Leaving him alone, tied up in the forest...
Shellin's smile will turn to a smirk.
Best hope no bandits come along.
"Shellin likes Tony's idea. Tie him, then, and let's be done"
"And I believe you mean shouldn't, not can't. Clearly, we can treat you this way. Also, I'd like to point out that we could just kill you, take your head, and leave your body for the animals and none of your friends would be able to help you, but we're not."
Kali's tone is light-hearted, but her eyes say that she really wants to carry out her threat.
Kali's intimidate works on the Highwayman as he is bound to the nearest tree. Obviously, he doesn't balk at his treatment anymore.
Vallus nods along with Kali's words. "She's right. Next time don't look a gift horse in the mouth, and the horse is liable to be kinder. Better yet, find a new career. This one ends poorly for you."
Make some perception checks, while the Cloaked Avenger starts to snicker at you while being tied up.
Tony went back to pick up his pack and crossbow.
Vallus is the only one to recognize them. People start pouring out of the trees. All of them dressed in green and wielding bows and arrows. They surround your group, ready to fire.
The cloaked avenger then says, "I told you I was being nice. Now, if you please, your valuables. After all, you are out numbered."
Vallus nods toward the Merry men now flowing out of the trees. "You're in no place to bargain, outlaw. When the arrows fly, you're as much a target as we. Call off your men and we'll let this pass."
Looking around as the men start pouring out of the trees, Kali steps forward and says "Is this the extent of your men? This? Do you not know you face a member of Clan Soy? You need to go back and bring more men before we can call this a proper fight. At least 100 more."
Standing her ground and leaning her scythe on her shoulder, she says "Don't worry, I'll wait."
"I don't care if you're the emperor," said the cloaked avenger, smiling like a mad man. "Your intimidation won't work on me."
Vallus hauls the man to his feet, and pulls him out in front of the group, toward the oncoming Merry Men. "Alright, who's your leader? Send them forward to parley, please."
Tony froze after the bandits starte boiling out of the trees.
Dammit; that highwayman WAS stalling! Next time we shoot and run. He thought to himself.
He studied the bandits closely, trying to determine if this was truly an overwhelming no win situation where surrender was the only practical solution, or whether they could slip or fight their way free.
Status: "Lovesick?" You want a romance subplot?
Vallus hauls the man to his feet, and pulls him out in front of the group, toward the oncoming Merry Men. "Alright, who's your leader? Send them forward to parley, please."
They all point to the man you tied up earlier. "Suprise?" he asks.
I can help a little if this goes down badly...
Shellin will whisper to those near him
"Shellin can try to blind as many as he can but it will only last a moment, 20 seconds at most. Do what you can after."
Vallus nods. "Well, we have him and if anyone makes any hostile moves, he dies first. Understand?"
"Oh yeah, I forgot," says the cloaked avenger. "Are any of you going to untie me?"
"That depends entirely on how smart you are. If you're smart, you tell your friends to back off and we'll let you go. If you're not, your lifespan can be measured in the minutes." Vallus looks to the others, hoping they'll back the play.
"Or seconds, if I get to you first." says Kali as she smiles her prettiest smile at him.
"I wasn't talking to you," said the caped highwayman. In that instant, one of the "Merry Men" arrive to untie the highwayman.
"Touch him and he dies, then YOU die." Vallus nods to Kali when one of the Merry Men tries to help their leader..
The caped avenger sighs, and says, "Let them go."
"Are you sure boss?"
"Yeah, let them go."
Best not to look a gift horse in the mouth then.
Shellin will begin pushing others ahead. ”You will find your boss tied to a tree one mile ahead, and if we see no one following us till then, he will be alive. Let’s hurry on then.”
Vallus nods. "Thank you for being reasonable."
"Good choisssse. Thesssse men not ssso dumb yessss?" he asks with innocent smile
Kali seems genuinely disappointed.
okay, time for another random encounter! Brought to you by dice, because the dice aren't your friends.
You here growling and squealing in the trees ahead of you. As if a pair of something is trying to mate.
Kali resumes her rear posting by allowing all of the ratfolk to pass her while she does a count.
Vallus groans at the noise. "Really? What beast makes that noise? I have spent too much time in Ptolus, friends, I know nothing of the forest or its sexual proclivities."
[dice=Know Nature to ID beast]1d20+8
It's two owlbears.
Tony grimaced and tried to move quietly.
Tony's stealth was perfect as he moved past the pair of mating owlbears.
Huh. Definitely do not want to deal with that by hand.
Huh. Definitely do not want to deal with that by hand.
[dice= Knowledge Nature, the sound of a creature that would scare away an owlbear?]1d20+8
That would be a lion's roar. And you made it sound like a lion is roaring in the forest.
The owlbears are scared off, for now. The heroes are free to trudge through the forest to get to the wetlands.
Give me perception checks.
Kali continues to look for treachery from both the ratfolk and anything that wants to ambush the group.
Yes, owlbears were big, and they liked to eat the Skinks, best to avoid, luckily, he was very good at not being seen, especially here in the jungle and swamp
** spoiler omitted **
"Companion Shellin, what sort of creature has a scaled tail with ridges on it?"
”A crocodile, or alligator, perhaps? Why do you ask?
"I see a tail like that sticking out of the bushes over there."
Tony glanced around...
Tony glanced around...
[dice=Perception]1d20+4
Tony also sees the tail.
”Where? Shellin sees nothing”