Strange Fortune

[jm_jazzman]

"Hail!" One of the dwarves replies as they turn around to face the company, "We are with the King's Engineers."

As the one dwarf speaks, the other blows a whistle hanging around his neck. He then retreives a small roll of parchment and some sort of marker from a pocket and begins scribbling notes while eyeing the party.

The first drawf continues: "There's an old bridge on the highway ahead that will need replacing soon, and we have been assigned the sorry job of recording the traffic that passes over it so that it can be best decided what kind of bridge we will build after the winter. Are you heading to Dartholm, or over to Ayolo?"

[Shakedown]

Jacinth smiles at them. "Oh dear, that does sound sorry. Have you seen anything interesting at least?"

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Bardic knowledge +4/knowledge -history +6 for Dartholm if nobody knows what it is.

If the dwarves are chatty she chats with them a bit, diplomacy +8, if not she just goes right to the next bit

"Do you have a map we could take a quick look at?"

[DrunkyTheClown]

The armadogs each take a nose-check of the immediate area surrounding the tunnel's entrance, and Whiskey takes his investigation closer to the dwarves, taking note of their scents when he scans around their feet.

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Also, Sense Motive +3

[lando_zeus]

"We're heading through Ayolo, yes, but what and where is Dartholm?"

[jm_jazzman]

Jacinth has never heard of Dartholm before.

"Hm? Not so much. A few travellers have come through, nothing extraordinary to be seen around these parts though. Although the mountains around here do have their own distinct charm. I don't have a map on me, but there's not a lot of choices. The bridge is on the highway to Ayolo if you head left out of this tunnel, but the road to the right heads over to Dartholm. It's pretty straight forward."

The dogs smell nothing unusual about the tunnel or the dwarves, other than the lingering scent of a hawk. As for their motives, the only thing that can be detected is a great lack of enthusiasm for their job. The sky outside is full of clouds, but there are spotty patches of blue to be seen.

"Dartholm is a town North-West of here, they mine some gorgeous gems there. Gnomish folk there as well as our own kind," he answers Thårin. "You're not from around these parts, are you?"

[Aeti]

Thårin is too honest; he didn't even try misdirection. Well, the Seeker would not have thought we'd head to a mining town anyway.
"Just a guard we picked up in Bruvos." Valette interrupts before changing the subject. "Tell me, have you heard much news of events? If we head to take ship from Dovenback, will we have problems following the main road through Wettonbend?"

[jm_jazzman]

"Bruvos? I wouldn't have guessed from his speech... But no, what events do you speak of? Has something happened in Bruvostone? That would be much more direct than looping around to Dovenback, unless you have other business that takes you there first."

A hawk suddenly swoops into the tunnel entrance and comes to rest on the outstretched arm of the other dwarf, who has remained silent this whole time. He feeds the bird a scrap of food and begins affixing the scrap of paper he had been writing upon on the hawk's leg.

[Aeti]

"I have heard of nothing to upset Bruvostone; I simply have family in Wettonbend I would like to visit before my journey."

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"That would be much more direct than looping around to Dovenback"

I'm not sure if the dwarf misunderstood me; I'm saying I meant go through Wettonbend towards Dovenback, not take a ship from Dovenback to head towards Wettonbend.

"We have a long way ahead of us. I fear we must depart, unless there's anything else you need..?"

[jm_jazzman]

"Oh, I see! Well as I said, I've not heard of trouble in those parts."

The other dwarf releases his hawk into the air again, and it takes off into the clouds with a cry.

"Safe journeys to you, travellers!"

[Aeti]

Valette smiles at the rest of the group, obviously pleased with herself.

[Shakedown]

After getting over the shock of seeing Valette smiling about something not involving death or vivisection, Jacinth thanks the dwarves and heads towards the crossing. "Shall we?"

[DrunkyTheClown]

After curiously watch the hawk take off again, Whiskey (along with his companion), follows Jacinth with a wagging tail and a sniffing nose.

We shall.

[jm_jazzman]

The party follows the road as it winds its way up a steep valley wall. After less than an hour, the company reaches the top of the steep ridge and gazes down at the incredible sight on the other side. Another valley, holding the snaking shape of a glistening blue-green lake that stretches beyond the limits of sight to the right and left. A great hanging bridge dips down from the end of the road in front of them in single massive inverted arc and back up again to meet the rocky slopes on the far side of the lake. The bridge is broad, but looks delicate compared to the size of the great expanse it covers.

[!rorak]

"Wow," says Duncan at last. Hell o'a view. Almost worth nearly getting shanked by that backstabbing necromancer for.

[Shakedown]

Jacinth stares at the drop in horror. "Well if I fall to my death at least Valette won't be able to find my corpse and make me do undignified things. Although it couldn't be more undignified than crawling like a child across the bridge. And probably vomiting a lot."

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Do we have to make checks to cross the bridge or is it just the equivalent of a narrow road, like in video games where there's just an invisible wall that keeps you from falling off (unless we actually try to jump off or something.)

[Aeti]

"You've killed orcs, goblins and eyeless monsters. Don't tell me you're afraid of a little height."

[Shakedown]

Jacinth manages to tear her gaze away from the drop. "Of course I'm afraid of heights, as anyone sensible should be. There's no talking your way out of a fall." She rubs her face anxiously. "I can do towers and whatnot, things with solid footing. I didn't realize this would be a suspension bridge." She looks at Valette and Duncan. "If I can't see the drop it'll be better. I'll walk behind one of you humans. Hopefully you'll be tall enough to block out the view."

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Apparently half-elves are super short! I had to retcon her shorter with my level-up because I didn't realize this and accidentally made her GIANT

[Aeti]

Valette shrugs and starts across the bridge. I guess she won't be coming with me when I learn to fly.

[!rorak]

"Lookin' up ain't the problem," said Duncan cheerfully. "Problem's lookin' down." He set out across the bridge, humming to himself happily. "Y'know, this's actually taking me back. All them rooftop burglary jobs back home, always there was that long look down..."

[Shakedown]

Jacinth smiles gratefully at Duncan and follows closely behind him, staring intently at his back and listening to his chatter, prompting him with questions or anecdotes of her own.

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If he doesn't want to talk about himself they just play car-ride games, like naming animals that correspond to the alphabet and whatnot.

[!rorak]

Duncan fires back answers contentedly at Jacinth as long as they stay near the work he had before the dungeon job, and he listens to any stories she has to offer. His first memory is begging on the streets, then stealing food when he was old enough, then stealing professionally for a guild or one of the myriad gangs of thugs in his home city. He was quite good at it apparently, and enjoyed the challenge of the job more than the cash. About a year ago, he started working as a guard on merchant caravans. It was good work; he learned how to use a crossbow (up till then he'd only been good with knives) and once or twice he'd found some clients rich enough that he thought they could spare some cash or jewelry when he left. If/when the subject turns to the dungeon he strays away from the conversation, falls silent awkwardly, and glances guiltily at his rapier or one of his pockets.

[jm_jazzman]

The bridge makes for an incredibly long walk. At times, its movement with the wind becomes very apparent, creating the illusion of the mountains ahead slowly sliding one way or the other. The occasional low cloud moves over the party and envelopes everybody in a chilling mist for a few minutes before drifting further down the lake.

Rising again to meet the far side of the valley, the suspension bridge at last brings the travellers to solid ground. The trail continues, and very quickly leads to a small wooden hut. There is a sign in front, written in both common and dwarven: "Yuk's Post - The Fenrad Bridge - 1 Day From Ayolo"

[Shakedown]

Jacinth sits down by the sign and draws her knees up to her chest, beckoning the dogs over for comfort with shaking hands. "Thanks for talking to me," she says to Duncan's legs. "I probably wasn't very good conversation, but it did help me maintain control over my bodily functions!" She cranes her neck to look at the sign. " 'Yuk's post?' What an odd name."

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Knowledge history +6 and bardic knowledge + 4 for the names on the sign

[jm_jazzman]

The names do not ring a bell for Jacinth.

From where the group is standing, they can see that road continues past the worn-looking structure and along the ridge of the valley walls before eventually descending down the far side a couple miles ahead.

[DrunkyTheClown]

Whiskey pads over to Jacinth and sits on his haunches, his attention halfway between her and the sign. The big snow dog takes a seat at her other side and a little less subtly sticks his snout right in her face and applies a couple of friendly laps of his tongue.

[jm_jazzman]

Valette's eye suddenly catches movement far away down the trail, just where it bends out of sight. There is a hooded figure climbing out of the neighboring valley.

[Aeti]

"Someone's coming. Probably Yuk." says Valette, shading her eyes with one hand as she peers down the trail at the hooded oncomer.

[Shakedown]

"oh, good! I'd like to meet him or her and ask about this area a bit. " Jacinth gives Arf a scratch, says thank you to whiskey, and gets up to join Valette.

[jm_jazzman]

The figure walks unhurriedly, occasionally adjusting a bag that they are carrying over their shoulder. Several minutes pass, until they are close enough to address the party. The walking figure lifts her brown fur hood, revealing the face of a grey-haired human woman.

"Hello there," she says. "Would you by any chance be able to spare any food or provisions for a fellow traveller?"

[DrunkyTheClown]

Arf raises his head after the relaxing gesture of affection from one of the bipedal members of his pack, responding to the stranger first by barking. The healthy and full "Boowoowoowoowoof!" ceases when Whiskey meets the woman halfway, though he remains on alert with those great ears stood on end. Whiskey wags his tail reassuringly, though does not attempt to hide his caution when he gives the woman a thorough sniff over her legs, feet and waist.

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Sense Motive +3