Ready'Reat 6:  Beldyn spends the day checking out the Alchemist's equipment, books and supplies.  

She would suggest that one of the three of us - Beldwyn, Taizu, and Tarva - should be on guard at all times up in the top of the tower.  She would try to get Tarva and Taizu to take the majority of the shifts as they don't have other tasks that need to be done now and she does, but she will do some shifts of guard duty.

Tarva thinks both parts of this are reasonable, mostly.  She points out that during the night she, for sure, cannot do any meaningful watching from up there, and would be better deployed beside (inside) the (presumably closed and latched) front doors.  Tarva suspects this is also true for those with low- or no- -light vision, because of the quite limited ranges those provide, but isn't saying that out loud.  Daytime, however, she is quite willing to take the majority of the top-of-tower watching stints.

Ready'Reat 7   Beldwyn spends it casting identify, guarded by Taizu and Tarva, on the items we found were magic.  And of course she will need to spend a full 8 uninterrupted hours to cast identify.  So, count the pearl blown.  She asks Taizu and Tarva to check out the Ballistae to see what repair and prep has to be done to put them back in action.

Tarva says, "I think it's made of wood.  It looks like a huge bow.  I wonder how far it shoots.  Let's try it out.  Can we, huh?  Please?  Pretty Please?  I think you pull this little lever here to fi---  oops.  Oh, wow."  From this you might gather that Tarva has had zero experience with siege weapons.

However, while waiting for Ahb et al to return, Tarva will be using her Mending spell, her maximum twice a day, to help put the keep's contents to right again.

And Taizu will be using his detect secret doors spell to fully search first the lab area, and then the floor with the bunks.

Ready'Reat 8:  Taizu continues using his detect secret doors spell to search the keep.

Tarva, amongst guarding the keep, etc., comes up with the following:
==============
Three were-rats,
Three were-rats,

See how they fight,
See how they die.

They all went after the group's only dwa'f
Who cut off their heads with his plus three scythe
Did you ever see such a sight in your life,

As three were-rats.
==============
A little weak - especially the assonance in the first line of the main verse - but after all it's only a ditty.

Ready'Reat 9:  After Ahb has told us of her visit to the village, and the Dwarves comments about the contents of the tower and their willingness to sell it to us, Beldwyn pipes up, "That's great!  Durzh had a great business set up here and with a little work, I can get it back up and running.  There is a lot of value here that we can not possibly transport.  Most valuable is the actual business of the Alchemist."  

Beldwyn pauses for a moment and then takes a deep breath and continues, "While I enjoy adventuring with you all, I feel an overwhelming urge to stay put here.  Taking over Durzh's business is an opportunity of a lifetime for me, and if there is anyway I can make it happen I will.  But, I can't do it without the group's consent.  

"As a group, we have the right to all Durzh's property.  The Dwarves have confirmed this.  If I was to stay here and take over Durzh's business I would need a large portion of treasure to make the business viable - the books, the lab equipment, most of the ingredients and some of the inventory.  Obviously I can not claim enough of the treasure on my own to make this happen.  But also, there are things here that we could not carry with us - would have to leave behind and forfeit their value if we all continued on."

"I think I have a solution.  I suggest that we go into business together.  I would stay here and work as an Alchemist and Wizard and the group would leave me enough materials to make that viable and in return I would supply you with potions, scrolls, wands, or items I create as an Alchemist.  I could make some things for you before you leave, but the balance you would have to collect at a later time.  Right now the group could take some of the supply that Durzh made - the tanglefoot bags, thunderstones, etc and I could make you some potions or a wand.  

Obviously, if we do this, the group would have the right to stay here at the tower whenever you want.  I don't know if you are interested in this or not, and if so, if you are interested in renting the tower or trying to buy it over time, but I urge you to seriously consider my suggestion.  This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for me, and it could be a great opportunity and resource for the group.

"So what do you think?"

Rowan would like to suggest a possible alternative for Beldwyn: "As you may recall, the Stone Reavers Clan has a number of alchemists of their own.  You might consider talking with them (once they have rid themselves and their fellow dwarves of the plague, of course) about the possibility of setting up an alchemists' guild/co-op/commune (whatever).  That way you can learn from each other while sharing expenses.  Plus, if they know they have to guard some of their own, the dwarves may be more willing to send better guards (as opposed to those wimps we encountered).

"Of course, if you are wary of sharing your bounty with others, that is understandable.  But you don't strike me as that type.  Hope this helps."

Ahb is of the opinion that it wouldn't be an all bad thing for Beldwyn to stay here, especially if that is what she feels she wants to do.
 
This leaves us with several problems:
 
1) We would then have no magic user to accompany us through the rest of this.
2) The original asking price of 30,000gp is too much.  We should definitely try to bargain them down some - especially since they are getting access to our magic user/alchemist.
 3) Do we, as a group, really want to own property as large as a tower?  So far we haven't owned anything which is not easily portable.
 
Arvee says: " If we are going to continue to be mobile, and to do possibly whatever comes up, owning this (whether as a group or otherwise) is going to potentially tie us to this area, especially if bands of lyncanthropes happen to come looking.  If we own it, we are responsible for it, and that means we have to be responsible for general upkeep, supplies, making sure we make a profit, and keeping a standing guard/army that can protect it, because its pretty obvious the locals weren't too keen on making sure their healer was safe.  I thought there was a rent to own option, and if so, I think Beldwyn should rent to own it, and to me its her problem, and I don't think we should include its value in any calculations that have to be made.  It's nice that she was part of the party,   but I really think that if this is the path she is taking, then she should be a friendly npc that happens to owe us some amount of money, and treated as such."

Beldwyn says that it seems that the majority of the party does not seem to want to own or have the responsibility of a piece of property - and that is perfectly reasonable and understandable.  In light of this, the responsibility of protecting the tower will fall to it's resident - Beldwyn.
Beldwyn will take full responsibility for her own safety as well. While she thanks members of the party for their concern for her, she is perfectly capable of taking care of herself.   It is her decision to leave the group to pursue this opportunity and she will take the risks and the benefits.  As for the Earth Elemental, though Beldwyn has never fought one, and never intends to do so, she is not defenseless against one.  She intends to never let anyone come down the stairs and therefore activate the spelled step.

She does ask for assistance in negotiating rental of the tower and a resident guard force.  She says she is willing to pay a captain of the guard herself, but cannot yet pay the guard until business is well established.  She would like to set up an arrangement with the town similar to the one that Durzh had - Alchemist work in exchange for tower rental and a guard force.  
Now as for the distribution of wealth.  Are you planning on counting every stick of furniture, every book, every piece of lab equipment, each supply, etc - setting a value for it, making that part of the group pot, and then charging me for everything you end up not carrying off?  I don't think that makes a lot of sense.  Can I suggest that instead we tally up what the group could and would carry off and work from there?  

For example Beldwyn points out that the much of the lab equipment is of very little value outside of this tower as it has been custom made, the rest is bulky, fragile and not of enough value for the group to normally deal with.  Further, the furniture, ballistae, and a good portion of the supplies and books would normally be left behind.  

The ballistae and furniture are part of the keep (and unless we acquire a large wagon or something to start shipping things out in, they cannot leave).  It is impractical to include things like that in booty and when the dwarves said you could salvage what you like, they did not mean the beds or greater armaments.  Of course, they did not send an accountant back with you and are still waiting your  answer on the keep so...
 
Tarva talks to Ahb, concerning who is carrying what part of our 'cash (and gems) on hand', Beldwyn has been carrying the gems (which are mostly pearls), and Tarva thinks we ought to leave it like that until she actually leaves.  It would be a good idea for Ahb to start thinking now, however, about whom she would like to turn that duty over to.  Also, while Tarva thinks most of the coins should go (assuming she's willing) into Rowan's Bag Of Holding, now that we're also allowed to carry Mithril and Adamantium coins [much better (i.e., smaller) depreciation ratio than for gems], Tarva thinks that Ahb ought to be the one to carry (the usually very small number of) those.  Just now, that means two coins: one of each type.  That splits our treasury up into three parts, which seems to Tarva like an adequate hedge against accidents and thefts.

Rowan adds, "There is currently plenty of room in the bag of holding, so I would be glad to carry whatever the group needs her to.  We probably do not want to load it to its limit, however, in case we pick up anything along the way that needs to go in."

Beldwyn says that she is interested in the following items as her portion of the treasure split (see final list).  She is only asking for 1/6 of the Alchemist's prepared stock: Sunrods, Alchemist Fire, etc. as she thinks that the party will want to have some as well.  

Beldwyn says, "As Arvee owes me 500gp, I am willing to take it in gems, coins, chainmail, or in prepared Alchemist stock as he chooses.

"Further Taizu owes me around 375gp worth of music lessons and I owe him 100gp.  If you are willing Taizu, I would like to settle our debt now, as the possibility exists that we won't see each other again.  If you are willing, I would take 275gp worth of your share of the treasure in coins, gems, chainmail or prepared Alchemist stuff and call it even.

"As for the rest of the group pot, I suggest that the Stone Reaver's Clan might be willing to buy what individual members don't want or can't afford.   I may be willing to buy a small portion of the prepared Alchemist stuff.  But, if that doesn't work for you, or you don't want to spend the time necessary to work it out, you may want to just keep the rest in the group pot with a notation of who has already taken a partial or full share and deal with it the next time the group stops in a town to train.

"Further, if anyone in the group wants me to make them potions, wands, or scrolls in exchange for an equal market value of gems, coins, or prepared Alchemist stock I am more than willing to create items for you.  (If the group agrees to wait the necessary time for me to make the items.)
Also, if the group wants to leave anything with me that they feel is too bulky to carry.  I am happy to store it for you or to keep its equivalent market value in portable wealth for your return as you choose."

Beldwyn again asks if Ahb is willing to help her negotiate rental of the tower and guards.  Her first task will be to see to the safety, security and routine of the tower. (Thus the inclusion of weapons in Beldwyn's requested share of the pot.)  The second task will be to set up relationships with honorable traders for her goods.  The third task is to begin production of Alchemist items and Magical items (potions, wands, scrolls).  

She thanks Rowan for the suggestion of working in concert with other Alchemists and will investigate that possibility in the future when the plague has run its course.  Later, she will also see if there are any in the Stone Reaver's clan who are in need training in either Alchemy or magic.

Taizu replies, "Actually, I think we are square on the music lessons from the last time in town. Teaching you was part of the in town activities I did. I'm not sure why you owe me 100 gp.  Let me know where you got those numbers.  

"I don't agree that the alchemist equipment has zero value but understand that it has less value outside the tower (if any of it survived transport) than remaining in place. We need to address that as part of your share.

"I'd very much like to see Abh keep the herbalist book(s) since that is her thing. I could be talked into copying or assisting in the copying them for Beldwin if she would like to keep a copy.

"I'd be willing to help negotiate the tower terms if you would like and Tarva might be very very helpful as well."

Beldwyn to Taizu: "As for the plague book - Ahb has made it most plain that she is keeping that book and I understand that.  If it is not a prohibitively long book and the group is willing to spend the time it takes for you to copy it, I would love to have a copy of it.  I will even pay for the materials if they are not available here in the tower.  Of course I haven't been able to look at the book and I do not know when the group is planning on leaving, so we need Ahb's counsel on this matter."

"Good thing I don't need to sleep,"  Taizu mutters even though he understands the reasons. "Beldwyn, I have a fairly large stash of paper and if you like when I am not on watch or taking the abbreviated rest I need, I'd be more than willing to copy what I can of the herbalist book for you." He grins at Tarva. "It also might be good practice for Tarva too."

Tarva looks up from where Taizu has her writing out her multiplication tables.  "Slave-driver," she mutters in a stage voice which makes sure that everyone in the room hears it.  But then she realizes: Taizu might be volunteering her for more drudge work, but it wouldn't be arithmetic drudge work.  "Hey, yes, I can help," she says.  "When should I start?  Now?"

Arvee would really, really, prefer to defer to Beldwyn on what Beldwyn would like out of the 500 gp, as he cannot tell one piece of alchemy thingy from another dumflotchie.
 
In addition, he would like to present Beldwyn with a beautifully (For Arvee, this means it was probably at one point the same piece of paper) wrapped box.  Inside the box, Beldwyn will find a perfectly ordinary and unimportant....dagger.
 
When Beldwyn opens it Arvee will very proudly pronounce that she should stick the pointy end in the fleshy bit and repeat until the bad thing stops moving.
 
(Well, Beldwyn did ask for help with learning to use a dagger... since she is leaving Arvee decided to be nice for once)

"Oh, Arvee!" says a surprised Beldwyn.  "What a great and useful present!  And it is wrapped so nicely.  I will think of you every time I use it and will take your good counsel and stick the pointy end into bad fleshy things.  I think I will miss you most of all.  Who will be around to grumble and grump at me now?

"Since you asked what specifically I would like from you in payment of your debt, here is a list:: The chainmail; one pearl; 2 Alchemist Fire; 3 Thurderstones; 5 Tanglefoot Bags; 10 Smokesticks, 15 Sunrods; 52 Tinder Twigs.
 
"If any in the group would prefer that I take gems or coins instead of the prepared alchemist stock, that if fine too.

Tarva thinks that Beldwyn's item request list from the treasure split is quite reasonable and well thought out.  Tarva is especially relieved to see this, because her (obviously misinterpreted) hearing of Beldwyn's original request -- which to Tarva had sounded like Beldwyn wanting the group to pretend that the alchemical stuff was worthless to anyone except Beldwyn, and (somehow) thus should be just given to Beldwyn, outside of the usual equal shares policy -- was so foreign to what Trava knows is Beldwyn's normal highly generous nature, that Tarva was somewhat in shock, and hoping that she had misheard.  And clearly she (Tarva) did mishear, because this list doesn't exhibit any of the, um, greed that the earlier suggestion -- had Beldwyn actually made it -- would have shown.

She (Tarva) thinks that the 1/6 request on the prepared alchemist stock is particularly in keeping with Beldwyn's nature; and also acts as a suggestion that the entire group consider having each member take 1/6 of the prepared alchemist stock as part of each member's share (with private swapping around or individual sell-offs happening outside the split).

Tarva would like to point out that the total value of the items Beldwyn has indicated comes to 3884.95, which is 7.06 less than a total share of 3,892.01.  Tarva will suggest that if Beldwyn were to take one platinum piece and relinquish three gold pieces, she would then be extremely close to square on (and she is sure we can find six coppers before we leave).

[Tarva can point this out because the slave-driver of a Bardic Master that she is apprenticed to, not content with forcing her to learn how to read and write, is also insisting that she be able to do sums!  It is just so unfair!  What do addition and division have to do with singing or making music?  Taizu keeps pointing out to her that she felt the same way about learning to read, but now is an avid bookworm, and that she'll eventually find arithmetic rewarding also -- but so far Tarva has seen no sign of this 'rewarding', and sometimes wonders if Taizu isn't making it up.]

Because Taizu has been trying to find practical, 'hands-on' examples for math problems to give Tarva, she can also report that a 1/6 share of the prepared alchemist stock would be worth 299gp, and -- and this is important - each share would weigh 42 pounds.

For the most part, Beldwyn's proposed request from Arvee would be exactly Arvee's 1/6 share of that prepared alchemist stock, except for two things.  The first is that it comes in a wee bit over the 500gp under discussion; the second is that a 1/6 share of the 24 Tanglefoot Bags would only be 4, not 5, while a 1/6 share of the Tindertwigs would be 40, not 52.

If Beldwyn wanted to drop the list down to just 500gp, then taking out 1 Tanglefoot Bag and 32 Tinder Twigs would seem the easiest way to do that.  On the other hand, if Arvee wants to give Beldwyn all of the list, well presumably he can do whatever he wants with his share of the split.  As for that fifth Tanglefoot Bag and twelve extra Tinder Twig: if Beldwyn and Arvee really want it, then Trava will cede her rights to these, and let Arvee take them as part of his share of the treasure..

Some of which is a long-winded way of saying that Tarva isn't really interested in any of the treasure items for themselves, and thus is perfectly happy with Beldwyn selecting those items that she has; and if Arvee follows most or all of Beldwin's wish list to him, Tarva has, again, no problem with Arvee selecting those items.  

Finally, Tarva would like to note that with Beldwyn's selections staying here, what we take away with us is going to weigh very little.

Beldwyn replies, "Good idea Tarva.  I would indeed like to take one platinum piece and give you three gold pieces in change.  We don't need to worry about the coppers.  Your math skills have really improved Tarva.  And it seems mine have failed me.  Again I will take your suggestion of taking out 1 Tanglefoot Bag and 32 Tinder Twigs.  Thanks for pointing out my error."

"Tarva, I am very happy to accept your help with negotiations and recognize your considerable skills in diplomacy.  I asked Ahb first as she has already had contact with the Stone Reaver's Clan, cannot become ill from the plague, and they are indebted to her for her help in ending the plague.  If you can augment her negotiations without endangering yourself, that would be helpful.  I don't know how long Ahb wants the party to stay here before moving on, but I will happily take any assistance you and Ahb can give me in negotiating.

"First I need to negotiate rental of the tower and guards.  Obviously I can supply some weapons, and chainmail even though it needs to be re-worked.  I am willing to pay either in money or in services.  I hope that the guards the Clan sends me will have some useful skills: obviously guard skills like spot, listen, concentration and fighting, but other things would be helpful as well, like cooking, craft, gardening, animal handling.  There will be a lot of time that the guards won't be on active guard duty and they will need to be doing other things to keep them occupied.  We need to build a small stable for my horse and other animals.  It would be a good idea if the tower raised some of its own food - so I would like to put in a garden, get some chickens and maybe a goat or two.

"Next, I want to hire a Captain of the Guard to oversee and train the rabble that I expect the Stone Reaver's Clan will send me.  I am looking for an older fighter who has some experience leading and training fighters and who is looking for a stable position in his waning years.

"I also have to look into setting up trade relations with honest merchants and traders.

"I would like to look into setting up a better communication system with the Stone Reaver's Clan.  I wonder if they have any suggestions.  The first thing that comes to mind is carrier pigeons, but maybe they have other ideas.

"There are lots of other things I need to do like inventory food stuffs and order more if necessary,  look into repairing the ballistae and getting projectiles for them...the list is never ending.  What have I gotten myself into?

"Ok, first things first.  We need to negotiate tower rental and guards.  And I guess I'll need to meet the town leaders.  Good thing I speak Dwarven."

Tarva, using her Mending spell twice a day, has restored all the ballistas to full working order in the tower.

"Wow.  Neat.  And I only shot one off accidentally,  once.  Of course, I had to test the ones I worked on - didn't I - to make sure they were fixed now?  But I did warn everyone when I was going to fire them.  And hey,  they are pretty impressive, aren't they?

"Someone ought to write a song about ballistae, and the people who fire them.  Or an epic.  Or maybe a saga about a ballista captain taking his weapons and crews from fight to fight -- always on the side of right, of course.  "Have ballistae, will travel."  I think it's catchy.  What do you think, Taizu?     

"What?  Oh, all right.  But I hate sevens: they're sneaky and tricky and  ...  What do you mean I ought to feel at home with them?  ...  I am not goldbricking.       ...  One times seven is seven; two times seven is fourteen; three times seven is ...."

 The tower belongs to the dwarves, the land it sits on belongs to the Duke of Ulek.  Overall, he is responsible for the patrolling of the land and the pass.  Anyone with at least 1 RANK in local knowledge or 5 RANKS in Oerth diplomacy (or 9 RANKS in General Knowledge) would know that and would deduce from customary practices that he has ceded the responsibility for (never the ownership of) the land to the Stonereaver clan.  The clan is largely to entirely housed in caverns in the Lortmils but they would be responsible for periodic patrols in the area.
 
The tower is only one-half day off the main caravan trail through the pass.  Rowan knows that the caravan master of the caravan she was with mentioned trading with the dwarves (how she heard the rumor that led y'all here) and others along the route so it may be common practice for traders to send smaller trade groups to locations along the path of their route.
 
 Y'all are developing a reputation.

Arvee's thoughts
1.  We don't need no stinking tower
2.  Arvee will repay Beldwyn with the stuff she requested (the part that was after the math clarification)
3.  Out of deference to Beldwyn, Arvee will wisely not participate in the negotiations.
4.  Arvee agrees with Ahb that we should not stay longer than the negotiations before heading out.  He doesn't really care about the cleric, but the chance to whittle more giants down to side is getting him excited.
 
With that, he is going to spend a lot of time (during the long discussions that entails our party doing anything other than eating) engaging Rowan in long discussions about tactics in battling giants; he is willing to talk about the specific training he received in battling them.  He also would like to suggest that in the future, she allow him to close with the giant first (with his usual flair for taunts), start the soaking up of damage, and then she use her superior speed to then flank the giant (This will work best against solitary giants, more will make this harder)
 
With that, Arvee has already said his goodbye to Beldwyn, and will spend the rest of his time practicing to becoming a more effective killing machine, and some time exploring the area.
 

ID

DATE

ITEM

EVENT

TYPE

BASE

%CUT

VALUE

WHO

237

RR   1

huge greataxe

frost giant

W&A

25.00

50%

12.50

sold

238

RR   1

100' strong rope (x3 weight), 60 lbs.

frost giant

supplies

9.00

50%

4.50

sold

239

RR   1

large hand chopper

frost giant

supplies

7.50

50%

3.75

sold

240

RR   1

very long knife

frost giant

W&A

2.50

50%

1.25

sold

241

RR   1

150gp

frost giant

coins

150.00

2%

147.00

Beldwyn

242

RR   1

gem 1 of 6: yellow corumdon

frost giant

gem&jewel

1,000.00

10%

900.00

pot

243

RR   1

gem 2 of 6: deep blue spinel

frost giant

gem&jewel

500.00

10%

450.00

pot

244

RR   1

gem 3 of 6: deep green spinel

frost giant

gem&jewel

100.00

10%

90.00

pot

245

RR   1

gem 4 of 6: deep green spinel

frost giant

gem&jewel

100.00

10%

90.00

pot

246

RR   1

gem 5 of 6: deep green spinel

frost giant

gem&jewel

100.00

10%

90.00

pot

247

RR   1

gem 6 of 6: jade

frost giant

gem&jewel

100.00

10%

90.00

pot

248

RR   1

dwarven war axe MAGIC +1

frost giant

magic

2,330.00

5%

2,213.50

sold

249

RR   1

9" wand of oak, MAGIC Summon Monster I  (8)

frost giant

shots

750.00

5%

114.00

sold

250

RR   5

115gp – 112gp: Beldwyn; 3gp pot

Durzh keep

coins

115.00

2%

112.70

ß

251

RR   5

28pp – 1pp: Beldwyn; 27pp pot

Durzh keep

coins

280.00

2%

274.40

ß

252

RR   5

Platinum Ring,  MAGIC: Minor Acid Resistance

Durzh keep

magic

16,000.00

5%

15,200.00

sold

253

RR   5

Carved Ivory Plaque (was a focus)

Durzh keep

gem&jewel

100.00

10%

90.00

Beldwyn

254

RR   5

Alchemical Books

Durzh keep

supplies

800.00

50%

400.00

Beldwyn

255

RR   5

Alchemical Apparati

Durzh keep

supplies

500.00

50%

250.00

Beldwyn

256

RR   5

Alchemical Supplies

Durzh keep

supplies

2,425.00

50%

1,212.50

Beldwyn

257

RR   5

Tinder twigs – 240

Durzh keep

supplies

240.00

50%

120.00

split

258

RR   5

Sunrods – 84

Durzh keep

supplies

168.00

50%

84.00

split

259

RR   5

Smokesticks – 60

Durzh keep

supplies

1,200.00

50%

600.00

split

260

RR   5

Tanglefoot Bags – 24

Durzh keep

supplies

1,200.00

50%

600.00

split

261

RR   5

Thunderstones – 18

Durzh keep

supplies

540.00

50%

270.00

split

262

RR   5

Alchemist Fire – 12

Durzh keep

supplies

240.00

50%

120.00

split

263

RR   5

Candleabra

Durzh keep

gem&jewel

50.00

10%

45.00

Beldwyn

264

RR   5

Gold Necklace with Dragon pendant

Durzh keep

gem&jewel

300.00

10%

270.00

sold

265

RR   5

Dwarven War Ax MAGIC +1

Durzh keep

magic

2,330.00

5%

2,213.50

sold

263

RR   6

pearl 1/7

Durzh keep

gem&jewel

100.00

10%

90.00

Beldwyn

264

RR   6

pearl 2/7

Durzh keep

gem&jewel

100.00

10%

90.00

Beldwyn

265

RR   6

pearl 3/7

Durzh keep

gem&jewel

100.00

10%

90.00

Arvee

266

RR   6

pearl 4/7

Durzh keep

gem&jewel

100.00

10%

90.00

pot

267

RR   6

pearl 5/7

Durzh keep

gem&jewel

100.00

10%

90.00

pot

268

RR   6

pearl 6/7

Durzh keep

gem&jewel

100.00

10%

90.00

pot

269

RR   6

pearl 7/7

Durzh keep

gem&jewel

100.00

10%

90.00

pot

270

RR   6

glass jar ruby dust

Durzh keep

gem&jewel

200.00

10%

180.00

Beldwyn

271

RR   6

glass jar jade dust

Durzh keep

gem&jewel

90.00

10%

81.00

Beldwyn

272

RR   6

glass jar diamond dust

Durzh keep

gem&jewel

350.00

10%

315.00

Beldwyn

273

RR   6

glass jar powered amber 1/1

Durzh keep

gem&jewel

200.00

10%

180.00

Beldwyn

274

RR   6

glass jar powered amber 2/2

Durzh keep

gem&jewel

200.00

10%

180.00

Beldwyn

275

RR   6

very poor chainmail, eight sets

Durzh keep

W&A

1,200.00

90%

120.00

Arvee

276

RR   6

Dwarven War Axes, seven

Durzh keep

W&A

210.00

50%

105.00

Beldwyn

277

RR   6

Crossbows, six

Durzh keep

W&A

210.00

50%

105.00

Beldwyn

278

RR   6

Crossbow bolts, 25

Durzh keep

W&A

2.50

50%

1.25

Beldwyn

 

 

TOTAL à

27,965.85

DONATE

1,398.29

POT

3,215.49

 

 

 

EACH MEMBER’S SHARE à

3,892.01

 

SPLIT-

ABLE

23,352.07

 



The finished alchemical products were split six ways evenly.  Thus each group member received: 40 Tinder Twigs; 16 Sunrods; 10 Smokesticks; 4 Tanglefoot Bags; 3 Thunderstones; and 2 Alchemist Fire flasks.  This accounted for 299gp of each person's split share.  Each set of alchemical products weighed 42 pounds.

All of the items not desired by any member of the group were sold to the Dwarves of the Stone Reaver Clan.

Beldwyn received all the booty she wanted, plus 272gp in coins.  Arvee, at Beldwyn's request, selected items to use in repaying his loan to her, plus 3,392gp in coins.  The rest received 3,593gp in coins.

Arvee gave Beldwyn all of the items he 'picked' from the treasure list, plus most of his share of the finished alchemical products.  In particular, The two now have:

ITEM

BELDWYN

ARVEE

Alchemist Fire

4

0

Smokesticks

20

0

Sunrods

31

1

Tanglefoot Bags

8

0

Thunderstones

6

0

Tinder Twigs

60

20


Tarva gives 150gp back to Ahb, and thanks her for the very generous loan.
Tarva gives 2,150 back to Taizu (and any thanks she gives him are away from everyone else).

Ahb is, of course, willing to do any negotiating for Beldwyn that she wants done.  She would suggest that not everyone needs to go to talk to them and that perhaps Ahb, Bledwyn, Taizu, and Tarva is too many and leaves Arvee and Rowan alone in the tower for several days.  Ample opportunity for something else nasty to try to move in.
 
Ahb thinks that owning some sort of property at some point in the future might be a very good thing.  Ownership has its privileges.  However, ownership of this particular property as a group just doesn't make sense.  We are now, and have always been, a group of various races and sizes.  It is not fair to those of the group who are tall to jointly own a tower in which they cannot stand up.  Crawling all the time is no fun.  Plus, Ahb feels that the group is not really ready for a large piece of property at this point.  Things are too much in flux in the group.  Beldwyn wants to stay.  Arvee definitely wants to go.  Rowan is still too new to really state what she wants.  And who is to say that if Tarva and Taizu ever get Tarva's amulet to work that they wouldn't hop through and never come back?
 
Ahb would like to finish negotiations as quickly as possible and get back to trying to aid Yethor the Keen and the various other rumors along the way that need checking out.  She would also like to know what "getting a reputation" means more specifically.

<"Getting a reputation" means that people in the area/region (Duchy of Ulek, County of Ulek, Eastern Keoland, Middle Lortmils) have started to hear about "that group that cleared the pass and cleared Durgeddin's Forge" and things such as that.  Others have heard about the "naked ranger who beats her friends with dead snakes" (nobody said rumors were current...).  It means that potentially work will start to find you if you stay in the region but also that others will start trying to measure themselves against you.  Same thing "getting a reputation" means anywhere else.>
 
When she is not negotiating and such she will spend time in the library researching lycanthropy and how to cure it as much as possible.  Ahb is worried that come the full moon we might have some wererats on our hands and that she might be one of them.  She will try to find out what the best cure for lycanthropy is other than eating fresh belladonna within one hour since that option has obviously gone by the wayside.  And also see if there is a spell she can use to check for infection in the first place.

<Durzh, being an alchemist, has no information on lycanthropy that Ahb or Beldwyn come across.  Likewise, Durzh may have known some magic but it is not evidenced by the books left behind.>
 
Arvee, upon hearing Ahb say that leaving Arvee and Rowan alone in the tower is ample opportunity for something else nasty to try to move in (Loving the try to move in bit), suggests that it would be perfect.  Go, have fun, really, hey take Rowan if you think it will increase the chances of something bad coming.
 
Arvee agrees with Tarva (much to his chagrin) that it would be faster if we all went to the dwarf town and left from there.  Besides, it will remind him of all the times back when he lived with his people and they banished him to guard the frontier.

Rowan has two ranks in local Ulek knowledge (from her time working with the Watch during the Great Treasure Debate of CY 586).  She would be happy to share any knowledge she might have that would be helpful in negotiations.  She will wisely keep herself out of the actual negotiations, however, as her diplomatic abilities are much less developed than others in the group.

There is not much for Rowan to do in the tower, so she is all for setting out as soon as possible.  During the time left in the tower she would be happy to work with Ahb or Beldwyn using her knowledge of nature to determine whether there are any herbs or plants in the area that might be useful (the theory being that Durzh would need to grow his supplies somewhere).

She would also be more than happy to discuss tactics for killing Giants with Arvee -- to say that Giants are her favored enemy is to understate the amount of hatred she has for them.  Any tips Arvee can give her on how to deal with them would be greatly appreciated.

And to the negotiators, Rowan says, "OK, call me overly cautious, but something to consider before going off for negotiations ... Is it possible that the plague has anything at all to do with the wererats?  I'm leaning towards no, since we have learned that Durzh had no information on lycanthropy and did not have any books on magic (that we could find, that is), yet we were able to find a cure for the plague in his books.  But I thought I'd throw it out there for consideration, since the wererats were obviously once Dwarves (that is I am assuming they were once Dwarves since they appeared to be Dwarvish before they transformed into rats).  Any thoughts?
Ahb thinks it unlikely that the wererats had anything to do with the plague.  The Dwarves have had this plague before and Durzh mostly cured it - they thought it was gone it fact - but then there was a resurgence and they needed his help again.  None of those wererats seemed smart enough to start a plague - the impy guy (probably their leader) might have been, who knows?

I don't think it was that bad a problem that she rushed forward, it was more of a her backup didn't arrive in time.  If her character ever has one day till retirement, then that would be a bad time to be that far ahead of the rest of us.

Arvee has been thinking about this, and he has come up with one of two plans.
1) A semi-portable catapult could launch him into the fray with the giant and solve the "Dwarves are great sprinters" problem.  In addition, he thinks a crazed dwarf with a scythe could in fact cause more damage than a rock.
2) While shopping for a scythe, Arvee found out about boots of speed, and has of late, decided that that would be a better next purchase then saving up a crapload to improve the scythe.

Taizu says to Arvee that Taizu could use the Wand of Alter Self to change Arvee into an elf (to improve his movement).  Or maybe a fairy!

To which Rowan quips, "Perhaps now that Tarva has fixed the ballistae she might have some working knowledge on how to build one of these.  In fact it might benefit the entire group and avoid the need for any more 'elf-ivators'.  On second thought, considering this group's luck with rolling, I don't think many of us would survive being catapulted into combat.  So perhaps option #2 is better."

Beldwyn says, "Ahb, As I am cash poor at the moment, I would like to try to negotiate rental for work rather than for cash.  Let's start negotiations for monthly rental at 5 days of work.  More specifically, I will agree to work 5 8-hour days a month for payment of the tower rental.  Within those days I am willing and able to teach magic or alchemy, create alchemist items and alchemist potions or cast spells.  Material costs are not included.  

"I am willing to travel to cast spells but will require that at least 4 guards go with me.  I am also willing to cast spells as part of a fighting force bent on killing baddies.  (The fighting force must be approved by me with foreknowledge of the foes we go to slay.  For example, I won't go hunting a group of 10 orcs with fighters who in my opinion have no chance of surviving.)   If my work for the day is casting spells I will  happily cast all the spells I am able to within the day minus 3 I will reserve for my own protection.  

"I may be willing to create magical items such as scrolls, potions or wands for payment instead, but they are much dearer and would have to be negotiated on a case by case basis.

"In addition, I am willing to work another 4 days a month to pay for a guard force for the tower and food to feed them.  Same terms as above.  However these guards will have to be better than the ones Durze had or it's just lambs to the slaughter.  I have some cross bows and chain mail armor that I can provide for the guards, but the armor will need some work.

"Let's start there unless you or Tarva have alternate suggestions."

Tarva does have a suggestion or two.  The first is to Ahb, but certainly in everyone's hearing.  

"Ahb, I think you should also look into whether any of the dwarves can purchase these booty items from us, so we can split the treasure properly.  Or, at the very least, if they can buy the ring of minor acid resistance, then we could at least make up equal shares for everyone."

Then to Beldwyn.

"It sounds to me like you have four different issues to negotiate with the dwarves; all intertwined with each other.  Let me list the ones I hear, and see if you agree with me: 1) your use of their Keep; 2) guards for the Keep(and you while you're there; 3) contract terms for work you do, in the Keep, for the clan; 4) contract terms for work you do, under combat conditions, for the clan.  Does that seem accurate to you?  Have I missed anything?  Mis-stated anything?"

"The way you've intertwined them is good - ultimately you want the clan to agree to all your issues at terms you find acceptble.  And by considering all four at once, you increase the give-and-take options, which will make reaching acceptable terms for all four much more likely.  Whereas if we presented each issue separately, there would be almost no bargaining room left when the fourth one was reached.

"However, intertwining them now is also making it more difficult for Ahb and me to talk with you about what you want, what you need, and what you can and cannot live with.  So in a little bit I'll want to talk about each one separately.  Be assured, though, that when Ahb gets to the table with the clan, they won't be able to pull any one issue out by itself and overwhelm it.

"What you've told us also, to me, sounds like you've put a lot of thought into what would be a fair contract for both sides.  Which doesn't surprise me: if I had thought about it, this is exactly the sort of generous, trusting offer I would have expected you to make.  The thing is, Beldwyn, that negotiations are all about give and take; and there's a wide range of what is perceived as 'fair' (and sometimes both sides' 'fair' don't exactly overlap, and the negotiations are about finding some place where they do overlap [and sometimes the two 'fair's don't overlap at all]).  So if we start with what you think is dead center in 'fair', and they start at one end of what they think is 'fair', then the eventual compromise is going to be dissapointingly far from your dead center for you.

"What Ahb needs to take to the table is: an initial position (which we don't expect to get, which would be wonderful if we did get it, and which you wouldn't lay awake at night feeling guilty about if we did get it); a desirable position; and a barely acceptable position; for each of the four issues.  Again, she won't be treating each issue separately; rather, she'll be doing her (excellent) best to dicker across all four, without ever letting them see that there even are four separatable issues.  For example, she might be saying something like, 'No, that's too many days a month of her time.  Allright, here: she can go up to ten days a month; but only if there are at least two more guards at the keep, plus another fourth-level sergeant on any combat missions.'  

"I'm presuming that we can take your presentation to us as being your desirable position.

"So what Ahb is going to need you to think about are the following:
    "What is the maximum number of days, overall, that you are willing to 'spend' working for the clan each month?
     "What is the minimum number of days, again overall, below which you would feel uncomfortable about ripping them off?
    "What is the minimum number of guards, at what levels, that you would feel safe with while in the Keep?  [Feel free to ask Arvee for help: we don't need you to guess, just to give us an answer in a hurry.]
    "What is the maximum number of guards, at what levels, beyond which you would feel guilty at drawing off the clan's resources from protecting other parts of their domain?
    "What is the minimum value of the weapons and armor each guard should bring with him [keep in mind that you do own some to give out]?
    "What is the maximum value of the weapons and armor for each guard, beyond which you would feel guilty for imposing a financial burden on their families?
    "What are the minimum and maximum number of workers you would like to have at the Keep, to farm, clean and cook, and do minor maintenance?  Do you want to have Ahb try to double up, such that the same people are part of the time guards and part of the time workers?  Remember that there is room for only a finite number of people to stay in the Keep.
    "If a task the clan wants you to do involves leaving the Keep, should there be an increase in the 'worth' of your time?  For example, one day of work outside the keep is worth a day and a half inside the keep, or four days inside the keep.  What is the minimum increase in worth you would consider fair to you
    "What is the maximum increase in worth you would consider fair to the clan?
    "What is the minimum number of guards, at what levels, with which you would feel safe while traveling along presumably safe roads -- you know, like the one where the giant threw rocks at us -- ?
    "What is the maximum number of guards, at what levels, beyond which you would feel guilty at drawing off clan resources from protecting other parts of their domain?
    "Should this traveling escort be totally separate from the Keep guards?  Partially separate?  Taken entirely from within?  Put another way, what is the minimum number of guards you feel must be left at the Keep while you travel?  [Note that this becomes an important 'chip' because we are not going to let the clan charge you for an escort -- therefore how many of the escort can come from the already-paid-for Keep guards, and how many must come from elsewhere in the clan, becomes another bargaining counter.]
    "Do you truly _want_ to go out into combat situations??  If no, the time to take it off the table is now; if yes, we want to make it sufficiently expensive that they are not risking you at every whim.
    "Unfortunately, military commanders do not take kindly to having civilians -- no matter how experienced - dictate deployment terms to them.  I doubt that there is any way that the clan would accept such a clause.  Their negotiator probably has no authority to promise any such thing; and if he were to go ask, he would be refused. I think that the best you can do is set up the conditions under which you will allow yourself to enter combat situations, and trust those to save you if the military leaders do get in over their heads.  So:
    "What is the minimum increase in worth for your time outside the Keep in a combat situation?
    "What is the maximum?
    "What is the minimum number of guards, at what levels, with which you would feel safe in a situation where this clan was in combat?
    "What is the maximum, beyond which you would feel guilty for decreasing the military's chance of success, because of depriving them of actively fighting bodies?"
"Now, what Ahb is going to do, once you have given her all that information, is go to the negotiations with a starting position of all your best case answers.  During the negotiations, she will never let any of these factors get lower than your worst case answer -- but she may need to let one or more go all the way to that limit, so make sure each limit is one you can live with.  The clan will be presenting quite a different set of values for those factors; they also will start with the for-them best values, and they also will have worst limits beyond which they will not go.  The negotiations will consist of "I'll raise this if you'll lower that", until both sides have all factors in mutually comfortable ranges, and each side is fairly sure that further talks will not improve their position any.

"Ok, that's all been very long, but there's still an important part left.  What you said at the very beginning: about not having much cash, is not something we want to tell the clan.  It would be an 'admission of weakness', meaning that your, Ahb's, flexibility in maneuvering would be limited.  A canny negotiator on their side would take advantage of that to press for increased concessions on our part, to 'make up' for not being able to deal in hard currency.

"Ahb could start the negotiations without exposing that fact, but fairly soon it would become apparent that she was shying away from any 'tit for tat' where the 'tat' was more money up front.  Even if what we desire is to end up with a deal involving little to no money up front, it would be much better if Ahb had some leeway to offer a fair amount - with the hope and expectation that she could then wheedle it away again on the next point; but also with the realization that the final deal, in order to be the best possible for you, could end up with a sizable chunk of money needed at the start.

"So I want you to ask yourself this question, after which Ahb and I will do the best we can for you, no matter which way you answer: do you have any possessions, particularly high-valued ones, which might not be as useful to you, now that you're going to settle down, and which you would consider selling, so as to have hard cash as another 'chip' for Ahb to bargain with?

"And if so, do you want to offer them to the group members first, or try to sell them to the clan, or just ask Ahb to treat it/them as additional (although not as flexible as cash) bargaining counters?

"Ok.  That's it.  I'm done."
            
Beldwyn doesn't want to have to sell any of her stuff unless it is absolutely necessary.  Yes, she will be in a tower and will put aside the Braces of Armor while in the tower, but she doesn't plan on taking off the +2 Ring of Protection EVER.  And when she ventures out of the tower she will suit up with the Braces of Armor.  Hey, Beldwyn has a terrible AC without magical armor and she is not interested in being surprised and smushed like Durzh was, whether in or out of the tower.

If it is necessary to have more cash for the negotiations, Beldwyn will first sell the 2 Rubies she has had for months, then a few of the alchemist items, then the 5th level Wand of Enfeeblement, then the Braces of Armor and lastly you will have to pull the +2 Ring of Protection off her cold dead finger.

But it won't come to that, she's sure.

Later that day, the negotiating team - Ahb as principal, Tarva as assistant, and Beldwyn as client - leave the Keep to head for the caverns.

Ready-Reat 10:  Traveling.

Ready-Reat 11:  Negotiations go very well.  Beldwyn is now the proud semi-owner of the tower and will be staying there.  The dwarves will be sending their contingent of workers and fighters and such with us when we return - which is to say we need to wait until they are ready.  

Ready-Reat 12:  With Ahb's concurrence, Tarva purchases a second pack horse, and its necessary tack, for the group.  The upcoming trip over the mountains is going to necessitate our taking more feed along with us, since our ability to depend on the horses grazing will be severely lessened.

That morning, Tarva is conducting her regular talk with Heart's Reach.  Which, as she found herself running out of things to say, has gradually shifted over to: a little current events, a little scenic description [not so much when we stay in the same place several days], and more and more just singing to HR.  Nothing special, songs in Pennoch (the other language HR used to speak) by preference, but also working through the rest of Tarva's repertoire -- after all, she needs to stay in shape.

Anyhow, this morning, a thought suddenly [and finally: she's just not wise enough for things like this to come easily to her] jumps into her head.  And from that thought she has an immediate reaction:  "Oh, Heart's Reach, my dear, don't you ever worry about my not getting back to Feyland. If my not going back is the price for you to stay 'you', then that's a price I pay willingly.  You do whatever it takes; whatever you need to do; and I'll back you just like you always back me."

She's quiet for a moment, thinking.  But now that she's finally started, she's quite bright enough to continue. "You know, HR?, that mage poked and prodded you just like a Dioncecht cleric would me at a yearly physical.  But then the cleric would tell me what she found.  I'll bet none of us thought to tell you.  And of course you might know all this already, but still that's no excuse for our being rude."

And Tarva proceeds to tell HR everything that ap Fflymwyth had reported from his three Dweomer.  "There," Tarva continues, "maybe that will help you figure out how to get that finer control ap Fflymwyth says would be so useful."

Another bullseye lantern goes off over Tarva's head. "Hey, HR, I'm a bard now, too.  And I can read.  That means I can learn things.  I'm going to start learning about gates and planes and all that stuff; and whatever I learn, I'm going to share it immediately with you.  We'll figure out a way to make sure you don't get choked off, or surge and burn, or any of the other disasters ap Fflymwyth is worried about.  When we get finished, you'll be the best gate controller this world has ever seen."

Ready-Reat 13:  The negotiators and the dwarves travel from the caverns to the Keep.