One of them, a little younger looking, starts to lower his sword before a sharp word from the leader brings it back up. The other three do not move. They just stand there defensively.
For the rest of the party: You guys are in the forest, about to split up when out of absolutely nowhere a group of human males surrounds you. Several have loaded bows, ready to fire, while som have rapiers, scimitars and shortswords. They are all dressed in greens and browns, and most of them have deep hoods hiding their faces. One of them, wielding longsword steeps forward. He is flanked by two large, bare chested fellows wielding battle axes. He speaks in a quick, harsh voice, getting straight to the point. "You have three choices. Surender, fight, or call for your friends, effectively telling my other team to attack them. It would also alert those thugs to both of our presence. And I'd like to keep the bloodshed to a minimum."
For now, the party at the camp will be Group1, and the ambushed party Group2.
Taxidea hangs his head. "Well, that didn't go as planned..." He looks at the leader. "Easy there big fella. Surrender, fight or alert the thugs, you say? So are they the thugs or are you the thugs or are WE the thugs? Just trying to sort out the players in this little 3 way drama we've gotten ourselves involved in. Now we were just trying to discern the inclinations of those thugly-looking campers, whom you don't seem to be with, so please excuse us if we've interrupted some sort of...whatever thing you got going on. We didn't know you had 'dibs' you know what I'm saying. So we can just retrieve our friends before they do something silly and be on our merry way. How's that sound?" He starts to casually walk back the way they came.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"...at worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
Jasmine's hisses and bares her venomous fangs. "Will you all calm down!?"
Jasmine doesn't want a fight. She begins explaining herself, "Please please, theresssss no need to jump to conclusions or violence. We do not come with intentions of harm. In truth we were sssimply passing by, trying to find the tower. We happened upon you by random chance. Ssssspeaking of, we did not expect to find a group of people camped out here with a bunch of horses. Are you travelers or are you perhaps here on some other business?"
(Not sure whether Intimidation or Persuasion here. Would like to use Intimidation because bigger bonus but I feel like Jasmine might be doing more persuading than intimidating with words... but at the same time, she's a snake creature with weapons and armor so that by itself might be intimidating... IDK. I'm rolling for both and DM can decide which skill check is more appropriate. )
Armeros will use his presence to help with Xondario's Persuasion or Intimidation check.
Makes it a 15 or 13
Nothing changes.
Group2: "Those campers are the thugs. And we don't have any beef with them, but if they are alerted they will attack you, prompting my men over there to do the same. And if some of my men are attacking, the rest of us will join in. I don't think you understand the situation. We work for Shigh. And as we are indeed heading towards her tower, I believe thee best course of action would b bringing you with us. So. Are you going to come peacefully or do we have to bring you by force?"
As Taxidea starts to move, at least five bowmen shift positions to aim directly at him The leader barks at Taxidea sharply. "Don't move! They will fire!"
Group1: (I'm using intimidation) The slightly younger one, who had already been shaken by Xondario, is now visibly 'uncertain', as are the other two that aren't the leader. He takes a half step backwards before responding. "To put it bluntly, we're just passing. However, don't think that'll make us trust you easier. We've seen many strange and dangerous parties in this area, and are no stangers to dealing with them." The younger one is frightened of all three of you. Minus the movement part.
"So, are you proposing...what? An alliance, to deal with those thugs? And then..? Are we just caught up by accident? Or is Shigh specifically looking for us?"
Group2: The leader loughs. "You don't understand at all, do you. I'm guarding the tower for Shigh. And those thugs and I have come to an alliance. So no. I don't need your help taking them out. No, Shigh isn't out specifically for your blood. However, she wouldn't like the idea of so many of you wandering free and armed in her territory. I'm taking you prisoner. Are you going to come of your own will?"
Pointing to the frightened "I like you kid, for that I won't take insult that you and your friends haven't lowered your weapons yet. If you do, we will pass by as if we never met. Otherwise he have to assume you have I'll will towards us, and you know, stupid things happen. Also you mentioned thugs guarding the tower, perhaps you ran into some already? Or anything else guarding the place we would want to know about?" Hoping the kid is being truthful about passing through, Xondario hopes the other campers will see a peaceful path option too.
Taxidea stops moving and puts his hands up. “Alright alright. Geez. Tell those guys not to get all twitchy. It would seem we don’t have much choice since I don’t particularly feel like becoming a halfling pincushion.”
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"...at worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
"Yes, we ran into trouble on our last attempt to reach the tower, you see, so were unsure if your party would prove to be more enemies,"Armeros explains, hoping to deescalate the situation and strike a deal if possible, "Any information you can offer would be much appreciated, but if not we will happily be on our way...Ah, unless you'd be interested in renting out your horses to us. For a fair price, of course."
Taxidea address the leader. "You know, we're not a threat to you. Or Shigh. I'm sure there are others in these woods that are a MUCH bigger threat. In fact, Shigh would probably be irritated with you for wasting your time - and hers - on little ol' us." He casts suggestion (Wisdom save DC 14) "You should leave us be, gather your men and go find them - forget you even saw us"
"...at worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
Group1: The men all slowly lower their blades. One that hasn't spoken yet talks now. "We can't give up our horses, but I can tell you that there is a large group of foresters that Shigh pays to guard this area. We have come to an agreement, so they won't bother us, but I' be careful if I were you."
Group2: He thinks for a minute before reluctantly calling his man off. "I suppose you may be right. However, I have scouts all throughout these woods. if you try any fishy business, than rest assured wi'll meet again." Almost instantly the entire group of them just vanish, leaving no trace they were ever there.
Taxidea lets out a long exhale. "Oh man that was IN-tense eh guys? WHEW! We better make sure the others are doing OK - though I don't hear any sounds of fighting and I doubt that their thugs are thugier than ours were!" He sneaks up to the edge of the clearing so he can see what's happening with Group 1.
Stealth: 15
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"...at worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
One of them, a little younger looking, starts to lower his sword before a sharp word from the leader brings it back up.
The other three do not move. They just stand there defensively.
For the rest of the party:
You guys are in the forest, about to split up when out of absolutely nowhere a group of human males surrounds you. Several have loaded bows, ready to fire, while som have rapiers, scimitars and shortswords.
They are all dressed in greens and browns, and most of them have deep hoods hiding their faces.
One of them, wielding longsword steeps forward. He is flanked by two large, bare chested fellows wielding battle axes.
He speaks in a quick, harsh voice, getting straight to the point.
"You have three choices. Surender, fight, or call for your friends, effectively telling my other team to attack them. It would also alert those thugs to both of our presence. And I'd like to keep the bloodshed to a minimum."
For now, the party at the camp will be Group1, and the ambushed party Group2.
Armeros will use his presence to help with Xondario's Persuasion or Intimidation check.
Makes it a 15 or 13
"Trouble, we're not looking for. You have business with those rough guys? Or are you heading for the tower?"
Taxidea hangs his head. "Well, that didn't go as planned..." He looks at the leader. "Easy there big fella. Surrender, fight or alert the thugs, you say? So are they the thugs or are you the thugs or are WE the thugs? Just trying to sort out the players in this little 3 way drama we've gotten ourselves involved in. Now we were just trying to discern the inclinations of those thugly-looking campers, whom you don't seem to be with, so please excuse us if we've interrupted some sort of...whatever thing you got going on. We didn't know you had 'dibs' you know what I'm saying. So we can just retrieve our friends before they do something silly and be on our merry way. How's that sound?" He starts to casually walk back the way they came.
"...at worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
Jasmine's hisses and bares her venomous fangs. "Will you all calm down!?"
Jasmine doesn't want a fight. She begins explaining herself, "Please please, theresssss no need to jump to conclusions or violence. We do not come with intentions of harm. In truth we were sssimply passing by, trying to find the tower. We happened upon you by random chance. Ssssspeaking of, we did not expect to find a group of people camped out here with a bunch of horses. Are you travelers or are you perhaps here on some other business?"
(Not sure whether Intimidation or Persuasion here. Would like to use Intimidation because bigger bonus but I feel like Jasmine might be doing more persuading than intimidating with words... but at the same time, she's a snake creature with weapons and armor so that by itself might be intimidating... IDK. I'm rolling for both and DM can decide which skill check is more appropriate. )
Intimidation: 24
Persuasion: 21
Nothing changes.
Group2:
"Those campers are the thugs. And we don't have any beef with them, but if they are alerted they will attack you, prompting my men over there to do the same. And if some of my men are attacking, the rest of us will join in.
I don't think you understand the situation. We work for Shigh. And as we are indeed heading towards her tower, I believe thee best course of action would b bringing you with us.
So. Are you going to come peacefully or do we have to bring you by force?"
As Taxidea starts to move, at least five bowmen shift positions to aim directly at him
The leader barks at Taxidea sharply.
"Don't move! They will fire!"
Group1:
(I'm using intimidation)
The slightly younger one, who had already been shaken by Xondario, is now visibly 'uncertain', as are the other two that aren't the leader.
He takes a half step backwards before responding.
"To put it bluntly, we're just passing. However, don't think that'll make us trust you easier. We've seen many strange and dangerous parties in this area, and are no stangers to dealing with them."
The younger one is frightened of all three of you. Minus the movement part.
"So, are you proposing...what? An alliance, to deal with those thugs? And then..? Are we just caught up by accident? Or is Shigh specifically looking for us?"
Group2:
The leader loughs.
"You don't understand at all, do you. I'm guarding the tower for Shigh. And those thugs and I have come to an alliance.
So no. I don't need your help taking them out.
No, Shigh isn't out specifically for your blood. However, she wouldn't like the idea of so many of you wandering free and armed in her territory.
I'm taking you prisoner. Are you going to come of your own will?"
Group 1:
Pointing to the frightened "I like you kid, for that I won't take insult that you and your friends haven't lowered your weapons yet. If you do, we will pass by as if we never met. Otherwise he have to assume you have I'll will towards us, and you know, stupid things happen. Also you mentioned thugs guarding the tower, perhaps you ran into some already? Or anything else guarding the place we would want to know about?" Hoping the kid is being truthful about passing through, Xondario hopes the other campers will see a peaceful path option too.
Taxidea stops moving and puts his hands up. “Alright alright. Geez. Tell those guys not to get all twitchy. It would seem we don’t have much choice since I don’t particularly feel like becoming a halfling pincushion.”
"...at worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
((Is Armeros group 1 or 2? -.-;;))
(Group 1 with Xondario and Jasmine)
"Yes, we ran into trouble on our last attempt to reach the tower, you see, so were unsure if your party would prove to be more enemies," Armeros explains, hoping to deescalate the situation and strike a deal if possible, "Any information you can offer would be much appreciated, but if not we will happily be on our way...Ah, unless you'd be interested in renting out your horses to us. For a fair price, of course."
Persuasion: 16
"We seem to be at a loss...I don't suppose anyone else has any ideas...and I take it you're not interested in...extending a similar alliance?"
Taxidea address the leader. "You know, we're not a threat to you. Or Shigh. I'm sure there are others in these woods that are a MUCH bigger threat. In fact, Shigh would probably be irritated with you for wasting your time - and hers - on little ol' us." He casts suggestion (Wisdom save DC 14) "You should leave us be, gather your men and go find them - forget you even saw us"
(And if it helps: Persuasion: 7)
"...at worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
9 on wisdom saving through.
Group1:
The men all slowly lower their blades.
One that hasn't spoken yet talks now.
"We can't give up our horses, but I can tell you that there is a large group of foresters that Shigh pays to guard this area. We have come to an agreement, so they won't bother us, but I' be careful if I were you."
Group2:
He thinks for a minute before reluctantly calling his man off.
"I suppose you may be right. However, I have scouts all throughout these woods. if you try any fishy business, than rest assured wi'll meet again."
Almost instantly the entire group of them just vanish, leaving no trace they were ever there.
Taxidea lets out a long exhale. "Oh man that was IN-tense eh guys? WHEW! We better make sure the others are doing OK - though I don't hear any sounds of fighting and I doubt that their thugs are thugier than ours were!" He sneaks up to the edge of the clearing so he can see what's happening with Group 1.
Stealth: 15
"...at worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
As the blades lower Flynt relaxes just a bit as the tension starts to difuse.
"So what direction is this tower? I know it's a silly question but let's just say we ain't from 'round here."
Rogue Quin Oberon /Mercer's Tavern
Ranger Rigel Foresyth /LMOP
Fighter Barnabus Ironheel /North lands campaign
Fighter Flynt McGraw /Stormraider