Starfall [IC]

[DJDeMiko]

Ezekiul

Ezekiul will force his way through the grasping roots, kick the bow out of the way and then convert Bless into a cure light.

(1d8+1)[2]

He shakes his head at the man "I told you that we didn't want violence. We have had a very rough few days between attacks by dark creatures and other occurrences. My companions here were merely reacting . . . a bit fast" he says eyeing jamie and loath quickly "to what they saw as a threat."

diplomacy roll (1d20+4)[17] before dm mods.

"We have no interest in harming you and would be willing to politely discuss any legal issues that you seem to be worrying about," he finishes.

[slurpz]

Loath

Loath continues in a flat voice, "Is the fat midget ready to talk with his mouth?"

He raises his left hand again, and the area of moving vegetation slowly shrinks to a relatively small circle, about a foot in radius, around Mardak. The plants around Mardak soon stop grappling the dwarf as Ezekiul nears Mardak.

[Gorgondantess]

As the dwarf fires, Jaime throws the dagger- due to his misblance from the spell and his lack of focus, it goes hurling past his ear. As he does this, he leaps away from the grasping plants, then turns around and glares at Loath, tossing his other dagger so that it sinks into the ground by his feet. "I consider this to be an act of aggression. You are warned." He goes to pick up the thrown daggers.
(1d20+1)[11]
(1d4+2)[3]

[UserClone]

"You should thank Aranu most high that he saw fit to interpose his warrior between you and certain death, dwarf," says Zephram sharply.
"And you," he says pointedly to Loath, "I hope you aim your blows better than you aim your spells, or we won't need enemies to slay us."

"Now what exactly is our tresspass of the law, Powerstone? You cannot arrest us without placing your charges against us. Need we seek someone's permission?" he asks as he puts away his morningstar, and starts toward his lance.

[lostsole31]

Misses all around ... I love me misses.

Ezekiul and Loath's actions occur as above, no cure light wounds needed. Jaime retrieves his dagger, and if allowed Mardak retrieves his arrow.

"Right bloody kokkup this alll is ... good thing you missed, elf. That would have been a more serious crime. Given the general demeanor of your friends, I will let you go with a warning."

Mardak Powerstone produces a legal writ and hands it to Zephram ... nobody else, but Zephram. As he does so, he looks at Ezekiul and says, "Yore a boy what looks like 'e's got some sense. Whatcha' doin' with 'at trinket when yer people trew off 'em tyrant land'olders" he points to the elf as he says this "and lernt ta' pray to a god what's proper for the sun, like this 'ere mate?" at that he gestures to Zephram as he hands over the writ.
...............................................
The writ is signed by one Captain Dunham of Saragost, by direction of the Council of Saragost, specifically under request of Councillor Lady Arigane, capital of the country of Chillhame. The long and short of it is that reports have filtered down of bandit or monstrous activity in the north of Chillhame and Sergeant Powerstone of Third Recon Corps was sent to investigate on that and on any reports of any thing else strange, supernatural, or out of the ordinary. Because of the vicinity of a national historic treasure (The Tomb of Starkweather John) this writ entitles Sergeant Powerstone all rights of a deputy marshal and represents all members of his chain of command as appropriate to the level of a 'deputy marshal' under provision of Chillhame law, including reasonable arrest, detainment, and deferment to local authorities, as appropriate, blah-blah-blah. The writ is signed and affixed with the seal of the Third Recon Corps, Chillhame Home Guard, Saragost.

The seal seems like a legitimate writ to Zephram, but if he shows it to Annie (who, considering his skills would probably also peruse it as he is the resident N&R expert), Annie will be flooded with some 'memory.' It will be up to him to share the following:

Spoiler

Show

First, he 'recognizes' the writ as proper, and the chain-of-command invoked as being proper.

Second, Saragost is the capital of the country of Chillhame, and run by an oligarchy of Councillors. He has a vague recollection that one Lady Arigane is one of them.

Third, Chillhame is an island nation that once was an extension of the Kingdom of Caldraza on the mainland. Chillhame, always believing in their freedom (as a nation) managed to finally end Caldrazan rule some time ago, though it is widely rumored that after many decades Caldraza still thinks of Chillhame as a prodigal colony yet to return to the fold.

Fourth, your History knowledge combined with your N&R gives you knowledge that Third Recon is a combination scout/constabulary of various marshals who usually move throughout the small island nation to investigate non-domestic threats (i.e., threats that are possibly non-citizens of Chillhame).

[UserClone]

"Do you mind if I confer with my confederates regarding the legitimacy of this document, sir? No offense intended, of course, but there are those bandits who proffer fake documents as the genuine article, in an effort to fool legitimate authority. Surely you can understand."

[lostsole31]

"Go ahead," Mardak says.

[UserClone]

Zephram turns to his compatriots and declares, "Whomsoever should doubt this man's authority need look only at this document. If you are not satisfied with its legitimacy, you may take it up with me."

He hands it to the first person who wants to look at it.

[Douglas]

Kael

Kael skims the document quickly.

"Fair enough," Kael responds, "though I'm curious what made you think threatening a group of six armed men was a good idea."

"I don't know of any bandits around, but ask anyone in town and you'll be told there are monsters, humanoid mostly, in the eastern hills that have attacked other villages in the area. There's also a gang of four thugs, led by one Jim Oakenbough, who have the whole town intimidated. For all I know they could be doing some banditry on the side, but I wouldn't try arresting them without some backup. Preferably more than the six of us."

"As for supernatural or out of the ordinary..." Kael decides this strange small man can probably be trusted, between the writ and his present state as a virtual prisoner. Besides, no bandit with half a brain would have been stupid enough to try what he did. "Yesterday morning we found ourselves on the tump in a circle of stone megaliths with no idea how we got there. A voice spoke out of nowhere urging us, among other things, to seek the sword of Starkweather John, saying we might begin to understand once we had found it. Shortly afterwards half a dozen goblins materialized out of nothing more than shadows and attacked us, then dissipated into nothing when we killed them. And now here we are, trying to track down that sword."

[DJDeMiko]

Ezekiul

Ezekiul nods.

"He speaks truly. As to my devotion to Brith, we cannot help which god speaks to us. For me it was Brith and I see no reason why race should make a difference in that."


"I am quite confused about why you accosted us," Ezekiul says and then lets out a loud laugh. "Did you take us to be orcs?"

[slurpz]

Loath

"Aggression?" Loath laughs bitterly at Jaime. He continues sarcastically, "Of course, I was the one who threw daggers."

Turning to Zephram, Loath simply says, "The spell was cast as intended."

[UserClone]

"I would think very carefully before limiting my ability to defend your hide, 'friend'. Remember who would carry you to the stones if it were you who were lost in battle instead."

[Gorgondantess]

Jaime walks up purposefully and snatches the writ out of whoever's hands. He ignores all insults. He looks over it for a few seconds, then rolls it up and hands it back. "So? Why should we care about all this? We milk the brute for information on the tomb, detain him, pickaxe our way through if we have to, then leave before anyone's the wiser. The villagers are plain enough that any description they might give of us would undoubtedly be highly inaccurate and exaggerated." He says all this in a voice loud enough that the dwarf could hear him if he strained.

[DJDeMiko]

Ezekiul


Ezekiul looks at Jaime and then moves in between him and the dwarf.


"Why?"

[Douglas]

Kael

Kael stares at Jaime like he's crazy, too stunned to come up with an immediate response.

[Gorgondantess]

"Why not? We want to get into the tomb, and this man is a potential source of information and in our way."

[UserClone]

"Aranu says otherwise, my ungrateful young fool, and I am inclined to agree with Aranu."

[Douglas]

Kael

Kael takes a deep breath, mentally noting that any argument having to do with "the right thing to do" would probably be ignored.

"He is also a legitimate lawman and, to explain it in terms you might understand, being on the wrong side of the law can lead to serious trouble. Unless you intend to kill him, which at this point would be cold blooded murder, he himself could easily identify us whatever you think of the villagers' description abilities, and even if you do there will likely be an investigation into the cause of his death. If he lives, our treatment of him will greatly influence his report and how his superiors treat us. If he dies, whoever investigates it will either be considerably more capable or have a squad and will be considerably less inclined to give us a chance to explain ourselves."

[Gorgondantess]

Jaime sighs, and looks at Kael in an almost condescending manner. "The point was to incapacitate him, then leave before anyone was the wiser. I was under the impression that he was simplistic and prejudiced enough that he would have similar descriptions as the villagers- that, coupled with the small time he's seen us and the head trauma that would undoubtedly result from knocking him out. However, if you think we have to kill him to keep our identities from being known, I suppose we could do that, distasteful as it could be. However, I'd really rather not, so if none of you would do so, then I suppose we could request him to not interfere. Of course, he might not, in which case I will be forced to do as I have planned."

[DJDeMiko]

Ezekiul

Ezekiul nods at Kael's desctiption

"You must also consider," he says gravely. "That we could simply ask him the questions. Let's get something straight here. I have no idea why we have been thrust together, but since you are apparently stupid enough to think threatening the law or suggesting torturing and murdering someone who has done us no wrong to a group of people who have already shown you that they are largely good, then I will explain something about me. I do not commit evil acts and if you ever try to do so or I find you doing so, I will do everything in my power to stop you and I don't think I am the only one. Not only that but to simply announce it like that where the poor man can hear you. Had you not considered that he may have allies near by or that perhaps by being civil we could gain more? Hell, did you even think about how the rest of us might act after you said that?"

Ezekiul's frown fades and he begins to smile. In a much friendlier voice says "but I will chalk that up to the bad days we have had recently."

[Douglas]

Kael

"I think your opinion of both him and the villagers is colored by far too much arrogance. Even if your opinion were completely accurate, which I doubt, a group like us doesn't exactly blend in easily."

"As for killing him, I was trying to suggest a reason not to, not imply it might be necessary. I would take exception rather strongly to that."

[Gorgondantess]

"The man had come upon us, threatened us, then fired upon us. He has made it very clear that he does not want us to interfere with the tomb, which is clearly what we have come here to do. He is an obstacle, hot headed, and a threat, and until he proves otherwise I will consider him hostile. Go ahead and ask him- I doubt he'll concede willingly unless we hold a knife to hsi throat, psychological or otherwise. And no, I do not intend to torture him- there are better methods of gaining information. It is inefficient.

[UserClone]

((OoC: I'm going to have to request a Sense Motive roll.))

Zephram moves to stand next to the Dwarf, who is the only legitimate authority he has met since awaking on the tump.

"I don't care what he agrees or does not agree to, it isn't your right to go attacking people, lethally or otherwise, who aren't trying to hurt you. As far as I'm concerned, the law is Aranu's will, and is therefore more important than what some disembodied voice tells me to do."

[DJDeMiko]

Ezekiul

"If I recall correctly, he a figure of authority came upon us and for whatever wrong reason felt we were breaking the law and drew a weapon on us. However he did not fire until someone cast a spell. I don't blame him for firing, I would have as well. 6 to 1 and someone begins casting a spell. How is he to know if it is a healing spell or one of destruction.

That being said I also have no intention of simply tuning myself over to him because he has a writ.

We also have no idea if we must get into the tomb. We must find the sword and there are far more places outside the tomb than inside. It is stupid to threaten a man just because of a misunderstanding and to decide to desecrate a burial site for no reason. For all we know the dwarf knows exactly where the sword is."

[slurpz]

Loath

"My goal was to end the conflict, and it has. I tried to remove everyone from combat. Annie wasn't hit by the plants because he has the ability to do things anyway, as his little shimmering aura shows." Loath turns to Mardak and continues, "How about telling us what's stopping us from doing exactly what the little blood-drinker just suggested we do to you?"

[DJDeMiko]

Ezekiul

Ezekiul turns to Loath and says "did you not hear anything I just said?"

[slurpz]

Loath

"I'd rather hear it from his mouth, rather than from yours, cleric.

I have never seen his face, and I dodged the arrow anyway. I am not interested in combat, purely for the sake of combat.

[Gorgondantess]

Did you not hear anything I said?" He lowers his voice to a whisper. "Forgive me for your lack of insight. By milking him for information, I meant we'll ask him some questions and say that we'll release him if he answers truthfully. Then we knock him out, find the sword by whatever means, and then leave. No harm done, except maybe to him- I'll consider that a recompense for shooting at us."

[UserClone]

((Listen - (1d20-1)[6] to hear the whisper.))

Zephram stands fast, saying to the lawman, "I assure you I had nary an idea the sort of riffraff I'd fallen in with."

He motions towards Jaime and Loath.

"I hope you take that into consideration should it come down to arrests."

[slurpz]

Loath

Loath's face darkens as he hears the insult. "Bloody brown-noser. Go shoot your dragon dung elsewhere."

He leaves and walks towards the part of the woods where the battle had occurred.

Spoiler

Show

Listen - (1d20+8)[22]