[5e] Zman's Heros for Hire IC I

[Zman]

North Road to Glister

As the group makes their way north the walk is uneventful. Somtime after mid day what looks like a wagon can be seen on the horizon, the occasional glint off of steel can be seen...

Spoiler

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Luna Nature roll sans modifier (d20)[1]

At least a solid mile off in the distance on the road.

[Townopolis]

"That looks like it might be the men of Glister" exclaims Ercard excitedly. But his glee is quickly tempered by caution. "I'll scout them out. The rest of you should find a place to lay low and hide until I give the all-clear. I'll... Lady Beldoran, among those who might be coming to fetch your corpse, are there any you know can be trusted, and are there any you know cannot?"

After posing the question, Ercard waits and listens to Sara's response. Then he shoos the rest of the party into hiding. "If it's all clear, I'll say so. If I say anything else, stay in hiding... or retreat, if it seems like they've spotted you. Don't worry about me. I'll be alright" he says before descending to the road to wait for the wagon's arrival.

[Zman]

Sara Beldoran

The young woman appears torn between wanting to run to the men from Glister, and utter paranoia. After a thinking pause, she responds, "There are many I trust and have trusted with my life for as long as I can remember.... Lord Commander Geldon... Geldon Gormister is the bravest man I know. Thurst Tharmuil is Lord Regeant for my father, his most trusted advisor since I was but a girl. There is Simon, my chamber guard..... who would have been with had he not been taken with a watery bowel, sweats and fever."

[ncpunkin]

Luna

Luna laughs and nods, "Aye, I did." She would give pause, "Though I saw what you did to it, and slept soundly throughout the night." Luna mentally noted every man mentioned by Sara. She shifts into a tiger and moves off the road behind Phynn. She finds some brushes to cut her sight off from the men, but also keeps her eyes on Ercard.

She contemplates, What is it with men thinking they can do everything? She looks over to Phynn, then sets her mind back on the task at hand, Who are these men?

Spoiler: Stealth+Sniffing

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Stealth: (1d20+6)[16]

Perception: (1d20+3)[11] or
(Keen Scent): (1d20+3)[19]

[Townopolis]

After tucking Sara's list of ostensibly trustworthy gentlemen in a corner of his mind, Ercard descends to the road as intended. Once there, he stands in the middle and watches the direction the wagon should be approaching from. He stands there a moment, then moves to the side of the road. Then he moves to a point on the road but not quite in the middle.

He fidgets like this for a while--until the wagon is close enough that it will arrive in a few minutes--and then begins walking slowly along the near side of the road toward the wagon.

[Fishybugs]

Phynn wonders as he watches Luna transform. "That will never cease to amaze me, little sister." As Phynn is extremely familiar with grasslands, one might even call him a natural explorer of grasslands, he assists the others in finding appropriate hiding spaces. He then crouches down and watches Ercard work his bard word-magic.

[Zman]

Road- Approaching Wagon

Minutes slide buy and Ercard feels quite alone waiting in the middle of the road as Phynn ensures his companions are well hid. Ercard is quite certain that the two men in the front of the wagon have noticed him, and by the looks of their actions and head turning and moving mouths that they've said something to men riding in the back as well. The men are well armed and armored, clearly men of Glister, but definitely not Knights or nobility...

As the soldiers approach a grizzled man with salt and pepper hair shouts out to Ercard as he pulls up on the reigns to slow the wagon a bit, "Good day sir, odd day to travel dangerous roads alone?" Ercard catches his eyes cautiously surveying the immediate landscape for ambush or danger and finding none as his companions are well hidden beyond ambush range.

[Townopolis]

"Quite odd, but not the oddest day I've had" begins Ercard while fishing in one of his pouches for Sara's signet. When he finds it, he brings it out while saying "In truth, man of Glister, your instincts are half right, but I am an outrunner screening against danger rather than a tripwire set to spring it. You'll understand that my client--" he holds up the signet ring for inspection "--has had an odd few days herself."

[Zman]

North Road- Glister Wagon

As Ercard begins talking the man's eyes begin darting around, as if doubting the Bard's intentions. "Your clients??" but as Ercard brings forth the signet ring and brings it forth the man shouts, "What trickery is this?! The lady is dead.". Ercard notices the man seated next to him scowls and his hand rests on his hilt. Ercard can hear the rustle of men from the back of the wagon getting to their feet.

[Townopolis]

Ercard quirks an eyebrow in seeming confusion "Dead? She was alive and well when we met" he says, then adds a moment later "in Thentia."

It's a quick and easy misdirection, and one that he does not expect to hold up well. Really, he's just throwing out some modest bait to get a feeling for how these men feel about Sara maybe or maybe not being dead--does hope flicker to be replaced by outrage or despair, or does fear flicker to be replaced by relief.

Spoiler

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Insight - (1d20+2)[22]
cutting words against deception - (1d6)[6]

[Zman]

Glister Soldiers

The older man seems surprised and taken aback by the misdirection, as does the he man to my is left. Ercard does not doubt the man's confusion. Ercard sees a young man with sandy brown hair come round from the back of the wagon, Streep beginning to break his sheath...

Young Soldier

The young man comes barreling around wagon his blade clears its sheath and he shout, vitriol in his voice, "Speak Cretan before I remove your tongue, what do you know of Sara?"

Spoiler

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Mystery rolls (5d20)[11][17][2][6][12](48)

[Fishybugs]

Phynn, safe in his hiding spot with the others, tenses when the young guard rushes forward. He grabs his bow and pulls an arrow from his quiver. "Milady. Do you know the excitable one? Do you recognize anyone out there?" he asks Sara.

[Zman]

Sara Beldoran

The young woman begins to rise, excited to see the young man, "Simon!" she begins to shout...

Spoiler

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Anyone can silence her before he exposes your position.

[Fishybugs]

"Milady," Phynn says urgently, looking to Luna to physically restrain her. "We don't know yet who is behind this plot. Silence, before your young man is placed in danger as well."

[Townopolis]

Ercard stares at the impetuous young man a moment before letting out a soft laugh "hah."

He then turns to one of the older men, whichever seems to be in-charge "Very well, the truth; she's alive, really alive--blood and bones and a beating heart. A pair of elves rescued her from the bandits, and now they're all hiding over yon ridge while I determine if you lot are her loyal men or yet more assassins."

He does not indicate which ridge, but he does continue "And, if you don't believe me, I'll wave them over now, and you can look at her face and see I'm as honest as an Amnian thief."

[ncpunkin]

Luna

Luna moves up on her haunches and stares down the ridge to Ercard, Careful, Ercard. The large Tiger gives a low rumble, enough to be heard by Sara, Please Milady, wait until you are sure. She thinks.

[Zman]

Glister Soldier

The young man seems to stop in his tracks, the tip of his blade drifing to the ground, a mere afterthought. The other, including a fourth that followed Simon out of the wagon, seem shocked. There is a long pregnant silence for long seconds before Simon speaks, "Alive? She isn't dead...."

As Ercard indicates that she is alive behind a hill his eyes begin darting around, "You best not be lying to me!"

[Fishybugs]

Phynn watches Ercard from the safety of his hidden position. "I'll give Ercard one thing," he whispers to the others, "the man has chutzpah."

[Townopolis]

Ercard turns toward the general direction of the hidden group and calls out "All clear! It's safe to come down!"

Turning back toward the men of Glister, he gives a slight bow.

[Zman]

Glister Soldiers

The hidden group makes their way towards the wagon, the four men seem skeptical as they approach, obviously not recognizing Sara disguised as a hand aided, but as the distance narrows Simon charges forward closing the gap, "SA...Sara?".

There is a tense moment where it looks like they might embrace but both stop short, Simon looks thrilled to see her, Sara's elation is momentary, her traumas still fresh. Simon softens his voice, "Are you well Milady?". She responds with a slight nod and tears...

[Townopolis]

"Obviously," says Ercard to the older men after Simon calls Sara 'Milady,' "our hope was that you'd provide an escort back to Glister. My cohorts are skilled, but the five of us are nonetheless few for so high a personage."

[Estralita]

Pau'la

Once Ercard waved them over, Pau'la strode forwards, hand still on her weapon just in case.

[Fishybugs]

Phynn glances to Luna. Be ready, the look says. He keeps his bow out, but not nocked as he walks aside Lady Beldoran.

[ncpunkin]

Luna

Luna moves along Phynn acting like an actual Tiger and attempting to give off the same mannerisms. She didn't see a need in them knowing she was a Druid.

[Zman]

Glister Soldiers

As Simon comforts Sara... behavior that is fundamentally inappropriate for a guard and the future heiress of Glister, the older man is taken aback by it and obviously uncomfortable. He does his best to answer Ercard's question, "Of course, of course, it is our duty to see her safely back to Glist...." but when Luna in tiger form approached all four of the men drew their weapons and hurried to place themselves beween Luna and Sara, "Keep your beast at bay lest we be forced to slay it!"

[Fishybugs]

Phynn steps between Luna and the armed men. This...beast....as you say, is directly responsible for the Lady Beldoran standing here among you. Her bravery and skill will be the subject of songs. Sheathe your weapons; you all act is if you've never before been outside city walls."

[Zman]

Glister Soldiers

The men seem unmoved by Phynn's words, if Luna approaches further they are poised to attack.

Sara Beldoran

You young woman tries to plea on Luna's behalf, but her emotions interfear and she is quite incoherent as Simon pulls her behind him in a defensive gesture.

[ncpunkin]

Luna

Luna huffs as the men take up arms between them, Hmm, I really got them going. Luna takes a few steps back and looks up at Phynn as he comes between them. I didn't mean to freak them out, Phynn. Luna shakes her head at their protest, takes another step back, and turns the opposite direction to check if anyone was following them.

Spoiler: Watching our back

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Do I smell anything?
(1d20+3)[21]
(1d20+3)[20]

Do I see anything?
(1d20+3)[9]

[Zman]

Luna's keen sense of smell lets her know just how long it has been since the Glister guards have bathed... and her companions for that matter. Each has a distinctive odor that is nigh unmistakable. She also notices the faint smell that can only be described as lust between Simon and Sara...

[Townopolis]

Ercard steps between the elves and the guards and raises his hands in a placating gesture. "Now now," he says in his most soothing voice, "there's no need to go baring our stabby bits at each-other. We've determined that we're all on the same side and all have the same goal..."

He takes a deep breath and looks around at all those gathered "... which is getting Lady Beldoran safely to Glister."

Again, he looks around, this time for confirmation. Whether he gets it or not, he continues "Phynn, why don't you and Luna make sure nothing's approaching. I expect it will take them a minute or a few to get the wagon turned about. Zaar, would you go with them, just in case?"