Eidel: Chapter 1 - Too Close for Comfort (SOLO)

[dressi]

Eidel

Putting world info here, updates are coming...

CHARACTER CREATION
Character starts with a generous heaping of 58 point. All characters start out with their first three levels of HP maxed -1, thus a wizard with no Con modifier will start with 9 HP. All HP after that is rolled. The player can request the GM re-roll a bad HP. The GM will roll for the character HP using 1 die type lower than the one for the class according to the following progression (d12, d10, d8, d6, d4, d3)

Skill tricks are not being used in this campaign.

MAGIC SYSTEM
Soulbind Magic System (https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=5D91970A83B44C4F!716&authkey=!AJBDjuk4oFBSgkQ) will be used. It is a spell-point based system that I designed and have used countless times. This is the world-flavored version in which souls are bound to casters to access magic.

Dalon will start off with a bound soul of lesser or greater value unless his background can indicate something otherwise.

HOUSERULES
Damage, Health, Threshhold: Damage taken is considered exhaustive damage and whatnot. Meaning the body is not physically struck or is merely a glancing blow or minor flesh wound. That is while HP is above the character's CON score (some characters have less max HP than their CON score, it can happen). Their CON Score is considered their Threshhold. This is the HP level at which they start to take physical damage, not just minor cuts and bruises.

Any damage taken that is greater than the threshold will require a Fortitude Save (DC 10 + 1/2 damage taken) to avoid becoming stunned for 1 round. This is on a single hit, not multiple. Endurance grants its bonus to this.

Critical Hits: Critical hits do physical damage and require the same Stun fort save as threshold damage. A rolling crit system allows for the continuation of a critical hit. After the critical threat is made, if the critical confirmation also results in a critical threat (and a hit), another critical confirmation is rolled. The first crit has succeeded at the normal multiplier. If the second crit threat succeeds, the multiplier is increased by x1. This can continue until the multiplier is doubled.

Hold breath: You can do so for 1 round per Con. Endurance increases this by a full minute.

Falling Damag: You take 1d6 points of damage per 5 feet falling.

DEITIES

{table=head]Gods|Title|alignment|domains
The Three
Aeos|The One True God|N|air, balance, chaos, earth, fate, fire, force, law, time, water
Chreo|The Divine Creator|N|community, creation, family, glory, healing, protection, sun
Claedes|The Demon King|N|death, destruction, force, life, moon, renewal, retribution
|||
Divae
Caex|Great Crusader|LG|glory, good, protection, strength, war
Filkiati|Swift Justice|LG|fire, good, inquisition, mind, wrath
Sveargith|Brave Illmater|NG|celerity, courage, destiny, liberation, travel
Zarlathil|Gentle Mother|NG|animal, life, plant, water, weather
Kilithel|Merciful Warrior|NG|healing, passion, purification, renewal, war
Vaeri|Songful Maiden|CG|charm, dream, luck, lust, passion
Irthir|Lore Master|LN|earth, force, knowledge, spell, time
Inglata|The Ironclad|LN|competition, mind, pact, trade
Ulk'igh|Mighty Hammer|N|commerce, craft, creation, metal, wealth
|||
Daed
Sarvrithash|The Twilight Goddess|CG|darkness, moon, sky
Noundkur|The Divine Traitor|CE|evil, pestilence, trickery
Vor Ista|The Prideful God|NE|greed, pride, wealth
Haurach|The Great Oracle|N|destiny, knowledge, mind
Harroc|The Life Hunter|LN|animal, hatred, hunger
Dastudr|Rebellious Stone|CN|liberation, retribution, strength
Ban Thirkua|Unholy Destroyer|LE|destruction, evil, tyranny
Nadotiri|The Fate Spinner|N|fate, planning, trickery
Thirhe Ioth|Holy Vengeance|CG|good, sun, wrath
Kihlesen|The Unyielding Tyrant|NE|domination, suffering, tyranny
Loa Houpeir|The Vile Recluse|CN|cold, pestilence, shadow
Thurkeata|Nocturnal Mother|LN|darkness, illusion, pact
Ethromont|Holy Purifier|LN|law, metal, purification
Svelah Somati|The Lustful Main|CN|charm, domination, lust
Sheogorath|The Mad One|C|chaos, madness
Malrunwa|The Chill Wind|NE|cold, dream, illusion
Frivina|Chained God|N|courage, liberation, suffering
Naake|Injured God|CE|envy, hatred, pride
Ebonare|God of Seas|CN|ocean, storm, travel
Mistral|The Holy Mage|N|magic, planning, spell[/table]

PLANES
The Circle of Mages as well as the Guild of Mages have gained an awareness of the planar structures. The mortal plane they call Eidel, as well as the world. This is essentially the material plane. There are two other planes that seem to exist at the same time. One is ethereal and the other is shadowy. From their research, the shadow or Dark plane contains everything in the mortal plane but also hidden creatures. Nothing from the dark plane can effect anything in the mortal plane without first manifesting.

The ethereal plane is one where ghosts exist. It too is a distorted view of the mortal world with strange life forms and other structures. Really, mere glimpses have been recorded. There are a few spells that have successfully sent someone to the ethereal plane before, though such has not happened in a long time.

Then there is the plane of the Daed. These are not known to the mages well at all. They are only spoken of through story or legends where someone was taken there by the Daed themselves. Not much is known as the stories vary wildly from great volcanic wastes to frozen tundra and sandy shores.

Thrallherd
Thrallherd (Ex): Mechanically functioning as designed. However, flavor wise, these cohorts and followers are compelled to follow the thrallherd through inspiration, destiny or beliefs of fate, not through psychic connections. It is still similar, however.
Arcane Charm (Su): (3rd level) Gain charm person as a known spell. It is also always considered a prepared spell. Once per day the spell can be cast at a reduced spell point cost equal to the thrallherd’s level, to a minimum of 1 spell point.
Arcane Dominate (Su): (5th level) As Arcane Charm, except the thrallherd now knows, and keeps prepared, dominate person.
Greater Dominate (Su): (7th level) The Thrallherd’s arcane dominate can affect animals, fey, giants, magical beasts and monstrous humanoids. Arcane Charm also applies.
Superior Dominate (Su): (9th level) The thrallherd’s arcane dominate can affect aberrations, dragons, elementals and outsiders.
Twofold Master (Ex): (10th level) The thrallherd adds a second thrall her his herd.

[Tjallen]

Here is Dalon Mastiff. I think i got him fleshed out pretty well, although it might be a mess to read.
Dalon Mastiff (http://www.thetangledweb.net/forums/profiler/view_char.php?cid=68984).

I put him at 1st level, with the option to level him up. Background is in the bottom of the sheet but i will copy it into the post.

A question though: What gods exist in Eidel?
and the magic system reminds me of psionics even though the number of different prepared spells seems a bit low if you don't get any bonuses. Maybe i missed that part...

Background:

In his young years Dalon went to the Circle of magi and was trained in the arts of magic. Having passed his tests with decent marks he was allowed to acquire a lesser soul totem. After having earned enough money by selling his magic to <the shadier aspects of society> he underwent the ritual to have a greater soul bound to a golden ring with a ruby and the engraving; "The most important things are the ones that cannot be seen". The ring was a gift from his brother. The meaning of the engraving was however lost on Dalon

Dalon has been an adventurer for quite some time, he used to undertake jobs along with his brother, Hersh, and now his brother has quit the adventuring life to become a family man. Dalon does however have some unfinished business with their former employers that Dalon needs to deal with. Before Hersh fell in love with <Name of woman>, he and Dalon was employed by <A shady slave organization> to <Aquire product>. However before they could <begin/finish> < Enslaving a small tribe of weak demi-human> Hersh had ended up with a child, and being a responsible parent, he could not help Dalon with finishing the job.

After leaving from the baptism of his niece Fiona, Dalon had a change of priorities. He wished only to see her grow up, proud and happy. Realizing that his normal selection of jobs would do nothing to further this goal he started being more picky with his employers. If the goal was not harming, or at least hampering evil in some way, he would not take it.

This is however a new feeling for Dalon as he and his brother held nothing sacred in their younger days, where they would quest for power and wealth. Gathering materials for evil spellcasters was something the Mastiff brothers spent a great many years doing, there was always some evil cleric that needed the blood of a virgin, or the heart of a dragon, maybe someone needed a rival to turn up dead, or a towns watersupply needed that little kick that would make it easier to enslave. Through their shady dealings the Mastiff brothers ended up as enforcers and later on special contractors for a <Organization dealing in slaves>. They were employed here as enforcers, Dalon with his sharp wit and spells, and Hersh with his sharp sword and brute strength. After being with the <slave cartel> for a couple years they were 'promoted'. They started getting sent to small villages with a dozen soldiers to gather slaves. In one such occasion a young girl spit at Dalon, and in a bout of rage he struck her down. In his dreams he still see that young girls parents cry as their daughter is taken from them. Fiona have the same eyes as that child and Dalon has vowed to make her life as happy as possible.

When his brother quit the <Slave cartel> they were not happy, as the mastiff brothers had accepted/not finished their latest job. Not wanting to take his brother away from his family Dalon has taken it on himself to free him and his brother from the <slave cartel> and after half a dozen years he is finally nearing the end of his obligation to the <Slave cartel>.

Edit:: I think i missed something but i cannot find out what...
Found it! What are these Divae and daed things?

[Tjallen]

Rolling for hp.
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]

[dressi]

Chapter 1: Too Close for Comfort

Dalon had been living near Fawnleaf. It is a small village in Caldoria not too far south of Glenn's Crossing at the royal highway from Aldwin in the east to Port Caldor on the western coast of the kingdom. It had been a hundred years since the Empire conquered the lands. People still remembered it and talked about it, but Fawnleaf still seemed untouched. Imperial troops didn't even make their patrols down the road from Glenn's Crossing.

Plenty of things had happened at the village in the past. The "savior" of the royal family had been raised there. He'd been known as the demon child. The paladins of Chreo discovered the lyre of Elysium not far from the village into the Cold Wood. It went by another name back then, but it was still the same trees for centuries. A lot had happened, yes. But the townsfolk didn't seem to care that anything had happened. It was their home.

But the word had come down from Glenn's Crossing that an abduction had taken place. A young girl was taken from her home during the night. At least that was the latest rumor. People would talk. Most likely, some others said, the girl left her somewhat oppressive parents. Now the mom and pop were looking for someone to blame.

Still, it could not be ignored the idea of "What if it happened to Fiona?"

The entire idea of the girl had run off on her own seemed plausible until a man came into Glenn's Crossing looking for his sister from Laurenhill a day east along the royal highway. She too had been taken during the night.

Suddenly, it seemed the Borefoot girl was not the first and wouldn't be the last...

[Tjallen]

Kidnappers? Near MY niece? Time to pull the old switch a roo, gonna switch their breathing with gurgling on their own blood. Also it seems Dalon will be talking in purple.

So how will we be doing rolls? In spoilers in the icc?
And is there any of my rolls i will not be doing?

[dressi]

(OOC: you can add them to the bottom of the post if you want to perform the action. I'll be doing silent rolls for other things, such as passive spot checks, listens, sense-motives, etc. Just label the die roll for what task it was doing.)

[Tjallen]

Perfect, will we be using this thread for ic as well? I guess it would not matter as we are only two :P

[dressi]

(OOC: Yes, we will be using it for OOC/IC. I would only ask that all OOC be done after IC and after die rolls. I'm not picky about how you designate your OOC, as long as it is consistent. I'll do the same thing as well.)

[Tjallen]

Better see if anybody knows anything, maybe some of the lowlifes, gah calling on old sources already. Oh well, nothing a handful of gold can't fix.



(Going to put some of the old sources to work, presuming i'm still on positive standing with the slavers, just not working directly for them anymore, so

gather information:
[roll0]

And for future references, what do you consider an encounter for inspiration points? If me gathering some info could be considered an encounter i would like to spend a point for +6 on the gather information check, if not, well no +6.

So just gonna spoiler anything not ic.)

[dressi]

Fawnleaf is too far out from his old contacts to hit them up for information. One of the reasons he and his brother moved out to this area was to get away from the Nole's operating area.

A few questions to some of the drunkards of the village did not cover much. The only news was coming in from Glenn's Crossing a day north. And it was sparse info at that.

One of the townsfolk mentioned problems in the forest while hunting. The spring should be seeing more animals moving about. But so far only the birds seem to have started to return.


(OOC: I consider scenes as encounters with at least a 4 hour span of time. So if you use an inspiration point outside of a scene, you'll have to wait at least 4 hours until that point comes back.)

[Tjallen]

Leave it to Hersh to pick a town that has nothing in it at all, oh well, gotta say goodbye before i go i guess.

With that Dalon goes to his brothers house and says his goodbyes to his niece and brother, quietly explaining that there is trouble in Glenn's Crossing. As he leaves he drops a gold coin in the chest used for Fiona's savings. With that Dalon sets the course for Glenn's Landing.

A question just popped up, do i get more spells prepared for a high int score?

[dressi]

Hersh understands entirely. In fact, it seemed he was prepared to make the trip himself; Fiona was his daughter. Dalon was asked how long he would be. As he made his way out of the village, some villagers hit him up for taking this or that, mostly letters.

Regardless of whether or not the items are taken along, the road to Glenn's Crossing is ahead.


(OOC: No you do not. However, I should mention, the extra spell/slot feats gives you more stuff. The one that gives you "per day" gives you more SP. The one that gives you "more learned" gives you another prepared.

Does Dalon carry provisions, horse? The trip is 1 day by foot, half-day by horse.)

[Tjallen]

Dalon will take the letters and such, in exchange for a couple days worth of provisions. It is after all guaranteed that they will make it, even if it turns out there is bandits.


Diplomacy roll to make them pay for my journey, maybe provide a horse i will in Glenn's Crossing. (This kinda stuff happened back in the day so i guess it might be kinda normal?):
[roll0] Using 1 inspiration point. 4 left.

[dressi]

The blacksmith, Hendel, provides Dalon with a horse for the trip, provided the trip won't last through the next week. Dalon, in exchange, is tasked with carrying nearly 60 pounds of nails up to Glenn's Crossing. Their smithy broke his arm and hasn't been able to work as well. So the smaller things, nails and such, are being made down in Fawnleaf.

Shmin's family provides provisions for the trip up there in exchange for some letters to be dropped off with a merchant and the 1 silver that is required to pay the merchant to deliver them down the western highway.

Carol has a letter to her son in Glenn's which she promises a meal later when Dalon returns.

The road up to Glenn's is well traveled but it is not patrolled. Still, Dalon encounters nothing out of the ordinary along the road. Gerwyn, a huntress from Glenn's, is spotted crossing the road with a bothered huff. There's little out for her to find.

Making it into Glenn, the larger town, the town guards are posted outside the gates moreso than Dalon has seen recently. They aren't trained as well as the imperial patrols that come through, but they sure think they are. Dalon has no problems getting into the city. He and his brother are known as "former adventurers" in the two towns.

[Tjallen]

Better drop off these things first. Then on to the taverns.

Dalon will drop off the nails, then the letters, making sure to ask the merchant about the missing girl.

[dressi]

Heinrick was glad to receive the nails, and he hands Dalon a gold for his troubles. Most of the business owners know specifically that Dalon has seen larger riches than they ever will. A single payment that might do for other villagers and townsfolk would be nothing in comparison to the former adventurer brothers. But, all the same, they give what they can while being fair to the others.

The letters for the merchant are given over.

"The Laurenhill girl?" the merchant asked. "Oh, or this Glenn's girl? I came from Ardwin, so I heard this all passin' through Laurenhill. It's a shame, I hear, but it happens all the time in Port Caldor. Course none of them's someone's kid."

The conversation grants Dalon the knowledge that the Laurenhill girl was only taken a week ago, and the Glenn's girl was but two nights ago.

The town had two taverns: Stables n' Stalls was an inn with a tavern in it, Glinda's Orchard was a tavern that specialized in various ciders.

[Tjallen]

Dalon politely refuses to take the gold "Thanks for the help Heinrick, any chance you could keep an eye on this here horse? It belongs to Hendel back in Fawnleaf and don't know when i will be going back there, perhaps you have something you need brought there, or know someone who does.

Dalon then sets off to the Stables n' Stalls.

I hope someone here knows something, or at least who to talk to.

[dressi]

"Kind souls, you and your brother," the blacksmith states. "I'll have to send Hendel my apprentice perhaps if this arm doesn't heal soon." The arm is in a sling and appears swollen at the shoulder. The healers of the area don't spend spells on such things. Magic is too precious for mundane injuries. Besides, it's also expensive. Small towns don't tend to keep spellcasters for long if at all except as a traveler.

The Stable sits on the backside of the inn's common room attached by a hall to the rest of the inn. It's also next to the kitchen, kind of an afterthought since Glinda's was always taking customers from the inn anyway. It's not extremely popular, but it's dark and out of the way and not too crowded. Plus merchants and travelers preferred not to get too close to the locals over at Glinda's.

The door opened and closed without much issue or fanfare. The wooden floor croaked and groaned as the only barmaid, a heavyset woman with a mean glare, walked across it. She eyed the newcomer, but smiled when it was Dalon. Former adventurers had money, or so people thought. Hersh had given most of it away as bribes to keep his departure silent.

Within the tavern's small front were five patrons. One was sitting by themselves off in the corner. Dalon recognized this man. It was Lurgen, a spotter during his days working for the Nole. Lurgen's back was to the door and he was keeping his head down. But it wouldn't be long before Rosan asked the Mastiff brother a question and drew attention.

[Tjallen]

Dalon holds up a finger in front of his lips, mouthing 'sssh'. Then he silently walks up behind Lurgen and puts a friendly hand on his shoulder.

"Long time no see 'friend'.

Move silently:
[roll0]

Think i am gonna start talking in first person from here ^^

Dalon is known for being quick with a blade, in fact so quick he could cut a man down before he even noticed the blade was there. (Done using a combination of the gloves of the master strategist and iajutsu focus.)

[dressi]

Rosan grimaces at you when you did that, looking away disappointed as she continues to another table somewhere. Her eyes lingered on you longer than you probably wanted, but you aren't that bad looking when compared to others from the same area.

Lurgen jumps as you approach, startled enough to spill his drink all over his hand.

"Damnit," he exclaims at you when you make it to him. He shakes his hand clean of the drink and even licks a few fingers. "Dalen... is that you? What are you doing here? They said you bailed. Aren is out for you and Hersh, you know that right?"


(OOC: If you do that then I'll post in second as well. Not much of a change. No one else is here so it works just fine. I've caught myself doing it already a few times and had to change it, so apparently I want to post that way. And apparently in second person present... hope that's not a bother.)

[Tjallen]

Looking at Lurgen with faked surprise on his face: "Why are they out for me? Haven't seen Hersh in years, but i finished my contract, i'm out... Except, you wouldn't know anything about these disappearances that have been happening in the last week or so would you? It would be ever so helpful to my mood you just ruined." as he says this Dalon lets his hand almost mindlessly drift to his belt where several knives are held.


bluff for not having seen his brother:
[roll0]
diplomacy to make him tell me what he knows.

And for Dalon being wanted by the slavers the main reason i have him at such a high age is because he actually worked for them until he could be free of them without being murdered/wanted. His brother did bail however. Dalon tries to keep people happy about having him around.

Wow these rolls sure are hating... 2, 3, 3...

[dressi]

Lurgen doesn't seem to notice your mood or your daggers.

"Arrentinus wants what Hersh owed. You're his brother; probably wants you to pay it. I don't know, I don't work for him anymore. This guy's Decks, or what we call him cuz he's a cheat at cards."

He looks around before hushing his voice. "Yeah. We working this road now. Lots o' small villages here and there. Pretty little girls, fetch nice prices. Decks says just one per town and quick. We got one brat here already. Shandler's headed south to another. Want to give us a hand? For old time's sake?"

The man put on a sleazy grin further made sleazy by his unkempt posture, clothes, straggly handful of hairs off the end of his chin and oily face.



(OOC: You said you were switching to first person... And I didn't see a roll for Diplomacy, so I rolled. So far, my rolls for you have been high.)

[Tjallen]

The hell is this buffoon thinking? But i gotta get this Shandler guy too.

Looking at the unkempt fellow, Dalon slowly smiles and says: "I would just love that, when are we meeting up with this Shandler, and how big is my cut?"




Yeah turns out i suck at writing in first person, so think ill stick to doing it like this.

Oh yeah totally forgot about the diplomacy roll, but good thing one of us can roll well for Dalon :P

[dressi]

Lurgen still keeps his voice down but he seems excited with Dalon's proposal. Lurgen was always a pushover of a man, easy to fool, easy to talk into things. He had a knack at remaining so disgusting no one wanted to be near him and people just avoided him. But right now he was looking extremely guilty.

"Really? You would? That's good, I'm keeping my head down. That... girl from here. I still got her. Gotta get her out...still, so I can't meet him, but he's gonna need some help. Shandler's headed to Fawnreef, Dawnreef, something like that. Don't know what he'll find, but Deck said one a town... so... uh, probably meet him down there? He poses as a merchant. Got bunch of stuff, full outfit, all out disguise, the man's brilliant. Probably find him at an inn or whatever. Short man, mustache, a real one. Probably a scar, fake. He likes fake scars."


(OOC: Then I'm switching back to third. I prefer consistency between our posts rather than easy of writing. I can switch easily enough...)

[Tjallen]

Dalon looks at Lurgen slightly surprised and lowers his voice to match the other mans: "Where did you meet this Deck, and where did you manage to hide the girl? I wouldn't know where to look for a hiding place around here."


Diplomacy:
[roll0]

I think you are right, it just felt wrong to write as Dalon in first person, dunno why.

[dressi]

Lurgen leans in as if it's not hard to hear him already. Now his breath is closer, and it's not a pleasant whiff of ale by any means.

"Decks got picked up not long after your brother ditched," the old land-pirate states, nervously. "He's as cut-throat as any. He's taken over what Arren used to. Arren's now running ship, but that dog doesn't forget. He's made it a point that Decks knows everyone that's bailed and taken something owed, Hersh for instance. He's probably lookin' for you too, but I won't say anything'.

"I'm keepin' the girl in a barrel full of beans, died. She's poisoned, asleep. But she's only going to stay that way until tonight. I really need to get her out of here... Hey, mind running a distraction? Then you can meet up with Shandler. He's probably already there though... He'll probably be fine. I mean, we usually try to do this without bloodshed. Decks doesn't like the attention. Don't know why though... one girl missing here and there, people catch on, get paranoid."

Lurgen did talk too much for his own good...

"Shandler will get it done... there just might be some bodies tossed in the woods, is all. I've been keeping him reigned in a little, but now, I don't care. I need to get out with the girl. These are ripe! High prices these'll bring in, I say. High prices indeed."

[Tjallen]

With a relaxed expression on his face Dalon says: "I'm afraid i can't help you with the distraction, well planned though it may be."

With this Dalon silently positioned his hand for a strike, in an instant a sword appeared in his hand, was thrust forward into Lurgens belly and immediately disappearing. All done with only a slight change in posture, and very very quietly.


Making an attack while drawing the longsword from the glove of the master strategist (Free action), activating Iajutsu Focus.

Using an inspiration point for the attack roll:
Attack Roll:
[roll0]

Iajutsu Focus:
[roll1]

Using another inspiration point for damage if i hit
Damage:
[roll2]
Iajutsu focus damage:
10-14
[roll3]
15-19
[roll4]
20-24
[roll5]
25-30
[roll6]

If he still stand after the attack:
Initiative:
[roll7]

Edit: Oh why did the attack roll have to be so low, well at least i hope he is not wearing too much armor...

Forgot the move silently / hide checks to keep others from seeing what happened... Could you deal with those please?

[dressi]

Lurgen's eyes flair up as the blade enters and exits his midsection faster than he could detect, save for the hole in his belly now. His face filled with confusion and betrayal and bitter, bitter anger.

The attack seemed to hurt him, but it did not end him.



(OOC: He's a rogue, so he couldn't be caught flat-footed, but you managed to hit him anyway. He's not dead though. His initiative cannot be higher than yours. [roll0])

[Tjallen]

Dalon quickly lines up another attack, and quietly whispers:
"Sorry Lurgen, family over buisiness."



Attack: Inspiration point used, 2 left
[roll0]
Iajutsu Focus
[roll1]

damage: Inspiration point used, 1 left
[roll2]

Iajutsu focus damage:
10-14
[roll3]
15-19
[roll4]
20-24
[roll5]
25-30
[roll6]

Also Iajutsu focus works differently from sneak attack, they only need to be flatfooted, not denied their dex bonus, so the damage applies.
Link to Iaijutsu focus:
http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Iaijutsu_Focus_Skill

[dressi]

Lurgen violently thrashes about as he begins coughing up blood, falling into the floor and slowly coming to a stop.

The entire tavern is silent and observant. Rosan is standing not that far away, stunned from the violence with her hand over her mouth. The other patrons were also shocked and eyeing Dalen with either horror or just sheer curiosity.



(OOC: I was making the comment in regards to your attack, not your damage. I'll allow iaijutsu, but it traditionally is for a totally different setting.)

[Tjallen]

Dalon looks up with a serious expression flatly, stating: "The bastard was one of the kidnappers, the missing girl should be stashed in a barrel of beans somewhere in town, poisoned. I need to go deal with the other kidnapper down in Fawnleaf, ill come back and talk to the guards after that. Go find the girl."

Dalon then runs outside the tavern and summons up a mount, quickly riding towards Fawnleaf in search of the 'merchant'.


Oh okay, and thanks for allowing it.
Using my factotum power to cast mount.
how does the spellpoint system interact with that ability?
i can cast 2 1st or 2nd level spells a day. Does it remain that way or do i get 4 spellpoints for 2 2nd level spells?

[dressi]

The tavern inhabitants are very shocked still, and they don't react hardly at all to Dalon's statement. When Dalon leaves, the evening is harder to get out of the city. The gates are already closed now and the guards are posted inside the town. The blacksmith, Heinrick, is just leaving his shop and has the horse in tow. A group of imperials guards are asking him questions.



(OOC: It is not drawing from spells per day. It is using your inspiration points, as I read it. So it doesn't use spell points or anything. It's actually a bit more restrictive than your wizard levels. I wouldn't use them for spells but, rather, just for the other bonuses.)

[Tjallen]

Seeing the others not reacting he adds: "NOW!"

Coming to the gate and finding it closed Dalon addresses the guards:
"I need to get to Fawnleaf, i found out who the kidnapper is, and he is down in Fawnleaf, with my damn family. So open this damn gate and do it now!"

Diplomacy if needed:
[roll0]

Also the inspiration points, come back every encounter so when i really need a spell this is the best way to go.
On a tangent, can i teach myself spells from inspiration to spellbook?

[dressi]

When Dalon left the tavern, the occupants burst into action.

At the gate the guard were suspicious of the man on the horse that they had not seen enter the city, though they had seen him. They responded easily enough though to his demands.

"Easy, easy..." one said, pulling the gate open. "Whatever you say... you can leave if you want."

[Tjallen]

"Thanks."

With that Dalon sets off towards Fawnleaf, pushing the horse to go as fast as it can.

The first place he thinks to look is the local inn.

I hope the bastard kidnapped someone other than Fiona. No matter, he will not live for another day when i get my hands on him. This Shandler is going to die a bit more slowly than Lurgen, there gotta be perks of being helpful.

[dressi]

The mount barreled down the path with no signs of exhaustion, the advantages of magic. The time would still be the same, and Dalon reached the village he had left just that same day, though technically the previous day. It would be well after midnight.

But the scene he arrives to is not one too pleasant. There are torches about in the middle of the village. Three men surround another who is holding someone. A short man with a cap and a pack full of stuff holds to a girl. The men surrounding him are the blacksmith, Hendel, one of the hunters, Jordin, and Dalon's brother, Hersh.

Dalon cannot tell who the girl is without getting closer. But the men are not advancing upon the one in the middle, most likely Shandler. It seems a standoff as Shandler backs slowly into the inn with the girl shouting inaudible demands that the three men are begrudgingly following or adhering to for the moment.



(OOC: I would actually say that your inspiration spells most likely come from your spell book rather than the other way around. It might make it easier to learn spells though if you witness them. In your first post, go ahead and put your spell book's contents. Any new spell you encounter you can also add to a 'witnessed' list. With a spell craft check that succeeds on knowing what the spell is (the normal check for spell identification) then you can add it to that witnessed list. You can then use it with your inspiration points. And you'll only need half as many research checks to learn it properly (though you'll still need a scroll or tome or teacher).)

[Tjallen]

Seeing the spectacle Dalon casts invisibility and sneaks closer to 'Shandler', trying to get into the inn before Shandler gets there.

If that is my niece they wont even find your body, you bloody idiot.

As the factotum ability scales a lot slower than my wizard casting i would hate for it to be keyed off of my spellbook, as it is more of an utility thing. My spellbook is in the character sheet under spells. with the ones i have prepared marked.

[dressi]

Shandler gets into the inn before Dalon can get there, but there's more than one way into the inn. Dalon knows the back entrance will be locked but also knows the back window is not. He easily slips into the inn through the back kitchen window.



(OOC: I think it actually makes sense. You learn spells to imitate through your factotum ability. The easiest ones for you to imitate are the ones you know through your wizard spells. It's like you can "spontaneously" cast any of your wizard spells but restricted by the level set in factotum. If you want to know any other spells to use with Factotum, they'll eitner need to be in your spell book or you'll have had to witness them enough times to get the imitations right.)

[Tjallen]

Having gotten into the room Dalon makes sure to locate Shandler and the girl. Trying to get between the two will prove helpful.
If she is to get out alive at least.


And while it would probably make more sense it would also make the ability way less useful. But ultimately it won't matter all that much.

[dressi]

Shandler is in the common room of the inn currently closing the windows and the door out front. The common room is squared off but long. Four windows, two on each side, two doors, one on each side near the same wall and another door to the kitchen area, near the back door going behind the inn. On the same wall, in the middle, is a small bar area, more for ordering and dealing with the inn customers. Two more people are in the inn as well, but one of them seems to be with Shandler.

The girl is not Fiona. Instead, the girl is Gwendlyn, one of Fiona's friends of about the same age. The other individual holds the girl now up off the ground with one arm and the other gripping a short, one-edged sword with a curve to it. He is much taller and meaner looking than the one that was identified as Shandler.

"Hurry it up," the taller man said before turning to go out the back of the inn with the girl. "Damn... they've already come back around. Some fine mess you've gotten us into."

"Decks said one girl per village, you buffoon," Shandler retorted. "You should have stuck to the plan."

"Yeah, but this one you got was not the best. I wanted that farmer's girl."

"But I'll bet you didn't know who's house that really was. We can drop the girl... I found something better here. You know who the Mastiff brother's were?"

"I don't know and I don't care... I'm not dropping this one. Not after this screw up. Let's just get out of here. They fetch good prices regardless."

The other person in the inn is in the corner and remaining quiet under a table. It appears to be Gunmar, the innkeeper's brother. He also looks like he's been struck a few times into submission. Dalon can see the action from behind the counter and backed up a little without being spotted. It wouldn't be hard to vault over the counter to get into the room [Jump check, DC 10 or double move] or go through the closed door.



(OOC: Yeah, it still remains useful, but I have a slight problem with anyone just coming up with some magical effect without an RP reason to have known about it in the first place. If Dalon has at least heard of the spell or encountered it, then I'd say it's good to go. For now, though, you probably have heard of everything of 3rd level and less in the PHB at least.)

[Tjallen]

Dalon vaults over the counter, and casts a deep slumber spell on the two kidnappers.

jump [roll0]
Initiative for when they notice: [roll1]
Deep slumber: DC 19 or fall asleep, affects up to 10 HD.


How about this: I roll a know: arcana check for the spells not in my book, and if they are rare i need to roll a spellcraft check or something too? With the dc being something like 10+spelllevel for PHB and PHBII spells and with a +5dc for everything else, and a +10dc for vile spells?

[dressi]

The large man with the girl and the shorter blade collapses under the spell. The girl also succumbs to the spell. Shandler doesn't seem affected at all, turning around to face Dalon with a curse curling upon his lip.

"Dalon Mastiff, I assume..." the short man snarls along side a smile, as if opportunity just knocked on the door. "I'll gut you and your brother... and get that bounty from Arrentius."



(OOC: I'll go with that. Except book of vile darkness is kinda potent. I'd need to review whichever spells you want to get out of it. Granted, you're supposed to be a one-man army XD)

[Tjallen]

"Aren't you lucky, you got the right girl, had you touched my niece, you would've been in trouble."

Casting a spell to follow up his earlier attempt at bringing the other down, an explosion of glitter pops into existence.

Casting glitter dust dc18, assuming i won initiative.
If he seems blinded i move to within 10ft of him, if not i stay where i am.

One man army, that forgot to put up defensive buffs. Ac 12 without mage armor is not good....

[dressi]

Shandler is covered in the glitter from the spell but seems unaffected by its blinding effect. Instead, he draws his other dagger while charging forward to Dalon.

"Look who's in trouble..."



(OOC: You won iniative.

Attack: Dagger [roll0]
Damage (if hit): [roll1])

[Tjallen]

you can't edit in the rolls. I can roll the d20 and the d4 here tho,. then you can add the plusses.
[roll0]and [roll1]

[Tjallen]

"The one who is in trouble, is the one who does not know WHY the Mastif brothers were famous."

With that Dalon tumbles back across the counter and utters a single word of power, pain springing from the mere uttering of the word.

Tumble/Jump to get back over the counter without provoking.
[roll0]/[roll1]

Casting powerword: pain.
No save, sr applies.
Dealing 1d6 damage per round depending on his hp.
50 or less 4d4 rounds, 51-75 2d4 rounds, 76-100 1d4 rounds.
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]

Damage for this round:
[roll6]

[dressi]

"Enough with the banter!" Shandler shouts in defiance to the spell, grunting at the pain inflicted.

He easily follows Dalon and attacks from atop the counter with a good display of balance and dexterity.



(OOC: I put them in normally... He hits a 17 and deals 7 points of damage during this round. I'll use continue using bare metals for now.)

[Tjallen]

With a dashing display of skill, Dalon dodges out of the way.
"Oh you don't have time to talk do you? I have all the time in the world."
Dalon again tumbles backwards out of reach of the daggerwielding Shandler.
Again uttering the Word of pain, his mouth starting to hurt a bit from the spell.

Tumble [roll0]
Used an inspiration point to get 6 extra points of AC 4/5 left.
same as before with the powerword pain.
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]

damage for this round:
[roll5]

[dressi]

Shandler appeared obviously angered by the repeated use of the same spell, and the fact that it continued to harm him. His face contorted in pain and obvious arcane influences.

He moved quickly again to meet Dalon with both daggers hurling forward.

From the common room is the sound of the door being broken down. Dalon hears Hersh call out that the girl has been found but that the 'merchant' is nowhere to be seen.



(OOC: Shandler misses his attacks with the daggers.)

[Tjallen]

"And there goes any chance of your survival. And now i have backup." Dalon says with a grin, once again retreating away from the angry Shandler.
Casting another spell Dalon smiles at the other man as another burst of glitter erupts in his face.

Glitterdust in his face. dc 18 will to negate blindness.
[roll0] tumble

[dressi]

The man tries to wipe the spell from his eyes, rendering him unable to see.

"Oh, come on, Mastiff, what's wrong? All of a sudden kidnapping and slave trading too good for you?"

The man takes something out of his pocket and throws it to the ground sending up a pillar of smoke that rapidly expands filling the tight confines of the kitchen. The kitchen is mostly square with two islands in the middle length-ways. This leaves room to around and between the islands and back down the corridor to the counter. The smoke fills the space thickly making it hard to breathe, but Dalon holds his breath easily enough.

Despite the smoke bomb's effectiveness at hiding Shandler, Dalon can easily hear the man moving around one of the islands, trying to circumvent Dalon and get to the back door.



(OOC: Dalon makes the fort save against the smoke bomb as well as the listen check to hear the man.)

[Tjallen]

Silently Dalon moves between the man and the door, preparing to strike him when he gets there.

"You got that right, i got other responsibilities now, one of them is killing you."

Also the -40 to his hide is sure to help.

[dressi]

Dalon navigates his way to the back door. The smoke is too thick to see through, but the glistening effect from the glitterdust spell are still visible, leaving a faint outline of the islands, counters and the man hunched between them. Though concealed, the location of Shandler is obvious. Dalon also knows the back kitchen of this particular inn well enough to move about it in the dark.

"I remember... unh... you working for Arrentius and the Nole," Shandler calls out loudly amixed grunts and groans that continue. "The famous Mastiff brothers raping... ah... and pillaging the southern imperial coast from Everish Port to Rylark to Tel Arwin. Ugh... why slave traders aspired to be as good as you..."

The man is otherwise not moving but perhaps is taking a defensive stance.

[Tjallen]

Sneaking up on the man, to catch him flatfooted Dalon stabs him with his longsword, once again too quick for the untrained eye to catch.

After the attack Dalon adds in a whisper:
"You HAVE heard of us, now why would you try to fight either of us? We're peaceful people."

Move silently [roll0] if he is blind hide doesn't matter so im assuming he is flatfooted.

[roll1] adding +2 for being "invisible"
[roll2] using one inspiration point if it hits.
[roll3] iajutsu focus. If applicable.

10-14
[roll4]
15-19
[roll5]
20-24
[roll6]
25-30
[roll7]

[dressi]

The cloud begins to dissipate. Hendel, Lod, the innkeeper, and Hersh get into the kitchen area while Jordin and another hunter come in through the back door that Dalon originally entered from. The smoke quickly departs with a breeze created when the door opens and aided by something else the hunter does with a whisper.

Shandler is on the ground, having dropped his two daggers. He is still alive but breathing is labored and he is grasping a wound in his side. His eyes open and shut, something in them, still blinded by the glitterdust spell Dalon cast on him most recently.

"Hah, my whore-of-a-mother's **** you're peaceful... I remember thems you'd turn over... you're a slaver, Dalon, through and..."

The man is wracked with a pain, something internal that sends him to the floor like a wet bag of cornmeal. He is barely breathing now, blood rapidly spilling from the wound in his side between the man's fingers.

[Tjallen]

"See you in hell." Dalon gives the man a quick kick before heading over to the sleeping girl and man.

"Oh you finally made it, i found the one that kidnapped the girl up in Glenn's Crossing. I guess i made it back just in the nick of time."
Dalon gives his brother a sign from back in the days: 'I need to speak with you'.

[dressi]

"He was a slave trader?" Jordin questioned.

"He said so," Hendel answered.

"He also said Hersh and Dalon were once too," Lod, the innkeeper, whispered to Hendel.

"And you believe it?" the blacksmith replied.

"This one's dead," the other hunter stated. "What about the big one?"

Dalon made it into the common room as the others were still speaking in the kitchen area. Hersh was right behind his brother, waiting for whatever needed to be said. Only the large man and the girl remained in the room. Gunmar was not to be found.



(OOC: Nvm, v2, I DID mistype like I thought. Lod is the innkeeper, Gunmar the brother. Gunmar was cowering under a table in the common room but has not run off. Lod went into the kitchen area with Hersh and Hendel.)

[Tjallen]

Making sure the others doesn't notice, Dalon executes the sleeping man.
After the deed Dalon once again hides his sword.
He then whispers to his brother:
"Someone new is in charge, they are going by a one girl a town policy it seems. And they are still looking for you, i am going to go deal with it. But for now you gotta be on the lookout. Lurgen was with these idiots, i need to go back to glenns crossing tomorrow. Lurgen took longer to die than i wanted him to."

[dressi]

"Lurgen? He was a wash," Hersh told his brother, looking down at the dead man, picking up the girl. "I guess it has been a while though, especially if Lurgen lasted more than a slip of your blade. I'm not surprised new blood would move in, but running this far north? One town one girl... what's that supposed to accomplish but stirring up nests? Still, I thought it was safe up here; we both did."

"Could have questioned him... At least see if he's got anything. Stop by that other fella. He knew me, knew us. Said some things... you see Lod's eyes? They've never questioned our past before, brother, but I'm not sure that courtesy will last much longer."

[Tjallen]

"I don't mind taking the rap for this. If you have any ideas as to what we do i am all ears. I might have to track this Deck guy down."

[dressi]

"Hersh, Dalon!" Lod called as he came through the door from the back kitchen area. "Who was that? He sure sounded like he knew who you were."

"Leave it alone, Lod," Hendel said, right on the innkeeper's feet. "It's over... Gwen's safe now."

"No! What's this about slavers and gruff? We've been living with a slave trader?"

"I'd like to know too..." Jordin stated, standing in the doorframe out the main entrance having coming around. "But mostly if this had anything to do with it or was it coincidence?"

Hersh gives a slight groan and tosses his brother a look that basically says "I'm out of ideas."

[Tjallen]

"I guess it had to come up at some point, yes i used to be a slave trader with our younger brother, Kheval, rest his soul. When he passed away i started to rethink what i was doing. Hersh helped me see that what i was doing wasn't right. I guess the the people i worked for was not too happy to see me go." Dalon starts to explain.

[roll0] bluff (Using inspiration point)
[roll1] Diplomacy (Using inspiration point.)
Trying to tip the convo towards them turning their anger to me and not Hersh.

[dressi]

"So they've come to take revenge?" Jordin asked, though he believes Dalon's words, though not comfortable with them.

"Into our village!" Lod added with no help.

Regardless of being convinced that Dalon was a changed man, it seemed now that they believed this was an act of retribution by Dalon's former employers.

"Are they going to keep coming?" Lod continued, clearly upset at what Dalon used to be.

"What are you going to do about it, then?" Hendel asked, ignoring Lod.

[Tjallen]

"Actually they have a new leader, that i intend to go have a talk with, i met the guy that kidnapped the girl up in Glenn's Crossing, an idiot who did not know when to shut up. But it seems like they think i owe them something, so i will go and 'talk' them out of it. They might not have known but this place actually means a lot to me. I plan to leave in the next couple of days. If you could keep this between us it would mean much to me."

[dressi]

Both Hendel and Jordin give Lod a long look about keeping his mouth shut. The innkeeper was an ambitious man by also one to spread rumor easily.

"I just hope this doesn't come back here... the death of their men," Jordin says as he goes to pick up the body of the larger slaver, preparing to dispose of the body.

"Let us know if yeh need anythin'," Hendel tells Dalon.

Lod quietly returns to his room that was off from the corridor between the kitchen and the counter out front.

[Tjallen]

"I plan to make sure they have other things to worry about. Thanks for the offer, i still have most of my gear, just need some rations. And the promise that you will look over my Niece." Dalon looks around at the men, silently thanking them with slight nods.


Sorry for my spotty updates, an exam and my mothers birthday happend.

Dalon will prepare for departing the town, to start finding leads as how to end the threat of the slavers.

[dressi]

The night goes uneventful. Jordin disposes of the bodies, both, and Lod is not heard form again until morning.

Prior to the disposal, the man, Shanderl, had a key on him, 350 gold pieces in assorted coins and two nice looking daggers. He also had a wooden piece with a symbol on it.

[Tjallen]

Dalon will gather up the stuff, and then turn to his brother:
"Seems like I will need to get going now, I will send you a letter or something." With an awkward smile he adds: "Tell Fiona that i am sorry i couldn't stay long enough to say goodbye, I think it might be best if I go now."

[dressi]

(OOC: Where is Dalon headed now? Also, can I request that you use proper capitalizations in your posts? I've never had a problem with my dyslexia much until I actually reach non-capitalized i in sentences.)

[Tjallen]

Dalon is headed up to where Deck is, also I's are supposed to be capitalized? Wut? I will try to remember that.

[dressi]

Decks' current location is not known to Dalon, but if he's in charge of the smuggling in the territory, he could easily be located in Rylark. But given how far Glenn's Crossing and such are from Rylark, he might be further north. Stumbling upon Lurgen was pure luck, and Dalon realizes it.

The ride up to Glenn's Crossing is without incident. Upon arriving, news that the girl was found reaches him. Though being responsible for the girl's discovery, Lurgen's murderer is also wanted. Hunters must have already spread the news that two kidnappers in Fawnleaf were also killed.

[Tjallen]

Deciding it might be the best idea to avoid the town, Dalon instead goes around it, trying to avoid travelers. Setting the course towards Rylark, although he realizes that he will need to stock up on spells.
"Those fights were way too hard, I need to find a way to get some more spells prepared, maybe loot a mages guild on the way..."


Traveling north towards Rylark, looking for a mages guild, technically he is still a member, but he haven't been active for a while. Trying to stay at the side of the road, going into hiding when someone else appears.

[dressi]

Rylark is an imperial stateless city along the coast of the southern cliffs. The path would first head east along the Caldorian Royal highway to Laurenhill. Four days of travel would bring Dalon to Ardwin, the royal capital of Caldoria. There were small towns and villages dotting the road between Glenn's Crossing and Ardwin.

Finally, the trip south would take Dalon through Bernwille, Gray Hill and then to Rylark over a two week trip. Two and a half weeks of travel were between Dalon now and a destination in Rylark, if that is where Deck even was.

Dalon easily circumvents the town from the south and sets his course east. Continuing without stopping would put him between Glenn's Crossing and the next stop for the night.



(OOC: Rylark is notorious as a hive of thieves and pirates, even though it has been imperially occupied for over a hundred years now and is run by a council elected by the various trade guilds. Rylark great trade city and the only major stop running along the southern cliffs between Port Alder and Tel Arwin. It is also the gateway to trade from the south across the Elswyn sea.

Dalon would have dealt with Nole from Rylark, transporting abductees there for trade.

Port Caldor is almost the same for the western shores of Caldoria, the only major port town along that coast for the kingdom. It is a port town in all respects, including illicit trades, rampant crime, labyrinth of inns and taverns and a melting pot of cultures far and wide. While not as popular a location for Nole operation is it the closest to the northern territories. Port Caldor is closer to Ardwin than Rylark is.)

[Tjallen]

"Guess I am camping out tonight, gah i hate sleeping outside."

Dalon will change his spells a bit while traveling, glitterdust -> rope trick for a place to stay if he has to camp out.

And then continue on towards Rylark. Taking as direct a route as supplies will allow him to.

[dressi]

The night goes by uneventful. The patrols between Laurenhill and Glenn's Crossing are increased, or, rather, they are supplemented with local militia. News of a bandit raid on farms around Laurenhill has gotten the locals up in a fit.

Dalon catches up to a Caravan on the way to Laurenhill who offers to pay him, an obvious mage, for protection even though the caravan guards are numerous. The pay would only be 25 gold a day, far more than the mercenaries are being offered however. But this would delay arrival in Laurenhill by another day given how the caravan travels.

A small village stop called Edmund's is the next stop on the Royal Highway. There are known paths from here through the woods and hills to the south east that would put Dalon further towards Rylark, but it would be more wilderness and nights spent outside.



(OOC: I'm assuming that Dalon uses the rope tricks for the first night as well. Given that he can cast them once every 5 hours, however, means he might not get uninterrupted sleep. I can't see the character sheet from work, but I didn't notice Extend spell feat before. Granted, he uses 2 spell points for that day and still has them come the next day.)

[Tjallen]

Dalon will travel with the Caravan. Should have saved some more money. But I guess i am not in a hurry, yet. I hope some orcs or something decided to attack.

[dressi]

Some of the mercenaries are obviously not pleased with Dalon's presence even more so with the fact that some of them overheard what the caravan leader was willing to pay the mage. Dalon notices them eyeing him frequently and whispering among themselves.

The caravan is made of four wagons and two carriages. The carriages are carrying people traveling and carrying a good amount with them. Each carriage is separate from each other and from the caravan, merely traveling together for more protection. The caravan guards keep closer to the wagons than the carriages, who have their own guard each along with a driver.



(OOC: Does Dalon wish to interact with them any?)

[Tjallen]

Dalon will try to convince the other guards that he just took the opportunity, and very subtly try to put into their heads that robbing the caravan might not be the worst idea, in a way that makes it look like he did not suggest it.

Diplomacy [roll0]
Bluff [roll1]
Using two inspiration points.

[dressi]

One of the guards mentions back, in a way that is also subtle, that Dalon could get a lot more than just 100 gold for doing nothing.

"If coin is something you want, you can always make more by doing nothing..."

Dalon gets the feeling that the mercenaries were already planning something and are now hoping that he won't muck up their plans. The caravan leader doesn't seem to even be aware something could be going on, but it is now clear that the caravan guards either are now planning something or have been from the beginning. The caravan is still two days out from Laurenhill.

Ever since Dalon spoke with the mercs, it seems that they're also keeping a close eye on him and someone always close enough to overhear anything Dalon might discuss with anyone else.

Through glances and good eye-sight, Dalon can tell that one of the carriages is transporting what seems like a family of five. The other is merely transporting two individuals who have only been seen as silhouettes, though they both appear to be male figures, one with a hunch to suggest elderly.

The mercenaries are armed well, each with chain shirt to chainmail, mostly armed with polearms such as halberds and short spears as well as a blade of some kind each, such as a short sword or longsword. There are a total of six of them, three on horseback and one on each of the wagons sitting with the driver or standing in the wagon itself.



(OOC: What are you plans throughout the next few days given possibilities that Dalon can imagine will happen?)

[Tjallen]

Dalon will give off a vibe that he will not interfere, this is not true however.

Dalon will interfere if the guards attack, unless they seem to be going after the family he will use deep slumber spells. And turn to invisibility if it goes sour.

Spending the time as a guard gets dull so he will try to get to know the 'elderly' man and his companion.

[dressi]

The elderly man and the other man remain in their carriage entirely, never coming out even when the caravan stops for breaks. The guard for that carriage is a middle-aged human with a bow and an wary look to everyone else. He tells Dalon that as long as his passengers are not disturbed, there will not be problems. It is a passive threat. But this effectively keeps Dalon from getting to know the elderly man without having possibly coming to blows with that carriage's guard.

The family gets out during breaks. There is a male human, a female elf or half-elf and three children, probably ages 10-14, 6-9 and 3-4. They do not appear wealthy and sound as if they are moving with all their belongings.

During the evening when the caravan comes to a stop, the carriage with the elderly man and younger companion stop as well just a little from the others, which seems to be normal so far with their relationship to the others. The guard sets up a tent and the two occupants quickly proceed into the tent. From what Dalon can see, the man is elderly, well dressed and in need of assistance from the younger companion.

Just as the rest of the group begins to start settling in for the evening, Dalon picks up the sight of many horses approaching from the forest. Twelve of them and a cart. At the same time, the mercenaries have positioned themselves among the entire caravan, one for each wagon, one standing near the family carriage and the last two not too far from the elderly man's carriage. The family carriage's guard is not paying that much attention and talks more with the family and the driver telling jokes and stories. The elderly man's guard is obviously more wary and eyes the mercenaries cautiously. The caravan leader tries to make a fire.

Dalon finds himself eyed by the guard 'leader' who gives Dalon a nod as soon as eye contact is met. The guard has his hand on his weapon.



(OOC: Dalon senses something is about to happen that will lead toward violence. I'm rolling really good for your Sense Motives btw. you only have a +2 though.)

[Tjallen]

Sensing this is not a fight he wants to get into Dalon quietly makes himself scarce. Against the overwhelming numbers he doesn't feel like he can make a difference unless the loners are some sort of mages.

Even though he probably wont get involved he still puts up a mage armor spell.

[dressi]

Dalon leaves the immediate area without being noticed. The twilight of the day helps this along with his skill at hiding. From the short distance in the tall grass of a small rise nearby, he can hear the guards turn on the caravan leader. But it isn't just a robbery. The caravan leader cries out in pain as he is run through with a spear. One of the drivers takes off on a horse and flees up the road, the other two being cut down despite surrendering. Others descend on the family while two guards approach the old man's carriage.

The elderly man's guard starts firing arrows that hold the guards back while the two men attempt to run for their carriage.

[Tjallen]

Seeing the driver ride away Dalon quickly casts a Deep Slumber his way.
No witnesses, although i do not trust these people, i do hope they didn't touch the children, it would be a bother having to kill these people while they sleep.

Deep slumber has a range of 150 ft so if i am not in range i won't cast it. If it works Dalon will move to the horse and rider and cut the riders throat.

[dressi]

Dalon can see the man fleeing but cannot cast the spell as he placed himself on the opposite side from where the man was now fleeing. The guard of the elderly man's carriage kills two of the guards firing two arrows. Now the mercenary reinforcements arrive and start firing arrows on their own.

The ones that came upon the family drag them out of the carriage. The father was setting up the tent and is slain. The guard over their carriage is in melee with two of the mercs and is badly wounded already. Their driver is currently hiding atop the carriage being ignored for now.

[Tjallen]

Muttering a curse under his breath, Dalon sets out to make sure the rest of the family can escape.
Let them be weak-willed morons, for the sake of the children!
Moving towards the family's carriage Dalon tries to stay out of the melee while he gets close enough to cast out a sleep spell.

[dressi]

There is one merc pulling the elfish woman out of the carriage by her hair. She holds to her infant still with one arm, the other reaching for her hair. There are two mercs fighting the one guard.


(OOC: Where does Dalon place his sleep spell?)

[Tjallen]

So i hit as many mercenaries around the family as possible, Dalon knows elves are immune to sleep so if she gets caught in the area it does not matter.

[dressi]

Dalon places the sleep spell over the elvish woman, the mercenary assaulting her and one of the mercenaries fighting the carriage guard. The mercenary fighting the carriage guard drops his weapon and slumps to the ground. The other merc fighting the carriage guard yells out something about another hidden.

There are four mercs loosing arrows at the carriage of the old man. The driver of the carriage is dead, slumped over the reins from the top of the carriage. The elderly man's guard is still firing from behind the carriage. But the mercs begin to attack the horses, which sends the carriage off in a wild direction dragging the younger man along the ground as he holds onto the door. The guard leaps onto the back of the carriage. Two mercs begin pursuit.

The one highwayman that dragged the woman from the carriage tears her crying child from her arms, basically dropping it to the ground and tossing her over his shoulder.

[Tjallen]

The hell are they doing? Can't be slavers, too many unnecessary deaths, guess it's time to pretend I am helping. Dalon will move around and make sure some of the mercenaries see him shooting the occasional arrow at the defenders.

And here I hoped I was done being the bad guy. I should have a personal army to deal with these kind of things.

[dressi]

The carriage with the old man continues to speed off into the tall grass, bouncing around on the rougher terrain. The two horseback marauders continued their pursuit but seem unable to stop. The guard, now on top of the carriage drops one of the attackers off as they all pull to the edge of sight before fading into silhouettes in the final hours of the day.

The last guard is overwhelmed by a total of three men and he is quickly ended by the blade.

Dalon catches glimpse of the oldest of the children running for the crying baby, taking it up in her arms and quickly running into the field. She goes unnoticed. Her younger brother, not much older than a toddler, tries running after his mother as she is being hauled away on the shoulder of another mercenary. One of the brutes backhands the child in the head and he falls to the ground after a stumble. From the distance it is unknown if he is merely unconscious or worse. The mother cries out, one hand on her weeping face and another reaching out for her children and her slain husband. She is thrown across a horse with one of the men who begin to ride off with her.

The rest of the men that came up to the foray never drew weapons or hardly did. They begin commandeering the wagons and looting the corpses, attaching their own horses up to the carriage and making off with the haul.

Four of the mercenaries approach Dalon, armed and holding but not quickly advancing.

"Should we kill you too, mage?"

"No," one of them says. This was the man that spoke to Dalon in the first place. "He's not part of it. He was not with the caravan when it left Glenn's."

"Someone needs to come across the carnage and report it, right...mage?"

"And stumble across some spilled coin too, right?" the 'head' merc says as he spills a handful of bright-gray coins on the ground at his feet. "Now men, get after that last carriage. No witnesses, remember?"

[Tjallen]

Dalon makes sure to remember the face of the head mercenary as he waits for the mercenaries to leave to pick up the child, expending a charge of his belt to heal the boy. He then picks up the coins, the child, and goes off in search of her sister.

"Be still now child, we will find your siblings, and somewhere for you to stay."

As he searches for the runaway child and the baby a sense of guilt strikes him, somewhat unfamiliar, as Dalon has long since been desensitized to the feeling, or so he thought.

[dressi]

The mercenaries finish taking everything back into the woods leaving Dalon with nothing but the dead bodies, looted and blood stains.

The little boy was badly wounded, but the healing belt charge was more than adequate to get him back to healthy. Physically, that is, as he still immediately begins to cry for his mother in the wake of all the violence.

The sister is located ten or so minutes later as she continued running through the fields but fell and twisted her ankle. She is weeping along with the baby who has no mother now. The girl is defensive, quickly brandishing a stick but falling to her knees begging for mercy from the mage that approaches her.

Dalon remembers the man's face just so. He was human with a heavy tan, a mustache with gray in it and a scar across the bottom of his chin. His eyes and hair were hidden in the darkness and beneath a cap, but the hair was most likely dark due to the brows and beard. No other details are remembered. None of the mercenaries had any armor similar among them.

[Tjallen]

"Put that away girl, I'm not here to harm you. Lets get you and your brothers somewhere safe. Lets fix that ankle and get going."
Another charge of the healing belt will go towards fixing the girls ankle.

Then Dalon will head towards the nearest town, counting the coins from the mercenaries as he goes.

[dressi]

Once the girl realizes that Dalon is not there to harm her, she grabs her younger brother, both of them, holding them. The toddler is asking for his mother, wanting his mother back and wanting his father to do something about it. The older sister seems to be more knowing about what happened and simply holds her brother without knowing what to say. The healing belt charge helps adjust her ankle though it is still sore from the injury and she walks funny on it for a while.

Night is upon the mage and the three children. Laurenhill is the closest town, a town that is the seat of the Glenn County.

The mercenaries dropped five sovereigns, large platinum and gold pieces worth a hundred each. Five hundred gold for silence; rather, payment for spreading the word of the carnage.



(OOC: I'm assuming Dalon casts extended rope tricks for safety.)

[Tjallen]

Dalon will try to calm the children down, so he can concentrate to get his spells back.

Hiding out in the rope trick. Going to continue towards Laurenhill as soon as i have spell back.

[dressi]

The road to Laurenhill is mostly uneventful except for a pair of Imperial horsemen riding down the road on their way west. They stop and question Dalon, no suspective questioning, just asking if he had seen anything strange lately or anyone on the road acting strangely.

Regardless of the answers given, they continue their journey west.

Laurenhill is arrived at mid the following day. Dalon is mostly out of provisions given the children's consumption of them as well. The infant child needs the most attention, and the young girl knows only a little on how to care for the child.

Laurenhill is a decently sized town, approximately twenty or so buildings within the walls and a smattering of them on a path north toward the count's estate. The guards at the gate are questioning all entrants, however. Even though they have only known Dalon for a short time, the sister and brother now cling to and behind Dalon when the half-orc gate guard narrows his black brows at the mage and three ankle-biters.

"I don't see the resemblance..." the orc croaks in a deep voice. It is true... the children have fiery red hair and the girl has slightly pointed ears, not that passing them off as Dalon's children was even a goal. "Where you from, traveler?"

[Tjallen]

"Some bandits attacked our caravan, we were lucky to get away. So now I am looking after them now. The wreckage is that way." Dalon points towards where the 'attack' took place.

[dressi]

"Yes, sounds about right," the orc replies. "A carriage with a dead driver and wounded ranger came through last night saying something about the same. Imperial patrols' already heading in that direction. You probably passed them on your way here, I'll bet."

Before Dalon is done stepping through the gate, the orc adds one more comment. "The countess has a soft spot for children, if you need to 'offload' some unwanted baggage."

Laurenhill has three inns: Hillton Inn, sitting atop the hill in the middle of town, the Red Rider, near the east gate and stables and Claer's Inn where the north road breaks from the main road in town. Each has a tavern, but it seems Claer's is the more popular of the taverns with the Hillton being the most expensive.

The atmosphere is one of tension. There are more guards out and several shop have non-uniformed guards. There is a town crier as well speaking of rallying weapons and hiding valuables from the Northerwood Bandits, a mob of murdering marauders masquerading as money-tight mercenaries.

[Tjallen]

"Guess we know who you will be taking your revenge on in a dozen years." Dalon adds with a shrug. "Guess we go to Claer's Inn."
Dalon makes sure not to let the children out of his sight.
This countess might be a good place to leave the children, but i gotta find out more first.

How old are the children?

[dressi]

Claer's Inn seems to be the spot the locals go to, as far as the tavern would be concerned. It is midday, but there's already the local drunks who get an early start. The common room is centered around a large hearth and fireplace that runs up the middle of the large room. The second floor is exposed, and it seems all the beds are open to view though some are separated with curtains. The common room below has tables and chairs arrayed around the large fireplace. There is a group of three tables in the corner where it seems a gleeman could stand upon, though he seems to merely be sitting right now tuning an instrument.

The counter is to the far left upon entering. Behind it stands a tall man with a long mustache and a red-cheeked smile.

"Welcome to Claer's!" the man says with his arms open. "Bed or table or both?"

The occupants are two elves at the bar speaking quietly wearing similar outfits. Three men sit at a table and exchange laughs and jokes wearing mixed armors. Two other men look weary sitting in the corner trying to keep their heads up while a third man sits near the door with a large pack of various items waiting for something.


(OOC: Dalon would have learned that the girl's name is Gaeli, the boy's name is Fen and the infant's name is Devin. Gaeli is 13, Fen is 6 and Devin is eighteen months)

[Tjallen]

"You have any rooms with a lock? If you do then a bed and a table if not, could you point us to a place where we can find such a room."
Turning to the young girl Dalon says:
"So Gaeli, how much training have you had with a sword?"

[dressi]

"We have two," the man says with a nod. "They're both available, eight shiners a night. How long will you be staying? Just traveling through or do you have business here?"

Gaeli shakes her head as she looks around the inn, holding the babe and the younger boy's hand as well.

"Will there... uh, be another?" the innkeeper asks, looking at the three children and then back up to Dalon, keeping his smile armed and ready to deflect any hostilities. He pulls a key from a key ring off his belt.

[Tjallen]

"We will just take the one then." Dalon replies, ignoring the question.
"And could you please send the food up, it has been a tiring day."
Dalon hands the man eight 'shiners' and takes the key. He then leads the children up to the room.
"Now what shall i do with you kids? You have any relatives?" He asks Gaeli.

[dressi]

"I'll have something sent yes, but it's actually through that door there, the one on the left." There is a door off the side of the common room opposite the counter. The key unlocks the door on the left. The room has two beds, a table and two chairs and one wardrobe. The beds are separated by a night stand that has a candelabra on it without candles.

Gaeli asks to speak with Dalon alone, without Fen around at least. She says that her father had a brother in Ardwin. They were going there because their shop in Port Caldor was burned down and they lost everything.

She asks very seriously, "Will I ever see my mother again?"

[Tjallen]

"I will have your answer ready tomorrow, I am afraid i do not know at the moment. I need to talk to some people, find some info on those mercenaries. If all goes well i might be able to find her, but I am afraid i cannot say more than that."
Handing Gaeli one of his daggers Dalon continues:
"I will be gone for some hours and i don't want to leave you defenseless and it's about time you learn to use a weapon anyways."


Dalon will wait for the food while trying to figure out if there is time to drop of the children.

ooc: how long would it take to get to Ardwin? And do Dalon know of any slavers operating in this area?

[dressi]

The trip to Ardwin is only three days away with stops along the way each night. Most of the area is turned to farmland so close to the royal capital.

The slavers never operated this far north nor this close to the capital of Caldoria before. So it is not likely Dalon will know anyone. But that doesn't mean other criminals aren't around. Ardwin is a large city with many vices in the dark places beneath its levels. Even if he doesn't know slavers in the area, criminals tended to know each other. Dalon did have some contacts in Ardwin for that smuggled drugs further north.

Gaeli takes the dagger with a knowing nod. The last few days have aged the poor girl by decades it seems as she mentally prepares herself for what she feels will be her responsibility for the rest of her and her siblings' lives.

[Tjallen]

"Remember do not open for anybody, i have a key so just don't open the door. On second thought, i think you should hide out in the rope trick while i am gone." Dalon says before casting a rope trick to house the children. He then heads out to get some info on the mercenaries, starting in the seedier parts of town.


Gather information:
[roll0] using one inspiration point.

[dressi]

The children get into the ropetrick easily.

From what Dalon can suss from those lurking around corners and such, and after spending a few coin, he learns that the Northwind or Northwood, whatever they're calling themselves. They were once mercs in the Count's employ, but he stiffed them on payments and now they're getting even by harassing travelers and farms in his county. They've been petty so far, tearing up things, letting livestock go, theft. But murder... perhaps they're stepping up their game.

A mercenary-looking fella says that he was with the group that Count Laurenhill hired. It was for a transport from Port Caldor all the way back to Laurenhill. A long journey just for one carriage. And when they arrived, the Count only paid up a quarter of what was promised. The merc that Dalon is speaking to knew the leader of the group then, but he'd been stiffed one too many times. It seemed like a problem or something, so this particular merc just left the group entirely. He was tired of not getting paid.



(OOC: 4/5 inspiration points 15/16 Spell points. I'm looking for where you might have kept track with spell points, and I see a 21 down for 9th level spells but from my calculations you should have 16.)

[Tjallen]

Dalon will inquire as to if and where the group hides out between their raids.

I just took the normal spells and traded them to spellpoints?
4 x 0th = 2
5 x 1st = 5
4 x 2nd = 8
2 x 3rd = 6
= 21.
I thought that was how it worked..?

[dressi]

The merc replies that the group usually made camps in forests near rivers when they were out on a job. Otherwise they were based, sort of, out of New Well south of Ardwin.



(OOC: Ah, well my document has a table for bonus spell points due to having a high ability score, which aren't calculated the exact same. It was a balancing factor since racking up your ability score can significantly increase your spell points through that normal calculation. But given the nature of the campaign, let's just leave your calculations since it's easier that way for you).

[Tjallen]

Dalon will thank the merc and go back to the children.

"Gaeli, i need to speak with you, alone."

When they are alone Dalon will quietly explain the situation:
"I might have found where the mercs are, but it is just a chance, so i might be able to find your mother, might. But it would mean a detour and a night of you staying alone in a room."
Oh i totally forgot about that table when i calculated it... Doh. How long would it take to get to New Ardwin?

[dressi]

(OOC: Ardwin is 2 days away. New Well is 4 hours by horse south of Ardwin)

[dressi]

Gaeli quickly has tears running down her cheeks when the hope of getting her mother back seats itself in her head. But she does nothing more than nod understandingly. She does say that she will need someone to see to Devin, however. She does know that he needs mother's milk, but she doesn't know how else to get it.

"If you can get her back, please, I'll do anything," she says.

[Tjallen]

"All you need to do is stay strong, if we are lucky they will be there, i will be back sometime tomorrow, if not then take this and get to your uncle." Dalon hands the girl a small pouch with some silver and copper in it.

Dalon then walks downstairs, hands the barkeep coins for another night.
He then goes outside and finds his way outside of the walls of the town. Then he summons up a mount and starts riding towards New Well.

Using 1/2 spells from factotum.
How often can i switch my prepared spells by the way? Can i spend an hour to switch them out or can i only do so after i have rested?

[dressi]

Redacted
The girl takes the coins and nods at Dalon. The innkeeper asks if Dalon is leaving the children there.

"I'm not a sitter, you know. You can't leave your kids here unsupervised! I won't be held responsible if something happens to them." He seems adamant about it, though the coin changes his tune a little. "Well, I'll... just keep my eye on the room then. Can't make promises they won't do something stupid themselves, but I'll keep them from burning the place down."

The road to Ardwin goes a little northeast, putting New Well almost directly east. Though there is no road directly, there are farms and hills between the two highways where the towns rest.



(OOC: Only after you have rested. You can, however, simply not prepare them. To prepare them, it takes 10 minutes per spell level if you're just doing one, at most 1 hour.

ALSO, New Well is 2.5 days away, not just 1. It's south of Ardwin, but Ardwin itself is 2 days away. By the way of the crow, it's only 1.5 days, but that still puts Dalon out 3+ days. He'll have to pay accordingly, 8 silver a night.)

[Tjallen]

Oh i misunderstood then, i thought New Well was 4 hours away from where Dalon was now... Okay, in that case i will take the children with me to Ardwin. Sorry bout that.

[dressi]

(OOC: Repost #115 then. No problem, I'm doing it all by description without, you know, giving you a MAP to see things... I should work on that).

[Tjallen]

No need to hurry, Dalon will stay the night and then take the children and set off towards Ardwin. He lets the young girl keep the dagger and the coins if something were to happen.

the pouch contains 40 cp and 25 sp

[dressi]

The next morning Dalon gets the children out the door of the inn, dropping off the key, grabbing a quick bite and ready to leave when he is stopped by a face that Dalon just can't quite place. It soon becomes obvious, however.

"I heard you asking around about those..." the tall man starts with a rough voice from behind Dalon. The man is leaning against the wall of the inn, apparently waiting. However, he sees the children and suddenly alters his word. "Friends of ours from a couple days ago. I'm quite interested in them as well..."

It was the elderly man's carriage guard that got away. "Doing anything with the info you found?"

[Tjallen]

"I plan to visit our friends, they are holding on to something of mine, and I would so hate if it fell into someone else's hands. If you are going north you could tag along, I am sure they would welcome you with open arms." Dalon says with a casual smile.

[dressi]

The man agrees. He introduces himself as Erik Ed'Riss. He says that the elderly gentleman he was escorting has offered fifty gold per pair of ears from the mercenaries that assaulted the caravan, sixty per head.

Erik shares what he's learned. The men came from the north and left from the north, but then they obviously backtracked somehow elsewhere. He's been into the northern forest before, and there's no way to take wagons and carriages through those woods without spending too long cutting down brush and trees. Hunters from all around would notice, plus a druid circle oversees the woods and would have caused more problems than mercenaries could handle.



(OOC: You can designate any NPCs you come across in your travels as potential cohorts as well if you want. Erik is a human male, 4th level range whose favored enemy is human. You don't have to decide now, but when you get a cohort, you can simply "call" an NPC you've met if you want someone you've bet before. They'll just happen to show up somewhere nearby with the proper motivation to be your cohort)

[Tjallen]

"Lets get to Ardwin and see if anybody knows more. The kids have an uncle there that can take care of them."

[dressi]

Erik agrees.

The road to Ardwin goes uneventful for the most part. Gaeli found a milking mother who agreed to sell some of her milk for Devin. At the next stop, which is just an inn, one of the barmaids was just with child and shares a tit. News at the inn from the first stop suggests that the assaults have so far been around the Laurenhill town and the roads near there. The inn, Harper's Holding, has seen some people fleeing assaults or having just barely escaped death by the hands of bandits.

But people there don't understand how the bandits are operating. Mercenaries at the inn are both excited for taking on jobs and charging more for it or afraid due to the frequency of the attacks and the overwhelming forces reported.

Imperial patrols have so far encountered no attacks, but they've seen plenty of scenes of brutal assaults.



(OOC: on to the next stop if nothing else)

[Tjallen]

"I heard they were hiding out at New Well, but it seems like someone is operating around Laurenhill, you think it's our guys?"

[dressi]

"That seems more like it," Erik replies. "But where, I couldn't begin to guess other than the woods. If they were based out of New Well, that's a distance to travel. They could be based there, but for the last few weeks, they're somewhere nearby even if temporarily."

[Tjallen]

"You think you can find them from here? My tracking skills are not that good."

[dressi]

"Laurenhill is too large an area to look around. I could spend days and find nothing. It might be easier to just find another caravan and follow them. But not all caravans are being hit. If they were... well, then the imperials would be all over this. I'll follow your lead for now until it seems we're spinning our circles. I got that old man to Laurenhill like he wanted, and he paid good for it too. I certainly could use the extra cash, but I'm not wasting all my time hunting them down."

[Tjallen]

"In that case we go to Ardwin and drop of the kids, and then continue on to New Well."

[dressi]

The night went by uneventful, as did the trip the Green Witch Inn, the final stop before reaching the royal city of Ardwin. Dalon had been there before. Who hadn't? Anyone living in Caldoria at least once passed through the largest city in the kingdom, and anyone doing any sort of business stopped by at least once a season.

Approaching Ardwin the city has not changed much since Dalon and his brother first passed through there on their way to a quieter life with his wife. The city surrounds a mount. One side of the mount rises steadily to the point, but the rest of the mount drops straight to the ground below. Around the mount is the outer city, to the south, southeast and south west. On the direct southern cliff of the mount is the inner city behind a massive wall, even larger than the Dom in the City of Walls in Ald. It stands nearly a thousand feet high and almost a city block in depth. Within, the city sits like a bowl, several layers deep around the edges down to the largest Temple of Chreo in the world ad the mid point.

To the north is the quarry where marble and stone are harvested and sold around the world and used to further expand the city's cobble streets. Up the mount is the marble city and at the end of the mount is the castle Caldor itself, older than the city's current name.

Most of the city has never come under attack. When the Ald empire finally conquered Caldoria, they entirely ignored Aldwin. The city was deemed so impenetrable that the empire took the kingdom by submission in its heartlands rather than ever drawing a blade against its king. When the empire did march into Aldwin, it was with open doors and sheathed swords.

Gaeli tells Dalon that she only knows her uncle runs a shop in outer Aldwin, which is where the majority of the city's population live. The only thing she knows is that he's a one-armed blacksmith.

[Tjallen]

Upon seeing the gigantic proportions Dalon remarks: "Majestic as ever, must have taken decades to build all of this."

Pausing for a bit to admire the city Dalon then sets a course towards outer Aldwin.

"Now to find a one-armed blacksmith, that can't be too hard, i hope."

Dalon will ask around for a one-armed blacksmith, going there as soon as possible.

[dressi]

Dalon rather quickly finds that there's no one-armed blacksmiths in Ardwin, anymore that is. A man by the name of Feldon retired many years ago. Some of the other blacksmiths attest that Feldon was a master until he lost his arm in a cart accident. Ever since then, Feldon couldn't produce as much as he used to, but he instead turned to finer and finer pieces, such as ornamental hilts, shields, helmets and fanciful blades. Years ago he sold his primary forge. Every now and then one of his pieces pops up for sale, but none have seen him around where he used to work, and he doesn't live at his forge anymore. His pieces are too exquisite and high-end to be found in the common market though.



(OOC: Dalon's GI check (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15127176&postcount=3). Not bad...)

[Tjallen]

"Now this complicates things, lets find a place to stay and try to find him tomorrow, if we can't we will have to take the children along."

Dalon will spend some time trying to find out where Feldon lives now and will try to find some info on the bandits as well.

Nice roll, now my luck just needs to hold up.

[dressi]

There were a great many number of inns in Ardwin, as would be expected from the royal capital that intersected with three major trade routes and four highways. Picking one, Dalon dropped off the children at the room and went out to find more information but struggled to get anywhere.

Failing that he asked around for information that could lead him to the bandits. It seemed that the information was well known. Mercenaries were in high demand leaving from Ardwin heading to Port Caldor, which were the two largest cities in the kingdom.




Not so good gather info. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15128445&postcount=4) A little better for bandits. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15128445&postcount=5) Still mostly fruitless.

And I must be blind. I kept wondering why you were going with spoiler. It was so much more to type than hitting the color buttons. But then I saw the spoiler button... wow. Ok, that's a lot easier. I like this better.

[Tjallen]

"Eric did you find anything, if we can't find anything i propose we go to New Well. I would love to pick up some new spells while we are here, but i don't think we have time."

You linked to the same roll, and it was bad.

[dressi]

Erik shook his head. "Nothing related to the blacksmith. I discovered that there's a power struggle in the criminal world in Ardwin. An old friend of mine still works in the city guard. They've been keeping a 'necessary evil' in check for years until a new group moved in. Now violence and crime have taken flight as the two factions compete."

It was better (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15128505&postcount=5), but not by much.

[Tjallen]

"Lets try up in New Well, then, afterwards we can return here and try to deal with this new group."

[dressi]

After paying ten shiners for at least the next two nighs, Erik and Dalon set off for New Well, merely down the road half a day's ride. Cobble streets and stone buildings gave way to well-trampled dirt paths lined with wooden constructions, and soon even that gave way to farm steadings spaced apart by hundreds of feet, then yards. The road itself was still wide and people pushing and pulling carts continued to pass or be passed by the two bound for New Well.

The small out-cropping known as New Well was founded, as anyone could figure, around a well. Not just any, however. It was one of the largest in the areas, tapping into an aquifer never before found. A massive well sat in the middle of the town just off the road with eight drop buckets and a large dwarven pump that fed water into some pipe that ran north and into the ground. There were four inns, each with a tavern, and a single meadhall centered just opposite the road across the well. It was well known in the parts for its mead, its women, its barfights. It was called Hornhearth.

[Tjallen]

"Now lets see if we can locate those mercenaries, they took the children's mother and i promised to see if i can get her back." Dalon says to Eric as they start making their way to Hornheath.

Dalon will ask around about both the blacksmith and the bandits.

[dressi]

Dalon gets nowhere in Hornhearth. Mages are often viewed as outsiders there, and so the lips are tightly sealed when it comes to talking about anything much less bandits and blacksmiths.

However, Dalon gets much better luck when it comes to visiting the common rooms of inns and with regards to a blacksmith. While a one-armed blacksmith named Feldon was not heard of, a jeweler and tinkerman with one arm named Feldon was. His wares were amongst the best in the kingdom when it came to quality and style. He was known to live in Ardwin's inner city but frequented the Marble Hill and even the castle for his locks, clocks and lamps.

Erik, on the other hand, got good information about the bandits. The New Well group left when they took the job for Count Laurenhill. They used to frequent Hornhearth and knew the bartender and several others there. In fact, the owner of Hornhearth knows how to get in contact with them. Rather, a contact of theirs drops by ever few days to check up on job requests.



Dalon asked stuff around town. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15133141&postcount=6)

[Tjallen]

"You find out when we can meet the contact, i will go and try to find the tinker, if i find him i will drop off the kids and come back, if not then i will come back tomorrow anyways."
Dalon will go back to Ardwin and try to locate the tinker, this time in the inner city.

[dressi]

Erik nods in agreement. "Yes, I suspect you had difficulties with the Hornheart group... few take kindly to mages. You have that look about you. Even with that polearm of yours."

The journey back to Ardwin takes the remainder of the day. Dalon finds himself approaching the great wall of Ardwin as the sun is setting and painting its face with a golden glow. Dalon enters the city, walking through the tunnel from one side to the other. And emerging on the inside of the city is like a stepping into another land. The streets are paved with stone and the buildings sit on top of each other. It is like a canyon made of structures built by man with bridges crossing and walkway suspended along the edges. Ports often had bridges connecting the many balconies and second-floor paths. But this was immensely different. Seven, no, eight levels of buildings on top of buildings on top of buildings with entire streets lining them. The main thoroughfare is broad enough for six carts though only two can seemingly make it through with the crowd of people. Trees are planted here and there in this forest of stone.

Dalon asks here and there and soon finds a shop aptly named "Feldon's Wonderous Things," complete with an improperly placed 'e' that's been scratched out. Dalon enters and finds shelves of small contraptions, hinges, locks, swords, armor pieces, buckles, knobs... a few chests with very ornate locks on them. The three lanterns seem to be fed by gas: a dwarven thing. Backed by a matte white bowl, the light floods the room, counter and corridor leading somewhere.

A man stands behind the counter as the bell rings upon Dalon's entrance. This man is young and has both his arms.

"We're closing, I'm sorry. We'll also be closed tomorrow, I'm afraid. Or did you have something to pick up?"

Dalon finds Feldon's shop... (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15134087&postcount=8)

[Tjallen]

"I am looking for Feldon, you wouldn't happen to know where I can find him would you? I have a delivery and some bad news for him. It's urgent."

[dressi]

"What sort of bad news?" the man behind the counter asked. "What are you dropping off?" He seemed suspicious all of a sudden as well.

[Tjallen]

"It's family related, and i really cannot talk to you, unless you are family."

[dressi]

"I'm his son... has something happened to him? Where is he?"

[Tjallen]

"Actually it's about his brother, your uncle, he is dead, his wife has been kidnapped, and i have your cousins at an Inn here in the city. You know when your father will be back? And do you have somewhere to house the children? They are pretty damn scared." Dalon says flatly, not caring much about the terrible news he just delivered.

[dressi]

"Uncle? I have an uncle? I'm sorry, I don't know anything about this. My father is delivering a clock and won't be back for..." he thinks on it. "A little while. I'm not taking in any children... Who are you?"

[Tjallen]

"Oh for... I am just going to wait here for your father. I should have known better than to trust rumors." Dalon looks pretty annoyed at this point, with an angry tone in his voice.

[dressi]

"You still haven't told me who you are..." the younger man argues back, obviously mirroring Dalon's own temperment. "Who are you? Why are you telling me this about children and my father's family? What do they have to do with us? Never once..."

The younger man appears just the age a boy leaves a home to find his own way. But here this one is, perhaps the way of cities are different than those that wander. Dalon's childhood was no model for normalcy. The young man does give Dalon suspicious looks.

[Tjallen]

"I am telling you this because I do not care for being a stand in for family, and because there is a girl I promised to rescue her mother. If the bonds of blood means that little to you perhaps i have come here in vain. Besides I have no business with you, I only wish to speak with your father." Dalon, having calmed his irritation, then averts his gaze from the young man and looks around the shop, uninterested.

[dressi]

The 'boy' seemed angry as well, but the mention of a girl with a lost mother and promises kept him from voicing any further opinions. "My father's not coming back..."

The boy sighed and threw down an oiled cloth he'd been using to wipe down the counter.

"He's so ill he can hardly move his one good hand now. He..., well, he mentioned family long ago, but they discarded him basically when... well, that's all our history. I'm sure you've no interest in it. But he's too sick. I've been doing the work for the last two years and just saying he's too busy or delivering this or that. He's at our house. If you want to speak to him, I can take you there."

[Tjallen]

"I'm sorry to hear that, if you could take me to him that would be for the best.

[dressi]

"Yeah... hold on, let me close up." The young man went into the back for several minutes before coming back out with a pack and a walking stick. The stick had a couple contraptions on it, from a spyglass to something that looked like a sextet.

He introduced himself as Gyll. He took Dalon north through the city. it turned out there was even an entire two levels of the city beneath the first street. Gyll filled Dalon in on some of the family matters, if Dalon asked about it. Otherwise, the boy remained silent as he guided the mysterious man back to his home.

The door to their residence was located on a level beneath the city, accessed by a large set of stairs and ramps. Lanterns were used to move about the city at night, but at all times the under city was done that way. Everything was made from stone and wood braces. The door was down a long corridor at the end where it seemed no one else would want to live.

Gyll unlocked the door with two... no three keys, and it made ticking sounds and knocking sounds as several latches came unlatched. Inside was an older man, probably in his 50's if not more so. Dalon remembers Gaeli's father looking not that much older than 30, closer to Dalon's age.

"Father... a man is here to see you."

The old man walks forward, hunched over but still able to move about. He is indeed with missing an arm, removed at the shoulder. The older man looks up at Dalon with questions in his eyes, obviously.

"Who is this? What do you want?"

[Tjallen]

Dalon will question the man a bit about how long they have lived in the city, what he knows of his fathers family and what they do at the shop.

Reaching the door Dalon looks a bit puzzled as he looks at the old man, but he begins to explain even though he might be at the wrong house:
"I am Dalon, I come baring bad news. Traveling here with a caravan we were attacked, and by a twist of fate I survived along with three children, the oldest being a girl of 13 by the name of Gaeli, who were traveling here with their father, who did not survive the attack, and their mother, who were kidnapped during the attack. Going from what the children told me they were on their way to see you for some reason or the other, and I would very much like if they were taken off of my hands, while I try to rescue their mother. I do hope that you are the right person, because I would hate to have wasted your time." Dalon looks at the old man, trying to figure out if he is old or just looks old, being one-armed and a blacksmith does that to some people.

[dressi]

Gyll does explain a bit. He's lived in the city as long as he can remember. His mother died during childbirth, and he was raised by his father. His father used to be a well known blacksmith, even with one arm. The way he could turn the steel was unlike any other. Gyll kept coming up with ways to help his father out, which is what got him into tinkering. When his father began to grow weaker, Gyll would start to sell some of his tinkerings. They were simple locks and hinges that closed on their own, hilts and gauntlets that fit so well as to make the sword inoperable in another's hands. But he knew little of his family other than his father. He was told over and over again that his father had more family, but that they'd outcast him.

The old man's eyes widen when Dalon mentions the name Gaeli. "Devin's daughter, I see. I..." the father stops as he waves his hands at Dalon. The man's temperament turn from inquisitive and even understanding to grouchy and pestered. "Fine then! You may drop the rascals off here. I'll wager we could put them to use around the forge. I haven't had a good apprentice since..."

Gyll goes to his father and tries to calm the man down. It seems that the older one isn't right in his head. Gyll appologizes for the outburst. He should have told Dalon, but such had not happened in so long. Something must have upset the man to cause him to do that. Gyl doesn't know what to do, but hearing his father mention the girl as if he knew her father was enough for him.

"You may bring the children here... at least until you find their mother. Even if we are not related... I... could do something I guess. There are too many orphans in the city as it is."

Dalon does notice that the children have the same hair color as the old man, and the young boy's cheeks do resemble him. Though they look nothing like Gyll.

[Tjallen]

"Great, I will go get them at once, I will be back as soon as I can. Hopefully I will be back with their mother. Thanks for looking after them. Gyll this place is a bit too maze-like for me to navigate, could you join me so I don't get lost on the way?" Dalon says, somewhat relieved to have found the right people.

Woo servers back up again!
My plan at this moment:
Drop off kids, rendezvous with Erik, go find the kids mother.

[dressi]

Gyll accompanies Dalon to one of the main intersections going out of the undercity. The rest of the city is still very web-like, though once to a main street, getting back to the gate is easy. The guards have the gates closed and escort people through doors in the portcullises.

Given the hour, the children are already asleep, excpet Gaeli who patiently awaits your return and news. She is delighted to learn that their uncle is really here, though her expressions are still laden with worry for their mother.

The night comes and goes. Dalon gets the children ready for being dropped off at their uncle's. Downstairs, Erik is waiting with news. He got word when the mercenary group's contact will be around, later that very evening. He has yet to get a description of the man, so he will be returning to Hornhearth immediately to find that out.

Gyll is at his and his father's residence that morning awaiting Dalon and the children. The similarity between the old man and Fen are more noticeable with them standing close by. Feldon seems at first very receptive of the children until he sees Fen, who he does not know, and starts fussing at the lot of them calling the older boy Devin instead, as if he was Feldon's own brother. Gyll moves Feldon to another room, but Gaeli is definitely bothered by it. Regardless, they thank Dalon for the assistance and look still at him with great hope that their mother can be rescued.

[Tjallen]

"Don't worry now children, if the gods will it everything will go off without major problems." Dalon will gently pat Gaeli on the head and then linger for a minute, to give any of them a chance to talk to him before he leaves.
"Take good care of them." He remarks before he starts the trip to meet up with Erik.

[dressi]

Fen and Devin quickly are demanding attention and other things from their older sister, and the young girl with these forced-upon responsibilities turns to tend to them.

On the way back out of the city, the guard questions Dalon's suspicious behavior. Most folks go into the city or just out of it. At this time of night, few travel back and forth over and over again except those that are known to have businesses on either side frequently, and the guard doesn't recognize Dalon at all. But a little talk explains the situation and Dalon is allowed to easily pass.

Dalon arrives in New Well quite late; the innkeepers are turned in already and stirred for a bed. Even Hornhearth is quiet. There is, obviously, no sign of Erik at the moment. An inn will with a private room will cost 5 silvers, but a bed in the loft costs just a couple.

Dalon talks his way through the gate (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15144398&postcount=9)

[Tjallen]

Knowing tomorrow will probably bring bloodshed Dalon decides to pay up for the private room, to get time and rest for preparing new spells for the day to come.

Switched a couple spells around, gotta get some ac for surviving if stealth goes haywire.

[dressi]

Need to know your prepared list fully.

[Tjallen]

It's on my character sheet, the ones with 0/1 are the ones i prepare, I update them when i change them for the day.
1st:
Grease
Mage Armor
Shield

2nd:
Alter Self
Invisibility

3rd:
Deep slumber

[dressi]

The night goes by uneventful except for a fit of coughing in the common room that turns into an argument somewhere around high-moon. The morning comes, rested, with new spells for the day. As Dalon would exit the inn, he sees Erik sitting down across from one of the draw stations to the well in the center of the small town.

"The group is about two days west from here. I saw the guy stop by, chatted someone up and then left. He was carrying about two days worth of supplies though, definitely not one used to it either. Headed west through the rough. There's a large and dense forest two days west, which is close to Laurenhill's forested areas as well. Nothing but farm between here and there though."

[Tjallen]

"You any good at tracking? Let's follow him and 'liberate' some information if we can catch him." Dalon asks Erik.

[dressi]

"I'm a bounty hunter mostly," Erik replies. "He seemed used to roads and wagons not wilderness and good boots. He'll be easy to catch... for me that is. You don't look too comfortable off the beaten path yourself. Get yourself ready for five or so days and meet me at the road just outside town, dry rations only if you want to. The quicker you get your stuff together, the quicker we can catch up with this guy."

[Tjallen]

"I don't mind going off the trail. But you may be right, going to go get me some provisions then lets go." Dalon then heads to the nearest place where he can get provisions and an extra pair of boots. He then returns to Erik

"Let's get going."

[dressi]

Once gathered, Dalon meets back up with Erik. He begins by scouting the road looking for tracks that head off west. Upon finding them half an hour later, the two men begin their walk. It takes about four hours, close to mid day, before another figure is sighted walking from the tree patches across some rolling hills of domesticated cattle. Others have been sighted, farmers, hunters and the like, but this single man in the distance is carrying too much to be walking the wilderness.

"That's him," Erik says as they continue walking. "I'm pretty sure of it. When we get closer, I'll know for sure. You have anything in particular about how to catch him or you just care that we question him?"

Indicate how much you spent. Use PHB for pricing. Chunk of meat (0.5 lbs) loses half its weight when made into jerky, which is a typical 1/4 pound bag of it.

[Tjallen]

"I hardly think he can outrun us so lets just talk to him, if he starts running i have a grease spell ready for him." as they catch up to the man Dalon readies to cast grease if the man tries to run.


spent 2.5 gp for 5 days rations.

[dressi]

The man is instead perplexed by the sight of the travelers. Dalon does not recognize the man; neither does Erik. The man as well does not recognize them, but he is wary anyway given that there are no roads nearby.

"Good day to yeh," the man greets with cautious friendliness. "Hunters, I presume?"

[Tjallen]

"Aye, there is some beasts out here we need to catch. That's an awful lot of stuff you are carrying you a painter or something?" Dalon says with faked friendliness.

[dressi]

The is still wary of Erik but shrugs and seems to lighten up a good bit. The man shakes his head in response.

"Nah, just not used to not having a road. Gotta be prepared. Never know when a goblin or something will come out and try to gut yeh... or a bear. Either'll eat yeh too."

[Tjallen]

"Ah that's true, so where are you going? We might be heading in the same direction?" Dalon looks at Eric with a questioning stare, to see if this is their guy.

[dressi]

"Just meeting some friends in the woods a day more west of here. Really out in the middle of nowhere though, wish they could have picked a better place to meet me..."

Erik gives a slight nod and begins to move back just enough to get out of the guy's reach.

[Tjallen]

"Well why don't you tell us what you know about these friends of yours?" Dalon grins in a threatening way.

[dressi]

The man seems to sense something from that grin and turns to face both of the men, especially the quiet one standing a little further away with a bow, though it is still worn over the shoulder.

"Alright, what is this? I may not know the wilderness or the forests, but I can smell confrontation a mile away... And I'm not a stranger to them either. What do you really want?"

[Tjallen]

"I want you to answer my question, and do it in a fulfilling way, hurting you is not something i desire, what you know about the mercenaries you are heading towards." while talking, Dalon's longsword appears and disappears briefly, the threat of violence barely concealed. "They took something from me" Dalon continues "And i want it back."

[dressi]

"Yeah?" the man asks taking a quick step back. His pack is now on the ground and two daggers are quickly in his hands. He holds one backhanded as well. "You can't fool me... Taggart sent yeh, didn't he. Well, he can go to hell, and you can too for taking that demon's coin."

He starts to try and keep Dalon between him and Erik. The ranger already has his bow out now, arrow knocked at full draw.

[Tjallen]

"Now now, you can't take both of us, you know that, also I am telling you the truth, the mercenaries stole a woman from me. I want her back, and if I happen to kill a couple slavers on the way then so be it. You really do not want to start this fight. Now tell me what I want to know and lead me to the mercenaries, and I will let you take part of the spoils when they have been disposed of." Dalon calmly says, readying himself for combat.

[dressi]

"Slavers," the man says, spitting at the ground immediately after. "Taggart's got them all doin' slavin' now. And you're being paid to take me out, eh? His biggest opposing voice is Brujn, and I've got his ears. I knew that brigand was trouble... So if you don't want to kill me... then why don't you put that sword down you keep hidden and tell quiver-finger over there to lower the bow... and then we take nice long steps away."

The man keeps his daggers out but begins to take steps away from Dalon though still shuffling to keep Erik's line of fire blocked by the talker.

Dalon diplomacies the man into backing down, somewhat successfully (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15176999&postcount=10)

[Tjallen]

"My sword only leaves my hand to draw blood, I am not even being paid for this, i just want the woman back. And Taggart dead. I already told you, we only want your information and to lead us to them. You and Brujn, if you want Taggart gone, and plan to guide them back to being sell-swords, I think we can help each other." Dalon visibly relaxes.

[dressi]

The man also similarly relaxes his stance, though his daggers remain drawn. Erik likewise lowers his arrow and eases the draw on his bow but keeps the arrow nocked.

"Listen, we just wanted what was owed for us," the man began to explain. "If someone took someone of you, then it was Taggart and the northern camp. I'm heading to Brujn and the southern camp. There's an east camp too. We're robbing goods going through or into Laurenhill until we get back what was promised... Taggart believes we should kill until we've lost the men that died too, or sell captives to slavers. Brujn and I don't like that, but the coin gets to their heads... men see it as another way to make that count pay for double-crossing us. If you want your woman back, you'll have to get with the northern camp. Brujn's the only one that knows where they are. Keeps us protected in case one of the camps falls. If he believes your story... which I barely do..."

He emphasizes this with the end of a dagger pointed at Dalon.

"...Then maybe he'll help yeh out. I'll leave that up to him. Now... if you want to follow, you can. But you do it from beyond that bounty hunter's arrow range. Yeah I know who you are, ee-dress, eye-dress, whoever. I see them fletchin's now. Or are you just a wannabe?"

"Ee-dreh," Erik corrects with a grumble and a grimace.

"Yeah, got it, I'll be sure to pass that along to my boys, you son of a bitch. I know you're not with Taggart now... He wouldn't hire scum like you. Huntin' your own."

[Tjallen]

Dalon raises an eyebrow and looks at Erik "Ee-dreh you say? Huh, well can't say i remember them, must be something new. Can't see why i would lie to you though, if I wanted you dead I would have stabbed you already. People and their distrust."

[dressi]

Erik doesn't comment.

The man keeps backing up until he's a outside of at least charging range and then starts walking normally once Erik puts the arrow away. He keeps looking over his shoulders but does not do anything else to escape the tail.

[Tjallen]

Dalon walks up to the guy, intent on getting to know him a bit before facing his boss.
"No need to run away like that, lets chat for a while, i sympathize with being mad for lack of pay, it's the kidnapping I dislike. What exactly happened to your pay?"

[dressi]

Erik remained back as Dalon moved up to the man. The mercenary looks back over his shoulder, sighing dejectedly upon seeing the persistent Dalon approaching.

"What do you want now?" he asked as the unknown mage approached.

He answers Dalon's question with a good helping of bitterness. "It was never paid. And what little was managed was far below what was promised. We protect some cargo, escort it from beyond Elswyn, and it's something hot. We are attacked and men die. Twenty thousand gold, supposed to be the largest single mission, task, whatever errand that the company had taken on. Well, we sat three! Three thousand... And so many died. All the Count cared about was getting whatever it was."

[Tjallen]

"Wow, that is a lot of gold, seventeen thousand gold pieces. What happened to what you were guarding?" Dalon looks over his shoulder at Erik: "Seems like we have to pay the Count a visit at some point. You know anything about him?"

[dressi]

The bounty hunter is following at a distance the mercenary is probably comfortable with, grumbling about it, it seems, but staying back for now.

The merc, having opened up a little to Dalon already, keeps going.

"We were told it might be dangerous; so Brujn put up the entire company on the task. Two hundred sovereigns was worth it, it seemed at first, but the elves believed we were stealing something, it seemed. I didn't ask what it was we were escorting; too much gold to ask, compliance is just assumed for that price. Four months of assaults and lost so many men. Finally we get back here... two hundred doesn't begin to cover it. It would take fifty thousand just to replace the men and their training. But we already made the deal, and Brujn was going to honor that at least. But when we went to collect, the Count just tossed over a bag of gold, said we took too long and the cargo was damaged. Damaged? The chest was struck with an arrow!"

"The count's the nephew of the old king, not enough to be a duke, more than a baron. Laurenhill is a prosperous county because of its road taxes levied by the count, all things from Port Caldor and all of the western kingdom come through Laurenhill before going to Aldwin. Not like he promised more than he could afford... man wipes his ass with silk."

[Tjallen]

"And here i thought all of you were in the same boat, as soon as i have 'spoken' with Taggart and gotten the Woman back, I am up for grabbing a hold of this Count."

[dressi]

The man scoffed, "We could have done that already if we wanted to... But he's of royal blood. The third largest mercenary group in Caldoria would be hunted down. Anyone remotely associated would... Bah, that's no use. Nothing much left but to do... but Taggart's idea is beyond harassment..."

If you have any questions, ask, he'll probably answer given the high diplomacy rolls Dalon's capable of. Otherwise, we'll skip to meeting the southern camp.

[Tjallen]

"So how many groups are you split into? You have any plan of returning to normal mercenary work? What's your name?" Dalon will ask over the course of the conversation.

[dressi]

The man says that his name is Jonath. He explains that the guild is currently broken into four groups. Three camps surrounding Laurenhill on the northeast, north west and south and another camped east of south of Port Caldor. The group out of Port Caldor goes by another name and takes normal mercenary work. The New Well group is actually very large and part of a larger mercenary company scattered across Caldoria, the northern reaches and the Alder Nation to the east.

The plan was to dissolve into the Port Caldor camp once enough harassment had been plagued upon the count and his region. Slowly, they would move back into New Well under a new name and assume the role of the largest mercenary group south of Aldwin once more and then 'join' with the port camp and basically return to being the New Well Company but with another name.

As they travel, Jonath asks Dalon about Erik. "How well do you know that bounty hunter?"

[Tjallen]

"Not very well to be honest, we share a common need to hurt Taggart, but that is about it, we traveled together for a while, not very talkative fellow." Dalon shrugs.

[dressi]

The man merely nods in response. The rest of the travel to the southern camp has Erik and Dalon together again as Jonath does not trust the 'bounty hunter.' That and Erik somehow ended up with two rabbits during the walk and prepares them over campfire. Jonath does not have a fire for the first night but still sleeps a good distance from the other two men.

An eagle is seen quite often in the sky not far from the men, following. occasionally Dalon sees it perched on a limb exchanging glances with Erik, perhaps an animal companion.

The night comes but does not peacefully go. The two men moved into a wooded area for the night while Jonath slept upon a hill in the distance. Dalon was awoken from his sleep by a hand over his mouth from Erik who made a hushing sound. The sky was pitch black. There was no light from anywhere.

In the distance from where Jonath had been comes yelling for help.

"Goblins," whispered Erik. "Hunting party."

[Tjallen]

"I feel like helping him, you pick them off with some arrows okay?" Dalon responds in a hushed voice, setting off towards the other man. Casting as many defensive spells on himself as he can while moving towards the goblins.


Will cast in order:
Mage armor
Shield
Alter self -> troglodyte.
If Dalon has more than 4 rounds he will double move instead.

[dressi]

In the pitch of night with an overcast sky, how are you able to see? Everything has total concealment unless you produce a light source.

[Tjallen]

Point taken, first spell will be factotum spell: darkvision.

[dressi]

Dalon makes it out of the wooded area with his spells cast and sees the man ahead of him as he falls. Three goblins come into view, one each with a spear. Two of them stop at the body and stab it while the third looks and sees Dalon, calling out to the others. Soon there are a dozen more within view.

[Tjallen]

Dalon clicks his tongue and mutters "Seven hells, bastard didn't need to die." he then takes his guisarme off of his back and readies himself for the inevitable bloodbath, making sure he does not get circled.
Lets hope this works...
In Goblin Dalon will challenge the leader of their warband or tribe to a one on one duel for dominion over the goblins.

Ac is currently 26, 24 flatfooted.
Initiative:
[roll0]

[dressi]

The goblins see Dalon as a scaly kind, each one beginning to bark in goblin the presence of one.

"Scaled! Scaled!" they scream with bitterness and anger. Each one seems angered by the sight of the troglodyte and begin to fan out around Dalon with short spears in hand. A few seem to ready their spears.

They are fanned out from Dalon at a range of 30 feet from Dalon's 10 to his 3-o'clock. There are seven pairs spaced out one behind the other. It is Dalon's turn.

[Tjallen]

"Of course." Dalon mutters to himself as he focuses the last of his fluent ability into a cloud of needles, one of them immediately flies towards a goblin. He then moves to get a bit further from the goblins.

Second factotum spell used for Cloud of Knives.
Shoot one at a goblin at the 3 o'clock position as a free action,
Move so only the 3 o'clock ones are in range.

attack form knife.
[roll0]
damage
[roll1]

[dressi]

The first flying blade takes out one of the goblins through the neck, its body dropping to the floor with a twitching. The one behind it throws a javelin as do three others while immediately after five more move in to attack, some having to run up while the others do so in a strategic manner.

Of the attacks, only one javeling penetrates the magic and the scales to deal incredibly accurate but not very noticeable damage.

Two of the goblins fall to arrows in the chest and head. This draws some of their attention away.

One hit for 2 damage. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15191030&postcount=11) It was a critical, and I just used the previous roll for damage for the extra damage. Nothing impressive. I also count damage to hit points above your con score as vitality like damage, as in glancing blows and near misses that don't actually touch you. Though, as in this instance, a critical hit does actually draw blood. Any damage you take that drops your HP below your con score or after that point causes actual flesh wounds, etc.

Dalon has four goblins surrounding him on his 3, 2, 12 and 11.

[Tjallen]

As another needle flows from the cloud Dalon continues in Goblin: "You can still surrender, you can't even hurt me puny goblins, your tribe is mine no matter what."

Dalon will stab one with his guisarme and tumble out of reach.

That was not a crit, it didn't confirm did it? None of the confirms actually hit my AC. Also don't i get an AoO on one of the goblins that approached?
Guisarme on goblin:
[roll0]
[roll1]

Needle
[roll2]
[roll3]

[dressi]

One of goblins falls from the needle. The goblins seem enraged at the sight of the troglodyte. They keep shouting out "Begone! Slimy, filthy one, beneath the dirt, beneath the soil, return to your cave!" They seem not dissuaded by the death of their fellow goblinkin.

Three more appear but run out of Dalon's darkvision range and the sounds of more goblins dying and arrow's being loosed makes it to his ears. Suddenly as well, the figure on the ground, of Jonath, stands up with both daggers and cuts down two of the goblin.

"Bloody beastmen..." he growls.

Distracted, only two of them attack Dalon with spears while another throws a javelin. The others turn to Janeth and the other commotion in the distance. Two more goblins appear out from Dalon's right again.

I totally forgot your reach weapon, my bad. Ah, no the auto-hit didn't confirm. Just 1 damage. I shouldn't reply to these during boring meetings at work.

AoO: [roll0] / [roll1]

More goblin attacks:
[roll2] / [roll3]
[roll4] / [roll5]
[roll6] / [roll7]

There are now only two around Dalon, none moving closer. There are still a number of them scattered around now and more appearing.

[Tjallen]

"You think this is my true form? Goblins, they have shamans and still cannot distinguish magic from mundane." Dalon laughs at the goblins futile attempts to damage him.

He strikes at one of the goblins with the guisarme and sends another needle flying.


Heh, just realized Dalon sound like a dragonball villain: "THIS IS NOT EVEN MY TRUE FOOORRRM! RAAAAH!"

Anyways, attacks:
Needle
[roll0]
[roll1]
If Dalon is in melee he will tumble away, perhaps closer to Jonath if possible
Guisarme
[roll2]
[roll3]

[dressi]

Janeth has some sort of light source out quickly giving him enough light to see by as he takes down another goblin and misses the other. Dalon's guisarme misses but this needle strikes a wounded goblin and sends it writhing into the tall grass.

Along with the total lost numbers, the other goblins flee cursing the scaled one bitterly. There are eight goblin bodies lying about the area nearby.

Janeth does not seem to want to move to follow, holding his side and looking around at the carnage below holding a torch up.

[Tjallen]

"Don't attack Jonath, magic." Dalon says as he steps into the light.
"Do you believe I have pure intentions now, apart from the threats of death towards Taggert, that is." he continues.

[dressi]

"Magic..." Jonath spits to the side. "I don't know anyone that would stage a goblin attack just to prove a point... Stage one for other reasons, sure, but not just for a trust holding."

Erik approaches from the left. "It was a hunting party. They already had some livestock. You were just an opportunity for more."

"Three or four at a time, sure... How many was there? A dozen or more?"

[Tjallen]

"Hard to tell, they were useless in a fight though, you hurt? I think I have some healing around here somewhere? One of the buggers managed to stab me."

[dressi]

"Yeah, one of those spears found a mark or two... What are they doing all the way out here anyway so far from the road?"

Erik answers "That's the exact reason, it's far from the road and patrols."

Jonath seems to be over his prejudice of the bounty hunter with a suggestion to stay together as a group. The rest of the night goes by uneventfully.Unless Dalon gets 8 hours of sleep, he regains all spell points except any used during the goblin encounter, if any. I wasn't keeping track of what was and wasn't a factotum during that encounter. It wasn't meant to be important enough.

[Tjallen]

"All this sleeping to regain focus is annoying, gotta do something about it, why werent i born elven or something like that... But here have some healing." Dalon will lay on hands and offer a short prayer to Haurach.

Healing for 7 hp up to 5 times to make sure he and Dalon is topped off.
Then resting for 8ish hours, spent way too many spellpoints.
like 4, out of 21... Doesn't matter enough to rest for longer than he had to. So till morning.
And Dalon is really bad at names. So it was on purpose to misspell names ^^

[dressi]

The next morning comes. Erik returns from scouting ahead and says that the goblins seemed to have had a camp not far from there but it was quickly abandoned. The skirmish last night spooked them enough to retreat further into the more wooded areas south west.

By mid-day, the three men come close to the camp having entered some wooded areas, lightly spaced with trees with heavily broken canopy. The sun bathes areas between the trees from high up. Two men on horseback approach the three from the denser woods further to the west.

One is a human male and the other is a half-orc male. The half-orc holds a halberd in hand but low at a resting state. Both are armored with breastplates, boots, pauldrons and leather globes.

"Jons," one of them begins, "who are these men you've brought with you?"

"This is a mage and a... bounty hunter. They're after a woman that Taggart abducted. Let's say they didn't leave me much of an option."

The human male looks at Dalon. "My name is Brujn of Three Hills in the Alewest. Who are you?"

[Tjallen]

"I am Dalon, and this is Erik" Dalon gestures at Erik, before continuing "Taggart ambushed a caravan I was with and kidnapped a woman, I promised her kid i would try to bring her back, and Jonath told me you could help me find him. Also if Taggert happen to find himself too close he might come down with severe Iron Poisoning."

[dressi]

Brujn gives his horse to Jonath and walks with Erik and Dalon back to the camp.

"Taggart's a devoted man with a sick sense of justice and order..." Brujn begins. "We lost a lot of good men, some of them friends to us all... but Taggart lost his two sons. He took this much harder than anyone else... believes that every death needs to be answered for with the life of another. Sure, the count stiffed and cheated us, but no one else did. Still... many of those that are following Taggart's designs lost friends in our last campaign. I'm not saying I don't understand where he's coming from, but I don't agree with his methods... Slavery? Murder? We were better than this, all of us. I would like to go with you. I've turned a blind eye to it since I can't really say anything against it, too many emotions in it all and too many other men that feel the same as he does.

"I say this because I don't want to lose more men. Too many deaths as it is over this; I'd rather see it put to grave as soon as possible and move on. If you have to defend yourselves, then so be it. But they were all good men once... loyal and brave. True to the champion's code. But suffering can drive any man to commit cruelty."

[Tjallen]

"Actually I had something closer to slitting his throat in his sleep in mind, but if you join in I am sure we can find something equally satisfying. I might be interested in joining you when this kidnapping has been dealt with, you do not happen to have an open spot in your officers do you?"

[dressi]

The man frowns at Dalon's obvious lack of compassion, but really... compassion for Taggart? Brujn felt he was getting too old and soft.

"I'm actually thinking of retiring," Brujn admits. "Me and some of the other men that I've been with since the beginning are getting too old for this life. We've lost friends, wifes... sons, daughters. We were going to go on one final quest, a sort of rumor we heard of long ago and kept wanting to return to just to see if there was anything to it. It's silly to think about, but if anything the time away would be good. Taggart was amongst us... well, you know, before the business with the count."

[Tjallen]

"So you will be leaving when Taggart has been disposed of? Well that does leave room for new officers. I heard something about you being split up into four groups, should I be worried about the other groups as well or just Taggarts?"

[dressi]

"Jonath sure talks too much," Brujn responds, looking around the wooded area on the way back to the camp. "That's the plan, yes. Taggart was going to take one of the groups. I'm planning on leaving after we've done enough damage to the count's coffers. It will leave open slots, I'm sure, but I won't be the ones to make the decisions. And I'm not looking to kill Taggart. I'll help you get their mother back, but I'm not going to make it my goal to kill one of my oldest of friends."

The camp is nestled farther back in the dense woods. Tree climbers from blinds with bows survey anyone approaching and armed men wait around large trunks and tall underbrush. The camp itself probably contains over a fifty tents and several carts and wagons full of various types of goods from exquisite clothing to commodities like wheat and leathers. Erik is recognized and a spit at by more than a few of the men, but the bounty hunter merely looks on with glares and grimaces, evidence of former quarries released or bribed off.

"We'll set out in the morning..." Brujn states and show Dalon where they can camp for the night. "Don't worry; I invited you in. No one would dare move against you... or you, bounty hunter, no matter how much they want to."

[Tjallen]

"You sure know how to make friends Erik, I come in here and threaten to kill one of his friends, and he still likes me better, what did you do to get on their bad side?" Dalon stretches his arms above his head "Been a while since i was in a camp this big, anyhow are we going to have a problem if I kill Taggart? You and I, cause if we are this is going to take a bad turn at some point. Also should I worry about the other two groups?" Dalon says to Brujn.

Dalon will spend the day mostly by moving around talking to people, trying to gauge how content they are with plundering, and trying to make some allies. Figuring out why Erik is so hated is also an interesting bit of information Dalon will try to get a hold of If I am going to command some of these people, it can't hurt to be friendly with at least a couple.

[dressi]

"I will seek to keep bloodshed away," Brujn responds to your line of questions. "If I can get him to turn over your woman, will you leave him alive? If not, then we may have problems..."

"Bounty hunters aren't popular," Erik replies somewhat stoically. "I specialize in bringing back other men... alive, mind you. But sometimes it's not always a state that pays for the bounty."

The group so much just seems bitter at their treatment and angry, the stench of revenge is pretty thick. They speak of dead friends and lost coin. Some are happy to be getting it back and sticking it to the count; they speak of how little the royal patrols actually care about all this and how little they've increased patrols along the roads. It means the count hasn't asked for help, and he hasn't admitted to this obvious failure. Some of the men feel like Taggart does: a life for a life. Though the majority that feel this way also feel that the count's life needs to be one of them.

Erik doesn't speak anymore about his past, but the other men question Dalon's association. Idres the Man Hunter, as the title goes, has turned in more bounties than any other bounty hunter, but also takes contracts for anyone looking for anyone else to be brought back in alive. It's rumored he even stole back a bride from an arranged marriage to the Duke of Landerfiel. Many are surprised he's still alive or even as young looking swearing he had to be older.

[Tjallen]

To Brujn Dalon responds: "Well that is why I asked, if he hands over the girl no problem, I will leave him alone until he gives me another reason not to."

To Erik: "So you used to go by Idres? How come you didn't tell me this?"

Thank god he does not realize who i used to be, hopefully it was before his time.


Sorry for the delay, family visiting weekend.
And correct me if I got it wrong, but Erik was Idres right? Just to make sure I got it right.

[dressi]

Brujn replies: "If that is so, then we will get along just fine. Taggart will answer for such crimes, but it will be done my way."

Erik barely comments: "You never asked. My name is Idres is my family's name."

Yes, you are correct.

[Tjallen]

"Huh, best I better tell you that I would very much prefer you not to hunt me down for MY bounty, I think I still have one, maybe it's not up to date. Oh well. Let's wait till tomorrow and move out."

[dressi]

The next day comes as the night went by uneventfully. Dalon, Erik, Brujn and another of the mercenaries, Tog, the half-orc, prepare for riding north. A horse can be provided, though it is explained that once the dealings are done with the northern camp, the horses will remain with the company.

[Tjallen]

"Lets get going then, I guess you don't want me talking if you can avoid it."

Did Dalon ever catch the name of the mother?

[dressi]

"In fact, I'll tell you to wait outside the camp. It wouldn't be good for you if you were in the thick of it when Taggart refused."

The ride north starts off early that morning and crosses the royal highway by noon. Another four hours puts the four men deep in the woods just as they were before, though obviously farther north. The trees are thinner and easier to maneuver entire wagons through as long as the rough terrain didn't tear things up. Brujn tells Dalon and Erik to hold as he approaches the camp. There's no one around yet, but some markings in trees that Erik points out probably indicate the edges where the camp's scouts can see. There are no blinds like in the last camp. Seems sentries are either fewer or not as pervasive.

Yes, he would have gotten the name. Her name is Terath'iel

[Tjallen]

"Just be sure to get her out of there, she goes by Terath-il, eel, iel? Something like that, also just call if you need me." Dalon will ready himself for trouble, casting mage armor and getting somewhat ready for trouble, trying to locate scouts and guards.

[dressi]

Dalon hears something nearby, probably thirty feet west and a little south, but he does not see anything. Erik on the other hand seems quite the opposite as his gaze and furrowed brows fixate on something briefly before scanning the rest of the his surroundings.

Dalon perceives his surroundings (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15225167&postcount=13)

[Tjallen]

"Seems like we have company." Dalon remarks, waiting for something to happen.

[dressi]

Whatever it was remained silent for several minutes and Erik sees nothing further.

He whispers, "Either they know they've been spotted or whatever they are waiting for hasn't happened yet. Thoughts?"

[Tjallen]

"No problems as of now, so i do not see any reason for us to do anything yet, but we are not waiting out here all day."

[dressi]

It was probably fifteen or so minutes later when Brujn and Tog emerged from the thicker woods with a woman, elf or half-elf, pointed ears regardless. She looked battered and worse for wear and still had her hands bound behind her back. Her clothing was not the same as when Dalon saw her last; she now wore nothing more than burlap sacks and bled from some wounds.

Brujn also held a rope in his hand that was tied around her neck, leading her like she was... a slave. She too had on a gag but not a blindfold.

"Our debts paid, now," Brujn said with uncharacteristic roughness, snarling almost. "You wanted an elf, here's an elf..."

He continued until he stood before Dalon, holding his hand out that held the leash around her neck.

Dalon easily senses either a ruse or something else.

[Tjallen]

"Why so hostile all of a sudden? Also I need to make sure it is the RIGHT elf." Dalon will say with a hint of a smile, trying to figure out what part of the deal was being overlooked. Inspecting the elf, looking for traces of magic and trying to make sure it is the same elf.

[dressi]

Dalon recognizes the woman as being the mother that was taken during the attack. Brujn looks off in the direction of the 'company' just briefly, seeming to know they are being watched.

"You come back after all these years, Aston, and you demand your repayments? But no, you won't take just normal gold, too good for you know? Gotta have yourself something alive this time, make me walk all the way up here to fulfill your sick desires, you... Now get out of here before I change my mind."

Erik gets close and whispers in Dalon's ear... "Do not forget, I came here because someone offered me fifty-gold for per pair of ears for the men that attacked. I don't plan on heading back to Ardwin just yet."

Dalon passing a sense motive check to know that Brujn is encouraging Dalon to take the woman and leave quickly without incident. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=15232042&postcount=14)

[Tjallen]

Dalon whispers back to Erik: "I know, and I don't plan for you to go home without, I will have to stash her somewhere, then I will join you for a hunt." Dalon then takes the woman and leaves, casually responding to Brunj "Consider your debt, payed. Now my pretty lets get out of this forest."

[dressi]

Brujn requests the horses from Dalon and Erik.

As Dalon and Erik leave, it seems four men were standing not far off with bows and arrows waiting for something to happen that never did. They appear but do nothing more. Brujn and Tog turn back and disappear as the forest's trees obscure the mercenaries.

The woman seems wounded but walking and already submitted to the role she's been in, looking down and away and remaining silent.

Erik says he will break off and scout around the camp and find out how many men there are and how best to take them down or draw them out. He wants to know where Dalon plans on keeping the elf.

[Tjallen]

Making sure he is well out of earshot, Dalon says to Erik"Don't know yet, I might have to go all the way back to the big city, or I could stash her in a Rope trick." Dalon removes the bonds and spends a charge of his healing belt on getting her wounds removed.
"Now you will be happy to hear that I was sent here by your daughter. They are with their uncle, and I will make sure you get reunited. So please do not run, I mean you no harm."

[dressi]

The woman is confused for a short moment until Dalon speaks and then she breaks down in tears and thank-yous for Dalon and Erik. She offers anything she has or can do as repayment.

"Oh, my children... they are safe? Oh Chreo bless you, bless you!"

Erik replies "I wouldn't suggest doing something so soon. We may be tracked for a little while anyway, especially if this Taggart didn't believe whatever story Brujn gave him. I would suggest finding somewhere safe for her... Just say where to meet you later, if you are still interested, after all. I don't need you for this part."

[Tjallen]

"A good opportunity to slay those who wronged me and make some money at the same time, I will be back, how about that tavern were we found Jonath? I will be there as fast as I can." Turning to the woman, "Now you, all you need to do is take care of your children, and maybe your nephew. But lets get you to them."

[dressi]

"That's a trip two days away and two days back," Erik says with some annoyance. "I don't want to waste another week on these men... I will wait a day at most. Laurenhill is actually half a day or so east from here."

The woman is incredibly thankful and says she'll do anything.

[Tjallen]

"Okay, I will go to Laurenhill where you will wait Terath'iel, then when I am done getting some sweet revenge I will come back and get you and we will travel together the rest of the way."

[dressi]

Erik says that he'll start scouting the area and meet Dalon back here about the morning in the same area tomorrow. Tera, as she says she prefers to be called, simply nods and eagerly awaits further instruction from the men that sought to save her and return her to her children. Questions are obvious on her face, but she does not ask them, instead preferring not to push the men any more than they already have been, guilty perhaps from not having anything to offer them in return.

[Tjallen]

"Alright I will do my best not to get lost. See you tomorrow for some bloodshed. Well Tera we have half a day of travel ahead of us so lets get on our way." after they have walked for a dozen minutes or so Dalon says: "I am sure you have questions, so go ahead and ask, I will do my best to answer them."

[dressi]

"If you can tell me my children are safe," she says, "that is all I want to know. I need no further answers. I saw my lover die, the father of my children, and I thought I would never see them again. Thinking I can once more has filled me with joy. But, if you willing, I would know mine and my children's savior's name."

[Tjallen]

"Your children are safe, they are with their cousin and uncle, I forget their names" Dalon pauses for a bit, then shakes his head slightly before continuing "My name, is Dalon and these days it seems like I deal with a lot of kidnappers. When we get to an inn or something i will get you a room, try to stay out of trouble until I get back, if more than 4 days pass you should probably leave without me."

[dressi]

Laurenhill is nearly the same as when Dalon last left it, and the late evening when Dalon and Tera arrive is not unlike the last, people coming and going, talk of bandits attacking people along the roads. A group of mercenaries in town with uniform armors are offering protections between Laurenhill and Glenns Crossing for minimal fees, seeming charitable at first but unsure what else they're getting out of it elsewhere. Eyes follow Dalon as he walks into the town with a woman that's wearing nothing more than some burlap sacks as clothing, a beggar by most aesthetic accounts but as well a woman that looks like she's been beaten.

Dalon pays 20 SP for the 4 days at an inn, private room, fairly clean.

[Tjallen]

"Well I am off again, you should really keep a low profile, outlaws are fifteen a dozen around here. I will be back as soon as I can. Then we can go back to the children together." Dalon quickly explains how to find the nephew at his shop in case he does not return before heading out once again.

[dressi]

Erik said about meeting him in the morning, is Dalon leaving now (late evening of the same day) or is your last post happening the next day?

[Tjallen]

Can Dalon make it back without leaving at once? If he can he will stay the night, if not he will leave at once.

[dressi]

It takes 5 hours to make it out there, so if he wants to get there at 10 am, he'll need to leave at 5, and it is currently 10 pm, which doesn't leave him 8 hours to rest, but he hasn't really spent his spells and probably won't change them anyway.