"Gobo's of any sort are bad business. I'm in the business of bad, incidentally... And business is good!" Hale gets up, and walks over to the others by the fires, says "Hale Callahan's my name, and I'd be happy to join you in this endeavor."
"despite my highly advanced education, i still do not know what a hobgoblin is, will any of you enlighten me on whatever details you might know about th-?" Umbriere asks, calmly, yet curiously eyeing everyone around her, another coughing fit interrupting her speech before she could finish the last word. "when will the rain st-?" she says after a short pause, only to be interrupted by her illness yet again. the main reccurring symptoms of her illness were her constant cough, cold clammy hands, a high fever, a heavily reduced appetite, and increased sweating. those honey sweet rolls were tempting enough to ignore the effects of her reduced appetite. tis the most she's eaten during one sitting in years.
Soren shrugs and looks around "Whats to know? It has the word 'goblin' in it..."
knowledge (nature) check (goblinoids in general)
knowledge (religion) (to identify likely goblinoid religions and associated rituals)
knowledge (geography) (to identify which goblinoid species are native to the local enviroment)
knowledge (the arts) (to identify typical pieces of goblinoid artwork, music, poems etc.)
Knowledge: Religion
Knowledge Checks
---
The bartender is taken aback by the sudden influx of even more adventurers into the inn on a mid-day, and the middle of the rain season as well. Bartender: "Sorry folks, I honestly didn't expect so many customers today, so I told my waitress that she could have the day off. Most folk aren't out and about with the weather like it is right now. If you'll give me a bit, I'll make sure to get all your orders myself." he says, before heading into the back room to get some more pint mugs and such.
Sigfried nods to newcomers as they enters but mainly just looks and listens as they talk with the young lady and Gremy. He doesn't say much and sits watching for a good period of time, appearing as little more than scenery to the tavern itself. After they talk for a while about the hobgoblins that he brought up a while ago, he finally decides when to speak - which accidentally sounded a bit like he was cutting off little Umbriere during one of her coughing spells.
"Well I would guess that most of the militia here in this little town probably aren't trained soldiers. Probably taking turns patrolling the town when they're not doing their day job or something. If what the Bartender said was at all accurate, I'd guess they probably just didn't expect the hobgoblins to be all that skilled. Just a guess though. I think I will go see that Sei'Saharra lady that the barkeep mentioned. Also, the name's Sigfried; if I didn't mention that already." he says.
Sigfried lays his pint down on the counter and begins to walk off, but suddenly stops and turns to Umbriere, "Almost forgot!" he notes and then bows deeply. "Take care guys." he says. Somehow it's hard to tell if Sigfried was trying to be nice or was poking fun at Umbriere due to her constant curtsying.
|
Sigfried is the only person that Gremy likes in this swamp of a town, so he follows him out the door, after a non-committal wave to the bartender. "You might be crazy, but I'm not particularly interested in being in the middle of a goblin-bait village. What do you say that on top of learning about these creatures, we also think of an exit strategy?"
Sigfried nods to Gremy as he follows. "Hell yeah man, that's what I'm sayin' too. It's a fool that doesn't think of the possibility of retreat. The better part of valor is discretion right?" he asks heading out the door.
As Sigfried opens the door, the sound of the curtains of rain gets louder. "Ahhh...how...I think it's raining even more, if that's even possible." Sigfried notes with a rather begrudged look towards the sky from beneath the inn's overhanging roof. He makes sure the belts on his hide boots are extra tight, and pulls his hood up and ties it in much the same manner. "My mother always did say I should have been an accountant." he muses jokingly as he trudges out into the muddy streets.
|
|
Gremy pulls his cloak around his face, but it's soaking wet within seconds, so he puts it back down, defeated by the torrent. "I hope this Warren girl's roof doesn't leak or she'll have drowned before we get to her."
Trying to avoid the larger mud-puddles, Gremy moves as fast as the weather allows towards the edge of the village, where Sei'Saharra was said to live.
Gremy and Sigfried head across town just a little ways as instructed by the Bartender, until they come to the Warrens' house. Sigfried hops up the front steps, noting the definite lack of a front porch of decent overhang, resulting in him being no less in the path of the rain as he knocks on the door.
An woman in her mid thirties comes to the door, and looks incredibly surprised as she eyes Gremy and Sigfried before her. Two heavily armed individuals in the middle of this torrential downpour knocking on the door to their cottage-house.
Woman At the Door: "Yes? Can I help you two with something?" she asks, uncertain as to what this is all about.
The woman at the door frowns a bit and then opens the door wider still. "You mean my daughter Sarah..." she says without moving from the doorway. "Do you know her for some reason?" she asks. As she does, Gremy and Sigfried both catch a glimpse of a young woman in her early twenties approaching the door. As the mother waits for the answer, the daughter arrives at the door.
Sarah walks up next to her mother. She stands about 5 feet and 6 inches tall, and sports some rather exotic tattoos across the left side of her face () and her hair is pulled into a thick braid which hangs over her shoulder. One of the main thing that catches the eye is in fact her eyes. She has an icy stare which looks like someone who's seen real combat. She has a very earthy look to her and deep green eyes and dark brown hair.
Sei'Saharra: "Who are you?" the strange human girl asks Gremy and Sigfried directly with little beating around the bush about it.
EDIT:
Sei'Saharra/Sarah nods and says "Come in." as she walks back into the small cottage-house. Her mother looks surprised but doesn't say anything and gets out of the way. She walks into the living room and says "Give me a bit. I'll be back." she says, short and directly as she walks upstairs to her room.
Meanwhile her mother looks warily upon Gremy and Sigfried, uncertain of the two very muscled warriors before her. She begins a conversation however, in a low indoor voice. "Hmm, I haven't seen Sarah take like that to anyone since she's been back. I know at least a dozen people have asked her how she escaped those evil hobgoblins, but she would never say anything about them. I'm just so thankful that the gods have brought her back to us again. It's been teen years since...since she was taken." the mother says wearily, pushing a bowl of pecans towards the two house-guests.
"She was supposed to be on her way to a finishing school at the request of her father, but the caravan was attacked not far outside of the city. They killed all the guards and took anything of value - and my little Sarah." she says, with her eyes shimmering with moisture as she explains. "I don't know how to talk to her since she's been back. I'm glad she's back but...it's almost like I never knew her. I tried to catch up with her, for the years we missed. I bought her some dresses and some ribbons for her hair, but she could care less about them, and I'm afraid to even ask her what she went through while she was away from us - and she hasn't said anything about it." the mother says with a very troubled look in her eyes.
As Sigfried cracks open a couple of pecans with a nutcracker in the bowl, listening intently, Sarah comes back downstairs with a small satchel in her hands. The satchel is leather with a fur lining and leather straps. She takes a seat in one of the chairs in the living room and props her legs up on the small center table. Her mother sighs as she does before excusing herself to go make some tea.
Sarah cracks some nuts open herself and begins chewing on some jerky she had in her pocket as she speaks. "So why do you want to know about the hobgoblins?" she asks directly, and without hint of motivation for her question.
Gremy glances at Sigfried. "This one wants to fight them following the deaths of those guards. Myself, I'm worried that another attack is coming. Knowledge is power, and you have what we need."
Gremy grabs a walnut and tosses it from hand to hand as he waits for her reply.
Sarah pauses and leans back in her chair comfortably and looks out a nearby window at the rains. She glances at Sigfried with a confusing glare, as if sizing him up as Gremy comments on his wanting to fight them. She then looks to Gremy and speaks. "Each year when the rains come the Sawtooth tribe becomes restless. Hunting gets harder due to the wet soil and less animal activity during this time. I'd imagine with so many restless hunters they're probably spoiling for a fight, but I'm not so certain they're desperate enough to attack this small town..." she says as she cracks a pecan. "More than likely, after getting in a scrape with the militia, they're probably hoping right now that it'll attract the attention of some real warriors." she muses as if she didn't care about the militia who were being buried.
After a few moments she looks back up. "If you're particularly foolish or ambitious, you could attempt to reach the heart of their outpost which is undoubtedly near there. If you were to break their defenses and overcome their commanders then you could simply tell them to return, and they would be honorbound to oblige. However, that's a fool's errand. You'd need fifty men to break twenty hobgoblins. You could theoretically buy them off as well, if you could provide funds to lead a campaign against the principalities. They'll virtually never turn down the opportunity to fight dwarfs..." she says as if thinking.
After a few moments she narrows her eyes and smiles. "There's an old drow citadel buried beneath the hills about a mile northeast of here. It is a place of haunted evils and the hobgoblins are forbidden by their elders to enter, but they guard the borders there. If you broke or bypassed their defenses in the area, you could explore the old place and amass some bargaining wealth from the heirlooms that undoubtedly remain in the place. Either way you'll either die or win their respect." she says cracking another three nuts. She grins as she chews on them, bearing a pair of sharp canines that look the slightest bit unnatural.
|
|
Gremy raises an eyebrow at the mention of exploring ruins, and while he attempts to keep his face expressionless, he can't stop from licking his lips once. "Wealth and heirlooms you say? Exploring ruins sounds like more fun than attacking an army head-on, to be sure. We'll be able to save these people from further attacks."
As Gremy talks about saving the village, his eyes sparkle. "What say you Sigfried? Are you willing to get your hands dirty?"
Gremy raises an eyebrow at the mention of exploring ruins, and while he attempts to keep his face expressionless, he can't stop from licking his lips once. "Wealth and heirlooms you say? Exploring ruins sounds like more fun than attacking an army head-on, to be sure. We'll be able to save these people from further attacks."
As Gremy talks about saving the village, his eyes sparkle. "What say you Sigfried? Are you willing to get your hands dirty?"
Sigfried shrugs with a smile. "I dunno, sounds fine to me. I just arrived here about a day or two ago, and my contact isn't going to arrive for some time, so I'm jobless, and it looks like I hauled my sorry ass out here for nothing. Helpin' out some townsfolk and doing some exploring doesn't sound like a bad idea to me. I had a cousin who was an explorer before he retired. Lucky bum's only a couple years older than me and hit it rich exploring some old ruins. Now he's a small time landlord. If he, why not we, right?" Sigfried muses before winking at Sarah (). Not the most charming of individuals but Sigfried tried.
Sarah seems like something of a rough & tumble girl herself. Her growing up with the hobgoblins since she was ten has obviously had some sort of strong effect on her.
Sarah however seems less than amused with Sigfried. He came off as a little too greedy, and likewise a little too sure of himself. Being fairly certain she could probably kill him herself, she wasn't particularly impressed by his flirtations.
She pretty much ignores Sigfried and turns her attention entirely towards Gremy, who has thus far done nothing to tempt her attitude, making mild conversation as she does.
"You sound like you're excited by the prospect of going into a haunted ruin. The hobgoblins are forbidden from going in there because it was a relic of the drow. The drow aren't to be trusted, and they don't want to unearth any unnatural arcana from within their abandoned realms."
Umbriere, manages to slip away from her cousin while he was off guard. she sneaks her way towards Sigfried and Gremy. and knocks on Sarah's door as she notices Sigfried and gremy through the window. the occasional coughing spell occuring as she searches.
[perception] [take 10]
[stealth] [take 10]
Umbriere, manages to slip away from her cousin while he was off guard. she sneaks her way towards Sigfried and Gremy. and knocks on Sarah's door as she notices Sigfried and gremy through the window. the occasional coughing spell occuring as she searches.
[perception] [take 10]
10+6
[stealth] [take 10]
10+6
Umbriere casually walks through the pouring rain slowly, almost disappearing beneath the veil of rain. She even passes a few people on the street who don't even realize she was there in the rain as she walked by towards the small cottage...
As Gremy, Sigfried, and Sarah continue talking there is a sudden knocking at the door. Sarah's mother walks through the room, noting "Don't get up, I'll get that." to everyone in the main room before walking tot he door an opening it. As Umbriere is much smaller and less dangerous in appearance (Gremy and Sigfried were carrying weapons) she backs up as Umbriere coughs in the doorway. "Oh you poor thing, please come in out of the rain." the mother exclaims, inviting Umbriere inside. Assuming Umbriere does so, the mother then asks her a question similar to the one Sigfried and Gremy received: "I don't believe I know you. Is there something you need?" she asks the doll-like girl.
Sigfried leans back to look over the couch towards the door, recognizing that familiar hacking cough from a little while earlier. "Oh hey." he says, passingly.
Umbriere wipes any mud off her feet upon the doormat on the porch and enters the hallway gracefully like a proper lady. she answers the elderly mother's question "i am here to pick up a few details about the hobgoblins, i thought Sara and those 2 armed men would know." she gestures towards Sigfried and Gremy, a coughing spell occurs, after a pause "if you wish to to know my Name, it is Umbriere Nox Astrum Lunas, I am the Third Cousin of Baron Maximillian Phobos Moonwhisper" Another Coughing spell occurs as she prounounces the last syllable of her uncle's last name but it was still understandable. Umbriere curtseys before the elderly lady and approaches Sarah and the 2 warriors.
Soren will head out into the rain looking for his cousin, following the freshest set of dainty footprints out of the inn...
Survival (tracking):
And apparently has no clue where she went...
Perception:
|
|
Sarah however seems less than amused with Sigfried. He came off as a little too greedy, and likewise a little too sure of himself. Being fairly certain she could probably kill him herself, she wasn't particularly impressed by his flirtations.
She pretty much ignores Sigfried and turns her attention entirely towards Gremy, who has thus far done nothing to tempt her attitude, making mild conversation as she does.
"You sound like you're excited by the prospect of going into a haunted ruin. The hobgoblins are forbidden from going in there because it was a relic of the drow. The drow aren't to be trusted, and they don't want to unearth any unnatural arcana from within their abandoned realms."
Gremy has decided that talking about possible wealth may be in bad form, given Sarah's current cold-shouldering of Sigfried. On to a different tact: "Excited? Perhaps just a little. My father and mother never took a single step out of their town; they would have been content to never leave the house if it were possible. I need more than that though. I want to see things. The forbidden and the dangerous appeal to me."
As Umbriere arrives, Gremy looks up. The coughing starts, and he rolls his eyes. "It wasn't enough to kill yourself at the tavern, so you decided to slog through some mud as well? Go to bed woman."
Sarah however seems less than amused with Sigfried. He came off as a little too greedy, and likewise a little too sure of himself. Being fairly certain she could probably kill him herself, she wasn't particularly impressed by his flirtations.
She pretty much ignores Sigfried and turns her attention entirely towards Gremy, who has thus far done nothing to tempt her attitude, making mild conversation as she does.
"You sound like you're excited by the prospect of going into a haunted ruin. The hobgoblins are forbidden from going in there because it was a relic of the drow. The drow aren't to be trusted, and they don't want to unearth any unnatural arcana from within their abandoned realms."
Gremy has decided that talking about possible wealth may be in bad form, given Sarah's current cold-shouldering of Sigfried. On to a different tact: "Excited? Perhaps just a little. My father and mother never took a single step out of their town; they would have been content to never leave the house if it were possible. I need more than that though. I want to see things. The forbidden and the dangerous appeal to me."
As Umbriere arrives, Gremy looks up. The coughing starts, and he rolls his eyes. "It wasn't enough to kill yourself at the tavern, so you decided to slog through some mud as well? Go to bed woman."
"i just happen to be curious about the hobgoblins, once i get the desired information, i will happily go to bed. a curious maiden needs answers. i need every possible detail i can cram about them. i wish to assist any way i can in bringing thier defeat. and knowing is half the battle." Umbriere says calmly with a slight hint of frustration, another coughing spell occurs. she covers her mouth again to block her hacking cough.
[diplomacy check] [roll d20]
Sarah smirks at the frail looking Umbriere as she walks into the door, completely defiant of whatever it is that is ailing her. "You could learn a lot from her." Sarah to Sigfried. "You're right, little woman. Knowledge is power. Seems you have the spirit of a warrior, if not the body. It seems that the hobgoblins are the popular topic today." Sarah says, making a parody of a proper lady as she makes hand-motions as if drinking a cup of tea with her pinky extended. She grins a bit as she does, obviously being sarcastic with her motions.
"Anyway, come on over here. We've got room." she says before turning back to Gremy.
"The forbidden and dangerous appeal to the brave and the foolish. It's best to make sure you're one but not the other. If you decide to explore the old ruins, I'd make sure you were ready. There's no telling how large it is or how deeply its tunnels run. Hobgoblin scouts will probably be patrolling the area, so you lack the mettle then you probably won't make it that far." she muses.
Umbriere approaches the 3 and takes a seat right next to Sarah. turning her attention to the tattooed woman "you caught me, i am obviously not a warrior. i bring a different set of skills entirely. " Umbriere says calmly, getting progressively quieter. a coughing spell occurs, as she covers her mouth and pauses again to catch her breath.
[diplomacy check] (to come across as humble) (roll d20)
[ooc} I don't know if Soren heard the bit about the hob-goblin lady or not, so he's gonna ask around to see where Umbriere went, offering coin if necesary using sense motive to tell if ppl are legit or just trying to sucker him out of coin...[/ooc]
Soren will go back into the bar, and inquire further from the bartender where the others had gone, hoping to find his errant cousin...
Assuming he tells him, he'll head over to Sarah's...