It begins...

[Soepvork]

Why don't you tell everything you know and we let you go? Sounds fair enough to me, considering you were the one who charged us.

[drawingfreak]

"No dice, pal. I know when I've got the upper hand and I've been in too many situations like this to let this opportunity slide. I give ye my word I'll behave like a good boy. He ain't the man I plan to kill, anyway."

[Soepvork]

"You might have to enlighten me on this one, but how is being tied up and being at the mercy of others having the upper hand? I do not wish to harm you, but I cannot say what others will do. If you tell us I'll give you my word that I'll let you leave here freely."

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Do I get diplomacy rolls for this?

[Halna LeGavilk]

Ontar growls. "Tell me what I want to know, and I promise I won't snap every single one of your fingers. It'd be well within my rights, too. "

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(1d20+2)[17] Intimidate
(1d20+2)[5] If he doesn't comply, second intimidate.

If the man still doesn't comply, then Ontar sets the man's hand and Ontar's morningstar in a position in which Ontar could crush the man's hand. "One more chance."

[drawingfreak]

"Ok! Ok! I'll tell you, I'll tell! I met him in Lakebed a few months back. He caught me...on the job, you might say. Taught me a lesson." He motions to the scar over his eye. "Last I saw he was headed East. You look a lot like him, ya know. Thought I was going to be able to get some revenge."

[Halna LeGavilk]

Ontar drops the man. "Hmmm. Well then. Like Autry, I'll let you go. I just wonder how Simon and Egan feel about it. I could still hand you over to my superiors, or just break your hand, if either of them wish."
He calls over to them. "Simon, Egan, do you wish to free this man?"

[chrono]

Simon
There's movement inside the wagon that Simon rides in and there are a few seconds filled with sounds of shuffling feet with a number of accompanying grunts. A moment later Simon's sour face shows from the side:
Eh? What do ya... Oh, him. Yeah, ye might as well let 'im go. I've got no business with 'im if that's what yer asking. Jus let 'im know that next time we see 'im with a drawn weapon he'll be killed on the spot.
With that Simon withdraws out of sight inside the caravan.

[thevorpalbunny]

Egan
"Eh, sure. Here, he can have his blade back."
Egan tosses the sickle into the space next to him.
"But I would like to know just who it is that tried to kill us."

[drawingfreak]

As he gets up {{I assume he was untied}}, he places the sickle at his side.

"Name's Deegan. Mercenary. If you see your father, let him know I'm looking. Surprise attacks don't seem to be working for me these days, anyway."

With that he storms off into the night.

[Halna LeGavilk]

Ontar walks over to Andolin, and if he is sleeping, gently wakes him up. "Are we going to be passing anywhere near Lakebed in the next few weeks?"

[drawingfreak]

Andolin, having been wide awake due to the fight, nods.

"That would be our first destination. We are traveling along the lake cities and then moving across the plains to the elf lands."

[Soepvork]

Autry is confused about everything he has heard, and decides to ponder over it for the night.

If he gets the chance the next day, he tries to talk to Ontar. "Sorry to bother you Ontar, but there is still somethign I can't get my head around. Was the man looking for you brother or your father? And if so, do you know what business he might have with them?"

[Halna LeGavilk]

Ontar sighs. "He was looking for my Father. And, I do not know what quarrel he could have with my father, for my father has been missing since I was a child. He lead a crusade into the Abyss, but no one ever returned."

[drawingfreak]

Andolin pauses from packing the camp and places a hand on Ontar's shoulder.

"Don't worry, my boy. We'll find out what's going on. Now let's get this camp packed and move on. More than likely we'll hear something in Lakebed."

[Halna LeGavilk]

Ontar nods and helps finish packing up the camp, and takes first shift of guard duty.

[drawingfreak]

{{Did I give out experience for this incident? If not, 300 to Egan for the kicking of the ass, and 50 to everyone for RPing}}

The rest of the trip goes on without a hitch. It isn't long until the gated walls of Lakebed rise over the horizon. Being the second largest city in the Heiron Papacy, it is a while before you see the bottom of the walls. Much gold was spent moving the gray stones from the western mountain range to Lakebed that one has to wonder why the Papacy isn't broke. The walls are about seventeen meters high with guards walking on its top and two at the gate sitting at a small table. They seem to be playing a game of some kind that you cannot see from here. The fatter one seems to be winning. The only thing you can see over it is a single steeple with the symbol of Heironeous at the top.

When you are about twenty feet from the gates, the guards see you and stand, spears in hand.

"Halt. Who goes there?" Andolin signals for the wagons to stop.

[chrono]

Simon
Simon raises his head from within the wagon and grunts.
Ach, so we're here, are we? I wasn't aware Lakebed was renowned fer its mild-mannered sharp-minded citizens.
Simon's voice is much too low for anybody outside (i.e. guard) to hear. With a little smile he picks up his backpack and goes through his things, making sure that everything is in order.

[Halna LeGavilk]

Ontar chuckles at Simon, and prepares his mace and draws his holy symbol out of his armor.

[drawingfreak]

Andolin approaches cautiously from his horse.

"We are but weary, traveling merchants looking to sell in the great city of Lakebed."

"Do you have your merchant papers?" the guard asks.

"Of course." Andolin drops from his horse and rummages through the saddle bag, retrieving a parchment. He walks over to the larger guard and shows it.

[chrono]

Simon watches with obvious indifference. Human paperwork never seemed fascinating or even mildly noteworthy to him.

[Halna LeGavilk]

Ontar keeps behind Andolin, wearily watching the guards.

[drawingfreak]

The guards nod to Andolin and then whistle to the top of the wall as they hand the paperwork back.
"Your free to enter. Good seelin', sir, and welcome to Lakebed."
Andolin rides back to the wagons and leads them through the gate to the city.

Lakebed is filled with multi-floored buildings. The tallest is, of course, the church you saw from behind the wall, the steeple about ten stories off the ground. Most buildings range from four to six stories and the streets are starting to come to life with the beginning of the day.
{{note to self, show more detail to time of day -_-}}

Andolin leads the caravan to the center of town, not far from the Second Church of Heironeous, the name of which you managed to catch while riding past just as morning mass was beginning. He dismounts at a building just outside a major square and knocks on the side of the wall next to the storefront. An elderly man approaches and looks at Andolin's papers before presenting him with a map of the area and other papers. Andolin talks with him as he looks over the map and is directed to a location near the center of the square, which he then leads the caravan to.

"Well, my men and I can take it from here. He tells you as they begin to unload the merchandise. "We leave here in three days time at sundown. Feel free to go about the town as you wish and I will see you then."

With that, he goes about his business just as the square comes to life.

{{So, whatchya wanna do?}}

[chrono]

Simon stretches a bit and steps from foot to foot. The sight of a dwarf doing exercise is likely comical to many, but it almost seems as if Simon's doing it to emphasize his discomfort with the ride.
So, Simon calls out to his companions, what ever happened to tha gold captain whats-his-name gave us fer holding off the kobolds?
The dwarf scratches his head and looks quizzically at his companions.

[thevorpalbunny]

"I took it, but I almost forgot after our employer showed up and was asking whether we could work for him. I'll fetch it out of my pack."
A moment later, he returns from the cart with the small purse full of gold. "I don't think I ever looked at how much was in here, but it's pretty heavy. I'll count it while I split it four ways, if that's alright."
He waits a moment for a response, then spreads it on the floor of the cart and starts counting it out. "112 gold apiece, with 2 gold change. You wouldn't happen to have ten or twenty silver on you, would you?"

[chrono]

Simon waves his hand in dismissal.

Naaahh, forget change. Tha point is ta have some coin ta buy supplies and a mug o beer or three. Simon smiles to himself.
I could use a murky brew just about now. Simon sweeps his share of the gold coins, not really caring about change. He packs them carefully in his gold pouch which is then carefully placed deep inside the backpack. Simon eyes his companions then looks down at the three gold coins that he kept in his hand. He jingles them with a few sharp shakes of his hand and smiles at the mental count of how much beer that makes.
Simon turns around and takes a few steps in the direction that looks most likely to have a tavern, then stops in his tracks and turns around.
So where are we heading after this anyway?

[thevorpalbunny]

"S' alright. Old merchant's habits die hard, you know?"
He also takes his leave, but stops to take note of Simon's question.

[Halna LeGavilk]

Ontar slings his morningstar back onto his belt, and puts his coins into a part of his backpack. "I need to go look for my father, and I was going to go to the Temple of Hieroneous. If any of you wish to join me, you are welcome."

Ontar waits for anyone to join him, then starts walking back to the temple.

[drawingfreak]

{{So, are we all headed for the temple or the pub?}}

[chrono]

It looks like for now we're splitting up and going both ways.

[Halna LeGavilk]

Yup. Is anyone going with Ontar?