RECAP: 5th Avengers, 5-9-21

When we return to the Welcome Wench, it is time to relax and let go of the trauma and violence we witnessed and inflicted upon the residents of the Moat House. There is a new stable at the tavern, and we can all stay them.
Jarry decides that it is time to eat and drink the place dry. The wizard commences drinking heavily. Caela and Lauris both can sense a presence in the area. There is definitely something amiss. Roughly three or four o’clock in the morning, we are all awakened to an immense, cacophonous sound. All but Balyx recognize that this sound is unmistakably a single note. Geth wonders aloud if it is a b-flat-minor, and he is right. All of a sudden, people are up and about, and general consensus is, especially from the bards, that the sound emanated from Balyx’s room. Balyx, awakened by the note, holds in his hand a wooden tuning fork. He is especially convinced of his righteousness, and strikes the tuning fork on his shield, casting the Light cantrip on it. The sound is of a stick striking his shield. He comes to understand that it is a symbol, a shape of what he must come to understand and investigate. 

Geth wakes up with a sense of new purpose. He has been charged by a person of immense power, and must decide what to do. Jarry awakens in the gutter from the sound and attempts to figure what is scratching him, discovering it to be a skeletal hand. Hungover, he continues to hold the hand but commences a deep freakout. Crying in the street, he sees bright light emanate from out of one of the windows. Geth hears the sound but is growing increasingly absorbed in his new purpose. The party finds itself in the hallways, Jarry is looking for morning tea, believing he has become a cannibal. Balyx feels reserved about his experience, and resolves to explore it through his religious practice in the coming week, as well as seeking out a wizard to identify the scepter from the holiday party. Caela asks him about the tone, which she by now knows is completely abnormal. He proudly presents his tuning fork, and when Caela asks if there is a threat, he replies that there is only threat to those who disparage Bahamut. Balyx does notice that it does not appear as it did in the vision.

Balyx visits the clerics. He explains that he was visited by his god and they left him with the artifact, which generated a blessed tone, and explains the vision of the tuning fork. In conversation over the next five days, he finds their understanding of his experience is that Balyx’s god has given him a symbol, but it might not actually be the stick, which does not have any sort of energy presence. It could be that this is a focus, something to bridge the gap between his paladin abilities and his new sorcerer abilities. Regarding the actual note, they have no clue. Over the next few days, Jarry finds himself drawn to the cemetery. Fully believing he is a cannibal, Jarry buries the hand in the cemetery, continuing to eat and drink his feelings. Racked with fear of what he has become, he continues to wake up with the skeletal hand in his own, regardless of where he buries it. Jarry’s sobs can be heard throughout the day. When he is able to sleep, his dreams are full of images of spectral beings, and in his intelligence, he begins to understand how science applies to the afterlife. At one point, Jarry awakens covered in dirt next to an exhumed body. There are no drag marks. He can only assume that in his sleep, he unearthed the body and Dimension Doored himself to his quarters to experiment on the body. Elmo, the constable, confronts him. He cannot prove how Jarry has moved the corpses, and that is the only thing keeping Jarry out of custody. The Welcome Wench is vacant from the stigma of corpses.

Geth visits the grove. He sees the scorch marks from the fireball, and sets himself to attuning himself to the surrounding terrain and what made the location of the grove suitable for druids. If Jaroo was doing any sort of investigation of the area. Any notes are long gone. Anything useful has been erased, possibly due to the doppelganger’s stay. There was a general sense of mourning when Hommlet learned that Jaroo had been replaced with a double, but he kept to himself aside from providing some services for a fee. Right now, Geth’s share of the take from his adventure to date has made him far richer than Jaroo ever had been, although this is not really the druidic way. Every once in a while, he sees a bear pacing about the outdoor temple. Every time Geth looks up to catch it it runs off.

Geth breaks the news of his departure to the group. He tells them that he has been called to service to the Hommlet area, and that he will be staying at Jaroo’s grove to become the resident druid.

Balyx resolves to get his scepter tested, and in spite, Lauris resolves to figure out what his folder does on his own. [ghost writing by Alexandra] Balyx knows this will cost 100 gold pieces and Caela and Lauris, displeased at this expense, accompany Balyx to the appraisal. They go to the temple of St. Cuthbert and speak to the clerics of Pelor who tell Balyx that it is a Scepter of Divine Choice, adorned with symbols of the old gods. It can do a number of things, but has an odd side effect. It can be used twice a day and each time it is used, there are eight possible random effects.
Lauris begins juggling the holy symbols of St. Cuthbert in the temple. He is immediately surrounded by temple guards, who ask him why he disrespects his god so. Lauris says that it is respectful where he comes from. The guard replies that his home needs to be cleansed. After a short back and forth, Lauris attempts to barter the holy symbols for identify spells, which really pisses the guard. Lauris adds in a Mage Hand to the juggling act. Balyx, who can tell how angry the guards are, steps in to cast Feather Fall on the amulets and forcing Lauris to back off, apologizing to the guard for his uncouth acquaintance’s actions. [ghost writing by Alexandra] Balyx’s collects the amulets and says, “we found these after sending your compatriots to a more pleasant and restful respite.” Lauris attempts to interrupt. Balyx offers the clerics of Pelor the six amulets that Lauris was juggling as a token of apology. They respond, “if you return these amulets to their rightful homes, we would be indebted to you.” Balyx counters, “that is kind, we would appreciate if you could render identification of this folder as well,” while doing so Balyx puts a claw finger up to his mouth to “shhh.” The Temple of St. Cuthbert is indebted to Balyx and the party for returning six amulets. The clerics and guards disperse, the assistant takes the folder to assess it. After assessment the cleric returns. “To whom of your party would forge something?” Caela declares “me,” and Lauris looks at her forlornly and mouths “ME” pointing to himself. The cleric continues, “this folder will allow any piece of paper submitted to the folder within a day can be exacted to a copy of a desired document. the desired document must have been seen by the user in the past. seeing the desired document by a scrying spell does not meet the requirements.” Each time the folder is used, the operator suffers a paper cut that can only be healed by natural means, 72 hours minimum. -1 to concentration checks for each 2 paper cuts.

Jarry’s item is as follows:
+2 INT -2 CHA, randomly each day it has one of the ten following effects:
-Terrible breath
-Explosive flatulence
-Retching body odor
-Inappropriate language
-Unruly hair
-Difficulty holding an object
-Suddenly bored
-Wardrobe malfunction
-Poor posture
-Lose train of thought

Treasury
Gems (page 45 blast)
3 paintings worth 75gp each
284 gold
1079 silver
1891 copper
24 platinum
52 electrum
9 gems valued at 50 gp @
7 amulets of Saint Cuthbert
2  Potions of Animal Friendship
1  Bag or Pouch 
1  Potion of Fire Breath
3 holy symbols of Saint Cuthbert, valued at 150g apiece.
A jade symbol of Saint Cuthbert
A bag of material components
Instructions written in Common about the routine of Spugnoir’s shop, and a key to his shop.
1 potion
2x Fine leather armor
1 heavy mace
longsword
Gold chain
A black scepter with violet gems
A small violet sphere
A black metal scroll case
+1 Shortbow
+1 Mace
A scroll of ???