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The captain nods at the paladin's plan, "You track down Margo and spread the word, I've got a few friends in town who I want to be sure get the news quickly. I'd advise you not to forget your mission, though. Our employer doesn't care for excuses."
Jon has no trouble finding what passes for the law around here, a sheriff dispatched by the Governor in Anchor's End, but the actual person is a bit tougher to track down. The paladin must search through several saloons before spotting the mountain of a woman nursing a shot of rotgut. "Clear out, tenderfoot. Can't you see I'm working here?" Blusters Margo, the sheriff, as Jon makes his introductions.
@everyone
Spoiler
if you want to follow Jon, say so. If you have other plans, write the down
@Mika
Spoiler
Unlike the guards at the slave pen, who were little more than hired street toughs, these look like trained professionals. both are outfitted in fine (ie: masterwork) armor and weapons, and both have a crossed sword and hammer clasp holding their cloaks on.
knowledge (nobility) 10
Spoiler
the symbol on the clasps is that of House Henderthane
As for your other questions:
The crew of the barge is out on the town drinking. Where they're staying (on the boat, or in rooms) you don't find out (or they don't have set plans and might just drink util they pass out in a ditch, you can't tell). The barge is already fully loaded, as far as you can tell, but you can't find out why it's waiting. People tell you that there's a map of the town and local claims at the assessor's office, but its closed for the night [ie:your DM hasn't finish drawing it]. While scouting around, you notice four other men in cloaks with clasps like those on the barge. As the night goes on and news of the massacred town filters into the bar, they have a serious-looking discussion and three of them leave. The fourth begins picking out burly-looking patrons and gathering them together for some kind of discussion.
Mika tries her best to sit down next to the group without being too close. She orders a glass of wine if the barkeep asks. She will slowly sip it as she strains her ears to hear the discussion behind her.
(Since this is an edit both stealth and perception will be on the next post)
Jon nods to the sheriff, but holds his position. He speaks quickly, but with confidence. "Greeting Sheriff. You may want to hear this. My name is Jon Rust. I and my friends have come from down river. Along the way we came across a body in the river, followed by a derelict. She had a corpse, exploded in flesh eating bugs. Signs of small weapons, bronze. Ships log spoke of an attack, small creatures, not skraelings. Small settlement further up the river was abandoned, save for one prospector who came down from the hills after everything happened. Thought you would either want to know or maybe be able to shed some light on the subject. Anything odd sighted around here?"
He stands still, meeting the sheriff's gaze steadily.
Margo looks at Jon as he launches into his explanation, then calmly drains her shot glass and stands up. "An empty settlement and exploding corpses? Now I've heard a lot of crazy drunks in my day, but you are a fine vintage Mr. Rust. Don't worry now, I've got a nice room where you can sleep it off before you go raising a riot."
A halfling at the end of the bar slips out as Jon recounts his story, going to spread the latest gossip.
@Mika
Spoiler
You sidle up to the table unnoticed. The saloon is loud, but the hastily assembled group makes no effort at secrecy. The guard is offering to hire the men to guard the pier. He's afraid that people will try to hijack the barge and escape if news of the massacre causes a panic, or if the town is attacked. He's offering 20 gold and a free ride back to Anchor's End if things get hairy.
Genevieve follows Jon into the bar, then snorts at the woman's scorn.
"Believe what you like, but the fact is that camp is gone, the people vanished to a man. We have a boat full of witnesses, if you care. Now we have told someone and our duty is done."
__________________
Awesome avatar by Kpenguin. ALL HAIL DOCTOR DIRE!
"I am no drunk and I speak no lies. As she said, we have an entire ship of witnesses. So, will you do your duty?" He leans forward as he finishes, exuding the obnoxious moral rectitude rarely seen outside a paladin. He leaves the alternative unspoken.
The sheriff sombers up quickly after Genevieve's attestation and Jon's follow up. "Well you're obviously not soused, but I'm starting to wish you were. We don't have a proper militia up here, not enough skraelings to bother a town this size, so I'll have deputize some sober men, if I can find them, and post a watch. I'll also have to send runners out to the mines. I don't suppose any of you would like a job?"
@everyone
Spoiler
where are the vials of saltpeter poison? Does one person have all 5 (and, if so, who?), does each person have one, or did you leave them together back on the boat? Mika needs to know ASAP.
Jon steps aside with Genvieve and Tyr to confer. "Are we all needed for our other task? Or can it be dealt with quickly and quietly enough to leave us time to help spread the warning? I suspect the attackers, whatever they are, will care little to distinguish between slaves and slavers, or anyone else for that matter. I doubt giving warning would bother our employer either, he wishes the mines intact. If a smaller number of us can deal with the shipment, we should have them do so. I don't know that there is any great advantage in numbers for such a task anyhow."
If the others agree, Jon will gather the entire group to discuss the change of plans and surrender his vial to whomever needs it.
Ok, Mika. Do I get the others or can I do this myself? Well let's see if I can do this. Mika turns and walks to the group of people. "I can help some. Might not be as strong as the other people here but I do have some arcane arts that can help. And I know some other people that could help some also."
The guard organizing the little confab turns as the young sorceress approaches, opening his mouth to tell Mika off when she interrupts with her pitch. Spotting the unnatural breeze shuffling her hair, he readily believes her, "magic's always useful, and I've gold for a few more hands, so gather your friends and meet by the docks as quick as you can." Then he and the half dozen patrons he's hired get up and leave.
Huril followed Jon and Genevieve, taking a drink from the barman while they gave the information to the sheriff. Upon hearing of more work, he quickly finished his drink and moved to the others. "Work is work, and I have no problem doin' it, just need to make sure we get our other thing done first, no sense in warnin' these folks if we just end up dead back at port," He said with a shrug. "An' I'm still for doin' our first job, though I don't wanna run it alone."
Jon steps aside with Genvieve and Tyr to confer. "Are we all needed for our other task? Or can it be dealt with quickly and quietly enough to leave us time to help spread the warning? I suspect the attackers, whatever they are, will care little to distinguish between slaves and slavers, or anyone else for that matter. I doubt giving warning would bother our employer either, he wishes the mines intact. If a smaller number of us can deal with the shipment, we should have them do so. I don't know that there is any great advantage in numbers for such a task anyhow."
If the others agree, Jon will gather the entire group to discuss the change of plans and surrender his vial to whomever needs it.
Genevieve waits until all are gathered, then pipes up.
"We must take care of the shipment first, then we can go warn the mines. The shipment... Two guards. More in town, probably. I am decent at lying, but not sneaky at all, and if we wish to solve this without blood it will take sneakiness. Does anyone have any ideas?"
__________________
Awesome avatar by Kpenguin. ALL HAIL DOCTOR DIRE!
I guess, we could make a distraction while someone sneaks in to the shipment. But I can't think of any good distraction. Any ideas?
Tyr said pondering.
After a while Mika finds the rest of the group. She then informs them about her time in the village. "I got us a job. They are hiring people to protect the ship. They are afraid that if word gets around about the attacks downriver then the populous might charge the ship. It is 20 gold and transport back to Anchor's End if the ship has to sail to get to safety. But we get moderate access to the ship. There were 4 other people with the House Henderthane symbol on there cloaks and a half dozen more people. That makes 6 guards with 6 hired hands guarding the Barge. I think that joining them might be for the best."
After listening to the other's information, "We can try splitting the group. it will make sure that only myself and someone else could be blamed for the shipment. And also allow us to warn the mines faster."
Jon mulls Mika's words. "I hate to send anyone into danger with that little support...but it might save lives to get the warning out sooner. Stealth and secrecy are quite beyond me, so I cannot volunteer." He shrugs, the feeling of concern and regret evident on his face.
Spoiler
Bhaakon - I don't actually want to keep splitting parties, it just seems like the thing to do IC. Stupid characters and their personalities.
so is that a consensus for the barge and no split?
Even though it's only been about half an hour since you warned the sheriff, and maybe fifteen minutes since Mika accepted the guard's offer, a strange quiet has settled over the town. The raucous atmosphere has died away as the news has spread, and most people now huddle in hushed conversation or rush about on some urgent errand. You see several riders mount up and gallop off into the night.
Jon looks conflicted. "What's the plan then? I would have this done as soon as possible. Regardless of others concerns, the idea of trapping ourselves on that barge for the duration is...unpleasant. How does it look?" He looks to those who scouted the target.
As your meeting drags on, one of the guards from the barge approaches Mika. "I thought I saw you out here talking. Do you and your friends want the job or not? I'd like a spellcaster on board, what with the boss still up at the mines, but I need an answer now." He looks around the street at the huddled conversations, "this calm is making me nervous. It ain't natural."
"I know that I am interested, just let me ask the rest of my compatriots." Mika then turns to the group, "They can use the help. And being around others would be better then just standing around. So who else shall join us?"
The guard takes you back to the dock you originally disembarked at. The Splinter is tied up on the west side, the saltpeter barge on the east. "Just stay here on the dock and make sure none can charge cargo. If it gets too dangerous, we'll cut the lines and you can make a run for the boat before we drift off." Four of the regular guards stay with you on the dock, while the other two and the barge's crew make themselves busy amidst the stacked barrels of saltpeter.
"Pay first, then you can give your orders." spouts one of the other hired hands.
The guard grinds his teeth, unsure for a moment how to deal with people who don't simply follow commands. "Yes, right, half up front." He hastily doles out ten gold to each person, you included.
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Re: New World IC, Group 1
