Dark Days in Sion - Act 2: Scene 2

[Tellerian Hawke]

Billanverthorne: Still some loose ends to tie up...

Bill fires two quick shots at the fleeing Hobgoblin scout!
(Rolls: 9, 9... probably a miss, unless there are modifiers in my favor that I am unaware of.)

Bill points to where the scout fled. "Hobgoblin! Quick! After him! I need to check on the girl!"

At this point, Bill picks up his greatsword (while still holding his bow in his right hand) and runs down to where his sister was, hoping to get a sense of where she went.

(Spot roll, looking for clues: Roll = 21.)

(Tracking roll, probably a fail: Roll = 9.)

Bill yells, "I need a tracker!!"

 

[97mg]

Wrenwi

Ordechai: Spits out his ale and clutches at your sleeve with his good hand. "Don't be so hasty my friend!" he exclaims. "Did you not glimpse what descended from the sky just now?! That was a Vul! One does not simply stroll into combat with the likes of them! Who knows how many of them are circling above us, watching, assessing which of us are a threat. Whoever rushes to Alic's aid may well be their next target!" He warns.

"...So let us be calm, let us move slow and be smart. There's a heavy crossbow hidden among my goods that someone paid me to smuggle into Vulkh. That'll have a much better chance against a Vul than your puny light crossbow does... however I need your help to unpack and assemble it because three hands are better than one." He says with a smirk. "Bax will keep an eye out for us, what do you say?"

[Wrenwill: What do you do?]

The old cleric had only taken a couple of steps before his dwarven friend interjected. He had a point, and not just the big one on the end of a crossbow. Not an easy decision to make. Someone needed healing, and fast...

"Errrg." Wrenwil grunted. "Someone out there needs help Ordechai, and as one of my few gifts, it is my duty to assist. That said... I see your logic. I shall stay and help you for now... so, let's get the bad boy then."

 

[narayan]

Billanverthorne

Bill fires two quick shots at the fleeing Hobgoblin scout!
(Rolls: 9, 9... probably a miss, unless there are modifiers in my favor that I am unaware of.)

Both of your arrows miss and another round passes before the riders are close enough for shouting distance. You count five riders, one of whom is Khaled. Two of the others are akhenaten guards, one is an another merchant (though he appears to be more of a grizzled warrior-type than Khaled holding a crossbow) and the fourth is a dwarven scout.

"Hobgoblin! Quick! After him! I need to check on the girl!"[/COLOR]

The other merchant motions to his guards who break off in the direction you pointed while he, Khaled, and the dwarf follow you.

Khaled: -Speaks to the other Merchant- "Jabar, this is Billanverthorne, the guard I hired in Siellon."

At this point, Bill picks up his greatsword (while still holding his bow in his right hand) and runs down to where his sister was, hoping to get a sense of where she went.

(Spot roll, looking for clues: Roll = 21.)

(Tracking roll, probably a fail: Roll = 9.)

Bill yells, "I need a tracker!!"

Jabar: -Speaking to the dwarf- "Avar, lend your skills to this elf if you please..."

The dwarf dismounts and does a quick search for tracks with the aid of his torchlight which also lets you get a good look at him. He looks to be barely an adult by dwarven standards, which would make him less than half your age... but there’s enough confidence behind his grey eyes to give you the impression he can take care of himself. You'd also guess he’s rarely ever slept on a bed wrapped in a bearskin cloak that is deeply soiled and unkempt, matching his own hair and rather short beard that are also wild and unkempt, so black they look almost tinged with blue. Standing 4’-10" he has the height of a hill dwarf with a warriors build, but his skin is unusually pale.

His garments are made from animal skins. His leather leggings are stuffed into tall moccasins strapped around his shins. He carries a bone-handled hunting knife and horn-handled throwing axe tucked into his waistband. Over his upper body, his leather tunic is pulled open partway where it’s normally cinched tight, revealing a tattoo across his lower neck that looks like broken chain-links. You glimpse more tattoo’s of chain-links around his forearms as he leans down to get a closer look at the earth around the patch of thorns Celestia was using for cover.

Avar: (Survival, DC 15: = 21, Success) "Hmm... something is off... he says circling the shrubs. I see tracks from hounds and someone else, probably female..."

Khaled: -Explains- "He ran out here cause he heard his sister!"

Avar: Nods. "Well the drag marks aren't right..." He comments before smearing his hand in the blood. "...and this bloods not even warm..." He says matter-of-factly. "Whoever was lying in these shrubs wanted you to think they were bleeding out and dragged away, but what they actually did was puncture a wineskin full of blood, crawl away, and run off. Its a trick. I doubt very much his sister was actually here, especially since Hobgoblins are involved. Some of them are smart enough to set ambushes like this, the same sort that train hounds like that... I've seen it before."

[Billanverthorne: What do you do?]

 

[narayan]

Ania, Ersun

He strikes at Worgo as he attempts to retrieve his weapon and then continues to follow up the attack. Once he nicked at Worgo he takes a step backwards behind Ania, hoping to draw the thug with the flail in front of Worgo to bunch them together and make them unable to flank him. It is not a chivalrous move regarding Ania, but if Worgo joins the fight with his glaive he can reach through towards Ersun anyway, and considering he provoked him the most, he figures Ania will be less focused on anyway.

[AAO, Worgo: 22 to hit, 15 damage]

Ersun: (Fate Pool roll for Location: = 5, Left Arm)

Your blade slices into Worgo's left arm, preventing him from grabbing his Glaive.

[Attack, Worgo: 13 to hit, 8 damage]
[5 feet move backwards: on/towards the portal text]

Your second attack misses however.

Half Orog: Regains his senses and retrieves his great axe. (Provokes Attack of Opportunity from Ania but Ania has no readied weapon)

Underfolk Thug #1: (Takes a 5 ft. Step towards you)(Attacks w/ Heavy Flail: = 10, Miss )

<End of Round 3>
_________________________________________________________

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Billanverthorne: Grateful

Bill claps the dwarf on the shoulder, and says, smiling, "My friend, I owe you a strong ale, and a mighty favor!"

Bill slings his bow back onto his back, but keeps the greatsword in-hand. He approaches Khaled and Jabar, and bows before them.
"I am pleased to meet any friend of my gracious employer. Your presence honors me."

Bill casually walks over to where he fell the three hounds. He sticks each one with the greatsword, and twists the blade violently, left, then right, to ensure that all beasts are dead. As he does so, he explains,
"You should be very proud of your scout, his senses and instincts are as keen as they come. I too, suspected a trick, since I knew my sister to be far from here. What concerns me is how they were able to mimic her voice, as well as this..."

Bill shows Khaled and Jabar the torn piece of shawl that he found earlier. "This was no random ambush; these cretins were hired specifically to ambush ME. It seems I may have inherited my father's enemies."

Bill looks down to the spot where the hound's fangs found his side. "Oh wow," he says. "That's my blood. Don't see that too often."

 

[narayan]

Billanverthorne

Jabar and Khaled share a look that seems to say... ~he's an odd one isn't he? Even as elves go...~

Jabar: -Speaks to Billanverthorne- "Hobgoblins never need a reason to ambush anyone, but if they made a plan for you specifically and you survived, you can bet they will try again." He says in a warning tone that clearly speaks from experience.

Jabars guards soon return and report that they didn't find the hobgoblin.

Avar: Fingers the haft of his throwing axe as he stares warily into the dark. "I suggest we go back while we still can..."

Khaled: Nods "Yes indeed, let us return to camp with haste!"

The memory of Celestias voice lingers in your mind as you make way back to camp. Whatever evil was at work in this ambush boggled the imagination. The shawl was almost convincing enough by itself, but her voice was certainly too real to disbelieve and cramps your stomach with questions. How did they come by the shawl and how could they mimic her voice so well? These were not typical hobgoblin tricks by any means, which begged another question. Why were Jabar, and Avar in particular, so familiar with these uncanny tactics?

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Billanverthorne: Conversation With Khaled

The memory of Celestias voice lingers in your mind as you make way back to camp. [/I]Whatever evil was at work in this ambush boggled the imagination. The shawl was almost convincing enough by itself, but her voice was certainly too real to disbelieve and cramps your stomach with questions. How did they come by the shawl and how could they mimic her voice so well? These were not typical hobgoblin tricks by any means, which begged another question. Why were Jabar, and Avar in particular, so familiar with these uncanny tactics?

Bill returns to camp with Khaled and the others. After Jabar and his men say their goodbyes, and return to their own camp, Bill approaches Khaled, and asks to speak with him in private. If he agrees, we can speak inside his tent.

[Does Khaled have a servant of any type? Serving girl? Butler? etc.? If so, Bill respectfully asks if Khaled could arrange for a servant to help him; he needs to take the metal centerpiece of his armor off, so that he can get a good look at his side wound and try to bind it. If there is no servant, Bill asks if it's ok for him to tend to it while they talk.]

[To Khaled]: "How long have you known Jabar? Are the two of you close?"

Bill waits for an answer, wrestling with the side straps in the mean time.

[To Khaled]: "He sure knows Hobgoblin tactics... are Hobgoblins a common problem in this area? Or does he just have a personal history with them?"

Bill releases the two left straps, and pulls the twin metal pieces apart, to expose the side. He casually inspects the tears in the studded leather under-pinning, before lifting the leather to look at the skin. Still looking at the wound, Bill continues to comment.

[To Khaled]: "Most gracious employer, I am asking you these things because I am concerned. It would require the aid of a spell for a simple Hobgoblin to be able to mimic the voice of my sister so perfectly. And this shawl scrap is definitely hers, although I'm not sure how a Hobgoblin in this region could have come by it. These are dark tidings, Khaled. I suspect that the Hobgoblins are pawns in the greater scheme of things. Such an elaborate deception is beyond even the most clever of their kind. That is why I must find Jarahdrin; it is my hope that he will have knowledge which will shed light upon this mystery, which seems to be deepening with each passing moment."

 

[narayan]

Billanverthorne

Bill returns to camp with Khaled and the others. After Jabar and his men say their goodbyes, and return to their own camp, Bill approaches Khaled, and asks to speak with him in private. If he agrees, we can speak inside his tent.

[Does Khaled have a servant of any type? Serving girl? Butler? etc.? If so, Bill respectfully asks if Khaled could arrange for a servant to help him; he needs to take the metal centerpiece of his armor off, so that he can get a good look at his side wound and try to bind it. If there is no servant, Bill asks if it's ok for him to tend to it while they talk.]

Khaled does not have a servant, but he will help you out of your breastplate and tie a bandage.

[To Khaled]: "How long have you known Jabar? Are the two of you close?"

Bill waits for an answer, wrestling with the side straps in the mean time.

Khaled: "I don't claim Jabar as a friend exactly. I would not enjoy employment with Jarahdrin's trading company for long if I did. No one working with the Masoud Trading Company is allowed to associate with known smugglers. We are acquainted of course, it's hard to be in the merchant trade as long as I have not cross paths... but that is as far as it goes. It is only for your sake that I asked for his help tonight, but he didn't offer it freely. There will be a favor asked of me in return. Please do not mention that to Jarahdrin. I depend on this job to provide for my family."

[To Khaled]: "He sure knows Hobgoblin tactics... are Hobgoblins a common problem in this area? Or does he just have a personal history with them?"

Khaled: "I wouldn't know what his personal history with Hobgoblins are, you'd have to ask him. Those creatures aren't encountered as much as Goblins, Orcs and Gnolls are, but that is not to say they are any less of a threat."

[To Khaled]: "Most gracious employer, I am asking you these things because I am concerned. It would require the aid of a spell for a simple Hobgoblin to be able to mimic the voice of my sister so perfectly. And this shawl scrap is definitely hers, although I'm not sure how a Hobgoblin in this region could have come by it. These are dark tidings, Khaled. I suspect that the Hobgoblins are pawns in the greater scheme of things. Such an elaborate deception is beyond even the most clever of their kind. That is why I must find Jarahdrin; it is my hope that he will have knowledge which will shed light upon this mystery, which seems to be deepening with each passing moment."

Khaled: Nods "I've never heard of hobgoblins being that well endowed with spells. Normally we only see Hobgoblins in a leadership role, while other humanoids do most of the fighting for them. Typically they observe from the rear and only join in the fray when they feel a battle has a good chance to be won. Hobgoblins won't let themselves be butchered or captured as easily as Orcs and Goblins will. You might say they have a talent for picking their battles."

"Clearly something is different about those Hobgoblins that came after you. I have no idea what they are connected with, or why they want you killed or captured that badly, I only know you're obviously in a great deal of trouble! I hope my employer can be of more help, although I must admit, picturing him speaking of anything other than the merchant trade is odd for me. Perhaps I just don't know the man well enough?"

"One last thing Billanverthorne, rest assured I will do my best to bring you before Jarahdrin tomorrow, but I can't keep you in my employ any longer as a guard. Please understand its nothing personal, we're just trying to make a living and its too risky. Of course I'll pay you what was agreed, have no qualms about that."

[Billanverthorne: What do you do?]

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Billanverthorne: Conversation, continued.

Bill finishes binding the wound, and smiles as he examines it. "That's better. I think we have it wrapped nice and tight." (Heal skill: roll: 20.)

Bill turns to Khaled, and says, "Do me one favor; whatever the favor Jabar asks of you, do not allow yourself to become involved in something you shouldn't. REMEMBER: No debt is great enough to warrant the betrayal of one's honor, and one's principles. As for me, you have been more than kind. I don't want to place you in any further danger by remaining in your employ."

Bill replaces the leather underpinning, and straps the breastplate back into place.

EDIT:

[To Khaled]: "I'm going to make sure nothing else happens this night. Thanks for your help."

Bill spends the rest of the night on guard, pacing the perimeter of Khaled's camp, keeping the other 4 guards in sight, bow in-hand, a single arrow nocked, no tension on the bowstring.

 

[Shun001]

Kryslogious of Anasteria

"I don't start trouble... I end them!" he yelled to the four others in his loudest roar. He turned to Alic then and told him.

"Alic, run! Get your father and the others! I'll protect the little one."

He readied himself scanning the sky for something, keeping his stance over the Keu and his shield at the ready.

"Who will stand by me against this fiend!?" he directed to the other four observers.