Sixguns over Thassilon (Inactive)

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Nempura's hair lies straight and is brushed nicely when she arrives. She smells of lavender and a slightly fragrant, but faded oil with a sweet tone to it. She actually seems far more rested than the previous day and full of energy.

As the sheriff arrives, she tips her wide-brim hat to her in the dark.

"Make sure to thank Lyndwyn for us, and thanks for this sheriff. I won't let ya down."

She immediately moves to pin her tin star on the corset above and to the right of her breast. She will not pass up the use of a horse either.

At Wes's encouragement, she nods, "Exactly! A team. I can't wait to bring some law and order to this nonsense."

She then looks to the sheriff, worriedly.

"Be careful..."

She had seen the sheriff when she first took her post, and before it, and the many sheriffs before her. Now, this sheriff who she has liked for some time was heading to a potentially dangerous place without their help. "If you feel something's off, don't hesitate to leave." She chuckles and mutters under her breath to herself, "...I'm soundin' like a blasted mother..."

So here we are. It can't hurt to stay a few more days, I guess

During your conversations you noticed that John was struggling with the thought of becoming a permanent resident of the Cove. As you al know, he's a traveler by profession and by passion.

"I do like that tin star, though. Goes well with my other one. Here look - I guess I can take this thing out now. No need to go all covert any longer." From under his cloak he pulls out a marshal's badge that identifies him as part of the Marshal Service.

"I'll stick around a while and help you. Bur I can't make this a longterm thing, you know..."

Almost 5 miles upriver from Roderic’s Cove, where the Chavali River grows shallow for a short stretch, twin rows of mismatched wooden pilings protrude from the water. This was originally intended to be the site of a bridge that would cross the river and continue the road south along the edge of the Churlwood, but plans for its construction fell apart after the pilings were driven into the river.

Yet the Covers are tenacious, and rather than abandon this handy link to the south side of the river, a resident of the cove took it upon herself to set up a ferry service that uses a barge attached to a set of ropes hung between the pilings.

As you approach, you see an elderly woman named Hallen Rosker rises from a wooden chair and hobbles toward the ferry. The woman's legs are thin and twisted and she walks with a heavy wooden cane, but her upper body is muscular and her face, though wrinkled, is lit up by eyes that shine with cleverness. She looks you up and down and takes note of your badges.

"Ya'll don't look like any lawmen I've seen before, and one of you is a fancy lady and the other a kook, but I those badges look real enough. I reckon you need to cross the river." She spits, leaving a brown stain on the ground, and you realize that she is chewing tobacco. "You looking for those missing dwarves?"

Hallen is a resident of town and would be known to those of you who are locals. She mostly lives in a hut set back in the woods here, but comes into town often enough.

"Maverick, yer tellin' me you were a law man all along?" Higgins takes his hat off for a moment, brushing his receding hair in surprise and disbelief. "Never would have figured a card shark like you ta be a Marshal."

As the group approaches the ferry, Higgins takes in the scene, wondering if the old lady they'd met could really handle the thing. She looked old, but seemed plenty tough. "Whaddya mean, missin' dwarves? Any folks come by your way lately? Maybe them snooty Order of Resplendence folk?"

"Well aren't you full of surprises! Anyone else here law?" she asks the group.

As they set out, she rides almost happily and free in the breeze. Though a sea elf, it is clear they share the same enjoyment of nature. Coupled with the sense of freedom she feels, it is no wonder she is enjoying herself.

They approach the Covers. Bella didn't really know Hallen all that much. She'd seen her around, sure, but why would a sea elf need a river crosser? She could swim to the other side. Now, with a horse, she needs the woman.

"I take it I'm the kook?" she jests. "They are real, Hallen. Sheriff just hired us last night. Made it official with these badges this mornin'."

Thinking of current events, she wonders if she has heard of these missing dwarves before?

Knowledge Local: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17 Whatever she knows, she'll share with the party

Myrandya wonders the same thing.

Knowledge (local), flash of inspiration: 1d20 + 10 + 1d6 ⇒ (16) + 10 + (4) = 30 (She will also share her knowledge with the rest of the party, and try to aid if Nempura's roll is better.

"Well, Wes, why not? Hehe. I work for the National Gambling Association, routing out crooked tables and so. Some card knowledge and skill helps me blend in, ya know?"
In a laughing, but whispering tone he adds "and make some extra coin on the side..."

Maverick, who had only arrived a few days ago, remembered the old lady, of course.
"No worries about the raft. I came into town by this river crossing. Everything was fine."

You haven't heard of any missing dwarves, but you were pretty busy yesterday.

"Pair of dwarves came across from the other side yesterday. Mistress Galdsbretha and her shotgun rider Fordren. The two of them were looking pretty bedraggled. Said they had been attacked by wild goblins. Lost two of their friends in the trouble, and their whole cargo. Scary to think of a bunch of goblins with a shipment of dwarven guns!"

Her hand slips to her waist and a sidearm of her own.

Higgins tries to place a face to the names he's hearing.
K. Local: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
"Why didn't the dwarves just head back into town?" he asks. He then changes the subject. "Also, any chance you saw the Order of Resplendence folk recently? You know, those snooty scholars?"

"Some beings just choose to be scoundrels and varmints!" she curses at the sounds of goblin's holding up people.

"Heh, none of those Peacocks out here. As for the dwarves, they were headed into town, the two that crossed here. Looked pretty rough, but like they would make it. Else I would have sent for help."

Higgins nods, comforted by the reports, as he looks over the river and the ferry that would take them across. "Welp, we'll pay fer a ride, can yer barge carry all us at once?"

"No need for lawmen to pay. You folk out here doin' the good work gets certain considerations. It'll be a burden to take all of you and your horses, but we'll make it."

The ferry scene in "The Outlaw Josey Wales" is a good reference for this scene.

Hopefully no one is waiting to snipe our rope!

"You're a darlin'," she volunteers openly to the elderly lady. She probably could sit and recall the older lady's great great great grandmother playing as a child on the same banks of the river if she thought long and hard enough. As it is, she focuses on the crossing and keeping her horse calm. She will place a slip of cloth over its eyes and will walk it onto the raft.

Nempura will be crossing on the second trip over.

Higgins tips his hat in appreciation, and goes ahead boarding the barge with Midnight. They'll go for the lead group if folks decide to do two trips.

You can do one trip if you want, and obviously it wouldn't be that big a deal for Nempura to cross on her own. Two trips also has certain advantages, keeping you from getting bottlenecked together. What do you think?

If she is certain she can handle it and reassures Nempura, Nempura will board and will help her pull them across so it isn't a burden on the lady. But if there is hesitancy in her, it will be more likely that Nempura would stay on shore and wait. I'll roll a sense motive to see how sure she is the ferry can cross without incident. I don't like splitting the party, but that's what she'd do.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13. Higgins checks in when the old lady mentions the burden and Nempura seems reluctant. "How about two trips? Sounds like that might be easier on ya."

Two groups sounds fine, could lead to some entertainment.

I managed to get a rough map of this in the first slide. Blue lines are water's edge. Brown line is the rope. We will treat those squares as 10 feet instead of 5. If you want to do two groups, how do you want to divide up?

"I'll go first then, I guess." Maverick declares. He didn't see the problem and hesitance that the others did and went straight onto the raft.
He felt a little bit uncomfortable for not being a gentleman. Therefore he tried to make up for this by helping Myrandya onboard.

Looks like Higgins, Maverick, and Myrandya in Group 1.

As soon as the other groups set off, Nempura will reveal to the remaining folks, "She looks tough, but she's getting older in age. I don't mind waiting a bit to make it easier for her. Horses aren't light." A chill goes up her spine at the breeze by the river. She would much rather be in the water at the moment. It would be warmer.

If you want each of those squares as 10ft, our figures are going to very small on that map, FYI.

For those on the raft, there isn't much need to know exactly where you are as long as things stay ranged.

Higgins, Maverick, and Myrandya board the ferry that is little more than a roughly crafted barge. Their horses (and pony) are a heavy load. But the river here is wide, flat, and slow.

Hallen moves slowly aboard, casting off a mooring line. She moves to a sturdy chair built into one rail. Lines loop over the line that runs across the river, so there is no danger of getting loose. You notice (or may have noticed on previous crossings) that a few pilings stick out of the river. It looks like someone had begun building a bridge here at some point.

The sturdy woman pulls you out into the river, and the way she moves with strength and certainty might give you confidence.

You are pricked up to danger, though, and as you reach the midriver you see a spot of blue back in the woods on the far shore. Then the blue bobs out of the shadows.

Four horses and riders come out of the shadows. The leader has a double barreled shotgun, but the other three carry carbines, and they look like they know how to use them.

Hallen curses quietly. "Gorum's teat! Them's some of the Nightthrush gang."

The woman in the blue hat calls out from the far shore, "Halloo the FERRY! You are crossing into Night Thrush territory. Drop your weapons and be prepared to pay the toll."

Map is updated.

From across the way, Opal looks to those who are crowding the banks on the opposite side.

"Those look like Mama Nightthrush's boys who pissed off the Captain in the square again' (against) the Gildersleeveses. I can't make 'em out, but they look like they are causin' trouble. Mind my horse dear."

She will hand over the reigns by tossing them over the rope line and then will do a quick switch of her barrel to load over to her dry load shells and if not stopped, will jump in the river.

"Always gettin' wet on this venture..."
Swim speed 30ft. Double move to 60ft.

She will stay out of sight under the surface, watching from below. She will utilize the ferry itself to give herself complete cover from the sightline of the enemy.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18
Swim (to hover in place in the river): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

Maverick doesn't blink or change his posture. He is seemingly unimpressed by the four guns.
"I presume they won't recognize our badges out here.", he says quietly to Higgins.

With a loud sigh and a clearly annoyed voice he answers. "If you say so. But please let us disembark first and we also need to wait for our Treasurer who is still on the other side. Once she is with us, we can certainly pay you any toll required."

While shouting, he secretly draws from his Harrow deck, but doesn't yet look at the cards keeping the result from himself.

also activating Bit of Luck as a standard action on himself

Higgins looks over to the ferrywoman. "Tarnation! This happen to you before, Hallen?"

He then looks to Maverick. "Not feelin' like playin' along here. I ain't puttin' down my weapon. 'Specially when we're the law in town now."

"I'm only stalling." Maverick whispers back.

Higgins looks over to the ferrywoman. "Tarnation! This happen to you before, Hallen?"

"No, they don't mess with me. Need me to get back and forth across the river as much as anyone. Must be after you."

Hallen looks at each of you in turn. "You ready?"

Once you indicate that you are, she begins pulling again.

The woman in the blue hat keeps her eyes on you. "That's it, nice and slow now."

It will take a few more rounds to cross if you are going to wait for the other side. We can speed through that. If you want to do something before then go ahead.

"We don't want no trouble. We'll pay up, once our party is complete. And then we'll be on our way. Maybe you could give us and our horses some space and move back a few feet, how about that?
Bluff: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27 using this one, lol
Bluff: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

After his deceitful response, Maverick casually moves behind his horse appearing to reattach something. He's out of sight for now.

Wes was a terrible, terrible liar--which was frankly why he needed to give up poker. So he keeps his trap shut and doesn't do anything while they slowly move forward. Slow enough for Nempura to catch up to them.

Nempura's swim speed is faster than the ferry, so she can catch up.

Hallen brings the ferry into the shore with a squelch of mud.

"Not making any room for you to get up to any shenanigans."

If you are behind a horse I'll give you cover for that.

Nempura will stay behind the ferry as the others travel onto land. When they do, all eyes will be on them. She will use the opportunity as a distraction and will slip through the water to the right of the docked cart. There, she will find cover behind the bushes and trees to climb quietly out of the water and approach.

Moving 60ft, staying behind full cover so she can't be seen the whole way. Once out of the water, she will circle in behind the gang but wait in hiding until the right moment.

Stealth (Sound): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18

I was hoping that Nat 20 on a bluff check would be worth a little bit ;)

"Come on guys. Give our horses some space. They don't want to wait in the mud."

It got you them believing you and not just gunning you down while on the raft!

"Listen fellas, we're gettin' off. You leave ol' Hallen alone."

Higgins steps off with Midnight, not minding that he was getting close. He wanted them to see the star. "Now what's this 'bout a toll? Ain't never heard of a toll fer just comin' through before today."

Myrandya curtsies as best she can when Maverick gives her a hand onto the raft, her pony hardly taking up any space. When they spot the outlaws, she trembles a little but steels herself when she sees how competent the others are. She keeps her alchemist bag close as she leads her mount off, ready to quickly mix some explosive mixtures or draw her rifle if necessary. She tries her best to avoid being noticed, but she knows she is usually singled out as a freak by bullying types like these.

The woman in blue bows her head. "The cost of patrollin' and keepin' order in the Churlwood goes up and up. Bullets, horseflesh...it costs a lot to fight goblins and ogres and such. I reckon ten dollars will do for you to pass. I see, you look confused. We keep the roads clear. Keep the paths all pruned and such. And free of bandits, goblins, etc."

10 gp

Nempura knows this is a ruse, but she wonders if they truly believe their lies?

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

From behind where she hides, she can't make out their faces or see enough to understand.

Myrandya bites her lip, cowering near the pony. "P-p-pardon me, but iff you patrol shis road, might you know anyshink off a company of dvarffs zhat came zhrough yesterday? Ve heard zhey vere set upon by goblins zhat took zheir veapons and left zhem bloody." She swallows and then looks a little more defiant. "Did zhese goblins shlip past your guard, perhapsh?"

There is no obvious indication that they are lying.

"They's only so many of us, and lots of goblins. Could be they got up to no good. Hate to see goblins with good dwarven weapons."

Nempura sneaks closer, inching through the underbrush until just close enough to pop out and cast a spell. There, she waits with her gun drawn and hidden behind her body (to hide from catching the light).

Stealth: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

"Alright guys...come on, give them your gold. Let's see Britta, then you can wait until the others come over...then we can get all you bandits to surrender in one group. It seems like they are 'protecting' people here, but at what cost? Bird-doggin' (robbing) this township's people? That's not okay in my book. They've gotta be taken in or down."

"Free of bandits?" Maverick repeated what the bandit said. He had to suppress a sarcastic laughter.
"What kind?" He was obviously stalling, while the raft was going back to pick up the remaining crew member and two horses. He hadn't spotted Nempura yet, but he was sure she was in position somewhere.

"Churlwood is full of all sorts of trouble. Bandits, ogre, fey-folk, goblins, druids, even a Big Foot wizard, some say. Gotta keep trade flowing."

I think all of the players currently posting are on the actiony side of the river.

As soon as most of her team is settled and in place, she will come out from behind the group ready to cast at the gang.

"Your gang has been causin' problems in this area long enough, robbin' people and the like and now being so bold as to rob deputies. Now drop yer weapons in the name of the law," she demands with dripping hair and dripping outfit. One might think it a joke looking at the frail wizard, but she definitely seems serious. Also, her gun can only shoot one person at a time, yet she doesn't exactly seem to be aiming at one person, but rather at a point in the middle of all of them.

Readied action to cast Color Spray. It's hard to place her if all the squares are 10ft, as that means these horses on the map are 20x20 lol. In any case, she is going to position herself in spot that she can cast color spray to hit the majority, if not all of the gang.

Also, are we using unchained rules for poisons?

Moved my token off the raft and moved Myrandya onto the raft from the other shore. Would you be able to help me make a token for my horse? Or I could just be riding Midnight.

Higgins is rather startled as Nempura sneaks up behind the lot of them. But it was definitely about time for some action. "You heard the deputy," adds Higgins. He draws his rifle. "Drop 'em now!" He glares at the bandits.

Intimidate?: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8. Lol.

Let's see, what we've got. From the cover of his horse, Maverick looks at the pre-drawn cards.

Draw from Harrow Deck: 1d6 + 1d9 ⇒ (1) + (6) = 7 The Vision
Draw from Harrow Deck: 1d6 + 1d9 ⇒ (4) + (5) = 9 The Peackock

Now, what should that tell me? Knowledge (local): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18
To anyone observing Maverick, he clearly looked puzzled. Anything special about them that we didn't see at first?

"As I said, we're not here to harm anyone, but you don't look like you're complying!" Maverick shouts very loud in a demanding voice.
Casting Guidance on myself, activating Destruction on the blue-hat

Maverick gets a feeling that there is more to the woman than a simple bandit. Maybe she knows something she doesn't know.

Blue hat lowers her gaze and shakes her head slowly. "Sorry things had to turn out like this..."

Maverick Initiative: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
Higgins Initiative: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Nempura Initiative: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
Myrandya Initiative: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27
Lullaby and company initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Wow!

She gets twitchy with her gun, but you all are ready...