Expedition: Baxtaw - Seeking Scatha's Lair - 23 July 2021

[Zhym]

Here's another revision of the treasure split. This one pulls 585 gp off the top to reimburse Bremen for potions purchased at the start of the expedition, and reserves another 215 gp for various group purposes (purchasing a bard's services if we want to avoid risking a charisma roll; identifying items; maybe a Scatha-skeleton fund):

• Baxtaw, Bremen, Lug, Osuna, and Piers: 1,050 gp, 2 items of non-heirloom jewelry (500 gp ea.), 9 diamonds (1,000 gp ea.), 5 rubies (750 gp ea.), 5 emeralds (500 gp ea.). Total: 16,300 gp.
• Clauson and/or Baudh Shares: 3,550 gp, 11,250 gp in 3 months, 3 non-heirloom jewelry (500 gp ea.). Total: 16,300 gp.
• Stantz, Rowine, Crowgar, and Dorbeck's Estate: 200 gp, 937 gp in 3 months, 26 ep, 5 cp, 14 non-heirloom jewelry (500 gp ea.). Total: 8,150 gp.

That's with the heirloom items going to the dwarves.

And here's the updated list of magic items with possible recipients:

• Dwarven hand axe (from goblin leader) [+1, 4001xp] - Stantz?
• Suit of red dragon plate (AC 1, +3 save v fire) - Lug
• Suit of red dragon plate (AC 1, +3 save v fire) - Piers
• Suit of red dragon leather (AC 3, +3 save v fire) - Bremen
• Suit of red dragon leather (AC 3, +3 save v fire) - Baxtaw?
• Scroll: Ward v. Undead - Clauson (or Piers?)
• Scroll: Ward v. Undead - Clauson
• Dwarven Clerical Scroll (Level 7: Holy Word) - Clauson
• The Beer of Guldarim - Rowine or Crowgar
• Smithing Hammer of Balthnoc - Rowine or Crowgar
• Human-sized black silk robes - Osuna?
• A 16-inch wand of basilisk bone (Wand of Paralyzation?) - Osuna?
• 40lb marble cylinder with dwarf runes - Clauson??

What's everyone think? Is the coin, jem, and jewelry alloction good enough that we can add that to our sheets and have our PCs start interacting in town?

[Jernau35]

I wouldn't say no to the scroll vs undead, since Clauson is getting one anyway. But only if it's really up for grabs. If it's going to unbalance things, let him have it.

I'm really interested in the hammer of Balthnoc though. If it's allocated to Rowine or Crowager, is there a precedent to buy it off them? Or once it's given to them, it's out of the game?

[Zhym]

I'm assuming in that magic-item distribution that each set of armor is worth 10,000 gp (since that's what the dwarves would have sold them to us for had we kept the heirloom items). That's pretty big. The hammer, beer, and cylinder probably aren't worth that much—but maybe we can find out more about the cylinder, at least. So I've been assuming that PCs that get armor only get the armor.

Fingers, one of my other PCs, has a shop to buy, sell, or consign magic items. So far, only my own characters have made use of the shop. But I'm hoping Marullus will consider having NPCs put items up for consignment in the shop (or sell them outright, if Fingers has the funds) instead of taking them out of the game.

[Zhym]

viewtopic.php?f=353&t=7071&p=359867#p359867

The cylinder appears to have magical importance, even if just by the dwarf's assertions of runecasting. It is clear the Dwarf is both in awe and fear of it, as magic use has a dubious reputation among dwarves at the best of times. Baxtaw surmises the "non-words" are likely magical writing.

You need to cast Detect Magic to read the magic aura or Read Magic to get more from the script. It is your choice to camp and memorize the spells to check it out here, to haul it along (40lbs) and do so later, or leave it and hope to come back.

Can we assume that we've used detect magic on everything by now to read the magic auras? Can Osuna read magic?

[Marullus]

Yes, I marked all magic items with **.

Osuna Reads Magic on the cylinder. The Runes are not a spell. Since the dwarven magic is encoded in Runes, however, she gets the gist that it is some kind of potent earth magic idiom. It has a ritual which will root the cylinder in the earth and prepare it for activation. It needs to be studied (magical study by the week) to discover its full powers.

[Zhym]

Considering where we found it (in a training room), I'm going to guess that it's some sort of magical training machine. Like maybe it conjures little earth elementals for the dwarves to fight, or something like that.

In fact, I wonder if all the very-dwarfy things—the cylinder, the smithing hammer, and the beer—are going to be worth much more to the dwarves than they'll be useful to us.

[Zhym]

If it's okay, I'm going to add items to Lug's sheet as listed above. Sorry about rushing it on the weekend, but I'd like Lug to join Halfpint's expedition and not hold it up.

I'll also have him pay for lodging in town. We arrive on July 28 and the clock advances to September 5, right? (5 weeks + 4 days)

[Rusty Tincanne]

IOW, the only way to get Scatha's skeleton now is to ask the dwarves for it.

That is understood, and has been my plan. I only keep mentioning it because, in my opinion, it belongs to the party, but Bremen really wants it. If he gets it, he should reimburse everyone else in the party. Though maybe by making it a tribute to us all, it would - as a form of XP, perhaps? Anyhow, just so so you players know that I'm trying to be on the up and up about it, though Bremen will try and twist it to his own benefit.

The leather armor is probably with less than the plate, but I'm not concerned about that.

I am fine with that split. I'll let Marullus speak for NPCs.

Marullus, does Osuna have any idea what the cylinder does? Is it defensive? (It had been moved to the training room, remember.) Does it need dwarfs to seat it into the ground?

Bremen looks at the others and decides that Lug is probably right. Even if Piers would go along with it, the others would eventually let the truth of Dorbeck slip. Yes, Brother Piers, honesty is a valid policy, especially with dwarfs. I hope you understand my concern was for his dwarfish honor. Lug's variation of the story, which is essentially truthful, will also allow the dwarfs to feel pride in their kin. He looks to the others to see if they are in agreement.

[Dram]

Baxtaw remaiming silent for most of the discussion concerning Dorbeck' s story. Dwarven pride is strong and trust is hard to earn. Keep with the truth.


Is Baxtaw able to wear the Dragon armor being a spell caster? It doesn't matter he will take it anyway put it in his tower he's going to build. Baxtaw is Okay with the split.

[Jernau35]

ive been thinking about that song. Piers CHA is only 8. I'd hate to have something as epic as killing Scatha be messed up by his bad Cha. So I'm all for the "hire a bard" route.

[Marullus]

So. Many. Posts.

Please post a summary when you're done.

[Zhym]

Okay, so we're paying 100 for a bard.

Marullus, do Rowine, Crowgar, and Clauson have preferences among the dwarf artifacts? I assume we can't just give those back to the dwarves as a group without the NPCs feeling shortchanged?

[Marullus]

Rowine, Crowgar, Clauson, and Stantz do not have preference among the magic items. There's a little more than 1/person, so as long as they get one each they're fine.

They aren't going to make a fuss about returning the heirlooms. That's the cost for curing/using the dragon hide, without which it rots and is useless, which is a bigger detriment.

[Zhym]

I meant the magic beer pitcher, the smithing hammer, and the cylinder as heirlooms. We could give those back to the dwarves, too, but than the NPCs wouldn't get them. And I doubt the NPCs would like that.

It is a shame that we're basically giving the most interesting items to NPCs, probably taking them out of the game. I mean, it's not so much of a shame that Lug wants a 40lb marble cylinder instead of his dragon armor, but it's still kind of a shame.

[Marullus]

Oh, sure. They'd object to giving the magic items to the Dwarves. You won them by right of conquest and there's no clear group benefit to giving them away. They think you should distribute within the group (perhaps do it round robin) and let individuals decide.

How about giving everyone their choice of first item (seems to be working well) and then dicing off the remaining items?

In this case, the NPCs don't have strong opinions on what they get. They'd like the Ward Scrolls. Crowgar would like the handaxe.

[Zhym]

Makes sense, with a modification: There are two things that stand out as being most usable by Osuna and possibly only usable by Osuna. So Osuna should probably get them (and their combined value may not be as much as a suit of dragon armor). That gives us this after the "First pick" round:

• Dwarven hand axe (from goblin leader) [+1, 4001xp] Crowgar
• Suit of red dragon plate (AC 1, +3 save v fire) - Lug
• Suit of red dragon plate (AC 1, +3 save v fire) - Piers
• Suit of red dragon leather (AC 3, +3 save v fire) - Bremen
• Suit of red dragon leather (AC 3, +3 save v fire) - Baxtaw
• Scroll: Ward v. Undead - Rowine
• Scroll: Ward v. Undead - Stantz
• Dwarven Clerical Scroll (Level 7: Holy Word) - Clauson
• Human-sized black silk robes - Osuna
• A 16-inch wand of basilisk bone (Wand of Paralyzation?) - Osuna

That leaves the following to be allocated by lots:

• The Beer of Guldarim
• Smithing Hammer of Balthnoc
• 40lb marble cylinder with dwarf runes

I can roll a draft order. I'd give Bremen and Baxtaw the first two picks since they're getting less valuable armor, then roll between Lug and Piers for the last pick. Osuna would be left out of this round because the robes and wand might actually be more valuable combined than one of the sets of armor.

Is that okay with everyone (including the NPCs)?

[Rusty Tincanne]

Bremen leans in closely to Baxtaw and whispers.

We just decided that we would. But a vague version of it. We're you agreeing to that, or were you talking the whole truth? Where you took him out front and failed to notice a trap, leading to a gate crashing down on him? And then, as he struggled to get free he was used as a pin cushion by a bunch of goblins, which spared your life? And then we left his body behind to get eaten by their ancient enemy? Then used his dwarf-blood-soaked-shiepd to lure the dragon into an ambush? Because when it's all spelled out like that, well... It doesn't sound so good.

@ Jernau: We provide the song to the bard, but it just insures we pass the test. So keep working on yours!
@ Zhym: That revised list looks fine. Baxtaw was party leader, so give him first pick.
@ Marullus: would Stantz want the smithing hammer rather than a +1 handaxe? (He has a +1 scimitar already.)

[Marullus]

@ Marullus: would Stantz want the smithing hammer rather than a +1 handaxe? (He has a +1 scimitar already.)

No, he isn't a Smith. He's good.

[Zhym]

@ Zhym: That revised list looks fine. Baxtaw was party leader, so give him first pick.

Fair enough.

Third pick - Piers (1) or Lug (2)? [1d2] = 1
My PCs never win these treasure rolls. I should let someone else roll.

Draft order:

1. Baxtaw
2. Bremen
3. Piers

Piers expressed interest in the hammer, so we can save a round if neither Baxtaw nor Bremen want it. Then it's just a question of whether Baxtaw wants the the beer or the 40lb cylinder. I'm going to guess beer. Bremen is the only one who has a place he can put a 40lb stone dwarven thingy. Although I'm a bit worried about what he might do with it. If we're lucky, he'll give it to the dwarves to try to get more goodwill.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Osuna is an NPC now, isn't she? Does she need two items?
Me and my character, both, have no issue short-changing her.

@Marullus: how long (in game terms) will it take to resolve the reward, etc, with the Archduke? Do you have any issues with these characters heading to Idmi D'dum and dealing with the dwarfs simultaneously? Or do you prefer we wait because the entire party is about to be arrested for harboring a fugitive from the church, and because the killed the wrong dragon and its family wants to press charges?