You creep forward silently and patiently until you can see into the thicket. Near you, two men are standing and, judging by their posture and tone of voice, having an argument. Beyond them is a camp. Your gaze is immediately drawn to the campfire in the middle of the area, over which a pig is roasting on a spit, being tended to by another man. These three fellows are wearing leather armor and have curved swords at their belts. Near the fire, lying on the ground, is a fourth man, who has his eyes closed and his face grimaces in pain. He's moaning every so often. Sitting on a stump near the fire is a fifth fellow, dressed oddly in an upscale trendy urban suit, with a cape and little pointed hat. He's drawing in the dirt with a wooden staff and muttering, chuckling, and laughing to himself.
The argument continues
"If you'd done a proper lookout then we wouldn't be in this mess!"
"That's not fair, Iork, I was tired because I've got to cover Sephi's turn."
"We've been over this, Sephi is more than useful in...other ways, he's earned the right to skip lookout duty."
Olwer remains silent and hidden, spying on the strange men. In particular, he watches the man in the cape.
He's ready to cast sleep on the members of the strange party if they seem about to attack Erevan, but he holds off long enough for the warlock to parley with them in his intimidating guise.
Erevan watches the group for a moment longer before deciding to step into the little campsite. Assuming Fez has arrived, he mentally instructs the sprite to stay hidden and close by, ready to act on command.
He does his best to speak in a low, guttural voice as he lets himself be seen. "Thought I smelled meat," he says, standing tall and looking from each person to the next. "Got enough for me?" He nods in the direction of the injured man. "He don't look so good. What happened? The pig mess him up before it went down? He need help? Maybe give me a pork chop, I get you some help?"
He tries to appear confident but not angry, knowing he can "bare his fangs" in a moment if he needs to.
The two in the argument whirl around, hands flying to their curved swords. The one at the fire stands up and eyes you warily. The well-dressed one, however, just continues to giggle to himself.
The one talking to Iork barks out
“Who in the 9th circle of hell are you, and what are you doing here?”
The one being addressed as Iork is apparently the leader. The takes a step forward and says more smoothly,
”Thank you for your concern, stranger, but everything here is well in hand. Our man just has a fever, a little rest and he’ll be right as rain. You can leave us be, now, and carry on with your business somewhere else.”
Erevan does not care for these men or their attitude. The halflings of the village seem like nice little folk, and while he doesn't know all the economics of farming and raising animals, he assumes that loss of a prize hog could be a devastating blow to a farm family. He starts to get irritated--and he knows that Olwer lies in wait and that he has a few tricks of his own up his sleeve should it come to that.
"Hmph," the seeming half-orc grunts. "Ya know, now that I get a better look at your meal, looks like that pig used to belong to a friend of mine. Nice little halfling. You, not so nice."
He tilts his head to the left and to the right. "Got my brothers and a couple a cousins in the woods right now," he says. "All I gotta do is say the word and they're all over you like flies on dung. You already hurt, lurking out here in the woods and the day's just getting started. So how about you leave the pig for us, turn tail and get the hell outta here."
He smiles a false toothy half-orc grin and growls quietly. "Then again, maybe we just wanna have some fun, you stinkin' pig thieves." His eyes glare at the group's spokesman and he keeps on grinning.
A few of the other men glance nervously into the woods, but Iork doesn't flinch. He looks you right in the eyes and says grimly,
"That pig is for our sick man. He needs sustenance and rest. We're staying here, and it's you who'll do the leaving."
He draws his curved blade. The others, bolstered by this display, also draw swords. The one back by the fire mutters, "Sephi, look sharp!" The giggling man stands up and looks at you for the first time, still smirking at some unknown joke.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Erevan finds he's almost enjoying the back and forth, although there's a lingering thought in the back of his mind that these men could be dangerous. He decides to once more try to cow them into understanding.
"You really don't wanna do that," he says, gesturing toward the freshly drawn swords, still working to keep his speech rough and guttural. "Me, I'm just a numbskull likes to mix it up, but one a my cousin's is a complete badass wizard. Nother one's a priest of Gruumsh. Maybe we get One-Eye a nice sacrifice or two right now, huh?"
He raises his eyebrows and flashes his nasty-looking, illusory half-orc teeth. "You don't belong here. Get out now. I give you to three..."
OOC: Erevan also telepathically instructs Fez to be ready to fire his bow at the first enemy that actually attempts an attack. Fez readies a shot. (Assuming I can do that during this same run up to combat rounds.)
Fez’s attack requires you to use your attack action, is that what you intend?
Erevan gains inspiration for his brave display
The other blokes in the camp hesitate around your fierce display, but Iork snarls and leaps at you (Erevan) with his curved sword and a dagger in his other hand. He’s a whirlwind of deadly steel.
Attack: 15 Damage: 5
Attack: 8 Damage: 6
Attack: 20 Damage: 5
Erevan takes 18 damage as he’s met with a ferocity in Iork’s attack that maybe he didn’t fully expect.
Erevan staggers under the vicious two-handed attack and decides that maybe now is the time to keep his mouth shut. Keeping a wary eye on the called Iork, he scuttles back, careful to avoid the stabbing blades.
OOC: I was thinking Fez could be told to strike before rounds actually began, so I would rather not use my action for his attack. Instead, Erevan will use the Disengage action to move back toward the way he came while not causing any attacks of opportunity. Also, I'm not sure if Disguise Self would continue to work, but based on the description it seems like it would - no indication of needing Concentration or that it ends when you are attacked. He will stay in half-orc guise for now and wait to see how Olwer's spell works out.
Olwer casts his spell and the smartly dressed giggler, who appeared to be readying a spell, collapses in sudden slumber. So does the man that had been tending the pig and the fire. The other non-Iork man puts a hand to his head and shakes his head as if resisting the magical effect, and he remains upright. Iork is completely unaffected. The groaning man lying on the ground, who had been tense and writhing at times, also slackens and relaxes, and his head lolls to one side, also affected by the spell.
Iork slowly backpedals, moving closer to his fallen comrade without turning his back on you, blades still held ready. He is tense and his eyes are now darting left and right into the foliage. He yells out at you,
”What did you do? So you do have friends after all? Show yourselves!”
Erevan is smarting from the wicked flurry of blades, but he is buoyed by the success of Olwer's sleep spell and feels a bit better about his prospects for survival.
Still, one can never be too safe, so he decides it would be best to sow some further confusion. He just smiles and says nothing other than a quick, quiet arcane phrase, waves his hand quickly before him, and then disappears from sight. He quietly shuffles a few feet from where he was just standing.
OOC: Cast Invisibility on self. Move five feet to the side of location where he was just standing.
Iork sees you vanish and he narrows his eyes, still darting glances all around. Then his only conscious companion’s eyes roll up in his head and he falls to the ground. Iork’s eyes cloud for a moment as the spell tries to knock him out, too, but he resists it. Still backing up until he reaches the hurt one, Nik, he kneels down and quickly examines him while still directing attention towards where Erevan was standing, and still stealing glances to the left and right.
”Just asleep,” he mutters, with obvious relief. He then raises his voice, “What trickery is this? Who sent you?” He crouches like a coiled spring, ready to act.
You creep forward silently and patiently until you can see into the thicket. Near you, two men are standing and, judging by their posture and tone of voice, having an argument. Beyond them is a camp. Your gaze is immediately drawn to the campfire in the middle of the area, over which a pig is roasting on a spit, being tended to by another man. These three fellows are wearing leather armor and have curved swords at their belts. Near the fire, lying on the ground, is a fourth man, who has his eyes closed and his face grimaces in pain. He's moaning every so often. Sitting on a stump near the fire is a fifth fellow, dressed oddly in an upscale trendy urban suit, with a cape and little pointed hat. He's drawing in the dirt with a wooden staff and muttering, chuckling, and laughing to himself.
The argument continues
"If you'd done a proper lookout then we wouldn't be in this mess!"
"That's not fair, Iork, I was tired because I've got to cover Sephi's turn."
"We've been over this, Sephi is more than useful in...other ways, he's earned the right to skip lookout duty."
Olwer remains silent and hidden, spying on the strange men. In particular, he watches the man in the cape.
He's ready to cast sleep on the members of the strange party if they seem about to attack Erevan, but he holds off long enough for the warlock to parley with them in his intimidating guise.
(OOC sleep as a 2nd level spell)
Erevan watches the group for a moment longer before deciding to step into the little campsite. Assuming Fez has arrived, he mentally instructs the sprite to stay hidden and close by, ready to act on command.
He does his best to speak in a low, guttural voice as he lets himself be seen. "Thought I smelled meat," he says, standing tall and looking from each person to the next. "Got enough for me?" He nods in the direction of the injured man. "He don't look so good. What happened? The pig mess him up before it went down? He need help? Maybe give me a pork chop, I get you some help?"
He tries to appear confident but not angry, knowing he can "bare his fangs" in a moment if he needs to.
Deception 22
Persuasion 8
The two in the argument whirl around, hands flying to their curved swords. The one at the fire stands up and eyes you warily. The well-dressed one, however, just continues to giggle to himself.
The one talking to Iork barks out
“Who in the 9th circle of hell are you, and what are you doing here?”
The one being addressed as Iork is apparently the leader. The takes a step forward and says more smoothly,
”Thank you for your concern, stranger, but everything here is well in hand. Our man just has a fever, a little rest and he’ll be right as rain. You can leave us be, now, and carry on with your business somewhere else.”
Olwer watches still, ready with the spell at the tip of his tongue.
Should any of the strangers attack or threaten his friend, he will try to put them to sleep.
He picks a central point that will overlap as many of the four as possible.
OOC hit points total, if needed
32
Erevan does not care for these men or their attitude. The halflings of the village seem like nice little folk, and while he doesn't know all the economics of farming and raising animals, he assumes that loss of a prize hog could be a devastating blow to a farm family. He starts to get irritated--and he knows that Olwer lies in wait and that he has a few tricks of his own up his sleeve should it come to that.
"Hmph," the seeming half-orc grunts. "Ya know, now that I get a better look at your meal, looks like that pig used to belong to a friend of mine. Nice little halfling. You, not so nice."
He tilts his head to the left and to the right. "Got my brothers and a couple a cousins in the woods right now," he says. "All I gotta do is say the word and they're all over you like flies on dung. You already hurt, lurking out here in the woods and the day's just getting started. So how about you leave the pig for us, turn tail and get the hell outta here."
He smiles a false toothy half-orc grin and growls quietly. "Then again, maybe we just wanna have some fun, you stinkin' pig thieves." His eyes glare at the group's spokesman and he keeps on grinning.
Intimidation 10
A few of the other men glance nervously into the woods, but Iork doesn't flinch. He looks you right in the eyes and says grimly,
"That pig is for our sick man. He needs sustenance and rest. We're staying here, and it's you who'll do the leaving."
He draws his curved blade. The others, bolstered by this display, also draw swords. The one back by the fire mutters, "Sephi, look sharp!" The giggling man stands up and looks at you for the first time, still smirking at some unknown joke.
~~~
I think it's time to roll initiative
But Erevan can roll another intimidation (with advantage) because of your imposing image, and a good roll may still get you some benefit
Olwer casts his spell, if possible, while still concealed by the thicket.
initiative:
6
Erevan finds he's almost enjoying the back and forth, although there's a lingering thought in the back of his mind that these men could be dangerous. He decides to once more try to cow them into understanding.
"You really don't wanna do that," he says, gesturing toward the freshly drawn swords, still working to keep his speech rough and guttural. "Me, I'm just a numbskull likes to mix it up, but one a my cousin's is a complete badass wizard. Nother one's a priest of Gruumsh. Maybe we get One-Eye a nice sacrifice or two right now, huh?"
He raises his eyebrows and flashes his nasty-looking, illusory half-orc teeth. "You don't belong here. Get out now. I give you to three..."
Intimidation 11
Advantage Roll 8
Initiative 12
OOC: Erevan also telepathically instructs Fez to be ready to fire his bow at the first enemy that actually attempts an attack. Fez readies a shot. (Assuming I can do that during this same run up to combat rounds.)
Turn order: Iork - Erevan - Olwer - bloke - bloke - giggler
Fez’s attack requires you to use your attack action, is that what you intend?
Erevan gains inspiration for his brave display
The other blokes in the camp hesitate around your fierce display, but Iork snarls and leaps at you (Erevan) with his curved sword and a dagger in his other hand. He’s a whirlwind of deadly steel.
Attack: 15 Damage: 5
Attack: 8 Damage: 6
Attack: 20 Damage: 5
Erevan takes 18 damage as he’s met with a ferocity in Iork’s attack that maybe he didn’t fully expect.
Erevan staggers under the vicious two-handed attack and decides that maybe now is the time to keep his mouth shut. Keeping a wary eye on the called Iork, he scuttles back, careful to avoid the stabbing blades.
OOC: I was thinking Fez could be told to strike before rounds actually began, so I would rather not use my action for his attack. Instead, Erevan will use the Disengage action to move back toward the way he came while not causing any attacks of opportunity. Also, I'm not sure if Disguise Self would continue to work, but based on the description it seems like it would - no indication of needing Concentration or that it ends when you are attacked. He will stay in half-orc guise for now and wait to see how Olwer's spell works out.
Olwer casts his spell and the smartly dressed giggler, who appeared to be readying a spell, collapses in sudden slumber. So does the man that had been tending the pig and the fire. The other non-Iork man puts a hand to his head and shakes his head as if resisting the magical effect, and he remains upright. Iork is completely unaffected. The groaning man lying on the ground, who had been tense and writhing at times, also slackens and relaxes, and his head lolls to one side, also affected by the spell.
The bloke who didn’t fall asleep looks at the others that collapsed, and a note of panic is in his voice,
”Iork, somethings happening over here, I think Nik might be dead!”
He kneels down at the side of the one who was already lying down, the hurt one, and examines him.
Iork slowly backpedals, moving closer to his fallen comrade without turning his back on you, blades still held ready. He is tense and his eyes are now darting left and right into the foliage. He yells out at you,
”What did you do? So you do have friends after all? Show yourselves!”
We are back to Erevan and Olwer’s turns.
Olwer, still crouching in the cover of the thicket, casts sleep again, targeting the men who weren't knocked out.
(OOC, using his remaining second level spell slot)
41
Erevan is smarting from the wicked flurry of blades, but he is buoyed by the success of Olwer's sleep spell and feels a bit better about his prospects for survival.
Still, one can never be too safe, so he decides it would be best to sow some further confusion. He just smiles and says nothing other than a quick, quiet arcane phrase, waves his hand quickly before him, and then disappears from sight. He quietly shuffles a few feet from where he was just standing.
OOC: Cast Invisibility on self. Move five feet to the side of location where he was just standing.
Iork sees you vanish and he narrows his eyes, still darting glances all around. Then his only conscious companion’s eyes roll up in his head and he falls to the ground. Iork’s eyes cloud for a moment as the spell tries to knock him out, too, but he resists it. Still backing up until he reaches the hurt one, Nik, he kneels down and quickly examines him while still directing attention towards where Erevan was standing, and still stealing glances to the left and right.
”Just asleep,” he mutters, with obvious relief. He then raises his voice, “What trickery is this? Who sent you?” He crouches like a coiled spring, ready to act.
We are back to Erevan and Olwer’s turns.
And Olwer isn’t sure where to direct his healing spell, not being able to see Erevan.