DM Sothal
Majet:
"No, that's really easy. I'd ask you to bring me some 'Moon Radishes' as they are called."
The young woman gives the gnome a distinct description of them shortly, then goes on: "Some hunter brought one of those to us some time ago. He said to have seen a path of them growing south of here, but he can't remember where that was exactly.
From what I heard they are really rare and not easy to cultivate, and the recipe asks for a rather large amount of radishes.
And I can't go down there on my own, with all the bandits and wildlife. Oleg would be to concerned about my safety. And I can't ask him to get those, he'd surely want to know why I would need so many of them." as reluctantly she started asking Majet for that favor, so quick her words now flow.
"Oh, and I saved a bit of money to reward you for you finding and bringing me those 'Moon Radishes'. I'd pay you 100gp if you bring me enough radishes for the 'soup' I'd make, or even some more money if you bring me a seedling that I could try to grow in our garden. But please keep that a secret from Oleg.
You know who you can trust in your companions, so tell them if you must, but Oleg can't hear a word of that. It would hurt him deeply."
Dm Sothal
Big Ern huffs and puffs for a few seconds. "Dammit! Did you see what those little sonsab!%**es did to my face? Ah well; I'm gonna start heading back, I guess. If we're lucky, maybe the others will meet us half way."
Majet:
While awaiting the scouts to come back, Agerron will do an investigation of the trading post, looking for opportunities to fortify it and where we might be able to improve defenses/set traps.
He'll take 10 on any applicable knowledge checks, giving him a 10. Unfortunately, with no ranks in any knowledge skills, if anything is more than a DC 10, he won't know it untrained. Of course, he'd welcome anyone who wished to look with him (aid another's?)
Matius sorts through the goods and reinforces Bran's thanks to their hosts while awaiting the return of the scouts. He glances at the piked bandit heads and cant help but shake his head remorsefully. Perhaps he was a "bleeding heart" as the dwarf would say but he couldn't prevent himself for feeling a bit of sympathy for the men not too much unlike himself who never had much of a chance from society, and were now hung from it.
Devlin and Delfey walk over to Michael and Devlin asks, "I couldn't help but notice your skill with the sword during the fight. Would it be to much to ask if you would should my friend Delfey here how to properly handle a blade? I would have shown him how myself, but I would rather stand back and watch others swing steel, stone, and wood around."
While awaiting the scouts to come back, Agerron will do an investigation of the trading post, looking for opportunities to fortify it and where we might be able to improve defenses/set traps.
The palisade of the former fort is in a good shape, so unless you want to surround it with a stonewall, there doesn't need to be anything done with it.
The four catapults on the other hand need a skilled hand to be repaired.So much is clear even for someone with Agerrons skills.
Once I (we) arrive back at the trading post, Queslin tells the group what he found. He plans to go back out tomorrow to find the bandit camp. It may take a few days. Anyone want to come with?
Matius listens closely to Queslin's account before replying." There are dangereous things out there Queslin, kobold's the least of which. I suggest we all go, as we will be better able to deal with any threats. The more stealth inclined of us would still scout slightly ahead of the party at large of course, and I think I could be of some assistance to you there."
"Maybe we should try heading to the south first?" Majet suggests.
"I agree. Tomorrow we should track down the bandit camp these ones are from."
A little while later, Devlin approaches Majet and asks, "You wouldn't happen to have an extra flask of acid I could buy from you, would you?"
"It might be wise for all of us to go. We don't know how many bandits will be at their camp. We leave first thing in the morning. Everyone rest well tonight."
"I will be ready. It still would be wise for us to begin preparing the trading post for defense, as well. Would anyone know how to repair the catapults? A good first step, I think."
Devlin and Delfey walk over to Michael and Devlin asks, "I couldn't help but notice your skill with the sword during the fight. Would it be to much to ask if you would should my friend Delfey here how to properly handle a blade? I would have shown him how myself, but I would rather stand back and watch others swing steel, stone, and wood around."
Michael smiles and nods his agreement, "any time brother."
"My face! My beautiful face!" Big Ern moans. "Can't someone heal me? You, Beardo. Can't Abadar fix me up, as good as new?"
Blood and grime cover the nasty spear wound inflicted by the kobold.
"I agree, Agerron, except that I feel we need to take out these bandits first."
Queslin points to the heads mounted on the walls.
"Those men might be missed by their fellows in as little as two or three days. Tracking them back to their base camp should be our priority right now."
"Oh of course Adabar has given me healing, Normally I would charge for Adabar does not believe i handouts, however as you were injured in scouting for bandits and are an companion it isn't a handout now is it ?' The dwarf says as he moves to heal Ern after he heals the big man he nods "I to agree we should go out in numbers, both for strength and to better smash the parasites where we find them"
A good nights rest in a comfy real bed (or a not so comfy bed made of straw for some) later the group assambles in the trading posts market square, packing the horses.
Majet was invited by Svetlana to sleep in the main houses dinning room, away from all those men. The others had to share four beds, but got enough dry straw to make themself comfortable on the floor.
The sky is overcast and the temperature is still close to freezing, but the wind is only faint.
The first hours of travel go by rather uninteresting, riding in the cold along the tracks the bandits and Queslin and Big Ern left yesterday and the day before.
The rolling hills are high enough to cut the sight to Oleg's Post behind the group, or the green line of the Narlmarches in front. In some of the troughs hide small groups of trees.
There's a few more items I could use, let me know if Oleg has them.
- small tent
- crowbar
- waterskin x2
- bedroll
- shovel
Queslin will move quickly to the campsite. From there, he'll begin to be more careful. I don't need to be very far in the lead, maybe 60 to 100 feet or so.
Survival assuming tracking humans
Perception assuming humans
Agerron, refreshed from a good night's sleep, stays near the rear of the group. Stealth isn't his strong point. Still, he keeps his longbow ready, with an arrow knocked.
Branomonrik stays to the back of the group with crossbow ready. He really does not care for the horse he is riding..to tall, lanky creatures horses just to far from the ground. Ah well, he thinks. He keeps his eyes opened as they travel though the wilderness
Perception
The elf Queslin, riding out front keeps within viewing distance of the rest of the group while following the tracks again, in a roughly southwest direction, towards the Narlmarches. He takes the advantage of the speed of his horse, in comparison to the rest of the group, to keep watch over the surroundings as well.
The ride out is rather uninteresting, the hills and troughs repetitive, all pretty much covered in snow, leaving not much to be seen, though sometimes small game starts out of a hiding place.
Being 4 hours out, 12 miles from Oleg's Trading Post, the group arrives at the edge of the Narlmarches, at the site of the Kobold-ambush from the day before.
Perception
Oh yeah.
I'm also going to assume that Hobson and Kay aren't around, Hobson feeling the weather in his bones and Kay just in case the bandits come from another direction in small numbers.
Michael instructs Hobson to get to know the traders and to pump them, or any visitors for information, to get a lie of the land and any important land marks or historical buildings (dungeons?).
He gives Kay instructions to guard the fort.
He saddles up his horse with his military saddle and heads out with the others, enjoying the feeling of the brisk wind on his face.
Delvin;
In regards to my earlier comment, while I am skilled with a sword, I actually use an battleaxe.
Queslin:
Looking towards the other corpse, there is a second boar, a little less big, but big enough still.
Agerron's got a speed of 20', and didn't speak up quick enough to grab a horse before they were sold. So looks like I'm the slowest.
Devlin and Delfey are traveling in the middle of the group with Delfey slightly ahead of Devlin (about 15 ft.).
I'll signal the group and prepare my bow.
Maybe, just maybe we can bring something back to the post for Svetlana to cook up.
Branomonrik keeps looking around him on the lookout for bandits, oh how he hated bandits. Useless parasites upon civilization, taking from productive honest hard working people. They added nothing to Adabars glory. No his companions my be squeamish but he would happily hang them all, let them answer to Pharasma. A few of his new companions seemed to have the stomach for what needed to be done, the elf and the Kellid at lest had the gumption to to what needed done.
As he scanned the area best he could with his crossbow ready Branomonrik made a not to himself to get to know those two better.
Devlin notices Queslin stop and make some kind of hand signal and yells out, "What do you see Queslin?! More kobolds?"
Devlin turns to Michael and says, "Kobolds really are a misunderstood race. Yes, they have their problems. But, if you know how to talk to them in the correct manner, they can be excellent allies."
"Misunderstood?! Did I misunderstand the spear that little bastard jammed in my face?"
Ern spits a huge wad of phlegm into the snow to illustrate his disgust.
Seeing Queslin's signal, Agerron freezes in place, his bow at the ready. He tries to look ahead and see what it is that got the elf's attention. He looks to Big Ern and Devlin, putting his finger to his lips in the universal sign to shut the heck up and be quiet. ;-)
Perception
Queslin winces to himself at Devlin's outburst and Ern's retort.
I should just shoot them now and save myself the trouble.
I'll wave the group forward slowly, then take aim at the larger of the boars.
Longbow Damage
Using my bow as a guide, I'll help the others to see the boars as well.
Aid another Perception
Oh yeah.
Confirm crit Damage
Booyah!
"Misunderstood?! Did I misunderstand the spear that little bastard jammed in my face?"
"I like them more and more all the time," Michael whispers to Devlin and smiles at him slyly.
He stops his joviality as Queslin draws his bow and fires a shot off into the under growth.
Big Ern trots forward on his horse and squints at what Queslin is shooting at. "Whazzat? A bunch o' pigs? Smart thinking, Sunshine; I was getting hungry anyways. Can't fight an army of bandits on an empty stomach!"
He unlimbers his new bow and launches an arrow at any pigs in sight.
Devlin Perception:
Delfey Perception:
Devlin points in the direction of the boars, "Delfey, attack!"
Delfey charge attack: Damage:
Devlin summons a celestial eagle and sends it to charge attack as well.
Eagle charge attack: Damage:
Making the assumption that Agerron sees the boars, he launches an arrow at the closest boar.
Attack
damage
Perception
And if he can see anything crossbow
Damage
Perception
Perception
attack in case he could see, with the crossbow
crit confirm
+sneak attack
Queslin's arrow flies true, piercing the boars hide, the arrow probably sticking somewhere close to the wild pigs heart.
The shot boar winces and squeals in pain, nearly droping to the ground from the precisely placed shot.
Devlin's summoned celestial eagle swoops into the forest, trying to get his beak in on the boar, but fails to hit due to the movement of the hurt boar, turning towards the attackers, oinking at the riders.
Agerron also lets loose an arrow at the hit boar, but misses, beeing too far away (170ft.) and not really able to see his target (soft cover).
The dwarf has similar problems, and a bad aim, probably steming from the fact that he's new to shooting from horseback.
The gnome sees arrows flying into the underbrushes at the forrests edge, but can't discern what's being shot at.
Then Matius gets his crossbow out, hitting the shot-at boar with an equally good placed shot as Queslin did, but still, the boar is standing on his feet.
Ride:
Big Ern, not accustomed to shooting while riding, gets a lucky shot at the boar, the arrow going through the hide of the beast, but doing little more to down it.