NW, Everburning torches

Dressed like a bandit ... that look like a beggar I can lie on the street ... with so many of them ... and recharge my mana ... All good .. is time to teleport again ... to the Northwest in Faerûn. Let me see the details ...

Looks cold ... for humans ... a region with difficult winter weather, and home of many fearsome beasts ... sounds tasty. The North is home to three of the greatest cities in all of Faerûn: Neverwinter, Jewel of the North, Waterdeep, the City of Splendors, and Silverymoon, Gem of the North. I'm on the main road ... looking at the crossroad. and near is a street market. I go there while to think what town I'll visit.

One salesman calls my attention ... selling a minor healing potion ... but the bottle looks expensive ... Stolen perhaps

The colour looks good, and I doubt is is really a minor potion ... For a moment I consider to buy it, but that will call the attention of the people ... Pretending to be a human is not easy. The night is falling fast, and the cold is coming without warning ... So I look around, while my scan senses the area.

A group of two men are walking slower then the others, like if they are expecting to meet someone ... But I can't sense anyone else coming on their direction. My curiosity, and lack of purpose makes me get closer, and I see them.

A knight with an armour, and helmet, and a sword . Then a little in front, taking the lead, a man adjusting a red scarf on his mouth ... They are whispering, but I can hear them talking because of all my previous meals.

" Without a thief, we can't pass the traps, Captain. He got drunk again. We should go. "

" I know ... let me think ... Markets like this always have ... skilled people looking for easy coin ... "

An opportunity presents itself, and traps ... normally lead to treasure ... So I go closer to an older lady, and grab her purse ... nearly out of the edge of the sight of the Captain. While I walk away, I hear them.

" Follow her Knight, we found a volunteer with skilled hands. "

He comes near me, I walk faster, and turn to a side street ... and in front of me is the Captain. An easy trap, that my scan detected, but I act surprised. So I pull my rusty dagger under my rugs, and the Captain laughs.

" We want to talk. "

" You move your feet light, for someone that talks. "

" And you move your hands fast, to be a beggar. "

The knight waits, while I stare at the Captain, then I see that he as no weapon. So I step to the side, to not be with the knight on my back, and place my dagger back under my rugs.

" You look smart ... we need ... assistance ... and pay well. "

" A Knight and a Rogue needing last minute assistance ... Doesn't smell good ... Who is hunting you ? "

" Clever ... but no, we arrived the town today ... And didn't have time to make ... friends ... Our missing member likes to visit taverns ... and is ... "

" Not here ... A knight, a Rogue, and a Thief ... How much ? "

" You will be properly rewarded ... if we find anything ... "

" If ... high risk ... high reward ... And what your other member will say about being replaced ? "

" He missed the meeting, and doesn't know where we go ... After this job, we go separate ways ... "

I nod, and he leads the way. The night arrived fully, and the darkness is deep. Carrying a torch with this cold weather is close to impossible ... until I see it ... From the pocket of the Captain a torch sheds light. A constant beam without generating heat. Like a spell ... This is interesting.

" Only have one, they are expensive ... but useful. "

Says the Captain leading the way, while my scan reads what is the magical item in front of me.

" Everburning torch. Casts light out to a distance of about 40 feet. Weights 1 pound. A stick with Continual Flame spell. Too small to scan details. "

Another item with a spell on it. Potions, elixirs, rocks, and now sticks ... Need to find a bigger torch ... but for now is follow them ... and we stopped ... The Captain is pointing at a mountain.

" Your turn, open the door, before we freeze. My torch is light without heat. "

" Light without heat ? "

" I'll explain that after. Hurry up."

He points to a small hole on a rock, looks a key hole ... I take out my lock picks under my rags, and begin to work. This is almost impossible to open, even more it has several traps ... But while I work, thin tentacles move out from the tip of my fingers, and disarm all triggers ... My scan, and tentacles make this look easy ... but is not.

" This door will take time. "

" We don't have time ... My light is calling attention. Knight get ready in case ... someone else appears. "

And this confirms it ... they don't have plates, because they are mercenaries, not adventurers ... An impossible door, and mistaking rats with enemies ... Amateurs ... Is best to take them inside ... One final push, and the rock slides.

" Captain. "

One word from the Knight, and we all enter. Then I reach my hand to grab the torch. The Knight hesitates, but the Captain hands it to me. Then he pulls out from his pocket an old parchment ... a map.

" Lead the way ... but follow this map ... we are here ... and what we want is ... here. "

He shows the path on his map, and while we all have our eyes on the map, I send a slime puppet in front ... to clear the path of traps, and loot all is here ... Looks like a mini-dungeon ... here is a treasure chest ... rusty sword ... a skull, and a pouch of gold ... Send the gold to the inventory ... you can keep the rest ...

I make the group walk slowly, calling attention to the traps ... old crossbows with one dart without poison. I doubt this weapon can even shoot ... but since is hidden it can ... scare ... This is not a dungeon, it's a lair ... for bandits.

" Captain, here is a chest. Move away thieve ... might be a mimic ... "

A good excuse ... to loot first a skull, and a rusty sword. He doesn't look happy ...

" Captain ... "

" Ignore that Knight ... The chest was close to the door ... The rest is still hidden, I'm sure. "

They are whispering, but I can hear it, while I pretend to check the floor ... But he is also wrong ... there is nothing more here ... that bag was a bait, for this corridor with gas ... that is more air than poison ... No beasts, and old traps. This confirms it ... this lair was abandoned ... and here is what I was looking for ...

My scan sense it after scanned the torch, and is the only reason why I'm doing this. My puppet enters the chamber.

An old temple ... the bandits use this as a lair to hide from the cold ... or someone ... The temple is already destroyed , only the flame remains ... until I eat it.

" Everlasting Flame unlocked. The light can be covered and hidden but not extinguished. Works underwater. "

It's nothing special ... every caster has access to the Light cantrip ... but I'm no caster ... So this was a perfect journey for me ... Continuing cultivating spells ... even without casting magic ... But this light has some problems ... this trap, for example ... has a magic called dispel ... Too small to be absorbed without breaking the stone ... but enough to eliminate all other lights. This was probably a prays chamber, and some selfish priest wanted all eyes on the altar ... Here they come ... place the slime puppet near the wall ... and wait.

" It's here ... I can smell the gold ... Give me that. Knight, you know what to do. "

Says the Captain, pushing me to the side while he runs inside the chamber ... and when he passes the dispel area ... The light fades away ... The Knight was smiling coming close to me ... now he is not smiling anymore. 4 tentacles to make him still, and a my face near his helmet to embrace him. Point blank needle bones enter the visor of his helmet ... There is no point to Ruin it ... I can use it later ... all to the inventory, while my puppet moves enough ooze from the inventory to make a slime wave ... All gone ... now I can break this rock ... and eat it.

" Scaned, minor dispel unlock. "

Minor, could be useful ... and maybe grow ... Dispel is the nightmare of any magic user. Is time to pick my next step.