GM Blood's Way of the Wicked #2 (Inactive)

Game Master David James Olsen

"I don't disagree with your plan, but I would like to know all options with the Captian's input before we commit to letting them board. Once they are on the ship, the potential for our own bloodshed increases exponentially and we cannot complete the mission if we are killed." For I will not be captured again...

We also cannot complete the mission if we are rotting on the bottom of the sea. We are a merchant ship, not a warship.

Kargeld grimaces and says, "If they see our cargo we are doomed. However they are only checking us out because we are a foreign ship heading north of the wall. So we may be able to talk our way out of it."

You do your planning while Kargeld makes the appearance that nothing is out of the ordinary, yet all are ready for violence if needed. Soon “The Blade of St. Martius” pulls up beside you. The Blade is smaller than the Frosthamar, a single masted fully-rigged pinnace only thirty feet long.

As soon as the ship gets close enough, the Talirean sailors begin shouting “Heave to in the name of the king!” Kargeld and his men comply, slowing the ship and awaiting the approach. A man introduced as Captain Sambryl and four armed sailors brandishing spears board the “Frosthamar”. You also see over a half dozen archers on the other ship taking cover behind the ship's gunwhale.Captain Sambryl demands to speak to whoever is charge.

Bowing her head slighty to Captain Sambryl, Tearyn calmly turns and looks at Daimon expectently.

He claimed leadership and I believe he has the best bluff...

Rytara also watches Captain Sambryl carefully while waiting for Daimon to respond.

While disguised as a soldier of Talingarde using the circlet Daimon speaks to the other captain.

The best lies have a grain of truth

We our on a mission and are on our way to the north with supplies. There has been word that trouble has been brewing. Now let us be on our way, you interrupt important work.

Bluff: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

And there will be even more trouble once we get there

Rytara simply cringes as Daimon attempts to portray a soldier and even more that the supplies are in response to alleged trouble in the north.

Out of curiousity, what would you have gone with. I thought a twist of the truth was the best way to go on this one

More concerned with portraying a Talingarde soldier. Why would they be using a private merchant ship when naval vessels are available? What is this secret mission? Who are we resupplying? Things of that general nature. I just hope that they believe it. Fortunately, there are not too many on the ship and a few summoned monsters can frustrate the archers, but I would have preferred another story. Either way, we did not discuss it that thoroughly, and you stepped forward. We are a team and will deal with the ramifications. Hopefully without having to sink their ship.

If pressed Daimon will have details, possibly with a little intimidation to back it depending on how it's going (how dare you take up our time with this nonsense, type of thing). The reason a soldier was chosen was to open avenues of Diplomacy and Intimidate without setting off alarm bells if the bluff fails. Just my reasoning.

Rytara is not built as a social star, so she will usually let others do the talking. Although, since she gets a ton of skill points each level, I might begin dropping a few into social skills eventually.

As I said, either the navy will buy your deception, or we are going to start out fight against Talingarde a little earlier then expected. It might not have been what I would have chosen, but Rytara did not give a lot of input for other ideas, so she cannot not do much other than mumble under her breath.

Irikar would have used the circlet to create an appropriate underling uniform to match Daimon's, and follows along behind like an aide or steward to keep an eye on the newcomers. (Sense Motive)

Captain Sambryl listens to Daimon's lie. squints his eyes and looks around the ship for a moment. Everyone is holding their breath awaiting his response. He turns to his men and signals them to stand down. He says to Daimon, "I've heard rumors of bugbears to the north massing. Is this mission tied to that?"

Bluff: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

Hrmmm... Don't know about any bugbears. Just heard that there is trouble and that we were to deliver supplies. Orders you know. Is that what is causing all this trouble? I hate when commanders don't give us all the information, I guess they don't want rumors spreading to the masses I suppose.

Daimon makes sure that he is close to the captain, his aura helping to influence the captain.

Intimidate to influence attitude: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (5) + 16 = 21

Can we hurry this up. My superiors will have your hide if what you say is true and bugbears are on the loose up north and your actions cause further delay. Sir Balin is a good man but he is not one to be trifled with lightly.

Hasn't Sir Balin been dead/missing for months? I am not sure on how long we were training.

Ah that's true, if I may retract that part of the statement.

Tearyn is just passively observing. I think playing on soldiers general frustration with not knowing objectives behind orders was good though.

It seems like Captain Sambryl has heard of Balin but not his disappearance., "I understand the soldiers life. Very well, Mitra speed you on your way."

With that he re-boards his ship with the others and turns back towards the watch wall. Kargeld lets out his breath, "I thought we had a fight on our hands. Well done! Men get this ship moving!" The crew starts moving instantly and soon enough you are on your way north once more.

Tearyn slaps Daimon on the back, "Well done! I admit I move to fire as the answer to0 quickly at times, and this was a better solution. You almost had him giving us an escort to our destination!"

Rytara watches as the other boat pulls away and shakes her head.
How I would have liked to watch that ship sink into the water, its crew screaming as their burning bodies sunk into the freezing waters to slowly rot and be consumed.

She then looks to the others:
Lets make sure that we have all our stories set up before we meet any other naval vessels. Or even better, that we do not meet any other Talingarde officials.

We are headed to Balentyne. Meeting other officials is practically a given.

Irikar smiles coldly, "I look forward to it....But for now, well done, Daimon."

Kargeld interjects, "Now that we are past the Watch Wall we should not encounter any more Talingarde officials. However before this trip is over, we may wish for the times we were still south of the Wall." Grimly Kargeld goes over to his men to make sure everything is running smoothly.

I forgot to ask, anything special you do during the night sleeping on the deck? Taking watches or letting the sailors do the watching?

Tearyn would push for one of our group on each watch unless there was a compelling reason otherwise.

Irikar and I can split the night watch as we both have darkvision. If anyone disagrees, we can change this, but it seems the easiest and we both have high perception. I do not think that we need two people on watch.

I agree.... We can doze under the watch of the others during the day to ensure we're not fatigued.

Sounds like a good plan to me

Daimon will speak to Kargeld when given a chance What can we expect between here and our destination? What have you seen in these waters.