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"Do you mind if we ask who has tasked you with this? We just came from Bard's Gate and no one there mentioned the bridge being guarded. Of course, if Stoneheart Bridge is the usual crossing point for caravans that might explain why no one said anything to us when we left the city. Are you part of the Lyreguard?" Now that the knight seems less hostile, Rail relaxes a little himself.
Well right but I don't know if he wants to Make an Impression or Lie or Coerce yet. He certainly doesn't want to answer a challenge without finding out more. Oh ok I checked the spoilers and see you rolled to keep things moving. In the future should we just rolls immediately like that, too? I'm sorry I'm not sure I understand what you want us to do in social challenges. I get that it's an encounter like combat but Rail wouldn't start a combat, he would react to combat starting. So if the Diplo/Deception/Intimidate are like attack rolls, which I wouldn't want to start off with immediately, we should roll Perception and Lore to get information?
Right now Rail is trying to gauge the situation, figure out who this guy is and what he is doing so he can figure out what angle to take. Do I need to roll Diplo now just because he's talking? Or can he talk to elicit information without specifically trying to influence, with the aim of developing a strategy to use for Diplomacy later?
Rail nods his head at Brennus's information and stays on his horse as the bird suggests. "Um, why is that, friend? Is there something dangerous over there on the Farm Road?" The elf gestures at Telurion, indicating the restatement of the other man's question. "What happens if a wagon train comes through? Do you stop them too? Or is this just for individual riders?"
Rail had made sure to buy something off the peddler- an apple and some dried fruit- and chatted about news on the road before returning to his group and bedding down for the night. The elf fed the apple to his horse- for an apparent city dweller, he was taking very good care of the mount. He nodded at Telurion and Brennus. "This is why I like to stay in town," he chuckles. His Free Defender surplus gear is well oiled and keeps him dry and warm in spite of the damp. "Today's a good day to sit with your feet up next to the fire and look out the window, thinking about the poor unfortunates who have to be out in the weather." The elf sighs. "Hopefully these ruins will keep us dry, at least."
Sounds good thanks SB.
After going home to retrieve his things, Rail had shown up in scuffed, worn studded leather with an equally well used pack on his back. For all that he said he wasn't an adventurer his gear certainly fit the part. The armor appeared to be surplus Free Defender equipment with any identifying marks filed off. During the long ride he chats amiably and ably with anyone about almost anything, showing at least a shallow knowledge of everything from popular sports to distant cities and from horse trading to magical theory. He has an odd habit of referring to things that happened decades ago in the present or at least near-recent tense, as if he was there or at least alive to witness it when it happened.
At the end of the second day the elf goes over to talk to the peddler. "It's bad luck not to buy from a peddler on the road," he explains to his new companions.
Rail is built for city interaction but I don't post on weekends. Happy to move on, though.
I'm curious about these other ways to acquire mounts. How would we find those, SB?
Rail shakes his head at Brennus. "No, I don't think so. I know a shop where we can trade those candlesticks for coins and then go to Stable Row to the Horse Trader. I need to stop at home to get more appropriate clothes and leave a note for my family, but it shouldn't take long."
Rail nodded at Telurion. "How are you set for supplies? You just got into the city today, do we need to run by an outfitter too?" He grins at Brennus. "When we get back to town I should introduce you to my mother. She's been doing arcane research for..." Rail cocks his head as he considers something "I was going to say 'longer than you've been alive' but I don't know the average lifespan for an awakened corvid, so apologies if that's offensive in any way. In any case, I know she would love to talk to you about magical theory." The elf shrugs and chuckles. "I know a little if you're desperate; you pick up that kind of thing when you live with a scholar."
Hope everything was ok, SB!
Looking back over your trip from Raven to Bard's Gate it looks like we don't need to track supplies so that's good. We can just fluff buying stuff for the road, then.
Rail- the well dressed elf in current city fashion- looks curiously over at Variel and Caks in response to Telurion's comment. "Oh, you know the city? That's good to know. I always like to hear about a good shop I haven't heard of before." The elf points at Brennus. "That's a good idea, flying over and dropping the vials on things." Rail shrugs. "I can throw just fine, too, but that seems like a good plan." He looks back at Telurion. "Do you all have horses? Or are we walking the 75 miles? Makes a difference in how many days of supplies we might need."
OK so the place is around 75 miles away. How long would it take to get there and back? Father Bofred said a month (though honestly if we take longer than that what is he going to do, just throw a possibly cursed magic item out on the street?)- how much of that is going to be taken up with travel?
Rail smiles at the Father and goes to shake his hand. "Exceptionally generous of you, Father. It's good to deal with men of true faith in troubling times." He looks over at the others to see if anyone disagrees with Caks. Seeing no dissenters, he says "We will return when we have information about your missing high priest. Thank you for taking the time to meet with us. I hope we can all say it has been a pleasure." With that, the tall elf turns to follow the others out the door.
Just for the sake of discussion, I want to say I don't understand who's being talked about when Variel says they were attacked? Rail didn't say anything hostile to Variel, he just stepped in with a 'hey hey this is all a misunderstanding' kind of de-escalation. I the player certainly didn't mean my question as an attack on anybody, I was asking why Variel came in so hot. I don't consider that an attack. I've read through the whole thread and saw why you got thrown out of the chapel. Personally, I think it was an overreaction (people show up late to church all the time, they could have just sat in the back) but maybe the priest is so Lawful he hates latecomers or there's a tenet against lateness. But it seems like (as SB said above and it looks like Telurion was trying to do) that after being thrown out once maybe the PCs would have wanted to try a softer approach. Also consider that Rail will say whatever seems necessary in the moment. Smoothing things over (and lying) is his job. Everything he said was done with the goal of calming the Father down and letting the PCs offload the violin. He even ended with a request for payment, which was exactly what Variel seems like he wants. Also also, this guy's clearly a quest giver. What kind of game do we want to play where we go around telling quest giver NPCs to shove it? I don't personally feel any friction here. I didn't intend to attack anybody, Rail didn't attack anybody, and it seems like a perfectly ok scene for one PC to be mad and another to try to smooth things out. I've got no problem with how this is playing out.
Rail had been happy to let things happen as they would until Variel started attacking the priest. He turned to the half-elf. "Hey, now, friend, calm down. We're not even done talking yet, are we? No need to shout." He turns to smile back over his shoulder at Father Bofred. "Apologies for my friend's outburst, Father. He has had a stressful couple of days."
"That said, Father, the hills you mentioned are days away, aren't they? Personally, I am not equipped to leave the city at the moment. There are supplies to buy, horses to rent- various expenses, you understand. You know, my father is a priest himself- Gallio Librumeia? Or perhaps you've met my sister, Nymaris Coolbreeze? Also a priest of Sefagreth, sort of the family business, you see," Rail said with a chuckle. "I know they both hold Thyr in high regard. Law is the essential foundation of stability and order for a civil society, they say. Without the Lawgiver there would be no civilization. So I understand your resources are limited. Your flock must have so many priorities. But if you could perhaps see it possible to find some spare funds it would help speed us on our way. Soonest begun, soonest done, eh?"
I don't usually post on weekends, this is an anomaly. Can we talk about how we're going to approach NPCs before PCs start yelling at them, please? I don't understand why Variel is yelling at the quest giver. I get being aggressive with a hostile NPC but this guy hasn't done anything to indicate he needs to be Intimidated yet. This party has already been thrown out of this church once.
Rail looks back at the others briefly and shrugs. "Well they were waiting to talk to Father Bofred across the street. What, uh... what kind of proposal did you have?"
OK weird, it didn't save the changes I made; I picked Elven Lore. Maybe it's the link? I updated the link in the Alias's Profile and it's a different number now. Could you check again, please? Or I'll just put here too, try this.
Oh, FYI SB, Rail's Exploration actions will be Investigate unless the situation calls for something else. He seems like the kind of guy who would be looking at and thinking about stuff.
Rail jumps a little, eyes wide at hearing the bird talk. "Ades' bony balls!" He points and looks at the others. "Did you all hear that?" The elf dramatically cleans out one ear with his pinky and peers at the black winged bird. "What kind of trick is this?"
Talking animals are quite rare... especially in a civilized area like Bards Gate. There are many stories of sentient animals, but most are passed off as folk tales, or tricks of magic. None of you have ever encountered an actual sentient animal so I would think most of you would be expecting a trick of some sort. Thanks! Lillianith isn't here anymore but Caks encountered talking wolves the beginning of the game, though, right?
I do? When I look at the sheet the lvl 1 Ancestry Feat is set with Ancestral Longevity. That's when I click on the link in the Alias. Do you know if it's different for people just viewing the link versus me who has it saved locally?
Can you give some direction on how shocking a talking raven is, please? I see in the backposts there were some talking wolves and nobody batted an eye so is it correct that talking animals are pretty common?
When the messenger brings the scroll to the group, Rail looks curious. "Is this about the undead you were talking about?"
The elf smiles and pulls back a chair. "A pet raven? No, I haven't had a pet since our cat died when I was a kid. Why do you ask?" He nods at Caks and puts out a hand to shake with Telurion. "I'm Rail." Rail nods in Caks's direction. "You've fought orcs and undead? Sounds like adventuring to me, at least according to the chapbooks I've read."
The tall elf smoothly stands up and walks over to the group's table, a friendly smile on his lips. He's good looking, with long white blonde hair and bright blue eyes. His clothes are made of good quality material and well tailored to his slender build. He pretends not to notice the ysoki who'd been stuffing her mouth suddenly ducking out of sight under the table, instead looking at Telurion and Variel. "Hi." He gestures back at his seat at the bar. "My curiosity finally got the better of me so I thought I'd come over and ask. Are you adventurers? I've always wondered how you get started in that business. I'd be happy to pay for your food if you'd indulge me and tell me your story and answer a few questions."
The elf at the bar looked over as the adventurers entered. This place was popular with college kids and locals and these folks were neither. He didn't usually hang out in the Old Temple district but his mother had wanted to talk to Yun at the Excriptory down the street and he'd heard about a funny sounding play happening after lunch at the Forum so he had tagged along. It had been years since Rail had time to be bored, and the novelty was starting to wear off. He'd even started carrying his guitar and a notebook around like he was back in college just in case inspiration struck. Getting run out of Endhome the way he had was embarrassing, nearly career ending, and potentially deadly to boot but at least he hadn't been bored. Weeks of no contact even had him thinking about signing with the Society of Arms (a Lyreguard contract was out of the question since he was still technically working for the city's diplomatic corps). Sometimes he wondered how "adventuring" worked. They were like mercenaries but self-directed. That could be interesting, he supposed. But how did you even start? Did you just pick up a sword and walk around until you chanced upon a gnoll eating a baby? Huh. Maybe he could just ask if these people didn't look busy. Rail decided to give it a few minutes then introduce himself.
Thanks, SB! |
