| Current Turn? | No |  | Subject: | Scouting Fangora
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| Campaign: | Spelljammer | | Turn Start Date: | 4/20/606 |
| Adventure: | Quest for the Amber Key | | Turn End Date: | 4/20/606 |
| Adventure Number: | 5 | | Characters: | Barnas, KC , Martin Vane, Morty Crystaltouched, Pellanistra Xarann, Shaarilla, Syllivarrna Obanghall, Tyra Stellastrom |
| Turn Number: | 3.7 | | Send To: | bluemountain@championsoftheempire.com |
| Greyhawk Campaign? | No | | Combat Turn? | No |
| Name | Lethal | NL | Current | END | PROT | LOW | DEF | ROF | Flash | Heal | Luck Pts | Fate Pts | |
| Barnas | 0 | 0 | 49/49 | /0 | 6 | 0 | 28 | 0 | /0 | 1/day | 2/2 | 1/1 | |
| KC | 0 | 0 | 43/43 | /0 | 3 | 0 | 36 | 2 | /0 | 1/day | 1/1 | /0 | |
| Martin Vane | 0 | 0 | 50/50 | /0 | 7 | 1 | 36 | 6 | /0 | 1/day | 2/2 | 1/1 | |
| Morty Crystaltouched | 0 | 0 | 41/41 | /0 | 5 | 0 | 49 | 0 | /0 | 1/day | 2/2 | 1/1 | |
| Pellanistra Xarann | 0 | 0 | 50/50 | /0 | 4 | 0 | 52 | 6 | /0 | 1/day | 1/1 | /0 | |
| Shaarilla | 0 | 0 | 28/28 | /0 | 4 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 1/1 | 1/day | 1/1 | /0 | |
| Syllivarrna Obanghall | 0 | 0 | 52/52 | /0 | 5 | 1 | 28 | 4 | /0 | 1/day | 0/1 | /0 | |
| Tyra Stellastrom | 0 | 0 | 66/66 | 4/4 | 7 | 1 | 54 | 8 | /0 | 2/day | 1/1 | /0 | |
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| Mage/Psioncist Name | Psionic Pts | Spell Pts | Spell Pool | Miscellaneous Information |
| KC | / | 5/5 | 7/7 | |
| Martin Vane | / | 3/7 | 7/7 | |
| Morty Crystaltouched | / | 9/9 | 8/8 | |
| Shaarilla | / | 12/12 | 15/15 | |
| Syllivarrna Obanghall | / | 9/9 | 8/10 | |
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| Barnas | |
| KC | |
| Martin Vane | |
| Morty Crystaltouched | |
| Pellanistra Xarann | |
| Shaarilla | Armor Spell (3/5 hits) |
| Syllivarrna Obanghall | |
| Tyra Stellastrom | |
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TYRA: "I like the idea of doing all three. First, I'd have 2-3 from the group go and visit the shop. I'd suggest someone with a good judge of character as well as someone skilled in conversation to learn what we can about the shopkeeper. Not that I'm great at conversation but I tend to notice things about people so I'd be happy to go. Second, our scout types can go and check out the general area around the place. Finally, Martin can use his Wizard Eye to do a focused investigation after we've completed the other two."
TYRA (OOC): Looks like Barnas, Tyra, and Syl all have Conversation and Character Judgment. I was just about to spend some EXP and those are on her list to buy up a rank. I may have her only buy up Character Judgment right now. Also, it's a bit funny to see all of our characters in both campaigns are pretty much hobbyists at almost everything (excluding lores and magical languages) after the old campaigns were in the higher levels.
KC: I will.go out and scout out the area around the town surrounding the shop for at least a quarter mile out surrounding the shop first. Looking for ways of accessing areas below ground level and for a good place for Martin to cast a wizard eye spell that is close enough to the shop and safe enough for the time he needs to cast and finish scouting with the spell. He will get the information from about spell range and duration of the wizard eye to help him find a safe place.
The following day, Syl, Barnas and Tyra set out towards Rendo's tobacco shoppe to speak to the half orc proprietor. KC and Lani head out in roughly the same direction so that KC can look around the area looking for any signs of below-ground access.
GM: For the group going to the tobacco shoppe, let me know how you plan to approach the situation or what questions you want to ask.
KC and Lani walk around the densely packed streets of the city but find no indications of an underground sewer. There are no manhole covers or shafts leading down into the earth. Sewage disposal is handled at a higher level. Along the streets run moderately shallow channels that are about a foot deep and about 8 inches wide and are covered over with wooden planking. Water runs through these channels and carries waste and sewage out of the city. The presence of these likely indicates that there is no underground sewage system in Fangora.
KC and Lani find occasional abandoned buildings, and check out those whose entry is no barred but find no deep sub-basements that give access to an underground tunnel system. They continue to spiral outward from the location of the tobacco shoppe until the reach the outer walls of the city.
SYL: Will ask Tyra to go with her and Barnas to visit the Shoppe. She will wait until after the Wizard Eye/telscope reconnaisance is complete before entering the Shoppe to talk to the owner (do we have a name for the owner other than Surly Half-Scro which is kind of redundant...?).
SYL: Before they enter the Shoppe she will discuss her strategy with Tyra and Barnas to ask for their opinions/input. Her initial intent is to enter the Shoppe and look around a bit and hopefully listen to the owner discuss business another customer before he interacts with her so she can perform Character Judgement. After doing that her question is whether she interacts with one of the guard 1/2-Scro to ask questions or goes directly to Surly. Her thinking is to start by asking questions about tobacco (why is his so much better than other options in Fangora - source or growing method? Then try to subtly move the conversation to artifacts that might help grow tobacco (i.e. I heard the parts of the Crystal Wand might impact the way things grow...) Depending on his answers she will either change the subject or follow up. She will also look for the door Horatio mentioned that might lead down. And she will be carrying some sp in case she needs to bribe a guard or smooth the way with Surly by buying tobacco or data...
SYL: Do we have any idea how thick the asteroid Fangora is located on is at this point? Enough for a basement and sub-basement(s) or is it too shallow to do that without some dimensional twisting??
GM: Fangora is located on a planetoid about 500 miles in diameter.
TYRA: Tyra is expecting Syl or Barnas will be driving the conversation but she'll focus on observing the interaction. For ideas on how to converse, she's thinking we'd inquire about the sort of goods he sells and see what he offers, especially things that might not be on display. Since I don't think any of us are interesting in tobacco we could make up a story about wanting to give a unique gift to an eccentric uncle back on Spelljammer that is quite fond of all things tobacco. Such as looking for rare and vintage types of goods. I don't think we should try too hard to get information as to not tip him off on our true interest.
Syl, Barnas and Tyra make their way through Fangora to the tobacco shoppe run by Rendo Black Nose. The shoppe doesn't have any sort of name associated with it but simply has a wooden shingle hanging out from showing a tobacco leaf. They watch the shoppe for a couple of minutes before entering. It does not seem very busy and, when they enter the dark and musty establishment, they find that they are the only customers. The man that looks up at them from behind a wooden counter is either a very ugly human or a handsome half orc. Based on what they know, they suspect the latter.
The man does not issue any sort of greeting but simply watches as the three enter and pause for a moment to allow their eyes to adjust to the dimmer gloom of the shoppe. Barnas nods to the proprietor, who does not return the nod, and then walks up to the counter. Barnas uses Tyra's suggestion of expressing interest in some unusual tobacco for an eccentric relative and asks the half-orc for assistance in choosing something suitably unusual. The half-orc finally animates somewhat and demonstrates that he clearly knows all there is to know about tobacco. His voice is gruff but he asks good questions about what kind of tobacco the relative generally uses and from where he gets his supplies. Barnas confesses that he is not really that close to the relative and does not know the ins and outs of his tobacco habits. Despite is surly nature, Rendo then opens up with something approaching enthusiasm, talking about various types of tobacco and recommending some of the more exotic types. He clearly knows a lot about tobacco.
Meanwhile, shortly after Rendo started talking about tobacco, a curtain at the back of the store was opened up by a heavily armed and armored orc. The orc stood watching for about 30 seconds and then, apparently satisfied that the group was not here to cause trouble, let the curtain drop back into place. During that time, Tyra got a look at the back room and saw, about 10 feet behind the orc, a staircase leading down to a basement. It seemed quite ordinary and was not concealed in any way.
Barnas and Syl keep Rendo occupied and manage to turn the conversation to the growing of tobacco. Rendo goes into deep and boring detail about the growing of tobacco and mentions that some farmers have secret tips and tricks that have been handed down through generations of their respective families. He alludes to magic in the nature of some of these tips. They attempt to press Rendo on the nature of the magic used but Rendo does not provide any details. Syl manages to insert a reference to the Crystal Wand but it strikes no chord with Rendo.
GM: Let me know if you want to ask anything more. For a half-orc, Rendo seems much less surly than most.
TYRA (GM): What sort of impression does Tyra get of Rendo's character and alignment?
GM: Tyra, as well as Syl and Barnas, are having a very hard time reading Rendo. He is a half orc, and acts mostly like one but he is not giving off vibes of evil and seems passionate about tobacco.
GM: If you want to try to segue into a discussion about what is below his shop and try to get his agreement to search, you could bring up the Crystal Wand again and mention that you had heard that it might be under his shoppe and that's why they thought it applied to tobacco growing, cultivation or storage. A storytelling roll would be most appropriate but since no one has that then either Barnas or Syl can attempt an INT roll to come up with a semi-plausible segue.
TYRA: Tyra is fine with the group probing a bit more or leaving at this point.
BARNAS: Intelligence Roll [rolled 89 vs. INT 18, 5x roll] to talk about the Crystal Wand and basement.
SYL: Gong for the fully plausible segue to Crystal Wand...
SYL: INT-19 [rolled 42 vs. INT 19, 3x roll]
Neither Barnas nor Syl do a particularly good job of moving the conversation back to the Crystal Wand and its location under this shoppe. The conversation goes there but feels awkward and Barnas quickly smooths things a bit by purchasing 10 sp worth of tobacco for his distant relative. Rendo does not take up the conversational gambit relating to the wand and the conversation dwindles. Barnas takes his purchase and departs the shoppe with Syl and Tyra. All three feel that bringing the topic up will not help their cause whereas departing and then returning the next day might help.
The three return to the inn and, sometime later, KC and Lani also return.
GM: My assumption is that the group is staying in town. KC and Lani both have the tithing flaw related to adventurous lifestyle so their rooms are paid for. For a few extra silver (marked off the treasure list) the rest of the group can also stay.
After eating a hearty dinner, Martin, KC and Lani depart. Their plan is to set up the alley behind the tobacco shoppe and allow Martin to cast his Wizard Eye and send it into the shoppe to search. When they reach the alley, it is a bit too busy for their purposes. People from other adjacent shops are using the alley for emptying trash, loading and unloading wares and general movement. The three even see a couple of orcs come out of the back of Rendo's shop and help unload a small cart presumably carrying tobacco products for the shop.
After about 20 minutes, the coast is finally clear and Martin attempts to cast his spell.
GM: Martin can make his cast roll. I know that Steve G is on vacation so if he does not send a turn by tomorrow, then I will make the rolls for him.
Martin fails his first attempt to cast Wizard Eye but succeeds on his second try. He stands motionless while KC and Lani keep watch.
Martin sends the invisible eye under the crack at the bottom of the back door into the tobacco shoppe. He is in the somewhat dimly lit stockroom and can make out the forms of two armed and armored orcs sitting at a table throwing dice. The stairs leading down are nearby and Martin wastes no time sending the eye down the stairs. It takes him a couple of minutes to look around the basement. He finds a barracks room for the orcs, where four of them are lying in dirty bunks snoring loudly. Martin can't actually hear the snoring through the Wizard Eye but the movement of their facial muscles makes it easy to imagine that the snoring is quite loud.
Martin found no sign of any lower basement level on his quick scan of the basement so, with the time remaining, he beings a more thorough scan. The basement is dimly lit by occasional torches but two of the rooms have no torches so when Martin sends the eye under the cracks of these doors, he is greeted by total darkness and must retreat. When the duration of the spell runs out, he has found no sign of any lower levels of the shoppe. If a lower level exists, he feels certain that access must be through one of the two darkened rooms.
Martin opens his eyes and then he, KC and Lani return to the inn to tell they others what they have learned.
MARTIN: One quick question - why does a seemingly ordinary tobacconist need a half dozen orc/half-orc guards? Something feels off about this whole thing.
SHAARILLA: “Now that you mention it, that does seem like an excessive number of guards for a tobacco shop. Even jewelry shops don’t have that many guards."
LANI: "I don't know that this is his reason but I will say that I was a drow setting up a shop in an orc city, I'd want a few more friendly faces around than what might be considered normal."
SYL: Friendly I get. Heavily armed and friendly no so understanding.
SYL: Are Barnas, Tyra and Syl going try again the next day? If so do I need to send some more rolls as we come up with another/better story for Rendo?
TYRA: "Agreed, this does seem a bit off for just a simple tobacco shop. I suspect there is more to the story here. Rendo was pretty well guarded so I didn't get a lot on him. I bet he's hiding something. I don't think we should visit the shop as normal patrons but what do the rest of you all think?"
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