The Wildemount Irregulars (2020)

Alton, hearing Silent talking with the guy on the horse, adds in trying to help calm the situation, "My friend is really a softie at heart. He'd try to talk down a raging minotaur if he thought there was a chance to end a fight that way." 

Deception 11 

Travels? the Righteous Brand officer spits out the word with real anger. Take a tourist trip to Ghor Dranas, did you? A spy, more likely. He calls out to one of the soldiers, searching nearby for the escaped drow: Take his weapon. The captain remains on horseback, his own greatsword at the ready as he watches Silent carefully. The halfling soldier approaches the sword carefully, stuck in the ground as it is, and moves to take it up - unless someone stops him?

Hey, you're from Felderwin, right? Another halfling soldier, one that he healed during the battle, walks up to Alton and asks the question quietly, seemingly trying not to attract the officer's attention. You don't recognise them, though you do know from their accent that they're probably from somewhere not too far from home.

One of the human soldiers approaches Balasaar: Some of those moves look familiar, friend, she comments quietly. You a veteran? Who trained you?

(Three separate conversations, if you wish to handle it that way - or not, if you prefer.)

Balassar just looks at the soldier and nods as he lowers his sword eventually putting it back in its sheath "Yeah, I'm a veteran. After my boot I was primarily trained by Solomon Song of the Ash Stalkers Company. After I was discharged ended up with this lot and now we primarily do work for the Empire helping to take care of problems. Recently took care of some giants that were attacking nearby towns and on our way back to Felderwin saw you lot in trouble and thought to help out. How did you lot get into this mess anyways? Last thing we expected to see what Cricks."

Silent has sat down by this point beside his sword, but he'll stand up and lean on it while the halfling approaches. He'll look at him and say, Nobody else needs to get hurt today, but nobody touches this sword. I'm not your enemy, lad. 

He looks back at the Captain and adds, If I wanted to use this thing to hurt any of you, believe me cap, I'd have done it. So don't give me a reason. Calm down and look at your soldiers. You're in no state to be picking more losing fights. 

Alton slips his hand crossbow back onto his belt and looks at the halfling guard giving him a nod before quietly answering, "Kind of, I'm from one of the farming villages in the Tillage. My friends and I were on our way back to Felderwin and were going to swing by my folks place for a spell. We heard a commotion from our camp and came over to investigate. It sounds like you're from close by, yourself." He holds out his hand, "Names Alton Wildcloak." 

Balasaar:  Song?  Heh, yeah, he trained the woman who trained me. Silvya Crake was her name. Man, I haven't seen her in a long time. Look, I can't say much about all of this, but this was more of a chance thing - I reckon the cricks just blundered and got themselves caught. Damn, I wish they hadn't got away, but we got these ones pretty good, and she points to the corpses now littering the ground. She glances over at the one body of a Righteous Brand soldier, which a colleague is now leaning over to close the eyes. Damn, she says, and seems to run out of things to say, but she looks up as the conversation between Silent and the officer continues.

Alton: The halfling shakes your hand, but very quickly. Anna. Anna Freeyall, from Cussard. (Alton, you recognise the village name; it's small, about a half day's walk from your home, you've never been there). She looks over as the officer and Silent continue their discussion, then turns back to you to say in a very low voice: Look, if you're on our side, you need to do something about your buddy. The captain likes it when people co-operate, you know?

Silent: You're outnumbered, spy, and badly, the officer says angrily. We've already killed a half dozen crick scum today, and I'll be glad to add another. Here! he calls in a loud voice, and all the soldiers abandon their search and walk towards where Silent and the officer are facing off.  The halfling doesn't falter as he approaches, and he reaches up to put a hand on whatever part of the hilt of the sword that he can reach, though he doesn't pull yet, just stands ready to do so.

Alton nods, "Yeah, I was thinking I might have to step in. Excuse me, Anna." He ducks under the horse the captain is sitting on and gets between him and Silent. "Um, hi there captain. There seems to be some confusion here about my friend. He isn't a spy, in fact we work for the Empire too." Alton reaches into a pouch on his belt and pulls out the Felderwin Irregulars Badge that they were given. "See, myself and these other two have the same badge from the Lawmaster in Felderwin. We've both had a long day and battle get the blood pumping; mistakes happen and the battlefield can get confusing. Perhaps what you heard was from a spell an enemy cast so that some of your men would fight us instead. I can do something similar, see." Alton will cast Prestidigitation to make it sound like there is music coming from the captains horse's mouth.

(OOC: The blood is pounding in Silent's ears, fear and anger mixed in equal measures, old patterns of thinking swimming to the surface. He's about a split second from flying off the handle but falters for half a moment when Alton speaks, waiting for the response from the soldiers)

The officer scowls at the comical effect of the music, and doesn't seem amused.  But he signals for the soldier speaking with Balasaar to come over; she takes the badge from Alton's hand, looks it over, and hands it to the officer, as he is still on horseback.  The man looks at it long and hard, mutters something under his breath, and then speaks loudly: I will send a report of your interference to the Lawmaster, and we will see what happens to you then. His words sound hollow, and Silent, with your passive insight you would pick up on at least two eye-rolls from soldiers standing behind the officer.

The situation seems to defuse somewhat. There is still a dead soldier, and several dead drow. The hunt for the invisible drow scouts is over, and the officer orders the group to set up camp nearby. If Ghost is around, he's well hidden and likely out of darkvision range. Alton, your badge is returned with a grateful nod from the soldier.

What would you like to do?

Silent sheathes his blade and sits back down, slowing his breathing to calm himself down.  

He'll eventually walk over to Alton and Balassar. Sorry lads. He looks like he's about to say something else, but the words seem to get stuck in his throat. He abruptly leaves and will head over to the bodies of the dead drow. Assuming none of the soldiers try to stop him, he'll look through their corpses for anything that might identify their unit or hint at what they were doing out here. 

(in case it's needed, Investigation 10 )

Balassar just looks at the man in surprise as he mentions those names as he thinks back to his old unit. At the soldiers comments he just nods "Yeah, shame since it would've been nice to learn why they were here." he just watches as the incident with Silent and Alton picks up more following the soldier when they were signaled for. He just stays quiet, but gives an audible grunt. As Silent comes over apologizing he just shrugs his memory still flashing back to the name the soldier mentioned.

OOC:

What would Balassar remember about Silvya Crake?

Silent, at a shouted command from the officer, you are quite firmly stopped from approaching the drow, whose bodies are being searched by two soldiers while others block your path. Sorry, mate, one soldier says, somewhat apologetically as he bars your way. Thanks for what you tried to do and everything, but you folks best be on your way, you know?

Balassar, Silvya Crake is definitely not a name you've heard often, but something is nagging at the back of your mind: make a straight INT check.

Thought you might want some help burying the bodies. You lot took a lot more lumps in that scrap than we did. But, Silent shrugs, I ain't trying to piss off your boss any more than I already have. 

He backs off and finds somewhere to sit away from the soldiers' camp. 

OOC:

5

Alton lets out a sigh of relief and puts the badge back into a pouch on his belt. He goes over and sits next to Silent, giving Balassar time talk with the soldiers. He gives Silent a pat on the shoulder, "Well, that was something; at least we get to walk away. If you don't mind my prying, but what was all that shouting about?" 

Balasaar, you think.... nah, it's gone, whatever it was. Not sure if he ever mentioned her, now you think on it.

Alton and Silent sit, forty feet off to the side, as the soldiers make their camp. You see Ghost standing off to the side, watching you but showing no willingness to approach such a large number of two-legs. The soldiers are busily ignoring you, at their officer's orders, but they set up camp with military precision.  The bodies of the fallen, both the Righteous Brand soldier and the dead drow, are carried off away from you into one of the newly-raised tents.

Balassar just looks around for the soldier who had mentioned the name “Give me a moment.” He says to Alton and Silent as he walks towards the soldier “Where can I find Silvya Crake?” He just asks

Without looking at Alton Silent says, Dunno. Panicked. Thought of my old squad. Didn’t wanna see anyone get hurt, thought I might be able to talk the Krynn down. Stupid idea. Words got no place on a battlefield, I already learned that lesson. Old mistake. 

He rubs the back of his neck absently. Didn’t get a good look at any of ‘em in the dark. Could’ve been folk I knew, trained with. They shouldn’t’ve been here. 

Balasaar, the soldier shrugs. Deastock, last I heard, though I doubt she'll still be there with a war on. That's all I know.