“Old Ironsides, what is going on boy?”  Kerwyn tries to ascertain the cause of his excitement…

Animal handling :  16 

The party continues down Inn Street, eyeballing the establishments along the way.  

There is nothing immediately impressive about the Magic Badger or the Misty Mandolin or any of the other inns, really, but the Smiling Orc is a different matter.  The door of the inn has been broken down from the inside so many times that the busted frame sticks out all around the door like an orcs jagged teeth. Even as the band is looking a pair of humanoids get thrown threw the shoddily built 'new' door, splintering it as they land in the street.  A big orc dressed as a server stands in the doorway cursing profusely at them.

"What in Gruumsh name do you think you're lookin' at eh?"  The Orc challenges, pulling a rag from his pocket and heading back into the inn.  "You'd think I was runnin' a circus I tells ya!"

Through the now-open door the inside of the inn looks pretty full.  There are people at tables everywhere like it's almost as popular as a place to eat and drink as a place to sleep.  

The situation evolves, however, as the Dawn Guard begin to meet armored soldiers on the streets.  There's a combination of Hobgoblins and Orcs amongst them, each in varying degrees of armor, all a brushed black, and most of them displaying a red sprocketed emblem.  

As the guard is looking at the places to stay and trying to figure it out, Shavaris motions the boys over to the side of the road.  While the hobgoblins and orcs walk by she says to her friends in a low ton, "That emblem, I've seen it before.  Just once, but it was on my way Cimmeria, just before my sister and I crossed The Wall.  Over by the Black Craig Mountains, I think it was worn by an orc?  It was not a very populated area, more orcs, hobgoblins and goblins."  she pauses a bit as she tries to remember, "Had a militaristic air to it and if I remember right, the rangers at The Wall seemed to be wary of them."  

"Honestly, it would probably be a good idea to get off the street, and with the amount of guests in the Smiling Orc I would suggest somewhere else for now.  We can always hit that place up for info tomorrow."

Johnathan was busy observing the tavern when Shavaris noticed a pack of hobgoblins and orcs marching around. She motioned for them to hide in a shadowy area to avoid them. It was at this point Shavaris noticed the red emblem. The wall? That’s not too far from here. Johnathan stops for second, her sister? Didn’t she say she was missing or something? I agree, we should avoid them. These things are most likely serving an agent of the lord of darkness. Johnathan reaches into his pocket and pulls out his bat, echo. I can send echo to keep an eye on them, but if I do so I’ll be blind and deaf so we should get to a tavern where I can focus. I’m curious as to why they are here, and why the locals seem to accept them. Johnathan then remembers the locals moaning about foreigners, perhaps they didn’t like them either.

“Let’s leave Inn street for a moment, please.  Schmo … ahem, Old Ironsides smells some mushrooms and wishes to have some.  Can we find them for him and then let’s find a quieter inn to spend the night.  Sound good?”  Kerwyn notes Old Ironsides dropping his flails and spinning them around, he turns him (briefly facing the orcs and hobgoblins and gives them a smile), turning Ironsides around in a three point turn to head the other way, back toward the smell of delicious mushrooms for his mount.  

The closer the band got to the sea the more Ralik seemed uncomfortable. His discomfort somewhat mirrored Johnathan's mood during the day. The salty air assaulted his sinuses. The humidity made him feel heavy with his clothes clinging to him. The salty air made him feel sick in remembrance of the swaying boat. He did his best to fight back the saliva building in his mouth. Now he was also around folk that reminded him of his most recent failing. He breaths deep and lets the mounting pressure building withing go. He listens to Johnathan and Shavaris plotting, causing him to get back into the frame of mind needed.

"Do as you will." was all he had to added. He knew they would and that they could hold their own. He also knew that he should probably be more worried about the inhabitants of the area.

Exploration away from Inn Street reveals that there are a few dozen of these red emblemed forces in Timber Place.  There are groups of both Hobgoblins and Orcs on every street, and while they all wear the same sigil, none of them seem to be intermingling with one another.  

As the suns set the streets come alive with another wave of creatures; Kobolds.  There are hundreds of them, chirping and yapping in their language, making their way down the roads of the Dock Ward toward the port.  They steer clear of the red sigiled groups.  

There is a whole timber yard filled with the trunks of the giant mushrooms that comes into sight on the eastern side of the Dock Ward as the Dawn Guard explores.  

Kerwyn can sense it, the excitement of his mount.  “Is that where you want to go boy?  Ok, let’s go check it out.”  He urges Old Ironsides towards the massive mushrooms and after they arrive he disembarks with a laugh and points at them.  “Go on, go on and get some boy!  Eat to your bichambered heart’s content.  That’s my Schmo, uh, Old Ironsides, ahem.”  Kerwyn suddenly looks very serious, looking around to see if anyone heard him.

While Kerwyn takes his Ironsides to the mushroom area, Shavaris takes Ralik to the side, “Hey, you ok?  Something seems to be bothering you.  Once this snail of Kerwyns is finished, lets head to an Inn and get settled.  Do any of them interest you?” she waits for an answer from him before heading back to Inn Street.  

“Johnathan, once we get settled in a tavern, it would be great to see what your bat can ascertain from the groups.  And hopefully we can also get some info from the locals as to why the Orcs with the emblem and what’s with all the kobolds?”

Aoe watches the diaspora of creatures from various corners of the realms, congregated into one melting pot. It was both beautiful to watch; and for him full of doubt as well. Nothing in the streets gave him confidence he could help the group, especially how sick Ralik looked. And how much ironhides dictated where they should go… he hope they could at least come together over a meal; or better yet… perhaps one last mission on fantasia.

There seemed to be a disparate relationship between the kobolds and the red bannered groups, and he couldn’t help sticking his nose where it doesn’t need to be, but where perhaps it could be a force for good in the world.

sending a message to various kobolds as they passed, he asked them here and there… “why do you avoid the red bannered ones?”… “who has the power in this city?” … “safest place for a band of outsiders?” … “what do the kobolds dream of?” … “where do they run the best bath?” … his personal interested may have tainted the questions a bit, but overall it was mostly a fishing expedition of sorts anyway. He stays with his group the whole time, just in case … in case anyone stepped toward them aggressively… and if it was even an option, Aoe kept his persuasive tongue ever vigilent…

Johnathan gives an annoyed sigh as the party follows the snail to the woods. He mutters under his breath, stupid snail gonna get us caught over some lunch. Great so that no one nearby hears him. As he watches the snail going to the woods Johnathan freezes as he stares in the distance. For a moment he thinks he sees that late night visitor again. He rubs his eyes and realises nothing was there, though he has been on edge since it happened last night. It’s nothing, get your head back in the game. He turns to Shavaris, I think you are right. I don’t know what’s going on but these monsters are up to something. We need to get a better understanding of the situation until we know for sure. For now let’s keep a low profile, maybe use fake names and such. We don’t know what these things know. The Kobalds are also going to the docks, maybe they are loading mushrooms onto boats? Johnathan concentrates as shadowy flames pour out of his hands, he touches echo with this flame and the flames engulf his little bat. When the flames are gone, echo is now invisible. I’m gonna scout ahead with echo. If you are moving then just guide my donkey. Be warned I’ll be blind and deaf so I won’t be able to respond to you. If you need me, tap me 2 on the shoulder, I will feel it and return my sensors.

Echo will follow the bigger hobgoblins to see if they are coming from a particular building, while trying to keep echo hidden.

stealth: 19

Perception: 17 (he has advantage with perception checks with sound and he has echo location to see so he should have advantage on this. Let me know if this is wrong and I’ll use the first roll)

Despite his haggard visage, Ralik pads the air with his hand at Shavaris's question. "I'll be fine. It's nothing serious."

He watches as Aoe casts along with Johnathan. "Honestly Brother Johnathan, I doubt our mounts will ever be forgotten regardless of what we look like." He says with some forced mirth and a motion to Ironsides and Running Bird. "Our best bet is to just relax and act like we are passing through. Steady and without conflict. For now, lets try not to get on anyone's bad side, and find a place for the night. They obviously do not like outsider's here so keep that in mind."

The Kobolds passing in the street look at Aoe with wide eyes.  Some of them answer, and some just keep walking.  

"Red Eye bad busy"

"wet clean no good dust bath!"

The Flail Snail looks as excited as a Flail Snail can look, his flails spinning like tassels as he charges forth at absolutely ludicrous speed for an animal of his size and species.  He enters the unguarded timber yard and doesn't even bother searching out the best stack of Mushroom trunks; he simply attacks the very first stacked series of logs that he comes to, shredding into them with his barbed radula.  

Echo proceeds on his mission with no issues; being a bat at night, the roving groups of red sigiled warriors never even notice him.  Unfortunately, while he can hear most of what is going on below him as he swoops in and out of the streets, there doesn't seem to be anything of real interest being discussed in public.  None of them seem to thrilled to be here, and most of them are just looking for some form of entertainment...or, at least what their kind does for entertainment.  

Before they can leave the timber yard a lantern appears next to Old Ironsides.  Someone shouts.

"By Nayru's knickers!"  The surprised old man says as the lantern throws light across the iridescent shell of the Flail Snail, which is too busy stuffing itself to notice the intrusion.  The old man stumbles a bit as he looks at the Flail Snail, then casts his lantern light on the Dawn Guard.  "Heh...hey!  This is private property!  Oh maiden's mercy the boss is going to fire me..."  

Shavaris's eyes go wide as the old man calls them out on trespassing.  She whispers to Ralik, "You guys have this, I'm going to go find us some places to stay.  I'll meet you all at the Magic Badger, good luck!"

And with that, she tries to slink away unnoticed, letting the guys take care of their current issue.  

Stealth (if needed) 23

Aoe messages shavaris as she skulks away:

Confronted with the snailian circumstance… Aoe thinks of a way to settle the matter with revealing to the commoner their status or quantity of coin on hand… we wouldn’t want to be lavish in front of people not looking to service such desires…

“let us keep Nayru's knickers and bosses out of it… how much do you commonly sell such quantities of lumber for?” Aoe engages the gentleman in dialogue, freeing others to do as they must… “if this is for market perhaps you have made a fine sale! Is such quantities I am sure a wholesale value will be most fair for both sides…” 

Avoiding real names in public, he turns to his comrade… “Fine snail rider from the west, such a mount must take a moundly amount of feed, we simply have to compensate the procurement of such fine shroomy timber…”

turning to the old man, “where did you get this timber again? And what is it useful for besides satiating giant snails? And where does it normally get sent off to?” Before he can notice too clearly he is investigating within the topic, he adds… “what fine work you all do, truly fine work.. worthy of praise, you are artisans of a sort! Like a hairstylist or painter, only your canvas is the culling and transport of such fine merchandise.” Aoe as he speaks looks across the lumber and wears a face of showering praise upon the endeavor and the old man, no hint of suspicion or worry on his personage.

Johnathan sees remarkably very little with echo. It seemed that the hobgoblins were not stupid enough to talk in public. As Johnathan returns his senses to his body he hears an old man shouting at the snail. It didn’t even cross Johnathan’s mind that they might be trespassing. Opps. Johnathan listens to the old man with quite amusement, Really, the man is losing it over some mushrooms. Oh boy. Johnathan doesn’t notice Shavaris leave. He sees Aoe’s approach and decides to join in. Johnathan speaks, though his voice is more southern and foreign than the party have heard before. Well now, looks like your in some serious trouble. Letting a group of complete strangers walk up to your precious cargo without any sort of security. What will your boss say. Johnathan gives a smile as he points to the snail, which is still eating the mushrooms. Johnathan watches as the man’s fears start playing in his mind. No need to worry partner, we can resolve all your issues. As my dear old friend said, we can happily pay for this lose in property and more. With that Johnathan reaches into his pocket and conjures and illusion of a massive coin purse and shows it to the man, then returns it into his pocket before he can examine it. All of this COULD be yours, if you answer some of my questions. You see, we are new in town. As such me and my partners have a few gaps in our knowledge. You tell us what the hobgoblins are doing, why they are harvesting these mushrooms and we will be on our way. He pauses as his expression changes from a friendly smell to a more serious look. But if your gonna give us s***, well I can’t say we could ever let our snail friend stop. He is so hungry after all. He might just have to eat all your product, which will surely be blamed on you. He puts his arm around the man, and whispers in his ear. Do the smart thing old timer, take the money and pretend this never happened. Johnathan steps back from the man, still giving that creepy and mischievous smile.

(I’m guessing this is an intimidation check lol). Intimidation check. 13

As Aoe and Johnathan chat up the old man, Shavaris heads back to Inn Street, trying to keep her distance from the ones with the red emblems while on her way.  She's glad to see there is only one moon in the sky and wonders if the dual suns will repeat tomorrow, probably she thinks.  And continues to muse about it as she makes her way to the Magic Badger.  

She enters the bar and looks around, trying not to make a spectacle as she takes the place in.  She then heads to the bar and waits patiently for the bartender.  Figures, what's the hurry, who knows how long those boys are going to be dealing with that snail of Kerwyns.  She smiles to herself, he sure is enamored with that thing, who would have guessed.  

Shavaris manages to sneak away without being seen as the old man rants, one hand searching about with his lantern, the other bringing his cane up in what he surely hoped was a threatening display as the various members of the Dawn Guard tried to talk him down.  

"Those trunks are five gold a piece!"  The old man says, pointing his cane at Aoe when he answers.  "That's three of 'em!  That'll be fifteen gold!  It comes from Eternia!  It's no cheap matter to ship and maintain this many trunks!  We use it for the Racing Snails!  The boss breeds them here!  Mushroom trunks are their favorite food!  And I'm sure he wouldn't want any ol' miscreant Flail Snail coming in here and eating it up!"  

The old fellows attention turns from Aoe to Johnathan.  His first reaction is to look at Johnathan like he's an idiot when he offers up the coin.  Then he sneers.  

"Ain't from around here, are you young buck?"  He continues.  "They're passing through or something, so they say.  Heading east on some sort of maneuver campaign in the employ of Lord Vader, I think someone said.  And they're not harvesting the mushrooms you dolt!  I just told you we are you..."

He falls silent as Johnathan makes his veiled threat.  The old man starts and takes a step back away when Johnathan tries to put his arm around him, his irritated and upset look quickly replaced by concern.  For a second he reverts back to the old man default he had presented with when he first walked up; unsure, timid, frail.  Then he puffs his chest out, a trembling hand pointing his cane out back at Johnathan.  

"My family relies on this job, I'll have you know."  His meekness is apparent, but he soldiers through.  "If...If I'm going to get fired, it's not going to be because some bully walked in here and scared me into not doing my job, you punk!"

And then the old man hooked his lantern onto the end of his cane, pulled a bell from his pocket, and started ringing it while shouting.  

"Guards!  Guards, help!  Guards!  Help!"

__________

The Magic Badger is full of patrons but is relatively well behaved regardless.  A small fraction of the patrons look like they're probably locals coming in for a pint and a bite to eat after a hard day's work.  Another portion looks like the average traveler (if there is such a thing) that just need a roof over their head.  Still, a little less than half of the people inside are Hobgoblins and Orcs wearing the red emblem.  They're quiet, sitting at tables segregated to themselves in the back of the inn, some playing cards or dice, other's having hushed conversations over mugs of stout drink or plates of hot food.  Weapons, shields, helms, and various armor items sit on the floors under their tables or nearby, all within arms reach if they're needed.  

Ralik walks over to Johnathan while summoning a wooden club which he promptly smacks Johnathan with on top of the head , "Will you STOP! I said stay on the good side and stay low! What is wrong with you?" 

He then looks to the poor merchant. "I'm very sorry for my companions words, he does not seem to know what manners are so it seems" Ralik says with an angry look at Johnathan. He then takes out 20 gold and hands it to the man. "For your goods. Maybe we can ignore this"

They were not in town for an hour and they had already started making a ruckus. Was this going to be the way for the whole trip? The salty air and the situation was all getting on his nerves. part of him was starting to be reminded of his old tribe of thieves. They were supposed to be heroes out to help the common good along with the world. Not thugs. He was going to have to talk to the others and try to get them on the same page or leave.

Attack:

 Persuasion: 17

The old man takes the little sack of money and looks at the group of ruffians.  He sticks his chin out, up a little higher, as two guards round the corner, both men holding truncheons in their hands.  

"Everything alright?"  One of them asks, eyeballing the situation.  The old man looks at the guard, then at Ralik, Johnathan, Kerwyn, and Aoe, and suddenly he looks downright smug.  

"Yes, yes, I'm sorry.  They just startled me.  They're collecting their snail and going, right fellas?"  The old man says.