"Orders, Sir? How can one see orders?" Levechem asks, "Alas, I have found nothing, you all arrived before I was able to investigate the area." He informs Armand.
"They will be written and most probably concealed on the person of an officer. It is possible also that they will be in a small box."
Jacen goes looking for standards, papers, or boxes that might be found on the battlefield.
Armand shrugs again. "What is there to see? Merely bodies and debris. It is a battlefield, after all."
Yuriel stands guard, staying close to the Minotaur officer, and doing his best to keep the others in sight.
Replies to Armand, "Yes, there was definitely a battle here."
Jacen catches the reflection of the setting sun off of a small metal box laying partially buried beneath the smashed timbers of the platform. The box looks mostly intact, if not a little dinged up.
Roedd, with Booj's help, manages to salvage:
1 suit of Chain
1 suit of Leather
3 Long swords (counting the previous one)
1 Spear
2 Light Shields
1 Mace
1 Short sword
Jacen catches the reflection of the setting sun off of a small metal box laying partially buried beneath the smashed timbers of the platform. The box looks mostly intact, if not a little dinged up.
The human goes over to the pile of timber and rummages around for the metal box.
" I can't wait to get back to camp. Maybe there will have a nice side of beef slowly turning of the fire. If not, I know where one can be found."
The box itself is mostly whole. Bashed from the weight of the timbers, it doesn't appear to be locked, or even capable of closing correctly any more. The lid is angled to the side a little, slightly askew.
Booj perks up from his discouragement at the sight of an open-able box.
" I can't wait to get back to camp. Maybe there will have a nice side of beef slowly turning of the fire. If not, I know where one can be found."
The insightful cleric raises an eyebrow. Although he has witnessed insubordination before, this is of a type he has not seen.
Jacen takes the box, and with hinge towards himself, slowly opens the lid and looks inside.
"We will open this box, I think."
Armand states the obvious.
The small metal box squeeks on crooked hinges as it is opened. Inside are about five small envelopes, each one sealed with wax. There is also a small purse of coins within the box.
There appear to be the orders that Tulgeikh and Armand have been looking for.
To Raedd and Booj, "That's a good haul. There are men back at camp who will be glad of new weapons and armor before the next battle."
To Tulgeikh, "Is that what you were looking for? Is there anything else we need from this stinking corpse-ground?"
"For myself, no."
Armand raises his hat again.
"Levechem, we will shortly be returning to the camp. If you would care to reside under my headgear, this will provoke less comment."
"These orders must be restored as they seem to be of some consequence."
"Oh, Sir, under your hat? Totally uneccessary." Levechem hunkers down on all fours, tucks his wings back and wraps his tail around the back of Armand's neck to rest on his other shoulder. He then disappears from sight, though Armand can still feel the weight of him resting on his shoulder.
The small squad gathers themselves up and heads back towards the encampment. They leave the remains of the battlefield as the sun sets. Arriving road and day weary at the camp, a couple hours later, as everyone is settling down for the night and the camp grows quieter.
"Everyone got what they needed, no-one on our side died, and we're back to camp in time for mess. I call that a victory." Yuriel is a little weary but his voice is upbeat. He will accompany Tulgeikh back to his officers tent, or wherever the minotaur is headed, then he'll go to find food and sleep.
The first card for example:
Title: Hidden Asset
Effect: Target gains access to an item on his person as a free action.
Examples: You find a tool to pick your manacles.
An ally appears from nowhere.
New information brings around a foe.
An unrevealed skill surfaces
The target can be anyone or anything, you can play it on enemies or allies (of course bad ones for enemies, I would hope). And if there is a dice element the card must be used BEFORE the roll.
Say you used this card to get your rope from your backpack in time to toss it to a falling player. So you come up with a story for the effect, i.e. as I lean forward to reach out to *Ally*, my backpack slips off my shoulder and my rope tumbles out. As long as the story isn't too over the top, "rope jumping out and tying around *ally*" then it's all well and good.
Title: Sanity Check.
Effect: Target becomes confused for 3 rounds.
Examples of why the target is confused: An opponent does something surprising, Voices in its head suggest horrible deeds, The room shifts surreally, Where'd that tentacle come from.
Title: Broken.
Effect: Target item becomes broken.
Examples of why the target is broken: A trusted item is damaged, A bridge that looks safe falls apart, A strong-willed person breaks down, A valuable relic is destroyed.
Armand returns to the camp, satisfied that honour has been maintained and curious to know more about his surrendered foe.
Title: Lucky Day.
Effect: Target finds a single item worth 500gp or less.
Examples of how the target finds something: Something benefits you greatly, A will from a long-lost relative appears, You find a potion lying in the street, You randomly guess a lock's combination.
Title: Save the Day.
Effect: One ally within 6 squares can make one attack as a minor action. (had to convert from 30' and immediate action, but it is not restricted to a basic attack)
Examples of why the target makes an attack: Good fortune saves you from harm, You have just the right tool for the job, An unexpected ally appears, You know how to handle the situation.
Title: Greed.
Effect: Target receives a +10 bonus on one Thievery check. (tough one, it was appraise, but it could have been anything a knowledge, a thievery, a streetwise.)
Examples of why the target is greedy: The shopkeeper marks up an item, A gem shines at the bottom of a pit, You loot a body rather than aid an ally, Someone takes more than they should.
Tulgeikh leaves to report the results of his mission, he dismisses you all back to your regular duties before he goes.
Booj and Roedd haul their salvaged gear to the quartermaster, and are given their serving of now cold supper.
Jacen and Yuriel report back to their respective commands, and are told to grab mess and catch some Z's, it will probably be an early morning.
Armand is able to head back to the command tent he shares with a few of the other mercenary officers.
Booj digs in happily to his cold supper, then retires to his pallet to sleep the sleep of the just.
Food and sleep are all that Yuriel craves after the day's work.
Armand has no desire to return to his tent just now. He will, instead, buy a bottle of something drinkable and go and gatecrash Yuriel and Jacen's get together.
"I wish to discuss Levechem's comments with one versed in the way of the divine. Perhaps you will indulge me? The small one has his tail in my ear and is very much present."
"These hairless apes have no compassion. Cold barley and biscuits are not proper fare for the Pecyn."
After picking out which commands the others are in for future reference, Seljak will spend the evening sewing the standard back together, getting some supper, and then sleep.
Now if you were with the mercenaries, that may be a different story, they seem to be uncoordinated and irresponsible when it comes to their perimeter.
The sentry on duty directs Armand toward a campfire where Yuriel and Jacen are lounging in luxuriously upholstered Klimite-style high back chairs with comfy armrests. Seeing Armand approach, Jacen hurries to a nearby tent, emerging soon with an identical chair for the sorcerer.
"These are the spoils of war from when our company overran a Klimite command post," says the cleric, and sure enough, you see there are more rescued chairs scattered around the camp.
"I wish to discuss Levechem's comments with one versed in the way of the divine. Perhaps you will indulge me? The small one has his tail in my ear and is very much present."
"Now what is it about your new friend that you wish to discuss?"
"No, Levechem. As you have raised the question, it is proper that you understand your error. Nor is it appropriate that you create an hovel in my tent. The movement of socks must arouse the suspicions of the other inhabitants."
Opening the wine and passing it to Yuriel and Jacen, Armand explains.
"The small one has raised a question which has roused my anger. It is his claim that my prowess in battle does not come from the might of Chalyse. I ask now your opinion on this as men of experience in the world and the divine. For myself, I feel that my honour is greatly smirched by this insinuation, but I understand that one must make allowance for Levechem. He is not of the most sophisticated."
"Indeed Sir, the moving of things by unseen forces would arouse suspicion, you are most wise." Levechem praises.
After Armand's question, Levechem adds, "Oh, do be mindful, Sir, as your choice of wording may sow confusion. To a priest such as this, I'm certain, everything happens by the grace of the Gods, both directly and indirectly." He continues, his voice coming from the space above Armand's left shoulder.
"I merely advised that the powers you wield come from the arcane forces around you that you weave into the most spectacular results. It is this ability that the Council's High Protectors will hunt you for." Jacen can just make out a hint of irritation in his voice as he corrects Armand.
"Is this correct?"