Our War-Torn Souls Suffer Still (PF E6 Eberron Campaign) (Inactive)

Game Master Dreaming Warforged

Rabbit, Lethe, Viyko, Estelle and Vrykkas enter the bar while Ayla waits outside with Hammertail. Inside, the air is filled with a thin dust and your nostrils can pick the smell of the evening past in all its glorious disappointment. The dust comes from the broom masterfully struck against the floor by a small elf with reddish hair, wearing loose breaches and a white sleeveless shirt. He looks at you and your gear of war with dark sleepy eyes and a worried smile: "Afternoon fellas! We ain't open yet, but fear not! I can find some ale if you find the coins... Name's Kolenius."

Hotel has internet issues. Should be back to posting by Friday. Thanks for keeping me going :-)

Ayla keeps a look out for any possible trouble.

Perception 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

"I'm Lethe and coins wont be a problem."

I was waiting for more, but moving along now...

"Glad to hear it then! Please have a seat, but don't mind me cleaning please, as I have but little time before the night comes upon me! Will it be brew? We have a delicious ale from Mror's dwarves. Quite potent! If you'd like, I also have a bottle of fine Aerenal wine, it's 'out-of-this-world', but it's costly!"

He get your order and brings them quickly. Then as he brooms around you, he asks: "By the look of you, you're looking for work ain't you?"

Viyko picks some straw out of his hair. "Always," he smiles dryly.

Mror ale and work? Why didn't we can here sooner?

We're veterans look for a place to fit in. I'm sure you see lots like us, but we're still hoping you can point us in the right direction.

"You're in luck! I happen to know a few people and get you connected... for a fee..." He beams as he speaks and then goes back to his broom.

"Say: What kind of work do you have in mind?"

Ayla is still keeping an eye out outside.

"Let me know what sort of fee and I'll let you know what sort of work..."

"Finder's fee will be one crown each. If you don't get hired, I'll give you back half! How is that?"

"Throw in a free loaf of bread?" Viyko pulls off his boot and dumps a crown into his hand, then puts his boot back on. He rinses the crown off in a leftover glass of water on a nearby table, and dries it on the corner of his jacket. Placing it on the table, he adds, "What sort of things are there to do around here while we wait?"

Posting for attendance. Ayla is still doing what she was above.

"anything is good for me workwise." Lethe says with a shrug

Vrykkas lays down a golden crown. "Work is sufficient. The variety is less important to me."

Kolenius grabs the coins (remember to remove them please) with a certain light flashing in his eyes. He scribbles on a piece of paper as he speaks: "Go to this address and mention my name. You'll meet with Kalag. He's a hobgoblin with a fairly extensive operation."

He looks at your gear and adds, as you're about to leave: "You'll have to leave those at the door. Be warned..."

What next?

Once everyone leaves, and assuming Ayla is informed...

"What now? We go see this Kalag hobgoblin then? We take weapons anyway? Or we listen to Kolenius warning?"

don't feel like you guys have to leave yet, if you still have things to do in there, just getting ayla's actions down for when you come out.

Do we need to toss in a crown for Ayla, too?

No, he didn't see her... Yet!

Yawn~

Wonder what going on in there? Ayla thinks to herself as she waits atop hammertail.

"Okay sounds good." Lethe then heads for the door.

Moving things a bit. From Saturday onward, I don't know whether I'll have a connection or time for a good week.

The address on the note is about twenty minutes from Kolenius', that is once you know your way around The Shroud. It takes you at least twice that time to find it without drawing attention to you.

The Shroud is perhaps the last place before Dolurrh. In its streets, Despair walks and hands her double-edged gifts. The air is filled with the acrid smells of past busy nights. Beggars eye you and evaluate their chance, though your 'equipment' keep them at a respectable distance. Still you hear their sorrowful voices trailing behind you, asking for a gesture of compassion...

The walls of the old houses lining the streets have once had playful colours: pinks and oranges, now washed away by rains or covered by soot or worse. The street is mostly dirt, with so many puddles that you eventually don't try to avoid them anymore.

Yes Despair by day... Death by night.

You approach the house mentioned by the barkeep and notice the faint sound of drums and trumpets coming from the building. A massive door behind a metal grid lies shut at its front. A window to its left, also draped with metal, looks more like an arrowslit than a window. On a small chair between door and window, sits a huge hobgoblin in metal armour with a wide hat protecting him from the sun. On his lap sleeps a giant flail with dried blood on its spikes...

The game has slowed quite a bit. I don't know if the story is not catching you. Please make some comments to help me make it fun for all of us.

Ayla whispers to the others as the group approaches the house. "So... Leave weapons with hobgoblin? Or force our way in?"

If Ayla is made aware about the price in the guild she is willing to pay her share back to the party.

No problem with the story, we all just have to keep posting daily. Lets all strive to post at least once a day, unless it is virtually impossible.

Also one thing I want to clarify. We are heading to the hobgoblin that runs the guild, or at least hands out jobs, so that we can find out who is after us... right? Or is it that the guild has "our" job, so they are after us? For some reason I'm a bit confused. I'm gonna go back and reread some of the previous posts to see if I can figure out what I'm missed.

Primordial: The game is fun, for me at least. The only thing I'd request is more time to plan between scenes. As soon as a scene is concluded, we seem to be rushed to the next without time for conversing what to do next.

Lethe, Rabbit, Ayla, Estelle, & Vrykkas: What do you think we should do? Disguises, aliases, hire our own back-up, formulate a strategy/escape route/back-up plan, etc.? If things go sour, should we hire a coach to wait for us a block away or something, or scout the area to get a feel for alleys, doorways, etc.? We're walking blindly into a mercenary headquarters, not even sure we're going to meet Kalag, or whether he miraculously knows who we are... and we have no plan. The only thing we know is Kalag is a hobgoblin and is in charge, we cannot take our weapons in, and Ayla isn't signed up to visit--but they don't know she's with us. Thoughts??

Well, Rabbit is probably the most comfortable without weapons, but that doesn't help much. Could we leave weapons with Ayla, with a signal to charge in and start passing them out if things go sour?

"Might work, but how you let Ayla know when to come?"

Viyko blows the signal whistle on his neck. "Will that do, comrade Ayla?"

"That do." Ayla nods with a grin.

"You think we need disguise? Like you say, they may not know us... Ayla not sure of idea, bad or good, but ayla cannot disguise Hammertail, and she will not be without her spirit mask. If things go sour, It prove they our enemy and Ayla say we just make them talk and take them out, like with bugbear. Ayla hope it not come to such, but running would show weakness to our enemies." Ayla looks to Lethe. "You rely on weapon more than any. Keep vigilant watch for anything you can use. Maybe be prepared to pull Kalag's weapon before he has a chance, or wrestle it from his hand. Ayla will try her best to get weapons to you all as quickly as possible, but it will probably take some time to get through, and there is always possibility that Ayla not able to make it. Think we can sneak small weapons in?"

Ayla looks to Lethe. "You rely on weapon more than any. Keep vigilant watch for anything you can use. Maybe be prepared to pull Kalag's weapon before he has a chance, or wrestle it from his hand. Ayla will try her best to get weapons to you all as quickly as possible, but it will probably take some time to get through, and there is always possibility that Ayla not able to make it. Think we can sneak small weapons in?"

"Hey I don't have to use a Greataxe I just prefer to. All else fails I'm pretty sure I could snap this Kalag guys neck like a twig." Lethe makes a snapping motion to emphasise her point.

"Good. Ayla feel better about plan already. Still, all of you keep eyes open for any advantage or weapon."

"I'm sure I could hide a dagger or something, or bring in a club as a walking cane; as mercs, they're going to expect us--and forgive us--to bring in a weapon or two. I wouldn't hire a merc that couldn't, honestly. As for disguises, it's up to you. Wouldn't take much. Different clothes, some make-up, hair cuts, whatever else you can think of."

[ooc]Can we all assume this discussion is taking place before we reach the mercenary operation?[/i]

Yes, of course. I move you sometimes too fast. Feel free to go back in time. Just make it clear.

If things go badly, I'll use the gifts from the Sovereign Host to help our side; I'll probably help more that way than with a weapon in hand.

"And I've got a few tricks up my sleeve," Viyko quips.

Viyko asks Estelle (or whoever has Sleight of Hand ranks) to hide his dagger on his person, maybe in a boot, fold of his clothing, or the like. My clothing should grant a +2 bonus, and my dagger grants a +2 bonus

I'll leave some more time to discuss, please let me know when you're ready.

I'll leave some more time to discuss, please let me know when you're ready.

Are you back? Thought you were gone for the week.

Assuming that the above plan is the plan, then ayla is read. She will get some sacks or something to make carrying the weapons a bit easier.

Rabbit will hand over her weapons to Ayla. You needn't keep them close at hand, worry more about the arms of the others.

I'm away still, but have limited access to Internet.

Viyko purchases 4 more daggers. He hides one in each boot, one in the arm of his coat, one in the hood of his cloak, and one visible in his belt, but peace-tied, so that they may confiscate it if they like.

Sleight of Hand checks; add +1 to each roll if Estelle can make them for me.
Sleight of Hand (left leg): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17
Sleight of Hand (right leg): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Sleight of Hand (hood): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Sleight of Hand (left arm): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

Viyko keeps his buckler on his left arm, and buys a cestus and puts it on his right arm, allowing his coat sleeve to conceal it.
Sleight f Hand: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Viyko then finds (or sharpens) 3 wooden stakes and a club and stores them with his torches, so that they look like torch butts. He then picks up a second club and uses it as a walking stick, and a sling that he stuffs down his underpants (the sling bullets are in his coin pouch).
Sleight of Hand (sling): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 10 = 27 +1 if done by Estelle.

Viyko will leave his bow, and some of his mundane supplies with Ayla (see char sheet).

Viyko tells the party, "May be a good time to pick up some clubs, stakes, and brass knuckles, comrades."

Anyone know if Vrykkas or Estelle are still with us?

Wealth and equipment/weight updated on sheet.

Vyiko, Sleight of hand is trained only, no?

Vyiko, Sleight of hand is trained only, no?

Nope. :) Page 106 PFRPG: "Untrained: An untrained Sleight of Hand check is simply a Dexterity check. Without actual training, you can't succeed on any Sleight of Hand check with a DC higher than 10, except for hiding an object on your body." (emphasis mine)

I'm picturing a cartoon mobster frisking session about to play out...

Ok, thanks. Vrykkas, Estelle? (I did say I would probably not be available this week though.)

"I'll stick to what I have thanks."

Viyko looks at Lethe, "What else have you got with you? You're strong, but those aren't the fists of a spooky monk. Do you at least have a dagger as a back-up?"

"well no not really. I've err never had a situation where I would need one."

Viyko grins. "Well, I'll get you your first dagger. Just buy me a few meals here and there in the future." If you want, Viyko will spend the 2gp and you can have a dagger.

"Be careful, Lethe. Ayla think that the way to this one's heart is through the stomach." Ayla jests.