This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
16
Scupper, you are able to overhear snatches of the conversation between the men, even though their voices are low. They're mostly complaining about the road, talking about their families and looking forward to seeing them again. There's a strained aspect to their conversation - there's clearly something big that they're avoiding talking about, but it's nothing to do with you. They don't notice you paying attention to them.
Dekhan, Rose looks at you for a moment before replying. Perhaps you can catch them at breakfast, though I suspect they're early risers. .
The symbol is of Waterdeep, and their sigil suggests these are members of the City Guard, the armed force that patrols the lands surrounding the city to keep the peace, unlike the City Watch that keeps order in the city itself. They have a reputation for competence and honesty, at least more so than most other large armed groups, and they are a professional outfit, not a militia.
Scupper approaches Dekhan and Rose and whispers to Dekhan, "Sometings botherin' that lot...but it's not me I swear."
Scupper buys a round for the guard patrol.
"Well since YOU just bought them a round o' drinks YOU should go bend the ears o' those upstanding gentlemen and leave the pirates te get pished. Another bottle if ye would Rose. Vaz and I will be in rare form tonight."
"Vaz, m'lad! Have I shown you a proper way te spice yer wine?! A glass o' yourn wit a shot o' mine! We call it a cannonball."
(Just let me know how much more for the additional bottle of rotgut and the round of ale for the guards...and what time I black out or pass out.)
A round of ale for the guards is well within the amount of money that Varinth dropped on Rose, so she refuses payment. When the guard captain ask, she says that it was your group as a whole who bought the ale for them, and they raise their tankards to you all.
A bottle of the Docker's Ale (the cheap, nasty spirit) costs 5 silver.
Scupper and Varinth can drink themselves into oblivion if they wish - let me know if you're taking your time or getting there as fast as possible.
Scupper is always mystified that Vaz drinks as much and usually winds up where he oughta the next day. It starts as an experiment to follow Vaz drinking glass for glass. Where things go, i leave to chance and a penchant for self destruction.
Strix sits cross-legged to one side of the gate with his staff balanced across outstretched fingers, occasionally eying the guard to ensure there's no objection to his presence, but otherwise allowing his consciousness to rotate inwards and contemplate.
Specifically, to contemplate why he was sitting by the side of the road instead of heading inside. After a tenday of isolation surely the tolerance for an evening's idle chatter was there to absorb the high cost of a comfortable bed and a warm meal. He'd always been eremitic in his approach to seeking purity but surely this journey had at least taught him some kind of sketel values? No one was suggesting he needed to become a full on cenobite but would it be so bad to just share an ale with friends and talk?
Yes. It probably would. Talking has, at best, led to misunderstanding. It might be best to avoid that - perhaps even forgo it as a rule. Would that bring him closer to the ideal? A unity of purpose and execution rid of that imperfection would itself become perfection of expression through those faculties he had mastered - And through that mastery of the body alone could he achieve mastery of the spirit? Or would he always be hampered by these muddled thoughts?
But then of course he will - trying to fracture his ki, divert the flow and silt up the channels that feed his consciousness, that was the very opposite of mastery. A form in fear of its aesthetic can never be one. Perhaps that's the true challenge - the body can and has been conquered, trained and molded. Isn't it time he did the same with his mind?
Dekhan winks at Scupper and heads over to the guards table. Well met, lads! What news from the city of splendors? It seems I’ve ordered too many ales, would you aid me in the drinking of them?
Strix, the guard does not seem to have any objections to your presence, and though he watches you curiously from time to time, his manner is watchful, not hostile.
As you speak with him, he answers: Guarding good indeed, friend. Lack so far of goblins, bandits and trolls is even better. You and your group down from Neverwinter?
Dekhan, you approach the table, with Rose carrying the drinks. Well met, the guard captain replies. Always good to know the Guard is appreciated. They invite you, a little awkwardly, to sit with them, but are happy to accept the drinks and the chance to talk.
If you want to find out anything specific in your conversation with them, let me know and make the appropriate check, probably Persuasion.
Incantis, Rose has no specifically elvish wine, but does have a wide selection of wines produced in Waterdeep and the surrounding areas. Most cost 10gp a bottle, with some more expensive ones on offer as well.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Dekhan graciously pulls up a chair with the guardsmen. The names Dekhan, formerly of Amphail, my friends and I are heading down to Waterdeep to see the crown of the north. Anything a band such as ours should know of the city these days? Or the roads leading there? persuasion7
Varinth, always happy to have a drinking buddy, eagerly learns how to spice a drink. Having little to no sense of smell means anything that can help activate his dulled palette is welcome.
Varinth will not go too hard and fast, happy to have a meandering drinking session, full of laughter, deep conversations and the inevitable talk of opening their own tavern. Deciding on the name of the imaginary Inn is always the the most sacred of undertaking that any two drunk men can have.
The Cock's Crow!... The Bucket n' Splendor! HaH! *hic* The Pig n... The Pig an... TRUFFLE!
Strix, the guard nods amiably. Mines and skulls and drow. Sounds a bit... busy for my liking. He watches as you head back to your place, and resumes his inactivity. After an hour or so, another fellow comes to replace him.
Dekhan, the guard captain nods to one of the others. Drewer's from Amphail. Drewer, you know this guy? Drewer rolls his eyes; Don't mind the captain, he says. He thinks every city outside Waterdeep is three pigs and two huts. You drink together and the soldiers chat, but the sense that something is wrong fades a little over time, as though a bit of drink and talk and they can put it out of their minds. If you ask them directly, the captain just shrugs. Dunno, just a weird feeling. Bandits getting more aggressive, gangs in the city too, pirates the same. Just feels like... something's about to happen. Still, it's always something, right? Gods and dragons and mad mages and Spellplagues - never a dull moment in Waterdeep, the fairest of cities. He raises his tankard in salute of his home city, and the other soldiers do the same.
Varinth and Scupper, you both are quite capable of a marathon drinking session - we can assume that you go through the night and awake in the early afternoon of the following day, having been dumped in your bedrooms, all of Varinth's coppers quite spent on a wide variety of tipples.
"That's a shame,"Incantis replies to Rose's response of the lack of elvish wine. "I'll have a glass, Dwarvish."When in Neverwinter,he thinks, and new experiences have worked out for me so far...
At some point he contacts Dekhan while sipping his wine and watching Vaz and Scupper. What do you wager? I'll put 5 silver on Scupper.
Later he wanders out to look for Strix.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Incantis, half-elf warlock (great old one) 4/bard 1 ● Thorok Earthhand, hill dwarf mountain druid 6/grave cleric 2
Cragmyre Ironseed, earth genasi ancestral barbarian 3 ● Cyrus Natriallae, aquatic half-elf warlock of the deep 3
Dekhan laughs Yes, Amphail had 6 pigs when I left and that was 15 years ago. Could be well over a dozen by now. He drinks jovially with the guardsmen, trading stories of battle but grows a bit more serious when the explanation of the sense of unease comes forth. Aye, there’s something in the air alright. But then if there wasn’t some threat on the way men like us would have to find different employment! And there’s no wolf at the door tonight, lets have another round! Dekhan gets another round and keeps the drinks flowing and if more information is forthcoming so much the better.
Incantis, the wine is good and reasonably priced at 5 silver pieces for a pitcher; the cost is covered by Varinth's bag o' coppers.
(If you and Dekhan want to bet on Scupper and Varinth's constitution, let me know - but one of you will have to stick around to observe the outcome.)
Dekhan, the next round is also covered by Varinth. You learn more about the men, and you and Drewer do have some memories of places in Amphail that you both liked, although he's a few years younger than you. You learn that Takry and Sollen are from Waterdeep born and bred, Julis is from Neverwinter originally but his family moved to Waterdeep when he was a child, and Cassa and Lindren, the only two women in the group, are distant cousins both hailing from the villages around the big city. You talk and drink and talk some more, but everyone is keen to avoid unpleasant topics for the rest of the night - they ask about you, and it's up to you how much you want to tell them about your adventures around Phandalin, but they will lap up whatever you tell them.
Eventually it grows late, and the soldiers head out - they are making camp outside the keep, and Strix, you notice them as they walk, or in some cases stagger, past.
Dekhan, you head off to bed, unless you're staying to watch the two drinkers and their progress through the night.
Incantis, you can follow the soldiers out and find Strix beyond the keep's walls. With the soldiers nearby and a dedicated guard at the keep, you can get a night's sleep and don't need to keep watch, though of course Zhudala could help out if you want.
Please let me know if there's anything else you want to do in the evening; otherwise we'll shift to the following afternoon when Scupper and Varinth decide to wake up.
Dekhan will regale the guards with a few choice stories of the quest for Wave Echo cave. Balancing boasting with humbleness and generally having a good time. When the guards start to drift off to bed Dekhan will get down to the business of serious drinking with Vaz and Scup. As he hasn’t been keeping pace with them for the beginning of the night he figures going drink for drink with them, if not prudent, will at least not be deadly and will be a good team building exercise.
Szhu know...thish dwarvish rot guttish might be strongish than I thought...ish. They haz that prop...propenshitty... it's hard te poiszhon them...so I guessssss...itsh hard to drunk em
Dekhan has been drinking, but not enough to hamper his faculties.
Earlier, to Rose: Rose, what do you suppose got the halflings and half-elves upset? I would have liked to have a word with them.
Now, in regards to the men in uniform: Dekhan will try to remember their sigil history 16
16
Scupper, you are able to overhear snatches of the conversation between the men, even though their voices are low. They're mostly complaining about the road, talking about their families and looking forward to seeing them again. There's a strained aspect to their conversation - there's clearly something big that they're avoiding talking about, but it's nothing to do with you. They don't notice you paying attention to them.
Dekhan, Rose looks at you for a moment before replying. Perhaps you can catch them at breakfast, though I suspect they're early risers. .
The symbol is of Waterdeep, and their sigil suggests these are members of the City Guard, the armed force that patrols the lands surrounding the city to keep the peace, unlike the City Watch that keeps order in the city itself. They have a reputation for competence and honesty, at least more so than most other large armed groups, and they are a professional outfit, not a militia.
Scupper approaches Dekhan and Rose and whispers to Dekhan, "Sometings botherin' that lot...but it's not me I swear."
Scupper buys a round for the guard patrol.
"Well since YOU just bought them a round o' drinks YOU should go bend the ears o' those upstanding gentlemen and leave the pirates te get pished. Another bottle if ye would Rose. Vaz and I will be in rare form tonight."
"Vaz, m'lad! Have I shown you a proper way te spice yer wine?! A glass o' yourn wit a shot o' mine! We call it a cannonball."
(Just let me know how much more for the additional bottle of rotgut and the round of ale for the guards...and what time I black out or pass out.)
A round of ale for the guards is well within the amount of money that Varinth dropped on Rose, so she refuses payment. When the guard captain ask, she says that it was your group as a whole who bought the ale for them, and they raise their tankards to you all.
A bottle of the Docker's Ale (the cheap, nasty spirit) costs 5 silver.
Scupper and Varinth can drink themselves into oblivion if they wish - let me know if you're taking your time or getting there as fast as possible.
Scupper is always mystified that Vaz drinks as much and usually winds up where he oughta the next day. It starts as an experiment to follow Vaz drinking glass for glass. Where things go, i leave to chance and a penchant for self destruction.
Strix sits cross-legged to one side of the gate with his staff balanced across outstretched fingers, occasionally eying the guard to ensure there's no objection to his presence, but otherwise allowing his consciousness to rotate inwards and contemplate.
Specifically, to contemplate why he was sitting by the side of the road instead of heading inside. After a tenday of isolation surely the tolerance for an evening's idle chatter was there to absorb the high cost of a comfortable bed and a warm meal. He'd always been eremitic in his approach to seeking purity but surely this journey had at least taught him some kind of sketel values? No one was suggesting he needed to become a full on cenobite but would it be so bad to just share an ale with friends and talk?
Yes. It probably would. Talking has, at best, led to misunderstanding. It might be best to avoid that - perhaps even forgo it as a rule. Would that bring him closer to the ideal? A unity of purpose and execution rid of that imperfection would itself become perfection of expression through those faculties he had mastered - And through that mastery of the body alone could he achieve mastery of the spirit? Or would he always be hampered by these muddled thoughts?
But then of course he will - trying to fracture his ki, divert the flow and silt up the channels that feed his consciousness, that was the very opposite of mastery. A form in fear of its aesthetic can never be one. Perhaps that's the true challenge - the body can and has been conquered, trained and molded. Isn't it time he did the same with his mind?
It begins now.
He rises, approaches the guard and waves.
"Hi. Strix. Nice day. Guarding? Guarding good."
Strix, Shifter Shadow Monk in Lost Mines of Phandelver ¦ Sihegiall Human Soulknife Rogue in In Search of Molly McGuffin
Dekhan winks at Scupper and heads over to the guards table. Well met, lads! What news from the city of splendors? It seems I’ve ordered too many ales, would you aid me in the drinking of them?
Strix, the guard does not seem to have any objections to your presence, and though he watches you curiously from time to time, his manner is watchful, not hostile.
As you speak with him, he answers: Guarding good indeed, friend. Lack so far of goblins, bandits and trolls is even better. You and your group down from Neverwinter?
Dekhan, you approach the table, with Rose carrying the drinks. Well met, the guard captain replies. Always good to know the Guard is appreciated. They invite you, a little awkwardly, to sit with them, but are happy to accept the drinks and the chance to talk.
If you want to find out anything specific in your conversation with them, let me know and make the appropriate check, probably Persuasion.
Incantis, Rose has no specifically elvish wine, but does have a wide selection of wines produced in Waterdeep and the surrounding areas. Most cost 10gp a bottle, with some more expensive ones on offer as well.
"Nope. Phandeln. Mines. Skulls. Drows. Is good now. Ish.
so...
yup."
He returns to his former sitting position. Not too bad, no one got killed and nothing burned down. It's an improvement. Body 1, Mind 0!
Strix, Shifter Shadow Monk in Lost Mines of Phandelver ¦ Sihegiall Human Soulknife Rogue in In Search of Molly McGuffin
Dekhan graciously pulls up a chair with the guardsmen. The names Dekhan, formerly of Amphail, my friends and I are heading down to Waterdeep to see the crown of the north. Anything a band such as ours should know of the city these days? Or the roads leading there? persuasion 7
Varinth, always happy to have a drinking buddy, eagerly learns how to spice a drink. Having little to no sense of smell means anything that can help activate his dulled palette is welcome.
Varinth will not go too hard and fast, happy to have a meandering drinking session, full of laughter, deep conversations and the inevitable talk of opening their own tavern. Deciding on the name of the imaginary Inn is always the the most sacred of undertaking that any two drunk men can have.
The Cock's Crow!... The Bucket n' Splendor! HaH! *hic* The Pig n... The Pig an... TRUFFLE!
The Pig n' yer Puss!
The Spit in Yer Cup!
The Watcher Purse!
The Drink Yer Wine it's Shanghai Time!
That last one is a bit long but could be done nicely with jest a picture o' a lad getting a belaying pin te the back o' the head.
Strix, the guard nods amiably. Mines and skulls and drow. Sounds a bit... busy for my liking. He watches as you head back to your place, and resumes his inactivity. After an hour or so, another fellow comes to replace him.
Dekhan, the guard captain nods to one of the others. Drewer's from Amphail. Drewer, you know this guy? Drewer rolls his eyes; Don't mind the captain, he says. He thinks every city outside Waterdeep is three pigs and two huts. You drink together and the soldiers chat, but the sense that something is wrong fades a little over time, as though a bit of drink and talk and they can put it out of their minds. If you ask them directly, the captain just shrugs. Dunno, just a weird feeling. Bandits getting more aggressive, gangs in the city too, pirates the same. Just feels like... something's about to happen. Still, it's always something, right? Gods and dragons and mad mages and Spellplagues - never a dull moment in Waterdeep, the fairest of cities. He raises his tankard in salute of his home city, and the other soldiers do the same.
Varinth and Scupper, you both are quite capable of a marathon drinking session - we can assume that you go through the night and awake in the early afternoon of the following day, having been dumped in your bedrooms, all of Varinth's coppers quite spent on a wide variety of tipples.
What's Incantis doing?
"That's a shame," Incantis replies to Rose's response of the lack of elvish wine. "I'll have a glass, Dwarvish." When in Neverwinter, he thinks, and new experiences have worked out for me so far...
At some point he contacts Dekhan while sipping his wine and watching Vaz and Scupper. What do you wager? I'll put 5 silver on Scupper.
Later he wanders out to look for Strix.
Incantis, half-elf warlock (great old one) 4/bard 1 ● Thorok Earthhand, hill dwarf mountain druid 6/grave cleric 2
Cragmyre Ironseed, earth genasi ancestral barbarian 3 ● Cyrus Natriallae, aquatic half-elf warlock of the deep 3
Dekhan laughs Yes, Amphail had 6 pigs when I left and that was 15 years ago. Could be well over a dozen by now. He drinks jovially with the guardsmen, trading stories of battle but grows a bit more serious when the explanation of the sense of unease comes forth. Aye, there’s something in the air alright. But then if there wasn’t some threat on the way men like us would have to find different employment! And there’s no wolf at the door tonight, lets have another round! Dekhan gets another round and keeps the drinks flowing and if more information is forthcoming so much the better.
Incantis, the wine is good and reasonably priced at 5 silver pieces for a pitcher; the cost is covered by Varinth's bag o' coppers.
(If you and Dekhan want to bet on Scupper and Varinth's constitution, let me know - but one of you will have to stick around to observe the outcome.)
Dekhan, the next round is also covered by Varinth. You learn more about the men, and you and Drewer do have some memories of places in Amphail that you both liked, although he's a few years younger than you. You learn that Takry and Sollen are from Waterdeep born and bred, Julis is from Neverwinter originally but his family moved to Waterdeep when he was a child, and Cassa and Lindren, the only two women in the group, are distant cousins both hailing from the villages around the big city. You talk and drink and talk some more, but everyone is keen to avoid unpleasant topics for the rest of the night - they ask about you, and it's up to you how much you want to tell them about your adventures around Phandalin, but they will lap up whatever you tell them.
Eventually it grows late, and the soldiers head out - they are making camp outside the keep, and Strix, you notice them as they walk, or in some cases stagger, past.
Dekhan, you head off to bed, unless you're staying to watch the two drinkers and their progress through the night.
Incantis, you can follow the soldiers out and find Strix beyond the keep's walls. With the soldiers nearby and a dedicated guard at the keep, you can get a night's sleep and don't need to keep watch, though of course Zhudala could help out if you want.
Please let me know if there's anything else you want to do in the evening; otherwise we'll shift to the following afternoon when Scupper and Varinth decide to wake up.
Dekhan will regale the guards with a few choice stories of the quest for Wave Echo cave. Balancing boasting with humbleness and generally having a good time. When the guards start to drift off to bed Dekhan will get down to the business of serious drinking with Vaz and Scup. As he hasn’t been keeping pace with them for the beginning of the night he figures going drink for drink with them, if not prudent, will at least not be deadly and will be a good team building exercise.
Con rolls?
(Too bad there's no piracy bonus for me or an alcoholic bonus for Vaz haha!)
16
Szhu know...thish dwarvish rot guttish might be strongish than I thought...ish. They haz that prop...propenshitty... it's hard te poiszhon them...so I guessssss...itsh hard to drunk em