Fourth Adventure 04.1: Zeiss, Ashakel, Hanuel, Z, and Caladrius at the Mine

Hanuel directs her to the mine. "There's an extremely dangerous amount of it."

Hanuel and the Archmagess come flying up, and without hesitation or delay she strides over to the cart filled with death. She gives an audible, pronounced gasp, and it occurs to everyone present that an Archmage with Praxis Industries, who Weaves high level magical items for a living, being shocked at the amount of this is a very bad sign. She immediately begins performing a complicated ritual, pouring her Mana directly into the sticks, dissolving them into gunpowder one by one as quickly as she dares.

Could it be possible? Z, a member of the Flock? If that was the case, it would be better not to tell the others. They were stupid enough to attack her. On purpose.

"I should have been more careful..."

He waited for Hanuel to come back.

Hanuel watches the archmagess deactivate the shattersticks, hoping to learn something from watching her skill.

When she finishes she turns to you, fur flustered. "Who... you don't know," she interrupts herself. "I need to contact a few people immediately. Here," she offhandedly hands you a small bag. "Thank you very much for bringing this to our immediate attention. You can keep the powder, if you'd like." She then activates whatever it is she has and flies back towards town.

Hanuel takes the bag, and seeing that it holds 2 platinum coins, exchanges one of them for 1000gp. They then fill an empty bag with gun powder, and tosses it into their backpack. "I've got a few ideas for this stuff."

Zeiss takes the other platinum piece and put 1000 gold pieces in it.

"We should share it between ourselves. Let's say we take 10% of it and put it in our group fund. That would make..."

He is calculating.

"...360 gold pieces for each one of us. Including you Z."

Z takes their 360 gold with a nod.

At about this time a wagon, being hauled by Rory at the moment, arrives.

"You're better than any horse or mule Rory. You should be the one dragging the wagon."

Zeiss smiled at him.

"Gee, thanks," Rory grunted. "Why'd you call us, Hanuel?"

"Well, we found a clue as to what the saboteur was planning. And seeing as the other group isn't with you, I say we head over to the graveyard and find out what they're up to. What did your group find out?"

"We got a lead. An Orc with connections to the Undermarket," Rory answered. "Don't know why anybody went to the graveyard to begin with. Nothing there but ghosts."

He grew curious as to why they were all standing around this lone cart. "What's in the cart?"

Zeiss explained everything that happened to them at the mine. Even the injury he caused to the Goblin.

"What about you?"

"Now? Just some gun powder. Before that, shattersticks. And there could be nothing, but it's worthwhile to check on them at least."

"What's 'gun'?" Rory asked. "Wait, first tell me about the goblin."

"The goblin was just a treasure hunter who stumbled into the wrong mine. Gunpowder is a low-power explosive." Hanuel takes a small amount of the powder, and moves a safe distance from the cart before setting it down and lighting it from an arm's distance with their flint and steel.

The explosion is brief but loud, startling everyone currently sleeping in the wagon awake. Z shakes their head at the display.

Rory startles and gasps as the "gunpowder" burns up quickly at the sound of a localized thunderclap. Impressed, his expression is one akin to awe at first, and then fades into worry. He quickly regains himself from the shock as the worry fades from his face.

"Let's be off, then," he said, abruptly changing the subject.

"humm gunpowder you say"

tab takes out one of his 1 pint flask that until the golem mission had oil in it but has since been cleaned out, and fills it with the gunpowder then carefully seals the flask

tab looks over the group
"this goblin, were is he now?"

"Hanuel has taken him to a white mage..."

Zeiss stood in silence, seemingly in reflection. He then looked up and spoke to the others.

"What if someone comes for these Shattersticks? These were hidden in this mine. Maybe the saboteur planned to use them. He, she or they might be coming back."

"Is he under guard?"

"What would be the point?"

Tab looks at Zeiss

"well didnt you catch this guy in here messing with that (point to the cart) dont you find it a bit odd at lest? should we at less keep an eye on him and question him"

"I already explained that he is a scavenger. And I know he is telling the truth since I'm a better liar than him."

Z interrupts, sounding irritated. "This is all fascinating I'm sure but it seems to me we have a choice. Stay here in ambush or hunt down your wayward friends. Unless you found anything worth looking into at that thorpe?"