Erevan sees that each man is armed with a short curved sword or scimitar and a dagger, but the well-dressed man has no weapons other than the staff which, on close inspection, is smooth and highly polished wood. The purses of the 3 sleepers (not Nik) contain a total of 21 silver coins and as many copper. If Iork is bothered by your actions, he doesn't show it. His worried eyes are focused on Nik, and Olwer's ministrations to him.
Erevan takes a closer look at the staff, picking it up and feeling its heft. He sets it down away from its owner, obscured by a nearby tree if possible.
Nik is dying. He has a grevious wound in his side, you suspect from a weapon such as a spear, and it has been festering. You doubt your magic can do him any good other than perhaps buy him a few hours.
The staff does not appear to have innate magical power, but instead likely serves as this fellow's arcane focus to cast magical spells.
''This man is going to die unless you get him better healing than I can provide. But I'll fix him up so he should last another hour or two. Maybe. There's an herbalist at the Pudding Faire. A poultice might help."
Olwer casts healing wordon Nik.
"Now that you've yielded, you'd better explain things. Who are you guys? Why did you steal the pig? Why are you skulking in the woods? Did you know these short folk hereabouts would have given you some freefood at the fair?"
Iork scowls at your line of questioning, but he sees you cast the spell on Nik, and observes Nik's face relax a bit. He looks a little less pale and sweaty than he did a minute ago. Iork grudgingly engages you in the conversation:
"We are a traveling team of mercenaries, looking for work. We are a bit turned around and lost here, I admit. We did not engage the little folk because they typically have no need of our services. I admit that taking the pig was not our finest moment. We are just worried about Nik and not thinking clearly. Our plan is to lay low here until Nik gets back on his feet, and then we will be on our way to Baldur's Gate. Can you give us directions to re-orient us?"
Iork scowls at your line of questioning, but he sees you cast the spell on Nik, and observes Nik's face relax a bit. He looks a little less pale and sweaty than he did a minute ago. Iork grudgingly engages you in the conversation:
"We are a traveling team of mercenaries, looking for work. We are a bit turned around and lost here, I admit. We did not engage the little folk because they typically have no need of our services. I admit that taking the pig was not our finest moment. We are just worried about Nik and not thinking clearly. Our plan is to lay low here until Nik gets back on his feet, and then we will be on our way to Baldur's Gate. Can you give us directions to re-orient us?"
Olwer can tell that Iork is fudging parts of his story. He obviously is worried about Nik, that part is true. But other parts of the story don't ring true to your ears.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Olwer sniffs the air near Iork.
''I get the sense there's more you're leaving out. Ol' One Eye sees all, even if I don't "
Then the half-orc grins, baring yellow fangs.
"Bah! I'm starving for porkchops and pudding. This is taking too long. We've got no use for prisoners who won't bring a ransom, as it seems you won't. So you'll be leaving us now, just like my cousin told you. You can send a man back for your arms in an hour. You'll be needing your swords, being sellswords, eh? If you want to send one man--not Sephi-- to beg a poultice for Nik, you can do it right after you abandon this camp. Mind, we have eyes and ears at the fair. Cross us again..."
He makes a throat cutting motion.
intimidation
14
OOC
I'm not trying to grandstand or dominate play, Darwin, but I don't think our guys can discuss this stuff in front of Iork without arousing suspicion, and sleep only lasts a minute.
So I'm improvising on your original intimidation attempt, to scare them off.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
OOC: No problem. I appreciate you keeping things moving.
Erevan stands there glowering, still smarting from his wounds but knowing that his last magic blast put the hurt on the blade-wielding Iork. He nods and grunts at Olwer's words, hoping to play along. Once things are sorted out, he mentally instructs Fez to stay invisible and to keep an eye on these scumbags as they head out of the clearing. He'll eventually get around to checking back in with his wee fey familiar.
"Best be on your way," he snarls, holding up the hand that fired the eldritch blast a short time ago making a vaguely menacing claw-like motion.
You’re quite the intimidating pair. Now that Nik is looking a little better from your heal spell, the group gathers their things, which consists only of one small tent with some sacks and gear inside it, and their packs and sleeping rolls, and they march off with more than one glower in your direction. Two of the fellows are supporting Nik, who mumbles, “Where are we going? Have we finished the job?” They leave the roasting pig over the fire as it’s too awkward to gather up, being piping hot at this point. Iork takes a few moments to dismantle 2 cunningly hidden snares that had been set up at the periphery of the camp, and You realize, Erevan, that you must have come extremely close to stepping in one of them.
After the hostile party has left, Olwer whispers to Erevan,
"They were on some kind of mission. I'd love to know what, but right now let's get the hell out of here with proof of the crime. And ourmoney. You took their purses, I saw. I hope I wasn't imagining those delightful clinking sounds."
On the way out of the campsite, he kicks dirt over the fire to put it out. He then cuts the ears from the cooked animal and blows on them to cool them off.
Still whispering,
"Bad news for that Halfling farmer. Should we tell him we ran across a crazy old poacher who tried out a carving knife on you? It would explain any noises that might have drifted out of the woods, and any blood on your clothes. Or do you think we can get away with saying we found an empty campsite with Cameron on the spit, and heard somebody running away? Our cover as brewers needs to be held up, so.... Your thoughts?"
After gathering up the loot and seeing their foes off, Erevan waits a few minutes before checking in with Fez to make sure the mercenaries aren't circling back or up to some other shenanigans. He gives Fez instructions to follow them for up to an hour before returning to the village and the fair.
In talking to Olwer, he can't help but grin, happy that things worked out, even if he still is hurting a bit. "Well, I think we can say we ran into a wild boar in the woods and it got the drop on me," he says. "And the beauty of it is that even if those thugs come back, they'll be looking for two half-orcs...which reminds me, I guess we need to drop the deception and approach the halflings as ourselves. Hate to deliver the bad news, but I suppose we must."
He considers the loot they've taken and looks to Olwer. "Do you think perhaps we should offer the owner of the late pig a little compensation?" He's a bit torn about what to do on this account.
After gathering up the loot and seeing their foes off, Erevan waits a few minutes before checking in with Fez to make sure the mercenaries aren't circling back or up to some other shenanigans. He gives Fez instructions to follow them for up to an hour before returning to the village and the fair.
In talking to Olwer, he can't help but grin, happy that things worked out, even if he still is hurting a bit. "Well, I think we can say we ran into a wild boar in the woods and it got the drop on me," he says. "And the beauty of it is that even if those thugs come back, they'll be looking for two half-orcs...which reminds me, I guess we need to drop the deception and approach the halflings as ourselves. Hate to deliver the bad news, but I suppose we must."
He considers the loot they've taken and looks to Olwer. "Do you think perhaps we should offer the owner of the late pig a little compensation?" He's a bit torn about what to do on this account.
"Pay the pig's owner? I see the fairness of that, and under other circumstances it's what I'd do, but I fear that right now it could endanger our cover. We're supposed to be brewers, not travelling heroes. Tradesmen. Brewers don't go about the countryside generously paying for pigs they didn't take. And we've really done the farmer and his neighbors a favor by driving away those sellswords, or bandits or assassins...So, I say we keep the money and divide it between us. We earned it. Think about those blows you took."
He holds up the ears.
"These at least will prove we found a cooked pig. I like your 'ran into a wild boar' idea, but I think the poacher part is also necessary to explain how Cameron was stolen and why he was cooked. I'll adapt to whatever you want to do with this, though. Maybe we followed a clumsy trail--it was clusmy, and we emphasize that to play down our own skill- to a poacher's camp, and on the way you ran into a feral pig. Or perhaps just got caught in a briar? Whatever seems best to you. Keep it a simple story, right? We followed the trail, you had a spot of trouble, we heard some noises in a thicket, we looked in and found an abandoned camp with the roasted pig. Took the ears and skedaddled."
Fez confirms that the sellswords are honoring their side of the deal.
(Sorry I flubbed the whole thing with Fez before, I’ll try to do better)
You’re able to make your way back through the woods to the farmer’s home. Farmer Butterweed is there with a few supporters, but most of the crowd has presumably gravitated back to the Faire. It’s about 11:30 AM
"You know what?" Erevan responds. "I like that briar patch idea! If we say it was a feral pig, soon there will be roaming bands of hunters trying to track it down. Good idea."
He shakes his head. "And I wasn't thinking about compensating the pig's owner. Wouldn't really go well with our cover story with it? I guess I'm just too soft-hearted and got a bit confused...and you're right, we did earn it!"
With that, he is along for the trek back to the farm to deliver the sad news about Cameron the late pig.
OOC: I assume that when we reach the edge of the woods we will drop our Disguise Self spells (if not sooner).
Fez confirms that the sellswords are honoring their side of the deal.
(Sorry I flubbed the whole thing with Fez before, I’ll try to do better)
You’re able to make your way back through the woods to the farmer’s home. Farmer Butterweed is there with a few supporters, but most of the crowd has presumably gravitated back to the Faire. It’s about 11:30 AM
Olwer gives the agreed-upon narrative and presents the farmer with Cameron's ears.
Farmer Butterweed takes the news stoically, hardly seeming to listen to your story as he stares at the ears.
”These were the ears of one brave, clever little pig,” he says softly. His few friends that remain clap him on the back and try to cheer him. “Let’s head back to the Faire, to the cider stall and have a toast for Cameron, whaddaya say? You two fellers (they indicate you two half-elves) will join us too, eh? On us. To Cameron!”
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Erevan sees that each man is armed with a short curved sword or scimitar and a dagger, but the well-dressed man has no weapons other than the staff which, on close inspection, is smooth and highly polished wood. The purses of the 3 sleepers (not Nik) contain a total of 21 silver coins and as many copper. If Iork is bothered by your actions, he doesn't show it. His worried eyes are focused on Nik, and Olwer's ministrations to him.
Olwer-Orc says, "Lemme see how bad off Nik is..."
medicine
5
Erevan takes a closer look at the staff, picking it up and feeling its heft. He sets it down away from its owner, obscured by a nearby tree if possible.
Arcana 10
Nik is dying. He has a grevious wound in his side, you suspect from a weapon such as a spear, and it has been festering. You doubt your magic can do him any good other than perhaps buy him a few hours.
The staff does not appear to have innate magical power, but instead likely serves as this fellow's arcane focus to cast magical spells.
''This man is going to die unless you get him better healing than I can provide. But I'll fix him up so he should last another hour or two. Maybe. There's an herbalist at the Pudding Faire. A poultice might help."
Olwer casts healing word on Nik.
"Now that you've yielded, you'd better explain things. Who are you guys? Why did you steal the pig? Why are you skulking in the woods? Did you know these short folk hereabouts would have given you some free food at the fair?"
Iork scowls at your line of questioning, but he sees you cast the spell on Nik, and observes Nik's face relax a bit. He looks a little less pale and sweaty than he did a minute ago. Iork grudgingly engages you in the conversation:
"We are a traveling team of mercenaries, looking for work. We are a bit turned around and lost here, I admit. We did not engage the little folk because they typically have no need of our services. I admit that taking the pig was not our finest moment. We are just worried about Nik and not thinking clearly. Our plan is to lay low here until Nik gets back on his feet, and then we will be on our way to Baldur's Gate. Can you give us directions to re-orient us?"
''Baldur's Gate? Yeah, I know the road."
He gives Iork an appraising look.
insight
23
Olwer can tell that Iork is fudging parts of his story. He obviously is worried about Nik, that part is true. But other parts of the story don't ring true to your ears.
Olwer sniffs the air near Iork.
''I get the sense there's more you're leaving out. Ol' One Eye sees all, even if I don't "
Then the half-orc grins, baring yellow fangs.
"Bah! I'm starving for porkchops and pudding. This is taking too long. We've got no use for prisoners who won't bring a ransom, as it seems you won't. So you'll be leaving us now, just like my cousin told you. You can send a man back for your arms in an hour. You'll be needing your swords, being sellswords, eh? If you want to send one man--not Sephi-- to beg a poultice for Nik, you can do it right after you abandon this camp. Mind, we have eyes and ears at the fair. Cross us again..."
He makes a throat cutting motion.
intimidation
14
OOC
I'm not trying to grandstand or dominate play, Darwin, but I don't think our guys can discuss this stuff in front of Iork without arousing suspicion, and sleep only lasts a minute.
So I'm improvising on your original intimidation attempt, to scare them off.
And, hey, we've got their money now. :)
OOC: No problem. I appreciate you keeping things moving.
Erevan stands there glowering, still smarting from his wounds but knowing that his last magic blast put the hurt on the blade-wielding Iork. He nods and grunts at Olwer's words, hoping to play along. Once things are sorted out, he mentally instructs Fez to stay invisible and to keep an eye on these scumbags as they head out of the clearing. He'll eventually get around to checking back in with his wee fey familiar.
"Best be on your way," he snarls, holding up the hand that fired the eldritch blast a short time ago making a vaguely menacing claw-like motion.
Intimidation 25
You’re quite the intimidating pair. Now that Nik is looking a little better from your heal spell, the group gathers their things, which consists only of one small tent with some sacks and gear inside it, and their packs and sleeping rolls, and they march off with more than one glower in your direction. Two of the fellows are supporting Nik, who mumbles, “Where are we going? Have we finished the job?” They leave the roasting pig over the fire as it’s too awkward to gather up, being piping hot at this point. Iork takes a few moments to dismantle 2 cunningly hidden snares that had been set up at the periphery of the camp, and You realize, Erevan, that you must have come extremely close to stepping in one of them.
After the hostile party has left, Olwer whispers to Erevan,
"They were on some kind of mission. I'd love to know what, but right now let's get the hell out of here with proof of the crime. And our money. You took their purses, I saw. I hope I wasn't imagining those delightful clinking sounds."
On the way out of the campsite, he kicks dirt over the fire to put it out. He then cuts the ears from the cooked animal and blows on them to cool them off.
Still whispering,
"Bad news for that Halfling farmer. Should we tell him we ran across a crazy old poacher who tried out a carving knife on you? It would explain any noises that might have drifted out of the woods, and any blood on your clothes. Or do you think we can get away with saying we found an empty campsite with Cameron on the spit, and heard somebody running away? Our cover as brewers needs to be held up, so.... Your thoughts?"
OOC
High five! :)
stealth , if needed to avoid notice by anyone else in the woods this morning
19
After gathering up the loot and seeing their foes off, Erevan waits a few minutes before checking in with Fez to make sure the mercenaries aren't circling back or up to some other shenanigans. He gives Fez instructions to follow them for up to an hour before returning to the village and the fair.
In talking to Olwer, he can't help but grin, happy that things worked out, even if he still is hurting a bit. "Well, I think we can say we ran into a wild boar in the woods and it got the drop on me," he says. "And the beauty of it is that even if those thugs come back, they'll be looking for two half-orcs...which reminds me, I guess we need to drop the deception and approach the halflings as ourselves. Hate to deliver the bad news, but I suppose we must."
He considers the loot they've taken and looks to Olwer. "Do you think perhaps we should offer the owner of the late pig a little compensation?" He's a bit torn about what to do on this account.
"Pay the pig's owner? I see the fairness of that, and under other circumstances it's what I'd do, but I fear that right now it could endanger our cover. We're supposed to be brewers, not travelling heroes. Tradesmen. Brewers don't go about the countryside generously paying for pigs they didn't take. And we've really done the farmer and his neighbors a favor by driving away those sellswords, or bandits or assassins...So, I say we keep the money and divide it between us. We earned it. Think about those blows you took."
He holds up the ears.
"These at least will prove we found a cooked pig. I like your 'ran into a wild boar' idea, but I think the poacher part is also necessary to explain how Cameron was stolen and why he was cooked. I'll adapt to whatever you want to do with this, though. Maybe we followed a clumsy trail--it was clusmy, and we emphasize that to play down our own skill- to a poacher's camp, and on the way you ran into a feral pig. Or perhaps just got caught in a briar? Whatever seems best to you. Keep it a simple story, right? We followed the trail, you had a spot of trouble, we heard some noises in a thicket, we looked in and found an abandoned camp with the roasted pig. Took the ears and skedaddled."
Fez confirms that the sellswords are honoring their side of the deal.
(Sorry I flubbed the whole thing with Fez before, I’ll try to do better)
You’re able to make your way back through the woods to the farmer’s home. Farmer Butterweed is there with a few supporters, but most of the crowd has presumably gravitated back to the Faire. It’s about 11:30 AM
"You know what?" Erevan responds. "I like that briar patch idea! If we say it was a feral pig, soon there will be roaming bands of hunters trying to track it down. Good idea."
He shakes his head. "And I wasn't thinking about compensating the pig's owner. Wouldn't really go well with our cover story with it? I guess I'm just too soft-hearted and got a bit confused...and you're right, we did earn it!"
With that, he is along for the trek back to the farm to deliver the sad news about Cameron the late pig.
OOC: I assume that when we reach the edge of the woods we will drop our Disguise Self spells (if not sooner).
OOC
Yeah, drop the disguises before coming out, making a bit more noise. No need to appear too stealthy. Brewers.
Olwer gives the agreed-upon narrative and presents the farmer with Cameron's ears.
deception, if needed
11
Farmer Butterweed takes the news stoically, hardly seeming to listen to your story as he stares at the ears.
”These were the ears of one brave, clever little pig,” he says softly. His few friends that remain clap him on the back and try to cheer him. “Let’s head back to the Faire, to the cider stall and have a toast for Cameron, whaddaya say? You two fellers (they indicate you two half-elves) will join us too, eh? On us. To Cameron!”