Machines of War

[madtinker]

Bushton is another farming town, and is just what the name implies; bushes. But here on the north slope of the mountain the bushes are the main economy. When their bark is dried, pounded, separated, and spun into thread, it makes an extraordinarily light fabric said to have therapeutic properties. Most of the production is controlled by a local guild, which also fixes prices. Overall the people are prosperous and happy.

Because of the value of the fabric, the guild often hires guards for the caravans that ship it north to the capitol. Rumors around town suggest people are fearing an invasion from Smirnoff, and one even said that the mayor has written to the elves asking for peacekeeping troops.

[INWranger]

See if the mayor is available and if he is, find out if he has anything specific in mind that peace keepers would do. The line for him is that I am part of a group hired by the Elves to maintain peace. (It is great because it is true, but says nothing about my current standing with them.) If he doesn't have any ideas for seek and destroy missions, or is unavailable I will check into an inn and visit he and the guild the next day.

[madtinker]

DM only

Spoiler

The mayor gets a sense motive for the slight untruth. (1d20+8)[26].

The mayor is in!

Your statement is mostly true, so make a bluff check with a +4 bonus (+another two for against human).

[INWranger]

Okay, so the organization is effectively dead.
Bluff
(1d20+6)[18]

[madtinker]

Hhm...and you came by yourself? You're just a two bit merc like all the rest.

[madtinker]

rolls for our game over Christmas break.

Spoiler

Me - cleric
(4d6b3)[11]
(4d6b3)[11]
(4d6b3)[16]
(4d6b3)[13]
(4d6b3)[10]
(4d6b3)[15]

Rogue
(4d6b3)[13]
(4d6b3)[5]
(4d6b3)[14]
(4d6b3)[18]
(4d6b3)[10]
(4d6b3)[15]

Brother 1 - barbarian
(4d6b3)[7]
(4d6b3)[18]
(4d6b3)[13]
(4d6b3)[9]
(4d6b3)[6]
(4d6b3)[16]

brother 2 - druid (in case)
(4d6b3)[13]
(4d6b3)[17]
(4d6b3)[12]
(4d6b3)[7]
(4d6b3)[11]
(4d6b3)[15]

extra roll set I
(4d6b3)[11]
(4d6b3)[18]
(4d6b3)[15]
(4d6b3)[10]
(4d6b3)[12]
(4d6b3)[16]

extra roll II
(4d6b3)[12]
(4d6b3)[9]
(4d6b3)[14]
(4d6b3)[16]
(4d6b3)[15]
(4d6b3)[14]

[INWranger]

Four bit merc who can handle a job with finesse and discretion. Tell you what, give me a job and if you aren't 100% satisfied I will take a 50% cut on our previously agreed price.

[madtinker]

Make a diplomacy check.

[INWranger]

Diplomacy (It burns)
(1d20+3)[4]

[madtinker]

How about this: I let you work for me and if I don't like you then you get nothing.

[INWranger]

Why don't you see how you like my work determine whether I get paid? Plus you can hate my guts personally if you want to.
(1d20+3)[19]

[madtinker]

That's what I said. He gives a wry smile. You'll do fine. I actually want to post my own eyes and ears at the border. Those official army guards are easily bribed, and I want to know who is coming down that road. If you ride out of town and take that fork that leads up Cottonwood Canyon, you will find a nice lookout that gives you a vantage of the road and the guard outpost. Take this spyglass, and watch the road. If they let anyone through that doesn't belong, you ride straight back here and alert me.

Links to our character sheets:

Spoiler

The Barbarian
The Cleric
The Rogue

[INWranger]

Who exactly doesn't look right? Rougher looking characters? Farmers that don't look downtrodden enough? Anyone who isn't a legitimate looking merchant or one of your men?
Before Jaster leaves for his post, he sends a letter to Captain Kairn with whatever messenger service there is.
Mayor of Bushton also has suspicions of something coming and feels his regular army people are prone to being bribed.

[madtinker]

Roughnecks and spies. Thugs, that sort.

When you ask the courier if he carriers to Oldshire, he just stammers an apology: it isn't a good idea to be seen crossing the border.

[INWranger]

Then my assessment will have to wait. Take my post and start watching.
hide
(1d20+14)[31]
Spot
(1d20+4)[16]

[madtinker]

By the time you get to the lookout bluff, night is beginning to fall. You don't see anyone on the road by the time the guards have supper. They light a ring of torches to illuminate the dark road, and two go to sleep while the others keep watch.

As the night deepens, bats swoop around your head and coyotes howl in the distance. Eventually it all fades into perfect silence, and you can see you breath by the starlight condensing into a puffy cloud as you exhale.

Edit: I made a ranger as an alternate character choice.

[INWranger]

Wait until the busy time the next day, then trance, unless something happens in the mean time.

[madtinker]

Around midnight, The guards are struck with what appear to be arrows or crossbow bolts from out of the darkness, and they fall dead.

[INWranger]

This definitely qualifies as something to report. Wait about 5 minutes, or until I can get an idea of the number of assailants and get a description of them, if the torches are still burning. If there is no way to see them, or if nobody shows in 5 minutes I go back and report that the guards are dead at their posts.

[madtinker]

Two horses with riders come flying through the torchlight, but they are too fast for you to get much description.

[INWranger]

The two riders are enough. Get on my own horse with my shortbow out and try to warn the town. If they are way to close to the town to warn, try to take them down.

[madtinker]

Okay, since I'm guessing you are hurrying, but the ground is not very even. You go as quickly as you safely can (unless you want to go faster, then we'll decide it by roll of the dice).

[INWranger]

Yes, Jaster goes as quickly as he can safely, for a trip would cost him more time than he would gain by running flat out. Thankfully he is comfortable at night with his low-light vision, and has a fast horse waiting, or he should anyway.

[madtinker]

Wait, you didn't take your horse with you to the bluff?

[INWranger]

I brought him to it, but hid him where he wouldn't be visible from the road. Still, through the whole time I maintain maximum safe pace until I can warn the town or intercept the riders.

[madtinker]

Okay, so after retrieving your horse you get to town pretty quickly. It is past midnight, all is quiet.

DM only

Spoiler

the horsemen slowed to a walk and hid their horses off the road after getting through the checkpoint. They are sneaking into town on foot.

[INWranger]

As per instructions go to the mayor and tell him about the incoming riders and dead guards.

[madtinker]

He's asleep. His house is dark.

[INWranger]

Go in, or bang on the door until he wakes up. They may be dead, but the guards still let unauthorized men in.

[madtinker]

After about a minute of raising a ruckus at his doorstep, his butler answers the door with a mace the size of your head. After your explanation he calms down enough that he doesn't turn your head to porridge, ask you to wait in the front room, and fetches the mayor. He comes down in a robe and slippers, obviously peeved at being disturbed.