If you wish to do anything in the two hours between leaving Hillsend and reaching the boulder field, feel free to post about it now.

Vaclav catches the eye of the others and nods before sitting down in as protected a spot he can between the coal. He then begins to look through Chernobog's eyes to see what the bird does.

Louis rows the boat, happy to wait til it’s time to shoot bandits.

Claire says lowly to the others in the cargo hold, "I think we should confront Fallon now.  Reveal that we know of his deception and ask him where the ambush is set.  And let the other crewmen know as well, so they are on their guard.  After all, we don't only wish to stop this from happening, we want to know why it started... and Fallon likely has those answers."  She grips the handle of her glaive, propped next to her.  "I think we should also force him to tell the bandits that the deal he struck with them is off, when they approach.  And let us see how they react, and who holds the real power in this arrangement."

“Wow. That’s a pretty good plan. Have you done this before?” Louis drops his party and gets up to help threaten Fallon.

Nos Heliwr gets a broad smile on his face, pulls out his dagger and says, "Lemme . . . talk to him, I think I can show him the errors of his way.  If we let him know he has been caught out and he will be the first to die, if he doesn't tell us what he knows, when he expects it to happen, etc. I am in agreement we need to let the boat crew in on what we expect to happen; though we need to be careful as we do not know whether they are in on the heist or not.  Something to think about, a bit late to be sure, but ..."  He turns and looks at Fallon with a wicked gleam in his eye.

The group have a quiet and secretive conversation, planning to confront Fallon before you are attacked.  You're maybe half an hour out of Hillsend now, with the stream gliding the barge along quite happily.   Aaron is whistling a tuneless melody as he leans on the tiller.   Jack is sat at the back of the boat, next to his father, with nothing to do for now.  Fallon is huddled down in the front of the barge, looking quite unhappy.

(So you have not yet reached the boulder field, it is still maybe an hour and a half away).

Claire blushes a bit.  Maybe her companions are starting to rub off on her?  It certainly is no honorable behavior as a knight.  Her parents would be scandalized.  Of course, they'd be scandalized that she hadn't even identified herself properly to all of her companions yet.

No matter.  One does what one must to survive out here, she thinks grimly.  There will be no more bars, and no more kidnappings.

"No.  I haven't done this before," she answers Louis.  "But I have been made a fool of once before this, and have vowed to myself to not let it happen again.  The reality of our situation must take precedence over good behavior, for we know what is coming is unavoidable."  She stands and stretches her shoulders a bit.  "I shall not do much talking, but I will lend anyone my strength to assist in these... negotiations."

(Claire will provide the help action to anyone trying to, uh.  "Negotiate" with Fallon. :) )

It seems that Nos Heliwr is aiming to "negotiate" with Fallon, with Claire standing behind him, glaive in hand for "support".  What is your approach?

Captain Aaron seems a little nervous to Louis, the insightful one of the group.  He's constantly looking around as you pass through the hilly countryside where you often find yourselves floating past overhangs or rocky outcroppings - all handy places for an ambush.  You don't think he's worried about you guys in his boat but rather what is out there.  Given the recent regularity that these coal barges have been hijacked, it's probably not surprising.

The wind picks up as you float along, pushing the clouds across the sky.  It's brisk which takes the edge off what would otherwise be a pleasant spring morning.  Clouds skud by overhead but otherwise, the sky is a bright, cheerful blue.  Chernobog floats on the morning breeze and Vaclav senses that, so far, he's spotted nothing out of the ordinary.   Occasionally Vaclav flicks his gaze up into the owls and enjoys the experience of floating on the breeze.  From up here he can see a long, long way and makes out a few wild animals - mostly rabbits and the occasional deer - but, as yet, no signs of any people.

Brutal.

Nos Heliwr will surreptitiously mix a bit of coal dust with a drab of oil, make a darkly evil looking substance that he'll smear onto the blade of his dagger, which he will then sheath.

Going up to Fallon he will grab Fallon's tunic collar, whip out his dagger, waving the tip in front of his eyes.

"Fallon the Baron knows of yer little game," he hissed with a vicious gleam in his eye. "We be sent t' take care o' things. "N yer one o' those things less ye tell us what arrangements ye made wit' those boyos last night! Make no mistake, if ye do nae cooperate yer blood'll be the first spilt, heh, heh, ifn' it don't turn t' sludge first." Nos Heliwr will twist his dagger a bit, making the viscous, evil looking black stuff on the blade gleam.

Intimidation  0

OCC Wow! Could really use some inspiration + ANY HELP anybodys got for that roll.  Wow!

Nos Heliwr, you can re-roll as Claire is helping you - thus giving you Advantage.  So, re-roll once and we'll take your second roll - as it can't possibly be worse!  

0

OCC Nos Heliwr will retire from the intimidation game and stick strictly to the poking-holes-in-people game

Claire watches Nos trying to intimidate Fallon and barely keeps from sinking her palm into her face.  "From the way you flash those daggers around, I thought you were good at this!" she whispers under her breath to him.  Still, she does her best to glare menacingly at Fallon despite Nos proving that his skills lay elsewhere than public relations.

Fallon is the village elder of Hillsend and used to people doing as he says and not questioning his authority.  He's not had anyone stand up to him in a few years.  Perhaps Nos Heliwr's methods are not the most articulate or eloquent, but they seem to have got the job done.

"Stop it!  Stop it!" the alderman emplores.  "I'll talk! Just don't prick me with that poisoned dagger!"  Settling down as Nos slightly releases his grip on the middle-aged man, he slumps back into the prow, looking utterly deflated.  Turning to look at Nos and Claire who are still towering over him he continues.   "All I know is that the night before each barge sets off, I am to make my way out to a bridge north of town and tell a representative there that the barge is sailing.  I'm not sure who he is, honestly."  Louis notes that Fallon does not meet Nos Heliwr's eyes as he states that last bit. 

"I understand they will rob the barge of its coal on its journey, but they don't hurt anyone!  They don't, do they Aaron?" he asks the captain.

The older sailor nods thoughtfully.  "Tis true.  Me and the lad 'ave never been 'urt by them yet."  Louis also notes a look of disgust on the captain's face as he regards Fallon.

The barge bumps to a halt, causing Claire and Nos to wobble as they stand in the boat.  You realise the captain has steered the barge into the shore.  He seems to have decided this conversation needs resolving before he continues downstream.  A single cloud blocks the sun for a moment, turning the day instantly chilly.

“I am bloody good at poking holes in people,” Nos Heliwr groused, not taking his eyes off of Fallon. “I can’t help it if this boat ride’s making me queasy, off m’ game a bit. But I’ll still cut yer throat if ye Donna a answer us true, ye wankin’ weasel!”

Louis comes in close to Fallon, snd whispers right next to his ear.

“If you expect me to believe you don’t know who you’re meeting or anything about them, then you must take me for a fool. Now spill it all ‘fore this excitable feller spills your guts all over poor Aaron’s boat.” 

"Okay, okay," Fallon sighs heavily.  "I might know a bit more.  Well, it's a guess really," he continues.  "The way the bandits work, I don't believe them to be desperate brigands.  They seem to behave like soldiers to me.  If I had to hazard a guess I'd say they were Enforcers, like you."

Vaclav nods and ponders a bit. "So we're either dealing with another lord and his people, in which case we may have the element of surprise, unless you told them about us. Or we're in the middle of an inside job, in which case they likely know we're coming. I know which option I would prefer, but just in case I believe I should use my special friend to keep a close eye for any preparations ahead of us." 

"I might have mentioned that there were some of the Baron's enforcers in town, who'd likely be protecting the barge," responds Fallon.  "Please - I've told you everything I know.  Let me get off here and walk back to town?"