Baxan

[ragnorakk]

That's Twenny's and one of my digs both...they came to both on the same day...
There's a rueful murmur among the laborers.
The old man gets up from his cart and signals you to approach as he walks toward you.

I'm Enger, as old as there is in Baxan, and I have had a hand in chasing them off before - they have come thrice in my lifetime. I can give you charms that can repel them...

...and my salts of darksight are at your disposal too. We pass close to a mile by Twenny's dig on our route today, says the dwarf.

[Toad-Killer-Dog]

"Many thanks kind sirs"

"If it is possible could you tell us the nature of the threat these pernicious gnomes pose & what exactly is the nature and habits of these fell creatures?"

Thurgood tries to give the most ingratiating smile possible with his scared and branded visage.

[ragnorakk]

Old Enger says:
They carry up from the deeps below, where their tunnels twist for miles and miles - may
that they been those that died in the earth thousands a years before. They twist iron and
steel by a glance... bronze...alloys...they spring from veins of ore, though sometimes they
appear from nowhere at all - but it is the case that they do come from somewhere to begin
with.

Twenny and Kuld both in their diggings uncovered deposits of the mineral from which
they breed - I can show you a sample of this stone I have encased in glass. So long as this
stone is exposed to air, the gnomes haunt its vicinity. From this place, they begin to dig down,
to connect to their underworld.

Once one such stone is exposed, we've never covered it again without being under a charm. Pour
sand and trailings down the hole - it vanishes to some fae realm - same for water - this we've learned
over many years - you have to be in its presence to affect it, and the charm is known to make a
lasting change.

[Toad-Killer-Dog]

Thurgood goggles at the old man.

"They spring from ore and have the power to twist metal with a glance!"

Overcoming his shock, he scratches his chin and muses.

"So they can not be drowned or simply sealed in with earth or sand"

"We would need to isolate the ore they spring from and seal any passages they have made to their underworld kingdom"

"Are they vulnerable to fire or cold?"

"Can they be killed by force of arms or magic and must the weapons be of wood or bone so that they do not twist them?"

"Will my companions in metal armor be safe or should they abandon it in favor of leather, cloth or wooden armor?"

"We would appreciate your charms and advice good sir"

Saying this Thurgood turns to the others.

"Fellows can you think of any other questions?"

"Our very lives may depend on it!"

[danhem]

Bjorn looks at his new sword, daggers, and armor in dismay.

"Looks like I'm poorly equipped for this job."

"How is it that these gnomes can twist metal? What do they actually do to the metal? If there is a charm or trinket that could protect us from that ability it would be most useful. I don't like the idea of going into a fight with leather, wood, and stone only."

"We would definitely like a look at this ore that they spring from. Where is this sample that you have?"

Finally he asks the question that has been burning in his mind.

"How tall are these gnomes?"

[ragnorakk]

How tall? Eh - there's different ways they manifest - most stand as tall as a dwarf, and from these you need not fear magic.
He continues to describe them while leading you to his home, where he'll retrieve the stone set in glass.
They are sturdy creatures once they have formed, dark skinned, sharp clawed - with reflexes and intelligence like you or I. Their leaders are alike in form, but they are always marked in some way that seems natural and un-natural at once - small horns, their eyes limned with dim light, their skins or hides of a different color. It's these who are the spell slingers. They have this power I mentioned before - but also have been known to become insubstantial, and can cast a spell which makes their hides take a texture of stone without hindering their movements...
You arrive at Enger's modest house and wait outside for a moment while he retrieves the stone.

[ragnorakk]

Enger returns and presents the sample for your inspection. The mineral is opalescent,
and dark, not unlike coal.
I broke this off of a gnome's stone more than 20 years ago. The former lord of Ryall's
Keep took a more active hand against the threat than today's - wizards of his court
studied it, and eventually returned it to me. From those studies was derived this potent charm.
He reveals another globe of glass, with a translucent red stone suspended in the
center - this red stone cut to eight facets, a rune marked on each face. The rough globe
is the size of a hobbit's fist.
I have three of these. These stones prevent the gnomes from
materializing, from thier source stone and from trace quantities in other stone.
They further provide some protection against the gnomes' sorceries, but
that protection is imperfect. They are all loathe to pass close or come into contact
with these stones - so they can be used as a ward or barrier.

The dwarf foreman comes to Enger's and joins you on the street outside.
A couple of the men have said that they'd accompany you, to lend their shields and
arms. Loosing their labor today can be more than recompensed by clearing just one
of the digs. Do you intend to venture there this day?

(tech: those bearing the charm get a L1 SR on LK to resist offensive spells cast by
gnomes.)

[Toad-Killer-Dog]

OOC: Considering Thurgood's lack of metal armor and his stone spear and wooden staff I think Bjorn and our other fighters should get the charms.

Do we want to start out today?

We are rested and unless there are more preparations to be made it might be worth going on while they are willing to give us some shield bearers as back up.

The only thing I can think of to ask is what do we do with the Gnome-stone when we find it?

Return it to the surface?

Bury it again far enough from the air to keep it from working after the charms leave it's effective radius?

I think I'll ask.

Thurgood examines one of the charms before handing it on to Bjorn.

"What should we do with the Gnome-Stone once we find it sir"

"How is it best disposed of?"

[ragnorakk]

Once you've brought a charm into the presence of such stone, it will no longer be able to produce more. The mineral is itself soft and chalky - it can be easily extracted - with an eye to detail, even carved out with a dagger - and where it is in concentrated in nodes, they are not overly large. The first stone we extracted without the aid of a charm - carried it to the surface with it spitting out the monsters the whole time! Once surfaced, those pieces left in sunlight for some days, lost their potency. After that, the stone extracted was put into a bag along with one of the charms, and brought out to bake in the sun.

[Toad-Killer-Dog]

Thurgood nods his head sagely.

"Thank you kind sir, your aid has been admirable and invaluable"

"What say you comrades shall we start while the day is fresh or are there preparations yet to be made?"

[danhem]

Bjorn takes the charm to takes a closer look at it. "Yes, these may indeed prove useful. My blades still may be of use."

Turning to the dwarf he smiles. "We welcome the company of any who wishes to face this peril with us. But..." he then turns to Enger.

"Just so we're clear. You want us to clear the two mines of any gnomes that may already be there AND remove all traces of this strange ore that may be uncovered."

Bjorn pauses for effect.

"If we manage to do all of this, what does your town offer in return for our assistance?"

[ragnorakk]

Aug 10, 2009 19:05:07 GMT -5 danhem said:

"Just so we're clear. You want us to clear the two mines of any gnomes that may already be there AND remove all traces of this strange ore that may be uncovered."

Bjorn pauses for effect.

"If we manage to do all of this, what does your town offer in return for our assistance?"

(@bjorn: I've taken the liberty of rolling on Charisma for you: 5+5, followed by 1+3)

Kuld the Dwarf:
Well...both mines would be ideal, yes, but even partial success would
be better than none...now as regards reward for your effort - you'd surely never pay
for room an' board here in Baxan - we never forget a good turn done for us. Twenny
ain't here in person to say what clearing his dig is worth to him, an' I can't speak for
him - but I'd be able to pay ye' upward of four hundred gold, an' I think he'd assess
near the same.

Old Enger:
I would present a case to the lord of the Keep on your behalf when
he returns, and he would be beholden to you for your services also.

[Toad-Killer-Dog]

OOC: Well guys that sounds pretty reasonable to me and if we can get in good with the local royalty that could lead to future employment and its always good to have a place to fall back to were they won't kick you out! ;D

Thurgood breaks the silence with a question.

"Before we begin, do the gnomes ever attack the town?"

"I would hate to be the cause of reprisals on this fair hamlet"

[ragnorakk]

Naw - they are occupied by going down farther from the surface - they are made
unhealthy by the sun and wind...
But in their descent, sometimes they disturb other underworlds - habitats and
strongholds of the ancients, displace other things that have no such aversion of
the surface...
The trail to the mines has remained safe yet.

[danhem]

Bjorn nods appreciatively at Kuld and Enger.

"That will do nicely, thank you. Some gold, a nice place to eat and sleep, and a good word with the local royalty will a nice start."

Bjorn's eyes widen at Enger's comment about other things in the depths of the gnomes tunnels.

"If these gnomes have broken through to any ancient ruins or tunnels that would be worth exploring as well." His mind drifts to images of lost cities ripe for plundering.

"This is sounding better by the minute. Let's head off to Kuld's mine straight away. No sense burning more daylight."

OOC: Nice job on the saving roll, thanks!