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Guys, am really sorry for the delay. Apparently someone spliced into the cable feed at the pole near my house. AT&T in their wisdom, cut the whole thing off. Somehow this is my fault, despite the fact that I have a signed agreement with them, and the other house does not. Hopefully this will be fixed very soon. I am going down to their office today to meet with them.
Internet down, posting from BlackBerry, functionality equals zero. Recalling his thoughts from the night before, Quinn begins his methodical re-creation of the bandit's directions. (Rolling d20+9 Insight check the old fashioned way...on the dining room table...17)
Quinn spends the evening hours going over what the bandit told them. "Er, well, you sort of head down the valley, go into the woods, cross the river using the old log, go through the fairy clearing, over the ridge, round the flat rock, under the tree and you're there. More or less." He figures that from aloft, he can track progress through the valley, even in heavy woods. The differences in the elevation of the trees will be seen between the valley floor and the sides of the valley. Using that as a general direction, the river should be obvious, especially the log crossing. Once set on the crossing the general direction of the path should point a way toward the fairy clearing, again most likely visible from the air. The ridge should be reachable, as it obviously crosses more or less directly in front of their line of march. Otherwise, why "over" the ridge? From there it will be more difficult, but this close to a camp, the trails entering it should be more worn. "...and more guarded, Quinn thinks to himself. Quinn rolls over, confident he can set them on the right path in the morning, and falls asleep.
"Let us return to our starting point. It will be the best way to find the bandit camp." Quinn says. "Take one of them with us...yes. He can show us how 'repentant' he is then, or die like the rest."
Quinn stops to take a look around. Long moments pass as he looks out at the plain, back to the forest, and back out towards the plain again.
"We are strangers here. The land will tell us where to go." He says softly.
Quinn quickly realizing that he has lost track of the group in the heavy woods, flys down to a point in front of the struggling party. "I'm here." he says quietly, stepping out onto the trail in his human form. After a moment, he bends down to take a handful of loose soil and run it through his fingers. With a sniff, he casts it into the air, and stands a moment observing its fall. He walks around a large tree, one hand running along its bark, looking at the tree from top to bottom. Every few moments, he looks back along the path they've come, then forward along the direction of travel.
Quinn will ensure that his search-circles will always include a flyover of the group, to maintain conact.
critical. how many turnips is that?
Quinn nods once in response to Marc's suggestion. In a moment, the large owl takes wing from Oleg's and begins flying in ever-widening circles in the direction the bandits are believed to have come from.
DUNGEON MASTER'S DRUNK!!! CAN I HAVE A VORPAL SWORD???
"The moon radish...kobolds like them."
Spoiler: Hopefully I'm not taking too many liberties with info on these Nature rolls. They are pretty good rolls, and this would be stuff Quinn is good at, after all. Druid and all that.
Quinn looks curiously at the wanted posters, especially at the one depicting the tatzlwyrm.
"The sketch on that poster is wrong. The tatzlwyrm only has two limbs." he says quietly.
Guys, family issue that needs dealing with, will be gone from 6/25 to 6/29. Then vacation from 7/1 to 7/6.
Perception
Quinn shakes his head sadly at all of the goings on. Both for the party's self-inflicted dilemma, and for the confrontation with the townsfolk. They don't understand, he thinks to himself. Oleg's little trading hamlet is a long way from anywhere, and if anything is the frontier, this is. Only the strong survive. And one does not buck the Freedoms...ever. Quinn sighs. They will learn, he says to himself, they will learn.
"I have some ability to navigate the wilderness, so I guess I'll take the lead on the ground if we should lose sight of Quinn. "I will stay in sight of you."
"I will scout from above." Quinn says quietly.
Quinn listens intently to Hasren's words, and nods curtly when he is done.
Quinn looks at Hasren in disbelief. "Banditry is a way of life in the River Kingdoms. My family suffered greatly from men such as these when we emigrated from Galt. Since then I have learned much. We have two, no three, very real considerations here: One: The charter makes us the law here. Two (and three): the Six River Freedoms, a charter of sorts for how people live in the the Kingdoms. For us, the first four don't matter. But the Freedoms scale from least to greatest, and the last two are "slavery is an abomination", and "you have what you hold". Thralldom is right out here in the River Kingdoms. To reach this area is to be free. The fifth River Freedom makes sure of that. As for banditry, it is acceptable, sometimes even laudable, to take something by force. The key is that the victim be able to face his robber and do something about it. Oleg here obviously couldn't hold what was his. Unfortunately for these thugs, we could. Now they face the consequences."
Quinn looks on with interest at Aleph's questioning techniques. Contrary to what he has been told, it apparently is not necessary to take a breath while talking...
Quinn watches the trussing and questioning of the bandits quietly. Here there be dead men, they just don't know it yet.
Quinn moves back into the fort, taking a good look around to ensure all of the bandits are accounted for.
Wags, I'd like it if you can explain how it works. I thought I had it, then when I read it to use it in this fight, it didn't make any sense all of a sudden. And yes, please post those if Aubrey would let me switch.
Amen brotha, my head is swimming trying to follow all of this. I think I'll just pay attention to my own stuff for now, and cheer or jeer as it seems appropo for everyone else...at least until I figure this out.
Quinn's brow furrows for a moment, and suddenly the great owl appears. On silent wings he glides to a position above and behind the bandit leader.
Thx, will update from this.
"Excellent! How many? 'Six. The woman is not there.' I... uh, did you just turn into an owl?" Quinn stares at Heimoth for a moment, as if he just asked if the sun came up. 'Yes.'
Aubrey Spoiler:
Taking careful note of numbers, weapons, and who the leaders may be, Quinn observes the group for a few minutes. Silently, he flies off to warn the others. The large owl arrives, as silently as he left. He alights in the courtyard, swiftly changing back into the tall Galtan youth. 'They are coming.' He says, striding over to his assigned spot.
Spoiler:
Hmmm...I didn't read it that way - the singular shape - I saw it as able to change into whatever shape I chose. However, I also am not going to be picking combat-orienyed shapes for the most part, just practical scouting types. Having said that, I will choose the owl shape if I am restricted to one. Please though give me a chance to research it some more, but I want to get it rolling too. Quinn steps out into the chill morning air and walks through the gate. His face passive, he turns to the North, and bows to the cold North Wind. Turning to the East, he salutes the rising Sun. With an about face, he waves farewell to the night retreating into the West. Finally, he looks long into the South, wondering for a moment what his father is doing right now. After a moment, he shakes his head clear and concentrates for a moment. In a blink, Quinn is gone and in his place stands a Great Horned Owl, one of the largest of the birds of prey of the River Kingdoms. Silent as the dawn, he takes wing, looking for his quarry.
An hour before the the time of their expected arrival, Quinn changes into a large owl and takes flight, circling the trading post and keeping an eye out for the bandit group.
Spoiler: I am thinking about using beast form to scout for the bandits arrival. I believe I can change to an owl (medium-sized?!) to do so. Hoping for the flight and night-vision advantages to see them coming. Then fly back and warn the others.
Quinn nods his head at Marc's suggestion. 'I will be the lookout when the time comes.' he says firmly.
'No.' Says Quinn. Pulling out his charter, he unfolds it on the table. His finger stabs down with vehemence on a line written there. "The punishment for unrepentant banditry remains, as always, execution by sword or rope."
Quinn eats in silence, his head nodding at the various questions posed by his companions, and at Svetlana's answers. A dark frown crosses his face - briefly - upon hearing of the loss of the woman's ring. He isn't surprised at the turn of events. Ever since he came into these "river kingdoms", bandits have been an ever-present danger. He pauses to look around at his new-found friends. Mayhap there will be nasty surprise for the bandits when they return. Nodding again, this time to himself, he returns to his stew.
Quinn eats in silence for a while, nodding his head at the various questions posted by his companions. He isn't surprised by the turn of events. Ever since he came into this land, the bandits have been an ever-present danger. Looking around at the group he has come to know in the last day or so, he reckons there may be a nasty surprise for them when they return. Nodding again, this time to himself, he returns to his stew. |
