Welcome to the story.
The wind blows playfully across the old coast road. Golden leaves wave merrily from their branches, whispering that the seasons will soon change. But perhaps not today.
You and your friends are returning to Sandpoint after a raucous trip to Magnimar that still has more than one of your heads feeling like an ogre played drums with it.
You laugh and jibe each other as old friends do, ribbing Toban about his love affair with Shoanti cooking, Hezekiah about loving his affair with his dusty tomes more than with his "secret friend", Xander about his affairs with...everyone, and Satinder about who in the city was having affairs with anyone right now...and who might have one with them...
[b]"Well guys, looks like we are gonna have one more night under the stars. I can honestly say this sure beats the inside of a jail cell! I could hardly believe the look on the Lord-Mayors face when I was declared innocent."
"Nice work Satinder, you have my gratitude as always...Though I do wonder if the Lord-Mayor will not plan some sort of retaliation in the future. No matter though, The important thing is that the beautiful Varisian bay awaits us, and we are a good night sleep, and a small jaunt away."[/b"
"Utterly ridiculous," mutters Satinder as he rummages in his trunk for his bedroll and blankets. "We could've ridden a carriage back and been home by now, but no, heroes are supposed to walk!
He squints up at the sky and shakes out his bedding. "At least we've got clear skies tonight. Well, gentlemen, what are we having for supper? I'll add a nice pot of tea to whatever it is, eh?"
The evening air cools quickly as the sun falls to the horizon. The sounds of the sea to the west can be heard as a soft roar, always in the background.
The four of you lay your things out, and start a fire.
Hezekiah plops to the earth with a weary sigh. He grins at Satinder over his glasses, Perhaps next time, we could insist on actually doing something heroic before taking up the hero's long and achy road?
"So long as supper prevents us from wasting away long enough to get back to Sandpoint and Ameiko's fish curry, I don't even care. With that, he pulls a book from his backpack and begins flipping pages.
With a howl the wind blows Hezekiah's book, flipping through the pages. It stops on a page that he had never noticed before...a page that was torn out at the seem.
"I agree, next time we take horses...my feet are killing me." He then sets his stuff down, the potions clanking against each other in his pack. He goes to unstrap his bedroll from his pack and lets out a long string of strong language. After calming down a little he looks at the group "Guess who forgot to pack up his bedroll last night... his words fade and then he looks at the group. "So who's going to be kind enough to share their bedroll with me? I won't sleep commando tonight if that helps anyone volunteer"
"Satinder, heroes aren't supposed to walk, they are supposed to explore and take in the surroundings. A horse?! Pshaw! How can one explore while hurrying to one's destination? The point of a journey is not just to arrive, my friend! I say we enjoy this night, and let the cards fall where they may. We are free men, and the world is ours for the taking!"
"Hez, you are killing me with the books! C'mon man, get up and take a deep breath, look around! Fish curry!? Stop thinking about that! We eat what we can to survive! A man can't take too much excitement when his belly is full of curry!
*laughing* Well Toban, I have a bedroll, but I'm used to sharing my bed with those of the fairer sex. I'll share, but I can't promise you will survive the night without feeling my embrace, although I haven't had any complaints yet. This body is trained to comfort others my friend! Still, you aren't as attractive as your cousins, so who knows, you may just be safe afterall.
Hezekiah peers at Alexander,"A deep breath is likely to kill me, given the amount of dust in the air. I have always been averse to the phrase, 'Free Men.' It sounds too much like the going price, rather than a condition."
"Not to mention you totally miss the point that Ameiko's Fish Curry is Ameiko's Fish Curry. Miss Kaijutsu is..." When the wind blows his book, his hand swats down at the flapping pages. He peers closer and frowns at the torn-out page.
"Well, doesn't that just figure. All the way to Magnimar for quality references and they've been defaced!"
Toban looks at xander and smiles slyly. "I guess that would be fine. Besides from what I've heard from my cousins you don't present much danger to me...they found your proformance a little...short
At seeing Hez starting to read Toban just rolls his eyes. "Xander's right, you should take a break from the books. Besides you inhale much more dust from those old books than you do around here." He takes a deep breath to emphasise his point and starts to cough a little.
He then starts to dig through his pack to look for his rations. "Oh great...I forgot to get rations back in Magnimar. Anyone have a spare they can give me or am I going to starve tonight?"
"Hez, when I say free, I mean FREE! I hated that holding cell! Alas, sadly what you say rings true. However I like to think we can carve our own destiny, and not be weighed down by other's expectations. That is my definition of freedom."
"Also, Ameiko.. Well I don't think the curry is what I'd call the real 'dish' my friend! Though she seems a little...rough around the edges."
"I wouldn't be surprised if you somehow ingested your pages right from the binding of your books, as much as you shove your face in them! Though I guess we all have our obsessions."
"First the man insults me, and now he wants to be fed! HAH! I suppose it would be the 'heroic' thing to do though.."
"My pack was a bit heavy anyway! It's not the "dish" Hez is clamoring for, but it should satisfy well enough."
"Now, let us decide who...how should we say, take first watch!"
Xander tosses the food to Toban, then notices some movement out of the corner of his eye.
A small green creature sits about three feet behind Hez. It's eating something in its scrawny hands, and is severely frothing at the mouth, bubbles coursing over its over-wide jaw.
Initiative
"Hez, goblin behind you."
"Wow I've never seen a goblin so close. Hey buddy, what do you have there? You like food? I like to feed hungry little cretins!
Bow
Assuming it's within thirty feet. (Point Blank Shot, I also have Precise Shot if when I fire, he is in Melee)
Attack
Damage
Before Xander is able to loose his arrow, a sharp female voice hisses through the gloom. "But your bow down, child. He's mine."
The goblins head jerks up, and it's mouth opens wide, unhinging like a snake. Rows of dirty broken teeth line a mouth that is positively foaming over. The mouth is almost half the size of the creature itself. It starts to say something in it's high-pitched, guttural language.
"ટોલ શેતાનો તમે મારા રુવાંટીવાળું ચાટવું શકો છો - "
An arrow emerges out of it's mouth, blood spraying forward onto Hez's belongings. It stands there for a moment, then the mouth closes on the shaft of the arrow protruding from it.
Satinder sits frozen, cooking gear still in hand, and stares at the green corpse. Then he steps slowly back towards the fire, scanning the surroundings for the female speaker.
"I say, miss, it was damned impolite of you to kill the creature before it had had it's say. What did you find so insulting about 'big baddies can nibble on hair', anyway?"
A tall, blond elf steps out of the trees, several hundred yards away. She puts her bow away and approaches.
"'Long-shanks, you can suck my hairy...' is more apt." She stops ten feet away from all of you.
"You may put your toy away, child." she quips, eyeing Xander. There are no goblins within a quarter-mile."
She nods at Satinder.
"Your goblin is good, but you translate like a human."
Hezekiah slowly removes his glasses, seeking an unbloodied piece of cloak to try and clean them off. His voice quavers slightly from the experience, but remains steady.
"Thank you, miss. Not that I don't have faith in Xander's bow, but so long as it was done..."
Looking through mostly clean glasses, he begins wiping off his stuff. "To what do we owe the honor of this visit?"
"That." She gestures at the feathers protruding from the back of the goblin's head. "Brinestump. He was attracted to your racket." She glares at Xander as if it is his personal duty to prevent this, then turns and glides into the deepening darkness.
"Well how do you like that. What is it about elves? It's as if it is enjoyable for them to belittle me, and then they expect something out of me! Just like my father... It's not as if I wasn't willing to take a shot.
"Go ahead Toban. I won't be sleeping anytime soon."
Toban looks a little shocked at what just unfolded around him. He rubs his eyes a little. Did I ever tell you that traveling with you guys is never dull...
Hearing Xander question why elves have a problem with him Toban tries to reassure him. Don't worry about them Xander. Elves look down their noses at everyone...its what makes them Elves. he then smiles and adds in a sarcastic tone I'm sure that 1/2 blood coursing through your veins has nothing to do with it though. He will then go back to eating.
Satinder looks down at his cooking gear and sighs. "Well, I'm not going to go looking for a stream after that."
He puts his gear away and gets out a bar of soap wrapped in cloth, which he tosses to Hezekiah. "Here, Hez. You might want this. Xander, don't pay too much attention to her. There's no telling what goes on in the mind of a woman who snipes goblins in front of gentlemen without even sitting down to supper first."
Hez catches the bundle, opens it, and stares at it for a good long moment.
"Is this one of your jokes that I'm missing the punchline of?" He holds up a rock that was wrapped in the cloth.
Satinder blinks at the rock. "What? But . . . but there was soap in there when I packed. I'm sure of it!"
@Toban and Satinder "You two are right. She certainly wasn't diginified enough to enjoy the company of Alexander Edwin Lacroix! What woman in her right mind would turn down that opportunity!? Also..did she think us four couldn't handle a single goblin! The nerve of that woman!"
"Anyway.. I will take first watch. I wouldn't be surprised if she finally realized who I am, and came running back for an autograph...and maybe more. So, I will keep an eye out!"
"I have soap in here my friends, allow me to retrieve it."
Satinder grins, but his smile fades as he scans their surroundings.
"Insults aside, I don't think Shalelu would be wasting her time out here chasing a single goblin. We should douse the fire soon, and stay sharp. I don't particularly like the idea of drawing a wandering band of the things down on our heads."
Hezekiah sets down the rock and puts his book away in his pack.
"The lady was referring, in all likelihood, to the tribe of our frothy foe, when she said, 'Brinestump.' They're a local tribe that inhabits the marsh of the same name."
He looks pointedly at Xander, "How any woman can resist you is beyond me. On the other hand, how any woman can manage to be occupy the same room as you and your immense love of self is also beyond me. Still, considering that she appeared out of nowhere, you might take care casting aspersions on ladies who are capable of such quiet and good with a bow."
Hez nods in agreement with Satinder's words. "Much as I hate to surrender the fire, I'll gladly trade light for a bit more security.". Having, as is often the case, utterly forgotten to eat, he slides over his pack and begins settling down.
"If no one objects, I will take the last watch."
@Satinder "Hmm...If I'm not mistaken though, Goblins can see in the dark, and we can't. Let's just hope none get too close. Although she did say there were none in a quarter mile radius. Lets hope it stays that way."
@Hez "Hez, good point. I don't think being on her bad side would be advisable if it can be helped!"
Perception check if needed
You bed down as the cool air from the ocean sweeps over the encampment. The night speaks softly, of waves caressing you from a half-mile away, of leaves and branches whispering anecdotes to lovers, of small animals rustling about, of the playful pop of the logs in the fire pit, and the woody smell of smoke and the cold.
The stars are bright. The moon is new. The night is exceptionally dark. You move through your watches without further incident.
The next morning Toban awakes with a yawn. Having not finished the ration from the night before he begins to eat, still lost in thought about the events of the day before. Toban has met Shalelu before and he was slightly dismayed that she didn't trust him to handle the situation. Finishing his small meal in peace he tries to find some water(pond or river) where he can wash up before they continue there long journey. Adventurers should walk...He mumbles sarcastically under his breath as he leaves camp.
Survival check to find a body of water:
"Well gentlemen, it's another lovely morning. What a weird dream I had last night though... Anyway we survived the night, and now we can head to Sandpoint!
When Hezekiah wakes the others after the last watch, he can once again be found with his nose in a book - this time his book of spells.
As they begin packing up to leave, he notes Xander's greeting. "What sort of dream? It seemed to be a night for weird ones, though that may have been my mind rebelling since we could have been back in Sandpoint last night and in a bed."
"I was travelling over some sort of yellow distance. I don't know what the heck it was or what it meant. Funny how the imagination is out here in the wilderness."
Satinder shrugs as he packs his bags. "People read too much into dreams. Was the yellow something a liquid? If so, you probably neglected to relieve yourself before bed."
You gather your belongings and head out on the road again.
The morning is brisk, yet the sun rises quickly, heating your bones.
After three hours on the road, Satinder and Xander hear noises up ahead.
"We share the road, gentlemen. Company approaches."
Your band rounds a small bend that is gradually crawling over the next hill. At the top of it are two men. One kneels over the other, who appears to be injured.
Just take care Father Zantus doesn't hear your impious dismissal of dreams. You'll be listening to sermons until the next Swallowtail Festival.
Hezekiah grips his staff a bit more tightly and hesitates, letting the better armed and armored of his friends take the lead.
Toban takes a quick wash in a stream before packing his stuff up and traveling with his friends. Toban approaches the top of the hill and as he(eventually) sees the men on the path he signals for his friends to stay back and he will try to figure out whats going on. He steps a few steps forward and says "Greetings. What are you doing out on the path? Are you in need of assistance? If you are my friends and I would be glad to be of assistance"
Diplomacy check:
"As my friend here has said, we can be of assistance. You appear hurt. Might I help with your injury sir? My father has taught me a little in the ways of.. healing. Still, I don't wanna assume you want a stranger tending to your wounds either.
Diplomacy:
Satinder pauses to draw his surgeon's toolkit from his backpack before striding past Xander and Toban to stand immediately beside the wounded man. "My friend speaks too quickly. He has many talents, but injuries happen to be a specialty of mine. What's wrong with him?"
Heal to appraise the man on the ground at a glance.
The man stooping over his friend, a skinny beanpole with thinning hair, looks up as you approach. "Oh thank Abadar! Please, help us. We were on our way to Magnimar, and our wagon was taken by robbers! They beat us and took off!"
Satinder kneels down and begins tending to the man on the ground.
"You were foolish to travel without guards, even this close to Sandpoint. Which way did they go?"
"Robbers? Well we might be able to help you out with that! I am Alexander Edwin LaCroix, but you can call me Xander."
"They just disappeared around the bend a few minutes ago. We must get the food to Magnimar quickly! Please help us.
[ooc]And Perceptions for them to notice me, though a stealth roll for me as I slow to half speed and hide upon my approach.