"Excellent! Glad to have you. Please, allow me to make quarters available."
Social Combat!
The Rules
Aurelia: Go
Corran: Go
Ianthe: Go
Kenton: Go
Xavien: Go
"You are most kind!" Xavien bows again at her invitation.
Once everyone has gotten settled, Xavien chooses a chair near his host. "So! Please tell us about Voinaris and its hinterlands. What does a newcomer need to know?"
It looks like the Baroness keeps things pretty orderly. The barony lacks major crime and intrigue. It doesn't look like there's much outside of politics for you to do here.
Quickly sensing that Xavien is going to sniff about, Aurelia opts to keep Voinum distracted through conversations on history.
Alas, she stumbles into topics previously trod with the baroness.
Indeed, Aurelia trods old ground and doesn't do much more than make nice.
Social Combat!
The Rules
Aurelia: Influence (Failure)
Corran: Go
Ianthe: Go
Kenton: Go
Xavien: In Search of Adventure (Success)
Ianthe tries to pick up the threads that Aurelia is trying to weave around the Baroness.
Unfortunately, she seems to make a mess of things.
Ianthe really flubs up her history, mistakenly saying Andoran when she meant Galt!
Indeed, Aurelia trods old ground and doesn't do much more than make nice.
Social Combat!
The Rules ,
Aurelia: Influence (Failure)
Corran: Go
Ianthe: Big oof
Kenton: Go
Xavien: In Search of Adventure (Success)
Aurelia: TBD
Corran: TBD
Ianthe: TBD
Kenton: TBD
Xavien: In Search of Adventure (Success)
Corran observes each and every bit of etiquette expected of those in their station, dropping in unannounced but not unwelcome. He watches very closely and attempts to learn everything there is about the Baroness. He knows that she knows, and he wants to know. You know?
Corran notes that the Baroness reacts well when someone shows a solid backbone.
Ianthe really flubs up her history, mistakenly saying Andoran when she meant Galt!
Indeed, Aurelia trods old ground and doesn't do much more than make nice.
Social Combat!
The Rules ,
Aurelia: Influence (Failure)
Corran: Discover Angle (Success)
Ianthe: Big oof
Kenton: Go
Xavien: In Search of Adventure (Success)
Aurelia: TBD
Corran: TBD
Ianthe: TBD
Kenton: TBD
Xavien: In Search of Adventure (Success)
Kenton tries to engage the baroness on the vagaries of horseback riding, but he soon reveals his own limited experiences in riding for pleasure rather than for warfare.
Kenton, normally sure enough in the saddle to impress, bungles his conversation with the Baroness.
Social Combat!
The Rules ,
Aurelia: Go
Corran: Go
Ianthe: Go
Kenton: Go
Xavien: In Search of Adventure (Success)
Aurelia tries her best to recover for herself and Ianthe, even if the shrewd baroness really knows her Taldan lore.
Aurelia recovers the faux pas with aplomb! The baroness gives a true smile (which only highlights her facial scar all the more.)
Kenton, normally sure enough in the saddle to impress, bungles his conversation with the Baroness.
Social Combat!
The Rules ,
Aurelia: Influence (Success)
Corran: Go
Ianthe: Go
Kenton: Go
Xavien: In Search of Adventure (Success)
Corran makes a number of keen observations. Hoping to show Baroness Voinam that, despite his young age, he is no fool.
(includes the -2 because of his age)
While apropos, the observations Corran makes are precisely the kind a young man would make.
Aurelia recovers the faux pas with aplomb! The baroness gives a true smile (which only highlights her facial scar all the more.)
Kenton, normally sure enough in the saddle to impress, bungles his conversation with the Baroness.
Social Combat!
The Rules ,
Aurelia: Influence (Success)
Corran: Influence (Fail)
Ianthe: Go
Kenton: Go
Xavien: In Search of Adventure (Success)
Kenton turns the conversation toward Meratt and, deftly, toward the topic of Count Bartleby Lotheed himself, making a few veiled references to the gaucheness of the Count's party and his distaste for them. He hopes this gives the baroness an opening to share her own concerns about the Count.
From out of the blue, Kenton delivers a master stroke of diplomacy. He pokes and jabs at all the things that the Baroness agrees on!
Social Combat!
The Rules ,
Aurelia: Influence (Success)
Corran: Influence (Fail)
Ianthe: Go
Kenton: Influence (Success)
Xavien: In Search of Adventure (Success)
Ianthe continues to try and back up Aurelia's knowledge with other poignant facts.
Ianthe wraps up the night enchanting the Baroness with a regal tale from Taldor's early history. Everyone speaks their good nights, and heads to bed. All in all, it's a fruitful visit.
"Shall we take a tour of the Void Wood?" Xavien asks cheerily, once outside the estate's gates. "Or press on to Sotto?"
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"Curious name, 'Void. Wood.' An interesting contradiction. One where we should proceed as sotto even though we aren't going to Sotto. I'm game, though I hope no predator in the wood thinks so. Lead on."
Corran is increasingly distant and quiet, not speaking much that isn't cloaked by quip on the journey.
The party spends the day in the Void Wood. Despite Corran's misgivings, the forest seems quite calm. You meet a few hunters, and the exchanges are pleasant and of no import. With the dying light of the day, a small cave beckons. Afore long though, it seems like perhaps you chose poorly, as a trio of horse-sized skunks emerges. The snapping of a twig behind you as a fourth comes on the scene.
Round 1:
Ianthe: Go
Kenton: Go
Corran: Go
Xavien: Go
Aurelia: Go
Skunks: TBD
INITIATIVE:
"Ah. Skunky Skulks. Or Skulking Skunks. Possibly Stalking."
What's their posture?
They seem to be QUITE agitated....
"Well this is a problem..."
Aurelia decides that going on the offensive is best, and that changing the terrain to better suit them is ideal. "Ianthe, if you can conjure a pit in front of the three that would be great. I'll blind them."
Good to her word, she works through the arcane gestures and conjures a cloud of glittering dust that settles over the three large skunks.
She then takes a step away from the remaining skunk. "Gentlemen, I suggest we focus on the lone one."
Before Aurelia casts her spell, Corran tells her to hold back.
"I've no desire to battle some animals defending their home. Let me calm them. See if you can blind or handle the one behind us."
If Ianthe and Kenton allow him, Corran casts Calm Emotions on the three skunks in the cave mouth.
DC17 to resist
Letting Rich make the call... If Ianthe throws down the pit, Corran will calm the one to the rear.
Not one to second guess her brother, Ianthe moves through the trees to spy the other skunk and summons a pit beneath that one.
I must concur with Lord Clement, Kenton says in agreement. Had this family been visible when we found the cave, we would have cast our lot elsewhere. If we can vacate now without harming them, I would very much like to do so.
"A pity," grouses Xavien, who was clearly looking forward to some hunting. He murmurs a spell and disappears. The underbrush by Ianthe rustles a bit as he positions himself nearer the lone animal.
The party has an intricate combination of conditional statements in the moments before they act. Ianthe's spell sets them all off.
PASS
The skunk scrambles to maintain its footing! Aurelia sends a magical burst of glitter into the cave:
BLIND
Pass
BLIND
An instant later, Corran tries to calm them down:
CALM
CALM
CALM
Two are blinded, but Corran's bardic magic mollifies them!
Xavien vanishes from sight and dashes off.
Round 1:
Ianthe: Create Pit
Kenton: Go
Corran: Calm Emotions
Xavien: Vanish
Aurelia: Glitterdust
Skunks: TBD
Kenton, his rapier in hand moves south of the group, hoping to draw the attention of the lone remaining Rodent of Unusual Size and keep them away from the rest of the group. He ponders a moment as he walks — what would it be like to tame and ride such a creature?
Shaking those thoughts away — he was never going to choose the path of cousin Kaycee and their preservationism — he prepares for what he expects to be an assault to clear the interlopers from the creature's lair.
Kenton preps for what could be really bad. He challenges the skunk with a potent war cry! The skunks in the cave simply relax and cuddle each other playfully!
Round 2:
Ianthe: Go
Kenton: Go
Corran: Go
Xavien: Go
Aurelia: Go
Skunks: TBD
The lone skunk rushes forth to bite Kenton!
, but misses.
Xavien stalks invisibly through the underbrush to a point just opposite Kenton. "Ah-ha!" he exclaims in the attack.
Corran weaves a second spell into his music and casts Sleep on the remaining Skunk. Will DC15 to resist.
Xavien's ambush fails as his attack is poorly executed, but Corran's spell works wonders!
Kenton lowers his blade and nods to Corran. I vote that we depart and leave these woodland creatures to their home, he says softly.
"Yes. Let's be quick about it."
The party spends the remaining daylight in the forest. It's a peaceful excursion at this point, and the land is quite beautiful. It's also devoid of intrigue and politics, which some would consider a boon.
The dawn of the 23rd of Calistril is cold and clear.
"Let us make for Sotto."
I concur, Lord Karthis, Kenton says, his joints a little sore like during his days in the cavalry. Prey, lead the way.
The morning ride north is short and brisk. It's not yet lunch when the first house comes into view. This settlement is little more than a dozen homes and barns built around a common well, with a dirt road winding south back to Voinaris.
The greeting you receive is.... nonexistent. The couple dozen people you see all largely ignore you. The lone person to talk to you doesn't even introduce himself, "Hile travelers. I recommend you come into the publick house for some lunch. It's about the only thing we have here anyway."
"My thanks, kind sir; a lunch would be excellent. What is your name, and would you care to join us? You may call me Marendo."
"I'm Kerab, and thank you no."
The place is completely empty. Excepting that to equal faster service is a mistake. It's taking Kerab a long time.
Yeah, something's fishy.
"Well gents and ladies, I do believe we are being 'put on.'" Xavien whispers. Then louder, "This way to the loo, you think?"
He gets up quietly before casting a pair of spells . The door to the kitchens opens and shuts seemingly of its own accord.
You find Kerab, lunches made, sitting and literally twiddling his thumbs. He just hasn't brought it out. He starts at the doors, "Bloody wind." He then gets up to start putting lunches on a platter.
Motivation unknown, but he doesn't look like he's waiting for anyone, just sucking up your day.
Xavien moves to the door, where he simultaneously opens it and dismisses his vanish spell all at once. "Ho there, Kerab!" he greets the man politely, standing in the now-open doorway. "We just come fetch these ourselves, do we? I am unfamiliar with the customs of your house, but I certainly would not want to leave you waiting!"