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Thread: Swordslinger

  1. - Top - End - #61
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    Default Re: Swordslinger

    At the Bar

    Arthur looks thoughtful for a bit as he mulls things over.
    "Well, we don't know where the Dogs are from. They showed up a while ago and started with looting caravans, moved on to farms sure enough. Some of the town boys went out to hunt 'em down, never came back. Since then, peopl've died going in an' out o' town. So if you're worried about Toh havin' mercy on your soul, don't be.

    Don't know much about bounty hunting, sorry.
    "

    At the Table

    There is an uncomfortable silence as the player turns a shade of red and tries to shrink into his chair. The rest of the table looks at each other. Finally one woman speaks.

    "I don't know much, most of 'hem come riding in on us waving all manner of weapons, but... they've two archers."
    Lantanese gnome avatar by the talented Honest Tiefling.

    Don't call it a rework - 5e Ranger optional class features

  2. - Top - End - #62
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    Rina

    "Now that is useful. Two archers, you say. Tell me more, if you would be so kind. When do you see them, and what else do you remember." Rina pays no attention to the player or to the tinman now that the former stopped wasting time and the latter stopped becoming a peacock.

  3. - Top - End - #63
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    Default Re: Swordslinger

    The woman looks down at her hands.

    "Last week, they attacked us on our way outta town... my husband and I. 'Hey rode up, about a dozen of 'hem. Shot Mils as we were turnin' back."

    She stops, fixes her hair, and continues again, he voice a bit weaker.

    "The others rode in, whooping. Mils pulled my face into his shirt as he was tumblin' off. After that... after that I just heard them cursing and laughing and driving Mils' wagon away."

    She stops again, and looks away.

    "That's all I know" She finishes in a small voice, almost a mumble.
    Lantanese gnome avatar by the talented Honest Tiefling.

    Don't call it a rework - 5e Ranger optional class features

  4. - Top - End - #64
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    Rina

    "That's fine." Rina laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You did everything you can. Do not worry, your husband shall be avenged." Rina's delivery had something resembling compassion in it, but to those who had been around her, it seemed like a foreign concept to the ice queen.

    "Now, if you are quite finished, I believe we have some farms to investigate."

  5. - Top - End - #65
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    At the Bar

    Arthur is called away to tend to some other patrons, refilling their mugs with dark, foamy ale and gladly taking the silver they give in return. A conversation down at the other end of the bar pulls the bartender in, and he is soon chatting away in his due style with them.

    The trader looks over at Arthur as he moves away, then finishes his ale. With a wipe of his sleeve he mops up the ale from his bristly lip, then nods to Elia as he rises.

    "Well, unless there's anything else you need me for today, I'm going to get me a nip of rest. Name's Nigel, by the by, and you can find me here, just ask Arthur and he'll tell you where."

    With a tip of his head to Elia, then to Claw and then Penn, Nigel heads upstairs.
    Lantanese gnome avatar by the talented Honest Tiefling.

    Don't call it a rework - 5e Ranger optional class features

  6. - Top - End - #66
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    Elia

    "Well," says Elia, looking to Claw and Penn, "I guess that it's about time to go look at the farm lands. Do you want to go and grab the other two to see if they have any other ideas?"
    GENERATION 12: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig and add 1 to the generation. social experiment.
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    Brute
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  7. - Top - End - #67
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    Farmlands

    Leaving the tavern, it is still around the middle of the day, and you set out for the farmlands north of Redcap. As you leave the main thoroughfare, the roads narrow drastically, but the houses become further apart, with alleyways in between them all. Sticking to the more sizeable roads does not turn you wrong however, and you emerge from the northern limits of the town into the farmland. Wide plains spread out before you, and it almost seems as if you can see forever. You can count half a dozen farmhouses, at least, within eyesight, and the farmlands do not stop.

    Farmers can be seen, tiny as ants, slowly working their fields. Over the course of your walk out here, the sun has dipped a bit, but there is still plenty of daylight left to strike out into the farmlands and continue your investigations.
    Lantanese gnome avatar by the talented Honest Tiefling.

    Don't call it a rework - 5e Ranger optional class features

  8. - Top - End - #68
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    Penn's walk to the farmlands put him in a much more resigned frame of mind. The Marches were country without centuries-established constables and courthouses, and in most places it wasn't clear which, if any, kingdom had authority. Consequently, mused Penn, this is a land of opportunity for psychopaths. But there have to be consequences. If these are ever to be more than badlands, there will have to be consequences.

  9. - Top - End - #69
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    Rina

    Once they started, Rina started looking intently for clues. If she could track them to some sort of hideout, it would be helpful. "Now move out, I'm going to see if I can find where they are striking from."

  10. - Top - End - #70
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    Murdoc Hillstomper

    Murdoc looked around at the various farms, looking for someone to talk to. Seeing a likely sort at work in his field, Murdoc set off looking for information about the recent attack.

    "Good day to you sir,"
    Murdoc says as he approaches the man.

  11. - Top - End - #71
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    Elia

    Elia starts going from field to field, asking if any of the farmers either know any details about the attacks by the bandits or if they know anyone who knows any details about the attacks by the bandits. She also asks around trying to find someone willing to sell or rent out a horse/mule or donkeys and a cart.
    GENERATION 12: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig and add 1 to the generation. social experiment.
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  12. - Top - End - #72
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    Eastern Farms

    The eastern farms have been most recently attacked, so Rina's investigations soon take her there. There, the farmers are living out of shacks built from the wreckages of their homes. Yet, they continue on.

    There is little to find out among the farms. The Black Dogs have struck, pillaged, and left.

    Leaving the farmlands behind, Rina searches methodically for any tracks. Eventually, she finds them, heading northeast from the farms. It is an old trail, but still just discernable. ((Rina takes 10, gets 16 on track))

    Southern Farms

    The farmer looks up as Murdoc approaches, shading his eyes from the sun to see him better. Seeing the glint of armor, the peasant seems about to flee for a moment, then, seeing that Murdoc is alone and doesn't seem to bear any of the identifying marks of the Black Dogs, the peasant relaxes.

    "Can't say so, but that same t'you." The farmer replies flatly, squinting at the armored man as sunlight glints off him.

    Central Farms

    The farmers have much and contradicting things to say to Elia. Sometimes there are a handful of riders, sometimes twenty men on foot. Sometimes they aren't even men, but orcs. Sometimes they come from the northwest, other times the northeast. About the only thing they can agree on is that they attack with abandon, sweeping through like a cloud of men and steel. There is no sense that these bandits are very organized, but strong enough to get away with it.

    Finding a cart and horses to draw it is surprisingly easy. About one in every three farmers has a small cart and a horse for taking produce to town, and they are used to renting it out to their neighbours. Elia is even able to find one farmer willing to loan the cart and the draft horse used to pull it for free, with promises of its safe return and the end of the Dogs, of course.

    ((15 Gather Information))
    Last edited by Townopolis; 2008-05-04 at 12:58 PM.
    Lantanese gnome avatar by the talented Honest Tiefling.

    Don't call it a rework - 5e Ranger optional class features

  13. - Top - End - #73
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    Murdoc Hillstomper

    "Yes, bandits tend to muck things up which is why I'm here. Me and some others decided to put a stop to their little band and well we need more information. Do you know anything that might be helpful, or somebody who does?"

  14. - Top - End - #74
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    Rina

    Rina stands and observes the trail in more detail, trying to see how many people were on it.

  15. - Top - End - #75
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    Claw and Ghost

    Seeing the others move to talk with the farmers, Claw follows along with Rina to check out the trail, silently pointing out what he sees.

    Spoiler
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    Claw's got a 5 in Survival, so can he use it to assist Rina's check?
    "It's a trick. Get an axe."

  16. - Top - End - #76
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    Spoiler
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    Basic rules for aid another is a DC 10 check to give the other person a +2 bonus on their own check

  17. - Top - End - #77
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    Elia

    Elia finds each of the others and explains that she's found someone to loan out their horse and cart in the event of them settling upon the counter-ambush plan.
    GENERATION 12: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig and add 1 to the generation. social experiment.
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  18. - Top - End - #78
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    Southern Farms

    The peasant cracks a grin, showing a mouth full of holes. "Sure I can.

    Now, I jes' started working these fields few weeks ago. Afore that, I was hired out to a man on the edge o' the fertile land. Well, I was out in'e fields when them showed up.

    Came around both sides, kickin' up dust and hollering like hell. Saw... five and one on one side, an the same on'e other. They was riding in on some horses. About five and...

    ...three?

    Well, most o' them went to ripping up the house and yards up something fierce, the rest, four in all, came out to the fields.

    They was jes yelling an all, but some people aren't going to take it well. So some o' the hands start running. Well, two o' the four stopped their horses and, well, started picking off the runners. That's about when I hit the ground.

    One o' them came up to me and poked me with a spear or something, cut me light in the back, but it's nothing really. Had himself a good laugh at my expense. Then they all rode off together. I didn't get up until I could hear them were way off. Just got to see them dusting up the road.

    After that, well, I couldn't work there any more, wasn't enough left to pay me for, or with.
    "

    The peasant shrugs and leans on the hoe he was using to clean furrows.

    Bandit Tracks

    ((combined track of 18))

    You can tell there were at least 8 riders, possibly more, it's difficult to tell with the way the paths constantly cross each other. It would have been much easier if they were riding abreast of each other, but it is clear they moved in a clump.
    Lantanese gnome avatar by the talented Honest Tiefling.

    Don't call it a rework - 5e Ranger optional class features

  19. - Top - End - #79
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    Murdoc Hillstomper

    "Horses huh, that could be useful. Thanks for the help, hopefully I'll pay em back for that scratch they gave you." Murdoc grinned and walked off looking for other farmers to see if they had anything else to add. His conversation style would follow much of the same track, looking for information and building himself a reputation as a good guy, even if that wasn't true.

  20. - Top - End - #80
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    Penn takes up a central position and leans on a fencepost, tipping forward his hat so the brim shades his eyes. This tinman's not so bad. He keeps an eye to the horizon, but doesn't spot anything suspicious.

  21. - Top - End - #81
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    As the day draws to an end, Murdoc finds that his first informant has the most concrete story, and that the rest of the stories vary to degrees. The number of bandits ranges from six to twenty, and there is all the other variation that Elia encountered. From the remaining conversations, Murdoc only learns that there are between six and twenty bandits who are all either human, hobgoblin, or orc, and who don't seem to care about organization.

    The people take to Murdoc well enough once they find out he is going to hunt down the bandits, but it is likely the friendship of need. Initial reactions of wariness change to relief and passive helpfulness at the hearing of the task at hand, and don't seem to move from there.
    Lantanese gnome avatar by the talented Honest Tiefling.

    Don't call it a rework - 5e Ranger optional class features

  22. - Top - End - #82
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    The day draws to a close with little else happening, and none more learned. Returning to the Shining Star, your joint persuasions are able to convince Arthur to give you one night's rest free of charge.

    "Dead men's rest, or hero's welcome. Either way, I don't want to see you back without a finished job now, here?"

    His admonishment is mostly serious, but not all. You retire for the night to rest and rejuvenate, or perhaps to plan your attack by candlelight.

    ~

    Morning comes with a ray of sunshine through your window. The nighttime cold has not yet been driven out by the light, and you shiver to leave the comfort of your bed. However, there is work to do, and soon enough you are preparing for the day ahead of you.
    Lantanese gnome avatar by the talented Honest Tiefling.

    Don't call it a rework - 5e Ranger optional class features

  23. - Top - End - #83
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    Rina

    Rina wakes up with a terrible cramp. I can't believe they have the nerve to call that a bed. Muttering to herself, she starts getting ready for the day, which meant washing and grooming. After all, just because the others did not seem fit to dress in a fashion appropriate to call upon a prostitute did not mean she had to stoop so low.

  24. - Top - End - #84
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    Elia

    Elia sat up for the better part of the night, weighing the options before the group. All of the different ideas had their merits, and all of them had their flaws. There was so little concrete information, though.

    It's almost impossible to decide. If we try for a reverse-ambush, they may actually get the jump on us, if we don't see them coming. If we try to track them, any wrong move could reveal our approach, and we would have to face them all at once.

    She ended up with just a few hours of sleep, a fact visibly etched across her face in its expression and sunken eyes.
    GENERATION 12: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig and add 1 to the generation. social experiment.
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  25. - Top - End - #85
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    Murdoc Hillstomper

    Murdoc lets out a huge yawn as he awakes, he gives his armor and weapon a good polish before putting it on. He then leaves his room thinking to himself, "Ambush or track? Both have the same risks, but tracking has a bigger advantage in that they won't be mounted. Speaking of which, I wonder what we shall do with the horses. This may be more profitable then I thought."

  26. - Top - End - #86
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    Nigel is downstairs when you arrive, having turned in much earlier than any of you, he has gotten down a little before. He sits at a table with a plate of grits and hash before him, digging into it heartily.

    "One thing you can find in Redcap easy, food." he declares to you with a grin as you appear downstairs, and he accompanies this with a hand wave, beckoning you over to sit with him.

    "Something to eat here, Arty?" He calls out. Arthur responds to this with a scowl at being called "Arty," but begins preparing some food for you.

    "So," Nigel prys, "What's the plan to take out our boys, and what part do I get to play in it?"

    His eyes gleam with eagerness and relish as he poses the question, and the grizzled, gray haired trader looks to you brightly for a response, still eating.
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    Don't call it a rework - 5e Ranger optional class features

  27. - Top - End - #87
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    Rina

    "Tracking them gives us an advantage in deciding when the attack is sprung. Throwing ourselves into a trap doesn't seem to me as particularly effective. But if all of you can keep quiet, we can take their own encampment by surprise."

  28. - Top - End - #88
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    Claw

    Claw slept lightly and awoke refreshed, if not entirely satisfied. He was still never quite at home in human settlements, but decided to take the room when it was offered, having brought Ghost inside before any note of protest could be sung.

    Pushing Ghost off the foot of the bed, the two head down to the common room to meet the others. He nods in agreement to Rina's suggestion,

    "Trap the prey you know, stalk the prey you do not."
    Last edited by Snowfall; 2008-05-12 at 04:11 PM.
    "It's a trick. Get an axe."

  29. - Top - End - #89
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    Elia

    Upon arriving downstairs to the breakfast the others are engaging in, Elia visibly relaxes, as it seems the hard decision has already been made for her by the group. She does worry about whether they are all capable of being stealthy enough to pull off the tracking and surprising. "So you all want to track then down, then?"
    GENERATION 12: The first time you see this, copy it into your sig and add 1 to the generation. social experiment.
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  30. - Top - End - #90
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    Murdoc Hillstomper

    "We shall not give them the benefit of horses this way," Murdoc says with a shrug as he eats his fill. "But we should hurry up I suppose might as well stop them before they hit again"

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