Adventure: Get Me to the Church on Time (DM: BenBrown, Judge: Renau1g)

[Tenchuu]

OOC: So long as this is an informal skill challenge, I am happy to wait normally until it looks like the diplomacy path has dried up.

 

[Tenchuu]

[sblock=Out of Town]
I will have no access to the internet until Friday or Saturday or next week.
[/sblock]

 

[BenBrown]

"As it happens, we are on our way to a wedding," he says pleasantly. "May I ask why you are guarding this bridge?"

Graval repeats what Goldenhorn said, attempting to sound friendly, "Yep, we're headin' fer a weddin', fun times, what."

"A wedding?" the first guard says. "In this part of the world? Who's getting married? An Owlbear?" She seems relaxed though.

"We're guarding this bridge because we like having the bridge here so we can cross," the second guard says, "but Ismene doesn't want anyone crossing that she doesn't know about. A sentiment I agree with."

Zardi walks forward slowly, with his axe across his shoulders. He says nothing, but simply stands a few feet behind the rest of the group.

"Does he always loom like that?" the first guard asks, looking warily at Zardi.

[sblock=ooc]The diplomacy seems to be working so far. Two successes there. Unfortunately, the intimidation seems a to be counter to the current tenor of the diplomacy, so I'm going to have to count that one as a difficult rather than a moderate skill check.

2/4 successes, 1 failure.

diplomacy is good, but it's going to get trickier from here on out (difficult check)

Level 4/complexity 1 skill challenge. moderate: 14, difficult: 21


I apologize for not posting in several days. I honestly didn't expect you guys to take the straight-forward talking route, and that flummoxed me to the point where I needed to think a bit to correctly adjudicate this, and I've been too tired after work the last few days to get my mind in gear.

So, forward, I guess. [/sblock]

 

[horticulture]

"Nyah, no' an owlbear. Jus' a local dandy lord o' Daunton be gettin' married. Jus' makin' sure he gets ta where he be needin' ta be wit'out fear o' them gobbos gettin' him. We got no issue wit' yerself or wit' Ismen'. Jus' needin' ta be passin' through, is all."

[sblock=Diplomacy Aid Another]DC 11 to aid Goldenhorn's next Diplomacy check. 1d20=11[/sblock]

 

[Eternal54]

"Does he always loom like that?" the first guard asks, looking warily at Zardi.

Eraden looks back at the goliath and laughs. "I'm afraid so. He is a protective fellow, good man to have by your side in these parts though." Eraden smiles at the rest of the group, hoping they would ease themselves a bit. "Well ladies, Ismene sounds like a wise leader, a virtue Palladys looks favorably upon. You may tell her a group of adventurers passed through on route to a wedding, and we will show our thanks by helping you clear the forest of any remaining goblins or other foul creatures encountered."

Eraden spoke with confidence, grace, and perfect diplomacy, but still unsure if his words would strike home.

[sblock=Diplomacy]
Diplomacy = Crit for 34!
[/sblock]

 

[Mewness]

"Quite right," says Goldenhorn. "And should your leader require our names, know that I am Ingvar Goldenhorn, son of Dalfred; my friend here is Eraden, and this is--" here he is overcome with a sudden fit of coughing and sputtering. "My apologies," Goldenhorn continues thickly, clearing his throat. "It appears something in the air hereabouts does not thoroughly agree with me."

[sblock=Diplomacy]Diplomacy (Graval aiding) (1d20+5+2=9) Urp.[/sblock]

 

[Tenchuu]

Spider moved up next to Goldenhorn and put an arm around him. "an I an I be Jarro Sarak, tho mos be callin I da Spidah fo I's skill in batta, ya 'ear? If ya jus let I an I tchru, I an I be on our whey right quick, wit no troubba or 'arm, dis da tru. An don ya forget, I an I got a common enemy in dat Babylon 'oblin 'orde dat callin dem selves Hzaka. I an I done killed a dozen a dem dis mornin, an ya can be sure any more I come across gonna meet da same fate."

OOC: Aid another: Diplomacy: 1d20+1=21 Who knew.

 

[BenBrown]

"Well ladies, Ismene sounds like a wise leader, a virtue Palladys looks favorably upon. You may tell her a group of adventurers passed through on route to a wedding, and we will show our thanks by helping you clear the forest of any remaining goblins or other foul creatures encountered."

"If you find any," the older of the two guards says, smiling. "Not many left right around here."

"Quite right," says Goldenhorn. "And should your leader require our names, know that I am Ingvar Goldenhorn, son of Dalfred; my friend here is Eraden, and this is--" here he is overcome with a sudden fit of coughing and sputtering. "My apologies," Goldenhorn continues thickly, clearing his throat. "It appears something in the air hereabouts does not thoroughly agree with me."

The guards smile and shake their heads.

"an I an I be Jarro Sarak, tho mos be callin I da Spidah fo I's skill in batta, ya 'ear? If ya jus let I an I tchru, I an I be on our whey right quick, wit no troubba or 'arm, dis da tru. An don ya forget, I an I got a common enemy in dat Babylon 'oblin 'orde dat callin dem selves Hzaka. I an I done killed a dozen a dem dis mornin, an ya can be sure any more I come across gonna meet da same fate."

"Well done!" says the younger guard.

Although their weapons are still drawn, the two seem less worried at the moment. They huddle together briefly, whispering.

"Well, they certainly look honest."

They turn back to the group.

"Okay, you're going to a wedding," the second guard says. "You must be telling the truth. It's too dumb a story to be a lie. Pass across. Let me get the rest of your names. Write these down, Lucia."

The younger guard produces a small notebook. "Okay, we've got Eraden, Ingvar Goldenhorn, Jarro Sarrak. . . " she looks over at Mallaby. "And who is this handsome fellow?"

The nobleman smiles. "My name is Adelin Mallaby. If all bridges in these parts are guarded by such lovely ladies, I shall be eager to cross as many of them as I may."

"O go on with you," she giggles, and taking the rest of the party's names, ushers them across the bridge.

The road now leads upward again into the hills.

[sblock=ooc]Success! With two natural twenties in one round, I believe this is the hand of fate here.[/sblock]

 

[Mewness]

"While I cannot approve of banditry as a profession, I must admit that I found the manners of those young women not unpleasing," says Goldenhorn to his friends as they leave the bridge behind. "But then, perhaps this Ismene is being falsely maligned, and does not care to rob innocent travelers at all."

 

[horticulture]

"May'n be tha case, Gold'horn. Or maybe them's jus' afeared o' meself an' me hearty axe, what! No' many who'd go agains' a wily dwarf wit' a beard such as me own, don' ye doubt," Graval shouts after they've crossed. He takes point again, his stubby legs moving like pistons.

"An' a good job, tha lot o' ye. Meself was fer thinkin' tha' ol' lor' Mall'by be tha only one wit' a silver tongue. 'pparently our god fearin' man got himself a gold tongue, haha." The dwarf laughs loudly.