Of all the insane, moronic, air brained..., GWAAHHH! I swear on Deadeye's antlers if we make it out of this alive I will turn that boy over my knee and paddle him myself. I've half a mind to put an arrow through his buttocks, as much of a pain in the hindquarters that he is...
Aleria continues to fume in her own mind as she stalks forward, not nearly so quietly as Duska, who appears to have somehow transformed into tall grass. She tries as she can to match her speed, and has an arrow knocked, ready to loose in case it is needed.
She also prepares to say a quick prayer, to receive Deadeye's blessing to help her aim should she needed it. Hopefully she has enough time to get into position first.
Keeping same speed as Duska, readying Divine Favor to cast if battle kicks off, and having an arrow ready to fire.
FYI - it's not a male protector thing. It is much more dangerous. Ra'hl feels responsible for everyone under his command. Which, in his mind, means everyone in Brevoy save a few lawbreakers and usurpers.
His poor ego. Aleria is going to shred it completely I fear. >.<
Besides Aleria would really regret that if Ra'hl ever can get through her hard shell and win her over. :P What kind of Erastilian cleric would she be if her husband can't have children.
Well, if that is where things are going to be, I better find a good tailor so that Rahl can get fitted for some nice looking skirts.
Either +8 Perception or +9 SM should probably be enough to catch the Read Lips, maybe?
Aleria looks over the table and notices the maps. Oi, what a fine mess this is going to be. Restov sends this man to protect an interest which is wants to spend the lives of others on, and looks like it already has. Our enemy knows that he is hunted. This will doubtlessly leave him much more cautious and prepared for our arrival. A fine mess. Deadeye preserve, aim be true this day.
Aleria walks over, laying her hand gently on the shoulder of the large woman. Her first words are whispered.
Natasha:
"Speak with me, later. Let us properly send your companions on. And do not let the rage consume you. We will finish what they started."
She paces around the tables in a circle a moment, as she thinks, and forms her words. "Our task remains as it once was. Explore the greenbelt, and liberate it from the bandits that plague it. Restov sends men to look after its investment in our community. So long as they respect our community, and honor its direction, I see no reason to turn them away." She gives Osk a stern but not entirely disapproving look, seeking to see if he understands her meaning.
She casts a glance to Natasha and Duska. She ponders a bit more, her gaze falling on Ra'hl, a measure of a frown coming to her face. A lordling looking for a kingdom. That's what he reminds me of. Though I recognize not his name. Though it seems some of the others might. Another puzzle for another moment I suppose.
Aleria finally comes to put a boot up on a bench as she talks to the others. "We have before us a goal. Simple in nature but not easy. Though I think it wise that we all remember something. No one of us here alone can stand against this threat. Division and poor planning will be the doom of us all. This community is ours now. A few titled men in a far off walled city may have sent men and supplies here, but they do not bare their blades and stand the wall to help us defend what for some of us has become home."
She sighs, looking to each of those gathered around as she continues. "Some of you came here, with ideas in your mind of what would happen, or how this task would send you forward with your lives. Some of you, this is an escape from a past of darkness and despair. Some of you, a chance to prove to those you left that you have worth. Some of you, a chance to seek justice for companions slain. I would submit to you all this: that is your past. It is what has brought us here together in this place."
She draws a dagger from her sheathe, twirling it on her fingers a moment as she thinks. "This place is in danger. The Stag Lord will not remain silent. We must prepare Oleg's against the bandits, and then strike out ourselves to end this threat. It is our goal, and the purpose that unifies us to action. Soon enough our pasts will come calling. Let us deal with one days work at a time. And it seems that our business today, is hunting down and bringing this Stag Lord to justice."
She looks about, and after a moment, thrusts her dagger, point down into the table for emphasis. "It is a time to choose, friends. What will your choice be?"
Aleria looks up, and sighs. Deadeye, I swear i'll do an extra bit later. I hope we can house all these people...
She nods and holds her bow in her left hand with the arrow, keeping the arrow knocked but not drawn. She looks up and studies the banner the newcomer carries to see what the significance might be. She quickly jolts herself out of her rumination and finally finds her voice.
"Certainly. We were expecting more, just didn't know how many. The charter brings many people this way. And with the Surtovans now decreeing that they want this Bandit King laid low, I am not surprised to see so many people today."
She looks the woman over. Erastil's horns..., She is..., Cuddles tall. and her hands..., those nails..., and her eyes. Testing my patience, I know you are now. A hugging orc, a pompous lordling, a giant powerful woman, a elvish wanderer with a dark past, a whisper thin scholar, and now a rough woodsman. How ever in the green fields do you expect this to turn into a community?
Casting her eyes to the man, she watches him. A bit skittish this one. Like a wild animal. Maybe..., hmm. Erastil save me for a fool.
She calls out to the man on the road as she draws the arrow back out of her bow and quivers it again. "Come on, friend. We are quite careful with the bandits in the area. Though, truth be told you look like you've run afowl of some of them yourself. This is Oleg's, and its doors are open to all that are peaceable."
Aleria eyes the half elven woman a bit more closely and nods to her. "Redemption is a difficult road. Though if it could be found, this is the place to start. The Stolen Lands are nothing if not fair. Who you were and what you have done matters little in the daily struggle to survive." She offers Duska a soft smile.
She thinks for a moment and nods to her. "Should you ever want to talk about it, I'm sure that Elder Jhod would be willing to speak with you. Or if he does not mind, I could as well. My name is Aleria. I have traveled much of the River Kingdoms and the Stolen Lands. Priestess in service of Deadeye himself." She offers a slight nod, brushing some dirt and dust off her leather as she leads them back to the tables with the others.
Sounds like a stellar compromise. I got confused and thought the deadline was EST, so I even have a touch of extra time anyways! I'll pump out something excellent! /flex My college cramming has prepared me for this moment.
Kitara keeps laughing for a moment or two, then wipes at tears in her eyes, smiling.
"Magical, of course, Hound. See, Rosie was so proud of her precious Brimstone, that one day she had a special collar made for it, with a tag. Had it's name and everything on it."
She giggles as she moves up by the daemons, looking at them both then pointing. "Bound by nothing..., see the iron plates about their necks. Now I cannot read the language of Demons and Daemons, but I am guessing that is like a cat's or dog's collar. Probably has their name on it. Problem is, that if you just give everyone who can look on the creatures their names, then your binding has no real worth. Anyone could command them or take them away."
She giggles and prances over to coil herself up at Rose's side. "So, in that sense, they are bound by nothing. Bound by everything means that something of great importance is the key to their binding. Nothing and everything suggests that the two are linked. And see how the plates at their necks seem less than complete? Something missing?" She points to them as she talks. "Now I don't know much about these things, but Daddy did used to do this kind of stuff. I mean after all, didn't he do that with Momma? Which meant that he would have to have had her name. Her REAL name. My guess is that someplace in here is going to be the rest of those iron plates, with the rest of their names."
SWF Paladin looking for a companion. Must enjoy defending the weak, slaying evil, long walks across the countryside, and polishing armor and weapons on long cold nights waiting for the next battle.
Lol my inner copywriter says I should present three concepts to give the client two sacrificial lambs
"...And Saint Attila raised the hand grenade up on high saying: Lord, bless this thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch, that with it thou mayest blow thine enemies into tiny bits, in thy mercy. And the Lord did grin, and the people feasted upon the lambs, and sloths, and carp, and orangutans, and breakfast cereals, and fruit bats..."
AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10 | hp 26/26 | Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +5
William looks them over, each of them having spoken their piece. He sits for a moment before speaking.
"Look, I know that I am the newcomer among you all. So let me ask you a question. Which one of you has anything other than what you feel right now in mind, regarding what to do with Thesling? Which of you has the future in mind?"
He stops a moment to let his words sink in before going on. "I say this not to judge anyone, but if this fool's errand that we have begun is going to work, going to take root and grow, we as a group have to be committed to being better than our foe. Doing as is..., expected..., letting Thesling come to his demise. That might be the Asmodean thing to do, but who among us are Asmodeans? Every one of you I have heard rail against the priests, the rituals, the established practices. The fact that this form of acting is barbaric. We condemn him to die in this way, and we have done the unconscionable. We gain one small bit of power, and we use it not to make our world better, to move towards our goal, but to exact petty revenge on a nothing. A nobody. Is that really what we all want?
William sighs before he goes on. "Besides, Thesling is an actor, he does have some connections, and I feel that the share that we could gain from his demise, seems to be much less valuable than having the man alive to grease wheels for us later on. He will always remember we had the power of his life in our hands, and we spared him."
William sighs again, like he wants to keep going, his voice having grown from a whisper to almost an angry growl by the end.
Sense Motive/Perception DC 15:
William by the end in quivering, and sitting not so much for comfort, but because he seems unable to stand for the moment.
Sense Motive DC 25:
Something about the situation the group is in, and the choice being put in front of them is very much disturbing William.
