More Sundabar Politics 

 

February 11, 2021

 

Dio wakes up to a skull!  It's merely Rikard who has returned.  Rolen may have been smirking in the background.  

 

Rikard says that in the end, they did accept his condition.  However, it took a lot of searching and he ended up having to say that there were no rules against his condition spelled out, which meant that it wasn't disallowed.  Rikard hints that a few aren't happy about it but they don't do anything to stop it.  After that, he said casting the needed circle of spells was straight forward and he was declared a Master!  That means he could teach there.  He has full access to the libraries and resources.  He also has access to the teleportation circle.  He does say that there are certain times to leave and certain times to arrive for ease of use of them.  He didn't realize how much he wanted to be a Master until it was conferred on him.  Not that he is done adventuring!  

 

Further, Rikard is better at some spells and casts spells to figure out what the dagger does.  It takes over an hour and then when it's done, he looks shocked.  

 

"This ... this is a dagger of dragon control."  Rikard goes off on a tangent saying he hasn't heard of such magic being put into a dagger before.  Usually it's an orb or a tome but not a weapon.  It explains why they want to move it around.  Further, he says that it doesn't have intelligence but it does signify a desire to be used.  However, given all that the group has seen, they barely notice it and can ignore it.  Not so for everyone else.  Further, he speculates that Dio probably picked it up without realizing it, it didn't teleport to him as it doesn't have that ability.  Now that it has happened, Dio won't do that.  "But here's the thing.  If it gets out that these are out of dragon control?  They will want to know what happened.  I don't know how long our dragon friend had them or how long they keep them before moving them onto another.  If it's on a dragon's lifetime scale, we won't see them.  If not?  They might come looking."  

 

"This just means we need to put them in a vault at Helm's for safekeeping."  

 

"I agree but back in Sundabar so they are close, correct?  It seems that Silverymoon has suffered enough," Rikard responds.  "Further, whatever else happened, the mythal has been damaged.  They don't know for sure what happened but it should have reacted to the drow and other things that attacked but it didn't.  It was weakened by something and more weakened by all of the fighting.  It will still take a while but within a decade?  It will fade to nothing.  The only good thing about it taking that long is hopefully the city gets used to the weather again.  They have been spared the worst of it due to the mythal but will have to start dealing with it."  

 

As Rikard sees them looking at him, he says, "It will be like Sundabar in the winter.  They will be fine."  The others nod.  Rikard was also able to open and read Viktor's book.  He was surprised to find that it detailed about how to become undead.  It allowed for several different types of undead, including his own form, and they required exotic and rare components for it.  

 

They still have several days to wait before their items are ready.  They do some sightseeing in the meantime, including walking across the moon bridge, listening to bards, and trying the local food vendors.  Kaji hires some bards to create their song.  The bards end up taking them to a local hole in the wall that serves beer.  It's not great beer but it is cheap.  By the end, Kaji and Dio are pretty sure that Rolen said a bit much that maybe could piece together some things they don't want known but aren't completely sure.  It took several hours for them to piece it together.  

 

 

Five Good Friends

 

(chorus)

Five Good Friends set out one day

They did not know, what they'd have to slay.

Five Good Friends went off to seek

Treasure in the Mountain's Peak.

 

Five Heroes set out from Sundabar

They did not think they go so far.

Before they came up to the pass

Goblins were climbing up their bums.

 

After the goblins, came the orc clan

They thought they would need quite the shrewd plan

But the orcs were looking to settle and trade

Dio the dwarf didn't know what that said.  

 

(chorus)

 

Rolen the ranger wanted the orcs dead

Kaji the wise said they should use their heads

"Orcs don't stay in one place for long,

They'll probably leave after one song."

 

While watching the orcs with their eyes,

Rolen the ranger got a surprise.

HIs sister, long thought dead, was back

With on a lead on treasure they could track.

 

Unkempt Gorstag led the way

into the mountains for a night and a day.

Soon they found what the sister's map did show

A cold cave covered in frost and in snow.  

 

(chorus)

 

Dio the Dwarf wanted to speak

but the dragon could only squeak. 

Into the fray, the five friends flew,

Kossuth roared and hammers slew.  

 

Rolen the Ranger made the dragon scared

Unkempt Gorstag attacked with steel bared.

Kaji the wise called Kossuth for fire

the dragon saw that the fight was dire.

 

The dragon offered a powerful sword

to the friends as a big reward

If they would just let it live 

It would also have gold to give

 

(chorus)

 

The friends said no to the dragon's bribe

They attacked it again from all sides.

Ice shards attacked cutting deep

but soon the dragon felt the long sleep.  

 

The Five found the dragon's treasure 

and certainly it did truly measure 

A king's hoard of wealth untoward

including a powerful magical sword.  

 

(chorus)

 

Alas, the tale does not end well 

for the lost sister did not tell

The Five Friends that she was not alone 

And soon the friends all got robbed.  

 

Now listen to the moral of this sad tale 

For the five friends this was not a fail.

They learned that day, fighting in the mud.

That not all family is related by blood.  

 

The sister may have pulled a fast con

But it only served to strengthen the bond

Of Five Good Friends.  (drawn out)

 

(They got what they paid for.)  

 

After picking up their gear, they did walk around Silverymoon a bit more.  They thought that if things had been different, they could have found a place for themselves here.  They all knew they had to get back to Sundabar and find out what was happening there.  This was a fun little side trek but their home was Sundabar.  Rikard was able to use the teleportation circle to go back to Sundabar.  He only knew of the temple of Moradin.  Guards met them but relaxed when they realized it was friends.  They spoke a bit about what had happened.  The dwarves said the guild stuff was over, not that they paid much attention to it.  The group had to decide where to go.  

 

First they went to see Lady Sara.  She tells them that Lady Reva made it back a few days ago and told some of it but she wanted to hear from them.  They told about the goblins, Kilgulg and the tanarruk, the other orc tribe, and the war they assume started.  When they said they were able to come directly back to town, she did wonder if the orcs were fighting.  They assumed.  She asked if it would be a prolonged fight or over quickly.  They didn't know.  Kilgulg had some forts in the area they might help, not that the orcs had siege equipment, but it was tough to tell numbers on either side.  She then asks if they are interested in heading to the east, as they originally talked about?  They say yes and she offers them rewards based on how soon they get back to her.  

 

After that, they go to the bank of Helm and talk about getting a vault.  Each bank has it's own size of vaults and this one will fit what they need.  They will have to come back the next day to the do the ritual for the blood bond to get into it.  While there, Rikard opens his own account and deposits his share of the treasure's coins.  

 

Finally, they go to see Homilar.  They are still not sure about him.  He offers a very sweet deal of magical mounts for each of them, and for them to keep the mounts, but in exchange a year of service to Sundabar.  Dio is not willing to do that.  Rolen keeps trying to bargain down to six months.  They do ask if they have had word from Ashriver and Homilar says they haven't heard anything from more than a few days away from the town.  He wants them to use the magical mounts to check up on Newfort, Deadsnows, or any of the other towns to the east.  He says it's too dangerous to risk going to Ashriver and starting something.  

 

After talking to him, they had back to the Green Griffon to discuss their options and what they want to do.  

 

 

1400 xp

 

GM Notes

• This had a lot!
• This is the second time that I have had magic substitute for technology and other modern conveniences, with some caveats.
• Banking was the first last session.  However, I don't think it would have been possible without,
• Teleportation circle was this session and it has a schedule of normal arriving and departing times. 
• And as I think about this right now, that makes sense for a place to want that but it does force other places to conform to their schedule.
• Really, I may have to retcon this to something else, now that I think about it more.  I can leave that one alone but other places would probably restrict and have certain circles for arrivals and other ones for departures, since it's instant travel times.
• Sigh.
• If there is no teleportation, there is no need for banking.  But when, realistically, at least the rich can get to any city that has this "feature", there is now a need for a whole range of services. 
• Maybe it's a recent thing to try it out and it could collapse? 
• Speaking of Rikard, I'm glad an NPC is treated nearly like a PC.  I try and play him well but I'm sure he fades into the background with too many NPCs.  Then he comes back in a later discussion on them but during them talking to the other NPC.
• Mythal - The sourcebook on the Silver Marches says that certain people can be attuned to it to gain control over it.  I found that to be a weakness and exploited it.  It's why it has been disrupted and will slowly fade.
• The song is awful.  Maybe if I spent more time on it, I could refine it better.  Maybe.  I doubt it.
• I'm off on a few details and part of me says I should be more accurate but with Dio's journals, it's interesting to have two different versions of the tale!   

 

 

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