Letters and Legalities

[Lefty]

The illustrious Pondscum knew not only the courtly ways of etiquette enough to mock you, but enough of the court to proffer you letters left by the magus himself. One was sealed with the seal of the mage's guild and addressed to the triumverate in Abitha. The other was unsealed and addressed to you.

"My dear Saeaek,

Things are worse than I imagined upon our first meeting. When you stumbled through my door a week ago I assumed you had offended a local tribe. But what I met in that mine was something much more sinister. That ritual chamber at the bottom of the shaft was no mere troglodyte machination.

It's been much longer for me what it was for you since I've been in that room. But I expect you remember signs or sounds of a hyena; barking, ravenous maulings without food taken form the carcass, hideous laughter. This wasn't a freak accident. These creatures pay homage to one of the darkest. In fact, she is the nemesis to your patron. Take heed while battling the minions of this mistress of monsters.

I leave in your care Keela of Last Stop. She should be present when the letter is delivered as a material witness. Also, I suspect she may have more to play in this tale before all is said and done. Keep a wary eye on her and for heaven's sake be gentle of her emotions. I care little for her wellbeing, but I fear that trauma may unleash more than we suspect.

I also leave you in the care of my dear Pondscum. I expect that by the time you read this he has unsealed, read, and re-sealed this letter. Don't expect a look of guilt. He is good at what he does"

You surreptitiously lower the page and glance at the gnome. A look of pure innocence greets you and you hurriedly raise the papers back to your face. After a second, you peek again and the darn creature has actually coaxed a butterfly onto his outstretched finger and seems to be cooing to it. Disgustedly you return to reading.

"Please deliver this other letter to the Triumverate at Abitha. It explains everything. I shall be afield searching for more evidence of the malignant meanderings of the lamentable Lamashtu.

~Angrod Lúinwë

P.S. I might take that starknife you wear to an enchantress. It seems to be of quality, but something about it makes me itch."

[Unkykong]

Hmm, an enchantress. "Pondscum, where can we find an enchantress around here? I also believe we should discuss your skill sets so I know how to utilize you better. Before we leave I will need to talk to Martin and Marta as well. so why don't you show me too an enchantress, then go find them for me."

[Lefty]

"Utilize me? I am neither your servant nor your apprentice. I am both to the nameless mage, and he has sent me to accompany you. but that indentures me to you in no way whatsoever outside of my master's designs. Now that we've cleared that up, I know of an enchantress this way. I'll warn you though, she's not much to look at."

Without waiting for your reply, Pondscum turns and marches off down the road. Before too long the two of you emerge into a bazaar area and most small talk is drowned out by the sounds of merchants plying their wares. You recognize the armorer's shop where you purchased the buckler earlier.

You follow the gnome as he begins a series of twists and turns from wide lanes to back alleys and back into the main street again. In a matter of minutes you get completely lost. But just before you ask if Pondscum knows the way you realize you're passing the familliar shop-front of the armorer again. In frustration you tap Pondscum's shoulder.

An unfamiliar face turns to you with a quizzical look. Pondscum was gone.

[Unkykong]

What the heck. "My apologies. I seem to have mistaken you for someone else." Since my guide has failed to be effective. I decide to go to the armorer and inquire as to where this enchantress my be located.

[Lefty]

The half-orc blacksmith brightens when he sees you. "Ey, its you again. Need another? dual-wielding shields is all the rage these days! What? Oh her? She's right next door. drives some of my customers away with her looks, but she does good work."

[Unkykong]

"I thank you kind sir, keep an eye out for mithril and give me a deal and I may be back for a set of armor one day." with that I go next door and meet this enchantress. *she cant be worse for looks than myself*

[Lefty]

You enter the shop and stop to look around. Magic items of all shapes and sorts hang from hooks on the walls and sit stacked up on shelves. a single tear falls from your eye as you see a trio of star knives hanging in a semi circle around a small shrine set up to Desna herself.

"I'll be with you in a sec." you hear from behind the counter. As you peek around the display stand you are met with a sight not often seen on your weary travels. Two knee high boots stand facing away from you. Inside them, and continuing upwards, are two finely crafted manequin legs which dissappear into a skirt much too short for the average adventurer. The rest of the display model is bent over away from you.

[Unkykong]

"Interesting shop you have here." I say as I pull out my starknife to show the shopkeeper once she has time to speak with me while pointedly avoiding looking at the strangely positioned display

[Lefty]

The interesting display suddenly stands up and turns around. "Sorry, I was straightening out some things down there." She removes a ring and the artificial appearance blurs into normal flesh. Two wide and independent hazel eyes stare back at you from above full cheeks and a strong jawline. Pouting but full lips painted in deep crimson were matched only by the scarlet tide of hair which crashed down her back and over her left shoulder. What you took for synthetic was actually the halfling shop owner. "Well are you going to stare at the ugly duckling or do you want to buy something?" You weren't sure if the sudden heat was the flaming broadsword above the counter or the sting of her attitude. Or something else all together...

[Unkykong]

"HA, ugly i've looked in a mirror enough times to know what ugly is. I'm Seaeak and I was told to seek one of your abilities to take a look at this." with that I present the starknife to her

[Lefty]

She almost smiles, but then the sight of something shiny diverts all her attention. "Hrmmm... decent quality... simple but well done magic work... Its just a +1. Nothing special about it." As she sets it down on the counter and slides it back over to you the counter-top pulses and seems to ripple as if the weapon was a stone thrown into a lake.

With a surprise the shop keeper lets go of the device and steps back. "that ward hasn't gone off in a while..." Suspicious eyes turn upward and bore into your skull. Who are you and where did you get this?" Glancing down at the knife she quickly holds out her hand. "no wait. Dont speak."

She dissappears into the back and you hear things being thrown around, a glass breaking, a cat howl, possibly a cow, and then silence. The scarlet haired beauty reappears with something heavy in her arms. She hoists it up onto the counter, puts on a metallic glove, then in one swift motion grabs the starknife, opens the chest on the counter, and dumps the weapon and glove both. After locks and a few magic wards are applied she sighs and looks back up at you.

"Ok, answers. Someone is keeping tabs on you and working very hard to make it seem like they weren't. They weren't watching just now, but they'll soon realize they cant see you any more."

[Unkykong]

"ummm... what just happened? where I got it... near a shady alter in some strange dungeon I once visited for a thrill?" is best I answer given that I just met this girl and am not about the tell her the world is ending and i found it at what is believe to be the beginning of the end.

[Lefty]

"I thought all the thrill seekers were old by now... Next time you go into a creepy dungeon and find an alter, I'm asusming you dont know what god it was? and there was blood and nastyness around it? yeah... that's not a good thing to bring home to the missus...

What we got here is a starknife with evil written all over it. Someone has enchanted this here thing to scry on you. You've got an open window to somewhere which I'm guessing has the same decorating style of this dungeon you found. All masked cleverly as a benign little weapon which just happens to be a personal favorite of yours judging from the other on your belt there."

She glances up at the shrine and the other starknives and back to you. "If you want this thing back, its yours, but get out. If you want me to do something about it, though, 'thrill seeking' isn't going to cut it. Level with me or leave."

[Unkykong]

"I would love to level.... but seriously. I was at last stop and there were a bunch of monsters that were using skills beyond their intelligence. I have met with and been dealing with the odd mage from the wizards guild. he went to check it out and a week later told a strange tale of another dimension and being gone for 30 days and some other crazy stuff like that."

[Lefty]

[im pretty sure he was gone for a year]

"monsters and wizards you say? I hate wizards! all lording it over you like they know some great joke and they wont tell... Speaking of jokes, this gives me an idea... You want to take care of this the fun way or the ho-hum way?" A mischievious grin quirks the corners of her mouth and a dangerous sparkle gleams in her eyes.

[Unkykong]

["for 16 months I fought them" both wrong]

"Well, that depends. what are we taking care of?" I ask in confusion.

[Lefty]

The shopkeeper stares at you... and keeps staring... "The uh evil person watching whoever is in possesison of this starknife... Like I said you can have it back..."

[Unkykong]

"Well i'm always down for the fun way. But why would I take something back that would allow somebody to spy on me?"

[Lefty]

"wait, was that sarc- oh nevermind. Ok, so what I'm thinking is this. I know a little technique that'll transfer this enchantment-cover up to something else and leave whats underneath untouched. And I just so happen to have a customer with an order of weapons stopping by today. And he never tips.

"So I was thinking drop this in a box of gear when he sets out, or even try to sell it to him, Haha that'd serve the bastard right enough to have some demon watching him as he takes off for the dwarves... Oh, I'm going to need a drink after this...

"On the other hand I could just remove everything and leave you with a boring old masterwork starknife."

[Unkykong]

"lets do the thing that leaves me with at least a one up on my competition. I have a lot of places to see before i'm good and done. If this guy is as bad as you say... Lets do it."

[Lefty]

"All right, I like your style! Wanna take bets on whether or not I can sell him the bad weapon for his personal use? No? Well ok... So what do you want to transfer the +1 to?"

[Unkykong]

"An adamantium starknife...bar that, then your next best one. I'm a desna man through and through."

[Lefty]

An abacus is quickly produced and worked with an expert hand. "Adamantine plus the ... market value... Carry the one... That's gonna run you like 2500 or so...". She. Eyes your gear and sighs. "I might be able to cut you a ... An arrangement. Next time you go thrill seeking' and find some shinies you don't want, I can give you discounts on stiff you do want."

[Unkykong]

"Hmm that deal is worth considering. Would you be able to add anywhere enchantments I might want or need in the future as well. If that is the case I will use you exclusively for my upgrade needs. Do you also do armor. Provided I provide the base materials?"

[Lefty]

Well I just do enchantments, I get the weapons and stuff from the guy next door. But yeah, armor, rings... But about this knife. Adamantine? Or you need something cheaper for now?"

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