|
The Pathfinders continue to pursue their defensive retaliation against the lead enforcer. Gariath gets a good aim and sticks an arrow in this thigh!
The other enforcers turn to shoot back, each taking aim at the closest person (coincidently is Tanbu) on the ship while their leader struggles to retrieve a potion. Tanbu dodges his head in time to see the bolts fly right by him from opposite directions!
~~~
Huntress 5-foot shifts in order to flank the wolf and full round attacks
|
|
Heroically, a few Pathfinders jump off the boat to strike the enemy with a preferential melee weapon! The gamble pays off as Tanbu flies above and knocks the first enforcer unconscious!
Bahram, Aulurius and Huntress quickly surround the wolf to incapacitate the wild animal before it becomes a threat. Meanwhile, Sulana shoots at the lone fighter, and hits him right in the knee! The human grunts loudly in pain, and barely looks conscious.
~~~
|
|
Gariath strikes true and injures the lone crossbowman. Taking several hits, he succumbs to his wounds and falls into an unconscious state.
Axe heroicly jumps off the boat following the others to engage in melee combat. The remaining enforcers dodges to draw his sword and retaliates by stabbing Axe in his side.
~~~
|
Hearing Axe's yell of pain, Sulana whirls around. Oh no you don't! She concentrates as she aims at the sole remaining enforcer.
Move action: Spent on Bullseye Shot
Standard action: Attack Blue enforcer
Attack roll bonuses:
BAB: +1
Dex: +4
Point blank shot: +1
Bullseye shot: +4
Favored enemy (human): +2
Damage bonuses:
Point blank shot: +1
Favored enemy (human): +2
Huntress bounds to the other side of the guard, risking an AoO to flank with Axe, then turns to bite the guard.
|
|
With one remaining assailant, the Pathfinders overcome him easily in numbers. Hearing the sounds of combat, Metella re-emerges onto the deck, and hisses angrily! "I knew this would happen, loose the rope! Let's get out of here before more show up!" She cries.
Temel just shrugs his shoulders but quickly puts his sailors to task into preparing the ship for departure.
|
|
"We should take a second to search them first. One of them must have the paperwork that would show we 'paid' the toll. If we leave without that this entire venture was pointless."
Unless someone stops her, Sulana follows her own advice. She jumps down to the dock with the red enforcer and quickly searches him.
|
|
Sulana manages to find a parchment that is likely the paperwork, but find that it's a blank form.
Bahram doesn't understand knots but Axe quickly comes to his aid to undo the ropes and give free movement to the docked Abacus. Metella hurries the party upon the boat for a quick take off before more enforcement arrives at the scene of the brawl.
A few minutes after the boat leaves the harbour, (still within sight of the harbour) a nearby merchant vessel hoisting a Razmiri flag suddenly comes into your view (hiding behind some town buidlings) and approaches your general direction.
|
|
"Alright, plan A: someone forge the papers. If they approach peacefully, we provide papers... And cut them down if they don't buy it.
Plan B: if they seem threatening and/or fire at us, we return fire and board their ship. We seem better equipped to get up close and personal than they do with their crossbows."
Bahram rattles off as he cleans his axe.
|
|
The ship approaches you slowly but moves right past you without any encounter. In likelihood they've noticed you left the docks and assumed that the appropriate paperwork has been dealt with.
The Abascus continues then to sail smoothly up the Glass River away from the wandering eyes of the citizens of Razmiran and more importantly the enforcement.
Amauhak, Metella's travelling dwarf companion, approaches you and ask you how you intent to gain access to the Inn without arousing unwanted suspicion?
The river narrows ahead, flowing around a central isle thick with trees and vegetation. The northern fork of the river runs beneath a canopy formed by the isle’s overhanging trees and riverside foliage while to the south, the river is open to the sky above.
|
|
Bahram makes small talk with Amauhak, finding out where he is from and why he is here now. Does he miss the sand?
"That northern fork looks like a wonderful ambush spot, with all that overhanging vegetation. Then again, it might allow us to pass unseen.
We would be seen from anywhere on the island of we take the southern route.
Bahram gives it a think, stroking his pointy beard and says, "I think that I would still prefer the southern route. Seems less ominous. What do you guys think? Anyone familiar with this area?
|
|
Sulana is brooding at the back of the boat. Metella was right, we should have avoided the docks. Why did we have to find the one set of enforcers that refused to be bribed!
As Amauhak asks about the approach to the inn, she bites her lip. ”We have to assume that the Razmiri have our descriptions by now,” glancing guiltily at Metella. ”And we’re a pretty distinct group. I hate to suggest it, but I think we should split up. Gariath and Tanbu seem to be the best talkers; they’re also among the least conspicuous. They can go to the inn and get a room, pretending to be normal travelers. If we want to split the party evenly, I could go with them and just try to talk as little as possible. Everyone else can wait nearby. Once night falls, the outside group can search the grounds while the inside group searches the inn.”
As they approach the fork in the river, Sulana studies the area closely, trying to think if the terrain makes an ambush likely.
|
Aulurius doesn't contribute much to the conversation about the inn, except, Sulana, that sounds all well and good, but if there's one thing I know, you don't split groups. 'specially when you're s'pposed to be protecting someone. Even more so when you ignored her advice in the first place. Sorry lass." The last statement was said directly to Matella.
When the boat is approaching the fork, Aulurius ignores all conversation for two minutes to study the paths, looking particularly for how well traveled each fork is, and if there's sign of recent travel down either.
|
|
Sulana blinks in surprise. "I'm sorry, perhaps I misunderstood. I thought the plan was for Metella and Amauhak to remain on the boat with Temel while we investigated the inn." Addressing the emissaries, she asks "Were you intending to come with us? That would definitely change things if so."
Turning back to Aulurius, she adds "I'm reluctant to split the group as well, but a large group including a tengu, a half-orc, and a tiger is a lot more suspicious than, say, a halfing merchant with one or two human bodyguards. Particularly if word has spread about the incident on the dock." She once again looks guiltily at Metella. "Obviously this is just one suggestion though; I'm open to other plans."
|
|
With regards to nature, it's certainly possible that treetop predators, or any sort of predators are likely to make the covered route their hunting grounds.
The pair, Metella and Temel listen intently to the plan and rather picks up on your cover story than the parties approach.
"Normal travellers? Perhaps religious pilgrims might be less inconspicuous out here! Think of it, you seek spirituality and require privacy! It's a perfect cover story." Metella remarks.
And also immediately, Temel chimes his own idea. "That sounds conspicuous to me. Clearly they need to pose as Merchants seeking a way station for a regular trade caravan. That way, they can seek unfettered access to the property to 'assess' it!"
The dwarf responds with a hint of hostility in her voice. "Well, what good is your advice, they listened to you the last time, and our mission nearly ended before it began!"
|
|
Bahram looks back and forth between the two as they go head to head.
"I am obviously it of my element here andb am unfamiliar with the people and their land, but didn't I hear something about other religions not being tolerated by the Razmiri? If that is not the case, then I would tend to be more agreeable to Matella's plan" Ranok leans over closer to Sulana and whispers, "and we will be traveling with these dwarves much longer than with Temmel possibly, so I'd rather side with them."
|
|
"The treetops would make good cover for predators. For that reason I'd be inclined to the southern route. However I don't think we're the best ones to be making this decision; shouldn't the ones who've traveled this route before know the best path?"
As for our plan, we should probably decide first who is going to the inn. That will help us figure out the cover story."
Lowering her voice, she leans closer to Bahram. "I agree, especially after the disaster at the docks."
|
"As suggested I am more than happy to go into the inn as a representative if necessary. I would like at least one if not two of you to come along in case anything goes wrong. I'm not exactly the most tough of individuals. I also agree that pilgrims sounds much more appealing than merchants. Agreeing with Sulana here, I'd rather go the southern route."
|
|
"Well, I'll go to help with the story. But, the devil is in the details. Of what religion are you proposing we be associated with. I think Razmiri are very intolerant of other views." "But I might know more if I could talk to some locals."
"Personally, I like the merchant approach. It is less inflammatory and much easier to pull off with facts to back it up." "I know a little about Erastil, but I doubt I could cover facts for long in that disguise."
When looking at the paths, Tanbu is less concerned. "Flip a coin, either way has its disadvantages and they are equally problematic."
Tanbu continues to fish but gets his weapons close to him.
"Never hurts to be ready.", as he notices the eyes of the group on him.
|
|
After some simple deliberation, most of the Pathfinder's seem to be siding towards Metella, which obviously causes Temel to react rather poorly as he walks away disappointed.
Also, with a majority vote, the vessel takes on the southern part, clear skies and not a soul in sight.
An hour or two into your journey, suddenly, a creature jumps out of the water and takes to the skies slightly above you. A dragonlike creature with graceful looking wings and wide fins roars and throws a water snake landing on top of Bahram! Naturally the snake reacts and bites the half-orc!
~~~