The Merchant of Braavos (G2 Prologue)

[Magnus]

The thin, bearded man smiles warmly at Vorsyin, closing his eyes and bowing slightly. He takes the offered product, the axe, into his hand and he responds in a melodic tenor:

"Yes, where is my courtesy, I am Bastian di Zorzi, humble servant of the Merchant of Braavos.

The deeds of your group have been noted to us by your Lord Commander. Giants are stupid and brutish. But in numbers, they can be overwhelming. Whatever did you do to take down so many?

He pulls a monocle from his vest and stares at the axe.

Ah...an axe with a frost enchantment. I see...why yes, the axe is well made and the enchantment is true, you must understand that such a weapon is...well, rather common in those markets in which we trade. But, I will do you the courtesy of relieving you of its burden. Say, for a trade? Surely you have more magic, coin and gems?

Would the good wizard seek to supplement his library of spells? Perhaps replenish a potion supply?

I understand that your next venture will be well north...I do have boots and cloaks that protect from the elements...would those be of interest?

What else do you have to offer?

[Magnus]

lorenzo lotto 1545.jpg (51.03 KiB) Viewed 1605 times

Bastian di Zorzi

[Computer +1]

Vorsyin nods thoughtfully when Bastian mentions the common aspect to the axe. Indeed I fully understand the limitations of such an enchantment although I am sure you have contacts who would be able to move such an item to areas much more favorable. And yes, a trade may be worthy for the axe I would like to see what you have to offer. Your suggestions of spells, potions and protection from the elements all hit the mark of things my companions and I are interested in.

[Magnus]

Our library of spells is extensive, as is our array of potions and scrolls...perhaps the learned mage would let us know what he seeks...

Though, I could give you a cloak, which offers magical protection from the rigors of Winter for that axe. Kind of a beautiful irony to such a trade, no?

...and might the brilliant mage be offering anything else to trade...or coin to offer?

..surely a Steading cleared of raiding giants would yield much more than an axe of common enchantment....

...and what else interests you and your band? We have two mighty weapons - Starfall, a mace forged from a falling star blessed by a High Greenseer - one who has spoken with the Old Gods themselves, and Jotuntear, a longsword forged in the Age of Heroes, imbued with incredible effectiveness against Giantkind.

We also have a staff of curative properties, four cloaks such as I described and two pairs of boots offering even greater adaptions to the Winter, and several other miscellaneous items to offer.

what do you say?

I am rolling % to see if individual spells, scrolls and potions are available based on request and a formula that I have.

In game terms, he has offered:

Boots of the Winterlands (2)
Cloak of the Winterlands (offers only resistance from normal cold, but not magical cold and no sure footing
Staff of Curing (though slightly different properties - but does offer ready healing)
Holy Mace (more or less)
Giant Slayer (more or less)
Few other items...

Pardon any errors...had to fire away fast

[Computer +1]

Vorsyin rubs his chin and his eyebrows raise. En extensive library of spells you say? My heart is beating faster at the possibilities! I myself never learned the proper way to cast Teleportation, is that something you can offer? A second spell I have seen but not researched myself is Strength. Or Stoneskin, that is another I would be interested in! Or perhaps the most useful of all when in the frozen North, Leomund's Secure Shelter. That would be handy indeed!

Vorsyin realizes how excited he has become and he tries to reign in his emotions. The feeling of being a child in a sweet shop cannot be good for bartering.

Forgive me but I have gotten carried away with myself. To business at hand. I will accept the trade of the axe for the cloak possessing the protection against the Winter. From a thing that brings death to one that preserves life, eh.

As to the other items with which to trade I would like to offer the following he begins to pile up a few things for inspection: the 3 100 gp gems, the 27 1/2 lb copper ingots, the 3 exquisitely jeweled bracelets and the “fist-sized” amethyst.

[Cwreando]

Before Vorsyin meets the merchants, Lorath greets him with a list of spells he is interested in either exchanging or purchasing from the merchants, "Kind Wizard if I may make a request I have a list of spells I would be interested in learning either from you or from the merchants. Please take this list and see if they are available or if possible can I learn them from you?"

Lorath steps aside and hopes the negotiations goes well.

The list
(1) Identify
Find Familiar
Feather Fall

(2) Detect Invisibility
invisibility
Mirror Image
Audible Glamor
Continual Light
Locate Object

(3) Fly
Phantasmal Force
Protection From Evil 10 ft Radius
Tiny Hut

[Magnus]

Bastain smiles and says:

"I will offer you four cloaks and two boots, as well as a scroll of Tiny Hut for your axe, 3 100 gp gems, the 3 exquisitely jeweled bracelets, the “fist-sized” amethyst, and 2500 gold pieces.

We do have the following spells that you listed: Teleport, Strength, Identify, Find Familiar, Feather Fall, Continual Light, Locate Object, Detect Invisibility, and Invisibility.

We are not interested in the ingots...we are not building gutters...

How about Jotunstear ?- it is 75,000 GP or Starfall ?- it is 25,000. The Staff of Curing is 15,000.

I also have a Ring of Spell Storing, Cloak of the Bat, Bags of Holding of all sizes, and an Amulet of R'hollor's Blood

...and potions...

Jotunstear -- a +2 longsword that will kill any giant-type (giant listing in OSRIC/ogre/ettin/Annis) of 11 HD or less, subject to a save v death, and does double damage if it does not kill (including larger giants). Also, once per week, it allows one wielder knocked to 0 HP or less in Melee or ranged combat -- not spells, etc. to "rise" again at 25% HP.

Starfall -- Holy Mace BT(OSRIC)B

Sorry if sloppy...doing this in a rush...

[Magnus]

The Merchant impatiently looks over Vorsyin and his wares. Seeing the Messenger's armor, he peers at it through his monocle and nods his head, yes, well-made magical plate - though made only of common steel, albeit castle-forged - imbued with a protective enchantment.He lets Vorsyin peer at it as well, and the read is true. The party has a suit of +2 Plate Mail.

The Merchant and Vorsyin chat for a while. Vorsyin consults with his companions back and forth a bit. The party falls silent during one such session as the Lord Commander enters the tent. He announces that in recognition of the party's valor, the Starks have contributed a fat bag of Braavosi coins to the party's cause, bring the party's total up to 50,000.

The entire party is invited in with the Merchant, a hearty feast of venison, potatoes, and rich red wine is offered. Discussions continue. At last, the Merchant takes a deep breath and offers:

- staff of curing
- four cloaks
- two boots
- a scroll of Tiny Hut
- Amulet of R'hollor's Blood
- 5 extra-healing potions
- 1 potion of super-heroism
- 1 potion of spider climbing

The following spells inscribed into each mage' s spellbook:

Teleport, Strength, Identify, Feather Fall, Continual Light, Locate Object, Tiny Hut, Detect Invisibility, and Invisibility.

for

50,000 gp in Braavosi coins
5,523 gp
a handful of small gems
3 100 gp gems
3 exquisitely jeweled bracelets
1 “fist-sized” amethyst
1 suit, +1 Valyrian Chain
1 Frost Axe
1 potion of poison

The Merchant then turns over an hourglass, forms his hands into a tight steeple, and and says, sternly:

Do we have a deal?

[Computer +1]

Vorsyin clears his throat. I would not accept this deal. Most of the spells you offer, the greatest share of what I would gain, are already known to me and therefore can also be passed along to my companion Lorath. He pauses for a moment Of greater value to me is some form of protection be it amulet, ring or other. Something that will not interfere with my abilities of course.....Therefore the only spells that are of true use to us are Teleport, Strength, Feather Fall, Locate Object, Detect Invisibility and Invisibility. I would be willing to take less spells depending on the nature of the magical protection. Vorsyin looks right at the Merchant, What can you offer?

[GreyWolfVT]

Rommel gladly enters as the merchants have invited the entire party in. He clears his throat. "Excuse me if I may be so bold as to say. If this man says the mages already know the spells or most of what you offer kind sir. Then would we not be able to come to some different spells the offer sounds very generous but no need in giving us what we already have."

[Magnus]

The Merchant nods, and digs into a chest and pulls out a pair of bracers -- wrist cuffs.

"These offer the protection of chain armor by way of a magical shield. Were I to add these to the offer, would we have a a deal then?"

[GreyWolfVT]

Rommel looks to Vosyin. "That does sound like a fair deal to me and you Vosyin? As I cannot speak for everyone."

[Computer +1]

Vorsyin nods thoughtfully. I agree to the terms of this deal. HE looks at the others, Are there any objections?

[Cwreando]

Lorath joins Vorsyin and any others in the merchant tent and hearing the terms he realizes he has no money of his own and since they used the party loot as a combined source of payment he will be completely coin free. He looks at Vorsyin leans in and whispers, "I agree to the deal, but I will have no money to pay for food, rations, lodging if needed or any other odds and ends. If this can be covered by the party I can repay you later."

[GreyWolfVT]

Rommel looks to Gaerys "What say you? Ranger of the North?"

[Zhym]

Gaerys examines the deal. "I would ask one more thing for myself, if I might. Although, with your help, we will soon be liberated from the coins weighing us down," he says with a smile, "we might be fortunate to have such a burden again. Would you happen to have a handy haversack that you would be willing to throw into the trade? If so, I would accept this bargain as so modified."

[Magnus]

The Merchant scowls subtly at Gaerys's last-minute addition, but reluctantly pulls out a fine-looking backpack and proceeds to stuff it with the items that the party has purchased. He hands it to the party.

Lorath and Vorsyin are each asked for their spellbooks, and an elderly scribe who emerges from the corner of the tent, takes them and begins to inscribe the spells into each of their books. Despite his age, the scribe is awe-inspiring in his felicity with the quill. It seems like the inscription will be complete in a few hours.

The Merchant makes an elegant gesture to suggest that the party pay up...then offers the group another round of thick, warming wine from the Arbor. He then raises his own full glass and says:

And so it is done. Shall we toast to our mutually beneficial dealings, and hopefully more business to come?

After the toast:

Our travels take us far and wide, do you all have any items we might seek for you on our next meeting?

And tell me of your battles under the Steading...

So, the deal is:

- handy haversack
- Bracers of defense AC 5
- staff of curing
- four cloaks of the winterlands (permits wearer to function unimpeded by cold weather, but does not offer bonuses against magical cold or any other benefits)
- two boots of the winterlands (BTB as written)
- a scroll of Tiny Hut
- Amulet of R'hollor's Blood (effects determined by wearer)

- 5 extra-healing potions
- 1 potion of super-heroism
- 1 potion of spider climbing

The following spells inscribed into each mage' s spellbook:

Teleport, Strength, Identify, Feather Fall, Continual Light, Locate Object, Tiny Hut, Detect Invisibility, and Invisibility.

for

50,000 gp in Braavosi coins
5,523 gp
a handful of small gems
3 100 gp gems
3 exquisitely jeweled bracelets
1 “fist-sized” amethyst
1 suit, +1 Valyrian Chain
1 Frost Axe
1 potion of poison

Pls make appropriate adjustments on your sheet and get your load-outs ready. Use either the party treasure or OOC thread for those purposes.

You can also get any "normal" gear that you would like for an ice/snow/mountain/glacial adventure (and yes, the Watch of course has a reasonable array of this stuff). The party will start at the "dungeon" entrance, which dungeon is a rift in a glacier. The party will be strongly encouraged to use the teleportation chain device that they recovered from Chief Nosra.

I am also going to do XP awards.

I am going to fill out the new thread in the next few days.

[Cwreando]

The Merchant scowls subtly at Gaerys's last-minute addition, but reluctantly pulls out a fine-looking backpack and proceeds to stuff it with the items that the party has purchased. He hands it to the party.

Lorath and Vorsyin are each asked for their spellbooks, and an elderly scribe who emerges from the corner of the tent, takes them and begins to inscribe the spells into each of their books. Despite his age, the scribe is awe-inspiring in his felicity with the quill. It seems like the inscription will be complete in a few hours.

The Merchant makes an elegant gesture to suggest that the party pay up...then offers the group another round of thick, warming wine from the Arbor. He then raises his own full glass and says:

And so it is done. Shall we toast to our mutually beneficial dealings, and hopefully more business to come?

After the toast:

Our travels take us far and wide, do you all have any items we might seek for you on our next meeting?

And tell me of your battles under the Steading...

Lorath bows and hands over his spell book and provides a list of items he has an interest in for the future.

Lorath smells and eyes the wine casually as if savoring it but is just cautious, if he doesn't notice anything odd he sips on the wine and says, "I've seen these fancy flaming swords but I was wondering if you have ever heard of a similar type bow? One that would impart the same bonus' that say a flameblade, Giantkiller would or even more unique would be a Grey LongBow of the ArchMagi with the same effect that a robe of the same might have. Arrows fired from a flame bow would have additional fire damage or and Icebow, Forcebow. Either longbow or longsword would be useful in these unique magic properties. I'd also be interested in the following; Ring of Regeneration (My last one was destroyed in a fight), Wizardry, Free Action, Wand of magic missiles, Helm of Comprehend Languages/Read Magic, Efficient Quiver, Gauntlets of Ogre Power or Belt of Giant Strength, Grey Robe of the Archmagi. Obviously these are items of interests and who know when we will meet again."

[Magnus]

Date: Autumn, 432 ca., Campaign Day 11
Time: 19:30
Weather: 44 degrees, Light Snow
Location: Fist of the First Men

************************

And so it was that a deal was done, tales were told, requests made, spells were scribed, and much food and wine consumed.

The party wandered out from the billowing purple tent with their new equipment in hand, and the new spells inscribed into the wizards' books. A feather-like snow drifted down on the camp, reminding the party of the challenges ahead. Reaching their own tent, the party took the time to divide their new equipment and trade out any of the old. A young envoy from Lord Stark and boyish steward of the Lord Commander visited the party, both to fetch any arctic gear and any other standard equipment requested and notify the party of a meeting with the lad's lieges in the morning.

The party was given as much healing as necessary to return to full strength (courtesy of Lord Stark). Each hero, in turn, fell into a deep, nourishing sleep. On the morrow, the challenge would begin again.

Onto the next thread...