Pizazz's Ravenloft and Beyond

(what sort of armor is Ketch looking for, they have quite a variety.  He does not a few pieces are magical, but they're all behind the counter and not what Lionel was given a choice of.)

Meepo thinks he's seen similar things tied to people's houses to sort of flap in the wind. Or sometime people hang weird things in doorways to keep spirits out...those also look similar to what's he's strung together.

((Splint or a shield with a + but really not expecting to find anything, likely couldn't afford...  Just seems wise to use Detect when looking around such a place.)) :)

There does seem to be a rather fine Shield over there that is glowing with magic. It has small sticker on it. "2000 g". 

Meanwhile, the Dwarves do indeed need to have Lionel present for the hour they fit it. 

Everyone else sorta hangs about while Lionel has the armor adjusted to fit him perfectly. By the time you're done, your friend in his "new" body, is sheathed in sparkling silvery blue metal and looks like an angelic hero from the heavens, come to smite his enemies. He also looks EXCEEDINGLY proud of himself. 

     Ketch inquires if they would be willing to barter a bit for the shield.  He's got a couple of opals with 1000 each that he'd be willing to part with in trade for the shield.  He would also throw in his own slightly used shield.  "It's obviously high quality, it's kept me alive beyond all rights!" He has one gem with 50 gold he'll also toss in to the offer, just as a sweetener.

More like feeling completely truly himself again. "Your craftsmanship has no rivals, master Tarlholtson. Will it ever prosper!" Lionel thank the dwarves and returned to his companions. "Ready to head to that mysterious work giver. But what did we decide about the mage and the book? I'm sorry, got a bit distracted last day, but now have a feeling we almost promised our help to the genie." 

(Agh! I meant to ask Mordenkainen about that whilst I still had the ability to message him. Shame Lionel scared him off! Did Etain say he'd never heard of the wizard, or was that Tommy? One of them laughed at us for assuming they'd have heard of him given the size of Sigil, but I can't remember who.)

Once we leave the Smithy, once Ketch has finished investigating new armour choices, Mordekai will ask Etain, "Where would we find information about Wizards, their locations and potentially their activities? Besides the Hall of Information, obviously. We're not about to try to get something useful out of there again any time soon. And discreetly, if possible?"

The dwarf pulls out a glass crystal and examines the two opals carefully.  He takes them to the back and the other dwarf examines them as well.  He looks at your shield....disdainfully. 

"Yes, these two opals shall do. The shield is named 'Worgbahn'. May it serve you well.  We will...find some way to make use of this....yes, I'm sure it has served you very well." 

The shield is handed over. Worgbahn is carved into the inside of the rim in about 20 languages, around the outer rim. Shield +1. The shield glows dimly when orc or worgs are near, and never gets dirty. 

 Etain scratches his head, "Well...I mean...wizards are just folk right. And...there's all sorts of folks in the world....so....i guess yer askin 'how do i find a person'....and..that's a might tricky. There's no easy answer for that one in Sigil. It'd take good ol fashion ground poundin..."

((Hopefully not half orcs or it will never stop glowing!  opals and shield deleted from inventory...  ))

     Ketch is too happy to grab up his new shield to notice the snide manner in which they accept his old shield. And in truth, didn't care anyway.  A shield is a shield, not like he was personally attached to it.  Though Worgbahn... that could become a different story.

     Would indeed be good to get some more information about the genie and the wizard, try to get an independent sense of who was righteous in their disagreement... Or if either were.  Not that righteousness is necessarily the deciding factor for Ketch.  But gathering information can wait, scheduled appointments need be kept.  We can see the potential new employer and then seek information...

As the hour drug on, Meepo would climb into his portable hole and open up the golden book with the cloud-creature in it. He would prop it on his knees inside the blackness of the hole and wate for the thing to appear once he opened the book.

"Meepo need help." He tells the thing once it appears. "Meepo just little kobold, not great dragon." He keeps his voice down to a whisper. "Meepo wizard, but Meepo Friends are great warriors. You do anything help Meepo?"

Inside the dark hole, Meepo opens the book. The Djinn appears and listens intently to Meepo's story. "Well, my rewards may be measured not only in powerful wishes, but also in great wisdom. It may not be what you want to hear, but being a ...diminutive kobold is in fact a great boon! Especially as a wizard. If you were a six foot tall human with a beard and a pointy hat....why...every time you and your brave allies were to find yourself in battle, all eyes would turn to you. Blade, bow, and spell would be cast at you each time, seeking to strike you down first. As a kobold, yes...you are always underestimated. But...my great wizard, to be underestimated is in fact a great boon!  Do not seek change for changes sake. Do not seek change for your ego or to try and improve your self worth. Your sense of self worth must come from inside yourself. And...let me say, as a great wizard, you are indeed worthy. Your friends do not question your place, do they? They do not cast you out because you are small. They know you are worthy. You must learn this as well. Now...are we headed to the wizards place so that we may free me from this accursed book? If you do, and you get a wish, i would recommend you not change your body little one. You may well regret it." 

Etain leads the group from the Forge and back off through the town. He shows you around the Lady's Ward a bit, getting you familiar with the various streets and squares that you can use to orient yourselves. After a few hours you've seen the City Barracks and home of the Harmonium, the Palace of the Jester, a ridiculously huge palace that acts as an enforced neutral ground for the rich and powerful, the prison run by the MercyKillers, and then the temple district with temples to every god you've ever heard of, and about a thousand you haven't. 

At the end of the tour you figure you could probably find yourself around the Lady's Ward pretty easily on your own, and understand that on one end of it is the LowerWard, and the other end is the Market Ward. 

Either way, at the appropriate time you're brought to the address by Etain for your meeting.  It's a small warehouse off of a rather large walled estate...a guard stands outside a small door and motions you in as you arrive. 

Inside the warehouse you see several carriages and wagons, a barn for horses (which you've seen a few of around, but not many), and a part of the building set aside as a sizable store room. Everything is immaculately kept, and Meepo glances around quickly assessing that there will be few and far lost things around here.  Except this nail.  And this horseshoe. And this bolt. Oh, and the tattered end of a whip. And....

The group looks around. The noble lizard man is here, along with another group of folk. You see two humans, an elf, a bariaur and a tiefling. They're all very well dressed, looking aristocratic, and their eyes all gleam with intelligence as they assess the group. Seemingly finding them 'fitting'...they await the introducing. 

Yaddle motions to you, "The adventurers who are willing to help.  These are the clients. Please, brave adventurers, introduce yourselves."  

"Meepo am I." Meepo says with a smile, stepping forward. He is next to Mordekai and as far from Angel-man as he can manage. He holds up his ice staff in greeting. "Meepo strong and powerful wizard." He proclaims.

Mordekai casts Disguise Self several times, making himself look identical to each of the figures in turn (just the front legs of the bariaur, but he changes between them quickly enough that he hopes they won't notice the missing back end - he's standing front on, after all). "I am... whoever I need to be." He reverts back to his own face, complete with a smile full of confidence and self assurance, but dressed in clothes that reflect their own high aristocratic dress. (Mordekai's perfect vision of himself is actually pretty close to this look, so the confidence and comfort of his smile are genuine at this point)

"In fact, we all are." Mordekai casts Seeming on the group making them look identical to the group facing them - Ulthan and Ketch like the humans, Lionel the elf, Meepo the tiefling, but Mordekai stays as the aristocratic version of himself, hoping to hide the fact that he can't quite copy the bariaur.

(Assuming the others are willing! If any are unwilling, it's a DC17 CHA save to remain looking as themselves. If they make it, Mordekai would flash a sharp look at them for undermining the point he's making, before immediately putting his smile back on)

A human male with a black moustache and long black sideburns stands up from where he lounges, "Quite. You will do fine. I believe your way with illusion will be particularly useful to you on this job. I am to understand that you are able to depart immediately. The pay is 5000 gold, assuming you complete our goal." He pulls out a book, and places it on a crate next to him. The book is bound in green leather, with leaves and vines carefully burned into the corners of the front and back covers. The title is embossed in gold on the front, and reads, "The Curious Tale of Wisteria Vale" but no author is credited on the outside of the book. The book is six inches wide, nine inches tall, and an inch thick. The thick, cream-colored pages emit a faint scent of flowers and grass. The writing is neat and steady, each line inscribed in practiced calligraphy. Although the design of the book is simple, the crafting and materials are of the highest quality.

The man continues, "Contained within this book is a three act play. But further, as you may have guessed, this book is magical. In addition to being a written play, it is also the holding place of a man named Arrant Quill. Quill was a power ally once, a long time ago, of our order, but became cursed. While the order desired to cure him, they needed to contain him until such a time as they could help him. They had at their disposal, methods to create this book, to keep him safe until such a time as they could cure him. We would request that you go in, cure this person, and return to us. You can cure him with this."  He holds up a dagger. "This magical dagger, if thrust into him, will cure him and end the enchantment of the book, letting him free. The dagger must pierce his flesh to work."  The magic dagger is carved from a single piece of amethyst, with leather wrapped around the hilt and minuscule runes emblazoned on the flat of the blade. When light hits the dagger, the blade appears to pulse with an inner radiance. "There is a line at the end of the book, that when spoken, should create a portal with which you can enter the book and perform the mission. But, the book was created so that the only way to end its effect and let Quill, and anyone else out, was to cure Quill. It's the only way." 

Lionel introduced himself graciously before the illusion settled, then let it fall without fighting the spell and tried to shake it off only when the real discussion started (Save: 12 ) Mordekai magic proved to be stronger than his will, but that did not matter that much for a moment. Yet another magical book used as a prison did not surprise him (Lionel did not feel as a local just yet, but some sense of familiarity was already here) but he had some questions.

"You would not mind for us to examine the dagger, would you? And could we get a few more detail about the nature of the curse? Did it transform the man into something? Would he submit to the cure willingly or the curse would prevent him from seeing reasons? Does Arrant Quill knows you locked him in the book for his own good?"

Once the man started speaking, Mordekai would drop the Seeming spell. 

"You say the dagger must pierce his flesh. Would it need to be an otherwise killing blow, or would it still work if it went through his hand, for example?"

Mordekai would also try to read their postures and body language, to get a sense of whether they're just trying to get the group to kill a man. (Insight: 15)

Meepo is very interested in this new book and wonders if such a thing might prove related to the cloud-being in his own book. He stays back though, as Mordekai speaks with the Bigs, waiting to see what his friend finds out with his questions.

Ulthan int check. 16. Save 13. Whoops, wrong saving throw but doesn't matter. Ulthan looks around carefully trying to discern an attack on the group 10. Not seeing immediate threats he doesn't go for his weapons...yet... Internally he grumbles about being trapped in a book. Later when only group "hrmpfh kill with dagger maybe vampire easy hrmpfh".

Does the play, in any way, relate to the world we would experience in this book?

What are the dangers within, besides your cursed friend?

What is the nature of your friends curse?

what is the nature of your friend when not cursed?

How does this dagger cure them? Will it last until it works?  Or if a cow was stabbed would it then be useless to cure on a second blow?

Do we know anything about how time passes in the book compared to time here in reality?

Have others gone in before to try to get him out?  
is there any way to communicate with those in the book?

     All these questions, and potentially more, Ketch would ask of the gaggle of employers before him.  He would do his best to read their reactions and responses for truthfulness and fullness of answer. Insight: 16
     Quietly to Mordekai, Ketch would suggest 5,000 gold is meaningless if we do not make it out alive, and barely worth the risk...  Ketch won’t push him into haggling for more, but he knows his own persuasion skills are not up to the task.

     “And yes, we were diligent about keeping the appointment to find out about the job, but does the job need doing immediately?” Ketch asks as detail type questions peter out.. “I am sure you miss your friend and all, but is there reason this could not wait a day? An hour?  I’m not sure we have much preparation needed to be done but it’s always good to do some.  It’s best if I have the proper prayers said before a task, it’s best our wizard has time to summon some.., support.”

     But despite seeming to hem and haw on details, Ketch is ready to tackle this now if they must.

The elf puts his hand up, "Let me try and field the myriad of questions.  No, please...do not kill him with the dagger...just slice him is all.  You must break the skin. Yes, you may examine the dagger." 

He hands it over. 

"As for Arrant's curse....he was a great bard.  During his epic history, he battled an archmage who was turned evil by an ancient crystal touched by the evil god Cyric. Though Arrant defeated the archmage, prolonged contact with the crystal corrupted him, convincing him that his former allies are too powerful and must be eliminated. So, he is not transformed, and he has his full faculties. We are hoping if a neutral party intervenes, you may able to use the blade to end his curse, without alerting him. Due to the nature of the book, he will not understand he is trapped, or that he is living inside the book. The world is meant to keep him at ease, and be peaceful, and allow for him to live during his imprisonment, unaware of his situation. He should be quite pliant." 

Mordekai figures they're quite concerned for this guy. It doesn't seem like they have any ulterior motive.

"The play in the book does indeed relate to the world you'll find in the book. It also relays the history of Arrant, though...through that of a different character name. And...the world within the book should be...peaceful. Designed specifically to keep him at ease. Nice weather, no rain, friendly people. The dagger should only work on Arrant, and should work immediately. Once cured, you should all immediately emerge from the demi-plane.  Time in the book is unaffected. No one has gone in before to get him. And divination spells, transporation spells, and communications spells are blocked within the book, though....I have to say I don't entirely understand the magic used to create it, so, it could be possible to send messages in and out....we haven't tried."

"If you do not wish to do this now....we can wait...a day seems reasonable. Though we of course keep the book here. And the dagger."

Meepo scuttles forward to take the dagger, then moves aside and takes ten minutes to cast identify on it.