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So now those five archers are going to try to fill you with arrows. you did attack their mayor, after all. They are about forty-fifty feet away from you.
Okay so, I take a hit, and while I did scare the horse I can see how that could be interpreted that way. Normally hostages are a bad idea, but it could be the only way I get out of this alive, track down the party I have been tracking and foil whomevers plans. (That is Jasters ultimate goal right now.) Get to the mayor and take him hostage, at least until the dominate spell wears off. So first off, get to the mayor, with a dagger drawn. Hopefully he is more reasonable once he comes out of it.
Hookay...grappling from horseback. While his mount is tearing across the countryside and he doesn't know what is going on.
You get your horse close to where the mayor fell. He's on his butt. Make a touch attack to grab him. He can't take an AoO.
Men shout "They're behind us!!" and "They've shot mayor Lundgreen!" All hell breaks loose as the Captain, unsure if this sortie was justified, has no qualms about defending his leader. His men charge to Gorillas and Kairn's troops, while more archers try to shoot you.
Your grapple is successful. Opposed grapple checks (BAB+str+size): mayor - (1d20-1)[16] don't forget your favored enemy.
Note: You cannot carry the mayor, he weighs close to 170 lbs. You could lift him off the ground and stagger at 5 ft/rd, losing your dex to AC. You could drag him at half speed, but still lose dex to AC. You could kill him. You could run away. You could do lots of things, but carrying him just won't work.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Giant
An entertaining defeat is better than a boring victory...
Jaster doesn't want to kill the mayor, he wants to use him as leverage. In fact, this plan would have been way better if he had thought of it sooner.
Opposed grapple check (1d20+3)[20]
Addressing the Bushie captain: Captain, something is wrong with your mayor, take your men and go home, or I kill him and Kairn and his men beat the crap out of you, or kill you.
The shortest of moments extends forever as you wait for an answer from the Captain.
After what seems an eternity, he nods to his hornblower. "Sound the retreat."
Three short blasts reverberate through the valley. And again, and once more. The men of Bushton, already locked in battle, break off and pour down the road, streaming past you.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Giant
An entertaining defeat is better than a boring victory...
Now to see what Captain Kairn does. Jaster may have an easier time coming out alive with him, but he is still going to have quite the time of it. Hold the mayor until Kairn gets to him.
Continue pin, or whatever Grapple (1d20+1)[13]
Mayor's grapple check to escape pin - (1d20-1)[12].
The mayor struggles against your hold, but is unable to break loose.
Not having seen the reason for the retreat, Kairn, blood spattered and frothing at the mouth, raises his arms in victory and lets out a blood curdling yell, echoed by his Gorillas and troops in general.
About a dozen bodies litter the ground, most of them men from Bushton. One of the Gorillas is crouched beside a spasming corpse, teeth still dug into its lifeless throat.
Upon spotting you, the mayor, and the Captain, Kairn smiles likes some jungle cat and strides over. Ah, a hostage. Not bad. I'll wager this worm is the so called leader of that rabble.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Giant
An entertaining defeat is better than a boring victory...
This is the mayor. I wager that in a couple days of solitary he will be quite willing to say something that doesn't go along the lines of "Attack Smirnoff". Seeing him yesterday and today there is something wrong with him. I wonder what.
Well, we'll just keep him as a guest then, won't we? Pug, bring him along. The throat knawing gorilla bounded over on all fours before straightening up and clamping the mayor in a vicelike blood smeared bearhug.
Now just one...
The steely gaze of Kairn silences the Captain's protest.
We can't have a repeat of this, can we? Indicating the massacred Bushton militia on the road. He'll be our guest until he can be civil.
And you! You were in this all along! Traitor! The captain spits on your shoes as he spurs his horse away towards home.
Well there, that came out alright. Not too shabby.
You accompany Kairn and his men back to the fort. He pays you a generous sum of 500 gold, and provides a place to trance. Somewhere in your waking sleep, your hear a "ding!" You have received 750 xp, and can now go up a level.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Giant
An entertaining defeat is better than a boring victory...
It seems I have a little down time. There must be a smith in town. Show him about the strange longsword I found in the cave about 13 pages back. Also pick up 4 cure light wounds and an alchemists fire. I need to get back on the trail of the party I have been tracking soon, but I don't think they will leave until they accomplish their mission here, whatever it is.
Have the smith put new wrappings on the handle, then try to find out what it is and whether the writings mean anything. Interpretation of the writings may have to wait until later.
All he can tell you is that it is an ancient weapon of high quality steel (Masterwork). He has never seen that language. Repairing the handle will cost 20 gp.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Giant
An entertaining defeat is better than a boring victory...
pay the 20 to get the sword repaired. After that, pay a visit to the mayor in his cell and see if he has anything on his mind besides "attack oldshire" or "escape".
There may be information to be gathered from the mayor, even in his current state. Pry around his delirium for clues over what his controller wants him to do now. Why do you want to attack Oldshire.
Gather information (1d20+7)[11]
Find a messenger service and see if they will take the following letter to Bushton. If not Jaster may have to deliver it himself, without getting captured.
Spoiler
To whom it may concern,
The taking of your mayor hostage was unfortunately necessary to save my life and the majority of yours in the recent skirmish. I have good reason to believe that there are forces that are trying to start a war between you and Smirnoff. I have no doubt that bad tings will continue to happen until the agents of these forces are removed from the area and their employers stopped. Be on the lookout for two strange humans and a half-orc. Other than that, I recommend that you stay on the defensive as much as possible. I recognize you have every reason not to trust me. As a show of good faith I will do what I can to get your mayor back once he is himself again. I will contact you then.
Jaster
Also, since you have been in the village, you also learned that during the skirmish a number of houses were set ablaze and several people murdered, apparently with an ax. The soldiers dispatched to the village confronted the maniac in the act, and were able to wound him (while losing three men themselves) before he retreated. He was not pursued because it was felt that extinguishing the flames was a more immediate need. Most people feel Bushton is to blame.
Considering the bad blood, you can find no one to deliver your message.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Giant
An entertaining defeat is better than a boring victory...
Jaster will have to deliver it himself, but that can wait. He gets his horse and starts working on tracking the maniac down.
ask where he was last seen, then start tracking.
survival (1d20+5)[19]
Before I do, speak with captain Kairn and put him on his guard about people me doesn't know, and to be especially suspicious of spell casters. That would probably require a diplomacy check. (1d20+3)[21]
No diplomacy required: you're on good terms with him and watchfulness is his attitude in general.
As for your tracking, with a little help from the villagers (and a few "good lucks" - one wealthy looking man offered you a thousand gold for the murderer's ax) you are able to pick up the trail. It heads east, towards Nebo peak.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Giant
An entertaining defeat is better than a boring victory...
Awesome, finally one authority figure I haven't soundly angered. Exercise cation and continue tracking. Are the prints orc or human. If they are human, increase the result by +2.
Survival (1d20+5)[20]
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