Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Magnaminous Magnificence

The hunt for magical items was more hazardous than expected. While the cut-purses and robbers in the market district were more than enough to deal with, the absolute audacity of the so called 'magic' merchants in the marketplace was much more detrimental to the wealth of the party. While some of their potions and scrolls were possibly real, most of their wares seem to be forgeries and counterfeits. 

Finally after, haggling, shouting and menacing stares from Thesis and Durin, the party learns of Szandor Antonius the Magnificent, a rather eccentric Wizard living in the most affluent part of the city. While not throwing parties and entertaining the nobility of Febril, he is known for receiving adventurers with goods to sell and buy, and seems to derive most of his income through this trade in curiosities. If anything, the fact that he gets return business is a sign of some trustworthiness. 
Arriving at the mansion, the party is greeted by a stunning young woman, who introduces herself as " Szandor Antonius the Magnificent's Chief Chamberlain". She tells the party that 'His Magnificence' is waiting for them in his reception room and is expecting them. The party is then escorted through the occasionally running into more of His Magnificence' servants, which are  all looking very similar to his chamberlain. 

At first, Durin thinks that they might be twins, but then he is forced to consider the possibility of triplets. However, the appearance of a fourth servants rapidly exhausts his vocabulary, and he comforts himself with the fact that Dwarves don't get many children anyway, and twins are completely unheard of and so there is no need for him to even know the term. It's not like he is one of those fast breeders, like kobolds, orcs or ...well, humans.
They are finally escorted into a hall, sumptuously decorated with elaborate tapestries hanging from the walls, their gold and silver threads reflecting the rays of the afternoon sun from the vast skylight above. Standing at the far end of the hall is a middle-aged portly, man. His head is completely shaven, and his grey eyebrows form a rather odd contrast with the jet-black goatee he is stroking in a suitably sagely manner.

Aaah, I have been expecting you. I think that I might some items that might interest you. 

He points to an oak table on which there are laid out a seemingly random array of items. Moving over he to it, he picks up a finely crafted bow which he shows Mendez, grinning.

Your reputation as a bowman precedes you, Sir. I have here a finely crafted bow, made by Elvish  craftsmen of the lost city of Sarnath, may its glory shine again. I will not bore men like you with the minutia of my business, so suffice to say, I am extending a generous offer to such champions of St. Cuthbert as the rumours say you are. 
 I am willing to part with this for a price of 2000gp.
((Composite Long Bow +1 for 18 Strength))

He then picks up a small pearl hanging from a chain and waves it in front of Chen. 

And for you, I have this Periapt of Wisdom. The pearl, as you can see, was handpicked by Aquatic Elves and it was enchanted by a high-ranking cleric of Sashelas. It is yours for a mere 3000 gp. ((Periapt of Wisdom +2))


A smirk appears on his face as he turns to Thesis.

Well my friend, it would appear that you are in need of some additional protection. If stories about your recent exploits are true. I have here a small trinket that may help to protect you from your own foolhardiness. 

He opens his palm to reveal a ring forged from adamantium. 
It brings luck, wards off the blows of your foes and may be the wisest investment your ever make.

I will not bore you with haggling, since an impatient warrior like yourself would prove a danger to my furnishings if things get a bit heated. So I will give it to you for 6000 gp. Not at all an unfair price would you say?((Ring of Protection +2))

15 comments:

Charlie Stilton said...

Chen is grateful for the offer of the Periapt and willingly parts with its value in rare gems.

Placing it over his head, he begins to see things in a new light...

OOC:
Would it be tempting fate, if I enquire about the mundane items: Thunderstones, etc, that are in the PHB or can I just assume these are easily available.

Hedzor said...

Mendez looks at Szandor for a moment. He obviously hadn’t become rich by being a fool.
Mendez’s father had always told him to be wary of both Wizards and Merchants.
If it were possible for a rat to be fishy, Mendez smells it.
Still, his father had also told him ‘not to look a gift horse in the mouth’.
“2,000gp you say? I thank you for your generosity.”
With a smile, Mendez hands over a bag of gems to the Chief Chamberlain.

RoboGeek said...

Thesis is ecstatic. He accepts the generous offer and hands over gems in payment. He doesn't even pause to think whether there may be any kind of deception going on and places the ring on his finger.

Only a couple of hours later does it dawn on him that he really shouldn't be so trustworthy. He looks at his sword and realises sometimes you have to take the good with the bad. Hopefully, the ring will prove more good than bad!

Moritz Buck said...

I am sorry I really am not in the mood of writing nice posts but the general idea of what I did is : during the time in the valley (and the subsequent traveling, where I go back and forth using teleport through plant), I help the people in the valley to find new wells, fertilize their land (plant growth spell, and others), train and help the people in the fortress, help training the birdies, and cast animate plant to make the tree in the forteress alive to help defend it (costs me some XP, I have to check how much)...

As for my last night in the city I shape change into a squirrel and sleep in a park, and also try to find the magical objects selling dude to see if he has a dozen or so of those feather things that make trees grow :)

Thats about it....

Charlie Stilton said...

Chen's Purchases:

Magic Items:
1*Periapt of Wisdom from Szandor

Mundane (PHB) Items:
1*Everburning Torch
6*Acid Flask
6*Alchemist's Fire
6*Thunderstone

From the party's treasure:
1*Monks Belt 7500
1*Water Walk Potion 375
3*Owl's Wisdom Potion 450

Therefore, the rest of the party splits 8325gp between them

I'm assuming no-one else wants Owl's Wisdom potions, but I'm happy to give some up if they do...

I'm also assuming that since my 'mundane' items are from the PHB, there's no trouble locating them in Febril?

Joebroesel said...

The value of the items is already included in the share. You just take it off yours. Eolar already said he wants one of the owls wisdom potions :)

Joebroesel said...

After hearing from his friends that somebody sells magic items, Eolar also tries to locate His Magnaminous Magnificence and asks him if he has any of these items:
Bracers of Armour +2 or +3
Ring of protection, perhaps +2
Boots of Speed or levitation

:)

Charlie Stilton said...

Ah, well in that case, I'm totally confused!

I'll have a chat with you tonight, Sven to work ouot what I owe the party for my purchases - and of course Eolar can have an Owl's Wisdom potion! Sorry I'd not seen that claim earlier or I wouldn't have been so greedy!

Joebroesel said...

Don't have to be confused. Except for the items that are distributed between all (e.g. the healing potions) the prices are included in the share as if we would have sold them.
That means you can take one and deduct the price from your share (instead of taking the gold, you took the item itself from the pile).

Hedzor said...

Taking items from the 'pile' is fine as long as you declare it and no-one else objects.
We'll go through it tonight. (As well as everyone's personal funds.)

Also, as the shopping list goes on...
Mendez asks for 'Dark glasses of coolness' and 'Boots of faster than Chenness'.

RoboGeek said...

Sven, Thesis has a set of bracers of armour +2 to sell. Although, you will find that they don't work with any other kind of armour. So they are really for Magic-users etc.

The book cost is 4000gp I think

Joebroesel said...

Yes, Dag and I looked that up. The bonus doesn't stack with my other AC bonus. :(

Charlie Stilton said...

If those Bracers +2 are available to anyone then I can think of an affluent monk who would benefit from them...

RoboGeek said...

For the good of the party - how could I refuse?

I'd accept payment, of course ;)

What I would really like though is magic in exchange, but I'd settle for gems/gold ...

Charlie Stilton said...

I'll check that the bracers will work for me in PCGen, and then confirm the purchase with you, if that's OK.

Payment will be in gems - I'm not sure I have anything that would benefit you magically?:

Spider Climb Slippers, Periapt of Wisdom, Ring of Shocking Blows, Murlynd's Spoon, Monk's Belt...