The warlords subterfuge

[Jair Barik]

Sam Blacktooth Altaria87
Jethro the Iron-Minded The Essentials
Lucien Kzickas
Aurora Mutsu Darkaurora00

A terrible bandit warlord has increased his power and mystery over time. Striking only by night, retreating to a hidden sanctuary, and leaving behind few survivors and no corpses of his own forces, the warlords mystery deepens, striking fear into the surrounding lands as his raids grow more bold.

You have been hired due to your renown, by the town squire to investigate and put an end to the warlord. Following a recent lead of a sighting of massed forces moving in the north you set out on the cold highroad up to the northern foothills. The sighting was seen near a roadside shrine to Pelor and it is to here that you are travelling.

As you walk along the road the cold is quickly comingin, a chill breeze that bites your bones. The clouds are coming in, indicating it may be a stormy night, perhaps even snow. Then you see something in the distance. initially mistaking it for more clouds there is smoke in the distance, much smoke. Something is burning. Further down the road is a wagon approaching you. It is hard to see at this distance but it appears to be being drawn by horses, with two men at the front.

[Altaria87]

Sam Blacktooth

A man in a full suit of armour lifts his head to see what is going on, his eyes shining from under his visor. He had been walking away from the res of the group, he prefered going solo, only the sound of his own thoughts to listen to. But this Warlord was sure to bring a hefty bounty, just what he needed to get that Battleaxe he's saw in the shop that rippled with firey energy, it made him almost drool just thinking about the Trolls and Gnolls he could burn to the ground with it.
As the wagon approaches, he holds his battleaxe and hammer with a vice-like grip, draws himself up to his full height, lets the bit covering his mouth on his helmet drop, and opens his mouth filled with pointed black teeth, as he proclaims in a booming voice.
"Who goes there?", then he starts rubbing his Axe and Hammer together, making a terrible grinding noise. "What business d'you have on this road?"
Intimidate check (1d20+12)[13]
---
OOC:
Yep, he has a Lancashire accent (will beocme more apparent when he has to say "the")
Edit: And an epic fail on the Intimidate check

[Jair Barik]

OOC: Will wait for the others to post before replying. Not ignoring your post

[The Essentials]

Jethro

His past is unknown, but he has made others remember him through his wacky, innovative, and some would say, inappropriate use of magic. Though his methods may be questionable, the results are not, and thus, he has earned a spot in magical history.

"Seriously, who's that guy over there? He's just been giggling to himself for the past 10 minutes. He's kinda wierding me out." "Ah, don't mind him, he's just the town mage. Ain't no problem. Usually. But eventually someone'll turn up dead, and it'll just reek of his magic." The bargoer looks down at his glass. "And that doesn't phase you?" the bartender sets down the glass he's been cleaning. "Tell you the truth it keeps me sleeping with one eye open, and a tied tongue whenever he's around. He does the most ungodly things with magic. I swear that gnome is possessed by the spirit of some madman." He resumes cleaning the glass, shooting a quick glance at the giggling gnome. more people seem to have gathered around him, babling about god knows what. "Believe it or not, when he's in a good state, he'll make ye laugh until it hurts. No doubt he's smart. But it's when he gets serious. that's when you'll wanna turn tail and wish ye'd never crossed his path." The other man swivels in his barstool, looking at the gnome again. He's stopped giggling, but is now on the edge of his seat with anticipation. A patron screamed. they both looked about and saw a girl. She had grown claws, and her skin seemed burned. the man who'd been chatting with her turned and fled. The gnome burst into laughter, dismissing the image and laughing along with the men who'd congregated around him. "Ye see what I mean?" the bartender said with a sigh.

[Kzickas]

Lucien

Lucien walks up to the barbarian, staying just far enough back to make it clear that he's allowing the barbarian to handle the situation, but close enough to intercede if necessary and of course to aid him if the encounter turns violent. His task was to deal with the warlord that was causing his lord so much trouble. And the band of mis-fits he was currently travelling with seemed the best tool to that end

[Jair Barik]

"Hail, we mean no harm we are simply travelling merchants who's luck seems to have run out"

The cart gets nearer and you can tell this is indeed the case. A pair of horses and a pair of men lead a badly damaged cart of goods. One of the men has his arm in a sling. There is no evidence of anyone else being in their group and no more carts are following them.

[Altaria87]

"Have yer by any chance been attacked by t'warlord that pretty much owns these parts?"

[Jair Barik]

"Perhaps, perhaps not. It was hard to tell eh Lorin?"

The man with the wounded arm now speaks up. "Indeed. Something slashed my arm. That was the first we knew of it. Then there was a commotion everywhere. Creatures jumping out of the shadows attacking the convoy. We had perhaps a dozen carts with us before. We were at the lead and bolted for safety along with another cart, managed to escape, more than can be said for the others..."

OOC: Lets wait for the others before roleplaying further Altaria.

[The Essentials]

OOC: Uhm, I'm addicted to Fallout3 atm, so I may not be posting as often as may be necessary

[Jair Barik]

OOC:Oh, as long as you still post it should be fine. Are you responding to the two men with the cart?

[The Essentials]

I believe I'm still in the local tavern, if there is one, frolicking with the locals

[Jair Barik]

Actually the opening post said your party was already on the road. Sorry if that wasn't clear. From personal experience I've found that starting a PbP in a tavern can really slow things down.

[The Essentials]

Ok, yeah. shadows. Could you at least say what size they were? Big, small, ungodly hairy? It's not hard....

[Jair Barik]

"About... about human size I'd say, some bigger, ogre like... We just ran okay! Don't blame us you'd do the same in our situation..."

[The Essentials]

Well, thanks anyway I guess. (speaking to healer) Could you take a look at the wounds and try to see what caused them?

[Altaria87]

"Can you tell us anything else at all about what we can expect further down the road?"

[Jair Barik]

"I should be fine thank you,, my brother, Simon here is quite apt at mending such wounds. I suppose up the road you may find the other ca..."

Simon buts in quickly "Lorin! I am sorry but I would not travel this path if I were you. It seems unlikely you will find anything here but death"

[Altaria87]

"We have been hired to investigate the Wayshrine higher up this road, and that we shall do."

[Jair Barik]

"To Pelor? we passed it some time back, before the ambush. It was up in the cliffside, looked a bit secluded but there was definitely somebody there, a lone cleric who came out to great us, mother..."

"...Shemmel..."


"Mother Shemmel, yeah that was it"

[Kzickas]

We should see what this Mother Shemmel knows. I fear we have little to go on as of yet and it would be better if we knew something of our enemy before we blunder into him

[Jair Barik]

"Your funeral I suppose. If you have no more questions I think we would both like to be getting on our way now"

[The Essentials]

Well alright then, let's go! The faster we get moving, the less time I'll have to spend griping about the journey.

[Altaria87]

"I'll take t'lead then." Sam then walks far to the front of the party, and begins walking.

[Jair Barik]

The caravan trundles on in the opposite direction and you move on. About half an hour down the round you notice a pair of muddy wheel tracks in the road. They lead of the main road and into the plains to the foothills to the right. Some 60ft away is a wagon similar to that you encountered earlier sitting motionless.

[Kzickas]

This is probably the handiwork of our warlord-friend. We should be carefull. Sometimes people leave surprises behind to discourage persuit

[Jair Barik]

The light of the moon shines strongly upon the cart and you notice that there appears to be a body hanging over the edge of it.

[Altaria87]

Sam motions to a more intelligent party member to examine the body.

[Jair Barik]

Sorry Alt but I think this games dead. if you want though I'll keep you in mind for if I start another game and Balths game is still going I think

[Altaria87]

Yeah, I think we just need the newbie then we're set.

[Jair Barik]

wait we levelled up?