GM G's Frostfur Captives (Inactive)

Game Master Magabeus

Marduk sits down when camp is made. Closing his eyes he starts his meditation.
"........"

According to my info Marduk is the only one with any wounds left (2 hp damage) before entering the night. Any healing to be done before we enter the night?

Darmut presses a hand to Marduk's shoulder and heals the half orc's few remaining wounds.

CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

Merevelyn looks uncertainly forward to the darkening woods and then back towards Harvest's End. "I would get out of Irrisen as soon as I could, but I don't know about these woods at night, so we can camp here."

She whispers something to the thrush on her shoulder and the little bird wings off and up, circling around at some height before coming back down and landing back on her shoulder. There it puts its beak softly towards her ear and twitters something to her.
Just scouting around from a safe distance and reporting back (in bird-accented Common).

"There will be another jar of goblin pickles for each of you when we get where we are going tomorrow, my friends," she says with perhaps more truth than she should be comfortable with. "They're not so bad when they're chained up and not trying to kill and eat you..."

"Thank you for the aid Darmut."

Darmut grunts ambiguously.

The night passes calmly, with the occasional snoring and bickering from the goblins. Next morning you feed the little buggers and head of towards the border. Natural trails wind through the woods, allowing passage through the thickets and shrubs. After you have walked approximately an hour a sudden opening reveals a little house, no larger than a small child’s tree fort, built atop bundled tree branches lashed together like stilts or legs. The woodwork on the exterior of the house is exquisite, almost delicate in its craftsmanship. The floor of the hut is some 10 feet from the ground. From your vantage point you can see no door.

Map posted, although you are not in combat please use the action economy as if you are: one move + one standard action each, after which I will update the map. Map squares with at least 50% trees provide cover and are difficult going. Shersht is flying above the trees.

Edit: you may try a DC 15 Knowledge Local check to see if you can think of any gossip you earlier heard about such a hut

"How cute!", Saitama exclaims upon seeing the minute house. "Someone must really take care of their birds!"

Marduk walks up to X8, so he has a good view and a partial cover.

"Still, better to stay safe than sorry. Or would you want to be a sitting duck?"

Darmut frowns, "Is there a reason we cannot go around it? A few minutes could save us much trouble if it is occupied."

Wyeth glances at Saitama then looks up at the structure again. "I don't know... that'd be an awfully big bird."

Then the silhouette of Shersht against the bright sky crosses his field of vision, and he grins. "Well... relatively speaking."

Looking at the clearing he adds, "I agree. It looks safe enough, but looks can be deceiving. And it being here doesn't make sense, which means there's something we don't know. I say we duck through the woods and give it a wide berth."

Saitama looks at Wyeth confusingly. "The house is pregnant?"

1d100 ⇒ 33

Wyeth looks at Saitama and blinks. "Wuuuuut?"

When Saitama comes near Marduk, the latter wil slap him over the head.
Slap: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17
Friendly force: 1d6 ⇒ 5

"Brother Saitama....meditate with me next time. Let's discuss what cán and cannot get pregnant."
:P

"Then why did he say we should give it birth?", the warpriest rubbing the "friendly force" on his head.

Oh great guys, here's where my head's at now. Thanks a lot!

lol....i've never even seen them. Too much slap-stick in our posts? :P

Not enough I think :)

Knowledge (Local): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

Merevelyn slaps everyone across the head, firmly establishing herself as Moe.

Darmut sighs looking pained as he backs away from the tree house and begins skirting widely around it.

Merevelyn wants to look like an adorable Japanese girl? ;)

Darmut, i was thinking pretty much the same. :)

Reflex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Marduk dodges nimbly.... only Irorans get to do that.

Saitama, his face sore from a pair of friendly forces, follows the others in their wide trek.

The goblins look dumbfounded at the slapstick that is unfolding before their eyes. Darmut leads the group in a wide trek around the hut and according to the map you have just entered the land of the Linnorm Kings!

I really hope we don't get penalized for that, but honestly IC why on earth would you not avoid it?

Goblins, being what they are, should appreciate that we're willing to smack each other around a bit. :o) In fact I'd say our status should have gone up a bit in their eyes.

Yeah, it is a weakness in the scenario, I think, that the obvious choice is just go around something interesting. In general, one thing that factions missions could do is make you do things you might not do otherwise.

For one moment I was considering to pull the "you move parallel to the border for some time when you find another trail across it. Ahead of you, you see a hut." However I decided against it, thinking it would be a lame move. Big question is (and it is not answered in the scenario) how many of these huts there would be at the border.

You walk with lighter step now that you have left Irrisen behind you. Although the goblins keep on pestering you for food you know that you are now on the last stretch of your journey. Tomorrow evening should see you at Trollheim. And this evening you can rest and recuperate at the Blackraven way station.

Late in the afternoon

The woods open to a clearing where a large, grass-covered mound, like a small oblong hill, dominates the area. A stout wooden door is set directly into the side of the mound, while a thin trail of smoke rises from the very top. Immediately to the south is a wooden horse stable, all of its doors closed.

From the top of the mound a shrill whistle sounds and the door into the side of the mound opens. A tall Ulfen man emerges and strides towards you. He is attired in a chain shirt and has a battleaxe on his belt.

"Well met! You must be the Pathfinders! Freyr Darkwine expected you to arrive today, so we have been on the watch for you! Please, come in and share our hall, drink and food. We have emptied our storageroom so your captives are safe and you do not have to watch them."

"I would rather press on to meet the extraction team, this does not seem to be them - he told Wyeth they would meet us outside Trollheim. I smell Shadow Lodge," Darmut says to his companions in a low voice that he believes will not carry to the man.

Sorry Darmut, forgot to include this part:

DC20 Sense Motive: something is not entirely right, this man is too eager to have you als his guests.

and to avoid confusion: according to the map you need another full day of walking before you are at Trollheim

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Marduk raises a brow at the enthusiasm of the man, but doesn't get any bad impression either.

"He is too eager, Shadow Lodge who else would want us not watching our prisoners?" Darmut whispers, "Should we get him to open the gates and try to capture him or them?"

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

Merevelyn returns a hearty smile, and suggests "Forgive us one moment, Sir -, we have been pestered by the goblins for many miles now and we need to stop and feed them and, well, let them do things that shouldn't be done indoors."

Merevelyn then nods to the rest of the group and says, "Saitama, we'll each need a jar of goblin pickles, as before, so we can each feed to one jar." She begins to lead the group of goblins off a little ways to one side, hoping the group will follow and they can discuss things.

Edit: Sorry, Darmut's post happened while I was called away.

Good call, Darmut. I would have been totally suckered in.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (15) + 0 = 15

"Stationed in the middle of nowhere like this, yearning if not eagerness for company shouldn't surprise you," Wyeth responds quietly. "But the part about leaving them unguarded... your thinking's sound. Capturing, though, how does that fit with our mission? That might put the little snots at as much risk as accepting his hospitality."

"Again, better safe than sorry. But I'll follow your lead if capture's what's decided."

SM: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

"The seem friendly enough, and can't keep our strength up without food and drink!".

Upon Merry's command, he retrieves the half-dozen jars to keep the goblins fed and occupied.

Sense Motive: 1d20 ⇒ 4

Shaking his head, the witch says, We're spoiling the vermin... ah well take them along... The witch patiently waits for the goblins to be fed and watered.

With some distance and the cover of the goblin's devouring of the pickles, Merevelyn discreetly adds her sense to Wyeth's and Darmut's suspicions, and quietly asks, "So, how shall we deal with this? Play along? Confront them about their motives? Try to capture them? Simply refuse to leave the goblins unguarded?"

"Or magic. I could try a spell from here, but it takes long enough that he could well react, and it may not work. Or I could try a charm spell - a little quicker, but also uncertain."

"Play along until the gates are open then take them down," Darmut suggests.

Marduk nods in agreement.
"A little gentle force against deceivers wouldn't be a bother.
Honosty is a virtue...but conspirators deserve little pity."

"Whaaa? I thought the fishy smell was from the pickles."

"Hold on now," Wyeth declares firmly. "How sure are we of all this? I agree we shouldn't leave the little terrors unguarded, for more than one reason. But to label those we don't know as Shadow Lodge conspirators without proof..." He trails off and shakes his head. "That would make us no better than Chelaxian Hellknights."

"If we stay here, certainly keep a guard on the goblins and our guards up in general, but we shouldn't do more than that without justification." He looks up at the sky briefly to judge the weather. "Or we could continue on and make camp on our own, elsewhere."

"Do you seriously believe that the Venture Captain would send another bunch of agents to meet us while escorting captives? Our mission relies upon stealth, and I am certain he was too eager. If we capture them and our wrong they will have suffered no permanent harm," Darmut says in his monotone. Then he begins to advance,

"Very well open the gates, we are sick of these creatures."

Sterelin shrugs and moves a few paces behind Darmut ready to back him up.

"Can we capture them without harm? I, for one, cannot predict the outcome of a fight... But, I'll ready a charm spell at the first sign of hostilities. Perhaps we can find out more, first, politely insisting that we can't leave the goblins unguarded, as Wyeth suggests."

Merevelyn follows, leading the goblins when they are finished with their business.
Ready action, if I can, to Charm the Ulfen man. DC 16 (1+4+Spell Focus (Enchantment).

"Even if they are traitors," says Wyeth quietly, "I'd rather not risk killing them. If your charm doesn't do the trick, I'll try to strike fear into their hearts so we can more easily subdue them. But please people, let's wait for a sign of hostility before any of that."

I will try to lull one to sleep briefly.

Sleep hex on anyone looking to assist the Ulfen man with his nefarious plans...

The plan made you return to the Ulfen man, who is waiting patiently for you. He asks: "Have you decided whether you will let us entertain you as our guests? Evening will fall in short order, why would you not use hospitality when it is freely offered?"

From behind the back of the others Merevelyn casts her charm on the man.

Sleep hex on anyone looking to assist the Ulfen man with his nefarious plans...

And your plans are not nefarious? Shame on you! ;-)

Work is killing me at the moment, after Easter it should be better, thanks for your patience!

You're welcome, GM.

I meant to only do the Charm when/if hostilities break out, although others may have understood it differently.

"We would be glad of your hospitality, as much as we can have of it given our responsibility. Unfortunately, our sworn duty is to protect the goblins until the hand-off outside of Trollheim, so we will have to keep them under our constant guard and supervision."

Does that sound the right note, group?

If you want your casting the charm can be rolled back. Just let me know

"Yes, what she said."

Darmut remains silent well aware that his own diplomatic skills fall only slightly short of those of the common brick. He motions for Shersht to stay close and follows along.