Brian tried to kickstart the game in advance via email. The bridge was assumed repaired. The wagon assumed to be unstuck and loaded with the stuff we managed to save from the collapsed keep. The goods were assumed detected and identified. We were assumed healed. There were discussions via email about who would want what and what we would sell. However, we still spent a bunch of time hashing through it all. Periwinkle was given a share of the cash and since Brisco was taking her father’s Druid Crown, he decided to pay that out of his share. (The pixie was a sorceress/champion and the crown was of no use to her or her dead father.) The Staff of Fire was given to our Sorcerer. The two +1 Ogre hooks were saved with their magic to be used for backup weapons for Oakwood and TerStegan. Although at 4 bulk each, they were a bit of a pain to carry around. There was much discussion about the Sapling Shield but ultimately the action economy of a tower shield was just too high so it went on the sell list. However, we were still 2 days out of Absolom so all the selling and buying plans were a bit premature. Finally, after several false starts, we got moving.
We had no issues the first day and camped near a sheep farm just off the road. During the middle watch, TerStegan turned into WereStegan. Evidently, he had been infected with Lycanthropy during the fight with the evil Druid, 3 months ago. There was much consternation from the players about actions taken or assumed to be taken or evidence or whatever but given the glee in Brian’s voice while springing this on us, he wasn’t going to be talked out of it. His trump card was that there wasn’t anyone high enough level in Otari that could cure it anyway. Unfortunately, TerStegan is a big threat and a were-afide one even more so. Plus, the fact that none of the casters had gotten their spells back since this was technically the same day. Oakwood was on watch with him. He took a shot, figuring we were in big trouble, and woke Clarisa. WereStegan took a piece out of him with his Retribution Axe. Thankfully, he got distracted by the easier prey horses and attacked one of them. They managed to run off as everyone else started waking up. Periwinkle was assigned to chase them down since she and her riding raptor were the only ones that could catch them.
It looked like this would take the rest of the night but Brian sort of storyboarded it. For one, Paul was left out. WereStegan pushed past Oakwood and went after one of the sheep. We gave chase but then he ran off into the night. The horses were retrieved and the sheep ranchers showed up. They would alert the watch. Around breakfast, TerStegan came walking in with vague images of the event. Some Recall Knowledge rolls were made. It would take a 4th level spell to cure him. But we were still a day (and night) out of Absolom. Whether the moon would still be full enough to cause a repeat was unknown. A recent Lycanthrope is a bit random, evidently. We traveled, camped and tied him up that night. Whether that would have worked was debatable but thankfully he did not change. We rolled into town. Our first priority was getting him cured. The fairy said her temple could do it. However, people were too eager to sell and buy so we had to do that first.
We sold the stuff and passed out the money. ~250? It was quite a haul. Brian would allow common magic items to be bought without issue but anything uncommon would require a roll with the DC dictated by the level. Oakwood bought an Aeon Stone, thanks to Xeelie’s roll. TerStegan bought a cold iron rare longer range throwing axe with a roll. He spent an extra 50% to get it the next day since we had to get back to Otari ASAP. He and Xeelie bought some formulas so that she could magic it up when we had the time. He also bought a magic helmet BTO found in the books for him. Xeelie bought all kinds of stuff. She spent so much, I don’t think she got that magic armor she needed. Brisco and Clarisa were uninterested in the whole process. Of course, they just got new items for “free” from the treasure. They both bought portable holes at the end. We also got TerStegan cured. It cost 40 gold which everyone kicked in on. We did not pick up whatever we were supposed to get for the use of the wagon yet. We figured we’d do that last since we didn’t know how getting that book was going to go. To the library.
Getting into the library was no problem. The letter got us to the person in charge and then got us into the restricted section. The book was full of scribblings that got more chaotic as the author got older and crazier. The cover was made out of stone and the whole thing could be used as a shield. The only suggestion on the table was Oakwood’s of creating a copy and swapping them the next day. However, the amount of security measures we saw were giving us pause. This is the biggest library in the biggest city on the continent. This wasn’t going to go well. Xeelie and TerStegan suggested we try to convince them of our need. Not a surprise since they were loaded with Charisma skills. That would be a skill challenge and everyone had to participate. We decided to give it a go since we were at the end of the night. We had extra hero points (metagaming), BTO wouldn’t be here the next two game (sort of metagaming) and if it failed, we’d have another week to come up with a new plan. Thankfully, Brian was “generous” with the skills to use and everyone was able to justify using one of their best. The DC was still a stiff 26 and we needed 5 successes with no failures.
TerStegan started with Performance, laying down the foundation of the heroic Roseguard and evil Belcora rising again. That fact that Otari’s ghost told us that we needed that book particularly resonated with the library directory. He had a +15 and succeeded. Next was Brisco using Survival. He told a tale of the impact a relit Gauntlight would have on the land. And that it would impact Absolom soon enough. And the fact that Belcora seemed to have it in for them. I’m not sure Survival was the right skill for that but he made his roll. Oakwood had the worst skill at +10 Medicine. He concentrated on the undead rising from the graveyard, terrorizing the innocent folk. And the more undead found in the Gauntlight in technically gruesome detail. Again, probably not the right skill. He barely missed the first roll, used a hero point and rolled a 17 (+10). Clarisa went next, using Intimidation. Basically, a repeat of the dire consequences described by the previous two. She missed her roll, used a hero point and made it. Bringing it home was Xeelie and her high Diplomacy. She succeeded as well. Our case was made and we were allowed to borrow the book. (The fact that it was on loan from Otari in the first place should have helped us.) Once the invisible security measures were disabled, it was tucked into Clarisa’s bag of holding and we walked out winners.
We stopped there. We need to pick up TerStegan’s axe and whatever cargo we were supposed to get. The goal is to speed back to Otari, arriving the morning of the election. No one is particularly interested in that (are we even old enough to vote?) Or probably more accurately, no one thinks we can have an impact. However, it seems to be an anchor point event based on how often Brian has mentioned the date. So, something will probably happen. We still need that cloak from the crypt and to research that barrier spell.
