The map, as you find, is written in Undercommon, the language of the beasts underground. It is a simple map, leading to the ruins of a keep deep within the woods nearby. However, as you read it, you notice a note, barely legible, in the corner.
"BEWARE THE MAN WHOSE SMILE LAUGHS"
The warning had clearly been erased before, as if someone didn't want anyone to read such a thing.
The ranger looks around, startled when the voice in his head speaks. "Magic..." he mutters. He then says in a louder voice, "The map contains the town from ages past, with the forest as a large expanse. It shows a fort deep within. Someone tried to erase "BEWARE THE MAN WHOSE SMILE LAUGHS"... it is also in Undercommon," He scratches his head while in thought. "Is Undercommon a normal language used in this area?"
Bjorne looks around to see who is paying attention, trying to spot the one who put the mental question in his head.
The Thri-kreen whom the map and information belongs to perks at the words you say. Under his breath, you hear him say "I knew that thing led somewhere!" before rushing to you. "Can you tell anything else? I- I could - OH! I know! You could help me! I'm not really meant for adventure, but you! you look like you could take a hit! There'd be coin in it for you, if you want!"
Rowan still isn’t going to insert himself into someone else’s conversation, but the Thri-kreen’s excitement has caught his attention, distracting him from the craziness going on with the monk and the boy.
"You have caught me during a lull in my journey and I am interested in mapping the area. I'm a skilled mapper and navigator, but if the ruins are there, it will probably require abilities explore properly that I don't have, thus requiring at least few others to flesh out the exploring group.."
The ranger pulls a slip of parchment and his seal. "I'm willing to create a contract and hire the group to explore the area. I have my seal to make it official. How much are you offering?"
The thri-kreen's eyes go wide. "Really?! Well, a hundred gold seems fair, right? For anyone involved!" He begins to run to the door before nearly tripping over himself turning back to you. "I should wait until your ready! And, uh, did I ever give you my name?"
While entertaining Arty's arm wrestling bout, Pumahk had been subtly keeping watch of the over the thri-kreen; it wasn't everyday you saw one, even for someone as well traveled as Pumahk. His interest only grew at the mention of a fort, and it grew again at the mention of 100 gold. Living as a wanderer wasn't necessarily a high-paying job, and Arty's shenanigans often ended up costing more money than they earned. He decided to approach the human who was conversing with the thri-kreen to ask about the opportunity.
"Hello there. I couldn't help but hear talk of exploring some ruins, and seeing as this sounds to be uncharted territory you speak of, it might be best if you had someone well versed in combat and protection. I've done some bodyguard work myself, and I'd be quite interested in joining you if you're hiring."
(OOC: I'm back. Thanks for waiting, all! Athletics: 15 (15 + 0) in character sheet.)
As Arty yanks his arm, Hikari stays calm, closing his eyes and gently tensing his muscles to resist the pull. Patiently he waits, feeling Arty's pull diminish as the seconds tick by. He strikes the perfect pose of a monk -- stone-faced, calm against whatever wind blows his way. Then, as Arty's strength gives way, he pulls up with all his might, like a sleeping beast emerging from the depths of the sea. Arty's hand slams into the table, and Hikari gives him a handshake and a nod.
"Well fought, young warrior," he tells Arty in a -- only slightly -- drunken slur (in the sense that it's not quite unintelligible), smiling -- as best as he can -- at the young apprentice. "Where are you from, and what's brought you here today?"
"Deal! 100 GP it is! Along with finder's & recovery rights..." He quickly finishes the contract, puts out an ink pad and pushes his signet ring into to it. The ranger then stamps with the ring and slides towards the thri-kreen and goliath. "You two mark that with your seal or signature under my mark and I'll start looking around for a few more people willing to work for a share of recovery bounty on short notice".
Bjorn looks around and speaks out in a louder voice, "Yo! I am Bjorne Stahle. I'm setting up an expedition to go check out an old set of ruins deep in the woods. The pay is, ummm... ", He pauses to figure out the pay scale vs the money he has available, "14 sp per week plus food and a crew share of anything valuable." He looks at Katchka and says in alower tone, "The food is going to be our biggest expense, 7 gp per crew person for two weeks of rations. It's going to be 9 gold & 8 silver total per team member... that includes you."
He then sits down and starts mumbling to himself "Will we be hiking out there or can we afford a wagon and a team? No... Carts would be easier to get through rough areas, and we can afford those... "
The mention of ruins deep in the woods cuts through the tavern noise like a hawk's cry, and Rowan's attention shifts fully from the arm-wrestling spectacle to the ranger and the thri-kreen. His fingers stop their idle tapping against his mug.
He rises from his seat with the same unhurried ease he'd shown earlier, staff in hand, and approaches the growing group near Bjorne. He glances at the map, then back to Bjorne. "I'm interested. The woods have their own language, and ruins..." he pauses, his eyes thoughtful, "...ruins don't stay empty for long. Nature reclaims them, and other things move in." His voice carries that same practical directness from before. "If you're heading into deep woods, you'll want someone who knows how to read the land—and who can handle what lives there."
The broken pride of Arty starts to swell up in the face, unsure if he's angry that he didn't win or saddened. "Well I'm just from the streets. Toughen me up, you know? Well till Pumahk tried to civilize me for some reason. He carries my stuff, I keep us from living a boring life. Which I might say is getting to be a tougher and tougher job." The sting of losing fades a bit as Arty starts talking about himself. Finally daring to see the obvious look of disappointment on his face, Arty finally glances over towards Pumahk, and finds he is no longer there. There's a change he didn't see! Turning over his other shoulder to finally notice the thri-kreen and realized Pumahk was over there too. "I'd better get going." Starting towards the direction of Pumahk. Arty quickly grabs the rest of his drinking cup and gives it another go. With a slight gag, he manages to get some down. Perhaps they will see my true toughness if I just holding it for a while...
Stealth to keep it hidden from Pumahk: 14 (16 if using slight of hand)
Brion's attention pivots on the spot when the expedition is announced. Now might be as good a time as any to lay low for a while, get out of town, and maybe finally finish that song he's been working on. He walks on over to the assembling group and says "I'm in - could always use a little bit of fresh air, and to be honest, I could use a little inspiration for my next amazingly successful residency. When do we start?"
"Interesting, young warrior. I t-think that you have plenty of potential," Hikari replies to Arty in a slight, nervous stutter, smiling wistfully as a brief childhood memory returns to him. He reminds me of myself.
Hikari is jolted out of his thoughts as soon as he hears the mention of coin, his gaze immediately sweeping the tavern. Although his vision's a little blurry from the drink, he spots -- what is that? Some bug-like creature sits at the table with two others, enticing them with pay and an adventure. Then, as Bjorn stands up and asks for volunteers, Hikari begins to ponder his choices. Maybe -- but I haven't been on a proper adventure for so long. But it would pay well, wouldn't it? Hikari stands up to his full height, his hips cheering after their release from the dreaded chair, and walks over, trying to shove his unconfidence deep beneath the stormy waters of his mind.
"Hello," he says, stuttering slightly, "I h-heard you-u were off-offering a job? I d-don't sound like much," and here, a bright chuckle escapes his throat, "b-but I'm sure I c-can help your party in s-some way. I c-could leave now, or w-w-we could wait a night and l-leave in the morning."
"Well, that was quicker than I thought it would be." comments Bjorne. "Thinking about it, we should go light, without wagons. We don't know what's out there and we can always return if there is anything that needs wagons for recovery." He turns tom the group gathering "Welcome! we just need to gather food and water. Does everyone have a bedroll and a messkit?"
(OOC: depending on the time of day we can get the supplies now & plan to set out at the earliest opportunity.)
"Y-yes, I do. I would pr-prefer a day of rest b-b-beforehand, to rid myself of the i-influence of the d-d-drink, but I suppose I could go n-now." Hikari stumbles through his sentences, feeling the ale begin to chill his bones. He then turns to the rest of the group. "H-hello, all! I am H-Hikari, a monk of the Order of the W-white Lotus. What are your names, and w-what is your quest, if any?"
He'll sit down, observing the rest of the group. His new companions. Possibly his new friends. He listens carefully to their responses, considering the odds and determining whether they may be friend -- or if they are foe.
Rowan nods at Bjorne's question, giving the growing group a quick assessment.
"I'm set," he says simply. "Bedroll, mess kit, and enough trail experience to keep myself fed if rations run short."
He glances toward the door, then back to Bjorne. "I travel light by habit—makes it easier to move through rough terrain. Though..." he pauses, considering, "I should mention I have a scout. An owl. He's waiting outside, good for aerial recon and watching our camp at night."
His eyes move to the thri-kreen. "You said the ruins are deep in the woods. Do you know anything else about the area? What kind of forest we're looking at? How long a journey?"
(Is this not the response? If not totally cool, this is just what Galdrun is asking about)
The ranger looks around, startled when the voice in his head speaks. "Magic..." he mutters. He then says in a louder voice, "The map contains the town from ages past, with the forest as a large expanse. It shows a fort deep within. Someone tried to erase "
BEWARE THE MAN WHOSE SMILE LAUGHS"...it is also in Undercommon," He scratches his head while in thought. "Is Undercommon a normal language used in this area?"Bjorne looks around to see who is paying attention, trying to spot the one who put the mental question in his head.
Cats go Moo!
The Thri-kreen whom the map and information belongs to perks at the words you say. Under his breath, you hear him say "I knew that thing led somewhere!" before rushing to you. "Can you tell anything else? I- I could - OH! I know! You could help me! I'm not really meant for adventure, but you! you look like you could take a hit! There'd be coin in it for you, if you want!"
Rowan still isn’t going to insert himself into someone else’s conversation, but the Thri-kreen’s excitement has caught his attention, distracting him from the craziness going on with the monk and the boy.
"You have caught me during a lull in my journey and I am interested in mapping the area. I'm a skilled mapper and navigator, but if the ruins are there, it will probably require abilities explore properly that I don't have, thus requiring at least few others to flesh out the exploring group.."
The ranger pulls a slip of parchment and his seal. "I'm willing to create a contract and hire the group to explore the area. I have my seal to make it official. How much are you offering?"
Cats go Moo!
The thri-kreen's eyes go wide. "Really?! Well, a hundred gold seems fair, right? For anyone involved!" He begins to run to the door before nearly tripping over himself turning back to you. "I should wait until your ready! And, uh, did I ever give you my name?"
Brion perks up, hearing the mention of 100 gold. He starts paying attention, but trying really hard to not look like he's paying attention.
While entertaining Arty's arm wrestling bout, Pumahk had been subtly keeping watch of the over the thri-kreen; it wasn't everyday you saw one, even for someone as well traveled as Pumahk. His interest only grew at the mention of a fort, and it grew again at the mention of 100 gold. Living as a wanderer wasn't necessarily a high-paying job, and Arty's shenanigans often ended up costing more money than they earned. He decided to approach the human who was conversing with the thri-kreen to ask about the opportunity.
"Hello there. I couldn't help but hear talk of exploring some ruins, and seeing as this sounds to be uncharted territory you speak of, it might be best if you had someone well versed in combat and protection. I've done some bodyguard work myself, and I'd be quite interested in joining you if you're hiring."
The Thri-kreen looks at you in surprise. 'Really? Alright then! I'll wait for your tiny friend, and we'll be off!"
(OOC: I'm back. Thanks for waiting, all! Athletics: 15 (15 + 0) in character sheet.)
As Arty yanks his arm, Hikari stays calm, closing his eyes and gently tensing his muscles to resist the pull. Patiently he waits, feeling Arty's pull diminish as the seconds tick by. He strikes the perfect pose of a monk -- stone-faced, calm against whatever wind blows his way. Then, as Arty's strength gives way, he pulls up with all his might, like a sleeping beast emerging from the depths of the sea. Arty's hand slams into the table, and Hikari gives him a handshake and a nod.
"Well fought, young warrior," he tells Arty in a -- only slightly -- drunken slur (in the sense that it's not quite unintelligible), smiling -- as best as he can -- at the young apprentice. "Where are you from, and what's brought you here today?"
Religious frisbee player, writer, goofball, and nerd. Some may say professional for the latter two.
Extended sig here. Send me a PM if you want to chat.
DM: Liquid Swords - A Historical Wuxia Campaign
Player: Marcus Aquillus Arcade (Quil) - 1st Rogue - Pax Romana
"Deal! 100 GP it is! Along with finder's & recovery rights..." He quickly finishes the contract, puts out an ink pad and pushes his signet ring into to it. The ranger then stamps with the ring and slides towards the thri-kreen and goliath. "You two mark that with your seal or signature under my mark and I'll start looking around for a few more people willing to work for a share of recovery bounty on short notice".
Bjorn looks around and speaks out in a louder voice, "Yo! I am Bjorne Stahle. I'm setting up an expedition to go check out an old set of ruins deep in the woods. The pay is, ummm... ", He pauses to figure out the pay scale vs the money he has available, "14 sp per week plus food and a crew share of anything valuable." He looks at Katchka and says in alower tone, "The food is going to be our biggest expense, 7 gp per crew person for two weeks of rations. It's going to be 9 gold & 8 silver total per team member... that includes you."
He then sits down and starts mumbling to himself "Will we be hiking out there or can we afford a wagon and a team? No... Carts would be easier to get through rough areas, and we can afford those... "
Cats go Moo!
*Bjorne hears that to same voice in his head* "I'll come along. I'm the beardless dwarf by the bar"
The mention of ruins deep in the woods cuts through the tavern noise like a hawk's cry, and Rowan's attention shifts fully from the arm-wrestling spectacle to the ranger and the thri-kreen. His fingers stop their idle tapping against his mug.
He rises from his seat with the same unhurried ease he'd shown earlier, staff in hand, and approaches the growing group near Bjorne. He glances at the map, then back to Bjorne. "I'm interested. The woods have their own language, and ruins..." he pauses, his eyes thoughtful, "...ruins don't stay empty for long. Nature reclaims them, and other things move in." His voice carries that same practical directness from before. "If you're heading into deep woods, you'll want someone who knows how to read the land—and who can handle what lives there."
The broken pride of Arty starts to swell up in the face, unsure if he's angry that he didn't win or saddened. "Well I'm just from the streets. Toughen me up, you know? Well till Pumahk tried to civilize me for some reason. He carries my stuff, I keep us from living a boring life. Which I might say is getting to be a tougher and tougher job." The sting of losing fades a bit as Arty starts talking about himself. Finally daring to see the obvious look of disappointment on his face, Arty finally glances over towards Pumahk, and finds he is no longer there. There's a change he didn't see! Turning over his other shoulder to finally notice the thri-kreen and realized Pumahk was over there too. "I'd better get going." Starting towards the direction of Pumahk. Arty quickly grabs the rest of his drinking cup and gives it another go. With a slight gag, he manages to get some down. Perhaps they will see my true toughness if I just holding it for a while...
Stealth to keep it hidden from Pumahk: 14 (16 if using slight of hand)
Brion's attention pivots on the spot when the expedition is announced. Now might be as good a time as any to lay low for a while, get out of town, and maybe finally finish that song he's been working on. He walks on over to the assembling group and says "I'm in - could always use a little bit of fresh air, and to be honest, I could use a little inspiration for my next amazingly successful residency. When do we start?"
(OOC: Any winnings from the match?)
"Interesting, young warrior. I t-think that you have plenty of potential," Hikari replies to Arty in a slight, nervous stutter, smiling wistfully as a brief childhood memory returns to him. He reminds me of myself.
Hikari is jolted out of his thoughts as soon as he hears the mention of coin, his gaze immediately sweeping the tavern. Although his vision's a little blurry from the drink, he spots -- what is that? Some bug-like creature sits at the table with two others, enticing them with pay and an adventure. Then, as Bjorn stands up and asks for volunteers, Hikari begins to ponder his choices. Maybe -- but I haven't been on a proper adventure for so long. But it would pay well, wouldn't it? Hikari stands up to his full height, his hips cheering after their release from the dreaded chair, and walks over, trying to shove his unconfidence deep beneath the stormy waters of his mind.
"Hello," he says, stuttering slightly, "I h-heard you-u were off-offering a job? I d-don't sound like much," and here, a bright chuckle escapes his throat, "b-but I'm sure I c-can help your party in s-some way. I c-could leave now, or w-w-we could wait a night and l-leave in the morning."
Religious frisbee player, writer, goofball, and nerd. Some may say professional for the latter two.
Extended sig here. Send me a PM if you want to chat.
DM: Liquid Swords - A Historical Wuxia Campaign
Player: Marcus Aquillus Arcade (Quil) - 1st Rogue - Pax Romana
"Well, that was quicker than I thought it would be." comments Bjorne. "Thinking about it, we should go light, without wagons. We don't know what's out there and we can always return if there is anything that needs wagons for recovery." He turns tom the group gathering "Welcome! we just need to gather food and water. Does everyone have a bedroll and a messkit?"
(OOC: depending on the time of day we can get the supplies now & plan to set out at the earliest opportunity.)
Cats go Moo!
"Y-yes, I do. I would pr-prefer a day of rest b-b-beforehand, to rid myself of the i-influence of the d-d-drink, but I suppose I could go n-now." Hikari stumbles through his sentences, feeling the ale begin to chill his bones. He then turns to the rest of the group. "H-hello, all! I am H-Hikari, a monk of the Order of the W-white Lotus. What are your names, and w-what is your quest, if any?"
He'll sit down, observing the rest of the group. His new companions. Possibly his new friends. He listens carefully to their responses, considering the odds and determining whether they may be friend -- or if they are foe.
Religious frisbee player, writer, goofball, and nerd. Some may say professional for the latter two.
Extended sig here. Send me a PM if you want to chat.
DM: Liquid Swords - A Historical Wuxia Campaign
Player: Marcus Aquillus Arcade (Quil) - 1st Rogue - Pax Romana
Rowan nods at Bjorne's question, giving the growing group a quick assessment.
"I'm set," he says simply. "Bedroll, mess kit, and enough trail experience to keep myself fed if rations run short."
He glances toward the door, then back to Bjorne. "I travel light by habit—makes it easier to move through rough terrain. Though..." he pauses, considering, "I should mention I have a scout. An owl. He's waiting outside, good for aerial recon and watching our camp at night."
His eyes move to the thri-kreen. "You said the ruins are deep in the woods. Do you know anything else about the area? What kind of forest we're looking at? How long a journey?"
Galdrun will go purchase supplies for the trip