"I am Kelsin, this is my friend Snort. Why did you leave the mountains, mister Dwarf? Now you have to deal with all these idiots." Kelsin motions his hands to include the dead humans, the innkeeper, etc.
"That is fine then I just recently was sailing over the seas, and I had not done that before, I bet you would think that was like an earth-quake or something with all that moving around day and night....."
"So did you escape from underground, were they keeping you prisoner?"
"I am called Caspian."
"I am Kelsin, this is my friend Snort. Why did you leave the mountains, mister Dwarf? Now you have to deal with all these idiots." Kelsin motions his hands to include the dead humans, the innkeeper, etc.
"Well met Caspian and Kelsin. I'm Jaegr. Truth is everyone can be an idiot at times. This innkeeper was doing what he thought was right, which can be rare in this world. And the rest...." Jaegr shrugs, "I'll call it a learning experience."
Jaegr then looks at the inn, "As to why I am here, well that is best told over some drinks, which our fancy friend here should know what is best. But rest assured I was not a prisoner or had to flee for any reason."
"Hopefully the Marshall will come soon and sort this whole business out."
"Dwarf, you say? Are you of mountain or hill kind?"
"Dwarf, you say? Are you of mountain or hill kind?"
"Normally I would be upset that you could not tell, but I have just done the same with Caspian so you get a pass. I am a Dverge, a mountain dwarf, of course."
Wyvurn nods to the innkeeper, "I never claimed to be a handsome prince, innkeep, and I don't think you need the crossbow anymore. Might you have a well close by that we may draw from to save what wares we can from the caravan?"
To the remaining caravan guards, "Who is in charge here?"
To himself,
This is a motley bunch we have here. A dwarf, a halfling, a wood elf, and a human mage. All seem capable in their own way. Might as well see what there intentions are and prepare myself accordingly.
Once the fire seems to be under control and the raiders restrained or under close watch from the remaining caravan guards. Wyvurn introduces himself and tries to get to know the rest of the group that stepped in to save the caravan.
"My name is Wyvurn. My people dubbed me 'The Fire Blessed'. It has nothing to do with any magical ability, just a quirk of fate where I survived a goblin's attempt to burn me to death. I'm looking for work and the way the rest of you jumped in to help, I'm guesing we might have similar interests. Most folk," nodding towards the inn, " wouldn't step in against such odds."
To the wood elf hanging back in Elven "I have no idea if you can understand this. If you do, you'd be the first I've tried to speak to in this language. It was taught to me by one of my Warlord's mistresses who claimed I am of Elvish decent."
Wyvurn will also attempt to recover the arrow he fired.
Perception:
"I do not like goblins, the big bullies!"
"Shall I play a funeral march for the condemned bandits?"
"Wyvurn, I understand some of what you're saying, but we wood elves have our own tongue. That's...uh, that's kind of impressive you can do that, though. Most Hobgoblins I've come across are little better than hu-mans; burning and cutting and killing all supposedly in the name of civilization, or at least organization." Though Kelsin is clearly relaxing a bit around this group, he's still a bit wary of the human and the halfling and the hobgoblin, and is making no effort at all to hide it. Only the dwarf seems not to bother him in the least.
"Caspian, a funeral march would be a very funny idea. I for one would like to hear it. Perhaps Snort and I can dance."
With the fires abated and the prisoners tied in the barn, the innkeeper is a bit mollified.
Setting down the potables, the inkeeper remarks to Kelsin, "Not too much fire-water for you, Kaptok!"
Still, this is without question the first time in the history of the inn that a wood elf, a dwarf (of any kind!), a hobgoblin, a halfling, and a human have ever sat down for drinks together.
"Are you sure you're old enough to drink?" the inkeep adds to Caspian. Wyvurn he reacts to with wary respect; Jaegr he seems to largely tolerate; and he brings extra alcohol for Vanya, apparently hoping he'll be less likely to disembowel anyone if he's relatively well-sedated.
"You'll all be moving on soon?" he asks.
In contrast, the surviving caravan men are quite a bit less reserved; they offer to buy your drinks and food ("But we'll have to owe you fellows, since all our stuff burned up") and in general seem to quickly put historical racial tensions aside in favor of praising your heroism. The introduce themselves as Geoff and Wilbur, and seem like fairly decent sorts; you can only hope the town marshall is of a similar mind. Evidently they were carrying goods east and south; rumor has it a new trade route had opened overland and through the mountains to Aramni, and they thought they might get a head start on establishing a route; sadly, the day's events have destroyed that ambition. They're now broke, and worse, owe money to lenders in distant Weimach City.
Diplomacy from the caravaners:
Geoff:
Wilbur:
After a couple drinks Jaegr tells his companions ,"You asked earlier about me. Now that I have had a something to drink and have something above my head so I don't feel like I am going to fall up into the sky, I can tell you a little bit about myself.
I am a Dverge, a mountain dwarf, from deep underground. We are not in any way like the Maahiset, or hill dwarves as you know them, anymore than an elf or human are the same. We also tend to stay underground, in fact even stay within our own communities, though is the trade along the deep roads.
Recently a Dverge, in fact two Dverge, left for the surface for their own reasons. For reasons of my own, I left the deep to look for one of them, Rim Cairntracker.
The surface is a large place, and I know not where they went, other than west of here to the lands of elves and man. They may have even returned to the deep by now. Still, I will look for them and eventually I will find them."
"Indeed I am good barkeeper, I have my papers right here...no can not find them...."
Plays his pan pipes and casts to go along with the music....
Perform check
"I play better after I have one."
"Well Jaegr, I don't believe Snort and I have encountered any of your kind in the wild, and we actually spend a fair amount of time in the caves and deep places, too. Would these other dwarves have headed for a..." Kelsin sneers as he says it. "...city?"
"Well Jaegr, I don't believe Snort and I have encountered any of your kind in the wild, and we actually spend a fair amount of time in the caves and deep places, too. Would these other dwarves have headed for a..." Kelsin sneers as he says it. "...city?"
"They may be, all in good time. There is no rush and plenty of ale to drink, or at least I hope there is"
Kelsin turns to Geoff and Wilbur, giving them a glare he hopes is withering, but is probably just comical to the big humans. "So, this trade route. It's going to steer clear of the forest, right? No trees going down unnecessarily, right?"
Downing a glass of vodka, Vanya shrugs expressively. "I was told to come here and look for a dwarf. I suppose that can be you."
Wyvurn smiles as best he can when food and drinks are brought to the table. The result isn't much more than baring his teeth.
"The hospitality is much appreciated, innkeep."
He cringes when Caspian begins playing, not used to the pitch of the pan pipes and much preferring the beat of a war drum, but it is barely noticeable since his scarring prevents much expression.
This one thinks everything is a game and must be watched closely.
He listens intently to the rest talk but does perk up noticeably when Geoff and Wilbur tell their story.
"A new trade route you say? Such a trade route should be regulated and taxed, No? The coin earned going towards patrolling it for safety. Tell me, who rules these lands that the route is to cross? Perhaps myself and new found companions would be interested in a business venture."
"I had a relative who was once nearly eaten by a big spider, some of them would ignore all of you and haul myself away without a second thought."
"I have no other pressing business."
He listens intently to the rest talk but does perk up noticeably when Geoff and Wilbur tell their story.
"A new trade route you say? Such a trade route should be regulated and taxed, No? The coin earned going towards patrolling it for safety. Tell me, who rules these lands that the route is to cross? Perhaps myself and new found companions would be interested in a business venture."
Kelsin's efforts to glare are mostly for show -- even the fiercely xenophobic wood elf is impressed with the candor and tact displayed by the traders.
In response to the hobgoblin, Geoff elaborates: "The situation is this: it used be that the only way for the elves in Aviona (west of here) to trade with the nation of Aramni (south and east of here) was by ship. All incoming ships into Aramni had to stop in quarantine in Bailan City, where the cargo is inspected and taxed so highly that a major journey is barely profitable -- and sometimes the inspectors simply confiscate the cargo as 'contraband' (liquor is illegal there, for example). Even then, you can't trade directly with the cities inland; all you can do is trade within the port."
Wilbur nods. "Here's where we came in: recently, someone found a pass through the mountains into northwestern Aramni. The inspection station in the City of Arcturus is brand new and fairly unorganized -- it's easy to get through there, and you can then keep going into the interior. So we borrowed enough in Weimach to outfit a caravan. The idea was to go into Balvora to the west, get a big cargo of wine and cognac and scrolls from Chateau Remy or maybe Corbel Keep there, then come back this way, cross the mountains into Aramani, and trade for silver and spices in Aramni."
Geoff nods resignedly. "But it looks like we won't even get to Balvora now," he sighs. "The wagons were full of Weimach chocolate and coffee; the beans imported from Hepmonaland, and made with great care into the best that city had to offer. That would have gone over well in Balvora, let me tell you -- the magician Remy himself would have sang our praises! But I don't think they need much charcoal there. Now I'm at a loss what to do."
Their story told, the two tip their mugs to you, drain them with an ironic grimace, and then ask: "You guys seem pretty sharp, and tough, too. Any suggestions?"
"Perhaps a glass of vodka, to cure all of your problems?"
To Caspian, Kelsin quietly says "Well they don't mean anything by it, it's just that you're the perfect size."
Then, looking from the surprisingly (and disappointingly) civilized hobgoblin to the traders, an idea winds its way through the wood elf's skull. "So...this new trade route...is pretty wild...what if you had...escorts? Someone to guard and, ah, GUIDE your caravan along the way? Would that be agreeable? Because Snort and I know these woods and passes quite well and would be happy to, ah, 'assist'." ...and may I awake to find myself a fat human with a harpy for a wife if I let you fools harm a single leaf on a single tree for the rest of your stupid journey. He thought, gritting his teeth as he finished his less-than-enthusiastic offer.
"So...this new trade route...is pretty wild...what if you had...escorts? Someone to guard and, ah, GUIDE your caravan along the way? Would that be agreeable? Because Snort and I know these woods and passes quite well and would be happy to, ah, 'assist'."
Wilbur has taken Vanya's advice and is deeply interested in his vodka, but Geoff perks up visibly at this.
"Wait..." he says. "If we could go directly THROUGH the Estren Forests, instead of AROUND them, we could tie together every trade route known. We could cut from Northwind straight down to the pass into Aramni, and from the pass straight back across into Balvora, viw the frontier. It would cut weeks off the normal travel times..."
Wilbur looks up, "It would, if there were paths navigable by wagons in the forest, which I doubt. And if we had wagons and goods, which we no longer do."
Geoff nods sadly, then smiles. "But we have horses! There are like 10 of them outside: three of ours got free and didn't bolt, and seven of the bandits' horses are still here and uninjured. We could go somewhere that horses are in demand, sell six of them, and use the revenue to buy a 4-horse wagon and small valuables."
Wilbur looks interested despite himself. "They need always need horses at the Aviona - Balvora border posts," he says. "And the recent uprising in South Province means that horses aren't coming in from Sovalles the way they used to. If we could get these animals across the river, and through Balvora, we could get outfitted in Hylore itself and be back in business."
Geoff grimaces. "No wood elf has ever crossed the Estren River," he says. "And I doubt if a dwarf and a hobgoblin are going to much be happy in the Elf King's capital city! And besides, why would our little friend the enetertainer want to go back to being a second-class citizen? The elfs will treat him like livestock. And let's face it: without these guys helping, we haven't got a chance of crossing the Cortland marshes alive."
VANYA
"Well", says the oprichnik downing yet another glass of vodka, "these people seem determined to travel along every trade root known to man or devil. Methinks that your best chance of finding the kinsman you seek is to go with them. Morana take me, but I am on the verge of going with them as well - as soon as I find that blasted pup, anyway!"
"I was told to come here and look for a dwarf. I suppose that can be you."
"Methinks that your best chance of finding the kinsman you seek is to go with them. Morana take me, but I am on the verge of going with them as well - as soon as I find that blasted pup, anyway!"
"Its likely you are looking for one of those two, if you were told to look for a dwarf. Who exactly sent you here to look for one, and why?"
Only half-listening to the human's prattle and the dwarf's questioning, Kelsin keeps eye contact with the more sober of the two traders. "Oh aye, I can lead you through the woods easily enough." he says, smilingly mischievously, then finishes the thought in his head; ...and through every briar, mudpatch, thornbush, and rockbed as well...
VANYA
KELSIN
As he listens to the humans making plans, Kelsin can't help but admire their pluck. Maybe...maybe if he could impress upon these two the sanctity of the woods they'd agree to a more roundabout route, and one that led further away from sacred areas and across sturdier ground. Kelsin knew humans well enough to know that if this trade was something enough of them wanted, it was going to go through no matter what, but that once a route got set, most humans were loathe to deviate from it.
So this might be his best chance to see to it that the trade route didn't cause so much havoc.
"Well." he repeats "My offer stands, you two, to guide you through the woods. And it seems some of our friends here may make excellent escorts as well, though I of course cannot speak for any of them."
"I was told to come here and look for a dwarf. I suppose that can be you.""Methinks that your best chance of finding the kinsman you seek is to go with them. Morana take me, but I am on the verge of going with them as well - as soon as I find that blasted pup, anyway!""Its likely you are looking for one of those two, if you were told to look for a dwarf. Who exactly sent you here to look for one, and why?"
"Ah, friend, that is lost in the mists of vodka and slivovitsa. Deadly combination, I do not advise you to try it. It would test even your mighty constitution and, I am sure, iron gut."
"Ah, friend, that is lost in the mists of vodka and slivovitsa. Deadly combination, I do not advise you to try it. It would test even your mighty constitution and, I am sure, iron gut."
"I have had plenty of those kinds of nights. No matter anyways. They are not here."
Addressing the merchants and Kelsin
"I don't have a problem escorting them, but I think we need to set the terms of compensation first."
"No way could it be the size tis the flavor for sure that keeps bringing the beasts back to eat halflings, answer true to me were you a monster would you want to chew on a dwarf?"
"I don't have a problem escorting them, but I think we need to set the terms of compensation first."
Wilbur snorts vodka out of his nose. "Compensation? Tell you what -- after the first trip into Aramni and back, I'll give all escorts, collectively, half of everything I've got! Which right now means about 2 1/2 horses, total. I'll throw in an extra half a horse if we live that long! Seriously, though, if you want to re-negotiate after we see what kind of hazards we face, I'm amenable to that. Geoff?" The other man nods and looks at the group expectantly.
"I don't have a problem escorting them, but I think we need to set the terms of compensation first."Wilbur snorts vodka out of his nose. "Compensation? Tell you what -- after the first trip into Aramni and back, I'll give all escorts, collectively, half of everything I've got! Which right now means about 2 1/2 horses, total. I'll throw in an extra half a horse if we live that long! Seriously, though, if you want to re-negotiate after we see what kind of hazards we face, I'm amenable to that. Geoff?" The other man nods and looks at the group expectantly.
"Fine. Now, I need to get some sleep. Wake me up when its time to go"
Vanya forgoes the glass and goes straight for the bottle. After long gulp, he sighs with content and says: "I am going to find that familiar of mine. If he is chasing cats once again, I'll whip his bushy tail!"
"Agreed, on the condition that my fellow escorts and I are given first right to any spoils that may be 'found' along the way."
"I must confess, I do not know how humans seal business negotiations. Is it by blood or written contract? I defer to whatever means is custom."
"I must confess, I do not know how humans seal business negotiations. Is it by blood or written contract? I defer to whatever means is custom."
Geoff: "Both. Here on the frontier, failure to keep the terms of a verbal negotiation simply means bloodshed -- sometimes a lot of it, in a protracted blood feud."
Wilbur: "In Aramni, on the other hand, written contracts are legally binding; and often run to dozens or even hundreds of pages, with each party hiring word-crafters to hide clauses advantageous to them in obscure places within the text. We will have to be wary of these; in extreme cases, a man's ships and goods can be confiscated based on a child's sneeze -- and the man himself may even be cast into slavery. It happened to my cousin Freeling."
Geoff: "I have more experience in Aviona, so I can reassure us that, as with most things, things there are the reverse. The elf-lords deem themselves greater than mortal, and each guards the sanctity of his word more jealously than his treasure or his daughters. No High Elf will break the spirit of an agreement, for that would be, to him, an admission that he is fallible! The flip side is, we must make absoltely sure that we fulfill any promises made to them, no matter how trivial. Failure to do so would blackball us from trading with them in the future, and could even be construed as a dueling challenge."
Kelsin looks thoughtfully at Caspian. "I guess it depends; what kind of dwarf?" As he watches the drunk human sway out the door, he says to Wilbur and Geoff; "Snort and I are going to rest. We'll find you in the morning and start off, and see how we do."
With that, Kelsin will go find someplace nice to sleep in the woods nearby, using Snort's butt as a pillow, as usual.
"A fair share then for each party that makes the journey with no ones share being more than that of any other seems simple enough a contract."
(to bartender)
"Might you have a room available for tha night?"
"Might you have a room available for tha night?"
The innkeeper, still annoyed at the destruction of his front lawn, frowns. "What, the stable wasn't good enough for you last night? I don't know that I have a room, but if I did, would you be paying in advance? And are your people are housebroken?"
Geoff looks up at the innkeeper in some consternation. "What did you think those bandits were going to do when they found no useful loot in our wagons? Nod politely and ride off? These folks saved your inn today. Now, I'm no expert on roasting capons and tapping ale kegs, but it seems to me that it's probably like most other service-type businesses, in which it's best to keep your customers satisfied -- especially the ones that prevent a hostile takeover from occurring." He winks to rob some of the offense from his words, but the innkeeper is suitably chastised and offers lodging for everyone for the night.
Accommodations are settled just in time for the Marshal to arrive from town that afternoon.
The marshal's speedy arrival is little short of miraculous, given that the inn is a half-day's ride from town -- just enough time for the innkeeper's son to have reached there, and too little time for the return trip. His horse is gray and tends to flicker around the edges; he dismounts, helping down the innkeeper's son (who was behind him on the saddle), and as their boots touch the ground the marshal's steed disappears into smoke.
A good-sized long sword hangs from his baldric, and you can see a longbow and quiver of arrows on his back. He tilts back the brim of his hat to survey the scene, and it's clear from the first look at his ugly, weather-beaten face that the blood of men, elves, and goblins all commingle in his veins.
"So," he says. "Twelve bandits, I'm told. Two or three run off. Some number killed. At least two held prisoner. I want to see the prisoners first."
"Of course I do not pee where I sleep and eat, what beast does?"
If Jaegr hears him come and head to the barn, Jaegr will head there as well.
The innkeeper indicates that the prisoners are in the barn; the marshal strides in that direction without breaking a step. He's about to enter when he sees Jaegr moving towards the entrance as well; instantly, his hand moves to his sword hilt.
"My prisoners now, dwarf. I'll interrogate them myself, if you don't mind."
The innkeeper indicates that the prisoners are in the barn; the marshal strides in that direction without breaking a step. He's about to enter when he sees Jaegr moving towards the entrance as well; instantly, his hand moves to his sword hilt.
"My prisoners now, dwarf. I'll interrogate them myself, if you don't mind."
Jaegr shrugs and goes back inside the inn to get something to eat
Wyvurn nods his thanks to Geoff and looks pointedly at the innkeeper.
"I'm sure the tale you'll tell of today will drum up enough business to more than make up for putting up with us."
When the Marshal arrives, Wyvurn watches the man intently. He does not move to follow and grunts to Jaegar, "Best let him do his job. I think our part of this matter is finished and we should look to establishing this new caravan route."
From the windows and door of the barn you can see a flash of glaring colors from within, followed by a scream.
.
Jaegr thinks to himself that it isn't his place to interfere in surface enforcement of law and stays where he is.
Stealth check
Stealth check 1d20+9