[5E] The Lions Of Undersky

[stack]

Brom rolls his eyes as he shoulders his pack. "If you lot walked half as much as you talked, we would be there and getting paid. Not paid by the word."

Spoiler

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Grizzled mercenary type gets be cantankerous

[Gluteus_Maximus]

When Lucian responds, a drop of sweat forms on Alan's head, and rolls down it. He does not match the smile with another. He pauses before saying, "It would be best to speak of this in private once your mission is over." before picking up a hat that was sitting beside him on the seat, and putting it on his head. The shade from the sun prevents his eyes from being seen.

[Shveiran]

Lucian smile stiffens and grows smaller, the serendipitous change affecting him more than he'd like to show. It spawns bad thoughts and sends them fishing for worse memories.
He struggles to keep his turmoil concealed, and, as he politely replies, tries to get a better read on the merchant.
"Of course, Alan..."

Insight check
(1d20+3)[6]
Deception check
(1d20+3)[10]

[Xenopax]

"Shall we get started? Fin finish your draft and then run it over the Client. After its approved by he, I'll sign it. No less than what was offered. "
Leonidas grabs the cart and hauls himself into the back.
"Are we the only Guards or have you hired others?"

[SirSlicksAlot]

Ollin heaves himself into the cart behind Leonidas, sets his pack down and leans against it. "I hope not, it'd get cramped back here quick. It's not like he'd need it with us in tow anyway. Ollin smiled. "But I agree with Brom. Chop chop"

[Gluteus_Maximus]

Alan's insight (1d20+2)[17]
Alan's deception (1d20+1)[18]

Lucian can't get a read on Alan. But it does seem as if Alan can see right through Lucian...

When you get in the back of the wagon, there are 3 barrels that take up most of the space. They are marked "FEATHERTON fine pale ale" around the edge of the barrel, and there is a small tap on the side.

[Shveiran]

Lucian slips his shield on his back with the strap, throws his backpack on the wagon, and opts to walk for now.
Loaded wagons are not really faster than a walking man, after all: they reach destinations faster because oxen don't get tired. And besides, he really needs to walk off some tension and retrieve his composure. In the cart, the rest would doubtlessly note.

Walking helps.
Makes him see stuff, makes him feel the movement.
Reminds him this is a different time, a different place.

A different him.

[Whiskeyjack]

Fully armored and sporting a spiked shield with a gigantic sunburst on it as well as a brace of javelins on her back and a wicked-looking three-bladed thing on one hip, Szass deposits her noncombat gear in the back of the wagon, fully prepared to walk alongside.

“Am ready. Are we going?” she asks Lucien, but one red eye is tilted to stare at the client no matter where she walks or which way her head faces. Always suspicious of strangers - not the best quality for a mercenary with shifting employers, but something that keeps you alive.

Spoiler

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Insight: (1d20+6)[24]

[Shveiran]

"Looks like it." He replies, suddenly wary: perhaps hoping for solitude was a bit much.
Still, his irritation is short-lived: one cannot bring himself to dislike her.
However, he quickly realizes the dangers posed by an uncharacteristic silence and desperately searches for something to fill it with.
"You know, you never told me how it was that you found..." Your Faith. Dangerous. Very dangerous.
"...your shield." He finishes instead.
"It is rather...peculiar, isn't it?"

[Illven]

Raven runs up with a nod.

Yeah, it sounds like something the rest of my family would use. But you're not like my family at all. She pipes up.

[Jallorn]

From where he's scrawling, Fin reacts to being rushed with, You can't rush art! Then, a moment later, he returns with two relatively identical contracts and the comment, Fortunately, I'm not that kind of artist. Captain, if you would sign here and here, and Mr. Garrick, sir, if you'd sign here and here. I'll keep hold of one copy, the other goes to you. Fin steps back, pulls out his lyre, and begins absent-mindedly plucking at it, not really playing anything in particular, but producing something rather pleasant nonetheless.

[Xenopax]

From where he's scrawling, Fin reacts to being rushed with, You can't rush art! Then, a moment later, he returns with two relatively identical contracts and the comment, Fortunately, I'm not that kind of artist. Captain, if you would sign here and here, and Mr. Garrick, sir, if you'd sign here and here. I'll keep hold of one copy, the other goes to you. Fin steps back, pulls out his lyre, and begins absent-mindedly plucking at it, not really playing anything in particular, but producing something rather pleasant nonetheless.

Leonidas signs it without looking. He trusts Fin enough to know that he hasn't screwed the company over or wrote something forcing the company to lose their good name.
He lies down in the back and decided to take a nap. "Wake me up in 2 hours or there's fighting to be done" he says to no one in particular.

[Gluteus_Maximus]

Garrick reads it over thoroughly. Seeing no discrepancies, he signs it.

"We leave now."

[Illven]

Alright jeez. You're a worst taskmaster then my mom! Raven mutters as she moves out.

[Whiskeyjack]

"Hm, yes, it is quite the story..." Both of Szass's eyes flick away, but in different directions. Then she starts laughing, again for longer than any humanoid would. She suddenly stops, her tongue snaps out to latch onto a large dragonfly, and she walks away crunching it.

[Gluteus_Maximus]

Your other hill dwarf companion, Bhodrik, lays by the wayside. "I broke me good hand last mission, it turns out. I'll be sittin' this one out. I may come back a few months from now tho. If I can find ye." He says, smiling a painful smile. He is missing a couple teeth.

You depart from Featherton, heading towards Marketville. The first day is uneventful. One large cloud that looks like nothing much in particular is above all day.
It is now the second day, half through the mission. The road goes between two hills up ahead, upon each is a forest of evergreen trees.

ooc: Lunaticfringe is dropping out, pretty sure. After looking at their profile I found that they went around posting that they broke their dominant hand last monday. RPing this out with his character, in case he comes back

[Xenopax]

"That's a prime spot for an ambush right there." Leonidas gestures toward the road between the hills. "One way in and only one way out. If I was a bandit i would leave archers up there to release a volley and then send a few people in to mop up the survivors. Those of us with arms each take one wagon. I'll take the front. Those of you with Magicky...stuff pair up with someone who doesn't. Unless anyone has any better ideas?" He looks to the crew for any better suggestions to protect the Caravan.

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I should have asked this earlier but there's more than one wagon right? And are they covered or open?

[Gluteus_Maximus]

There are 3 covered wagons, and the oxen and people driving them are exposed.

[Whiskeyjack]

"I have both arms and spells." Szass waves her arms for emphasis, then looks down, and draws her blade, and waves it again some more, before sheathing it. "Metaphor arms too. Other definition, you would say. I will also be in the middle. Make the sky rain sunfire if someone is up there sneaking." She shuffles closer to Leonidas.

[CircleOfTheRock]

"I'll head up the middle caravan, then... Unless we're sending out a scouting group?" Says, Gulrik, moving towards the front of the entourage.

[Jallorn]

We certainly could send a scouting party ahead boss. Say, myself, Gulrik, and Szass?

[Xenopax]

"I'll head up the middle caravan, then... Unless we're sending out a scouting group?" Says, Gulrik, moving towards the front of the entourage.

"That would be ideal but I don't want to put them on their guard. There's also te chance that anyone who goes in there will get shot. If anyone volunteers then I'll send them”

[Illven]

I will guard the back wagon.

[Shveiran]

"I don't like it too much, chief. Those hills are steep enough... If they find trouble and come back, all is well; but if trouble finds them, it's gonna be a while before we can get up there.

Perhaps we should hit them from one side?
If there is someone up there, then I think you are right: they will have positioned themselves on both sides of the road.
That means if we bring our group up to one side, they can't regroup, and we get an easier fight. And once we have kicked their friends' asses, the others will either scramble or fight back with worse numbers.
They could shot us, sure, but we'd still have the cover they planned to use. They'd get no advantage against our own artillerymen.

It's your call, Leonidas. Just thought I'd throw it out there."

[Xenopax]

"I don't like it too much, chief. Those hills are steep enough... If they find trouble and come back, all is well; but if trouble finds them, it's gonna be a while before we can get up there.

Perhaps we should hit them from one side?
If there is someone up there, then I think you are right: they will have positioned themselves on both sides of the road.
That means if we bring our group up to one side, they can't regroup, and we get an easier fight. And once we have kicked their friends' asses, the others will either scramble or fight back with worse numbers.
They could shot us, sure, but we'd still have the cover they planned to use. They'd get no advantage against our own artillerymen.

It's your call, Leonidas. Just thought I'd throw it out there."

“Good idea. I say leave a few people here and we will do that. We need confirmation that they are actually there though. Seeing how it was your idea, I assume you wish to go as one of the stormers?” He turns to the wizard “You should probably be a scout. I highly doubt they have a magician of your caliber so you could turn the tide and give us time to come hither and aid you.” He turns to the rest of the groups. “Any volunteers to scout? I shall be joining you. So I need 2 more.”

[aguaracu]

"I'll get a picture of the lie of the land"
An owl steps out onto the rear edge of the wagon Morn is riding on (the middle wagon). Rather than flying away the owl sits there and glares at Morn who, judging from his face and the way his lips move, seems to be having an argument with himself.

Spoiler

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Youll get a picture? You'll flap your arms and zoom up will you? You mean I'll do all the work, this after you've kept me packed away like a toy all morning.
You know fine well that if you didn't fight with Szass over rodents and dead animals I wouldn't have to send you on a break. Now just try to behave in front of our customers. Fly up a bit Melchior, and let me see what's ahead.

The familiar flies about 100' over the party and Morn looks through Melchior's senses.

Spoiler: Perception

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Morn: (1d20+2)[12]
Melchior: (1d20+3)[7], adv (1d20+3)[14]

"Should I send Melchior ahead to scout? He might even try to stay out of trouble this time."

[Xenopax]

"I'll get a picture of the lie of the land"
An owl steps out onto the rear edge of the wagon Morn is riding on (the middle wagon). Rather than flying away the owl sits there and glares at Morn who, judging from his face and the way his lips move, seems to be having an argument with himself.

Spoiler

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Youll get a picture? You'll flap your arms and zoom up will you? You mean I'll do all the work, this after you've kept me packed away like a toy all morning.
You know fine well that if you didn't fight with Szass over rodents and dead animals I wouldn't have to send you on a break. Now just try to behave in front of our customers. Fly up a bit Melchior, and let me see what's ahead.

The familiar flies about 100' over the party and Morn looks through Melchior's senses.

Spoiler: Perception

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Morn: [roll0]
Melchior: [roll1], adv [roll2]

"Should I send Melchior ahead to scout? He might even try to stay out of trouble this time."

“Never knew you could do that. You send him to scout. Almost nothing suspicious about an owl in the woods. Unless they pry too far into why it’s flying during day.

Okay then. I need 3 people instead of 1 to storm any bandits that are there”

[Shveiran]

"Ah, so you want to send scouts ahead, with stormers after them? Great idea.
That way, the stormers can close in quickly if there is trouble, and if the scout team is successful they'll be able to attack the brigands from the back when we close in.

I would volunteer, sure. It makes little sense for me to accompany the scouts, I'd have them found immediately." he pats his chainmail, making it ring somewhat "But I can certainly give those fellows something else to worry about than our sneaky fellows.
Who else feels like handing out some ass-beating, gents?" he asks the rest of the Company.

[SirSlicksAlot]

Ollin stands and hops from the back of the wagon. "I suppose I can scout or storm, whichever you need me for, I don't jingle quite as much" Ollin says as he pats his tunic in the same way as Lucian. "But I've always felt more like a stormer ya know?" he finishes while grabbing his shield and sword.

Ollin joins by Lucian's side "It couldn't hurt to have someone that can hit at a range with us, to even the odds on that front." a faint shimmer of gold shimmers over Ollin's body.

Spoiler: OOC

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1st level spell used(1/2): Mage Armor

Edit: I didn't realize we were on day two either, my bad.

[aguaracu]

After a little telepathic bickering Morn sends Melchior ahead of the caravan. The owl flits through the trees, apparently hunting close to the road, and occasionally dips silently across the road to work the other side.

Spoiler: OOC

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Portent for the day: (1d20)[20], (1d20)[11]
A first level spell spent on Mage Armor.

Melchior is instructed to look for other people, particularly any hidden close to the road and to fly back and report if he finds anyone. If he passes the hills without seeing anyone he is to climb and fly back to the party at a safe altitude while getting a bird's eye view.
Stealth : (1d20+3)[5]
Perception: (1d20+3)[10], adv (1d20+3)[14]

I guess Morn should go with the stormers to communicate with Melchior and the scouts (with the Message cantrip)?

G.M. Do you want us to roll perception and the like or would you rather do it yourself?

Apologies, I hadn't realised that we're on day two of the journey so the narration in my previous post is a bit off.

Morn checks his dagger and his spell focus and joins the other mercenaries at the head of the caravan.