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

[Tenchuu]

OOC: I agree. Also, if I they can't assault this goblin stronghold, we'd probably have better chances beating this band than the goblins. However, they really do have a significant tactical advantage with the current positioning. They'd probably cut us down before we could make enough successful rolls to climb up the hills to fight them. Plus, Spider hates goblins. So, I would like to wait for a response from Goldenhorn's offer. Paying them off is probably a sensible solution. Thus, my post below is a readied action, set to trigger if Ismene and Mallaby can't reach a deal.

[sblock=Readied Speech]

Spider stepped in front of the retreating Edgar. "Not so fas, bruddah. I an I has a bedda plan. Ya see, Eddar issa gonna come wit us. Dis whey, I an I both gotta collateral. An wen I an I reach dis towa, good Eddar issa gonna be tied up right, an I an I gonna tell dis 'oblin bumbaclot: 'Oh great Ruthak, ya take won good look at wha I an I bringin ta ya. Dis 'ere Eddar, righ-han a da 'ore Ismene dat be targetin ya wit hit an run. Da babylon try ta politck ol' Jarro, but she not know ol' Jarro raised by Hzaka, ol' Jarro trus an respeck Great Hzaka. An now, I an I bringin ya gift a dis bastard.' An den, wen de 'oblin bumbaclot let down 'is guar, dats wen I an I strike!"

[/sblock]

 

[horticulture]

Graval's sudden frown is hidden beneath his unruly beard. He crosses his arms over his chest, waiting silently.

OOC: Graval will be waiting for a response from Ismene as well, though he doesn't have anything important to say.

 

[BenBrown]

Ismene glares at the minotaur.
"Unable to profit at a legitimate occupation? she growls. My father tried profiting at a legitimate occupation, and what did it get him? A goblin's sword through his belly. I'm trying to protect this country, and if a bunch of armed strangers can just wander through, I'm not doing a very good job, now am I? I might not have fancy ancestors who did legendary deeds, so I'm going to have to do the deeds myself, but for that, I need resources. I'd much rather get them from the goblins than from you, but I'll take what I can get."

She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.

"Okay, you're right," she says. "No reason you should want to attack them in broad daylight--but you're not really all that far from Crovale. If you kept walking until sunset today, you'd only need about six hours from dawn tomorrow. It would barely be past noon when you got there. I'm sure we can work something out."[sblock=Insight 14 (active or passive)]She seems anxious to work out a deal of some sort.[sblock=Insight 19 (same roll)]Although there's some information she's holding back.[/sblock][/sblock]

 

[horticulture]

The dwarf screws up in confusion; he mumbles under his breath towards Jarro. "She's a right talker, this one, what?"

OOC: Lovely natural 1.

 

[VanderLegion]

Tyris nods along as Ismene makes her response, having nothing invested in the venture yet to have much of an opinion either way.

OOC: 1d20+2=12

 

[Mewness]

Goldenhorn pauses, considering Ismene's words. "If I have given insult to your father, I apologize; none was intended. But if you wish us to do this thing, then let your archers lay aside their weapons; come down from those bluffs and speak as a friend," he says. "Do this, and I swear by the name of Asterion the First, by the honor of King Dalfred my father and all my excellent forebears that no harm shall come to you or yours from us. We require this demonstration of good faith: for you have reason to trust us--you have observed our activities, you know that we approached your people without hostility, and if you take a good look at my friend Spider here, you will see that he bears the marks of a former slave. We, on the other hand, have no reason to trust you--no reason to believe that you will not simply hold Lord Mallaby for ransom while you send us into a deathtrap. If you continue to make unreasonable demands at the point of an arrow, therefore, then we will simply have to try who shall prevail; and I guarantee you that no matter how advantageous your position, not all of your followers will survive the test."

[sblock=ooc]Hope Tenchuu doesn't mind my making some assumptions about Spider's appearance.

Insight (1d20+4=7) not good, although Goldenhorn has passive 14 so he gets some info.[/sblock]

 

[Tenchuu]

OOC: Triggered speach on hold... Insight: 1d20=19 For not having skills in pretty much anything, I have been making some awesome rolls for the skill checks. Enjoy it while it lasts.

"Least of all, eddar 'ere," Spider said, putting a hand on the man's shoulder who rappelled into the valley. "Gold'orn tell ya tru. An I hear ya werds, though ya still ain't tellin I an I da whole ting, but I an I can tell ya wan I's 'elp, for tru. So, Ya tell I a tale, now let I tell ya a tale. Iffin ya hear da meanin of it tru, Ya com down, an I an I will talk."

"I's Muddah wa takin by dem Hzaka 'ores. She wa raped by won of dey orcs dat ride wit dem--to be tru, no dou she wa takin by many of dem, God res 'er soul--an I wa born a dat. I an I's Muddah wa raized slave ta dem, and dis slavin took 'er life."

Spider's voice broke a bit at this, and he took a moment to compose himself. "I an I wan revenge, Ismene, jus as ya wan it. Com down an tell all ya know, an togedda I an I get revenge, dis da tru."

 

[BenBrown]

Ismene stands for a moment, looking over the strangers in her land and assessing the situation.

"Dirk, Carlotta!" she shouts. "Come on down here. You too, Thais. The rest of you, pull back from the edge. At least 100 feet. More. Don't do anything--anything at all--unless you hear my signal."

"But-" one of the archers protests.

"No buts! If things go bad, I don't want any of you kids down here."

Carlotta--the woman with the short sword--climbs down her rope from the bluff, followed by Thais. On the other side of the ravine, Dirk stows away his bow and descends the rope that Edgar went down before. The archers back off, and the sounds of feet moving quickly away can be heard down in the gorge.

Ismene waits for everyone to reach the bottom.

"This good enough for you?" she asks. "If so, let's talk."[sblock=map]

* The +10 and +20 markers indicate height above the canyon floor of the ledges. Climb check is DC 15 Athletics.
* The gold dotted lines are ropes hung down over the edge from trees. Climb check is DC 10 Athletics.
* The reddish-brown lines are the edges.
* The brown circles are trees, as usual.
* Piles of debris (brown and green things) are difficult terrain.
* Those marked with red squares are known traps:
**+4 vs. Reflex
**Hit: Target is Immobilized (save ends)
**Miss: Target is Slowed until the end of its next turn.
**Athletics DC15 (standard action) will collapse the pile, turning it into normal difficult terrain.
* The green squares are collapsed traps, and are treated just like the other difficult terrain.[/sblock][sblock=status]Goldenhorn: G3 HP 27/27, Surges 7/10, AP 1
Graval: G2 HP 31/31, Surges 6/12, AP 1
Spider: F5 HP 25/27, Surges 6/9, AP 1
Tyris: G4 HP 23/24, Surges 2/7, AP 0
Zardi: E5 HP 31/31, Surges 6/11, AP 0

Mallaby: F15 HP 26/26, Surges 5/5, AP 0

Carlotta: G10 (Leather Armor, Short Sword)
Dirk: D13 (Dwarf with Chainmail, Shortbow, Warhammer)
Edgar: G6 (Leather Armor, Short Sword)
Ismene: E15 (Leather Armor, Rapier, Daggers)
Thais: G14 (Staff)[/sblock]

 

[Mewness]

As the archers back off, Goldenhorn sheathes his sword and puts his shield away. He lays one hand gently on Tyris's shoulder as Ismene climbs down. "I don't know you," he murmurs to Tyris, "but do not make a liar of me."

 

[VanderLegion]

As the archers back off, Goldenhorn sheathes his sword and puts his shield away. He lays one hand gently on Tyris's shoulder as Ismene climbs down. "I don't know you," he murmurs to Tyris, "but do not make a liar of me."

Tyris nods to Goldenhorn and slowly eases his weapons back into their hiding places beneath his cloak, then turns back to face the bandit leader.