Session 05 - Errands

5th of Marpenoth, 1371 DR
We returned to the “house” to find Jasper had a meal all prepared for us, but quite upset about our lack of a military-style password system. Seriously, if I had intended to join the military, I would have joined the garrison. Why the need to treat this like a military unit? I suppose it’s his background (which I finally got a change to review thanks to Sparrow), but it’s a little constrainin’ to the rest of us.

After eating, we took the wagon and went back to the Whisperin’ Cairn, collected the bandit bodies, and came back without incident. Finally got to sleep before dawn. We’re still all sleepin’ in the barracks until I get a chance to talk to Jasper about the disposition of the possessions of the former guild leaders.

6th of Marpenoth, 1371 DR
We dropped off the bandit bodies (and collected our bounty) at the garrison. Turns out, we only needed the heads. Hine volunteered to handle the decapitations in the future. That boy ain’t right. I heard a rumor while at the garrison. Someone said that Smenk’s right-hand man has turned up missin’ and that Smenk seems on edge. Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.

Sergeant Voss invited us all to the Spinning Giant for a celebration for us killing the bandits. It was a great time! When away from their snooty, Damaran officers, these soldiers are a lot of fun. Real salt-of-the-earth types. During the festivities, that sleezy deputy and a bunch of his cronies were hanging around outside the Spinning Giant. I had thought they were waiting for us to come out drunk and tired to rough us up, fine us, arrest us, or all of the above. Luckily, by the time the party was over, the deputy and his men had left.

7th of Marpenoth, 1371 DR
I brought all the rubbings from the Cairn to Allustan. I had forgotten how awkward conversations with Allustan can be. Anyway, he was very appreciative and was able to tell us quite a bit. He also identified that eight-pointed star badge we found on the bodies in the Cairn. He said that the symbol belonged to an adventurin’ company based out of Waterdeep called the Seekers.

Allustan decided to test my magical prowess by summoning a giant spider and having it attack me! I was able to kill the beast with several volleys of Magic Missiles, but it was pretty scary! I’m pleased that I can now fire off a pair of Missiles without even pushing myself anymore. I’ve also figured out how to shape the Magic Missile energy into armor like Carenthal does.

Not bad for a guy that was declared, “Not magically gifted.”

More importantly (to me, at least), Allustan told be about a mage in town named Theyin. Apparently, this Theyin has the same penchant for Magic Missiles that I do. So, I tracked him down at Lazare’s House, lost badly to him at dragon chess, and struck up a conversation. He told me, that if I want to follow his path, I need to make contact with the Censer of Symmetry. Of course, in order to get the Monks to allow me near the thing, I have to find them a source of kalamanthus root, which I apparently also have to use during my “meditations.”

I got Sparrow to help me track down a potential seller of kalamanthus root, but I think what the monks want is a supply they can harvest for free. So, I also talked to Eldron about places we could find the root. With any luck, after we’ve finished exploring the Whisperin’ Cairn, I can take some time to track down a “crop” of this root.

8th of Marpenoth, 1371 DR
My new hat finally arrived!

Came across some guy being hung. Kullen strung him up for not paying his debt. Sparrow cut him down and Hine gave him some money to pay his debt.

I can’t help but think that’s gonna come back to haunt us.

There were some of those strange monks (dedicated to Kelemvor) watchin’ the man die. When I tired to talk to ‘em, one of ‘em mumbled something about “this town is corrupt” and “don’t let the prophecy come true again.” I couldn’t get him to explain himself.

9th of Marpenoth, 1371 DR
Storn finally finished all his smithin’ yesterday. He managed to turn that pedestal of exotic metal (he’s named it Stornium) into a great falchion for himself, a pair of Dwarven waraxes for Eldron, some arrows for Hine, 300’ of chain, and three harpoon-like ballista bolts. Apparently, the metal is inherently magical, so we got that goin’ for us now.

So, we went back to the Whisperin’ Cairn and climbed the chain to the ledge above the blue lantern. Sparrow nearly killed herself when she fell off the chain, but we eventually got up there. The edge was actually a tunnel that led down to a carved face on the far wall. As soon as Sparrow got close to it, eyes and a mouth opened up, the hallway filled with glaring light, and a strong wind started blowing down the hall! Dolgun and Storn managed to get through the mouth into the next room (where there was no wind), but they found that the floor on the other side was just a 3’-wide beam! Storn fell off the beam into a bunch of iron spheres!

This can’t be good.