The rain lets up for a little, yet its cold sourness remains and the overcast sky shows no effort towards cheering the mood. When Osprey assigned you this venture to Taldor’s wine country, he said the region was pleasant. As usual, his words were misleading. The coast was pleasant, the mires surrounding the Railford Distillery are not.
“This mission is easy,” he said, “All you need to do is travel to Railford, find the son of Iodon Railford and convince him to let the Pathfinders use part of his distillery as a lodge. We have finances, we can protect him, and if nothing else, we can help him honor the work of his father, who afterall, was one of us.”
The path to Railford is hardly an easy one to follow, especially after the spring thaw waters turn the thick clay soil to slough. Only a few crudely scarred trees denote the secluded route as it winds through the syrupy mire of flooded vineyards and vague remnants of rotten trellis with grapevines choked out by prevasive briars and heavy blankets of peat.
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A moderately young woman, no more then probably 23, wearing a common ronin garb over her armor, hiding her jeweled dragon tattoo that covers most of her left shoulder, chest, and down to the small of her back where there is a single red thin tear drop jewel that sits.
over her lap lays a katana sheathe just as eloquent as her garbs, and tattoo, they all seem to be a match, even the saddle she rides in that is on her horse is designed in the similar manner. The horse itself doesn't seem anything too fancy, its a black maned white mare, with what seems like red line work done in the horses fine hair.
Seems like they must have thought my skills would be needed, and at least I am able to lend my blade for a better purpose
her voice quiet and soft as she speaks "I am Zylencia NightFire, hopefully I will be of service to this request"
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Sun Zhanglao (pronounced Jhang-Laow) trudges along, enduring the rain without complaint. The rain is kept off his face by a dǒulì, or a traditional Tien Xia farmer's hat, made of straw woven over a reed frame, shaped like a low cone. His robe is also typical of robes worn in Tien Xia, a style favored by monks for its simplicity and loose fit allowing plenty freedom of movement. His chest and back is covered by a Lamellar leather cuirass. Over his heart is an emblem of a hunched over monkey, its tail wrapped in a circle around the outside of the holy symbol. When asked about it, he says only "That's the Monkey King, of course," as if everyone knows the story of the god of trickery, nature, and drunkenness.
On his person are a variety of weapons, some simple, like the quarterstaff he carries, a short sword, morningstar, and an assortment of spears and javelins. Others are more exotic, such a pair of fighting fans, an emei piercer, a punching dagger, and two sticks, known as dan bong.
The man himself is almost as exotic looking as his clothing and weapons. At first glance, he looks like a very strong human, with dusky skin, black hair, brown eyes like the humans of Tien Xia, shaped like almonds, and a thin mustache resembling two threads dangling on either side of his mouth. His hair is unruly and shaggy, with thick sideburns and a widow's peak, prematurely streaked with grey. A closer look, however, and one notes the tell-tale marks of a half-orc: slightly pointed ears, elongated canine teeth, faint ridges along his forehead, and a strong jaw. During the evening, when he removes his armor, one can see an elaborate tattoo of a dragon, finely detailed, with a variety of runes and symbols of protection and power. He claims it brings him good luck.
Ambling along beside him or sometimes trailing behind or loping ahead is his animal companion, a human sized great ape. This shaggy primate seems to enjoy the rain, kept warm by his thick black fur, shading to silver on his back. Sun calls him Wu Kong or sometimes just Kong. "We've been together since I saved him from some hunters who had killed his mother and driven away the other members of his colony. I think it is the Monkey King's way of keeping an eye on me. Don't worry, he's quite well behaved and only attacks if I order him to."
The ape has a few articles of clothing, an embroidered vest, a belt with some large sacks dangling from it, containing food and some rocks for throwing. He also has a pendant with the Monkey King's emblem on it. He exhibits curiosity about many things in this new environment, smelling, touching, even tasting various plants and objects he finds. He climbs trees frequently, sometimes to look around, sometimes, apparently just for the fun of it. When camping he sleeps in a low branch of a tree if one is available near the campsite that can support his weight.
Sun thinks about many things as the group trudges along. He wonders what his parents are doing. They were human, but apparently one or both of them had an ancestor who was an orc and this became apparent when Sun was born and his half-orc features could not be explained any other way. They raised him without prejudice, and such was the respect they had with the village, everyone else did the same.
"I wonder if I shall enter a town anywhere around the Inner Sea and not have to deal with some lout insulting me?" he thinks, recalling the barroom brawl he nearly got to fight until Wu Kong entered the bar and took his place by Sun's side. "Interesting how the insults melt away when they see Kong."
The other thing that surprises most about Sun is that for a half-orc, he is surprisingly refined, speaking proper Taldane, with but a slight Tien accent, polite, jovial, good-humored, and humble. He sometimes wins over a skeptic by challenging him to a contest of strength or dexterity. He's a great athlete who makes some extra money participating in contests like races, boxing matches, and wrestling.
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The halfling woman trudges along, seemingly oblivious to the mire's discomfort. She might be considered cute and spunky if her skin weren't so pallid and saggy.
At the briefing, she had introduced herself as "Gwenid, the recently deceased." She then giggled somewhat maniacally.
She ignores the obstacles in her path as her thoughts are focused on her constant struggle to maintain possession of her own body. When they tread deeper and the bog grows denser and wilder, she begins to wonder if she will be able to call upon her spirit out here. Hopefully there will be a place in the village. If not, we will see how my travelling library works.
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Lady De Qill sits next to Osprey has he outlines what needs to be done.
She was a small Elf of mid years. Her clothing was an unknown uniform from some army or force. Well kept her eyes look over you all. Some know here as hand have worked with her. She is a specialist detective who can been seen from time to time around the pathfinder halls.
While Osprey and you talk she takes notes. When it her turn to speak she says.
"I am Lady Alya De Qill, I have been asked to aid you on this mission"
Once the group set off she comes to the meeting place on a plain pony, with a simple saddle. She has a large rain cloak on to keep her warm and dry.
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Slogging his way through the muck and rain, Valon takes a moment to contemplate the life choices that led him to this point. He sighs quietly, feeling defeated. I feel like I should have known better.
He had been in much better spirits at the briefing with Osprey. It'd been several years since he'd been back to his native Taldor, and part of him was quite eager to return, even if only for a short while. "Valon Soranus, at your service." Valon had said this with a bow and a confident smile when his turn to introduce himself came. Gray eyes and a friendly expression met every other person present in turn. His long, dark brown hair was tied up behind his head. He was wearing a long sleeveless orange monk's tunic and dark trousers with an orange and red sash. His wrists and forearms were wrapped in cloth and covered by small red bracers.
Some homecoming this turned out to be. His overall appearance is considerably less crisp and clean than when they had set out. Fortunately, he thinks, he travels pretty light. Aside from the lone kama at his side, he carries no other weapons or armor with him, and his pack is fairly light as well.
As he carries on, his mind drifts back to memories of his time living in Taldor. He thinks of his friends at the monastery, wondering what they were up to. Probably helping break in the new initiates, he thinks with a little smile. Valon's thoughts then turn to his mother and father, and his brothers and sisters. He'd run away from his home many miles to the north as a boy to go join the monks, and hadn't been back home since then. He can't even recall sending them a letter to let them know he was alive. I wonder if they miss me. Or if they'd even want to see me again.
Distracted by his own musings, Valon missteps and plants his foot in an especially soft bit of mud, sinking in further than normal. "Figures." He laughs a bit as he pulls his foot free. Deciding to worry about all that some other time, he turns his attention back to the road ahead.
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Alya looked at the group, as water dribbled down off her hood.
They where an interesting mix, each looked capable and able.
From under her cloak she took out a small map and looked at it.
checking their root and speed.
"So we should find a campsite soon, this weather dose not look to be stopping any time soon. At lest lets see if we can find an inn or evergreen trees to camp under. While we look how about you talk a little of yourselves. I am an of the house De Qill, an office in it house force. I have the use of some magics and use a steal ball at range. A prefer dagger to long blade. I have a wide range of skills and knowledge. I may seem some what detached and cold. But that is my training, I am smiling inside"
She says this in a sardonic voice.
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"One does not necessarily have to talk about their skills, after all others may do that for them, once your skills have been shown even once, that is the way a warrior brags, out live your enemies fate."
her voice kinda trailing off near the end, kinda like how someone who has seen too much would with a flashback, but she never focuses on Lady De Quill or any of the others as she speaks
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"I do not brag I find it of little use. I am merely trying to asses us as a group and work out our optimum performance operation"
She waves a small note book.
"I have been taking notes on you all to that end. Zylencia here is a combatant training in blade and as such we must use tactics that help her."
Water gets on her note book and she casts prestidigitation to dry it out for a while.
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Lady de Qill has plenty of time to assess Sun's skills, as he encourages anyone who is interested to spar with him. He uses a wide array of tactics, adjusting to each new opponent. Sometime he uses his hands to pummel a foe, sometimes tries to trip or disarm an opponent. Sometimes, he uses conventional weapons, a short sword, quarterstaff, or Morningstar. Sometimes, he surprises someone by blocking their eyesight or getting them tangled in their own gear.
Those who don't want to spar, he challenges to contests of ranged attacks, pointing to a particular tree or deadfall and then throwing a spear or javelin at it.
Although he seems lightly armored, his quickness compensates and he appears tough enough to withstand some damage.
For all that, however, he is green, never having fought a battle to the death. And he rarely has anything to contribute when people discuss geography, history, or other topics of knowledge.
When no one else will spar with him, Sun wrestles with Wu Kong or races him to see who can climb the fastest. For all his competitive spirit, however, Sun never gloats in victory or complains in defeat, taking each in stride.
He is friendly to all, but never seems to have words for Gwenid. Her strange appearance and her closeness to death make him wary of saying the wrong thing. Wu Kong also seems leery of her.
Valon, you're familiar with the Taldane road markers that line the way to Railford. It's been enough since your last stop that you figure you'll be within a mile or so of the town, and that you can likely find a place to rest there.
Zylencia, though the rain has hampered your vision somewhat, it clears just enough for you to spot the flicker of a campfire ahead in the trees. You dimly make out two humanoid figures, and what appear to be two dogs. From this distance, they haven't yet caught your scent, and all are just trying to make the best they can around a fire at distance from town.
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Valon pauses a moment to take account of the markers along the side of the road. He thinks a moment, then turns to the others and says, "We're getting close. Another mile or two, I think, then we can get out of the cursed rain. If we keep pressing on we should get there pretty quickly." He moves a hand to wipe water from his eyes and brush back a loose strand of hair. "Any objections?"
When Zylencia calls out, one of the men sputters out a drink and yells "Intruders!" The dogs begin barking in earnest, and you all find yourselves looking at a pair very surly, hardened men with swords and longbows!
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Sun sends Wu Kong a little forward and to one side as Sun advances 15' south.
Flexing his huge fist, he says, making eye contact with the nearest guard, "You are outnumbered, but by all means, if you want a fight, you will end with your face in the mud!"
targeting the green border guard
DC = 10 + the target’s Hit Dice + the target’s Wisdom modifier
Success: target is shaken for 1 round (or 2 rounds if the DC was 10 or lower)
The guard appears a little less certain of his chances, but looks like he's still going to pull his longbow out at any moment!
The acid hits the dog in a sizzling splash, and a puff of acrid smoke rises off the poor creature.
Though the men looked a little worried for a moment, the overt attack on their dogs makes them roar, and they draw bows to fire!
The dogs lope forward as best they can in the muck, going for the closest opponents.
The katana bites deep into the man's shoulder, and he collapses to the ground.
As you passed the dog attacking Sun on the way to the opponent, it took a quick bite at Ruby's flanks.
Alya's bolt catches the dog in the throat, and it drops to the ground without a noise.
Similarly, Valon's first kick catches the dog squarely in the ribs, and you hear a sickening crunch when it lands. The creature collapses in a heap in the muck.
Sun weaves around the guard's meager defenses, and lands a solid blow square in the man's solar plexus. He goes down and hits the ground with a thud, and lies limp in the mud.
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She was not happy.
"You where not picked by the Pathfinders to be a bunch of thugs killing every thing you come across. This could have been handled with better diplomacy and tact. As for NOT killing them. Knowledge in ANY situation is useful."
She says this as she gets off her pony and makes her way to the two men, checking to see if ether man is still alive. If the need tending to she will use her healing skills.
"Did it not acure to you that they may be form the town we are heading to."
She wakes the man if she can.
"You will be safe if you answer some questions for us, who are you and what are you doing here."
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"From the town we are heading to or not, did it occur to you that when replying to a general greeting, with an attack indicates their intentions, as they would not have spared us the courtesy that we showed them? Remember this, next time we are attacked unprovoked, you can talk to them while we do the bloody work that will keep everyone else alive, are we clear? I don't need to be told how to defend myself from those that attack when greeted, so tell me this, if you wanted to greet them, you should have been up front and leading the way, but due to your lack of foresight, you decided to travel as you are. and here I thought all elves were actually smart for their kind" She wipes off her blade and re-sheathes it. turning her horse away and lets it rest by the campfire for the time being
"Unprovoked, and here I am getting told that responding to a hostile...." she trails off while tending to the fire for the time being
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She stands an look at the Samurai, looking hard from head to foot, taking in her manner and stance as she talks and walks away. She lets the Samurai vent, to her it looked like the passion the combat had effected the Samurai. She makes her mind up not to provoke the woman more.
Bending back down she again sort to interrogate the man.
"Wake up, we need to talk"
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"I pulled my punch, precisely so we could keep him alive. He'll come around in a few. I can't do anything to heal the other one, but I would not object to using magic to keep him from dying. My master used to say, 'I have three treasures: the first is mercy. From mercy comes courage.'"
He fishes in a small pack on Kong's back for some rope to bind the guards before they wake or are healed.
"Those who attack on sight are usually up to no good. Keep an eye out for others. If these are guards, there may be more."
If no one moves to heal the dogs, Sun will put each out of its misery with a coup de grass using his short sword.
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Valon shrugs. "They attacked as soon as we approached them. It's hardly our fault if they get themselves hurt or killed doing something like that."
He steps away from the dog lying in the mud and toward the campfire. He holds his hands out to warm them, and looks back over at the unconscious men. "Well, let's see what they've got to say for themselves."
Your attempts to stabilize the dying guard are stymied by the weather and surroundings, and before long he has stopped bleeding, but lies still in the mud by the fire.
The man on the ground slowly comes to as the misty rain patters his face. He groans when he sees all of you towering over him, and works his way up to his hands and knees. "Oh, you'll pay for this, to be sure. This town will be ours. You'll see..." He grunts when he sees his dead companion, and gives you all a hard look. "Well? You going to gut me, too? At least try to be quick about it."
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She Bends down, so she is on the same eye line as the man on the ground. She pulls out a small glass vile and shakes it there is a clear brown-ish liquid inside.
"I was thinking of giving you this actually OR... letting you go."
She smiles at him.
"Depends on what you tell me in the next few moments of you life."
There is no menace in her voice, in fact its light and friendly.
"So lets start with who you are who at the others you are talking about."
She looks into his eyes, tilting her head.
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Gwenid is unable to maintain interest in the argument. "I struck first on our side. I will take the blame for it if you wish," she offers nonchalantly.
While Alya begins her interrogation, the little halfling wanders around the campsite, looking for useful items or any signs of who has stayed here in the past.
Though the man refuses to cooperate or answer any questions, after a few moments of concentration on his thoughts while Zhanglao presses him with additional questions, you are able to catch wisps of thoughts that flicker across your senses...
"...never should have followed Grald to this mudhole..."
"...dog's name was Vors. He was a good dog..."
"...just one more day for that Railford to show us the deed or Grald'll toss him out..."
"...good for Stavian to finally do something useful, and reward his faithful troops with this decree..."
There are other thoughts that are not suitable to share in polite company, but you essentially learn that he is here as part of a group that has taken up the call of Stavian III, leader of Taldor, who created an incentive program promising formal titles to any conscripted men willing to reclaim his lands from "rogue lords," a decree you would likely have heard about during your travel to the Railford Distillery.
This man's company appears to be led by a man named Grald, likely a former military commander for this troop, and a ruthless sounding one at that. They've given the owner of the distillery 3 days to provide proof of ownership, or they will seize the distillery by force.
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She wipes the rain from her face. he had said noting to her questions but had said a lot with his mind. A mix of fear and thoughts.
Local
Nobility
She says to him.
"I understand, Stavian the 3ed put out the call and it seemed a good deal. Rewards for his faithful troops. All you need do is go grab some out of the way land and you get yourself a plot and title."
She shakes her head, standing.
"But you put all you have on the line for nothing. Gralds never going to share. You should have guessed that by now. Once he gets the land and title, most of you men are all surplus of requirements if not killed the best your going to get is an offer of some S&&*ty mud hut, and paying rent to his lordship for all time."
She turns to the others, and walks over to join them at the fire.
"I know what's going on now. I will tell you once we decide what to do with him."
She casts prestidigitation a few times to clean off her uniform.
"He's a dead man if he stays here. Once Grald hears of his guard duty failure, Grald will have to set an example, but slowly and painfully. That's why this one wants us to kill him fast. He can't see any way out. Just death on all sides."
She worms her hands a little, lost in her own thoughts, then she looks the man, locking eyes with him.
"But I see a home, a wife and a child, your child. Sitting there asking about the time you met me. Lady Alya De Qill and how I gave you a chance to live. A chance to have a life with them. But you see is a dead sinking into this mud, So which will it be?"
Her eyes do not waver
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Sun again tries to support the lady's diplomatic efforts. "We are enemies, it is true. You seek to steal from one whose father was an ally of our organization. So we must oppose you and your leader. Your role in the events has ended. As the lady says, you can either accept an honorable death or take the also honorable path of dissociating yourself from miscreants who would steal and leave the area, starting a new life. There are many in the River Kingdoms who would welcome one such as yourself."
"If you choose death, I offer to make it a soldier's death with honor. You and I fight. If you can defeat me, you go free. If I defeat you, I will grant your wish of a swift death."