Day 19 (continued)
Temerity is having a distinctly average experience with the drow – he gives her a few tips and she is a fast learner. Eventually, a great time was had by all.
The rest of the party arrive at the Jade Zephyr. There are flashing lights and noises from within. A bejewelled dwarf greets them at the entrance. She gives them each two casino chits. Gage asks her a question about magic in thieves cant. She replies that thieves will not be tolerated.
They enter. Lavender is guarded, Theren feels awkward, Gage seems more relaxed and Anaphel is inscrutable. It’s relatively quiet, as it is mid-morning.
Gage approaches an old lady playing the slots and asks about the tables. She knows nothing. Gage wants to play the machine, but has no money, so asks Lavender for some. Lavender reluctantly gives him 3 silver pieces and the same to Theren.
Gage spends a silver piece and has 10 spins on the machine – he loses it completely. The old lady gives him one more copper – he wins back 3 coppers. Theren tries as well – he spends a silver and gets it back, with 5 coppers.
Gage looks around at the high-rollers sections behind a blue, sparkling curtain but it’s too busy to see much of anything.
Lavender approaches one of the high-roller guards and asks about offering their services as guards for a journey south. The guard goes to have a word with someone behind the sparkly curtain. Lavender warns the others that she may have a lead and needs them to be on best behaviour.
Theren looks around for Zadhir but the place is overwhelming to him. He wanders over to the Captain’s Wheel game – Gage goes with him. A hulking human imitating a pirate captain greets them Gage and Theren both bet. Gage spins the wheel. Gage loses but Theren wins. Theren spins the wheel and this time they both lose. Theren bets again and loses. Theren bets again and loses once more – now both have no more chits. As they leave the human pirate, Theren notices his facade slip and he seems depressed.
A waitress offers them a free drink. Lavender glares at them – Theren sidles away and Gage refuses. Lavender glares at the waitress. The waitress quails and scurries off.
It takes a while before the guard reappears – they stand around awkwardly. The boss wants a few answers, such as wanting to know how they heard about the project. Lavender doesn’t want to reveal her sources, but insists that it’s not shady. The guard asks what specifically they are offering. Lavender gives an overview of the party and their skills. The guard looks around and cannot see Gage as he has stealthed. This impresses him.
He asks about any links to any groups. Lavender and Theren have not, but Gage has to deceive. Luckily, the guard is convinced.
Gage helps himself to some canapes and the server hands him a free chit. Gage asks Anaphel to play a game for him, as Anaphel is lucky. Anaphel leads him off to play Devil’s Dice. Gage rolls and loses. Anaphel rolls and loses too.
The guard returns and waves them through the sparkling curtain. They are made to sit on a dark green sofa in a plush office. Dressed in a beautiful green velvet cloak is Zadhir. Lavender claims they’ve never met. Zadhir is not convinced but he agrees to play their game. He admits that they need a security detail. Lavender offers utmost discretion. Zadhir’s caravan is heading to Adalens – he warns it will be a perilous journey.
He begins taunting them softly. Theren’s rage building inside him has increased his magicka reservoir. He loses control of it, causing two copies of Runcible to appear, screeching and flapping. Zadhir tells Lavender to make her friend calm down. Theren looks slightly abashed and dispels the pseudodragons.
Zadhir reveals that his business dealings are potentially underhand – he has an inn in Adalens. Lavender agrees to be discreet. Gage asks if they should watch for anyone in particular. Zadhir tells them to be ready at 4:30 am the following morning. Lavender offers Zadhir her left hand (the one without the ring). Zadhir shakes her hand – he pulls her in close and makes a barb about her being a noble lady getting her etiquette wrong. Gage casts his eyes around the room but cannot see anything that appears important.
They head to the market to purchase potions. Gage asks about what herbs to use to make potions – the alchemist recommends the forest, but to beware of the fey. Theren wants to buy potions but they’re too expensive.
They head back to the inn. Temerity and the drow are still going strong. Five thorns from his new necklace are stabbing into his neck. The blood from his wounds is being absorbed by the necklace. Temerity falls asleep after his excessive coitus. The rest look at the bulletin board for some work – a farmer is worried about his livestock going missing. The reward is 50 gold, plus they can keep any loot found.
Gage asks Azuul about Temerity. Lavender heads upstairs and thumps on Temerity’s door. No response. She hammers harder. Temerity awakens and grunts at her. The door is whipped open and Temerity stands there buck naked and covered in fluids. Lavender finds Temerity’s penis is smaller than she expected. She cannot look away through sheer morbid fascination. She tells him to shower as they have work. Temerity asks if she is here to join in. She is horrified. Temerity is disappointed. She slams the door and returns to the rest of the party to wait for Temerity.
Fifteen minutes later, he still has not appeared. Lavender is fuming. Theren sends Runcible to scratch his face off until he moves. Runcible reels from the stench and lands on the floor. He screeches constantly. Temerity tries to grab Runcible but he wriggles free and scratches Temerity across the face. Temerity uses hellish rebuke against Runcible. Runcible disapparates.
Theren is livid – he storms upstairs and smacks Temerity with his staff. Theren storms out. Temerity casts darkness around him, which swells out of the room and begins to infiltrate the whole of the tavern.
The party leave the tavern. They head to the farm to speak to the besieged farmer on the outskirts of the town. They arrive at the farm – the farmer’s rams are getting destroyed by something. He saw nothing around the field – no tracks, a couple of them missing but mostly just savaged. Theren checks the field but senses nothing magical and cannot see anything out of the ordinary with the corpses – his senses are dulled as he is still incensed by Temerity’s actions.
Gage investigates the scratches on the corpses – this was not an animal as the cuts are jagged and inconsistent. There are drag marks towards the cave. A crystal shard is embedded in the body. Gage senses nothing strange about it – Theren knows it is not a magical crystal, but there has been magic around the crystal recently. Lavender stands watch.
The party follows the drag marks towards the cave. Gage stealths. The entrance is not large but it is incredibly dark within. Gage goes first, then Anaphel, Lavender and Theren at the rear.
They head down into the cave. Gage notices that the cave is filled with crystals like the one found in the sheep’s body. There are scrapes on the walls. He nocks an arrow to his bow. The crystals become more numerous as they venture deeper. A clanking against stone echoes up from beyond. They reach the end of the tunnel – a huge set of crystals is in the centre of a cavern, behind a whirlwind of crystal dust.
Gage fires his bow at the swirl – it ricochets off a crystal at the side and he loses his stealth advantage. Anaphel casts bless on the party. The elemental slams Gage and Lavender, causing them damage. It screeches menacingly like fingernails on a blackboard. Lavender rages and slashes at the elemental, causing some slashing and radiant damage. Theren uses agonising blast but it pings off the crystals. The elemental screeches. Theren activates his cloak of flies.
Gage attacks the elemental with his rapier, causing minimal damage. He retreats to stand beside Theren. Anaphel casts toll the dead against it, causing it damage. The elemental moves forwards past Lavender and Anaphel towards Theren. Lavender, Gage and Theren have crystal shards fired at them, causing much damage. Lavender attacks it again with her sword – a few of the crystals appear to drop. Theren uses shatter and several of the crystals explode – it screeches in pain.
Gage fires his bow with a sneak attack, causing it to sag noticeably. Anaphel uses toll the dead once more. The ringing of a bell fills the cavern – a frosty pulse freezes the crystals. Anaphel taps the elemental with their sword and it shatters. Each party member levers a crystal from the cavern. Lavender collects some crystal dust from the remains of the elemental. Lavender retrieves her torch – sees corpses of animals littered around the place. They are paid 50 gold by the farmer.
They return to the tavern for an evening meal. Temerity has slept through and now, with the drow’s help, has cleaned his room assiduously.