"Those who held you spoke of killing you outright I hope you understood the severity o yer situation. An wha good would a kender be if not to open a lock?"
Heads back towards the inn....
Perception
To over-hear conversations
Automatic perception check within 10 of a trap
Stealth
Durom looks around noticing the kender isn't around, he looks to Josiah and says. "Don't worry lad, we'll watch over you. Anyways I saw the kender eyeing them earlier tonight so I believe they will have a bigger problem then one of there own coming to there senses." He gives Josiah a hard pat on the back and looks to Otik with a smile.
"Why yes we did friend, Brand you ready to lose and Rumal of course you can its not like either of stand a chance againist a dwarf! We are born in ale!" with that Durom chugs down the next mug.
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(mostly focused on keeping a watch rather than noticing anything inside the cage, though Janos would naturally take a glance and look for wounds and similar thing amongst the prisoners).
"The brave Kender speaks true. On my honor, I heard the Seekers say that "they may send someone to deal widst thou this night rather than wait for a trial. Milady, doest thou know of any safe haven for these folks, at least a temproary one? Perhaps a cave or safe house within walking distance? We can't simply leave them to be captured again, which would surely cause an even worse punishment".
And to the prisoners while still mostly focusing outwards for guards or others that might take notice of the situation, "We haven't much time, but does anyone need immediate medical care or food and drink? I have little but a few coin and a few days worth of travel rations. Does anyone need care or meal before we go"?
Quickly forgetting about the Seekers and his missing friends the large man takes up the offered drinks. "I just have one question. How are we supposed to know when Rumal has lost?" Brand laughs and downs the drinks.
Fort check:
"When we understand him clearly! haha!" Durom laughs and motions to Tika to bring another round and drinks the next one. "But that will only happen one way, drink drink my friends!" with that he'll chug the next drink.
"We has a saying only tha still get caught, I suggest you flee go now a great adventure surely awaits you, an stay safe."
Kender heads back to the bar.......attempting to bring Janos along as well......
Satisfied that Trapdodger has done what he can for the prisoners, Asliath follows him back to the inn.
Perception Check:
Rumal works on into the contest as he would any other time he drinks, two-fisted. He lets Durom take the start with two good drinks, before he downs his two together. The first he manages to get down his throat, but already the second one half trickles down his goatee as it drizzles out of a mouth a little numb from being already three sheets, nay a minotaur fleet, to the wind.
Like shadows, the two prisoners are gone before Sir Janos can offer his aid. They were curt, and certainly in a hurry to flee the sight of their prison. You return to the warmth of the inn.
A patrol reaches the stocks as you enter the inn. You can hear cries, followed by bells ringing out across the vale. Boots trample up and down the stairs outside. A small patrol of guards pop into the inn for a quick search, and find nothing of interest.
The night drifts into a drinking contest, mixed with boastful tales.
Otik takes two more drinks, but stops long before he can't run his business. He continues to ply those participating with drinks, though.
I see alcohol's effects as two components. First, alcohol as a poison. The body can only drink so much before the brain (floor of the 4th ventricle, medulla) detects alcohol as a poison and tries to eject it (vomiting). As depressant, reaching alcohol poisoning runs the risk of lowering the heart rate to the danger zone.
In terms of the psychopharmakinetics of alcohol, it most certainly acts as a behavioral de-inhibitor. So you initially lose reaction time, dexterity, and cognitive function. The 'wild' drunk stage is merely inhibiting your ability to make good decisions.
So long story short; the poison bonus should apply only to the alcohol poisoning portion, not the cognitive.
As far as rerolling, keep the previous as I changed rules midstream.
(Did I mention I enjoy cognitive psychology, and worked in a center for addiction research in my last job?)
"Good idea guys we shall make ourselves as drunkards drifters an no accounts."
Guys?"
"Guys!"
Nearing midnight, his tongue loosened by a few drinks, Otik becomes a bit of a rumormonger. You folks saw the forest walkers that the seekers arrested, eh? Those two have not been unknown in the surrounding farms- Ol' Thurgston mentioned that a few years ago during a horrible wilting disease on his farm a pair of grey and brown robed forestmen showed him how stop the disease from spreading to the rest of his crop.
He clears his throat You know I love these trees he rests his hand on the vallenwood branch that has over the years grown through the wall of the inn but these two put themselves between the builders and their lumber, protesting the use of the vallenwood. They claimed that the trees were gifts of the gods. Then they leveled spears at the guards, and even struck one of the Seeker priests who tried to confront them. The priest fell like a sack of potatoes! It was then that them guards closed in and locked up them up. The official charge: heresy against the Seeker gods. It was then that the Seeker priests began announcing tomorrow night's dedication ceremony for the unfinished temple.
Brand drinks a few more rounds.
Fort Check:
Fort Check:
Listening to Otik, the big man leans toward the fireplace, warmed by the drink and the fire. Unusually serious Brand adds "I feel bad for them Otik. I know how to feels to want to find something bigger than yourself. To find some comfort from the hardship of this world. Well, maybe in the morning, when they release those prisoners they'll be allowed to go home and stay away from all this." Brand waves his hand in the air. Half whispering to Josiah "My friend, I'm with you if you wish to leave this place tomorrow. It's just not the place I remember."
Rumal is able to get four drinks in him before they start to affect him. Being tipsy, for Rumal that is, he has no problem drinking more. He sticks to the ale, as it's just a game amongst friends and he doesn't need to hit the hard stuff. He gets to drinking and starts to go down hard. Being the end of a long day his drinks throughout the day catch up to him and he only manages seven more before he's face down on Otik's bar snoring into his own drool.
Just like old times, it's great to be home.
As Durom starts his third drink, he hears the kenders warning and slows down his drinking in annoyance. He looks over to Trap, "Why are you so concerned about our current state, what trouble have you been starting?" Durom looks at Rumal seeing him keeping on going, he then looks to Brand, "What do you think lad, do you think our kender was creating trouble for us?"
"I ain't been startin nothin I been here with you all evening!"
The kender sits down and waves for a drink also.....
"If you can't beat em, join em."
"Next round is on me fellers so make it a good one."
You're woken up by screams and the sound of horns blowing. The sound of commotion pulls the sleep from your eyes, and before you are fully aware, you've dressed yourselves and followed the crowd down to the ground floor, and to the main square facing the newly built temple of the Lady. Some of you sport raging hangovers and some of you hastily buckle on bits of armor, but all of your are shocked by the sight.
The construction of the temple is still covered with scaffolding, but now the scaffolding sports what seems to be a green fur. On closer examination roots and vines choke most of the surface of the structure.
Above the doors dangle three bodies in seeker robes: purple and bloated the vines seem to twist around their necks and limbs.
The gathered crowd stands ill at ease; seeker guards push back a line 30 yards from the temple. A number of dark robed seekers gather to the side, speaking with the chief of protection and a few guards.
"Looks like tha tree was not so happy bout being cut down, guess I would not be cuttin one down after a sight like this!"
Rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "This does not bode well. I have to agree Trap. It sure looks like that tree was out for revenge. Feel sorry for those men though. No one deserves to die in such a horrible way."
Astonished that the prisoners would simply scatter so quickly, he turns to see Asliath, gently laying a hand on her shoulder as she leaves, "Milady. . ., may I share words with you? Would you honor me with not only thine ear, but a walk as well?"
Asliath, upon seeing the corpses hanging at the temple, merely shakes her head. She knew that there would be some from of retribution for feeling these sacred woods.
Durom splashes some water on his face, and moves with a stiffness from his injuries he suffered the other day. He moves out with his friends, and looks on the display of the dead seekers. "It's bad ,but thats what happens to those who don't respect nature's resources." As he see's Janos move down to the crowd he looks to others, "Brand come with me will help out Janos, he'll need our strength. Trap and Asialiath find out what you can from the crowd. Yes kender I am giving you permission to eavesdrop on everybody haha, don't make me regret it. Damn trouble can never wait til after I have breakfast."
Trap heads into the crowd to see what bits and pieces of conversation he might overhear.....
Perception
To over-hear conversations
Rumal lifts his head from the bar with a start, having been left there after passing out. Those that know him, know that to move him drunk is an invitation into disaster. He rises up, holds his head, and groans "Whatdoesagnomehavetodotowakeuptothegentlesoundofanalebeingpoured?"
He looks around for where he left his drink last night. Seeing that Tika must have cleaned up around him, he goes through his bags and finds one of his vials. Pulling it out he chugs the contents, and his eyes begin to glass over, as his face takes on a much gentler demeanor.
He lowers himself from the stool and makes his way to where the commotion is abound. Staggering up to the dwarf he asks "Whus go'n on here Dur'm? Sheems a lot of weirdness fer uh cermony. There any celbration wine?" Staring longer at the vines covering the structure, he thinks he may be familiar with what could cause such a thing.
"There yah is you drunk, finally a magic boy is awake! Follow me and Brand as we get closer and can you tell me if any magic was used." Not letting the gnome settle the dwarf starts pushing him ahead with himself and the two humans.
Josiah spends quite a bit of time staring at the dead Seekers. True, they had done evil, but did the dead deserve such a fate? Did they not deserve a chance at redemption? Was it so evil to seek a higher power? Where were the lines anymore?
He shook his head. He was troubled by this death. He was troubled by a lot of things these days.
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Asliath, upon seeing the corpses hanging at the temple, merely shakes her head. She knew that there would be some from of retribution for feeling these sacred woods.
"But the question then becomes, who is the arm behind the retribution?"
I'm going to attempt to make my way to a position that I can either interpose myself betweeen anyone attempting to hurt the gathering people and also to keep anyone from trying to dishonor the bodies of the fallen Seekers.
The hanging bodies are definitely Seeker priests- mid level bureaucrats.
A knowledge [arcana] check is probably better than a spellcraft- spellcraft is better for seeing someone cast a spell and deciphering the gestures, arcana is more about the effect once it's already in place.
Also: vines = knowledge nature.
I'll have crowd dialogue tomorrow.
Durom stares at the vines as they get closer, to see if he recognizes them.
Also, the vines have ripe berries- might make a good beverage!
One team of brave militia entered the temple earlier, but have not been heard from since.
Attempts to cut down the priests were met by vines unfurling toward potential rescuers. A few arrow shafts protrude from the apex of the temple near the bodies from unsuccessful attempts to shoot them down.
Goes back to the others
"Some men have went armed into the temple already, an have not come back."
Grabs Durom by the arm
"Come on they are going to get there first! Hurry!"
"Come on guys we have to get there first!"
Josiah shakes his head. "They'll be slaughtered!" He draws his morningstar and runs toward the temple.
"Hold up Trap, ya see those vines lad. They be assasin vines they grab ya and don't let'cha go until ye neck be snaped. Only thing is why are they here? They should be deeper in thee forest. We can't just charge in blindly or we all will be fertilizer." Durom starts to think and looks around then starts heading towards the front and shouts like only a dwarf can "AYE ALL YOU GET BACK, UNLESS YOU WANT THIS TO HAPPEN TO YA! GIVE WIDE BIRTH TO THIS WANNABE TEMPLE AND MAYBE ME AND ME FRIENDS WILL SAVE YOUR ARSES."
Durom motions his friends to the front outside of the vines reaches that he can gauge and rips out his cross bow, "So my lad's and lass how be your gardening skills?" He gives a smile.
Rumal squints and staggers forward towards the vines and the building, "Weh ah dunno bout gardenen' but I can surely make use of those plump, juicy berries." He heads closer to the nearest patch of them among the unusual foliage.
Brand left his dire flail in the room, but made sure to grab his one-handed flail. He follows Durom toward the temple regardless of the fact that he did not have time to put on his armor.
The crowd is startled by the bellowing dwarf, and moves back another few feet. The vines seem to twist around the corpses, and seem to pull them toward the door of the church.
"Them vines is slow an I is fast, we ken rush to the other side."
"Let me make a path lads!" Durom smirks, and aims his crossbow at the closes one and fires where I need to since I passed my knowledge check.
Durom's shot finds its mark. It pierces a branch of the vine off of the main trunk. The opening salvo causes the vine to react in pain, pulling free its trapped limb. Several limbs rear their flowered heads, apparently scanning the crowd with some unseen sensory organ like a giant python testing the air with its tongue.
Initiative
Rumal is startled by the vines voluntary action, "Fergit the burris, ah bed the sap fum those things wih haf nuremus... nemers.. menny uses." He begins looking for an empty vial.
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Not understanding what his friend is doing, Janos has a look of puzzlement on his face as Durom shoots into the "green fur" vines.
Seeing through the crowd the others beginning to take up arms, Janos will place a hand on his sword, but not draw it just yet so as to not cause a panic in the crowd.
"What is going on", he thinks.
I'm assuming that I'm a bit away from the others and wouldn't have heard them discussing the Assassin Vines over the crowd and distance, and I don't have Know: Nature to know of this uncommon threat.
"Me too!"
Shortbow attack , Damage