Difference between pages "Back to Camp" and "Arriving in Stavanger"

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Continued from '''[[Slowly Healing]]'''.
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Continued from '''[[Back to Treborg]]'''.
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__TOC__
  
'''The DM:''' It is still July 4th; the sky is covered by puffy clouds, there is no rain and the temperature remains cool and comfortable.
+
'''The DM:''' Setting out at 9 a.m., you’re frustrated when an hour out of Treborg, the wind dies.  Completely.  You row for two hours, when the wind finally picks up at noon, in the wrong direction.  Nadia raises the sail and you begin to crawl your way south to Stavanger; by three you’ve made 8 knots, about a third of the journey.  The wind improves, spins around to the east and you make 2 knots an hour for the next six hours, putting you 4 knots from Stavanger.  The wind increases, swings to the southeast – directly in your face – and it begins to rain.  Bailing, you tack the last four hours, arriving in Stavanger at 1 a.m. on the 10th of July.  It is pouring rain.  Nadia shrugs.  She got you here.  Malady checks come to naught.  Embla’s parents will put you up for the night if you ask.
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' "Vafrandir, would you be willing to assist me? I can't carry all that much by myself."
+
== July 10th ==
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I'm with you! Off we go.
+
'''[[Lexent]]:''' Very kind of them, I beg their hospitality and thank them for it. I collapse exhausted into whatever sleeping accommodations they provide.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' To be clear, we intend to move camp closer.
+
'''[[Pandred]]''': "I hate boats."
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' Indeed.
+
'''[[Lexent]]:''' Is there a particular gnomish deity of water, ships, or travel to whom I should be making appeals? (or cursing?) ;)
  
'''The DM:''' Splitting the party, I roll and no ill-happenstance results from it.  Marcule is able to get Pandred down the mountain, and might even be able to signal somehow with a spell or something (no idea) to let you know they’re coming.  Together, without needing to say so, you make an agreement about some place you saw that morning, so you know just where to meet with each other.  However, none of you are a ranger, so I will need a wisdom check from every person in the party.
+
'''Marcule:''' Also hate boats.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I roll a 1.
+
'''The DM:''' Nicer when they’re bigger.  Besides, it was the weather, not the boat.  Would you have rather slogged 24 miles in these conditions?  Anyway, in the morning, it is a moderate to heavy rain, with more than a quarter inch falling every hour.  There is little wind and it is a “warm” rain, as the temperature is cool and nearly pleasant.
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' '''14'''
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'''[[Lexent]]:''' If I calculate correctly, it is Sunday. Does that mean the market and shops will be closed? Is there a gnomish population of any note in Stavanger?
  
'''The DM:''' You both find your way back to the camp, and to the agreed-upon meeting place.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Many thanks to Nadia for the crossing and Embla's parents for a roof.
  
'''Marcule:''' I will do my best to take care of Pandred.
+
'''The DM:''' What's next?
  
'''The DM:''' That place ... do you want it to have any special characteristics, commensurate with the area?  It's alpine tundra, so there are no trees.  Here are some suggestions of what an [https://wiki.alexissmolensk.com/index.php/Alpine_(range) alpine range] offers.  Note the "Features" section.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' If it is indeed Sunday, will Embla's parents be attending services?
: Rolling dice, I do indicate the presence of a single hot spring, so that's probably going to win the choices.  No "chalets" obviously.
 
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Yes, a hot spring gets my vote. Preferably against a rock face to help shield from wind as well.
+
'''[[Lexent]]:''' If shopping is a viable option, I would like to head first to the Weaponwright. Otherwise, I am interested in getting to know the gnomish community in Stavanger (if any) and making sure that their spiritual needs are being met.
:'''[[Lexent]]:''' Your first sentence is almost word for word what I was writing. Hot spring, please.
 
  
'''The DM:''' That’s a safe bet, Vafrandir.  The hot spring is little more than a trickle; it makes a pool only one foot in diameter before tricking about fifty yards downhill through an inch-wide crack in the rock surface, where it apparently returns to the subsurfaceThe pool is about 4 yards from the rock face, which is 18 feet high and forms an angle, 20 feet north-south and 10 ft. east west, with the hypotenuse towards the southwest.  Stretching south and west is a small plain of glacial debris, with stones ranging from fist size to gnome-sized.
+
'''The DM:''' There is shopping on SundaysEmbla's parents will be attending services.
  
'''The DM:''' “small plain” = 500 yards across, tailing out where the slope breaks into 10 foot wide gulleys and ponds on the southwest edge.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I will accompany them and meet the party at the market afterwards.
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' The perfect size for resting an ankle.
+
'''The DM:''' Sorry I can’t give you an updated price list, but please ask me about anything that seems suspicious.
  
'''The DM:''' the temperature of the hot spring would be 65-70 degrees C; though of course no measurement of that kind would be comprehensible to the characters.
+
'''The DM:''' Vafrandir make a wisdom check.
  
'''The DM:''' Let’s see; you can’t get the cart onto the glacial plain.  The best you can do is park it 250 yards from the hot spring.  The terrain is too rough for the wheels otherwise.
+
'''[[Lexent]]:''' I head to the Weaponwright. Once there I show him one of the pieces of adamantium and ask if he is able to work it for me. I am firstly interested in repairing my Godentag with some amount of the adamantium used for the spike.
  
'''The DM:''' Marcule and Pandred, I need those wisdom checks.  We’ll pick this up Friday, as agreed.  Out (but I’ll check back in half an hour).
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I roll a '''19'''.
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' That seems a manageable distance. How much farther from the abrasion zone of the cirque are we now than at the previous camp?
+
'''The DM:''' You get nothing from the service, I'm afraid.  It occurs to me that a wisdom check could get you a +1% bonus on experience in your next encounter, or perhaps for the next 1,000 x.p. you earn (though that might be difficult to calculate).  Perhaps a flat +100 bonus if you're in an encounter from which you take damage.
 +
: Stuff like that would encourage players to attend church.  Hm.  50 x.p. bonus per level.  With a 7-day deadline.
 +
::'''[[Lexent]]:''' What would be the gnomish practice for regular spiritual fullfilment?
 +
::: '''The DM:''' Was thinking about that.  The rules have to be different for clerics; something others can get that clerics can't, but in compensation there are things clerics can get that others don't.  Your attending a shrine for your god, for example, would be meaningful to you but not to them. And it would matter where you put your sage abilities.
 +
::::'''[[Lexent]]:''' I'm looking in the more general sense too, wanting to know what I can do FOR my community around me and how I can more meaningfully react to the world, not just benefits I can receive.
  
'''Pandred''': 13 on my check. Missed it by 1.
+
'''The DM:''' In any case, Lexent could reach out to the gnome community in Stavanger; there would be one, of several hundred.  This wouldn’t give you the enlightenment Vafrandir missed out on, because as a cleric it is all old hat to you, but it might give you prospects on places to visit to shed some scales from your eyes.
  
'''The DM:''' InI need that wisdom check from Marcule, so I'll have to roll it.
+
'''The DM:''' What you can do for your community comes out of your sage abilitiesAs a physician, you could see while you’re here if there’s a call for your services in that regard.
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' In.
+
'''[[Lexent]]:''' If permissible, then, I would like to spend the time in which the Lutherans in our group might be attending services getting to know the gnomish people here and seeing how their spiritual needs are being met.
 +
 
 +
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I'd very much use a rule like that even though I'm not benefiting from it today.
 +
 
 +
== The Gnomes of Stavanger ==
 +
'''The DM:''' I’ve nothing prepared Lexent, but I’ll draw out an outline, hopefully one not too cliche.  Writing off the top of my head. The gnome community here is a group of bookbinders and scribes, committed towards the collection of works on (rolled randomly) medicine, prospecting and music. 
 +
 
 +
: Narina is the head of a medical school, with knowledge in your own subject and with instruction.  Her school has 20 students.
 +
 
 +
: Part of the community are a group of miners who venture out at this time of year and return when the light dims in autumn; they are mostly gone, but there is one aged engineer named Glinner; he is drafting plans to rework and replumb a mine north of Sauda in Ioglefeld.
 +
 
 +
: There is also a small musical college dedicated to gnomish music and poetry, run by Pumbar; there are some 25 attendants.
 +
 
 +
: On these three subjects there are regular books being written and two printing presses in operation.
 +
 
 +
'''[[Lexent]]:''' Excellent. Thank you. With the time I spend among them today do I learn of any of them that are in need of healing or medical care?
 +
: '''The DM:''' If you’re up for it, you can relieve a nurse in her hospital and care for as many patients (aid rest) as you’re able.  But that will mean you’ll have no time to buy at a market today.
 +
 
 +
== Market ==
 +
'''The DM:''' Anyone here not have the Stavanger Market file?
  
'''The DM:''' Marcule rolls a 12, missing his wisdom by 1. With both players missing, you get lost ... for an hour.  But that will push you over the top of exhaustion, so its a 2% malady check for each of you. And you're fine.  The pair stagger into the newly made camp, very tired, with Marcule's shoulders aching from supporting Pandred, who is just in steady pain.
+
'''[[Lexent]]:''' I have access to a copy of it [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xOqVK3fSoQd8Phu_3dKYIExhNAtThSF6/view?usp=sharing here] . Once the time for services is past I turn my attention to shopping and proceed to the weaponwright.
 +
: '''The DM:''' you’re giving me conflicting actions, Lexent.
 +
::'''[[Lexent]]:''' Sorry, I missed your response above. I assume that Vafrandir will only be at Lutheran services for part of the day. My intention was to spend that part of the day getting to know the community and providing whatever small comforts (or even a cure light wounds if warranted) I can, and then meet the others in the market.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' In for about an hour then back in the afternoon.
+
: '''The DM:''' Not needed, as it happens.  Very well, let’s say that you meet Narina, hear about the others and that the invitation to volunteer is left open for another day.
 +
::'''[[Lexent]]:''' Thank you.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' "We were starting to get worried! Sit down, rest."
+
'''The DM:''' Let me know when you'd like me to continue, having bought your goods.  We can retcon a lot of the purchases.  Vafrandir, selling the ale, without Embla to barter for you, the best price you can get is only 40% the value of the ale & barrel.
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' "This has been a long day. I'll take the first watch while you all start getting some sleep."
+
'''Marcule:''' ooc:sorry out for the rest see you all Friday.
  
'''[[Pandred]]''': In. I do rest. You guys can continue scouting without me if you need. I can rest here and handle myself if need be.
+
'''The DM:''' Marcule, if you wish to sell the harness when you this, you can get 320 g.p. for it.
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' I am content to move to the 5th. I only need four hours of sleep and am willing to take extra watch shifts.
+
'''[[Lexent]]:''' What is the Weaponwright able to do with the adamantium, how much of it will it take, and what will be the cost in both time and money?
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I'm not saying we need fear the plateau - at least, any more than any other part of this extremely dangerous wilderness - but we might want to consider a better strategy if we go that way again. On the other hand, we should probably go back to the tarn and examine the area around the inside.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Also interested in the weaponwright's response. Would, say, a longsword have the same properties as the shortsword I have now?
  
'''The DM:''' Rest starting at 8 pm, so benefits won't be felt until tomorrow evening.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' The ale sells for '''89 gp, 7 sp, 3 cp'''. I'm not sure who among us will have access to Barter studies at some point but it'd be good to have in the bag.
 +
:'''[[Lexent]]:''' Recorded
  
== July 5 ==
+
'''[[Lexent]]:''' Is the Carpenter's hammer the correct type for Marcule to work with? Would the blacksmith have tool grade knives for sale? (as opposed to weapon, copper, or silver)
'''The DM:''' Cool weather, clear skies, gentle wind blowing.
 
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' I recommend that we all rest for at least today. Depending on HP we might send a scouting party up to within the cirque tomorrow, but today we should rest.
+
'''[[Lexent]]:''' "Vafrandir, What did we decide about purchasing more chests?"
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' I use the staff to heal Pandred for '''3+1+2=6'''.
+
: '''The DM:''' Hm.  Assumed you’d sell it.  Adamantium has to be alloyed with another metal; usually in weapons, it is alloyed first with copper and then with iron, so that the adamantium mix takes up 15% of the weapon.  Takes time, say one day per pound of weapon you wish made this way, with a start-up time six days, so that one pound of weapon could be produced on the 8th day.  This measurement of “pounds of weapon” means the traditional weight of the weapon.  So a 6 lb. long sword on the table would need six days of working to make, plus the six lead up.  But if you ask for multiple weapons, the six days starting time would only have to be paid once.
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' I cast cure light wounds for '''3+4=7''' and apply that all to Pandred.
+
'''The DM:''' I could go through and give you the approximate metal weights of all weapons (vs. wood, say), but that will take a little time; I can get it ready for you by Friday.
  
'''Marcule:''' OOC: sorry guys i wont be able to play today. next week should be all good see you then.
+
'''[[Lexent]]:''' Did we determine a cost for the bunk beds? (both normal and gnome size)
 +
: '''The DM:''' I didn’t; I guessed 4 by 2, but the exact size is up to you.
 +
::'''[[Lexent]]:''' Yes, assuming the 4x2 size.
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' I spend the day aiding Pandred's rest along with anyone else who is willing to stay and be tended.
+
'''The DM:''' She actually needs a more precision tool.  I’ll have to make one.  A moment please.
 +
:'''[[Lexent]]:''' He. ;)
 +
:: '''The DM:''' A "tinker's hammer"; there's something wrong with table at this point (I said it's pulled apart).  Call it 1/2 lb. and 2 g.p.
  
'''Pandred''': Plus bottle for '''2'''. 9 so far.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' We have two free chests for you to use. As we eat up our supplies, more will become available.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I agree. Let's rest.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' What would the properties of such a long-sword be?
 +
: '''The DM:''' The long sword would be 6 lb. iron; so to forge it with adamantium would need 14.4 oz. of your adamantium.  The adjusted weight can be seen on the stavanger market list: there’s a listing for adamantium long sword there. It would be a +1 weapon just like your short sword.
  
'''Pandred''': Bad math, missed the heal. 15 so far. Halfway is good.
+
'''Pandred''': I'll offload my gems and 2 swords today. There were 3 small agates and 2 plum sized agates. How do I handle that? Do I treat them as the value of xp they accrued, or is there a value I should be looking at? The same with the adamantium swords, for that matter.
 +
:'''Pandred''': For reference, that means Lexent and I have officially divided the agates between us, leaving Vaf and Marcule with the hematite/cairngorms.
  
'''The DM:''' Pandred can get 6 more from rest then.  That's 21 total.  Ankle is feeling a lot better.
+
'''[[Lexent]]:''' I sell my sword, gems, and 2 of my adamantium nuggets. It looks like the rest of it will go a bit farther than I had anticipated.
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' Ready to proceed to the 6th.
+
'''The DM:''' Pandred, “small” isn’t a size.  “cherry” or “marble”?  I believe they were cherry.  A cherry –sized agate will get you 1 s.p.; the plum-sized will get you 10 s.p.  Those are their “sale” cost, not their purchase costs.
 +
: Ask for the value on any gem sold please.
  
== July 6 ==
+
'''The DM:''' Lexent, I’ll give you 12 g.p. for the sword.  20 g.p. for each adamantium lumpI don’t know what your gems are.
'''The DM:''' The next day, there is a steady drizzle, but it’s very nearly a mist and not much to be concerned aboutStill cool, still a gentle breeze blowing out of the northwest. How does the day start?
+
:'''[[Lexent]]:''' They are cherry-sized agates, so answered above.
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' Not amazingly. I heal Pandred with the staff for '''1+2+1=4'''
+
'''The DM:''' same price for your swords, Pandred. Did I miss anything?
  
'''Pandred''': 3 from the bottle says I'll be better by tomorrow. 28 as of right now.
+
'''Pandred''': I think that does it for me.
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' If we'd like I could finish the process off with cure light wounds and we could all head up today, albeit with our healing depleted.
+
'''[[Lexent]]:''' We are purchasing bunk beds, correct? Should we deduct that from party expenses? Do we need any other supplies? (Holy Water, Salves)?
  
'''Pandred''': I think I'd rather sit tight and save it in case of random encounter. As far as I know we're still okay for food for a while here.
+
'''Pandred''': I tell a lie. I also sell my three adamant lumps. ''Then'' that does it for me.
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' Fine by me. Would you like Vafrandir and myself to do some light scouting around the tarn while you finish resting?
+
'''[[Lexent]]:''' Would you like us to list any purchases here, or just account for them in our own records?
  
'''The DM:''' Pandred wasn’t hit, so technically he is the same as 2 h.p. below full. I can make a concession and allow 8 hours more rest to heal the last two points of injury, so you can begin moving about freely at 5 pm.
+
'''[[Lexent]]:''' I think that other than deciding on any additional party supplies, we should decide if we want any adamantium weapons made. It doesn't seem worth it for just my Godentags spike, but a spike and a longsword and...
  
'''Pandred''': How long to sundown? I don't think any of us wants to twist an ankle scrambling in the dark.
+
'''The DM:''' Just account for them on your sheets.  I trust you.
  
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Out. I'll help scout when I return.
+
'''The DM:''' You can just BUY the longsword.
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' I think then that the best course of action is to all just rest for the remainder of the 6th and start out on the 7th.
+
'''The DM:''' It will make your godentag +1.  Okay, till Friday.  Lexent, you want to identify your staff?  Out.
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' Prior to turning in for the evening I cast cure light wounds for '''2+4''' and apply 3 to myself. I don't think anyone else needs it but if so, I apply the rest to them.
+
'''[[Lexent]]:''' Ah, yes, but what will that take?
  
'''The DM:''' Remember, sundown is very late at night.  Sundown is 10:47 pm, and it’s not really possible to be in the dark, remember?  Full night doesn’t occur until the 28th of July and lasts 29 minutes.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Good deal, I'll buy the longsword, and sell my metal.
  
'''[[Pandred]]''': I think we'll wait for now. Lex is turning in, I don't want to risk anything. Let's just ding up a new day.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I have two hematite gems, cherry sized. What's the price on these?
  
'''The DM:''' Actually, not even then.  Those 29 minutes are ‘astronomical twilight’, so there is still light in the sky.  Fun starts when the seasons change and it is dark all the time.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Out.
  
== July 7 ==
+
'''[[Lexent]]:''' In.
'''The DM:''' the day starts with light rain, fading into drizzle about 9 o’clock am, when you’re finished sorting and feeding yourselves.  The temperature turns brisk.  These rest days need 2 lbs. food each; with an additional 4 lb. per person who fought with the goat.
 
  
'''The DM:''' I’m not consistently keeping track of the food; trusting you to do it.  But I think the last day I actually asked for food to be scratched off (without looking) was the 4th, which means these three days are unaccounted for.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' In.
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' So that would be 66 lbs. total, I believe (including Oddsdraken, but not Valda). My understanding is that Vafrandir is keeping track of that. The Cargo spreadsheet shows we have sufficient for that, but we might be starting to get just a little bit light.
+
'''[[Lexent]]:''' "So, as we are looking to acquire more assistance to deal with Grond, what are our current recurring expenses, both in money and in food?"
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' "Shall we head up, Pandred? and maybe bring Oddsdraken with us?"
+
'''The DM:''' In.
  
'''The DM:''' You have to feed Valda alsoIt’s Nadia who can feed herself.
+
== Wages & Hiring ==
 +
'''The DM:''' for the record, I am perpetually unhappy with numbers for wages paid.  This has always been a sore place in my side regarding my trade tables; I’ve never quite been able to establish a consistent across-the-board cost for wages, for all personsI was just getting started on this with the beginning of the year, but I got distracted with first rebuilding the pricing table, then using that rebuild to create a poster.
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' They are both back in Treborg though, right? Our [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KK9o9c-HPQjTqafZt7mZAUOjY9aqmg63ryWaBjI2V8U/edit?usp=sharing supplies] there are quite sufficient, from what I can tell.
+
: 2 s.p./month for your houseservant and 4 s.p. for the pilot are ridiculously low; I cannot find the number paid to Oddsdrakken, because it is located in the old Juvenis wiki and blogger can’t search comments.  These numbers can stand, but there is a plan to drastically up these amounts, once I work out a few ideas I have to establish consistent numbers.  For the present, if you hire any men-at-arms, I’m going to charge you 6 g.p. a month for them. You may assume that your other servants are all making more money as well, except that through the power of the universe the money is appearing in their pockets without my billing YOU.
  
'''Pandred''': They are. Odds can't fight, he's there to reload my crossbow and keep my fighting weight manageable. Since I dropped the Plate I haven't brought him around, but I keep meaning to change that.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Understood. It's a tricky thing - the prices for other "items" are pretty well linked to availability - do you do the same thing for labor?
 +
:'''The DM:''' At present, I don’t “do” anything. Since the “availability” of a miner has no consistent total to do with how much product is mined, and isn’t consistent with the ratios for butchers, potters, herders or woodcutters, how do you base anything on the unknown numbers for each?  At the moment, I more or less pull these numbers out of the air.
 +
::'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Yes, I was thinking it was based on the relative amount of labor rather than the product. So if there are so many "references" of miners here, the price per month is calculated accordingly. But still, you need to have a few more variables that are as yet unknown.
  
'''The DM:''' You might consider hiring other men-at-arms. Between Pandred and Vafrandir, they can jointly count themselves above 10 in most leadership points, even though they have no actual abilities.   You’ve led men before; so long as you keep the number small, 1-4, it shouldn’t be a problem.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I have two hematite gems, cherry sized. What's the price on these?
 +
: '''The DM:''' I'll give you 20 c.p. for each.
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' I leave behind my shield and the shattered remains of my Godentag and start up towards the cirque. "Do you think we should try to find how those wolves got out, or plunge straight back in?"
+
'''[[Lexent]]:''' Are we able to start the search for more hirelings the same day as the market, or do we need to wait until the following day?
  
'''The DM:''' A trip back to Stavanger would be needed for that; but you could get Lexent’s staff identified and let Nadia’s wage earn it’s value.
+
:'''The DM:''' Depends.  Each vendor you’ve purchased things at will cost you ½ hour; how many vendors have you visited between noon and 6 p.m.  Ah, but it is Sunday anyway.  No one can be hired on a Sunday.
  
'''Pandred''': Joining Lex here. I'm okay to do another day of scouting, and regroup when we have Marcule on monday.
+
'''[[Lexent]]:''' That makes sense. How much did we calculate for the cost of the 4 bunk beds (1 gnome sized at 4x2)?
 +
:'''The DM:''' Answered that already. Size of bed is up to you.  When you tell me the size of the bed, I’ll tell you how much it costs.
  
'''The DM:''' You make the climb to the cirque; presume that Vafrandir and Marcule are with you, but lagging slightly behind, so they can catch up when they’re ableFor the moment, the two of you are semi-alone in your actions.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' The 3 non-gnome bunk beds I think will be fine at 6x4. So that's what I discuss with the carpenter.
 +
: '''The DM:''' You can no longer find ready-made beds wider than 3 ft. wide (I'm using my own updated table for direct questions)6 x3 will cost 7 s.p.
 +
::'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Not a problem.
 +
:::'''[[Lexent]]:''' So a total of 21 s.p. for 3 human(ish) size bunk beds. Have we verified that we will be able to transport these in the boat?
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' Where is the herd(? flock?) of rothe?
+
:'''The DM:''' The beds weigh 67.5 lbs. each; the boat will haul up to 2 tons I think; I said elsewhere, do I need to find it?  The boat is pretty big, so even though the beds are bulky, they can be lashed in place.
 +
::'''[[Lexent]]:''' The bulk had been my concern. Thank you.
  
'''The DM:''' Drifting to the east side of the plateau.  As you reach the top, the rain has ceased and there’s an overcast sky.
+
'''Marcule:''' In.
  
'''Pandred''': What does my little spyglass tell me? I know I can't see the dungeon itself in the gully, but let's scan the cirque for what we can see.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' I have the boat's tonnage listed on the Cargo sheet, I believe. We should be fine assuming no inclement weather.
  
'''The DM:''' Nothing I haven’t already describedNo evidence of other entrances, except that there are hundreds of rocks that could be concealing one, anywhere.
+
'''[[Lexent]]:''' I know Vafrandir decided to simply purchase the adamantium sword, was anyone else still interested in commissioning a weapon with their adamantium?
 +
:'''Pandred''': Would a head for my battleaxe be significantly cheaper than a whole sword?
 +
::'''The DM:''' The battle axe would require 14 days to make; it would use 18 oz. of your adamantiumMaking it would cost 18 g.p.
  
'''Pandred''' Yeah, that's fair. What do you think Lex, got any ideas?
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' What are you meaning by a sapper in this context? Overall, I agree. Hm. The airship supplies don't have much left: a few more barrels and some lutefisk, but not enough to make a huge difference. We can pay for additional men from party funds and supplement with personal if necessary.
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' We should probably start by verifying that the gully is still as we left it, and then start working around the tarn seeing if we can spot an additional exit.
+
'''Pandred''': Our original hirelings in the distant past were classified as "Sappers". Alexis can call out my definition, but basically it's lightly armored infantry specializing in siegeworks, both the construction of and dismantling. A soldier with a shovel and pick, if you will. They helped us crack the original barrow.
 +
: '''The DM:''' Correct.
 +
::'''The DM:''' A “sapper” has the sage ability of “Tunnelling”; I’ll need to add it to the wiki.  Essentially, it means they can safely build shafts and lateral tunnels, and how to shore them.
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' I start toward the gulley, pausing to give the rothe time to adjust to our presence as necessary.
+
== Identifying the Staff ==
 +
'''The DM:''' Guessing at this point that I’ve already been ignored four times on this point, but I’m going to try again: identifying the staff will cost 23 g.p.
 +
:'''[[Lexent]]:''' Sorry, I must have missed your response when I asked what that would take.
 +
:'''[[Lexent]]:''' I do not have the personal funds to identify the staff, would we like to spend party funds to get it identified?
 +
::'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Make it so
  
'''Pandred''': Tagging along.
+
'''Marcule''': i will cover that
  
'''The DM:''' It’s been 9 days since you’ve been here, since June 29th.  The scene is exactly as you left it.
+
'''[[Lexent]]:''' I get the staff Identified.
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' Good. We start working our way around the basin, looking for any evidence of another entrance/exit, or anything else of note.
+
'''The DM:''' I’m getting a total of 4 details.  Two you know already, that the staff is +1 to hit and that it cures 3d4 h.p. a day.  You also learn that it has 8 charges.  And finally, if it is consciously chosen before an attack is attempted, the staff will add an extra bonus of +1/level of the cleric damage, which expends a charge.  So if a charge were spent, Lexent’s attack would be +1 to hit and +3 damage.
 +
: This is all the mage can tell you; to learn more, you’ll need a higher level mage than he is, which will mean travelling to a larger city.
 +
::'''[[Lexent]]:''' Thank you. Am I correct in assuming that charges never replenish?
 +
::: '''The DM:''' You have no idea.  Some staves can be recharged.  Some can't.  That's something that might have been identified, but the caster was unable to determine that.
  
'''The DM:''' I’ve been thinking about search rules vs. chances to find something.  My thoughts are than the players should have to pre-identify how long they intend to search, specifically naming a “base length of time.”  Consider: say, there is a second entrance here.  If there is, then spending enough time will guarantee it’s discovery. But “enough time” could be days, even weeks, depending on how small the entrance is (goblin lair, the entrance could be 9 in. wide).  You have no evidence the wolves came out of another hole; technically, they could have made their way up the shaft you went down, or they may have been helped, or they may have been teleported for all you know.
+
== Planning for Grond ==
 +
'''[[Pandred]]''': I like sprucing up the house, but what I really would like to dive in on is what our assault on Grond is gonna look like. Are we going to move the supplies from the airship to the cairn campsite? How many men do we want in camp, and how many coming into the dungeon with us? A cook seems smart. I wouldn't mind some heavy infantry or at least sappers. At 6gp a piece, I've got funds for 5 men for two months, which seems like a reasonable amount of time to tackle this thing even if it all goes sour.
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' Well, Pandred, what do you think? Do we spend the rest of the day searching for the possible other entrance or head back in? Maybe we could look for evidence that the wolves actually did find a way to make it out of that vertical shaft?
+
'''The DM:''' Huh.  I don’t have a place anywhere in the fighter sage studies for sapper.  I’m going to have to add a new study, “Military Engineering,” which I’m going to put in Training.  You’ll need to add it to your tables.
 +
:'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Should we assign points at this time?
  
'''The DM:''' So, you tell me (a) a segment of time.  Then (b) I’ll roll 3d4, multiplied against that time segment; then calculate the chance of finding the entrance against what I think the maximum amount of time it would take to find the lair FOR CERTAIN.  This way, I don’t confirm there’s an entrance; and I’m able to establish that a certain amount of time has passed, without having to say, “Three hours later” when the party could say, “Hey, we’d stop long before three hours passed!”  This way, we can establish within a general time frame ahead of time when you’d “stop.”
+
'''[[Lexent]]:''' "Marcule, were you planning to purchase that Tinker's hammer? I know it would be useful for you to have the ability to work on our weapons."
:'''[[Lexent]]:''' You may also need a variable for either thoroughness or size of area searched in that time. If we search for three hours that could be meticulously going over every stone in a 1/4 acre or merely walking through trying to get eyes on the whole an area much larger.
 
:: '''The DM:''' I think the judgement, “If they looked continuously foot-by-foot over the size of landscape presented, ie., within a reasonable distance that an underground tunnel could naturally occur or be made, given the space, this being a plateau reaching 400 yards from the tarn to the mountainside, recognizing that a watertable would make an entrance impractical within a certain frame of reference, and given that they have no geology or prospecting skill, how long would it take?” is good enough.
 
  
'''Pandred''' I'm down. However long we have, let's give it a go. I refuse to believe a skeleton wolf climbed a vertical ladder until I see it with my own eyes.
+
'''Marcule''': oooooo! I had missed that item, thanks Lexent. That will be a must pickup.
 +
:'''[[Lexent]]:''' "The DM: A "tinker's hammer"; there's something wrong with table at this point (I said it's pulled apart). Call it 1/2 lb. and 2 g.p."
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' Let's try this then. We spend 2 hours searching for a way the wolves could have gotten out other than the shaft.
+
'''[[Pandred]]''': I know we should consider hirelings around 6gp per month, but does that include men at arms? The character generator has sappers at 24gp per month, and I just want to be aware if those figures are accurate. For everyone else, a regular light footman is still 6gp no matter what.
 +
: '''The DM:''' Sorry ... the character generator has sappers at 24 g.p. a month?  What?  If we're talking about the character background generator, those numbers are for the total capital accumulated by the character for their life to date.
 +
: '''Pandred''' I don't mean starting wealth for a PC. My version, the 2012 version, has a tab for Men-at-Arms, and their price per month listed.
 +
:: '''The DM:''' Okay.  Freaked out a moment.  Yes, please use the 6 g.p. total.  Those starting men-at-arms are Old Friends, and start with a fanatic rating, so it presumes you want to share your good fortune.
  
'''The DM:''' taken up with help and then animated on the surface.
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Lexent, how do the party funds stand?
  
'''The DM:''' Lexent, that doesn’t work for me.  I want a search time that isn’t pre-fixed, but pre-supposed.  “We search for two hours” suggests you’ve already searched the area and won’t feel compelled to investigate leads you haven’t yet seen.  Sorry.  No.  I want a time segment, and then I’ll roll 3-12 x that segment to account for uncertainty.  Feel free to offer a segment that gives the average you want.
+
'''Marcule:''' we can always use my credit if needed
  
== Searching ==
+
'''Marcule:''' Out back in 30min
'''[[Lexent]]:''' Sorry, I misunderstood. Time segment: 20 minutes.
 
  
'''Pandred''' Don't be a goof, they were alive before they were dead! They had to get down so they could get up! Am I to believe that these three Dire Wolves were carried down as pups, raised in cages, and then died unceremoniously and had their corpses carried out to be raised?! I disbelieve! I '''disbelieve''' good sir!
+
'''[[Lexent]]:''' After deducting the Staff Identification and the 3 bunk beds we are at around 190 GP. Still haven't seen a cost for a gnome-sized (4'X 2') bunk bed, but I don't imagine it will be more expensive than the others. If you've seen the cost for that and I've just missed it, let me know.
  
'''The DM:''' (I’m not a goof, I’m your conscience; heh heh; maybe they WERE born down there? Huh?)
+
'''[[Vafrandir]]:''' Father Arven sent a letter concerning Grond to his bishop, correct? We may want to wait some time for an answer to that. It'll do no good to bring 5 men down into the dungeon to have them wrecked by a demon they can't hit with their weapons...but if Grond is putting on airs then they'd be good to have.
: In retrospect, we can make an agreement on the number of dice rolled: cursory search (1 die); general search (2); close search (3) and intensive search (4). Name your die number.
 
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' I believe a general search will do for now. 2.
+
'''[[Lexent]]:''' We're not sure whether he did or not. I'm kind of inclined to see what we are able to accomplish without his superior's involvement. Hopefully there will be a response from the undead hunter, Fraser, this Thursday in Treborg that might give us some guidance.
  
'''The DM:''' You give up after an hour and 40 minutes, having found nothingOr, at least, you decide you’re hungry and you’d like to eatThat makes it 12:40 by Marcule's watch.
+
'''The DM:''' Lexent.  I have been sitting here waiting for you to say, CLEARLY, "I want beds that are 2 ft. by 4 ft."  I have not heard you say that.  You keep bringing the subject up in an obscure, general way, so I'm going to take a stand here.  Until you goddamn say, "I want to buy beds that are SUCH-AND-SUCH size," I'm not going to give you any price on any bedsI am not here to read your mind.  I know this casual way of nagging me seems best to you, but since every time it means I have to say, AGAIN, "When you tell me what size of beds you want, I'll tell you how much they cost." Which you've chosen to ignoreAre you getting my frustration?  It is coming across?  Since your character page doesn't list your height, is 4 ft. enough?  Is it too much?  Is it what you want?  I don't know.  Now if we have to go through this again, I'm going to start swearing, I really am.
 +
: '''The DM:''' If you look back, Lexent, you’ll see that I’ve answered you every time, and you’ve ignored my answer.
  
'''The DM:''' Incidentally, I am accounting for Vafrandir’s elven find concealed doors ability.
+
'''[[Pandred]]''': In terms of the bishop. I mean, yeah, but also at that point they'd hardly need us, and we might walk away with nothing but memories of busted hips and ankles. Even if I can't smash Grond itself, I can wrestle a pack of ghouls for treasure.
  
'''[[Lexent]]:''' We stop and eat. "I'm finding this searching discouraging, Pandred. What say we take another peek in that hole once we've finished eating? Maybe we'll find some more evidence as to what occurred there."
+
'''The DM:''' Vafrandir, the only thing that Father Arvin said was that “maybe” he’d send a letter to his bishop.  You have no actual idea of any kind what he has done on that.  Please don’t transform non-committal statements on my part into “facts.

Revision as of 12:18, 26 March 2021

Continued from Back to Treborg.

The DM: Setting out at 9 a.m., you’re frustrated when an hour out of Treborg, the wind dies. Completely. You row for two hours, when the wind finally picks up at noon, in the wrong direction. Nadia raises the sail and you begin to crawl your way south to Stavanger; by three you’ve made 8 knots, about a third of the journey. The wind improves, spins around to the east and you make 2 knots an hour for the next six hours, putting you 4 knots from Stavanger. The wind increases, swings to the southeast – directly in your face – and it begins to rain. Bailing, you tack the last four hours, arriving in Stavanger at 1 a.m. on the 10th of July. It is pouring rain. Nadia shrugs. She got you here. Malady checks come to naught. Embla’s parents will put you up for the night if you ask.

July 10th

Lexent: Very kind of them, I beg their hospitality and thank them for it. I collapse exhausted into whatever sleeping accommodations they provide.

Pandred: "I hate boats."

Lexent: Is there a particular gnomish deity of water, ships, or travel to whom I should be making appeals? (or cursing?) ;)

Marcule: Also hate boats.

The DM: Nicer when they’re bigger. Besides, it was the weather, not the boat. Would you have rather slogged 24 miles in these conditions? Anyway, in the morning, it is a moderate to heavy rain, with more than a quarter inch falling every hour. There is little wind and it is a “warm” rain, as the temperature is cool and nearly pleasant.

Lexent: If I calculate correctly, it is Sunday. Does that mean the market and shops will be closed? Is there a gnomish population of any note in Stavanger?

Vafrandir: Many thanks to Nadia for the crossing and Embla's parents for a roof.

The DM: What's next?

Vafrandir: If it is indeed Sunday, will Embla's parents be attending services?

Lexent: If shopping is a viable option, I would like to head first to the Weaponwright. Otherwise, I am interested in getting to know the gnomish community in Stavanger (if any) and making sure that their spiritual needs are being met.

The DM: There is shopping on Sundays. Embla's parents will be attending services.

Vafrandir: I will accompany them and meet the party at the market afterwards.

The DM: Sorry I can’t give you an updated price list, but please ask me about anything that seems suspicious.

The DM: Vafrandir make a wisdom check.

Lexent: I head to the Weaponwright. Once there I show him one of the pieces of adamantium and ask if he is able to work it for me. I am firstly interested in repairing my Godentag with some amount of the adamantium used for the spike.

Vafrandir: I roll a 19.

The DM: You get nothing from the service, I'm afraid. It occurs to me that a wisdom check could get you a +1% bonus on experience in your next encounter, or perhaps for the next 1,000 x.p. you earn (though that might be difficult to calculate). Perhaps a flat +100 bonus if you're in an encounter from which you take damage.

Stuff like that would encourage players to attend church. Hm. 50 x.p. bonus per level. With a 7-day deadline.
Lexent: What would be the gnomish practice for regular spiritual fullfilment?
The DM: Was thinking about that. The rules have to be different for clerics; something others can get that clerics can't, but in compensation there are things clerics can get that others don't. Your attending a shrine for your god, for example, would be meaningful to you but not to them. And it would matter where you put your sage abilities.
Lexent: I'm looking in the more general sense too, wanting to know what I can do FOR my community around me and how I can more meaningfully react to the world, not just benefits I can receive.

The DM: In any case, Lexent could reach out to the gnome community in Stavanger; there would be one, of several hundred. This wouldn’t give you the enlightenment Vafrandir missed out on, because as a cleric it is all old hat to you, but it might give you prospects on places to visit to shed some scales from your eyes.

The DM: What you can do for your community comes out of your sage abilities. As a physician, you could see while you’re here if there’s a call for your services in that regard.

Lexent: If permissible, then, I would like to spend the time in which the Lutherans in our group might be attending services getting to know the gnomish people here and seeing how their spiritual needs are being met.

Vafrandir: I'd very much use a rule like that even though I'm not benefiting from it today.

The Gnomes of Stavanger

The DM: I’ve nothing prepared Lexent, but I’ll draw out an outline, hopefully one not too cliche. Writing off the top of my head. The gnome community here is a group of bookbinders and scribes, committed towards the collection of works on (rolled randomly) medicine, prospecting and music.

Narina is the head of a medical school, with knowledge in your own subject and with instruction. Her school has 20 students.
Part of the community are a group of miners who venture out at this time of year and return when the light dims in autumn; they are mostly gone, but there is one aged engineer named Glinner; he is drafting plans to rework and replumb a mine north of Sauda in Ioglefeld.
There is also a small musical college dedicated to gnomish music and poetry, run by Pumbar; there are some 25 attendants.
On these three subjects there are regular books being written and two printing presses in operation.

Lexent: Excellent. Thank you. With the time I spend among them today do I learn of any of them that are in need of healing or medical care?

The DM: If you’re up for it, you can relieve a nurse in her hospital and care for as many patients (aid rest) as you’re able. But that will mean you’ll have no time to buy at a market today.

Market

The DM: Anyone here not have the Stavanger Market file?

Lexent: I have access to a copy of it here . Once the time for services is past I turn my attention to shopping and proceed to the weaponwright.

The DM: you’re giving me conflicting actions, Lexent.
Lexent: Sorry, I missed your response above. I assume that Vafrandir will only be at Lutheran services for part of the day. My intention was to spend that part of the day getting to know the community and providing whatever small comforts (or even a cure light wounds if warranted) I can, and then meet the others in the market.
The DM: Not needed, as it happens. Very well, let’s say that you meet Narina, hear about the others and that the invitation to volunteer is left open for another day.
Lexent: Thank you.

The DM: Let me know when you'd like me to continue, having bought your goods. We can retcon a lot of the purchases. Vafrandir, selling the ale, without Embla to barter for you, the best price you can get is only 40% the value of the ale & barrel.

Marcule: ooc:sorry out for the rest see you all Friday.

The DM: Marcule, if you wish to sell the harness when you this, you can get 320 g.p. for it.

Lexent: What is the Weaponwright able to do with the adamantium, how much of it will it take, and what will be the cost in both time and money?

Vafrandir: Also interested in the weaponwright's response. Would, say, a longsword have the same properties as the shortsword I have now?

Vafrandir: The ale sells for 89 gp, 7 sp, 3 cp. I'm not sure who among us will have access to Barter studies at some point but it'd be good to have in the bag.

Lexent: Recorded

Lexent: Is the Carpenter's hammer the correct type for Marcule to work with? Would the blacksmith have tool grade knives for sale? (as opposed to weapon, copper, or silver)

Lexent: "Vafrandir, What did we decide about purchasing more chests?"

The DM: Hm. Assumed you’d sell it. Adamantium has to be alloyed with another metal; usually in weapons, it is alloyed first with copper and then with iron, so that the adamantium mix takes up 15% of the weapon. Takes time, say one day per pound of weapon you wish made this way, with a start-up time six days, so that one pound of weapon could be produced on the 8th day. This measurement of “pounds of weapon” means the traditional weight of the weapon. So a 6 lb. long sword on the table would need six days of working to make, plus the six lead up. But if you ask for multiple weapons, the six days starting time would only have to be paid once.

The DM: I could go through and give you the approximate metal weights of all weapons (vs. wood, say), but that will take a little time; I can get it ready for you by Friday.

Lexent: Did we determine a cost for the bunk beds? (both normal and gnome size)

The DM: I didn’t; I guessed 4 by 2, but the exact size is up to you.
Lexent: Yes, assuming the 4x2 size.

The DM: She actually needs a more precision tool. I’ll have to make one. A moment please.

Lexent: He. ;)
The DM: A "tinker's hammer"; there's something wrong with table at this point (I said it's pulled apart). Call it 1/2 lb. and 2 g.p.

Vafrandir: We have two free chests for you to use. As we eat up our supplies, more will become available.

Vafrandir: What would the properties of such a long-sword be?

The DM: The long sword would be 6 lb. iron; so to forge it with adamantium would need 14.4 oz. of your adamantium. The adjusted weight can be seen on the stavanger market list: there’s a listing for adamantium long sword there. It would be a +1 weapon just like your short sword.

Pandred: I'll offload my gems and 2 swords today. There were 3 small agates and 2 plum sized agates. How do I handle that? Do I treat them as the value of xp they accrued, or is there a value I should be looking at? The same with the adamantium swords, for that matter.

Pandred: For reference, that means Lexent and I have officially divided the agates between us, leaving Vaf and Marcule with the hematite/cairngorms.

Lexent: I sell my sword, gems, and 2 of my adamantium nuggets. It looks like the rest of it will go a bit farther than I had anticipated.

The DM: Pandred, “small” isn’t a size. “cherry” or “marble”? I believe they were cherry. A cherry –sized agate will get you 1 s.p.; the plum-sized will get you 10 s.p. Those are their “sale” cost, not their purchase costs.

Ask for the value on any gem sold please.

The DM: Lexent, I’ll give you 12 g.p. for the sword. 20 g.p. for each adamantium lump. I don’t know what your gems are.

Lexent: They are cherry-sized agates, so answered above.

The DM: same price for your swords, Pandred. Did I miss anything?

Pandred: I think that does it for me.

Lexent: We are purchasing bunk beds, correct? Should we deduct that from party expenses? Do we need any other supplies? (Holy Water, Salves)?

Pandred: I tell a lie. I also sell my three adamant lumps. Then that does it for me.

Lexent: Would you like us to list any purchases here, or just account for them in our own records?

Lexent: I think that other than deciding on any additional party supplies, we should decide if we want any adamantium weapons made. It doesn't seem worth it for just my Godentags spike, but a spike and a longsword and...

The DM: Just account for them on your sheets. I trust you.

The DM: You can just BUY the longsword.

The DM: It will make your godentag +1. Okay, till Friday. Lexent, you want to identify your staff? Out.

Lexent: Ah, yes, but what will that take?

Vafrandir: Good deal, I'll buy the longsword, and sell my metal.

Vafrandir: I have two hematite gems, cherry sized. What's the price on these?

Vafrandir: Out.

Lexent: In.

Vafrandir: In.

Lexent: "So, as we are looking to acquire more assistance to deal with Grond, what are our current recurring expenses, both in money and in food?"

The DM: In.

Wages & Hiring

The DM: for the record, I am perpetually unhappy with numbers for wages paid. This has always been a sore place in my side regarding my trade tables; I’ve never quite been able to establish a consistent across-the-board cost for wages, for all persons. I was just getting started on this with the beginning of the year, but I got distracted with first rebuilding the pricing table, then using that rebuild to create a poster.

2 s.p./month for your houseservant and 4 s.p. for the pilot are ridiculously low; I cannot find the number paid to Oddsdrakken, because it is located in the old Juvenis wiki and blogger can’t search comments. These numbers can stand, but there is a plan to drastically up these amounts, once I work out a few ideas I have to establish consistent numbers. For the present, if you hire any men-at-arms, I’m going to charge you 6 g.p. a month for them. You may assume that your other servants are all making more money as well, except that through the power of the universe the money is appearing in their pockets without my billing YOU.

Vafrandir: Understood. It's a tricky thing - the prices for other "items" are pretty well linked to availability - do you do the same thing for labor?

The DM: At present, I don’t “do” anything. Since the “availability” of a miner has no consistent total to do with how much product is mined, and isn’t consistent with the ratios for butchers, potters, herders or woodcutters, how do you base anything on the unknown numbers for each? At the moment, I more or less pull these numbers out of the air.
Vafrandir: Yes, I was thinking it was based on the relative amount of labor rather than the product. So if there are so many "references" of miners here, the price per month is calculated accordingly. But still, you need to have a few more variables that are as yet unknown.

Vafrandir: I have two hematite gems, cherry sized. What's the price on these?

The DM: I'll give you 20 c.p. for each.

Lexent: Are we able to start the search for more hirelings the same day as the market, or do we need to wait until the following day?

The DM: Depends. Each vendor you’ve purchased things at will cost you ½ hour; how many vendors have you visited between noon and 6 p.m. Ah, but it is Sunday anyway. No one can be hired on a Sunday.

Lexent: That makes sense. How much did we calculate for the cost of the 4 bunk beds (1 gnome sized at 4x2)?

The DM: Answered that already. Size of bed is up to you. When you tell me the size of the bed, I’ll tell you how much it costs.

Vafrandir: The 3 non-gnome bunk beds I think will be fine at 6x4. So that's what I discuss with the carpenter.

The DM: You can no longer find ready-made beds wider than 3 ft. wide (I'm using my own updated table for direct questions). 6 x3 will cost 7 s.p.
Vafrandir: Not a problem.
Lexent: So a total of 21 s.p. for 3 human(ish) size bunk beds. Have we verified that we will be able to transport these in the boat?
The DM: The beds weigh 67.5 lbs. each; the boat will haul up to 2 tons I think; I said elsewhere, do I need to find it? The boat is pretty big, so even though the beds are bulky, they can be lashed in place.
Lexent: The bulk had been my concern. Thank you.

Marcule: In.

Vafrandir: I have the boat's tonnage listed on the Cargo sheet, I believe. We should be fine assuming no inclement weather.

Lexent: I know Vafrandir decided to simply purchase the adamantium sword, was anyone else still interested in commissioning a weapon with their adamantium?

Pandred: Would a head for my battleaxe be significantly cheaper than a whole sword?
The DM: The battle axe would require 14 days to make; it would use 18 oz. of your adamantium. Making it would cost 18 g.p.

Vafrandir: What are you meaning by a sapper in this context? Overall, I agree. Hm. The airship supplies don't have much left: a few more barrels and some lutefisk, but not enough to make a huge difference. We can pay for additional men from party funds and supplement with personal if necessary.

Pandred: Our original hirelings in the distant past were classified as "Sappers". Alexis can call out my definition, but basically it's lightly armored infantry specializing in siegeworks, both the construction of and dismantling. A soldier with a shovel and pick, if you will. They helped us crack the original barrow.

The DM: Correct.
The DM: A “sapper” has the sage ability of “Tunnelling”; I’ll need to add it to the wiki. Essentially, it means they can safely build shafts and lateral tunnels, and how to shore them.

Identifying the Staff

The DM: Guessing at this point that I’ve already been ignored four times on this point, but I’m going to try again: identifying the staff will cost 23 g.p.

Lexent: Sorry, I must have missed your response when I asked what that would take.
Lexent: I do not have the personal funds to identify the staff, would we like to spend party funds to get it identified?
Vafrandir: Make it so

Marcule: i will cover that

Lexent: I get the staff Identified.

The DM: I’m getting a total of 4 details. Two you know already, that the staff is +1 to hit and that it cures 3d4 h.p. a day. You also learn that it has 8 charges. And finally, if it is consciously chosen before an attack is attempted, the staff will add an extra bonus of +1/level of the cleric damage, which expends a charge. So if a charge were spent, Lexent’s attack would be +1 to hit and +3 damage.

This is all the mage can tell you; to learn more, you’ll need a higher level mage than he is, which will mean travelling to a larger city.
Lexent: Thank you. Am I correct in assuming that charges never replenish?
The DM: You have no idea. Some staves can be recharged. Some can't. That's something that might have been identified, but the caster was unable to determine that.

Planning for Grond

Pandred: I like sprucing up the house, but what I really would like to dive in on is what our assault on Grond is gonna look like. Are we going to move the supplies from the airship to the cairn campsite? How many men do we want in camp, and how many coming into the dungeon with us? A cook seems smart. I wouldn't mind some heavy infantry or at least sappers. At 6gp a piece, I've got funds for 5 men for two months, which seems like a reasonable amount of time to tackle this thing even if it all goes sour.

The DM: Huh. I don’t have a place anywhere in the fighter sage studies for sapper. I’m going to have to add a new study, “Military Engineering,” which I’m going to put in Training. You’ll need to add it to your tables.

Vafrandir: Should we assign points at this time?

Lexent: "Marcule, were you planning to purchase that Tinker's hammer? I know it would be useful for you to have the ability to work on our weapons."

Marcule: oooooo! I had missed that item, thanks Lexent. That will be a must pickup.

Lexent: "The DM: A "tinker's hammer"; there's something wrong with table at this point (I said it's pulled apart). Call it 1/2 lb. and 2 g.p."

Pandred: I know we should consider hirelings around 6gp per month, but does that include men at arms? The character generator has sappers at 24gp per month, and I just want to be aware if those figures are accurate. For everyone else, a regular light footman is still 6gp no matter what.

The DM: Sorry ... the character generator has sappers at 24 g.p. a month? What? If we're talking about the character background generator, those numbers are for the total capital accumulated by the character for their life to date.
Pandred I don't mean starting wealth for a PC. My version, the 2012 version, has a tab for Men-at-Arms, and their price per month listed.
The DM: Okay. Freaked out a moment. Yes, please use the 6 g.p. total. Those starting men-at-arms are Old Friends, and start with a fanatic rating, so it presumes you want to share your good fortune.

Vafrandir: Lexent, how do the party funds stand?

Marcule: we can always use my credit if needed

Marcule: Out back in 30min

Lexent: After deducting the Staff Identification and the 3 bunk beds we are at around 190 GP. Still haven't seen a cost for a gnome-sized (4'X 2') bunk bed, but I don't imagine it will be more expensive than the others. If you've seen the cost for that and I've just missed it, let me know.

Vafrandir: Father Arven sent a letter concerning Grond to his bishop, correct? We may want to wait some time for an answer to that. It'll do no good to bring 5 men down into the dungeon to have them wrecked by a demon they can't hit with their weapons...but if Grond is putting on airs then they'd be good to have.

Lexent: We're not sure whether he did or not. I'm kind of inclined to see what we are able to accomplish without his superior's involvement. Hopefully there will be a response from the undead hunter, Fraser, this Thursday in Treborg that might give us some guidance.

The DM: Lexent. I have been sitting here waiting for you to say, CLEARLY, "I want beds that are 2 ft. by 4 ft." I have not heard you say that. You keep bringing the subject up in an obscure, general way, so I'm going to take a stand here. Until you goddamn say, "I want to buy beds that are SUCH-AND-SUCH size," I'm not going to give you any price on any beds. I am not here to read your mind. I know this casual way of nagging me seems best to you, but since every time it means I have to say, AGAIN, "When you tell me what size of beds you want, I'll tell you how much they cost." Which you've chosen to ignore. Are you getting my frustration? It is coming across? Since your character page doesn't list your height, is 4 ft. enough? Is it too much? Is it what you want? I don't know. Now if we have to go through this again, I'm going to start swearing, I really am.

The DM: If you look back, Lexent, you’ll see that I’ve answered you every time, and you’ve ignored my answer.

Pandred: In terms of the bishop. I mean, yeah, but also at that point they'd hardly need us, and we might walk away with nothing but memories of busted hips and ankles. Even if I can't smash Grond itself, I can wrestle a pack of ghouls for treasure.

The DM: Vafrandir, the only thing that Father Arvin said was that “maybe” he’d send a letter to his bishop. You have no actual idea of any kind what he has done on that. Please don’t transform non-committal statements on my part into “facts.”