any wants or rods or staves that we might bring with us? I've heard tales of some that can help cast spells, and perhaps one allows the caster to detect magic."

Her reply about Eilikasys earns a rueful shake of his head and ghost of a smile to himself. "Yes, she seems powerful. I... do not understand her, but she seemed to take an interest in me, and if we need help, perhaps I could work up the nerve to ask it of her before we leave. If you have advice on how to approach her, I would welcome it. How to contact her, what's she's interested in, and... well, perhaps a question about her that I prefer to ask you alone."

OOC: apologies for not actually doing the persuasive speech that convinced Ebokk to at least begin to change his mind! If you need, I can give it a shot when I have more time.

When Skadoula recommends patience with Esmet, Erric bows his head deferentially.

And when Jambiya asks about her mother, his eyes dart up, full of interest. You can tell he's already coming up with a new stanza for the ballad that will come out of this extended adventure.

OOC: Erric's post first:

Skadoula nods as the halfling speaks of magic items. "There may be, but I'm afraid I don't know if or where any that might help you reside in Waterdeep. Time is of the essence, and it's not like there are shops that advertise the sale of magic items."

Ebokk speaks up after the bard's follow-up remarks about Eilikasys. "Eilikasys might be available tonight. We could send her a message. She doesn't really like unannounced visitors."

Skadoula gives Jambiya a bit of a surprised look at her outburst (her post). "An orc's pot? That is quite a tale." She shakes her head and gives a little shrug. "You mother is fey, child," she says nonchalantly, "and did not physically visit me. She spoke to me in my dreams, and I'm afraid I don't remember much of what transpired — only the push to look in on you and how." She smiles. "The fey are a fickle bunch. The fact that she is still watching over you and wanting to protect you shows a deep connection. Why she has not visited you herself, I cannot say. And since we know she is not goblin, it must be your father who was. You really don't know where you come from, child?"

She accepts the stick from Jambiya and examines it. "Hmm," she says, "it appears to be an arcane enhancement device." She squints at the object. "It has ties to the fey." She looks at Jambiya, handing it back. "It will make your powers more potent."

OOC: does Erric know of a magic shop in Waterdeep? Is this not a thing in this world?

Erric would like to think back about what he knows of the Sword Mountains and the Kryptgarden Forest... stories, threats, people, enemies, legends. History: 7

He'll give Jambiya and Skadoula whatever time they need to talk about her mother, but his eyes widen and widen as he hears about the fact that his friend is part fey.

Whenever Skadoula is ready to talk in private about Eilikasys, Erric will do so, and is supportive of sending her a message.

"If she can help us in this ordeal, I vote for reaching out to the enigmatic gnomish lady as soon as possible. If Ebokk thinks she might be able to join this very conversation, we should not waste any time. The last word should be Yeric's, though. Are you OK with this, bard?"

Has the old ranger ever heard of Kryptgarden Forest (history: 7)?

This is a good explanation of magic items in 5e:

https://www.reddit.com/r/dndnext/comments/9vtcpz/how_if_at_all_does_one_buy_magic_items_in_5e/

That being said, only for Erric:

Erric, you've traveled through the foothills of the Sword Mountains moving between Neverwinter and Waterdeep a few times, and you know where the Kryptgarden Mountains are located, but you don't recall much conversation about them.

Maldorn, you also have knowledge of the forest's location. The only bit of real-life experience you can recall is you had a conversation with a couple who was heading there after reading about it in one of Volothamp Geddarm's books.

OOC: ha wow I think my other games are not following that rarity rule!

Erric will stop the magic item chase for now and ask her to contact Eililkasys.

Jambiya will try to recall any stories from Dirk about the Kryptgarden Mountains.

History: 14

Erric, you ask Ebokk to see if he can contact Eililkasys, and he leaves the room.

Jambiya, you recall two stories Dirk tells which include the Sword Mountains.

The first surrounds a crown he keeps as a trophy. The crown's jewels have all been removed, reducing the headpiece to a shadow of what it must have been when it was originally crafted. Dirk had been part of an all-human adventuring company that decided to scour the Sword Mountains for the crypt of Uruth Ukrypt, an orc who had organized two raiding parties intent on Waterdeep's destruction that had both been thwarted — the second by the gold dragon Palarandusk. They successfully found the crypt and raided it. Unfortunately, back then, the orcs were more unified than they are now, and they took the raiding as a racial affront and launched another assault on Waterdeep to retaliate. Dirk's party caught wind of the advancing party, and knowing how the orcs had been stopped the last time, sought aid from another dragon. They were able to persuade the bronze dragon Lhammaruntosz to help them save Waterdeep by presenting her with "a mountain of jewels". With the dragon's aid, Dirk and his team stopped the horde.

The other story surrounds a lone boot, which happened to have been Brunthor's. Even before War Chief Hartusk led the orcs of Many-Arrows into outright war, orcish aggression threatened the lives of civilized folk along the outskirts of the Sword Coast. The Ripped Beard were an especially nasty tribe, led by a daring and brutal chieftain named Shurkan. He led his forces on numerous raids, striking small outposts deep within settled lands. One such assault was on a small dwarven monastery dedicated to the goddess Berronar Truesilver. The dwarves put up a brave fight, but were greatly outnumbered and unprepared. They were butchered without mercy. The atrocity was discovered by Brunthor Kettlegrip, a devout paladin who had undergone his religious indoctrination on that very site. Outraged by what he found, he swore an oath of vengeance upon Shurkan and his people. With the aid of his adventuring companions, Brunthor discovered the lair of the Ripped Beard and led a brutal attack of his own, culminating in single combat with the orc chieftain. The battle was quick and bloody. Brunthor lost much of his left leg to a vicious slice of Shurkan's greataxe, yet still emerged victorious. The mighty orc fell with a shattered skull, even as the dwarf collapsed in agony and his severed limb tumbled into the orcs' garbage chute. Brunthor and his companions withdrew, vengeance taken.

Jambiya will share her knowledge with the group. 

“Jambiya, we should get a message of what happened on the island and with the flail to your dads, and also what we are planning to do about it with this journey. They will worry, but they deserve to know. And if they can get a message back to us they may have advice. Skadoula do you know of a good way to get a message from here to Seldom Spring?”

Will Ebokk let Erric tag along to find out how Ebokk contacts Eilikasys? Messenger? Magic? Prayer?

Maldorn listen to Jambiya stories closely, but adds only one sentence to the conversation at this point: "I do not like the prospect of fighting entire orc tribes."

"That's how Grumpy Pops lost his leg, so sure, I don't blame you. Maybe we can just sidle in around them, get what we need, and then sneak back out."

Erric, let's say you asked Ebokk, and he said he would send a runner.

When you ask Skadoula how to send a message to Seldom Spring, she frowns in thought. "Letter. Carrier pigeon. Sending spell. There are a few different options."

Erric looks at Jambiya to see if she even wants to contact them. 

OOC: have we short rested at this point?

“Yes, we should definitely send word home. But I agree that we can’t delay to wait for a response,” Jambiya says.