[3.5 E6] Northward Bound: Kaya, Ser Erik, Allyon, and Sael

[Sarco_Phage]

The Duchy of Duke Mark Ildefonse is a prosperous land, and has made those who hold it - Houses Ildefonse and Elarin - quite wealthy. Trade and traffic from the mysterious Elven lands - rumored to harbor savage warbands of Elf warriors, witches, wizards, and creatures out of nightmare.

Trouble, however, has been stirring in the Reaches. Murder, of a foul and most unholy type, has been committed. The desecrated corpse of a child was found on an altar in a temple in the village of Palt.

A few days after that, one Cleric-in-training killed another by means of an unnatural fire, that set her practice sword alight and clove flesh as though wood were steel. Such strange and possibly even related events have set the Reaches abuzz with rumor. And the Cleric-in-training who killed the other, said to be a daughter to Baron Tomas, is now nowhere to be found.

On the Road to Ildefonse

You are on the road north to Ildefonse, a near 80-mile stretch of alternating cobblestones and road. There are a number of fellow travelers with you, of varying shapes and descriptions. In addition to yourself, there is a pair composed of a goblin and a brutish looking man who is carrying all of their luggage, a merchant and his oxcart taking the wares of Palt to Ildefonse for trade, a young couple on horseback, and a group of five tough-looking hopefuls heading to Ildefonse, perhaps aiming to make some money off the archery contests. They look like they could handle themselves decently in a fight, and three of them have bows slung over their shoulders. All have thick cudgels at their sides.

"Damn it all", says the goblin. "Oy, you!" he cries, indicating the merchant driving the oxcart.

The merchant gives him a fearful look. He appears to have very little love for Goblins.

"'Ere," says the Goblin, heading over to walk beside the Merchant's oxen. "How about givin' me and my pal a lift, heh?"

"I don't want any trouble...." murmurs the merchant. His fat face begins to sweat. That is to say, sweat even more. The coastal winds do not come so far inland, and it's a hot summer's day.

"Trouble?" says the Goblin. "What trouble? I'm just askin' for a ride, this stinkin' heat ain't doing us any favors."

The Merchant blanches. "Sorry, I can't..."

The Goblin grins and draws a single gold piece from his pocket. It catches the light, as well as the Merchant's attention. "Even if there's something in it for you?" he says, twirling the gold piece along the backs of his knuckles.

The merchant stares intently at the gold piece. "Well... I don't know-"

"What's this?" says a new voice. It is one of the men heading north for the tournament. He steps forward and glares at the Goblin. "Where'd you get that coin, eh?"

The Goblin turns slowly, his grin gone. "Fairly earned, and about to be fairly spent, boy. What's it to you?"

"Fairly earned, 'e says," leers the man to his compatriots. "Fairly earned, and the donation box at the temple plundered afore we left?" The man puts a hand on the cudgel at his side. His friends finger their bows. "Fairly earned my hairy arse."

The Goblin retreats to the side of his large friend, who has yet to say a word. "Are you accusin' me of something, boy? I'm not sure I like what I'm hearing!

"Maybe I am," says the leader of the men. "All I know is, I wouldn't trust a goblin's far as I can throw 'im."

"Say," says the goblin's big friend. He shucks his bags and lets them fall to the floor. "Oo's throwin goblins? Dak's a Goblin. Ain't no one throwin' my friend Dak."

The leader of the five northward bound hopefuls gives the big man a long look, as though weighing his chances in his head.

This... could get ugly.

[Vulaas]

Sael

Seeing that the exchange between them could turn nasty, and wanting very much to avoid such things, the young man acts quickly, hoping he can help sway them with his words.

"Now now, we're all in this trip together. Ifn there be trouble, I reckon we'd all do what we can to help keep e'erything running smooth, so there aint no reason to not be friends beyond that. No need for ugly accusations going around.

[Ajadea]

Kaya adjusts her hood every few minutes, keeping the tan cloak close around her. She didn't need to be recognized, not so close to home. Or rather, so close to the Reaches-if everything went according to plan, she would never return. When the goblin and his companion begin arguing with the merchant, despite herself, she looks up at them, locking her hands behind her back to keep them from shaking. "I have to agree. No one is going to be throwing anyone here." She manages to put a decent amount of conviction in her voice, hopefully enough to mask her nervousness.

[PaladinChris]

The blonde elf pauses with one hand on the hilt of his rapier and the other outstretched, palm out in a gesture of stopping. His green clothes were dusty and were in a serious need of mending.
Allyon quickly glanced between everyone involved. Those men looked like trouble, but he had never heard, or read, of an honest goblin before...
Speaking in a light, airy tone, Allyon says"Well, little one, where did you get such a fine piece of gold as that? Perhaps if you could clear up the matter, we can all move along. No one wants to get hurt, I'm sure."

[Wargor]

Sir Erik marches along in silence, wishing all the time he had enough money for a horse. Maybe I can win some at the archery contest he thinks, rubbing the sweat from his brow. As the trouble with the goblin and the men erupts, he places a hand on the hilt of his hammer and steps forward. "That's a fairly serious accusation you've made against him there, do you have any proof to back it up?"

[Sarco_Phage]

On the Road to Ildefonse

The big lunk looks at Kaya. "I hope not, miss. Mam wouldn't like it if people were to be throwin' Dak, on account of how it's bad fer his health."

The goblin Dak turns towards you slightly. "Fact of the matter is," says the Goblin, "This here coin is part of my inheritance. Me and my pal here are heading north to try our fortune in the big city. I stole nothing from the temple."

I'll be rolling for things like: Sense Motive, folks. Metaknowledge ahoy!

Sael: [roll0]
Allyon: [roll1]
Erik: [roll2]
Kaya: [roll3]

Allyon and Erik detect nothing wrong with the goblin's statement. Kaya and Sael detect an undercurrent of dishonesty. The goblin might not be lying about the theft, but he's lying about something.

The leader of the toughs sneers. "Goblin never came by coin that shiny honestly, 'swhat I say," says the man, giving Ser Erik and Allyon a hard look out of the corner of his eye. "And you all can shove off if you don't want any trouble. This little thief's going to get what's comin' to 'im."

The other men begin to unlimber their cudgels.

Dak bares his teeth and backs away, reaching under his cloak... for a weapon? Perhaps. "You'll want to watch yourself, friend. I may be small, but I'm not exactly what you'd call a pushover."

[Wargor]

"Do you really want to unjustly attack someone in front of a Knight of the realm? I think that course of action is most unwise." Sir Erik growls, fingering the handle of his hammer.

[Sarco_Phage]

On the Road to Ildefonse - Altercation

Intimidate Check: [roll0]

The man frowns and takes his hand off his cudgel. "A Knight of the realm, eh?"

He steps back to his group of thugs. "Say, Bear," says one of them. "If e's a Knight like e says, where's his armor?"

"Armor?" says Bear.

"Yeah, yeah, if e's a Knight, why ain't e got any shiny plate like Ser Jonathan what we've seen around the village?" says the man. "An' I don't see no crest or nuthin', either."

Bear, the leader of the group, considers this briefly, then shakes his head. "Knight 'r not, I don't like them odds.

He turns to whisper to the others. "An' I don't like the look of the poncy one, e's got the look of one of 'em Elven Wizards."

[Wargor]

"It's not the armour that makes the Knight, it's the man. And nothing incurs the wrath of a knight more than an unjust assault. Let the goblin explain himself fully" Sir Erik states, stony faced.

[Ajadea]

So, is Dak telling the truth about his inheritance?

Also, detect evil, concentration 3 rounds


A knight of the realm? Kaya wonders. Her thoughts are cut short by a dull ache forming behind her eyes, an ache all too familiar...Gods no...not here, not now... She exhales and raises her eyes to meet Bear's, unaware of the slight blue gleam within them, hoping that the shadow of her cloak and the dark walnut juice combed through her hair the previous day will keep them from recognizing her. "You have no proof that a crime has been commited. What is your evidence? That he is a goblin? That does not prove anything. Let him speak."

[Sarco_Phage]

Kaya and Allyon can tell he's lying about something, certainly.

On the Road to Ildefonse: Altercation

The young couple is pulling away from the argument, as is the merchant. They don't want any trouble either, it would appear, and distance is one of the best proofs against trouble.

Bear gives the speaker a steely glare. He does not, thankfully, recognize Kaya, as her brother was far more prominent around the village, and this tallish girl in a cloak does not fit his idea of what a noble's daughter would look like. "Alright then, Goblin, you heard the lady. Tell us, where'd you get the gold?"

Before the Goblin Dak can open his mouth to speak, his big friend chimes in. "It's from me mam. Me mam knew his da, an' his da lef him some coin 's part of his in-hay-ree-tans, mam said. Mam said, you don't let no one take that money from Dak, boy, or ye'll answer fer it. And she mean it, she did."

Sael: [roll0]
Allyon: [roll1]
Erik: [roll2]
Kaya: [roll3]

The big man is telling the truth, as far as all of you can ascertain. Then again, he doesn't look like the sort to tell a truth from a lie easily.


Bear grits his teeth. "I ain't takin the word of a softhead, or someone who calls a Goblin 'pal'. Give over the money, Gobbo! An' the rest of you'll stay well out of it if you know what's good for you!"

He and all his friends draw their cudgels.

[PaladinChris]

The poncy elf had been watching with interest, then suddenly giggled. "A wizard? A-ha! A-ha!" Allyon laughs in a strange, broken manner. Suddenly, he stops and gets a hard look across his elven features. "I am no wizard, cur. I am Allyon the Swift! I freed the wilwarin from the hidden glade, and defeated 20 mastas at once. You should fear me." Allyon stares at the men, and then lights up. "Now, let us settle this as adults, shall we?" Allyon says as he draws his rapier, not moving away from the impending fight.


Wilwarin is elvish for butterfly
Mastas are a type of pastry

[Wargor]

"They speak the truth, there is no quarrel here!" Sir Erik spits, drawing his warhammer with one hand. "Any man who would challenge this faces he in single combat. Do you hear me?"

[Sarco_Phage]

On the Road to Ildefonse: Things Got Ugly

Kaya begins to sense an undercurrent of... yes, that's it. The same slimy feeling she got off Maren, much weaker, but present all the same. She can't tell where it's coming from, not yet, but it's there all right - and it's radiating from one among Bear's group, and not from anyone who is standing on her side of the road. This unnerving power...

"Heh." says Bear. "I'll take that challenge, Ser Knight Yer fancy hammer ain't a match for a good, stout piece of bogwood."

It looks like it's going to have to be a fight.

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll260/gzu117/BATTLEahwell.png

[Ajadea]

Kaya blinks at Allyon, now quite confused. He defeated twenty...fruit pastries? Her minor diplomatic training was almost certainly the only thing that prevented her from burying her face in her hands or perhaps laughing at the overconfident elf. The knight's words startle her out of her confusion, and she reflexively takes a step back, hand brushing the hilt of her sword. "Can we not settle this argument by some means other than battle? Lower your weapons, and let us resolve this like civilized folk."

The slimy feeling hits her suddenly and she pales under her cloak. Pelor, Shining One, why do you keep making me see this...


Diplomacy is one of my best skills: [roll0]

Not that it will do much, but I figure it's in character for her.

[Sarco_Phage]

The situation escalated, but the results of your Detect Evil are showing themselves.

Also roll initiative, friends and neighbors...

Kaya: [roll0]
Erik: [roll1]
Allyon: [roll2]
Sael: [roll3]
Dak: [roll4]
Big Man: [roll5]

Bear: [roll6]
T1: [roll7]
T2: [roll8]
T3: [roll9]
T4: [roll10]

[Sarco_Phage]

On the Road to Ildefonse: Things Got Ugly

I'm going to keep the Battle Grid in the OOC thread, come to think of it. It's less cluttered for the main thread.

Bear darts into range and swings his cudgel at Ser Erik, ignoring Kaya's attempts to keep the situation under control!


Attack: [roll0] (versus AC 14)
Damage: [roll1]


The whistling blow rockets misses Erik by a mile. Grunting, Bear pulls his club back.

[Ajadea]

Kaya steps up between Dak and Erik, drawing her sword with her left hand as she dropped the shield hidden under her cloak into her right hand. Backwards, perhaps, for the majority of warriors. But it was the way she fought best, and if it was going to come to a fight, she couldn't run from these people. To flee is to fail.

Move action to equip shield, Standard-->Move to move to the square directly above Erik.

[Wargor]

Sir Erik dodges the strike and grits his teeth, swinging back with a shout, aiming for the body.

[roll0]
[roll1]

I'll post now, just slot my action in where ever appropriate if someone with a higher initiative also does something here.

[Sarco_Phage]

On the Road to Ildefonse: Things Got Ugly

As Kaya unlimbers her arms and moves up beside the Knight, Bear takes the opportunity to lash out at her with his club!

Attack of Opportunity!

[roll0]
[roll1]


The blow catches Kaya in the ribs, sending the crack of a dull thud rising into the air. Her armor catches some of the force, keeping it from flooring her outright, but another hit like that would lay her out on the ground.

---

The big man charges past the altercation, heading directly for Bear's cohort of thugs, fists and arms raised. He stops short as his fists come crashing down! The heavy metal gauntlets he is wearing are not looking to do anyone any favors.


[roll2] (against AC 10)
[roll3]


The tremendous strike catches the man in the unprotected belly and leaves him stretched out on the ground, bleeding from the mouth.

One of Bear's other friends moves up to strike at Dak's big protector. The large man sends another hefty blow hurtling his way


Attack of Opportunity!
[roll4] (against AC 11)
[roll5]


but misses neatly.


T1's attack

[roll6] (against AC 8)
[roll7]


The attack catches the large man on the shoulder. He bellows in pain. A few more blows like that could bring even this behemoth down.

A second man makes his own attack against the big fellow, this time catching him without a chance to reply with one of his thunderous punches!


T2 attack

[roll8] (against AC 8)
[roll9]


However, the thug's own attack misses cleanly.


Next: Sael, Allyon, Dak, Thug 3, Erik.

[Ajadea]

Kaya stumbles back as the club catches her square in the chest, unable to raise her shield swiftly enough to block it. She isn't thinking any more. Only defending.

[Vulaas]

Sael

"Mind ye, I'm a Pelor-fearin' man good and proper like any good folk should be, but bein' the first to draw weapons just ain't right, shouldn't y'all just calm yerselves and stop this confounded fighting?"

The man appears to be visibly irritated by this, and draws his dagger just in case any charge him, but does nothing more to stop it.

[PaladinChris]

Allyon, sword drawn, races forward towards Bear. "Didn't your mother teach you manners? Never hit a lady!" he says as he thrusts his rapier towards the brute.


Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]