CH. 2: Bear in Mine

[HorizonsDream]

Kendra stared at the empty spot that the two hobgoblins use to be, and shook her head in confusion. She was sure that she wasn't ever going to understand just what had happened. "We need to get moving," she finally says to the others.

[Haahque]

"What would happen if I started a horse-mill businessmen? Does time travel actually produce a paradox? Who will lend me twenty steel and not ask for it back?" Haahqae pauses long enough to catch his breath. "Hey cryptic old gob, exactly when on the sixth day will my questions be answered? Do I get time in the morning to ask more questions or is it like in a dream before the sixth day?" He looks up for a response from the hobgoblin. Not finding him Haahqae looks around, wondering where they went. "Hey, where did he go? Umm... Where's Coroccoco? Did you fine heroes see a couple goblins around here, about yea high, one rather old?"

[mgbevan]

Gregeddin watches in wonder, once they have disappeared he silently walks to the spot where they had been stood, kneels down and inspects the ground, dusting and patting it for signs of tomfoolery. Finding none he resorts to gaping dumbly at the sky for a few moments.

Then with a sense of urgency he concurs, "Right, let's hot foot it back to Haven."

Now emulating Haahae's tone, he says to him, "We have GOT to learn that!, what the Hobgoblins just did! It was amazing... such a shame you missed it... So. When we get back to Haven you can start teaching me magic, beginning with that slippery bacon thing is fine. Oh this is going to be great, aren't you excited!? I can tell you all about it in the magic library or wherever people learn magic, where do they learn magic anyway? We might have to start a horse-mill business to make money for the textbooks and things."

[JadedDM]

The party continues on, making their way through the hoard of refugees camping outside of the city and up to the main gate. There, they each turn in their citizenship tokens to the guards to be allowed entry. The city remains unchanged since they left a day ago.

"First things first," Kynaston says. "Let's go to my place and check on that girl. Then we can figure out where to sell this stuff," he says, hefting the chest on his shoulder.

[mgbevan]

"Fine by me," Gregeddin replies.

[HorizonsDream]

"Works for me," Kendra says with a shrug.

[JadedDM]

As they walk there, Kynaston appears in good spirits. "You know," he says, "it's nice that things are finally starting to turn around. We got a job, and we finished it. We're all going to be rich soon. And even better, we already have a new job lined up--helping that woman out. Did you notice how nice she was dressed? She looks pretty rich. Once we help her, we can probably retire with all the steel we'll have."

They reach the harbor district and begin approaching his house. "I tell you, it's about time things started going....right..," he trails off when they reach the house and sees that his front door sits half open. He raises a hand to signal to the others to be cautious, then draws his axe.

[HorizonsDream]

Kendra draws her swords upon seeing the door, and looks to Kynaston. "Looks like you might have spoken too soon," she says softly.

[Haahque]

"Well yes of course, it would have been much too easy if we just came back and she was safe. Much too easy and boring indeed." Haahqae responds, possibly a little louder then Kynstan had meant when he signaled caution.

[djhyland]

Darga shakes his head and speaks, much more quietly than Haahqae. "I'll go an' check inside. If there's someone waitin' in there, they probably won't suspect one o' my kind as bein' anything other than curious or scavenging."

Though he approaches the half-open door with feigned carelessness, Darga looks about carefully, hoping to catch anything amiss.

(OOC: Darga's looking for anything out of place or dangerous, and looking for signs of who might have broken in. While it's not exactly a trap-finding kind of thing, I can roll for that if necessary.)

[JadedDM]

Darga enters first. He finds the place in a total disarray. The pantry lies open, raided. The mattress was flipped off the bed and the blankets sit in a pile on the floor. Every drawer in every dresser or cabinet has been removed, their contents dumped on the floor, and anything of value has been taken.

Daxia isn't there; nobody is. The place is deserted and well looted. Darga looks at the door, and can see a lockpick still sticking out of the padlock.

[mgbevan]

While Gregeddin waits for Darga to relay the information, he looks around the street at who is about.

Any stall vendors or people that look like they haven't moved for a while would stand a chance of knowing what's been going on. Anyone leaning out a window of their own house would be ideal.

[Haahque]

Noticing what seems to have caught Darga's eye, Haahqae strolls over to investigate it a little closer.

"Ooh, sloppy work. What kind of self respecting thief leaves a lock pick in the door." He comments. "Not that I would know anything about self respecting thiefs of course, but you would think a professional would do better then that."

[HorizonsDream]

"I wonder if she was able to get away," Kendra says as she finally approaches the house.

[JadedDM]

Gregeddin looks around the street, but anyone he sees does a thorough job of looking away, avoiding eye contact.

When Darga gives the all clear signal, the party enters, Kynaston in the lead. He looks around at the mess. "Damn it," he hisses. "We were supposed to protect her. We were only gone for one day!"

He shakes his head. "Who could have done this?" he asks aloud.

At that point, two people step into the house, behind the party. One is taller and clearly an adult, while the other is little more than a child. The adult is wearing a heavy, red cloak while the younger has a similar grey cloak.

The adult tosses back the red hood of his cloak, revealing a handsome elven face. He has lean features, silvery white hair, and hazel eyes. "I believe I may know the answer to that," he says.

=========

End Chapter 2!

XP is as follows:

Kynaston Trench (Fighter)
Participation: 10 XP
Defeated 16 Kobolds: 16 XP
Defeated 8 Sligs: 308 XP
Defeated 2 Baaz: 50 XP
Defeated Sekla: 92 XP
Defeated 41 HD worth of enemies: 410 XP
Completion of quest: 450 XP
Bonus 10%
TOTAL: 1,469 XP

Haahqae (Illusionist/Thief)
Participation: 100 XP
Detect Traps: 200 XP
Move Silently: 200 XP
Defeated 16 Kobolds: 16 XP
Defeated 8 Sligs: 308 XP
Pit Trap Plan: 100 XP
Defeated 2 Baaz: 50 XP
Casting Grease: 50 XP
Defeated Sekla: 92 XP
Completion of quest: 450 XP
Bonus 10% (Thief only)
TOTAL: Illusionist 783 XP/Thief 861 XP

Kendra Synclair (Fighter)
Participation: 100 XP
Defeated 16 Kobolds: 16 XP
Defeated 8 Sligs: 308 XP
Defeated 2 Baaz: 50 XP
Defeated Sekla: 92 XP
Defeated 41 HD worth of enemies: 410 XP
Completion of quest: 450 XP
Bonus 10%
TOTAL: 1,569 XP

Gregeddin (Bard)
Participation: 100 XP
Defeated 16 Kobolds: 16 XP
Defeated 8 Sligs: 308 XP
Pit Trap Plan: 100 XP
Defeated 2 Baaz: 50 XP
Defeated Sekla: 92 XP
Completion of quest: 450 XP
Defeated 41 HD worth of enemies: 205 XP
Bonus 5%
TOTAL: 1,377 XP

Gregeddin reaches level 2!
*He receives 1d6 HP
*He receives a 1st level spell slot

Coroccoco (Heathen Monk)
Participation: 10 XP
Defeated 16 Kobolds: 16 XP
Defeated 8 Sligs: 308 XP
Defeated 2 Baaz: 50 XP
Defeated Sekla: 92 XP
Completion of quest: 450 XP
TOTAL: 926 XP

Darga (Thief)
Participation: 100 XP
Defeated 16 Kobolds: 16 XP
Detect Traps: 400 XP
Defeated 8 Sligs: 308 XP
Pit Trap Plan: 100 XP
Defeated 2 Baaz: 50 XP
Defeated Sekla: 92 XP
Completion of quest: 450 XP
TOTAL: 1,516 XP

Darga reaches level 2!
*He receives 1d6 HP
*He receives 30 thief skill points

Bear (Barbarian)
Participation: 0 XP
Defeated 16 Kobolds: 16 XP
Defeated 8 Sligs: 308 XP
Defeated 2 Baaz: 50 XP
Defeated Sekla: 92 XP
Defeated 41 HD worth of enemies: 820 XP
Completion of quest: 450 XP
TOTAL: 1,736 XP