The Second Draconic War - II

[hustlertwo]

Save the hostility for the orcs, you two. Garth, suffice to say you'll have plenty of opportunity to continue revenging your earlier indignities from these beasties before the day is through. But rest assured that your sacrifices and suffering in the name of our cause will never go unrecognized. But I'm not about to have us go around treating our captives worse than the supposedly subhuman orcish breed. As soon as this last tactic either succeeds or fails, we'll let him eat, gag him, and toss him somewhere out of sight. Then we go off to hunt the next patrol. On the way back we shall come back, retrieve Luis's rope, and take this one with us back to the capital, or at least to the community on the border of the marsh. As well as any other prisoners we might accrue during the fighting, though I don't intend to go out of my way to save any of them, they made their choice. What the authorities do with them from there is their own business, not mine. Until then, we can treat them roughly, but I want them alive. No disintegrations.

[Scorer]

DM Scorer

Orc says:

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We've captured no one.

OOC

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Just noting that Luis was captured by goblins, not Orcs.

[hustlertwo]

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Actually, weren't there orcs present? Or bugbears, or something? I know we fought something medium-sized. In any case, the groups are clearly related and even a grunt should know about this. But we'll let it slide and get this thing moving.

This orc's got no more intelligence to give us. Heck, he had precious little to begin with. Let's get a move on.

In Orc:

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Hurry and eat. Remember, if you do not attempt to escape, we will not harm you. But if you do, and we find you, say goodbye to your orcish balls.

After the orc finishes eating, Drace gags him with clothing from one of the dead orcs, and leaves him near the battle site.

Figure that if they find this slaughtered patrol, they'll already know we're here. So also finding this bum here won't help them much.

And then the group presumably goes off in search of the next patrol.

[Scorer]

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You actually never did rolls of knowledge, for those mediums, but to set clearness, goblins, hobgoblins and bugbears. No orcs there. The only other orcs you've seen are those in Micen's House.

[hustlertwo]

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I figured the medium things might be bugbears, since they were so tough to bring down. So, is that all we need to move on to finding the next patrol, or do we need to specify something else about where we're going and whatnot?

[Scorer]

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You're good to go. Just ask Braem to take you there.

[hustlertwo]

I think we're all set. Braem, lead us on to the next patrol, we shall see if our luck holds.

[Scorer]

DM Scorer

Maybe Bream is thinking it very very thoroughly? (is this correct spelled?).

[Tanaric]

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Didn't see that you were waiting for me, sorry.

"As you wish, Drace Sterling. Though I am not convinced of the wisdom of this... we were fortunate this time around, and I will be of little use if events go poorly when next we fight."

And off they go.

[Scorer]

DM Scorer

If I understood correctly, you're looking for the other patrol. Time for checks. The usual, spot listen search track...

[Sallera]

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Spot: (1d20+2)[13]
Listen: (1d20+4)[20]
Search: (1d20+2)[12]

[Lubirio]

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I don't have Track, but Survival should be able to work with DC10, so here goes:

Spot - (1d20+9)[11] Typical...
Listen - (1d20+9)[11] Really...
Search - (1d20+4)[14]
Survival - (1d20+2)[19]

[02youeng]

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Spot - (1d20-1)[0]
Listen - (1d20-1)[17]
Search - (1d20+1)[19]
Survival - (1d20-1)[7]

[Strangie]

(Spot: (1d20+1)[10]
Listen: (1d20+1)[12]
Search: (1d20+7)[16]

Can't use Survival without Track anyway, so...)

[02youeng]

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You can track without the feat, but only up to a DC 10 check. Any higher, and you can't without the feat.

[Scorer]

DM Scorer

So, with those rolls you go around the marsh for almost a day and find nothing except some steps that appear to be orcish, and they're headed towards Valtlán. The tracks seem as if they were several days old. It is almost night by now.

[Lubirio]

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Don't Bream's dogs have Survival? He didn't roll for them yet...

[Scorer]

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Yup, I waited the 2 day rule, but neither he or Drace showed up.

[Lubirio]

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I see, interesting, I'm willing to wait for them some more for this time around, as both don't seem to be inactive, because being silent works very well with how Harry is, stoic and all...

[Tanaric]

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I thought I said previously that the dogs would take 10 on the checks. They get a +2 bonus if tracking by scent.

*shrug*

If I'm holding things up, feel free to shoot me a PM. I don't know when you're waiting on me sometimes.

[hustlertwo]

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Yeah, I didn't see any point on rolling anyhow, I don't have a mod for this stuff.

Well this has been a bust. I suppose we'll need to go back to our prisoner and set up camp for the night. Afterwards, we'll follow these tracks to wherever they lead; if the whole group is headed towards Valtlan, they'll be too large to make good time. We should catch up to them fairly easily.

[Scorer]

DM Scorer

The group of footsteps is of a not large group. Eight orcs at most. You then return to the place where your prisioner is. You gets surprised as you found him dead... appears to have been killed by a blade. You find no trace of his food (as he ate it all before you left him, and before he died.) The silk rope is gone. You find no footsteps to track the killer. You only find your own steps.

[Strangie]

Luis stares at the corpse of the dead orc they left behind.

God... DAMNIT they took my rope! Luis says, shaking his fists. Bastards! Who the hell skewered our captive, anyway.

[Sallera]

Kern

The gnome grins at Luis' outburst, then raises an eyebrow as he sees the lack of tracks. "Well, this could be interesting. Don't suppose you've got any other allies we don't know about, Braem?"

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Can I tell how he was killed, as in what kind of blade might have done it? Mostly wondering whether it looks like a wound from a slashing blade, or if it seems more like a thrown dagger, since Kern's probably quite familiar with the look of the latter by now.

[Scorer]

DM Scorer

The throat of the orc is cutted, appears to have been killed by a large knife, or sword. It was a cut made with the weapon wielded, nothing thrown, as thrown daggers would leave a deep, short scar, and this is a large, not deep injury.

[hustlertwo]

Hmmm. I wasn't thrilled about the burden of dealing with him, and he was our enemy. Still seems a bit tragic, somehow. And senseless. We should definitely be on our guard. Anyone have a notion on what to do now? For that matter, does anyone have any injuries to deal with? Assuming we're about to camp out, now would be a good time, Garth and myself have some leftover healing and it might as well not go to waste.

[Tanaric]

"None that would do something such as this," Braem says thoughtfully. "At least, I hope not. The harpies may have grown frustrated, but I don't see why they would follow us to this spot and slay a captive. Nor does the wound seem to be made with a weapon they favor. I have no idea what happened." He shrugs.

[Scorer]

DM Scorer

Indeed, harpies do not use blades.

[Sallera]

Kern

"Hm. Well, either our mysterious executioner could fly, or the trail was covered magically. Let's keep a careful watch tonight; I'm not sure what kind of person would bother with such measures for the assassination of a peon. Although, don't count on me being able to help you with it. I may need to pay a quick visit..." The gnome shrugs, and gestures toward the river. "Riverbank camp tonight?"

[hustlertwo]

Can you have that rat of yours bite one of us if he sense anything? That would give us an alert system even if you're off...wherever. Harry should also be good for half the night. Braem! Either of your dogs able to stand a watch? Also, have their postfight wounds been fully knitted? We have healing galore here, people, act now if you want it, as supplies are limited.