Episode 10: Run to the Hills ...

[erilar]

"These villains are all carrying the same stone, imbued with some sort of golden rune - some sort of communication device? A method for proving their identities to compatriots? A magical key to gain entry into some fortified and warded place? These curiosities will likely come in handy. Hmm..."

"Oracle! I wish to learn all the properties and qualities of the items liberated from our prisoners. I will trade this, my Pearl of Power, for that knowledge." Jareth extends his hand, displaying the Pearl, but does not approach the monocular creature.

[EvilGenius]

"These villains are all carrying the same stone, imbued with some sort of golden rune - some sort of communication device? A method for proving their identities to compatriots? A magical key to gain entry into some fortified and warded place? These curiosities will likely come in handy. Hmm..."

"Oracle! I wish to learn all the properties and qualities of the items liberated from our prisoners. I will trade this, my Pearl of Power, for that knowledge." Jareth extends his hand, displaying the Pearl, but does not approach the monocular creature.

The Oracle shambles a bit closer, and peers at the Pearl of Power. His single huge eye blinks twice then he claps his clawed hands together merrily, causing his myriad rings to chime musically.

"Oooooooooo! Yes, yes! Deal it is!"

The Oracle steps closer, tentatively, as the big blue ogre focuses his malevolent gaze upon you. The Oracle holds out his hand for the Pearl and Jareth gingerly drops the Pearl into the creatures' greedy palm. A huge grin breaks over the creatures' face and he scampers back a bit, stroking the Pearl fondly, and recounts the following:

Markel
Sending Stone (connected to Lonz, Balfhe)
Potion of Hill Giant Strength x1
Potion of Resistance (Force)

Lonz
Vicious Short Sword, Guardian
Brooch of Shielding
Sending Stone (connected to Balfhe, Markel, Hravja)
Potion of Greater Healing
Potion of Hill Giant Strength

Balrakas
DoubleDown; Sorcerer’s Stone (Pearl of Power, Twinned effect)
Sky Brooch (Brooch of Shielding + Thunder Resistance)
Sending Stone (connected to Hravja)

[EvilGenius]

As The Oracle recounts the information, he pauses to further explain Balrakas's Pearl of Power.

"Ooooooo, these are special. Rare. Not a simple Pearl of Power, no no. Rather, a Sorcerer's Stone! Similar to a Pearl of Power, but made by a Sorcerer. Bends the rules of magic."

"FireLizard's stone called DoubleDown. Next spell you cast after using, goes off twice!" (The next spell cast is affected by the Twinned Metamagic effect from the Sorcerer Class.)

"The Pearl you gave me, druid. Another Sorcerer's Stone. Overwhelm, it is. Next spell after using, very hard to resist." Good trade! (The next spell cast is affected by the Heightened Metamagic effect from the Sorcerer Class.)

Heh. Other items you all carry with their own secrets. Reveal them I can, if you are still willing to negotiate!

The creature awaits your answer, fondly stroking the Sorcerer's Stone in his hand, huge eye blinking above his huge, greedy grin.

[EvilGenius]

I've emailed a word document with the item descriptions and pictures to everyone's gmail addresses.

[erilar]

"Greedy Oracle, you would relieve us of all our magic before revealing the entirety of the secrets you hint at. Reveal which of our items possess unknown qualities, and perhaps I will pay you further for more information. Truly we have already paid dearly, and you well know it."

(If we have a Wand of Identify on us or the like, please stop me before I squish too many items.)

[EvilGenius]

"Greedy Oracle, you would relieve us of all our magic before revealing the entirety of the secrets you hint at. Reveal which of our items possess unknown qualities, and perhaps I will pay you further for more information. Truly we have already paid dearly, and you well know it."

(If we have a Wand of Identify on us or the like, please stop me before I squish too many items.)

The party does not have a Wand of Identify or anything like it. And you've all identified the basic properties of your magical items. Some of them just have additional properties that are only revealed through use, or by someone who can divine those additional properties.

The Oracle frowns in offense at Jareth's words. "Greedy I may be, but I offered already to reveal any additional secrets of your own items. Not my fault if you did not take offer. Always time though!

As to which items, heh. Let me see." The Oracles shambles around to each of you, closely followed by his Ogre bodyguard. The Oracle's huge alien eye looks each of you over in turn, then he returns to his place near your prisoners.

Items with unrevealed properties:

Bannock - Pelor's Orb, Silvered Dagger
Brigga - Eye of Madness, Mace of Smiting, Serpentine Owl, Wyvern's Talisman, Decanter of Endless Water, Dust of Disappearance, Wand of Magic Detection
Jareth - Ring of Protection
Onarra - Deck of Illusions, Galad's Ring (Ring of Mind Shielding)
Quarion - Corellon's Shroud, Ring of Feather Falling

[erilar]

"Yes Oracle, you offered - for a price. We want to know what we are paying for."

I'll wait to see who else is interested. Brigga in particular seems to have a lot to learn.

[Jonkga]

Bannock will step up again:

"Oracle. I am intrigued by your identification of the items I carry.

Were you able to glean the information I offered previously regarding the number of mysterious chests we have discovered and where we found them from these prisoners?

If not, I again offer to share those secrets for thwvsecrets of the items I carry. Deal?"

[EvilGenius]

Bannock will step up again:

"Oracle. I am intrigued by your identification of the items I carry.

Were you able to glean the information I offered previously regarding the number of mysterious chests we have discovered and where we found them from these prisoners?

If not, I again offer to share those secrets for thwvsecrets of the items I carry. Deal?"

"Hmmmmm, mmmmmmmmmmm. Secrets for Secrets, hmmmm? Knowledge of Chests more valuable now that I know more about them. Could help to answer more questions. It could, yes, it coulllllllllddddddd. Very well, Nightlight. Trade we will!"

The Oracle shambles up to Bannock, eliciting a low growl from Cur, and an answering growl from the Ogre. The Oracle smiles at Bannock with a hint of exasperation. "Heh. Bodyguards, eh? Hmmm, quite tall you are." With that, the strange Oracle clicks his fancy boots together, then gently rises into the air until his huge eye is level with Bannock's face. A clawed hand reaches out and rests on Bannocks forehead for a moment as the alien eye squeezes shut. After a moment the hand withdraws and the eye snaps open, darting forward to peer at Bannock.

"Heh! Hmmmm, 4 chests you have found, altogether. One at LuckyBreak, one below the dragonborn's house in demon-town, one in the Burial Chamber beneath the Standing Stones, and one at the druid's destroyed home." The Oracle lowers gently to the ground, stroking his chin thoughtfully again. "Mmmmm, hmmmmmmmm. Interesting placement, I think. Ponder this I will. Maybe with Blueberry, here! HA!!

Now the bargin, hmmmm, yes yes! Secrets you gave, secrets you will gain! Heh! First, SunStone. Mmmmm, powerful magic in that. If SunStone is broken, magic will be released all at once! Like standing on Sun! And that pretty dagger, yes yes! Tells you when shapechangers are near, but tells shapechangers where you are, too! Better to bring shapechangers to you so you can destroy them! When attacking them, blade will strike twice as often as another weapon. Shapechangers hate the blade and will hate you too, except one. The One who made it will not be affected.

Heh HEEEHHHHH!!!! SECRETS!" The Oracle settles back on his heals, clearly pleased with himself.


I've updated your Treasure sheet and I'm re-sending it to you.

[Jonkga]

Bannock will reply, slightly unsettled by the creatures mental probe:

"Thank you. That shall certainly prove useful."

He will then say to the rest of the party:

"This creature seems to be bargaining true with us. Ask if you have items, or secrets we have learned, for trade.

We should keep our next plans for a later discussion, once this business is complete."

[EvilGenius]

I'll give this pause a few days for Ken, Jim & Tom to respond, then we'll move on.

Ken, Jim & Tom, if you don't want to engage the Oracle, just post a quick note, please.

[NukeHavoc]

Sorry, I'm caught up in a variety of things right now; I won't be able to respond until Friday at the earliest, more likely this weekend.

[EvilGenius]

Sorry, I'm caught up in a variety of things right now; I won't be able to respond until Friday at the earliest, more likely this weekend.

That's understandable. I'll wait until the long weekend. There are a few things I'd like to try and handle online before the game the week after, is all.

[Fen's Ego]

Onarra stands off to one side, silently absorbing these exchanges with a creature she has only heard of in passing. Bannock's discourse and follow-up affirmation of the newcomer's uncanny abilities clearly agitates her, as she sheds her newfound serenity for much of her former, feral agitation. It's not so much in how she moves, but how she remains still, how the air around her changes, becomes an extension of her own tightly wound energy. Without preamble, she walks up to the Oracle, ignoring his bodyguard, dropping her possessions in her wake: weapons, items, armor.
"You withhold information we need. I need. I care not for your motivations, and less for your avarice. This Master," she spits the word, "is at the heart of our shattered identities, imperils the people of Farweald, and we still know next to nothing that will help us end this threat. And here you haggle for trinkets, parsing out secrets all while making my companions poorer. We bargain without realizing the price we pay."
"Bannock," she speaks his name like an apology, never looking away from the Oracle, "your gratitude and integrity in dealing with this merchant reflect well on you, though they are here misplaced. We are over a barrel, as they say, and he knows it."
"If this Master was involved in my sister's death, you will tell us everything. EVERY-thing. No riddles or veiled observations. I offer myself in trade as your prisoner. My belongings you shall not have, as they were not part of your...bargain. My friends may do with them as they wish. The ring," she holds up the hand wearing the ring of mind shielding, "will not be parted from me. What you want from my mind I will give freely, but you will not take it. I will not lose myself again. And if, after our agreement ends, I still draw breath, then I will find the Master as myself."

--Bob, I may be taking some liberties with the extent of the ring's actual mind-shielding, but Onarra is taking a gamble on it's hidden trait(s).--

[Jonkga]

Bannock immediately steps up, from Onarra's blind side, raising his polished metal shield (but not his sword), interposing himself between the Oracle and Onarra.

He speaks directly to Onarra, towards her, with his back and shield towards the nothic.

"Do not do this thing. The price is too high. Already we have all we need. For a few measley trinkets, we have learned the Master is a were-tiger hiding in plain sight in town, much like that were-jackal Hackett had been. The fragments we have are making much more sense. We have prisoners and know their story. We can bring them to town, hand them over to the sheriff, and confront Lemend and the town leaders about what happened to the girl and by whom. Balfe here can corroborate. We have names of the Masters cohorts in town, bot human and tiefling. We have allies to whom we can present this info. Pelor's Light, we can even get Shining Justice involved. We don't, you don't need to make this sacrifice!"