"Hmph.", Taxidea snorts. He climbs off the table and sits down, continuing to mutter to himself. "Pure intentions? Really? The only thing pure about these 3 is the horse crap they're slinging. I know a bully when I see one and these three aren't fooling anyone."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"...at worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
"Hold Taxieda. We are all leary and will be prepared for trouble. But only if it seeks us. Let us not break hospitality. They may be able to provide us with usefull information after a few ales."
Oskar casts Zone of Truth.
[You create a magical zone that guards against deception in a 15-foot-radius sphere centered on a point of your choice within range. Until the spell ends, a creature that enters the spell's area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there must make a Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, a creature can't speak a deliberate lie while in the radius. You know whether each creature succeeds or fails on its saving throw.
An affected creature is aware of the spell and can thus avoid answering questions to which it would normally respond with a lie. Such a creature can be evasive in its answers as long as it remains within the boundaries of the truth.]
Prim waits until the situation is defused before resuming her chipper attiitude and sitting back at the table. She eats the appetizers while she makes sure there are no ill feeling remaining.
She raises an eyebrow and hopes Oskar's plan reveals truth without inflaming the situation.
(OOC Sorry, I thought I posted part of this earlier)
"No misunderstanding here," the leader of the bugbears says. "We know folks like you don't trust us goblinoids. But that one over there," he says pointing at Prim with one hand as he lifts a ale to his lips with the other, "and her friends did us a great service by ridding us of Maglubiyet's Warlord. Isn't that right Luut?" he asks turning to the goblin with the guitar.
The goblin stops in mid-strum. "Yeah, sure," he replies. "Anything you say, Grugnar." He puts down his instrument and walks over to the bugbear. "What can I get for you?"
"Pints for our liberator and her friends," the big bugbear commands jovially.
"Sure thing," the goblin replies with a relieved grin and goes behind the bar to fetch the drinks. The bartender sets pints of ale on a small tray, takes two of them and sets them by Orion and Alora as Luut serves the others to Prim, Oskar, and Taxidea.
"And whose paying for these, Grugnar?" the barkeep asks the bugbear.
"Good. Prim lost many friends in that battle. We are searching for a couple of survivors. I'm hoping that you may have some information. Did you happen to see any humans with the group that left?"
"Pints for the house, I'll pay", says Prim. "We're all celebrating the fall of Hobgoblin power so this should be a happy occasion." She quickly counts the people in the room and puts the appropriate coins plus tip on the table.
"Now everybody be happy or I'll fireball you! HA (snort) Just kidding!"
Taxidea drinks some of his ale and eats some of his food, but after few minutes will casually make his way to near the Goblin, Luut. He will tip him a silver piece, and speaking softly say "You play wonderfully, friend - here's a silver in appreciation of your talent. I've been on the receiving end of bullies before, the kind that like to pretend to others like they're perfectly innocent, and I can't help but get the sense there's more to these Bugbears than meets the eye. Tell me, what's the real story with those three?"
"...at worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
"Yeah," the bugbear leader replies to Oskar as he downs his drink. "A human and a halfling came through here not too long ago following the last of the army north. Said something about rescuing some friends, kind of like you guys are. Hey," he exclaims as his eyes widen, "you don't think they're after the same folks you are, do ya?"
A subdued cheer is heard from the tavern's patrons when Prim offers to buy a round of drinks for everyone.
"I'm not exactly sure," the goblin bard replies to Taxidea. "They showed up in town about a week ago. Said they were looking for work, but they haven't done more than a few odd jobs, just enough to pay for food and lodging. I think they might be related to the bugbears who have been raiding the caravans going between here and Freeport since the siege was lifted. They gotta be getting support from somewhere. It's odd, though," Luut says scratching his chin, "they don't go near the fortress or the mines. That's where the good jobs are."
Taxidea thanks the bard, then wanders back to Prim and quietly relays what he learned.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"...at worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
"That may be. Tell me more about this human and halfling. Tell me more of your tale since your own liberation as well. My friends and I can supply drink as long as you supply words. Our ears are as thirsty as you all seem to be after your escape."
Oskar focuses on the bugbears as they answer to see if they dodge any questions, or seem to tell different accounts of events. [I'm guessing perception check here. Did the bugbears beat the CHA save? 13 is the save.]
"They came through here a couple of days ago," Grugnar tells Oskar, "asking about what happened to the Goblinoid Army and saying something about a dwarf and an elf. We told them what was left of the army, mostly hobgoblins, headed north towards the mountains and the Dark Realm beyond. As for me and my gang here, us and some other bugbears decided to hang around here for a bit and see what sort of trouble we could get into with the locals." He and a couple of his companions begin to chuckle as they drink.
A handsome, young, dark-haired elf from the group who were listening to the goblin bard approaches Alora with a mischievous, curious gleam in his eyes. "Well, well," he says. "Aren't you an unusual beauty. Mind if I buy you your next drink?"
Taxidea sits down near Prim but continues to glare at the Bugbears, barely holding his temper in check. "Maybe we should do this town a favor," he whispers, "and once we have the information we need, we rid them of these three."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"...at worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
Satisfied that he has gotten all he can from the bugbears, Oskar raises his mug, "To your health." Oskar remains with the bugbears and surveys the room.
"Two more here," the elf says with a snap of his fingers. "My name is Sorenson. Jo Sorenson," he says offering his hand to Alora. "My father established this place," he continues with a grand gesture indicating the whole tavern. He turns back to Alora. "So, what brings such a rare and fiery beauty to our little hole in the ground?"
Alora gives Jo a smile and offers him her hand in return.
“One if my companions has friends that may require help. I myself however find it highly pleasing to learn from other cultures and experience them. Your father was clearly a wise business man to have established such a fine place.“
Alora will gently place a finger on his chest.
”I however am much more interested in learning about you and your village however if you will indulge a lady.”
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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"Hmph.", Taxidea snorts. He climbs off the table and sits down, continuing to mutter to himself. "Pure intentions? Really? The only thing pure about these 3 is the horse crap they're slinging. I know a bully when I see one and these three aren't fooling anyone."
"...at worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
"Hold Taxieda. We are all leary and will be prepared for trouble. But only if it seeks us. Let us not break hospitality. They may be able to provide us with usefull information after a few ales."
Oskar casts Zone of Truth.
[You create a magical zone that guards against deception in a 15-foot-radius sphere centered on a point of your choice within range. Until the spell ends, a creature that enters the spell's area for the first time on a turn or starts its turn there must make a Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, a creature can't speak a deliberate lie while in the radius. You know whether each creature succeeds or fails on its saving throw.
An affected creature is aware of the spell and can thus avoid answering questions to which it would normally respond with a lie. Such a creature can be evasive in its answers as long as it remains within the boundaries of the truth.]
Okay, Oskar, where are you centering the spell?
Oskar grabs some ales and brings them to the bugbears centering the spell at their table.
"Friends, sorry for any misunderstanding. Ale will make up for any missteps?"
Prim waits until the situation is defused before resuming her chipper attiitude and sitting back at the table. She eats the appetizers while she makes sure there are no ill feeling remaining.
She raises an eyebrow and hopes Oskar's plan reveals truth without inflaming the situation.
(OOC Sorry, I thought I posted part of this earlier)
"No misunderstanding here," the leader of the bugbears says. "We know folks like you don't trust us goblinoids. But that one over there," he says pointing at Prim with one hand as he lifts a ale to his lips with the other, "and her friends did us a great service by ridding us of Maglubiyet's Warlord. Isn't that right Luut?" he asks turning to the goblin with the guitar.
The goblin stops in mid-strum. "Yeah, sure," he replies. "Anything you say, Grugnar." He puts down his instrument and walks over to the bugbear. "What can I get for you?"
"Pints for our liberator and her friends," the big bugbear commands jovially.
"Sure thing," the goblin replies with a relieved grin and goes behind the bar to fetch the drinks. The bartender sets pints of ale on a small tray, takes two of them and sets them by Orion and Alora as Luut serves the others to Prim, Oskar, and Taxidea.
"And whose paying for these, Grugnar?" the barkeep asks the bugbear.
"Good. Prim lost many friends in that battle. We are searching for a couple of survivors. I'm hoping that you may have some information. Did you happen to see any humans with the group that left?"
"Pints for the house, I'll pay", says Prim. "We're all celebrating the fall of Hobgoblin power so this should be a happy occasion." She quickly counts the people in the room and puts the appropriate coins plus tip on the table.
"Now everybody be happy or I'll fireball you! HA (snort) Just kidding!"
Taxidea drinks some of his ale and eats some of his food, but after few minutes will casually make his way to near the Goblin, Luut. He will tip him a silver piece, and speaking softly say "You play wonderfully, friend - here's a silver in appreciation of your talent. I've been on the receiving end of bullies before, the kind that like to pretend to others like they're perfectly innocent, and I can't help but get the sense there's more to these Bugbears than meets the eye. Tell me, what's the real story with those three?"
"...at worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
"Yeah," the bugbear leader replies to Oskar as he downs his drink. "A human and a halfling came through here not too long ago following the last of the army north. Said something about rescuing some friends, kind of like you guys are. Hey," he exclaims as his eyes widen, "you don't think they're after the same folks you are, do ya?"
A subdued cheer is heard from the tavern's patrons when Prim offers to buy a round of drinks for everyone.
"I'm not exactly sure," the goblin bard replies to Taxidea. "They showed up in town about a week ago. Said they were looking for work, but they haven't done more than a few odd jobs, just enough to pay for food and lodging. I think they might be related to the bugbears who have been raiding the caravans going between here and Freeport since the siege was lifted. They gotta be getting support from somewhere. It's odd, though," Luut says scratching his chin, "they don't go near the fortress or the mines. That's where the good jobs are."
Taxidea thanks the bard, then wanders back to Prim and quietly relays what he learned.
"...at worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
"That may be. Tell me more about this human and halfling. Tell me more of your tale since your own liberation as well. My friends and I can supply drink as long as you supply words. Our ears are as thirsty as you all seem to be after your escape."
Oskar focuses on the bugbears as they answer to see if they dodge any questions, or seem to tell different accounts of events. [I'm guessing perception check here. Did the bugbears beat the CHA save? 13 is the save.]
See the situation has calmed Alora allows herself to relax some, taking a drink. She gives the glass a raise toward Prim in thanks for the round.
(The bugbears failed their CHA save.)
"They came through here a couple of days ago," Grugnar tells Oskar, "asking about what happened to the Goblinoid Army and saying something about a dwarf and an elf. We told them what was left of the army, mostly hobgoblins, headed north towards the mountains and the Dark Realm beyond. As for me and my gang here, us and some other bugbears decided to hang around here for a bit and see what sort of trouble we could get into with the locals." He and a couple of his companions begin to chuckle as they drink.
A handsome, young, dark-haired elf from the group who were listening to the goblin bard approaches Alora with a mischievous, curious gleam in his eyes. "Well, well," he says. "Aren't you an unusual beauty. Mind if I buy you your next drink?"
Alora looks the elf over. She thinks its best to accept while gaining more insight. Could simply be what it seems or perhaps not.
”From a good looking fellow like yourself, sure as long as your drinking with me.”
She gives him a wink.
insight roll 21
Orion positions himself to survey both the bugbear group and Alora's new friend. He remains casual and does nothing to attract attention.
Taxidea sits down near Prim but continues to glare at the Bugbears, barely holding his temper in check. "Maybe we should do this town a favor," he whispers, "and once we have the information we need, we rid them of these three."
"...at worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
Satisfied that he has gotten all he can from the bugbears, Oskar raises his mug, "To your health." Oskar remains with the bugbears and surveys the room.
"Two more here," the elf says with a snap of his fingers. "My name is Sorenson. Jo Sorenson," he says offering his hand to Alora. "My father established this place," he continues with a grand gesture indicating the whole tavern. He turns back to Alora. "So, what brings such a rare and fiery beauty to our little hole in the ground?"
Alora gives Jo a smile and offers him her hand in return.
“One if my companions has friends that may require help. I myself however find it highly pleasing to learn from other cultures and experience them. Your father was clearly a wise business man to have established such a fine place.“
Alora will gently place a finger on his chest.
”I however am much more interested in learning about you and your village however if you will indulge a lady.”