Smith and Westing...

[DM-Delfon]

Waking with the first rays of the sun just peeking over the horizon, Smith is glad he chose an east facing room. Spilling his belt pouch of coins on the bed, he lays a hand over them and murmurs his morning prayers, "Great and mighty Waukeen, today my wealth is fifteen Golden Phoenixs. May you watch over my wealth, and give me the wisdom and strength to increase what I have." The prayers continue as he draws on Waukeen's awesome strength, pulling the required power to channel Waukeen's will.

Smith heads downstairs, gathers his meal and eats quickly and quietly. Not avoiding conversation, but not going out of his way to start one either. Smith orders a double helping of breakfast, as he's not sure when he will get a decent meal again. He purchases some rations from Old Borris, and leaves a tip for his server, a Gold Phoenix, before making for the door. Once outside, Smith heads west to the river, pays his Copper Penny for crossing. Exiting the city through the western gate, Smith heads off into the Marshlands.

[DM-Boneyard Ben]

You meander down the beaten path of the marshland, there are many tracks and boot prints from various people and carts traveling down it. Its a twisted and jagged path, circling around large puddles and patches of the marsh, there is even some parts where logs have been laid down to cross over. You travel for so long when you come across a small forested area in the marsh. The trees look dead, with little to no leaves to speak of. Its mostly bushes on either side, the perfect place for a trap... You ready yourself for whats to come looking left and right, straining to ear every sound and then you look left. What you see is a scaly huumanoid. What you'd expect a human to look like if you somehow fused it with a lizard. This lizard has green scales, mostly cloth and hide for clothes and a twisted club on his back. You look closer and so does he. You step back and so does he. You move left and right. He's mirroring your every move.

[DM-Delfon]

Smith stops moving, bracing himself for attack, and making ready to dodge to safety. He sets his hands on his hips, near his weapons, but not reaching for them, <Draconic> "What are your intentions?" Smith says, using the intonations and words reserved for making commands. 'If the Lizard Folk tries to run, I'll have to shoot him down.' Smith thinks sadly, he never did like shooting anything in the back, but there is no way he could keep up to the Lizard Folk wearing his armour.

[DM-Boneyard Ben]

The lizard man puts his hands on his hips like you did and then stares wide eyed. <Draconic> "You can talk!? What sorcery is this?" He leans in and seems mesmerized by you like you just pulled a rabbit out of a hat. He walks around you trying to figure out how you pulled such a trick

[DM-Delfon]

Smith laughs, <Draconic> "Not all Humans learn to speak your language, but I am an exception." He leans toward the Lizard Folk, his face darkening, "You didn't answer my question."

[DM-Boneyard Ben]

The creature cocks his scaly head. It seems he thinks you were a reflection and hasn't put the pieces together. "I'm a scout, looking for a caravan of your kind" He says and stops. You see the gears turning in his head and he jumps back pointing at you. "Your one of them!" He shouts and grabs his club.

[DM-Delfon]

Smith expected this a lot sooner, and was in fact surprised that the Lizard Folk had spoken to him at all. As the Lizard Folk reaches for his weapon, Smith leaps into action drawing his mace with one hand, and reaching over his shoulder to grab his shield with the other. "Waukeen burn my enemies!" Smith chants, and a blast of sacred flame columns down toward the Lizard Folk.

[DM-Boneyard Ben]

The Lizard man steps up, raising his twisted wooden club above his head and brings it down but your too quick to respond raising your shield to block the blow and pushes it away, leaving your head exposed and he leans his head in and snaps his teeth on your throat and tearing through your skin. You feel your liquid life drain from your body and everything goes dark. The last thing you see is the Lizardman's foot.

You awaken after so long. Your vision is blurry but everything comes into focus. You see your feet in front of you and try to move. No good. Your bound by your own rope to a tree. You look around, your away from where you were, hard to say how far. You among a small crop of dead trees, your tied to the thickest of them and you see the lizard man in front of you, digging through your backpack.

[DM-Delfon]

Smith subtly looks around, trying not to draw any unwanted attention until he knows a bit more about his surroundings. Still without drawing attention to himself, Smith quietly uses his war caster training to beg Waukeen to Cure his Wounds. (+11hp) Then he clears his throat so the Lizard Folk knows he is awake. <Draconic> "By the mighty power of Waukeen, I Command you to release me." If the spell takes hold, Smith stands up as soon as his bonds are released, ready to fight again if needed.

[DM-Boneyard Ben]

The lizardman turns to you. Staring at you for a bit. Its hard to get a fix on his expression. He seems like a mindless lizard for a bit and then he tilts his head. <Draconic> "Wauk-what? Release? But, your my prisoner and I cant release you cause... Um... What was it again? Was it take no prisoners?" he sits down crossing his legs, leaning his head on his hand thoughtfully while he mumbles to himself. While surveying your surroundings you notice a rather sharp looking stick in the green, its by your foot, between you and the lizardman. Although hes looking off to the side.

[DM-Delfon]

Smith sighs, not used to Waukeen ignoring his prayers. 'I have to increase my wealth so Waukeen will pay more attention to me.' Smith thinks to himself. Then he gets an idea, and smiles, <Draconic> "You see, you're not supposed to take prisoners." He lets that sink in for a moment, then supplies what he should do for him, "So, you should let me go immediately." (Persuasion 13) While he's not looking, I take the opportunity to pick up the sharpened stick in case I can't talk my way out of this.

[DM-Boneyard Ben]

<Draconic> "Thats right!" he says and thumps his balled hand into his open one. He gets up and unties you. "Although letting you go doesn't sound, right for some reason" He hums as he wanders around, his tail swishing back and forth. "Was I suppose to bring you to the Pit for our God? Or was i suppose to kill you? No..." He stops suddenly and straightens up. "Oh no! I forgot! I was suppose to report back when i saw one of you!!" He throws his head back, grabbing his head and wiggles around back and forth in a display of worry. He turns to you. "Don't tell them I attacked you, ok? It'll be our lil secret, please?" he pleads. "I cant have them know i couldn't even do this one job" He drops to his knees with his hands together as he begs.

(Charles would have a field day with this guy XD)

[DM-Delfon]

Smith almost feels bad for the little guy, <Draconic> "I won't tell anybody." Smith gets to his feet, and gathers his rope. "Perhaps you can answer some questions?" Smith gathers all the rest of his belongings, checking to see if anything is missing. The entire time he keeps a wary eye on the Lizard Folk, "You said that your god lives in the Pit? What can you tell me about your god?"

[DM-Boneyard Ben]

<Draconic> "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you" The Lizardman says gratefully and stands up. "I cannot say much about our God because I do not know much, I know only that this land was once a wasteland of burning water but then our ancestors came and struck a deal with the god of this land to make it go away so that they could live here. In return the god, known only as <Aulkhor> asked that the gold and the bodies of our dead be tossed into his domain. It is said our dead ascend to a great marsh when they meet him where food is plentiful and no one grows ill" He seems very calm and collected as he explains, his eyes staying to yours.

[DM-Delfon]

Smith smiles, nodding, <Draconic> "I think it's great that your people are so close with your god. I wish you luck in your future endeavors friend, but I have to get going." Smith extends his hand, "A Human ritual, to show that we parted as friends. Gently clasp my wrist." They shake hands, "You can let go now, that was all. I'm called Smith, how are you called?" Smith walks away then, calling back, "Goodbye." as he walks back to the main path to the sinkhole.

[DM-Boneyard Ben]

The lizardman shakes Smith's hand awkwardly "I am called Laassoorith" He releases and waves at Smith as he departs before suddenly stopping to grab the sides of his head and sway back and forth. "I gotta report back!!" He shouts worriedly and he takes off in the opposite direction.

You manage to get your barrings and find the path to the Sinkhole meeting up with one of the Miner's escorts (depending on what you roll on a d4 will depend on which cart you meet up with)

[DM-Delfon]

(OOC I rolled a 1, I guess I'm hanging with the Halfling.)

Smith's story continues here

[DM-Delfon]

Smith managed to get himself lost again, wandering aimlessly in the swamps until he finally came upon the Sinkhole itself the next day. ’Apparently the swamps are not the place for me.’ he thinks to himself as he finally arrives.

(This character fell off my radar, let’s just continue here)

[DM-Boneyard Ben]

It would seem that your sense of direction eats the worst sort of balls no matter where you are in the world as you finally trudge onto the Sinkhole. The sinkhole itself is just that, a gigantic hole in the ground a hundred feet across. Encircling the sinkhole, about ten feet from the edge is a massive pile of sandbags. The sandbags keep the boggy wetness of the Marshlands from pouring over cusp and down onto the operations below. There are a few outbuildings, all of which are also surrounded by sandbag walls. The buildings include a thirty foot tall archers nest, a sorting and smelting facility, a barracks, a workshop and a storage building.

As you approach, a trio of miners are filling sandbags and making a stack. One miner takes a cartload of sand and small rocks from the sorting facility over to where the other two shovel it into the bags. Guards are posted around the perimeter, and more are visible in the archers nest. A two horse team is lead away from the Sinkhole trailing a rope. After a time their efforts bring a cart full of rubble to the surface, and another trio of miners remove the full cart and replace it with an empty one. The full cart is brought to the sorting facility for processing.

When you arrive the miners take the carts over to the buildings and begin the process of unpacking, while the guards go chat with friends or stow their gear at the barracks. One of the guards says, "Got lost?" He asks with a laugh. "Well, at least you made it alive. Head down and see-" The man begins but the smile wipes from his face as he looks out over the bog and sees something approach in the distance. You look for yourself and see what appears to be a person. A really shiny person.

Continue here: vethedar.proboards.com/thread/632/smith-forged-grey

[DM-Delfon]

(With the Forged thread posting so infrequently, I've added unlocked this thread to continue my adventure with higher frequency posts.)

Having spent quite enough time at the Sinkhole, Smith decides it's time to get back into the city itself. He waits somewhat impatiently for one of the cargo runs back to town to be ready to go, having seen first hand how dangerous this swamp can be. Once back in the city, Smith makes his way to the mages guild. 'Somebody here should be interested in this scroll.' He thinks to himself, tapping his map and scroll case where he keeps it. 'While I'm here I should get some training in the herbalism kit so I can start making healing potions.' As he opens the door, he says aloud, "I might even join this place."

[DM-Boneyard Ben]

Upon opening the door to the mage's guild, you’re greeted by a ten foot long hallway. There is a window set in the wall in front of you, and a door to the left and right near the window. A placard reads ‘Reception’ under the window.

As you reach the window, you see a pair of women both have dark deep blue eyes and blonde hair. Each one having their hair parted a different way. They are wearing matching blue uniforms with the symbol of the Mage's Guild upon them. Both they glance up as you approach, and speak out simultaneously “Ah, a Divine Conduit.” They state with a practiced ease, their voices almost robotic. "What might the Mage's Guild do for one of Waukeen's chosen today?" They ask, both regarding your holy symbol. Before their eyes snap back up to you.

[DM-Delfon]

(Nice, now I know who covers the counter when the Tiefling is out to lunch.)

Smith smiles back at them, "Hello ladies, I have a few matters to attend to here at the mages guild." Smith is unsure who to direct his attention to, so he alternates between the two on a sentence by sentence basis, "The first is membership. It has come to my attention that casting within the walls is illegal unless one is a member of this fine establishment. The second, is the sale of this scroll." Smith pulls out his scroll of Phantasmal Killer (4th level), and places it on the counter in front of them. "The last is to inquire about training in the Herbalism Kit. I wish to be able to create healing potions." Once informed of the cost and required paperwork, Smith goes through the motions as required. For payment he offers ten stacks of ten silver protectors each. After that, he waits for the information related to the other two articles of business.

[DM-Boneyard Ben]

The doll eyed women seem unreal to you, as if not quite human. You aren't even entirely sure they breath. But, they hand you a sheet and direct you through the left door. The one on the left takes out a pearl and whispers some incantation over your scroll, a magic circle appearing on the desk where you left the scroll.

Opening the left door you proceed where directed. You feel a strong magical tingle as you pass through the threshold, and find yourself in a ten by ten unadorned room. In the center of the room is a writing desk, with all the tools needed to fill out the paperwork she provided you.

Once seated at the desk you read over the paperwork. The basics are as follows: it is illegal to cast any sort of magic within the walls of Clifton without first registering with the mages guild. You don’t have to join the mages guild, but you must be register to cast. Registration consists of filling out your basic information — in triplicate — trimming your nails into a small provided vial, a few strands of hair into another, and lastly a few drops of blood into yet another vial.

Another form details joining the mages guild. For 10gp a month, you gain access to the guilds sizable library for research purposes. Additionally, you gain access to the various labs, so you can perform your own experiments. You can earn income by lending your magic to the guilds item creation industry, working jobs for Clifton, or doing quests for other guild members.

With your registration done you exit the room and walk back out of the room. The twins are busy at work for the briefest moment until you look at them and they both snap their gaze to you. One reaches her hand out to take the vials and paperwork and the other thanks you in a stiff seeming way.
With that done you inquire about the scroll and training in potion brewing and are informed by one girl as the other hands you back your scroll that the scroll can be bought by the Mage's Guild for a single sum of 4000gp. A modest sum, you are assured. As for learning herbalism they inform you there is much at the Guild's disposal and that you can learn from various folks in Clifton proper who practice herbalism as a profession.

You go about your choices and soon find yourself back out on the road and headed to your next great adventure