Two groups of hobgoblins stand on either side of the hut. They have the group roughly surrounded, apparently able to approach unnoticed while you were distracted by Krassus' spectacle.
The one who spoke leans slouching against the haft of a long polearm. He's tall for a hobgoblin and wears dirty scale armor. His incisors are showing in a mean grin. Several teeth gleam silver. Cheap rings hang from either ear and a bright red sash is wrapped around his waist.
Two other hobgoblins in leather armor flank him. Their longswords are sheathed, but each rests his hand on the hilt. One is missing a pinky, the other's left eye is covered by a gold patch.
Behind them skulks a shorter figure, probably a goblin, though it's hard to say for certain. It has its hood up and a cloak hides most of its body, despite the sweltering heat. Even out in the open in the bright daylight, it seems shifty somehow. It has a bone symbol around his neck. It looks like some sort of talon or tooth design.
[sblock=Symbol]
[sblock=Religion DC 12 (passive)]It's the symbol of Bane, the Dark Lord, evil deity of war and conquest, commonly worshiped by mercenaries and goblins (so goblin mercenaries are right in Bane's sweet spot).[/sblock][/sblock]
Three more hobgoblins in leather jack stand on the other side of the clearing, close to the once-poisoned tree that Chaku "disarmed". They're passing around a waterskin, though from the distillery aroma detectable from ten feet away, it's got something in it besides water. One leers at Cillani, winking.
Behind the three is a short human. He wears comfortable-looking though sweat-stained travelling clothes and holds what could be a long walking stick, though both ends are blackened and scorched. His head is shaved and covered with intricate blue tattoos. Scars mar his throat.
[sblock=Streetwise DC 12 (active)]From the leader's accent, and the way they are dressed, these are Bacarte mercenaries.[/sblock]
[sblock=Papolstaanas]You don't recognize any of these individuals personally, but you recognize their type in an instant. They look and sound like the rough sorts that your siblings have been known to hang out with on Bacarte.[/sblock]
The tall hobgoblin rubs at his eyes mockingly.
"So sad, Krassus! But you know what, I'm real happy to hear you still got some of them beans for Mister Balsamey. Yep, what with the mess here I was worried you might not be able to keep up our arrangement, but I'm cheering right up at that news! Hold the hanky, boys!" The other hobgoblins laugh again. A soft hissing noise comes from the cloaked goblin.
"So why don't you just dig up your special stash and hand it right over. And the rest of you - " the hobgoblin looks around at the rest of the party for the first time, his mean grin turning into a grim line.
"You all just keep still, keep your hands away from your blades, and we ain't got no problem here. We'll be on our way and you can get back to consolin' poor old Krassus." The grin returns.
[sblock=Skill Challenge: Face Down the Ruffians]
Level 1, Complexity 2:
6 successes before 3 failures.
Status: 0 successes, 0 failures.
Success: The ruffians back down without a fight.
Failure: Fight!
Note: This challenge is optional... you might want to avoid a fight to save some resources, plus you might pick up some clues by engaging them in a conversation. However, at any time you can go straight to combat. Merely draw your weapons. They will be happy to oblige!
Procedure: We'll go in "rounds". Each PC makes one check per round. At least two of these checks must be primary or secondary skill checks "for effect", meaning that the check counts towards the success and failure counts in the challenge. The other checks may be aid another checks (see below).
Successes with some skills might unlock others or give additional bonuses on top of granting a success in the challenge.
Primary Skills (DC 15*): Intimidate (max 3 successes), Bluff (max 2 successes), Streetwise (max 2 successes), Religion (max 1 success), Arcana (max 1 success), Diplomacy (DC 22, max 1 success)
Secondary Skills (DC 20): any, be creative! Max one success per skill. (Powers might work too.)
Diplomacy (DC 22): These guys definitely do not look like the types who will respond well to honeyed words. However, if you have a specific offer or proposal you want to make, you'll need a Diplomacy success to get them to accept. However, you can get a maximum of one success through diplomacy, so use it wisely! (I do not have anything particular in mind here, just a hunch that something like that might come up... if it's something that makes sense in the context of the overall interaction, expect a generous circumstance bonus.)
Aid Another (DC 10/15): In addition to using the same skill as being used for the primary check (i.e., using Intimidate to aid Intimidate), you can use another skill if you can describe a way in which it makes sense (i.e., using Athletics to look strong to aid Intimidate). It's DC 10 when using the same skill, or DC 15 when using a different skill, but I will give circumstance bonuses for good ideas and descriptions when using different skills. Powers might work too. A successful Aid Another check gives +2 to the main skill check; failure has no effect.
* - FYI, I go with the pre-errata DCs, I think the errataed ones are just too low. But I'm pretty generous with circumstance bonuses for good ideas and roleplaying[/sblock]
[/sblock]
