Eberron Sandbox: Eberron Classic

Game Master Garden Tool

Nark ponders for a while Ye, Karbal like hitting... hits a lot! Punching too! He punches and punches and punches... and punches a bit more. then he... um... well, maybbe kicking but not so much but kicking still. uuu, and then ther waz this one big big bozz, who tell Karbal to kill himself! Karbal no like it, so Karbal kick and punch and hit him until the big bozz dead. Zo no zay what to do to Karbal! eva eva eva eva... even frum a girl or wife

"Great. Sounds like I'm gonna have a few bruises after this. No one try to rescue me unless it looks like he's going to kill me. I'll gladly trade a couple punches to get out of here alive."

Lothar shifts himself until he he near the center of the party. Someone standing next to him might here him mutter turnip in a low voice.

On the order, the large, wooden gatehouse doors rumble open, sliding away to either side, recessing into the walls of the long gatehouse that bisects the barricade walls of the Holt. A contingent of twelve armed, thuggish "guards" hustles out of the gatehouse to meet you.

Eight of the so-called soldiers are human men, one is a human female.

One is a female half-orc, hideously scarred across her face.

The last two are smallish, presumably-male rat-people, who skulk close together.

These twelve thugs approach your party under the watchful eye of the two men and the thing in the guard tower. One of the human men speaks up, first.

"Mayor'll be down to say 'ello just presently, m'good sirs. Meantime..."

"In the meantime," interrupts the scarred half-orc woman, "you'll turn over your weapons until Karbal says you need 'em back. All of you, evey last boot-dagger, shiv, sap..." Sizing up the group during her approach, she approaches Warforged as the rest of the guards begin to fan out.

"I trust that you'll comply."

With that, she holds out her hands... presumably, to receive Flametouched's sword. Her expression, marred by the scars on her face, is flat, but wary.

Feel free to discuss the situation ooc in the Discussion Thread (stick together unarmed vs. sneak in tonight vs. a little of both, etc) before posting your actions, here.

"Trust?" repeats Flametouched quizzically. "Indeed. You ask a great deal of trust from us, and as yet have not offered a reason for us to extend that trust." The warforged's tone is even, not challenging, but it does not back away from the woman's gaze.

The half-orc's reply is immediate, and just as even-tempered and stern.

"The burden of trust is on you, nonetheless. You can go back to the Wastes if you don't like it."

Then, after a brief pause,

"Your sword."

"Clearly, you are wary of strangers," Flametouched replies, though it still does not reach for its sword. "No doubt you have cause. However, that makes it all the more important that we retain the ability to defend ourselves from the same threats. We have offered our word that we come in good faith and with no ill will to you and yours. I ask that you accept that as our bond of good conduct."

Let me know when a Diplomacy check might be suitable. I'm more than willing to put my Action Point into this as well, if needed.

"This certainly isn't how you would treat a merchant coming to your town, and we certainly are not more heavily armed than that, being crash survivors. Not only do you outnumber us greatly, but I'm certain you must be quite hardy to survive out here. Surly there's no need to go to all the trouble when you'll just have to do it again shortly."

Flametouched, I'll aid you in a diplomacy roll. If I can't aid Flametouched, we'll this'll be my roll.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

I suppose I'll roll it then. Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15. I'll add my Action Point, since I suspect I'm up against an Unfriendly DC: 1d6 ⇒ 4. With Xzot's aid, that should be a DC 21... here's hoping she's not a bard/sorcerer/oracle!

EDIT: Or, I suppose, that this is in fact all a set-up to try to kill us... Speaking of which - would someone (not me) perhaps roll us a Sense Motive...?

Scars mean low charisma, right?

Looking at the people talking and the need to give weapons away didn´t matter to Nark. He always had the nature with him, dip a foot there and ground burst, play with a fire and boom, soon would be a huge explosion. The orc girl/woman or what was anyway... was pretty although how would she look in a burning fire? Laughing himself Nark released comment hehehehehe.... orc-girl look pretty hihihi maybe between fire even more muttering to himself

Diplomacy1d20 - 1 ⇒ (18) - 1 = 17

Lothar tries to ascertain whether they are a threat or worried about their own security.

Sense motive 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Ormak says nothing in regards to turning over his weapons. Thanks to his heritage, he is very rarely truly unarmed. He focuses his keen senses on the female orc, tying to guess her intentions 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12 Sense Motive

@ Lothar & Ormak: Those Sense Motive rolls do not result in so much as a hunch.

@ Flametouched: What you're doing is making a request, so a Diplomacy check was appropriate.

The ratfolk fan out around your party, uncomfortably close to what you'd call a flanking position. The half-orc grunts in acklnowledgement as Flametouched makes his case.

"Mm."

The nervous silence thereafter lingers a bit too long. The half-orc and the warforged stare one another down; tension is high.

The swaggering human thug who first "greeted" you speaks up.

"Eh? Red?" He looks at the half-orc woman for direction.

After another pregnant pause, the half-orc speaks:

"These would make short work of most of you lot. Let them keep their weapons, and play nice. We wait for Karbal."

After a brief pause, she fires a glance at the ratfolk edging behind you.

"We wait for him by the wall."

At this, the thugs break the fan formation and back off, strolling toward the barricade wall. The human "guard" woman winks at Ormak, as she passes by... and one of the ratfolk makes a "nipping" gesture with his teeth, as he strolls past Lony the wolf. The wolf shows his teeth in response, but remains faithfully by Snarky's side.

Only the half-orc woman - "Red," presumably - stands her ground, though she backs off a few feet. Her even-but-stern gaze never leaves the warforged's eyes.

"And while we do wait, would you five like to tell me why the sky is full of dragons and how your vessel came within six miles of wiping my home off the map? What trouble follows you here?"

"In sincere truth," Flametouched replies, "I know almost nothing beyond what you do of that. We were part of an expedition, organized by the Twelve, to the Frostfell. Out airship was attacked en route by multiple dragons, with the consequences you saw. It is possible that they were provoked," and the warforged only barely manages to not look at Lady Jenise as it says that, "but I knew nothing of it beforehand, and little more than that now."

"As my companion stated, I'm afraid we are all indeed in the dark about the strange occurrence. A most frightening sight, it was. I'm so glad the liferings were working, I'm sure you've heard the horror stories of shoddy maintenance and all that. But I do believe I haven't introdued myself yet. I am called Lady Jenise, Miss Red I believe he called you? I must say you are most gracious hosts. You must tell me more about your town, starting with this Karbal. A 'friend' of yours?" She gives Red a wink as she says it.

Xzot's going to try and get some more information out of them while waiting for Karbal, hoping to keep them off balance with her line of questioning. Wasn't sure if Diplomayc or Bluff. If Bluff, add 4 to roll.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

The half-orc looks at Lady Jenise with open distaste. "Red Maulla," she says. "Maulla because that's my name, and Red on account of all the blood I've spil't."

She spits.

"And miss. If you'd like to gossip about whose "friends" with whose, you came to the wrong f@@*in' place. Now shut up and wait, and be glad you're waiting with your hands unbound."

The rakish thug guffaws, from his position over against the wall. The female guard and another of the human males are oblivious, openly gesturing toward Ormak, while whispering... and giggling. Glancing around, this is probably the first time it's occurred to Ormak that he's likely the most attractive male in the vicinity, by traditional human standards.

I'm going to give Ormak and Nark (and Lony), at least, a chance to respond to all that's happened so far, since they were interacted with. The rest of you may carry on until then.

At that moment when the... RAT... showed it teeth at Lony was the fatal mistake. Now marked, Nark looked at the creature to study it and to remember its face you piece of z###... I will kill, burn and eat tonight and Nark attention focused solely on the rat for whole time

Lony sensing his master killing intent, especially focused on rat, showed its own teeths at the rat. Whispering to Lony [/b]this night Nark and Lony have a barbeque[/smaller]

so thats decided. When the night comes, Nark and Lony are off to rat hunting

Ormak smiles at the female guard, though he is a little uncomfortable with the attention.

Lothar keeps his mouth shut, happy that at the moment there is no need to give up his bow.

Flametouched nods politely to Maulla. "We appreciate your hospitality, Maulla. I am Flametouched," it tells her. Beyond that, however, it is content to await the arrival of "Karbal."

The doomed little rat-man is seemingly oblivious to Nark's ire. He convenes with his ratfolk ally in hushed chitters.

Before long, an intimidating figure rounds the gate. About seven feet tall, covered in hair, and clearly goblinoid, this new party is accompanied by about six more guards, and trailed by about as many onlookers.

The goblinoid wears very light chain armor underneath of a broad leather apron, stained with grease, what might be blood, and bits of food. There's an axe at his hip and a glint in his eye. Rounding the corner and approaching the party, he moves with a bustle and a casual briskness that undermines the "playing it cool" attitudes of the thugs leaning up against the gatehouse wall. He looks the party over, and then exclaims:

"NARK SNARKY! You little bastard! What in Khyber are you doing out HERE?"

He strides toward Nark and simply punches him in the arm - a gesture that does no apparent, serious damage... but sure looked like it should've. He gives Nark no opportunity to reply, but carries on.

"Crazy little twerp; never thought I'd see YOU again! How long you been out of Darguun? NAH, doesn't matter! Come a long way though! When'd you start praying to the Traveller?" He chuckles, then continues, excitedly: "These your friends!?"

That intelligent, hawkish glint - completely contradictory to the bugbear's aggressively friendly manner of speaking - never leaves his eyes.

With that, he slaps the no-doubt-wary Flametouched on the arm. The bugbear barrels deeper into the one-sided conversation. "Now HERE'S a fellow suited to survive out this way. Yep. Name's Karbal. Karbal of the Wastes, nowadays. Just 'Karbal' is fine, a'course. You the leader of this bunch? Little green runt is a handful, isn't he?"

Karbal explodes with terrifyingly good-natured laughter.

"HAW HAW HAW!"

The breif pause might be enough to get a word in, edge-wise.

Ormak studies the new comer, curiously interested in such an seemingly odd bugbear. He'd run across a few in his travels, but none even came to close to how Karbal was acting.

1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24 Perception

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15 Sense Motive

Perception detects nothing amiss or concealed, but Sense Motive detects a falseness to the bugbear's cheer and bluster. He's clearly sizing you up, and isn't half as immersed in shaking hands and making nice as he appears to be. He seems to be all over the place, but he's more focused (and his eyes miss less) than any of his guards.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintence, Mast..., I mean Karbal. My name is Lady Jenise. We don't really have a leader amongst us, being survivors of the wreck and all. It's quite a relief to see such a friendly face out here as yours. And with such dedicated men under his command. I hope you will do us the honor of picking up some supplies so we can make our way home?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18

Flametouched nods his head toward Lady Jenise. "If any of us might claim the title of leader," it demurs, "it would be her. I am Flametouched, Karbal. We have persuaded Maulla that we come in peace; I hope you will accept that as well." Aiding Xzot this time on hir Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16.

Stepping a back bit and massaging the spot Karbal hit, Nark looks at him with a bit confused mind but is wary. Nark been fine... and is always fine. Traveler or whoever... Nark follows Nark and the greenness answer. Easy thing. Nark sees that Karbal is ... boss now. Life is doing good

Since Nark knows Karbal much better than anyone else is there anything Nark might "know" really about Karbal. Personality, acting, etc in-character, although not so much OOC

@ Nark: Not particularly, except that Karbal is very self-sufficient and a "free spirit" (which, as a bugbear, essentially means that Karbal has a homicidally-serious problem with authority). You've met a time or two, but you never travelled or adventured together. It doesn't surprise you, however, that Karbal pegged the warforged for the leader. It's a natural assumption in Dargunn to assume that the largest, strongest-looking warrior is the leader of any given group. Cunning is a close second, but in Dargunn, strength is often king.

"HOME!?" Karbal roars. He gives Flametouched another slap on the arm, and his enormous paw lingers on the warforged's shoulder. Though Flametouched has indicated that Lady Jenise is their leader - if your party can be said to have one - the bugbear continues to address the warforged, primarily.

"Home!? NAW, naw. Nope! Stay the night, at least, and we'll talk in the morning. Supplies I can help with. Supplies and a room. A friend of the esteemed Mister Snarky is a friend of mine, after all;" Karbal beams, cheerfully; the sight is terrifying. He continues:

"...but evenetually we'll have to talk about... taxes."

Karbal grins at the group, evilly.

"As a non-citizen, you'd expect to pay a gate tax when entering a strange town or city, would y'not? Well we don't have no mint, here. We trade in coin now in then, to be sure, but mostly barter. Truth be told, the currency 'round these parts is, er... labor.

Gesturing at Lothar and Ormak, Karbal finishes:

"All that can wait 'till tomorrow, of course. Gather 'yer warriors, here, and follow me inside. I'll take care of that room and board, and those supplies you mentioned. What d'ya need? Name it!"

Karbal turns on his heel, and heads for the gate... seemingly expecting you to follow.

Flametouched exchanges glances with the rest of the group, but if no one objects, warily follows the bugbear into the compound.

Lothar also follows, assuming the party does.

"This has trap written all over it. Of course we'll probably be dead if we don't go. Best play along for now and wait for an opening." Xzot also follows behind, making sure to take in anything that might be useful, taking advantage of Karbal acknowledging Flametouched as the leader.

Muttering to himself but following others Nark stays close to Lony and keep eyes on the rats. Karbal and others were not the least on his mind, this small little pyromaniac with druid powers was up to his mayhems again on his mind

"WELCOME to the Holt, boys."

Karbal leads the group through the ramshackle hamlet of Festering Holt. Before long, the ratfolk Nark has been watching scurry over a fenced-off lot behind a mid-sized structure near the center of town.

On your way through town, you generate more than a few onlookers, but Karbal scares off the bulk of them... including the bunch that trailed him to the gates in the first place.

"Shove off, y'vultures!" There's no malice in Karbal's tone, but the crowds disperse all the same. Still, locals stare and glare at you from doorways and street corners. The presence of an attractive and well-dressed noblewoman - Lady Jenise - is cause for a number of catcalls (and worse), but no-one moves to approach any member of your party.

The Holt, from the look of it, is well under a mile across, and from the only real "intersection" in town, you spot something you wouldn't have expected to see, out in the Wastes. You see what appears to be a shrine dedicated to the Silver Flame. The stylized flame scribbled onto the stone shrine isn't quite the same as the iconography you're used to. The resemblance to the Church symbology is unmistakable, though, clearly depicting Celestial script and a silver-colored fireball.

Flametouched is no doubt intrigued, and Ormak no doubt disgusted (is nowhere safe from these zealots?), but Karbal leads you in exactly the opposite direction from the shrine, toward what might well be the largest structure in town. The clay building is apparently some kind of inn. A hand-made sign above the door says: "Dead Before Dawn."

"This 'ere is my tavern. It's also the only inn in the Holt, the town hall, and my home. I'll put you folks up in a room upstairs... then we can discuss our business in the morning. The tavern wakes up when I do, and this bein' the only watering hole in all the Wastes... it gets a bit rowdy. I reckon' you'll be just fine, though, eh?"

Karbal barrels through the throngs outside the batwing-style doors of his establishment, and into the tavern, where a large number of locals - some human and some not - play cards and drink what must be a foul-smelling local brew of some kind. Nark, on the other hand, thinks the whole place smells great. Plus, nobody gave him any trouble about bringing his wolf into the tavern. First time for everything!

Karbal greets the patrons inside, and admonishes them:

"We got company, ladies and gents. Everybody be extra nice!"

You can't help but notice that every pair of eyes in the room is on your party. Well, every pair but one, which belong to an apparently-blind old-timer. Among the locals in the bar are some distinct characters. One of the human patrons is a decidedly well-equipped adventurer of some kind. Retired, maybe, judging by the grey at his temples. The human is playing cards with a feathered, bird-headed humanoid and another man so mutated and hideous that you sincerely cannot tell what race he belongs to. The freakish man gives your group a businesslike nod of greeting before returning to his cards.

A small-ish female ogre sporting a swollen black eye dominates a back corner of the inn. Despite his size, the ogre cringes every time Karbal blusters and shouts. In hilarious contrast to the ogre, a tough-looking halfling sits across from him, picking his teeth with a knife and staring daggers at your makeshift party.

In the opposite corner, a bleary and sleepy-eyed hobgoblin surrounded by empty mugs raises his head off of the table long enough to inspect the newcomers, and the weathered human woman picking his pockets frowns at the interruption you've caused. Alone at the far end of the bar, a stark-naked changeling sips hard liquour, wearing only his true form.

"Will ya' be wantin a room now then, or would y'care for a drink?" Karbal asks. He tightens the drawstrings on his apron, slaps a scrawny, bruised-looking barmaid on the behind, and strolls behind the bar.

I'd like everyone to pitch in with what they're doing, where they're standing, and so on. Also, someone will need to answer Karbal. If you can all agree to get a room now (or not to), we'll get on with whichever choice you make. If you'd prefer to split the group up for a bit and convene at your room (or somewhere else) later in the day, we can do that, too. Feel free to strategize in the Discussion Thread, but make sure you post your character's "two cents" in the Gameplay Thread, when you've reached a party consensus. Feel free to play around with the tavern scene (or to skip it) as you like.

Flametouched exchanges glances with the rest of the group again, but it replies evenly, "The room first, if you please?" It stands warily, trying to find a balance between not being confrontational and not looking like an easy victim in front of such a motley and suspicious crowd. It does, however, do its best to stand partially in front of Lady Jenise, in a protective fashion.

Lothar sniffs at the mug in the hands of one of the bar patrons who push past him, and winces. Aye, I agree, let us see to getting a room first. Then we can see about, uh drinks

Truly fascinated by the sight in front of him, Nark is overcome with different emotions unknown to him. Soon though he is again taken by his desire to see, try, eat and burn little bit in a mixed order. Going around and poking here and there Nark feels easy.

Lony next to him is more calm but careful inside... for Lony it was first time inside anywhere, what about speaking tavern at least! The strange odors were aching its nose. Nark turning to Lony and grabbing some cloth from ground, another person clothes, from floor, etc and waving his hand little bit to wet it [ooc]Cast create water/ooc] and putting it on Lony´s nose.

Feeling little bit down after others speaking of going to see their rooms and not drinking, Nark asks hopefully Nark drink beer now? Hope that drink and room zeeing iz ok zame time. Long time zince Nark drink beer and Lony needs meet and then comes back his promise and desire to... kill the ratfolk. Thinking for a while A knife. Nark needs a big knife... for cut the meat! Lony doezn´t eat, Nark doezn´t feed. and planning already his way to get to ratfolk.

Oh how wonderful it would be to kill them while they sleep... or bind and kill while awake! and then burn the house. hihihiihihi Nark giggles himself

Lady Jenise stays quiet, taking in the other patrons of the inn, offering a slight nod to Flametouched's suggestion of going to the room first.

Ormak looks over the patrons, keeping his eyes open for any trouble. He would rather stay in the bar, but if the whole group is going to their room(s) first, he'll go along as well. He'd rather not be alone in the bar, just in case.

Grinning wolfishly, Karbal tears off a small hunk of raw meat (what kind of meat is anyone's guess) and presses it into Nark's hand. As he pours the goblin a stout mug of "ale," he advises the party about their rooms.

"If none 'ya else is drinkin', you can runn off ta' your rooms, then. It's the door at the end of the hall, upstairs. Second floor. And don't worry, there's a strict 'no shanking' rule for new fish on their first night."

He chuckles, as he passes a worn, brassy key to Flametouched and a full mug to Nark. None of you care much for those last two words. "First night."

"Got a lock on the door and everything." Karbal chuckles again.

"If ya' come down, yer welcome to open a tab. We'll discuss the entirety of your situation in the morning, aye? Aye, aye. That we will."

Assuming you have no further encounters on your way out of the tavern floor, and assuming nothing is overtly wrong with your lodgings, what will our plans be once you get to your room? Are we searching the place? Heading back downstairs? Going straight to bed? Posting anyone at the door, on either side? Is the sleepless Flametouched just going to keep watch? Is Nark going out, tonight, as he planned?

In short, I'd like everyones actions and intentions, assuming you "get settled" in your rooms without incident.

When the time comes, Flametouched will keep watch during the night, while doing repairs on itself. Before that, it is willing to accompany any others to the tavern for drinks (though it has no interest in any such itself, obviously), and would like an oppurtunity to examine the shrine to the Flame in the village center if anyone would care to come along.

"Whatever we do," the warforged notes grimly, "we should not do it alone. I recommend we travel in groups of at least two, until we can determine how much of these folk's hostility is simply directed at any possible threats... and how much for those who might be prey."

When the party members are together and moving to their rooms others are able to hear Nark mumbling to Lony tonight is a barbeque... roasted rat hehehee as small fire burn in his eyes.

Drinking the ale is just making the process faster as Nark is clearly getting drunk faster than you would expect but then being smaller and weighting less has its con and minus sides.

When in his own room Nark will begin to gather burnable items and try out ways to set fire out and if possible construct his own burning torch or coctail, saving a bit alcohol and getting piece of paper for the bottle molotov coctail. During this whole time others can hear a small joyful singing

Lothar nods in agreement to flame touched Aye, not goin alone is good policy. As to opening up a tab, I think that the less we owe, the more chance we have of leaving this place, or at least leaving it alive. Still after today, I could use a drink. And since any one worth fighting next to is worth drinking with, ye all kin share with me. From within his pack, Lothar produces a very small cask, which he slams down on the small table in the room and fills his mug from. Draining his mug then refilling it, he gestured to the cask 'elp yerselfs. My own opinion, and ifn one of you as a better idea is this. We stay here tonight, making sure to keep a watch on the door. In the moring, we do enough work to pay for our rooms and some supplies and then we find the best way of this shade forsaken waste. If the goblin disappears during the night, then we are ride of a pyromaniac. Ifn not, then the wolf is useful. His mouth dry from so much talking, Lothar returns to his drink.

Nark, unless you succeed with Craft (alchemy) and put in the requisite time, I don't think you can make a proper splash weapon... but you can certianly save a little flammable material and find something to spark it with, if that's what you'd like.

hm... sounds better since Nark doesn´t have points in Craft (Alchemy) plus its better to have the burning done in the night time.

Plus others could stop me if they think there is problems with this :) There should be enough hints from Nark behavior or at least help him get over this... otherwise Nark will be searching for some rats and burning them down or at least trying#

Possible to get any knowledge of rats habits or sleeping with knowledge check? Going with nature since only thing I really got so KN:nature 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12

"I don't want to go near that temple, but I do want to check out the town better, so I'll go with the big guy" Ormak says with a thumb thrust in the direction of Flametouched

Lady Jenise becomes all sense for a moment. "I'll head down to the common room with Lothar for now, find out what I can about the town and it's people. Ormak, Flametouched, I recommend you two keep an eye out on where we can get supplies from. If things do go sour, we may have to acquire them quickly and stealthily. That's not my first choice, but we should keep all our options open. I'll try to spread some misdirection that we plan to stay for a few days to recover, hopefully it will keep this Karbal off guard long enough for us to leave. I don't like the looks of him one bit."

Lady Jenise turns to Nark. "And Nark, no cooking. Not yet at least. If it does come down to that, I will let you know though. So keep that in mind, just don't act on your own."

Looking a bit drunk and swaying as Nark turns to Lady Jenise Nark not happy... the ratz made fun of me and Lony, threaten Lony and they ztink! Nark not burn them now, rat inzult later too. Barbeque of rat meat good... never had tazty rat and tiz iz big rat! maybbe taztez good as Nark´s tongue licks her lips

Thin' of it this way Nark. If we need to do it, then its better if'n we do it when it will have to most effect. Ifn we must have a Barbaque, then we we make sure it is a big one. Wait for the signal ok.

Nark clearly tries to think what Lothar says But we burn... later yez? and turns to Lony and continue speaking zo burn later but we burn. Barbeque rat later ok! Nark likez and hav tazty rat later maybbe. and keeps swaying around.

Hummies always makes stop the fun... uuuh, shiny!! looks nice. my treasure uhuhu... ooh, what is that, looks nice. Ah, Nark have to remember to get all firy firy ready and up for tomorrow