((Oh I don't think I voted just yet, but Jararaka would prefer the cross-country route, both because it's faster and because there would be a smaller chance of being seen/found))
Being trained with riding and taking care of horses during her childhood, Tylaerys would need no further education on that but would happily assist the others with advice on how to take care of their new steeds.
She would send love and hugs to Wink and Grouse, telling Jill how brave they both were during Greenest's night of terror.
As food is brought forth, Tylaerys realizes how hungry she really is and joins the others at the table, eating in silence while listening to the others. As Nesim takes her aside, Tylaerys tells him about her sad suspicion about the fate of Leosin, but also report all of interest on the Cult of the Dragon for him to pass on.
She would happily pay for her room before having her sleep of the just, rising in the morning, washing up and having a breakfast before being ready to head north towards Elturel. As everyone is ready to leave, Tylaerys would ride on point, taking the team straight north towards the glorious shining city of Elturel.
In the morning Finn has resummoned Misses Binklesworth of the Twilight Binklesworths and is happy to have her back in her correct form. While not as good as a scout, the familiar is much happier (and less pissy) in her feline form and happily sits in front of Finn atop Chomper and purrs contentedly.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
[OOC: Wink & Grouse were actually human children (lots of different family drama in the prologue). Their dad was taken by the cultists but was one of the prisoners you liberated. It didn't come up in conversation but we can assume they were reunited and the dad has learned a valuable lesson about leaving the kids home along to go drink off a long day working in the mill.
We never learned the names of Jill's kids.]
5
X 3
5
64
X2 9
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
The party elects to take the faster route, cutting straight north through woods and back roads toward Elturel.
Bidding farewell to fair Greenest, you depart with the dawn, riding north. The Knights of the Vigilant Eye gave you specific instructions to ride hard for Elturel and seek out an establishment called A Pair of Black Antlers. Once there, you were to inform the bartender you had urgent business with the Order of the Gauntlet. But that is a good four days of travel ahead of you.
You take an old cart path north out of town and then you are into the backcountry. The Greenfields are beautiful this time of year, mid autumn. The leaves are changing, and the air is filled with the scent of apples. Here and there, scarecrows have had their strawhats replaced with carved jack o'lanterns, the silly faces leery out from fields of corn ready for the harvest. The air is brisk, but Amaunator's sun still has enough umph behind it to warm you on clear days.
For most of the journey you are able to find roads or trails that run north, or near enough to north to serve your purpose, though there are times where you must abandon roads entirely and take to the fields and forests. Tylaerys does her best to lead the way, but there are times when the wandering giantess must lend aid, pointing out that they have strayed off course.
Though these are roads less traveled, they are far from deserted. You pass isolated villages and lone farmsteads, and even a monastery of silent penitents. You don't come across any inns, but a few nights camping out under the stars never hurt anyone. You even find an abandoned barn to shelter over in one night.
[Each member of the party will need to consume one ration for each of four days, or otherwise hunt up or browse for edibles while traveling.]
The way is largely uneventful, but for one encounter. Near noon on the fourth day, you are following a well-rutted dirt path when you come upon six militia standing in the road. A man hangs from his arms from a large tree next to the path, the heavy ropes with which he is suspended seem sturdy and a small sign hangs from his neck; ‘’Sentenced to die for his crimes, any that support him will suffer the same fate.’’. Based on his dry, cracked lips and delirious expression he may have been hanging here for some time. He looks near death. The soldiers are in the process of raising a woman up to hang beside him. She is weeping and when she sees you, she cries out for help.
One of the militia men rolls his eyes in contempt. "This doesn't concern you. The man here murdered a local woman in cold blood. A guard caught his wife here trying to cut him loose just now. The law is the law."
The woman sobs. "It's not true! Kevan is innocent. I killed her, it was me. He lied to protect me. I should be hanging here, not him!"
"Whatever the truth is, you'll both hang together, now."
[Does anyone intervene or ask questions, or do you just ride on?]
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Tylaerys would do her best leading the team north towards Elturel from atop Shiloh, getting a fire going in the evenings, sharing her rations if needed and taking a watch as the others sleep. During their travels she would also try to get to know the others a bit better, telling them she herself is from Waterdeep, a bastard child from a noble family, but are traveling to see the Realms and will do what she can to help those in need, especially with the threat of the Cult of the Dragon looming over these lands.
As the team comes upon the ruthless upholding of cruel laws her heart tells her to stop eventhough she knows they are in a hurry. "Gentlemen, who would be the officer in charge of conducting the investigation into this murder. I would need to speak to him briefly." The young blonde half-elf says with a warm but firm voice.
Persuasion: 23 Another roll if help action is given: 11 Insight to determine if the woman speaks the truth: 12
(Got distracted by TV and did not see a post snuck in before me... Editing a bit to make it work better...)
On the journey Finn mostly enjoys the ride and uses the time to work on various stories and song. As such she is alternately lost in a book carefully writing or altering what is there despite the clip clop of the horse, or more recklessly humming or singing out tunes with her companions as (in effect) a captive audience.
Finn took her turns making the best meals that could be out of rations and easily foraged local growth and was more than chatty with the others. She was a bit reluctant to open up about her own childhood, "Stories should be entertaining," would be her excuse, but she would eventually admit she came from a small village where her mother did the best she could to hide just what she and Finn were. "She loved the life she had there, the role she played there. The mask she wore there. And she loved me... But I was..." Finn fished for the right phrasing for a while, not a thing she normally had to do. "I was a child, damnit. That's what it was. I was a child and thus I wasn't as careful as I needed to be to hide..."
"Anyway," Finn continued after a long breath. "She sent me away to a school. It broke both our hearts but it was probably for the best, you know? And the school was ok. For a while. And when I grew tired of that I was skilled enough... Careful enough to move on. And so I did..." Finn then stares into the fire for a while before she once agrain cracks a smile and starts looking around to the others. "So... Who's next?"
---
"The sign proclaims that supporting the man brings one the same fate." Finn points out to one guard even as Tylaerys is confronting another. "By your own admission she was not supporting the man but rather looking to sever his supports... She was merely looking to cut the things supporting the man." Finn's tone is wise-assed but not confrontational. She knows her own mind but she also knows that she is part of a team now... And that time is also a matter of importance. She takes no moves to do anything but she mentally prepares to react to whatever may happen.
Cheddar travels along in silence, mostly. He does give Gus a reaffirming pat now and then and talks to Cicero quietly.
Coming upon the scene where the man and woman are to be hanged, Cheddar sighs and is prepared to move on when Tylaerys strikes up her conversation. He stops and listens but says nothing.
(Jararaka would probably try to hunt along the way! Survival: 13)
Jararaka 'tsk's as Finn shares her story, and drinks to it, "all too afraid, the people around these part, always thinking about how strangers want to steal their crops or murder them for no reason. And the fanatics popping up sure don't help." She rolls her eyes as she brings up the cultists.
"I'll go, since the metals cuffs were... suspicious. The place I grew up in was also obsessed with the dragons. Every morning, afternoon, evening, it's 'praise the dragon lords', and 'blessed be the children of the scaled', non-stop. You hunt, you eat, you pray; that's it. I left when I was old enough and, well, not many jobs for a lizardfolk outside the jungles. It turned out snatching items off the road and selling to the market was pretty easy." Her eyes flits up to observe the party's reactions, "slipped up one time, ended up getting caught, and then they put me on that caravan. Labour and release on good behaviour. They were exaggerating about attempted murder though, it was clearly self-defense." She says with a shrug, leaving the rest to decide whether or not to believe her. The story was shared matter-of-fact, Jararaka doesn't seem bothered enough to hide at this point, at least not to the party. She stirs the small campfire in a practiced manner and goes to gnaw on her rations. "Anyone else? I was there by chance, what were you all doing at Noah's Mill?"
----
As they near the soldiers and apparent criminals, Jararaka follows behind, not approaching too closely to soldiers out of habit. She winces a little at the sight of the man and the woman's wailing, "murder in this nice ol' village? Happen often? Care to share what happened?"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
If she would accept the company, Tylaerys would take her crossbow and join Jararaka in hunting, if traveling through lands suitable for that. Survival: 8
Tylaerys would listen to Finn and then Jararaka with sympathetic silvery eyes watching the changeling and the lizardfolk. "I know something about being different Finn, I was never sent away but neither was I ever accepted for what I am. Apparently being a bastard is a touchy matter within the nobility of Waterdeep." She says a bit dryly, but then smiling warmly at Finn. "I wouldn't pretend to know how it has been for you though my friend." She says, briefly laying a warm comforting hand on Finn's. "Or for you Jararaka." She says, turning to the lizardfolk. "I never had to steal to survive but I wouldn't be the one to judge those who do, although hopefully we will earn some gold together to make our living, and if we come upon stuff belonging to cultists I'm sure they won't mind us helping ourselves to it as we'll make sure they won't have use for it anymore." She adds with grim determination. She then pauses briefly before continuing, like hesitating before coming to a decision. "About why I came to Noah's Mill, as I mentioned when we met there I was on my way to Greenest to meet someone there, a contact. You'll have to forgive me for not sharing everything with you as we met but I think our recent very eventful days have proven you all have good hearts and are ready to do the right thing, helping those i need. Well, I am a Harper." She says, looking at the reactions of the others at the campfire. "For those who might not have heard about us we are a secret group opposing evil and oppression all over the Realms. This was to be my first own assignment. Who knew."She says with a light chuckle. "Anyway, I hope I'm doing the right thing by trusting you all with this knowledge, but considering how you all have put yourselves to great risk by standing by my side I think it's only fair that you know about me. I believe I would have acted the way I did even if I wasn't a Harper agent though, just because it was the right thing to do, or so my heart tells me at least." She finishes, looking over to the blonde giantess with a faint smile, looking for her to perhaps continue.
“Sometimes seems you can’t live without breaking one law or another,” Finn notes during Jararaka’s story. “I trust my own judgements over those apt to put others in chains…”
“I am a Harper,” Finn sings, pulling out her hand drum and tapping a soft, slow beat. “We are a secret group opposing evil and oppression…
Fighting tyranny is our obsession…
Standing tall against aggression…
Be quick, give your confession…
Else we shall punish your transgression…”
Finn quickly looks around with a laugh. “Sorry, it needs some work…”
“A Harper, huh?” Finn would ask Tylaerys, eyeing her closely. “Heard of them. Suspected a couple of being one before… I don’t think I would have pegged you for one though. You seem a bit.. “ Finn bobs her head a bit, trying to find a word to fit her meaning which couldn’t be taken the wrong way. “More aloof, I guess? I always pictured Harpers as louder and more boisterously social. To get people relaxed and tongues wagging and such…” Finn finishes with one of her trademarked shrugs.
"Don't know that many Harpers myself, very few actually so I suppose you could be right Finn. I'm so sorry if you find me aloof, don't think I've heard that before..." The young blonde half-elf says, looking down and seeming a bit sad over this. "...back home I was considered too rash and passionate for ever being trusted with making any important decisions. Luckily for me my Harper mentor saw something different in me, I hope I will not let her down."Tylaerys says, her voice trailing off in the end. "Anyway, if your image of Harpers is true I would say you were born to be a Harper Finn."She adds after a while with a wry smile and a wink to the changeling.
“Reserved may have been a better choice. Less gregarious. It’s not a bad thing. You just, so far, seem more apt to pause and assess rather than jump right in,” Finn explains further.
“Me? A Harper?” Finn is genuinely amused by this. “No, no! I have a habit of wearing out a welcome. Can’t think of a spot I stayed fore more than a week or three where I didn’t leave some hard feelings and one or two spoiling for a fight. We’re travelers, Mrs. Binklesworth and I. It’s best we leave places behind a hood long time before returning…”
With others eager and taking the lead on everything, Jirel’s skills aren’t required for the most part. She simply falls to the back in her usual silence to watch everyone’s backs as they go about. The giantess would listen to everyone’s stories and shares. Besides a few grunts of acknowledgement or agreement, she’s otherwise quiet, staring at the fire. At this time she chooses not to interrupt the discussion and doesn’t really ‘care’ (or have the confidence) to share. Jirel just rests a hand over her stomach while the other regrips her axe.
Having come to a stop, Jirel rolls her shoulders, back as she hoists her greataxe up onto her shoulder. She had nothing to add. Her honey hues keep a close eye on any retaliation or further violence.
Tylaerys tilts her head and smiles as Finn goes on, still a bit suprised over the impression she has given, not at all the kind of remarks she was used to but perhaps what she was striving towards, maybe she had made some progress with herself after all. "I'm simply a neophyte agent and I'm still trying to be comfortable in my role, but stopping and thinking before acting is actually something I have intended to do as a secret agent so thank you then." She says with a soft laugh. "I think many Harper agents travel though, but it would mean a lot of responsibility of course."She adds with another wink.
[Thanks for the great roleplay to pass the time while DM was daydreaming! I refreshed with some inspiration. I'll move the current event along here but please continue any conversations that are ongoing.]
Jararaka and Tylaerys are able to harvest enough game to keep the party fed... provided you like squirrel. The fat brown tree climbers are everywhere, combing the fields and forests to build up their winter stores. Each evening the campsite is awash in the scent of roasting squirrel skewers.
[No need for anyone to consume rations, unless you have some reason to reject squirrel-kebob.]
There is no actual village at this site. There is another, smaller trail leading west. A 'road sign' is planted at the intersection, but it only has an arrow pointing west and no words.
One of the militia members bristles at Finn's remarks. "Is 'at supposed to be a joke?"
Another places a hand on his shoulder and pulls him back. He takes a long look at Tylaerys as she questions him. He removes his leather helmet, revealing a young man of not more than 20 years. "No officers here. Our village is a mile west. We defend ourselves, though crime and murder are not something we often have to deal with. But I was there and I will answer your questions, best that I can."
"Three days ago, one of our townfolk was murdered. A young widow, not much older than myself. Some of the older men here grew up with her. The man hanging here is - was - our local cobbler. He was found at the victim's home, seated at her table with the murder knife in his hand... the girl's body lying right there next to him. He freely admitted to the crime, cold and passionless as a fish, and offered no defense when the town agreed he should hang for it. None of us have experienced something so awful before... its going to leave a mark on our community for years to come, I'm afraid. A crime like this, it has to be answered with mortal punishment."
He points a finger at the woman. "We posted a guard here... the man has friends in town and we wanted to make sure no one tried to set him loose before his debt is paid. When the guard went to relieve himself, the man's wife here snuck up and tried to cut the ropes. The guard returned in time to catch her in the act. I take no joy in this, but we need to have law, and respect for it. This isn't some fancy big city where there are guards and armies to keep the peace. Life is hard out here, and if neighbors start to killing each other, our community won't survive."
The woman continues to sob. "It's all a lie," she whimpers. "I love Kevan, since we were tots. But that harlot seduced him... meant to steal him away from me. I went to confront her. I only meant to give her a talking to... maybe scare her off. But things got out of control. The things she said to me... that she said about Kevan... Everything was red. And then Kevan was there and she was dead on the floor... blood everywhere. Kevan told me to leave... to never ever come back. I begged him to come with me but he wouldn't look at me." She wails. "I didn't know where to go. I came back to beg his forgiveness, and found out about all this. I didn't think he would claim the crime for himself. It's not right. It should be me up here, not him. It should be me!"
For his part, the man, Kevan, continues to hang silently. He breathes, but his time hanging here without food or water has left him senseless.
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Tylaerys takes a step closer to the young man and speaks quietly to him with a firm but friendly tone, low enough for the others not to hear. "Listen, I don't doubt this is all what you say it is and I don't intend to interfere with your exacting of necessary justice. Aren't you troubled though? What if the woman speaks the truth. Her story certainly makes more sense than this man murdering your victim and then sitting down to wait for you to arrest him. I believe you might be executing the wrong person, a man prepared to take the blame for that murder to save his spouse. A confession does not make a person guilty, their actions do." She says quietly, her silvery eyes looking pleadingly into the eyes of the young man. "Let us ask the man why he killed her. I'm willing to bet he has no believable answer to that."
Another persuasion if needed: 18
(Did Tylaerys insight check garner her any insights?)
"As weak as he appears to be right now," Cheddar says. "He may be susceptible to magical influence and may be more truthful than usual. A simple Charm Personmight get him to speak the truth of the matter. Say, if he were to believe he was being given last rites." Cheddar looks to Finn.
((Oh I don't think I voted just yet, but Jararaka would prefer the cross-country route, both because it's faster and because there would be a smaller chance of being seen/found))
Being trained with riding and taking care of horses during her childhood, Tylaerys would need no further education on that but would happily assist the others with advice on how to take care of their new steeds.
She would send love and hugs to Wink and Grouse, telling Jill how brave they both were during Greenest's night of terror.
As food is brought forth, Tylaerys realizes how hungry she really is and joins the others at the table, eating in silence while listening to the others. As Nesim takes her aside, Tylaerys tells him about her sad suspicion about the fate of Leosin, but also report all of interest on the Cult of the Dragon for him to pass on.
She would happily pay for her room before having her sleep of the just, rising in the morning, washing up and having a breakfast before being ready to head north towards Elturel. As everyone is ready to leave, Tylaerys would ride on point, taking the team straight north towards the glorious shining city of Elturel.
Perception: 12
Survival: 9
(Meh, another survival roll if needed to find the way north and help action is given: 7 )
In the morning Finn has resummoned Misses Binklesworth of the Twilight Binklesworths and is happy to have her back in her correct form. While not as good as a scout, the familiar is much happier (and less pissy) in her feline form and happily sits in front of Finn atop Chomper and purrs contentedly.
[OOC: Wink & Grouse were actually human children (lots of different family drama in the prologue). Their dad was taken by the cultists but was one of the prisoners you liberated. It didn't come up in conversation but we can assume they were reunited and the dad has learned a valuable lesson about leaving the kids home along to go drink off a long day working in the mill.
We never learned the names of Jill's kids.]
5
X 3
5
64
X2 9
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
The party elects to take the faster route, cutting straight north through woods and back roads toward Elturel.
Bidding farewell to fair Greenest, you depart with the dawn, riding north. The Knights of the Vigilant Eye gave you specific instructions to ride hard for Elturel and seek out an establishment called A Pair of Black Antlers. Once there, you were to inform the bartender you had urgent business with the Order of the Gauntlet. But that is a good four days of travel ahead of you.
You take an old cart path north out of town and then you are into the backcountry. The Greenfields are beautiful this time of year, mid autumn. The leaves are changing, and the air is filled with the scent of apples. Here and there, scarecrows have had their strawhats replaced with carved jack o'lanterns, the silly faces leery out from fields of corn ready for the harvest. The air is brisk, but Amaunator's sun still has enough umph behind it to warm you on clear days.
For most of the journey you are able to find roads or trails that run north, or near enough to north to serve your purpose, though there are times where you must abandon roads entirely and take to the fields and forests. Tylaerys does her best to lead the way, but there are times when the wandering giantess must lend aid, pointing out that they have strayed off course.
Though these are roads less traveled, they are far from deserted. You pass isolated villages and lone farmsteads, and even a monastery of silent penitents. You don't come across any inns, but a few nights camping out under the stars never hurt anyone. You even find an abandoned barn to shelter over in one night.
[Each member of the party will need to consume one ration for each of four days, or otherwise hunt up or browse for edibles while traveling.]
The way is largely uneventful, but for one encounter. Near noon on the fourth day, you are following a well-rutted dirt path when you come upon six militia standing in the road. A man hangs from his arms from a large tree next to the path, the heavy ropes with which he is suspended seem sturdy and a small sign hangs from his neck; ‘’Sentenced to die for his crimes, any that support him will suffer the same fate.’’. Based on his dry, cracked lips and delirious expression he may have been hanging here for some time. He looks near death. The soldiers are in the process of raising a woman up to hang beside him. She is weeping and when she sees you, she cries out for help.
One of the militia men rolls his eyes in contempt. "This doesn't concern you. The man here murdered a local woman in cold blood. A guard caught his wife here trying to cut him loose just now. The law is the law."
The woman sobs. "It's not true! Kevan is innocent. I killed her, it was me. He lied to protect me. I should be hanging here, not him!"
"Whatever the truth is, you'll both hang together, now."
[Does anyone intervene or ask questions, or do you just ride on?]
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Tylaerys would do her best leading the team north towards Elturel from atop Shiloh, getting a fire going in the evenings, sharing her rations if needed and taking a watch as the others sleep. During their travels she would also try to get to know the others a bit better, telling them she herself is from Waterdeep, a bastard child from a noble family, but are traveling to see the Realms and will do what she can to help those in need, especially with the threat of the Cult of the Dragon looming over these lands.
As the team comes upon the ruthless upholding of cruel laws her heart tells her to stop eventhough she knows they are in a hurry. "Gentlemen, who would be the officer in charge of conducting the investigation into this murder. I would need to speak to him briefly." The young blonde half-elf says with a warm but firm voice.
Persuasion: 23 Another roll if help action is given: 11
Insight to determine if the woman speaks the truth: 12
(Got distracted by TV and did not see a post snuck in before me... Editing a bit to make it work better...)
On the journey Finn mostly enjoys the ride and uses the time to work on various stories and song. As such she is alternately lost in a book carefully writing or altering what is there despite the clip clop of the horse, or more recklessly humming or singing out tunes with her companions as (in effect) a captive audience.
Finn took her turns making the best meals that could be out of rations and easily foraged local growth and was more than chatty with the others. She was a bit reluctant to open up about her own childhood, "Stories should be entertaining," would be her excuse, but she would eventually admit she came from a small village where her mother did the best she could to hide just what she and Finn were. "She loved the life she had there, the role she played there. The mask she wore there. And she loved me... But I was..." Finn fished for the right phrasing for a while, not a thing she normally had to do. "I was a child, damnit. That's what it was. I was a child and thus I wasn't as careful as I needed to be to hide..."
"Anyway," Finn continued after a long breath. "She sent me away to a school. It broke both our hearts but it was probably for the best, you know? And the school was ok. For a while. And when I grew tired of that I was skilled enough... Careful enough to move on. And so I did..." Finn then stares into the fire for a while before she once agrain cracks a smile and starts looking around to the others. "So... Who's next?"
---
"The sign proclaims that supporting the man brings one the same fate." Finn points out to one guard even as Tylaerys is confronting another. "By your own admission she was not supporting the man but rather looking to sever his supports... She was merely looking to cut the things supporting the man." Finn's tone is wise-assed but not confrontational. She knows her own mind but she also knows that she is part of a team now... And that time is also a matter of importance. She takes no moves to do anything but she mentally prepares to react to whatever may happen.
Cheddar travels along in silence, mostly. He does give Gus a reaffirming pat now and then and talks to Cicero quietly.
Coming upon the scene where the man and woman are to be hanged, Cheddar sighs and is prepared to move on when Tylaerys strikes up her conversation. He stops and listens but says nothing.
(Jararaka would probably try to hunt along the way! Survival: 13)
Jararaka 'tsk's as Finn shares her story, and drinks to it, "all too afraid, the people around these part, always thinking about how strangers want to steal their crops or murder them for no reason. And the fanatics popping up sure don't help." She rolls her eyes as she brings up the cultists.
"I'll go, since the metals cuffs were... suspicious. The place I grew up in was also obsessed with the dragons. Every morning, afternoon, evening, it's 'praise the dragon lords', and 'blessed be the children of the scaled', non-stop. You hunt, you eat, you pray; that's it. I left when I was old enough and, well, not many jobs for a lizardfolk outside the jungles. It turned out snatching items off the road and selling to the market was pretty easy." Her eyes flits up to observe the party's reactions, "slipped up one time, ended up getting caught, and then they put me on that caravan. Labour and release on good behaviour. They were exaggerating about attempted murder though, it was clearly self-defense." She says with a shrug, leaving the rest to decide whether or not to believe her. The story was shared matter-of-fact, Jararaka doesn't seem bothered enough to hide at this point, at least not to the party. She stirs the small campfire in a practiced manner and goes to gnaw on her rations. "Anyone else? I was there by chance, what were you all doing at Noah's Mill?"
----
As they near the soldiers and apparent criminals, Jararaka follows behind, not approaching too closely to soldiers out of habit. She winces a little at the sight of the man and the woman's wailing, "murder in this nice ol' village? Happen often? Care to share what happened?"
If she would accept the company, Tylaerys would take her crossbow and join Jararaka in hunting, if traveling through lands suitable for that.
Survival: 8
Tylaerys would listen to Finn and then Jararaka with sympathetic silvery eyes watching the changeling and the lizardfolk. "I know something about being different Finn, I was never sent away but neither was I ever accepted for what I am. Apparently being a bastard is a touchy matter within the nobility of Waterdeep." She says a bit dryly, but then smiling warmly at Finn. "I wouldn't pretend to know how it has been for you though my friend." She says, briefly laying a warm comforting hand on Finn's. "Or for you Jararaka." She says, turning to the lizardfolk. "I never had to steal to survive but I wouldn't be the one to judge those who do, although hopefully we will earn some gold together to make our living, and if we come upon stuff belonging to cultists I'm sure they won't mind us helping ourselves to it as we'll make sure they won't have use for it anymore." She adds with grim determination. She then pauses briefly before continuing, like hesitating before coming to a decision. "About why I came to Noah's Mill, as I mentioned when we met there I was on my way to Greenest to meet someone there, a contact. You'll have to forgive me for not sharing everything with you as we met but I think our recent very eventful days have proven you all have good hearts and are ready to do the right thing, helping those i need. Well, I am a Harper." She says, looking at the reactions of the others at the campfire. "For those who might not have heard about us we are a secret group opposing evil and oppression all over the Realms. This was to be my first own assignment. Who knew." She says with a light chuckle. "Anyway, I hope I'm doing the right thing by trusting you all with this knowledge, but considering how you all have put yourselves to great risk by standing by my side I think it's only fair that you know about me. I believe I would have acted the way I did even if I wasn't a Harper agent though, just because it was the right thing to do, or so my heart tells me at least." She finishes, looking over to the blonde giantess with a faint smile, looking for her to perhaps continue.
“Sometimes seems you can’t live without breaking one law or another,” Finn notes during Jararaka’s story. “I trust my own judgements over those apt to put others in chains…”
“I am a Harper,” Finn sings, pulling out her hand drum and tapping a soft, slow beat. “We are a secret group opposing evil and oppression…
Fighting tyranny is our obsession…
Standing tall against aggression…
Be quick, give your confession…
Else we shall punish your transgression…”
Finn quickly looks around with a laugh. “Sorry, it needs some work…”
“A Harper, huh?” Finn would ask Tylaerys, eyeing her closely. “Heard of them. Suspected a couple of being one before… I don’t think I would have pegged you for one though. You seem a bit.. “ Finn bobs her head a bit, trying to find a word to fit her meaning which couldn’t be taken the wrong way.
“More aloof, I guess? I always pictured Harpers as louder and more boisterously social. To get people relaxed and tongues wagging and such…” Finn finishes with one of her trademarked shrugs.
"Don't know that many Harpers myself, very few actually so I suppose you could be right Finn. I'm so sorry if you find me aloof, don't think I've heard that before..." The young blonde half-elf says, looking down and seeming a bit sad over this. "...back home I was considered too rash and passionate for ever being trusted with making any important decisions. Luckily for me my Harper mentor saw something different in me, I hope I will not let her down." Tylaerys says, her voice trailing off in the end. "Anyway, if your image of Harpers is true I would say you were born to be a Harper Finn." She adds after a while with a wry smile and a wink to the changeling.
“Reserved may have been a better choice. Less gregarious. It’s not a bad thing. You just, so far, seem more apt to pause and assess rather than jump right in,” Finn explains further.
“Me? A Harper?” Finn is genuinely amused by this. “No, no! I have a habit of wearing out a welcome. Can’t think of a spot I stayed fore more than a week or three where I didn’t leave some hard feelings and one or two spoiling for a fight. We’re travelers, Mrs. Binklesworth and I. It’s best we leave places behind a hood long time before returning…”
With others eager and taking the lead on everything, Jirel’s skills aren’t required for the most part. She simply falls to the back in her usual silence to watch everyone’s backs as they go about. The giantess would listen to everyone’s stories and shares. Besides a few grunts of acknowledgement or agreement, she’s otherwise quiet, staring at the fire. At this time she chooses not to interrupt the discussion and doesn’t really ‘care’ (or have the confidence) to share. Jirel just rests a hand over her stomach while the other regrips her axe.
Having come to a stop, Jirel rolls her shoulders, back as she hoists her greataxe up onto her shoulder. She had nothing to add. Her honey hues keep a close eye on any retaliation or further violence.
just an unstable unicorn.
Tylaerys tilts her head and smiles as Finn goes on, still a bit suprised over the impression she has given, not at all the kind of remarks she was used to but perhaps what she was striving towards, maybe she had made some progress with herself after all. "I'm simply a neophyte agent and I'm still trying to be comfortable in my role, but stopping and thinking before acting is actually something I have intended to do as a secret agent so thank you then." She says with a soft laugh. "I think many Harper agents travel though, but it would mean a lot of responsibility of course." She adds with another wink.
Cheddar looks up from his spell book, listening to the exchange.
"You are certain your mentor is a Harper?" he asks.
[Thanks for the great roleplay to pass the time while DM was daydreaming! I refreshed with some inspiration. I'll move the current event along here but please continue any conversations that are ongoing.]
Jararaka and Tylaerys are able to harvest enough game to keep the party fed... provided you like squirrel. The fat brown tree climbers are everywhere, combing the fields and forests to build up their winter stores. Each evening the campsite is awash in the scent of roasting squirrel skewers.
[No need for anyone to consume rations, unless you have some reason to reject squirrel-kebob.]
There is no actual village at this site. There is another, smaller trail leading west. A 'road sign' is planted at the intersection, but it only has an arrow pointing west and no words.
One of the militia members bristles at Finn's remarks. "Is 'at supposed to be a joke?"
Another places a hand on his shoulder and pulls him back. He takes a long look at Tylaerys as she questions him. He removes his leather helmet, revealing a young man of not more than 20 years. "No officers here. Our village is a mile west. We defend ourselves, though crime and murder are not something we often have to deal with. But I was there and I will answer your questions, best that I can."
"Three days ago, one of our townfolk was murdered. A young widow, not much older than myself. Some of the older men here grew up with her. The man hanging here is - was - our local cobbler. He was found at the victim's home, seated at her table with the murder knife in his hand... the girl's body lying right there next to him. He freely admitted to the crime, cold and passionless as a fish, and offered no defense when the town agreed he should hang for it. None of us have experienced something so awful before... its going to leave a mark on our community for years to come, I'm afraid. A crime like this, it has to be answered with mortal punishment."
He points a finger at the woman. "We posted a guard here... the man has friends in town and we wanted to make sure no one tried to set him loose before his debt is paid. When the guard went to relieve himself, the man's wife here snuck up and tried to cut the ropes. The guard returned in time to catch her in the act. I take no joy in this, but we need to have law, and respect for it. This isn't some fancy big city where there are guards and armies to keep the peace. Life is hard out here, and if neighbors start to killing each other, our community won't survive."
The woman continues to sob. "It's all a lie," she whimpers. "I love Kevan, since we were tots. But that harlot seduced him... meant to steal him away from me. I went to confront her. I only meant to give her a talking to... maybe scare her off. But things got out of control. The things she said to me... that she said about Kevan... Everything was red. And then Kevan was there and she was dead on the floor... blood everywhere. Kevan told me to leave... to never ever come back. I begged him to come with me but he wouldn't look at me." She wails. "I didn't know where to go. I came back to beg his forgiveness, and found out about all this. I didn't think he would claim the crime for himself. It's not right. It should be me up here, not him. It should be me!"
For his part, the man, Kevan, continues to hang silently. He breathes, but his time hanging here without food or water has left him senseless.
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Tylaerys takes a step closer to the young man and speaks quietly to him with a firm but friendly tone, low enough for the others not to hear. "Listen, I don't doubt this is all what you say it is and I don't intend to interfere with your exacting of necessary justice. Aren't you troubled though? What if the woman speaks the truth. Her story certainly makes more sense than this man murdering your victim and then sitting down to wait for you to arrest him. I believe you might be executing the wrong person, a man prepared to take the blame for that murder to save his spouse. A confession does not make a person guilty, their actions do." She says quietly, her silvery eyes looking pleadingly into the eyes of the young man. "Let us ask the man why he killed her. I'm willing to bet he has no believable answer to that."
Another persuasion if needed: 18
(Did Tylaerys insight check garner her any insights?)
"As weak as he appears to be right now," Cheddar says. "He may be susceptible to magical influence and may be more truthful than usual. A simple Charm Person might get him to speak the truth of the matter. Say, if he were to believe he was being given last rites."
Cheddar looks to Finn.