Noses in Books

8 Mirtul 1368

We find ourselves in the Burning Wizard where we helped Rose get out of some trouble with one of the patrons. It turns out she had stolen his money, but she was willing to share. Since we make a good team, we have decided to travel together.

She is a charlatan, a master of trickery and thievery.

She was originally a Bard, but I wanted to try out a different class, and this one seemed to fit her nicely. This class plays more like a classic bard than the other multiclass bards we have seen up to now.

She is able to Charm those around her.

As a master deceiver, she is able to detect even magical illusions.

She is armed with a crossbow and a spear, but doesn’t carry much else.

We talk to the bartender here.

Sirene: What services do you have to offer a band of weary travellers?

They have some nice rooms and a large selection of beers. This place seems nicer than Feldepost’s! We are approached by a halfling who is having some problems.

I suddenly realise my purse is 15 gold lighter! Did he just…? Best not to make another scene after sticking up for Rose.

We meet a woman near the back of the bar.

Aegon: What are you doing here?

Penny: I have little interest in small talk right now.

Aegon: Right. If you’ll excuse me, then, I’ll leave you alone.

She lets out a trace of a smile.

Penny: Mind your way tonight. The streets aren’t as safe as you might think.

Was that a threat? Best to move on quickly. I am approached by a man who doesn’t recognise me.

Aegon: I am, sir.

Drake: Come, have a drink on me, friend. A traveller like you must make for better company than anyone else here. Tyr knows I haven’t had any better for near a tenday.

Ah, but I really should remember my manners… that is, where I put them. The name’s Drake Caulfield, priest of Tyr, and member of the Radiant Heart, Most Holy Order of blah blah blah, you probably don’t want to hear all about it, pleasure to meet you and all that.

Aegon: I’m Aegon.

Drake: Pleasure to meet you, Aegon. Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, I don’t suppose you’re willing to hear out a proposal? This may interest you.

Aegon: I’m listening.

Drake: You may or may not know this, but there is a bit of a… threat to the humble town of Beregost as of the moment. A vile follower of Cyric known as Bassilus terrorises the locals, some claiming he has kidnapped others and is raising them as undead.

I’ve been hunting the bastard for close to two weeks as of today, and had no luck in finding him. But from what I have heard, he is raising an army with the corpses of his victims… a rather large one, in fact.

The mayor of this town, Dawnmaster Kelddath Ormlyr – a good man, I should mention, wishes this scum dead as much… nearly as much as I do, and is offering a massive bounty for proof of his death… no less than five thousand gold, in fact.

Now, because I’m saintly and generous, my offer to you is this – we seek out this Cyricist together, eliminate him, and you may keep all the gold. In other words, should we succeed, you get a small fortune, the satisfaction of removing a blight from the face of Faerun, and most importantly, the experience of having my exalted company in the meantime. Oh, and just as a gesture of good faith, I’ll throw in a hundred gold from my own pockets just for accepting. A better deal you will not find anywhere else. What do you say, hmm?

Aegon: I agree. We’ll seek out this murderer together.

Drake: Ah, very good, very good indeed! And here I thought I might have been hallucinating from one drink too many when I saw you coming through the door. Let’s waste no time in finding out the mad Bassilus and showing him some real justice, eh?

Since we have taken a different path, Braegar has decided to return to Taerom’s smithy. He says to come find him when we decide to travel to Nashkel.

Drake gets up from his table to join the rest of the party.

He is a priest in the service of Tyr.

Tyr grants him a selection of spells, save a few: Armour of Faith, Bless, Cause Light Wounds, Command, Cure Light Wounds, Curse, Detect Alignment, Doom, Magical Stone, Protection from Evil, Resist Fear, and Sanctuary.

He can call upon Tyr to grant him a Divine Favor.

He can also use his Exaltation to protect the minds of others.

He wears splint mail armour and a shield. He is also armed with a sling and a war hammer.

This is Drake NPC by Artemis I. He’s also our first level 3 character!

We go upstairs and accidentally disturb an irritable man.

Aegon: Firewine? What and where is that?

Spen Gil’meh: Firewine Bridge ruins is what I mean. She be pretty far to the south and east, but a strong pair o’ legs will get ye there just fine. I would make sure that they are strong enough to bring ye BACK too though. The Firewine ruins might be quite the deathtrap for the inexperienced adventurer. Mind ye remember that, and don’t blame old Spen if ye lose a few of yer fellows stumbling about within.

Aegon: What else can you tell me of it?

Spen Gil’meh: What? Do I look like I be fool enough to go tromping about in such a place? Not likely. Ye want more info, ye go talk to them halflings in Gullykin. They be curious about such things, and will probably help ye. I warn ye though, it ain’t no place fer a young ‘un! Ye go there and ye’re just looking for tough trouble. Best ye cut yer teeth somewhere else before ye throw yer lives down that hole.

Aegon: And what of Beregost? Anything interesting here?

Spen Gil’meh: Hereabouts? The temple to the east be an interesting view, if you like that sort of thing. I don’t! Don’t like much, actually. Don’t think I like you, either. Ehh, leave me to my readin’.

We do as he asks and head downstairs. Except for Rose, who decides to see what she can steal from the rooms. She finds a few gems and a dagger, but also magical mace that we can’t identify. Even Finch’s glasses are unable to help.

We go back to the street and try the next house along. The door is locked, but Rose manages to break it open.

Inside we find a man who was expecting company. Just not our company.

We leave as he asks, but not before Rose sneaks upstairs and finds a silver ring and some coins. Outside we are approached by a man requesting help.

Aegon: Of course, what do you need?

Ropar: I once lived north of here, in Baldur’s Gate. I was young and had a little brother, Marchi. He… he was just an angel become flesh. But one day our little angel was kidnapped.

Marchi was abducted at night, and the Flaming Fist who were on the case could only find a small piece of yellow cloth. They never found the kidnappers.

Aegon: Terrible story. What happened next?

Ropar: Several more children went missing the following year. And a year later, it all happened again. I grew older and over the years I’ve been able to trace the kidnappers to Cloakwood. The children were led away by an elderly man in a heavy yellow robe.

I told the Flaming Fist everything, but again they could not do anything. Then, I decided to dedicate my whole life to hunting down this scoundrel, and so I found him.

Aegon: If so, what do you need from us?

Ropar: I want you to capture this bastard and bring him to me, and I will hand him over to justice! Myself, I am no warrior, and I certainly will not be able to cope with him. I really want this man dead, but everything must be done according to the law.

For the past few months he has been living as a hermit near the Temple of Lathander, to the east. Do you agree to find him and bring him to me?

Aegon: Such atrocities must not go unpunished. You can rely on me!

Ropar: Thank you. I will pay you 50 gold pieces and pray for your success. Looking forward to your return.

This is definitely a new quest, but I can’t figure out which mod this is from.

While we contemplate our next move, Gavin wants to talk religion.

Aegon: I worship Corellon Larethian, god of elven magic and the arts.

Gavin: First among the Seldarine. You must enjoy the sense of community conveyed through your worship. Lathander advocates harmony between all the races, but maybe finding a shared purpose within the community is a first step.

I was drawn to Lathander from an early age. Was it the same with your faith.

Aegon: Not really. I discovered my faith when I was nearly grown.

Gavin: Better later than never.

If we are to find Drake’s Cyricist, or this yellow-robed child napper, we should be better equipped. We decide it’s best to continue exploring the town in the hopes of earning a bit more coin.

We try the other homes on this street. One is locked and we can’t break it. The other is open and is occupied. He’s not happy to see us, but also not too concerned.

Rose still takes a look around. True to his word he has nothing left, save for a copy of the History of the Dragon Coast.

To the north east of town we find a mansion. The door is locked, but that’s nothing strong adventurers like ourselves can’t handle.

As soon as we enter we are greeted by two guards.

Jurgen: Aye, we’ve our eyes on you.

I walk past them and say hello to the owner of the mansion.

Aegon: I cannot understand why, sir. You’ve a lovely home and seem quite amiable. Perhaps it is because of those two guards you employ?

Gerard Travenhurst: That is an unfortunate possibility. They do seem to take a touch too much pleasure from their positions, but I’d sooner have them than not. I doubt I should feel safe without them, what with the banditry rampant around the countryside. Mayhaps when things have settled I can maintain a more open house. Leave me please, as a member of the town council there is much that weighs on my mind.

There are a lot of bookshelves here. This place is a small library! Finch gets excited at the sight of so many books. I have to admit, I do as well. It’s not home, but it’s a small reminder of it. I pick a random book to read. It is the History of Calimshan.

I would love to get my hands on the Tome of the Unicorn. I’m sure Finch would as well, though she’d probably just add it to her library.

I pick up another book. It is the first volume of the History of the North.

I scan for the next volume in the series. I don’t find it, but I do find the fourth volume.

Drake gets annoyed at standing around while Finch and I read books. Perhaps we should get a move on.

Maybe just one more book. I find the seventh volume of the History of the North, but I already have my own copy. I come across a book with an unusual spine.

I take the book and get a closer look. I find another of Camryn’s letters inside!

“Winthrop and Gorion have each adopted a child”…huh? I didn’t know Imoen was adopted as well. Does Imoen know this?

Much to Drake’s annoyance, Finch and I decide to head upstairs. There are more bookshelves here, and more books! Drake sighs. I ignore him and pick up the first volume of the History of Shadowdale.

I find the second volume nearby.

And the third.

I tell Drake about the massacre since he may be interested as a priest of Tyr. He tells me he already knows about it and asks if we can go yet.

Just one more book. Another volume on Shadowdale’s history.

This assassination turns out to have a twist.

Travenhurst seems to be very interested in the Shadowdale if his book collection is anything to go by.

There is only one more volume left to read…

After having read the history of the Dales, and I let Tyr know. He seems happy to be moving on. Before we leave I check Gerard’s bedroom for any valuables. Drake begrudgingly helps me break open a chest and we find some enchanted armour inside.

We can’t tell what it does, but since we still have the curse-removing soap, Drake tries it on. It seems to protect him better than his splint mail.

We find a potion of healing and a potion of invisibility in another locked chest.

I talk to Gavin as we go back downstairs.

Aegon: What?

Gavin: I was just thinking how the choices we make every day affect our lives. Go through the left door fame and riches; go through the right, a nation falls.

Aegon: I’ve often though about the caprice of fate myself.

Gavin: Fate has nothing to do with it, or not much, anyway. We’re all ruled by our own decisions.

Every decision we make has consequences. They don’t even have t be big decisions. That day when I met you, I hadn’t planned on any of this, that’s certain. I’d just gone outside to look at the grounds and think. When you approached me, the only thing I was thinking was that you were the leader of an adventuring party, and I needed money. Joining with you was a way to do some good in the world and earn some gold. But look were things have gone since!

One small decision, going out to stand in front of the temple, and then another, bigger one, taking up with a group of adventurers, and my life is changed.

Aegon: Has it changed for the better or for the worse?

Gavin: For the better, I’d say.

But that isn’t the point.

Your choices affect your life, too, and the lives of your companions. They might even affect the lives of far more people than that. Do you ever think about the consequences of your decisions?

Aegon: A man can get bogged down, thinking every little thing through, don’t you think?

Gavin: That sounds suspiciously like “I can’t be bothered.” I can’t tell you how to live your life, and it would be wrong of me to try, but I’d be more comfortable following you into battle if I knew you put a little thought into the consequences before giving the marching orders.

What in Toril do they teach the followers of Lathander? Not everyone’s coin landed on it’s side, Gavin. We don’t all get to decide our fate.

We explore Travenhurst’s garden and find some minor equipment and some gold. One of the farmers here tells us a tragic tale.

We go back to trying houses. The first one is unlocked, but the owner isn’t happy to see us at all.

Aegon: My apologies! I must have the wrong address. I will leave immediately.

Kaitlyn: An well you should! If my husband were to catch you here, it would surely be the end of you!

We sneak upstairs anyway. She has a copy of the History of Estagund.

We leave before she notices, and break into the next home. The owner is immediately wise to our purpose.

Aegon: I meant no harm! I shall leave at once!

Berden: As well you should! Begone from mine home!

Of course he can’t stop us going upstairs. The guards will never get here on time. On a bookshelf I find the third volume of the History of the North.

He has another copy of the fourth volume as well. I stash both in my book bag. Other than these we find some gold and another potion of healing.

Back on the streets we are approached by a woman in distress.

Aegon: Calm yourself, my dear lady. What is the problem?

Alanna: My neighbour, Eltolth… he’s inside the house… Please follow me! I will show you!

We follow her as she asks. Inside Eltolth’s home we find an ooze on the ground. I’ve read about these gelatinous creatures. I reach for my weapon, but Alanna stops me.