Servants of the Thrallherd IC [3.5, high speed]

[J-H]

Rex checks the bodies and finds gold and several items that may be magical.

Spoiler: Loot

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Is Joas using Detect Psionics to determine what's magical? Or does the monocle do that?

Cleric:
Full plate
Tower shield
Heavy Mace
Material components for True Seeing

Light armored guy:
Leather Armor, magical
Mwk Shortbow
30 magical arrows
Mwk shortsword

Warlock:
Mwk chain shirt
Magical necklace
1500gp

Barefoot spellcaster:
1500gp
Magical vest

Archer centaur
1000gp
Mwk leather armor
Mwk longsword
Mwk composite longbow (str+4)

Lancer centaur
1000gp
Magical lance
Mwk breastplate
Mwk longsword

Are you going to leave the bodies by the road?

[Autopsibiofeeder]

Joas

"Why don´t you move these bodies out of sight, Rex? I´ll have a look at these items then." He smiles at Gretchen: "I am sorry, we can talk more once we´re less....ehm, exposed." He uses a Dorje of Detect psionics to find the magical items and assesses their abilities.

Spoiler: Rolls

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Taking 10 on Psicraft checks, if I can, for 29.

Otherwise:

(1d20+19)[26]
(1d20+19)[25]
(1d20+19)[33]
(1d20+19)[24]

[J-H]

Joas successfully identifies the magical items:

Spoiler

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Leather Armor +2
Chasuble of Fell Power
Vest of Resistance +2
Lance +1

Rex starts moving the bodies out of sight to the hedge area, where they might remain undiscovered for a day or two, until they start to smell.

[BelGareth]

Rex nods after he is done with his dirty work, it was hard, especially in his full plate, but he got the job done.

"Ah, another lance! And a magical one, one more thing to add to my hoard, eh!" he says to Joas, smiling and well pleased. The other things were nice of course, but no one else used a lance, so he didn't think they would mind if he took it.

"Well Gretchen, we're needing to be off, does your mission allow you to join us? It would be nice to have the company of another loyal servant, and Supreme Leader knows we need it..."

[Autopsibiofeeder]

Joas

Joas smiles at Rex and eyes the two and their conversation in silence. He does not fully trust the newcomer yet. He´ll have to talk to Rex about that later.

[Snowbluff]

Gretchen Blacktwig

"Well, I was following some folks, but it looks like we just put them in the bushes," Gretchen says. "My general work is recon anyways. I should be free to help you out."

[BelGareth]

"What IS your mission anyway?" Rex asks.

[Autopsibiofeeder]

Joas

"Let´s move while we talk..." Joas is clearly uncomfortable hanging around close to those bodies.

[J-H]

Moving along…

Spoiler

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Don’t forget to update your character sheets with loot taken, whether gold or gear.

After doing some rough cleanup, the three head north while Gretchen explains her general mission to the other two. She easily keeps pace with Joas’ summoned mount, with Rex and Lockheed flying overhead. Shortly after lunchtime, the three reach and begin to pass a small caravan – four wagons of various sizes pulled by horses and ponies, accompanied by a group of half-orcs and, of all creatures, gnomes. There are about ten of them, and only five appear to be armed guards.

One of the drivers waves at Rex, who’s the most warrior-like of the three in appearance. “Headed north? We could use a few extra guards if you don’t mind slowing down for these old nags,” as he gestures to the horses pulling his wagon.

[BelGareth]

Rex grins at the speaker, "I'm sorry" he yell's "We're in a little bit of a hurry I'm afraid, and can't slow."

Spoiler

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Diplomacy - (1d20+20)[27] just in case.

[Snowbluff]

Gretchen Blacktwig

Gretchen puts her hood up, avoiding being seen. Still, she keeps an eye on the other travelers.

Spoiler

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(1d20+7)[11] spot
(1d20+3)[17] sense motive

[J-H]

“Right, safe travels then. Fancy any weapons? We’re taking a load up to the orcs ‘cross the Luhe river. They’re having another one of their little wars with the gnolls.” The gnome spits. “Hyena-faced bastards. Kill any of ‘em ya see.”

[J-H]

Declining to answer, the three move on. A half-hour later, you spot a man sitting on a rock near the road fishing with a very long fishing pole. From his higher vantage point, Rex looks down into the water and spots something human-sized under the water at the base of the line. There are about a dozen other medium-sized forms underwater, spread out in a rough line a little ways away from the shore. Things may not be as they seem.

Spoiler

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Natural 20 on the spot check!

[BelGareth]

Rex calls out to his companions and flies down to them in haste, relaying what he had seen.

"What do you think they could be?" he asks Joas, not knowing at all, he had no knowledge of merfolk, or riverspirits, or anything else that could live under the water.

Spoiler

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Sorry for not post a response to the question, was going to this morning, and you beat me to it!

[Autopsibiofeeder]

Joas

Joas raises an eyebrow. "Humanoid shapes under water?" he ponders a moment: "Well, there´s a number of creatures that would qualify. I believe elves have aquatic nephews, and some fey can look like a humanoid.....could be many things."

"Did it look threatening? We can investigate if you want....I am curious, for sure."

[Snowbluff]

Gretchen Blacktwig

Gretchen raises an eyebrow. "So what's the option here? Walk up and ask the people in the river?" She glances over that the water. "I could sneak in, but I don't know if they would suspect something if a different water breathing creature were to stumble upon them."

[BelGareth]

Rex shrugs "Maybe we just skirt around it?"

[J-H]

Since you’ve stopped, the fisherman turns and looks at you for a couple of seconds, and then gives a casual wave and turns back to his fishing.

Spoiler: Sense Motive

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Gretchen & Rex thinks his body language doesn’t quite match the casual air he’s trying to give off.

[Snowbluff]

Gretchen Blacktwig

"Normally, I would," Gretchen says in a hushed tone. "However, it's strange enough that it probably warrants some attention. That fisherman seems to know something. Something tells me he's up to more than fishing."

[Autopsibiofeeder]

Joas

"Well, let´s go and ask him if they´re biting."

[BelGareth]

Rex nods.

"Alright, I do agree, something seems fishy here."

He approaches the fisherman, still ontop of Lockheed, about 30 feet or so away.

"Ho there! Good day for some fishing yes?"

Spoiler

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Diplomacy - (1d20+20)[26]

[J-H]

“Uh, yeah, I guess. I haven’t caught much yet, but it’s been a nice peaceful day without a lot of traffic. Don’t come too close, or you’ll scare the fish away with your shadow!”

The man is wearing a padded vest, and you don’t see any fish at all, although they could be in front of him on the far side of the rock.

Spoiler: note

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Wyverns cannot hover, so I assume you’re on the ground.

[Autopsibiofeeder]

Joas

Joas approaches as well and smiles at the man. "What are you angling for? Roach, Trout, or?" He kneels down while walking as to reduce his shadow until he is close to the man, so he can take a look into the water. "Heard rumours that Trout and Salmon numbers are declining..." he adds conversationally. Joas knows nothing about fishing, but he does know about fish species.

[J-H]

“Uhh, whatever bites and tastes good.” He looks around nervously at the obviously well-armed people and the wyvern, the rod shaking back and forth in his hands.

[BelGareth]

Rex frowns at the mans response.

"This is stupid, and a waist of our time, The Lord ruler would not be pelased at us waisting his time. Let us be gone."

[J-H]

The man visibly calms as Rex turns away, his hands stilling and the rod merely dipping up and down a couple of times.

=> Back on the road?

[Autopsibiofeeder]

Joas

A bit surprised at Rex´ sudden change of mood, Joas shrugs: "Allright....good luck with the fish, sir."

[J-H]

An hour or two later, the shore of Chaoqon lake bends away, and with it, the road. Do you continue north into a hilly region, or follow the road near the water? Based on the caravaner’s comments, you’re pretty sure that the road does indeed continue north at some point.

[Autopsibiofeeder]

Joas

"Since there apparently is a war going on between Orcs and Gnolls, it may be wise to not travel on the road? I wouldn´t want to get in the middle of that. I mean, that would be a nuisance."

[Snowbluff]

Gretchen

"Neither of those groups sound fond of roads in the first place," Gretchen says. "Let me think..."

Spoiler: Rolls

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(1d20+11)[15] on the war and how to avoid it.
(1d20+5)[22] survival