Session 31 - Talc Tactics

11/06/5-10

The Minotaur seemed surprised to see the group. Diane told him they are guests and he should introduce himself, but he said they had already met at the tavern. He said they had and remarked that they were in his house. Diane introduced him as her husband. The party remembered that they had seen her with a different man in a painting back at the estate. Tomo seemed quite taken aback by seeing them there and excused himself, going down the hallway.

Negotiation continued and in the end the party were offered 1200gp per head, any loot from the monsters and any "accidentally" filled gems. They agreed to the deal and Diana summoned a young woman called Joana, to draw up a contract. Otto asked if she had recommendation for people who could fix his helmet. She pointed him to an armor smith in the south end. Joana returned with a portable desk and presented the contract to the party. She asked the party to follow her and lead to a library where there was a large carved map of all of Ikoval. Cassini inspected the map, seeing many mines dotted around the area. More interestingly, towards the north west was a subtle marking by the lake as well as one near the lone mountain. She pointed to the west saying there are 2 mines there, the Atanasoff and the Copper Claw and they were looking for the Atanasoff one. The contract would get the there.

Valeyo asked why Diane stays in town and not back in the mansion. She said she preferred it in town, being more of a people person than her brother. Valeyo said he was surprised since Ruben seemed happy to talk, she explain that he only talks to the right people. She added that she had some memories of the place she would rather forget. Valeyo remarked that Vincent seemed to feel similarly and she asked where he had been and how long they had known each other. Valeyo gave her a quick summary and she seemed excited to go get the scoop.

The trip would take a day and half and Cassini asked if they could have some of the gold up-front and she surprisingly agreed, giving 200gp per head. Valeyo asked about Tomo and she said he if from the south, the villages there have substantial Minotaur populations. She said they are not all warriors or anything, they are just large. They met down in Pasishta. She things Emreldus has never met him so that would be an introduction. The party then took their leave.

The party talked about Tomo and the ICM and how much they knew about Vincent. Some proposed taking him with them to the mine, but Valeyo insisted that Ruben was unlikely to let Vincent out of his sight, at least for a while. The group wondered if Tomo and Diane were members of the I.C.M, but they would to deal with that later. Eventually, they decided that leaving him with his family is the best for now. The group returned to the tavern to rest and would go to the shops in the morning.

12/06/5-10

In the morning the party were walking in the south end of Waukeen's Walk, going past Diane in her store and waving at her. Valeyo mentioned that she seemingly had a different husband before, going by the portraits in the Atanasoff estate. They eventually walked past a blacksmith, where there were multiple shortswords and a greatsword for sale. The armorer nearby wore what looked like a full welder's mask. Lifting it up it revealed a young drow man. Otto presented his helmet asking if it could be fixed and the man was surprised her survived with his helmet so damaged. The drow took his name and said it would be done in a few days.

Sapphira asked if he had any shortswords and he said they did even having some specialty items tapping the glass case. He said they were made by his sister and she would love to brag about them. The first is enchanted with a warning enchantment and the other being expertly crafted. The first would be 450gp and the other about 200gp. If that was too much, some of the ones he made would be cheaper. Sapphira bought the weapon of warning and Shiek got the masterwork one. Milivoj asked how long creating some barding would take, but the man recommended going to the keep instead where he could get some quicker.

Milivoj headed to the keep, where he was stopped by a guard. He explained that he was there looking go buy some chainmail barding for his steed. The guard pointed him to the quartermaster and asked his name. Milivoj introduced himself and the guard was taken aback asking him to confirm his surname. The other guard seemed confused but the first one waved him off. On his way past they head them talk, the first guard naming him as a rich man from the north.

He rode on the snaking path up the mountain and eventually was bet by a rough looking dwarven fellow, to turned out to be the quartermaster. The quartermaster asked 400gp for the set. Milivoj lacked the money, but showed the promise of payment from Diane and gave his word that he would repay it. The quartermaster went inside to pick up the set and returned with a signed contract stamped by the First Boyar, saying that in the case of a failure to pay, Milivoj would be branded a fugitive of the realm. Within the hour, his horse was draped in the new barding and the party gathered in the north-west gate, ready to leave.

13/06/5-10

The journey was easy, the roads well-guarded and clean. The Atanasoff clearly spend resources to ensure the security and ease of access to their mines. After a day and a half, the party reached a small stone fort. A guard called out to him asking their purpose and they said they were hired by the Atanasoff family. Soon the gate was raised and a small retinue of guards made their way out. The one in charged asked to see their contract and then explained that one of the main chambers had attracted some creatures. The guards sent to investigate, have not come back, making 16 in total. The only report they have was that some of the people had been turned to stone. It is a straight trip to the main chamber.

Valeyo asked if any other help had been hired before, but the guard said they were the first. By their uniform the party could tell they were private guards, not part of the Sila. The man-in-charge grabbed a report by one of the survivors. There was a blast of hot air and some noise, which got the miner's attention. Some went to investigate and were presumably killed. The mine went quiet for a week or so, but it seemed that whatever had come in had left. As they were leaving satisfied that the situation was resolved, one of the miners came out saying his mates had been turned to stone.

He showed them the map and said the main tunnel was quite large, pointing out the Jewel Chamber where the trouble was. Valeyo mentioned that the only creatures he had heard of doing this is the Medusa, but they didn't fit this place. Shiek though back to the gold mines in Almanat, but there wasn't much elemental activity there. Otto had however, heard stories about creatures up in Moratop. Beasts living underground, which feast on stone and gemstones, he knew mentions of Basiliks in the deep caves, which could turn people to stone, but he had never met one. Valeyo explained about the Medusa and her gaze being the threat and asked if the Basilisk was the same. Otto recalled a nursery rhyme about it, which confirmed that the eyes were the threat.

The party planned for how they would fight, using Bless and Pass Without Trace, before being lead to the mine door. He told them how to operate the lift and left them on their way. After reaching the main tunnel, the party had Shiek scout ahead. Turning a corner ahead, he saw someone running at him, startling him and letting out a small gasp, echoing though the cave. He soon realised that the person was a stone statue, running from Shiek was headed to. More statues became visible as he looked down the hallway. Valeyo sent a message to confirm Shiek was okay. Shiek continued onward and investigated one of the statues. He could hear a faint buzzing noise coming from inside of it.

Shiek went deeper and the party followed, reaching the statues. Otto inspected the buzzing one and he noted that if these were clearly petrified people as the craftsmanship required to make such a visage would be tremendous. Otto noticed that there isn't just buzzing, rather all the statues seem to be vibration slightly. The deeper they went, the stronger the thrumming from the statues became.

Deeper in the cave, Shiek reached a wider part of the tunnel, where more statues could be found. He could also hear, something moving and trying to do so quietly. He couldn't tell its location. He returned to the party and they cast their spells, before entering the cavern.

Inside the cavern, the stone statues began to crack, seeping a dark green light from the cracks and began moving towards the party, as Cassini spotted a basilisk hiding in the back. Combat ensued and as one of the miners made contact with Cassini, the green light pulsed and unleash and extra blast when connecting with him. The basilisk similarly, seemed to be infused with this force energy. When Shiek killed the Basilisk, the green energy on it crackled, before it slumped down.

In the combat Cassini's Thunderwave dislodged 2 gemstones, a 200gp diamond and a 150gp ruby.