Maddox rushes forward to catch them by surprise. He turns the corner and utters the spell command as he speaks the word, "surrender!"
He then realizes he is in a vast chamber in which dozens of goblins throughout are busy moving about in a surprisingly organized fashion. Several of the nearest goblins cower in fear. They drop whatever they are holding and kneel with their hands raised. Most of what they drop results in the toppling of several large casts of what look and smell like regular ale.
A large female goblin approaches them and asks them who they are and why they are here. Maddox announces that he is of The Order Of The Obsidian Dagger and he would like to know how they make Wonder Ale. She is to show him or they shut down the entire production.
Wonder Ale Production Facility
1,000 XP
She eventually agrees. She shows them several goblins in a line drinking regular ale and producing constant streams of urine into the sewer channel in front of them. Meanwhile several goblins collect in small casks, the urine mixed in the sewage and bring it up to goblins who simmer the whole vile concoction in a large cauldron which sits over a fire.
Wonder Ale is goblin piss. Don't worry they strain out the more nasty bits.
Maddox and Vall are disgusted and their first instinct is to shut down the whole thing.
A Diplomatic Misson Is Derailed
Taelis, back in his elven Temple, brings a alchemist friend a sample of the Wonder Ale he had take from back in the city. He asks her to analyze the stuff and tell him what it is made up of. She agrees to the challenge and excitedly wanders off with the sample.
Taelis then goes to the counsel chambers and demands that the Counsel of Six be assembled. He has important issues to discuss. Soon the chamber fills with the elder elves as well as several guards which stand near each entrance.
The counsel demands why Taelis has absconded with most of the coins in the treasury. Taelis is taken aback. He has come to discuss whole empires in need of assistance. He didn't think the temple would need the money immediately. It wouldn't be missed. The counsel tells him that the money was to be used to build important allegiances across the land.
Yes, Wonder Ale Is Goblin Piss
A knock interrupts the proceedings. It is the young alchemist. She wishes to pass on a message to Taelis. "The liquid seems to be mostly ale. But there is a disturbing amount of urine in it. Goblin urine to be precise." Taelis thanks her and she waves her goodbye to the room.
The head counsel member rises and bids Taelis to approach. The counsel member raises his hands and Taelis feels the force of a magic spell descending upon him. He hears the elder speak, "You will return the money in two days or suffer the consequences". The spell leaves Taelis with the compulsion to do nothing but return to Baldur's Gate and get the money back from Araxie.
He grabs the first horse he can and rides at full speed back to the city.
Yes, Wonder Ale Is Goblin Piss
Maddox and Val learn from the mother that she is making up for a wrong that one of her goblins was guilty of. The goblin had entered the Grayslicer bakery, enticed by the odor of baking. During his quest for food he had unfortunately startled the father during the small hours of the night. A fight ensued and a fire started, which burned down a large portion of their business and home. The mother soon emerged from the nearby sewer in seach of the wayward goblin and ulimately intervened to spare the life of her goblin and offered to make the Grayslicers money to rebuild their home and business. She offered to make them ale from a secret family recipe. After trying the beverage the Grayslices could not refuse.Maddox and Val debate what to do. Eventually they decide to leave the goblins to their production, for now. Perhaps there is a way for the Order to profit by this. The Grayslicers have obviously made their money back from the fire, and then some. This will have to be discussed.
Madam Tuqill's Magic Emporium
Meanwhile, Araxie and Sarafina are drinking in the whorehouse, the Whetstone. Their discussion soon brings them to the conclusion that what they need is magical shit. That's what's needed. They exit the Whetstone in the inebriated search of magical items.
DM Note: This was very distracting having multiple story lines going all at once. Splitting the party was never so entertaining.
Oddly enough a small building, not noticed before, is right across the street. It does not look like the other buildings. It is misshapen. Make from odd stone and bent timbers. On the door, knocker is placed, the face of a young child smiling disturbingly with a brass ring in its mouth. Araxie knocks three times. The door swings open.
Inside is a small hovel crowded with boxes, crates, odds and ends is haphazardly piled everywhere. The air is warm and close. The smell of fragrances is overwhelming but underneath it all is the smell of something rotten. A small gnome woman, white hair in a bun with a bone passing through it.
The gnome introduces herself as Madame Tuqill. This is Madame Tuqill's Magic Emporium. The group is late. And they seem to be missing three of their party. No matter. She gestures them to sit at a large round table with 5 rough round stools placed around it. She sits in a worn but ornate chair.
Araxie tells the woman they are here for magical weapons. Ideally a way to make her trident magic.
Madam Tuqill, says, no. But they can take something else of hers, for a trade. No money. Money is so common.
Araxie is disappointed. She has a lot of money.
A Trade For Services
Madam Tuqill says she will offer them for trade in service. She tells them of a young man, Azim Chariwala. He has been fortunate enough to have a recent inheritance. Unfortunately, it would seem the tower he has inherited from his great uncle is infested with some sort of creatures. It would be of enough of a service to Madam Tuqill if Araxie, Sarafina and the others would be so good as to get rid of the creatures.
Sarafina begins to complain. What kind of magic store is this. Why cant she just answer questions put to her. She wants something awesome. Sarafina blows out the candle. Madam Tuqills pleasant smile immediately disappears and her scowl is hidden in the sudden darkness. The carpet beneath Sarafina's feet wraps itself up and around her until it covers her entire body including her face. Sarafina attempts to perform magic to get out of the rug but she can neither speak nor make any movements.
Araxie can see perfectly in the dark with the googles. She sees Sarafina struggle and asks Madam Tuqill to release Sarafina. Madam Tuqill agrees if Sarafina will keep her tongue and actions civil. The shape within the carpet nods. The carpet releases itself around the halfling's face.
Araxie asks if Madam Tuqill has any liquor. Wonder Ale perhaps.
Madam Tuqill, makes a face. Do you know what's in Wonder Ale? Goblin Piss.
Yes, Wonder Ale Is Goblin Piss
Araxie spits out the Wonder Ale she has been drinking and scrubs her tongue with the edge of the rug wrapping around Sarafina. Does Madam Tuqill have anything else. She does. She hands Araxie a small stoppered jar with a bubbling clear fluid. As Araxie looks the bubbles she notices the bubbles are not bubbles at all. They are small skulls which pop in an out of existence within in the liquid.
She downs the liquid.
She immediately begins to burn. Flames surround her but she feels no more than a warmth. As she burns the stool beneath her and the table she is resting her hands on begin to char then alight. Araxie says "oh, I probably shouldn't have done that. Do you have something to turn back time?"
Madam Tuqill claps and Araxie and Sarafina stand outside what was the location of the shop but it is there no longer. Araxie is not on fire and she holds the stoppered jar full once again. Sarafina holds her arms up around her shoulders in the position she was restrained in but she is no longer wrapped in the carpet.
Araxie's Liquor Quest
It is then that they all meet back in the main street. Taelis begins to beg Araxie for the money he gave her. He needs it back. Araxie doesn't even pause and tells him no. Immediately, Araxie is striding off in what seems to be a mission of dire importance. She continues out of the city and eventually comes to nice farm land with humble but cozy homesteads. The others follow behind and look at each other to see if anyone knows why they are out here. Araxie meets a farmer and asks if he has a still. She is in desperate need of liquor. Not Wonder Ale.
The farmer says he has no still, but he definitely knows who does. He gives them directions and she eventually comes to a farm with rough untended land and a broken down shack. Out behind, she finds a small shack with a filthy sleeping figure, sitting beside it. She shakes him away and demands his alcohol. She flips him a few gold which gives him cause to wake more than he has been in years. He says she can take all she wants. She finds little more than an Araxie mouthful. Disgusted she quickly swallows what there is and storms back towards the city.
Araxie tells them of the magic store as they pass the spot where they think it was before it disappeared. Maddox and Vall would love to enter the magic store. Vall starts shouting for the store to come back. Maddox kneels down to pray for his god to bring back the store.
Jabir's Revenge
10,400 XP
Maddox's prayers are interrupted by the sounds of screaming, buildings crumbling and people rushing by them. With no hesitation, the group strides off in the direction that the people are fleeing from. Soon they can see above the roofs the familiar figures of the troll family from Icethorn castle. They can hear the mother yelling "where are they? Where are the ones who did this to my son?"
The group can hear the odd sounds of heavy steps and scraping as they see what was Jabir, the troll, shambling down the street. He is emaciated and his skin blackened. He drips foul liquid and his body grows black vines which drag behind him.
The Fall Of Taelis
Maddox tries to speak with the mother but Araxie's raged attacked halts any possibility of diplomacy and understanding. The battle is hard fought. The trolls' ability to regenerate makes the fight much longer and deadlier than expected. Maddox's commanding aura continues to make the trolls flee before from but Taelis and Sarafina fall under the trolls' massive claws and sharp teeth. Vall uses a portal to rush to the side of Sarafina and revives her but Taelis dies just moments before they can reach him.
Vall is able to use his powers of persuasion to confuse one of the troll brothers enough that he escapes most of what could have been a deadly battle for him. ("Look it's your father!" "My father is dead. Mother killed him." "Or did she?")
Soon enough the mother troll and one of the brothers have fallen overwhelmed by the party's might. One brother, though, has fled away, in fear of the powerful Maddox. But whatever Jabir has become he is now much more powerful. And filled with hate.
Araxie is about to be crushed under the teeth of Jabir but she is able to implore to the portion of the creature which is still Jabir and convinces him that she would never harm him, that she has no part in his condition. Jabir pauses and decides to carry her off. Jabir's plan is cut short when Maddox intervenes and Jabir's fear of the paladin, makes him flee to the rooftops.
Vall is able to shoot a spell towards Jabir, who is on a rooftop and prevents the troll's regeneration ability. The giant troll topples and rolls off the roof and tumbles to the middle of the street.
They stand around the fallen body of Jabir but without the familiar feeling of triumph after battle.
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