Back to Basics Chapter 1: Where are we ?

[steveflam]

Arnulf barely listens to Isidar, but does calm down. He puts his plate on the table and walks right out of the hut, leaning against the side.

[VAN]

Sara doesn't listen Ping's and Dalorna's conversation but sees Isidar join them, so she gets her plate and gets a seat beside the dwarf so she can hear as well now.

[Lord Skybolt]

"Well, I was speaking to her in private because we were talking shop as it were about wizard magic and all . And as to speaking to you alone I had to make sure you were not agents of those wizard hating priests from up north . I have been well satisfied with your answers and actions so far . About getting most of your party back to where you came from, that sadly is something I can not help with . If I could get you home then I would not be here myself ." Ping says this last with a grimace . In the level of speech previously used when speaking with Dalorna he says to her:"But as reward on a professional level I would be willing trade some spells with you latter if we could confer latter tonight or tomorrow morning if you wish . It would not take that long to do so . I have an item that speeds up the time it takes to transcribe spells into a spell book ."

After stating his reward to Dalorna of a vocational type he turns to the party as a whole :"Well as to the cave . I don't know that much about it really, but what I have heard of in rumors from travelers and such . All I know is it's an abandoned mine supposedly and has been that way for at least 10 years or more . And as I had mentioned earlier to one of your group that some kind of portal lies within it is all ."

[ewancummins]

Dalorna thanks Ping-

''Oh, trading spells? Yes, of course. Thank you."


She thinks about what he tells the patrty, then replies-

''Well, my intention is to investigate this mine or cave, tomorrow. Lucky for us, we have Isidar. Dwarves are smart about that sort of thing. If there is some kind of a magic portal within, we'll find it, I hope. Of course, there's no telling where it might lead."

[VAN]

Sara thinks for a minute Ping's reply and says:

"Without wanted to be rude Mr. Ping, if you are not from this land as you said why you haven't tried to get to the portal yourself as well? You don't want to go back to your homeland? And may you tell us where are you from? Maybe we can get a message to someone close to you once out of here and he can come and save you as well. And do you know what dangers we may encounter in that cave?"

[Lord Skybolt]

"I'm from a land that you more than likely have not ever heard of . I only know of where most of your group are from because I have met others from the Realms as some of your group call there Homelands as a whole . As to why I have not tried getting home, well I have found it is a wasted effort on my part, but I have found my place here and to retire here so that is all I have to say on the matter . But as to what dangers are in the cave, who knows what may be in it as I have never explored it ." Ping replying to Sara question .

[VAN]

"I see, and how you got here at first place Mr.Ping? Mists got you as well? And what about these wizards and their agents from up the North you mentioned, do we need to worry about them as well?"

[Roofdrak]

"Master Ping, did you say how far the mine is from here? I am thinking of what provisions we might need. Have any of the villagers explored this mine, or do they mostly stay near the village? Why was it abandoned? Do you know what was mined there?," Isidar asks. "I hope my questions are not too many. I simply want to know what we are up against."

[Lord Skybolt]

Turning to Isidar "These are only rumors as to what was mined there . But supposedly it was silver . As to where it is one of the younger fishermen by the name of Al, knows where it is and he can take you there if you want when you decided to go there . But he will have to be recompensed for his time away from fishing unless you ask him to do it on his end of the week day off that the whole village takes in 5 days . They had just had theirs a day before the kids where nabbed . As to the dangers there that will be yours to find out if and when you go there . I do know it can't be more than 5 to 6 hours travel by foot ." Pings says to Isidar as he recalls as much as is known to him about this cave .

[ewancummins]

''Well, I don't suppose that waiting a few days would be a problem. That is, unless my comrades would prefer to engage Al's services and go sooner rather than later, as had been our plan. Hmmmm...excuse me..."


Dalorna breaks off from the main conversation and scoots over to Isidar.

In Halruuan:


''A silver mine- that puts me in mind of money matters. More money will be necessary, especially if we aren't so fortunate as to find a magic portal home at the bottom of that mine- an event for which I would thank the gods- but also something I don't really expect to happen. Please don't tell Arnulf about my skepticism; he'll just get upset. I think that we can sell those metal nets in the big city. They looked valuable to me. This talk of wizard-hating priests in the city has me on guard, though. What do you think?"

[Lord Skybolt]

"Oh I had forgot to ask one of your fellows in my interviews . The villagers have pointed out to me that you have taken off of the goblins some very fine nets . I would be willing to buy them from you in goods or coin for the use of the fishermen in the village ." Ping asks of Sara .

[VAN]

"I think we can trade the nets if the others agree Mr.Ping."

[BigBadQDaddy]

Professor Aumnoir pipes up from his silence, "I see no problem with that."

[Lord Skybolt]

"Well I can obtain them from you while you wait to go exploring the cave . How many of them do you have exactly ?" Ping asks the group as a whole . Except for who is not at the table any more of course .

[ewancummins]

''It's very kind of you to offer to buy our nets, Mister Ping. I know that the local fishermen would be most glad to have such fine nets, although these nets seem unlike the sort used by fishermen, at least the fishermen of my own country. My parents live on Fishgut Rock, you see- so I know a little about the trade. My younger brother spent some time on the boats with our father. Hmmmmm now that I think of it, it occurs to me that we might get a better offer from someone in the cities to the north, the ones that you had mentioned. They are masterfully crafted and might be worth a lot to a collector. Of course, I'd be very happy to accede to a sale of the nets at a fair market price. We'd have to first determine what we can get for them. You understand of course. "

Dalorna smiles sweetly at the old man.

Hob hops down from his perch on Dalorna's shoulder and plucks a fish eye from her plate.

''Course, Course, Course! Quork!''