Finding your way back is easy enough. DM onlySpoiler[roll0]
Tracing your way up through the torn and scattered underbrush you almost trip over Gort's prone form.
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Finding your way back is easy enough. DM onlySpoiler[roll0]
Tracing your way up through the torn and scattered underbrush you almost trip over Gort's prone form.
Check to see if he is dead or alive. If he is alive, try to see how hard it would be to finish him right now.
He's still breathing, but it looks like he succumbed to his wounds (burns, falling, your arrow, and the wounds from his fight with the soldiers). He stirs, but does not come to, at your approach.
Using his short sword with both hands Jaster aims a mighty blow directly at the half orcs neck. This should bypass shield AC right)
[roll0]
[roll1]
sneak damage
[roll2]
Coup de Grace rules from d20SRDSpoilerAs a full-round action, you can use a melee weapon to deliver a coup de grace to a helpless opponent. You can also use a bow or crossbow, provided you are adjacent to the target.
You automatically hit and score a critical hit. If the defender survives the damage, he must make a Fortitude save (DC 10 + damage dealt) or die. A rogue also gets her extra sneak attack damage against a helpless opponent when delivering a coup de grace.
So add an extra [roll0] to that.
The half orc's head rolls away, with a few spurts of purplish blood jetting from his carotid artery as his blood pressure drops to zero.
Take the head and loot the body, taking care to grab his axe. Then, go back for my bow, keeping a lookout for his confederates. After that, get my horse (that I just named Night Whisper) wherever I left him and go back to Nebo and rest. See if there is a cleric somewhere that can heal me, or at least find some healing potions.
You find on the body: battleaxe, dagger, breastplate armor, a heavy steel shield with runes on the handle, and a potion of cure light wounds. The total weight is about sixty pounds, counting the smelly, licey head. You are able to stagger back to the village, where a crowd soon gathers after one of the little boys notices your return. The village cleric gladly heals your wounds, and you are generally hailed a a minor hero.
Search check on Gort [roll0] being especially careful to check for rings and amulets. When I get back to Gorts camp, if there is no one there, hide the head somewhere there where I could get to it later, but it isn't obvious, say a tree or some rocks.
Wait, so you haven't gone to the village yet? Anyway, you find no such items, but are able to discretely conceal the head.
I had the idea between posts. Lets say all the stuff at the village happened, minus bringing back the head. Keep the dagger and potion, sell the breastplate and shield to the smith, ask him if there is anything special about them. Then claim my reward from the one wealthy guy for the half orcs axe.
DM onlySpoiler[roll0] the smith will try to bluff and buy the shield for much less than its worth.[roll1]
The smith agrees to buy the armor and shield, and tells you they are ordinary masterwork items, offering you 300 gp. You can tell there is something he isn't telling you.
Somehow I don't think they are just masterworks. Their gold value is irrelevant to me. Tell me what they really are and you can have them for 3/4ths of what I would normally get for them, unless you want me to load the whole lot on Night Whisper and sell them to someone who will tell me what they really are and give me full price on them.
Not wishing to provoke you, the Smith admits that the shield at least probably has some magical enhancement, and offers an additional 500 gold.
If that is 800 gold, Jaster will take it. After accepting the gold "Any speculation on what type of smith made the shield, or is it a pretty standard enhancement? When you sell that shield, you can tell the buyer that the previous owner was one bad-A orc, who just happened to run into a badder half elf. You can even leave out the elf part.:smallsmile:
From the look of it, and the runes, I would guess it was made by a dwarf, but it's hard to say. Lots of humans mark their work in runes so it looks dwarven, they think it drives up the price.
Now go claim my reward for the axe. If that goes smoothly I will trance. Early in the morning I have one small delivery to make, which is to whoever is running Bushton these days. Do this by riding Night Whisper out and likely riding as far as eyesight of the road block and if there are men there, get off, stab an arrow with my message into the ground, yell Message for the captain. and then get out of there, unless there is a hitch up your sleeve.
Woah, hold yer horse. The man who offered the reward, when he sees the great bloody battleaxe brims with tears. He silently takes the ax, pays you the gold, and begins to destroy the weapon by beating it against the flagstones in the road.
Captain Kairn has provided a place for you to trance, and in the morning an orderly hands you a note. "The mayor is back in his right mind. During the night, just before he came to, he kept muttering what sounded like "Arrow or Argough." If you would escort him back to Bushton, captain Kairn would be obliged."
SpoilerVery well, this sounds much better and easier. I'll try to keep it one step at a time.
The guy who offered the reward must be eyeing a mayor position, or is crazy, but whatever, its his axe now.
Jaster will be happy to escort him back to Bushton, but he is still taking Night Whisper, in case he needs a quick exit. On the way back, ask him what he knows about Argough.
Mayor Lundgreen is unshaven, unkempt, and unfriendly. On the road back to Bushton he talks little, but does respond that Argough is a Red Valley diplomat in Laffierre.
Anything else, you either mentioned he or arrows last night, and I suspect I have had dealing with agents of this Argough.
Lundgreen blusters that he doesn't know what you're talking about.
Okay, okay. I also apologize for the inconveniences of the whole capturing you deal, but it was the best way I could think of to get your men to retreat without more of them dying. I think you and Bushton will need good men like them. Will you tell me what happened after I went off with the archers the other night?
I do not remember... As his voice trails off you can't help but believe him.
I will take your word for it. Lets hope that captain of yours doesn't attack me on sight once we get there. Continue with him in silence, unless he asks me something one the way.
Nothing more is spoken, and when you reach the outskirts of Bushton he simply says, "good luck elf," and rides into town, obviously not wishing further for your company.
Ask the people on the outskirts of town if they have seen any strange fires or smoke that normally isn't there, or if anything has happened besides the recent skirmish.
Gather information
[roll0]
They just shake their heads. One shakes his fist. Noone is too friendly.
Wait until nightfall, then go into town and see if I recognize anybody in the taverns from Oldshire, Woolshire, or wherever else I have been.
As you enter the tavern, all chatter ceases. The men, especially the soldiers, stand up and form a ring around you. One of them, a little braver than the others, speaks up. "I suggest you leave. Now."
Do a quick spot check [roll0] "Very Well."and then leave.