[Adventure] A Call for Lovers (DM: jbear Judge:Lord Sessadore)

[jbear]

"You can use the ropes or not, if you don't need them, more power to you!" Robin slings them over his shoulder. "I'll bring them in case you change your mind. Off we go then folk! Before the day is a wasting!"

Sabynha does not have the sensation that Robin is lying about the escapade being more than some good old clean fun. He does seem highly amused by the notion that you might not need to use ropes, and very excited that you seem to have taken up the challenge. He verily skips to the edge of the glen, winding the stragglers along, as the whole lot of them get themselves into gear. It seems everyone is coming along to watch your feat.

Robin leads the way through the woods, past a serene lake and across an ornate bridge over the enchanted stream. The woods give way to a wide meadow where two young unicorns play in grass of varying lengths. A few trees, several shrubs, and two calm pools break up the sward. At the edge of the forest, the Green Fey wait.

"If we wish to avoid war, and we do, we can go no farther," says Robin. "You must cross into Uma's territory and nab the unicorns. Sneak up or convince them you mean no harm, your choice. Impress them however you can. Then, coerce them to our cause. Oh, Uma will be so angry, she'll choke on her own branches."

With a wink and a slap on the back Robin sends you on ahead under the attentive and watchful gaze of his fellow fey. He offers you the rope should you choose to take it.

GM: Skill Challenge: Approaching the Unicorns Complexity 1: 4 successes before 3 fails Bonus: Speaking elven provides +2 bonus to any charisma based skill checks Unicorn 1: Impress=1 success; Convince=1 success Reach their Side= 1 Success Unicorn 2: Impress=1 success; Convince=1 success Reach their Side= 1 Success

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

"Thank you Robin." Sabynha was smiling, but she stopped and turned before heading off, "...don't take this the wrong way, but perhaps you and your friends should stay out of sight while we do our 'negotiations'."

She winked and headed off toward the unicorns. While walking with her companions, she spoke again, "I have an idea; to show them we mean no harm, we should put peace bonds on our weapons. Doesn't have to be *all* of them, just the visible ones."

The vistani took one of her colourful scarves and began to tie an intricate knot around the hilt of her blade, tying it securely in its sheath.

"As for impressing them... I have no idea what it would take to make an impression on a unicorn."

OOC: So, yeah, besides the peace bond thing, my plan is to just approach them openly and warmly, greet them, and... just ask them to help us. Feel free to come up with other ideas

 

[Son of Meepo]

Wat thought for a moment about what tales he might have heard about unicorns, and what sort of things might impress or attract them.

Arcana (1d20+8=24)

"My weapon is a staff, so there is not much I can do to stow or bind it, but usually it is considered less threatening than a blade."

Wat walks close to Sabynha, telling the bard all he knows about unicorns along the way, and at least attempting to make it sound like an interesting tale though he was not the storyteller she was.

 

[CrimsonFlameWielder]

Gray was beginning to see how narrowly focused his training was. Sure, he knew fifteen different ways to step upon the ground so as not to make any sound and could hide himself like a chameleon (depending on the terrain, current weather conditions, and lighting), and he could surely spin a believable tale or get someone to incorrectly follow his body movements in order to take advantage of them... but he didn't have any of the rich knowledge of folklore, and hell... he didn't even really know much about his own people. It was evident that living with a single person for a ten year span (admittedly his whole non-animal life) limits one to learning only what that other person knows unless one branches out on their own to seek knowledge. Gray was never bookish, and he had a hard time picking up on that kind of learning anyway. He much preferred physical aspects of learning than mental ones, at least as far as esoteric learning was concerned. He had had his mind trained to access and tap into his core internal energies, but even that was simply a means for elevating physical pursuits. In short...Gray was feeling pretty dumb right about now, and he really wished that he could receive some kind of sign from the Eladrin woman as to what he needed to do to become what it is she wanted him to become. At least that would take his mind off of his inadequacies.

"You could always tie your staff to your back. That would keep you from drawing it quickly..." he said, addressing Wat's concerns about peace binding.

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

"And what shall we do with you, Gray?" Sabynha teased, "Put you in manacles? Hahaha."

 

[Son of Meepo]

Wat tries to stifle his own chuckle a bit. He didn't want to be seen as piling on. "It probably matters little. Those who carry staves are usually assumed to be users of magic. Even without a staff in hand, an intelligent mind such as a unicorn would assume I am a potential danger. We will have to rely on Sabynha's honeyed words in their native tongue to assure them of our intent."

 

[CrimsonFlameWielder]

Gray smirks at Sabynha's comment.

"Even that would not work, unless you also tied up my legs, my arms, elbows, knees...and my head" he said, letting out a chuckle.

 

[Nemesis Destiny]

Sabynha laughed playfully back at Gray, "I'm sure there isn't a knot that would hold you even then."

The vistani stopped lauging, suddenly back to the situation at hand, and that much of their success was weighing upon her. "You are right, of course, Wat."

She continued, not directed at anyone in particular, "It would do little good to bind a staff, and in any case the gesture is mostly symbolic. A sword is merely an implement of death, while a staff has many uses, some of which as some of you no doubt know, are far more dangerous than any blade."

She was stalling now, mentally preparing herself for this important meeting.

OOC: When it comes time to throw some dice, I was planning to open with Words of Friendship on my Diplomacy. I will also have a Knack for Success that I can use to grant someone a +4 on one roll, and Inspire Competence, which I can pop any time now to give everyone in the group a +2 on all rolls with a given skill until the end of the encounter (I'm thinking Diplomacy or Insight?). They're all 'power' bonuses, so they don't stack. Also, I give everyone in the group a +1 Racial bonus to Diplomacy, which does stack. And anyone speaking Elven has a +2 untyped DM bonus to charisma-based rolls.

 

[Neil1889]

Rain tied up her weapon, feeling a little red-faced as she did so; her ability to call her weapon to hand only took a relatively little time to free it. She didn't want to show the trick off in a frivolous manner, but couldn't help feel guilty about it.

 

[CrimsonFlameWielder]

OOC: Sounds like a plan ND. You open up negotiations and we'll support you.