"Thou art the people of Nightstone? We art adventurers who hath heard the distress call of Nightstone's Lady Nandar. We hath been rooting out the goblin raiders, as well as a band of mercenaries who aimed to take over the town."
"My name art Ev'alish. What hath happened to cause your argument?"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Kramyra watches this silently from her perch on the crumbled wall. Trying to figure out what these people are and if they are going to try and trick her like Kella did.
Khessa keeps to Ev'alish side, trying to asses from the cloths and equipment of these people who they might be.
(OOC - @DM: Are they dressed and equipped like the two dead guards outside? Or more like servants? You mentioned they have weapons, but which weapons? And what armor, if any?)
Anyway, since they seem more scared than hostile, she takes off her helm to appear less threatening and, while the waves of her long hair finally fall free down her chainmail-clad back, tells them: "I'm Khessa and the common folk have nothing to fear from me. Plus, as my friend Ev'alish here already explained, if you are people of Nightstone, we traveled long and fought hard to come to your aid. We have already dispatched a good number of goblin pillagers, not to mentions a band of Zhentarim scum. However, we did not meet any giant yet. We would like to know in more detail what happened here. Can Lady Velrosa Nandar grant us a hearing?"
Khessa looks a bit puzzled: "What is this 'nightstone' you speak of? Sorry, I'm not from here, I have no clue what it is or how it looks like. And do you have any idea why it was so important for the giants? From what you say, it seems they were not interested in raiding the village or anything else; they just took this 'nightstone'... after wreaking havoc to act undisturbed. Was something so valuable? Was it magical?"
Kramyra leaps down from the crumbled wall and with her paws up to show she means no harm, "What were you all arguing about when we arrived? I am sorry to hear about your Lady."
Obviously there was no threat to be had. Members of his rescue group had entered into conversation with someone or something - he could hear muffled voices from his lookout position. With that, Gryrim makes his way to the crumbled wall where the cat had just been, climbs the pile of rubble and descends to stand next to her. With a nudge he asks "What's going on? Who's this Lady you talk of?" Clearly he hasn't seen the bodies laying amongst the rubble
Apparently Bahamut had heard his prayers, for there was no sign of steel or enemy in then ruined wall of the keep. Relieved, the ranger traverses the rope and followed the group to the castle, if one could call it that.
“Not necessarily.” He answers to Khessa comment about the two bodies left. “The survivors may be too wounded or too weak to remove the bodies. They may have deemed it too dangerous to leave their shelter or be too afraid to do so. It’s possible they don’t even know the two are dead.”
There were other possibilities, Sorjen knew. He remembered his father’s history about the wars and hunts of the Rheghedmen and the untold lesson they carried. Survival rarely left space for moral or emotions, but that was a truth he left unsaid. Entering the great hall he immediately notices the body over the table. Bloody Hells, he cursed imagining the worst possible scenario. Tell me this is not Nandar. Sadly, it was.
“Remember when I said we came here looking for work?”The half-elf asked the dwarf rhetorically. "Well, the dead lady right there was supposed to be our employer.”Emphasis on the was part, he though to himself. “Long history short, she sent a distress call around the north, talking about a siege from giants and signing with her title, which pretty much means an offer of reward. Alas, we arrived too late.”
Ev'alish bows his head. "I am sorry to hear that. Thy hast my condolences."He turns to Gryrim. "Lady Velrosa is the lady over yonder, on the table. She hath called for aid to Nightstone, which art the reason for our coming. She hath perished in the attack shortly after."
Bahamut had guided his draconic disciple here, and he would finish his duty. He looks toward the guards once more. "There art likely more goblins occupying the town. Perhaps we together shalt root them out, and then make sure the citizens of this fair town are safe."
He glances over his shoulder toward Sorjen. "Correct? Lady Velrosa doth called us on behalf of the town of Nightstone." Pointing at the half-elf with his pike in one hand, he grins. "If thou art concerned about your employment, we art still employed. And we hath a job to finish!"
“Employment demands an accord of payment.”He answered to Ev’alish, more serious than the group have ever seen him be. “I’m not going to make people who suffered through two raids pay with the coins they will need to rebuild their homes.” He didn’t want to see that kind of sacrifice. It was too similar to what his grandparents would have done if he didn’t venture the way to Mithrall Hall a few years ago. Gods, it felt like a lifetime. So many things had changed.“I’ll help them clear the goblins, and… Khessa, would you be so kind and remember me if the tracks by entrance of the village indicate pursuit from the goblins?”
She’ll help too, Sorjen had no doubt. Apparently her own loses had created in her mind the necessity to defend those like her, the common people. There, in Nighstone, they were certainly victims, although not the only ones.
“Is everyone in the keep here?”He asked to the guards in the hall, unure even about the answer he wished to receive. “We will need to know more about the attack. Do you have any idea about what caused the attack and if there is any chance of it happening again? Anything the giants said during the attack may be important.”
Khessa is relieved that the four guards are still ready to try defending Nightstone. The village will need them! But speaking of that... their equipment is hardly adequate. She offers to Sydiri the crossbow she took ftom the Zhentarims: "Guys, do you know how to use this? I hope so... Anyway, take it. If you don't, then it is time to learn. We will find more crossbows and bolts near the inn, each one of you will get one. With your spears, you would be unprepared to fight from range. Throw your spear... and then you are unarmed! A crossbows has a far greater ranger, it is simple to use (I'll give you a brief demonstrations, if you need) and will make you all far more efficient. Both now, at fending off the remaining goblin raiders, and in the future, defending the village or the keep from the fortifications. Shooting enemies while taking cover from fortifications is a pretty good way to welcome them" she winks "is not it?"
Khessa is quite happy to give her crossbow and her bolts to Sydiri. She had taken the weapon to be able to range... but thanks to mistress Kramyra, she can now range with Fire bolt! As soon as the party leaves the keep, she quickly fetches crossbows and bolts for Torem, Alara and Kaelen. As offered, she quickly show them how to use the weapon, if they need. They might not be able to learn that suddenly, but at least they will be able to start practicing with such a weapon. They might well need it, especially after the party leaves Nightstone and the guards will again be the only defenders of the village!
"You deserve to have a chance to defend themselves properly" Khessa says softly to the four guards. "Nightstone will NOT be erased from existence as happened to Twardens, my home village. We will get it back for you, land and people. And before leaving we will try to teach you to defend it. Nobody will be able to steal your freedom"
Khessa answers Sorjen: "Hey, shadow stalker, I'm not 'Golden Locks' anymore for you?" she winks "By the way, according to the tracks, the goblins did not follow the villagers. They simply came after. With any luck, the villagers are now safe in the cave the guards spoke of. And about the payment" her blue eyes shine at him with pride "I totally agree with you. It's GOBLINS and ZHENTARIMS, that will pay us! They, and that murdering and thieving giants, once we get them. These poor folk don't need to be taxed, but to be helped. They have already been through so much..."
Khessa is even more relieved that the guards can handle themselves with crossbows. She is for heading back into village with guards, arm them with Zhentarims's crossbows, then continue together to free the village. Unless someone has better ideas, of course.
Ev'alish steps forward.
"Thou art the people of Nightstone? We art adventurers who hath heard the distress call of Nightstone's Lady Nandar. We hath been rooting out the goblin raiders, as well as a band of mercenaries who aimed to take over the town."
"My name art Ev'alish. What hath happened to cause your argument?"
Kramyra watches this silently from her perch on the crumbled wall. Trying to figure out what these people are and if they are going to try and trick her like Kella did.
Insight: 5
Khessa keeps to Ev'alish side, trying to asses from the cloths and equipment of these people who they might be.
(OOC - @DM: Are they dressed and equipped like the two dead guards outside? Or more like servants? You mentioned they have weapons, but which weapons? And what armor, if any?)
Anyway, since they seem more scared than hostile, she takes off her helm to appear less threatening and, while the waves of her long hair finally fall free down her chainmail-clad back, tells them: "I'm Khessa and the common folk have nothing to fear from me. Plus, as my friend Ev'alish here already explained, if you are people of Nightstone, we traveled long and fought hard to come to your aid. We have already dispatched a good number of goblin pillagers, not to mentions a band of Zhentarim scum. However, we did not meet any giant yet. We would like to know in more detail what happened here. Can Lady Velrosa Nandar grant us a hearing?"
Khessa looks a bit puzzled: "What is this 'nightstone' you speak of? Sorry, I'm not from here, I have no clue what it is or how it looks like. And do you have any idea why it was so important for the giants? From what you say, it seems they were not interested in raiding the village or anything else; they just took this 'nightstone'... after wreaking havoc to act undisturbed. Was something so valuable? Was it magical?"
Kramyra leaps down from the crumbled wall and with her paws up to show she means no harm, "What were you all arguing about when we arrived? I am sorry to hear about your Lady."
Kan know anything about nightstone?
Paladin - warforged - orange
Obviously there was no threat to be had. Members of his rescue group had entered into conversation with someone or something - he could hear muffled voices from his lookout position. With that, Gryrim makes his way to the crumbled wall where the cat had just been, climbs the pile of rubble and descends to stand next to her. With a nudge he asks "What's going on? Who's this Lady you talk of?" Clearly he hasn't seen the bodies laying amongst the rubble
Apparently Bahamut had heard his prayers, for there was no sign of steel or enemy in then ruined wall of the keep. Relieved, the ranger traverses the rope and followed the group to the castle, if one could call it that.
“Not necessarily.” He answers to Khessa comment about the two bodies left. “The survivors may be too wounded or too weak to remove the bodies. They may have deemed it too dangerous to leave their shelter or be too afraid to do so. It’s possible they don’t even know the two are dead.”
There were other possibilities, Sorjen knew. He remembered his father’s history about the wars and hunts of the Rheghedmen and the untold lesson they carried. Survival rarely left space for moral or emotions, but that was a truth he left unsaid. Entering the great hall he immediately notices the body over the table. Bloody Hells, he cursed imagining the worst possible scenario. Tell me this is not Nandar. Sadly, it was.
“Remember when I said we came here looking for work?” The half-elf asked the dwarf rhetorically. "Well, the dead lady right there was supposed to be our employer.” Emphasis on the was part, he though to himself. “Long history short, she sent a distress call around the north, talking about a siege from giants and signing with her title, which pretty much means an offer of reward. Alas, we arrived too late.”
Ev'alish bows his head. "I am sorry to hear that. Thy hast my condolences." He turns to Gryrim. "Lady Velrosa is the lady over yonder, on the table. She hath called for aid to Nightstone, which art the reason for our coming. She hath perished in the attack shortly after."
Bahamut had guided his draconic disciple here, and he would finish his duty. He looks toward the guards once more. "There art likely more goblins occupying the town. Perhaps we together shalt root them out, and then make sure the citizens of this fair town are safe."
He glances over his shoulder toward Sorjen. "Correct? Lady Velrosa doth called us on behalf of the town of Nightstone." Pointing at the half-elf with his pike in one hand, he grins. "If thou art concerned about your employment, we art still employed. And we hath a job to finish!"
Right, I thought it was named after the type of stone the giant’s took
Paladin - warforged - orange
“Employment demands an accord of payment.” He answered to Ev’alish, more serious than the group have ever seen him be. “I’m not going to make people who suffered through two raids pay with the coins they will need to rebuild their homes.” He didn’t want to see that kind of sacrifice. It was too similar to what his grandparents would have done if he didn’t venture the way to Mithrall Hall a few years ago. Gods, it felt like a lifetime. So many things had changed. “I’ll help them clear the goblins, and… Khessa, would you be so kind and remember me if the tracks by entrance of the village indicate pursuit from the goblins?”
She’ll help too, Sorjen had no doubt. Apparently her own loses had created in her mind the necessity to defend those like her, the common people. There, in Nighstone, they were certainly victims, although not the only ones.
“Is everyone in the keep here?” He asked to the guards in the hall, unure even about the answer he wished to receive. “We will need to know more about the attack. Do you have any idea about what caused the attack and if there is any chance of it happening again? Anything the giants said during the attack may be important.”
Khessa is relieved that the four guards are still ready to try defending Nightstone. The village will need them! But speaking of that... their equipment is hardly adequate. She offers to Sydiri the crossbow she took ftom the Zhentarims: "Guys, do you know how to use this? I hope so... Anyway, take it. If you don't, then it is time to learn. We will find more crossbows and bolts near the inn, each one of you will get one. With your spears, you would be unprepared to fight from range. Throw your spear... and then you are unarmed! A crossbows has a far greater ranger, it is simple to use (I'll give you a brief demonstrations, if you need) and will make you all far more efficient. Both now, at fending off the remaining goblin raiders, and in the future, defending the village or the keep from the fortifications. Shooting enemies while taking cover from fortifications is a pretty good way to welcome them" she winks "is not it?"
Khessa is quite happy to give her crossbow and her bolts to Sydiri. She had taken the weapon to be able to range... but thanks to mistress Kramyra, she can now range with Fire bolt! As soon as the party leaves the keep, she quickly fetches crossbows and bolts for Torem, Alara and Kaelen. As offered, she quickly show them how to use the weapon, if they need. They might not be able to learn that suddenly, but at least they will be able to start practicing with such a weapon. They might well need it, especially after the party leaves Nightstone and the guards will again be the only defenders of the village!
"You deserve to have a chance to defend themselves properly" Khessa says softly to the four guards. "Nightstone will NOT be erased from existence as happened to Twardens, my home village. We will get it back for you, land and people. And before leaving we will try to teach you to defend it. Nobody will be able to steal your freedom"
Khessa answers Sorjen: "Hey, shadow stalker, I'm not 'Golden Locks' anymore for you?" she winks "By the way, according to the tracks, the goblins did not follow the villagers. They simply came after. With any luck, the villagers are now safe in the cave the guards spoke of. And about the payment" her blue eyes shine at him with pride "I totally agree with you. It's GOBLINS and ZHENTARIMS, that will pay us! They, and that murdering and thieving giants, once we get them. These poor folk don't need to be taxed, but to be helped. They have already been through so much..."
Khessa is even more relieved that the guards can handle themselves with crossbows. She is for heading back into village with guards, arm them with Zhentarims's crossbows, then continue together to free the village. Unless someone has better ideas, of course.
Ev’alish nods in agreement and leads at the front of the group, moving to the next building.
Perception: 11