Zorestar cringes as he listens to Bron mispronounce several important words.
By Nethys, I hope he does start a war with this clan! Let's hope the kobold chief doesn't consider that we think of him as meat and that he should hang himself!
Leaning in to Zorestar and Carina, he whispers:
"It's not nearly as hard as you mysterious types make it seem."
Turning, Carina gives Bron a big grin: I do believe you referred to their chief as a chef, your greeting involved meat, and I do not even want to know what you plan on doing with a rope that would result in the kobolds having a good day.
I do believe that we need to work on your speaking ability a little more as we go forward. We would not want you to greet Chief Sootscale by calling him an Ashweigh. But don't worry Bron, for but two weeks of practice, I would say your skills are coming along nicely.
"You make any sense of what they're saying Ganit? I admit to not paying attention when my father's tutors tried to teach me languages."
"I can tell ya what they're sayin. Carina's talking too much and Bronwyn's making foll a'imself."
"Can't make out the words but you can tell it's nothing important just by the way they're carrying on. Telias makes a good point, just because they say it differently doesn't mean they aren't saying the same things they always do."
"Well you guys have a point there."
Jameson laughs with the crotchety hermits.
"I think you two would've liked my brother. He didn't like to waste words either."
"There is nothing wrong with using lots of words as long as you can get something accomplished with them. Consider if you were asking someone to calculate the volume of a solid of revolution if you were trying to add the Reimann sums of cylindrical cross sections perpendicular to the x axis. You would need to give the equations for the boundaries simply to write the limits of integration. Furthermore, you want to specify what linear equation you plan to use as your axis of revolution. Just to give the directions you would not want to use any fewer words. You see words precisely given can make things rather clear. However, I will confess, the words I am hearing Bron speak do not seem to be clearing anything up!"
I do believe that our new magician is ill. He definitely is starting to sound as though he is completely insane.
Bronwyn looks quizzically at Zorestar, whispering to the others nearest him
"Thank the gods it's not only me, Carina. I was starting to feel dumb."
Recovering his composure, he says:
"It has been a pleasure, chief Sootscale. For now we must be off, my companion must have taken a fever with the hot sun."
"Hate to say you've failed to illustrate your point, Zorestar. You may have actually argued against it."
You all spend the night uneventful before the morning comes. Sleeping in to get the full 8 hours rest you wake up at 7am ready to set off or continue making plans. The Kobolds were not insulted last night and it seems they understood as they spoke a broken common when they attempt it, not to mention they owe the group too much to decide to go to war with them.
While calmly riding on Bandit, Bronwyn asks:
"So Ganit, you think we can get to the fort today?"
Carina rides along next to the rest of the guys.
A beautiful day to destroy an abomination if I may say so.
"The Stag Lord, whomever he is, is just a man. He will fall, our resolve will see us through. Although careful planning and ambush won't hurt either."
You see Carina staring off into the distance for a moment:
They will all die, whether by sword, lance or spell. This Stag Lord is no man. A man would not do what he has done, kill, murder, rape, pillage. He and the scum he lives with will suffer and die freeing this land.
As Carina turns toward you, you can almost see flames in her eyes from behind her veil.
They will all die, whether by sword, lance or spell. This Stag Lord is no man. A man would not do what he has done, kill, murder, rape, pillage. He and the scum he lives with will suffer and die freeing this land.
Telias let's out a belligerent snort. "Maam I don't know if you realized this but you have participated in all of these here activities aside from the rapin though I can't say I know ye all that well."
On the contrary. I have defended myself from those who would kill me. Those that did not attack us live yet and may become part of our society. We have met good fey and kobolds, and even boggarts, although we must return and speak with the boggarts once we are finished with the Rat Lord. My good druid, while I may have killed, it was never in cold blood and only when necessary. And once something is dead from a just cause, there is no wrong is taking that wealth which the deceased can no longer use.
"Spoken like a true hypocrite." Telias says bluntly. "Only reason kobolds are even alive is because you killed dozens of mites in their own home and brokered a deal which got more kilt. They weren't 'ere askin fer yer great society they jes been livin their mean little lives till ya came along and killed them all. Ain't sayin I care about it. Jes sayin don't pretend like ye ain't nothin but another conquerin warlord puttin yer mark on the place. Better er worse is a matter of perspective. From where ahm sittin ain't none prove they any better than any other blood covered tyrant. Just more principled."
Absentmindedly Telias takes out his pipe. "And ain't none of you questioned where these men came from. Why they live the way they live. Why they kill when they kin be raisin families. Ain't no man born evil anymore 'n he's born good. Mebbe he's tryna kill you because he wants the money or food yer carryin. Fair enough I spose. But yer killin him just the same because ya want to keep it. Both of ya are doing what ya gotta do ta see the rest of Erastil's beautiful day. That's life in these parts. Mr. Stag Lord's lil soldiers jes doin what they gotta do. Same as me and you and Ganit and that elf man and his kid and Oleg and all the rest of us. Sooner ya get off yer high horse and see that. The better off ya be."
"Spoken like a true hypocrite." Telias says bluntly. "Only reason kobolds are even alive is because you killed dozens of mites in their own home and brokered a deal which got more kilt. They weren't 'ere askin fer yer great society they jes been livin their mean little lives till ya came along and killed them all. Ain't sayin I care about it. Jes sayin don't pretend like ye ain't nothin but another conquerin warlord puttin yer mark on the place. Better er worse is a matter of perspective. From where ahm sittin ain't none prove they any better than any other blood covered tyrant. Just more principled."
"Telias, perhaps you could kindly refrain from telling Carina that she is a conquering warlord. I assure you, she has a great deal of goodness in her, and we mean to help her see that side of herself as well!"
As you travel down towards wher you believe the Stag Lord's keep is you cross the river and then head down to the area furthest south you've ever been. In the distance you see a fort of somekind with wooden walls, but you are too far back to get much more detail.
Well all, there is the next there is the next conquest for the' usurpers of the Greenbelt terror network.
Sarcasm:
Should we send out the birds to scout? It is hard to see what we are facing from here. The other option is to scout at night. I know that I have better night vision than most, but that would require getting fairly close.
Zorestar whispers to Istikali, "Go my friend and find out what you can from this place. What are we up against?"
He then let's his familiar free to go and scout out the area.
Istikali flies over discreetly and finds a suitable place to perch where he can safely watch the comings and goings of the fort.
Pereption
Sending the bird as a scout proves quite fruitful as you manage to get a lot of information about the structures inside the walls. Istikali manages to see very clearly the occupants. There appear to be large buildings and no way of getting in besides the gate.
He did a headcount and found there were 8 bandits in there he could see, but heard there were others and saw more in the guard tower. One big ugly one tried to eat him shouting "Birdy! Birdy, Lunch!" and then as he flew around, settling somewhere else, heading low to get a good outlook of the entire place, avoiding being scared off and saw that they have a big bird-like creature inside a nest before he took flight.
From the description you assume he is talking about an Owlbear. From what he says it sounds like it's a more burley looking one than usual.
He only got a passing glance of the Stag Lord, but he looked like a regular man wearing some kind of skull of a Stag on his head.
Knowledge(arcana):
So, a bunch of bandits, the Stag Lord is an alcoholic with a fetish for horned hats, and they have what I believe is an Owlbear as a pet. The Owlbear will be a problem, my book here says they are vicious, eat anything, and like blood. Not really the type of creature I would keep as a pet, but who knows.
Telias observes the planning while smoking his pipe seeing no need to pipe in at just this moment.
Istikali lands upon Zorestar's shoulder and tells him what she saw.
Knowledge, Arcana
"My friends, I believe Carina is correct, Once inside, we will have to deal with a dreaded owl bear. Please know that The owlbear attacks its prey with its deadly claws, latching onto an opponent. They then bite and claw until the victim falls dead and is devoured. Owlbears attack any prey on sight, and consider anything larger than a mouse prey."
"So basically everything I told ya bout owlbears before. Glad it sunk inta ya."
"Would you prefer that Donal and I deal with the Stag Lord or the owlbear first?"
Jameson looks up from checking Donal's feet, wafting the smell of Telias' pipe away from his face.
I wonder whether we could sneak in and let the owl bear loose. Let it do some nice damage to the enemy from the start.
Also, aren't there supposed to be zombies or some type of dead monsters outside of the keep? The bird did not bring back any information on them.
"And ain't none of you questioned where these men came from. Why they live the way they live. Why they kill when they kin be raisin families. Ain't no man born evil anymore 'n he's born good. Mebbe he's tryna kill you because he wants the money or food yer carryin. Fair enough I spose. But yer killin him just the same because ya want to keep it. Both of ya are doing what ya gotta do ta see the rest of Erastil's beautiful day. That's life in these parts. Mr. Stag Lord's lil soldiers jes doin what they gotta do. Same as me and you and Ganit and that elf man and his kid and Oleg and all the rest of us. Sooner ya get off yer high horse and see that. The better off ya be."
"We all do what we must to survive, it's as simple as that." Ganit comments offhandedly as he delicately nicks at his blades with a whetstone. "This camp is built of men and woman just like us; the stolen lands have always been a sort of haven for outcasts, rejects, misfits and monsters. Take away the charter and there's little to distinguish us from them," he pauses to slip his knife back into its sheath then cycles his axe onto his lap, spits on the stone and sets to work on it. "Our merry kill squad is merely the lesser of two necessary evils."
"I wonder whether we could sneak in and let the owl bear loose. Let it do some nice damage to the enemy from the start."
"I'm in favor of anything that lessens our workload. Can't say I know much about the beasts other than the amount of specialized training equipment I've seen for sale at a number of hunting posts. Judging on that, I imagine they're capable of some degree of domestication. It would be better to wait until we know the relationship with it's handlers before releasing it."
"This camp is built of men and woman just like us; the stolen lands have always been a sort of haven for outcasts, rejects, misfits and monsters. Take away the charter and there's little to distinguish us from them. Our merry kill squad is merely the lesser of two necessary evils."
"Do you really believe that? I thought what distinguished us from the others was how we act. Are we trying to create a barbaric land run by fear, oppression and thuggery, or are we here to create a great civilization where freedom comes with respect, responsibility and with dignity for other life? I like to think there is a big difference between the two. If we are to become just as evil as the stag lord and his minions, then I think I signed up for the wrong group. I have to believe there is goodness behind what we are doing here, otherwise there seems to be little point in this charter. Tell me, my friends, do you all feel the same way as Ganit?"
"Believe what you must, it's all a matter of perspective. This life is the only one most of those men and women have ever known, and a man can't recognize himself as 'good' or 'evil' without first having to find a point of reference. Without an anchor those two concepts will drift apart and melt together enough to leave you so weak you'll conform to the strongest leader that finds you. You pick up that man's code and wear it as your own until a better one comes along and the cycle repeats. Hell, I'd wager there are just as much prisoners among Stag Lord's foot soldiers as there are men who truly aligned with him. Given an opportunity they'd leave this in search of something different; something that better serves them as an individual or raises their rank over others."
"The Great Civilization you're all working to create will be built by and housed with people just like these: base, weak willed, greedy and stupid. Walls and banners provide only a mask to hide precisely what we're seeking to root out; and when the time comes it will be up to you to force your will on those who forge your castles. Moderate amounts of fear, oppression and thuggery may just end up saving you the trouble of having to find and slaughter the next Stag Lord."
"The Great Civilization you're all working to create will be built by and housed with people just like these: base, weak willed, greedy and stupid. Walls and banners provide only a mask to hide precisely what we're seeking to root out; and when the time comes it will be up to you to force your will on those who forge your castles."
"Certainly those sorts of people are to be found in all civilizations, but that is why we will need to build schools, temples, and theaters. We will need to emphasize education, religion, culture, and the arts. With well educated people united in a community where mutual respect and individual freedom is valued, we can avoid oppression and coercion and build a society that cherishes our unique individuality. I know this sounds rather idealistic, but with this charter, we have that opportunity to build toward that vision. Furthermore, the first step toward this vision will be eliminating bandits and thugs who think they can intimidate and rule with fear and coercion. You may think of us as the same, but I assure you, one works towards the benefit of the community and the other to its detriment."
" Without an anchor those two concepts will drift apart and melt together enough to leave you so weak you'll conform to the strongest leader that finds you. You pick up that man's code and wear it as your own until a better one comes along and the cycle repeats. Hell, I'd wager there are just as much prisoners among Stag Lord's foot soldiers as there are men who truly aligned with him. Given an opportunity they'd leave this in search of something different; something that better serves them as an individual or raises their rank over others."
"The Great Civilization you're all working to create will be built by and housed with people just like these: base, weak willed, greedy and stupid. Moderate amounts of fear, oppression and thuggery may just end up saving you the trouble of having to find and slaughter the next Stag Lord."
I beg to differ. Every person has morals and ethics. Admittedly, those beliefs can be swayed by one's environment. But we all know that evil and chaotic individuals are born to lawful and good families. Likewise, some of the greatest warriors of good have arisen from chaotic, evil and despotic societies.
When one has not the power to fight those in power, then one must bow to their power. This is how Staggy controls his people, with fear. This does not mean that his minions are evil, although undoubtedly many of them are, or have become so after so many years of enjoying the vile rewards that come from serving him. If give the choice between a hard days work in the fields or just robbing the farmer and raping his wife, many men would choose the later. We will create a civilization that will reward the hard work, and put those who would do what is inherently wrong on notice that the punishment will be swift and severe.
Our land will be one ruled by good, we shall have laws to guide our citizens. But we will not be a land in which the laws run the country. That is what the devil has brought to the formerly great land of Cheliax, and we all know of the evil and suffering that are rampant in that land. Our laws will be to assure that those who would do wrong know what is wrong and how they will be punished once caught.
Our strength will be our people, all people whether they be man, elf, dwarf, or even kobold will be welcomed, as long as they agree to live within the laws we set and agree to not harm others. People are not weak willed, greedy and stupid, it is only their circumstances which may make them appear so. The brightest sage may appear weak when faced by a drunk brawler. And the farmer may seem stupid if asked about the arcane. But each and every person has a place within society and as long as they are given the chance to find and fulfill a role for which they are best suited, then our society shall flourish and prosper.
"But each and every person has a place within society and as long as they are given the chance to find and fulfill a role for which they are best suited, then our society shall flourish and prosper."
"Agreed, my dear Carina, as long as you are referring to society."
Zorestar pauses for a moment, and then says, "I was not sure that this is the time to bring it up, but you have gotten me thinking. Considering we do have a charter for these lands, kindly permit me to clarify my thoughts on society and government."
"Some people have so confounded society with government, as to leave little or no distinction between them; whereas they are not only different, but have different origins. Society is produced by our wants, and government by our wickedness; the former promotes our happiness positively by uniting our affections, the latter negatively by restraining our vices. The one encourages intercourse, the other creates distinctions. The first is a patron, the last a punisher."
"Society in every state is a blessing, but Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one: for when we suffer, or are exposed to the same miseries by a government, which we might expect in a country without government, our calamity is heightened by reflecting that we furnish the means by which we suffer. Government, like dress, is the badge of lost innocence; the palaces of kings are built upon the ruins of the tents of paradise. For were the impulses of conscience clear, uniform and irresistibly obeyed, people would need no other lawgiver; but that not being the case, one finds it necessary to surrender up a part of his property to furnish means for the protection of the rest; and this he is induced to do by the same prudence which in every other case advises him, out of two evils to choose the least. Wherefore, security being the true design and end of government, it unanswerably follows that whatever form thereof appears most likely to ensure it to us, with the least expense and greatest benefit, is preferable to all others."
"In order to gain a clear and just idea of the design and end of government, let us suppose a small number of persons settled in some sequestered part of Golarion, unconnected with the rest; a place one might call the Greenbelt. Well, they will then represent the first peopling of any country, or of the world. In this state of natural liberty, society will be their first thought. A thousand motives will excite them thereto; the strength of one person is so unequal to his wants, and his mind so unfitted for perpetual solitude, that he is soon obliged to seek assistance and relief of another, who in his turn requires the same. Four or five united would be able to raise a tolerable dwelling in the midst of a wilderness, but one being might labour out the common period of life without accomplishing any thing; when he had felled his timber he could not remove it, nor erect it after it was removed; hunger in the mean time would urge him to quit his work, and every different want would call him a different way. Disease, nay even misfortune from the likes of a Stag Lord, would be death; for either would disable him from living, and reduce him to a state in which he might rather be said to perish than to die."
"Thus necessity, like a gravitating power, would soon form our newly arrived emigrants into society, the reciprocal blessings of which would supersede, and render the obligations of law and government unnecessary while they remained perfectly just to each other; but as nothing but Elysium, Nirvana, and Heaven in the Outer Sphere are impregnable to vice, it will unavoidably happen that in proportion as they surmount the first difficulties of emigration, which bound them together in a common cause, they will begin to relax in their duty and attachment to each other: and this remissness will point out the necessity of establishing some form of government to supply the defect of moral virtue."
Zorestar looks to see if anything is stilling listening to his clarification.
"Perhaps I am getting a little ahead of myself, but it is certainly something to consider before we get to forming a government."
Oh great! I did it this time. Perhaps I should have just kept quiet. Now everyone will be convinced that I really use an excessive amount of words, even though I was just trying to express some ideas for discussion.
"Gentlemen, Carina, perhaps this is not the time to discuss such matters? Good or evil, right or wrong, these men are bandits and they threaten whatever civilization we are attempting to build. Let us focus on the now, which is defeating them, and worry about tomorrow if we live to see it."
"Awful lot of talking about ideals and how ya want ta rule things when it ain't you really decidin."
"Certainly those sorts of people are to be found in all civilizations, but that is why we will need to build schools, temples, and theaters. We will need to emphasize education, religion, culture, and the arts. With well educated people united in a community where mutual respect and individual freedom is valued, we can avoid oppression and coercion and build a society that cherishes our unique individuality. I know this sounds rather idealistic, but with this charter, we have that opportunity to build toward that vision."
"O! and how wonderful it will be for all of the gumdrop farmers to come back from the fields after a hard day's work just in time to watch the latest showing of 'Tea and Biscuits with the Pretty Pretty Princess,'"
"Education and the arts don't give the immediate food and lumber you need to wage war on Issia so I hope you haven't all forgotten what this kingdom of yours is, just another resource pit for Restov and the Swordlords. You and your people are simply an expendable asset, nothing more than mere property belonging to Brevoy. Any power they throw down to you is a simple illusion, you don't need to be a mage to realize it."
"The whole idea behind the charter is a cruel joke and if it weren't for a dagger at my throat I'd have never bothered to come out this far. But alas, here I stand just moments away from doing the job the Order of some of the most sought after swordsmen and tacticians the world has been blessed to see couldn't dare dirty their fine white gloves with."
"I have no interest in the semantics but I admire both of you for your endearing naivety. If I don't have to bury either of you in the morning, I look forward to seeing how great of puppets you turn out to be. Carina I'd also like to thank you for the armor, feel free to take it back with you if I die."
"Gentlemen, Carina, perhaps this is not the time to discuss such matters? Good or evil, right or wrong, these men are bandits and they threaten whatever civilization we are attempting to build. Let us focus on the now, which is defeating them, and worry about tomorrow if we live to see it."
"Best point I've heard so far today. At the very least, this discussion has given me the drive to hurt something."
Yes, our first goal is surviving our upcoming assault on the boil of the Greenbelt. Once we have eliminated the disease that is this Stag Lord and his bandits, then we shall discuss the exact nature of the society we will create.
Oh, and Ganit, the reason I loaned you the money is so that you and I would both survive. Collecting a debt from a dead man is typically quite difficult.
Which brings us back to the present. what is our plan of attack? Try to sneak in during the day? Have some of us scout tonight? Then there is the issue of these undead in the region and I personally would prefer avoiding fighting those who have tricked death once already.
While I would prefer not being the target of arrows, if Zorestar can allow me to fly and make me invisible, a few of us could sneak up tonight and then I could float above the wall and take notes of all that is within so as to gain a better determination of what we are facing that the bird provided. I have much better nighttime eyesight and while the bird gave us a good overview, I have no doubt there is more. For instance which buildings should we hit first? Where are their armaments kept? Where are their barracks? If we are to attack at night, these are key pieces of information that we currently lack.
Or we can simply garb ourselves as bandits and then ride in with a wagon full of booze for the old drunkard. Really, I do not see any of these plans as being greatly flawed, or much better.
"Disguises will likely be our best bet," Ganit replies as he pulls the cork out of one of the green bottles of liquor and empties two vials of oily liquid into it. "That's all of the spider venom I was able to harvest. If we're lucky it could make him a bit weaker for a little while; could be helpful if he's weighted the test on his bow for harder hitting arrows, can't shoot very well if you can't pull the string."
He sets the poisoned liquor aside, slips out of his highwayman's jacket and pulls a cloak over the thin leathers worn over his near-weightless mithral shirt. He then goes about reallocating his equipment from his backpack, swapping out half of his standard cold iron for the nasty looking thistle arrows and tying a tanglefoot bag to his belt for quick access. A razor edged dagger is neatly concealed inside a fitted sheath up his sleeve and the shaft of his axe dangles beside his left leg, it's head secured in a leather loop from his second belt hanging at his hips below the one at his waist. Finally he straps his backpack on and pulls the cloak back through covering everything but his axe from view.
"We can go in as a group or we can split off a covert sabotage group before we get to the door. A couple minutes of invisibility would get a person into the compound but won't give the ability be undetectable at a great length. I'm confident in my own abilities as a stealthy saboteur but I can't say the same for all of you," he gives Bronwyn a cursory glance. "At least not covered in all that metal. I've still got my leathers if you want to join me? If that's how we plan to go."
"While I would prefer not being the target of arrows, if Zorestar can allow me to fly and make me invisible, a few of us could sneak up tonight and then I could float above the wall and take notes of all that is within so as to gain a better determination of what we are facing that the bird provided. I have much better nighttime eyesight and while the bird gave us a good overview, I have no doubt there is more."
"I am certainly willing and able to cast levitate and invisibility upon you, but I do not know what you will see that Istikali has not already reported on. Is there something in particular you wish to know more about? I'm sure my familiar would be more than willing to return and scout further."
Well, I guess we simply ride up and say hi. That would likely draw the least attention. Who would be dumb, or cocky, enough to ride up to a defended bandit fort.
We dress in the garb from the bandits we took out. And explain that we are the remnants of the advance team. That we were hit while sleeping and had our goods, including these barrels of alcohol stolen. We tracked the thieves up to Oleg's. Then, a day later the re-stolen goods continued their trek north toward Reslov. We captured them a ways north of Oleg's and have been dodging the thieves who hit the camp since then which is why it took a while to make our return.
Lets make our approach about a half hour before sundown when the bandits are likely to have already begun drinking. While it is not my strong point, I can attempt to charm Staggy with my personality and get him to drink Ganit's spiked brew.
"Carina, If I am to be a thespian for this event, could you clarify what role I am to play in this little production? Do you want me to be one of the ruffians? If so, I have this great line that I hope to use. Listen to this." Zorestar clears his throat and gives his best impression of a thug.
Bluff
"Give me something to steal you dimwitted numbskull!"
Quite pleased with his performance, Zorestar excitedly asks, "So what do you think?"
Sense Bad Acting:
Bluff:
While your performance would undoubtedly turn heads in many . . . clubs of reputation, I do not think that would be an apt line at this juncture. I think that we should allow Bron, or perhaps Ganit, do the talking as they has a way with words.
As we discovered at the brigand camp, these groups have a leader an a bunch of followers. I think that for this act, Bron or Ganit should play leader, the rest of us keep our mouths shut and let him talk.
Nothing personal Zorestar, but if you start talking about matathenatics or mystical theory or the empty space in the Stag Lord's head, I am guessing that you would blow your cover before we could tell you to shut up.
Bronwyn ponders cautiously, weighing all the sides of the ideological discussion and taking in all of its implications. Blinking his eyes away from an internal argument, he jumps at the chance for a more practical discussion.
"What I gathered from Kressel is that the undead attack anyone approaching the fort by any side that's not the front door, so although they'll have a blind eye to the sides, it would take a lotta magic to make us all fly, I gather. That same magic could be better used in the actual battle, I believe."
Nodding to Ganit, he asks:
"Give your leathers to Carina. And let's get worse, dirtier, clothes for Zorestar. I have here with me some sort of arcane dust that can magically disguise Jameson and Telias as bandits. We enter the place, deliver the liquor, scout it out and try to ascertain any weaknesses or vulnerabilities they may have. You could try and talk with one bandit or another, see if they have enmities or some sort of internal strife we can fan out. We all reconvene in ten minutes by the gate, trade information around and make our final plan."
Looking to the wooden pallisade in the horizon, he completes his thoughts:
"Zorestar and Telias; seeing you two are the only ones who know what the hell an owlbear actually does, can you two analyze what sort of control they have on the beast? Is it any kind of magic that could be dispelled, is the animal trained? Could it be turned against the bandits or broken free to create a distraction?"
Facing Carina, the knight asks:
"Can you try talking around to some of the bandits, see if any could be turned over to our side or if there is any hope of us causing some internal fight?"
He nears sir Addercop and puts a hand on his horse.
"Jameson, I need you to guard our horses and stay attentive. You are to provide support if they make our disguise somehow or if a fight breaks out. Stay near your horse and keep your lance ready. Also try to find any structural or military weakness, be it a crack on the wall or lazy lookouts. Also if we need to retreat, I want you to open the gate to allow our passing. I trust you with our safety."
Finally, the bard approaches the ranger:
"Ganit, I'd like you to come with me to meet this Stag Lord. We'll make a gift out of this liquor. I need you to assess this man, his skill with the bow, any possible weaknesses he might have."
"If any of us encounters trouble, you should whistle as loud as you can. If you hear that whistle, you drop whatever you're doing and bolt for the gate, where Jameson will be guarding our horses and preparing our escape. One shrill whistle means 'trouble, come and help me', two quick ones mean 'let's get the hell out of here'."
He crouches, taking a good handful of mud and squeezing in his hand. This dirty hand he applies to the back of his neck, cheeks and beard. He grasps a small muddy stick and uses it to draw expression lines around his mouth and crow's feet around his eyes.
He hides his shield inside a leather sack, takes out his winter blanket and rips it a couple times, using the thick cloth to fashion a simple mantle that goes over his chainmail. Kneeling near the horses, he takes a small sample of horse's droppings and smear it across his boots and cloak. With his hands still wet, he approaches Zorestar menancingly.
"Time for your disguise, Zorestar."
"Oh dear Nethys, must you seriously do that?!! Perhaps I could be one of the clean villains. Stop, stop! Let me at least put away my courtier's outfit and put on those rags first!"
Once Zorestar changes into the bandit outfit, he reluctantly agrees to go forward with the disguise, horse droppings included.
Disguise Check
Ughh! This is hideous! No wonder these bandit's are so evil, the fecal mater must drive them to commit outrageous acts of villainy!
"Ya know they don actually cover themselves in s+!! right? Though it was funny as hell ta watch ya do it."