In our last session, for which Sadun and Balazar were absent, the party met the half-orc Cassian. Cassian is the last survivor of the last group of champions to challenge the beholders. The group set off for a town with wizards Maximiliano had heard about, and along the way were attacked by a Seeker beholder hunting Max, as well as three smaller beholders which appeared to be of a different beholder faction to that of the Seeker. After the beholders were dispatched, Max attempted to grow a beholder in his shoulder void, which went as disastrously as it sounds, and now the goblin has a skeletal leg that may or may not be under the control of the beholder overlord.
We pick up as Sadun and Balazar arrive on the scene and find Max hogtied on the ground while other party members shove things in his shoulder void for fun.
Sadun and Balazar walk up to a scene of battle. There are craters in the dirt surrounding the road, and several trees are charred with the marks of fire. One burned tree has cracked in two and fallen over towards the road. Talna is comforting Biscuit the horse to one side while Elle and Cass stand over the hogtied Maximiliano. Fei stands apart, observing the group. Everyone is covered in dust, and looks tired and tense.
"I didn't do it!" Elle says, as the dragonborn arrive.
"So..." Sadun begins.
"I didn't tie him up!" Elle clarifies.
"This is what happens when I oversleep?" Sadun finishes.
"He grew half a beholder in his body," Talna explains, glaring at Max.
"It was for science!" Max squeaks.
"It was witchcraft," Elle says.
"We touched a coin to his forehead and learned that doing so teleports you somewhere," Talna continues. "And then he ended up with a skeleton leg."
"I see that," Sadun says.
"I don't know what happened here, but I'm sorry I missed it. It looks like it was very entertaining," Balazar says.
"We found a half-orc," Talna says, indicating Cass. "Elle is obsessed with him."
"He's my bodyguard that tied me up for some reason!" Max says.
"Do you have any chain on you?" Cass asks.
"No," Sadun says. "The gods took everything from us."
"Maybe the goblin has some," Cass mutters, rummaging in Max's pack.
"If you go through that it will kill you!" Max says, straining to see what's going on.
Cass pulls out a petrified mouse. "I didn't expect to find this..." He takes one of Max's gold coins. "This will be your bodyguard fee..."
"So can you untie me if I'm paying you?" Max shouts, as Cass wanders away.
Fei walks up and takes the mouse, and begins fidgeting with it. The tail snaps in short order.
"What was that noise?" Max asks, unable to see.
Fei hands the broken mouse to Elle, but as she does the tail presses against the rest of the mouse and seems to magically repair itself. Fascinated, Elle snaps the tail off again, and presses it back on, connecting it again. Elle puts the mouse in her pouch.
"Can I have my mouse back?" Max asks.
"Sure," Elle says, finding a rock of about the same weight and putting it in Max's pouch. "I'm putting it back. Right now."
Cass returns to Max holding a stick, which he shoves into Max's shoulder void. With some effort, he pulls the stick back out. The end of the stick now glows with a dim radiance. Cass begins poking Max with the glowing stick.
"What kind of bodyguard are you?" Max demands.
"Can anyone tell me what this is?" Cass asks, turning to the rest of the group.
"I can!" Elle says. She takes the stick and turns to Talna. "What is this?"
"I'm not sure," Talna says, peering at the glowing stick.
"Let me see!" Max says. Elle pokes him in the face with the stick. "Not so close I can't see anything!"
Fei takes the stick from Elle, and observes it. "It appears to have been enchanted with the Shillelagh spell."
"So the void made it magical?" Talna asks.
"I told you I was special!" Max says.
Elle retrieves the stick and tucks it into her pack.
"I'm not sure I caught your name," Fei says to Cass.
"I'm Cassian Caldoras, I am a survivor of Party A who challenged the beholders, now with Party B, I guess."
"I am Fei," Fei says.
"My apologies for not introducing myself," Sadun says, "I am Sadun, and this is Balazar. I assume you have met the rest of our group?"
"I am curious," Fei says, "If you survived, and we know there were more groups who challenged the beholders before you, maybe there are other surviving warriors out there."
"I barely escaped with my life," Cass says.
"We could build an army of adventurers," Sadun says, pondering the situation.
"We could build an army of beholders," Max says, interrupting.
"Stop with the beholders," Talna says.
"I believe the problem is that there already is an army of beholders," Sadun points out. "That'w what we're here to stop."
Cass picks up another stick and shoves it into Max's void. This time, Max is able to use the stick to break his bindings, and Elle begins chasing him around the area trying to grab the stick from his shoulder.
"So as interesting as all of this is," Sadun says doubtfully, "why are we traveling on this road? Friend Barten only told us your direction when we left, he did not say why we were traveling this way."
"We are going to the third town along the road where we heard some wizards live, in hopes they can tell us where the beholders are," Talna explains. "The wizards may also know where to find magical weapons to help us fight the beholders."
"That makes sense," Sadun says.
Elle manages to grab the stick from Max's void at this point. The stick emerges on fire.
"What if we put the already burning stick back in your void?" Talna suggests, distracted.
"No," Max says.
"We should probably keep moving," Sadun suggests.
"What if we ask the wizards about this?" Max asks.
"Yeah, wizards like to research things," Talna points out.
"Oh, never mind," Max says.
"Maybe we should cover up that skeletal leg," Cass says. "People might be... unnerved by it."
"No, I don't want to," Max says petulantly.
"I have a feeling we are all going to die," Fei says, resigned.
Finally, the group walks on.
----------------------------
After walking for a few hours, the group crests a hill and sees a large city ahead of them. The city is surrounded by two walls, and in the center a bell tower rises above the houses much like the last town. Offset from the center is a large castle, enclosed within the city walls like a last line of defense. The castle also has a bell tower rising up in the center above its parapets.
"City," Fei says, pointing to it.
"Thanks?" Max says.
The group approaches a large gate set in the wall along the path of the road. Four people in armor stand guard outside the gate. Over the gate is an old and faded sign reading "The City of Rebellion".
Elle approaches the gates while Sadun and Cass discuss whether they might find other former champions in the city.
"Champion," one of the guards says to Elle, overhearing Sadun and Cass's conversation. The guard salutes casually, and they allow Elle through the gate. The second gate beyond remains shut, but the group follows along nevertheless. The guards seem happy enough to see a new group of champions.
The group stands in front of the closed gate while the initial gate closes behind them. After waiting for about five minutes, an anti-magic wave passes over the group,
"A defense against the beholders," Cass explains. "The anti magic wave disables them long enough for the people to run to safety. The remaining large cities have this sort of defense."
"My shoulder hole tingles," Max says.
A chime sounds, and the inner gate opens. As the party enters the city proper, the city folk pause in their daily tasks and turn to look at the newcomers.
"Hail and well met!" Sadun says, raising a hand.
"They're here!" a cry goes up. "Yeah, another group of champions!" The crowd begins to cheer and applaud.
Talna hides behind Sadun, very uncomfortable at the attention. Sadun's smile freezes, and she shuffles forward a bit as the crowd parts. Elle scampers onto Sadun's shoulder. Meanwhile, Max strides forward with pride, meeting the crowd's cheers with a happy grin. Cass walks next to Max, attempting to casually hide the goblin's skeletal leg from view. Balazar trails behind, looking for signs of alcohol.
"Could you direct us to the market place?" Sadun asks a nearby person.
"Certainly Champion! Just follow the road to the center of town!" The person says happily. "All the shops you could like are there."
"Thank you citizen," Sadun says. "Please go about your day?"
"No problem Champion!"
The group makes their way through the cheering throng. Flowers are thrown at their feet, and one townsfolk tosses gold coins. Elle leaps from Sadun's shoulder, hopping off Cass and Max to grab the coins before anyone else can.
The center of town has a wide variety of shops, and trade is bustling.
"We're getting you new pants," Talna says, as Max begins running to a fancy looking clothing shops. Balazar sets off after the goblin.
"Can I have some money for general goods?" Sadun asks, "the gods took my gold."
Talna hands Sadun ten gold coins, and Sadun and Elle walk towards a general store.
Cass walks towards the weapon shop, while Fei stands bewildered in the center of town before heading after Sadun.
-------------------------
At the weapon shop, Cass walks up to the counter. "Do you have warhammers? Mine broke," he asks, sadly holding the head of his previous hammer.
"That depends," the shopkeeper says, "what kind of material are you looking for? We have iron warhammers, or steel, we have one made of a silver alloy and even decorative pieces plated in gold! There are also some magical items, if that strikes your fancy."
"Well, I'm looking to kill some beholders, so what works best for that?"
"Oh, are you a champion?"
"Yes, I am."
"So, another group finally arrived. The last ones didn't last too long."
"I know," Cass says, looking down. "My party died. I need to get stronger." He looks up again. "So tell me what you have."
"Magical or nonmagical?" the shopkeeper asks, ignoring Cass's discomfort.
"Magical would be nice," Cass says.
"For a good price of one thousand five hundred gold, I can sell you this mace, it is enchanted to deliver maximum force for minimum effort!"
"I saw that price coming," Cass mutters. "Do you have any chains?"
"That's not a hammer sir, but we do!" the shopkeeper plunks down fifteen feet of chain on the counter.
"How much for the chain?"
"Free sir."
"Free?"
"You are a champion," the shopkeeper says. "You deserve the best in order to succeed."
Cass holds up the head of his old warhammer. "Can you attach this to the end of the chain?"
"Why would you want to do that? That is absurd."
"So is hunting beholders," Cass says dryly.
"Very well sir!" the shopkeeper heats up the chain and the hammerhead, and once they are heated he wraps the chain around the hammer head and begins to forge them together.
-------------------------
Max walks up to the counter of the clothing store, ignoring the displays of fine clothing on racks throughout the shop. "Hat hat hat hat hat hat hat," the goblin chants.
"Hello sir!" says the storeowner. "Are you looking for a hat?"
"Yes!" Max says.
"He needs pants!" Talna calls from the store entrance.
"I need hat!" Max declares.
"Well you are the customer sir," the storeowner says, and pulls out a large box from the side of the counter. "He wants a hat! We have trilby, bowler hats, top hats, cowboy hats, hat hats, feather hats, we have a hat on top of a hat! What sort of hat would you like?"
"I want a swashbuckler hat," Max says, a little overwhelmed by the storeowner's enthusiasm.
"A swashbuckler hat, why sure sir!" The storeowner puts the hats back in the box, and replaces it with another box from under the counter. The second box sloshes as he pulls it out. Opening the box, the man pulls a hat out of the water inside the box. "Here is a swashbuckler hat sir!"
"Wait, what?" Talna says.
"Perfect!" Max says.
"For you sir," the man says, then looks closer at the goblin. "I don't think I've seen you around, where are you from?"
"We were brought here to fight beholders and the like," Max says offhandedly.
"Oh, so you're the champions in town!"
"Yes."
"For you sir, this hat is free!" the storeowner says brightly.
"Can't beat that deal!" Max says excitedly, taking the hat from the man and putting it on. The hat begins dripping water down Max's neck. His skin begins to feel smoother, and when he takes a breath, he breathes in the sea. "Ah, happiness," the goblin says at the scent of the ocean. "Can I get a magic coat? And pants," he adds the last, glaring at Talna.
"Why certainly sir!" The storekeeper pulls a pirate coat and boots from the water.
"How much is that?" Max asks.
"The hat is free, for the rest, about fifteen gold should cover it!"
"Because I'm a champion risking my life, could I have it for less?"
"Certainly sir, you are missing an arm so I can see you'll need all the help you can get! Just six gold for you sir."
Max pulls the boots, which are knee high, and puts on the long overcoat. He is immediately soaked in seawater. "Ah, just like home."
Talna shakes her head in exasperation and leaves the store.
Balazar walks up to Max, looks him over, and pulls the feather out of the swashbuckler hat. Then the dragonborn walks out of the store.
"Oh that's very tragic sir!" the storeowner says, "for another gold I can fix that!"
"Yes please!" Max says, handing over a gold coin and the hat. "The feather makes the whole outfit!"
The storeowner pulls out another box full of sand, pulls a feather out and shoves the feather in Max's hat. "Sand, just like by the sea!" the man says.
"Money well spent," Max concludes, leaving the store.
--------------------------
Sadun and Elle walk into the general store. Racks of adventuring gear line the walls, and bins of assorted equipment are organized into rough isles. A bored looking clerk sits at a desk in the middle of the room.
"Hello sir," the woman says in a dull voice.
"Do you have any lanterns?" Sadun asks. "I was going to get torches, but a lantern is reusable..."
"Over there," the clerk says in a bored voice, gesturing to a wall covered in lanterns.
"Perfect. A tinderbox? Maybe a shovel? We have to bury things a lot,"" Sadun says, thinking.
"Shovels are below the lanterns, tinderboxes are on the house," the woman says, lazily handing a tinderbox produced from beneath the desk over to Elle.
"Thank you," Elle says, slightly bewildered. "You look down, is there something wrong?"
"Well, the new champions are here, so it's another 'oh, get your hopes up oh they're dead, what a shame' situation," the woman says dully.
"I can see how that would wear you down," Elle says hesitantly. She hands the woman a flower that was thrown at them earlier.
"Thank you," the woman says in a disinterested voice.
"Is there a place for picking up odd jobs in town?" Elle asks.
"You can go to the big bell, that's where people go for that sort of thing."
"We'll head there next," Sadun says.
"How much for the equipment?" Elle asks.
"I've never seen you around here before," the clerk says, "so you must be the champions, and the boss says champions deserve the best, give them what they want."
"Oh, it's free!" Elle says. "High five!"
"Glorious days," the clerk says in the same tone of disinterest she has had the entire time.
"Can we have some rope too?" Sadun asks.
The woman points to a wheel of rope. "Just make a cut where you want."
"How much for this rope?" Sadun asks, as she and Elle cut off a hundred fifty feet.
"Champions deserve the best, so give them what they want."
"Alright," Sadun says.
Fei starts pulling more rope off to make nets. She takes all the rope and leaves the shop.
"Can I have a fishing pole?" Elle asks. The clerk points to another part of the shop without looking up.
"I feel a little bad taking stuff for nothing," Elle says.
"This is usually how it happens," the clerk says. "The old man wants to make money but just gives stuff away..."
Elle puts five gold on the counter. "Thank you!"
"Thank you," the clerk says dryly, "fantastic, we're saved." She drops the coins in a drawer.
"What's your name?" Elle asks.
"My name's Mary," the woman says.
"Mary, my name is Elle. If we don't die I'll come back and pay for everything," Elle promises. "So turn that frown upside down!"
"Hooray," the clerk says. She pulls a clicker from her pocket and clicks it up. "Fantastic."
"What was that clicker?" Elle asks.
"Nothing," the woman says.
"Tell me," Elle insists.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"It's every champion who has told me that," the woman explains.
"How many champions?" Elle asks, then grabs the clicker from her hand. The number on the clicker reads 53. Elle hands it back, disturbed.
Sadun and Elle leave the shop.
-------------------------
"Here you go sir!" the smith says, handing cash his hammerhead on a chain.
"Thank you!" Cass says, putting his new weapon away. "Do you have metal gauntlets perhaps?"
"Certainly sir, what material would you like? Bronze, silver, iron, copper?"
"I'd like something that will do some damage," Cass says.
"Damage? I have just the thing for you!" the smith goes into a back room and emerges with a pair of iron gauntlets with large spikes protruding from the backs.
"How much?" Cass asks.
"You look like a champion sir, so I will give them to you for two gold!"
"It's yours," Cass says, handing the money over and taking the gauntlets.
Balazar walks in, and sees Cass admiring his new gauntlets.
The smith looks at the dragonborn and calls out "Ah, welcome, what are you looking for?"
"I need bolts for my heavy crossbow," Balazar says.
"Bolts? Sure!" The smith pulls out a large bundle of twenty bolts. "Here you go sir!"
"Thanks," Balazar says, taking the bolts and putting them in his quiver.
"Ah, champion I see, I'm glad you've gotten used to the world!" the smith says.
"Yes," Balazar says, his eyes darting back and forth. "That's it. I got used to it. That is what is going on. If champions get deals, how much would it be if I traded in my chainmail for a suit of plate armor?"
"Oh, I could get something out of this," the smith says happily. "The plate is free in exchange for your chainmail!"
Balazar smiles and plops his armor on the counter and begins putting on the plate mail.
Sadun, Talna and Elle walk in behind Balazar.
"Could I turn in my armor for a discount on plate mail? Talna asks.
"I could take some money off, so it would be 550 gold!" The smith says.
"Can we get discounts for being champions?" Elle asks.
"These two already got all my discounts!" the smith says happily, pointing to Balazar and Cass.
"Could I have some throwing daggers?" Elle asks.
"We don't have throwing daggers per se, but we do have these," the smith puts down a box of oddly shaped daggers. "These are my rejects."
"Can I have them?" Elle asks.
"They are a silver each."
Cass tosses the man a gold coin. "She can have as many as she wants." Elle takes them all.
"Where can I find brewer supplies and an alehouse?" Balazar asks.
"The brewers supplies would be that shop over there, and we have a very nice tavern closer to the castle, on the left you can't miss it!" the smith explains.
"Alright, I'm off!" Balazar says.
"Wait!" Max says, coming in the door and dripping seawater. "I want to go there next!"
"I'm leaving now, so let's go!" Balazar says.
"I need to get something quickly!" Max says, walking up to the counter. "How much would a set of studded leather be?"
"For you sir? 35 gold."
"What if I trade in my old leather armor? You just need to put in the studs!"
"Your leather is soaked in seawater sir, it would be very hard to work with! I'm sorry!"
"Alright, fine!" Max says, stealing a short sword on his way out of the shop.
------------------------------
Fei walks into a nearby herbalism shop. And elderly lady peers at her over a desk covered in jars. "Hello, young lady," the woman greets Fei. "What are you looking for?"
"Do you have anything for sale?" Fei asks.
"Well," the woman says, looking at a wall of potions behind her and the shelves of plants and herbs lining the shop. "We might have some things for sale."
"Do you have any potions available?"
"Yes."
"What do they do?"
"Well," the woman says, and begins pointing at bottles. "This is resistance to fire, this one helps resist poison, this one resists frost, this one is healing, super healing, a potion of strength, and a potion of blindness." She pauses after the last bottle. "I made that one by accident."
"Does it resist blindness?" Fei asks.
"No, it makes you blind."
"How much for the blindness potion?"
"I don't want it, so let's say five silver?" the woman says.
Fei hands over a gold coin, and receives change.
"Just know they have to ingest it for the blindness to affect them," the woman warns.
"How much for your healing potions?"
"The regular potions are 25 gold each."
"I'll take one," Fei says, handing over the money. She turns to leave.
"Thank you for a good transaction, have a good day!" the woman calls after the druid. "Thank you for taking the blindness potion, I won't make that mistake again!"
"Depending on how well I put it to use, I may return for more later!" Fei calls back.
------------------------
The group convenes in the town square, in the center of the shopping district. Balazar immediately begins walking in the direction of the tavern, Max close on his heels, and the rest of the group follows. As they walk a group of city guards approaches them, blocking their path forward.
"Are you the champions?" one of the guards asks.
"That depends on who's asking," Elle says cautiously, as Talna steps behind Sadun again.
"I don't have time for this," Balazar says, moving to push past the guards.
"Yes, we are the champions!" Cass says with determination.
"Then the king would like to speak with you!" the guard declares, not allowing Balazar past. "It is tradition that the king speak with the champions. Come this way please!"
The group does not move.
"I'm busy," Balazar declares again, beginning to move towards the tavern again.
"The king wants to speak with the new champions and give them handsome gifts and rewards," the guard offers. "To help fight the beholder menace!"
"Wait, what?" Belazar turns around. "Lead the way then!"
"Can I speak to the town wizard?" Max asks.
The guard looks uncomfortable. "We do have wizards, but they are not the best..."
"I don't like kings," Elle whispers to Sadun from the dragonborn's shoulder as the group follows the guards towards the castle proper. Max, Cass and Balazar lead the way, with Fei walking in the middle, and Sadun towards the back. Talna continues to attempt to hide behind Sadun's figure.
The guards lead the group through the castle gates, through several grandly decorated hallways, and into a large room. The king sits on the throne at the back of the room.
"Welcome to my city!" the king says, as the adventurers enter the room. He gestures broadly, encompassing the entire room. Guards line the balcony above, armed with bows, while other guards stand watch around the room, in front of ornate pillars. Talna and Fei sense the anti-magic field the group experienced at the city's second gate sweep through the room.
"It is good to see champions again, it has been awhile," the king continues, descending from the throne majestically.
"You were going to give me a flaming sword according to the guard," Balazar says.
The king pauses, momentarily confused. "No, but we do have something better for you!" he declares, recovering. "Servants!" the king claps his hands, and servants enter the room, each bearing a covered platter, and move to stand one in front of each adventurer. "I would like to give you magical items to help in your quest," the king says, as the servants uncover the platters to reveal a ring for each member of the party. Each ring is engraved with words, and each has a different gem set in it. "These rings are enchanted such that the beholders will be unable to find you, and thus you will not meet the same demise as the last group," the king explains, adding under his breath "the last group to whom I forgot to give these..." In a louder voice he continues "I am more than happy to give you these magic rings, for if you succeed and defeat the beholder threat, this town will be able to grow into the land of prosperity I dream it could one day be!" His voice conveys pride in what his kingdom has already become.
Balazar grabs the ring in from of him, bearing a ruby, and slips it on his finger. He feels a warm glow of magic suffuse his body. Cass follows suit, grabbing the emerald ring in front of him and putting it on. Elle picks up the sapphire ring, while Talna picks up the amethyst. Elle begins braiding the ring into her hair, while Talna examines her ring closely.
The king looks at Elle braiding the ring into her hair. "That's not how it works," he says hesitantly.
"It looks better like this," Elle says, keeping the mistrust from her voice.
Talna's examination reveals that there is an enchantment on her ring to protect from creatures of a beholder nature. On closer inspection, she determines a second spell lies upon the ring underneath the beholder deterrence, enchanting the ring to increase the damage dealt to her by normal weapons.
"I don't think I'll accept this ring," Talna says, putting it back on the platter.
"Can I have it?" Max asks.
"Sure," the king says, handing the ring to Max.
"Can I have mine too?" Max asks.
"Why would you need two rings of beholder protection?"
"I just do."
"No, this one is for your friend now, if she chooses to take it."
"Ok," Max says, "I understand." He pockets Talna's ring. The goblin looks at Talna and mouths "could you take that one for me?"
Talna sighs. "I'll take a ring after all," she says, accepting the ring that had been in front of Max.
"Is it impolite to ask for a different gift?" Fei asks mildly. "Do you have any resources that are more natural?"
"Natural? Servants!" A servant brings the king a thick book, which the king begins to flip through. "You're making this difficult, this is a very industrial area. Ah!" He pauses on a page, then reaches into the book, and pulls out a strange device. "This is perhaps more natural than the rings, it was found in the ground. We don't know who made it or what it does. It has a nice ticking noise, and it is said to bring luck to whomever wears it. This is about as close to natural as I have." The king hands Fei a brass clock-like device. One hand ticks back and forth, between the 20, the 0 and the 1 at the top of the watch face, never going in a full circle. The other is stuck at the 10 position.
"I will accept it," Fei says, and begins fidgeting with the clock-hands. She attempts to force the unmoving hand, and manages to move it to the 14. She feels her own magic flowing into the watch, but the hand stops at the 14. "I think I broke it," Fei says.
"That's never happened before," the king says. He turns to Sadun. "Would you like your ring, or would you like something else?" he asks.
"I appreciate the gifts, but perhaps you should save my reward for once we achieve our task," Sadun replies.
"Ah, a woman with honor," the king says. "It's been awhile since we met an honorable champion. The last group did not have many." He claps his hands, and the servant in front of Sadun covers the ring and walks out of the room. "If that is what you would like, you shall have what you deserve."
"I have every confidence that we shall achieve this destiny," Sadun said. "But until then, I thank you for your support."
"Thank you all for coming and partaking in my pleasantries," the king says to the group. "We have complimentary rooms available, upstairs to the right. Food is available downstairs."
"What about booze?" Balazar asks.
"Upstairs, to the left."
Balazar runs up the stairs.
Cass pulls Talna aside as the group walks towards the staircase. "Why did you not put on the ring?" he whispers.
"Meet me in my room," Talna whispers back. "All of you. Bring your booze Balazar! Group meeting!" she calls after Balazar.
-------------------------
Upon entering the room Talna has chosen for herself, Talna examines the room. It appears ordinary, no listening devices are obvious, with an empty wardrobe and a comfortable bed. A table and chairs sit in the middle of the room. Talna feels intensely uncomfortable with the relatively rich furnishings.
The rest of the party files in behind her, Balazar bringing up the rear holding two waterskins and a large tankard full of the castle's best ale. Talna sits down at the table and pulls out her ring.
"I studied the enchantments on this carefully. One enchantment certainly should do as the king says, protecting us from the gaze of beholders. But there is a second enchantment on it, which would make the wearer more vulnerable to certain weapons. And the protection is from scrying from more than 60 feet away."
"Will we fight more than beholders here?" Cass asks.
"Fey, beasts, bandits," Fei says glumly.
"Hellsteeth," Cass swears, pulling at his ring. The ring refuses to leave his finger.
Balazar pulls out his sword. "I'll help cut the ring off your finger," he offers.
Talna examines Cass's ring, and determines that a Remove Curse spell should allow the ring to be removed, but there may also be an odd reaction. She says this.
"Let's do it anyway," Cass says.
"Can I hold your ring while you cast the spell?" Max asks.
Talna glares at the goblin, and hands her ring to Elle for safekeeping.
Talna takes a deep breath, presses her fingers against Cass's hand, and casts her spell. Cass feels the ring loosen, and begins to slip it off his finger. As the ring leaves the half-orc's finger, the gem begins to shine, and then the ring shatters, the metal shards sticking into Cass's fingers. Cass gasps in surprise.
"The magic is still there, but it is different than before. The protection from beholders is gone though.." Talna says.
Elle attempts to remove one of the metal shards with a pair of tweezers from her healing kit. The shard moves away from the tweezers as she tries to grab it, but Elle is able to grasp hold of it and pulls. Elle loses her grip, and falls to the floor. The tweezers remain stuck in Cass's finger, so he snaps the tweezers off of the metal shard with a backhanded blow from his gauntlet.
"This is why we don't put on random magical items everyone," Talna lectures. She attempts to Dispel the magic from Cass's fingers, but Cass's arm merely goes numb.
(TW: Cutting in the next paragraph; skip to the break)
"This will work!" Cass says, pulling out a dagger and digging at his deadened skin. Elle joins him with her own dagger, but even as they begin attempting to cut away the skin to remove the shards, the shards move under Cass's skin away from the seeking blades. Cass's fingers become bloody.
"At least I don't feel this," Cass says.
-----------------------------
Fei, ignoring the groups antics, sits on the bed and fiddles with the watch. She is able to find something to turn on the top of the watch, and proceeds to twist the knob. Letting go, the ticking finger begins moving towards the stopped hand at the 14. As it approaches the 14, the ticking hand slows down, and stops at the 14. Puzzled, Fei twists the knob again, and the ticking hand returns to the zero, then ticks down to the 14. Fei tries to move the hands manually, but nothing happens. She bangs on the watch, and small door pops open, and glowing magic seeps from the watch into the druid's hand. As the magic drains out of the watch, the watch stops completely. The magic forms swirls of color down Fez's arm.
Fei focuses on her Primal Savagery cantrip. The swirls in her arm lengthen, but the cantrip goes off as normal. She attempts to focus the magic back into the watch, but the watch does not close. She notices then that the clock also will not leave her hand. She instinctively attempts to shapeshift to drop the clock, not realizing her shapeshifting energy is exhausted for the day. However the magic in her arm channels into her shapeshifting, and she becomes a rhinoceros. The bed she was sitting on collapses.
"I need more booze for this," Balazar remarks, as the rest of the group turns at the sound of the crushing bed. Putting the empty tankard down, Balazar walks back to the in-castle bar.
Max drains his wineskin, and uses the sudden appearance of a rhinoceros in the room as a distraction. He shuffles towards a bookcase on the far side of the room, and mutters under his breath "if this isn't a gamble to regain my arm I don't know what is..." With those words, he pulls out his magic ring and shoves it into the void at his right shoulder. He feels the ring floating inside his shoulder for a moment, and then he feels intense pain, and suddenly he feels all the magic in the area. The other rings are painfully bright lights, and Sadun's Briarblade is almost unbearable. Hiding his pain he pretends to look through the books on the shelf. Finally, the ring pops back out of his shoulder and falls to the floor, and Max slowly begins to feel normal again. "Damn," he mutters.
The gem on the ring is now completely black.
On the other side of the room, Fei returns to her human form. As she does, the watch closes and returns to its previous state, although neither hand is moving at this point. She drops it on the broken bed. "It took a lot of breaking it, but I think I figured it out," she says, satisfied.
"Well this has been a disaster," Talna says, looking at the remains of her bed. Out of the corner of her eye she sees the ring pop out of Max's shoulder across the room. "Maximiliano. De Forza. The Second."
"Max picks up the ring swiftly. "Yes?" he says innocently.
"Maximiliano, de Forza, the Second, what did we say about shoving things in your hole?" Talna says sternly.
"I didn't shove anything anywhere," Max says defensively. "I dropped the ring while I was looking for a book."
"What were you holding the ring with?"
"My left hand?"
"You were looking for a book without a free hand?"
"I was using my eyes."
"Why is the ring charred?"
"This is how I got it."
"No it isn't."
"Yes it is!"
Talna slaps the goblin, but Max dodges out of the way.
Balazar walks back into the room holding two tankards of ale, with six water skins full of ale on his belt, swaying as he moves. "Where did the rhino go?"
"It's been a long day," Sadun says. "We should probably get some rest, and check in with each other in the morning."
"I want to go with Cass," Elle says.
"Rhino-woman," Cass says, ignoring Elle. "You have proficiency in the arcane arts, could you look at my ring-shards?"
"It does look like the anti-beholder enchantment is holding strong again," Fei says. "But the source of these rings is extremely unnatural. They feel wrong. There is definitely another enchantment as well. It seems unintended, as though someone tried to make something without knowing how. The magic here is very dangerous and unpredictable. We would have to remove all five shards at once to get them out of your fingers. Good luck."
"Maybe my void hole will suck the shards out of your fingers," Max suggests.
"No!" Talna says.
----------------------
As he leaves the room Max begins to feel the urge to put the ring on his hand. He pulls it out of his pocket, and looks at it. "What else does this do?" he wonders, putting the ring on his finger. The ring slips on easily, but will not come off again. He feels a strong sense of lethargy, but continues towards his room.
-----------------------
Fei walks through the halls. Finding a quiet spot, she summons eight cranium rats, and sets them out to explore the castle. She monitors them through the night, and notices most of them beginning to die in a particular part of the castle. "Interesting," she thinks.
----------------------
In her room, Talna meditates next to the broken bed, praying to Naralis Analor. Her god responds. "What can I do for you child?" a voice speaks in her head.
"Are you sure it was a good idea to send us here?" Talna asks.
A string of visions flashes through the drow's head, of zombies and beholders slain by her and her companions.
"What do you mean?" Naralis Analor asks. "I believe we made the right choice. You have already killed more beholders than over half of the other groups managed."
"Is there a way I can deal with these rings?" Talna asks, "I believe they will mean trouble for us."
"I cannot intervene in such matters without sending you down a path towards failure," Naralis replies. "But one thing I can give you," he says, as a glowing bird appears and settles on Talna's head, "is give you this blessing. It will protect you for tomorrow, while you regain your footing in this admittedly strange new world."
----------------------
In his room, Cass strips out of his clothes while keeping his new metal gauntlets on and lies down to sleep. Two minutes later, he wakes up to the feeling of a gnome cuddled against his side.
"I thought you could use some company?" Elle says.
"It's been a long day," Cass observes, and goes back to sleep.
Half an hour later a knock comes at the door. Cass stands up, peels Elle off his chest, and opens the door. Max stands there looking in.
"What's going on in here?" Max asks.
"Sleeping," Cass replies.
"With the gnome?" Max asks, incredulous.
"She is sleeping with me. I am sleeping," Cass replies.
"Well, however you like it," Max says doubtfully. "Can I come in?"
"Sure," Cass says.
Max walks into the room. "Be careful," he says to Elle, "that hammer is as big as you."
"Well obviously I know that!" Elle retorts.
"I think I can solve your little splinters problem," Max says.
"How do you propose to do that?" Cass asks.
"Well, the void in my shoulder tends to pull on things, I think it could pull all of the splinters out at once."
"But what if my hand comes out on fire?"
"We have healers with us!"
"Look at your leg," Cass motions to Max's skeletal leg. "I don't know if this is the best idea."
"That had nothing to do with this," Max says. "The arm happened before I even got here."
"Elle, would you stick your hand in there?" Cass asks.
"Absolutely not," Elle says definitively.
"I think you need to do more research with that void before I stick my hand in it," Cass decides.
"We know it's magic, we've stuck stuff in there before!"
"I think we need to stick a lot more things in there before I'll put my hand in there," Cass affirms.
"Ok, grab the gnome," Max says.
Cass kicks a table leg off a nearby table and moves to push the piece of wood into Max's shoulder.
"We already did sticks!" Max protests. "I just think those shards are really going to help me!"
Cass shoves the table leg into the void and pulls it out. As the wood emerges, a rime of frost clings to the wood. "See? Magical effects, fire, ice, we don't know what that thing can do!"
"I thought you were tough, you can survive a little ice," Max says scornfully.
"I'm tough, but magic is a whole different subject."
Elle pulls out an arrow and sticks it in the void while the other two argue. Pulling it out, she notes the arrow shaft has become shiny and more durable. "Can I do this with the rest of my arrows?" she asks.
"Can I have a dagger?" Cass asks. Taking one of Elle's misshapen daggers, he sticks it into the void, and pulls it out entirely rusted over. He tries another misshapen dagger, and the blade comes out returned to the form of a metal ingot. Elle sticks a second arrow into the void, but this one is swallowed and does not come out.
"Well, let's think about this and reconvene in the morning. I need to sleep," Cass declares.
"Fine fine," Max says, walking out.
Elle gives Cass a kiss on the cheek and says "I'll be back," and leaves the room. Cass locks the door behind her.
As Max walks down the hall, the arrow that had disappeared suddenly shoots at speed out of his shoulder and embeds itself in the wall. He shrugs and keeps walking.
Elle walks up behind Max, pulls her arrow out of the wall, and turns around, looking for the king's magic book.
-----------------------
One of Fez's rats wanders through the bar, noticing Balazar passed out on a table, a mug of ale still clasped in one hand and his other hand shoving tacos into his mouth as he sleeps. The rat eats some of Balazar's scraps, and then continues along, noticing the king's room surrounded by guards where several other rats died, as well as mapping out where the cellars and some other castle areas are.
As it begins walking back to Fei, it looks up and gnome looming over it.
Elle grabs the rat. "Have you seen a book?" she asks it.
"No," the rat squeaks.
"Where are the king's quarters?" Elle asks.
"That way, where guards are," the rat explains.
"Thanks rat, go back to where you came from."
"Actually, Fei summoned us? There were seven others, but most of them died somewhere around here. We were just scouting the place, let me tell you the details."
"Can you tell me in the morning?" Elle asks.
"No, I have about twelve minutes before I disappear. But most of my comrades died near the king's quarters," the rat says, "so there may be something over there."
"Thanks little rat," Elle says, patting it's exposed brain case (it's a cranial rat) before it disappears in a puff of smoke.
Elle walks down the hallway towards the king's quarters. She moves quietly, but when she turns the corners, all the guards turn to look at her.
"Champion, what are you doing here?" one guard asks.
"I was looking for the privy?" Elle says.
"You passed them, back that corridor, downstairs and to the left," the guard says helpfully.
"Why are there so many people around here?" Elle asks as she starts to turn around.
"This is the king's quarters," the guard explains.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I'll go about my way," Elle says innocently.
"Have a good night champion!" The guard calls out.
--------------------------
From the Journal of Sadun Dorgona: We find ourselves in a strange new land. The gods themselves have given us a task however, to defeat the evil beholders that are terrorizing the people here! Finally, a chance to achieve the great destiny I know is in store for me. We have met some new friends here, Cassian and Fei. Fei seems to be very knowledgable and wise, I shall be happy to heed her advice as we travel through this world. Cassian is the survivor of a previous group that failed to defeat the beholders, so while he does not know the world so well, perhaps he has some insights on what dangers and pitfalls to avoid as we go forward. I only question why the gods sent the goblin Maximiliano with us. So far he has caused more chaos than even Balazar could manage with his gambling ways. But perhaps that is the lesson; sometimes one must take a gamble to succeed at the greatest of tasks. I shall have to think further on this in the morning. I do miss Gilligan, though I understand why Helm would send him back, out of all of us, to fight Strahd. Gilligan was the most noble and straightforward of purpose amongst us, and while we will surely miss his guidance, the people of Barovia will surely benefit in our stead.
---------------------------
Sadun wakes in the morning and walks into the food hall. She sees Balazar, unconscious over an empty plate, his arm making shoveling motions towards his mouth.
Cass leaves Elle sleeping in his room where she had fallen asleep after picking his lock, dresses, and goes searching for a guard. "Excuse me sir, do you have a training hall?"
"Just that way Champion!" the guard replies.
"Thank you," Cass says, heading down for an early morning session of breaking straw dummies.
Max wakes and leaves his bed, now drenched in seawater. He also looks for a guard. "Excuse me, do you have any kind of wizard in this castle?"
The guard looks uncomfortable. "We do have wizards," he replies reluctantly. "They are not the best."
"Anything will do," Max reassures the man, and then follows his directions down the hallway passing through the food hall on his way. In the food hall, Max sees Balazar passed out, and Sadun eating a quiet meal. Beyond the food hall Max finds a room with a sign that reads "King's Wizards" above the door. The door and walls around the hallway are scorched with burn marks. Max knocks on the door with the butt of his rapier.
"Yes, one second!" comes a voice from inside. Strange noises emanate from inside the room, then the door opens and a man's face peers out. "Yes?" the man asks.
"Are you the wizard?" Max asks.
"Technically yes!" the technically a wizard responds.
"Good enough, I need you to look at something," Max says, showing the man his void.
"One second!" the wizard says, ducking back inside. The man soon returns with a metal rod, which sparks on the end, and shoves the rod into Max's void. Max feels electrical currents flow out from the void, causing him immense pain.
"Oh, it's working!" the wizard says happily, as something inside the room begins to turn. "Don't take that out!" the man says, disappearing back into the room.
Max lets loose a loud scream.
In the food hall, Balazar lifts his head at the sound. "Huh? No more tacos?"
Sadun begins running down the stairs, followed by a sleepy Balazar. Elsewhere Talna also hears the noise as she explores the castle hallways, and sighs before moving towards the sound.
The wizard reappears in the doorway. "Perfect!" he says, and tries to yank the rod out of Max's shoulder, but fails to make any headway.
Sadun and Balazar rush into the hallway, followed shortly by Talna.
"What are you doing?" Talna demands.
"Magical source!" the wizard explains. "Powerful, I needed it. Can you help me?"
Sadun attempts to move the rod from Max's void, but the void pulls it back in, shocking Max further.
Balazar staggers down the stairs as Talna also attempts to pull out the rod, but again the rod is sucked further into the void until only one hand can grasp it. Balazar walks up to Max, looks him over, and pulls the feather out of the goblin's hat, but as he grabs the feather the electricity flows into Balazar, shocking the dragonborn as well.
"Oh, one second!" the wizard says, disappearing back into the room. Several banging noises sound out, and then the electrical energy stops flowing. The metal rod disappears into Max's shoulder.
Balazar finishes his potion, and pulls the feather all the way out of Max's hat.
TO BE CONTINUED!
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