Danger in Rekkenmark (Inactive)

Game Master EltonJ

Knowledge, Local : what is the Band of Shadows?: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20

Sense Motive : is the watchman trustworthy?: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

"A Band of Shadows, you say? Not like a ring, I assume, that would be silly, rather a gang. Which can also be called a ring! Ah, the inconsistencies of this language. Well, one way of the other, it looks like an excellent opportunity to train and test my skills and spells! Just where may we start?"

"Have you encountered the Band of Shadows yourself?" Dolos asks the watchman. "Where are you posted?"

Dolos studies the man carefully, for future reference.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

"Ilbryn, d-do you think you can ask them join us," Garra says as she nods to Dolos and Tower, "if they want to help with the Band of Shadows, then we might as well work together."

Despite making the suggestion, she doesn't look thrilled by it. In fact, she looks rather upset and unsure of herself.

"I'm posted outside the Academy," he says. "No, I haven't encountered them, just that they are trouble. My friends ran into them and then they were not alive."

Ilbryn nods at Garra's suggestion, getting up and walking over to the tiny warforged and its companion.

"Why don't you two join us at our table?" he says, indicating the area where the rest of the group sits.

Dolos studies the half-elf for a moment, then sees Garra and the shifter at the table, and agrees with a pleasant smile: "With pleasure. Any friend of Garra's."

Dolos keeps en eye on the watchman, to see if he attempts to spy on the table.

The watchman goes to another table and sits down and orders food.

Dolos makes his way to the table, and introduces himself: "Hi, Garra. You probably don't remember me, but I remember you from the academy. You gave me some pointers during drills, but I wasn't a very good student. Truth be told, I'm not much of a fighter. Anyway, it's nice to meet your formally."

He smiles, and sits.

Bluff check to pass a hidden message: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26 Be weary of the watchman.

Dolos continues to discreetly keep an eye on the watchman.

Bluff check to spy on the watchman surreptitiously: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23

If and when the watchman leaves, Dolos may follow inconspicuously...

"Oh, yes, yes, that would be lovely! Are you looking for chances to self-improve as well? You look all like students of Rekkenmark as well, how nice! I am a student myself, I do not know whether you heard my conversation with Master Dolos back there, but I am very pleased to meet you. My name is Tower."

"Dolos. Just Dolos," the young man interrupts Tower, politely.

For just a moment, a look of panic crosses Garra's face, but as Dolos explains, she relaxes somewhat.

"Nice to meet you Dolos," Garra says quietly as she slides over to make room, then goes back to eating her noodles.

After they've all been introduced, Dolos dispenses with the pleasantries: "Under the circumstances, I am pretty sure that you didn't invite us to join your table simply to share a pint. You need our help? You know something about the Band of Shadows? Or both?"

"I just wanted you to stop making a scene in this place for your own health. At Garra's insistence, no less strangely." he says with a smile.

Garra shrinks as Ilbryn mentions that it was her that had wanted the two of them to join her two friends at the table. It wasn't as if she wanted their help. In fact, she wanted to crawl into a hole somewhere and hide until everything left her alone.

Seeing her discomfort, as mundane as it now seemed, Ilbryn moved the conversation along. "So what is your deal? I know the warforged's deal, he broadcast it out to everyone. But you? How do you fit into this puzzle?"

"I am not sure about fitting into a puzzle, and I just met Tower. But I am concerned, and perhaps I can help?" Dolos answers. "This is my home. If someone or something is threatening my home, I want to help."

Tower looks at the trio who invited him and Dolos to the table. Although the warforged's face has a limited range of expression, interest is clearly visible, a childlike curiosity reminding a gnome's.

Seeing Tower studying her, Garra shrinks back from him a little more as if she's trying to hide in the corner of the booth.

Which, as it turns out,is pretty much what she's doing.

"I think we need to continue with the original plan, we don't know enough to avoid stumbling blindly in the dark. And given who we are facing that doesn't seem like a good idea."

Noticing Garra hiding, Tower does his best to appear non-threatening. "Mistress Garra, was it? Please do not be concerned with my appearance, I do understand that certain people find us warforged to be unsettling, but be assured that you need not fear any harm from me. If it is true that I am a scholar in the matters of applying magical might to combat, I do not wish to engage in needless violence; I was created for protection, not aggression."

"And about your proposal, Master- oh, please forgive me, I do not know your name- what plan might that be? Oh, no, wait, it is likely a secret one, is it not? Oh, I do enjoy secrets almost as much as I enjoy puzzles. Should we head to a more reserved place? Do you have a hideout? Oh, is it perhaps a secret hideout? Well, of course, you could not tell me, or it would not be a secret. Oh, this all is exciting!"

Dolos has a look around, wearily.

Bluff to pass a hidden message: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23 Is this a safe place to talk?

"If you don't know enough," Dolos proposes, "perhaps I can make some inquiries? I know my way around the city. Maybe someone knows something?"

"If you can do so without getting killed, by all means. Our enemy is powerful. But what is your connection to this city aside from existing here? Are you a member of any organizations? We should all talk in a more secure place. Our enemy likely has ears and eyes in here."

He nods to Kutishek before turning to the tiny warforged, My name is Ilbryn."

"Tell me what you know and I'll see what I can find out," Dolos proposes.

"But you're right. This isn't the place," he continues. "Perhaps the open courtyard at the academy? Unless you have a safe house somewhere?"

"I may know of a place," Garra says quietly. She's been doing her best to ignore Tower, but it's obvious his studying her has made her very uncomfortable.

"Lead the way," Dolos says simply, standing to leave. "Or perhaps tell us where and when to meet you, and I can make some inquiries in the meantime?"

GM, where's a good meeting place that a group of people can get lost in?

Knowledge(local): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

[]The park, actually. It's a wilderness like area. It's located some five blocks from the Academy.

Thanks!

"Meet me at the park. Don't wear your uniforms," Garra answers.

Thanks!

"Meet me at the park. Don't wear your uniforms," Garra answers.

"When?"

"Two hours from now. Find the old oak called the Lover's Embrace, it's the one with all of the couples' names carved into it. take the northern path until you come the stream. I'll meet you there."

"Pleased to meet you," Dolos says politely on his way out.

He loses himself in the crowd. Under any number of guises, he makes inquiries about the Band of Shadows.

Stealth to disappear in crowd: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30
Disguise to conceal identity: 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (14) + 22 = 36
Time taken to gather information: 1d4 ⇒ 1
Gather information: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

Ilbryn moves out as well, splitting from the group and moving to the area early and walking along the stream a bit before doubling back.

You make it to Lovers' Embrace. Ilbryn made it here before you did, and so far its just an oak tree.

After leaving the shop, Garra heads back to her dorm at the academy and changes into the clothes she'd worn the first day she'd arrived, a tunic and pair of trousers too large for her and patched several times with different pieces of cloth that have all been poorly dyed black or gray. Over those, she wears a dark cloak with a ragged bottom hem. She sneaks out of the window of her room and carefully makes her way to the meeting spot by the stream, taking a circuitous route that comes from the other end of the trail. Seeing no one has arrived yet, though they should be in about twenty minutes, Garra climbs up into a nearby tree to hide.

Stealth (To hide): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

local: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Tower gets to the marked oak tree, looking as inconspicuous as he possibly can. Which is not much. "Oh! Hello to you, Ilb- Oh, wait, I am not supposed to say that, am I?"

Dolos approaches the area of the oak tree. He has a look around to make sure no one, including himself, was followed, and then he catches up with the others.

stealth: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29
perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

Kut is the last to arrive, probably a couple of minutes late.

"Sorry, I took a wrong turn and got lost for a few minutes."

The meeting spot is at the place where the the path crosses the stream, or that's what I was trying to type when I apparently decided to see words that weren't there.

local: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

Dolos takes the northern path and finds the stream...

"At least more quietly, perhaps."

Heeding Ilbryn's advice, Dolos speaks quietly: "What's the story? And how can we help?"

There is something nervous about him as he keeps an eye out for spies. Looking at the nondescript young man, you wonder if he is at all suited for this. And then you see it, if only for an instant: in his eyes, there is a cold and hard resolve.

Ilbryn puts his hands in his pockets, leans back and looks up to the leaves of the tree.

"Honestly, we don't know all that much. The case is still young. Shadow Thieves stealing things. Evidence of guard collusion. Thieves becoming graverobbers. The Shadow Thieves are thought, by some, to be the Band of Shadows reborn. Blood of Vol involvement, as well. Tattoos, of snakes coiling around skulls. Damien Dahrk has the Axe of Karrn, and a lot of other nice expensive things. We were on our way to find more info on him and the Axe and whatnot, decided to grab a bite to eat, and then ran into you lot. He hangs out in this park actually. And this tree is said to be the spot where two lovers were ambushed."

perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11 expecting ambush

And right as I read that, thunder fit to rattle the windows rolls over my house.

Garra continues to wait from her perch in the tree she'd climbed near the meeting spot by the path where it met the stream. She isn't too worried, yet. She had expected someone to show up by now, though.

Find the tree known as the Lover's Embrace, then take the path north until you find a stream. I thought that was clear enough. Maybe they're having trouble finding the path?

Are you guys waiting on Garra to show?

oh yeah, my brain stopped reading at the tree. then i spent a lot of time reading our whole gameplay to recap.

"Anyway, we should get going until we find the stream."

Dolos takes the northern path and finds the stream...

Obviously, he didn't! Apologies

"Lead the way."

He hesitates. "This Damien Dahrk, he is an enemy of the kingdom? And I assume that he is dangerous? If he hangs around here, and you know very little about him, perhaps..."

He lets the idea float in the air.

"Unless you don't expect him to be here? In any case, we're here... Who told you about this place?"

GM, any information gathered before the meeting?

"Garra came up with it. Anyway, i assume he is an enemy."

By the way, if you can beat a DC 9 Perception check, you can spot Garra hiding in the branches of one of the trees near the meeting place, Whether or not you recognize her with her hood up and her face covered is up to you, I guess.