GM Rednal's Jade Regent (Inactive)

Game Master Rednal

Taka nods along as Shutai explains the situation.

"Lets round everyone up and get moving. It is only a matter of time until we are attacked again."

Aleksson looked to Taka & Shutai now that the information is relayed. "There are still things of mine at the inn. I'm taking a horse back there now. You get the caravan moving and I'll catch up."

Not sure how you want to handle that Rednal. My top priority will be speed, but I'd like to be stealthy/untrackable as well.

"Traveling alone is not advised with assassins after us. If there are things that can not be left then we will all go back. We can set a rendezvous point with the caravan say a mile south of here since they know we were looking to go north. We will gather your things then meet back up with the caravan to rest and bring the fight to them tomorrow. Do we all agree?"

"I am quieter and faster alone." he stated flatly, staring at Taka with a quiet intensity. Following that with a sharp exhale, he explained "I buried my father a few weeks before meeting you, Taka. Much of what I have left of him is there, things well worth risking my life over. It is not yours, not Shutai's, not those lives in the caravan. I cannot and would not stop you from following me, but I won't slow for you. The caravan is in danger too, and whatever you choose, their blood won't be on my hands." Not again.

His eyes flicked to Shutai, wondering what she was thinking underneath the mask.

*Also glances at Shutai*

Incidentally, Aleksson, preventing people from tracking you is fairly difficult. You can't Stealth it, but you can use class abilities (*Stares at Druids*) or try to move across ground that's super-hard to track over. Stone roads, through water to break scents, that sort of thing.

"Forewarned, the caravan can guard itself, I would imagine, and the assassins are less likely to target the caravan." Shutai nodded to Alekkson. "We should all return to the inn, and get whatever it is Alekkson needs, and then move on to our target. The caravan can move on, and we'll meet them again once we have what we need."

"I agree, until we end the threat the caravan and my sister are safer with us away as we will draw the deadly threats. Come let us not delay then."

Taka motions to Shalelu

"Please watch over my sister. Head back south a mile. Stay off the open road. I will find you."

Aleksson's bravado wilted at Shutai's first comment. Against a few angry merchants? Yes, they likely can. He bit his lip in frustration as he mounted his horse, then looked at the others. "Neither of you ride, do you? Numaa can't bear three of us."

"Yes we have horses in the caravan but it is not the best way to maintain stealth though it is faster, but we would risk the horses if something were to happen. Best to go back in on foot."

"A compromise?" Shutai suggested. "Ride to the edge of town, as we'd be fairly conspicious in open countryside anyway, the travel through town on foot?"

*Waits on the party's decision* Feel free to keep talking it over if you want to. ^^

Taka nods in agreement to Shutai's suggestion.

"Very well," Aleksson said also with a simple nod.

Nodding, Shutai went to get the horses.

Shalelu nodded and quickly moved off, even as you gathered your strength to rush back to the inn and pick up your things. The good news? You weren't ambushed on the way there, but you definitely got the sense that the town was quieter than usual... and a little brighter, too, with a number of groups patrolling and carrying torches.

Shutai tried to move more quietly as she headed for the town. She lacked the training with it, but she had least some natural grace and lighter armour to work with...

Stealth: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

"Let us move with caution and swiftness."

Stealth: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14

Stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28

Aleksson took point, keeping an eye out for trouble.

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Your inclination towards stealth served you well. As you passed through the alleyways, you heard officers giving descriptions that vaguely matched you, albeit not quite well enough to identify you for sure. All things considered, it was definitely time to leave... though you did manage to pass through the back entrance of the inn, to the surprised (and somewhat concerned) look of the innkeeper. The building itself was a bit quieter, too, given recent events.

"More trouble?" he asked quietly.

"I'm afraid we'll be departing now," Shutai replied, dropping ten gold coins into his hand. "If anyone asks about us, comes to search the rooms, tell them everything. We have no wish to see you or yours harmed by this, and I assure you that nothing you know can harm us. But if you could show us to the rooms we used without us using the public areas, I would appreciate it."

"You have our gratitude." Aleksson simply added.

Taka remains quiet, keeping a keen eye out not liking how quiet it seems here.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18 Making sure he isn't hiding things or waiting for an ambush to occur.

The innkeeper glanced out to the common room. That was really the only way to get to the chambers you'd used. "If you're willing to do a little climbing, I can open your windows from the inside." he said after a few moments, clearly trying to do his best to help you. As far as Taka could tell, his intentions were genuine - the quieter status of the place may be related to your actions, but less directly. Going by all the shouting on the main roads, most people were trying to stay out of whatever was happening.

"Climbing outside would open us up to possible being seen. Aleksson go quickly gather your things. Shutai and I will stay and keep watch unless you had things to gather as well Shutai?

Taka looks to the innkeeper

"Thank you. You risk much, we will be no further trouble."

"Some clothes and toiletries are all I left - nothing that cannot be replaced." She nodded for Alekkson to head up. So long as there wasn't an ambush waiting for him it seemed like the fastest way of dealing with this.

Aleksson agreed and headed up to the room, stepping soft with open eyes and ears.

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 26
Stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

Being good at stealth had its advantages. The place you'd stayed in the Inn appeared to be undisturbed, at least for now, though there was no telling if that was going to change soon. Gathering up everything you wished and quietly getting back downstairs was a simple matter for the Ranger, and he soon returned.

Uuuunless there's something else he wanted to do up there. XD

Shutai kept an eye out, waiting for Aleksson's return.

Perception + Detect Magic: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

Nope, ready to go!

Aleksson descended the stairs as swiftly as he had ascended them. He nodded to his allies and said, "Let's go."

Shutai nodded, and again to the Innkeep. "Our thanks." She headed out, looking for signs of danger.

Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

May I suggest making a group Stealth check if you don't want to be noticed by guards out on the streets? o wo

Cloaking Device Engaged

Stealth: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Cloaking Device was sold by a laughing Ferengi...

Stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

I'm back

Stealth: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 Ah, and a nice welcome back from the dice here I see :) Sorry guys

One of you was rather stealthier than the others. About three blocks from the inn, you heard a shout, and you turned to see a group of five guards nearby. "You two! Who are you and where are you going!?" one of them asked, apparently not seeing Aleksson.

Gritting her teeth, Shutai frowned. She couldn't use her ability to disguise herself or to charm them - even the magic that came naturally would be noticed - and running would result in a chase. The easiest answer was the one she liked least, but there was more on the line than her own pride or comfort. "Follow my lead," she whispered to Taka.

Stumbling towards the guards, she let a shoe slip off one foot as she staggered, and slid her mask off while kneeling and hidden from the guards. Staggering up - with her true face exposed - she slurred in the best impersonation of a drunk she could muster, "What's that? Just lookin' for some drink. He-" She raised a trembling finger at Taka in drunken indignation before slowly spinning the wrong way, "Wans us to go home. Who wans' to go to schle...slee...bed when you can find some wine." Giggling, she added in a loud whisper, "'Sides, we don' need a bed for what he wants," before breaking into a fit of drunken laughter.

Hopefully, that would make Taka suitably embarrassed to cause a real blush, since Shutai wasn't sure of his acting ability. If she had lose her dignity to avoid a fight here he could live with a little embarrassment. And soldiers of all walks of life tended to appreciate the idea that someone was going home with female companionship and tended not to want to prevent such from happening.

Bluff: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

Sorry Taka! And sorry for posting Aleksson initially.

Taka nods along.

"Just looking for a private place, besides we heard rumors of some trouble makers in town. From what we heard they were seen at the north end of town."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (5) + 19 = 24
Bluff: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22

Eyy, that's okay. And welcome back Taka!
Aleksson remained out of sight, crossing fingers that Shutai's gambit would pay off.

One of the guards whispered to the others for a moment, and the speaker nodded. "You're right about the trouble. Go have yourself some fun - but get indoors and keep your head down if you know what's good for you." He said, waving you off.

Giggling , Shutai let herself be led off somewhere before replacing the mask. "I hate doing that," she muttered in irritation.

"Good quick thinking. Now let's get back and rest with the caravan so we can go on the offensive."

"I'm happy we avoided trouble on my behalf." Aleksson nodded.

Picking up the pace, you soon joined up with the rest of the caravan, and it wasn't long at all before you were on the road - it helped that the city had minimal limits on the caravan area. Ameiko came up shortly after, walking alongside you. "So, what's the plan when we get there?" she inquired.

"We don't know much about this place," Shutai considered, still uncomfortable. "We enter, find the guide and the blade, and leave. If we have to destroy this place to do so..."

"We? Sister you will continue to help guard the caravan and people. We are just relocating to rest and stage our assault. Shutai is correct. We have little to plan besides an assault. We have been the their targets long enough."

Not wishing to thrust himself into a possibly tense discussion between Taka and Ameiko, Aleksson kept his head down beneath his hood unless called upon.

Ameiko snorted slightly. "I'm not a delicate flower. Maybe you should at least try to figure out what forces will be needed before you tell people to stay behind?" she told Taka.

Knowing the wisom of getting involved in a family squabble was low at the best of times, and with a potential future monarch it seemed even lower, Shutai followed Aleksson's example and shut the hell up.

"It is because we don't know what we face that you must remain. It is you my sister. You are the one that will lead these people. You are the one they look to. I do not ask you to stay behind out of concern for your safety. You are the one that inspired me to take on this life. It is that inspiration you must protect and it is for that reason I ask you to stay and keep these people safe."

He places his hand on his sister shoulder as they speak and then embraces her with a hug.

"Forgive me for it has been a long day. I wish to rest now."

With that he takes his leave to get some much needed rest.

Aleksson grunted in affirmation. He too felt rather worn.