Kingmaker: Here Comes the Cavalry! (IC)

[Chained Birds]

Maple

"Odd, I wonder if one of those guys from the large group from yesterday did this? Either way, I hope you appreciate the attention Apples, but don't get full of yourself."

Maple saddles up, ready for the ride ahead.

[Morbis Meh]

Brin reluctantly gets atop of her assigned mount and almost starts laughing So the prowler prettied up the horses and gave them water? How odd would that be, I am sure if they revealed themselves Svetlana would hire them.. Grinning to herself she looks back to Svetlana and shouts "Check for the prowler in the stables, I think we have a rogue barder in our midst."

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As for where we are going... probably the most direct route to the kobolds I imagine since we are dealing with them first... I wish sorcerer's had diplomacy

[Lost Demiurge]

As the group starts to mobilize there's a loud BLAM! from the far corner of the post!

As the guards hustle over and you follow, a horrible smell crosses your noses. You see the middens, bubbling with chemicals. You see chemicals splattered all across the nearby palisade. And you see what's left of Julian.

He's gone. Whatever he was working on was a little too risky, even for someone of his undeniable skill.

[Morbis Meh]

Brin's horse rears up in fright, tossing off the poor dwarf in the process. Dazed and fearful Brin scrambles to her feets and stares in wide eyed horror at the sight before her, without thinking she rushes over to the remnents of the make shift lab. Brin immediately regets the decision as the stench of rotten midden and charred flesh assail her nostrils. The latter scent causes a whirlwind of memories to bombard Brin and so the screams of her parents are ringing through her ears. Her stomach immediately knots and she begins to vomit uncontrolably with tears streaming down her face. Between the ragged gasps for air screams erupt from her lips and she lays on the ground shaking. There she remains on the ground sobbing at her memories, the death of the weird scientist almost forgotten.

[SamBurke]

Fermor gasps and chokes, covering his mouth with a plate-mail gauntlet, in useless hope of keeping back coughing -and tears.

"Brave lad... insane, but good... What a sorrowful passing." He bows his head, and says many words of prayer, wondering with each and every one about what had happened.

[Steckie]

Roqoan

"Crap.....!" Roqoan shouts out, shocked by the explosion. He just stands there staring at Julians charred remains. This is the first time he's ever been without words, the first time that he didn't know what to say.
"I... I, Julian.....He always knew what he was doing.... He always knew, always safe..." Roqoan sits down for a moment, staring into the space that used to be Julians lab.
"Do we really need to start exploring today? Can't we take the day to bury him?"

[SamBurke]

Fermor turns, nodding. "Aye. I'm not explorin' an inch o' the land until we give the lad a proper burial. Could you please tell the girls and Alistair of this? I'll prepare the body..."

He turns, and begins to lay the alchemist in a more peaceful pose, healing any open wounds, closing his eyes, and laying the arms across each other in a deep rest.

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Blowing as much healing as I need to. I hope it works to make his body look nice, even if dead...

[Chained Birds]

Maple

Hearing the news that the explosion was Julian,

"Wait!... What?! Julian actually got himself killed by his own explosives... Stupid man!"

Maple begins to snivel,

"But, he had goals and some really funny plans... And he always sounded so wonderfully strange when he was getting all sciency..."

Maple wipes her eyes,

"Stupid crazy guy! I hope he enjoys his afterlife; may Sarenrae bless his passage!"

Maple runs off to her room, wishing that Julian would have simply disappeared like Felix or left with no hard feelings like Aesha. She now has a casualty under her watch and is finding it hard to go on for the day.

[Tsumeken]

Fae'l had originally snuck away from the caravan in hopes of finding out about this outpost of sorts and what was this strange nagging feeling she had dragging her here. The explosion from earlier had caused her to hide, out of reflex more then anything. She knew that there was no way it could be mistaken for the fowl up. Better safe then sorry she thought though, crawling from a alleyway she made her way towards ground zero.

She arrives to the scene of the crater looking at the damage and covering her nose. She had heard of such alchemical mishaps, even been almost the cause of some, but the reality was much more then what she was told. The burning smell of both chemicals and flesh were combined in their own new horrid stench as she surveyed the others gathered around. Spotting a small Dwarven woman near the site, dressed in a similar outfit to herself though not as worn. "Umm.. excuse me, did you know the Chemist? I am truly sorry for your loss."

[Morbis Meh]

Brin snaps out of her funk and looks up startled at the sound of the other's voice and falls over on her backside. Looking up with her reddened eyes she notices the distinct elven features of the woman but also notes that they're not pure. Calming down, Brin wipes away her tears and whatever is around her mouth "Yes I did know him... a strange one he was, even for a human. No matter, I suppose the others are going to bury him but I don't really care I hardly knew him and he kind of gave me the willies. They better not bury him in my garden or else they will be joining him..."

[Sithis]

Alistar

Alistar wasn't really that surprised when the explosion rang out. He'd been half-expecting one for some time now. As he followed the others, he was expecting to find a slightly-crisp and probably fairly embarrassed Julian. Not...that. Never that.

He didn't look for long. He couldn't, the chemical smells were just to strong for him to stand being there too long So he walked away, coughing and trying to get the smell out of his nose. As he did, he saw Brin sitting on the ground, speaking with some strange woman. "You *cough* alright Brin? And who might you be miss?

[Tsumeken]

Fae'l smiles a small comforting smirk at the dwarf before the large man approaches. She backs up intimidated by his looks at first and the instinct in her to flee but holds her ground.

"M.My name is Fae'l. I'm with the caravan and I saw this place and... well I didn't expect this that's for sure. I'm sorry for your loss in all this." she bows slightly to the large figure before her as a strap on her backpack slips and falls, now hanging by one strap on her back. She seems unsurprised by this and merely sighs.

[Morbis Meh]

Brin looks to Alistar and tries to manage a small smile "I will be fine as long as you don't bury Julian in my garden... then nothing would grow in it!" She turns to the elven lady "Pleased to meet you Fae'l, don't mind Alistar his is mostly harmless."

[Sithis]

Alistar

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Just a note, Alistar doesn't walk around as a wolfman. So he's just a very large, dark haired human at this point.

Also, I notice that we only have half of our original group at this point.

"Heh, that's me. Mostly harmless. Nice to meet you miss. And I was expecting Julian to blow himself up eventually. Just not so completely. He shakes his head. "Damn shame too. He was crazy, but he was good at what he did. Whatever that was, exactly.

[Tsumeken]

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Ah I shall rectify this to just be a big guy then, thought you'ld be in half lycan state, mainly just features but not full feral.

Fae'l feels a bit better at the dwarve's and the large man's calm demeanor. "Maybe I could assist you all, I don't really know how yet but I think I can... I'm kind of a journey you see but I don't know where to yet." gods now she sounded crazy too, she smiled hoping to pass that awkward moment when they laughed at her for being foolish enough to not know where she herself was going.

[Steckie]

Roqoan

"Are you sure you want to join us, we've got some nasty enemies around here. Going to the swamp with lady Revekah may be safer.
We're now struggling with the lieutenants of the Stag Lord, supposedly a huge bandit king that's living somewhere in the south. We've already taken out Kressel and Falgram Sneeg, two of his lieutenants. We just wanted to go out and find the Kobolds that live east of here in the hope that they could help us find and take out the last lieutenant of the Stag Lord who's living in a trap filled cave under a tree.
One of our group has already left us or has disappeared without a word and the other has blown himself to bits.

So, are you sure you're interested in coming with us?"

[SamBurke]

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Because we needed sad music.

Play it whilst thinking of the beautiful memories of Stack, and the great, beloved, clinically psychotic alchemist that was his brainchild.

Fermor motions the others away. "I can take care of this..." He coughs, and carefully picks up the body in both arms, cradling it, despite the size differences, as he carries it to its final resting place. Then, with exceeding care, he begins to dig, down, down, and down through the earth, six feet long, six feet down.

Six feet long, six feet down.

[Lost Demiurge]

And so, Julian is laid to rest. The entirety of the trading post turns out, followed shortly by Lady Lebeda's entourage. The lady mourns with you, and promises to commission a proper tombstone through Oleg. She leaves the words on the stone up to you, his friends.

After a solemn ceremony lead by the more religious present, there is a moment of silence, and those who knew him are invited to speak.

[Morbis Meh]

Brin mournes but doesn't move even an inch when invited to speak, in fact she is terrified and with fight anyone that tries to force her to speak in front of so many people. She looks around paranoid and wild eyed to make sure no one is approaching her...

[Tsumeken]

During the Ceremony Fae'l stays quiet, letting off a silent prayer to the fallen though they had never met. She remembered the other man [Roqoan] who had spoken to her just before it had started and sought him out from the crowd. Making her way over to him through the other mourners she tugged on his sleeve to get his attention. She whispered so as not to disturb anyone speaking, "I've thought aboutit, and I'll go with you. I'm not worried about the traps, I have a way with... well things like that."

[Chained Birds]

Maple

The young Halfling comes up to the stand,

"Scientist Julian was a very nice man. He would constantly say a lot of smart things that went over my head, and not because I'm short. But in all seriousness, the loss of a man such as him will be hard to deal with. Hopefully he is having a good time, werewolfing it up in the afterlife. May Sarenrae bless his arrival and share with him her warm glow..."

Maple then rushes off and takes a seat.

[Steckie]

Roqoan

Roqoan nods at Fae'l to show her she understands and moves forward to say a few words about Julian.
"Julian was a brilliant man. Everything he did was to try and further his knowledge, the knowledge of all of us. He was fascinated by every little thing and always tried to study it. He always saw the practical side of things.
The happiest we, as a group have ever seen him was when he succeeded in brewing some sort of potion that changed him into a horrible abomination. It may seem silly to all of us, but for him that was a really joyous moment.
He also had a way of charging headfirst into battle and get himself injured while trying to defeat our enemies. I remember that at the assault on Kressels's camp he attacked a man, sliced him open and only then noticed that there was a spear sticking out of his gut.
He will truly be missed.

And as a last thing, perhaps something that could be put on his tombstone:
Julian died the way he lived and he died the way he would have wanted to, in a bit fiery explosion."

[Tsumeken]

Fae'l decided to wait until the service was over to do anything else. Although she had said it would be alright with the Kobolds and all she wondered if it truly would be. She shook her head to dispel these thoughts, this was a chance for a new start afterall. And maybe she might find out more about her curse this way.

[Lost Demiurge]

And so, after the eulogies are spoken, Julian is buried.

With heavy hearts, the group sets out into the wilderness... They have lost a friend, but gained a new ally.

The grasslands to the east of Oleg's are flat and untended. Patches of wheat or barley near old foundations show where farmers once attempted to build their lives... Whatever their fate was, no clues remain to it.

As you spread out through the area and chart the land, you start to find occasional signs that someone is hunting here. Crude snares, dug holes that look like the start of deadfalls, and child-size blinds. Even for Maple, the blinds are a bit of a pinch to crawl into.

SURVIVAL DC 18

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These traps and blinds aren't human handiwork, or halfling, or anything similar. Some of the traps seem needlessly cruel, too... Snares with hooks lining the cords, piles of spikes nearby the dug holes, and other small signs that whoever set these is aiming to cause pain as well as capture.

As the day starts to wind down, two features capture your notice. Both are within a few miles of each other.

One is what appears to be a small hut. Smoke winds from the chimney, and there appears to be a fenced field nearby.

The other is a three-foot-wide hole into the ground, looking for all the world like a groundhog's burrow. There are furrows in the earth around it, indicating that this hole is an entrance to tunnels that go on a ways.

PERCEPTION DC 17

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As you study it, a tiny man wearing tattered robes darts back inside the hole.

[Morbis Meh]

Brin rides silently, occasionally glancing around at her surroundings, the remnents of failed farms jutting out like the bones of a long dead beast.

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Will edit just need to do some rolling!
survival (1d20+5)[21]
perception (1d20+11)[14]

The design of the traps made her frown, she did not know much about hunting via traps but she could tell that they were malicious in their purpose. Not made for just trapping food but deriving some sick sadistic pleasure from it. Brin unshoulders her bow and notches an arrow, the hairs on her back standing on end, she looks at the hole quickly then quickly ignores it.

[Steckie]

Roqoan

Not noticing anything odd about the traps or the hole in the ground, Roqoan focusses on the hut. The smoke and fenced field indicates that there may be somebody living there.
"Want to check out that hut over there? Seems like there's somebody living there."

[Chained Birds]

Maple

"Hut seems fine, perhaps anyone inside can explain the big hole over yonder."

[Lost Demiurge]

Making your way to the hut, you find it to be a weathered old shack, made of salvaged wood with a thatched roof. The dried straw glistens oddly in the light...

There's a fence around a rather poor excuse for a garden, and a well next to a small shed. Behind the house is a rickety outhouse, with a moon cut in the door.

The smoke pouring from the chimney has a chemical scent, reminiscent of Julian's workshop...

[Steckie]

Roqoan

"Hey there, inside the hut! Friendly folk out here. We've got a charter and everything proving we're good people. Can we come inside?" Sniffing the air Roqoan smells the smoke and the chemicals inside.
So soon after Julians death the smell brings out some painfull memories. He could almost see Julian smile and be excited about going inside and finding out what those chemicals are all about.
Roqoan sighs. He misses that damn speardiving fool of a genius.

[SamBurke]

Fermor looks intently at the devices, studying each in turn, carefully, methodically, careful not to injure himself in the process. "We'r bein' watched." He points towards the hole. "The only question is, 'hoo put these traps up? 'Cause whoever they are, they're devious buggers, murderous little ones."

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Taking 20 on Perception and Survival here.