Old Ways IC II

[Koren n'Rhys]

Mycah

Mycah nods as he and Bran talk. "I wouldn't even try to lug the bodies back across that bridge, so unless you just want heads..." He trails off looking a bit sick at the thought of mutilating the bodies, no matter how inhuman they may be. "I can see what they are carrying, and count the arrows too."

He lowers his voice and adds, "I know you weren't expecting to have to pay those men so much, but I think you need to be careful about trying to limit it now. be don't need any ill will, you know what I mean? We can all chip in to pay for every arrow, like you offered. I know it was the heat of battle and all, but the fight could have gone either way."

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Mycah will leave his bow behind and use his staff for balance, if need be, to cross the bridge. He'll throw more dirt as he goes to clearly show the boards.

What would you like for rolls - not sure how much leeway you'd give Mycah vs Bran or Ash crossing.

[Frivolous]

Brandon Bor


Bran says firmly, "We definitely need the heads. There might even be a reward for these hobgoblins."

In a low voice, he adds, "Their magic was terrifying. I felt they might have run for it when they saw Algernon incinerated."

"I needed to give them an incentive to stay and fight against overwhelming magical odds. I couldn't demand it of them from oaths of fealty or anything, not against something so terrible, so I had to use gold."

"Y'all don't have to chip in; I'm the one who made the offer. I can afford it, and it's worth it to see Algernon's killers dead."

[Koren n'Rhys]

Mycah shakes his head in amazement, thinking back on the raw power of the fireball that consumed Algernon. "I know, Bran. Never seen anything like it. As bad as I feel for Algernon, and whatever family he has someplace, all I could think of was that thing hitting you, Ash and Alanna, up front like that. You did the right thing and we need to honor that. You may be the one who hired the mercenaries on our behalf, but we're all responsible for the cost, not just you."

"We'll need to get word back to his family, Bran. He mentioned sending letters didn't he? Hopefully Lord Bost's people will know where he had them sent."

[Frivolous]

Brandon Bor


Bran takes his helmet off and rakes his fingers through his hair in his agitation. His voice is soft but anguished.

"What are we going to do, tell them that their darling boy who spent years and years studying magic threw himself through the air at two hobgoblin magic-users and got burned to ash for his trouble?"

"We can't tell them that. It's too horrible. We can't even give them a body to bury."

"Though I'm starting to wonder about magic-users... Have you noticed many of them seem to be a little crazy? Alastor, Artanis, Algernon... All males with names that start with the letter A."

"Maybe we should try to get a female magic-user or elf whose name -doesn't- sound with A. If any will join us after this debacle."

[Koren n'Rhys]

Mycah

Almost cracking a smile at Bran's poor attempt at a joke, Mycah too turns somber. "We tell them that we didn't know him well, or for long, but he sacrificed himself to save us all. We just don't mention the crazy part. Maybe we should advertise for a cute elven sorceress. They're kind of exotic, don't you think?" This last bit he adds with a quick look to be sure neither of the girls are nearby to overhear.

[Matthew]

Nathros agrees with Bran with regard to removing the heads of the slain hobgoblins and sets to the bloody business, leaving the mercenaries to strip them of arms and armour.

[Roland St. Jude]

Wider and firmer than some tree branches he's perched in, Mycah crosses the bridge carefully and quickly. The dead hobgoblins can be quickly looted and decapitated or dragged back across the bridge to be beheaded there. The latter seems a bit riskier, but can be managed.

Mycah can report back to Bran that two crossbow bolts and two arrows, in addition to his own, struck solid final blows on the dead hobgoblin leaders. Any of the five shots could have been a killshot of his own, and two were as good as his own, likely hitting a vital organ.

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Loot:
small bluish gem
gold ring with a large onyx gemstone
delicate lady’s ring gold clear stone
thin platinum bracelet
pinkish potion in a battered bottle
Wand of paralyzation
Ornate long sword

Death blows:
That last round of missile weapons actually featured one normal hit and three natural 20s (in addition to Mycah's), and the hobgoblins had so few hit points left that any of the blows would have been sufficient. But it would take a modern day forensic scientist or considerable necromancy to try to sort out the actual final killing shot.

[MeanMrsMustard]

Alanna approaches Ash.
"So, uh, this might sound weird, but… do you know where Algie was staying? If he… erm… left anything behind? For… ya know…"
She gestures awkwardly, then puts her hand on the sacred trinket around her neck. She hopes it shouldn't be too hard to understand.

[Nevaera]

ASH

Ash has been quiet and mournful as the other have sorted out the loot and bodies. She has slung her bow around her once more, put her shield on her back, and sheathed her blade.
She stayed on one knee for a bit while her body became solid beneath her once more. When she rose, she carried a hand full of dirt with her and stood by the edge of the ravine where they had been fighting. After a moment's pause, she lifted the dirt, turned her palm downward, and released it slowly into the wind as she muttered a few words.

As Alanna asked her question, Ash glanced to the side at her and responded without hesitation, "The Nut."

[MeanMrsMustard]

Alanna coughs and wipes her eyes.
"I know how to do the ceremony, for his family… or even just for his soul. It can be done with an empty casket, but it would probably… be nice to have some personal item…"
She trails off and is silent for a moment.
"I think everyone should say a few words."
She speaks of the funeral as something that will happen, not something that would merely be nice.

[Koren n'Rhys]

Mycah

Mycah makes quick work of his search and returns the loot and his report back across the bridge in short order. Squaring his shoulders and taking a deep breath, he recrosses and approaches the bodies, knife in hand. He sets to work removing the heads despite his distaste, wanting to show he's not going to shy from what needs to be done. He then returns and adds his trophies to the grisly collection that's resulted from Nathros' work.

[Nevaera]

ASH

Ash nods to Alanna, "Nh."
Then she treks back to her pack while she ponders.

When she is among her group again, she'll make sure the horses are calm and tied off or held while the - heads... are loaded onto one of the carts.
"Looks like we'll have to walk."
"I'm not sure who's going to offer coin for those, but I suppose our deeds will go without question upon presenting them."

Ash seems to intend to walk back tonight, if looting and leaving doesn't take much longer.

[Frivolous]

Brandon Bor


Bran looks simultaneously very pleased and disappointed with the loot gathered. He keeps asking Mycah, making a nuisance of himself, "Are you -sure- there's nothing left on the bodies? No spellbooks, or large gemstones?"

Eventually he gives up and stares down in bewilderment at the assembled jewelry and small gems Mycah acquired from the hobgoblin leaders.

"I don't get it. Where is their spellbook? Could one of these smaller gemstones be it?"

He looks glum, "I was really hoping to capture a grimoire... Maybe my fire arrow did burn up the spellbook in their tent."

[Nevaera]

ASH

If no one objects and the looting is finished, Ash will orchestrate the group's return to Threshold.

[Roland St. Jude]

The group can be organized for the return, though it is clear by the late hour in the afternoon that a decision will need to be made about whether to travel during the night or make camp in the sparsely wooded hills. The party begins its journey, and there is ample time to decide before nightfall.

[Koren n'Rhys]

Bran looks simultaneously very pleased and disappointed with the loot gathered. He keeps asking Mycah, making a nuisance of himself, "Are you -sure- there's nothing left on the bodies? No spellbooks, or large gemstones?"

"I'm sorry, Bran, but that's all there was. A book would be pretty hard to miss. And those few gems are all I found as well. They seemed to have more jewelry than anything. I'm more curious if any of it was magical." He pauses and looks towards the ravine. "We'll have to hire someone to check them now, I suppose."

[MeanMrsMustard]

Alanna thinks it's important to be rested, so when the time comes to decide on what to do after nightfall, she'll vote to sleep.

[Nevaera]

ASH

Ash can try to patch up anyone with injuries if Alanna hasn't cast her spells.

Ash believes the group will be safer in armor and poised for battle by walking in the night rather than allowing themselves to let their guard down by camping and sleeping.

"We can probably make it back only a few hours past sundown. Once we've gotten past the walls of Threshold, the guards will keep us safe and ALL of us will be well rested for the morrow. I think we'd be sitting ducks in a camp."

Her reasoning, "If there are any beings out near us in the night, they'll either attack us unarmoured in a camp, avoid us, or they'll underestimate us and do battle on our way back. If we go straight back, there'll be far less chances of encountering a foe out here simply based on the amount of time we're spending beyond the walls."

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Healing rolls DC10

Mycah:

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(1d20)[12]

Brandon:

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(1d20)[5] Edit: Bran gets back 2hp = full hp, I think

Nathros:

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(1d20)[6] Edit: Nathros gets back 2hp, still down by two.

Alanna:

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(1d20)[10]

[Matthew]

"If these hobgoblins were in contact with somebody, it might be that individual will come here sooner or later. We could keep watch here and wait to find out who."

[Nevaera]

ASH

"I hadn't thought of that. Not sure camping will give us any kind of an advantage, but it'd be good to know who trained those hobgoblins in magic or who exactly was behind their potential involvement against Threshold.
It would have been nice to have someone to interrogate - wait, weren't some of the hobgoblins put to sleep? Are any of them bound and still alive?"
She frowns in reminiscence of the one who cast the spells.

[Frivolous]

The fallen hobgoblins each have a short sword, short-hafted spear, crummy padded clothing or leather armor, and a few coins. Twenty gold pieces worth of assorted coins can be gathered from the fallen and small stashes in the various tents. The tents themselves hold a small amount of foodstuff, but nothing of an enticing quality, and little else of value. The sleeping arrangements appear to be communal, and one of the tents has been ruined by flame. Nathros' rough count, though, suggests it's unlikely they could have bedded down more hobgoblins than they've slain. This was probably all of them.

Brandon Bor

Bran stares meditatively at the concealed bridge across the ravine.

"You know... What if the magic-users weren't just running away from us? What if they were running towards something?"

"Could it be there is another camp for the hobgoblin magic-users, only on the other side of the ravine? The tents we found on this side of the ravine all suck. Powerful magic-users would have a private tent of their own, wouldn't they? A nice tent or something."

He pauses, then adds, "I figure the hobgoblins were mercenaries. If so, where's their pay? Unless you count all this jewelry to be it."

[Nevaera]

ASH

"I suppose that's plausible, Brandon. You're quite set on solving this, aren't you?
"I surmise they were just hoping they could get across the ravine before we killed them and that we wouldn't be able to follow them so long as we didn't figure out their little trick."

[Frivolous]

ASH

"I suppose that's plausible, Brandon. You're quite set on solving this, aren't you?
"I surmise they were just hoping they could get across the ravine before we killed them and that we wouldn't be able to follow them so long as we didn't figure out their little trick."

Brandon Bor


Bran smiles and shrugs modestly. "I'm good with puzzles."

"The problem is that I don't think any of us can safely cross wearing more than leather armor. The hobgoblins weren't wearing any."

"But I don't want to send Mycah across alone to search. That could be dangerous."

I forgot to mention IC, the hobs have 4 long swords, 3 short swords, 12 short-shafted spears, and 23 gp worth of assorted local coinage between them. Also, they each wear padded clothes or leather jerkins.

He looks at the pile of the hobgoblin's leather armor and chews on his lower lip.

"How about we put on this disgusting lice-ridden leather armor and cross real slowly with Mycah?"

"Either that or spend a few hours going around on our horses. But that would take time, and y'all don't seem to like that."

[Koren n'Rhys]

"That's a pretty good thought, Bran. It does make sense that the leaders would have had a more private tent. Maybe it is over on the other side someplace. Do you think it could be invisible like the bridge was? I can't imagine it's too far from the rest of the camp. Though I doubt there's any danger now - the fight should have brought everyone running to help - or running away."

He wanders back to the foot of the bridge and stands looking across the ravine.
"I was focused on the bodies, not the terrain. Any trail should be obvious - beaten down grass if nothing else. I can look pretty quickly, or we can try to go around as a group, I suppose."

[Nevaera]

ASH

"Though my armor looks as awkward as anyone's, it IS enchanted for ease of movement. I don't think I'll be as much at risk of falling as others in metal armour. Mycah, if you don't mind going across again, we could go together at the least risk of peril."

Ash will draw her spear for balance, though she has little doubt in her ability to maintain stable footing. She concludes to herself that it's better to set a cautious example for the others rather than to appear careless or overconfident. The Vigilant Companions is the name she acts under, after all.

If no one objects to this idea, Ash will draw out her rope and ask that Brandon and Nathros hold it while Ash and Mycah cross one at a time. They could just loop the rope around a wrist bracer and hang on tight in the case of falling.

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Should they both cross successfully, Ash will have her sword and shield stowed and her bow and an arrow drawn while keeping an eye out for danger. She'll let Mycah look for/at any tracks that might be found. She'll stay by the bridge so she doesn't spoil any potential leads.

[Matthew]

Nathros stands guard whilst his companions figure out how to cross the bridge. He leaves it to the retainers and mercenaries to take care of the booty and animals.

[MeanMrsMustard]

Alanna stands next to Nathros while the sneaky people do sneaky things.
"So," she begins somewhat awkwardly. "That was some battle."

[Matthew]

"The merchants, townsfolk and peasants hereabouts can thank their lucky stars for our efforts. We were fortunate to catch the wretches by surprise; our tactics were lacking, we underestimated their strength, and one of us paid the price. Still, we can at least take pride in our success, one less band of hobgoblins to terrorise the countryside now."

[Roland St. Jude]

The bridge can be traversed once more, though it bows somewhat should both Mycah and Ash step on it at the same time. On the far side, the earth is disturbed somewhat and certain grasses are trampled. It looks to Mycah's eyes like the area east of Bost's lumber camp. Many sets of feet have come through here, from many directions toward a single point. At the camp that point was the main square, here it is the bridge.

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Feel free to make any checks you think helpful to whatever action you want to take.

[Matthew]

Nathros stands ready, ensuring that all is in order on this side of the bridge.