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Event 6: Information for sale
Up to Chapter 3: Flood Season
The Tipped Tankard Tavern is generally regarded as the best place in the city for common folk to get a drink (the Coy Nixie and the Cusp of Sunrise both hold better reputations but are generally out of the price range for the working citizens). It's a favorite place for off-duty city guards, and as such, brawls are fairly rare.
When you enter the tavern late that evening, some of the patrons have already left so that you can choose between a few tables to sit down at.
Zephaniah spots Elijah making quiet in a corner, and makes sure he doesn't identify him as someone he knows. Dressed as he is, it is likely some people in the Inn might know him, but he isn't worried by that. He would normally have used this place attired in more rough clothes, but with the Companions it seemed better to dress down, but not scruffy. When given the chance, he ordered ale for all, and paid from his own pocket. "Now shall we have food with this?"
Zeph wants to find out from Elijah whether he had found out any more about the redhead Triel Eldurast. With a name, Zeph had hoped Elijah might prove more resourceful at getting more information. Having asked Elijah to join them at the Tipped Tankard, but to act as a hidden resource, Zeph felt better that his back was now protected. And with some of the items he had returned from the Lucky Monkey with, he'd be able to ensure Elijah was suitably equipped for the future. For now he would wait until there business was done.
Bordrick stomps up to the bar. "Greetings" he says, pushing five gold pieces across the bar. "I'd like to order some drinks fer meself an the rest of Cauldron's Companions" he gestures to the others as they start to sit down around a table, "and I'd also like t' talk to yer cooks" he adds somewhat crypticly.
Before Zephaniah gets the chance to order any ale, Bordrick has already stomped up to the bar. The barkeeper begins to tap the ordered drinks. Looking at Bordrick's gold pieces, he remarks: "Our ale is not that expensive, Mr. Dwarf."
When Bordrick asks to talk to the cooks, the barkeeper raises his eyes. "You are not satisfied with the food? Wait... you haven't ordered anything yet. So what's up?"
Bordrick grins and pushes the gold towards the innkeep. "Who said I want to talk to them about their cooking?" he says. "Perhaps, as yer not too busy at the moment, yer could spare them from the kitchen for a few minutes, one at a time, so we could have a few words? Just to ask a few question yer understand."
The barkeeper eyes the huge amount of money on his counter suspiciously. His voice is much colder now. "If you want to speak to the cooks order some food. They usually serve it in person," he replies shortspoken. Having finished to tap the ordered ale, he then takes one of Bordrick's gold pieces and pushes back the other four to the dwarf.
"Sorry, I dinnae mean t' offend yer" Bordrick says, picking up the four pieces of gold. "Perhaps I could start this conversation again" he suggests. "More specifically, a holy divination done at the Church of St Cuthbert indicated that I needed to speak to the cooks, or more likely one of the cooks who works here." He hesitates. "If yer really want me to order some food, then I could, but to be honest, I'm not that hungry at the moment, and they'd be wastin' yer ingredients and their time when all I want to do is ask one or two questions to them..."
The bartender meets Bordrick with disbelief as the dwarf mentions a holy divination. Eventually, the man clears his throat. "I think now I know which cook you mean. Get back at your table and I will call for the cook."
A few minutes later after Bordrick has returned to the others with the beer, a fairly nondescript man in his early twenties comes out of the kitchen and exchanges a few words with the bartender, before strolling to the table of Cauldron's Companions.
"Good evening, Madam, good evening, Sirs! Anything special you wish from today's menu?"
Bordrick looks the cook up and down, noting the scar on his neck and wondering how a cook would come across such a nasty injury in a kitchen. "Well, now yer ask," he says brightly, "me companions and meself have been led to understand that yer might be able to help us..." He smiles politely, using his hand to smooth down his beard as he leans back expansively in his chair. "More specifically, a very reliable source told us that one of the cooks in this very establishment knows more than just recipes, and sells more than just food..."
<Pause for response>
"Yer see, we're trying to track down a certain Triel Eldurast" he says, leaning forward and lowering his voice as he says the name. "Red hair, facial tattoos, apparently likes wearing spiky full plate armour and has a liking for evil gods." He straightens slightly. "We believe she has something that doesn't belong to her, and we'd like to talk to her about it... I don't suppose you would you know anything that might help us on that front?" he asks politely.
Bordrick looks the cook up and down, noting the scar on his neck and wondering how a cook would come across such a nasty injury in a kitchen. "Well, now yer ask," he says brightly, "me companions and meself have been led to understand that yer might be able to help us..." He smiles politely, using his hand to smooth down his beard as he leans back expansively in his chair. "More specifically, a very reliable source told us that one of the cooks in this very establishment knows more than just recipes, and sells more than just food..."
The cook harrumphs. "This may not be completely untrue... What else but food does your heart long for?"
"Yer see, we're trying to track down a certain Triel Eldurast" he says, leaning forward and lowering his voice as he says the name. "Red hair, facial tattoos, apparently likes wearing spiky full plate armour and has a liking for evil gods." He straightens slightly. "We believe she has something that doesn't belong to her, and we'd like to talk to her about it... I don't suppose you would you know anything that might help us on that front?" he asks politely.
The man is visible taken by surprise. After a brief moment of silence, he answers: "I think I can help you."
Before Bordrick or anyone else are able to speak up again, he quickly raises his hand. "I have a price... say... 300 gold coins."
Zephaniah has been listening, wondering if Bordirck's more upfront ways would get a result, and he is pleasantly surprised at the sucess the dwarf is having. He almost steps in to barter for the group, but stops himself and lets Bordrick or one of the others continue. From across the room he catches Elijah's eye, and indicates the cook, hoping that he understands they have met their contact. A slight nod of the head seems to indicate he has. Then Zeph sits back and scans the room as he sips on the ale.
Bordrick nearly falls off his chair at the price mentioned. "You must have some seriously important information to impart at that price..." he muses. "Can you perhaps give us a hint as to the type of information you might be able to supply us?"
"You are looking for the wands," he replies confidently. "If you are interested in my help, come alone to the Lakeside Pavillon tomorrow night at midnight. Bring the 300 gold pieces with you and you'll walk away with the location of the wands. Bring backup, and you'll never find them."
The Lakeside Pavillon is an open building on the east shore of the lake; many public ceremonies take place here, but at night the place is desertd and sinister.
"Alone? You mean Bordrick by himself?" Kollin looks dumbfounded, "That's a stretch friend, he brings all that gold, you come with a group and ambush him and take him for his money and never deliver your end of the bargain...what insurance do we have that this wont happen?"
He gives Zephaniah a glance, as if asking for help...he wished he had telepathy to tell him what was on his mind...
The cook shows a charming smile. "It is okay if you think of 'you' not of Bordrick alone but of all of you - that is your group and no one more."
"So Cauldron's Companions alone," he adds with special emphasis.
"Our reputation precedes us," the half elf says jokingly, "I think you have yourself a deal then, midnight at the Lakeside Pavillion...we'll be there. You should be there alone as well, anything else might be construed as an ambush..."
As Kollin replies to the cook, Bordrick purses his lips for a moment, considering the legal implications of what the man had said. After thinking for a moment, he nods in agreement with his ranger friend. "We'll be there, and we'll pay your fee. One could argue that it is your civil duty to simply tell us - for the good of the city - but, on the other hand, I appreciate that there may be some risk to you, especially given the cloak and dagger midnight transaction - so I won't begrudge you your profit."
"If the rains keep up, I'm sure the city wouldn't begrudge three hundred gold against the successful return of the wands" he adds.
"I couldn't have worded it any better," replies the cook and winks at Bordrick jovially. "See you tomorrow night then," he says before he departs into the kitchen of the Tipped Tankard.
", the monk calmly says.
"We´re not in the position to make any counterproposals now, but I hope that we will have the chance to exchange our views in the future. I´d like to invite you to come to the Church of St. Cuthbert. All you have to bring with you is an open mind", Cyprianus says smilingly [OOC: Diplomacy-Check + AP]
Zephaniah had caught Kollin's look, and suspected he knew what Kollin was thinking. Yet when the cook had indicated the whole group were included in the meeting, he began to relax. Together they'd be resonably safe, and he'd have a day to prepare. Giving the signal to Elijah to meet him at one of the usual meeting places, he sat back and listened. The ale was not good, and he'd have preferred any wine, but he ignored the thought as he caught sight of Elijah leaving. 300 gold was indeed a big price to pay, but one that could save the city. And perhaps gain him further favour in the city.
"We´re not in the position to make any counterproposals now, but I hope that we will have the chance to exchange our views in the future. I´d like to invite you to come to the Church of St. Cuthbert. All you have to bring with you is an open mind", Cyprianus says smilingly [OOC: Diplomacy-Check + AP]
"Thanks for the invitation. I won't completely rule out the possibility of me visiting your church one day," the cook replies before he finally vanishes behind the kitchen door.
The next day...
The next morning, ignoring any ale left in his brain, Iannis gets up early and prepares himself before he walks the streets of Cauldron with a locate object spell active. The rainstorms continue. When Iannis comes into the lower-level parts of the city, he can see that the waters of the central lake have already risen. Most of the buildings around the lakeshore are built on stilts to avoid minor floods, but if the wands are not recovered, not even these measures can save the lower quarters of the city from flooding as it becomes clear that this will be a wet winter.
His spell doesn't detect anything in these quarters of the city, so Iannis decides to pay the outer quarters a visit as well. As he comes near the western gate, his spell shows sudden success. Iannis gets a visual impression of the wands of control water deep underground - approximately 550 feet beneath the western gate.
Unfortunately, his spell doesn't tell him on how to reach this location...
BTW - I've been updating my web-page with the game history - not quite finished yet - only caught up to the Party at Zeph's place - but I've added in the pics of the various people we've met as pop-ups... check it out!
http://www.matthew.fenn.dsl.pipex.com/CurrentGames/TCS/Info/History.html
Lili spends the night gathering information with the others at the tavern. Then rests and prepares to meet the others in the morning for their search to continue.
(OOC something ate the post I posted 2 days ago )
OOC: BTW - is Elijah a new character for Phil? Is Zephaniah going to drop out? I spotted the "apprentice locksmith" comments - is Elijah a rogue character? Bordrick, although he has 4 levels of fighter, also has 1 level of rogue and I intend to develop him more along that line... Is this going to unbalance our party?
OOC: The NPC Elijah has become Zephaniah's cohort (by virtue of the Leadership feat). At the moment, Elijah is a rogue-like character but the shouldn't outshine Bordrick, in particular because cohorts are two or more levels lower in class levels than their leader. Nevertheless, it might be worth for Matthew and Phil to agree on how to develop Elijah and Bordrick: Rogues have so many skills and options that it would be a pity if they were too alike in their abilities. In case of doubt, a PC like Bordrick should get advantage over an NPC like Elijah.
OOC: I have updated your treasure table. I have assumed that Zephaniah uses some hours of this day to identify a few items (mostly the banded mail, the ring, and the periapt of the former high priest). I have further assumed that the mundane items that haven't been claimed have been sold by you.
As a result you have now plenty of cash. Each one of you (Bordrick, Cyprianus, Iannis, Lili, Kollin, Zephaniah) receives 1750 gp. Please add the money to your character sheet. Furthermore, do finally add the items you have claimed to your character sheet. Two items remain on the treasure list: the banded mail of the high priest and his periapt (which Iannis probably wants).
Because I don't have the time to do all the bookkeeping for Skie's Treasury, the magic shop in Cauldron, you may assume that Skie has any item from the Dungeon Master's Guide or the Magic Item Compendium worth up to 3000 gp in stock.
Bordrick spends some time the next day chatting with Skie - enjoying her company and telling her all about the Cauldron's Companion's trip to the Lucky Monkey. He includes the information about the missing wands of control water, but asks her to keep the story quiet for now, since Jenya did not wish to panic the population.
Whilst there, he also makes a few purchases - buying:
Anti-toxin (one dose) 50gp
Tanglefoot Bag (x2) 100gp
Sunrod (x20) 40gp
Tindertwig (x20) 20gp
(What discount do Cauldron Companions get?)
