Eberron One

DM wrote:

Cole wrote:

Ducats examines the top of the stair for traps, looking especially steps that look dusty or often-skipped.

The 3rd step down has no footprints, only an even coat of dust.

Ducats whispers, "No one's stepped on that one. Let's not us be the first."

From the top of the stair, your lantern light shines out over the lower section of the room. You look out over an area where bookcases and large tables are covered with laboratory equipment, much of it smashed and ruined. Amongst it you even see the remains of gnomish clockwork machinery, and the shattered remains of cold-light crystals.

It's 20 feet from the cliff-like wall topped by the iron railing over to the far wall of the room. Down below, in the middle of this far wall, is another large iron door. This one is set into a stone alcove in the wall, some 3 or 4 feet deep. The door has no handle, but rather a large iron wheel set into its center. There is a heavy length of iron (6 inches thick) set into brackets, barring the door.

Llama wrote:

Jaral reaches up to pat Ducats on the back. "Good eye, friend."

He then points to the barred door below them. "See the bar on that door? Looks as if it's meant to keep something out of this room. How far can these tunnels go?"

Ducats grins with a face full of bravado, and says "Down to hell for all I know or care. They called it a pit, after all."

But when he regards the door and its bar, it's clear that he's actually pretty nervous.

Llama wrote:

Jaral smiles in relief - knowing someone else doesn't like the look of that door seems to calm his nerves a bit. "Well then, let's take a look at that equipment down there, at least. Maybe we'll be able to make heads or tails of it. Care to lead the way, Ducats? You caught this suspicious step, maybe you'll find another."

Jaral pulls a bow to cover the room while Ducats checks out the stairs.

Ducats proceeds cautiously down the stairs, slowly to look for signs of anything amiss on the steps or walls.

Ducats reaches the bottom of the stair, Cash close behind, finding no further anomalies.

DM wrote:

Ducats reaches the bottom of the stair, Cash close behind, finding no further anomalies.

Ducats scans around this area with his lantern.

There is a multitude of cracked and broken glassware, most of it with cooked-on stains and of many strange shapes. Many of the tables have old blood stains. There are instruments and tools (some very large) of brass, copper and iron, but all are badly rusted or corroded.

You find a wax tablet with a stylus attached by a thin chain, but the majority of the wax has been dissolved by something. You also find ashes and bits from burned parchments in an old tin water basin. There are a few bits which still have unburnt text.

"rogress on th"
"tial mass."
"enty seven corp"
"omena which had peculi"
"ll regard the mas"
"s from charn"
"mass respon"

ehiker133 wrote:

[IC]
Caby notes the heads on the railing and shakes off the last bit of remorse she felt for killing the goblins while they slept. A sense of vindication washes over her and she follows Ducats and Jaral down the stairs, skipping the dusty step, with a renewed belief that she made the right decision leaving the tribe and finding her own way by helping others.

Once she reaches the bottom of the steps, she'll search through the bookcases and desks, looking for anything of interest or worth noting.

She gives the bolted door a side-long nervous glance every now and again. Finally, she stops and examines the door to try and determine if it shows any signs of recent use.

There are spots on the door, wheel, and bar which show less dust, but are not devoid of it.

[btw, the ashes and bits look like the remains of at least a couple dozen sheets of parchment]

ehiker133 wrote:

[IC]
"It's pretty incomplete, but..." and she tries to relay the partial message to Ducats.

"There appears to have been some recent use of this door, but... I don't know. I've got a bad feeling about opening it. It looks like a sturdy door that was closed for a reason, you know? It isn't like the goblin's kept their treasure there - we already got that. I say we head back upstairs, pack up the electrum and take it back to town, sell the armour and weapons we've collected, and then get Karl and his son to help us carry the copper pieces back. Maybe then we can consider coming back here to examine this area. Or see if there is anything else to do in Vom. Or we could head back south to Vulyar."

"We should scout around the outside and see if any other goblins are lurkin' round nearby."

Ducats pauses for a second to think.

"What's mighty odd to me is I haven't seen even one Emerald Clawer."

[IC]
"Yeah, you're right, Ducats. We can scout the area around the tree to make sure there are no other goblins in the area. So does everyone else agree we should head back up now?"

When you go back across the bridge, you see it's the middle of the night. After you make it back up out of the tree, you spend about an hour surveying the hills in the area, getting almost as far north as the line of bare trees which stand at the edge of the woods. With Cash's assistance, you feel comfortable that you've rooted out all of the goblins in the area.

By the time you're back to Karl's farm it's about 3am, and he is relieved to see you safe. He is extremely thankful, and puts you up for the night again. Reeks returns to the farm where he works for the night, saying he'll come back by in the morning.

[IC]
In the morning, Caby mentions to Karl that they need some help moving some stuff out of the old Claw Pit and would be willing to pay him and Karl Jr. for their assistance.

[OOC]
Is there someplace in town where we could exchange all of the copper for something else, like gold or electrum? If so, then we'll borrow a wagon and some bags from Karl, bring him and Karl Jr. back to the tree, and have them assist us in loading the copper coin onto the wagon.

Then we'll take the copper to where we can exchange it (bank of some sort?) and get it exchanged into more valuable coin for easier transport.

In payment for their assistance, we'll give them a half share of the copper (500 coins).

I'd also be up for asking Reeks (Reeks... Meeks... why can't I keep that name straight??) if he'd be interested in staying on as a fighting retainer. But what do you (Cole and Llama) think?

ehiker133 wrote:

[IC]
In the morning, Caby mentions to Karl that they need some help moving some stuff out of the old Claw Pit and would be willing to pay him and Karl Jr. for their assistance.

[OOC]
Is there someplace in town where we could exchange all of the copper for something else, like gold or electrum? If so, then we'll borrow a wagon and some bags from Karl, bring him and Karl Jr. back to the tree, and have them assist us in loading the copper coin onto the wagon.

Then we'll take the copper to where we can exchange it (bank of some sort?) and get it exchanged into more valuable coin for easier transport.

In payment for their assistance, we'll give them a half share of the copper (500 coins).

I'd also be up for asking Reeks (Reeks... Meeks... why can't I keep that name straight??) if he'd be interested in staying on as a fighting retainer. But what do you (Cole and Llama) think?

We can certainly ask ; he sounded "retired" to me though

It should be possible to change the coins; with dwarves nearby there should be a house Kundarak presence, i'd think

Karl agrees to come help, and will bring his older boy as well.

Karl says the main store in town would probably be willing to change part of the copper, but probably not all of it. They probably won't take as much of a percentage as a bank though, he supposes. He also says the nearest actual bank is in Vulyar.

This begins a fairly lengthy conversation about how the Kundarak banks are a necessity, but Karrnathi feelings toward the dwarves sometimes make banking an awkward endeavor these days. The dwarves were part of Karrnath at the beginning of the war, but when they saw their chance they turned their backs on Karrnath and set up their own kingdom. They had counted on them during the war, and it's left a sour taste for most Karrns. Most see dwarves as dishonourable and untrustworthy now. The Kundarak banks have gone to great pains to make sure everyone remembers they're not part of the Mror Holds, but rather an independent house.

As for Reeks, he had considered it until he saw Brooner die. It reminded him what it was like in the war, seeing his friends die around him, and he's firm about staying here in Vom now. He says, however, that anytime you all are here and need a hand, you can count on his help.

We'll exchange as much of it as we can, then, at the local store. Hopefully the four of us wouldn't have any problems carrying the rest of it to Vulyar.

(Let us know how much we can't exchange.)

While we're staying in Vom, Tagor should cast a Detect Magic spell and check the items we brought back before we sell them, paying special attention to:
- the axe from the Zeeg farm
- the longsword from the goblin leader
- the dagger from the goblin leader
- the green cloak Ducats has from the Claw Pit cloak room
- the old tin whistle (you never know)
- the malachite figurine