The Town of Brentwood: Day 3

Last night I ended up finally setting a live trap for my experiment. Then overnight I tried another more... explosive spell for my next test of contact scrolls. I ended up creating a 3rd level version of Fireball. This is for another more proof of concept rather than damage so I thought I would damper the strength to keep costs down. It still ended up costing me 112.5gp but if this one goes successful I think I will only need one more trial before I can start advertising. While I was doing that, Eval asked to borrow some fletching tools and supplies to make some arrows. I cut him a deal, he could make all the arrows he wanted so long as he payed me 75% market value of what he made. Saves me from having to split my attention, and he gets a deal and able to use some ~quality~ tools. The airy fool made shoddy REGULAR arrows... I mean you use MY materials and MY masterwork tools to make NON-ENCHANTED let alone NON-MASTERWORK ARROWS??? Ugh, I won't understand him. I mean I made 7.5sp of of a 3.3sp sale but still.
 
The morning of the first 10th of Dros, Skrel tells the group about a contract posed from the local blacksmith. He said that one of his regular spots to gather materials for the Old Woman of Brentwood had been disturbed? overtaken? something like that. Skrel said that the mine had been abandoned but it was his [blacksmith] regular spot to mine. hmmm... He said that a spectral crystal dragon attacked him and stole his tools and a few fingers...
Crystal dragons, not being one of the core 20, are fallen that usually represent Shelyn, the neutral good god of beauty art and the like and are good in nature. As charismatic as they are they can be cocky and narcissistic and are pretty uncommon. They typically like the underground and don't surface often. They are highly magic resistant, can reflect rays, and are immune to most sonic damage. As they age from looking like shiny lizards, their abilities tend to be around visual impairment and damage even going so far as to cause narcissisms just by being viewed. If you become enthralled and intended harm you are likely going to be eaten. They typically will only attack if their stuff is messed with since they can be obsessive compulsive. So much so that it is taboo to raid their lairs even for the other races.
From what I know about these kin, I sided more with the dragon than the blacksmith in our discussion.
 
The discussion eventually turn to the day as Eval mentioned that another archery tournament was happening. I might try again since I did pretty well in the last one. Of course Eval and Skrel get into a minor spat and uses "You people" poking at our size as to which spawn a challenge between Skrel and I versus Eval. Once we arrived and pay the 1gp entrance fee I found out that it was a bring your own type event with minor magics allowed! If I had known that I would have prepped to better kick Eval's blue butt. I ended up borrowing Lilly's shortbow, and it wasn't even masterwork! I swear that these people I have chosen to travel with have no clue on the finer things! It still looked better that the disgusting bow they had to offer as a lender. Honestly if I had to use it I would have bought it from them just to snap it in half and put the thing out of it's misery. Then it was time to take Eval down. I sunk 2 bullseyes and one in the outer ring first round. After that I had to borrow a "shortbow" from Kniana. Her shortbow is my longbow, so yea... Even with something better for a bit more distance, I ended up whiffing the first two shots just to sink the last one perfectly. Even with a bit of Guidance cast I was eliminated with Skrell in the double K.O. Kniana went on to beat Eval of which I celebrated with my cave whistle. Must have been strange to just about everyone there since I forget that just about all other races cant hear it. The round after were pretty intense though. A Clan Dire catfolk used some divination magic from her necklace to create like a triple bow crossed. After watching Emery cast something on Kniana I decided to do the same I used Guidance on her twice pushing my device further than what I usually like to. After that round She handed me Eval's bow that she had been borrowing. I quickly looked it over, a nice redwood hilt with a redwood center shaft and a whitewood outer shaft with a thicker than normal string on a +2 composite longbow. No magic, but at least he has a respectable weapon even if his ammunition is shit. The final round was nail biting as Kniana and the catfolk had tie after tie after tie! The Clan Dire lady ended up conceding to Kniana, but what a show!
 
As I was enthralled with the show, Eval apparently tried to point someone out in the crown. He grabbed his bow off of me as he ran by, I held it for a sec until I realized that it was him and let him take it. Kniana filled me in that Eval saw a messenger and took off running. After having to push through the crown I finally caught up to them. [Eval and Skrel] The masked man got away as the one they saw was just a kid who liked the look from someone they traveled with. I guess there was multiple running around. Eval asked me to clean him up after what looked like he took a nosedive into the dirt. He even gave me a silver for the help... It was something that I could do a million times so that left me confused, but he insisted. Either way I changed my Glamoured chest piece to look appropriate for the wedding and Skrell used similar magic. A grippli ran up afterword to handed me Kniana's winnings to give to her. I put it in my bag to give to her later. It sounded like coin and some glass.
After we caught up with Kniana she had a vision saying we needed to hide because HE is here, the true Masked Man. Also I think Emery was there or somethin. I think I now know who Ezzussi was talking about before with the whole haunting thing. I will have to keep an eye on her after all she did just best Eval and I would hate to loose her as an ally. She also had some news about the Silver Knights. They believe the messengers' message are fact and will act after implementation. They are unwilling to help with our goals as it seems they are more reactionary rather than preventative in their views. They believe that the world will end through demonic prophecy. Kniana continued with saying that the knights are here just to observe and that their are 2 active knights looking for someone that did something to put a third out of action.
We discuss a bit about how we want to handle the amulet with the multiple masked men around. I speak my bit about only really interested in protecting the amulet for that deal with RRRoshin. Privately I see this whole wedding is a business venture akin to the working pairings of my kin. As such, the wedding itself is more just a formality for the business that will likely continue even if the worst should happen. I wish no ill will to the families, but I am fairly unconcerned with this messenger personally so long as this doesn't disrupt the Brotherhood. Hence my stance on the amulet.
 
As we headed to the ceremony grounds Emery referred to our group as "just an ally, not a friend." I didn't say anything but that has been my stance this whole venture since the library. We got to the grounds and everyone in our group was on alert and we all scouted around a bit. I used my glasses to cast Detect Magic to try to see any magic related to the curse I've been studying. I found faint traces of it, but most of what I saw was the magical things held or worn by what I assumed are the nobles showing off. I checked the food tent as per Kniana's request only to see an un-tapped keg that was slightly magical. I waved down a server to ask about it. The keg was full of the Brinstone Whiskey that was to be served later for 5sp a glass! Must be terribly special, and I will have to look at it later to figure the magics involved. But the ceremony was about to start so I had to go. Outside I saw a temple dedicated to the goddess Shelyn off to the side and Kniana near the rear of the seating. I made my way to her and pretended to be her +1 so that we could get closer to the amulet to protect it. Otherwise the bride looked nice and very fancy, and the whole ceremony was well done. after which the real celebration began with great music. the crowd halved at this point and the Silver Knights make an appearance. They walked over to were Emery was, but he made haste across the area as soon as he spotted them. For someone who was talking about the knights so much he seemed pretty uneasy around them... curious but not my concern. Kniana asked me to take a magical look at the knights so I popped on my glasses under my goggles to click the telescope over and proceeded to become blind. When I looked at them after casting Detect Magic it felt like I was staring directly into beacons of light with how strong their magical auras were. I couldn't tell if it was from them or their armor, but I was able to see divination and enchantment magics at work. As I was about to tell Kniana and rub my poor eyes I noticed that the forest line had lit up! I quickly used Prestidigitation to create a rock and huck it at Eval while pointing toward the forest. Just as he and the Clan Dire archer from earlier were about to check it out, The bride's father, Pierce Bryn, stepped out of the tent behind were the ceremony was with the beautiful sword that I enhanced. He raised a tankard in his other hand saying a toast for the bride and groom.
Then a masked man that looked like HIM appeared next to the creek saying, "I'd like to make a toast as well." Others came out of the crowd in white masks still in their Ruby, Sapphire, and Topaz clan robes. They spoke in different languages in perfect unison. "We are the messengers, and we have come to free you of your chains. You of Fey birth have become lazy and allow the Garrick line to suppress your true nature and freedom. We come to awaken you as we have awakened out of your failures, failures that after many years will no longer suppress the truth. The Shadow King calls forth his people’s. His wings may have been clipped but his power is ever apparent. Come, partake of the message and your eyes shall be opened, your chains broken, and your freedom brought to light. Join us or fall at your own resistance. The message is true and inevitable; the Garrick Kingdom cannot deny his will. Receive the message and your opinion will change as you see the truth. " Eval shouted back, "That doesn't sound like freedom." To which they replied, "Your time is limited. Partake or fall under the shadow of his great king's world tree."
I then heard a yelp as a bee had stung the bride while 5 more swarms of the "shadow bees" [discolored like the one that had been in contact with the flower] came out of the forest. As I was slowly coming around the back of the seating one of the Silver Knights cleaved a person in half as their blades light in gray flame. So much for not intervening... It does make me wonder if RRRoshin is one of these knights with the similar sword and magics... I would have to shelve the questions because in order to be able to ask I have to live through this first!
 
~raw~
set live traps last night, started a contact scroll of fireball at level 3, 3rd level spell 112.5gp to make
Eval asked to borrow some supplies to make arrows, I sold him materials and let him borrow tools for 3/4 price total for the arrows, let him make as many as he wanted, ended up making about 7.5sp,
next day skrel tells about a contract posted from blacksmith, said that one of his regular spots, but abandoned, mines for materials had a spectral crystal dragon attack him and stole his tools, crystal dragons are fallen not from core 20 of dragon races, represent goddess shellan, neutral good, rep beauty art ect, kin of goddess, good in nature, charismatic, can be cocky and full of self, narcissistic, pretty uncommon, like the underground, not like the surface often, little ocd well organized taboo to raid, highly magic resistant, age can change effects and abilities are about visual impairment and damage, can reflect rays, immune to sonic damage, presence can cause narcissism on view, after enthralled tend to be eaten for those that intend harm, young look like shiny lizards, good in nature until stuff is messed with, I side with the dragon during the discussion,
eval mentions archery might try again, get into argument with eval/skrel "you people" at our size, we challenge him in the competition, borrow lilly's shortbow, not masterwork, after the grundgy bow they had on hand was bleh, pay 1 gold to enter. time to take eval down, I sink 2 bulls eyes and an outer ring 1st round, Have to borrow a shortbow from kniana to use as a longbow for next round, end up missing the next 2 shots just to sink the last one perfectly, still was eliminated, kniana beats eval and I celebrate with my cave whistle, one of the other competitors used some kind of 3x bow magic in a x like pattern, some kind of divination magic from their necklace, I use guidance 2x on kniana pushing the magic, kniana handed me eval's bow to hold it for him and I examine it quickly, basic composite longbow with +2, basic but effective, redwood hilt 2 woods for shaft red wood center and white wood outer, thicker than normal string. Kniana wins! after watching tie after tie after tie between her and clan dire lady conceded, eval tried to point some one out of the crowd? he yanked his bow as ran by I didn't know and held for a sec before realizing and letting him take it, kniana informs me that eval saw a messenger, catch back up and help eval clean himself after what looked like a nose dive into the dirt, change my glamoured armor for wedding, skrel uses similar magic, masked man got away as the one they saw was a kid who liked the look from someone traveled with. eval gave a silver for the cleaning? it was something i could do a million times so y? A gripply runs up to give me kniana's winnings to get to her, I put into my bag to give her later, sounds like coin and some glass, silver knights apparently believe massagers' message are fact and will act after implimitation and are not willing to help us (reactionary vs preventative) they believe that the world will end through demonic prophecy, emery seems to be more intelligent that he let onto before after we were around the knights, Kniana had a vision saying that we needed to hide, I think now I know who Ezzussi was talking about, we must hide b/c HE is here, masked man -kniana, silver knights are here to just observe. the 2 active knights are looking for someone that did something to a 3rd knight, for someone who was talking about the knights a lot he seemed pretty uneasy around them, I speak my piece that I am only really interested in protecting the amulet and I don't really care about the messenger particularly, Emery refers to our group as just an ally, not a friend which I agree with as we walked to ceremony, Just before the start, we all scouted a bit, I used my glasses to use detect magic and see faint traces of the the curse I know, otherwise mostly magical things were held/worn by nobles as I assume, I check the food tent as per kniana's request, Keg is slightly magical but untapped, ask server about it, its the brinstone whiskey to be served later at 5sp/glass! ceremony starting soon and I see a temple dedicated to goddess shellan, kniana and I make our way to get closer to the amulet for protection, I pretend to be her +1 to be closer to look for the amulet, otherwise the bride looked nice, very fancy, very nice ceremony, after real celibration begins with great music, crowd about halves after cerimony, some silver knights approace were emery was, he makes haste away, now very sus about his story but don't really care. kniana asked me to look at knights, use glasses under goggles to get telecope. am IMMEATLY blinded by very powerful magical aura, light like beacons, mostly divination and enchantment schools, cant really tell if from them or the armor, as turn back to kniana to tell forest line lights up, use prestidigitation to make a rock and huck it at eval pointing to the forrest, father of bride steps out of tent with sword I enhanced and tankard saying a toast for bride and groom. Masked man appears next to creek and says "i second that toast" more people set out of the crowd with masks and ruby and saphire clothes step up with white masks,
 
"I’d like to make a toast as well, (many members from the crowd speaking in different languages in perfect unison) We are the messengers, and we have come to free you of your chains. You of Fey birth have become lazy and allow the Garrick line to suppress your true nature and freedom. We come to awaken you as we have awakened out of your failures, failures that after many years will no longer suppress the truth. The Shadow King calls forth his people’s. His wings may have been clipped but his power is ever apparent. Come, partake of the message and your eyes shall be opened, your chains broken, and your freedom brought to light. Join us or fall at your own resistance. The message is true and inevitable, the Garrick Kingdom cannot deny his will. Receive the message and your opinion will change as you see the truth. (Eval shouting out, that doesn’t sound like freedom) Your time is limited. Partake or fall under the shadow of his great king’s world tree."
 
a bee stung bride as 5 swarms of the "shadow bees" come from forest. one of the silver knights cleaves a masked person in 2 as their blades light in gray flame