Episode 5 - Tasty Raisins

Recap
The team decided to side with Gilbert after leaving the mausoleum and save his granddaughter, Marley. The Greeders, in particular Stretch, did not like this decision and the team killed Stretch. The team went on to Gilberts mansion on the North-East side of Aurum where they were shown the grand treasure clue which was a piano key that magically sinks into anything it's on and plays a note. They met Marley, Gilbert's deaf granddaughter, and Paige, his other granddaughter who is quickly becoming enemy number one for Zippy.

Episode Summary
The team wake up after a late sleep in. Dariun goes downstairs to get some breakfast to see Gilbert, Paige and Marley. Dariun sees a new butler, a grey skinned orc with a curly moustache who Dariun recognizes as James Jameson from the raiders camp. James tries to ensure Dariun doesn't blow his cover and leads him to the cellars.

Norman meets with Gilbert and discusses why Paul would have been given this amulet. They decide they should be able to find out more about it in Aurum. Norman speculates that someone may have given Paul the amulet to help draw out the Greeders from the city. After talking to Gilbert, Norman notices Paige seems to be a lot more quiet and timid compared to the day prior. Meanwhile, Zippy is trying to get some floss from Joey. Dariun goes with James to the basement and Dariun asks him why he is here. James is worried about his cover being blown and asks Dariun to keep it under wraps and to get Norman and Zippy to do the same, which Dariun cannot promise to. Zippy comes down and already picked a fight with Paige who is wearing a wrestler mask under a paper bag. She goes to tackle Zippy but he dodges and refer to Paige as the dog and should be locked up. As they muck around, the doorbell rings. Paige inspects and runs off. Before entering the room, Dariun asks James how he got into Aurum which James weaves an unbelievable story that Dariun did not believe. When they come back from the cellar, Norman and Zippy immediately blow James' cover and Dariun really tries to get them to hush and play along.

Zippy goes to open the door and sees a young boy with brown hair, soaking wet in a wetsuit that says in the corner PP. Zippy slams the door on the boy but the bell rings again. Gilbert opens the door and the boy introduces himself as Bradley and he is there to see his wife Paige. Bradley asks to be let in but Gilbert closes the door and tell the crew he's in love with Paige but she hates him. Dariun tells them he can handle this and he draws his blade. He threatens Bradley to leave but Bradley offers a bet. Dariun goes to kick him off the stairs but misses. When Dariun goes to kick him again, Norman stops him and hears out Bradley's wager. Bradley challenges him to a one on one game of Pyre Pitch and is shocked when they don't know what it is. Bradley explains the rules

“''There's a huge unlit pyre in the centre football field. There's two teams of three players each and you gotta ignite the pyre in the centre with either your flame colour of red or blue. You have a whacker with a baseball bat and his sole job is to play offence but basically you gotta beat the other teams whacker. After that you also have to hit the lit gorb into the sticks and then the other two are divers and they have to go into their own pools and jump into it. It's random which pool is which cause you might get the path of victory or path denial. If you get on the path of victory you gotta get the flea flame and you get the flea flame you gotta bring it above ground and then start making the gorb –''“

Before he can finish the explanation, Paige asks him to leave and Bradley professes his love for her. Dariun tosses him on the dirt and closes the door between them and Bradley. The team go back to their breakfast and discuss their trip the Aurum. They ask Gilbert for some money to go to Aurum which he offers them 500 gold each. Zippy has his eyes on Dariun's tinder soul, wanting to have it which Dariun refuses. They get all their gear together and get on their horses. Zippy and Norman spot Bradley holding onto the underside of Tealeaf. Dariun notices and he kicks him off the horse. To the teams surprise, Bradley speaks to the horse. Norman offers to take Bradley into Aurum as he lives there and wants a lift. Gilbert leads the team into Aurum and they get to the city walls where they see some golden guards who let them in.

They get into Aurum and see multi-storey residential buildings and cobble stone streets, filled with all different races. Bradley tosses Norman a gold coin as a tip before running back home. Zippy once again tries to make a claim to the Tinder soul but Dariun still does not give it up. Gilbert notices that people are shooting Dariun odd looks and asks him to wear a cloak to hid his Eladrin looks. An argument breaks out between Norman and Dariun as Norman calls Dariun a lizard. Dariun does not take too kindly to this and states that the blood line of the Eladrin is pure and Norman is nothing compared to it. After they calm down a little, they head to the blacksmith. They hear bells ringing and see that people are looking sad as they hear a man calling out.

"Attention! King Pontas Alvero is dead, he's dead. The funeral will be held this evening at 7pm in Aurum's center. Please come, and support the passing of our king."

Norman feels a little guilty and bears the consequences of his choice heavily. Dariun and Zippy ensure Norman knows that the blood is on his hands. Gilbert reminds them the king was on his way out and his death was imminent. They walk into Aurum's center which is a wide open area and the cobble stone streets turn to gold flooring. Off in the distance, they see the steps up to the large castle. Around the area they see shops and markets with people selling and buying various items. The go to Two Balls Anvil, which is run by the Two Ball clan of dwarves and they are world renowned blacksmiths.

The walk into the humble blacksmith shop and see a woman, chewing some bubble gum and looking tired with Casey written on a name tag. Zippy asks Dariun to put him on his shoulders which Dariun refuses. Norman offers Zippy to go up there but he isn't very keen to on Norman's back. Zippy settles on climbing onto Gilbert despite his old age and tired bones. Dariun asks about getting a custom job done and is introduced to a dwarf with an eye patch on his left eye a ginger beard and a bald head. Dariun shows him the tinder soul and his switch blade. He requests that the tinder soul is made into a gem that can fit into the blade. The dwarf, Ivan, questions what the blade is made out of which Dariun explains is Mechanos, a unique, rare metal. Dariun forged the blade and explains it can channel energy through it and depending on the energy, the blade can shift and change shape. Ivan points out Dariun's green skin, which he seems frustrated with someone else pointing out his race. Ivan gives Dariun a quote of 4000 gold. Dariun tries to swindle a deal by offering to tell him about Mechanos steel but the dwarf is not convinced. Frustrated, Dariun puts the steam gem in to show him what he is talking about which Ivan is intrigued by. Ivan takes of 750 gold of the total price and tells him that the gem will take 4 days to make but the dwarf keeps the sword to examine until the following day's afternoon and he will pay on pickup. Dariun asks Gilbert for some extra funds for the sword which he is conflicted about but, with the help or Norman and Zippy, he is able to get an extra 2000 gold from Gilbert but the remaining money needs to be obtained elsewhere.

Zippy finds a dagger that looks like a carrot peeler but it's 600 gold which he cannot afford but Dariun is able to convince Ivar to drop the price to 300 gold. After Zippy takes the dagger, they leave but not before Norman asks who Blue is. Blue is a Aarakocra who sells potions and magic scrolls and they occasionally work with Ivan on magical items.

They plan to go to the funeral later but not before heading to a magic store. To find out where to go, they go up to a raisin stand and see a teenager riddled with acne, and ask about Valentine, a magic item salesman someone told about earlier. The teen explains Valentine's is in a district south west. Norman calls him diseased and the raisin boy tell him he better buy some raisins for being so rude. The team wants raisins and the price is 1 gold each. Norman takes one and notes its apple like flavour and chewiness. Zippy takes 10 and munches on them on his way to the store and tastes a range of flavours.

As they are looking for the store, they find a stationary, circus like cart with large letters on the side saying Valentine the Cursed Curiosity Collector. They walk in and despite the small outside, they walk into a large store filled with magical items and a wave of magical energy rolls over them. They see a elven man with black hair, a blue bath robe with sun and stairs patterned on it, half asleep sitting with his feet up who wakes up when the team enters and introduces himself as Valentine. Dariun buys a bag of holding, Norman buys a music box and Zippy gets a magical doorknob. Norman is curious about the void chest which pulls random items out of it for 150 gold. He decides to give his luck a run three times. The first pull he gets shin protectors that lead you to the nearest freshly dug grave whenever you see your crush. Dariun has a go and pulls out a razor blade which is covered in human skin and it will split into two copies of itself whenever you talk with your mouth full. Norman takes a second go and pulls out a small cage which enchants your favourite object with a very minor ability whenever it isn't being looked at.

Dariun enquires if Norman's favourite object is the pendant he wears around his neck which Norman confirms it is. Norman does one final pull and finds an explosive water bottle which emits a thick fog that covers a 20ft radius whenever you bleed in daylight. The team are pretty happy with this pull and its potential helpfulness. Dariun also does a final pull and gets a corset which makes you switch between known languages with every sentences for a number of hours (1d4) whenever you talk to a bar keep. Dariun sells the corset to Valentine and buys the immovable rod and the verdant gloves.

The team end of their shopping trip their and continue on to find some more information about the piano key grand treasure clue.

Quotations

 * Norman "I guess you can say he's having a bad hare day"
 * Norman "Well you know they say it's not what you know, it's who you know... you know?"
 * James "Oh barnacles."
 * Norman "To be honest Dariun, you look like a dam lizard"
 * Dariun "Coming from the goat in front of me"
 * Dariun "How dare you insult an Eladrin. You are nothing compared to the pure blood line that is the Eladrin from the Fey wild."
 * Zippy "I'm the type of person who appreciates actions more than words."
 * Valentine "I am Valentine, the cursed curiosity collector.."

Main Cast

 * Zippy Westborrough
 * Norman D
 * Dariun Branch

Returning Characters

 * Gilbert Benrstein
 * Paige Benrstein
 * Marley Benrstein
 * James Jameson
 * Joey
 * Longface Clopyhooves
 * Tealeaf
 * Denmark

New Characters

 * Bradley
 * Casey
 * Ivan
 * Blue (mentioned)
 * Raisin seller/Dylan
 * Valentine

Locations

 * Gilbert's mansion
 * Aurum
 * Two Balls Anvil
 * Valentine the Cursed Curiosity Collector