The adventure starts with you mucking through the mire outside of Railford. You know Railford is a common stop over for soldiers, vagabonds, and others passing through these lands that seek a little debauchery and Railford’s infamous hooch.
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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 after all, 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 pervasive briars and heavy blankets of peat.
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With a long leather jacket and a outback hat on, Castiel seems quite out of place during the mission briefing. More so for his dinosaur companion, which he lovingly called Betsy, who seems rather hungry and you hear her stomach growl frequently.
In the wilderness he is more at home and leads the party around some obvious obstacles, most city folk would find themselves stuck in.
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A regal looking elf dressed in fine clothes and armed with a bow and rapier blade walks over and sits down to listen to the briefing. Seeing his woodland companion and pet, the elf moves his chair just a tad further away from the beast, not knowing if the creature knows its manners within civilization.
"What is that smell" he inquires looking around.
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Accustomed to long treks through the wolds, Durothil muses how excited he is to be away from Absalom. Although the great city was tremendous fun, reconnecting with the solitude of the wilderness recharged both his step and disposition.
"Well met Castiel. I am Durothil Moonstep form Kyonin. I have never ventured to Railford, but this mission seems pretty straightforward. After my last fiasco, this will be a welcome change. I have no desire to see the inside of a Absalom prison anytime soon."
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An ornate carriage splashes down the road, traveling it the same direction as the party. As if pulls up alongside it stops. The door opens up and handsome Taldon man leans out a bit. You the Pathfinders I was supposed to meet up with? Heading to Railford right?. He has dark hair and features, his clothes are high quality and in the latest fashions, though they are wrinkled and sloppy donned as if he had been sleeping in them. Once he hears that you are indeed pathfinders he invites you all to ride in the comfort of the carriage. Name is Tony, though I'm known through out the society as Iron Man. I know a bit dramatic but I like it. Can I offer anyone one a drink? You notice he has a glass of scotch already there is a lingering smell of strong alcohol all around him. Sorry I was late. I was out celebrating the success of my latest mission last night and things, as they sometimes do, go out of hand. He says with a mischievous smile.
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Hakime considers just walking, as the man and carriage reek of alcohol, but she shrugs, and greets him in a friendly enough fashion as she boards the carriage. "Hello Iron Man. I am Hakime, servant of the Dawnflower... blessings on you for the carriage ride... Though it was unnecessary, it is welcome nonetheless."
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Nice to meet you, Tony. I am Durothil." he intones in an uncharacteristic economy of words. Lumbering into the carriage, he glances around wary of unsuspecting traps. He had never met a Pathfinder that could afford a carriage. As he takes his seat he is reminded of all those times that he had ridden carriages in Kyonin, a feeling he was desperately trying to suppress.
As you approach Railford, the rain starts again and all darkens. The creepers and overgrowth do little to help the situation, blocking some of the rain but casting strange twisting shadows. Markers become more difficult to see.
You see the flicker of five fires in the distance, seemingly surrounding this edge of the town.
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Suite your self. Tony says to Castiel, It would have been a bit crowded anyway.
As the rain stats,
Nasty weather. Any of you been to Taldor before? Its not all this bad. I grew up in this fine nation. Lots of great places to have a lot of fun here.
My Armor is in a chest up with the driver.
Also I like to describe my actions in a way that suits the character but I'll always specify what I'm actually doing.
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"Does anyone think fires seem strange is this weather?" Leaning out the carriage window Durothil tries to get a better vantage of the fire. "Should probably head there." He unwraps a waxed sting, moves his bow in front of him. Even in the cramped space, with a mighty heave, Durothil is able to string the enormous bow.
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I don't remember ever being in Railford, though that doesn't mean I've never been. He chuckles to himself as he hands out glasses, chilling them with a quick spell, and then pours everyone a liberal amount of amber liquor. Small towns like this are a little too rural for my tastes. Sometimes its fun to "slum it" a bit. Flash some gold and a little style in a place like Railford and you're an instant celebrity. he takes a nip of his drink and smiles reminiscently. I wouldn't worry about the fires though. Probably a backwoods celebration, or some silly superstition to scare off bad spirits. Places like this are usually full of backwards traditions.
You can see a couple men around each of the fires. They are spaced out far enough that you would have to pick a single fire to approach if that is what you wanted to do.
You come across two soldiers at the protected fire on the road. Two dogs stand, hackles raised in front of your carriage.
"Get out of the vehicle." one of them yells.
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Sighing, Durothil slings his bow across his back. He lithely steps out of the carriage, and assumes a posture of cool indifference. He keeps his hand near his curved blade, but not close enough to arouse suspicion from the soldiers. He will let the carriage owner lead the conversation unless he strays into unnecessarily dangerous territory. He knows how these humans can behave once they have been partaking of their fermented beverages too long.
Perception:
Initiative:
As soon as you disembark and the men look you over, they bellow loudly. "INTRUDERS!"
They draw their weapons as they move through the water-logged terrain. The leashes to the riding dogs are loosed as they snarl and lash out at the newcomers.
Castiel and Hakime hear bellows from the other fires. "INTRUDERS AT THE ROAD!" Dogs bark and the jostle of more men approaching can be heard in the distance. The only place absent of sounds of horns and barks seems to be the town.
Iron Man sees a human with black hair and a scar across one eye, lash out at him with his longsword. The man's dog snarls and leaps at Durothil, sinking his teeth into the elf's armor.
Durothil fends off the ravenous beast as Iron Man feels the longsword's steel bite into his flesh.
The other man leaps in a vicious downward swing as his dog moves deftly into the pack of Pathfinders and flanks the half-orc. "Your kind disgusts me!" he spits vitriolically.
Gronk maintains his footing, however the longsword and teeth rip the flesh from his arm pretty badly.
Initiative (Round 1):
1st: Men (#1; #2); Dogs (#1; #2)
2nd: Iron Man @ 42/49 HP; Gronk @ 13/31 HP; Durothil; Hakime; Castiel; Galandaro
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Iron Man cusses as the sword cuts deep into him Happy! I NEED MY SUITE! Iron man yells as he drops his scotch and takes a step back away from the man with the sword. Happy flips the lid open on the check and the sides flop down exposing a neatly organized set of full plate armor decorated with gold and red plating. Iron man takes a strange device, covered with buttons and dials, out of a pocket. After fiddling with it for a moment he finally lets out a call, Aha got it! he points the devises at the open chest as it emits a few sparks and suddenly the armor in the chest rockets to the air. In a manner of seconds the armor flies over to Tony and, with a cacophony of clicks, clanks, and whirls, the armor assemble itself around him. Fully armored he flexes, making sure the joints move freely, Alright, lets do this!
Tony becomes Iron Man with a quick use of a scroll as Castiel cuts down the ranger fighting Gronk and Betsy wounds his hound.
Durothil wounds the dog that attacked him, while Gronk turns his attack on the ranger attacking Iron Man, cutting him down easily.
The sounds of more men and dogs approaching looms closer as the two injured hounds lash out at Gronk and Durothil.
Durothil is savaged by a brutal bite from the dog, but maintains his posture, while Gronk feels the teeth of the beast dig into his leg and pull him prone in the mud.
Initiative (Round 1):
1st: Dogs (#1 @ 10; #2 @ 10)
2nd: Iron Man @ 42/49 HP; Gronk-Prone @ 14/31 HP; Durothil @ 12/22 HP; Hakime; Castiel; Galandaro
The onslaught of the Pathfinders is enough to put the beasts down.
Torches begin to appear in the night, moving towards the Pathfinders' location. Hounds bay as the other guards give out calls. "INTRUDERS!"
Initiative (Round 2):
1st: ???
2nd: Iron Man @ 42/49 HP; Gronk-Prone @ 19/31 HP; Durothil @ 12/22 HP; Hakime; Castiel; Galandaro