Naïlo mutters, "Enough courage, right? We were not the ones that needed to be goaded into going. Orks have always confused false bravado with courage, such an inferior race."
One of the orcs does a perception check.
TT elbows Nailo gently in the ribs and whispers, "Be nice! Then she breaks cover and joins Krishka, Chestman, and Gothia over by the orcs. With the slightest of curtsies toward the orcs, the young human introduces herself. "Greetings. You may call me Tavern Tale the Bard. What are your names...assuming you prefer not to be called Orc #1, Orc #2, and so on?"
"We are Go'el, Shammash, Nigal, Gorshk, and Nidal. Two of us are twins."
Sea Ranger is well aware of the bad blood between elves and orcs, but the human part of him recognizes the strategy in using the creatures against their common enemy as well. The druid nods wordlessly and follows TT, then introduces himself by name as well.
”Let’s go then! We’ve battle and glory ahead!” Krishka says with a laugh.
Her companions might notice this is different from how she spoke before running into the orcs.
"Are Nigal and Nidal the twins?" TT asks, trying hard to put orc names to orc faces.
Chestman writes the orc names into his book of Grudges and follows along.
"Are Nigal and Nidal the twins?" TT asks, trying hard to put orc names to orc faces.
Go'el nods, "Yes."
Having established a rapport (or at least managed basic civil conversation) with Go'el, TT decides to press things just a bit.
"Have many of your people been taken by the naga--the so-called Reptile God?" she asks the semi-talkative orc. "Have any previously missing orcs returned to your tribe and acted...well, sort of strange?"
In addition to trying to ingratiate herself with Go'el, the young bard tries to get a sense of whether he (or any of his companions) might already be charmed minions of the naga.
Having established a rapport (or at least managed basic civil conversation) with Go'el, TT decides to press things just a bit.
"Have many of your people been taken by the naga--the so-called Reptile God?" she asks the semi-talkative orc. "Have any previously missing orcs returned to your tribe and acted...well, sort of strange?"
In addition to trying to ingratiate herself with Go'el, the young bard tries to get a sense of whether he (or any of his companions) might already be charmed minions of the naga.
[dice=Vesica Diplomacy Check]1d20+8
[dice=Vesica Sense Motive Check (Sense Enchantment)]1d20+6
Go'el answers, "It's bothered our Shamans of Gruumsh, but some of our people have been returning and acting strangely."
Naïlo mutters to himself, "And it never occurred to any of them that something with those acting oddly might be wrong. Jeesh can they be more pathetic as a race.
”These lizards have been using mind magics. Those acting oddly are probably under a spell.” Krishka adds. ”Shamans can break such spells if they are powerful enough.”
Let's just find those lizards and smash them
"Are you ready for a journey into the swamps?" Go'el asks Chestman.
"Let's get moving...we have wasted enough time as it is..."
With a stern look at the elf, the paladin moves forward to set the pace as the group heads off into the swamps.
Sea Ranger is agreeable to continue on with the orcs. He is wary of being mind-controlled by these lizard creatures as the orcs might be, and wonders how such a fate might be avoided.
During the hike, TT falls in with Sea Ranger. As the possibility that the orcs might already be under the naga's control comes up, the roguish bard whispers that she's been looking for any hint that might be the case ever since the orcs arrived on the outskirts of Orlane. "I didn't pick up on anything unusual...but then again, this is my first experience dealing with orcs."
As the party moves deeper into the marshlands, the one-eyed bard keeps her eye out for any ambushes or other nasty surprises.
I am ready. Chestman grumps and follows along.
During the hike, TT falls in with Sea Ranger. As the possibility that the orcs might already be under the naga's control comes up, the roguish bard whispers that she's been looking for any hint that might be the case ever since the orcs arrived on the outskirts of Orlane. "I didn't pick up on anything unusual...but then again, this is my first experience dealing with orcs."
As the party moves deeper into the marshlands, the one-eyed bard keeps her eye out for any ambushes or other nasty surprises.
Vesica Perception Check: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
You notice (smell) some wood smoke in the swamp. Someone must be burning something.
"Does anyone else smell that? Wood smoke--in the swamp." Turning to Go'el, TT asks, "Are we close to where your people live...or is this something we should investigate?"
Bet ya a copper we find some burned huts.
"Does anyone else smell that? Wood smoke--in the swamp." Turning to Go'el, TT asks, "Are we close to where your people live...or is this something we should investigate?"
"We live in the heart of the swamp, about three days from here," answered Go'el. "Most people burn stuff to get warm."
Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17
You are downwind from it. And yes, you smelled the smoke. The wind is coming out of the southwest.
"Yeah I smell it too and seems to coming from that direction." Naïlo points off in a southwesterly direction, "And we are downwind, so it could be a good distance away."
"If we don't know why we're smelling wood out here and the orcs have no idea either and they live another three days away...my inclination is that we ought to investigate," she reasons aloud to the others. To Nailo she adds a quiet whisper: "But that might just be my inferior intellect showing through."
With just the hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips, TT waits to hear what the others think.
I agree. Maybe some lizards are there
"Well then let's go and see what is burning. Perhaps a lone homestead was plundered and the owners are in need of our help!"
The Paladin moves quicker in the direction of the smoke, hoping that there is a non-violent answer for the fire.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Sea Ranger whistles to Scout and points in the direction from which the scent of smoke is coming, and the eagle wings toward the source, seeking out signs of any living creatures - which she has been trained to relate to her half-elven companion. He turns to the others as she takes to the sky. "Scout will circle a couple hundred feet above if she spots anything alive between here and the source of the smoke. At least we'll know someone or something is out there."
Sea Ranger whistles to Scout and points in the direction from which the scent of smoke is coming, and the eagle wings toward the source, seeking out signs of any living creatures - which she has been trained to relate to her half-elven companion. He turns to the others as she takes to the sky. "Scout will circle a couple hundred feet above if she spots anything alive between here and the source of the smoke. At least we'll know someone or something is out there."
Scout's Perception check: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23
What scout sees are some lizard men leaving a burning hovel. The hovel was the home of a small elven family. The father has been beaten badly, the mother has her clothes torn, and the child -- a young boy -- is being hauled off by the lizards.
Well let's go get those lizards!
TT nods at Chestman. "Maybe a handful of us can sneak a bit off to the left of where the hut and lizard men are, both to cut off and pincer them between two forces and to make sure they don't get away with the child." That said, the one-eyed bard starts to move off silently, obviously considering herself to be stealthy.
TT nods at Chestman. "Maybe a handful of us can sneak a bit off to the left of where the hut and lizard men are, both to cut off and pincer them between two forces and to make sure they don't get away with the child." That said, the one-eyed bard starts to move off silently, obviously considering herself to be stealthy.
Vesica Stealth Check: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9
With a 1 you forgot the basics of being stealthy. Not only can your companions notice you, but all the wildlife in the swamp around your area are aware of you.
Go'el says, "What are you trying to do? even the harpies will notice you."
Something wrong with yer leg? You are flailing all over the place.
Moving forward to confront the evil before her, Gothia calls out to the lizards.
"Stand and face me and face the justice of Heironeous!"
TT gives Chestman, Gothia, and Go'el the best glare she can muster before trying to extricate herself from the wiry patch of brambles she'd someow managed to walk into carelessly.
"Or we can announce our presence and hope that the lizards don't turn this into a hostage situation...," she grumbles in annoyance.
Moving forward to confront the evil before her, Gothia calls out to the lizards.
"Stand and face me and face the justice of Heironeous!"
The lizardmen, which are troglodytes in actually, use the boy as a human shield. "We know you won't attack a little boy."
I am not going to attack a little boy, I am going to attack you. Come and face me coward!
30 yards.
TT closes on the enemy as threats are tossed back-and-forth between the two sides.
Trying to make the trogs focus on her, Gothia again hurles insults and oaths at the creatures in the hopes her fellow adventurers can take some advantage of this distraction.
Trying to make the trogs focus on her, Gothia again hurles insults and oaths at the creatures in the hopes her fellow adventurers can take some advantage of this distraction.
Make a diplomacy check for that.
Diplomacy:
The trogs' attentions have been turned to Gothia, and they begin to make their advances on Gothia.
"you called us a what?"
Hangin's too good for ya! Burning's too good for ya! You should be torn into itty-bitty pieces and BURIED ALIVE!
From behind the the fighter types, Naïlo pulls an arrow and shoots at one of the lizard folk but the shot was so far off mark that it might not even have been noticed.
Hangin's too good for ya! Burning's too good for ya! You should be torn into itty-bitty pieces and BURIED ALIVE!
"That's it, the dwarf is going down!" The troglodytes close the distance in a triangle formation.
One trog starts running towards Chestman. One starts running towards Gothia, and one starts running towards SeaRanger. All three have swords, and are wearing just the briefest of loin cloths.