Homecomings

[Seffbasilisk]

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Spot - (1d20+6)[26] JacobsSpot - (1d20+8)[12] Additionally, Jacob has Blindsense 40ft.

[CGCL_Andy]

Tom
"Not much of a story I'm afriad." Tom says. "I simply grew too skilled to be a subordinate and too bored with the structure to be a guild master in the small town I lived in before, so I set out looking for more exciting opportunities."

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spot check: (1d20+10)[20]

[Daryk]

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Aldamir Will Save: (1d20+5)[6]
Roac Spot Check: (1d20+7)[11]

[thevorpalbunny]

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Spot: (1d20+10)[13]

[Shademan]

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Roll(1d20)+1:
16,+1
Total:17

[tumble check]

Dvurr

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Will save - (1d20+10)[11]

Dvurr has an additional +2 if this save is against a spell.

[Seffbasilisk]

Bram Leafgarbed

After a while of roasting meat and swapping tales, Bram loads the dried and roasted meat back into his pack, then stomping what's left of the fire out, he packs and loads up. Once set to go, he climbs aboard Jacob, gives Tom a hand up, and finds a place for Roac. With everyone aboard, Jacob leaps into the air, and goes skyward in powerful wingbeats.

Flying back to the inn, Bram helps Tom down, then sets up in the same corner of the common room he stayed in last night. Assuming Nas tells him about the need for snowshoes, and the number in the group they're traveling with, he begins prepping spells at first light of dawn.

[Shadowofdeus]

Nas

Nas retreives the parchment and stows it in his tunic.

So, friend Salos, perhaps you could do us a favor and tell us what kind of trouble we may be expecting on the road? Or at the very least, if it's not too much to ask, what kind of difficulties happened upon your previous employees to result in their passing.

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Will Save: (1d20+8)[19]

[Hades' Watchdog]

"Our dead guards were caught in an ambush, I believe by Ilserinaran soldiers. Those will be our main problem, although we should be able to avoid them most of the time. Creatures populating the countryside should be our main difficulty. The roads are clear of them, but there's a huge risk of soldiers there." Salos starts, as though surprised at something. Istasa keeps her intent gaze fixed on a spot on the table.

"So yeah, you should probably be prepared for grassland and forest things that can resist cold, as well as anything with enough magical skill to protect itself from the weather."

[Daryk]

Drawn by Istasa's instense stare, Aldamir gazes at the same spot on the table in an effort to determine what has her attention.

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Um... Spellcraft? (1d20+2)[19], or maybe Knowledge: Arcana? (1d20+2)[10]

[tumble check]

Dvurr


Dvurr too, trains his gaze on the spot.

DM:

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I wouldn't have done it, but now we have two people looking at the same spot.

Spot - (1d20+6)[24]

If it applies, Spellcraft - (1d20+4)[22]

If you'll allow him, he will also Spot around the room (1d20+6)[20]
(I realize that the Will save is passive and he may not have any reason or provocation to check the room)

[Hades' Watchdog]

Nothing stands out about that spot on the table, nor anywhere else in the room. It is likely that Istasa was just concentrating.

[Hades' Watchdog]

Nothing more of import occurs that evening, and after exchanging some pleasantries, the two groups separate. The protagonists return to their inn and get some rest in preparation for their journey the next day.

The next morning, after making some final preparations, the party sets out to the northeastern gate. Salos, Istasa, and two other people are waiting for them. One of the new faces is a dwarf whose build and equipment seem to indicate that he is a fighter, and the other is is nondescript male human. The latter gives a distinct feeling of unease to the adventurers for some reason. No individual trait stands out as creepy.

Salos approaches the heroes. "I'll introduce the others once we leave the city. I'm, ah, acquainted with these guards, and would like to use that familiarity to get through before the watch changes." He walks over to the most important-looking guard and engages in conversation.

[Shademan]

Kabrakhan leans over to Fashai and whisper (actually it was more like hissing) "he is either bribing them, HAVE bribed them or got some other kinda ballgrip at them." Needles to say, Kabrakhan have a really bad sense of humor.

[Shadowofdeus]

Nas

While Salos speaks to the guards, Nas starts whispering* to his team about what transpired in the meeting. How much they're getting paid, what kind of dangers to expect, etc.....

...Also, lets not be naive about this job. I want you all to keep an eye on who we're guarding just as much as you're keeping an eye on the surroundings. Chances are they'll be doing the same to us.

Bram, I'd like you in the air when weather permits. You know the drill. Kabrakhan, you'll be near the front. While I understand your love of a good fight, I'd prefer giving Ilserinaran soldiers a chance to rethink attacking us. Best way to make them do that is to show what they'd be getting themselves into. Also if things go awry with our employer, that'll put you right next to him.

The rest of you arrange yourselves where you feel you'll contribute most and be able to watch the most.

OOC - ATTN DM

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First, sense motive on the spooky guy to see if I can tell why he creeps us out.
Sense Motive: (1d20+6)[12]

Second, the whispered orders are given out of earshot of Salos or any of his other employees.

[Shademan]

Kabrakhan grinned and snapped his jaw once to signalize that he had understood.

[CGCL_Andy]

Tom

The young halfling looks around the cart and at the new comers suspiciously. He also weighs his traveling options trying to decide whether he can keep up with the cart on foot.

OOC:

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Tom looks at all the new people who come with Salos carefully. Does he know them? do they look familiar (for example, can he tell if the man is the same one shadowing Salos the day they accepted they employment? were any of them with him the day he made the original offer?)

Also, he pays careful attention to details on their clothing/armor and equipment (feel free to roll spot check for Tom he has a +10 modifier) What can he tell? What are they carrying? How well is their equipment built?

Next he turns his attention to the Cart, can he estimate how heavy it is? what animal is drawing it? how fast will it move when it does move? (again feel free to make untrained knowledge checks when needed, he has a +2 Int modifier, and would only be able to answer questions with DC less than or equal to 10)

[Seffbasilisk]

Bram Leafgarbed

Bram also checks out the 'creepy' man, then before heading over to Nas, he c0cks an ear on the offchance he can hear what Salos is saying to the guard. In the whispered conversation, asks Nas "How long will we be traveling each day? Six hours? Eight? Twelve? Fourteen?" As he waits for a response, he scans the sky for the incliment weather.

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SenseMotive - (1d20+6)[8]Listen - (1d20+8)[12]Survival - (1d20+21)[37] Verdamminint! I keep forgetting I can roll real dice until I've rolled the evil board rollers! Edit2: Weather report, next 5 days please.

[Shadowofdeus]

Nas

Chances are we'll be traveling with the sun given the season. He'll probably push as hard as he can between sunrise and sunset. You'd know about how long that is this time of year better than I.

[Seffbasilisk]

Bram Leafgarbed

Shifting slightly, Bram says "I've prepared a spell, that will synch me and Jacob in with the surrounding terrain to make us far more unobtrusive. It only lasts for six hours...so let me know when you want your eye in the sky less easily recognizable."

[Daryk]

Aldamir performed his morning rituals before setting out, to include protecting Roac from the elements. Later, with Bram taking point, Aldamir volunteered to take the trail position, lagging the main body to verify their trail was adequately obscured.

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Speaking of the "main body", do we have a cart, wagons, mules, what? And how many exactly? I see Tom thinks we have a cart, but I can't find a DM post to that effect.
Also, if we have mounts, I can guarantee we won't be travelling more than eight hours a day. Force marching them is a good way to run them into the ground.

[Hades' Watchdog]

Looking closely at the new human, Nas thinks that perhaps his unnatural stillness that discomfits him. The man barely seems even to breathe, and aside from that slight motion he is as still as a statue. It could also be the way he doesn't seem to mind the cold, even though he wears only normal, springtime-appropriate clothing.

Salos concludes his conversation with the guard at about the same time Nas stops giving orders. The guard calls out quietly for the gates to open for a moment, and they do move just enough for Salos to hurry the cart and accompanying people through before closing behind them.

One might notice that although the current count of male humans in the smuggler's party is just two, there were three the evening Salos approached the adventurers.

OOC:

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The creepy man, Tom thinks was with Salos when he made the original offer. The dwarf, Tom hasn't seen before. The dwarf's shield seems to be well-made, and has many nicks in it bespeaking lots of action. His sword is sheathed, but his armor likewise seems sturdy if not fancy. (Shield is heavy metal, armor is half plate.) He wears a heavy winter jacket atop the armor, so his other accouterments are concealed.

The human doesn't carry anything. He wears comfortable-looking, unrestrictive clothing that wouldn't do much to protect one from the cold, but he doesn't seem bothered by the temperature. His forearms bear matching bracers made of some shiny metal with runes etched it it, and his leather boots also have possibly magical symbols branded onto them.

The cart on its own probably weighs three or four hundred pounds, although there's no telling what's inside it, since it's completely covered. Two horses stand in front of it, and can probably make it move five miles per hour at top speed if its contents are heavy, or ten if they're light.

[Daryk]

Aldamir didn't take undue notice of the unclad human, being unaffected by the cold himself. At some point, he noted whether the man's boots were similar to his own, or some other outward design. There would be ample time on the road to determine their true function.

[CGCL_Andy]

Tom

Tom does his best to keep up, as they start moving out of the gate.

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If the dwarf has movement faster than 20, then Tom is in trouble and will ask Salos if he can ride the cart.

[Shademan]

Kabrakhan took a look at the group. He took of his large fur hat and scratched his head, "meh, ive traveled in freakier company..." he muttered under his breath. As discretely as he could he positioned himself where Nas wanted him.

[Shadowofdeus]

Nas

As each of his team members finds their positions, Nas settles in to a stride on the side of the wagon. every now and then he cuts behind or ahead of it to keep watch the other side.

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Nas is essentially covering the sides in an attempt to watch both at once, utilizing his 50ft/round movement rate.

[Seffbasilisk]

Bram Leafgarbed

Climbing aboard Jacob, Bram takes to the skies, keeping an eye out from above to the lands surrounding and possible threats on the route.

Spot - (1d20+6)[25]
Listen - (1d20+8)[22]

[thevorpalbunny]

Fashai
That guy creeps me out. What is it about him that's so odd?
Fashai assumes the Assassin's Stance and patrols the side. "Nas, you can keep to that side if you'd like. I can watch this side."

[Shadowofdeus]

Nas

The monk nods at the swordsage, speaks briefly before returning to the left side of the cart.

Sounds good to me.

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Spot: (1d20+11)[16]
Listen: (1d20+6)[22]

[Hades' Watchdog]

Bram spies something far ahead. They're too far to make out distinctly, but three forms rather too large for humanoids and too small for carts are near the side of the open dirt road. It's impossible to tell if they're hostile.

Below, Salos glances up at the sky. "I'd give introductions, but it would save time to do so when Bram's in earshot. For now, I'll just say that Kagiso," he gestures at the dwarf, "is muscle, if he will forgive the insulting term. No offense meant." The dwarf just acknowledges Salos's description with a shrug. "Grant..." he indicates the other human, "Well, he's good at picking out lies. Very good. He's decent in a fight, too."