"Diadochi, if this heated conversation comes to blows we will have no idea who to support. Alul, in the hopes of getting Orta's key if she is dead? What if she dies and we are unable to get the key at all? Orta, in the hopes that we can somehow bargain for the key in another way? If Alul dies, then we may be out a possible ally to confront the chieftain... There is even a distinct possibility that it will not even come to blows, and we will simply be showing up when neither of them is in the mood to give us a passing thought."
"If anything, we should not even be seen here if they are fighting - we do not want to be party to having to make that sort of choice. Let the chips fall where they will and let's come back tomorrow to see about trying to talk with them."
You look out, and speak out the prayer of guidance to the ancestors. A sudden wind seems to shift across you, casting your eyes to a series of rocks that could, possibly fit you along the past.
Your spoken words do get the Hn'ti attention though. A few whistles and words being shared among the group who suddenly begin to look out much more carefully. 23
The rocks are unfortunately such a stark difference between you and the surrounding area that your shell is quickly found. A group of them look over at you, seeing the knife. A series of words, in their language barraging you while they hold their spears. They don't seem particularly hostile. But it does appear as if they're sizing you up as a potential meal as well.
Diadochi...
You stop and try to listen to gain any insight on the conversation. Unfortunately, you're not able to tell more than it's a argument. Not seeing their body language or understanding their words making it incredibly difficult to obtain any useful knowledge.
Yaalin realizes the language barrier is going to be an issue quickly and tries her best to appear confident in the face of overwhelming odds. Shifting the War hammer to her side she casts her mind back to the first trading encounter with the village, Then calmly with hand gestures and every language she knows she indicates traveling through and away from the village. She even attempts a rough version of the Hn'ti language for trade or trader (or what she thinks is right for that) indicating the ceremonial knife when doing so.
Diadochi looks at Abigail, "we'd talk then down ideally. I can't imagine any future in which you choose to take the side of the genocidial Alul over Orta, friend to children. Ever we we were friends with Alul if he kills Orta we have no one to turn the head into to get the key."
He nods towards the door " given what we know so far, and if I look through the window to know more, they *will* see me. And Orta might die, or be rendered unable to give us the key, which is a risk I'm not willing to take."
Diadochi goes to knock and then stops himself, "you know what, if she's dead tomorrow, we kill Cora and leave." Diadochi gets a room at the inn.
The group looks at you and gives a few slow nods. The majority of them begin to depart, not seeming interested in the dagger. One or two seem to stand nearby, just in case the deal goes south. You do seem to get three different offers for the ornate dagger:
1) Two javelins, made of that reed material.
2) A waterskin full of some strong kind of alcohol.
3) A set of bone climbing gear
Diadochi:
You walk back to the Inn. About thirty minutes later you arrive. Inside are a few people sitting around playing cards. Others talking about their day. A handful of kids are playing some kind of dice game and moving tokens back and forth. Overall it's a fairly busy evening. But the place is quite warm, between the hearth, the oven and the bodies.
As you continue your trek, night begins to fall. You come across a large outcropping. The shallow outcropping is about 6 feet tall. Curiously, above it is some kind of ruined ladder-like set of climbing rocks. It goes up about 60 feet before heading out of sight.
Its the best spot you’ll be able to make by the time night is entirely upon you.
Eshe looks over, the look on his face tells Sim all he needs to know. It was the child. The spiral of magic flow off of Sim’s hands and across Mr Jacobsen. The blood clotting in the deep wounds. Scar tissue beginning to form over. It’s not quite enough to heal over the deep wounds. Infection could come later but for today. And through the night. He’ll be fine.
“Sim,” the voice of Mama comes from behind. “Check him. See if he was bitten.” She comes around his side. A look of sorrow across her face. She pulls a twin barreled short barreled shotgun from her duster, and places it near Jacobsen’s head. The first time you’ve seen her wield a weapon of any sort, and yet it seemed so effortlessly hidden in her duster. Mama pulls back both hammers until they loudly click. “Can’t have him turnin on us in no moonlit field.” She sighs, but is quite resolved.
Sim sighs and decides it is to important to lie about “I just can’t be sure. If we secure him and clean him up I can check again but with the state he is and the fading light I just can’t tell what is what. I know the danger he can pose but I also don’t want to leave his other child without a mother, sister, and now father. Do we have any silver chains? I do have some silver arrow heads.”
The arguing stops, as they hear something shouting in sylvan at them. Orta's wicker facemask looks out the window, seeing the two still there and the third walking way. Her large yellow eye darting around under the mask.
"No head. No help." Her lanky pale arm reaches out the window, pulling close a shutter with a resounding thud. Their eruption at each other seems to have calmed down, only the rolling thunder being heard.
Sim:
Mama looks at you, her thumb going to the hammers and slowly releasing them, turning the shotgun to the air just in case of a misfire. "Use the arrows and tie 'em up. We can wait till morning." She gives a small sigh. "Boy deserves to least say goodbye and understand whats happ-en-un."
(The Group)
Morning comes seeming far too early. The rainstorm having moved down and away. The sun coming out as the town goes about it's daily tasks. (Abigail and Lafetha, you can pick where you slept: at the Inn or over at Camp.)
At Camp:
Sora-ha is getting ready for something. Swinging her warhammer around a few times, before placing it on herback. Double-checking her crossbow. Her dragon scales muted from dirt and grime. Mr Jacobsen seems to have made it through the night, and is sleeping as soundly as possible one can while tied up and arrow's as a colar around his neck. He still hasn't truly woken up, but seems to be beginning to stir. Eshe stayed with him through the night, both trying to tend to him, and holding on to the rope in case he had to tighten it.
Mama, in her usual fashion, is beginning to make some kind of stew out of the supplies from the wagons.
At the Inn:
A much cleaner Cora is downstairs, with a few sections of meat and cheese beside her along with some ale. She's busily writing away at a small scrap of paper, something in halfling. Some light pounding comes from the roof above as a few of the townsfolk are fixing some of the loose parts of the roof.
Diadochi wakes up, orders breakfast for everyone he knew stayed at the inn last night, he'll sit across the table from Cora, "hopefully Alul will be receptive to helping us. Otherwise we will be directionless again. Things seemed so simple when I was in Loxodon lands, was it so or am I just waxing nostalgic?"
Diadochi will check in with his companions at the inn, if they tell him about Orta coming out.
"Well, that certainly doesn't bode well, but I can't say I'm surprised. How do you think we should move forward?"
If they don't
If it's a respectable time to visit, Diadochi heads to Orta'sm house.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Abigail growls at Lafetha, "What part of a 'bad time to call' did you think meant a good time to call? Now we are going to have an even harder time talking with her tomorrow."
Abigail throws up her hands and goes back to the inn in order to get drunk while practicing her flute (Flute: 14).
In the morning, no longer wet and cold, Abigail gets breakfast with Diadochi, letting him know the current situation.
"It is going to be harder to talk with her now, so I am not sure where to go from here. Knowing that we are back in town, I very much doubt that Alul and Orta came to blows after we left. If Alul keeps a low profile, we will be unlikely to get him into a conversation either. To be honest, it feels like all the doors are closing... If we are going to attempt another go at killing the chief then we will need more allies. Yaalin is out and Alul will likely not be enough - even if he does submit to helping under our conditions."
You finish the climb, coming to a ledge that leads back about ten feet. A rather large nest built along it, full of sticks and rocks and other random materials. You swear you see someone moving in it, but upon closer inspection... nothing. No egg either. Glancing around a bit more, you do find some.. people. Humans. Goblins. Hn'ti. All with their chests torn open and their hearts removed. Some seemed to have been travelers, with some rather well worn item's lingering about. As your eyes dance across them and then back to the sky, you realize it's far too late. The small fluttering of wings turning, and a full on peryton striking at you mid-charge.
The creature divebombs, it's talons attempting to sink in as it then bounces off and back up into the sky... Attack: 12 Damage: 10 If hit, add: 3 damage to the total.
Round 1 (Start) The Surprise over, the Peryton is about 20 feet away in the sky. With you on a small 10 x 8 ledge near a 60 foot drop. There's a rockface nearby, but some of the nest and other materials are blocking the cramped path (DC 17 acrobatics. Can be attacked to lessen the DC / create a passage.) Back down, that overhang might provide some kind of cover from the beast as well.. but you'd have to climb all the way back down.
Cora looks over at the two with a bit of a sigh. "You were younger, Diadochi. Life always seem easier when you're younger." She listens to both of them talk for a bit. "Well, we can still see about this Alul figure. Or perhaps try to persuade Orta to offer some incentive." She glances around the tavern, before leaning in a bit more. "Or we go ahead and attempt to rob the mayor, and then show it to her. Gives us the upper hand. But if we're caught," she gestures around. "This town will certainly turn hostile. To a point that it would make our job even more difficult."
She stops to think for a minute. "How skilled are the Blackmire folks? Could possibly get them to come assist. Although, there are dangers of having to bold face lie to their faces. Which could end up getting rather ugly as well." she makes a off-hand comment about eggs, and omelets.
Back at Camp...
Sim, having Mr. Jacobsen cleaned up, he's not bitten. His injuries continuing to heal bit by bit. The tissue healing rather nicely, but it'll leave a nasty scar of the time he was almost gutted. When you check on him, and confirm there are no bite marks, Eshe begins to remove the rope. Taking out the arrows and returning them with a small nod. Mr. Jacobsen's eyes flutter open a bit, muttering a few words, mostly unintelligible nonsense.
Once you approach Sora, she gives a nod. "Yes." Her 's' drawn out. "That would. Be. Helpful." Mama, not too far away, listens. "This is a kill job. I don't like it. But it is what it is. If yer find 'er durin' the day, she won't be a beast. Make it easier to do the deed, but harder on yer heart."
"Diadochi, if this heated conversation comes to blows we will have no idea who to support. Alul, in the hopes of getting Orta's key if she is dead? What if she dies and we are unable to get the key at all? Orta, in the hopes that we can somehow bargain for the key in another way? If Alul dies, then we may be out a possible ally to confront the chieftain... There is even a distinct possibility that it will not even come to blows, and we will simply be showing up when neither of them is in the mood to give us a passing thought."
"If anything, we should not even be seen here if they are fighting - we do not want to be party to having to make that sort of choice. Let the chips fall where they will and let's come back tomorrow to see about trying to talk with them."
Yaalin:
You look out, and speak out the prayer of guidance to the ancestors. A sudden wind seems to shift across you, casting your eyes to a series of rocks that could, possibly fit you along the past.
Your spoken words do get the Hn'ti attention though. A few whistles and words being shared among the group who suddenly begin to look out much more carefully.
23
The rocks are unfortunately such a stark difference between you and the surrounding area that your shell is quickly found. A group of them look over at you, seeing the knife. A series of words, in their language barraging you while they hold their spears. They don't seem particularly hostile. But it does appear as if they're sizing you up as a potential meal as well.
Diadochi...
You stop and try to listen to gain any insight on the conversation. Unfortunately, you're not able to tell more than it's a argument. Not seeing their body language or understanding their words making it incredibly difficult to obtain any useful knowledge.
DM PbP Series (Completed) : The Blackmire Company, Voyage of the Windhook ,Shanty of Soulripper, The Streets of Dunnour
Yaalin realizes the language barrier is going to be an issue quickly and tries her best to appear confident in the face of overwhelming odds. Shifting the War hammer to her side she casts her mind back to the first trading encounter with the village, Then calmly with hand gestures and every language she knows she indicates traveling through and away from the village. She even attempts a rough version of the Hn'ti language for trade or trader (or what she thinks is right for that) indicating the ceremonial knife when doing so.
Performance 14
Diadochi looks at Abigail, "we'd talk then down ideally. I can't imagine any future in which you choose to take the side of the genocidial Alul over Orta, friend to children. Ever we we were friends with Alul if he kills Orta we have no one to turn the head into to get the key."
He nods towards the door " given what we know so far, and if I look through the window to know more, they *will* see me. And Orta might die, or be rendered unable to give us the key, which is a risk I'm not willing to take."
Diadochi goes to knock and then stops himself, "you know what, if she's dead tomorrow, we kill Cora and leave." Diadochi gets a room at the inn.
Yaalin:
The group looks at you and gives a few slow nods. The majority of them begin to depart, not seeming interested in the dagger. One or two seem to stand nearby, just in case the deal goes south. You do seem to get three different offers for the ornate dagger:
1) Two javelins, made of that reed material.
2) A waterskin full of some strong kind of alcohol.
3) A set of bone climbing gear
Diadochi:
You walk back to the Inn. About thirty minutes later you arrive. Inside are a few people sitting around playing cards. Others talking about their day. A handful of kids are playing some kind of dice game and moving tokens back and forth. Overall it's a fairly busy evening. But the place is quite warm, between the hearth, the oven and the bodies.
DM PbP Series (Completed) : The Blackmire Company, Voyage of the Windhook ,Shanty of Soulripper, The Streets of Dunnour
Yaalin mentally thanks every God watching over her and indicates the set of climbing gear as an acceptable trade.
Yaalin (Day 1 - Evening)
As you continue your trek, night begins to fall. You come across a large outcropping. The shallow outcropping is about 6 feet tall. Curiously, above it is some kind of ruined ladder-like set of climbing rocks. It goes up about 60 feet before heading out of sight.
Its the best spot you’ll be able to make by the time night is entirely upon you.
What do you do?
DM PbP Series (Completed) : The Blackmire Company, Voyage of the Windhook ,Shanty of Soulripper, The Streets of Dunnour
Sim rushes to Mr. Johnson and asks everyone “What happened here? Please tell me it wasn’t the child.”
Then he casts cure wounds 7
Eshe looks over, the look on his face tells Sim all he needs to know. It was the child. The spiral of magic flow off of Sim’s hands and across Mr Jacobsen. The blood clotting in the deep wounds. Scar tissue beginning to form over. It’s not quite enough to heal over the deep wounds. Infection could come later but for today. And through the night. He’ll be fine.
“Sim,” the voice of Mama comes from behind. “Check him. See if he was bitten.” She comes around his side. A look of sorrow across her face. She pulls a twin barreled short barreled shotgun from her duster, and places it near Jacobsen’s head. The first time you’ve seen her wield a weapon of any sort, and yet it seemed so effortlessly hidden in her duster. Mama pulls back both hammers until they loudly click. “Can’t have him turnin on us in no moonlit field.” She sighs, but is quite resolved.
DM PbP Series (Completed) : The Blackmire Company, Voyage of the Windhook ,Shanty of Soulripper, The Streets of Dunnour
Sim hesitates a moment and then inspects Mr Johnson for bites. medicine 5
Lafetha tells the group what she hears and in Sylvan she speaks, "Orta, we are here, we need your help."
There’s just too much blood. You’re not sure if that’s a scratch. Or a bite. Or a wound from something else. Especially with the frantic nature of it.
You glance at Mama then back down. There are certainly injuries but... you just aren’t positive one way or the other.
(Deception to lie and say there isn’t. Persuade to try and buy more time. or something else entirely)
DM PbP Series (Completed) : The Blackmire Company, Voyage of the Windhook ,Shanty of Soulripper, The Streets of Dunnour
Sim sighs and decides it is to important to lie about “I just can’t be sure. If we secure him and clean him up I can check again but with the state he is and the fading light I just can’t tell what is what. I know the danger he can pose but I also don’t want to leave his other child without a mother, sister, and now father. Do we have any silver chains? I do have some silver arrow heads.”
persuasion 14
Abigail and Lafetha:
The arguing stops, as they hear something shouting in sylvan at them. Orta's wicker facemask looks out the window, seeing the two still there and the third walking way. Her large yellow eye darting around under the mask.
"No head. No help." Her lanky pale arm reaches out the window, pulling close a shutter with a resounding thud. Their eruption at each other seems to have calmed down, only the rolling thunder being heard.
Sim:
Mama looks at you, her thumb going to the hammers and slowly releasing them, turning the shotgun to the air just in case of a misfire. "Use the arrows and tie 'em up. We can wait till morning." She gives a small sigh. "Boy deserves to least say goodbye and understand whats happ-en-un."
(The Group)
Morning comes seeming far too early. The rainstorm having moved down and away. The sun coming out as the town goes about it's daily tasks. (Abigail and Lafetha, you can pick where you slept: at the Inn or over at Camp.)
At Camp:
Sora-ha is getting ready for something. Swinging her warhammer around a few times, before placing it on herback. Double-checking her crossbow. Her dragon scales muted from dirt and grime. Mr Jacobsen seems to have made it through the night, and is sleeping as soundly as possible one can while tied up and arrow's as a colar around his neck. He still hasn't truly woken up, but seems to be beginning to stir. Eshe stayed with him through the night, both trying to tend to him, and holding on to the rope in case he had to tighten it.
Mama, in her usual fashion, is beginning to make some kind of stew out of the supplies from the wagons.
At the Inn:
A much cleaner Cora is downstairs, with a few sections of meat and cheese beside her along with some ale. She's busily writing away at a small scrap of paper, something in halfling. Some light pounding comes from the roof above as a few of the townsfolk are fixing some of the loose parts of the roof.
What do you do?
DM PbP Series (Completed) : The Blackmire Company, Voyage of the Windhook ,Shanty of Soulripper, The Streets of Dunnour
Diadochi wakes up, orders breakfast for everyone he knew stayed at the inn last night, he'll sit across the table from Cora, "hopefully Alul will be receptive to helping us. Otherwise we will be directionless again. Things seemed so simple when I was in Loxodon lands, was it so or am I just waxing nostalgic?"
Diadochi will check in with his companions at the inn, if they tell him about Orta coming out.
"Well, that certainly doesn't bode well, but I can't say I'm surprised. How do you think we should move forward?"
If they don't
If it's a respectable time to visit, Diadochi heads to Orta'sm house.
In the morning Sim goes to clean up and check Mr Jacobsen for wounds he asks Sora-ha to help him just in case.
investigation 15
As he works he talks to Sora-ha “You’re getting ready to go after the child aren’t you. If you are I want to come with you.”
Yaalin cracks her knuckles as she looks at the cliff face,
"Well no one is here to laugh at you if this goes bad so up you git old girl..." Guidance
Putting on her new climbing harness she begins her ascent...
Athletics 8 (total of 14 if my edit changes this)
+2 (edited in cause I almost forgot)
if she makes it to the top...
taking a second to catch her breath and shake some dirt off her claws she looks around to see the next step Perception 7
if she falls...
*WHAM* "owww..." insert damage here....
Abigail growls at Lafetha, "What part of a 'bad time to call' did you think meant a good time to call? Now we are going to have an even harder time talking with her tomorrow."
Abigail throws up her hands and goes back to the inn in order to get drunk while practicing her flute (Flute: 14).
In the morning, no longer wet and cold, Abigail gets breakfast with Diadochi, letting him know the current situation.
"It is going to be harder to talk with her now, so I am not sure where to go from here. Knowing that we are back in town, I very much doubt that Alul and Orta came to blows after we left. If Alul keeps a low profile, we will be unlikely to get him into a conversation either. To be honest, it feels like all the doors are closing... If we are going to attempt another go at killing the chief then we will need more allies. Yaalin is out and Alul will likely not be enough - even if he does submit to helping under our conditions."
Yaalin:
You finish the climb, coming to a ledge that leads back about ten feet. A rather large nest built along it, full of sticks and rocks and other random materials. You swear you see someone moving in it, but upon closer inspection... nothing. No egg either. Glancing around a bit more, you do find some.. people. Humans. Goblins. Hn'ti. All with their chests torn open and their hearts removed. Some seemed to have been travelers, with some rather well worn item's lingering about. As your eyes dance across them and then back to the sky, you realize it's far too late. The small fluttering of wings turning, and a full on peryton striking at you mid-charge.
The creature divebombs, it's talons attempting to sink in as it then bounces off and back up into the sky...
Attack: 12 Damage: 10
If hit, add: 3 damage to the total.
Round 1 (Start)
The Surprise over, the Peryton is about 20 feet away in the sky. With you on a small 10 x 8 ledge near a 60 foot drop. There's a rockface nearby, but some of the nest and other materials are blocking the cramped path (DC 17 acrobatics. Can be attacked to lessen the DC / create a passage.) Back down, that overhang might provide some kind of cover from the beast as well.. but you'd have to climb all the way back down.
Initiatives:
Yaalin (?) v Peryton (18)
DM PbP Series (Completed) : The Blackmire Company, Voyage of the Windhook ,Shanty of Soulripper, The Streets of Dunnour
At the Inn...
Cora looks over at the two with a bit of a sigh. "You were younger, Diadochi. Life always seem easier when you're younger." She listens to both of them talk for a bit. "Well, we can still see about this Alul figure. Or perhaps try to persuade Orta to offer some incentive." She glances around the tavern, before leaning in a bit more. "Or we go ahead and attempt to rob the mayor, and then show it to her. Gives us the upper hand. But if we're caught," she gestures around. "This town will certainly turn hostile. To a point that it would make our job even more difficult."
She stops to think for a minute. "How skilled are the Blackmire folks? Could possibly get them to come assist. Although, there are dangers of having to bold face lie to their faces. Which could end up getting rather ugly as well." she makes a off-hand comment about eggs, and omelets.
Back at Camp...
Sim, having Mr. Jacobsen cleaned up, he's not bitten. His injuries continuing to heal bit by bit. The tissue healing rather nicely, but it'll leave a nasty scar of the time he was almost gutted. When you check on him, and confirm there are no bite marks, Eshe begins to remove the rope. Taking out the arrows and returning them with a small nod. Mr. Jacobsen's eyes flutter open a bit, muttering a few words, mostly unintelligible nonsense.
Once you approach Sora, she gives a nod. "Yes." Her 's' drawn out. "That would. Be. Helpful." Mama, not too far away, listens. "This is a kill job. I don't like it. But it is what it is. If yer find 'er durin' the day, she won't be a beast. Make it easier to do the deed, but harder on yer heart."
DM PbP Series (Completed) : The Blackmire Company, Voyage of the Windhook ,Shanty of Soulripper, The Streets of Dunnour