The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide

[Darius]

Tanner Gondsman

In the morning, Tanner will use his spells to aid the party again. Since he has used Gond's grace to extend the length of the enduring spells, Tanner decides that today he can add some different spells today and takes an hour for contemplation as the morning's light crests.

During the trek, the gondsman continues to remain vigilant. When the wolf appears, Tanner wonders what to do. Talk to a wolf? he thinks to himself. He says to the group, "Does anyone see others?"

Tanner then looks around himself:

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Spot - (1d20+2)[8]

[barawn]

Damian

With the wolf's appearance, Damian's hands flash to his daggers, keeping them low at his side. Talk to it? It's a wolf... I think. If it goes away, we continue on. If it attacks, we kill it.

Calmly, he waits to see its next actions before responding. His eyes flash at the others, curious at their discussions.

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel

Tiriel looks at Grynde in exasperation. "You know, I'd like to see you try that. I really would."
Shaking her head, she draws her sword and moves to the edge of the party.

(ooc: just setting Tiriel up as a frontliner if there's a fight; which seems very likely.)

[Kawaii Catboy]

Desmona Darkwind

Desmona steps up next to Tiriel, her spiked chain drawn but still, wrapped around her forearm delicately as to not puncture her own skin.

"Wolves don't usually hunt alone..." She observes the surrounding landscape, looking for any other wolves hidden around the scenery. "Any rangers want to try to calm it so we can move along?"

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Spot Check: (1d20+0)[8]

[Matticus]

Grynde

Eyes on the wolf, he relpies to Tiriel with a smirk on his face. Oh you would, would you. I might just do it, then.
Still smirking, he moves to the front of the group.

[Dr._Bob]

The wolf stands her ground as members of your party shift position. No other wolves are visible nearby, though there are some rocks and isolated trees scattered about the landscape, behind which an enemy could potentially hide.

The she-wolf tilts her head as she watches you with icy blue eyes. Her ears twitch as though she is listening to your conversation from her vantage point.

Khazrael is surprised to find that the wolf appears to be magical. Tryntha wonders if the wolf might be one of the many spirits or telthors that watch over Rashemen ...

[Koji]

Khazrael

Khazrael blinks at the magic surrounding the beast, and smiles.

Ha! I knew a normal animal wouldn't just sit there and stare at us all alone like that.

"Hey, that's, uh...not a wolf. Or someone cast something on it as a joke. It's radiating a pretty decent amount of energy. Do they have magic wolves here?"

[Diarmuid]

Tryntha

Turning to look at Khazreal, Tryntha offers:

"There are many spirits who wander the lands here. It is to them that I pay my homage and pray for the blessings to heal the wounds of those would bring harm to my land. They are called Telthor. If this is indeed a telthor, we should have nothing to fear from it."

Moving tentatively, Tryntha moves slowly along the path the group has been traveling, easing past the wolf if she has to pass it.

[barawn]

Damian

Damian turns and looks at Khazrael when he mentions that the wolf is magical. "What? Really?"

Nerves getting the better of him, he slips out one of his daggers, twirling it slightly in one hand as Tryntha approaches the wolf. "I'm just hoping your spirits recognize that we've already had enough adventure for the past two days." A bit twitchy, he hangs back and waits for the cleric to pass the wolf, his eyes scanning the horizon.

"I hope it's not trying to warn us or anything."

[Naleh]

Retay, human barbarian

Hearing Tryntha's theory, Retay relaxes. The spirits protect this land and those that live on it. The wolf is no danger to us. If anything, we're safer in its presense than we would be otherwise. Still, he makes no move to approach the animal.

"Why?" he says to Damian. "If there's a danger, don't you want to be warned?"

[barawn]

Damian

"I'd prefer that there wasn't a danger in the first place."

[Dr._Bob]

The white wolf stands her ground as Tryntha approaches.

As Tryntha nears the wolf, she holds her hands down by her sides, palms outward, showing that she is no threat.

The wolf steps forward, sniffing Tryntha's palms. The wolf's wet nose tickles.

Tryntha keeps walking until she is past the wolf. The wolf then sit down on its haunches, thumping its tail, dog-like, in the snow.

Everyone in the party, Tryntha in particular, relaxes.

Silently, a dozen figures rise from the snow. The men are wearing hooded, white cloaks. They have your group surrounded, except for Tryntha who now stands outside their circle. She passed within three feet of one of the men, but did not notice him.

Shaking the snow from their camouflage, they lower their hoods, revealing themselves to be Rashemi. They carry no bows or crossbows, but their battleaxes are well-worn and the warriors heft them with practiced ease.

One addresses you in accented common, "You are not welcome here, strangers. Go back from whence you came. Proceed no farther along this road."

[Kevka Palazzo]

Faluil

Faluil's first instinct is to raise his bow, but thinks better of it when he sees all twelve men. He keeps it down and pats his horse on the neck to keep it calm.

Should I say anything? They aren't bandits, so we're safe if we go back, but...we need to press forward.

He breathes calmly and closes his eyes.

I'll let someone else tell them our reasons for being here, as I'm no good with words. Best let one of our more charming comrades take care of that.

[Matticus]

Grynde, All-round useless idiot

And just why can't we go further? I mean, here we are, needing to go over there he points in the direction the road travels but you're all in our way! So before we impart anything to you, why don't you give us a couple of good reasons why we should turn back at all, and then we can explain why you should get the hells out of our way.

Despite the situation, fear has not bought it's presence to his head - Maybe he just doesn't have the capacity. He stands relaxed and confident, hands at his sides, not making a single move towards his weapons, nor even going as far as balling his fists.

OOC: Dun't tink I be's needing an timidate check, dun't tink it'd do mutch good.

[namo]

Adalmar

In an uncharacteristic gesture, the ranger steps forward. He gives the newcomers the traditional greeting of Rashemi rangers, learned long ago during his trip to Rashemen. It roughly translates in Common to "May the snow part before your steps."

Then he switches to Common, to allow everyone to follow what he is saying. "We have come to you in an hour of need. Ours most assuredly, but yours too, soon."
He suddenly realizes he is rushing things, and takes a deep breath. "Forgive me. I am Adalmar, a ranger of the Great Dale, and my traveling companions are, well, of very diverse origins but many share the same goal."

"We have come a long way to warn you. An army of demons is coming from the West, sweeping through the land and bringing destruction in its wake. My beloved forest of Lethyr was ravaged." His speech is oddly formal, almost as if he had rehearsed those words in his head. Or perhaps eloquence is a way to distance himself from his emotions.

"Against this, it seemed to us that Rashemen was the only recourse, and your people the only ones capable of stemming this mad tide.

We have come to plead our cause, ask for help, and pledge our weapons where needed. Please let us pass."

Adalmar bows his head, in an attitude of submission. For even if he could muster all the pride of the world, it would avail him nothing in front of those wary guardians.

He also realizes a bit too late that not everybody may agree with what he said.

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Hmm, I feel like I may have made some syntactical/grammatical/... mistakes. Please point them out to me ! [non-native speaker]

edit: oops, simul-post. I don't really want to edit though, so I'll pretend it was simultaneous to Grynde's actions.

[Kevka Palazzo]

Faluil

The wood elf winces as Grynde snaps at the ambushing group.

That...fool. I hope Adalmar's silver tongue can compensate for that idiot's manners.

[Naleh]

OOC: Kevka, I think you mean "The wood elf winces as Grynde snaps".

Retay, big guy with axe

Seeing the guardians rise from the snow, Retay drops his bow, unhesitatingly. He stands back and tries to look unthreatening - which isn't easy for a muscled, fur-clad, axe-wielding, 6'5"-tall barbarian. He watches the locals in respectful silence. It seems strange that the mad axe-fighter who slew the frost worm should be so much less militant than others like the half-elf.

Not only spirits guard this land, he thinks.

[barawn]

Damian

Damian glances over at Adalmar as he makes his impassioned plea to the white-cloaked guards, his hands not moving from his daggers. His eyes flash over to Tryntha, who has already passed the wolf and appears to be free to travel.

"What he said," says Damian, indicating Adalmar. "Plus we're her guard," nodding towards Tryntha. "She can vouch for us. Unless you're happy to let a native of this land travel the woods unaccompanied."

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel

Tiriel sheathes her sword as soon as she sees that the "wolf" and the men that had popped out of the snow mean them no immediate harm.
Before she can speak Adlamar and Grynde start talking at the same time. She silently applauds Adlamar and represses the urge to knock Grynde senseless. After such a long time, and the loss of many companions, she and Katrine were close to their goal and she'd be damned if she let some jackass prevent her from reaching the Iron Lord.

She turns to Grynde and gives him a strained smile, "I think you'd better shut up. Right now."
Intimidate: (1d20+10=21)

[Darius]

Tanner Gondsman

Shooting a stern look at Grynde, Tanner can only hope that it will not be long before he can be rid of this 'companion.' If nothing else, perhaps he will upset the Rashemi enough to warrant a lesson. Although he is accepted in Immilmar, Tanner knows that his influence over the Rashemi means nothing out here. Tanner relaxes a bit when Adalmar speaks; Tanner wishes to help assuage the situation despite Grynde's arrogance.

Tanner adds in Rashemi, "Brave warriors and sentinels to the land - what Adalmar speaks of it true. Detain us if necessary, but please get word to your lord at Immilmar."

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ooc: Hoping to aid another diplomatically Diplomacy - (1d20+7)[14]

[Matticus]

Grynde OOC: Very nice mistake, Kevka Palazzo

He's a bit too difficult to intimidate with just one person, but when he realises the rest of the group would rather be quiet and not fight like some kind of big collective coward, he gives up, not sure where to look with a number of hostile faces wherever his met them.

Gondsman, huh. Do they teach all Gondsmen to be that annoying, or is it just this one?

OOC (again): With any luck, Darius, you'll be stuck with me for a long time.

[Koji]

Khazrael

That has to be more words than Adalmar has spoken in the entire time I've known him.

Khazrael nods and tosses in his own version of the truth.

"Besides, the road leading we came in on was buried in an avalanche and we lack the resources to traverse it. Our supplies are running low and we'll die out here without help."

ooc: Bluff check. 1d20+12=30

[Dr._Bob]

The Rashemi leader turns to Tryntha and addresses her in their native tongue. "Do the strangers speak the truth?"

The other Rashemi seem unperturbed by Grynde's outburst, as if that kind of rude behavior is what they expect from outsiders.

[Diarmuid]

Tryntha

Bowing to the leader of the squad the Rashemi healer addresses him with an authorotative tone in her voice none have heard before:

[Rashemi]"I cannot confirm their story of an approaching army personally, but I believe them to be speaking the truth. These are good people, and have risked much to warn our people of a possible threat. It is my intent to bring them before the Iron Lord that he may judge them for himself. They are not familiar with our lands and the perils have already taken a toll from many of them. An escort to Immilmar would be greatly appreciated."[/Rashemi]

Diplomacy - (1d20+7)[17]

[barawn]

Damian

Damian leans to Khazrael and whispers as Tryntha and the Rashemi talk. "I don't get it. We were part of a caravan headed for Immilmar. Surely they would've let it through, but not us alone? Or maybe the caravan would've also been turned back?"

"Anyway, if they let us through, it's a good thing you ran into us, then. Getting through here on your own wouldn't've been easy."

[namo]

Adalmar

Puzzled, the ranger listens to the exchange in silence. That he would be considered a complete stranger shows that the times must be dire indeed.

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DR, I just wanted to remind you that he looks partly Rashemi (his father was), and he speaks it rather well, too.

[Dr._Bob]

Adalmar is a bit disappointed to be lumped in with the rest of the "strangers" despite his part-Rashemi heritage, but he reminds himself that his clothing and company mark him as a foreigner, and he has to admit that the Rashemi are not the only people to discriminate against those of mixed race (as any half-elf or half-orc could attest to).

Damian also is puzzled by the Rashemi hostility. On the other hand, as he looks around at the motley band of survivors, he has to admit that the group he is traveling with is suspicious-looking. It would be one thing to show up at Immilar's gates as a part of a wagon train with a (presumably) reputable caravan master. It's another thing to be a dozen armed vagabonds found trampling through Rashemi territory on foot in the middle of Deepwinter.

A few of the Rashemi have trouble hiding their smirks as young Tryntha addresses their captain so boldly. The captain, however, listens to her words seriously and bows gently at her command.

[Darius]

Tanner Gondsman

Tanner listens intently to what Tryntha says. He ignores the smirks of the warriors, tacking them up to typical bravado; Tanner's eyes bore into the captain until Tanner sees the body language indicating the decision had been made. It is then when Tanner turns and quietly translates to the others,
"Tryntha has informed the rangers of our plight, and she has asked the Rashemi to accompany us to Immilmar. It appears that the captain sees the need and is willing to help us." Tanner locks his gaze on Grynde when he speaks his last sentence, "Let us not jeopardize this momentary truce with rash words or actions."

Tanner will continue to stare at Grynde until the half-elf acknowledges his understanding of the gravity of the situation before Tanner files behind Tryntha.

[Matticus]

Grynde

Against his better judgement, which is probably a good thing for the group, he keeps quiet. He casts a few dark scowls at Tryntha and the apparent leader of the warriors, but remains silent.
However, Tanner, whom he has taken somewhat of a dislike to, begins to glare at him rather pointedly, which bothers him to no end.

Yeah, yeah, whatever, human he says angrily I'll keep my mouth shut.
But maybe he mutters darkly once Tanner is out of earshot Maybe you could try shutting yours as well, I could help, if I removed your head it'd make the whole thing a lot damn easier...
He continues to think painful thoughts about several of the group members and will follow along at the back of a walking group if it occurs.

[Darius]

Edit: Whoopsie - this was meant to be in the OOC section. Sorry

Grynde

Yeah, yeah, whatever, human he says angrily I'll keep my mouth shut.
But maybe he mutters darkly once Tanner is out of earshot Maybe you could try shutting yours as well, I could help, if I removed your head it'd make the whole thing a lot damn easier...
He continues to think painful thoughts about several of the group members and will follow along at the back of a walking group if it occurs.

For being such a tough guy, he sure is a coward.