Post here to start the game.
Even from the road, the Keep is an impressive sight a mighty castle perched on a flat-tamed hill. with a path climbing steeply up beneath frowning guard towers until it reaches the main gate. Crenelated battlements line the castle walls, offering plenty of cover for archers to aitack any foe coming up the exposed path. As you draw near, a clanging as of a great gong goes up from one of the towers that overlooks the path. Clearly, your approach has been noticed. You continue on your
way, your back itching as you try not to think about deadly arrows suddenly being launched in your direction. Following the curve of the path around to the side, you come to the great gate, with a drawbridge flanked by thirtyfoot-high watchtowers. As you approach, the guard on one of the towers hails you.
"Hail and well met," says the guard.
In Keoish: "May Our Lady of Fate smile upon you and yours for all the days to come. The threads of our group have intertwined for at least a brief time, as they now do with yours. We seek only shelter for the night, perhaps some small trade if there is business we find in common."
Akeirin merely smiles and nods good-naturedly by way of greeting. The vastness of the keep and its brutal, exposed aspect are at variance to his valley-bred sensibilities - he tries not to let his awe and unfamiliarity show.
Nintos shifts a little in his saddle as they approach the Keep. His banner of House Secunforth whipping overhead.
Nintos slightly pulls back on the reigns to get his horse to slow and stop; “Thats a good girl Bell.” he says as he pets the mare.
When Naji speaks up in a language he doesn’t know he will do his best to read the situation.
Therion looks up at the keep, not for the first time, and remembers the many times he had passes the fortress during his youth and training, and the one time he had actually be inside. In human terms, it was a very long time ago, but the olf remembered it like it was only a short while ago.
He lets the other humans talk and turns instead to his fellow olf.
"Interesting construction do you not think? Human always try to dominate an area, rather than live in harmony with it. Even the dwarves mould their delves to take advantage of nature rather than force their will over the rock. Well most of the time, eh!?"
Akeirin's nose wrinkles, but his smile shines through.
"I like it not, cousin. I am sure it is strong, but I do not like it. I wonder where the water flows." the valley elf replies, becoming interested in the place despite himself.
Therion nods his head in agreement.
"I concur cousin. It is squat and ugly, but such are the majority of the buildings of men. Our noble brethren are known to sometimes work in stone, but like everything we olven do, it is touched with grace and beauty. As to where the water flows...maybe underground??"
Listening in on the elves conversation, Nintos shakes his head from ontop his horse and chimes in. “A structure like this will keep its people safe from an invading army. Not all of us have the convenience of long life to wait things out. Sometimes action is the only choice.” He turns his head and gives the elves a friendly smile. “But neither of us are like the dwarves who who just drink their problems away.”
Singing in cadence with the galloping of the horses, Jebeddo lowers his voice a bit as the group is confronted by the guard.
O'er all the hilltops
Is quiet now,
In all the treetops
Hearest thou
Hardly a breath;
The birds are asleep in the trees:
Wait; soon like these
Thou too shalt rest.
"I concur cousin. It is squat and ugly, but such are the majority of the buildings of men.
[dice=knowledge local]1d20+1+1
He knows it was built to defend the borderlands.
"Nice to see visitors to the Keep," the archer said. "The gatekeeper shall find out your true reason here."
Akeirin looks at Naji, unsure what the procedure is for entering this forbidding place.
You should all be speaking Keoish. That's what the guards are speaking. IF you need to adjust your character sheets, now would be a good time to do so.
You apply your character’s Intelligence modifier to:
The number of bonus languages your character knows at the start of the game. These are in addition to any starting racial languages and Common. If you have a penalty, you can still read and speak your racial languages unless your Intelligence is lower than 3.
I'm waiting on you to post. But since you are at the gate.
The portcullis slowly rises, creaking, clearing the way between you and the gate. About ten feet ahead awaits the final barrier to entry. The gate itself. Which is a set of sturdy double doors made of thick wood reinforced with iron bands. me shutter at the back of a barred window in the right-hand door. A woman's face scrutinizing you with calm determination.
"Welcome to Kendall Keep," she says. "I'm Sabine the Gatekeeper." She goes on. "This is a peaceable place. We don't like brawling in the streets, folks stabbed in the back. You keep your weapons sheathed and don't make trouble, and you'll find the Keep a home away from home. However, if you Stir up trouble, vou'll wish vou'd never come here. I guarantee it."
"I, for one, have no desire to make trouble. A comfortable bed, a hot bath, and a couple of hot meals that I had no part in making are what I'm after!"
Therion gives a smile and holds his hands away from his weapons.
"I too have no wish for violence, just a way-stop as we travel onwards."
"Welcome to the Keep," she says as she opens the door. Inside, you see people bustling about. There are stables, a blacksmith, a swordsmith, an armor smith, and an inn. There are other places too. Homes, and other businesses. But these, as a traveler, you can recognize.
Before entering into the keep, Nintos jumps free from his horse and leads Bell in by her reins. Pausing as he reaches Sabine; “Sabine, as my friends said we are looking for a bed, bath, hot meals, maybe even a place that offers some entertainment.” He gives Jebeddo a nudge. Continuing on with a pet to Bell; “And of course, a stable. Looking for one to give her a good brushing and to check on her shoes. Where would you recommend that fits the bill?”
"The stables are common to all, and you may stable your horse there," Sabine explains. "The inn is down the street. You can see it from here."
Akeirin smiles again and shows empty hands also. Being someehat less worldly than the other folk Akeirin takes his cues from them. The bustle of folk is interesting to him, the nature of their way of life. He looks out for the mentioned inn.
With a polite nod of the head; “Thank you, m’lady.”
As they make their way up a bit; “Are we heading to the inn? If so I am going to head off to the stable and drop off Bell. I will catch up to you all in a bit.”
Walking towards the stables Nintos pets Bell’s nose and makes some comforting clicks to her; “Its ok girl, I am sure they have a wonderful groomer that will spoil you. I’ll see about some carrots at the inn.” Arriving at the stables, if no one is around he will let out a “Hello?” and knock on a nearby post.
Raising an eyebrow, "My poor lad, have you come down with an illness of the ear? That is the only explanation for seeking entertainment outside the sonorous voice of Jebeddo the Gleeman!" quips Jebedo with a harrumph.
Arching his back to the sound of cracking, Jebeddo creates a quick wave of the reins. "To the inn then. My back aches and my throat is parched. Let's hope they have a good mead out here or it's going to be a long visit."
With a polite nod of the head; “Thank you, m’lady.”
As they make their way up a bit; “Are we heading to the inn? If so I am going to head off to the stable and drop off Bell. I will catch up to you all in a bit.”
Walking towards the stables Nintos pets Bell’s nose and makes some comforting clicks to her; “Its ok girl, I am sure they have a wonderful groomer that will spoil you. I’ll see about some carrots at the inn.” Arriving at the stables, if no one is around he will let out a “Hello?” and knock on a nearby post.
[dice=Handle Animal]1d20+2
A lone, young girl comes around. "Hello!" she hails. "Welcome to the stables, I am the stable girl Tella. We can stable your horse for five silver pieces per night. Is this agreeable?"
Giving Bell one last pat on the back he turns his attention to the stable girl. “Hello Tella! If you take good care of Bell I will agree to that. Be sure to check out her shoes, it has been awhile since we were at a stable.” Nintos fishes out a 5 silver pennys. “I will be back in the morning. Take care Tella!”
Nintos makes his way towards the inn with the party.
"My friend is obviously too tired to ask, but that includes feed, yes?"
After making sure the horse will get everythig it needs overnight, Naji continues to the inn with the rest.
Therion wanders his way down towards the Inn, stopping now and then to examine any wares out for sale, or the construction of the buildings.
"My friend is obviously too tired to ask, but that includes feed, yes?"
After making sure the horse will get everythig it needs overnight, Naji continues to the inn with the rest.
Shanking his head, Nintos runs his hand through his hair. “Thank you Naji, it does seem that a warm meal and a cold drink followed by a bed is needed more than I thought.”
Giving Bell one last pat on the back he turns his attention to the stable girl. “Hello Tella! If you take good care of Bell I will agree to that. Be sure to check out her shoes, it has been awhile since we were at a stable.” Nintos fishes out a 5 silver pennys. “I will be back in the morning. Take care Tella!”
Nintos makes his way towards the inn with the party.
[dice=Sense Motive on the price]1d20+4
My friend is obviously too tired to ask, but that includes feed, yes?"
After making sure the horse will get everythig it needs overnight, Naji continues to the inn with the rest.
Tella was a little annoyed on sensing her motive, but the price does include feed, a good brushing and a check on her horse shoes.
Nintos continues with the group towards the inn.
"So, what's this inn like?"
Checking the rules, it seems like sense motive can't be sensed. Although Tella was not bluffing and felt that she wasn't trusted. A sense motive check can sense someone else's sense motive check to see if one is trusted or not.
A successful check lets you avoid being bluffed (see the Bluff skill). You can also use this skill to determine when “something is up” (that is, something odd is going on) or to assess someone’s trustworthiness.
Hunch: This use of the skill involves making a gut assessment of the social situation. You can get the feeling from another’s behavior that something is wrong, such as when you’re talking to an impostor. Alternatively, you can get the feeling that someone is trustworthy.
Sense Enchantment: You can tell that someone’s behavior is being influenced by an enchantment effect even if that person isn’t aware of it. The usual DC is 25, but if the target is dominated (see dominate person), the DC is only 15 because of the limited range of the target’s activities.
Discern Secret Message: You may use Sense Motive to detect that a hidden message is being transmitted via the Bluff skill. In this case, your Sense Motive check is opposed by the Bluff check of the character transmitting the message. For each piece of information relating to the message that you are missing, you take a –2 penalty on your Sense Motive check. If you succeed by 4 or less, you know that something hidden is being communicated, but you can’t learn anything specific about its content. If you beat the DC by 5 or more, you intercept and understand the message. If you fail by 4 or less, you don’t detect any hidden communication. If you fail by 5 or more, you might infer false information.
"So, what's this inn like?"
With a grin and pat on the shoulder to his friend Jebeddo, Nintos responds; “Whatever it is like, the tales Jeb can weave should prove to give us a bit of aid on our stay. If not with the tab, at least with the locals.” Nintos has a bit of a spring in his step as the group makes their way to the inn.
Turning towards Jebeddo as they are making their way towards the inn; “Maybe you could tell the one when we fought off the goblins from the campsite we came across, or how we narrowly escaped the gang trying to collect the tolls...” Nintos smiles as he remembers those past adventures. Maybe because they were true, or maybe because of the extra flair Jebeddo always adds to them.
The inn is a large place that serves its customers well. The drinks are well stocked, and there are people of various professions hanging about the inn getting drinks and food. Also here are eight individuals, each with their own specialties, getting drinks and hanging out. One is a halfling, another is a human female studying a book and having a strange stench about her. There are a few males and elves here as well.
On a successful diplomacy check, one may hear various rumors about the keep and the surrounding wilderness.
Therion wanders his way down towards the Inn, stopping now and then to examine any wares out for sale, or the construction of the buildings.
Therion notices that the sword smith is having a sale of his swords. He also notices that the potter has some clay wares for sale, and the open market has produce for sale too. Carrots, meats, apples, oranges, onions, leaks, shallots, and parsnips. All the buildings, except one, were constructed by human hands. The last, is a wood elf construction, and that's the Hunter's building. It has more leaves than one could shake a fist at. The hunter's building, known as the "Huntsman's Rump" is obviously ran by elves.
Upon arrival to the inn Nintos looks around with a smile. Taking a look around for a table that is big enough for the group, once found he gestures for the group to follow to the table. Closing his eyes and taking a deep inhale the aroma of the food coming from the kitchen makes his stomach growl. “I don’t know about you all but I am hungrier than I thought I was.” With a polite wave, Nintos tries to catch the eye of the staff.
Upon arrival to the inn Nintos looks around with a smile. Taking a look around for a table that is big enough for the group, once found he gestures for the group to follow to the table. Closing his eyes and taking a deep inhale the aroma of the food coming from the kitchen makes his stomach growl. “I don’t know about you all but I am hungrier than I thought I was.” With a polite wave, Nintos tries to catch the eye of the staff.
[dice=Diplomacy]1d20+6
"There"s a spy somewhere in the Keep. Don't know who he is, or who he reports to, but I'll be jiggered if he means us any good."
"Thc Hidden Temple, they call it. Some kind of haven for holy folk, where they shut themselves off from the world to pray and study holy books and what not. No, I don't know where it is-it's hidden, see, so they can have a bit of peace and quiet md not be pestered by goblins, bandits, adven . . . I mean bandits, and what-not, don't you know."
Akeirin breathes in the heady smell of liquor, food and adventure. He feels immediately relaxed - surrounded by the walls that enclose the space. This is the place, freedom writ large, destinies entwined, fates wrought and challenges accepted. Perhaps he needn't see the sea just yet - there seems plenty to do just here.
Still, he is slightly out of his depth, and follows Nintos to a table. He looks about, enjoying the sights.
[ooc}<sigh> I'll assume I overhear the same.[/ooc]
Settling onto a bench, Naji tries to identify the source of the conversation about a Hidden Temple, ordering "Something hot and filling and something cold and wet."
"I don't know if I am hungrier than I was already, but I think I'll enjoy this more than I thought I might."
Nodding in agreement; “I’d also like something hot and filling to eat, cold and wet to drink. Preferably an ale.”