Boot logs

[Dracos]

[21:35] <Kotono> -------------
[21:37] <Kotono> "Damn it all!" Saul grouses over another mug of ale. It's not been a good day by SAul if his taproom behavior is any indication. He's favored long draughs of strong stuff, going from wine to ale. A bad mood just rolls off him as he comes over to Gavin.
[21:39] <SirGavin> "Long day, Saul?"  Gavin waved him over curiously, sitting a bit sorely after a week or so hard practice.
[21:41] <Kotono> "Miserable! By Waukeen..." Saul grouses very loudly, glowering over at Gavin. Waving his mug of ale about for emphasis. "Those boots - cursed!'
[21:42] <SirGavin> "Truly?  Then what was behind his extraordinary swiftness? ...and he was brave enough to ...well, actually, he didn't really face us."
[21:44] <Kotono> "It's also cursed with dark magic!" Saul's glower doesn't even budge. "Good riddance regardless."
[21:46] <SirGavin> "Wait...they were both cursed and responsible?  You've taken care of them?"  Gavin tried to make sense of his friend's swift words.
[21:46] <Kotono> "They're cursed - they grand godspeed but sap the very life from whomever is foolhardy enough to wear them." Snorting, Saul knocks back the rest of his drink.
[21:49] * SirGavin nods. "A fell curse... So we must destroy them?" Gavin mused. "We can't leave them behind."
[21:51] <Kotono> "I haven't decided yet," Saul says moodily, "But they're quite cursed."
[21:53] <SirGavin> "Strange thing for him to wear...  and worse, a waste of your time." He patted Saul gently on the shoulder.  "At least it was discovered before someone used them."
[21:54] <Kotono> "Thank Waukeen for that!" A sharp nod as his drink is tossed back, "What a discouragement."
[21:59] * SirGavin nods waving the bartender to get Saul another. "Indeed. But he's not a scourge anymore..." Gavin pondered a bit. "I wonder if we truly got all of what he had in his strongholds. It'd be pretty disasterous if his brother had made more such things."
[22:01] <Kotono> "Waukeen onlyknows. Slippery bastard." Another grunt, SAul radiating his fould mood out as he gets a drink brought over.
[22:02] <SirGavin> "Mmm, I'll check on that." Gavin rose, leaving the coin for the drinks. "Do you want to come?  The knights handling the interrogation should've gotten out if he had any more dangerous artifacts around."
[22:02] <Kotono> "Pass." Saul shakes his head. "Have other things to tend to."
[22:04] * SirGavin nods and heads out, heading to whom would be responsible for said files.
[22:07] <Kotono> It's getting late - waiting until morning can't be helped. But come morning GAvin arrives early. After unremarkable tangles of records and hunting, Gavin is directed to Sir Antioch. He reads in his study, a steaming mug of tea at his side as he works. "Hm? Gavin. Well met. Business or pleasure this morning?"
[22:09] <SirGavin> "Business, or rather, ensuring clean up.  I'm curious to what was found out from Jeras during his interrogation."
[22:15] <Kotono> "Oh, that mess." Anitoch puts aside his quill and rubs his eyes. Wearing only a tunic and chainmail vs heavier armor, he looks far less imposing and far more tired. "Since I was invovled, I've gotten to do all the clerical tieup. Ghastly boring business, but I'd be the knight to ask questions about it to."
[22:17] * SirGavin nods. "What was found out regarding the magic items his brother created? Saul mentioned some...worrisome things about the ones he'd examined."
[22:19] <Kotono> "Oh. That's thew orst part of it." Anitoch says something right after that is best not repeated. With a deep breath before he goes on, "It's much of the reason I've had a headache the last few days. The Mage's Guild and the Knights are in...by Orial. It's a petty squabble with the Crown getting dragged into the middle. The half finished mansion of Ankiroth is the chosen battleground, and it's gotten ugly."
[22:21] <SirGavin> "Gavin looked sympathetically at him, sitting down near him.  "The mage guild is battling for salvage or some sort?"
[22:22] <Kotono> "In essence. There's a gigantic, ugly quarrel over debts owed and magical claims. It's gotten so bad that King Leo's sent down a representative of the Crown to mediate."
[22:22] <SirGavin> "He went into debt to built the house?  What bureaucratic trash.  I'm sorry that's gotten heaped upon you."
[22:23] <Kotono> "Claims from the Mages combined with...but enough of that." Shaking his head before he firmly pushes his papers away, "To your business, since I need a break. What is it you enquire?"
[22:29] <SirGavin> "My friend, Saul, was examining what we recovered and he came to the conclusion that Jeras's speed was a result of cursed boots..now, while this is disturbing, more disturbing was the thought that more of these kinds of creations could be out on the street in jeras' hideaways, both providing a danger if found or used to organize any remaining fragments of his thieves."
[22:33] <Kotono> "Bothersome, yes. We've only recovered a scant handful of anything magical in our raids after the fact. Let's see..." Rustling around in his papers, "A few magical draught potions, a minor enchanted pirate's swor-oh, scimitar. Excuse me. Some spell ingredients...mmm. Nothing particularly notable, even if the mage we've contacted for this is charging more than enough."
[22:33] <Kotono> (More)
[22:33] <Kotono> Putting the paper down, "Nothing cursed that we're aware of. If there are more pieces, they're either well hidden or lost to the winds already."
[22:34] <SirGavin> "Hmm, that's odd...  What about what Jeras said in his interrogations?  Reveal anything?" Gavin pondered.
[22:35] <Kotono> "Little. Mmmm..hold on again." Scrambling into his papers, he passes over a small set of scrolls. "Read the notes if you want - the HIgh Clerist had his words recorded, just in case."
[22:37] * SirGavin nods appreciatively, taking them and sitting to read them, pondering aloud "If the only thing cursed were the boots...it's strange. Why construct magic boots in a partnership only to ensure that your partner will eventually fail...betrayal is one thing, but there'd be no profit in it and they seemed driven by such."
[22:38] <Kotono> "As I recall...sibling rivalry of some sort?" Anitoch ventures as Gavin reads the scrolls. (More)
[22:39] <Kotono> Most of it is fairly dry. Jeras confessed to many of his 'locations' - with notes after noting successful raids of each. He cooperated somewhat once held, albiet with a priest of Orial's magic helping to distinguish lies. Mentions of magic tend to stay towards his brother. To quote Jeras 'A soul 'ucking sonuvabitch'."
[22:41] <SirGavin> "Truly...does it go so fierce?" Gavin asked with the naivety customary of any lone son of a family.  "To arrange for their own deaths?"
[22:55] <Kotono> "This is not a normal family - but I must admit this is severe venom." Leaning back in his seat, "Not a good word to say for him."
[22:58] <SirGavin> "Jeras' brother obviously had a back up plan for escaping if his brother was caught... and clearly no love was lost between the two." Gavin folded up the sheets.  "But it seems odd to do that still.  Why risk ruining a valuable thieves guild funneling money into your pockets?   Perhaps a contingency..." Gavin puzzled.
[22:59] <Kotono> "The fact do not make sense." Agreement comes without hesitation. "Perhaps Ankiroth or Jeras were using one or another, or both. As if this is only part of a greater whole, but I cannot see it all."
[23:02] <SirGavin> Gavin handed back the scrolls.  "We know Jeras was getting his magic from Ankiroth.  It helped make his group the strongest and thus gave him the power to really forge a strong thieves guild, even under our noses.  We know Ankiroth was getting gold and stolen goods out of it, to fund his excessive lifestyle.  mmm, I can't make sense of it.  A contingency type effect...or poison would make sense.  A way to prevent his brother from turning on h(more)
[23:03] <SirGavin> im, but the any betrayal would likely still go off with any delayed event."
[23:08] <Kotono> "It doesn't play," Anitoch murmurs to himself. "I still feel we're missing a piece or two."
[23:13] <Kotono> "Ask a mage." A light shrug from Anitoch, "I presume not to know what insanities mages are capable of, nor their inner workings."
[23:15] <SirGavin> "True, mm...do we know of any that would be good to ask?  I think it would...frustrate Saul greatly if I asked him directly."
[23:17] <Kotono> "Mmmm. Yes, yes. There are a few on a loose retainer in exchange for services." Scribbing on a scrap of paper, Anitoch passes over a small bit of paper with directions. "Byront Crankleson - he earns his coin by doing services for us on occasion."
[23:20] * SirGavin nods. "A fair thought. Thanks, I think I'll follow up on this."
[23:20] * SirGavin rises, waiting a second before he would leave.
[23:21] <Kotono> "I wish you well, Gavin - but bring coin of your own. Knight or not, he demands pay ment first. Wise if bothersome." Anitoch rises to clasp your hands, "Also, congratulations on your recent promotion."
[23:22] * SirGavin shakes Anitoch's hand. "Thank you, Sir Anitoch."
[23:23] * SirGavin heads out, following the instructions and heading to the mage's dwelling.
[23:25] <Kotono> It's a small set of apartments in the Mage's Quarter. The smell of old roses and dung rankles in the air - the mage in question is robed and beared, old and wise. He sits at a cloth covered table, reading a great book of arcana and peering into a crystal ball. "Aye...knight businesS?"
[23:26] <SirGavin> "Close enough.  Mr. Crankleson, I presume?"  Gavin asked first, before bothering the man further.
[23:30] <Kotono> "Yes. Get on with it - I don't have all day, knight." He only gives you the barest look as he reads his text, lost in it's words.
[23:32] <SirGavin> Gavin nodded. "I was seeking an answer of expertise regarding the identification of magic items.  Is it possible for a mage to be wrong with such magics?"
[23:34] <Kotono> "Hmm? Is it possible for a gem cutter to make a slip of the hand and shatter a priceless ruby?" Peering with squinty eyes at Sir Gavin, "It can happen on occasion if the mage is not worthy."
[23:34] <SirGavin> "How would one tell in such a case?"
[23:35] <Kotono> "Get another mage to repeat the magical process. While one will make the same mistakes, another will not, Gods willing. That will be 200 Griffons, if your inquiries will lead to that question."
[23:35] * SirGavin nods. "I'll be back with the item then and 200 griffons."
[23:36] * SirGavin turns and heads out to retrieve...the boots.
[23:37] <Kotono> OOC - Want to skip ahead to the results?
[23:37] <SirGavin> OOC: Sure.
[23:45] <Kotono> roll 1d100
[23:45] * Serith bats the dice around, getting a roll for Kotono : [ 1d100=66 ]{66}
[23:46] <Kotono> OOC - Before anything else, note the 200 Griffons cost.
[23:46] <SirGavin> OOC: Cost deducted from loot
[23:51] <Kotono> Coming back with the boots a little time later and passing them to Gavin, "Curse? There is no curse that I can fathom on these. Whomever made them made them skillfully and with fell magic."
[23:51] <SirGavin> "What do they do?"
[23:58] <Kotono> "They greatly speed your movements to begin with - a man could move as fast as a gale with these!  Great haste indeed, they would be apt on the feet of a good, stealthy scout or rogue."
[00:00] <SirGavin> "And no cruel side effects?"
[00:03] <Kotono> "The magic is firm - this is potent magic, but not cursed." Snorting, "Your first mage clearly needs more time in his books."
[00:04] * SirGavin nods, taking them and heading back to Saul.

[Carthrat]

[22:42] * @Saul sits in his room, studying away at another tome in a langauge that he's not quite sure of, yet.
[22:42] * @SirGavin knocks at Saul's door, having been gone since their discussion the other day.
[22:42] <@Saul> "It's open!" replies Saul, not glancing up just yet.
[22:43] * @SirGavin opens it and heads in, noticing Saul reading, he waits a moment for him to finish what he's doing.
[22:44] <@Saul> "Oh, hi, Gavin," says Saul, closing his book and turning around, looking remarkably well, given that he reputedly spent the last night drinking away. "Still on general leave, I see."
[22:45] <@SirGavin> "Just for a bit.  Anyhow, did a followup on the boots...as I mentioned, they didn't quite make sense.  So I consulted some additional expertise which indicated that they were not cursed at all, but that your spell had gone awry."
[22:47] <@Saul> "Possible, though unlikely," replies Saul, shrugging. "An awry spell is more likely to merely give no result. It's a literal one in a hundred chance for it to break."
[22:48] <@Saul> "Still, stranger things have happened. Even if I checked again, I'd just get the same thing I did last time. It'd be safest to get a third opinion.. but costly, unfortunately."
[22:48] <@SirGavin> "Yes, but of the two readings, one doesn't make sense.  It doesn't profit Jeras' brother to degrade his own pet thieves guild and none of his other made items were remotely done in this fashion."
[22:49] <@Saul> "That mage wasn't exactly of the soundest mind," replies Saul, dryly. "But as you say."
[22:50] <@SirGavin> "Hmm..." Gavin shrugged.  "Up to you here.  You're right it would be, but I'm more inclined to go with the logical answer.  Jeras wearing uncursed boots to ensure that he remains in control of the thieves, and thus continues to funnel money into his brother's wealth."
[22:52] <@Saul> "I don't really want to spend more on them," replies Saul, shrugging. "But I wouldn't be wearing them, most likely, so it's not my decision to make. It's a conceit to put more faith into my reading than the other, and if we go the logical route.."
[22:54] * @SirGavin nods. "Anyhow...I need to get back. I'll leave you to your readings. They going well?"
[22:55] <@Saul> "Obviously not well enough, if I'm making mistakes like that," mutters Saul.
[22:55] * @SirGavin nods, not having anything to that as he gets up. "Accidents happen even to the skilled..."
[22:56] * @SirGavin heads out
[22:56] <@Saul> "They shouldn't to me, dammit!" swears Saul, pounding a fist on the table.