Ameiko attacks Bandit 2 and slips into flanking with Takeshi attacking with her rapier hitting for and the bandit is injured but still in the fight.
That's what you get for attacking the fighting Kaijitsus!!!!
Koya says Where's Liu she looked injured? and delays.
Kalistrine's strike hits home causing significant injury to the bandit but they are still up.
Liu Jorland,Omar, Lina
Liu Na suddenly reappears, standing near the body of the slain sorceress.
Seeing that Ameiko and Takeshi have their foe well in hand, Liu Na tightens her grip on Whispering Shrike and stalks forward to flank the bandit battling Kalistrine. With a silent snarl the half-elf ninja slices her blade at the unarmed bandit's throat.
Liu Na's attack sets free the bandit's bodily fluids which were so unjustly being held captive by such an undeserving person and falls dead.
Jorland
I move to attack another bandit unless there is one right in front of me. I attack with my masterwork Battleaxe
Attack: For: + any additional benefits.
Jorland moves to attack bandit 2 and hits and kills him.
Omar attacks Bandit 3 with his Rapier , miss.
Lina attacks Bandit 3 with her starknife , dropped.
Round 6
Bandit 3 attacks Lina with his longsword , miss.
Shalelu attacks Bandit 3 with her bow , hit , sending an arrow in the eye of the perpetrator.
Combat Over
Kalistrine spits on the corpse of the man Liu beheaded before searching his body. "Everyone wounded report to Koya or Lina." she says. "The rest check on the horses or search the bodies."
Is everyone alright? says Sandru.
A member of the caravan Bevelek who stayed with the caravan to do damage assessment runs up to Sandru and says, Well boss, seems we lost two ponies but were able to scrounge up four from the bandits to replace them. Everything seems to be in good enough shape to get to Galduria.
Knowledge Engineering or Profession Carpenter check DC 12
"Heh, bandit stomppin is always good business, an good fun too. I'm fine, any injuries Ayes gonna sleep off." I begin to scrounge over the corpses of the bandits.
"Ameiko? Takeshi? You two alright?" Liu Na asks as she reports to Koya and Lina as instructed by Kalistrine.
Ameiko flashes Liu a smile and says "I feel like dew on a Toilday morning, but in all honesty how are you doing Liu, you done took a beatin'"
Sandru comes back after checking the dead bandits the caravan killed and says excitedly "Well we were able to pick one cord of wood to sell from your efforts and one full crate of arrows and bows that we can sell. All in all a very profitable encounter for the caravan, what do you think?"
Kalistrine joins Sandru in examining the spoils. "What do you make of these?" she indicates the items taken off the leaders. "Think there might be magic in any of them?"
Sandru looks at Kali and says, "Well, magic itn't my forte, maybe Koya can help with this. However, them arrows with the red paper, gots to be special..."
He the turns to Koya, Madame, I would hate to bother you but could you be a dear and see if any of these items are magical
Koya leans on her cane and with her left hand moves her shawl over her mouth and whispers something inaudible and stretches her right hand out into the shape of a claw and hums for a might, casting detect magic over the pile of stuff.
After the ordeal she says, Well, well, well, it does seem that there is some magical things here, well, the potions and scrolls are almost too obvious to mention, nonetheless, that bow has the largest aura, followed by the arrows in red paper. Ha!
I get closer. "What? What do ye see? Somethin special?" I wait to hear the diagnosis.
She scrunches her nose a bit and says "Hmm, the bow has a moderate power eminating from it, however, I do not have the ability to identify it. The arrows must be of the arcane fire type by the damage done as the ranger shot them at Shalelu"
Shalelu laughs a bit and says, That orc won't be able to make me into an elven shashlik today, hahahaha!!!!
Koya continues "Does any of you have an identify spell or a wand that identifies, if not Galduria is known to have a magical academy."
I look at Shalelu and consider. "Hmmm. Elven Shashlik. I wonder if I have a good wine to go with that." I stare at Shalelu pondering for a moment.
"Good, we can have the bow looked at when we get to Galduria." Kalistrine says. "Pack up the rest for now and let's dig a hole for the dead. No good leaving them out in the open, and we don't want to tempt their spirits to haunt us." She looks to Koya and with deference which you've never seen the brash woman use before, she asks, "Koya, if you will be so kind as to say a blessing over the dead so their souls will rest quietly, I'm sure we will all appreciate it."
Koya looks at the mass grave, kneels and says, "May Desna guide your path better in death than whomever your deity did in life. They deserve peace where conflict guided them in life, may love guide from henceforth"
Afterwards she casts positive energy on the group, twice
Koya waves her hands and a glow of positive energy disseminates out towards all May Desna be praised!!!!
After Koya's service, Sandru gets the newlyfound treasure and cargo put on the wagons and within 20 minutes he pushes the caravan further. The pathway north is rough that skirts the Fogscar mountains. Sandru pushes the caravan past the normal time he usually stops but it is obvious he wants to camp in Galduria this evening.
About an hour past dusk, the caravan pulls up to the outskirts of the town.
Sandru says to the group "I think we will spend two nights here, I want to get these damaged wagons fixed and it should give me time to do some trading as well."
Zhenzhen is waiting in Galduria. She rode pretty hard to get past the Caravan, but she figured it'd be better than chasing them down on the road. She is quite sure that they will stop there.
So, she stays at a local tavern, and keeps her ears peeled for anyone that's seen a caravan of wagons come into town. She's still waiting for that; feeling antsy. She couldn't be that far ahead of them, could she?
Shalelu says to Ameiko and the rest of the group After that encounter earlier today, I think I need a drink and we may run into my friend, if she has already made it her before us, so anyone up for a crawl?
Kalistrine grins. "This town has a lot of students. They know how to party but they have thin skins." she says. "I'm in!" she laughs. She meets the others later dressed in a very simple tunic and breeches, her hair hanging down closely on either side of her face, hiding most of her scars.
Those who choose to go with Kalistrine and Shalelu on the Kneipencrawl are able to discern that Shalelu knows her way around Galduria and straight Varisian Rye.
Finally upon entering the taverna called "Fireballed Rabbit" in the corner Shalelu taps a pretty girl with stark white hair and skin, wearing a mix of red makeup that makes her pale-irised eyes stand out sharply, almost glowing in the torchlight of the taverna.
Shalelu says, Zheni, I am ecstatic that you got my pigeon and are able to meet us here in Galduria and join us. These are my friends and co-travelers...
With that Shalelu gets the att ention of the bar tender.
Zhenzhen looks over Shalelu's friends with quick darts of her pale eyes, almost nervous, though her smile is anything but. She nods and says, "Nice to meet you." She has a bit of a strange accent.
Kalistrine, already downing an ale, grins at the newcomer. "Zheni is it?" she says over the din of the tavern. "Kalistrine's my name."
Kalistrine is over six feet tall, and her arms are wiry, but muscular. Among her striking features are her eyes - one green and one brown, and her face, which might have been beautiful but for a very nasty scar that mars much of the left side of her face, much of which is obscured by her stringy black hair that hangs down past her shoulders. At the ends of her fingers are curved black claws where her nails should be. Her demeanour is challenging, belligerent even, and the way she is drinking that ale promises it will only get worse.
Shalelu continues after getting her drink, "Zheni, I know you are excited to go traveling. Well, there wasn't enough room in that inky dinky paper on the pigeon's foot to tell ya that we're going to Brinewall for an exploration cuz my girl Ameiko's family's gots a secret in that place. I am pretty stoked, and it should be an enormous time..."
With that Shalelu tosses back her whisky in one large pull, sloshing the contents in her mouth and then swallowing it.
Shalelu then buys a bottle of the whisky and pours glasses for everyone there "To Zhenzhen and Ameiko!!!!
"Nice to meet you Zheni, I am Takeshi. Ameiko's my sister. I'm sure we could use your assistance in delving into our past," Takeshi says, smiling.
The group that goes with Shalelu and meets Zhenzhen stay out late at the taverns late into the night. Groggily you all make it back to the caravan for breakfast.
Sandru fresh goes into town to do some trading with Kalistrine and set out getting the work done on fixing the wagons after the battle the day before.
Ameiko sits with Liu, Takeshi and Jorland after getting the magical items appraised and she says, I appreciate you guys coming with me... and I have to say to my little Tak Tak that your magi training has somewhat impressed me, I still remember that little defenseless boy I protected from Tsuto...
She turns to Liu and says, Dang girl you's got spunk, hide and go seek, wow...
To Jorland, That gift you gave to me makes me happy and then she squeezes his cheek.
Zhenzhen is quite bright and bushy tailed when she comes out to the caravans, all packed up and ready to go. She shuffles towards Shalelu, just waiting for instructions on where to go.
Kalistrine joins Sandru in the town, assisting with his mercantile negotiations by... just being there. She stands nearby, heavily armed and imposing, to reassure merchants that their caravan is a good investment, or to intimidate those who might wish to cheat Sandru. She speaks only when spoken to. Their routine is one they have practiced on numerous occasions already, and they fall to joking and commenting on the various deals they have made and characters they have met along the way.
In the morning, Sandru signals the caravan to move out.
GM Rolls
The caravan moves north skirting the Ember Lake and by midday the caravan arrives in Wolf's Ear where you stop and Sandru and Kalistrine continue to trade with the local people.
Knowledge Local DC15
When I get the opportunity to step down from my duties in the food wagon, I make my way over to Zhenzhen. "Greetins newcomer. I'm Jorland the Shuhite. Be a pleasure ta meet ya. So, will ye be joinin us on our quest te Brinewall?"
Arodus 1, 4711 Oathday
Leaving Wolf's Ear, Sandru points the caravan in a more northwesterly direction into the Churlwood Forest where the road is covered by double canopy forest but the road is in decent condition.
GM Rolls
Later in the day in this part of the Churlwood is a tangled forest choked by vines, you camp just outside it. Sandru warns everyone to be on their guard as the wood is known as a haven for bandits, thieves, and goblins. You pass the night undisturbed, however, and encounter no difficulties crossing through the woods the next day.
on the 2nd, the going is rough with a little rain in the day at about lunchtime but you still progress at a reasonable pace but aren't able to advance more than 20 miles this day.
On the evening of the 3rd, you exit the Churlwood and reach Roderic's Cove, which sits at the mouth of the Chavali River where it empties into the Varisian Gulf. Roderic's Cove is the largest town you've reached so far, considerably bigger than Sandpoint (although still a far-cry from Magnimar or Riddleport). It's a rather dirty place. The streets are muddy and that mud seems to cling to all the buildings and people in the town as well. There is a sizable harbor, which seems to be home to mostly old fishing vessels and a few decrepit larger ships.
"This place can be a bit rough," Sandru warns. "It's technically a holding of Riddleport and it takes after its parent city in many ways. We'll camp outside it, do a bit of business in the morning and be back on the road by noon."
Knowledge (history) DC 14:
Knowledge (local) DC 20:
The days on the road are long, and when it's rainy, it can be miserable. Kalistrine spends much of her time scouting ahead of the caravan, and when she returns she is taciturn at best. Sandru and Koya are the only ones who doesn't suffer for her ill moods. In Rodrick's Cove, she visits a Varisian shop, emerging with a cloth bundle. Later that evening she approaches Koya when she hopes nobody else will notice.
"Uh, Koya. I know these roads are cold and wet at this time of year, and when you're sitting on a wagon all day you might get... uncomfortable. Your skills are appreciated, and I got you this to thank you for your healing." she says, rather sheepishly. The bundle turns out to be a quilt of Varisian make with one side lined with soft fur - rabbit, and the other a patchwork of riotous coloured patterns. "I hope this will help you on the nastier days out here."
Koya takes the quilt into her hands and stretches it out to take in the craftsmanship and the detailed colored design in the sun, and then says with an extremely large smile on her wrinkly face, "Child, you really shouldn't have, however, this is exquisite work, I mean, it's just heavenly. It wasn't me at all it was Desna and her love, so I will humbly accept this gift in her honor."
Arodus 4,
After spending the morning working on some business deals, Sandru returns to the caravan in time for lunch and the caravan workers have already set about readying for departure and by noon, everything is set to go.
At Sandru's orders, the caravan starts moving again and soon, Roderic's Cove is vanishing into the distance. "We should reach the outskirts around Riddleport tomorrow evening, I plan on staying outside the city but if any of you need to visit it just tell me so I know..." Sandru says.
GM Rolls
The remainder of the day's journey is quiet and uneventful. In the evening, you camp alongside the road just outside a small dacha, which is unoccupied due to day of the week.
The next day, a cold wind is blowing from the south today, probably coming up off the Varisian Gulf, the shore of which can just be seen at the edge of your vision. The landscape here is rocky and mostly barren, with occasional patches of scrubby grasses. To the north, the Curchain Hills rise up, eventually becoming the Stony Mountains. Despite the sparseness of vegetation, there's a definite beauty to the landscape. Sunlight glints off the far-off mountains, at times creating a sparkling display.
You stop for lunch around midday as usual, then continue on, the landscape having changed little over the course of the day. Indeed, as pretty as it can be, it's consistency gives the annoying illusion that you're not getting anywhere at all.
Shalelu heads out again to scout and make certain that there are no enemies nearby. Ameiko climbs onto the back of the lead wagon and begins lightly playing her bass samisen and humming.
You make the outkirts of Riddleport that evening. The sun is setting by the time you reach the road overlooking the rocky harbor and the two tall ridges the cramped city is tucked between. Instead of following the road through the eastern ridge into the city proper, Sandru has the caravan turn north along a smaller road which leads to an area just outside the north end of the city. Sandru calls this area "Lubbertown".
"It's a bit lawless in this area," he says, "but then, that's pretty true of the whole city, and the dirt roads here are better for the wagons than the ill-repaired cobblestone things they have in the city proper. We'll camp at the edge of Lubbertown for the night, and I'll wait here if you want to take care of any business in the city tomorrow and we can leave the next day towards Brinewall."
Knowing Sandru's dislike for Riddleport, Kalistrine decides to stay with the wagons tonight, and sets herself up with the night watches in the darkest hours by patrolling around the camp just out of the firelight to give her Darkvision its best chance of being useful. If the night is uneventful, she takes her rest in the morning.
Later that day I approach Ameiko. "Hey Amy, I want te try sometin. Got a minute fer a listen."
If she approves I speak Tien to her.
"I been studyin yer language fer some time now an practicin some a Liu's skills. I tink I gots it down purty good. Watcha tink? Oh an somehow ma cookin got better when I learn Liu's skills. I guess em ninjas was good cook huh?"
Ameiko looks at Jorland and says, "Sure, why not? What do you have for me this time?"
After hearing Jorland speaking Tien. She squints at him and says back in Tien,
"Oh...right but I find yer heritage ta be fascinatin, dats why I dabbled a bit. Still, now I can hang out wit ye, Taki, and Liu an talk funny. Ninja's as cooks do, really interesting. I'll fix us sometin good fer dinner tanight."
Ameiko smiles at what Jorland says until she hears 'talk funny' then she frowns slightly realizing that it must be a learning mistake and then says in Tien
Later, Ameiko goes over to Liu and says to her, Liu, I thought this would be a great time to talk and see how you are. Do you believe the tales of Brinewall are true? According to the history, a storm hit and then wham, the place became deserted.
Later, Ameiko goes over to Liu and says to her, Liu, I thought this would be a great time to talk and see how you are. Do you believe the tales of Brinewall are true? According to the history, a storm hit and then wham, the place became deserted.
Liu Na's brow furrows as she considers what Ameiko said. "I don't know, Ameiko. Your grandfather's letter hinted that he was worried that your family's enemies might somehow attack Brinewell. His letter was dated 4687. You said a sudden storm hit the place and then it became deserted? When did that happen?"
Ameiko scratches her chin for a second in response to Liu's remark.
She says, Well, that was the same year as the storm which could also explain the shipwrecks of the Kaijitsu Blossom and Star. That's what I remember from school.
Knowledge History DC 15
Blame has mostly fallen on the Nolander barbarians, who were a constant menace to the settlement. Curiously however, the Nolanders themselves avoid the place, fearing it as cursed
At around dusk, Sandru along with Enril and Ahiko walk toward the caravan where the rest of you crash for the evening. He steps out into the light of the oil burning lamp and clears his throat in a somewhat terse manner and then says, "Seems as though Zhenzhen has decided to try her luck in Riddleport and well, I am extremely excited to say, I have hired on two new folks for the caravan. Here is Enril and Ahiko, please feel free to introduce yourselves to these nice people."
After a little bit, he says, "We'll be leaving for Brinewall in the morning, it should take us between three and four days to get there from here, so be ready and get a good night sleep."
A slightly built female steps forward into the light of the lamp, her bluish tinged skin looking cool and dry in the warm golden glow of the light. White eyes, void of any irises or pupils looks blindly at you all, though she doesn't seem hampered by any blindness. Long black hair is bundled up into a ponytail.
"Hello all. I am Mitsuhara Ahiko. I have skills as a healer and am honored to meet you all." She bows in greeting to the group.
A tall thin man with point-ears follows after Sandru, his blond hair reflecting the light, light brown eyes observe everyone in the room. Then as he talks he makes an entertainer bow:
"Enril, cleric of Shelyn and traveling bard at your services."
Upon hearing Sandru words Enril adds the classic varisian saying: "Though the trip is long we shall shorten the road"
An unusually tall woman with stringy black hair approaches Sandru from the camp's perimeter. As she grows nearer and sees the newcomers with him, she slows to a halt a few meters away. Her face shows guardedness as Sandru introduces their new caravan members. Your initial look at her confirms that she is very tall - over six feet in fact, and looks to have quite powerful arms though she does not appear all that bulky for it. She is armored in a Breastplate and wears an armory of weapons about her person. Now that she is closer, this is only one of her unique features. Her face might be pretty, but for an ugly network of scars down the left side that look like someone took a burning hot hook to her flesh at some time in the past. Her eyes are also unusual in that one is green and one brown. Finally, her fingers end in blackened claws where fingernails ought to be.
She looks the newcomers over and nods. "Hey." she says by way of greetings. "I'm Kalistrine. Either of you any good as scouts? Or have some skill with repairing wagons?" she asks bluntly.