Strange Rumblings in Langtier: Party No. 1

[Cyranojoe]

Grojimar

Groj trailed off on his description of the fortified bridges he'd seen along the Orlister, which he'd been detailing to Vespe, and glared at the hitherto-sneaky elf who had just all but screamed, "Search us! SEARCH US! Say you found contraband and jail us, too!!"

'Ah though you was smarter 'n that, pointy-ears. You 'n me's gonna have us a chat, if'n we get outta here with our hides...' Why in all the hells would the elf have gambled his life that their employer was legit? Groj's teeth ground brutally.

When the guards' eyes left him, Groj gently released Human's tie to the wagon, in case the two of them needed to make a quick getaway. As he did, he tried to listen in on the merchant's conversation with the soldiers, glacing over to the halfling, mildly curious to see what kind of special treatment 'the boy' was getting.

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Roll to overhear our boss:
[roll]d20+1[/roll] (Huh, guess because I didn't put in the / it won't let me roll in an edited post. I'll roll in a new post.)

Are you guys making a distinction between your spoken and internal monologues? I'm used to italics being used for thoughts, in books and in these forums, so it's kinda throwing me to read your dialog in italics

[Cyranojoe]

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Listen to bossman:(d20+1)[7]

[Kobold-Bard]

Derel

It was a nice idea Aliron had, and it might have worked if he had some kind of Royal insignia to whip out in a dramatic fashion. But since one didn't seem to be coming Derel decided to do something himself.

Speaking poiltely but firmly he spoke to the guard with the halberd, who he assumed was the leader.
"Excuse me, but as you can see we are nothing more than a grain shipment. Your search has been thorough and that is a credit to you and your comrades, but it is clear now that our convoy is upholding the law".

Waiting for a second while he chose his words he was half tempted to turn around and see if Groj had exploded with anger. Suppressing a smirk he continued.
"I am a Derel Teneson, a Lightfoot patron of these lands with no unlawful behaviour in my past or present, and by that virtue neither I nor those I travel with will be hindered on this bridge any longer. So I must request that you recall your officers and stand aside".

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Diplomacy check: (1d20+3)[13]
Spot and Listen in case the diplomacy doesn't work and the try to kill me: Listen (1d20+5)[10]
Spot (1d20+3)[19]

I am standing near the front of the wagons now, just out of halberd reach.

[vomit_bunny]

Behlan

He rolled his eyes when he heard the elf up front.Great, he thought, antagonise the heavily armed guards, or worse give them ideas. He paused and smiled. Well, what ever happens it's sure to be interesting.

He looked to the guard closest to him and tilted his head towards the savvy halfling. "You'd be wise to listen to him," he said with a politeness he didn't feel. "I'm sure your employer would not be please to find out that you've held up our friend here. It would be a great shame if such dedicated guards as yourselves were to be punished for not letting a lawful halfling and his companions pass."

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Not sure if this is appropriate:
diplomacy - (1d20+4)[20]

[Hairb]

If the leader hears any of you, he makes no sign of caring what you have to say. Instead, he keeps his steely gaze on the merchant.

One of the half-orcs searching wagons turns and calls out that they've found nothing. The leader of the guards runs his tongue over his cracked lips. "Well that's 14 sovereigns. Ten men, four wagons, a sovereign each. New tariff on imports." The merchant makes a sour face and reaches for his belt.

[The_JJ]

Rafe relaxes. He looks over his nervous companions. Why the big deal? He thinks to himself. Custom stops happen all the time. Eh, I guess everyone's on edge these days.

[vomit_bunny]

Behlan

Stupid half-orcs, not even paying attention, he groused silently, if I'm going to pretend to be polite they could at least pretend to listen.

He was quickly distracted, however, by the merchant as he reached for his belt... impressed that the man seemingly kept at least that much money on his person rather than in a secure lock-box on one of the wagons. Out of habit he surreptitiously tried to note exactly where the merchant kept his coin purse.

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Just a bit of fun (and because I like the forum roller):
spot check - (1d20+6)[16]

[Cyranojoe]

Grojimar

Groj turned his stare to the path they'd taken. Fourteen sovereigns was steep, but the merchant had surely figured on something like that before taking the gamble to deliver grain of all things to the embattled Langtier. In any case, they weren't tapping Groj's purse, so it didn't matter to him at this point.

On the other hand... It suddenly struck Groj that the guards were counting the boy in their tax -- and a beautiful grin spread across the ranger's weatherbeaten face.

[Kobold-Bard]

Derel

Annoyed that he had been apparently ignored he took a few steps back, planning to return to his former position. But then he heard the cost the guard quoted.

It looked as though the merchant was probably going to pay it, but it was a matter of principle. After all what was the worst that could happen, he was skewered my a piece of metal, big deal. He would just cling to this world as a ghost and torment them for the rest of their miserable lives.

Again in his most diplomatic voice he said "Excuse me but I believe that you have miscalculated, it will only be 13 gold pieces to pass, as I am exempt from any charge". He fixed his gaze on the guards, running the words and gestures of his spells through his mind, just in case.

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Again just in case -
Diplomacy: (1d20+3)[7]
Spot: (1d20+3)[15]
Listen: (1d20+5)[20]
And a bonus one -
Reflex: (1d20+4)[10]

[Hairb]

"It's a tariff on imports, little man, and all merchant convoys hafta pay't. Fyew want to split straws legal-like, you can do it with Marshal Choyen." He hawks and sends a walnut-sized lump of phlegm sailing over the edge of the bridge into the river. "In a holding cell, s'far as I'm worried. Now..."

The merchant steps between Derel and the guardsman and thrusts a couple of fivebits under the guard's nose. The guard counts out a handful of stallions, lancers and harriers from a small box bearing some sort of crest and flings them at the merchant's feet, and smirks as your employer stoops to pick the coins up, as he waves the wagons through with a mailed hand. "Clear the bridge, then. You're blocking the King's Highway," he says, sarcastically.

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The stallion is a silver piece, the lancer is a copper piece, and the harrier is a no longer minted coin worth about 1/2cp. The fivebit is a large pentagonal coin made of electrum, and is worth five sovereigns. It takes the place of platinum pieces in this setting.

The merchant, livid with rage, mounts his wagon once again, and gives the signal for his sons to advance. The twins glance over their shoulders as they pass through the arch, watching what you all do.

[Cyranojoe]

Grojimar

Groj follows the wagons over the bridge without responding to the guards' altercation with the merchant, but the breeze coming over the river is sweet and uplifting. Once on the other side, Groj kneels to refill his waterskin with real, true Langtier water.

It's been a while....

[Kobold-Bard]

Derel

Seeing the scene unfold between the merchant and guard, Derel felt slightly guilty, he would probably apologise but now was not the time.

Walking on with the rest of the convoy as he passed them he shot the guard a look of venom but restrained himself from leaving a retort. Unfortunately Braan doesn't have such willpower and caws to them "sooner or later gits like you all gets whats coming to them".

Annoyed but amused Derel continued walking.

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Won't bother rolling checks again, but if I do get hacked to pieces (What with my 6 whole hit points), I ask Hairb, how would you feel about me becoming a ghost to stay in the game?

[vomit_bunny]

Behlan

He smiled at the raven's words as he stepped forward and followed the wagons through the archway, making a deliberate effort to ignore the guardsmen as he went.

"Huh. Well, it could have been worse," he said brightly as he stepped under the stonework and away from the half-orcs.

[The_JJ]

Rafe nods amicably. "Larusel be with you."

[Vespe Ratavo]

Vespe

Vespe returned to his position, barely able to retain a snicker at the merchant's anger. Some semblance of seriousness then returned to his face. "Well, that wasn't so bad, now was it?" He asked no one in particular. Vespe then unstrapped his lute and began to play once more, joyfully whistling along.

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Perform - (d20+7)[24]

[Hairb]

On hearing Braan's remark, one of the guards shys a pebble in the birds direction, but misses and curses. As the you pass under the arch and through the fort, you notice the ceiling and walls above head height are studded with small, square indentations about four inches across. One of the twins mutters something unintelligible to the other as Rafe crosses under the arch, and the chink of metal on metal is audible as money changes hands. On each side of the tunnel, a door is barely visible. You exit the tunnel into the fading sunlight, and a short while later arrive in the village of Duskling.

The village is built around a small paved square with a well and sundial taking pride of place. A hall, temple, inn, smithy and a large, impressive house are all on the square, and a few small peasant god shrines, houses, shops and a large stone barracks lie further from the middle of the village. Locals, including a great many half-orcs, are milling around making preparations for nightfall. The evening chill begins to set in, and the smell of wood smoke and cooking food is everywhere.

The merchant heads over to the inn, which bears the sign of the Hart and Hare. He instructs his sons to take care of the animals, announces that he will pay for the group's board, and instructs you all to be ready to leave at dawn tomorrow.

[vomit_bunny]

Behlan

Behlan glanced around the settlement in interest but, for the most part, seemed to ignore the locals as they went about their business. He turned instead to his travelling companions.

"So," he said cheerfully, clapping his hand together. "Can I temp any of you to a drink? I know Vespe here deserves recompense for his fine playing, at least." He grinned and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "And there are, perhaps, others," he added as his gaze fell on Groj and then the halfling and his bird.

[Cyranojoe]

Grojimar

"Tha' was some good tune'in, Vespe," Groj remarked to the bard after he brought the song to its lyric end. And it was; he hadn't heard such dulcet tones since his wife...

No. Just... no.

The merchant's declaration that he was covering their board (as well as the rooms?) made Groj's belly offer a grumbling query, and Behlan's suggestion of a drink was twice as tempting, but the ranger said, "Thanks f'r that, but Ah'll have ta join ye in two bits. Human here don't take kindly to strange hands. Better f'r me ta settle him in afore he take a bite of somebody's finger. Keep a stool open f'r me."

So, instead of tucking into a halfsteak in the tavern, the ranger joined the boys as they went back to the place's stables. Groj didn't bother to make conversation, but he did watch them. Did they know what they were doing with the animals? Did they show special concern over anything? Did they actually say anything of interest in the first place?

Once Human was squared away and munching on another carrot, Groj hefted his weapons and pack -- What kinda fool lugs so much gear 'round here n' there, anyway? -- and made his way to where he'd be staying. He stashed the most valuable items in his pouch (money, smokestick, etc), lashed his warhammer to his back ("Jes' in case"), slipped his Bowie knife into its easy-to-release and very obvious forearm strap. Once that was done and his weapons stashed under his bedroll, he headed to where he expected to find the rest of the party.

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Roll for Listen:(d20+1)[15]
Sense Motive:(d20+1)[16]
Handle Animal (observing them):(d20+4)[13]

[Kobold-Bard]

Derel

Derel replied to Behlan's offer with "I think I'll take you up on that, assuming you have no objections". The second part was aimed at Groj. "I'm just kidding, I'll come anyway" he said with a smile.

Just let me get cleaned up first. And with that he mumbled something under his breath, snapped his fingers, and all the dust and other crap from the road just vanished off both him and Braan.

"Prestidigitation, love it".

[Vespe Ratavo]

Vespe

"I'm always up for free drinks," Vespe remarked with a smile as he strapped his lute to his back. "Should we put up our things in our room, though? I don't know about you, but I've found the whole 'armed to the teeth' thing to be rather off-putting to most people."

[The_JJ]

Rafe

Rafe glances at the tavern. His Sodier's Senses kick in. A half-pint maybe, and then it's straight to the hay for me. I have to be well rested for tommorow.

[aliron]

"I'll join you at the tavern, with weapons, but I'll pass on the round. Be nice to be amongst people indoors every now and again."

[Hairb]

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I'd like a Knowledge (Nature) check from Grojimar and a Diplomacy check from everyone else. Those of you raised by or near humans (that would include halflings, I guess) get a +2 to this particular diplomacy check, while those with little experience of human customs take -2.

[Cyranojoe]

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You specified the +2 for the Diplomacy rolls, so I did my K(N) roll without it:
Knowledge-Nature:(d20+4)[21]

Just in case you wanted me to roll a Diplomacy roll as well (-1 Cha mod, +2 situation mod):(d20+1)[16]

[Kobold-Bard]

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Diplomacy: (1d20+5)[15] (+3 Mod / +2 Circumstance)

[vomit_bunny]

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diplomacy - (1d20+6)[14]

Um, I put in the +2 circumstance bonus since he was raised by a human, if you think that's pushing it feel free to ignore it.

[Vespe Ratavo]

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Diplomacy - (d20+9)[11]

+3 ability mod, +4 skill ranks, +2 for experience with human customs (raised in a human village).

Edit: Ouch. First time I get to actually use my specialty, and I roll a 2.

[aliron]

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Diplomacy (d20)[3]

How fitting.

[The_JJ]

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Diplomacy (d20+2)[4]

[Hairb]

In the stables:
You recognise three strange horse-like creatures in the stalls, with boney plates covering their foreheads, vaguely cloven hooves and bright amber coloured eyes. They are varicorns, a kind of horse said to be interbred with unicorns long ago. Outside of elvish lands they are rare in the extreme, and command a high price. Also in the stalls are two large draft horses and a black thoroughbred. The wagons have been left in the walled yard behind the inn, and the twins are headed inside, have settled the oxen down for the night. There is a stall available for Human, plus feed and the like.

Inside the Inn:

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Derel, Behlan, Vespe: You recall that it is common courtesy in the northern baronies to place your right hand over your heart and show your left palm while bowing when entering a building as a stranger. This shows your peaceful intentions and goodwill.
Aliron and Rafe: You seem to have made a faux pas of some sort, but may cover it up with a Bluff check, if you wish.