Seldom Spring

"What do Ebokk and Esmet... do for a living?" Erric asks, more to himself than anything else. "Antique sellers?"

He gives Tairdai a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry the gnomish lady hasn't been kind to you. She was odd to me, and I assumed that when she was nice to me she wanted something from me, as I've thought about it more. I just don't know what that is. In the stories, that doesn't turn out well for the he- for the person who meets the mysterious, stigmatic old wise one."

Erric nods at Maldorn's suggestion, and spends the meal making small talk and working on the shanty, adding in a few lines about the heroic Jambiya in a way he thinks is very subtle but is fairly transparent.

Once the meal is over, he'll go out to talk with Ebokk and ask him about horses and ponies, and his travel plans. "So are you sure you want to come along? I didn't mean to guilt you into anything -- I just wanted you to know that your help would be sincerely appreciated. If it will cause problems at home, and with your mother, I completely understand."

Whatever he says, Erric will later follow up with two topics. One, asking if their family armory has any daggers that he could use for throwing, and if it has a hand crossbow with bolts. And two, he'll ask, "how do you know Eilikasys? What does she do? What does she want? And do you think she could help us?"

Once Maldorn has finished eating, he follows Erric outside and adds a couple of question for Ebokk: "Master dwarf, why did you skip breakfast? It would have been a great opportunity to bond further with your new adventuring party? You haven't changed your mind, have you?"

Time permitting, he also performs a few tricks with Sagitta, excited about the new and improved bond they developed.

-> Animal Handling: 6

OOC: Oof... I guess Sagitta is still sleepy.

Tairdai doesn't comment any further when Erric asks about the Lockforges' occupations or Eilikasys, but spends most of the meal in the kitchen.

After the meal, when Erric and Maldorn head out the back (once Tairdai gives them directions), they find themselves in a paved and practical (not beautiful) alleyway that runs between two long rows of houses with a road exit on each end. It's semi dark because of the height of the houses. Ebokk greets them warmly. Three horses and two ponies are stomping about, looking longly for something to nibble on.

"So are you sure you want to come along?" asks Erric. "I didn't mean to guilt you into anything — I just wanted you to know that your help would be sincerely appreciated. If it will cause problems at home, and with your mother, I completely understand."

Ebokk blinks and then makes a point of looking relaxed. "I'm coming. I want to come. Everything's fine."

"Master dwarf, why did you skip breakfast?" Maldorn asks. "It would have been a great opportunity to bond further with your new adventuring party? You haven't changed your mind, have you?"

"No, no," Ebokk says. "I ... already had breakfast. I wanted to make sure we were able to leave as soon as possible, so I got up early."

When Erric asks about weapons, Ebokk places a hand to the back of his neck. "I ... don't think that would be a good idea. I have some gold, so if you want, we can stop on the way and buy some. Gold!" he says, clearly remembering something. He pulls two small letter pouches and hands one each to Erric and Maldorn. "Your payment for escorting me to the island. I'm sorry I didn't remember to pay you yesterday." (Each pouch contains 50 gold.)

"How do you know Eilikasys?" Erric asks. "What does she do? What does she want? And do you think she could help us?"

Ebokk shrugs. "She finds things. Buys things. My mother uses her to sell my father's treasures. She also helped me find clues about where he had disappeared to. I'm not sure what she wants. She gets paid a lot for her services. I guess if you have something you want to buy or sell, she could help you like she does my mother."

Maldorn, Sagitta doesn't appear to interested in doing tricks this morning. He seems really happy to just be near you.

Erric nods and thanks Ebokk warmly at the appropriate times when he gives responses and gold.

When he explains Eilikasys, Erric replies, “is it far to her house? We have to drop off a letter and then head to the forest and that mountain cave, from here. I would like to... buy something from her.”

Erric will also try to think of any place he has heard of in town where scrolls could be purchased.

Vanilla d20 rolls: 19117

Jambiya has been watching this conversation from the door, while feeding her dragon scraps of breakfast meat.

”Erric,” she says, skipping out to join them. “Ebokk would like to be on the road as soon as possible, and as good guests, I think we should help him. Maybe we can do our errands on the way out of town?”

”I can go get Anafrey started, she doesn’t have much to pack. Actually,” she frowns, “None of us do.”

”Is that right, Ebokk, should we get started on our adventure?”

"Skadoula acted like time is of the essence," Ebokk responds. He looks at Erric. "The messenger I sent last night said she was out of town. I don't think she would be there this morning. Perhaps you can see here when we get back."

Erric, you know of one shop that sells scrolls, but it is in the castle ward, which is south.

Maldorn smiles as Ebokk shows his conviction in join the group.

Once Jambiya joins the conversation, Maldorn proposes something: "Ebok, I agree we should move swiftly and depart soon. That said, there is one matter we should resolve before leaving your estate. The others and I discussed and we all agree that the still unclaimed fifth portion of HIndbar's treasure should go to you, or at least your respectful mother. Consider it compensation for the damage we caused to your home and, perhaps, a sing-in bonus to this adventuring party out of Seldom Spring. We shall not take no for an answer."

On that thought, Maldorn turns to Erric and says at a much lower tone: "Do we have a name yet, or are we just an adventuring party out of Seldom Spring?"

Since his green snake won't play with him, the old man brings out Sagitta's doppelganger (green serpent pipe) and lights up a small serving of regular tobacco.

(OOC: okay then!)

Erric listens to Ebokk’s replies and thanks him for the gold payment. “I completely forgot about what the messenger said. Skadoula’s urging that we gain the ability to detect magic is playing through my mind so I just thought Eilikasys might have something to help us - or we could find a scroll to help cast a spell. But if we need to leave now, we should leave now. We will just have to look very hard. So then. Which pony should I ride?”

He grins at Maldorn when asked about their name. He shrugs, and suggests coming up with the name might be something to occupy the time on the journey...

DM rollz: 9 19 3 19 17 14

Ebokk looks surprised as Maldorn tells him about the fifth of the treasure. He is speechless for a bit, then smiles, but doesn't respond before turning to answer Erric.

Ebokk looks at Erric as his mind works. "I think I know of a shop that sells spell scrolls, but it isn't close. And it's the wrong direction." He then turns to look at the steeds. "You can pick either one you want, I guess." He walks over to the first — a blond — and takes hold of its reigns near the head with one hand and rubs its nose. "I think I have these correct. This is Daisy." He walks to the other, which is a brown with a few splotches of white. "This is Rose." He walks to the first of the three horses. It is has a deep red coat. "Garnet." The next horse is almost white. "Diamond." The last horse is black with a white face. "And Max."

Jambiya approaches the horses, smiling at Ebokk. “Is that right?” she asks them. “Did he get your names right?”

Anafrey would have eaten her breakfast and remained somewhat silent. "I appreciate you all going on this trip for me. Maybe... maybe it should only be me that goes." Anafrey would say while holding her braided hair in her hand and squeezing it tightly. "I feel bad making all of you go off on this quest just for me." She would add with a bit of a frown as she moves to give Max a pat on the head.

Jambiya looks up from where she is talking to the horses. "Anafrey," the half-goblin girls says with a stern face that quickly dissolves into a wide smile, "We are all more experienced, we have discovered new skills, been gifted new abilities, found new friends. I would not be anywhere else, with anyone else. Isn't it exciting, we are going on an adventure, together! All of us, twelve strong!"

OOC > Yes, five adventurers, two scaly winged friends, five horses = 12.

"What Jambiya said," Maldorn agrees while nodding at Anafrey.

He then brings Sagitta out and walks past the horses, seeing which one gives out the more neutral, if not positive response to the winged snake. He judges Garnet to be the one. While strapping all his belongings to the reddish horse, Maldorn addresses Ebokk without looking at him. "So, rookie? Where should we leave the fifth we agreed on? Would your mother be able to see it if we left it right on top of the breakfast table?"

At Jambiya's question, all five equines look at her, and those that are a little further way move toward her. They all confirm their names, acting surprised and happy that they can understand her more than they usually can other humanoids.

Ebokk steps to the back door and calls for Tairdai. Presently, she appears, wiping her hands on a towel. He asks her to make sure his mother gets the money. After he explains why it is being left, she asks, "Is there anything else you'd like to tell your mother?" Her tone is clearly encouraging, but also hesitant.

Ebokk pauses. "Tell her I love her." She gives a little nod, then steps back and closes the door.

The dwarf turns, smiles, and slaps his hands together. "Shall we go? We're losing daylight already." He looks at Jambiya. "I understand you want to drop off a letter. Is there anywhere else we need to go before we head out of town? Did you want to pick up some daggers or a crossbow?" he asks Erric.

Jambiya will chat a little more with the horses, about the trip and where we are going, then will come to Daisy, who she intends to ride. "Daisy, my name is Jambiya, and I would be delighted if you would carry me as we start on this adventure." She looks at the dragon on her shoulders. "And this is... oh, well, I guess I after all that, don't know your name!" she looks at the dragon and thinks a questioning thought towards it.

Anafrey would smile and nod before climbing on to the back of Max. "I suppose I am ready to go then." she would say with a nervous smile. 

Erric walks over to Rose and waves at her. "Hello, I'm Erric." He hasn't spent a lot of time around horses. Then he timidly lets her sniff his hand and pets her nose probably a bit too quickly.

He says to Ebokk, "time's a wasting so we probably have to skip the scrolls. If there's a place on the way out I could grab a couple daggers, and some hand crossbow bolts, that would be great. By the way, do you want these merchant's scales, navigator's tools, and goblets, or can we sell them? If you want them, let's leave them here so they don't clank around. Maldorn, if we're going into the forest and mountains, do we need more rope? Pitons? Other tools for a cave? Waterdeep's got a lot of things and we'd feel dumb getting to the cave and needing a tool and not having it. Oh and Anafrey, if I ever get an... unwelcome visitor in my head that needs to be dealt with, I hope you'd put up with my nonsense and help me. No more martyrdom. That's the dramatic bard's job."

He grins, and tries to get on the pony, not backwards, but comically. You think it's intentionally comedic, but maybe it's not and he's really a little hopeless. 

(OOC: I just went back and got thoroughly confused... the hand crossbow was in the pirate treasure and Erric claimed it and so I must have filed away in my head that I need bolts for the crossbow and then it mutated to I need a hand crossbow. Let's retcon everything about a crossbow to just needing bolts and call it a day.)

(OOC: When we split the treasure in fifths. was it before or after accounting for the value of sell-able treasure pieces like the goblets etc?)

Maldorn delivers a fifth of the treasure to Tairdai following Ebokk's request to her. Then he looks over Garnet one more time making sure all his belongings are properly secure before mounting the beast. He introduces himself to her with a whisper. Sagitta comes out of a pocket somewhere and coils around Maldorn's riding arm. The free arm is occupied with his pipe. Then, he adds: "I think I have a fair serving of the supplies you mentioned, Zeric. We could always use more supplies and these beasts will make it easier to carry them, but we should have enough for now. We did not lose many of our supplies in our last outing."

(OOC: I found a mistake in my sheet. I had previously added 61 electrum pieces instead of silver pieces to it when accounting for Maldorn's fifth of the treasure.)

Just for the fun of it, everyone roll an animal handling check. The DC is low (these animals are rented for riding), but just to add to the fun ... :) Jambiya, roll with advantage.

Maldorn’s animal handling check: 18

OOC: hoping Garnet behaves better than Sagitta!