The Wildemount Irregulars (2020)

Perception 10 

Silent, you find yourself distracted by all the people in between you and the halflings - you don't get a clear view of them until finally they are allowed to pass through the gate.

Magnum, from what you saw, none of them look familiar.  You get the sense they are from the Empire, probably returning home, as they are wearing clothing more typical of the Zadash area.

Now the mercenaries are being subjected to an even more thorough search.  Solro glances at them, and then at Silent:  You'd better make sure you've nothing that will make them unhappy.  I know you adventurous types and the weird items you pick up. 

One of the Zhelezo comes over and gives a small wave to Solro - he steps out of the line and over to where the Zhelezo stands, and they move away slightly speaking in hushed tones.  

Magnum turns to silent while Solro is occupied.  I believe Lord Nefrayne has ties to the Myriad.  This is just conjecture, of course, but for him to have eyes in Deastok...let's just say it's not a very important place to very many people.

(OOC: Would Silent be familiar with the Myriad? He spent at most several months drifting through various Empire towns, not sure if he's picked up any rumours.) 

(OOC:  Roll a History check.)

History 11  

Silent, you know that the Myriad is some kind of criminal organisation.  That is literally all you know of them.

To Magnum, in a whisper: On a scale of one to ten how screwed are we if he's a part of that organization? 

Hmmm....well, if I'm right, then it means he's more likely to be able to track us in the Empire.  Or rather, me, I should say.  A half-orc with a sword has to be a good bit more common than a sentient construct. And we've inconvenienced him by eliminating one lieutenant and scaring off another.  

I'd say a six or a seven.  If I'm right.  That remains to be seen.

You wait an hour.  The mercenaries are finally allowed through the gate, and as the gate guard have been questioning the occupant of the rich-looking carriage and their employees for some time when Solro returns.  Come along.  We're going through now.  He beckons for you to follow.

Magnum follows. 

Silent follows as well. 

You walk forward, following Solro as he leads his horse.  As you pass by the carriage you hear a voice, with an accent that Magnum would recognise as faintly Zemnian, shout out:  What is this?  How are these peasants allowed to pass while I...?  You hear someone inside the carriage answer, but you are moving away and no longer able to hear. 

You pass by the guards, through the gate as curious folk on the Empire side regard you approach.  And... you are through.  The Zhelezo and Crownsguard behave almost as though you are invisible.  It's a little unnerving.

Once you are through the gate, and perhaps two hundred feet further down the road, Solro lets out a gasp of relief.  That could have gone... quite wrong.  Thank you, your presence, strangely enough, made the deception easier.  I won't bore you with the details.  However, I would not pass this way again in the near future, if I were you.  I certainly don't plan to.

Silent shrugs. There's a bunch of fishpeople, a pirate captain and now some lord who all probably want to kill me. I think that might be a personal record in terms of making enemies. Can't see myself ever coming back here. He rubs the back of his neck with a grimace. Sun's a right pain in the arse on top of all that. 

I hope we don't make a habit of attracting powerful enemies.

Are you continuing at a fast pace, normal or slow/stealthy pace?

Magnum suggests a moderate pace, if only until the group is well out of sight from the gate. Once far enough away, he is fine with a fast pace. 

Solro agrees, and you continue at your fast pace along the road.  I trust you are able to defend us, in case something should take an unfortunate interest, yes?

Night comes, and you are perhaps four days still from Trostenwald, the first small town of the Empire.  Magnum, you spend the night undisturbed, and wake having completed a long rest.  Silent, your night is less pleasant; you feel the soul of Jetzo screaming at you, though it will not talk to you - you can shut it out if you wish.  You also complete your long rest however.

The rocky, barren land of the Wuyen Gorge continues the next day; it's bleak and a little depressing.  Up ahead you see birds circling, and around midday you see in the distance what might be bodies lying on the ground, not in the road but about a hundred feet off to the west.  We should pass by, says Solro.  No need to go looking for trouble.

Trouble has a way of finding us, I'm afraid.  Stay alert.

I doubt those poor souls went looking for trouble - if it found them it can find us. Silent will get low to the ground and slowly make his way in the direction of the suspected bodies, keeping an eye out for any other signs of life in the surroundings.