Back in Loftwick

[Dead Greyhawk]

The Company staggers in Loftwick, exhausted after the forced march from Nosnra's steading. The summoned mule train bears the hard-won booty wrested from Nosnra's fist. The Company's only regret is that so much had to be left behind. Rumors swirl around the Company, with news of towns to the south and west along the mountains having fallen, the Hole having swallowed an entire mercenary contingent, and no further action taken by the orcish horde in the north. Already murmurs of discontent flow through the Yeomen of incompetant leadership and foolhardy commands.

Cedrus, unwilling to trust to his command of the mighty cave bear, Snookums, within the city, sets up camp in a farmers yard, swearing to meet the Company at any time or place necessary. Cedrus will need extensive time to work with Snookums, to craft the bear into a trustworthy animal friend. Before the Company leaves, Cedrus hand over a pouch of gems found in the room holding Snookums.

The Company takes up lodging at the Red Lion Inn, their normal haunt, and begins counting their haul. With all of the items taken by all of the Company members counted the following list is made over a several day period.

Exchange rates within Loftwick have gotten better and worse. Foreign currency is being exchanged at much worse rates than before: 100 foreign coin gets 85 Freegold. On the other hand, gems are selling at close to their actual worth: 100 GP gem gets 95 Freegold. Jewelry still is selling at standard conversion: 100 GP jewelry gets 85 Freegold.

Jewelry
Giant sized golden torc -- 5000 GP
Platinum Brooch set with rubies -- 5000 GP
Gold Ring Studded with Onyx -- 1000 GP
Girdle of Platinum Links -- 7000 GP
3 Brass Rings -- 1 GP each
Bear Collar with Rubies -- 1000 GP
7 Thick Gold Chains -- 500 GP each
3 Gold Bracers -- 300 GP each
16 Gold Torcs -- 800 GP each
9 Gold Armbands – 500 GP each
11 Sets of Gold Earrings – 200 GP per pair
7 Gold Rings with Uprooted Tree Insignia – 400 GP each
3 Gold Brooches Inset with Jet – 700 GP each
2 Golden Circlets – 3000 GP each
Gold Emerald Bracelet – 5000 GP
Gold Onyx Bracelet – 2900 GP
Gold Jade Bracelet – 7500 GP

Gems
Jacinth – 5000 GP
3 Emeralds – 1000 GP each
4 Topaz – 500 GP each
8 Amethyst – 100 GP each
4 Zircons – 50 GP each
8 Agates – 10 GP each 5 Spinels -- 500 GP each
4 Garnets -- 100 GP each
31 Banded Agates – 10 GP each
Star Sapphire – 1000 GP
8 Tourmalines – 100 GP each

Magical Items
Halberd
Large Earthenware Flagon
Seamless Obsidian Box
Ceramic Flask
Pewter Flask
Blue Ceramic Flask
Red Ceramic Flask
Green Ceramic Flask
Black Ceramic Flask
and a map

Money
20,728 GP – Spider and Staff
189 PP – Giant Sized, Uprooted Tree and Mountain
12,638 GP – Giant Sized, Uprooted Tree and Mountain
8,054 GP – Giant Sized, Sword and Armor

The Company received 14,166 XP each upon escaping from Nosnra’s Steading.

[Wolfgar]

Here is a summary of the gems, jewelry and money. I will let the leaders decide how to split things.

Jewelry	each	total
Giant sized golden torc	5000	5000
Platinum Brooch set with rubies	5000	5000
Gold Ring Studded with Onyx	1000	1000
Girdle of Platinum Links	7000	7000
3 Brass Rings	1	3
Bear Collar with Rubies	1000	1000
7 Thick Gold Chains	500	3500
3 Gold Bracers	300	900
16 Gold Torcs	800	12800
9 Gold Armbands	500	4500
11 Sets of Gold Earrings	200	2200
7 Gold Rings with Uprooted Tree Insignia	400	2800
3 Gold Brooches Inset with Jet	700	2100
2 Golden Circlets	3000	6000
Gold Emerald Bracelet	5000	5000
Gold Onyx Bracelet	2900	2900
Gold Jade Bracelet	7500	7500
sum		69203
converted @ 95%		65742.85
-	-	-
Gems
Jacinth	5000	5000
3 Emeralds	1000	3000
4 Topaz	500	2000
8 Amethyst	100	800
4 Zircons	50	200
8 Agates	10	80
5 Spinels	500	2500
4 Garnets	100	400
31 Banded Agates	10	310
Star Sapphire	1000	1000
8 Tourmalines	100	800
sum		16090
converted @ 95%		15285.5
-	-	-
Money
Spider and Staff, GP	20,728	20,728
Giant Sized, Uprooted Tree and Mountain, PP	189	945
Giant Sized, Uprooted Tree and Mountain, GP	12,638	12,638
Giant Sized, Sword and Armor, GP	8,054	8,054
sum		42,365
converted @ 85%		36,010
-	-	-
Raw total		127,658
converted total		117,039

[Dead Greyhawk]

<----- Bows down at Josh's BBS skill

[Ginger]

What expenses do we have in town? A few people need to get trained. Otto, Jasper, Adrienne, anyone else? Stuff needs to get identified.

We also need to see if Oaklock and Mongo will continue along with us. Oaklock is a 5/8 fighter-mage, which makes him pretty tough.

[Dead Greyhawk]

The NPCs

Oaklock Gilderlief is appreciative of the Company saving his life. In exchange for weapons, armor, and a spellbook containing appropriate spells for him to cast, he will serve the Company for a year, taking only enough money to keep him in room and board. His honor as an elf requires him to serve those who rescued him, but, due to his oaths to the Gorna Guard, he can only serve this short time period before returning to Gorna to fight beside his brethren. If the Company wishes to return with him, he would be pleased. Oaklock is a F/MU 5/8.

Mongo Crushstone is less forthright in his offer. He will fight beside the Company so long as he receives a full share of treasure and items and so long as the Company fights against the giantkind. Mongo asserts that he is tougher and stronger than the warriors of the Company and that his hammer should be equally valued. He also states that he fought against the bugbears, ogres, and demons in Nosnra's steading, even when he was unarmored and equipped only with a poorly maintained shield and a smith's hammer. For this bravery, he should be rewarded. He requests a half share of treasure, rather than the 250 GP given to the other from Iron Chasm Delving. Unlike Oaklock, Mongo will fight beside the Company so long as his conditions are met. Mongo is a F 8.

Diego Hildago and Pavel Novak both seem to believe that they have proven their worth to the Company. They have been content so far with their monthly pay, plus the disbursement of coin that they have received so far. Now that their monthly fees have each increased to 700 GP per month, they perceive themselves as experts, able to lead their own bands of men-at-arms. They remind the Company that when they joined up in the Pomarj, the Company was as pwerful as Diego and Pavel now are. As such, they each want to be included in the first round of magical items in the future. If so many items are recovered that two magic items might be received, they are willing to be considered as having the least seniority over the unpaid members of the Company and thus possibly not receive a second item. Diego and Pavel are both F 7 equivalents.

[Dead Greyhawk]

The PCs

Some of the PCs have expenses to be met.

Adrienne must train for second level spells, and then soon thereafter for third level spells. She can train for second level spells at the Seven-fold Church, as they relate more to disciplines than actual godliness. For her third level spells, she will likely be able to learn from the temple of Delleb in the Seven-fold Church, but this will be costly and time consuming, as the faiths are not totally compatable. Assume that it will cost roughly 400 GP for her second level spells and 5 days training and then about 1000 GP for her third level spells and 2 weeks training.

Jasper must train for his monk abilities. If he travels to Saltmarsh, he is fairly certain to be trained for free, as he has generally done in the past. Jasper knows from Master Lynn that Serrin was sent to the Yeomanry at one point to deal with problems in the order here. Presumedly, these monks could be found. Figure on one week finding and travel time and one week training time for Jasper.

Otto must train for druidic abilities. Assume a flat cost of 800 GP to gain the druidic spell casting ability and to learn first level spells. Given the state of flux in the Yeomanry, finding a druid to train Otto will not be difficult, but possibly time consuming. Assume one week of training and one week travel and finding time.

[Dead Greyhawk]

The Magic Items

Several of the magical items seem straightforward to either self-identify or to have identified at the Academy of Loftwick. These are the 6 potions and the halberd. Identification through the Academy will cost 125 GP per item. Identification by the Company will require a pearl, available through the Academy by Winthrop or Dell, both members of the Academy, at 110 GP per pearl.

The large earthenware flagon and the seamless obsidian box both are more difficult to quantify and probably should be identified by the Company therefore.

[Dell]

The treasure will be split like this:

Raven, Winthrop, Al, Dell, Otto, Cedrus, Pavel, Diego, Jasper, Hugh, Adrienne: 10,000 GP

Mongo: 5,000 GP

Oaklock: 2,000 GP

Leaving 39 GP as... I dunno, maybe we donated it to Fharlanghn on the way to town or something.


Future plans - what are they? I think we need to head to Longspear while everyone is training - we can check on the Hall, talk to the Silent One about the Faceless One's amulet, write some scrolls and make some potions with the alchemist there. Then, after a month or two we meet up and head back into the mountains to go after these giants again.

(About the scrolls - Dell, Oaklock, Winthrop, and Cedrus are able to write scrolls. Cedrus should definitely write some Cure scrolls, since the thing we seem to run low on first is healing. What wizard spells do you think we need scrolls of? Are there any additional spells you think we need to buy?)

[Mr. Trommer]

I think we need to put some of the miscellaneous spells that we seldom memorize on scrolls for those times when needed and those higher level spells that Dell and Oaklock can't memorize. I don't recall how long it takes to do this stuff but I imagine just making the healing potions from the trolls blood we have will take a good chunk of time.

Comprehend Languages is one we need. I don't have the list of spells to look at to go over at the moment.

Will Oaklock be able to buy the spell books and all the ink needed to copy spells into it with 2,000 GP?

[Wolfgar]

So I gather we found Snookums while exploring the rest of the fortress. Did we take care of the manticores and collect the treasure from the secret chamber below? Is that where all of the potions came from? Did we figure out how the giants were able to escape?

[Dell]

For potions, the cost is the same as the XP value of the potion. The time is the XP value/100.

Now, as to the things we have ingredients for:

Delusion: (200 gp, 2 days)
Giant control: (400-900 gp, 4-9 days)
Giant Strength: (500-750 gp, 5-8 days)
Extra Healing (400 gp, 4 days)


The potion of delusion requires Doppleganger skin as an ingredient. Giant control requires a giant brain, Giant Strength requires giant's sweat. Extra healing requires troll blood.

For scrolls, it costs the level of the spell x 100 gp, and takes the spell level in days. This means Cedrus can make 4 cure light scrolls or 1 cure serious in the same amount of time, for the same cost.

[Mr. Trommer]

Winthrop found Snookums after rashly opening up a door and getting a painful greeting. Fortunately he was able to close the door and tell Cedrus we found the hungry bear. We did take care of the Manticores after two of them took care of Raven. Raven bravely said to the party "You stay here. I'll take care of this!" He did kill one before he quietly died facing the other two. He thought he could rely on the Protection from Normal Missiles. Which would have worked except that the other two closed to melee instead. The party did not react until there heard sounds of the manticores chewing on Raven's corpse.

The giants punched a hole into the treasure room and took everything there except a large checst with 10,000 GP. They also went back up stairs and cleaned out the stuff up there before leaving out the back door.

[Ginger]

dell said:

For scrolls, it costs the level of the spell x 100 gp, and takes the spell level in days. This means Cedrus can make 4 cure light scrolls or 1 cure serious in the same amount of time, for the same cost.

So for 100 GP we can make a scroll to give 8 HP in one round? That seems too good to be true.

[Dead Greyhawk]

arrowguy said:

dell said:

For scrolls, it costs the level of the spell x 100 gp, and takes the spell level in days. This means Cedrus can make 4 cure light scrolls or 1 cure serious in the same amount of time, for the same cost.

So for 100 GP we can make a scroll to give 8 HP in one round? That seems too good to be true.

It is too good to be true. The DMG states:

Transcription must be from his or her spell books or upon an altar (for clerics and druids). Special candles and incense must be burning while the inscription is in progress. Clerics must have prayed and specially sacrificed to their deity, while magic-users must
have drawn a magic circle and remain uninterrupted.

I read this passage as the only place that Cedrus can write a scroll is within a temple to Ehlonna. This is unlike a mage, who can write a scroll anywhere they like. Beyond that, Dell's time and cost calculations are roughly correct (he's not accounting for the cost of the paper, but that's pretty small.).

BTW, to set up an alchemist, assuming one is available, costs about 6000 GP for one year's available labor.

[Ginger]

So we need to make an upfront payment to an alchemist for a minimum contract of one year?

[Dell]

We can probably get the alchemist in Longspear to make us a couple of potions, but if we want more than that we'll need our own guy.

The great thing is, all of the wizards can make potions. So we can hire an alchemist, build him a lab, and leave Oaklock with him to crank out as many potions as we can make.

[Mr. Trommer]

Winthrop made those Cure Poison potions with the alchemist in Longspear. I expected to work with him to make the potions. I seem to remember the alchemist, Indom Falmuth saying that the Silent One didn't like him making potions but we did anyway.

Spells to get:

1st Level - Burning Hands, Feather Fall
2nd Level - ESP, Forget, Mirror Image
3rd Level - Gust of Wind
4th Level - Detect Scrying, Ice Storm, Improved Invisibility
5th Level - Cone of Cold, Wall of Iron

So is the Company going to hire and invest in an Alchemist?

[Dell]

As for spells, we should also consider Charm Monster (4th) and Hold Monster (5th). I like Feeblemind (5th) but no one will sell it to you. Conjure Elemental (5th) is pretty good. Winthrop wouldn't be able to fight, because he'd have to control the elemental... but a 16 HD elemental fighting for us would be quite an asset.

[Mr. Trommer]

We can probably get Feeblemind from Racoba when we track him down. That will be an excellent thing to do if we decide not to go on to destroy the heart of the humanoid problem. Racoba will have lots of nifty spells in his books.

[Dell]

winthrop said:

We can probably get Feeblemind from Racoba when we track him down.

As your leader, I have a list of priorities. The giants are first on that list.

[Mr. Trommer]

What exactly is your list of priorities? As Chairman of the Board I would like to know to make sure the Company is under prper management.

[Dell]

winthrop said:

What exactly is your list of priorities? As Chairman of the Board I would like to know to make sure the Company is under proper management.

In its crudest form, my priorities are thus:

1. Making lots of money.
2. Living long enough to spend that money.

In terms of risk/reward, the giants are our best bet. They've got a lot of treasure, they don't seem to have a lot of spellcasting power, and they make a very satisfying "thump" when they hit the ground.

Plus, they're easier to find than most of our other potential targets. SK is probably next on the list, but I figure that will be a more dangerous fight.

Rocoba is lower down than Dredd, actually. I mean, I personally have a grudge against him because he killed my master... but I don't let my personal feelings get in the way of company policy. If things were up to you, we'd be chasing your first level spells across the Pomarj still.

[Mr. Trommer]

Sure, those were some damn fine first level spells. Those were my first spell books gosh darn it. San will pay I tell you! Pay!! And dearly too. Hmm, maybe I should scrye for those books when I get that spell...might be worth a try I remember them well. No matter, the trail to Dred will lead to San...curse him. Oh where was, yes, yes, the priorities. We do have all those nice little red dots on that hide map that should allow us make a nice profit...and I'm sure one of them is Racoba...and this time we'll have the Nerullite painting so lots of easy cash opportunities there taht are better than running after our boat.

[Ginger]

Can we get a translation of the map? Now that we're on vacation our mages can cast Comprehend Languages and translate it for us.

[Wolfgar]

Shouldn't we report to General Greymouse or someone like that on our successful negotiations with the giants? I am sure they would want to see all of the documents we brought back. They might even produce a translated version for us.

[Dell]

arrowguy said:

Can we get a translation of the map? Now that we're on vacation our mages can cast Comprehend Languages and translate it for us.

That's not in my spellbook.

[Ginger]

If we cast combine, Cedrus and Hugh can ask 7 questions of every giant head. I think we should interrogate each head to get leads for 1) us to get more loot and 2) Greymouse to save his country. We can ask questions about each map point to see where to go. When we're done, we should probably pass the heads to the authorities so they can ask their own questions.

[Dead Greyhawk]

arrowguy said:

So we need to make an upfront payment to an alchemist for a minimum contract of one year?

If you wish to hire an alchemist to do work for you, you must either find one in business already (like in Longspear), or set one up in business. To set one up in business requires a) finding an alchemist, b) providing the alchemist with a laboratory, and c) hiring the alchemist for a minimum contract of one year. A conservative estimate of that cost is around 6,000 GP.

[Mr. Trommer]

My Comprehend Languages spell is in one of my books that San has. Curse him.

[Ginger]

Why do we want to buy Ice Storm? Isn't Wall of Ice better in every way?