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[GreatWyrmGold]

Also also, begin attempting to decipher the "language" the books are written in. It shouldn't be hard, especially the maps since they have labels next to things.

[Weirdsound]

Visit the guild, ask the artificer if the guild has any protocalls or services dealing with the storage of potentially dangerous magical artifacts. Also check to see if the Artificer has new stock.

 

[FuzzyZergling]

Determine if we have 200 gold or two stacks of 200.

Oh, it seems you've made a mistake. Instead of two bags of 200 GOLD, you instead have only one. You do have an I.O.U. from yourself, which you think is almost the same thing.
You know you're good for it. You've never let yourself down about this sort of thing.

Also, determine the exact value of the Essence of Salt.

The market value of a cup of ESSENCE OF SALT is about 200 GOLD, you think. You have half that left, and you doubt you'd be able to get full market value around here. 70 GOLD would be your estimate.
These SALTFRUITS have been selling for 50 GOLD apiece. The current harvest should be ready within the day.

Also also, begin attempting to decipher the "language" the books are written in. It shouldn't be hard, especially the maps since they have labels next to things.

This is the map with the most "text". You're not much of a linguist, and TRANSLATE TEXT spells don't show anything. Either this is in a language you already understand, or it's not a language at all.
Or the JOURNAL is warded such that those particular spells have no effect, which is a strong possibility.

Do you want to look at something else in the JOURNAL?

Visit the guild, ask the artificer if the guild has any protocalls or services dealing with the storage of potentially dangerous magical artifacts. Also check to see if the Artificer has new stock.

->

You ask ORWELL if the WIZARD'S GUILD has any way to store dangerous items for safekeeping.
He says that the GUILD rents STORAGE SAFES at a price of 20 GOLD a week.

He has the following items:
A STAVE OF SUBTLE FROST, which can conjure ice and snow in exchange for a small draw from your MANA POOL. This particular STAVE makes no sound when used.
An ORB OF SHADOWS, which can project a field of darkness around the orb three times a day. Any creatures within the field are completely blind, save for the user of the orb who is immune. Does not work outside the country of MIDDLE EARTH, for reasons unknown.
A MAGIC SCALE. When a magic item is placed in the bowl, the screen displays both a number related to the amount of magic used to create the item, as well as the type of magic.
A CONSERVATIVE'S BATON. This WAND lessens the amount of MANA needed to cast by a slight amount. Best used for smaller spells, as it is rather fragile and may break from the strain of larger spells.

The MAGIC ITEMS cost 500 GOLD, the WAND 200.

[mastahcheese]

The wand doesn't look like it's worth our entire bank account, ask about quests.

[Sensei]

I like the magic scale, personally. Let's check out the jobs board, since we clearly haven't enough money right now, and even tomorrow selling our saltfruits will only bring our total to 450 gold.

[GreatWyrmGold]

The wand doesn't look like it's worth our entire bank account, ask about quests.

I agree.

Also: When we get home, turn to the next page in the journal. If this yields no results, start prepping the cipher-solving skills and see if any patterns emerge. Again, start with the map, where at least some names can be guessed from the places they're near, if you look hard enough.

[Chink]

The wand doesn't look like it's worth our entire bank account, ask about quests.

I agree.

Also: When we get home, turn to the next page in the journal. If this yields no results, start prepping the cipher-solving skills and see if any patterns emerge. Again, start with the map, where at least some names can be guessed from the places they're near, if you look hard enough.

+1

[Weirdsound]

Just have Charlie look at the damn map. If he can decipher the map and is willing to go on an adventure, offer to split the loot with him. Explain the split may be 50/50, 33/33/33, or 25/25/25/25, as you may consider inviting the Archmages Daughter as an appology gift, and a proper rouge/theif type to handle mundane traps. (It is proven you and Charlie can deal with magical wards and the like)

Look to see if this town has a proper guild for theives and rouges. Look into the procedure for hiring one, assuming Charlie is good to translate and is willing to split amoung more than two people.

Consider the job board. We will likely need more money to embark on our grand treasure hunting adventure.

[FuzzyZergling]

The wand doesn't look like it's worth our entire bank account, ask about quests.

I like the magic scale, personally. Let's check out the jobs board, since we clearly haven't enough money right now, and even tomorrow selling our saltfruits will only bring our total to 450 gold.

You approach the QUEST BOARD.


These you have seen before.
The FIGHTER'S GUILD QUEST seems desperate, it is offering two-thirds of the LOOT.


There are two new QUESTS.
A GUILDSMEMBER wishes you to bring him a KEY, located in the ABANDONED TOWER to the WEST. He will pay 600 Gold and some MANA POTIONS.
Another GUILDSMEMBER requires ELRICK COINS. He recommends looking in the EASTERN FOREST. 200 Gold per COIN.

Also: When we get home, turn to the next page in the journal. If this yields no results, start prepping the cipher-solving skills and see if any patterns emerge. Again, start with the map, where at least some names can be guessed from the places they're near, if you look hard enough.

There's nobody around, so you decide to do this now.


This is the next page that isn't blank. On the right is a map of the town, which has been cut out from a larger map and glued in.
You do see something useful, actually; the symbols adorning the COMPASS all most likely W, N, E, and S.

Just have Charlie look at the damn map. If he can decipher the map and is willing to go on an adventure, offer to split the loot with him. Explain the split may be 50/50, 33/33/33, or 25/25/25/25, as you may consider inviting the Archmages Daughter as an appology gift, and a proper rouge/theif type to handle mundane traps. (It is proven you and Charlie can deal with magical wards and the like)

Look to see if this town has a proper guild for theives and rouges. Look into the procedure for hiring one, assuming Charlie is good to translate and is willing to split amoung more than two people.

Consider the job board. We will likely need more money to embark on our grand treasure hunting adventure.

You should choose a QUEST/DUNGEON before asking CHARLIE to join you.

There is indeed a ROGUE'S/THIEVE'S/ASSASSIN'S GUILD, which is just to the south of the WIZARD'S and FIGHTER'S GUILDS. There used to be three different guilds for these professions, but they were grouped into one about a decade ago.

[Weirdsound]

Look into the Desperate Guild Job
Ask Charlie if he would be willing to Translate the Map in the Journal

[GreatWyrmGold]

Let's figure out what we know.

The four compass points are obvious.
is an I or an A because it appears on its own.
The latter symbol is S for South. As es and os are not words, the first syllable is an a, i, or us.
And that's about all I can decipher from those pages.

[Chink]

Look into the Desperate Guild Job.
Ask Charlie if he would be willing to Translate the Map in the Journal.

[Weirdsound]

Actualy... wait. Nevermind I think the tower on the map may be the same tower the guild member wants a key from.

Talk to The Guild member wanting a key, and have Charlie, who may be able to read the map, look at what we think is a marked tower on the map. If we can be reasonably sure both point to the same tower, agree to the quest and head over. Try to score a mana potion in advance.

[FuzzyZergling]

Look into the Desperate Guild Job
Ask Charlie if he would be willing to Translate the Map in the Journal

You travel to the FIGHTER'S GUILD.


This building is much larger than the WIZARD'S GUILD, covering four times the area.
Not that you're jealous or anything. It's not the size of the guild, it's what you do with it!


The FIGHTER'S GUILD keeps their QUEST BOARD outside. It is also an actual board.
You can't take any of these since you're not a member of the GUILD, so you just head inside.


Inside is a large ORC BLACKSMITH. You ask him for directions, and he advises you to look in the LOUNGE, to the WEST.


In the LOUNGE are several FIGHTERS you ask one about the QUEST.


He says that he's the one to talk to about it.
You say that you're a WIZARD, and that you'd like to apply.


He says good, he was getting desperate. You should meet him here in fifteen minutes, he has to go fetch the ROGUE.
He tells you that you're going to be crawling the ABANDONED RUIN to the NORTHEAST.


You ask if it would be alright to bring another WIZARD.
He tells you that would be fine, as long as you split your treasure with him.


You swing by your TOWER to grab your SWORD and last MANA POTION, then head for CHARLIE'S TOWER.


You ask CHARLIE if he would help you crawl a local DUNGEON with some others for a cut of the loot. He agrees.


You take BLACK-HAND JACK'S JOURNAL out to ask him about the map, and he immediately jolts out of his chair.


CHARLIE is willing to trade 2000 GOLD and a MAGIC ITEM for the JOURNAL.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Slight continuity error; back at the end of Chapter 2 I got the directions of the countries relative to Middle Earth incorrect.
It's been fixed now.

Also, I made icons for the symbols:

[Chink]

Ask him why he wants to pay so much, and to see his current stock of magical items. Warn him that we likely won't be able to conduct the trade until after the crawl.