Magnitofera Skeller |
Magna goes to grab Naralesh hand and smile to him. She speacks to him in a gentle voice.
"You are safe now. But you need to rest. I am the Shieldmaiden of Torag Magnitofera Skeller, but fell free to call me Magna."
She explains to him what has transpired.
Old Guy GM |
Sometime late that morning, Oleg asks to see all of you. He gathers you at the tables set out in the yard, and has Svetlana bring hot tea. Kesten is present, but his men continue their work on the gate. Nat is with them, and works hard to help with the repairs.
Over the hammering, Oleg begins.
"I can't thank all of you enough for what you did. Svet and I...we are very sorry for what happened to your friends. We don't really know how to repay you, but we can try. First, take what you want from those bandits, and I'll buy back the rest at full price. Second, you all can stay here for as long as you need to, free of charge. Meals too. I didn't get many people stopping over before, and none with them bandits. Hopefully now the trappers and others will come back."
He takes a small pouch, and several small bottles, from where they sat on the table in front of him.
"We also want you to have these. It's not a lot, but we want you to have it." His face turns red, and he stammers a few more unintelligible words. "Anyhow, thank you."
The small pouch contains 50 gp, and there are 2x potions of CLW, and 1 of Shield of Faith.
Old Guy GM |
After an uncomfortable silence, Kesten steps up.
"Ahem" "For myself, I would like to provide an opportunity for you, while you explore the area and deal with these bandits. Some months ago, a miscreant named Falgrim Sneed robbed a mercenary company that he was a member of. He fled with the loot into these lands and joined the bandits here. I need to bring him to justice. That is where you come in. Bring in his body and I can promise you two master work weapons from Restov. Bring him in alive, and I can commission four."
Talia Khavortorov |
Talia gives Oleg her best noble curtsy. "You have nothing to apologize for. What happened to Godwin and the others was terrible, but it is not unexpected, in the dangerous manner of work that we are in. We'll do our best to make your post the favorite place in the Stolen Lands."
---
Turning to Kesten, Talia grins. "If you can commission a master work scorpion whip, I'll bring in Sneed's whole family. Do you have a description of this Sneed? Any particularly recognizable traits - tatoos, scars, jewelry, a harelip? A favored weapon? "
Dregan Hirscherz |
Sorry a bit of catching up. Earlier when Oleg can to talk to him and Gavriil
Dregan fingers his own copper ring as he speaks "I know 'ow impawtan' such fings can be an' of course I'll get i' back t' you."
At the burial of the bandits
"May whatever gods they worship give 'em a be'er afterlife van tha poor true life they 'ad an' I pray Old Deadeye might look over an' comfort their muthers an' farthers, their bruthers an' sisters, wives or 'usbands an' children that'll miss 'em."
Back to current time
Dregan nods at Olegs words and gives him a hearty smile before turning to listen to Kestan and Talia and nods at their words too but does not say anything.
Gavriil |
Same as Dregan with the catching up.
With Dregan and Oleg.
Gavriil's eyes bulge a little at Oleg's offer of 1,000 gold for the ring. That was a lot of money to be throwing around for a ring. He nods in agreement with Dregan, "I'm sure we'll get it back to you."
At the burial:
He nods solemnly along with what Magna was saying. He'd never been a religious man, especially not to Torag, but he knew when it was time to allow others their right to worship.
Current:
Gavriil smiled at Oleg and said, "She's right, it's not your fault, and you have nothing to repay," in Gavriil's mind, that responsibility fell on his employers. They should have sent soldiers to the trading post weeks ago. "Thank you, though. That seems like a fair compensation."
He turns to Kesten with his eyes wide. He might finally be able to get one of the fancy swords he always saw the richest people in the dueling schools use. Buuuuut...."He robbed a mercenary company, eh? That's must mean he's dangerous. I feel like he may be worth a little more than that, especially since that doesn't even arm our entire group."
Diplomacy to haggle the reward: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7
Naralesh |
Finally got back in. It's late so I must be brief.
Naralesh listens to Magna's explanation of the situation. He inquires after the others, sadly nodding as he hears of those who did not survive. Perhaps losing an eye is not so bad, he muses despondently. For the rest of the day, he rests. Against the protests of whoever is looking after his wounds he insists on sitting outdoors, feeling trapped and held down inside, and commandeers a camp chair and a blanket to wrap himself in. His condition seems to improve throughout the day, though his hand idly wanders to the bandages across his face. He rises for Oleg's announcement, and when the others are distributing the items in the bandits' possession, ensures that his own gear is set aside (sending Gavriil or one of the soldiers atop the outbuilding to fetch the delicate armored coat that has rested there, neatly folded and unnoticed, since the ambush).
Talia Khavortorov |
Talia makes her way to Naralesh, sitting wrapped in his blanket on the camp chair, and gazes silently with him out past the soldiers working on the gate, at the tall prairie grass undulating in the wind, browned from the recent winter, new shoots just beginning to appear. The landscape is flat and long, broken on occasion by a small, scrubby bush, or a stunted tree; an openness to the terrain that one raised in the south of Brevoy - or a farmer - can truly appreciate. Laying a hand delicately on Naralesh's shoulder, the woman says softly, "It is beautiful, isn't it? You should come and claim some goods. You earned them as much as anyone here."
Magnitofera Skeller |
Magna talks to the group.
"My vote is to wait for Naralesh to feel better, and then tackle the bandits. We could use those days to get this fort in a much better shape. Dregan and Gavriil can scout the surrounding lands, and even part of the way to the bandits lair. Talia can start meeting the locals, and get information about the who's and where's. Sounds good to you?"
Naralesh |
Naralesh looks up at the young woman with a soft smile. "It is," he says simply. He rises with some effort, making his way over to the pile of items. From the collection of bandit gear, he asks only for one of the healing potions and a share of the coinage.
By evening, Naralesh's condition has greatly improved. He stands without assistance now, and Nora seems to have taken up a perch on his shoulder, keeping a keen lookout around him. The wizard must be able to perceive what she sees on some level, because he seems to navigate without much trouble, aided by the tiny creature.
"Our primary task is to explore and chart. The trading post is safe for the moment - Sergeant Kestern and his men will be sufficient to protect Oleg and Svetlana, especially if the defenses can be sufficiently repaired. We're in these lands to protect the people from bandits, true - but to protect, not to hunt them down alone. There are but a few of us - four bandits at once were nearly too much." He turns to Magna. "I admire your zeal, but to strike at the bandits at the heart of their strength right now is folly. We would likely accomplish little beyond losing even more of our number."
Magnitofera Skeller |
Magna, after working hard in getting the fort repaired, go to Naralesh,
trying to help him as much as she is able.
She touches his face, near where his lost eye was.
"I am sorry. If I would have been here before, maybe that wouldn't have happened. But Torag teaches us that by the hits we receive in life we become what we really are. And I see you are strong, and will become stronger after this hit. When Dregan and I arrived we were able to overcome the few remaining bandits. And if we let the rest be, they will come after us when we are unprepared. So we must be cautious, but we must strike first, in our terms. So as soon as you are ready, we will need to show them there will not be any place for brigands in these lands, from now on."
Talia Khavortorov |
Talia nods. "I'd like to take the fight to the bandits, but Naralesh is wiser than I am, I'm afraid. I think we need to start by exploring these plains around Oleg's place, getting the lay of the land immediately around here. We can talk with any locals we meet along the way, and use Oleg's as a home base. Once we have a good idea of our immediate surroundings, I'd like very much to work our way towards the bandit lair."
Talia pauses for a second, greed almost getting the better of her. "There's another thing. Svetlana would like some radishes that grow in a patch about twelve miles south of here. She's willing to pay good coin for them. We could always head that way as well, or visit the patch while out exploring."
Gavriil |
Gavriil sat down with the others and, with a yawn and a stretch, threw his boots up on the table. The day had just begun, but he was already tired. He wasn't used to the manual labor that seemed to have come with the job he took. Fighting bandits, rescuing wizards and damsels, and burying co-workers were not things that had jumped to his mind when he took the job of mapping out the Stolen Lands. He had expected the worst of it to be having to do his "business" in the woods.
He looked over to Magna when she started to go on about striking out at the bandits and blanched a little. He hadn't even been able to land a strike on Nat, let alone kill anyone in that fight. Yes, Magna and Dregan had handled the other bandits quite effectively, but the point still stood that out of the nine people that eventually took on the five bandits, three had died, two had been badly wounded, and one had been held for ransom. Gavriil had been known to take bad bets when gambling, but even he didn't like those odds.
He nodded along with Naralesh and Talia, saying, "I don't think Torag will be too upset with you if you do your job first, Magna. And as the wise, one-eyed wizard just said, our job is to chart first, kill later. Kesten and his men can hold the fort while we do our job. If we happen to come across these bandits with their pants around their ankles, then nothing will stop you from hittin'em where the sun don't shine with Torag's own glorious hammer."
Gavriil's ears pricked up at the mention of gold, though. "Gold for vegetables? That sounds like my kind of job. Tell her we'll get her a couple of bushels!" he says with a wide grin, "Also, Oleg offered Dregan and I a thousand gold if we recovered Svetlana's ring. So we should definitely keep an eye out for that."
He looked to the horses in the stables and thought about how sore he was going to be that night. With a grimace he says, "Right, no point in wasting time then. We should head out now to start mapping the surrounding area."
Dregan Hirscherz |
"I'm also in favour ov dealin' wiv tha bandits first. Wiv some cunnin' I fnk we could get 'em while they are spli' but tha real reason is I'm not sure I'll be able t' sleep while they are still around. A short delay I can cope wiv but if we leave too long I'm gon'a start fallin' off Bargs asleep as I ride."
"Mind what 'e said t' not tell 'is wife I fnk 'e 'as somethin' romantic planned. Let go find theese radishes then."
Before leaving Dregan will find Svetlana and hand her his share of the coin saying "This just a little of what tha bandits an' allk, i' should be yous. The only thin' I ask is what if I don't return you find a way t' get 'alf of i' t' me wife an' child."
Naralesh |
"Unawares and in disadvantage? Surely a head-on assault on their encampment, where they are strongest and most prepared, would be the least effective means to do just that?" Naralesh was calm throughout the discussion, though he was inwardly amused at the young dwarf woman. Full of herself and the zeal of her god, this young woman, he thinks. So confident that her faith will give her the strength to fight armies. He continues. "We are strong now. Oleg, his trading post, and his family are safe. Bandits are not conquerors and siege masters - they seek easy prey and money, not domination and control. A manned fort with armed guards is a prey too prickly to swallow."
He looks to the others, glad that Gavriil, at least, agrees that an immediate attack is not the wisest course of action. "Rest assured that I am as keen to punish these miscreants as you, but you risk us all if we are to lay siege with merely a scouting party, which we ultimately are. In time we will find a way, but a rush into uncharted territory to battle a foe we do not truly understand is not a strategy, it is a suicide mission."
Magnitofera Skeller |
"Maybe not today, but we will need to make battle with them. And we must do it taking the initiative. And with Torag's help, we will prevail. I know you had a bad experience, but you must not let that frighten you. Have faith! But I concur. The first step is to strengthen our position here, and explore the surrounding areas. But we must move quickly, and don't let the initiative escape us!"
Naralesh |
"It is not fear that motivates my counsel, Magna. We agree that the bandits must be rooted out, and when that time comes, our wrath will be fearsome. With the trading post defended, we are afforded the luxury of waiting until the right time to strike them down." He smiles at her. "With the surrounding lands explored and our knowledge of this enemy bolstered, we will not fail in our strike against this bandit scourge."
Magnitofera Skeller |
"Sounds like a wise counsel. But lets not wait to long, as at the same time we grow stronger they do too."
Magna will spend the days Naralesh takes recovering improving the fortification, leading the guards and the Leventons.
Gavriil |
Gavriil's head whipped back and forth from Magna to Naralesh that he thought he was going to get dizzy just listening to the conversation. Both had merit, but he remembered how Naralesh had suggested an ambush along with him while dealing with the bandits the first time. The group didn't agree with them at the time because they were too worried about honor and integrity. He was starting to see the same problem blooming.
I'm starting to hate knights more than the nobles they serve, he thought, At least the nobles have the good sense to stab each other in the backs when they're out numbered. Finally, an end seemed to come to the back and forth and Gavriil looked down from his horse at the two and said with a smirk on his face, "Good, then get in your saddles. If we want to stay a step ahead of them we need to start scouting out the area around here."
Dregan Hirscherz |
Dregan nods at Gavriil and leaves and returns leading two horses. The first is the mare he arrived and the other one that had belonged to the bandits. He saddles the first for riding and the second for baggage.
Naralesh |
I could probably handle travel at this stage, thinks the elf. He looks at Nora, and the two share an intense gaze. After a moment, he nods, and heads to the stables to saddle Susan, the mare who is the last thing remaining of his from the farm he had owned with his wife. He pats her head, and leads her out to the group after getting her saddled and ready to ride.
Talia Khavortorov |
Talia heads to the stable and leads her horse out, to the others. "For those of you that haven't met, this is Noleski. So, we're scouting the area directly around Oleg's then?"
Gavriil |
Gavriil nods to Talia, "That would be the plan, m'lady. No sense in going half-cock across the countryside if we don't even know what's in our backyard." He grimaces and shifts his weight in his saddle before saying, "Besides, I'm not quite as used to being in the saddle as the rest of you. I don't like the idea of having my family jewels crushed so soon in life."
Talia Khavortorov |
Talia allows a smile to cross her lips, before masking it. "I'm afraid I'm no great rider myself, Gavriil."
Gavriil |
"Good. Then I won't be the only one to be making a fool of myself." Seeing everyone ready to head out, Gavriil gave a slight flick of his reins to get his horse headed out the exit. "Ninety-nine tankards of ale on the wall, ninety nine tankards of ale..."
It was sure to be a long day for all of them...
Dregan Hirscherz |
Dregan smiles at Gavriil singing but doesn't join in immediately. He spurs his horse up to Gavriil's and watches him ride. "Thee are near a natural. I reckon you'll be fine. You could 'old your knees in tighter, you'll be sawer by tha end of tha day but you'll 'ave more control of tha 'orse an' less likely t' kill yourself"
Dregan will then will check everyone else's ability and gives small pointers where needed.
Gavriil |
"...-eight tankards of ale on the wall! Eighty-ei-" Gavriil stops mid-song when he hears Dregan talking about his riding. He groans in response. "The point is to be less sore, Dregan. But thank you. I'll give that a try."
While the thought of being even more sore dismays him, he picks up right where he left off on the song, "Eighty-eight tankards of ale! Take one down, PASS IT AROUND! Eighty-seven tankards of ale on the wall!"
Magnitofera Skeller |
Magna, discreetly, goes to Naralesh.
"Are you sure you are up for this? All right, but please be careful, and try to be cautious. Stand behind me if there is trouble."
To the rest she smiles.
"Just go with the horses movements, not against them. And stand on the stirrups. It's easy, you will soon learn."
Old Guy GM |
So every time you explore a hex, it takes time. Refer to the table I posted to help you plan. It takes 1 day to fully explore a hex on horseback. Also, as you explore, you need to decide who will make the following checks: Perception, Survival, and Knowledge: Nature. These need to be rolled for each hex, don't wait for me to ask. Aid rolls are allowed as well.
Magnitofera Skeller |
Magna has no ranks or bonus on any of them, so she can do Aid Another rolls in these two:
Perception Aid Another: 1d20 ⇒ 15
Survival Aid Another: 1d20 ⇒ 13
Talia Khavortorov |
I won't be rolling any of those ;)
aid someone's perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
As Gavriil hits tankard number eighty-two, Talia grimaces. Well, his voice isn't horrible, but the choice of standard is. I'll need to get our young duelist reading some of the works of Edmund Alerian Pogram, or perhaps an appreciation of the Restov string quartet. Wonder of Oleg has any musical scores for sale... Despite Gavriil's caterwauling, Talia keeps a keen eye out throughout the day, helping point out anything she thinks is useful, which surprisingly, sometimes happens.
Naralesh |
Naralesh has got it handled for Knowledge (Nature).
As the group rides, Naralesh pays attention to the lay of the land, in particular noticing where good places for cultivation can be found, and sources of usable natural resources.
Knowledge (Nature): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (15) + 8 = 23
Dregan Hirscherz |
Once confident that everyone has the basics of riding he'll push Bargriv a little out in front of the others (60ft or so) in an attempt to see both potential food before it is scared off by the large group but also see dangers before they happen.
Day 1
Percetion: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
Survival: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18
Aid Naralesh on Knowledge Nature: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Day 2, I know I'm getting ahead but don't want to hold thing up. I'll use these rolls whnever they are needed.
Percetion: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
Survival: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Aid Naralesh on Knowledge Nature: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
Talia Khavortorov |
Day 2
On the second day of scouting, Talia again rides in the middle of the pack, looking around at this beautiful, undulating grassland. Again, her eyes prove sharp and despite her lack of woodsman's skills, the noblewoman is able to pick out some important features in the land...
aid perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Also putting my roll out there, and assuming that we're following the path of the road, south a few miles (the next level of hexes down).
Magnitofera Skeller |
Magna's will be on the rearguard,making sure they all keep together, an no one is following them.
Day 2 rolls
Perception Aid Another: 1d20 ⇒ 18
Survival Aid Another: 1d20 ⇒ 10
Gavriil |
Gavriil frowns at the thought of riding all day again, but they were making better time than if they'd be walking. So he saddles his horse and starts the morning off right with another drinking song: "As I went home on Monday night as drunk as drunk could be! I saw a horse outside the door where my old horse should be! Well, I called me wife and I said to her: Will you kindly tell to me? Who owns that horse outside the door where my old horse should be?!"
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
Naralesh |
Naralesh and Nora look at one another as Gavriil begins his second harmonic addition to the journey. The little fox playfully covers her ears with her paws as she pretends to bury her head to blot out the singing, causing the elf to actually snort in laughter - possibly the first genuine smile of happiness anyone has seen on the often reserved wizard. He seems to be enjoying the entertainment of the singing, and the fresh air and the exercise of riding seems to be doing wonders for his health.
Knowledge (Nature): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
Perception (Aid): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Survival (Aid): 1d20 ⇒ 8
Old Guy GM |
Just to be clear, Day 1 is spent exploring the hex around Oleg's, Day 2 is spent in G1.
8 Pharast 4707
The second day is much the same as the first, rolling plains and sparse trees. near the end of the day, you come upon a lonely hut. Made of wood and mud, the hut is dirty and unkempt. From somewhere inside, you can hear a screechy voice echoing a song...
"who owns that horse outside the door where my old hose should beeeeee..."
Talia Khavortorov |
Talia dismounts, leaving Noleski tied to a lonely scrub bush nearby, and makes her way - cautiously - behind Magna, one hand on the handle of her scorpion whip, ready to pull it at a moment's notice.
perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Looking for additional details about the hut, particularly any signs of who the inhabitant may be. Horse tracks, possessions outside the hut, signs or markings, etc. Or given the results of my roll, whether or not there is actually a hut there at all ;)
Naralesh |
Odd... that's the same song Gavriil was singing yesterday, Naralesh thinks to himself. Nora shudders nervously, the elf sharing her apprehension. "Careful. Something is not right here..." he says tersely and quietly, even as Magna is already shouting their presence to whoever is inside. That girl is going to learn caution painfully someday, I'll wager... he thinks. Remaining mounted, he shrugs off his armored coat and mutters several arcane syllables with a quick hand gesture. "Imbicatus verahim," he intones, conjuring an imperceptible disc of force to protect him. It's probably nothing. Still... best not to take chances after what happened at Oleg's, he thinks.
Naralesh casts shield on himself, feeling a bit foolish about his decision to do so, but succumbing to the nervousness brought on by his recent brush with death. He slips the armored coat back on and brings his mount to a halt.
Naralesh's Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Nora's Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27
Old Guy GM |
Actually I meant for the voice to be echoing Gav's song as you all ride up. Oh well...
The voice stops. There is the sound of scratching and scrabbling within the the hut, then silence. Then a crash, as if a dozen pieces of crockery fell over onto a hard surface.
"Oh drat and bother!" says the screechy voice. A head pops out from behind the woolen blanket covering the opening to the hut. The face is dirty and the hair on its head unkempt, as if the owner has not bathed in...well a long time. Just as quick, the face pops back in.
"What do you want?" The voice screeches from inside the hut.