Admiral
The letter is composed of a rich, thick parchment. Like the last one it bears the faintest whiff of magic, and is marked with a simple designation,  Shiny .

 Our intelligence confirms your version of events, and that the giant's stone was not within the hoard upon your infiltration. While our previously agreed-upon payment has been rendered forfeit, and we allow no responsibility for your danger, we will provide some compensation for your effort, as a gesture of good will.

It is our understanding that your party seeks to learn more about the orc-giant alliance, but that your attempts to glean information from the government have been unfruitful. Our influence within the Hulburg authorities is not as modest as yours. We have arranged an introduction with Asdyr, Hulburg Minister of Intelligence. If anyone can shed light on these mysteries, it is he.

Welcome to the game.
-R
 

Shiny finishes reading the letter aloud one more time, before snapping his fingers.  "I got it. I think R is an anagram- the letters in the the sender's real name rearranged. But what could it be..." 

Soon after reading the letter at breakfast, the party had agreed to meet with the Minister and see if he had information that could help plan their next move. All had agreed, that is, except Valen, who had acquired a distant look in his eye since his heroics at the outpost. As the party left the inn, he announced that he was heading to the barracks to register in the Hulburg army. The smile on his face told the party at the thought of all they needed to know, and they said their goodbyes for now.

The party approaches City Hall, a tall, well-fortified structure that housed the core of the Hulburg government. The city's mood had improved since the victory at the outpost, but it had made no difference in the military presence within the city. Guards and archers peered suspiciously at them from every window and rampart, and only the letter of introduction in Shiny's satchel gives the party the confidence to continue in.
Athedia
 "Shiny are you sure we can trust this R?"  Mithril looked around nervously.  She had spent most of the time since coming back locked in an study room in the Temple of Boccob.

    She had been researching spells and designing new wands and had only eaten because one of the priestess threatened to take her spellbook away if she didn't.  Whiskers had stayed mostly silent, and Mithril was starting to wonder if he didn't miss Natalia as much as she did.  She tried to distract herself from the thoughts by throwing herself into her studies, but as she carved symbols into wood she couldn't help but stroke the wrist sheath that had been gifted to her.
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by athedia 
  "Shiny are you sure we can trust this R?"  Mithril looked around nervously.  She had spent most of the time since coming back locked in an study room in the Temple of Boccob.   
 

Shiny claps Mithril on the back cheerfully.  "Why, I would trust R as far as I could throw him! (That is, going under my working assumption that R is a round, aerodynamic pebble)."

"In any case, I've heard rumors of this Minister from others in the city. It sounds like he's just the person to have the answers to our queries. However we got the introduction, meeting him can't hurt. (Unless, that is, this is a trap set by R, and the letter is a deliberate forgery, in which case we'll be locked up as spies and probably executed. I mean, that's what I would do in R's position)."  Shiny doesn't seem to mind the possibility much, as he's mostly meditating on the solidarity he feels with this shadowy figure.
Athedia
Mithril glanced down at her hands, stained with ink from the new spells she had learned.  Whiskers lounged on her shoulder examining the sights.   "Shiny, has anyone ever told you that you aren't the best at offering comfort?" 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by athedia 
 Mithril glanced down at her hands, stained with ink from the new spells she had learned.  Whiskers lounged on her shoulder examining the sights.   "Shiny, has anyone ever told you that you aren't the best at offering comfort?"  
 

Shiny looks back at her with a hurt expression.  "Well, yes, actually. I was running a bed and breakfast outside of a large mining town, where a band of troubadors were staying the night. But the accommodations proved less than satisfactory for the musicians, and as they left I heard their jeering criticisms of the bumpy beds and the outdated outhouse. I specifically recall one murmuring, 'We should have stayed at the Sunset Tavern down the street, it's much more comfortable.' So I have been told I was not the best at providing comfort before, though it hardly seems worth it for you to rub it in. Anyway, I threw down my apron and feather duster right then, and that was the end of Shiny Goodhost, innkeeper and potionmaster." 
Admiral
The party approaches the entrance to City Hall, where the guards greet them with a cold stare. Shiny brandishes their invitation, and after a few minutes of inspection they're allowed to pass. R's favor seems to have granted them some substantial consideration- they're even allowed to keep their weapons on them, though one guard gives a long, suspicious look at Kurt's axe.

The group is led down dry, sandstone steps. The grim architecture and atmosphere make it clear that this building's purpose is anything but ceremonial- they are approaching the nerve center of the city's government and of the Hulburg war machine.

 
 Spoiler 

Welcome back! I'd like to make sure achinca and Cavelcade have a chance to post in the new campaign before we meet the Minister.
 
achinca
Miriam returns to Hulburg with a heavy heart. Natalia is lost or gone and now Valen enlisted. The city was doing its business as usual and that chagrined Miriam as she thought about the soldiers who died defending the outpost.

She spends the time helping the orphans and offering her healing services. She now knew the story about the mysterious R and did not trust the person. She was still mad at Shiny for accepting the mission and tricking her into believing he changes and then disappearing before the battle.

Mithril has been busy with her study at the temple of Boccob and totally anti-social. May be she believed that Miriam was responsible for Natalia's fate.

Kurt was doing his warrior stuff and she gave him space.

The monk at Mary's had left and since digesting that young Calric had join old Calric, Mary had been distant.

So Miriam felts very lonely. She missed her friends, the departed ones and the busy ones and was starting to worry she would be doing something stupid just not to be alone.

Finally, when the word came that Shiny had arranged a meeting with the Minister of Intelligence, she jumped on the occasion to be reunited with her friends.
Admiral
The group finally reaches the office of Asdyr, Hulburg Minister of Intelligence. The guard leans in for a moment, then turns and opens the heavy, gnarled door wider.  "He will see you now." 

The Minister's office is small, almost cozy. From all that the travelers had heard of this master of secrets, they might have expected walls covered in maps and correspondence, a veritable hub of espionage and intrigue. But not a single scrap of paper or decoration hangs on the mahogany walls, save a single plain map of the Hulburg territory hanging without adornment in the back. Along the sides of the room, however, are a few large cabinets almost overflowing with parchment, and shelves filled with well-worn tomes. The paucity of visible plans in the room seems carefully calculated: it doesn't let visitors capture a single stray piece of information.

At a desk sits Asdyr, a slender human in his sixties or seventies, with thin white hair. His hands and neck are thin and bony, giving the appearance of frailty, but his eyes are alert and piercing. He waits for the entire the party come in and close the door behind him, and does not say anything to welcome them. When he does speak, he gives the distinct impression of someone choosing his words very carefully.

 "I hear that you have some information, and I am told that I should listen, and I hear that you have some questions, and I am told that I should answer them."  He stops speaking, and it slowly becomes clear he is waiting for a response.

 
 Spoiler 

In character terms, Shiny would normally be the first to speak, but as DM I'm going to rein back his involvement in conversations a bit so as not to overwhelm the group. I'd like to give anyone else a chance (except Natalia, who isn't in the room) a chance to start the conversation. (As a reminder, we're here to learn about the Orc-Giant alliance, the hooded one, his master, etc so we can decide where to go next).
 
Athedia
 "We recently have been involved in fighting the orcs and their new allies. Our only problem is, we haven't found any information about the leader, the Hooded One except that he may only be one step on a large chain of masterminds." 
Admiral
 "Why do you refer to the leader of the orcs as 'The Hooded One'?" The Minister's face is blank, revealing neither surprise nor familiarity with the phrase.
Athedia
 "The only time we saw him, for the little time we did, he wore a hood.  We could not get a reading of his face, even Na... even the person with the best eyes in the group never saw what he really looked like." 
Admiral
 "So you've seen this figure that you call the Hooded One? How do you know he is the leader?"  Asdyr's voice and manner gives every indication that he is cross-examining the party, as though looking for some reason they should be worth his time. But his eyes don't show contempt or skepticism- they show hunger. The party realizes he's seeking information from them in just the way that they are looking to learn from him.

Shiny steps forward.  "We have seen him. We first heard of him from orc prisoners we had captured in Linwood..."  He proceeds to give a history of the party's journey so far- surprisingly, he keeps the story both truthful and concise.

 
 Spoiler 
I unfortunately don't have time for a long Shiny speech today- hope you'll accept the shortened summary!
 


The Minister listens intently to Shiny's story. The account of the orc prisoners in Linwood elicits no visible reaction, nor do the story of giant encounters around Hulburg, nor even Shiny's recollection of the lieutenant rejecting Linwood's plea for help. Shiny continues to describe their dangerous encounter outside the caves, where the hooded figure had appeared mysteriously along with several giants, and still the minster's face seems impassive. Shiny, for his part, doesn't seem discouraged in the slightest- he's had tougher audiences.

The Minister's reaction comes when Shiny starts describing their invasion of the the orc caves (having omitted the details of Alabaster's chambers). The moment Shiny mentions his idea to cast  detect thoughts , the Minister's eyes widen- slightly, but unmistakably. When Shiny mentions what he heard- a second voice in Undercommon- the Minster's mouth curls into a satisfied smile. Shiny finishes his tale, but it seems like the Minister has heard what he needed to.

Asdyr leans back in his chair. Despite his gaunt appearance, he now somehow gives the impression of a well-fed gourmet after a heavy meal. He takes a moment to peer at the party, as though deciding how to respond. When he does speak, he still seems to choose his words carefully, but towards a different purpose than before.

 "Your suspicion of a connection between the orcs and the giants is perceptive. Few in the Hulburg military have such wisdom- as is typical of soldiers, they see only the threat immediately in front of them. But the pattern is clear for those who look, and it extends well beyond orcs and giants. The threat, to Hulburg and to the continent, could not be greater." 
 
 Spoiler 

Getting on a train- to be continued later.
 
Admiral
 "We've been hearing reports of the one you call the Hooded One for some time- from the reports of soldiers and mercenaries who came across him in battle, to the confessions of prisoners. Where he goes, death and destruction follow. But the danger he poses individually is nothing next to that of the army he is building. Giants, orcs and ogres are the start, but we've learned of others he is bringing to his side."  Asdyr stops, and it is apparent there are some secrets he does not intend to share.

 "My duty is to Hulburg, but this struggle extends far beyond its borders. We are not facing a band of angry giants- we are facing a coordinated invasion in a world war."  He turns to Mithril.  "You described the Hooded One as one step on a chain of masterminds. We don't know how long that chain is, we do think we know where the next link is." 
 "Are you familiar with the continent of Eldgar?" 
 
 Spoiler 

Whether your character has heard of Eldgar, and what they think of it, is up to you- they could easily know everything in the  summary I previously posted , or have never heard of it.
 
Athedia
 "I have, a little.  The texts I have read only mentioned it in passing, they mostly focused on our lands.  But isn't that across the ocean?"   Mithril looked worried, she did hope to see her family again one day, whenever that may be and a journey so far away would make it hard to return or  Boccob prevent, but if I die I will be buried there without my mother's knowledge .
Cavelcade
Kurt blinks a little at the name, a memory stirring of a spy who had been found in the mines of his home back when he was still learning how to hold his axe. He remembered being part of a group that had been planning to 'rough him up' - before their parents had found them and dragged them off, giving them a good talking to, explaining the...complications that might arise if they were to do so.

Their trade was their lifeblood, nowadays, and Eldgar was a good trading party. He'd never been sure, but the way their eyes had shifted slightly when they at last mentioned the word 'spy', their hesitancy, he'd gotten the feeling that this was all...normal. Expected, everyday events. He'd gotten the impression that they might have had some of their own 'agents' over in Eldgar, though he'd never quite dared to raise the question. Honour was everything - but the spy was quietly put on a ship, perfectly unharmed.

 "Yes. Their ways are...very different to ours. They've been using it for, uh, years now, though, and they're very rich."  He takes a deep breath before asking the question that's niggling at his mind.  "Are we going to have to take a guild, ah, that is, if we're going there?" 
achinca
Miriam is glad Mithril then Shiny take the lead in the discussion with the minister. She had realized over the last few days that she was preaching to much. She was judging her friends and criticizing their choices, as if having a vow of poverty made her superior.

No the time for a more tolerant Miriam had come. She still could taste the bitterness of her loneliness over the last few days.

So she listened in silence, taking it all in. When the minister asks her about Eldgar, she blanks. " I have never heard of it Sir. "

As Mithril indicates they have to cross an ocean, she freaks a little " This will mean I will never solve the Calric situation. And will never see Valen again. Or Mary. Or her cute monk friend ."

She forces herself to smile, putting her trust into St. Cuthbert.
Admiral
Asdyr looks first to Mithril.  "It's across an ocean. If you do choose to travel there, the journey can take as long as four weeks or as short as the blink of an eye."  He turns to Kurt.  "And yes, all who travel there for longer than a night would have to join a guild. I imagine you can explain to your companion."  He gives a nod towards Miriam.

 "We don't know much about the Hooded One, but we know he comes from Eldgar, and we believe his master to be there. We don't know who in Eldgar is behind this invasion, though we suspect that one of the guilds may be involved, or protecting those who are. This information came at much cost and I do not part with it lightly, but your own reports have confirmed it more than you could know."

"The war in our homeland will be long and difficult, and Hulburg has thousands of brave men to fight it. But it will not end unless it is cut off at the source. This is not a task for armies- an invasion of the Land of Guilds is not remotely an option. It may be a task for travelers like you."  The Minister pauses for a moment, sizing up the party in front of him.

 "You should know, if you do travel to Eldgar, that you would not be our only agents there. We sent a party, merely a few days ago, to begin an investigation. If you commit to this path, I can tell you more." 

As the Minister lays out his information, it would be easy to miss the reaction of the gnome to the first mention of Eldgar. The blood drains from Shiny's face, and his hands tighten into fists- his eyes, normally so present, seem to be staring at a point many miles away. By the end of the Minister's speech, he has regained his composure, but stays silent.
Athedia
 "Sir, with the guilds... are there still temples there?  I do wish to keep Boccob happy if I am able, without joining as a priestess." 
Admiral
 "The Threadmyr Church is one of the most intricate and elaborate system of temples in the world. And those who join the guild are not considered priests or priestesses."   Asdyr seems hardly interested in the matter.

 
 Spoiler 
Im interested to see which guild Mithril joins!
 
Cavelcade
 "Hm."  That is Kurt's only response to the suggestion he explain things to his companions. He's pretty hazy on the details himself and explaining well has never been his strong suit.
achinca
Miriam looks very surprised. " A guild? I cannot join a guild? I am a servant of St. Cuthbert. I canot join a guild. How can I do that? "

Miriam looks bewildered at the idea.
Admiral
Asdyr sighs a bit wearily. While serving as travel agent is not in his job description, he appears resigned to cooperating with the party's requests. Whatever favor granted them this meeting seems to have some true power behind it.

 "Let me explain the details of Eldgar..." 
 
 Spoiler 

 He gives you an explanation that can be paraphrased as below- it's the same as on the earlier thread. 

Eldgar was once a democracy, the only one in a world dominated by monarchy, theocracy and feudalism. The continent thrived under this rule, especially the enormous city at its center, Providencia. However, factions within it soon accumulated great political and economic power, so great that its democratic government had little relevance to the continent's defense, to the rule of law, or indeed to the residents' lives.

In the Collapse of 929, almost fifty years ago, the Eldgarian government finally dissolved. Shockingly, the collapse of the government was not followed by war, by anarchy, or by conquest. Instead, the same powerful factions that had usurped the government's power now absorbed its responsibilities. This has led to a society unlike any that this world or any other has ever seen before.

Eldgar is now ruled equally by four Guilds, each a broad allegiance formed through a common interest. They have their names, but everyone knows them as The Church, The Firm, The Institute, and The Syndicate.

The Church is a religious hierarchy that unifies the worshippers of every known deity into a single hierarchy. Its ranks of paladins, clerics and monks make up a network of soldiers and healers who promote The Church and its mission.

The Firm developed from a continual accumulation of mergers and acquisitions between merchants and mercenaries alike, and now oversees a thousand services once provided by independent businessmen. It is responsible for most imports and exports from the continent, controls a system of farms and manufacturers, and even runs an efficient messenger system to anywhere in the continent. It also maintains a vast network of bounty hunters and mercenaries, and few who cross it can ever escape its reach. It an enormous, amoral bureaucracy devoted to one goal: profit.

The Institute considers itself a university- it is devoted to education and the expansion of knowledge. It would be just as accurate, however, to call it a factory of Arcane magic. Its ranks are composed mostly of sorcerers, wizards and bards, devoted to mastering spellcasting and expanding the power and influence of the Institute. It is also devoted to crafting and selling powerful magical items, which are its main source of income.

The Syndicate, also known as the Thieves' Guild, grew from a petty criminal organization to a ruthless cartel with a monopoly on theft, extortion, and assassination within the continent. It takes its monopoly very seriously- unauthorized criminals are likely to be hunted down by its most brutal enforcers. Despite its criminal origins, it holds a position equally legitimate to that of the other Guilds.

These four Guilds share power in a most unusual way. Any resident of the continent must become a citizen of one of the four Guilds, and by swearing his allegiance he gets taken into that Guild's protection. Guild citizenship is denoted through a magically branded insignia on the back of the right hand. Each Guild's citizenship confers its own set of benefits and responsibilities, including its own taxes and rules. (Citizens of the Church can receive healing from any of their clerics posted across the continent. Syndicate citizens are protected against theft, but are required to give up a percentage of loot from anything they steal).

Of course, nothing about this arrangement is simple. The Guilds often trade, deal and make contracts with each other, but they are also constantly scheming, sabotaging and vying for a greater share of power. Furthermore, the Guilds are far from omnipotent- the continent is large, and the farther from the city one goes the weaker their grasp becomes. Guilds thus often hire their own citizens for quests and oddjobs in the country, which range from recovery of stolen items to enforcement of Guild law.

Think carefully on this matter, and then choose your allegiance.
 

 "So,"  the Minister finishes,  "these organizations resemble our governments far more than our guilds. Membership in them is more akin to citizenship than to employment. And while their ways may seem unusual to you, cleric of St. Cuthbert, you would be more than able to following in the path of your deity were you to join the Church. Their clerics are said to be among the most devoted in the world." 
 "If you have more questions about the guilds before you leave, you'd be better off asking a native. There's a tavern in the adventurer's quarter, the Crossroads: the owner, Sanderson, is an immigrant from the Land of Guilds. But I'll need your commitment now if I am to start the wheels turning." 
 
 Spoiler 

It so happens that giving your commitment now moves things along a little faster. I'll generally go for pseudosandbox but this is one time I think you'll see why I deviated.
 
Athedia
 "I hate to leave the continent of home and risk my life across the seas, but I give my service.  I wish to know more about this Hooded One and his masters and get justice for a fallen friend." 
achinca
Miriam looks totally unsure but nods " I guess it will be OK to join the Church. "

She looks at Mithril, Shiny and Kurt and thinks " Remember. Nothing really matters anymore to keep your friends alive. Well, they might not be real friends but they are good people. After all the mistakes you made, it is time for you to stay silent and follow. "

She repeats to the Minister " Yes Sir. I will go to where ever you think we need to go and will do what it takes to bring justice and order "
Admiral
Asdyr nods at their agreement.  "You won't be traveling by ship,"  he says,  "as time is of the essence. We'll arrange for you to travel through magical means- you'll travel to the port city of Cardonne, and the journey will take you no more than the blink of an eye. You'll depart at dawn tomorrow- come to City Hall and you'll be brought to the mage's chambers." 
 "We know little of the Hooded One's master, but we do have a suggestion of where on the continent to start your search. The southern plains of Eldgar, far from the capital city, are home to barbarian tribes: orcs and ogres who have sworn no allegiance to any guild. Given the Hooded One's allegiances on this continent, we believe that his master has formed an alliance with them." 

Asdyr stands up and steps over to a cabinet behind him. After a moment of ruffling through paper, he returns with an envelope.  "You'll want to rendezvous with the previous party, to see what they have learned so far and to coordinate your efforts. You'll find their descriptions, along with the codes you'll need to earn their trust, in this envelope- they arrived in Eldgar two days ago, and are on their way to the frontier town of Marvell to begin their search of the southern plains. Their leader is a lieutenant by the name of Brander, and he is accompanied by Lucius, a skilled spy, Ezra, a powerful sorceress, and Calric, a cleric of St. Cuthbert." 
Athedia
Mithril had started to hold out her hand to take the envelope as he started talking, freezing as he reached Calric's name.  Lowering her hand she turned to look at Miriam and try to gauge her reaction.   How could this Calric be here again, and they think him good? 
achinca
Miriam holds on to her quartestaff as she hears Calric name. She takes a deep breath and does not panic too much " Last time you freak about him and Shiny and Kurt died. Learn from your lessons. "

She swallows hard and asks the Minister " Sir, would you know by chance who this Calric is and what he looks like? Grey hair, about 60, blue eyes to get lost in, a priest of St. Cuthbert too? "

She is visibly uncomfortable but her calm reaction is nicely welcome from her prior obsessive behavior.
Admiral
The Minister shakes his head.  "You're thinking of someone else. He's a young man, 18 years old, with black hair, though he does have blue eyes."  He takes a quick look in the envelope before handing it over.  "That's right- Calric Jr. of the Cudgel." 
Cavelcade
 "I...yes, of course."  Kurt shakes his head at the sudden departure. When the name Calric is mentioned, his eyes widen and go to Miriam; when it turns out to be Calric Jr. he relaxes a little, but puts a calloused hand on hers for a second.
achinca
Once again, Miriam's emotions are in a whirlwind as Calric is identified as the young one. " Of Course ..... Sir .... " is all she can say to the Minister until she feels Kurt's hand on her.

She feels a lillte more grounded as she smiles, bows and takes two steps back. " I need to tell Mary but she is still so mad with me .... "
Admiral
If the Minister notices Miriam's turmoil, he doesn't show it. He hands over the envelope.  "I'll make the remaining arrangements. If while you are in Hulburg you need to get a message to me, go to the Hulburg embassy in the capital city of Providencia- the details are in the envelope. But know that you are neither spies nor soldiers of this government- if you run into trouble with the guilds, we cannot help you. Now, let me have your names for my records."   It occurs to the party that he had never asked for an introduction.

Once each member of the party has shared their names, Asdyr calls out to the guard, who opens the door and begins to escort them out. As they leave, be suddenly holds up his hand.  "Hold on a moment... 

As he looks down at the desk, his lips curl into a slight smile, a mechanical expression devoid of friendliness.  "An amusing coincidence,"  he says, glancing at the gnome and the wizard.  "Shiny, and Mithril." 
 "I hear everything that happens in this city, the momentuous and the trivial. There was an injured wanderer found on the outskirts of the city late last night, now recovering in a hospital bed under the care of the clerics. She was so badly wounded that she was barely conscious, and what words she did say were babbling nonsense. The soldiers were joking that the young girl must be an armorer- the only words they could make sense of were "shiny mithril."  
CoffeeIncluded
 Frankly, she'd lost any sensation in her feet hours ago. She couldn't remember much from the first days, other than coming to slung over the shoulders of fleeing giants. Somehow, she'd managed to escape. She'd nearly broken a leg rushing down the cliff, but she'd escaped.

Then came the long road back to Hulburg, on her own. No horses, no friends, nobody coming to save her. They probably thought her dead. No, that wasn't going to happen.

It was...the third day, maybe. She couldn't escape all the spiders, not before one of them sank its fangs deep into her side. And without Miriam's magic, all Natalia could do was press the herbs into the wound, try to staunch the bleeding and curtail the infection.

It didn't work. By the time she'd made it back to Hulburg, the world swam in a shimmering haze around her, every step made her whimper with pain, and she'd spent almost a day unconscious before the pain of that infected wound forced her awake. Shaking and flush with fever, she'd made it almost to the gates before collapsing. There was simply nothing left in her.

She felt something, someone pick her up. She couldn't remember what she muttered in her delirium, but she remembered saying,  "Shiny...Mithril..."  
achinca
Miriam looks at Mithril but says nothing " Could it be Natalia? "
Athedia
Mithril's eyes widened and she stumbled forward stablizing herself on the desk. "Where is she? Please take me too her, please...." 
 Natalia if it is you I am so sorry I drove you away.  What happened to you? 
Admiral
 "She's at the city hospital- likely in the tent set up for long-term recovery of wounded soldiers, under the care of the priestesses of Pelor. The hospital is in the eastern district."  With that, the Minister seems to lose interest in the party before him, and the guard ushers them out of City Hall.
Cavelcade
Kurt follows behind the others, baffled to think little Natalia might be alive, still.  "It's almost more than I could hope..." 
Athedia
As soon as they left the office Mithril started heading toward the eastern district asking all the people she passed where she could find the hospital.  The closer she got the faster she went.
Admiral
The party rushes across the city, an increasingly anxious Mithril leading the way. They approach the hospital, a moderately sized building with a few large tents propped outside to handle the excess of injured soldiers returning from battle.

A quick word with a priest at the front directs them to the largest tent. Upon entering, they see over a hundred beds, on each of which lies a recuperating soldier. Scanning the long rows of beds seems hopeless, until the party finally spots a single bruised, unconscious young woman in the far corner- her clothes are covered in dirt, but there is no mistaking her.
Athedia
Mithril grabbed a passing priest.  "Why is she still hurt? Why has no-one seen to her?"   Releasing the priest she ran to Natalia's side.  There wasn't much she could do to cure her, but she could make her look more presentable.  Muttering a few words to herself she hovered her hands over Natalia's body, slowly moving them further up.  The dirty, damaged clothes knit themselves back together and cleaned through the magic pouring through her hands.

 
 Spoiler 
Mending and Prestidigitation
 
CoffeeIncluded
Her face is still flushed with fever and her breath is still harsher than it should be, but Natalia's no longer shaking uncontrollably or gasping. She's not quite resting, but she's no longer in the delirium that she had sunk into the previous day.

As Mithril runs her hand along Natalia's side, though she's unconscious, the rogue's face contorts and she lets out a short keening noise of pain, too high-pitched to be a moan.
Athedia
Mithril jumped back, startled.   "No, no.  I didn't mean to hurt her.  Miriam what am I supposed to do? Please help me."   this is all my fault. 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia's breathing evens slightly, even though a bit of blood appears where Mithril withdrew her hand. Something in her mind stirs a bit at the voice.

  Warm, know it...Miriam...Said...said by...  

There's a tiny noise, almost like a question, nearly imperceptible, at the back of her throat.
achinca
Miriam is choking and fighting tears. She thought Natalia was dead but seeing her is such a bad shape freaks her out.

" Let me take a look at her " She examines Natalia and announces " I can see she has been poisoned but sadly I have not prepared that spell. I can however heal her for everything else but the poison. "

She caresses Natalia's sweaty forehead " Why did you leave Little One? " adopting Valen moniker for the rogue. " Where you afraid? It is OK. Sometimes running away is the smartest decision. "

She touches Natalia with the top of her quarterstaff where a crude symbol of St. Cuthbert was carved and heals Natalia with her most powerful healing spell.

 
 Spoiler 
Let me know if you want rolls
 
Admiral
Natalia's wounds heal at the touch of the cleric's staff, and the girl sputters awake.

 
 Spoiler 

Go ahead and roll for healing- Natalia was stable at -1
 
Cavelcade
Kurt's rugged face breaks out in a grin at the sight of her stirring, relief palpable from his expression as she stirs and stops crying out.  "Natalia! You  are  alive!" 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia's eyes fly open with a sudden gasp. She feels it before she sees it, the slight itchiness of a healing wound.  Healing.  And before her, standing right in front of her, it's--it's--

 "Real?"  she asks, tentatively touching Miriam's hand. Warm and springy and the same color as always in her head. Natalia smiles, and tries to fight back tears.  "Real...Home,"  she says, voice choking up, gingerly pulling herself upright, then throwing herself onto her friends' embracing them and supporting herself with their weight.  "The way back home." 
Athedia
 "Thank you, thank you, thank you."  Even Mithril was not quite sure who she was thanking, Miriam for healing Natalia or Natalia for being alive.  "I promise not to drive you away again, I swear."   Feeling the wand strung from her belt poke her side she pulled it out.   "I made this, remember that light spell that hurt the orcs?  This is it again, just like my other one." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Drive away?"  Natalia holds them tighter, utterly confused. She pulls back a bit, looks at them and says,  "No, fell. Giants, stones, fell. Then carried, then ran back. Or tried."  She lifts up her shirt a bit to show the now-healing wound on her side. Thick and ugly, it would definitely scar.

She smiles as Mithril presents her newest wand, presses her fingers against the smooth wood.  "More light, good light. Find our way. You want...more markings? Like before?" 
 
 Spoiler 
Is it okay if Natalia casts from it now? If not, that's fine too.
 
Admiral
Shiny joins in the hug once Natalia sits up- he'd been silent since the Ministry, but seems to be back to his normal self.  "Glad to see you wake up, sleepybones! I hope you remember me- Shiny Stargazer, astrologist and marriage counselor." 

Once he steps back, he takes a look around.  "Do we need to stay here? It can't be good for her recovery, or for my lunch. Let's head back to the inn, hear her story on the way?" 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia smiles a bit.  "Thought it...Shiny Giantfooler. They seemed...agitated." 

She laughs, gives a tiny nod.  "Think I can walk."  The rogue gingerly gets up with a wince. She has to support herself on Mithril's shoulders, the only one taller than her, but she can walk.
Cavelcade
Kurt hugs her for a moment as she stands, patting her back before he walks beside her, keeping half an eye on her the whole time as they walk, in case she looks like falling.

 "Lunch and catching up, that sounds good." 
CoffeeIncluded
One thing Natalia's always been is graceful, light and quick on her feet. Here, she leans against Mithril as she walks, angling her body so her side avoids pressing into anything, and yet she still stumbles as she follows the others.  "...Thought I was done,"  she says, quietly.  "Didn't run, but...Taken. Remember stones?"  She rolls up her sleeve; her arm's a mass of fading bruises.  "Hit, then fell." 

Natalia sighs and continues her story.  "Woke on giants' back, too weak to run, too far to run. Camp like bowl, heard panic echo around the walls. Saw scuffed stone. Shiny, was...that you?"  She smiles.  "Found what? Gemstone?" 

She then pauses. Her eyes go wide.  "...Valen?"  Everything goes cold inside when she notices his absence.   Please don't be dead please don't be dead.  
 
 Spoiler 
So she's at 19/40 HP right now? I might need some more healing before tomorrow morning.

Also, if Natalia seems kind of out of it, that's because she is. She'll be better tomorrow.
 
Athedia
Mithril saw the fear in the younger girl's eyes.   "No worries, he was moved by the fight and felt he would do more good alongside the soldiers.  So he enlisted, I would not fear for him as of yet." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia sighs.  "So...Everyone okay? Despite my foolishness?"  Her relief is easily visible. If she'd let someone die because she was dumb enough to get knocked off the ramparts and kidnapped, she'd never forgive herself. If that had happened, dying in the woods wouldn't be punishment enough.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia bites her tongue as she looks down at her hands. They're clean...Mithril must have cleaned her. Was that the pressure she felt somewhere while unconscious?

 "Where you went...without me? There and back, but time spent how?" 
 
 Spoiler 
I'm kinda surprised nobody picked up on the fact that the first thing Natalia said upon waking up and seeing her friends was, "Home."
 
achinca
As Natalia awakens and is in decent health, Miriam steps back and let the reunion with Mithril and Shiny happens.

She knows how important these two are for the rogue as she was the ones calling as she was delirious.

The cleric stays back and wait. If the group decides to leave to go to the inn, she follows.
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
 Natalia sighs.  "So...Everyone okay? Despite my foolishness?"  
 

 "I would hardly say we're okay,"  Shiny says gravely.  "I've had the most irritating melody ("The Thousand Troubles of Tallman Trafalgar") stuck in my head all morning. But you can't keep blaming yourself for that, or you'll go mad." 

The party reaches the inn, where the manager has laid out a sparse but welcome lunch downstairs. Shiny dives in and is silent for a bit, before asking, his mouth full of food,  "so who's going to tell her about our next journey?" 
achinca
Miriam opens her mouth and then closes it without saying a word. She realizes it is better for Mithril to speak.
CoffeeIncluded
It's not until they sit down in front of the meal that Natalia starts salivating and realizes just how hungry she is. When was the last time she'd had a proper meal? Not since being separated, that's for sure. Then again, she hadn't really had much of an appetite. But now it's returned with a vengeance, and she starts eating with gusto, cramming rolls and strips of meat into her mouth faster than she can swallow the food, draining her drink as fast as she can.

Natalia tries talking through her mouthful of food several times; on the third failed attempt of even being able to get a single muffled syllable out, she actually waits to swallow her meal and asks,  "Found strings of Hooded one? Leading back to puppetmaster?" 
 
 Spoiler 
I think Athedia's got a final...like right now, actually.
 
Athedia
Mithril snapped from the daze she sat in.   "Sorry, I was just thinking about how we eat this food and why we feel and hear.  Have you ever thought about why some plants only have bees around them but others have birds instead... it is very curious....  Anyway yes, Natalia I know you are still injured and it may be too soon for you to join us in this, but we have been asked to go across the water to follow the source of the alliance.  Unfortunately we will have to become citizens there, to keep our guise and safety intact. " 
 
 Spoiler 
Yeah, I was at my bio final.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia looks up from the warm bread, good hot food with the glow she missed feeling the past several days.  "Bird and bees around flowers, right? Bird flowers not like bee flowers. Different color, different feel." 

She freezes up when Mithril suggests that she not join them.  "No! No, not alone again!" 
achinca
Miriam looks at the 4 heroes eat as she does not need food or drink.

She sits there in silence, watching the two friends reunite.
Admiral
 "Natalia's coming,"  Shiny says with a smile, while dipping the crust of his bread into his tea. If any of his thousand personalities knows basic table manners, it doesn't show.

He turns to Natalia.  "Have you heard of the land of Eldgar?"  His voice cracks almost imperceptibly at the name.
CoffeeIncluded
She smiles  "Coming no matter what...but thank you." 

Natalia blinks at Shiny's stumble. Maybe the gnome just choked on a bread crumb.  "Eldgar...Across the sea?" 
 
 Spoiler 
Knowledge (Local):  (d20+5)[ 18 ] 
 


She bites her lip.  "Torin and Karik from there. Marked hands--guild citizens. Four, right?" 
Admiral
 "The Church, the Firm, the Institute and the Syndicate,"  says Shiny, glancing upward as though recalling from their earlier conversation.  "We'll each have to take one." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "But why?"  Natalia takes another bite before continuing.  "Not staying, just traveling. Why shackle tourists?" 
Admiral
Shiny shrugs noncommittally.  "Who knows how long we'll have to stay there,"  he says with a distant stare.
CoffeeIncluded
Oh...Natalia thinks she understands.  "Shiny Manymasks. Don't...want shackles either. Masks useless if you look at hands." 
Admiral
Shiny raises his eyebrows.  "How did you know about Shiny Manymasks? Sure, my great-great-grandfather was something of a local legend in my home village, what with his silly disguises and his delightful orc impressions, but I hardly thought his fame extended far beyond that. Anyway, if the stories are true, his hands were usually covered by puppets." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Thought he mimicked halfling...halfling giants,"  Natalia lamely tries to respond.  "After all, finger puppets, halfling sized.
 
achinca
A small smile appears on Miriam's face as she listens to the exchange between Shiny and Natalia.
Cavelcade
Kurt laughs as well, the exchange almost relieving to see.  "Ah, Shiny, can you tell us more about the guilds? I know...a little, but not enough to really say much." 
Admiral
 "I don't know much more than you do,"  says Shiny,  "Perhaps we should go meet this innkeeper- Sanderson- to answer our questions. Personally, I'm nervous about joining any guild, given that my last guild membership, in the Gnome Waiter Union of Knotsville, ended in the nastiest food fight in the history of organized labor."  
CoffeeIncluded
 "I think...Institute is magic,"  Natalia says, hesitantly,  "But not more. Should ask, clear fog." 
 
 Spoiler 
What guild would a trapsmith belong to?
 
Cavelcade
Kurt nods at Shiny's suggestion, ignoring the story that goes along with it.  "I wouldn't want to end up in the wrong guild by mistake."  He looks down at his hands and makes a face.  "I'm not really suited to magic or...subtlety." 
achinca
Miriam says in a low voice " I have no choice. I will join the Church. Will be interesting how I will reconcile that with being devoted to St. Cuthbert. Well, what is important is that we are together. "
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia looks at Mithril.  "Magic...where else for me? Unless others...Should ask, but thinking magic."  She doesn't say what the others are surely thinking along with her, about the little...complication of her joining a magic guild.

 
 Spoiler 
Is he in this inn, or do we have to go somewhere else to ask?
 
Admiral
Once the party finishes their meal, they head over to the adventurer's quarter, where the Crossroads, a small but hearty tavern down a windy side street, awaits them.

Once they're inside, Shiny leaps forward to introduce himself to one of the bartenders with his usual enthusiasm and disregard for the truth (the others catch the name "Shiny Sparrowspotter" in the mix), while the rest of the group takes a seat. Just a few minutes later, a beefy man with a stained tunic and friendly, slightly flushed face, steps up to the table.

 "I'm Sanderson, proprietor of this establishment. Your friend the, uh, birdwatcher said you were thinking of traveling to Eldgar, and might have some questions about it."  A grin spreads across his face.  "Always glad to talk of the old country." 
 
 Spoiler 
Remember that you've already been told all the information in  this post  (please assume Natalia has been filled in on those details by Shiny or one of the others).
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia blinks. How did Shiny get to this man so quickly? She needed to ask everyone to go over the story again later. She shakes her head and asks,  "Why mark travelers too? Marked for life?" 
 
 Spoiler 
I've got a bunch of questions, mostly involving how a roguebuckler will fit in with a mage guild, but I'll space them out, give everyone else a chance.

Also, yeah, I agree with assuming she was caught up to speed behind the scenes.
 
Admiral
Sanderson scratches his head at the rogue's curt phrasing, but he seems to understand the question.  "First of all,"  he points to his bare right hand,  "You're not marked for life. The guilds can remove their marks just as they can add them. You can even change guilds, long as you can gain the new guild's trust." 
 
 Spoiler 
FYI: In my previous campaign, the Syndicate was alone in having a law that no guild citizen could ever switch guilds. I've decided to remove that rule of the Syndicate for this campaign.
 

 "Now, if you're visiting for more than a day, let me tell you that you surely want a guild citizenship. Going without a guild's protection is living outside the law- you can be slaughtered on the street just for the contents of your canteen, and no one who can stop it will grant you much more than a glance. Now, that's not to say everyone on the continent belongs a guild- the barbarians in the southern plains and the western jungles certainly don't- but they live in a state of constant warfare." 
 "I'm sure it sounds strange to you. But for me it was a heck of a shock moving to a land with a single guild- sorry, government- where you don't have the slightest choice who has your back or where your dues- sorry, taxes- go." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia sighs in relief as she sees his hand. At least she wouldn't be shackled her whole life. Though it was a shame to hear that the streets there were so...lawless.

 "Why the violence, though? Wouldn't guilds control? And..."  She licks her lips in nervousness,  "What guild for you?" 
 
 Spoiler 
Ah, okay. I thought that law was for all the guilds. Thanks for clearing up the understanding.
 
Admiral
 "Guilds protect their own, first and foremost. But more than that, they'll by-and-large leave citizens of other guilds alone (well, Syndicate excepted, but even they have their rules). No one wants to be responsible for starting a guild war. So there isn't violence in the streets (no more than you'd find here, anyway), but it's all thanks to that balance." 
 "I was a Firm citizen- had a mining family that went back for generations. But the work was dull." 
CoffeeIncluded
So they preyed upon the outsiders--you had to join a guild to be protected.

 "Were you born in the Firm? Or chose later?"  Natalia swallows. The questions going to be asked eventually. Still, she can't quite say it out loud.  "Rules for joining? Any shut out?" 
achinca
Miriam chides in " Sir Sanderson, what about the Church? How does it work? How does it handle priests from all the various gods, good and evil, loyal and chaotic? And by dues, do you mean a payment? What about priests who have chosen to have nothing? "

She looks at her white robe which although is clean, shows signs of wear and tear, as do her sandals.
Admiral
Sanderson smiles at the cleric's questions.  "You know, here's a story. I left Eldgar when I was twenty-three years old, and it wasn't until I settled down in Hulburg that I ever heard a single mention of the evil gods, or certainly of anyone worshipping 'em. In Eldgar, we'd been brought up to think some gods were generous, others uncaring... but gods of slaughter and tyranny?"  He shrugs. [B]"Can't say I know the first thing about why, but we just don't...  have  'em over there."

 "The clerics that do make along up the guild get along well. The Church always seemed a lot more interested in growing their followers than in petty infighting." 
 
 Spoiler 
FYI: The Church worships a combination of the traditional D+D pantheon (St Cuthbert and Boccob included) and the Asgardian pantheon (just because they're great). Natalia is unlikely to find any temples of Gond, but she doesn't seem the type to mind.
 


After Miriam's second question, Sanderson thinks for a moment.  "From what I know about them, I don't think it's the Church's way to keep out any soul for lack of gold." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia's eyes widen at his statement.

She also asks, when he eases Miriam's mind,  "What about ability? Not just the church, but...the others?" 
 
 Spoiler 
She wouldn't particularly mind, but Gond still exists, right? Just because that deity fits Natalia's choice of worship and values almost perfectly.

I'm sorry about the short responses, but to he honest I'm barely even looking at the screen while I'm typing this; I'm looking at my notes on cyclin-dependent kinases. This is probably her last question anyway; I can ask the Institute more about benefits for muggles when I get there.
 
Athedia
Mithril examined the backs of her nails as she spoke.  "I assume that is hard if not impossible for one such as me to continue their studies without joining the Institute, though Boccob has been kind in all his gifts." 
Admiral
 "Abilities?"  Sanderson shrugs, unclear what the girl is getting at.

 
 Spoiler 
Gond exists (gods don't exist in one continent and not another)- those gods just aren't worshipped on Eldgar because it would be too much to keep track of.
 


 
 Originally Posted by athedia 
 Mithril examined the backs of her nails as she spoke.  "I assume that is hard if not impossible for one such as me to continue their studies without joining the Institute, though Boccob has been kind in all his gifts."  
 

 "One such as you?"  Sanderson asks, before his face lights up with comprehension, and a hint of awe.  "Ahhh." 
 "You know, I grew up in a town of miners, in the northern mountains of Eldgar. The town was owned by the Firm, and all we knew was our work. But someone forgot to tell my cousin, because all he cared about was magic. At first we tried to get him to snap out of it, but he was miserable mining. So by the time he was lifting objects with his mind and creating sparks out of thin air, we all decided we'd save up a bit and send him into Providencia, the capital city, to learn his trade the right way, from the Institute." 
 "I didn't see him for eight years, but when I finally did, en route to the port city where I'd take my leave of the continent. And he was the happiest man I'd ever seen. The stories he told- vast libraries of arcane lore, great mages of the history books serving as teachers of amateurs- he spoke of the Institute with a rapture I've only ever heard used about the gods." 
 "So I'm not sure what one can do outside of the Institute. But I do know what the Institute offers to someone who truly loves magic." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia listens to Sanderson's description with rapt focus. When he finishes, she tries to rephrase her question.  "What if...no magic? Desire, knowledge, but no ability?"  Did they only care about magic? Or did they also want to see it work for those without?

 
 Spoiler 
Thanks. I didn't think you retconned him out, but I just wanted to be safe and sure.

Anyway, I'm about to have dinner, then take my cell bio final. Wish me luck!
 
Admiral
Sanderson scratches his head.  "Way I see it, the Institute is a school. And like any school, they look for students who are up to their standards. Not sure I know more than that." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia swallows, but keeps her face neutral. No...She'll be able to get in. Even if she can't cast a spell, that's not going to stop her. All that knowledge, she'd be able to add to it, even if in a different form than spells.
Athedia
Mithril saw Natalia's worry and made her decision.  She could worship Boccob from a library in the Institute just as well as she could in a temple dedicated to his name.  She slid her hand into the girls and squeezed it.  "No worries.  You have helped on my projects before and I could claim you as an assistant if needed." 
CoffeeIncluded
 !  Natalia looks down at their hands, then up at Mithril and says, much quieter and with a bit of pink in her cheeks,  "Th-Thanks..." 
Cavelcade
Kurt just looks at his hands and shrugs.  "What guild wants a fighter?" 
achinca
Miriam smiles as Mithril squeezes Natalia's hand and then a thought comes to her mind " Will she be back at treating her like a pet because how she feels for her? " then she stops herself. " It is their business. If they are happy, so be it. I have no wisdom to impart to them or no lesson to teach. "

She continues smiling and asks the innkeeper " Sir Sanderson, are you suppose to put the interest of your guild first and foremost? What is there is a situation which is good for the group but would benefit the Firm but hurt the Church. Am I expected to not get involved? "
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by Cavelcade 
 Kurt just looks at his hands and shrugs.  "What guild wants a fighter?"  
 

 "Many end up joining the Firm: that guild has the largest army, not to mention their fleet of mercenaries and bounty hunters. Some of the more... errr...  flexible  ones join the Syndicate as enforcers." 

 
 Originally Posted by achinca 
 She continues smiling and asks the innkeeper " Sir Sanderson, are you suppose to put the interest of your guild first and foremost? What is there is a situation which is good for the group but would benefit the Firm but hurt the Church. Am I expected to not get involved? " 
 

Sanderson exhales as he considers this.  "That's an interesting question. On the one hand, while you're bound to the laws of the guild you joined, you're otherwise free. The guilds have bigger things to worry about ensuring every single citizen is serving their interest. And as you get father from the capital city, their grip weakens- it's not hard to slip through the cracks."

"But on the other hand... most citizens find that the best way to thrive is to get in good with one of the guilds- accept odd jobs, make connections, do favors. The guilds possess... power, a kind of power that goes far beyond their soldiers or sorcerers. It's not wise to go against the current." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia chews the inside of her lip in thought. So the guilds could easily make their lives hell if they rocked the boat too much. But then again, it didn't sound like she and her friends were planning to stay, and it didn't seem like the guilds have much influence beyond their shores. So something to keep in mind, but not an overpowering concern.

 "Thank you." 
 
 Spoiler 
Against the current, huh? 😏

I'm sorry about my lack of posting/poor posting these past couple days. By this time tomorrow I'll be all done with finals.
 
achinca
Miriam nods "T hank you Sir Sanderson! "

She turns to the group " This will be an interesting situation as I only respond to St. Cuthbert. We shall see how the situation develops. "
Cavelcade
Kurt looks at his hands again, considering carefully the options before him.  "Hm. Barbarians in the south, eh?" 
CoffeeIncluded
 "You've met?"  Natalia asks.  "Or avoiding brand?"  A thought then comes to her.  "Across the sea, when and how?" 
Admiral
 "It was after my stint in the Firm army- that paid enough for the transport,"  the innkeeper says.  "Journey took four weeks on a passenger ship. I was 23." 

Sanderson then excuses himself. Shiny turns to the table.  "Let's finish our business here in town- sounds like we have only the rest of the day."  He then stands up, bearing a distracted expression, and wanders out of the inn.

 
 Spoiler 
Let's finish up Hulburg- see OOC.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Wait, so soon?"  Natalia looks back out at the town.  "Need supplies. Lost gear."  She follows Shiny out of the inn, and heads to the armory where she picks up a hand crossbow. The guilty expression never quite leaves her face as she remembers Mithril's gift, left in the cavern.

Afterwards, Natalia's hand plays at the black dagger. She shudders a bit as she remembers the weapon betraying her. For a moment she thinks about pawning it off onto an unsuspecting shopkeeper, let them deal with it while she takes the money and buys a real, reliable weapon, maybe something electric...

No. She can't do that. If that blows and takes someone's limb, their life, she'd never forgive herself. And besides, maybe the Institution could help here here.

But even then, she'd need a reliable weapon. A magic one, hopefully, like the one from Morton. No, no, not here. The only place she knows of that sells magic items is Ruby's, and she is  not  going back there.

If Natalia runs into Shiny during her shopping trip, she asks,  "You okay?" 
 
 Spoiler 
Natalia's going to buy a hand crossbow, and I want to get a magic weapon but I'll wait until we get to Eldgar, since they might have a better selection there and I might be able to work out something with the guild I'm in.
 
Cavelcade
Kurt thanks the innkeeper as he makes his departure, thinking about his words until he almost misses the question from Natalia.  "Hm. No, unless we're leaving in a day that'd probably put me in over my head."  He stands with the others, mentioning he has to go collect his armour before he leaves - thanking the smith for his hard work, spending the bones of an hour with him, discussing the impressive craftsmanship of the armour before he takes his leave, heading back to the inn.
Admiral
The party finishes their preparations- saying goodbye to a city that many of them have already grown fond of, and wondering about the journey ahead. Most of the group heads to sleep early in their various rooms at the inn, preparing for their early morning.

Not everyone falls asleep so quickly, however. In the witching hour Mithril, who had been staying up late finishing her wand, hears a faint noise in the corridor outside, as of someone creeping along the hallway. The effect is spooky enough that she cracks open the door to check it out, and she sees a short figure at the top of the stairs leading down, carrying a bundled satchel. Shiny has one foot on the first step, and seems to be frozen in thought.
Athedia
 "Shiny, please don't leave us again."  Mithril carefully shut the door behind her whispering loudly enough for the gnome to hear her without waking the others.
Admiral
Shiny jumps a foot in the air when he hears Mithril's sudden whisper. When he turns around, his face is bloodless, and his eyes more afraid than she's ever seen them, even in the face of death. Seconds pass as he regains his composure.

He smiles weakly.  "Leave you? Of course not. I was just... looking... I needed to bring..."  For once, the lies seem not to come to him naturally, and he looks at the floor awkwardly.
Athedia
Mithril walked down the steps and sat down next to Shiny. Wrapping her arms around him she asked softly.  "Is it Eldgar? We won't let anyone harm you there." 
Admiral
 "Oh,"  Shiny says, his confidence returning,  "It's not my safety I'm worried about, Mithril Magicmelder- it's little Tinkertrot. When she was young, a nearsighted stableboy tried to brand her and nearly burned out her eye. So now she's nervous around all brands, tattoos, and other markings of the skin."  The gnome smiles at Mithril, having grown comfortable again thanks to her embrace and the familiarity of his patter.  "So when I heard about this land where everyone has a marking on their hand- I can hardly imagine how scary it would be for little Tinkersnout. Anyway, that's the only reason I'm afraid to go back there." 
Athedia
Mithril smiled and let out a small chuckle.  "Well tell her a pony has nothing to worry about, and Honey will keep any stableboys away from her.  As for you, I am sure you can talk the mark into turning into a butterfly if needed." 
Admiral
Shiny laughs and pats Mithril on the back. Then after a moment's consideration he pulls her into a hug.

 "Your friendship means a lot to me,"  he says.  "That goes for all of you. And I hope that... no matter what... happens... nothing can change that."  He repeats it, as though to convince himself.  "Nothing can change that." 

He stands up, looking content, and walks quietly back to his room.
Admiral
The party awakens at the crack of dawn- Shiny popping out of bed as energetic as ever- and once they've settled their business with the innkeeper, they head out towards City Hall, saying goodbye to the city they'd worked to hard to protect. Their horses, and Shiny's warpony, walk alongside them.

As soon as they reach the front gates and state their business, they are pulled off to the mage's quarters, through various gates and checkpoints. Hulburg clearly values it's few mages, and those who had witnessed the defense of the outpost understand why. The Minister of Intelligence is not present, but they are introduced to Burton, a warmage seargeant who peers at them with deeply ingrained suspicion while checking their papers.  "Eldgar..."  he mutters.  "Follow me." 

The group is led down a wide corridor into an underground passage, the horses following them, while the seargant rattles off a list of instructions, seemingly addressing the air as much as anyone around him.  "When you emerge from the portal, you'll be in the central Guildsquare of the port city of Cardonne, where all new immigration is handled. When you emerge, keep walking forward at a steady pace for the safety of those behind you. Then pick a guildhall to enter, state your manner of entry into the continent, and ask for citizenship." 

The group passes one final gate before reaching their destination. Along their right side lies a series of sectioned stalls, separated by stone walls. As the sergeant leads them past, the group notices the sigil of Glister on the wall of one stall, recognizable from Lorana's personal effects. They also pass the sigil of the royal family of Vystera, and memories of their first adventure together fill their minds. Then after a few more paces, the sergeant stops and points to another sigil on the wall. This mark is a combination of four overlapping symbols: the perpindicular cross of the Church, the double circle of the Firm, the five-pointed star of the Institute, and the three diagonal lines of the Syndicate. On the wooden floor beneath the symbol is etched a wide circle. The circle seems utterly mundane, but there is no doubt in anyone's mind that within it lies the path to the New World.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia wakes up slowly that morning, yawning and rubbing her eyes. The pain is much better, nearly gone, with only a scab covering the wound and the itchy healing skin underneath. She rubs some lotion on the area to keep it most and prevent it from cracking, then gets dressed and out of bed. The rogue needs to take a moment to grip the side of the bed as the floor sways underneath her, but she's able to right herself fairly quickly.

She doublechecks and triplechecks her supplies, then greets everyone, touching their hands to confirm they're real.

Natalia nods at the sergeant's words; as they pass the sigil of Glister she whispers, "Hope she's okay." 

Upon seeing the circle, Natalia walks around it, inspecting it but never actually looking in. She looks at Mithril with excitement.  "The magic, how?"  Natalia then looks down again.  "...Ready?" 
Athedia
Mithril tightened her grip on Honey's reins.  "All together?"  She reached up to feel Whiskers soft fur, and transplanted him to the inside of her coat.  Who knew how he would react to teleportation.

 
 Spoiler 
Did she get enough sleep to renew spells?
 
achinca
Miriam has a final thought about Hulburg. There was so much to do and she had done so little. But her friends needed her. So she will follow them to that new land and help them as much as she could.

When everyone steps in, she follows.
CoffeeIncluded
 "Ready?"  Natalia asks? Closing her eyes, she leads Rust by his reins and steps into the circle.
Athedia
Mithril tried to note everything that happened as she followed Natalia into the circle.   "See you on the other side."  She said to Shiny, smiling at him for encouragement.
Admiral
Shiny returns Mithril's smile with a meaningful nod, tugs on his pony's harness, and steps into the circle after them. Right before he vanishes, he closes his eyes.

  "It's not your fault."  
Admiral
As each member of the party- Natalia, Mithril, Shiny, Kurt, and finally Miriam- walks into the circle with their mount, they each vanish. The transition is brief but memorable- a flash of magic and a fleeting sensation of disembodiment- and then everything is normal.

Normal, but different: the air is warmer, and smells of the open ocean- saltier than the smell of the Moonsea. The sun is no longer low on the horizon, but has almost reached its zenith. And as the party looks around, they see a city bigger, taller and grander than the city-state of Hulburg, with gleaming towers five or six stories tall and streets filled with a bustling populace. And the five explorers stand at the center of this grand city, in the Guildsquare of Cardonne.

The party had heard that every major city in Eldgar has a Guildsquare, where the guildhalls do their best to communicate the majesty of their respective organizations. And indeed, this square has no difficulty awing each of the new immigrants. It consists of a large, flat expanse of concrete, with the four guildhalls arrayed in a diamond around it. On the ground in front of each hall are enormous inscriptions of that guild's insignia.

The Church guildhall is a towering cathedral, seven stories tall and ornately decorated in pictoral praise of the gods.

The Firm's hall sports large, clear glass windows (a rare sight in even the richest of households), arrayed into a grid of offices. A large barracks juts off to the north side of the building.

The Institute is based in a sandstone castle, with towers jutting off at odd angles. The open gates reveal a pleasant courtyard on the inside, and robed mages of every age wander the grounds.

The Syndicate guildhall is an imposing red and black fortress, with hardly a window in sight. Archers patrol the top, and peer down with an unfriendly eye.

 
 Spoiler 

This is the one and only time I'm  self-plagiarizing . Welcome to the Land of Guilds.
 
CoffeeIncluded
The vertigo sends Natalia mentally reeling, and she stumbles forward a few steps before managing to catch herself on a nearby post. As the rest of her friends appear in the circle, she collects herself and looks around. She cannot stop her jaw from dropping in awe. Not just the Institute--it all looks amazing.

Natalia grins as she turns and faces her friends.  "Explore? Choose now?" 
Cavelcade
Kurt feels a moment of nausea as he settles down, but despite the full suit of armour he has on, he doesn't fall. He'd decided wearing it was the easiest way to carry it for now - and was astonished each time he took a step, both at how light it was and how perfectly it moved. The craftsmanship really was astonishing.

After a moment looking around, indecision still plaguing his expression, Kurt makes up his mind, heading towards the church - cathedral - not really looking up at it, though, or around, his axe hanging on the side of his horse to keep it out of his hand as he walks.  "Only the gods could protect us here anyway." 
achinca
Miriam looks at the large city and the big buildings. It is the bigger place she has ever been and feels a little intimidated. She looks around, holding tighter to her quarterstaff with the rudely carved symbol of St. Cuthbert. " You can do it. This is a huge place. Plenty of good to be done here. '

She moves toward the Church building " I guess it is time for me to join the Church! " She starts giggling hysterically after saying that and notices Kurt going with her.

" Kurt, are you sure you want to join them? Without Divine powers, you might be considered second class citizen "

She takes his hand and squeezes it " This is why I hate organized religions ..... "

Suddenly memories of her time at the Church before Calric rush through her mind and the pettiness of the priests and their action bring back a sour taste in her mouth. " The past is the past and cannot be changed. Learn from it! "

She forces herself to smile and squeezes the dwarf hand a little harder " I will always be there for you! "
Cavelcade
He glances up at her and smiles a bit.  "I know you will, Miriam. You might need someone to watch your back, too, though. Besides, the other guilds don't suit me at all...and your faith gives me...hope."  Facing forward again, he has to pause for a moment to find the right word to explain his feelings - hope is close enough.
achinca
Miriam smiles at Kurt " My faith is constantly challenged. I have seen so called "holy men" take advantage of their status. I have myself been used and abuse by a priest of my own order. I have seen evil, prayed for miracles and nothing happened. St Cuthbert and I have an understanding. He will give me some power. I will use it for good. I will not stop all evil nor will He. He will not solve all my problems and not everyone claiming his faith will be honorable. So we have a "modern" relationship. He grants me divine power. I bring justice and order when and where I can but do mostly good. I help the unfortunates and the poor while lazy fat priests lay in silk sheets covered in gold and jewels. "

She looks at her well worn white robe. " This is why the Vow of Poverty works for me. I can relate to the people I want to help because I have nothing like them. And if I ever meet powerful and rich people, I remind them of the legions of people they govern or control and it might makes them a little uncomfortable. I am just a little reminder, a voice of conscience. "

She stops before adding " And joining this guild is just for show. I am a free woman and a free spirit! "
Cavelcade
Kurt grins at her words, nodding as well.  "Yes - but if I have to be part of a guild, this one might give me a chance to do some good too. I will never match you Miriam, but I can try, I can do that." 
Athedia
Mithril raised an eyebrow at seeing Kurt walking toward the Church.  Speaking to no-one in particular she mused  "Never thought of him as holy but hopefully he finds a home there."   With a large smile she turned to Natalia. "Ready?"   As she started toward the Institute she looked back at the lone figure in the middle.  Walking back she laid her hand on Shiny's shoulder.  "We never asked where you are going." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia smiles but is silent as she hears Miriam's conversation.  "You're right. Free, despite brand,"  she says to Miriam. She remembers everything she said to Miriam, everything she needs to believe herself, fully. A third chance.  "How we can, with what we can." 

Still, she prays that the Institute will accept her. The rogue turns to Mithril and nods.  "Ready." 
achinca
Miriam looks at Natalia and smiles, having no idea what Natalia is trying to say to her.
Admiral
Shiny scratches his chin thoughtfully as he looks around the city.  "Originally, I had been planning to start my own guild: draw a smiley face on the back of my hand with charcoal and see how far it could get me. But maybe I'll first follow you to see how your plan stacks up." 

Shiny then starts skipping towards the gates of the Institute guildhall.

-----------

Kurt and Miriam enter the giant cathedral of the Church guildhall, nervous of what lies inside.

If the structure looked impressive from outside, its interior is truly awe-inspiring. The detailed frescoes, stained glass windows, and vaulted ceilings rival the most impressive houses of worship they had ever seen.

At the top of the cathedral is a dome, around the circumference of which is inscribed the symbols of a vast number of deities. Miriam immediately spots the Cudgel of St. Cuthbert, along with the sigils of many other gods she recognizes, with the exception of those who embody evil. Similarly, no evil gods can be seen in the endless compendium of artwork arrayed around the cathedral.

Churchgoers mill about the cavernous space, some in worship at a variety of altars, some in silent prayer, others in discussion with members of the clergy. One man in a long, flowing robe notices the conspicuous newcomers and approaches them. Based on the holy symbol around his neck, a pentagram amulet bearing an eye on a pedestal, each of the party recognizes him as a cleric of Boccob, but he does not introduce himself that way.

 "Greetings, travelers. I am Father Renyi, a priest of the Threadmyr Church. You are most welcome here, in the Cathedral of Cardonne. I notice by your lack of guildmarks that you are not residents here. Might I ask if you are pilgrims or immigrants?" 
 
 Spoiler 
Did I say I would stop self-plagiarizing?  Why would I promise that?  

Almost everyone is online so I wanted to keep this moving. Update on the Institute crowd coming up.
 
Admiral
Shiny, Natalia and Mithril approach the Institute guildhall: a formidable sandstone castle with an open courtyard in the center and a wide gate at the front, with all the austere majesty of a university. Next to the gate stand several armored guards, the warmages of the Harnell Institute. For the first time the three notice that each of them, as well as each passerby, has a guildmark on the back of the right hand. These marks are clearly magical and beautifully distinct- each is made of a rainbow pattern that through some trick of perspective seems infinitely deep. The warmages in front of them each bar a five-pointed star as their guildmark.

Upon noticing the lack of a similar mark on each of the newcomers' hands, they brusquely give directions to a recruitment office on the right inside the gate. Upon giving their name and some details, the three of them are ushered into an office, where they find a man with attractive, youthful features and a friendly gleam in his eyes. After spending so long in the predominantly human territory of Hulburg, it takes the party a moment- and a glance at his unusually-shaped ears- to realize that the gentleman is half-elf.

 "Greetings: I'm Izzik the Diviner. Please, each of you tell me about yourself and why you might be interested in joining the Harnell Institute." 
Cavelcade
Kurt jumps at the voice just a tad, too absorbed in the sheer majesty of the building they're in. He laughs nervously, then looks over at him.  "Oh. Uh, we're immigrants. Arrived by teleportation circle from Hulburg. We wanted to join the Church. Which is why we're here." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia swallows as she's snapped out of her reverie, lost in the admiration of the Institute. She takes a deep breath and speaks slowly, lining up the words as straight as she can.  "I...Natalia. Natalia Bolts. Here for the knowledge, the learning...the magic and machines." 
achinca
Miriam brushes her well worn white robe before speaking.

" Miriam Sunfollower, Cleric of St. Cuthbert and swore to poverty. Like my friend Kurt, we are immigrating to your world and joining an guild dedicated to the gods make perfect sense to me. "

" All that wealth and I bet people are starving all over their realm "
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
Kurt forgot to give his name, which is very Kurt. 🙂 But we'll assume the cleric asks and gets an answer.
 


The cleric nods, smiling.  "Welcome, Kurt Loderr and Miriam Sunflower, from Hulburg. We would be honored to tell you more about our guild and encourage you to consider it."  He speaks with a slow and considered diplomacy.

First Father Renyi turns to Miriam.  "It is an honor to meet a fellow cleric, and one who has taken the oath. I could tell you more about the guild and answer your questions, but perhaps there are others you would prefer to speak to. The Marshal of Cardonne, the chief of our justiciars, is also a servant of St. Cuthbert. Or perhaps you would like to speak to Arden, the head of our order of monks, who like you have taken the oath of poverty." 

Father Renyi then turns to Kurt.  "I don't know which god or gods you follow, but whichever they are, you will find yourself welcome here."  He inclines his head to invite Kurt to speak.
Cavelcade
 "Kord. I worship Kord - thank you, Father Renyi. What do we do now - and what will be expected to do later, do you know? I am...not a cleric, I am more...direct in my worship."  Standing almost to attention, finding strength in doing something familiar.  "But surely even the church needs someone with a strong back sometimes?" 
Admiral
Renyi chuckles.  "The Church needs the help of all those who follow the gods. Clerics are the leaders of our order, but they are not its source of strength- the citizens are." 
 "If you'd like a job within the Church, you are welcome to apply after being granted citizenship. Whatever your talents- mining, construction, combat- I'm sure you would be valued. But most of the citizens of the Church need not grant that kind of service. Our followers are widespread across the continent, in every capacity you can imagine. There is no expectation except a tithe- it would be waived for you-"  he nods to Miriam-  "- and that you live in a way consistent with your deity's values." 
Cavelcade
Kurt nods a bit - about what he'd expected really.  "And the...mark? The tattoo?" 
Admiral
 "Of course,"  Renyi says with a nod, showing his own- a pair of long perpindicular lines.

 "If you'd like to meet Halden- he's one of the local clerics of Kord- you would be welcome to, or you can stay with your friend." 
Athedia
 "I am Mithril, seeker of knowledge like my friend here. Boccob has offered me many blessings and I seek to follow his desire to learn.   She stroked Whiskers head where it poked out from under her cloak.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia smiles, but doesn't follow up, instead waiting for Izzik to respond. She looks around the temple again--is she the only non-mage here?
Admiral
Shiny grins, and introduces himself with his usual vigor, though with less than the usual level of fabrication.  "And I'm Shiny Mindmelder- enchanter and illusionist. I have a taste for arcane magic and esoteric stories, and so I hear you're the place to be." 

Izzik smiles and stretches his legs out as he listens to each of the three introduce themselves.  "Excellent. And what is your level of experience with magic?" 

The words had hardly left his mouth before they were mixed with a burst of enthusiastic arcane chants from Shiny, and suddenly he vanishes from view. A few seconds pass, and then in the spot that Shiny had been standing appears a precise doppelganger of Izzik the interviewer, standing and scratching his chin.

 "I'm sorry,"  says the apparition in Shiny's voice,  "Did you want a demonstration?" 
 
 Spoiler 
Invisibility, five foot step back, and then Silent Silent Image.
 


The interviewer gives a chuckle that is more polite than amused, as though Shiny's antics were somewhat familiar or even cliched in his line of work.  "If you like."  He then glances at the others.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia laughs a bit at Shiny's demonstration of his usual antics, though she's surprised that he actually spoke mostly truth to start. But when Izzik turns to the two girls to ask about their magical abilities, Natalia opens her mouth to speak, then stops. She just sits there with her mouth paused in an open-mouthed grin.

 "..." 
 
 Spoiler 
(Just imagine the awkward open grin, the sweat-drop, the wide eyes, the whole, "...Uh, about that..." shebang.)
 
Athedia
 "Ocuir Houpetor"  Mithril covered her eyes and then withdrew her hands.  Spotting a small figure a little behind her she turned moved Shiny back to his original spot.  "He likes to have a little fun.  Natalia here helps me craft many of the magical and mundane items I use often.  She made this holder after I kept losing my daggers while running from orcs."   Mithril pulled her sleeve up showing the sheath but leaving the weapon inside.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia recovers somewhat when she hears her name, and smiles in pride as she sees her work on Mithril's wrist. Realizing that she needs to demonstrate something, she shows some of her sketches and rough blueprints to Izzik.
Cavelcade
Kurt hesitates for a moment, then nods to himself.  "I'll stay with my friend for now, thanks." 
achinca
Miriam looks less than pleased at the idea of a mark. " Father Renyi, is the mark necessary? I have an issue with anyone marking my body. "

She looks at Kurt. " May be this was a mistake .... "

Her discomfort is very visible.

She bites her lips before answering " I am good. I don't need to see anyone ..... "

She looks at Kurt " What am I doing here? I don't want to be branded. I belong to no one .....  "
Admiral
Father Renyi bows his head, recognizing Miriam's discomfort.  "I think Arden would be interested in meeting you. Perhaps you could let me show you to him? After that, if you'd like to depart, you'd be welcome to." 
achinca
Miriam shakes but hold on to Kurt. " You are right Father, I will let you lead us to Monk Arden. "

She whispers in Kurt's ear   "I do not want to be branded. I belong to no one ....  "

She follows Father Renyi wherever he is leading them.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia glances around and nervously whispers in Mithril's ear,  "What if a test?"  The fear of rejection mixes in with her fear of being marked, and she doesn't know which is worse.
Cavelcade
Kurt nods, awkwardly hugging her for a moment before he follows the priest, too.  "Don't worry. A brand is just another mark, you control who you are..." 
achinca
Miriam looks terrified as she walks with Kurt " But I am no mark on my body. And I grew up, we branded cattle to show who owned them. And Calric wanted to tattoo me with a C to show I was yours. I always refused. Branding means you are owned. Even our gods do not request a brand but instead have us carry symbols. I have already given all my possessions in my search for good. Must I also give my immaculate body? What else will my search for good require me to give? "

Kurt can see how hard is Miriam fighting her silent tears.
Admiral
Father Renyi leads Miriam down a short flight of stairs at the back of the cathedral, where they come out onto a small courtyard. The courtyard opens onto a larger field, where several paladins in majestic full-plate are riding their horses in circles, in some mixture of training and recreation.

In front of the stables stand two dozen monks, standing in three lines in some form of synchronized exercise. Among them are males and females, humans, elves, and a halfling, but what they all have in common is their outfits of plain cloth, and their expressions of quiet serenity. As Renyi, Kurt and Miriam approach, each executes the same synchronized arc with his foot, then follows with an overhand stretch towards the ground.

As Renyi approaches and gives a quick wave, one of the monks at the front finishes his motion and then drops out of the line to approach them. He chats with Renyi for a quick moment before the priest excuses himself, and then steps towards the visitors.

 "Hello there, Miriam and Kurt. My name is Arden, Groundskeeper of the Cardonne Cathedral."  His tone is more casual than the priest's: he talks to the pair as though they're already friends.  "I understand you are interested in learning more about the Church. I would love to share what I know, and also get to know a little more about you, but I was just about to start my rounds- would you mind joining me for the walk?"  He beckons the pair to follow him with an inviting smile.

As he starts to walk, he turns to Miriam.  "Forgive me if I am intrusive, but you seem a bit tense. Might I ask why?" 
Admiral
Izzik nods with a smile at Mithril's demonstration of the  see invisibility  spell. Then he takes his glasses from his pocket as he takes a look at the blueprints Natalia hands him. For a moment he furrows his brow with a confused expression, glancing back up at Natalia with a frown.

Then his face clears, back into a polite smile.  "Oh: you're looking for the engineering department. They handle admissions separately. Step outside, walk into the courtyard, then enter the second door on the right, across from the Ancient Languages office."  He nods at Mithril and Shiny.  "You should stay here, we'll finish up our chat." 
achinca
Miriam is taken back by the monk's perceptiveness. " Well... Sir ... Father .... Mister ... Arden .... Well yes a little. Well, a lot actually. See, I am a simple person, a cleric of St. Cuthbert who knows little and owns nothing by choice. However, I always knew I was free and not owned by anything. I have immigrated to your country and I must join one of the organizations to be a lawful citizen but in order to do that, I must be branded, showing that I am now owned. I will do what it required by the law but the idea of being owned and branded make me very uncomfortable. I have no mark on my body other than what St. Cuthbert decided to give me. You seem like a simple wise man and I know from Father Renyi that you took a Vow of Poverty like me. You are a wise man. How do you cope being branded and owned? And how do you reconcile your vow of poverty with the luxurious environment you live in? "

She stops and takes a step back. " I hope I did not offend you, Sir ... Father .. Mister Arden. I am just really curious about the issue. " She takes another step back and does a little bow to the monk.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia's spin straightens. Her face cracks into a broad smile; there's a place for her here. With a little squeak of happiness she says,  "Thank you,"  hugs her friends, then runs to the engineering department.

 
 Spoiler 
Thanks, Admiral!
 
Admiral
 "Just call me Arden,"  the monk says with his usual smile. He then examines the mark on the back of his right hand. The pair of crossed lines shimmer with a thousand colors.  "Would you believe, I've never heard the term 'branded' before with regard to a guildmark. For starters, the process is painless, and it's possible to remove should you wish to change guilds or emigrate. But more importantly, a guildmark doesn't represent ownership in any sense. It represents fidelity to a code of laws- a code no different than the laws of any country or government you've seen."

"You might ask why the guildmarks are necessary. When the guilds were first formed, over a century ago, guild membership was designated by an amulet worn around the neck. But guild citizenship offers many benefits and protections. Thus, a black market of stolen and forged amulets developed, allowing the dishonest to walk freely between guilds and take advantage of them. This market became so profitable to the point that innocent civilians were terrified of wearing their amulets in public lest they be killed for them." 
 "That was a dark time, until the guild founders came up with a miraculous solution- they developed a magical marking that could not be sold or stolen, and that was nearly impossible to disguise or imitate even by the most talented illusionists. The integrity of our guildmarks is what keeps our society together." 

He points towards a winding staircase at the side wall of the courtyard, encouraging the two of them to step in first. Once they do, he follows behind them, continuing his speech.

 
 Spoiler 
You're welcome to respond, or he'll continue soon.
 
Admiral
Natalia skips out of the door and heads into the courtyard, quickly spotting the door that Izzik was referring to. A few mages turn their heads at seeing the eager girl dash past them.

Once Natalia finds her way into the office, she is directed to an aged, wrinkled dwarf seated behind a desk, scribbling in a notebook. He glances up at Natalia as she approaches, and shuts the notebook.  "Good morning, young lady. I am Dresden Damore. And you are?" 
 
 Spoiler 
The Institute always had an engineering department (and history, and languages, and so on) ever since I came up with the setting- I had just neglected to mention it at the start. And I thought I would allow some suspense to be built.
 


------

Once Natalia has left, Izzik sits forward to continue talking to Mithril and Shiny- Shiny has reappeared into view, but for some impenetrable reason is now wearing an eyepatch again.

 "Those interested in magic, in improving their own mastery of it, in understanding its deeper secrets, and in spreading that knowledge, are always welcome in the Institute. But I would love to hear your questions. Is there anything you'd like to know about our guild?" 
Athedia
Mithril shifted a little nervously.  "How are relations with the Church? 
Admiral
Izzik's face falls slightly.  "Like all guilds, the Institute's relationship with the Threadmyr Church is peaceful and professional and based on mutual respect."  He speaks as though reading off a legal document.  "Why do you ask?" 
Athedia
 "Well as I said I worship Boccob and would like to visit his temple on occasion."   That and I want to visit out friends. 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia sits down, calms her breathing, again tries to measure out her words.  "Natalia Bolts. With friends in Institute...Looking for knowledge, learning. Good with machines, traps, dancing lightning."  Again she looks down at the guild brand and feels a pang of nervousness. She wants to join, but she doesn't like idea of being shackled. She needs to ask about this, especially since it seems like she and her friends didn't have much of a choice in the matter.

 
 Spoiler 
I thought that would be the case, but I just wasn't sure. And yeah, thank you! I agree with the suspense.

Natalia has much the same reservations as Miriam does, but I'm worried about asking them because I don't want to take up even more time doing this.
 
Admiral
 "Is the common language not your native tongue?"   the dwarf asks kindly. He repeats the question in Dwarven, then Elvish, Halfling, Gnome, and even stilted Undercommon.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia squirms, and says,  "Native, but...poor. I hear, I understand, I say the words but...don't come out."  She winces, and mentally braces herself.
Admiral
 "All right,"  the dwarf says, before apparently noticing her discomfort.  "Oh, quit squirming,"  he says, with the tone of a seasoned professor.  "You're more articulate than half the dwarven engineering faculty." 
 "So, machines and traps. Well, you're in the right place."  his eyes dart to the blueprints clenched in Natalia's hand.  "Do you have something there you'd like to show me?" 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by athedia 
  "Well as I said I worship Boccob and would like to visit his temple on occasion."   That and I want to visit out friends.  
 

Izzik thinks for a moment, then an idea seems to occur to him. He picks up a quill and starts writing on a pad in front of him. Even from across the desk, Mithril notices that the ink is absorbed into the pad and disappears almost immediately.  "There's someone I think you'd like to meet- he should be here in just a few minutes"  he says.

Izzik then turns to Shiny.  "So, what is your story?"  he asks, unwisely.

Five minutes later, Shiny has just reached the tale of his eleventh birthday and third royal pardon when there comes a knock on the door. Izzik opens it, grateful for the respite from Shiny's tale, and a middle-aged halfling steps in.  "Mithril?"  he asks cheerfully. "I'm Quart, and I'd love to talk to you a bit."

As they leave the room, he walks with her and asks,  "Would you be willing to tell me how you came to worship Boccob?" 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia sits up, and shows him some of her sketches.  "Just ideas. Always wanted to learn, magic, machines, everything." 

The blueprints contain several theoretical sketches of a weight-distribution system that would make carrying heavier loads easier. There's also something with gears, but it's badly smudged--it must have gotten damaged when Natalia was trying to make her way back.
Admiral
The professor takes the blueprints and lays them out on his desk, then peers down at them with deep concentration. After a minute of studying them, he takes a carpenter's pencil from behind his ear and absently starts writing calculations in the margins of the schematic, and then begins annotating the diagram itself. Five minutes pass as he studies (and, to some lesser extent, vandalizes) Natalia's diagrams.
CoffeeIncluded
If she's allowed, Natalia goes over to the desk to get a better look at what the professor's doing. She wishes she made another copy.

 
 Spoiler 
The sad thing is I kinda made up what Natalia was doing on the spot. I guess now she's was making a device for raising carrying capacity beyond given strength scores. And I just got an idea for another mechanical device. Is it too late to show that one too?
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
Not too late, go ahead.

I can multithread so anyone else is welcome to take an action (as long as Shiny is on his own he doesn't need to be narrated). I will get back to Miriam and Kurt's side once I'm off the train
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Um..."  Still a bit nervous, Natalia hands the professor another, much less finished sketch. It resembles the hidden blade sheath she made Mithril, but appears to be larger, and upgraded.

 
 Spoiler 
A hidden blade sheath that can handle shortswords as well as daggers, and takes less time to reset. Thanks, Admiral.
 
Cavelcade
 "Uh, if you don't mind - what exactly  are  the...laws, the rules of the Church? I have an idea but I don't know what we're expected to do."  Kurt is mostly keeping an eye on Miriam, though, wondering how she'll take it all. He hadn't realised how much it might feel like Calric's attempts to tattoo her.
Athedia
Mithril walked alongside Quart, suppressing the urge to slump down to make herself feel less like a giant. "Well an old man, a traveler, showed me some tricks one day.  When I asked how he did it, he directed me toward the temple.  I used to spend my days after helping my parents exploring the library.  At first I just read the old stories, of mages and knights and their adventures.  But soon I started sneaking into their restricted section, no children.  One of my brothers would distract them and I would hide, reading all the texts I could before they found me.  The clerics convinced my parents to let me study magic.  So I would still just be a fabric merchants daughter if Boccob's grace had not interceded." 
Admiral
 Natalia 

The professor finally finishes his study and looks back up. His expression is hard to read, but Natalia's first sense is that he is impressed.

 "You know that every schematic is like a signature? No, that's not quite right- it's like an autobiography. You can learn a lot about someone from looking at their work. Since you're a bit shy to talk about yourself-"  his expression makes it clear he means no malice-  "perhaps I can talk about yourself  for  you." 
 "First, you're clearly brilliant."  The dwarf's delivery makes it obvious he's not in the habit of giving compliments he doesn't believe.  "Your work shows creativity, originality, a capacity for nonlinear thinking, and a good grasp of the theoretical laws of mechanics." 
 "Second, I can tell you don't have formal training. You've invented your own notation that took me a few minutes to decipher, and your organization scheme is- nontraditional. Beyond that, on this page-"  he points to one of the diagrams of the weight-balancing mechanism-  "you're reinventing Gilgram's Ratchet- creatively, but a bit clumsily. Anyone who had taken a class in mechanics would be familiar with it." 
 "Thirdly, I know you've done more designing than you have actual building."  He circles one of the central springs on the weight-balancing mechanism.  "Every time the carrier takes a step, this spring will take almost all of the load. Real springs don't work like theoretical ones- they wear out when overused and overstrained. Unless you want to replace it every week, you would need a much thicker spring, one you can't fit without a complete redesign. Not to mention these load-bearing arms- made of wood they'll end up snapping. Made out of iron they're too heavy. Made out of mithral and they're too expensive." . He continues pointing out a few more issues he'd uncovered, politely but firmly, and for a minute the two get lost in design.

 "Where was I... oh yes- as I always tell my students, theory is nothing without practice. If you don't start building these things yourself- and I mean complicated machines, not just some woodworking- your designs will never go beyond pretty drawings." 
 Mithril 

The halfling smiles at Mithril's story, seeming somehow touched by it. The two cross the courtyard, where Quart unlocks a gate and beckons her to follow him down some stairs.

 "I am a follower of Boccob as well,"  says Quart.  "In one way you could even call me a priest of his. Let me tell you the story of how I came to him- and to the Institute as well." 
 "I grew up in Falcor, a land with a more traditional government than found here. My father was a wizard, but cared little for the gods. And the few times I found myself in the local temple of Boccob, I found myself similarly apathetic. And why shouldn't I have been? His own followers call him Boccob the Uncaring- if he's too selfish to care about mortals, why should we care about him?" 
 "My father was a skilled conjurer, but a clumsy teacher. After a few fruitless years of trying to teach me magic, he grew frustrated and decided to leave me in more professional hands. And so one day, he teleported me to the Guildsquare of Cardonne and then vanished, leaving me with only a small purse worth of gold and silver. I almost gave up the pursuit of magic on the spot, but decided to give it one more try by exploring the Institute. And what I found there made me understand Boccob at last."  The two reach the end of the stairs and step into an ominously long corridor.

 "Boccob isn't uncaring because he's selfish- he's uncaring because he's selfless. He doesn't need prayers, he doesn't need sacrifices, he doesn't need devotion or attention. He doesn't need warriors to crush his enemies or clerics to carry out his will. The one and only thing Boccob desires is the advancement of magic and knowledge. The way we can celebrate and worship him is to learn and expand that knowledge. And now, here we are..."  Quart pushes open a pair of large wooden doors, and extends his arm to invite Miriam inside.

 "I came to follow Boccob the exact same way you did- through a library. Like I said, I am a sort of priest of Boccob: I am the Librarian of the Cardonne Collection. And this..."  he extends his arm to point to the vast chamber they have entered. It is the grandest library Mithril has ever seen- stacks of books multiple stories tall, with studious wizards flying from shelf to shelf. Mithril can see signs dividing the library into sections based on magical schools- Divination, Evocation, Transmutation- and knows the books are filled with more magical knowledge and research than she could consume in a lifetime.

 "This is my temple." 
 
 Spoiler 
I  promise  the rest of the campaign won't have this many NPC monologues (and I'm just starting the latest batch). There is just a lot of introduction to do at this stage.
 
Admiral
 Kurt and Miriam 
 "The laws are almost entirely like the laws of any government you've experienced, not to mention the rules of your deities."  says Arden as he climbs behind them.  "Don't kill, don't steal, don't cheat- that sort of thing. There's a tribute you're expected to pay- though of course it's waived for those who have taken the vow- and there's the guildmark, but other than that, unless you choose yourself to take a more active role in a Guild, you might find that life in Eldgar is no different than anywhere else." 
 "Oh, one rule that some newcomers have trouble with,"  Arden adds, almost as an afterthought-  "there's no worship of the so-called 'evil gods.' That's a foreign superstition we've moved beyond in Eldgar- it's considered rude to even bring them up by name." 
 "Now, Miriam, as to your other question-"  The churchbells ring, and Arden halts on the stairs.  "Ah! Noon,"  he exclaims.  "That means the orchestra is about to begin their afternoon hymns. Have you ever heard an orchestra?  he asks with a sort of excitement.  "I know that overseas anything larger than a quartet is rare, but music is important to the Church, and among our ranks are some true pioneers..."  Through the stone walls, they can make out the sounds of a choir starting to sing, accompanied by an organ and soon joined by what sounds like a harp.
achinca
Miriam follows Arden still holding on to Kurt. " No I have never heard an orchestra before. It should be interesting. "

She stops before asking " So the brand, the mark, if I return to Hulburg, would it automatically disappear? Or do I have to go through a process? And where on my body am I supposed to get marked? "

She does not follow up on the Vow question because she sensed it made Arden nervous.

She whispers to Kurt   "I will do it. As much as I will hate myself for getting branded, I will do it. I am here to stop the evil machination we uncovered in Hulburg. I have lives to save and if I need to let myself disfigured and owned, I will do it. I knew the path to good is sometimes painful, degrading and humiliating. I will let them mark me.  "
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia's speechless by the praise. Finally, someone outside...Though didn't Torin and Karik say they were from here?

Natalia asks,  "At home, no chance to learn, study, not beyond the bakery, beyond Torin and Karik...Here?" 

She spends time looking at the professor's notes and listening to him, taking pride in the fact that she can understand most of his revisions.

 
 Spoiler 
It's fine with the monologue; Natalia really needs the praise, heh. I'd gush OOC but I can't exactly do that right now.
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
It's unlikely Miriam would ask where the guildmark goes, as Arden and everyone she's met so far has the guildmark on the back of their right hand. I should have made that clearer.
 

 "The guildmarks vanish beyond the borders of Eldgar, though they reappear if you return to the continent. But anyone who would like the guildmark permanently removed can come to the Church and ask- outside of criminals and fugitives, we will always remove it. The spell is brief and completely painless." 
 "But let's talk about the vow of poverty. And let's talk about this cathedral, and let's talk about 'luxury.'"  The three then reach the top of the stairs, where they come out onto the ramparts of the cathedral. The sound of the orchestra below rises to them, distant but beautiful. Arden closes his eyes and takes a deep breath as he listens.

 
 Spoiler 
If this post had a soundtrack, I like to think it would be  this .
 

 "Do you hear that harp?"  Arden asks, his fingers following the melody absent-mindedly.  "The young lady playing it so masterfully is named Vera D'Acura- a worshipper of the sun god Pelor. You know, she was born without the power of sight. But she tells me that when she hears the melody conjured by her harp, she knows in her heart what a sunrise looks like, and when the orchestra responds, she sees the sunset as clear as anyone."  He opens his eyes again to look at Miriam.  "For Vera, this music is anything but a luxury. She speaks to her god with every note." 
 "Or consider the choir. Among them are seven farmers, four dockworkers, maids, streetcleaners... these men and women come and sing every day because this is their form of service. They don't have the gift of divine magic that your god has granted you- they have only their talent. Does that make them less worthy of our respect?" 
 "Let's consider the rest of this cathedral."  As the three of them walk along the ramparts, Arden points to an ornate stone statue- a depiction of the god Odin, seated in his throne atop a pedastal, watching with his one eye over the Guildsquare.

 "This is a lovely piece."  Arden notes.  "Its sculptor is Dreydol Wildwood- a local elf, over 200 years of age. Dreydol is a worshipper of Correlon Larethian- the elven god of the arts. He's devoted his life, his work, and his truly exceptional talents to the celebration of the divine, in all its many forms." 

Arden points above the statue, to the frescoes and mosaics adorning the cathedral.  "There you can see Moradin at his forge, creating the first dwarves out of the raw minerals of the earth, and at his side is Berronar Truesilver, his wife, blessing his work. Over there is Boccob, Archmage of the Deities, his staff at his side."  He then points to a stone depiction Miriam recognizes immediately.  "And of course, St Cuthbert of the Cudgel, brandishing his mace. All of these frescoes were donated by Dreydol." 

Arden turns to Miriam with a friendly smile.  "Dreydol's gift of his talents will live on in this cathedral for centuries after he has joined his god- that's how he's chosen to serve the divine. Hundreds of thousands of worshippers will enjoy his work every morning. Can you or I judge him for that choice? Can we demand that these works be torn down, so he can be as humble as we are?" 

Arden continues to walk, beckoning Miriam to come along.  "You may have noticed the stained glass windows- a popular artifice that in my understanding is rare outside of Eldgar. These were constructed by another talented artist- Ellyl Winterbrook of Marvel, who has also devoted her life's work to depictions of the gods. The art that adorns the interior of the church was painted by Helton Black, a follower of Baldur. The swords and shields of our paladins were forged by many hardworking blacksmiths, under the leadership of Boron, a dwarf cleric of Moradin. You and I will never touch a sword or shield. Should we thus think less of their work?" 
 "Monks like me built this church, stone by stone, back when this city was a tiny fraction of its size. These men had nothing to give to their gods but their strength, and they granted it gladly. Can you imagine what it was like for them to climb these stairs for the first time, and to be closer to the heavens than they could have ever dreamed?" 
 "You could ask what good these gifts do when there are people who are sick and starving,"  Arden continues.  "But even now, our afternoon service is starting- over a thousand in attendance- and donations are being gathered. Millions of gold pieces are collected every year by the Church's many houses of worship, all for the purpose of feeding the poor and healing the sick and wounded. As I've described, every piece of this cathedral is donated, from the construction to the art to the Men of the Vow who maintain it. And so the donations go to those who need them- from the slums of the capital city to the struggling villages in the Outerlands, our traveling clerics do their good works." 
 "Some clerics are coordinated by the Church, but others follow their deities in their own way- free of any obligation to the Church outside of their guildmark. The Horizon Walkers are clerics of Fharlanghn, god of roads, who wander Eldgar and find what adventure they can. The Woodland Circle are druids of Ehlonna of the Forest- they have taken it upon themselves to preserve the natural forests and its inhabitants. The Servants of the Sun are clerics of Pelor who travel the continent offering healing to all the ill and wounded, regardless of their guild affiliation." 

The three then reach a loft situated above the cathedral. Looking down they see the services beginning, and at the front the orchestra begins to crescendo.

 "Worship is not a contest, to be won by the greatest sacrifice,"  the monk muses.  "Worship is a symphony. Just as every instrument in an orchestra offers a different piece of the melody, everyone who worships contributes whatever they have- their talent, their time, their gold, their prayers."  He looks deeply at Miriam.  "You and I have given everything we have to give. And yet every day on the battlefields of the world, there are those who give more." 
 "Everyone takes the vow of poverty for their own reasons. Some are punishing themselves for sins of the past, some are rebelling against corruption and greed they see in the world, some simply cannot stand to consume while others go hungry. My own path does include some of those reasons."  Arden closes his eyes, and smiles as the music reaches its final peak.  "But in the end, I guess I took the vow because I learned that the greatest pleasure- admiring what gifts the faithful have to give- is free." 
achinca
Miriam looks at the mark on Arden's hand and her immaculate hand and cringes.

" Father Arden, can someone wear gloves in Eldgar? What would happen to the bra.. the mark? "

She listens to Arden eloquent speech and at the end, says nothing. She is speechless. She feels petty and unworthy in front of such a Holy Man. She opens her mouth but says nothing.

" Damn priests. Leave it to them to continuously make me feel like a simple farm girl who knows nothing. I am so humiliated. "

She just nods at the monk, having no answer or counter arguments to his speech.
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
 Natalia asks,  "At home, no chance to learn, study, not beyond the bakery, beyond Torin and Karik...Here?"  
 

The dwarf nods as he returns the blueprints to her.  "Here there is a place for you to study, to build, and to develop your skills- if you want it. But it would require focus and work on your part." 
 "You mentioned before that you were interested in merging the magical with the mechanical. That is not my field, but there  is  a department that specializes in it- Magical Technology. If you do join the guild, and you are interested in learning more, I can set you up with an appointment." 
 
 Spoiler 

Please see OOC for discussion.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia just sits, stunned. This can't be happening. No way; this is just a dream. She somehow nods, and says,  "...Okay. Or even just machines." 
 
 Spoiler 
This...Is not an easy decision to make.
 
Athedia
Mithril walked into the room slowly, spinning around to view the vast array of books.  She slowly stepped up to the closest bookshelf, cautiously reaching out as though it would disappear as she touched it.  She stood that way for a little before turning back to Quart.  Tears of joy running down her face she smiled, her face saying all that she felt.
Admiral
 Miriam and Kurt 
 "In all but the coldest, most northern villages in Eldgar, gloves are generally taboo. Someone who wears gloves would be treated much like someone who wears a mask would in your home country- with suspicion and distrust."

"Most of Eldgar is a warm or mild climate, so only the northernmost villages are cold enough to merit such garments. Of those, many are Firm mining operations, where those from other guilds are banned from entry, and others are small villages that everyone knows each other anyway. In any case, such regions are the smallest exception, and they handle it in their own ways." 
achinca
Miriam looks at her hand, imagine the mark on it and closes her eyes.  "If it is what the gods decided for me, let it be. Think of it as an arranged marriage. "

She nods as Arden, resigned to be marked as a member of the Church.
Cavelcade
Kurt understands the tension running through Miriam, seeing how the eloquent monk has deftly taken apart her structure, her base. As the music swells, he leans in to quietly whisper, just loud enough for her to hear.   "You are still a good person, Miriam. Don't forget that, either."   Then he looks over at Arden.

 "Where do we go to get the brand...and what  does  need doing around here, anyway? I want to be able to use whatever skills I have..."  Though he doesn't forget the reason they're here, a chance to help has been put in front of him.  "I have felt the call of my God, lately, to protect the weak with the graces he's giving me. I don't want to let him down." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Please...Show, can I see?"  She waits to see wherever she should go next. Natalia's gleeful with the possibilities opened to her, her opportunities. Now she remembers what Torin and Karik mentioned about the Institute, things that she dismissed, as a place she'd never go and so wasn't worth thinking about. As it would just be painful--but here it is. She's worried about the mark, but...

 
 Spoiler 
Natalia's tutors, Torin and Karik, were a halfling raised by gnomes, and a kobold. One was a trapsmith, the other a combat trapsmith. In your homebrew, I guess that they were both part of the Institute. Take Natalia wherever she needs to go, and thank you for talking this out with me.
 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by Cavelcade 
  "Where do we go to get the brand...and what  does  need doing around here, anyway? I want to be able to use whatever skills I have..."  Though he doesn't forget the reason they're here, a chance to help has been put in front of him.  "I have felt the call of my God, lately, to protect the weak with the graces he's giving me. I don't want to let him down."  
 

When the orchestra finishes, Arden turns to Kurt and claps him on the shoulder warmly.  "A wise impulse, for which you deserve credit. All our gods have their plans and designs for us, but not all choose to listen." 
 "Those who join the Church can follow two paths. Some, like myself, take on a full position in the guild's ranks- our preachers, soldiers, healers, and so on. But not all wish to devote their lives to the guild in that way, so they live as Church citizens, generally free to serve their deity as they see fit- they need not even attend services unless they desire to do so."

"But those who serve as citizens can still take on jobs and missions for the Church. There are always people to be helped, often in the country or outer-lands where our clergy are few and our influence is weak. Any time you are interested in such work, just find a Guild office. We need all kinds of workers, but healers and warriors most of all." 

When Miriam agrees to join, he similarly smiles at her.  "Come with me."  He leads them back down the stairs. As he climbs, he turns to Miriam with a sympathetic expression.  "Please don't be alarmed- the marking is painless and simple, but the process around it is a bit dramatic. It is simply for the sake of security- as I mentioned, the possibility of forging guildmarks is too dangerous to contemplate." 

He calls for a pair of paladins, who lead Kurt and Miriam down into the catacombs below the church. As they descend, the beauty of the upper levels transforms into a more utilitarian atmosphere, one built around security and secrecy. The guards open a gate, and they find themselves in a subdued basement, with a few paladins stationed around under flickering lamps.

At the center of the chamber is a hooded figure; he might be human but it is impossible to tell for sure. He beckons the two newcomers over, and draws out a device that is chained to the floor.
achinca
Miriam follows Arden, holding onto Kurt and her quarterstaff. As more paladins join then, she feels less and less comfortable but keep on walking.

When they enter the room with the hooded man, she starts trembling and shaking and extends her right hand. She wishes she had her hood to hide her face and her tears.

Visions of cattle being branded flesh through her mind and is the image of a evil griming Calric tattooing "C" all over her body.
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by athedia 
 Mithril walked into the room slowly, spinning around to view the vast array of books.  She slowly stepped up to the closest bookshelf, cautiously reaching out as though it would disappear as she touched it.  She stood that way for a little before turning back to Quart.  Tears of joy running down her face she smiled, her face saying all that she felt. 
 

Quart smiles widely at the wizard's expression.  "I've been serving as Librarian for 20 years, and it still amazes me every day. I'm glad you feel the same way." 

Quart beckons.  "Technically, I'm breaking the rules by letting you in her before you're a member. If you do decide to join, please come back and I'll show you around." 

As the two depart the library, Quart continues telling her about the library.  "Along with the vast quantity of research, history, theory, and the like, the Library contains a catalog of thousands of spells gathered from around the world. Any Institute member can copy any of them, for only a small fee." 
 
 Spoiler 
Fee is 50gp per spell level. I go back and forth on whether distinct spell levels exist in game- didn't ZMan have some approach to that?
 
Admiral
 Miriam and Kurt 

The figure takes Miriam's hand gently, and applies the device to it, then
mutters a few arcane words. There is a flash of light, but no pain or even
discomfort on her hand, such that Miriam is sure the branding somehow
failed. But when the device is removed, she looks at her hand and sees the
crossed lines of the Threadmyr Church, reflecting the dim light in a
thousand colors that somehow seems flat and deep at the same time.

From behind her she hears Arden's voice, in a comforting tone.  "Welcome to the Threadmyr Church, Miriam Sunfollower of St. Cuthbert." 
 
 Spoiler 
In terms of what the insignias look like, think of a 2D hologram, like those foil baseball cards.

Kurt will get marked afterwards- Cavelcade's welcome to summarize it as he wants.
 
achinca
Miriam looks at the mark, not understanding how he did not work. But the mark is there, sign that she is owned by something greater than her own free will.

Her first reaction is to hide it with the other hand but then changes her mind, given the company. She takes a step back and lowers her head, looking at Kurt.

" I hate it. I simply hate it. "

She turns around at the sound of Arden's voice and just nods.
CoffeeIncluded
Looking at the mark on the dwarf's hand, Natalia has another question.  "Why mark? Why brand? Saw Torin and Karik, far away with none." 
Athedia
Mithril reluctantly left the library.   "Where do I join?"  There was no doubt or worry in her mind.  A mark in exchange for access to the most knowledge she had ever seen, there was no bargain like it.
Cavelcade
Kurt doesn't hesitate when his turn comes along, thrusting his hand forward. The mark he's about to receive means something more hopeful to him than it obviously does to Miriam. For him, it's an affirmation of what he just said, a growing sense of connection to his god, and dedication to his own ideals. He must never fail himself again - try to never give in to his temptations for wealth and power. He couldn't remember what happened when he had died, but he knew why and he had felt the loss when he woke up, a regression to an earlier stage, when he'd had only his own rage to lean on to drive him forward.

He smiles upon seeing the mark standing out on his skin, peace filling him for the first time since he'd left his homeland. If he couldn't go back there, he'd have to carry his home with him, and this sign would help him.
CoffeeIncluded
Torin and Karik, they left just a couple months after meeting her, and if not for her, they would have moved on sooner, Natalia muses. Where did they go? Have they returned here by now? Would she see them again? Her mind then wanders to Mithril and Shiny. She hopes they're doing well here, and wonders how their interviews are going.
Admiral
 Kurt and Miriam 

Kurt and Miriam are escorted from the basement. Once they are back in the main hall, with services continuing at the front, Arden bids them farewell.

 "Kurt, I hope you find peace in your new devotion to Kord, however you choose to honor him- in sport, in battle, in heroic action, or simply in prayer. If you have questions along your journey, we will always be here. And Miriam,"  he clasps her hand with his own in a goodbye gesture, with a sympathetic expression-  "I know today has not been easy for you. I hope you take what I told you about the Church to heart. The Church does not own its citizens- we serve only our deities, and the Church exists only to help us do so. Perhaps one day you will view your guildmark with pride, as I do." 
 Mithril 

Quart grins with delight when Mithril agrees to join the Institute.  "Right this way." 

Quart takes the young wizard to a clerk, then says his goodbye. The clerk takes some information from Mithril, including her name and some basic questions about her spellcasting abilities. Once complete, he writes something down on a pad similar to the one Mithril had seen on Izzik's desk, and after a few moments a hooded figure appears out of midair behind him. Mithril recognizes the effect from when the mage reinforcements arrived at the outpost. The hooded, cloaked figure carries a large device inscribed with runes that Mithril cannot recognize, and he beckons for her hand to inscribe the Institute's mark.

Once Mithril leaves the Institute, she recognizes Shiny in the middle of the courtyard, talking to some young men and women she doesn't recognize. Even from a distance she spots the five pointed star on the back of his hand. She then notices he's gesturing towards various sectors of the university, and describing them in an authoritatitive tone. One snippet floats to her-  "Over there are the freshman dormitories, which were the site of the great Amateur's Duel of 843 that left eleven people stranded on the astral plane-"  and it becomes clear he has someone decided to pose as a tour guide.

 Natalia 

The dwarven professor writes down an office number and a time on a bit of parchment and pushes it across the table.  "Stop by this afternoon- I'll let him know you're coming. You should go back to admissions to join officially first, though."

"In answer to your question- the guildmarks vanish when someone leaves Eldgar, though they can reappear when the person returns." 
 
 Spoiler 
Sorry, don't have time to write more. In general, unless you have any questions you can each assume the process of guildmarking is done and rejoin the others. Natalia can write her own guildmarking scene- it's not particularly different from the others. Of course you can still attend to any business you need to, or post a summary post.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Thank you,"  Natalia says with a nod.

The walls seem to close in around Natalia as she prepares to be marked. She squeezes her eyes shut as the stamp is pressed against her hand, cool and firm. She cracks one eyelid open as she sees the brand, the five-pointed star, shimmering on her hand. Part wonder, part fear, part numbness as she tilts her hand back and forth, watching the colors dance and change. Natalia runs her fingers along the mark but it feels the same, the same color as the res of her hand. She's marked now, part of the guild.

As Natalia goes to meet up with her friends, catch up, maybe get some lunch, something coils in her stomach.   Have I made a mistake?  
 
 Spoiler 
It's okay, you tend to have very thorough and long posts. I take it you had errands to run today?
 
achinca
Miriam nods at Arden " Time will tell, Father Arden. "

She follows Kurt " Hulburg citizens did not have to wear a mark. Just the soldiers. I do not care what that monk said. I am branded. We are all branded. I guess it is just another test in front of me. How much am I willing to sacrifice in my search for good. "

She keeps looking at the mark, hating it but knowing that it is the laws of the land she decided to go and she must respect them.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia approaches Shiny and Mithril in the courtyard. She rubs the back of her hand self-consciously, still wondering how she can't feel the difference, and asks Mithril,  "Appointment for later. How...Did yours go?"  She looks around, and snickers at Shiny's antics.  "Find Miriam and Kurt?"  Natalia's a bit worried about Miriam, who seemed to have taken the prospect worse than she did. At least, that's what the rogue thinks; she was kinda out of it yesterday.

 
 Spoiler 
How's everyone doing? So, uh, what benefits does everyone get from their guilds? Since Mithril gets cheaper spells, but Shiny's a spontaneous spellcaster, Natalia can't cast spells, and Miriam and Kurt are in a different guild.

I'm really excited for the appointment but I don't want to bog everyone down.
 
Cavelcade
 
 Spoiler 
How does Natalia know how Miriam took the process?🤨
 


Kurt just nods too, caught up in his own thoughts and emotions, before he turns to Miriam.  "We will be okay Miriam. Even if we are branded for now...just a mark of my faith."  Kurt seems completely earnest in his belief at least.
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Originally Posted by Cavelcade 
  
 Spoiler 
How does Natalia know how Miriam took the process?🤨
 
 
 

 
 Spoiler 
By process, Natalia meant the idea of being marked. I should have said prospect; I'll go change that now. She saw yesterday that Miriam really didn't like the idea.
 


Natalia keeps poking at her mark, watching it change colors in the light but not by her touch.
achinca
Miriam looks at the dwarf and forces herself to smile. She puts her hand on his chest where his heart is " This is where the mark is. This where the sign of who you worship is. Your brand should be the actions you take. Anyone that can mark you owns you. But I know that the gods love to test us mortals. "

The smile disappears " It is OK, my friend Kurt. As soon as what we need to do is Eldgar is done, I will have this brand removed and will never again put the feet in this land. "
Admiral
Shiny grins as he sees Mithril and Natalia approaching, and walks with the two of them out of the university.  "Originally they weren't going to let me in,"  he said.  "But then I demonstrated a spell that guaranteed my entry: my spell for picking locks. Well, demonstrated is an exaggeration: I used the spell to sneak my way into their storage room, found their magical brand, and applied the guildmark to myself." 

The three new Institute members walk out onto the guildsquare. As they do, they spot Miriam and Kurt approaching from the Church and walk to join them.

 
 Spoiler 
All together again
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia grins as she hears Shiny's story. Frankly, she wouldn't be surprised if he actually had gone and done that. The rogue feels a bit better about her decision as she rejoins the others. She raises the back of her hand to show them and says,  "They wanted me. Not just magic, machines too. All learning. Meeting later for me, but...they wanted me." 

She tilts her head when she notices Miriam's drawn expression.  "...You okay?" 
achinca
Miriam forces herself to smile as she unconsciously put her hand behind her back. " I am fine. It is what it is. "

She looks at the 4 heroes " They all seem fine with their brand. What is wrong with me? Is it like possessions? I cannot deal with them? Calric was right. I am strange. Everyone is this land is happy to be branded. Why am I so different? "

She nods at Natalia " Everything's good "
CoffeeIncluded
 "Then why hide?"  Natalia asks.  "Not of shame, not a thief's brand...do you...talk about it? Want to? Please, no hiding, no shadows from sun." 
 
 Spoiler 
Natalia's not entirely thrilled with the mark either, though the excitement's outstripped her fears, at least for now. She's going to want to talk to Miriam later though, but not in public. Is that okay; can we do that?
 
achinca
Miriam forces herself to smile " No. Everything is good. "

" Poor Natalia. After all she's gone through, she does not need my craziness. They all are fine with their brand. Look at Mithril and Kurt, so proud of them. Calric was right, I am a piece of work. I am crazy. The poor girl does not need my issues. "

" I just don't ....... like markings on my body. "
CoffeeIncluded
Ah. Natalia understands.  "Mark means brand means own?"  She nods her head.  "Same fears for me. But don't own. Still myself. Tattoo your body, marks meant for you, special pictures, name of friends and family...owned by tattooer, or owned by you? Your choice."  She steps out of the busy street, lifts her shirt to show the ugly red scar tissue cutting across her side.  "Spiders marked me, but...don't own me. If anything...I own them, own their lives." 
 
 Spoiler 
I'm about to go, which is why I posted this now.
 
achinca
Miriam looks at Natalia and tries to mimic her speak " but marks ... choice not mine .... forced ..... accept or leave .... so yes owned " hoping to confirm she finally understood "Nutspeak".
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia nods. Miriam understood.  "True, but...your choice there, or anywhere."  She looks down at her mark with a frown.  "You want it off? Guildless, protected by us?" 
 
 Spoiler 
Hey, Admiral, are there going to be guildwalkers here like in your other aborted campaign?

Also, see you all in several hours. I may be on OOC some time but don't count on it.
 
achinca
Miriam shakes her head. " Cannot. Must respect laws. If not ..... St. Cuthbert disrespected. Worse than brand. "

She looks at Natalia hoping she will be convinced. " I need to do a better job at hiding my craziness. If I don't stop being so open, even them will get sick of it. I could not survive losing them. I got to stop showing how crazy I am. "
Cavelcade
 "Leave it be, Natalia. This isn't something we'll resolve here. We all have our own issues."  Kurt's growing uncomfortable with this whole discussion, out here in the open.  "We've all made our choice for this - now let's go on with what we're here for." 
Admiral
Shiny nods.  "Let's find somewhere to spend the night. It sounds like we all have some errands- we can set out in the morning." 

As the party walks towards the adventurer's quarter to find an inn, Shiny asks,  "Have we decided where we're going first?" 
 
 Spoiler 
It is a few minutes after noon. The city of Marvell in the southern frontier is a week's journey by horse if that's where people want to go.
 
achinca
" I will go to whatever inn you guys choose and will ask if I can use the stables free of charges. If not, I can sleep in the street. It does not bother me. And I think we should follow the Minister's instructions and try to connect with the group before us. "
Cavelcade
Kurt looks over and nods slowly in agreement.  "We can see if there's anything that needs doing down there as well, one of the guilds must need something surely..." 
Athedia
Mithril had watched the conversation, bemused by the words but heartened by Miriam's attempts to understand Natalia.  Hearing that Miriam hoped to stay in the stables she interjected.   "Would it not be cheaper to get one room for us."  Gesturing toward the females of the group  "And one for Shiny and Kurt.  Even if not, I insist you stay with me, free of charge.  Think of it as a thank you for Whisker's treats." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Please,"  says Natalia.  "No streets needed. Free with us. " She looks at the others and says,  "I have appointment tonight...hopefully short."
 
 
 Spoiler 
I'll edit and add more later when I'm home from my internship and can get to an actual computer, including a response to Miriam.
 
Admiral
 "Sounds good,"  says Shiny. As they continue, he whispers out of the side of his mouth,  "Smart, Mithril- stick Kurt with my leviathan-like snoring." 

The party reaches a fairly nice inn, and are able to get two rooms for the night for a gold piece each, along with a small fee for storing the horses and Shiny's pony overnight.

 
 Spoiler 
I don't have any shopping to do (Shiny is saving up a bit of gold), but if others have shopping or errands to do now's the time. Natalia can go to her appointment once she gets the chance.

Either tonight or tomorrow (IRL), depending on what people have to do here, we will be leaving town- sounds like consensus is to head to Marvell to find the previous group? Kurt is right that there will be plenty of work down there as well.
 


 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
  
 Spoiler 
Hey, Admiral, are there going to be guildwalkers here like in your other aborted campaign?
 
 
 

 
 Spoiler 
Now, you don't really expect me to answer that, do you?
 
achinca
Miriam nods at Mithril " It cannot be a trade. I make holy water for Whiskers because I care about him. I do not expect any favors or thank you. I will accept your offer of lodging but will pray to St. Cuthbert that it is not a break of my vow. "

She stops and before adding " Sleeping in the streets in not an insult nor below anyone. A lot of people are doing it because they have no choice. I choose to walk their path. For the same reason, my robe and sandals are used and show signs of wear and tears and ..... "

EDIT: Miriam stops in mid-sentence " I am so sorry. I did not mean to preach. I am so sorry. "

She lowers her eyes and looks at the mark on her right hand.
Admiral
Shiny shrugs.  "Were you preaching? I could have sworn those were the first few lines of an old joke." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia says to Miriam,  "Then gift from friends,"  before saying to the group,  "Back soon, promise. Just errands. Won't leave again." 
 
 Spoiler 

(I want to try and do the appointment today, and I do plan to shop. Can I buy things through the guild? I'll be home in a couple hours and will be able to post properly then. And I do want to talk about my day ooc if I can. I don't want to take too much ic time though.)
 
achinca
Miriam gives a surprised look at Shiny " But Shiny Truthteller and Parttime Liar, you should know that stuck up priestesses like me have no sense of humor and do not know jokes. "

Her left hand goes over her right hand, covering the mark.
Admiral
 "That's nonsense,"  says Shiny.  "Just last week, I remember you telling us the tale of the dwarf from Roandock, who was so short he could-"  he scratches his head-  "no, I guess it was me who told that one." 
Athedia
 "Not a trade, I am only looking out for myself here.  If Whiskers notices his treat giver is missing then I am the one without sleep." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "And myself,"  says Natalia.  "Help who heals me."  Her lips twitch in a smile. In a way, she's kind of like Shiny now. Or at least his inverse, telling lies about herself to make others feel better. Because that's not why she wants Miriam to sleep indoors, not because she owes her.

Natalia hugs the rest of the group and says,  "Back soon, by dinner. Promise. Please...wait, Stories to tell then, right?"  before running off back to the guild. She has an appointment to keep.

 
 Spoiler 
Okay, back from the internship. I want to do the appointment today before returning to the others, though if it takes too long we can cut it short. I don't want to drag. I also want to go shopping for Natalia and...actually, PM heading your way, Admiral.

EDIT: I think I have enough for a bag of holding!
 
Cavelcade
Kurt chuckles a little at Shiny's remarks.  "Yes, I remember that well. You're lucky I'm tall for a dwarf, or I might've thought you were talking about me." 
CoffeeIncluded
About halfway to the guild, Natalia suddenly realizes what the end to Shiny's story probably included. People probably turn and stare as she doubles over, snorting and holding back laughter.

 
 Spoiler 
This took way too long to do, but is it better? I think the grammar is better, though I can't do colored text. And Admiral, was Shiny getting into a man from Nantucket dirty joke that got cut off because of censors?
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
It's cut off in the interest of good taste. Anyway, what's funny about limericks isn't that they end with a dirty word- it's that by that point it has no other choice.
 


Natalia reaches the guild headquarters and navigates her way through the somewhat eccentric layout to find the room written on the piece of paper. She finds the door unlocked, and opens it to enter.

 
 Spoiler 

DC 20 spot check. If failed, Reflex save DC 20.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia takes a good look around before opening the door. She's excited, but a bit disoriented and trying to reorient herself.

 (d20+9)[ 24 ] 
 (d20+9)[ 16 ] 
 
 Spoiler 
I think those are the modifiers, but I can't check right now, could you please doublecheck? And sorry, but I can't check dice rolls in spoilers on my phone.
 
Admiral
Natalia pulls the door open and is about to step into the room- a dense workspace, with a few benches covered in tools and contraptions- when she spots suspicious below her. Bending down, she finds a tripwire reaching across the bottom of the entryway, about a foot and a half off the ground. Glancing to both sides, she notices the wire wrap around a few nails serving as makeshift pulleys before reaching- to her discomfort- a small crossbow mounted above the door. She pulls her head back, before noticing with relief that the head of the crossbow is covered by small lump of wax.

A voice comes from nearby, surprising her.  "Finding the trap is the first step- necessary but not sufficient. How would you proceed?"  The voice is young and tense, as if tightened by screws.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia bites her tongue, proud of her ability to find the trap. But then again, she's set things like this before. The rogue pauses, then says, trying to throw her voice to another distance,  "In silence, warn friends. Then,"  she traces the distance with her finger, trying to find the way the wire runs,  "find the rope. Cut the rope. Pull the thread, it all falls down. From a safe distance,"  she adds.

 
 Spoiler 
Will add color when I get home, sorry. At least the grammar's good, though this takes forever.
 
Admiral
The voice returns-  "Can you disable this one without setting it off?" 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Um..."  she looks at the clutter, the way the wire's set up. Balancing in the mess and reaching the bolt are the two biggest problems. She takes out her tools.  "Easier without clutter...I think so."   (d20+13)[ 17 ]  disable device  
 Spoiler 
I think that's my modifier. Let me guess, no taking 10 or 20? edit: Damn. I won't be laughed out of the building, am I?
 
Admiral
Natalia knows she has to cut into the wire while still holding on to it- the trap is probably set up to fire when the wire gets either tighter or goes slack. She squeezes her pliers on the wire to prevent it from moving, then puts her knife a few inches down and starts cutting. But she's nervous about being watched, and when the wire snaps she flinches. Her flinching hand pulls the wire just a bit too much, and the trap springs.

 
 Spoiler 

Arrow attack against Natalia's AC 19 (incl trapsense):  (1d20+10)[ 22 ] 
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Oh fu-"  Natali ducks down, desperately trying to get out of the way.

 
 Spoiler 
No trapsense until next level; Natalia has the penetrating strike acf. Also, sorry but what's the attack roll? I cant see it in spoilers on my phone.
 
Admiral
Natalia tries to move out of the way, but the device was set on a very fast trigger that even her reflexes can't match. The wax-tipped dart hits her head with an anticlimactic bounce, before dropping to the floor harmlessly.

The trapmaker steps out from behind the bench, and Natalia is surprised to see an attractive, slender woman in her early 30s, with long black hair tied into a ponytail. From the tense voice it had been difficult to distinguish her gender, but when she speaks now she is relaxed, if a bit impersonal.

 "Your approach was the right one, from what I could see. Some would have tried it along the wall, out of the way of the arrow, but that would have made it more difficult to hold on to the wire- and keeping the pulleys between you and the trap make it less sensitive to the tremors of your wrist. And it would have required stepping over the trap first- in practice, you might not know whether there was a second trap to be sprung."  She speaks confidently and knowledgeably- it's clear Natalia is not the first to take the test, or to fail it. She steps over to the door and unspools a length of wire from a coil to reset the trap. She snaps the bolt back into place and ties the wire around an outstretched lever, then wraps it around the door frame- working quickly and efficiently.

 "Your problem isn't your strategy or your precision- it's your nervousness. If you're afraid of a little test like this, how will you fare when the lives of yourself and your comrades depend on you?"  She finishes resetting the trap, then turns towards Natalia with her first smile.  "You must be Natalia. I'm Professor Sara Weldon, I research trap construction and neutralization." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia gulps when she sees the source of the voice. Her cheeks, already burning red with embarrassment at her slip-up, now flare a bit brighter, and for an entirely different reason.

She watches as Sara resets the trap, carefully observing the exact procedure. Her confidence returns slightly as Sara applauds her technique and it dawns on Natalia that she isn't going to be instantly kicked out for her failure. When Sara discusses her problems, Natalia starts to say,  "Then me alone, others behind. If only me, and others safe, then--" 

But Natalia stops. She remembers what happened when she woke up in the medical tent, how she heard Mithril's voice somewhere in the dark, and woke to them all embracing her, nearly giddy with relief. How could she say she's disposable to them?

She tries again.  "I...Want to learn. Traps, machines. Keep friends safe, myself safe. Slacken nerves, so they don't...cut." 
Admiral
 "The most foolish thing a trapsmith can say is that she's expendable,"  says Sara matter-of-factly.  "She has two tasks- to neutralize the threat, and to keep herself breathing to take care of the next one. Deep in a crypt, she might be the only reason anyone gets out alive." 

Sara steps over to her workbench.  "My own days of searching dungeons are over. The pay was good, but the challenges were too few and far between. In research, I face a new challenge every morning. Here, let me show you what I'm working on now-" 

She steps over to a contraption on top of one of the benches, featuring what appears to be a thin drumskin spread across a hoop. Sara puts her finger to her lips, then flips a lever into a locked position. She then walks back a couple of paces, measuring her steps carefully. Once she's five steps away, she gives a single deliberate clap- and the lever snaps forward in response. She grins in a brief moment of satisfaction, before jotting something down in a notebook.

 "Tripwires, plates, pits- they're tactile, so they can be discovered and avoided. But traps that can hear you coming- that's a new generation of security. Still not ready for production, though."  Her attention returns to Natalia.  "So- tell me about some of your experience and ideas about traps, and what you would like to learn." 
 
 Spoiler 
Let's finish it up efficiently- one or maybe two posts more from each of us, could be summary-style
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "And...matter to others,"  Natalia says, quietly. They really do care.

 "That,"  Natalia says when she sees Sara's newest design, unable to keep the grin off her face.  "Magic without the magic. Machines, technology replacing, or integrating. Work with lightning, maybe...traps on traps--"  Natalia continues as best she can, sharing some of her history, mentioning her brief time being tutored by Torin and Karik, her interest in lightning, how she helped her parents bake bread more efficiently, discussing the traps she set to keep herself and her friends safe, how she's realizing that she needs to improve her combat skills as well, but doesn't want to lose sight of her dreams, ever.

Natalia then remembers something important, and pulls out the adamantine dagger. She talks about the unstable enchantment, how it,  "Turned on me. Strong blow, back on me, back on it. Cracks here--"  she points out the weakened structure,  "Numb arm, cold arm. Fine now, but...what if again? Afraid. Afraid it'll take me, friends...with it."  She shakes her head and presents the dagger to Sara.  "Tainted magic, bad magic maybe, but...don't know what, or why? Can the Institute?"  Still, she's a bit nervous about leaving herself defenseless, so...  "Lend to discover, but...please, something lent back...to be safe?" 
Admiral
Sara listens as Natalia describes her history in her usual cadence. When Natalia starts describing the dagger Sara shakes her head.  "I've learned a handful of spells that are useful in the trade, but I don't know anything about magic weapons. You'll want to head over to Magical Artifice- it's in the North wing." 
 "Now, it sounds like you've had your share of adventure. I'm more familiar with designing and disablig traps to protect unmanned areas, but there is also a way to use similar mechanisms in combat- it's cruder, but effective. You should consider where your interests are." 

Natalia and Sara spend the remainder of their time together discussing some of the basics of trap design- Natalia hadn't realized how much she had to learn. Finally Sara pulls out a piece of paper and writes down the names of a few books.

 "This oughtta do it- on your way out, stop by the store and pick these up. With some study, they'll give you a good grounding of the principles."  She pats Natalia on the hand with a smile.  "I hope you continue your work. You show some real talent!" 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Thank you,"  Natalia says, beaming inside and out with pride. Maybe this was worth it. There's so much to learn here, so much to do. And...and spells? Magic of her own?

Natalia then goes to the magical artifice department and repeats her problem with the dagger, wondering if she can loan it in for study and get something safe and good in exchange for the time being.

 
 Spoiler 
I'm going to get the books and maybe the bag of holding/haversack in the next post (assuming I can get both in the same shop) since if I can't get a good weapon in this exchange then I'll buy one in the shop, and that's got a higher priority over the bag; I want to wait and see before spending my money. Is that okay?

Also, would I be able to test both Trapsmith and Combat Trapsmith before settling on one?
 
Admiral
Natalia gets a chance to explain her offer to a clerk in the Magical Artifice department, who brings in an elderly gnome artificer to examine the dagger. He seems more amused than dismayed by Natalia's story about the dagger's instability-  "That's Alabaster for you- they still teach about him, you know-"  and after performing a few preliminary divinations on the dagger, he agrees to take a closer look, and finds a a magic dagger they have on hand as collateral.

 
 Spoiler 
 (1d100)[ 81 ] 
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
Mighty cleaving on a dagger is stupid. I'm giving it one more chance, though I won't make a habit of doing so:

 (1d100)[ 87 ] 

Ahhh...
 


The gnome artificer offers Natalia a +1 dagger that possesses the power of  Spell Storing .
CoffeeIncluded
This piques Natalia's curiosity. She makes a mental note to tell Mithril about this later.  "Teach what?" 

Natalia's eyes widen as he gives her the lended dagger. How did they put that in a weapon? She'll have to ask Mithril.  "Thank you." 
 
 Spoiler 
Mighty cleaving? Really? That's an amusing mental image; thanks for making me smile again.

And spell storing...Yes. That's fantastic. Can I cast off a scroll into it?
 


She then goes to the shop, and gets the books, and sees if she can buy a bag of holding and handy haversack. She also looks for scrolls.

 
 Spoiler 
I'm going to dinner, I think. Back in a bit!
 
Admiral
Natalia had heard about the Institute's library from Mithril, and she finds that their magic store is no less impressive. Behind the counter lie shelves of categorized scrolls, and the walls are lined with weapons, armor and other magical miscellany. Along the middle of the room sit barrels containing the various material components that make up spells- her nostrils fill with the unpleasant mixture of bat guano ( fireball ) and skunk cabbage ( stinking cloud ).

Natalia easily requests the scrolls she's looking for, and grabs a knapsack from a rack after reading the description on the sign.

 
 Spoiler 
ZMan always complained about Magic Mart. Well, it's my show now, and I like Magic Mart. Welcome to Eldgar.

There are 2 books and they cost 100 in total, not each. Together they weigh 9 pounds.
 
Admiral
At the first thing in the morning, every member of the party takes a moment to get oriented, realizing they are on a different continent than where they had woken up the previous morning. Their quest has taken them a long way, and it will take them farther still.

After a quick breakfast they set out on the southwestern road, which they'd learned is the route to the frontier city of Marvell. The road is well paved leading out of the city, but in the first few hours of traveling it starts to soften beneath their feet, as their surroundings get less urban and the sea smell disappears from the air. By midday, they find themselves on a dirt path surrounded by trees- they could as well be back on the road from Linwood to Hulburg.

 
 Spoiler 
What pace are you traveling? In any case, spot and listen checks from everyone (along with a quick post about your walking perhaps!).
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia squeals and giggles in delight. She could spend hours in here, and is giddy at the thought of what else the institute contains. But still, she promised her friend's she'd return soon, and so doesn't tarry...too much, that is.

The books are heavy, but fit easily into her new knapsack. As does everything else heavy the rogue's been carrying. Remembering how her gear weighed her down, Natalia smiles. She won't have to worry about that anymore.

Natalia begins reading one of the textbooks as she leaves the institute, though she puts it away once she actually enters the streets and returns to the others.

 
 Spoiler 
I LOVE Magic Mart. Thank you, Admiral!
 
Athedia
Mithril woke up with a smile.  This new land held so many new experiences and, she felt a little embarrassed to admit, prettier buildings.  She traced the star on her hand, imagining the doors it opened for her.  Snapping out of it she sat cross-legged on her bed studying her book while the others did their morning routines.

 
 Spoiler 
Spell List
Level 0:
Read Magic
Message
Detect Magic
Light

Level 1:
Mage Armor
Unseen Servant
Grease
Magic Missile

Level 2:
Cloud of Knives
Acid Arrow
Detect Thoughts

Level 3:
Tongues
Fly
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia bursts into Mithril's room, showing her friend the dagger she got.  "Hold spells, your spells, releases with my thrust!"  She shows Mithril the three scrolls she has--Shocking Grasp, Hideous Laughter, and Vampiric Touch, and says,  "Magic for dagger...magic works for you too? Can you learn?" 

She has so much to say, and she's bursting at the seams, but is going to share it with everyone. Still, that doesn't mean she can't share it with Mithril first, at least some.
achinca
Miriam rides along with her friends on the horse they lent her. She skipped breakfast as she does not need food anymore.

She sees that Mithril and Natalia seem happier than kids on a Yule night but their enthusiasm is not contagious.

She has started to rub her hand where the mark is. It does nothing other than turning her palm red.

EDIT: Miriam is too busy rubbing her mark to spot or hear anything.

 
 Spoiler 
Forgot to roll the skills check so I decided to edit the spot to give it an in game reason. Also are we on foot or on horse?
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia looks on in concern as Miriam rubs at her mark. There's got to be something she can do to help. Natlia keeps an eye on the road as they walk. She still happily talks about her day.

spot  (d20+9)[ 20 ] 
listen  (d20+9)[ 13 ] 
Cavelcade
Kurt rides along silently too. For him, riding with his friends in such good spirits is enough to keep him cheerful, but he keeps an eye out...just in case.

 
 Spoiler 

 (1d20)[ 12 ]  Listen
 (1d20)[ 8 ]  Spot
 
Athedia
Mithril stroked Honey's mane as they rode.  She was happy the horse had made the trip with her.

 
 Spoiler 

Spot: (1d20+3)[ 23 ] 
Listen: (1d20+3)[ 7 ] 
 


She kept her eyes peeled for any danger on the road, not knowing what dangers lurked in this new land.  But her hearing was blocked by Whiskers who had decided to take that time to share a song he had learned.

 "99 magical runes on the wall
99 magical runes
Spot one up high, poke it and die
98 magical runes on the wall"
 
CoffeeIncluded
Whisker's repetitive squeaking grates against Natalia's ears and blocks out any distant sounds.  "Mithril...make him stop,"  Natalia asks her friend, kneading at her ears.  "Squeaking, why?" 

Some time early in the trip, she also handed Mithril her scroll of Vampiric Touch.
Athedia
 "He won't stop, just remind me to not take him to taverns anymore.  He learns faster than I thought."   It was an odd sensation, hearing the squeaks but understanding them.

 "98 magical runes on the wall
98 magical runes
Spot one up high, poke it and die
97 magical runes on the wall" 
CoffeeIncluded
 "...That rune song?"  Natalia asks. After several more seconds, she realizes that it's not about to stop any time soon. She plunges her head into the center part of the haversack and says,  "Room for one more,"  her voice floating into the air around her.

 
 Spoiler 
And yes, she takes it out and looks around soon, this is just for fun and roleplay. 😛
 
Admiral
The first day passes uneventfully- the group passes by the occasional peasant or traveler, which grow slightly sparser as they move farther from the city. The party settles in on the side of the road for the night, and after the usual rituals sets out again in the morning. The next day and night passes much the same, with a few stories from Shiny peppering the journey, and before long the group wakes on their third day of the journey.

So far the group has been traveling through the Wildwood forests, which cover the few hundred square miles around Cardonne. They know that by tomorrow they'll be approaching the southern plains, and already the air is starting to get warmer and drier, and the trees just a bit more sparse.

 
 Spoiler 

To keep a good pace for traveling, I will often summarize multiple days of a trip this way. In these cases, I will simply use the last spot and listen checks you rolled whenever they matter.

If you feel bothered by such fast forwarding or there's anything you wanted to do in the meantime, please let me know. I am happy to slow down the pace. Also, make sure before you start a trip that you mention if there's something you want to do along the way, like stop at towns that you pass by- otherwise they could be skipped.

athedia, if you'd like to change Mithril's spell list you're welcome to do so on either of these mornings.
 


Early in the afternoon of the third day, Natalia and Mithril spot something as they watch the road ahead.

 
 Spoiler 
 Map is up!
  It will be added to my signature momentarily. In an  act of lazy plagiarism  affectionate homage, the map background is borrowed from one of ZMan's.

How is the following for a marching order: Kurt, Natalia, Mithril, Shiny, Miriam?

Natalia and Mithril get preinit actions. After that, the initiative order is according to:

Natalia:  (1d20+7)[ 14 ] 
Mithril:  (1d20+2)[ 16 ] 
Shiny:  (1d20+2)[ 18 ] 
Miriam:  (1d20+1)[ 10 ] 
Kurt:  (1d20+2)[ 3 ] 
?:  (1d20+2)[ 9 ] 

So that's:

1. Shiny
2. Mithril
3. Natalia
4. Miriam
5. ?
6. Kurt

Natalia and Mithril:
 
 Spoiler 

There is a massive crouched shape 150' ahead in the trees, probably an animal. (The ? on the map) Its two eyes are the only clearly visible part, and they look menacing.
 

 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia stops the horse, and holds out her hand to the others.  "Something in trees,"  she whispers, pointing at the eyes.

 
 Spoiler 
The pace is pretty fast, but I guess I'm used to more random encounters. But still, there's nothing really bugging me yet. I do need to ask a couple questions about my dagger before actually getting into combat/pre-init action, since could we have done things during these three days?
 
Athedia
Mithril spotted the creature in the distance and crossed her arms in front of her bringing up a force field of protection.   "Something is out there, I can't tell if it is hostile or just hiding but it is big." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia readies her crossbows, aiming the bolts at whatever's coming out of the trees. Her dagger and shortsword lie in wait by her side.

 
 Spoiler 
If she has to get off the horse to do this, so be it.
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
I think you can use two hand crossbows when mounted. But I can't remember if your horse is a warhorse or not- if not, it's probably a reasonable idea to get off it anyway.
 


Shiny squints towards the bushes where the Natalia and Mithril are pointing.  "Let's get a better look at it,"  he says. Then he claps twice, mumbles an incantation, raises his hand behind his head and makes a forceful throwing motion.

Above the bushes there is an blinding explosion of glitter. As it settles on the ground, almost all of it disappears, except for that outlining the beast within.

 
 Spoiler 

Dire Tiger (hello) Will save:  (1d20+11)[ 30 ] 
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia swallows, thanking her eyes as she imagines what the tiger could have done if it had gotten the drop on them.

 
 Spoiler 
In that case, can Natalia get off and fire in the preinit round, or can she only get off and ready them? It's not a warhorse. If I have to wait to my initiative to fire the bows, then I'll do that after Mithril goes.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia fires at the crouching tiger in the tree, then quickly reloads.

 
 Spoiler 

Attack:  (d20+3)[ 21 ] 
Crit confirm:  (d20+3)[ 6 ] 
Damage:  (d8)[ 4 ] 

Attack:  (d20-1)[ 6 ] 
Crit confirm:  (d20-1)[ 16 ] 
Damage:  (d4)[ 2 ] 

If I can only reload one, then I reload the light crossbow.
 
Athedia
 "Oh my."  Whiskers stopped singing in her ear.  Honey stayed steady, not quavering in fear as she and her rider looked at the giant beast.

Staying back Mithril pulled out one of her rods and drew back her imaginary bow and fired a bolt of pure acid at the creature.

 
 Spoiler 

w/ Empower spell
Ranged Touch  (1d20+4)[ 23 ] 
Damage  (2d4)[ 5 ]  *1.5 = 7.5 or 7, not bad could be better

If it hits 2d4 (don't know if * 1.5) damage for 1 more turn
 
Admiral
The first bolt from Natalia's light crossbow appears to hit the beast, though the second, smaller bolt goes wide. Mithril's acid arrow also strikes true, sizzling into the tiger's flesh.

 
 Spoiler 

Good shot. And yes, the next-round damage is also Empowered.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Eeny meeny,"  Natalia says as her first bolt hits, pausing when the second whooshes into the trees. When Mithril hits with her own bolt of acid, she finishes,  "Miney moe." 

She reloads the first crossbow, along with the second if she has the chance.
achinca
Miriam gets off her horse, waits for Kurt to do the same and enlarge him. Then she activates the shield other spell. After she will give Kurt bull strength.

 
 Spoiler 
Several actions to cover several rounds if needed
 
Admiral
Miriam reacts quickly by casting her spell of protection on Kurt.

In the distance, the tiger roars, disoriented by the radiance of the glitterdust. Realizing it cannot stay hidden, it bursts from the brush and starts bounding towards the party, before pausing seventy feet from them and snarling.

 
 Spoiler 
Party's initiative. Map will be updated now- as I said, 70 feet.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia swallows at the sheer size of the beast, of its fangs hanging down from its jaws. She won't let it hurt her friends. She won't fail them again.

Natalia levels her loaded crossbows and fires them at the dire tiger.

 
 Spoiler 
Attack:  (d20+5)[ 6 ] 
Crit confirm:  (d20+5)[ 10 ] 
Damage:  (d8)[ 3 ] 

Attack:  (d20+3)[ 19 ] 
Crit confirm:  (d20+3)[ 12 ] 
Damage:  (d4)[ 4 ] 
 


Afterwards, Natalia puts away her crossbows and draws her blades, shifting into a crouch, ready to spring at a moment's notice.
Athedia
Mithril watched as the large creature came out into the open. She could see the remnants of acid still working their way into the tiger's fur.  With a twitch of her wrist she freed her dagger, tossing it in the air.  It started dividing, creating a haze of glinting metal and scattered reflections.

 
 Spoiler 
This turns damage  (2d4)[ 6 ] *1.5 = 9

Cloud of Knives as a defensive preparation.  Will last for 5 rounds


 Each round as a free action at the beginning of your turn, you can release one of these knives at any target within 30 feet that you can see.
This is a ranged attack that uses an attack bonus equal to your caster level + your key ability modifier.
Each successful hit deals 1d6 points of damage +1 per three caster levels (maximum +5) and threatens a critical hit on a roll of 19-20.
Damage reduction applies to knife attacks from this spell.
The knives are treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. 

Dang it forgot to do a Knowledge Nature check will do OOC.
 
Admiral
Shiny's hands fly as he casts a very fast spell, barely pausing at his component pouch. Then he starts into another spell, patting himself twice on the chest and then thrusting his hand forward in a pointing motion. Somehow he seems to dissolve, all the color melting off of his form and then flying towards the tiger. The rainbow of colors flies straight into the beast's eyes.

 
 Spoiler 

Distract Assailant Will save:  (1d20+11)[ 27 ] 
Blinding Color Surge Will save:  (1d20+11)[ 14 ] 

Kurt's turn- if he gets off the horse it sounds like Miriam will then Enlarge him. However the Will save goes he gets -2 to attack and -2 to AC from unsettling enchantment.
 


The tiger howls as the color invades his eyes, and he stumbles, blind.
Cavelcade
Kurt gets off the horse, trying to scare the blinded beast away rather than having to put it down - making as much noise as he can at it, rhythmically smacking the flat of his blade off his vambraces as Miriam enlarges him.

 
 Spoiler 

 (1d20+5)[ 17 ]  Intimidate to try and make it run.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia grins, flipping her weapons in her hands for a better grip. If the tiger can't see her coming, then this should be much easier. Still, she feels a twinge of guilt, and hopes she won't have to actually kill the beast, merely wound it, scare it off.

 
 Spoiler 
Does the tiger get another round of movement? Because I think we're on round 2 and the tiger only moved once.
 
Admiral
The tiger roars, disoriented- between the arrows, the fearsome cloud of knives, and the painful blindness, it had clearly not expected this kind of defense. It takes a few steps back, still facing the party and snarling.

 
 Spoiler 
That's its round- back to the party. It's blind (therefore flatfooted) and Unsettled, until Shiny goes (so he'll go last 😉)

Oh, right, achinca mentioned Miriam's next move:
 


Miriam again touches Kurt and grants him a spell of strength.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia asks the party,  "Fight or scare?" 
 
 Spoiler 
I was expecting it to come closer; I don't want to run into the melee alone and I can't reach it this round anyway. Guys, what do you think I and we should do?
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia runs forward, drawing her bow and firing at the tiger. They have a chance to end this now, and she's going to take it. As she fires, she shouts,  "BACK OFF!"  Her heart is pounding as she races towards those fangs and claws, but she's here, and she won't let anyone get hurt. She won't fail them again.

 
 Spoiler 
Attack:  (d20+7)[ 14 ] 
Crit confirm:  (d20+7)[ 12 ] 
Damage:  (d8)[ 1 ]  plus sneak attack:  (2d6)[ 3 ] 

The total AC loss is 4, 6 if Kurt made him shaken, and he loses the dex bonus too, right?
If I have to use the anklet to get within sneak attack range, so be it. If I can get behind a tree for cover, I do that too.

And of course I roll terribly for damage. Though at least I hit, so I'm not complaining.

And I forgot to roll for intimidate. Can I do that?
 
Admiral
Natalia's bolt lands a shallow blow into the tiger's shoulder.

 
 Spoiler 

 She can't get within sneak attack range, he's 70 feet away and Natalia would have to be within 30'.

Where does she want to move? 

See map, she deals 4 damage.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Originally Posted by Admiral 
 Natalia's bolt lands a shallow blow into the tiger's shoulder.

 
 Spoiler 

She can't get within sneak attack range, he's 70 feet away and Natalia would have to be within 30'.

Where does she want to move?
 
 
 

 
 Spoiler 
I think Natalia can. She runs forward and draws her shortbow that she was given during the giant assault, uses the anklet to move the last 10 feet, gets within sneak attack range, and shoots.

Does X25 (by the tree) get me within sneak attack range? If not, then I just get within sneak attack range. Not that it's super important with only 3 damage, but whatever.

Oh, and here's her intimidate check, which probably won't do much at all. 😛
 (d20-1)[ 5 ] 
 
Athedia
Mithril stayed on Honey's back, the horse calmly staring the tiger down.  Feeling bad about using a spell on such a helpless creature she quickly cast one of her spells at it, wincing as she knew it would hit.

 
 Spoiler 
MM
1st  (1d4+1)[ 4 ] 
2nd  (1d4+1)[ 4 ] 
3rd  (1d4+1)[ 5 ] 
 
Cavelcade
Assuming Natalia is willing to let him pass, Kurt crashes forward in a manic charge, aiming a vicious strike at the beast to try and further disorient it, but not kill it hopefully.

 
 Spoiler 

Charging from where he is to U20 should put him in range and be withing movement for him.
+2 to hit/-2 AC charge
Power Attack -2/+4

 (1d20+12)[ 20 ]  Attack
 (1d20+12)[ 28 ]  Crit

 (3d6+14)[ 26 ]  Attack
 (3d6+14)[ 28 ]  Crit
 (3d6+14)[ 22 ]  Crit
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia rolls out of the way as she sees Kurt charging straight at her like a runaway cart. She winces as the roll tugs and pulls at her raised scar.
Admiral
Kurt lands a powerful blow on the beast's neck, and it roars in pain at the injury.

 
 Spoiler 

Incidentally, in response to Coffee's comment earlier about my descriptiveness in combat- I hate to disappoint but I tend not to make very detailed descriptions of combat (for a variety of reasons, one of which is that it can be unnecessarily gruesome and exploitative). My favorite element to write is NPC dialogue, though I do like descriptions of settings as well.
 


From the place where Shiny had previously stood comes a harsh whisper-  "Don't be frightened, just play along-"  followed by a few arcane sounds.

In the space between the party and Natalia there appears a new combatant- a human man wearing full plate armor and brandishing a mace. But, like the fearsome dwarf barbarian, the soldier is twice the size of a normal man- the mace he is swinging is the size of a log. He glares towards the tiger with malice.

The tiger slinks away from Kurt's blow, and as he shakes his head he seems to regain his sight. Seeing the enlarged dwarf along with the new combatant, the animal hesitates for a moment, then flees. In mere seconds he is far down the road.

 
 Spoiler 
Withdraw action, he is 80 feet from Kurt. If it matters, the beast is now bloodied- &lt;50% of its HP. Good work.

Don't think I'm giving Shiny too much credit with his last tactic- the only smart thing for the tiger to do was run, and Shiny was just going along with the group's battle plan.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Spoiler 
Even without description, just noting and making fluff that the characters are reacting to their wounds is enough. But no, I understand. I have a tendency to describe injuries, but I think that's just the medic in me.

I also love writing descriptions, especially of food.
 


Natalia still draws her blades, just in case, but she grins at Kurt, and the illusionary soldier. She offers a wink to Shiny, then scans the area for any other possible danger, or anything else of interest.

 
 Spoiler 
Spot:  (d20+9)[ 28 ] 
Listen:  (d20+9)[ 26 ] 
 
Athedia
Mithril relaxed as the tiger fled and reached up into the cloud of knives.  Carefully selecting one that seemed identical to the others she grabbed the handle.  All the knives surrounding her merged back to form the dagger she had released into the air.  As the others returned to the horses she inserted the dagger back into the wrist sheath and smiled.  The tiger had just acted in its nature, and no permanent harm was done.
Cavelcade
Kurt cleans the blood off his axe, hoping the wound isn't so deep the tiger will die, at least. Walking back to the horses, he starts leading his - currently a bit too big to go riding.

 "Good eyes, Natalia." 
CoffeeIncluded
Scanning again to make sure nothing else is around, Natalia smiles.  "Not just me, Mithril saw too. But...thanks. Not just seeing, but seeing what's not. Breaks in lines, patterns...where shouldn't." 
Admiral
When the tiger disappears, the giant man turns to the party, and then awkwardly scratches his head with his mace, apparently bored. Moments later, he disappears and the illusionist gnome reappears beside Mithril with a shrug. The party gets back on their horses and continues.

The rest of the day passes without incident. They chose to make camp in one of the last patches of trees before what looks like a vast expanse of sparse grassland. Those on watch can spot small animals on the horizon as dusk falls, and the night is peppered with distant howls.

The next morning they set forth onto the plains. According to the maps they'd obtained in Cardonne, with their bearings the plains would turn into desert within the next two days of travel.

 
 Spoiler 
Spot checks, everyone- I would roll them for you but am heading out on some errands and need to stall for time, and it gives a chance for anyone to describe their journey if they like.
 
Cavelcade
Kurt looks at the map thoughtfully, chewing on his tough jerky as he does so.  "Desert, huh? I've never actually seen one of those..."  For most of the journey, Kurt had been silent again, for the most part he'd been trying out the new flexibility of that armour he was wearing, twisting, stretching his limbs out, completely amazed at how easy everything is in it.

 
 Spoiler 

 (1d20)[ 15 ]  Listen
 (1d20)[ 11 ]  Spot
 


His eyes are unfocused as he sits easily, but his ears are tuned in as his body relaxes for the day.
Athedia
Mithril nodded,  "You may wish to be careful with your new armor, the sun blazes hot and we will have little chance for shade." 
 
 Spoiler 
Spot  (1d20+3)[ 15 ] 
Listen  (1d20+3)[ 22 ] 
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Cool mithril, or warm?"  Natalia grins at her friend.  "Doused water cools? On head, or chest?" 
 
 Spoiler 
Can I use my previous spot/listen checks? If not,

Spot:  (d20+9)[ 10 ] 
Listen:  (d20+9)[ 25 ] 
 


The sun is strong, and screws with her eyes. Natalia wonders if there's something she can use to shield herself from the glare, and also wonders if those with lighter colored eyes have it worse.

 "Desert..."  She squints, tries to shield her eyes with her spindly hands.  "No trees, but sun shields against sight the same." 
achinca
Miriam is a little chocked when she sees the giant man appears, not sure who it is and if he is a friend or foe. When the tiger flees and Shiny reappears, she understands it was an illusion " Can you be denser than this? If they only knew how little wisdom you have, they would have hired a real cleric from that church that owns you. "

The cleric nods as the dire tiger leaves " Good thing we did not have to kill an animal just trying to feed itself or its cubs. "

She listens to the rest on the conversation, politely chinning in to let the group knows she is paying attention but her thoughts are all focused on the mark.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia watches as Miriam keeps running her thumb over the brand. She turns back to the others, keeping her eyes lowered against the sun. There's got to be something she can do to help.

 
 Spoiler 
Would Mithril be able toscribe another scroll into her spellbook? Also, my gift idea is no good?
 
Admiral
The party travels across the plains for the rest of the day, pass a night on the lonely grasslands, and then continue the following morning. The trail is still visible but could hardly be called a road. Twice during the day they pass someone going in the opposite direction- two small caravans of three or four wagons each, and one pair of horses led by sunburned humans. In beachoth case the travelers regard them with suspicion, with no interest in making conversation or indeed acknowledging their presence. Each wagon driver has a crossbow laid across his lap, and the party gets the sense that these roads are the territory of bandits.

The grass grows sparser and sparser as the party travels, and the soil turns red before their eyes. At the same time, the flat plains grow hillier, until great rock formations seem to spring out of the ground.

 
 Spoiler 
This is not a Saraha desert, this is an American Southwest desert. See  Monument Valley .

Also note that ecosystem transitions are much faster here than they would be on our planet, due to its smaller size and other climatological phenomena, so don't think too much about how many days it takes to travel from woods to desert.

Speaking of which, I'll get a map of the continent up sometime soon.
 


After a night spent in a cave under these mountains, the party sets off again, expecting to reach Marvell right at nightfall after almost a week's journey.

As the sun reaches its zenith above them, the party yearns for the shade and safety of the city they are approaching, the horses begin to neigh and scratch nervously. The cause could be nearly anything, and it's not the first time on the long journey that they've grown anxious, but then Natalia and Mithril feel a rumbling under the horse's uncertain hooves that seems to be growing closer.

 
 Spoiler 

Once again, Natalia and Mithril win a pre-init round (with Listening standing in for Feeling).

The new map is in my signature.
 
Cavelcade
Kurt has been taking regular drinks from the water pouches on his horse, filling them at every opportunity, the sheer heat of the beating sun tough enough with the additional issues of the armour making things that much warmer and harder to sooth. Still, the sight of the armed caravans has been enough to convince him to keep it on as much as he can - though he'll take it off any chance he gets, when they stop somewhere he feels safe.

Now he's slumped a little in his saddle, his axe in front of him as he sighs, wanting to stop again, but too stubborn to ask.
Athedia
Mithril wasted no time casting armor on herself.  "Get ready, something is coming and it feels big!"   She attempted to move to the left, out of the immediate zone of whatever was coming.

 
 Spoiler 
Ride (Guide with Knees)  (1d20+3)[ 9 ] 

Concentration check vs DC 10 to cast while on a moving horse, Auto pass with modifiers of +12

Spell list the same

Cast Mage Armor

Move to A20 (60 ft of movement w/ light warhorse)
 


Honey moved to the left as Mithril successfully guided her without hands.
CoffeeIncluded
 "On ground, waves through earth!"  Natalia shouts, brushing her hair out of her eyes, where it has stood in for a hood or visor. She looks around and tries to guide her horse with her knees as she draws her shortbow, following Mithril and trusting her friend's judgment.

 
 Spoiler 
Spot:  (d20+9)[ 16 ] 
Ride:  (d20+3)[ 21 ] 

Try to follow Mithril.
 
Admiral
Natalia scans the mountains around her, but sees nothing, and in a moment she understands why.

From the rocky ground around the party burst three large creatures, looking like enormous, terrifying insects. Each has four grotesque eyes and a pair of fearsome pincers, along with enormous heavy arms. One of the beasts bursts out from right under Kurt's horse, who has to struggle not to topple over.

 
 Spoiler 

 

Umber Hulks! By about the time you read this they should be on the map.

Kurt has to make a DC 10 Ride check or he and his horse both fall prone from a hulk bursting out under him.

Intiative:
Natalia:  (1d20+7)[ 10 ] 
Mithril:  (1d20+2)[ 4 ] 
Shiny:  (1d20+2)[ 20 ] 
Miriam:  (1d20+1)[ 12 ] 
Kurt:  (1d20+2)[ 9 ] 
UH1:  (1d20+1)[ 5 ] 
UH2:  (1d20+1)[ 15 ] 
UH3:  (1d20+1)[ 9 ] 

Thus block initiative order is:

Shiny
UH2
Miriam, Natalia, Kurt
UH3, UH1
Mithril (second time around will be same block as Shiny)
 
Admiral
Shiny is the first to react- in a blaze of motion he conjures a glittery explosion above the two hulks to his left.

 
 Spoiler 

Glitterdust can hit UH1 and UH2 with no one else. They are flatfooted.

UH1 Will save: [roll]1d20+6[roll]
UH2 Will save:  (1d20+6)[ 16 ] 
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 

Messed up the UH1 roll:
 (1d20+6)[ 7 ] 

DC is 17 because they're flatfooted (10+4 Int+Lvl2+1 surprise casting). They're both blinded.
 


Both of the hulks stagger as the glitterdust fills their eyes, letting out an unnatural screech.
Admiral
After Shiny's spell, the gnome's warpony Tinkerbell gets her own chance at the beast in front of her, rising up and attacking with her hooves.

 
 Spoiler 

Two hoof attacks:

Attack:  (1d20+3)[ 6 ]  Critical:  (1d20+3)[ 22 ]  Dmg:  (1d3+2)[ 3 ] 
Attack:  (1d20+3)[ 20 ]  Critical:  (1d20+3)[ 22 ]  Dmg:  (1d3+2)[ 3 ] 

Deal 3 damage to UH3.
 


Tinkerbell's first hoof misses, but her second strikes the beast in front of her.
Admiral
The blinded beast next to Mithril shrieks, and swings his claws and pincers at where he remembered the wizard being.

 
 Spoiler 

UH2 full attack:
Claw:  (1d20+11)[ 25 ]  Crit:  (1d20+11)[ 23 ]  Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 12 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 1 ] 
Claw:  (1d20+11)[ 15 ]  Crit:  (1d20+11)[ 24 ]  Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 12 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 2 ] 
Bite:  (1d20+9)[ 13 ]  Crit:  (1d20+9)[ 26 ]  Dmg:  (2d8+3)[ 10 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 1 ] 
 


The first claw attack swings for where Mithril had been just a moment ago, before the beast was blinded. The second almost hits her but is luckily repelled by the magical armor she had summoned. The disoriented creature's bite goes wide.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia gasps as she sees herself and her friends surrounded by the giant beetle-like creatures. She mentally curses her lack of preparation despite having a warning; she was expecting a far-off stampede. Natalia tries to quickly dismount from her horse, whom she can feel bucking and panicking beneath her.

 
 Spoiler 
Before doing anything else:

Ride:  (d20+3)[ 9 ] 
 
Cavelcade
Kurt struggles at the sudden change, his mind going first to keeping the horse from toppling.

 
 Spoiler 

 (1d20+5)[ 15 ]  Ride check.
 


With a quick pull of the reins as the creature bursts out, he manages to pull his mount of the way, pausing for only a moment before simply sliding off the saddle to face it, not wanting to put the poor shaking creature in anymore danger. He hops off to face the only Hulk who isn't blind, smacking his horse to get it to go out of danger.
CoffeeIncluded
Instead of quickly and cleanly dismounting from her horse, Natalia falls smack to the ground, though in a way that doesn't actually cause injury. Out of the corner of her eye, behind all the legs, she can see her horse bolt off. Natalia gets up and fires at the hulking beetle thing right in front of her.

 
 Spoiler 
Ride:  (d20+3)[ 21 ] 
Fall damage:  (d6)[ 3 ] 
Attack:  (d20+7)[ 22 ] 
Crit confirm:  (d20+7)[ 13 ] 
Damage:  (d6)[ 6 ]  plus Sneak Attack:  (2d6)[ 5 ] 
 
Admiral
Natalia's arrow flies right into a gap in the beast's armor, and he snarls in pain.
achinca
Miriam's horse is totally scared by the umberhulks and runs away. The cleric tries to control the animal but fails to do so. She rides from about 100 feet until the horse calm down.

She gets off the horse and run back towards the battle.

 
 Spoiler 
I know there is more than one action but wanted to keep the game going. Is this the same day as the dire tiger encounter?
 
Admiral
One of the blinded monsters swings towards where he had remembered Natalia and her horse being.

 
 Spoiler 
UH1 Full attack on Natalia.

Claw:  (1d20+11)[ 17 ]   (1d20+11)[ 28 ]  Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 10 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 1 ] 
Claw:  (1d20+11)[ 20 ]   (1d20+11)[ 23 ]  Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 9 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 2 ] 
Bite:  (1d20+9)[ 26 ]  Crit:  (1d20+9)[ 17 ]  Dmg:  (2d8+3)[ 11 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 1 ] 

Second claw hits, 9 damage to Natalia.
 


One of the claws finds its target.
Admiral
The umber hulk that Natalia had hit with her arrow straightens up. Rather than respond with force, it glares straight at her. Natalia has no choice but to peer into the beast's bizarre compound eyes, which seem to tear into her very sanity.

 
 Spoiler 

 Confusing gaze  from UH3: Will save DC 15 from Natalia or face  confusion  spell.
 
Admiral
Shiny rides his pony away from the hulk, giving it a chance to strike at him as he moves away. Once away, he turns towards it and casts two quick spells, one taking only a moment, and the second creating another burst of glitter above the nonblinded creature.

 
 Spoiler 
Moved away, triggering an AoO. Then Distract Assailant and Glitterdust. No matter what it will be Unsettled.

UH3 AoO: Claw:  (1d20+11)[ 21 ]   (1d20+11)[ 26 ]  Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 12 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 1 ] 
UH3 Distract Assailant Will save:  (1d20+6)[ 14 ] 
UH3 Glitterdust Will save:  (1d20+6)[ 18 ] 

Disregard the Miss chance, I copied and pasted from earlier- it wasn't blind. It hits- 12 dmg to Shiny

Fails its first save, makes the second one. It is flatfooted and Unsettled but not blind.
 


The creature strikes a crushing blow against the fleeing gnome.

 
 Spoiler 
This happens whatever the result of Natalia's save. Mithril's turn.
 
Athedia
Mithril turned and watched in horror as the monsters attacked her friends.  Had she read of these creatures before?  Snapping out of her daze she raised her hand with the metal rod and sent out a spell.  The warm of her circlet and cold of the rod mixed.

 
 Spoiler 
MM, using circlet (2/3 charge) and rod of empower (2/3 charge)

1st:  (1d4+1)[ 4 ] *1.5 = 6  Directed at UH1
2nd:  (1d4+1)[ 2 ] *1.5 = 3  Directed at UH3
3rd:  (1d4+1)[ 2 ] *1.5 = 3 Directed at UH3

Knowledge Dungeoneering? +7 modifier but +12 if it is nature.
 (1d20+7)[ 27 ] 
 
CoffeeIncluded
With a grunt of pain, Natalia is knocked flat on her back and into the creature's eyes. She feels something clawing at the back of her head, sending her already mixed senses haywire. She sees spikes drilling into her hands, hears herself howl iridescent,  "AWwoooUUUTtttOoutoUTouTOuToutOuTOUToutOuTOUtOUTou  uOUt!!!!!" 
 
 Spoiler 
What are the results of the rolls and what do I do with confusion? I'll be home in about an hour or so.
 
Admiral
Mithril's magical bolts hit their targets. Mithril recalls having read of these aberrations in some detail: she knows that their piercing glare can cause temporary insanity in those who meet their eyes, though she doubts that the beasts who are blinded by Shiny's spell would have this effect.

One of the blinded creatures listens to find an enemy near him.

 
 Spoiler 

UH2 Listen check:  (1d20+11)[ 31 ] 
 
Admiral
The creature steps forward and stretches his claws and pincers out towards the sound of Natalia's scramblings.

 
 Spoiler 

Claw:  (1d20+11)[ 22 ]   (1d20+11)[ 26 ]  Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 9 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 2 ] 
Claw:  (1d20+11)[ 27 ]   (1d20+11)[ 28 ]  Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 11 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 2 ] 
Bite:  (1d20+9)[ 25 ]  Crit:  (1d20+9)[ 29 ]  Dmg:  (2d8+3)[ 13 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 1 ] 
 
CoffeeIncluded
 AwaYOutAwayOUtawAWYOUtoutOuTouTOUTOutTOutwYYouTAwA  AyOUt!!!!!" 

Natalia's howling only becomes higher as the hulk tears into her, sending blotches of red flashing with every strike. Her screaming only sends the nails further into her brain. Friend, foe, what can she tell? All Natalia can do is slam her hands, sharp and pointy and when did they get like that? into the twisted shifting thing, at once a large beetle, at once her friends passing judgment at once at once at once

 
 Spoiler 
Attack:  (d20+8)[ 24 ] 
Crit confirm:  (d20+8)[ 19 ] 
Damage:  (d6+1)[ 4 ]  plus sneak attack  (2d6)[ 10 ]  plus Vampiric Touch if it hits  (2d6)[ 5 ] 
 
Cavelcade
The sight of the confusion and blood enough to trigger the berserker fury in Kurt, his axe moving swiftly through the air as he attacks the only Hulk with sight remaining.

 
 Spoiler 

Rage, Vanguard Strike (+4 to hit for melee attacks if I hit), power attack -2/+4.

 (1d20+10)[ 25 ]  Attack
 (1d20+10)[ 18 ]  Crit

 (1d12+13)[ 24 ]  Attack
 (1d12+13)[ 19 ]  Crit
 (1d12+13)[ 20 ]  Crit
 


With a brutal upward swipe, he opens it up, drawing blood from the creature, while forcing itself to concentrate on defending from his monstrous attacks as he drives his attack in.
Admiral
Kurt's axe finds its mark. The insectoid creature turns its attention to the fearsome dwarf, and retaliates with his own attack.

 
 Spoiler 

UH3 attacking Kurt

Claw:  (1d20+11)[ 14 ]   (1d20+11)[ 13 ]  Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 13 ] 
Claw:  (1d20+11)[ 14 ]   (1d20+11)[ 20 ]  Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 11 ] 
Bite:  (1d20+9)[ 11 ]  Crit:  (1d20+9)[ 17 ]  Dmg:  (2d8+3)[ 8 ] 

UH1 Listen check:  (1d20+11)[ 24 ] 
 


Distracted by the pain from the barbarian's strike, the creature fails to inflict a single wound.
Admiral
The hulk next to Kurt hears the sounds of his axe crunching into the other creature's exoskeleton, and turns his blind attacks towards the dwarf.

 
 Spoiler 

UH1 (blind) attack on Kurt.

Claw:  (1d20+11)[ 31 ]   (1d20+11)[ 21 ]  Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 11 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 2 ] 
Claw:  (1d20+11)[ 14 ]   (1d20+11)[ 22 ]  Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 13 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 1 ] 
Bite:  (1d20+9)[ 20 ]  Crit:  (1d20+9)[ 15 ]  Dmg:  (2d8+3)[ 9 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 2 ] 
 


The beast lands a devastating blow with his claw, followed by a nasty bite.

 
 Spoiler 

11+12+9 damage = 32 damage to Kurt.
 
Admiral
Undeterred by his earlier failure, Shiny casts the same pair of spells he had before- one aiming to distract the mind of the beast, and one to take away his remaining sight.

 
 Spoiler 

Distract Assailant and Glitterdust again on UH3.

 Umber hulk made its saves when I posted this accidentally in the wrong thread 

Still Unsettled, at least.
 


The creature shakes off the effects of both spells, though it does seem to take some mental energy.
Athedia
The beasts were still attacking her friends.  They seemed impossible to put down.  Tightening her grip on the rod she again called on its power, the familiar chill and heat ran through her bones, and she knew that she would not be able to do this much longer.

 
 Spoiler 
Same as before MM to each, Empowered (1/3), Saved (1/3)

UH3:  (1d4+1)[ 3 ]  *1.5 = 4.5
UH3:  (1d4+1)[ 5 ]  *1.5 = 6
UH3:  (1d4+1)[ 4 ]  * 1.5 = 7.5

4.5+6+7.5 = 18
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 

Note: After Mithril's MMs, UH3 is bloodied (&lt;50% HP). The others are not bloodied yet.
 


The blink hulk attacking Natalia swings at her again.

 
 Spoiler 

UH2 attack on Natalia.

Claw:  (1d20+11)[ 16 ]   (1d20+11)[ 26 ]  Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 12 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 2 ] 
Claw:  (1d20+11)[ 24 ]   (1d20+11)[ 26 ]  Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 11 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 1 ] 
Bite:  (1d20+9)[ 21 ]  Crit:  (1d20+9)[ 26 ]  Dmg:  (2d8+3)[ 8 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 1 ] 
 


The beast's claws swing mightily inches from her face- were it not for his blindness, they would surely have crushed her.

 
 Spoiler 

Lucky Natalia. She, Kurt and Miriam are up. Posting OOC about Miriam
 
CoffeeIncluded
Wind sword blade fingefinFIinGerSfiNgeRSFinGFIngfiNGFingFINgFiNgerS whereareyouwhereareyouareyouyouyou

laughing laughing jokers hahahHAHhaHAHHAhaha

Nutsnutsnutsnutsnutsnutsnutsnutsnutsnutsnutsnutsnu  tsnutsnutsnutsnutsnutsnutsnutsnuts

strike fists so shiny pointy wrong  "uraaAAAAAA!!!" 
 
 Spoiler 
Attack:  (d20+6)[ 9 ] 
Crit confirm:  (d20+6)[ 19 ] 
Damage:  (d6+1)[ 5 ]  plus sneak attack: [roll[2d6[/roll]

Attack:  (d20+6)[ 17 ] 
Crit confirm:  (d20+6)[ 21 ] 
Damage:  (d6+1)[ 2 ]  plus sneak attack: [roll[2d6[/roll]
 
CoffeeIncluded
Sneak attack:  (2d6)[ 11 ] 
achinca
Miriam runs towards Natalia as she sees the rogue is acting crazier than ever before and could be bleeding to death. She knows one of the hulk can hit her but she does not care. Saving Natalia is the only thing that matters.

She puts her hand on the crazy rogue whispering " Relax little one ... every thing is under control " as her holy symbol on her quarter staff shine.

 
 Spoiler 
Drow: Bestow Curse
Cast CSW  (3d8+11)[ 29 ] 

Will add color commentary when I know if the AoO is successful of not
 


EDIT: As Natalia's wounds heal, Miriam suddenly realizes how close she was of getting hit by these huge pinchers .....
Admiral
As Miriam runs towards Natalia, the only beast with vision takes a swing with one of his claws...

 
 Spoiler 

Attack:  (1d20+11)[ 15 ]  Crit:  (1d20+11)[ 17 ] 
Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 11 ]  Crit Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 9 ] 

I had forgotten that he was Unsettled so his roll is actually even lower.
 


Miriam, desperate to save her friend, is running too quickly for the beast to hit and his claw slams into the rock ground right behind her.
CoffeeIncluded
Healtouch behind her behind grass around laughter mocking NuTSnutSNUtS. towering mocking wheres her guard

shining knight  "Edmund!"  winged savior  "Lisk!" 
 "HELpaWAYAwayAwAYawAYawAyAWAyAWAyaWAyaWAy!!!" 

Miriam:
 
 Spoiler 
Natalia's eyes are wide and wild. She shrieks and thrashes; it's nearly impossible to understand her and now it makes absolutely no sense instead of the usual warped coherence of Nutspeak. Whatever Natalia's seeing, wherever she is, it's not here, and it's not a current reality.
 
Cavelcade
Kurt staggers from the sheer force of the blow, his armour leaving a bruise along his side but otherwise cushioning it well. He grins as he responds, using the pain as fuel for his attack.

 
 Spoiler 

Crusader's Strike
Power attack -2/+4
Furious Counterstrike +1/+1
 (1d20+11)[ 28 ]  Attack
 (1d20+11)[ 26 ]  Crit

 (1d12+14)[ 18 ]  Attack
 (1d12+14)[ 25 ]  Crit
 (1d12+14)[ 25 ]  Crit

 (1d6+1)[ 6 ]  Crusader's Strike
 


He brings the axe up in a strong underarm strike, grinning at the pleasant sound of the crunch.
Admiral
Kurt's axes cuts straight into the gap in the beast's neck, and with a searing screech the hulk topples over.

 
 Spoiler 
I'm assuming Kurt was attacking UH3 like he did on the last turn (rather than the blind one that hit him). One down, two to go.

Also assuming that he heals himself with the crusader's strike.
 


The blinded beast next to him, hearing the death howl of his brethren, tries to strike again at the dwarf crusader.

 
 Spoiler 

Claw:  (1d20+11)[ 19 ]   (1d20+11)[ 26 ]  Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 11 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 1 ] 
Claw:  (1d20+11)[ 22 ]   (1d20+11)[ 16 ]  Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 12 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 1 ] 
Bite:  (1d20+9)[ 11 ]  Crit:  (1d20+9)[ 26 ]  Dmg:  (2d8+3)[ 13 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 2 ] 
 


The creature's blind flailings miss pitifully.

 
 Spoiler 
Shiny and Mithril up.
 
Admiral
Seeing the unblinded beast fall, Shiny pulls his warpony slightly to the left, gaining a new angle on the combat. Then he whispers a quick incantation that he's never cast before, and splays out his fingers towards the two remaining beasts.

 
 Spoiler 

 Whelming burst , each in a 30 foot cone (covers the two of them) gets a will save or 2d6 nonlethal damage. Both are flatfooted for being blind so it's DC 10+4+2+1+1=18 to save.

UH2 save:  (1d20+6)[ 24 ]  damage:  (2d6)[ 11 ] 
UH1 save:  (1d20+6)[ 22 ]  damage:  (2d6)[ 7 ] 

At least this Unsettles both of them. Mithril's turn.
 


Both creatures are able to resist the gnome's spell.
Athedia
Which one? Oh gods, which one?  Mithril looked at each of the monsters, she finally settled on the one closest to Miriam, if it attacked her than that cloth robe would not protect much.

 
 Spoiler 
Last of the Empowered/Saved MM

Against UH2 rolling all together
[roll]3d+3[/roll] *1.5 = ?

and forgot the 4
 
Admiral
Mithril's magical bolts strike the hulk, and he stumbles badly at the injury, then raises his pincers and continues his assault on Natalia.

 
 Spoiler 

UH2 is bloodied. UH1 is still only slightly injured.

UH2 against Natalia, finally remembering that he's Unsettled:
Claw:  (1d20+9)[ 18 ]   (1d20+9)[ 19 ]  Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 13 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 1 ] 
Claw:  (1d20+9)[ 26 ]   (1d20+9)[ 28 ]  Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 13 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 1 ] 
Bite:  (1d20+7)[ 11 ]  Crit:  (1d20+7)[ 22 ]  Dmg:  (2d8+3)[ 16 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 1 ] 

That one spell sure came in handy.
 


The blind beast continues flailing ineffectively.
CoffeeIncluded
people shields wilted fire flowers protect her guard her cant she herself

wind blows wheat blows nobodynobodynobodycaaaaaaaaaaarrrreeeesssssssss

run away girl

little coward nutsnutsnuts it hurrrrts

RunAwAYRUnAwAYeuNAWaYRunaWAyRuNAwAYruNAwayruNawAYR  uNawAY

surround chase nobodys coming little crazy girl

 "Rruuuuuunnnnhhhhhh..." 
 
 Spoiler 
Attack:  (d20+6)[ 18 ] 
Crit confirm:  (d20+6)[ 10 ] 
Damage:  (d6+1)[ 5 ]  plus Sneak Attack:  (2d6)[ 2 ] 

Attack:  (d20+6)[ 11 ] 
Crit confirm:  (d20+6)[ 9 ] 
Damage:  (d6+1)[ 3 ]  plus Sneak Attack:  (2d6)[ 3 ] 
 
Cavelcade
Turning to face the attacker who'd actually damaged him, Kurt easily manages to ward off the foe's blind assault, counterattacking with his own vicious strike, still bellowing out his manic laughter.

 
 Spoiler 

Power Attack -2/+4
Stone Bones

 (1d20+10)[ 21 ]  Attack
 (1d20+10)[ 24 ]  Crit

 (1d12+13)[ 24 ]  Attack
 (1d12+13)[ 21 ]  Crit
 (1d12+13)[ 16 ]  Crit
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 

I just remembered that achinca said he wouldn't be able to post on weekends going forward. Since he gave me permission earlier to post for Miriam in this combat and since I think this is the clear move, I'll run this one (if achinca would prefer I not do so in the future it is of course up to him).
 


After healing all of Natalia's wounds, if not her mind, Miriam sees that Kurt was also badly injured by the hulk he is fighting. She leaps over towards him, stepping next to the fallen aberration, and lays her hand on him, whispering comforting words to the fighter.

 
 Spoiler 

Dropping Searing Light for CSW on Kurt:  (3d8+11)[ 26 ] 
 
Admiral
After taking a devastating blow from Kurt's axe, the beast again lashes out at the dwarf.

 
 Spoiler 

UH1 attack on Kurt:

Claw:  (1d20+9)[ 23 ]   (1d20+9)[ 21 ]  Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 13 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 1 ] 
Claw:  (1d20+9)[ 22 ]   (1d20+9)[ 11 ]  Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 12 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 2 ] 
Bite:  (1d20+7)[ 27 ]  Crit:  (1d20+7)[ 16 ]  Dmg:  (2d8+3)[ 18 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 1 ] 

12 damage to Kurt.
 


One of the pincers finds its target.
Admiral
Shiny casts another quick pair of spells- the first, quicker spell on the hulk farther from him, and the second on the beast fighting Natalia.

 
 Spoiler 

Want to keep them both Unsettled, and I'm saving my last L2 in case we need another  glitterdust .

Distract Assailant on UH1: Save:  (1d20+6)[ 8 ] 
Whelm on UH2: Save:  (1d20+6)[ 17 ]  Damage:  (2d6)[ 7 ] 

Just made it. So no effect on them (UH1's already flatfooted for being blind) except the Unsettling.

Mithril is up.
 
Athedia
Mithril started to cast a spell, once again holding up the rod, but paused and looked at the rod.  No cold had flow through her, and no warmth.  She shook the rod and then sighed, no more power from that it seemed.

Again she raised her hands, once again casting three familiar orbs toward the one that was showing signs of the battle.  Hopefully they would soon only have one to deal with.

 
 Spoiler 
MM at UH 2 :  (3d4+3)[ 14 ] 
 
Admiral
The magical orbs plow heavily into the creature's back. Blind and badly wounded, he lashes out again at the rogue in front of him.

 
 Spoiler 

UH2 attack on Natalia:

Claw:  (1d20+9)[ 12 ]   (1d20+9)[ 26 ]  Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 11 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 1 ] 
Claw:  (1d20+9)[ 10 ]   (1d20+9)[ 24 ]  Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 13 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 1 ] 
Bite:  (1d20+7)[ 27 ]  Crit:  (1d20+7)[ 9 ]  Dmg:  (2d8+3)[ 13 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 1 ] 

This is not their day.

Kurt, Natalia and Miriam are up again.
 


The beast's blind, desperate thrashing again fails to touch the rogue.
CoffeeIncluded
Dark.

Darkdarkdarkdarkaaaaaalllllaroundrounround

little voices. million little voices. million little shrieking voices.

hate. liar. hateliarnutsliarliarnutshatenuts

stand alone apart as they sneer clawdontstop

no liar never alone

 "EMuNdLIsK..." 
 
 Spoiler 
Attack:  (d20+6)[ 18 ] 
Crit confirm:  (d20+6)[ 20 ] 
Damage:  (d6+1)[ 7 ]  plus sneak attack:  (2d6)[ 8 ] 

Attack:  (d20+6)[ 14 ] 
Crit confirm:  (d20+6)[ 19 ] 
Damage:  (d6+1)[ 5 ]  plus sneak attack:  (2d6)[ 8 ] 
 
Cavelcade
Kurt hardly winces at the pincer's crushing blow, simply using the Hulk's nearness to his advantage, keeping close and pushing off it to attack the second Hulk, now in a position to menace both the remaining creatures at once, while helping others attack.

 
 Spoiler 

Attack UH2.
Switch into Iron Guard's Glare: -4 to attack against my allies.
Power attack -2/+4
Furious counterstrike +1/+1
Leading the Attack (+4 to hit if I hit) - got this round.

 (1d20+11)[ 28 ]  Attack
 (1d20+11)[ 19 ]  Crit

 (1d12+14)[ 25 ]  Attack
 (1d12+14)[ 16 ]  Crit
 (1d12+14)[ 21 ]  Crit
 
Admiral
As both of Natalia's blades thrust into weak points in the creature's armor, it lets loose an eerie howl before collapsing to the ground.

 
 Spoiler 

Two down. Now that UH2 is dead, I'll take the liberty of assuming Kurt would rather attack UH1 😛. He can still move if he wants to.
 


Kurt's axe lands another solid blow into the creature's exoskeleton, and horrid pus oozes from the wound.

 
 Spoiler 

UH1 is bloodied.
 
Admiral
Miriam raises her quarterstaff and swings it at the beast threatening her and her friends.

 
 Spoiler 

Attack:  (1d20+6)[ 9 ]  Confirm:  (1d20+6)[ 15 ]  Damage:  (1d6+4)[ 9 ]  Crit damage:  (1d6+4)[ 5 ] 

Oh, I had forgotten that Kurt's "Lead the Attack" strike gives her +4 to hit- and with loss of Dex, -2 from blindness, and -2 from Unsettling Enchantment, a 9+4=13 actually hits.
 


Her staff, enhanced by her faith and sacrifice, strikes the creature solidly.
Admiral
The hulk lashes out at Kurt again, unaware that the injuries it had inflicted earlier have been healed.

 
 Spoiler 

Claw:  (1d20+11)[ 26 ]   (1d20+11)[ 26 ]  Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 12 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 2 ] 
Claw:  (1d20+11)[ 15 ]   (1d20+11)[ 27 ]  Dmg:  (2d4+6)[ 10 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 2 ] 
Bite:  (1d20+9)[ 23 ]  Crit:  (1d20+9)[ 12 ]  Dmg:  (2d8+3)[ 8 ]  Miss (on 1):  (1d2)[ 2 ] 
 
Athedia
Mithril pulled back her hand and let one of her acid arrows shoot toward the last hulk.  Hopefully this would be the last spell she had to cast that day.

 
 Spoiler 
 (1d20+4)[ 12 ] 
 (2d4)[ 5 ] 
 
Admiral
Mithril's conjured arrows sizzles into the beast's shell, but still he stands and fights.
CoffeeIncluded
protected then left. wherewherewherewhere? find them FIND THEM

plaintive cry runawaycoward

 "Edmund! Lisk! Torin! Karik! Wherewherewhere?!

"Mmmm---Mmmm..." 
Cavelcade
Refusing to let up, Kurt pulls his axe from the body of the umber hulk that's just falling by following through, using the momentum to attack the final one.

 
 Spoiler 

Power attack -2/+4
 (1d20+10)[ 30 ]  Attack
 (1d20+10)[ 28 ]  Crit

 (1d12+13)[ 20 ]  Attack
 (1d12+13)[ 20 ]  Crit
 (1d12+13)[ 22 ]  Crit

Rolling to see which maneuvers I get back.
 (1d4)[ 2 ] 
 (1d3)[ 1 ] 

Okay I assume 60 plus damage is going to make the maneuver irrelevant. :3
 
Admiral
Kurt's axe plows into the insectoid creature, and it explodes in a burst of shell and goo.

 
 Spoiler 

He had 2 HP left, so Kurt's 62 damage was a bit over the top. If someone has a favorite video of a bug alien exploding, now's the time to share it.

Combat is over. Natalia is still  confused  for three more "rounds" (I don't like the idea that confusion ends with the creature's death, given that it's not strictly a spell but rather a "confusing eye glare"). Coffee should roll three rolls at once to see what she does for all three rounds.

See OOC about XP.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Spoiler 
 (d100)[ 98 ]  (d100)[ 79 ]  (d100)[ 24 ] 
 


onebig to manysmall

Nowtime now now

fight fightfightback

 "Can...I can doitdoitdoitWAAAAAAAATCH!!!!!" 

patheticgirl who toHelPHowHElPMiThRIlMiRIaMShINYkUrT

mIthRiLMiRiAMShINYkURt

MitHRIlMiRIamSHinYkuRt

 "Miiiithrillll...Miriiaaaammmm...Shhhhinyyyyyyyyy.  ..Kuuuuurrrtt..." 

Snap-click-pop. Back to sanity. Cut.

And her blades are hovering inches from their chests.

Natalia stops. She stares at her weapons, then at her friends, at the smashed bugs on the ground.

 "What...happened?" 

Her whole body trembles. She drops her weapons. Then she falls to the ground, shaking as she sobs.
Athedia
Mithril grasped Honey's reins with her hands, running to Natalia's side.  Climbing off the large horse she gathered the girl in her arms.   "Shh, shh, we killed them, everyone is safe now. It's okay." 
CoffeeIncluded
"I...running, always running. Mind all wrong." She keeps sobbing, long deep shudders down her body. "Couldn't see, couldn't tell anythng."
achinca
Miriam first gesture is to go confort Natalia but she stops herself has Mithril takes her in her arms. " You are not their mother. You are just a friend. A friend they care about a great deal. But not their mom .... "
CoffeeIncluded
"Paired, not single," Natalia says through her tears. "Pairs to guard, prp each other...Needto guard you. Friends, ward me." Natalia seems a bit better, though she's still very distraught.
Admiral
Shiny rests a gentle hand on Natalia's arm as the rogue embraces Mithril.  "You weren't yourself,"  Shiny says.  "It happens to all of us." 

Shiny then walks back a bit to heal himself with his wand.

 
 Spoiler 
Will keep using it until Shiny is healed (12 points):

 (1d8+1)[ 4 ] 
 (1d8+1)[ 2 ] 
 (1d8+1)[ 5 ] 
 (1d8+1)[ 5 ] 
 (1d8+1)[ 9 ] 

I was just thinking "hope I don't start by getting 11." Shiny's not reasonably going to use a charge on himself for 1 HP, so let's make it 3 charges and he's missing 1.
 
Admiral
The party continues their journey to the frontier city, navigating their way among the canyons. After their excitement with the umber hulks, they run into nothing more than a few small scavengers that scurry away on sight. As they grow weary, dusk falls, the clouds taking on amber tones as the setting sun hits them, and then dimming into shadow.

Finally they emerge from a canyon to see a rocky, mostly flat, landscape, and two sights on the horizon catch their attention. One is a city set in the center of a flat region, perhaps a bit larger than Hulburg, the light of their lanterns sharply visible through the clear desert air.

But the second sight is what captures their attention more completely- atop the tallest peak in the southern landscape, there emerges a bizarre streak of green and blue that expands across the sky, slowly undulating as they watch in an otherworldly dance. At the base of this colorful aura sits a sort of distant storm, a small tempest of color with lightning crackling at its edges.

 
 Spoiler 

Best visual aid is  this , on a desert landscape rather than a northern one.
 
Cavelcade
Kurt stands there, puffing lightly as he stares at the spot where the hulk had been a moment before, his axe having carved it up so no identifiable matter remains. He looks at that, then at himself and just whistles lightly, before turning to Natalia, nodding when he sees her being taken care of already.

 
 Spoiler 

 I'll go with this one. 
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Still, could have hurt you,"  Natalia sniffles.  "What if...dangerous? Rabid?" 

Natalia's mostly quiet as they continue, her despair and fear hardening, coalescing into determination at the center. When she sees the aurora ribbon through the sky, her jaw drops and she falls silent, this time in awe. As the rogue watches the ethereal wave, she reaches one hand up to it, as if to catch the crackling electricity within, and wonders if it would feel the same color in her hand.

 
 Spoiler 
Also, could I please take the shield of blades ACF? It provides more complete and just more AC bonus than the dodge bonus, and I already have the dual-wielding necessary for it.
 
achinca
Miriam looks at the natural beauty of the desert landscape as well as the festival of lights on the sky. She takes it in, sensing the divine. She closes her eyes, finds an inner peace she has not find in a while.

She slowly opens her eyes, looks at her mark on her right hand and spits at it. She looks at her friends and finally addresses it " Yes, I know, it is a required thing and it is the right thing to do. But let me tell you, I hate being branded. I cannot wait for us to stop the hooded one that I can get the heck out of Eldgar and get rid of this forever ..... "
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia looks down at Miriam's hand again, hard as it is to tear her eyes from the sight.  "What about hiding? Out of your sight?" 
 
 Spoiler 
Working on my sheet right now too.
 
achinca
Miriam shakes head. " Only criminals or people with evil intentions hide their brands in this place. I just need to live it like I live with all the other things I do not like in my life ...... "
Athedia
 "Brand? It isn't so for all of us.  I think I shall stay here once this is done.  Either under the earth or in the halls..."   Mithril spoke softly watching the lights dance above her.  This was a magic out of humans reach, a beauty she would never fully understand.
achinca
Miriam smiles at the wizard " Mithril, if it is St. Cuthbert wish that we both survive eliminating that threat to the realm and our way split, I will remember adventuring with you as an honor. I really hope you find happiness here if you decide to stay ..... "
CoffeeIncluded
 "Why talk like goodbye...forever? Not with magic, not when travel like blinking."  Natalia stares up at the aurora and the shifting colors. What secrets did the lightning within hold?

The rogue shakes her head.  "Here. If...a place to belong. A place to call home. Like now, after spiders...found the way back home." 
achinca
Miriam looks at Natalia and addresses her using the nickname Valen gave her " Little One, you hit the nail on the head. It is all about home. I have no home to go to. But I know that here is not my home. I cannot stay forever in a place that requires people to be branded. I will stay as long as I must stay, but once the threat is gone, I will leave, looking for my home. Unless St. Cuthbert calls me at his table ..... "
CoffeeIncluded
 "But..."  Natalia plays her hands across each other.  "Home...more people, than place." 
Admiral
The party continues their discussion as they approach Marvell.

Cardonne had been a welcoming city- its surrounding walls were short and seemed mostly ceremonial. Marvell, however, is surrounded by tall, forbidding barriers patrolled by sentries of the city guard. As the party approaches they can see that unlike the uniform composition of the Hulburg Shieldsworn, the Marvell city guard is made up of a strange combination of warriors from all four guilds: paladins whose armor displays the silver and green emblem of the Church, soldiers of the Firm clad in brown and white, warmages of the Institute dressed in purple and blue, and sinister-looking Syndicate enforcers wearing red and black. The party worries about being denied entry, but as soon as they've shown their guildmarks to the guards, they are immediately admitted. It is clear that the enemies the city fears don't bear such marks.

The city is smaller, shorter and less busy than Cardonne, but in some ways more impressive for being in the center of the desert. The streets are sanded down to flat rock, and buildings made of carefully carved stone spring out from the earth on either side. The party can see the height of the buildings slowly increase along an angle until its zenith at the center of the city. Upon seeing the highest point- a steeple similar to that of the Cathedral of Cardonne- they know that center must be the grand Guildsquare.

 
 Spoiler 

Welcome to the frontier city of Marvell. Remember that you originally came here because you heard the advance party (including Calric Jr) was heading here, but what you do here is up to you.
 
CoffeeIncluded
War here too? So this place isn't a utopia. Then again, it didn't quite feel that way--as much as Natalia loves the guilds, her idea of utopia is one of freedom. In that way, she agrees with Miriam.

But the buildings...Natalia breaks a few steps ahead of the group, runs forward, kneels to the ground and feels the sandstone slope upwards, from floors to walls. It's rough and warm under her hand, and carved as if the buildings and houses grew naturally from the ground, stone plants in the desert. But Natalia knows better. The stone doesn't feel as springy, as green, as something truly growing from the earth. Still, it's well-crafted.
Cavelcade
Kurt stares in silence at the display overhead, uncertain how to feel about it, or the city they're approaching. The whole place has him on edge - though he knows the reason why they have to be there, he longs for the familiar sights and smells of home. Even their desert is different to the one's he's seen before, nowhere has he seen that kind of light - but as he enters the city, he sees that most people just accept it, going about their business as if it's of no matter.

 
 Spoiler 

I'll update my sheet later - probably another level of crusader.
 
achinca
When Natalia explains her definition of "home", Miriam smiles bitterly but says nothing.

She is silent for the rest of the tip until they see Marvell. Once they show their marks and are let it, she whispers " the masters know who they own ...... "

She lets Natalia admires the stone for a while before asking " What is next? "
CoffeeIncluded
 "Find Calric?"  Natalia asks as a response, still tracing her fingers along graffiti etched into the stone, ranging from faithful to filthy.

At Miriam's other remark, Natalia takes Miriam's hand, and compares the mark on it to her own.  "If one mark, one master, then all marks...all masters. Then maybe no masters at all." 

Miriam can feel Natalia's hands shaking in hers; the rogue still hasn't quite recovered from her utter break with reality.
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
Your information about Calric and the others is limited- you have detailed descriptions and a code phrase to use if you find them, but you don't know where they'll be right now since their mission is mostly covert. You can make some Gather Information checks. And you can stop by the guildhalls if you are interested in other things that are happening around here.
 


Before doing anything else, the group finds an inn for the night, one of the nicer ones on one of the shadier streets. Once in the privacy of their room, they pour out a sack of the treasure they had found on the bodies of the umber hulks.

 
 Spoiler 

And incidentally, I forgot to roll treasure for the umber hulks! They are intelligent creatures and therefore, as per their rating in the MM, have standard treasure on them. Treasure rolling will occur OOC.
 


In the pile lies 1421 gold, a wand of  cure light wounds , a ring of  protection +1 , and a scroll of  resist energy .

 
 Spoiler 
You have time to have these identified by the guilds- I'm not too into the "don't know what each item is" game.
 
achinca
Miriam looks at Natalia " No. 4 marks means 4 masters.  Everyone is branded by one of the masters. Their biggest trick is to make you believe you are free .... "

As they are in the inn, Miriam waits for someone to invite her in the room. Once invite, she pays no attention to what treasure is in the bed. She is looking at the window, lost in her thoughts.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia shakes her head.  "Masters brand selves, own selves...why not society...for guildless, then?" 

Later, Natalia invites Miriam into the room. She's sitting crosslegged in front of the loot, and has already divided the money into five equal piles.

 "If it's okay?"  Natalia asks, picking up the ring and rolling it around in her hand.

 
 Spoiler 
I think we're okay with splitting the money evenly, right?
 


Natalia looks back at one open textbook, which provides detailed recipes of various alchemical concoctions and trap components. She's certainly excited to try them out.

 
 Spoiler 
I kinda want to see what's going on in the guilds too, if that's okay?
 
achinca
Miriam takes whatever has been assigned as "hers" and leave the room and the inn. She looks for a place of worship with the mark of the church and once there asks if there is a group of priests or monk who took the vow of poverty and how to reach them.
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 

Remember that it's nighttime now- does Miriam want to wait for the morning? If Miriam stops by the Church now, she'll be told that the monks are in nighttime prayer and suggested to come back in the morning.
 


The first thing in the morning, Miriam finds her way to the Church guildhall, a cathedral considerably smaller than that of Cardonne but still rather grandoise. Upon inquiring with a priest at the front, she is led to the quarters of the monks, which are a set of minimalist bunks in a loft above the stables.

When she enters, the monks are completing their morning exercises along the rafters of the stables. The priest who had led Miriam to the stables calls out to one of them. In response, a slender but toned elf clad in a simple cloth tunic leaps off his rafter. As he falls, he expertly taps the wall alongside him to slow his descent, until he lands thirty feet below without even a grunt.

He steps over to Miriam.  "Hello- I'm Thedon, groundskeeper of the Cathedral of Marvell. How can I help you?" 
Cavelcade
 "If I wanted to create a society that thought it was free, I'd make slavery mandatory too..."  Shaking his head, uncertainty.  "I don't know, maybe Miriam has point. But still, we have to deal with it..." 


In the morning, Kurt goes with Miriam to the Cathedral looking to see if there was anything he could help.
Athedia
As the Kurt and Miriam visited their guildhall, Mithril sat down for her studies clearing a space for Natalia to sit if she felt so inclined.  It had been nice having her presence back watching her prepare spells, she hadn't realized how much she had missed it.

 
 Spoiler 
Spell List:
Level 0 (4):
Read Magic
Detect Magic
Mending
Prestidigitation
Level 1 (4):
Magic Missile
Mage Armor
Unseen Servant
Grease
Level 2 (4):
Web
Acid Arrow
Cloud of Knives
Locate Object
Level 3 (3):
Haste
Fly
Telepathic Bond
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia eagerly sits at the space prepared for her, grinning in gratitude. She leans over Mithril's shoulder, opposite Whiskers, trying to read and follow along with the spells. Some of the words seem...clearer.

After a moment Natalia pulls out one textbook, and opens to a chapter she'd read a few times. She asks Mithril,  "These pages...how you touched your magic?"  Some of the things look the same. And if they are...
Athedia
 "Hmm?"  Mithril finished her morning studies and shut the book.   "Well I don't know exactly.  These are more notes to follow.  To refresh myself, I guess. 
CoffeeIncluded
 "I mean..."  Natalia looks at the spellbook, cracks the cover and peeks sideways at the pages. They don't feel too different from other papers. But the color is...just a tiny bit odd.  "Learned the first magic? Lessons before refreshers?" 
Athedia
 "I never thought about it.  I just can't read these and cast a spell, it is different.  I guess it started when I just kept copying down the symbols, eventually I guess one stuck." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "What?"  Natalia shakes her head.  "I thought taught the magic. Learned the theory." 
Athedia
Mithril  shifted uncomfortably.    "Well eventually, but at first it was just a game.  No-one thought that a shopkeeper's daughter would have the talent for magic." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Same with baker's girl. But you understand. Touched it, grasped it, made your own."  The awe in Natalia's voice is clear. The unspoken question hangs in the air.   Understand enough to teach?  
Athedia
 "Yes, I guess I did."  Mithril flipped to one of the pages of the textbook.   "So is this supposed to help you do that?  Make your own?" 
CoffeeIncluded
 "I think. Maybe,"  says Natalia. She then shows the other textbook, the one with the alchemical traps.  "Trying this, but testing both. Learn both at once, then decide."  She looks back and forth between both books. She looks back the the page Mithril flipped to.  "Is it familiar?" 
Admiral
Shiny's head pops up over the textbook, almost out of nowhere.  "Oh, you're just looking at it upside down,"  he says to Natalia helpfully.  "It's actually just a recipe for grilled hippogriff." 

Shiny then runs off, where he heads to the nearest tavern with an agenda.

 
 Spoiler 

Since no one else has tried it yet, Gather Information about the party we're chasing:  (1d20+10)[ 16 ] 
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Wah!"  Natalia leaps forward in her seat, though she recovers almost instantly. Still, she feels rather foolish; she should have been used to Shiny's antics by now.

Natalia looks again at both books, holds them up, tilts them at an angle to understand the diagrams better.  "You think...a place to test these? More teachers at the guild?" 
 
 Spoiler 
Natalia wants to go to the guild, see if they have anything to offer there.
 
achinca
" Master Thedon, I am Miriam Sunflower, cleric of St. Cuthbert and this is my friend Kurt. We are both part of your ..... well affiliated with you. "

She shows her mark to the monk. " I have taken a vow of poverty like you did and .... " She stops, realizing that is her beat up, dusty robe and sandals, she looks more like a beggar than a cleric but she is who she is. " Anyway, I have found some gold in my adventuring which I want to give to the poor, the needy and the destitute. Is there an orphanage or a poor house you can recommend? "
Athedia
 "Let us try and find the group we came to seek first."   Mithril stood up and offered a hand to Natalia.  As they walked to the street she asked the innkeeper.   "Have you seen another group come through here, four people?"  She realized she had never asked Shiny what the codes in the envelope were once they actually found this group.
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by achinca 
 " Master Thedon, I am Miriam Sunflower, cleric of St. Cuthbert and this is my friend Kurt. We are both part of your ..... well affiliated with you. "

She shows her mark to the monk. " I have taken a vow of poverty like you did and .... " She stops, realizing that is her beat up, dusty robe and sandals, she looks more like a beggar than a cleric but she is who she is. " Anyway, I have found some gold in my adventuring which I want to give to the poor, the needy and the destitute. Is there an orphanage or a poor house you can recommend? " 
 

The elf smiles.  "That's a lovely impulse. I used to be an adventurer, even under the oath, and collecting wealth for the sake of the needy was the most rewarding part of the job." 
 "There are no orphanages here in Marvell- few people bring their children out here, so in the tragic cases when a child's parents are lost we usually arrange for them to return to one of the Church's orphanages in a larger city. There are many who care for the poor- many of the Church's temples (those of the individual gods) house a soup kitchen or shelter, the largest of which are in this very cathedral. There are fewer here in need than in other cities- just outside the capital city of Providencia, there are slums that stretch out to the horizon, of nothing but shacks, huts and even tents. That is where the Church does its finest work, granting food and healing to the needy, but they are always overwhelmed. If you want to give money to that cause or any other in the continent, from the orphanages of Senn to the poorhouses in Reardon, the Church can see to it that the gold reaches its destination."

"But if you're looking to give to someone more local, who truly needs it..."   Thedon bites his lip.  "Outside the walls of the city, along the southern desert plains that we call the Outerlands, there stretch the frontier villages. Brave pioneers started these settlements generations ago, to support their farms- through hard study they've found ways of raising livestock and even crops in what many had thought to be lifeless waste, and through their hard work carved out their own piece of the new world."

"But now a threat looms over this entire region- that of the barbarian hordes. They've existed as long as Eldgar has- those who refuse the guildmark and with it the laws and values of society- but in the last few years their behavior has grown violent. They started by raiding caravans along the roads to Marvell, butchering soldiers, traders, and innocent travelers alike. And although before they have always let the pioneers survive in peace (for they have something in common with such settlers), they've now turned their deadly attention to those villages- burning, pillaging, ransoming, butchering... I cannot account for the change in their behavior. They say that even the orc hordes and the giant clans have stopped fighting amongst themselves, which is unprecedented."

"In this quiet war, there is no shortage of people to help. The Church has sent what soldiers it can to protect the villages. Many of them have been lost, some leaving grieving widows and widowers who could use support. The Firm has offered bounties on the heads of any barbarian, and allowed anyone to contribute to the pool for these bounties. Such a contribution might be the most effective way to bring more military support to the conflict. Most of need in help are the pioneers- they're brave and proud, but are suffering. But they don't need gold out on the frontier, they need supplies: food, lumber, arms and armor... If you wish to help these people, I may have an idea of how it can be done."  As Thedon speaks, he watches Kurt carefully, seeming to sense that Miriam is not the only one looking for ways to help.
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by athedia 
  "Let us try and find the group we came to seek first."   Mithril stood up and offered a hand to Natalia.  As they walked to the street she asked the innkeeper.   "Have you seen another group come through here, four people?"  She realized she had never asked Shiny what the codes in the envelope were once they actually found this group. 
 

The innkeeper, an elderly gnome, scratches his long beard thoughtfully.  "Plenty of groups come through here, young lady."  But upon hearing more details of the four from the envelope, he shrugs his shoulders.

 
 Spoiler 
If anyone wants to ask around other inns, you can make a Gather Information check. You can assume you know enough details from the envelope to describe them, I just haven't had the chance to write them or the code phrase yet (will think of it soon).
 
Cavelcade
 They're under pressure out there...uh, if you don't mind me asking - has anyone tried to go into the barbarians' lands to find out what has been driving them to make these alliances, these raids? 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia takes Mithril's hand with a smile.

At the inn, even though the gnome doesn't know the ones they're searching for, Natalia asks a slightly different question.  "Why shields here? Why arms in the desert?" 
 
 Spoiler 
Gather information (hah):  (d20-1)[ 3 ] 

Please don't make the code phrase "swordfish". 😛
 
achinca
Miriam thinks for a second. " Orcs and ogres and giants not fighting anymore. Barbarians suddenly acting like monsters instead of free men. Yes, the pattern is similar to what we saw in Hulburg. It is the type of work the hooded one is doing, having the evil races stop fighting each other and fighting the good races. And why would these barbarians, who are free from branding would act like evil monsters? Don't they understand how lucky they are? "

She grimaces when she thinks about the orphans " First you lose your parents, the center of your life and then the darn church moves you to a new place where you know no one and have no reference. Acted like true masters. "

She gives Thedon a political smile " No intent to offend you Master Thedon but I would rather see the gold go directly to the poor rather than fatten the middleman.... "  "Or end up as gold in one of these churches .. " " So ... how can I help these people ..... directly? "
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by Cavelcade 
  They're under pressure out there...uh, if you don't mind me asking - has anyone tried to go into the barbarians' lands to find out what has been driving them to make these alliances, these raids?  
 

 "I don't know of any... well, hold on... Kalinda Winters, our church's Chief Marshal, told me she had been talking to someone just a few days ago who expressed interest in that allegiance, and who was considering such a journey. I suppose you could ask her." 

 
 Originally Posted by achinca 
 She gives Thedon a political smile " No intent to offend you Master Thedon but I would rather see the gold go directly to the poor rather than fatten the middleman.... "  "Or end up as gold in one of these churches .. " " So ... how can I help these people ..... directly? " 
 

Thedon frowns at Miriam's words.  "The Church takes the sanctity of its donations with the utmost seriousness. Sworn monks like myself are responsible for their accounting, and ensuring they go solely to those who need them, and whom the donor intended. They don't go to a 'middleman,' and certainly don't 'fatten' anyone." 
 
 Spoiler 
I thought Arden's speech went over this pretty thoroughly!
 


Thedon shakes his head a bit and continues.  "As I was saying, what the pioneers need most is supplies. A moderate amount of gold, spent on supplies purchased from the Firm's warehouses right here in the city, would buy enough to save an entire village. But the barbarians raid the routes traveling towards those cities, so such a caravan would need protection if it were to reach its destination." 

 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
 Natalia takes Mithril's hand with a smile.

At the inn, even though the gnome doesn't know the ones they're searching for, Natalia asks a slightly different question.  "Why shields here? Why arms in the desert?"  
 

 "Well, the barbarians, of course..."  the gnome states with a shudder.  "They haven't attacked the city yet, but with all the trouble they're causing around us some think it's just a matter of time..." 
CoffeeIncluded
Barbarians...Natalia gives Mithril a look.  "What barbarians? Sorry, new face." 
achinca
" Talked like a true Master, Master Theron. I apologize if by any mean, I insulted your integrity. " She gives him a little bow of apology.

" Of course there is no middle men in this church. Buildings appear out of nowhere, fat priests get fed and dress out of nothing...... "

" If you could give me the list of what they need in order of priority, I will go and spend their gold on it. In term of providing protection, I have an idea of who can help. "
Admiral
Thedon smiles, and calls over a halfling monk, Ellsly, who serves as a clerk. Ellsly and Miriam sit at a desk for a few minutes, setting up an inventory of items that could be brought to a city given Miriam's budget. Finally he scratches out a sheet full of figures and hands it to Miriam.

 
 Spoiler 

Arden explained that the buildings were built by monks, and the artwork donated, in  this post . Miriam's stubbornness is getting a bit distracting to me.
 
Cavelcade
 
 Originally Posted by Admiral 
  "I don't know of any... well, hold on... Kalinda Winters, our church's Chief Marshal, told me she had been talking to someone just a few days ago who expressed interest in that allegiance, and who was considering such a journey. I suppose you could ask her." 
 
 Spoiler 
I thought Arden's speech went over this pretty thoroughly!
 
[/B] 
 

Kurt's eyes light up a little at that, wondering if their quest after Calric Jr. would be solved so quickly.  "Thank you - where I can I find Kalinda?"  He turns to Miriam, speaking quietly before he goes.  "He seems honest - I'm sure he'll see to it your wishes are fulfilled..." 
 
 Spoiler 

I expect Miriam just thinks that things don't quite work that way, and that someone along the way is lining their pockets, just a little. That's usually how things go in the world, after all!
 
achinca
Miriam looks at Kurt and nods at the dwarf. " You are probably right ..... "

EDIT: She goes to she the clerical monk, nods, thanks him and get the list from him.
CoffeeIncluded
Could these be the barbarians that the group's been sent to defeat?  "The barbarians...human?" 
Admiral
Thedon takes the two into the cathedral. They pass by a series of offices until they reach the entrance to the barracks, where they find Kalinda Winders, Chief Marshal of Marvell. As they walk, Thedon explains the hierarchy of the church's soldiers. The paladins are divided into two orders, the military, led by the Captain of the Guard, who generally followed Heironeous, and the justiciars, generally followers of St Cuthbert in charge of law enforcement, led by the Chief Marshal. As Captain Romley is away leading a division into barbarian territory, Marshal Winters is handling military issues for the time being.

Kalinda is wearing full plate armor, emblazoned with both the sigil of the Church and the symbol of St Cuthbert, shiny enough that Miriam and Kurt can see their reflections. She has short blonde hair, and is attractive but unimposing. Her casual expression contrasts with the fearsome suit of armor she is wearing, and the pair of swords at her sides. She is sharpening a longsword as the two travelers approach, and looks up and grins as Theden introduces them.

 "What can I do for you?" 
Admiral
The inkeeper seems reluctant to talk much about the barbarians.  "Humans, orcs, and giants- too many tribes to keep track of, and each nastier than the last."  He glances down at the hands of the two visitors.  "If you're looking for that kind of stuff, you're probably better off in the library than asking an old codger like me." 
Cavelcade
Kurt glances at Miriam, then shrugs and goes ahead to ask, seeing she's distracted in her own thoughts. "We've heard the, ah, barbarians in the south have been acting up. We were wondering if anyone knew anything about it, we've been hearing all sorts of crazy rumours lately and we wanted to see what we could do to help. Thedon said that some other had been asking something similar, and that you might know more and be able to tell us what might need our assistance."  The words come out awkwardly, but he thinks they ought to do the job.
CoffeeIncluded
Orcs and giants? Looks like they may have found it. Natalia looks to Mithril and asks,  "Want to see?"  This could be the thing they've been looking for. And she's getting a feeling that they might find Calric and the others this way too.  "Library...where in Institute?" 
achinca
Miriam looks at the paladin of St. Cuthbert but decides to say nothing. After constantly putting her foot in her mouth since she has been on the continent, she decides to let Kurt do the talking. The dwarf might not be the most eloquent speaker but he gets his point across efficiently and gets the info he needs.
Athedia
 "I doubt we could miss it.  Maybe Ezra, that was the sorceress's name I believe, stopped by." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "All day there,"  Natalia says with a smile.  "Books for each, metal and magic." 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by Cavelcade 
 Kurt glances at Miriam, then shrugs and goes ahead to ask, seeing she's distracted in her own thoughts. "We've heard the, ah, barbarians in the south have been acting up. We were wondering if anyone knew anything about it, we've been hearing all sorts of crazy rumours lately and we wanted to see what we could do to help. Thedon said that some other had been asking something similar, and that you might know more and be able to tell us what might need our assistance."  The words come out awkwardly, but he thinks they ought to do the job. 
 

Kalinda smiles as she continues sharpening her blade.  "Battling the chaos of the southern lands is important work. It's inspiring to see citizens take up the call alongside the soldiers." 
 "There are dozens of barbarian tribes in the south, made up of many races. Some desire nothing more than to live out their lives in peace in the wild, some are bandits who survive through petty theft and ransom, and others are aggressive clans who ravage any innocent village that crosses their path. The Jester's Crew is perhaps the nastiest- a few hundred madmen who follow an insane, sadistic gnome. Just a few days ago we received word they'd laid siege to Rookwood, one of the largest cities south of here, and claimed hundreds of hostages for their twisted... games. Three days ago Captain Romley took a full division- two hundred paladins and a dozen clerics- to reclaim the city and bring the Jester to justice." 

Kalinda thinks for a moment.  "You asked about other volunteers who showed similar interest. Two days ago we did have such a visitor- a cleric of St. Cuthbert, as it happens- who showed special interest in the orc barbarian tribes. I'll tell you what I told him- the nastiest of the many orc tribes is the One-Eyed Horde, orcs who worship a so-called "god" of war and slaughter. Their superstition has cost hundreds of innocent lives- farmers, families, travelers- in brutal ritual sacrifice over the last few years. Their activities have recently become more overtly violent, but with the crisis in Rookwood we've had to turn our attention temporarily away from them. The cleric led me to believe he might travel out there to help the villages defend themselves against the barbarians. We gave him what little useful information we had and he went on his way." 
Admiral
Natalia and Mithril follow the innkeeper's directions and make their way to the Guildsquare, where they find the sandstone campus of the Institute. Once they show their guildmarks, an elderly elf wizard leads them to the library.

Had Mithril not been spoiled a week earlier by the sight of the Library of Cardonne, this would be by far the largest library she'd seen, though she quickly estimates it is about a quarter the size of that one. While in Cardonne the books had stretched so far above her head that wizards needed to fly from shelf to shelf just to reach all the material, here they reached about twenty-five feet high, and were accessed by enormous animated ladders that walked themselves from stack to stack at the commands of its rider.

More striking to her than the difference in size is the difference in focus. Cardonne's library was all-encompassing in its scope, with massive sections on magical history and biography, theory and taxonomy, practical instruction, and of course its impressive collection of spells. Marvell's library, however, most of the branches of magical study seemed like an afterthought- she learns from a clerk at the front desk that the library makes available only a very limited selection of the spells that Cardonne had, though their limits go well beyond Mithril's level of magical ability.

 
 Spoiler 

FYI: The library has all spells up to level 4 available to be copied, and some spells above that level (if it comes up it will be rolled for).
 


What Marvell's library is overwhelmingly focused on is  research - the discovery of the outer limits of arcane magic. Mithril is surprised to find an entire corridor devoted to the invention of new spells, which she had always heard was the domain only of the most powerful wizards in history. Natalia similarly finds little about engineering or trapmaking that goes beyond the textbooks in her possession, but finds a wealth of books that discuss the properties of the physical world, describing strange experiments that seem to have little relevance to the work of an trapsmith. The library's most thorough section concerns what might be considered the spirit of discovery taken to its limit- the exploration of other planes of reality.

 
 Spoiler 
Thanks for everyone's patience. Once I have time I'll update with what Natalia+Mithril find out in the library about barbarians, though they're free to explore it in other ways.
 
CoffeeIncluded
What strange theoretical texts. And even though they have little to do with her practical interests in machinery, these books on research pique her interest regardless. Oh, she wants to take these books and start reading, just to see what there is to know.

And yet, at the same time, Natalia marvels at what the others perceive as mundane--ladders racing back and forth at a single word or gesture. Some mischievous part of her mind takes hold, and she whispers in Mithril's ear, saving her idea for later.

Even as Natalia searches with Mithril for information on the barbarians, she picks up various tomes about the natural world, hoping to read about the experiments and see just what they were meant to discover. There's so much to read here, so much to learn, how could she ever find time for it all?

 
 Spoiler 
Athedia, check my facebook message. Got any ideas or things to look for other than barbarians?
 
Athedia
As Natalia rushed around the library, Mithril sought out the head librarian.  She straighten out her robes and even tried to slick down Whiskers hair so she would appear as someone to be taken seriously.
Admiral
The head librarian of the Marvell Collection is a short middle-aged gnome, sitting at a desk near the back of the library, studying a wide array of what appear to be periodicals. He smiles politely as Mithril approaches, and introduces himself as Crowley.  "How can I help you?" 
Athedia
 "I was wondering if another group of travelers had come through her.  A sorceress maybe?  I believe her name was Ezra."   Mithril attempted to relate the description that was in the envelope while keeping an eye on Natalia to make sure she didn't knock a bookshelf onto herself.
Admiral
The gnome shrugs.  "Many come through the library, and I don't remember anyone in particular who fits that description." 
Athedia
 "Sorry to bother you."   Mithril started to walk away before she remembered what Natalia had come here for.   "Do you happen to have any books on the barbarian tribes?" 
Admiral
The gnome points to a set of stacks down the hall.  "Local history is in the third stack that way, and you'll find some chapters on the tribes."  He rubs his chin philosophically.  "But history changes every day, perhaps more so in these strange times. You'll find the periodicals over there."  He points at a set of shelves in the opposite direction.  "The Marvell Pioneer is a local weekly newssheet (run by the Firm, as such things are)- these days you'll never find an issue without some mention of the tribes." 
CoffeeIncluded
Mithril may be keeping an eye on Natalia to ensure she doesn't knock anything over, but such concern, though greatly appreciated, is unnecessary. Natalia scrambles over and up shelves, never once slipping or losing her footing as she picks up various books and puts them in her satchel. By the time Mithril's sought out the librarian, Natalia's sitting in a little fortress of books, picking one out at random and voraciously devouring it. There are, of course, books on the barbarians in the pile.
Athedia
Mithril wandered over to the periodicals and picked out an armload of the more recent editions.  Working her way over to Natalia she started to skim the pages for any reference to the barbarians, occasionally reading other material.
CoffeeIncluded
 "Hm?"  Natalia reaches over to pick up a periodical from the armful, looking for information about the barbarians but also seeking to learn more about the general state of the region as well. It's comforting, sitting next to Mithril in a fort of books.
Admiral
Mithril and Natalia dive into the material, first looking for some background on the region and the barbarians, and then tabulating a list of some of the more relevant tribes. They discover that some tribes are divided by race while others are mixed, and that the racially divided tribes are made primarily of orcs, giants, and humans. Many are eminently peaceful (though most guard their lands with great vigilance against outside intrusion), but Mithril and Natalia focus on those that have a reputation for brutal violence.

 Human:  The Crusaders. Human supremacists who reject the mix of races in the continent and started their own floating civilization. Considers itself at war with all nonhuman tribes, and is responsible for some of the bloodiest battles. Known to commandeer villages as part of their "war effort."

Cutler's Gang: Led by a notorious slave trader, the tribe's M.O. is to kidnap adolescents- barbarians, villagers, travelers- put them on boats off of the southern coast, and sell them into slavery in other countries. Slave trading is the most serious crime in Eldgar, and Cutler has a bounty of 100,000gp set by the Firm.

 Orc : One-Eyed Horde. The largest of the barbarian tribes. Believed to follow an orc god of slaughter, though Natalia and Mithril never see the god's name in print. Lately stories of their conquests against pioneer villages have multiplied, most such conquests leaving no survivors. Some believe they are building an army to conquer the southern realms and establish a government separate from Eldgar.

There used to be dozens of other orc tribes, but in the last few years most have been either assimilated or defeated by the Horde. A year ago a week-long battle between the Horde and the Crusaders left a wave of destruction across the plains that the region is still recovering from.

 Giants:  Many races of giants live in the South. Fire giants make up the largest and most organized population, but stone giants, desert trolls, ogres, and many others also make their home in the deserts. They're less united than the orcs, making up many tribes of various compositions, but no less dangerous. Until recently they were known to battle orc tribes for control of the mountainous territory, but in the last year there've been fewer and fewer reports of combat between the giants and the orcs, and (in some of the more speculative periodicals) there've been reports of collaborative raids on the villages, with orcs and giants fighting side by side.

 
 Spoiler 

I've spent too long coming up with names of tribes today- just assume Natalia and Mithril know the names of some giant tribes and we'll work with them when we get to them.
 

 Halfling : Rengard's Rejects: Formed by a band of criminal halflings who split off when their leader, the  halfling crimelord Rengard , started his own city in exile in the desert. Thinking their leader had sold out, these crooks set off to make their living as highway bandits. They are the most capable and dangerous thieves that aren't citizens of the Syndicate.

 Mixed:   Jester's Crew, especially nasty and sadistic. Several hundred henchmen, many "freed" from mental institutions, led by a psychopathic gnome. Anarchist nihlists who enjoy pitting their victims against each other in cruel gladiatorial games. Have been known to put hostages under mind-numbing enchantments, then send them home to their families with explosive runes sewn into their clothes. One of the few tribes that has influence in the north, though most suspect their base is in the barbarian lands. Just recently took the city of Rookwood hostage.

The Immortals: A sickening band of cannibals of all races who believe that eating the bodies of their enemies and victims will grant them eternal life. In their state of constant warfare, none have lived long enough to test the theory. Has shrunk in the last few years as other tribes have grown, with orcs especially running off to join the Horde, though the occasional atrocity is still attributed to them.

Children of the Plains: A band of druids who seek to repel civilization from the southern lands. Known for their strategy of sabotage- even known to spread magical diseases through livestock and crops to drive farmers out. Also capable of violence.

 
 Spoiler 
Whoosh, all that was depressing to come up with.

That's it for now, but assume there are other tribes the two young researchers are now familiar with.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Yeesh,"  Natalia mutters, shuddering. The rogue knows how mentally vulnerable she is, and just the thought of being stripped down and made to kill her friends is enough to make her want to vomit. And she nearly does upon reading about the Immortals.

The crusaders disgust her; if they want to make another Hillsfar then they should just go there instead!  "Keep their racism in a bubble, don't poison anyone else,"  she mutters.

Natalia pauses as she reads about the one-eyed horde, and their cooperation with the giants. She looks at Mithril and asks,  "Like Hooded one. A puppetmaster...an ambassador?" 

She looks at the news again, trying to gauge distances and capabilities. They've done so much, but can they handle this?

 
 Spoiler 
Is there any way to gauge the power level of the groups relative to ours? How far away are all of these relative to us?

And thank you for the infodump!
 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by athedia 
 Mithril wandered over to the periodicals and picked out an armload of the more recent editions.  Working her way over to Natalia she started to skim the pages for any reference to the barbarians, occasionally reading other material. 
 

As Mithril scours the newssheets for references to barbarians, a headline catches her eye- a notice from the Institute not to be alarmed by the side effects of the "Exley Laboratory," which had just begun its experiments.

When Mithril had entered Marvell with her friends and seen the green and blue aura dancing through the sky, she had assumed whatever magic it represented was out of her reach. But to her surprise, she learns this is not the case, and that the waves are the product of arcane magic like her own. The article describes (in somewhat vague terms) how the Exley Laboratory's experiments in "expanding the frontiers of arcane understanding" would produce impressive but entirely harmless phenomena (noting that the Laboratory was at the safe distance of five miles from the city). The bit of propaganda promises "great strides" in magical research to come from the Laboratory in the next few years.
CoffeeIncluded
 "Not natural?"  Natalia asks, leaning over Mithril's shoulder to read this cheerier fare. How strange, Lisk had once said that in some northern lands that phenomenon was common.

 "Strides for what?"  Natalia asks, wondering if there's a bit of magic or words of spell in the text that she can't decipher. There's so much to do here, but...

Reluctantly, Natalia returns to her original task. That says they have a few years. But there are lives that need saving right now. Still, heh, she looks to see if there's any other headlines like that, some cheerier fare.

 
 Spoiler 
Aperture science. Something's gonna go wrong there. 😉

Have I mentioned you're awesome?
 
Athedia
 "If they haven't blown themselves up by the time we get back, I will pay them a visit."   Mithril flipped back through the articles taking notes as she did so.  Rereading the details she gulped.  "Why did I ever leave home.  I could be managing the shop right now, not learning I could be eaten alive."   She stopped to pick Whiskers off a stack of books and then at his insistence that he was bored, she found a book with more images than the others (not many this was an academic library of course, but enough that he could stare at something).   "The One-Eyed Horde sounds like the ones we are after.  Especially with the decline in other orcish groups.  I don't know if all the giants are part of them, though I believe"  She paused and picked up the periodical again to confirm the name.  "Sheep? Odd name, but I don't think we need to worry about them." 
 
 Spoiler 
Named after the scariest thing in the world, and yes I am making a very bad joke.

Like the eco-terrorists you added.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia reaches over to place her hand over Mithril's. She looks into her eyes.  "Glad you left home. Got to meet you." 
Cavelcade
 
 Originally Posted by Admiral 
 Kalinda smiles as she continues sharpening her blade.  "Battling the chaos of the southern lands is important work. It's inspiring to see citizens take up the call alongside the soldiers." 
 "There are dozens of barbarian tribes in the south, made up of many races. Some desire nothing more than to live out their lives in peace in the wild, some are bandits who survive through petty theft and ransom, and others are aggressive clans who ravage any innocent village that crosses their path. The Jester's Crew is perhaps the nastiest- a few hundred madmen who follow an insane, sadistic gnome. Just a few days ago we received word they'd laid siege to Rookwood, one of the largest cities south of here, and claimed hundreds of hostages for their twisted... games. Three days ago Captain Romley took a full division- two hundred paladins and a dozen clerics- to reclaim the city and bring the Jester to justice." 

Kalinda thinks for a moment.  "You asked about other volunteers who showed similar interest. Two days ago we did have such a visitor- a cleric of St. Cuthbert, as it happens- who showed special interest in the orc barbarian tribes. I'll tell you what I told him- the nastiest of the many orc tribes is the One-Eyed Horde, orcs who worship a so-called "god" of war and slaughter. Their superstition has cost hundreds of innocent lives- farmers, families, travelers- in brutal ritual sacrifice over the last few years. Their activities have recently become more overtly violent, but with the crisis in Rookwood we've had to turn our attention temporarily away from them. The cleric led me to believe he might travel out there to help the villages defend themselves against the barbarians. We gave him what little useful information we had and he went on his way."  
 

Kurt glances at Miriam again - there's the mention of the cleric again, it has to be too much to be coincidence. And yet...would it definitely be better to do it that way? He can't tell what she wants - but he knows what he wants.

 "What else do you know about the one-eye tribe? And...could you tell us anything else about the cleric? You didn't catch his name, did you? He uh, reminds me of a priest I used to know, going out to distant areas to help protect people, just the kind of thing he'd do, no matter what the danger... 
achinca
A lot of thoughts come to Miriam's head but she chases them all. She was here in Eldgar to stop a serious threat to the realms. Nothing else matters.

She smiles at Kurt. As usual, the dwarf was stepping up to the occasion. She continued to trust him in leading the conversation.
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by Cavelcade 
  "What else do you know about the one-eye tribe? And...could you tell us anything else about the cleric? You didn't catch his name, did you? He uh, reminds me of a priest I used to know, going out to distant areas to help protect people, just the kind of thing he'd do, no matter what the danger...  
 

 "Sure, his name was Milton. Young man, blue eyes, black hair." 
 "There are two settlements in the South that are in grave danger: Deldon and Soshima. Deldon is a dwarven mining camp in the base of the Firestone Mountains. Its inhabitants are Firm citizens, but it is independent and self-governed- made up of dwarves too proud to serve any master. They sell the minerals they mine to the Firm in exchange for enough supplies to survive. But it also lies near a Horde encampment in the mountains, one that seeks to claim its tunnels for their own. Even an orc knows it's not wise to invade a dwarven mountain fortress, even if the numbers are twenty to one in your favor. So the Horde has laid siege to Deldon, cutting off their supply and trade routes. Unless someone breaks through, they're certain to starve in a matter of weeks." 
 "Soshima is a farming village that lies along the Takawa river, at the center of a wide expanse of farmland. The river, one of the few in these lands, is of critical strategic importance for the barbarian tribes, and most regions along it have been seized. Soshima has resisted so far because they have an advantage: the town is centered around a samurai school, led by the famed warrior Shiro. Shiro used to be a crusader for the Church, but retired to lead a simpler life, and to defend others who wanted to do the same outside of the guilds. He and his samurai protect thousands of farmers against the barbarians. But the Horde has grown stronger, and raids against their farms have greatly weakened the village and starved its inhabitants. Soon they may no longer be able to resist the onslaught." 
 
 Spoiler 
Just because Eldgar is generally based on American mythology doesn't mean I can't mix some others in there. Cultural melting pot, it is.
 
achinca
Miriam is relieved not to hear the word "Calric" coming out the St. Cuthbert paladin. She does not need more oil on that fire.

She waits for Kurt to decide how he will play god and what village will he decide to save.
CoffeeIncluded
 "I'll protect you. Nothing to fear,"  Natalia promises. She adds,  "One-eyed horde, like ones we fought. Puppet strings leading back here...Hooded one a messenger, an ambassador too?"  She looks back at Mithril.  "Find others, share what's known? Find our path, our next choice." 
Cavelcade
 
 Spoiler 
I guess there aren't any/many 9th level wizards around, then.
 


Kurt turns to look at Miriam, his forehead furrowed deeply.  "What do you think? I don't know here to go...a crusader defending freedom, or dwarves defending their homes, I don't know."  Sighing, he turns back to Kalinda.  "What do we need to do for both? We can't speak for others we know, but we'd like to help if we can - we just have to figure out what we can do. Is it just bring supplies to the river town? Is there a way to sneak into the mines, or will we have to fight through alone?" 
achinca
Miriam looks at Kurt as he asks for her opinion. She lowers her eyes to her robe which shows signs of its age, the thread starting to becoming bare at certain spots. She also notices that the stains from blood are still there, even after several washes. " I am starting to look like a pauper........... ."

She raises her eyes and replies " I let St. Cuthbert be the God here. I will not decide who deserved to be saved and cannot. If there is a logical target based on distance or timing, let's do it but if we have to choose who lives and who dies, do not count on me on casting a vote. I do not have the wisdom or intelligence to make such a decision. "
CoffeeIncluded
"Should go, tell, plan...even though nice here,with you and books." Natalia blushes, then stands up, looking back at the periodicals. "Large horde, small us, but...strike fast, often, in many places...travel miles in blinks wth magic?"

 
 Spoiler 
I think we might be able to help both with a teleport or something, or maybe horses if they're close. Also, I was talking with Athedia, and shes's also good with going to meet up with the others...you are, aren't you,right?

Also, did Shiny find anything useful? And did Natalia get a spell recharged into her dagger? Thanks.
 
Athedia
Mithril helped Natalia put all the books on a return cart, stopping her as she tried to return them to the shelves.   "Just put them here, it helps them keep track of which ones are used." 

As they walked out of the library, Mithril started toward the church.  It was the most logical spot for the two to disappear to.
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by Cavelcade 
  
 Spoiler 
I guess there aren't any/many 9th level wizards around, then.
 


Kurt turns to look at Miriam, his forehead furrowed deeply.  "What do you think? I don't know here to go...a crusader defending freedom, or dwarves defending their homes, I don't know."  Sighing, he turns back to Kalinda.  "What do we need to do for both? We can't speak for others we know, but we'd like to help if we can - we just have to figure out what we can do. Is it just bring supplies to the river town? Is there a way to sneak into the mines, or will we have to fight through alone?"  
 

The paladin thinks carefully as she recalls the tactical information.  "If I remember correctly... the mines have only three entrances, so as to make defense easier. I know two of them have been discovered, but one of them might not be and you might be able to enter. Still, the Horde has patrols along the mountainside and a strong presence in the surrounding region, so it will be difficult to reach. What they need most is food (and, according to our brief contact with them, ale and wine...)"  Her next expression could be mistaken for an eyeroll.  "As of a couple of days ago, they've run out of all provisions except carefully rationed scraps. Knowing the dwarven constitution, it could be days or even weeks before the hunger takes its toll... but it will. And the Horde will strike as soon as they think the miners are weakened." 
 "Soshima has desperate need of such supplies as well- in the last few months the school has been taking in hundreds of refugees from around the lands, those who have had their villages burned. And with their rice farms being pillaged and burned by the Horde, they cannot feed every mouth. But this may prove moot whenever the Horde decides to invade, and we have no idea when that might happen." 

Thedon steps forward at this point.  "You've volunteered to purchase food and other supplies. Whichever way you choose to go, the Order of the Vow can offer six mule-driven wagons, and monks to drive them. They're volunteers, not warriors- defending against the dangers of these harsh lands will be your task alone." 
 
 Spoiler 
For all folks thinking of solving your problems with teleportation, don't forget you can bring along only your maximum load of inanimate objects.
 


 
 Originally Posted by achinca 
 She raises her eyes and replies " I let St. Cuthbert be the God here. I will not decide who deserved to be saved and cannot. If there is a logical target based on distance or timing, let's do it but if we have to choose who lives and who dies, do not count on me on casting a vote. I do not have the wisdom or intelligence to make such a decision. " 
 

Kalinda peers deeply at Miriam at this last statement. Then she smiles and returns to sharpening her sword.  "I trained a paladin once who had grown up reading of the wondrous adventures of St. Cuthbert- the powerful villains he had brought to justice, the mighty monsters his Cudgel crushed with a single blow. Perhaps he spent too much time reading and not enough time playing outside, because in the first few weeks after his recruitment he struggled and suffered, especially with the strength training. One day I found him in the barracks, on the edge of tears- he said that he must not be worthy of St. Cuthbert or he would have been granted the strength to continue." 
 "I told him that the gods don't grant strength to paladins, that we bring it ourselves. And that struggle, that suffering, on the road to strength- that is the way we honor our gods, a far more meaningful tribute than prayer alone. The harder his road is, the greater he honors St. Cuthbert." 
 "As it is with a paladin's strength, so it is with a cleric's wisdom."  As she speaks, she looks back up at Miriam, but never stops sharpening her blade.  "You look like you've been doubting and second-guessing yourself a lot recently. You took the Oath, but you're self-conscious even now of your humble garments, as if anyone in this room or this guild would think any less of you. From your hands, your eyes and your staff I can see you have experience in battle, but you don't want the responsibility of lives depending on you. And while you've stood here you've scratched at your guildmark four times." 

Finally Kalinda stands, but only to draw her second weapon, a shiny light mace made of adamantine, also bearing the symbol of the Cudgel. And diligently she sits down to begin polishing it.

 "Humility is important, but it is not everything. You have the wisdom to make this decision, and to make peace with your Oath, and your guild. But you have to find this wisdom in yourself." 
achinca
Miriam bows to the Paladin.

" Mistress Kalinda, I have no issue with my simple garments. I am proud of my vow of poverty, especially as I get to meet richer and more noble people. I apologize if scratching my mark offended you. It is just a new thing for me. As for confidence in my wisdom, I have enough experience to know that it has caused the death of people I cared about before so I will not take that risk again. I am a simple farm girl who became a servant of St. Cuthbert so I know who I truly am. I am blessed to have friends I trust and will go with their decision. "

She bows again.
Admiral
 "I understand, Miriam of St. Cuthbert."  She nods her head in response to the bow, then continues discussing the situation in Soshima and Deldon with Kurt.

 
 Spoiler 

Kurt and Miriam can head out to meet with the others. We can assume they found out the information about the two settlements that would be available from the paladin, which I can give in OOC on request.

Soshima is about  (1d3+2)[ 5 ]  days away at a normal pace, Deldon is  (1d3+2)[ 4 ] , and the two are  (1d2+1)[ 3 ]  days from each other. (So apparently a right triangle of which Marvell-Soshima is the hypotenuse).
 
CoffeeIncluded
"Oh," Natalia says, a little embarassed.  "sorted by magic, or hand?" 

She follows Mithril to the church, thinking about what they read abou barbarian tribes, and all there is to do.

 
 Spoiler 
Sorry, can't read the rolls in spoilers or the spoiler in the large post for a couple hours until I get home.
 
Athedia
 "You know I never asked, I am sure they keep the records by hand though, less risk of mistake."   As they entered the square Mithril breathed in the fresh air, she had spent much of the morning indoors.
CoffeeIncluded
 "What mistakes with magic?"  The fresh air is rather pleasant. Natalia wonders if there's an atrium in the library where they can sit and study, or just read.

She sits with Mithril outside the church, waiting for Kurt, Miriam, and Shiny. Hopefully they found good information too.
achinca
Miriam will follow Kurt outside the church and rejoins with the two other women.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia waves Miriam over when she sees the cleric and barbarian leave the temple.  "Found what in church? We found knowledge, news...in books among library! Horde spread far, swept across lands...other dangers spread too. How to sweep?" 

If Whiskers is leaning close to Natalia, she scratches him behind the ears.

 
 Spoiler 
I hope Whiskers likes her.
 
Admiral
On Natalia's way out of the Institute, she stops by the local store and asks if they could rent a  bag of holding . The rogue learns that the store does possess several such bags, and that one could be rented for 625gp a week, but that it would require an additional deposit of 1500gp (until the item was returned) to minimize the guild's risk.

As Kurt and Miriam leave the Church, they spot Natalia and Mithril on the front steps and approach them. Each tells the other what they've learned, Kurt and Miriam sharing the monks' offer to drive a caravan of supplies alongside them, and Natalia and Mithril providing their rundown of the guilds. Early in their conversation, they spot their gnome friend climbing the steps, seeming less than enthusiastic.

 "I guess I'm losing my touch- back in the day Shiny Scentsniffer, tracker and food critic, would already have found the party we're chasing, and probably having a leisurely late lunch with them."  Shiny rubs his stomach mournfully. Then he looks back up with a hopeful expression.  "One shopkeep did recall someone fitting the description of Lieutenant Brander Beardbelly purchasing maps and supplies for the desert two days ago, but the man kept quiet about where he was taking them. And the shopkeeper might have been telling me what I wanted to hear just so I would buy the hippogriff leash that I was eying." 

Once everyone's finished sharing their stories, Shiny claps his hands.  "All right- where are we going, and how?" 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia thinks.  "Who...needs aid more? Strong dwarves like Kurt, last longer against orcs, longer than villagers. But Kurt, loyalty..." 

She shakes her head.  "Can help both. Should help both. More room for food with bags like mine, then travel in blinks, not days. Rent bags, bigger on the inside, big enough for food for all, but..."  She shakes her head and lists the price.  "Too much for me alone." 

Natalia tilts her head at Shiny's statement.  "He went to the desert, back the way we came?" 
 
 Spoiler 
In case it's not clear, Natalia's suggesting that we rent a very large bag of holding (she can pay most but not all of the rental fee and deposit), load it to the brim with foodstuffs, and then once we deliver the supplies to one location, teleport to the other and give them the food. Then we figure out what to do from there.

I'm about to go to dinner, won't be back for a couple hours, but is there any way to get a discount on the bag rental?
 
Athedia
 "But how would we get from one place to another fast enough?  We don't know when they would run out of supplies."   Mithril pointed out.   "I believe visit Soshima first, if it is true they have been taking in others, we should help the refugees.  From what I know about dwarves, they should be able to hold out a little longer and we might be able to attempt to break the siege." 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
 Natalia thinks.  "Who...needs aid more? Strong dwarves like Kurt, last longer against orcs, longer than villagers."  
 

Shiny wags his finger at Natalia.  "Don't count out the village so quickly, not if they're guarded by samurai. Didn't I tell you about my time as a ronin? At the peak of my training I could slice a blade of grass in half, using only a single human hair, that I was threading through a needle, that was stitching my memoirs into a single grain of rice, while on the back of a horse, that was riding down an erupting volcano."  He sighs.  "The trouble was that all those skills piling up in my head pushed out other ones, until one day I forgot how to walk. So I retired, though the legends of Shiny Sushisamba, samurai and small claims attorney, will echo through the ages forever." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia blinks at Shiny's story, then finally manages to quip,  "Why limit to human hair?"  Huh...quip. Maybe she is getting better at this.

She turns to Mithril.  "Same ideas. Dwarves stronger, studier. Thick oak trees take longer to cut. And shielded in caves, protected by earth and dark, while exposed against grass and sky. Loud carts...no ambush with them. So carts where no ambush, sneaking anyway. On plains, in grass, above ground."  She pauses and takes a breath before continuing.  "Maybe...pack food for dwarves ourselves. Escort to Shoshima, help refugees. Water willows. Then run to dwarves ourselves, Kurt guides, Shiny and I hide. Mithril, Miriam...safe with us. Promise. Little food to dwarves but many...many of us, and our steel. Five hide better in caves than five, monks, horses, carts. Then..."  Natalia looks up, brightening.  "Share blades, break siege. Waves crashing against waves. Like us against orc caves...but backwards. Reversed roles." 
 
 Spoiler 
Do you guys think this is a good idea? I think it would be neat to have Natalia turn out to be the leader (with a lot of support of course), but I'm really nervous about how I might botch it.  I'll only take on the leadership role if a majority of you think I should. I won't vote. 
 
Athedia
Mithril thought for a moment and shook her head.  "Natalia, I I am sorry I must say this but I don't believe it is practical to help both.  We can not fight our way through, we barely survived that many orcs before adn we were running away not through." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia shakes her head.  "Sneak through, not fight through. Meet, greet, ally. Build, make tricks and traps. Then let orcs come. Run through us, and dwarves. Fight through us, in our caves...not open plains. No places for traps there." 
Athedia
 "But we are not designed for caves, well most of us."  Mithril looked at Kurt.   "The orcs are weaker in the day, but in the dark? The closed in space?  We get stuck on one another." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Your light shines for us, against dwarves, and Kurt guides."  She grins, her steel-trap mind already buzzing with possibilities, equations and devices spinning in her head.  "And dark...betrays them too. Blind with light, then traps everywhere. Pits where none, sturdy tunnels falling in, arrows with every step. Let...orcs come, one by one against us, instead of falling on us all around." 
Admiral
The party struggles over the decision- deciding which innocents will be left to their own fate is not easy. But in the end the party's choice becomes clear, and they agree to set forth for the samurai village to see how they can assist in its defense. Miriam and Kurt set forth for the Firm guildhall, bearing the list of supplies that they had constructed with the monk clerk, and Miriam carrying the share of the gold she'd set aside for the needy.

The group hasn't visited a Firm headquarters yet- the building is grand and imposing, though not as tall as the cathedral, and laid out in a utilitarian manner. When Kurt and Miriam arrive and inquire about their list, they are directed to an office that handles goods and shipping. A friendly dwarven clerk with a beard twice the length of Kurt's steps over to them..

 "Heyo, what can I do for you today?"  he asks.

 
 Spoiler 

If Kurt and Miriam wouldn't both go just let me know- didn't mean to make assumptions.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia stews as she heads to the magic shops, looking for anything potentially useful. She does not relish the thought of taking on so many orcs at once, especilly not in a fair fight. The rogue finds the thought slightly distasteful, but realizes they'll probably have to fight dirty. Or at least she will. The thought of leaving an entire village to die when they could--should--be helping doesn't help her mood any.

 
 Spoiler 
Not sure what to lookfor, no access to items right now and general lack of knowledge. Sorry to throw myself at your mercy, but what would be a good idea to look for?
 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
  
 Spoiler 
Not sure what to lookfor, no access to items right now and general lack of knowledge. Sorry to throw myself at your mercy, but what would be a good idea to look for?
 
 
 

 
 Spoiler 
As mentioned OOC, Shiny would really like to split the cost of a CMW wand! Would certainly be useful defending against an invasion.

If you'd rather not, there are plenty of good items for Natalia in her price range. An amulet of natural armor costs 2000gp and would give her a +1 AC bonus that does stack with her ring of protection. One item she could save up for include the 4000gp items that boost ability scores- Natalia might be interested in the gloves of dexterity.
 
achinca
Miriam looks at Kurt and hands the list to the dwarf. " We would like to bring supplies to Sashima and the Church has given us the list of what we could afford on our budget. They said the Firm could easily handle such a request. "
Admiral
The dwarf takes the list and looks over it.  "Hmmmm... uh huh. Yes, we can put this together."  He takes a pencil from behind his ear and spends a few minutes checking over each of the prices, before circling a number at the bottom.

 "Grain, bread, cheese, bit of meat... Yep, six wagons total. This can be ready by just after sunrise tomorrow morning- pick it up at the loading dock of Warehouse C in the storage district."  He glances at the notes along the bottom of the list.  "I see you'll be paying half up front, the rest billed? That'll be 284 gold pieces, please." 

On the note, Miriam spots an account number- it seems the Church has matched her contribution gold piece for gold piece.
achinca
Miriam deposit the equivalent of 284 gold pieces in front of the dwarf. " Here you are. It is all we have. Do we have a receipt to claim the wagon? Do we look for someone in particular? "

She then notices the fact the Church has matched the contribution. " How sweet of them! They cannot spend it all on their own. They need a benefactor. Talk about buying a good conscience. Anyway, it is for a good cause. I know I am doing all I can to help. They can sleep at night knowing they bought their conscience." "
Admiral
 "Aye, of course,"  says the dwarf. He collects the coins into a register, then writes up a receipt on some parchment and pushes across to her.  "When you get to the warehouse, give this to the fella at the gate." 

The party has the rest of the day to themselves, during which they prepare to set out for Soshima in the morning. Shiny spends a little time asking around about the samurai village, inviting Natalia and Mithril on his tavernhopping quest.

 
 Spoiler 

Gather Information about Soshima:  (1d20+10)[ 16 ] 

No shopping for Shiny, going to keep saving up. If anyone else wants to shop, Mithril wants to work on a wand, or anything like that, please go ahead. Tonight I'll post about the start on the four day journey to Soshima.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia doesn't even bother asking around, knowing that nobody's going to understand her. Besides, Shiny seems to have that covered. Instead, she looks around in the shops for things that can be used as traps, spells or mundane items that have wide areas of effect, but aren't too expensive. Something that would confuse a horde of orcs, hinder them, slow them down. She does not want to face them on equal terms.
Athedia
Mithril headed back to the inn.  If they were to face orcs at all she remembered they hated the light of day.  Not that that concerned her to much, the spell she had made use of in the caves seemed to make the fight go a little more on their side.  But more of it couldn't hurt.  She smiled fingering the wands on her belt, lingering on the one with the sun carved on its base.  That is what she would start doing.  She pulled out the wand examining it, then asking direction to the nearest magical component supplier she rushed to the store.  Fingers flying as she gathered up the needed items she winced as the man named their price.  It would take all the gold she had, but it would be worth it if it saved even one of her friends.

As she made her way back to her room to start the wands construction she couldn't help grinning.  Even though she would be heading out into danger again the next day, the thrill of journey suppressed her worry.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia goes to the magic shop and immediately begins digging through the potions. If they're wading into a sea of orcs, then she and her friends will need protection, and a lot of it. Kurt is strong, but even he can't withstand blows forever. Natalia herself is fast, but even she can't dodge forever.

So. Best to fix those problems. Hit harder and faster. Dodge longer and withstand more blows. Natalia picks up a basket and begins placing potion after potion into it, wincing at the inevitable total but knowing any price is worth her friends' lives.

 
 Spoiler 
Right now my list of potions includes:
5x Protection from Evil
1x Barkskin
1x Shield of Faith
And my scrolls include:
1x Cat's Grace
1x Displacement

Guys, is this enough? Does anyone want anything?
 
Admiral
At dawn, the party wakes up in their inn and heads downstairs. Miriam is the first to wake, and as she walks downstairs from the room she sees an orc in a tunic standing in the lobby, turned away from her.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia gets something else after purchasing her supplies, She works beside Mithril--It's a quick job, but one she wants to get right. Natalia goes to sleep late, satisfied with her work. The next morning she takes her work out and searches for Miriam. "You there?" she asks, walking into the empty room. "Something for you."

[spoiler]How mucch is it all again? I'll deduct the cost when I het home."
achinca
As Miriam sees the orc, her first reaction is to raise her quarter staff and go into a defensive stance " An orc? Here? "

But she immediately calm down, noticing no obvious weapons. She, of all people, should know better than judge people from the outside. " He is obviously not here to raid the inn. What do I act like I belong in Hillsfar? "

She clears her throat and if/when the orc turns, she will force a smile " Good day ".

She looks at the orc, trying to pick up any important information such as a mark, a spell pouch, wands, etc.

 
 Spoiler 
Spot roll if needed
 (1d20+6)[ 17 ](23) 
 
Admiral
The orc turns to her- he is tall, almost six and a half feet, and imposing, but his expression is calm and his manner polite. Miriam spots the insignia of the Church on his hand, and that he is wearing the same simple garments as the sworn monks from the Church.  "Oh, good morning."  He glances down briefly and discreetly at her clothes and mark.  "You must be Miriam. My name is Zenn, and I'm here with the wagons to escort you to Soshima." 

Zenn looks somewhat different from the orcs Miriam and the others had fought- he has a similar greenish skin, sloping forehead, and sharp teeth, but the features are less prominent and more recognizable. She realizes she is likely looking at a half-orc.

The rest of the party comes downstairs following Miriam.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia heads downstairs after getting the gift for Miriam. "Miriam, I--Ah!" She stops short uupon seeing the orc talking to Miriam. It takes her a moment to get her initial reaction under control as she regards the half-orc.
spot:  (d20+9)[ 13 ] 
search:  (d20+12)[ 26 ] 
Admiral
Upon seeing a new face to introduce himself to, Shiny bounds on over to Zenn and Miriam.  "Hey, nice to meet you! Shiny Dustbuster, chimneysweep and sandpaper salesman, at your service. I'm guessing from your outfit that, like our friend Miriam, you also have a debilitating allergy to precious metals." 

The half-orc raises his eyebrows but doesn't otherwise respond to the outgoing gnome. He turns to the party.  "The wagons are outside- Theden said we'd be picking up your cargo in the shipping district, then setting out straight for Soshima."  His voice is deep and soft.

 
 Spoiler 

Shiny's Sense Motive:  (1d20+6)[ 18 ] 
 
achinca
Miriam extends her hands and shakes the half-orc hand. " Thank you so much for volunteering. I am Miriam. I am glad we can go and help Soshima. " She tries to adjust her used robe, as if straightening it would make the spots disappear or the bare areas less bare.

"My companions are ...." she points to the rogue " Natalia, trap master extraordinaire and .. " she points to Shiny but the gnome introduces herself.

" When our other two companions are here, we can go pick up the cargo and get on our way. Time is the essence I believe. "
Cavelcade
Kurt pauses for a moment, one foot hovering above the next step before he lets his breath out and relaxes, seeing Miriam is not threatened by the orc - or possibly half-orc - in front of her. His eyebrows raise a little at the statement that he'll be their guide, but that's just how things go. The last day had been spent preparing for him, oiling his weapon, checking his armour for any dings or broken rings that needed mending - and marvelling again when he finds it almost perfect.

He simply nods in response to the instructions, getting a small breakfast to eat as he walks.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia smiles and shuffles her feet a bit at Miriam's praise. She relaxes a bit upon seeing the rbes and guildmark on the halforc's hand, and asks, "Guide, only one to aid, or others like you?" A halforc seemingly treated like others...she's got a lot of questions to ask.

sense motive:  (d20+6)[ 10 ] 
Admiral
Zenn nods at each of the party members, then answers Natalia's question.  "There are five others, with the wagons outside."   He leads them outside, where they are introduced to the other monks that had volunteered- four humans and an elf, each in a mule-driven wagon. Zenn takes his place in the lead wagon, the party settles up with the innkeeper and fetches their mounts from the stables, and the caravan sets out along the streets of the city.

Zenn leads the group to the shipping district, where upon showing their receipt they are allowed through the tall gates and led to a loading dock. An enormous pile of crates and barrels. Workers help the party and the monks load the various supplies onto the wagons, which creak under the strain. Some notice Zenn grab massive barrels that must weigh at least four hundred pounds and hoist them onto his wagon with little effort.

As the party drives out of the shipping district, they see something down one or the rows that must be a mirage- a towering giant, as enormous as the ones that had terrorized the outpost at Hulburg, unloading pallets of crates from heavy wagons and placing them onto the docks.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia blinks and rubs her eyes at the sight. But no, it"s real. "Not all the horde," she says with wonder. It's one thing to read it, another to have it confirmed. Turning to the halforc, she points andasks, "Like that, everywhere?"

 
 Spoiler 
Does Natalia know his name? Also, I'll be home soon. Hopefully getting a smartphone this week, whichwill make things much easier.
 
Athedia
Mithril had stayed behind Natalia once she saw Zenn, partially because he made her nervous, but also because every time she attempted to greet him Whiskers dug his claws into her shoulder.

As the boxes were loaded (Mithril tried to help but after struggling to lift a smaller box she had been shooed away) Whiskers slowly fell asleep on Mithril's lap.  From her perch on Honey's back she stared, astonished, at the giant.

As the group rode out she drew Honey up near Zenn's wagon.  "Was that a real life Giant?  I have never run into half these creatures before, how do they live so peacefully?" 
achinca
Miriam is taken back by the sight of the giant peacefully working on the docks. " Excuse me Zenn, I am a recent immigrant to Eldgar so my knowledge of giants is that it is an evil race always ready to raid and kill and go to war. Are they different here? I heard once of a land where the color of a dragon did not matter and you could have good black dragon and evil gold dragon. Is it the same in Eldgar? "
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by athedia 
 As the group rode out she drew Honey up near Zenn's wagon.  "Was that a real life Giant?  I have never run into half these creatures before, how do they live so peacefully?"  
 

Zenn shrugs.  "They're citizens of the Firm, just like any other worker here. They're rare, but they're not treated any differently. (Certainly better suited for some jobs than any of us are). In other guilds, too: we have a giant cleric of Annam in the Marvell cathedral, though she's been off negotiating with barbarian tribes for the last month." 

 
 Originally Posted by achinca 
 Miriam is taken back by the sight of the giant peacefully working on the docks. " Excuse me Zenn, I am a recent immigrant to Eldgar so my knowledge of giants is that it is an evil race always ready to raid and kill and go to war. Are they different here?"[/B]

  
 

 

The monk frowns.  "That's an ugly stereotype. No race is always evil. Most giants prefer to live in the outer territories, but even there many are peaceful." 
 
 Spoiler 

FYI: this isn't me changing any rules. The giant you saw is a stone giant, which by the MM is "usually neutral."
 


 [B]"I heard once of a land where the color of a dragon did not matter and you could have good black dragon and evil gold dragon. Is it the same in Eldgar? 

 
 " 

 "Can't say I know the first thing about dragons, young lady." 
achinca
Miriam notices Zenn's frown and shakes her head " Here you go again, insulting them. You should chance your name to Miriam the Unwise.... "

" Zenn, I did not mean to say that it is what I believed but I was told about races in a very black and white way. After all ... " she stops and smiles at her friends " I am simple farm girl who knows nothing. "

She giggles and tells the others " I am sorry. I know I promised I would not say it again but I could not resist. "
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia rides up to Miriam and Zenn, where she lightly smacks the cleric on the back of the head. It's a playful gesture more than anything else.

She then asks, in awe,  "So Eldgar a place for all kinds."  The other thing he mentioned piques her interest.  "Negotiating what with tribes?" 
Cavelcade
Kurt chuckles at Miriam's joke, shaking his head and otherwise keeping quiet, the adjustment required by seeing a full grown giant working in the city. He nods slowly to himself, as he reasons his way through what such a society might mean - the same thing that's been keeping him quiet this whole time. What kind of trouble might he expect here - so far it's all opportunities...but nothing good lasts forever.
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
 She then asks, in awe,  "So Eldgar a place for all kinds."  The other thing he mentioned piques her interest.  "Negotiating what with tribes?"  
 

 "I don't know, ma'am,"  Zenn says.  "I just drive the carts." 

A few minutes later, the elf driving the second cart, who had been introduced as Aicha, leans forward when she sees Natalia's horse pass by. She's a short and skinny girl even by the standards of elves, and she sports a pair of spindly glasses.

 "I heard you talking about Illya, the giant cleric, and her mission."  Her voice is quiet but hyper, like an excited whisper.  "They try to keep the details of that stuff secret from us, about the missions and the tribes. But I think I worked it out anyway." 
 "It can't be the most violent tribes, like the Goldari, because the Church wouldn't trust them in a negotiation. It can't be Flamberge because Illya's a cloud giant, and their leader, Fienden, would deal only with other fire giants. Same reason it can't be an ogre tribe."  The elf bounces back and forth excitedly as she talks, and she continues ruling out tribe after tribe.

 "But the hill giant tribes- they worship Annam just like she does. And the Church has been trying to get them to stop raiding the gnome villages along the western shore. I think Illya's trying to make a deal, to offer them food and supplies so that they don't have to raid villages for it."  The elf laughs.  "And that's why they gotta keep it secret. If other tribes knew that offer was on the table- it's like rewarding violence. Crazy stuff." 

Aicha smiles at Natalia, then abruptly tugs on the reins of the mule when she realizes her inattention has nearly led the cart off the road.
Admiral
The caravan makes its way out of the city of Marvell. As it does, Zenn turns to Kurt, whose horse is riding alongside his wagon.  "So, Thedon told me you were a follower of Kord! I am too, as it happens. How did you come to worship the Brawler?" 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia listens attentively at Aicha's deductions. Her energy is definitely contagious, and Natalia finds herself perking up around her. When the elf finishes, she asks,  "New to Eldgar, so...think I read that giants secluded, raid sometimes but...more raiding lately? More than years ago? But...Not for too long, or much, right? Or else no...not worth negotiating. Only if results possible?"  Elves live a long time, right? Oh, what Aicha must have seen in years past, even though Natalia has no clue how old the girl is.

 
 Spoiler 
Heh, Flamberge. 🙂 And I must admit I'm getting a Serrin vibe from Aicha.
 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
 Natalia listens attentively at Aicha's deductions. Her energy is definitely contagious, and Natalia finds herself perking up around her. When the elf finishes, she asks,  "New to Eldgar, so...think I read that giants secluded, raid sometimes but...more raiding lately? More than years ago? But...Not for too long, or much, right? Or else no...not worth negotiating. Only if results possible?"  Elves live a long time, right? Oh, what Aicha must have seen in years past, even though Natalia has no clue how old the girl is. 
 

Aicha turns her head to the side when she hear's Natalia's way of putting together sentences, but she somehow sorts herself out.

 "Oh!"  she says when Natalia mentions the increase in raids.  "I made a graph..."  She pulls a well-worn journal out from under the wagon's seat, flips through it furiously, then passes the journal to the rogue. On it Natalia sees a carefully-drawn line graph, showing the months of the last two years along one axis, and "Number of attributed raids" on the other. Two jagged lines reach across the graph, one labeled "Orc" and one labeled "Giant." All around the graph are jotted hypotheses, seeming to focus on the fact that ten months ago both lines started rising in tandem, until as of last month they were nearly triple their starting level.

Aicha clenches her fists, seeming excited to show off her handiwork. Then her face falls as she answers Natalia's other question.  "They tried to negotiate with the Goldari... I could have told them not to but nobody asked... they tried and now they won't try again..." 

  
 Spoiler 
Heh, Flamberge. 🙂 And I must admit I'm getting a Serrin vibe from Aicha.
 
 

 
 Spoiler 
Serrin? Oh, right- I'm afraid I don't read your webcomic, but probably like Serrin. It's a common character type in fantasy, though I'll do my best to avoid cliche. I'm just trying to mix it up. (All my NPCs, male or female, tend to sound the same: like they're narrating a Ken Burns documentary.)
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia reads through the graphs and charts and ideas. They're quite thorough. And just as they thought... She asks Aicha,  "Can I borrow, show friends? We...ideas, our thoughts. May be worth sharing." 

The rogue continues when the elf's face falls.  "What happened, with Goldari?"  Who died?

 
 Spoiler 
What are her hypotheses, if I may ask? If you don't have anything specific that's fine too.

The excited bit is like Serrin. She is basically the patron saint of sunshine and lollipops.
 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
 Natalia reads through the graphs and charts and ideas. They're quite thorough. And just as they thought... She asks Aicha,  "Can I borrow, show friends? We...ideas, our thoughts. May be worth sharing."  
 

The elf scratches the back of her hair nervously.  "Most of it's private,"  she says simply.


 The rogue continues when the elf's face falls.  "What happened, with Goldari?"  Who died? 

 "This was last year. The Church sent out messengers. Two paladins and a... a priest of Odin, brave and noble as they come."  She seems to have difficulty talking about it.  "They took precautions but they must not have been enough. When the fingers started to arrive-"  she coughs, then somehow turns defensive.  "I think they're still alive, nobody else thinks they're still alive but I've read up on the Goldari and I think they're still alive. It's all written up in here somewhere."  She continues flipping through her journal.


  
 Spoiler 
What are her hypotheses, if I may ask? If you don't have anything specific that's fine too.
 
 

 
 Spoiler 
A lot of it's a little nutty, like something in the water or the weather. But overall she's come to a similar conclusion as the party, that someone's pulling the strings. And based on patterns of Horde aggregation, she thinks it started about a year ago, about two months before the noticeable rise in raids.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia pales at the mention of fingers. She looks down at her hands, then at her friends, then down at her hands again. She swallows and says,  "Why alive, you think? If not...whole?"  Remembering the hostages locked up by ogres, like cattle waiting for slaughter, she shudders.

Natalia looks through the journal again, and her eyes widen as she realizes that Aicha's come to much the same conclusions. She barely restrains herself from grabbing the elf's wrist.  "Know it's private, but...need to talk. Need to share. Each of us...knows something other doesn't. Fit together, puzzle pieces, putting all together." 
achinca
Miriam asks Aicha " Have you shared this information with others? What made you decide to track and maintain such data? Based on my limited knowledge, usually evil tribes only stop fighting each other and get unified when a powerful third party convinces them. I hope this is not the case here, in Eldgar. "
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
Re Coffee's question: Aicha is a member of the Church, and she is wearing the same monk outfit.
 


 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
 Natalia pales at the mention of fingers. She looks down at her hands, then at her friends, then down at her hands again. She swallows and says,  "Why alive, you think? If not...whole?"  Remembering the hostages locked up by ogres, like cattle waiting for slaughter, she shudders. 
 

 "Everyone else thinks the same... but I think it's a trick. The giants can raid villages any time they want to eat a few humans and dwarves (and from what I've read, they don't even care much for the taste- they're driven by conquest). The paladins know things, and they're brave and tough enough to hold out for a long time. And the cleric..."  she grows quiet, and doesn't seem interested in continuing.


 Natalia looks through the journal again, and her eyes widen as she realizes that Aicha's come to much the same conclusions. She barely restrains herself from grabbing the elf's wrist.  "Know it's private, but...need to talk. Need to share. Each of us...knows something other doesn't. Fit together, puzzle pieces, putting all together."  


 
 Originally Posted by achinca 
 Miriam asks Aicha " Have you shared this information with others? What made you decide to track and maintain such data? Based on my limited knowledge, usually evil tribes only stop fighting each other and get unified when a powerful third party convinces them. I hope this is not the case here, in Eldgar. " 
 

Aicha shrugs.  "I work in the cathedral's library- we collect and archive data of importance to the Church. I wind up with lots of spare time to read and think. I don't know what makes the barbarians attack, I just like keeping track of the patterns. The barbarian tribes aren't even the most interesting thing in the journal anyway- do you realize how many factors go into the price of wheat?"  She starts flipping through her journal again, biting her lip in concentration and mumbling about weather, irrigation and trade routes.
Cavelcade
 
 Originally Posted by Admiral 
 The caravan makes its way out of the city of Marvell. As it does, Zenn turns to Kurt, whose horse is riding alongside his wagon.  "So, Thedon told me you were a follower of Kord! I am too, as it happens. How did you come to worship the Brawler?"  
 

Kurt looks up, startled out of his reverie by the words. He tilts his head slightly, thinking back.  "It was only natural. I am a brawler, after all."  He shrugs and laughs to himself. "Or I was anyway. Now I don't know. I feel pulled to do something. I have a goal for myself - one that involves fighting to protect the weak. Kord still seems a good god to serve for that." 
CoffeeIncluded
"Yes, baker's girl, so..." Natalia rattles off a few statistics before continuing, "But what other threads in pattern? Because...we found threads of our own. Not enough for whole cloth alone, but maybe enough together."

At the talk of the hostages, Natalia guesses, "So for ransom and knowledge, not...dinner? Maybe time...to save then. If strong enough." She places a gentle hand on Aicha's shoulder. "You know cleric?"
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by Cavelcade 
 Kurt looks up, startled out of his reverie by the words. He tilts his head slightly, thinking back.  "It was only natural. I am a brawler, after all."  He shrugs and laughs to himself. "Or I was anyway. Now I don't know. I feel pulled to do something. I have a goal for myself - one that involves fighting to protect the weak. Kord still seems a good god to serve for that."  
 

 "I know how you feel,"  Zenn says simply.  "When I was young I thought that strength was the domain of the brutish and uncivilized, those who took what they could through force rather than reason. Kord showed me a different way."  He picks a buzzing gnat off of his arm and places it gently on the seat next to him.  "Perhaps somewhere along the journey I'll have the chance to show you what he showed me." 

 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
 "Yes, baker's girl, so..." Natalia rattles off a few statistics before continuing, "But what other threads in pattern? Because...we found threads of our own. Not enough for whole cloth alone, but maybe enough together." 
 

Aicha twists her mouth as she thinks about it.  "I guess it... would be nice to share my work with someone." 
 
 Spoiler 
We'll talk more later about Aicha's work, no time to write about it now and besides you're coming off of a lot of discussion of the various tribes in Marvell. Gotta spread some things out.
 


 At the talk of the hostages, Natalia guesses, "So for ransom and knowledge, not...dinner? Maybe time...to save then. If strong enough." She places a gentle hand on Aicha's shoulder. "You know cleric?" 

The elf shudders as she nods.
Athedia
Mithril had been listening to the conversation and decided to help take the girl's mind off of her lost cleric. She pulled up beside Aicha on the other side of the wagon.   "I didn't know the Church had a library.  What is it like?" 
Admiral
Aicha smiles.  "We have a couple thousand books, mostly on the history of each of the gods and their followers, each carefully handcopied by the monks. But we're record-keepers above all else. Census results, weather reports, casualties of war... we file it and we send it to the central cathedral in Providencia, where they allocate our resources to do the most good. The Church serves as guardian and caretaker for millions, and we in the library play our part." 
Athedia
 "Must you be a church member to access the records?  The idea of all that knowledge stored in one place.  I am still getting used to the idea of such large libraries." 
Admiral
Aicha nods.  "Only Church citizens can use the library. And the records we collect are kept more private that that- only authorized staff can view the Almanac (that's the monthly tome we compile with all the collected data)." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia pulls the cleric into a comforting hug and says, "I...lost, and lived. If alive...will find the way back home, like me."

She grns asAicha decides to share the work. "Shared knowledge is strong knowledge. Say...do guilds share libraries too?"

 
 Spoiler 
okay. I can eait.
 
Athedia
 "Oh."   Mithril seemed disheartened for a little.  She would have liked to visit that library.   "Knowledge like that shouldn't be limited.  I wish all those books were stored where everyone could access them.  No matter what their affiliation.  A library like that is the only reason I learned my magic." 
 
 Spoiler 
Sorry, I keep putting down the wrong color for speech.  Badger in the other game uses that color and she speaks more often so I got used to it.

And I think Mithril (and I) just figured out what her driving goal is.  To create a public library.
 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
 She grns asAicha decides to share the work. "Shared knowledge is strong knowledge. Say...do guilds share libraries too?" 
 

The elf shakes her head with a bemused expression.  "I've heard a little about the Institute's library,"  she says, glancing at the other womens' guildmarks.  "I've certainly never been there. I heard Thedon say it's mostly..."  she recalls his words,  "'a bunch of arcane navel-gazing.'" 
Athedia
 "Not at all."   Mithril shook her head, eyes glistening at the remembered beauty.   "They let me visit before I joined.  Floor to ceiling with more books than I could read in a lifetime.  Surrounded by years of accumulated wisdom and experiences.  I felt large and small at the same time."   She sighed and smiled a little sadly at Aicha.   "I wish I could take you to see it." 
CoffeeIncluded
"Why not take, show?" NatAlia shakes her head. "More than that, learn about the world. Come, see. Knowledge,,,not locked away, should be open to all. Limiting weakens. Get shared strength."

 
 Spoiler 
I think one of Natali's biggest things is freedom of information. Sorry, goingto see a couple surgeries.
 
Athedia
Mithril shook her head.  "I wasn't even supposed to be there.  He just allowed me in so that I would be able to make up my mind." 
Admiral
Aicha returns Mithril's sad smile.  "I wish I could show you my work as well,"  she says. She seems more puzzled by Natalia's attitude towards the libraries.  "I'm not allowed anywhere in the Institute's guildhall, let along in the library..."  she explains, as though it were obvious.

She glances back and forth between her two new friends.  "You said you were new in Eldgar, but even so, you don't know... I mean, you can't tell what's..."  She suddenly clams up and shakes her head.  "Let's forget about it." 
CoffeeIncluded
"But...why?" Natalia asks. "If knowledge for all, ten...why not for all?" Sure, she can understand a fee for non-members, but a complete ban? The rogue shakes her head, perplexed and a bit nervous at Aicha's cutoff comment. "Can't tell what? Aicha...what between church and institute? Rot? Poison?"
Admiral
Aicha shakes her head and withdraws as Natalia inquires... she's not interested in speaking about it.

A day of travel passes as the party treads through the desert. Due to the heavily-loaded wagons, their pace is slower than the party's had been on horseback, but they make steady progress.

Already by the evening they can notice a change in climate- the air is growing very gradually hotter as they progress south, but the red earth beneath them seems less dry, and they spot patches of growth in the mountains around them. Aicha explains, rattling off her knowledge in her usual manner, that as they move closer to the western shore the rate of rainfall increases slightly, making the land more suitable for farming, which in turns draws the barbarian raiders.

 
 Spoiler 

Think going southwest from Nevada to Southern California (on a shrunken scale of course). Spot and listen checks please.
 
CoffeeIncluded
What the...? What is Aicha talking about? Why can't members of the Church enter the Institute? What s this animosity? Is it standard between the guilds?

Natalia looks nervously at herself, at Mithril and Shiny, then at Miriam and Kurt. What could this do to them? She doesn't like the foreboding feeling in her stomach, the sense of something wrong beneath the surface.

But no. If something's wrong with the guild, well the the guild better prepare to get out of the way.

 
 Spoiler 
Spot:  (d20+9)[ 24 ] 
Listen:  (d20+9)[ 22 ] 
Can it also be assumed Natalia took 20 on observing the caravan?

And a public library. Heh, that's basically Natalia's goal too, though I see her goal leaning towards more of making a wikipedia and wikileaks institution. Still, that's a lot like a public library.
 
achinca
Miriam listens to Mithril, Natalia and Aisha conversation in silence. When Aicha tenses and seems to hide something, all her feelings about the guilds come back but she says nothing.

She spends the rest of the day looking at the scenery.

 
 Spoiler 

Spot
 (1d20+6)[ 13 ](19) 

Listen
 (1d20+4)[ 13 ](17) 

And yes, I need to raise her to L6
 
Admiral
As night falls, the drivers put the caravan to a halt. They then spend a few minutes driving the wagons into a circle a bit off the trail, then detaching the mules and leading them to the center, where the wagons ensure they won't run off and provide some cover in case of an attack.

Zenn calls over the members of the party to the center of the circle. Though the other drivers continue setting up the wagons, he also calls over Aicha, for reasons that soon become clear.

 "This was the easier day of the journey,"  the half-orc explains.  "But we're going to need to make certain preparations... because tomorrow, and for the following day and a half, we'll be in the territory of the Crusaders." 
 "The Crusaders, as you may know, are human supremacists who consider themselves at war with all other races. If a party comes across a caravan run solely by humans, there's a chance they'll commandeer it to acquire supplies for their 'war effort,' but most likely they won't judge it worth the trouble, especially if we hide the valuable weapons, and if they're a pack of rangers who couldn't handle the burden of the wagons. But if they come across a caravan with a dwarf, gnome, elf, or (more than anything) a halfbreed..."  He doesn't speak with disgust or scorn of the Crusaders, but with a tone that sounds like pity.

 "So there's a plan I need to propose. For tomorrow Shiny, Kurt, Aicha and I will ride inside the wagons where we can't be seen, and be prepared to hide more thoroughly if we spot trouble on its way. I hate to ask the human women to drive the wagons when you hadn't volunteered for such a duty, but they could ambush us at any moment. Avoiding combat with these barbarians is our best chance of making sure these supplies reach the people they can help." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia nods, though anyone looking closely can see her clenched teeth.  "They won't harm,"  she says, playing her hands over her blades.  "But...why disguise? Hide twice, under cover, and under mask..."  Even here, there wasn't always a place to belong. Could this be part of the reason for the Horde--a never-ending cycle?

 
 Spoiler 
There's weapons in the carts too?
 
Admiral
Zenn seems confused by Natalia's speech.  "If you mean why we need to hide once we're already in the wagons... the Crusaders may or may not choose to give them a cursory search." 
 
 Spoiler 
He's referring to your weapons, most of which are worth considerably more than the entire caravan put together.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Why search? Don't...believe, trust travelers? How often do Crusaders fight?"  She nods.  "Hide twice. Bodies and faces. Shiny...I saw, kit."  Still, she nods again.  "Promise, no crusaders with me." 
 
 Spoiler 
Sorry, I meant to say why NOT disguise.
 
Admiral
Shiny raises an eyebrow at Natalia.  "Maybe with a little magic I can make myself look like a particularly short human. But I'm not exactly jumping to trust everyone's lives to my skills as a beautician, even if I am dying to try braiding Zenn's hair." 
 
 Spoiler 
Crunch: Shiny has a Disguise Self spell that gives +10 to disguise attempts (but allows a Will save if someone checks closely), but it works only on himself. He has only a +6 modifier on Disguise, and it gets a -2 modifier for making someone look like a different race, so someone taking 10 has a decent chance of seeing through someone's disguise.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "If too stupid to see worth, then too stupid to see through magic,"  Natalia says matter-of-factly.  "Though..."  She looks at Zenn.  "Where to get the wig?" 
 
 Spoiler 
He has the disguise kit too; don't those stack?

Sorry if I sound kinda off, I had a pretty bad night.
 
Athedia
 "That idea sounds fine to me.  I will leave my wands with you Shiny.  And..."   She took of the circlet that had adorned her head since the cave.   "They may think this is valuable.  I would feel safer if they didn't see it." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia's eyes widen. She shakes her head.  "No, then less safe if a fight. Why not hide...in plain view? Under hair, colored, dull with magic...pink hair of brother, dull dirt band of gold?" 
 
 Spoiler 
I love prestidigitation. 😛

Anyway, I'm going to bed in a moment. Hopefully tomorrow will be better...
 
Cavelcade
 
 Originally Posted by Admiral 
  "I know how you feel,"  Zenn says simply.  "When I was young I thought that strength was the domain of the brutish and uncivilized, those who took what they could through force rather than reason. Kord showed me a different way."  He picks a buzzing gnat off of his arm and places it gently on the seat next to him.  "Perhaps somewhere along the journey I'll have the chance to show you what he showed me."  
 

Kurt's eyebrows go up under his hair for a moment as he considers the offer, before blowing out the air from his puffed up cheeks.  "Yes, I think I'd like to see it, if you're willing to show me. I feel like I'm looking for...something, some path, maybe you'll be able to show it to me." 
Cavelcade
 
 Spoiler 
Sorry for the double post, but I forgot to do spot and listen.

Listen:  (1d20)[ 2 ] 
Spot:  (1d20)[ 5 ] 
 


Kurt simply nods at his plan.  "Why go to all the effort, when we can simply hide, and save our energies for if we have to fight back?" 
achinca
Miriam looks at Zenn with a surprised look. " There a lot of things I do not like in the realms and my poor companions are sick to death of hearing me preaching about it and being "Holier than Thou" about it. But racism and race supremacy is right there on the top too. That kind of thinking enrage me. "

She stops and shakes her head. " I understand hiding Kurt and Shiny and you and Aisha but hiding the weapons might be dangerous. If they decide to put a "tax" on us for they "war effort", we will not comply and could lead to conflict. Without weapons, we cannot oppose them and they could take the wagons and leave us to rot here. I also doubt they are not stupid enough to not find strange that 6 wagons full of supplies are going south in the badlands without protection.  "

She looks at Kurt  "However, how I said before, I am a simple farm girl who knows nothing ... ", she ducks to avoid Natalia trying to swipe the back of her head, " ... so I would rely on Kurt's warfare sense on this. "

She turns toward Natalia and winks at the rogue.
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by achinca 
 She stops and shakes her head. " I understand hiding Kurt and Shiny and you and Aisha but hiding the weapons might be dangerous. If they decide to put a "tax" on us for they "war effort", we will not comply and could lead to conflict. Without weapons, we cannot oppose them and they could take the wagons and leave us to rot here. I also doubt they are not stupid enough to not find strange that 6 wagons full of supplies are going south in the badlands without protection.  " 
 

 "This is difficult of me to ask,"  Zenn says.  "But if they ask for tribute or tax, I would consider giving it to them. They may be looking for no more than a meal apiece." 
CoffeeIncluded
"But still, not safe to travel unguarded. If a fight...Should hide weapons too,hide by our side. Make shiny look dull with magic."

 
 Spoiler 
Can we tell how strong the monks are? And no phone yet, fighting last night instead. So I have the same prblems.
 
achinca
 
 Originally Posted by Admiral 
  "This is difficult of me to ask,"  Zenn says.  "But if they ask for tribute or tax, I would consider giving it to them. They may be looking for no more than a meal apiece."  
 

Miriam bites her lips " I understand but wouldn't we be endorsing their belief if we feed them? It would be forced support. Wouldn't this be betraying the church resources? "

She stops. " I know I am too often intolerant as I forget the greater goal. If the group decides that feeding these racists is the best way to go to save Soshima, I will hold my tongue and comply. "
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia's faster than Miriam and she manages to lightly smack the cleric on the back of the head again. She responds to Miriam's wink with a large playful smile.

 
 Spoiler 
Sorry about the double post, the phone's a bitch to edit more than a few words.
 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by achinca 
 Miriam bites her lips " I understand but wouldn't we be endorsing their belief if we feed them? It would be forced support. Wouldn't this be betraying the church resources? " 
 

 "The Church has entrusted these resources to you,"  Zenn says.  "You should protect them as you see fit." 
 "You can believe that I have no desire to endorse the belief of bigots and supremacists,"  Zenn adds calmly.  "Of all the races the Crusaders despise, they hate most those those who conceive children across racial borders- those who 'poison the bloodline.' So when the Crusaders tracked down my orc father and human mother in the shore village where they and others like them had hidden away, they showed no mercy. My own escape I owed to my parents' bravery, and to the Church patrol that found me wandering along the Western shore."  Throughout his story, he never raises his voice beyond its usual soft tone.

 "My brother responded to the horrors like many other victims did. He joined a tribe who called themselves the Half-Breeds, devoted to the destruction and torment of the Crusaders. Six years later, they'd killed hundreds of Crusaders- but by encouraging propaganda about the vicious half-breeds terrorizing humans, they'd rallied thousands more bigots to join the Crusaders' cause. And then one winter the Half-Breeds were trapped in a canyon and slaughtered like animals." 
 "I reacted to my parents' death a different way. I saw that day that violence is a disease, a plague that has infected many generations in these harsh lands, and I swore never to be a part of its spread. If you choose to fight the barbarians rather than grant them tribute, perhaps you'll die senseless deaths like my brother and his soldiers did. Or perhaps you'll triumph, and leave a few dead humans in the sand, where their comrades will find them and swear revenge. And the war will go on forever." 
 "But as I said, the Church has entrusted these supplies to you. I'll follow you in whatever course you decide." 
 
 Spoiler 
To be clear, this is something where I am very interested in hearing Miriam's opinion, and those of the rest of the group. Zenn is wise, and he knows the territory well. But these are his philosophies- that doesn't mean he's right or that I necessarily agree with him.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "But...why?"  Natalia asks about the crusades' acts.  "Hatred? Fear of...world leaving them behind?"  She shakes her head.  "Evolve...or die. Like weeds. Mold in grain..."  She doesn't know how to comfort Zenn.  "Don't want fighting, but...I know. With hatred, fear of others, talking...Good to talk, but can only talk so much. Then, action. Run, but sometimes, sometimes fight. Can't run forever. Can't use friends to shield forever."  Natalia nods.  "Will protect, will talk...But will also fight to protect. Halfies spread fear to racists, but what stories told about own kind?"   
 Spoiler 
Sorry, I couldn't read your spoiler. What's in it? And Natalia isn't looking for a fight, but if there's a fight, she won't hold back. It's time she started protecting the people she cares about instead of always having them shield her.
 
achinca
 
 Spoiler 
I want to preempt this post with my concerns that Miriam will sound again to preachy or too intransigent or too literal or simply NOT JUST FUN. It is is the case let me know. I am afraid of the group reaction.
 


Miriam spends a long time looking at Zenn.  "We all chose a path and reacts to certain situation a certain way. I am not wise enough to say if yours your brother's approach made the most sense. I do not like violence. I like justice. And sometimes justice means the use of violence. Your way of life is commendable Zenn. I know I could not have reacted the way you did if some monsters would have killed my parents just because they loved each other and happened to be of a different race. I am more likely to stand up and fight to prevent these monsters from creating more tragedies. "

She stops and looks at her mark. " I bought all this equipment to help the poor and the disenfranchised. The Church valued my contribution and doubled what I could bring in addition to offer 6 carts and 6 monks. These supplies are for people in dire need in a city under siege. They are not for racist monsters. However, the situation is not simple. What is we refuse to feed them and in the fight lose one cart. Did refusing them help Soshima? Not at all. But what if the Crusaders want more than a meal and insist on Mithril, Natalia and I to service them and share their bed as they need companionship after a good meal? Where is the line between giving for the greater goods and losing yourself and  your value because you elevated the final goal above everything else? "

She stops again and looks at the others " I know that as a servant of St. Cuthbert, I should have the wisdom to advice you on the situation. But I do not feel that I have it. I do not believe that paying levies to protect ourselves from brigands is the way to go. Especially when these brigands are racist monsters. So my first reaction would be to stand up to them. But I also know that my first reactions are often not very wise. "

She returns her gaze towards Zenn " To me it is not about violence. Not at all. It is about good and evil. These Crusaders want to bully us to get something out of us. None of us agree to their causes so none of us would volunteer to contribute. But they can bully us under the threat of harm being done to us. We can accept the abuse with the idea that delivering the goods to Soshima is key. Or we could stand up to the bullying and confront them. Listen, two of my best friends are a dwarf and a gnome. I promised to a bunch of orphans in Hillsfar to build them an orphanage. These orphans had all one thing in common: they were not humans. I did not stand to the city because I was a simple cleric but I fed and healed and entertained them. If the decision is up only to me, I would stand up to the Crusaders. But I have learned the hard way that I make better decisions when I listen to my 4 friends. "

" So although I am all about standing up to them, I will follow the group wisdom. "
Athedia
Mithril looked nervous.   "While others can fight, there is not much I can do if it turns to violence.  I would rather not use my magic against them, mostly because I fear that would make them want to kill me more."   She smiled weakly at Miriam.   "This may sound cowardly to you, it does to me.  And can not these men change, from hate to if not acceptance then tolerance."   She nodded her head, making up her mind.   "I will not attack them unless they harm one of us first." 
achinca
Miriam looks at Mithril " I know. You are anything but a coward. You are extremely smart and understand what it takes to survive. I understand your limit. As long as they do not harm us, we will not resist. But what is your definition of harm? What is they want a cart? or three? Or have us entertain them? Dance and sing and strip for them? No contact, just treating us like object? What is your breaking point? I respect your intellect Mithril. I am not saying you are wrong. I just want to know where the proverbial line in the sand is ."
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Originally Posted by athedia 
 Mithril looked nervous.   "While others can fight, there is not much I can do if it turns to violence.  I would rather not use my magic against them, mostly because I fear that would make them want to kill me more."   She smiled weakly at Miriam.   "This may sound cowardly to you, it does to me.  And can not these men change, from hate to if not acceptance then tolerance."   She nodded her head, making up her mind.   "I will not attack them unless they harm one of us first."  
 

 "Won't hurt you, Mithril. Not...with me. Get through me first."  Natalia sighs.  "Think they change. Wish they change. But...not all may." 

 
 Originally Posted by achinca 
 Miriam spends a long time looking at Zenn.  "I know I could not have reacted the way you did if some monsters would have killed my parents just because they loved each other and happened to be of a different race. I am more likely to stand up and fight to prevent these monsters from creating more tragedies. " 
 

Natalia nods.  "If anything to harm you, harm friends...I'd hunt them to Hell." 
 " But what if the Crusaders want more than a meal and insist on Mithril, Natalia and I to service them and share their bed as they need companionship after a good meal? Where is the line between giving for the greater goods and losing yourself and  your value because you elevated the final goal above everything else? " 

Natalia stops, shudders, then snarls.  "Never! And..."  she pauses, shuffles awkwardly.  "If they hate other, then probably hate me too. For speech, and...preferences." 
 "And that's why...each other. Check each other. Leashed together, restraint. Better together than apart."  It seems like the church and institute could use that advice too...


 " So although I am all about standing up to them, I will follow the group wisdom. " 

Natalia nods.   "Would like to...teach lesson. Human against human, make message clear. But no time, put out fire before plugging slow leak. Then teach.

"But...if the dam bursts, if price too high, more than crumbs, then we plug it." 
 
 Spoiler 
There was absolutely no problem at all, Achinca.
 
Admiral
Zenn nods as he listens to the group's discussion.  "How you react is up to you. Hopefully none of these hypotheticals will ever come to pass."  He thinks carefully.  "We should decide which cart to hide in. Perhaps the second cart, where we can be ready if trouble does come." 

Shiny, having been quiet during the discussion, suddenly snaps his fingers.  "I have a spell that could help- it will make all four of us invisible. But if anyone comes within 10 feet they'll be able to see all of us ( and  be invisible themselves for that matter), which is less than ideal."[/B] He thinks again. [B]"Perhaps if trouble arrives we should step out of the cart and take a new position by the side of the road. In fact, I have a second spell that will make us impossible to hear while we do so, while still being able to hear everyone else." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia grins at the deception, but then remembers something from the ogre fight  "If attacking, then visible? Or still hidden from eyes?" 

She thinks for a moment.  "But can't see far in carts...maybe words for safety? Code phrase?" 
 
 Spoiler 
You're not coloring Shiny red anymore?
 
Athedia
Mithril squeezed Miriams hand, reassuring her.   "No harm, mental, physical.  The boundary may differ for each of us, but if it has been crossed I will be there for you." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia simply nods.  "No line crossed, not for any. Not even approaching it." 

The rogue trails off, staring out in the direction they're headed, out at Shoshima...and the Crusaders, and the Horde.  "Hey...fighting evil twice over, Crusaders and Horde. But...Crusaders hate Horde. Do they know Shoshima? Appeal to them...free pass. Maybe...fight for us. We stay safe."  Her friends stay safe and the Crusaders die against the Horde. It's definitely better, and probably better for the continent as a whole, but she still feels a bit of twisting at the idea.
Admiral
Aicha shakes her head nervously.  "Soshima population: human 50%, dwarf 20%, halfling... 10%, elf 10%, orc 5%, gnome 5%,"  she iterates. The whole time she talks she glares upwards, as though the statistics were written in the constellations.  "And it's of strategic military importance- everything along the river is. Failed Crusader invasion..."  her eyes go back to the sky...  "four months ago." 

Zenn nods at the elf.  "I should have mentioned that- whoever's talking to the Crusaders should say that you're taking the supplies to Reston- that's one of many human villages just south of this region." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia gives Aicha a quick look. For a moment the elf sounded like, well, almost like her. "Then to Reston, we say. And if failed, then..."

And to think just a few months ago she wouldn't have thought herself capable of this. Natalia in"t too sure what to make of it.
Admiral
Their plans in place, the party settles down for the night, some facing difficult and restless dreams about genocidal barbarians. When the party arises shortly after sunrise, they find all the monks besides Aicha already occupied in some task.

The four human monks and Zenn seem to be measuring out some distances using their staffs in the wide expanse of flat, sandy earth next to their wagons, in the process scratching in lines in some kind of pattern. At first it seems like they're plotting some kind of battle strategy, but on a scale that seems impractical. Finally Zenn and one of the monks plant their quarterstaffs firmly in the earth a few yards apart, and then the other two monks do the same about a hundred yards away, as if in a ritual to the gods.

It is with this tableau set in place that Kurt is awoken by a gentle nudge. Looking up, he sees Zenn kneeling next to him and smiling.  "I mentioned an epiphany that Kord granted me,"  he says. He holds up a large, stuffed leather ball.  "They call it soccer. Care to give it a whirl?" 
 
 Spoiler 
Five-on-five, monks vs party. If you choose to play you can summarize how it goes and how good your character is at it (consider your Str, Dex and Con scores as guides).
 
achinca
Miriam goes to bed worried that the Crusaders will come to demand their dues. To her relief she wakes up and the night has been quiet.

After cleaning herself and asking St. Cuthbert for his blessing and his divine powers, Miriam is intrigued by this concept called soccer.

She joins the game but her lack of tactical awareness is a big issue as well as is her poor technical skills. Her touches are simply terrible and it is only her fitness who prevent her from making a total fool of herself. At the end of the game she goes to shake Zenn's hand " It would be nice if we could trade something, this way both of us will always have a memento of this game. "
Athedia
Mithril joined after seeing others were interested.  She spent most of the game ducking as the ball flew toward her, but managed to pass it a couple times.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia watches the scene unfold with interest, then immediately perks up when Zenn mentions the game.  "Soccer...Rules?" 

It takes her some time to get going, but Natalia immediately takes a shine to the game. She's able to zoom around the field, ducking in and out and easily stealing the ball, but finds that she neither has the strength to kick the ball as far as Kurt, nor the stamina to run up and down the field forever, although she can do it for some time. Still, she plays excellent support, and then finds an even better position for her--goalie.

Though Natalia's small for a human and the goal area is large, her reflexes are unparalleled. Time and time again, she leaps out of nowhere to catch the ball, or blocks a nearly perfectly lined shot that came from the other size of the post. Natalia finds herself laughing as the game goes on. Her success helps her to feel better about herself, and it's fun, this game. Working as a team but with no ultimate long-term consequences. She wonders if this game is played all over. It seems so much more peaceful...

 
 Spoiler 
Average strength, decent con, and great dexterity. Is Aicha playing?
 


Natalia's still laughing as she shakes everyone's hand.  "That...Fun game, good game. Physical, but so much better. Work as a team." 
Cavelcade
Kurt glances at the ball, then laughs and nods - listening to a quick summary of the rules before getting down to the actual playing. His ability to run seems endless - and his strength is equally impressive, though he tries not to hurt anyone as he shoulders them away. His low centre of gravity makes it easier for him to stay grounded, and turn too, but his inexperience with the game shows with a lot of his shots having too much power in them to be accurate.

At the end he's laughing though.  "Sport, that is how you release." 
Admiral
Shiny jobs onto the field with contagious enthusiasm the moment it becomes clear they're about to play a game.

 "I'm glad I finally have the chance to play with you folks,"  he exclaims to the party.  "Back home Shiny Lightninglegs, soccer champion and motivational doodler, was the most famous and celebrated player in the kingdom." 

As usual, Shiny's skills don't seem to live up to the hype. He's nimble, a natural at feints, and seems to have an endless reserve of energy, but he's too small and weak to kick the ball effectively, and for most of the early part of the game, his short legs don't let him keep up with the others. In the second half he seems to have gotten a new burst of energy, as he seems capable of catching or even outrunning any other player, right up until Zenn calls him out on the  expeditious retreat  he cast during halftime and he is kicked out of the game.

Most of the monks seem practiced at the game- it's clear this is a regular occurrence at the Cathedral of Marvell. Most can't keep up with Kurt's strength and stamina or Natalia's agility, but they make up for it with their technique. But Zenn seems to be playing the game at a different level- his kicks are powerful and precise, his dribbling and feints are expert, and his tactics holds his team together. The half-orc is a consummate good sport and team player, but it's clear he has a mastery of the game from years of regular practice and commitment.

 
 Spoiler 

Metagame: Zenn's maxed out Perform (Soccer).
 


At the end of the game, Zenn and the others shake the party's hands with smiles.


 At the end of the game she goes to shake Zenn's hand "It would be nice if we could trade something, this way both of us will always have a memento of this game."  

 "That's the trouble with us oathtakers,"  he jokes.  "We don't end up with anything to trade." 

  At the end he's laughing though. "Sport, that is how you release." 

Zenn claps his hand on the dwarf's shoulder. Though he's still smiling, he looks a bit more serious.  "Kord showed me that strength and speed weren't reserved for the violent. There are many gods of battle, but Kord is a god of strength, of sport, and of achievement. Understanding that difference was important to me. Maybe it can help you in some way on your journey." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Maybe..."  Natalia thinks, then claps her hands together.  "Share clothes. Shirts. Pieces of robes." 

She can't smiling, feeling almost completely at ease with her friends and the monks, the new friends.  "Fighting, but a peace to it. Human and orc...maybe someday, this the only fighting around." 

She sighs, her thoughts tinged with melancholy again. This wouldn't be the day, though it's getting closer.
Admiral
The monks prepare the wagons, tying all of the horses besides Shiny and Mithril's to the back. The monks take their places, except that now Aicha, Kurt Zenn and Shiny are riding in the back of the second wagon, with Tinkerbell following closely after their wagon. Should trouble arise, Shiny sets out the plan to turn the group invisible and then step off the wagon together to diverge from the group. He explains that he'll be casting his spell on a copper piece instead of himself, an old trick of his that means the sphere of invisibility doesn't have to follow him if he doesn't want it to, and furthermore that if he attacks he won't waste the spell for everyone else.

Natalia is driving the front wagon, with Miriam driving the second, then the four other monks behind them. Mithril rides Honey alongside the front wagon.

 
 Spoiler 
Set it up here for simplicity's sake. If athedia would prefer a different plan I'll edit it in.

If anyone wants to get in conversation that's fair, otherwise if you run into anything it'll probably be tomorrow morning IRL.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia scans the horizon ,eyes flitting back and forth for any movement or too regular shapes, ears pricked for any sudden sounds. They're counting on her. She can't let them down.

When she's sure there's nothing coming, the rogue asks Aicha in a quiet voice,  "Why not...play soccer?" 
achinca
Miriam holds the reins of the cart, wishing they do not meet the Crusaders. Any delay in reaching Soshima would not be welcome and risking potential loss of lives to this racists was not high on her list.
Admiral
The adventurers set forth on the trail, knowing that they are beginning to encroach on the most dangerous part of their journey, the territory of the Crusaders. The day passes with the travelers paranoid and cautious- caution that turns out not to have been in vain. About two hours before sunset, while the party is traveling through a largely open range spotted by some mountains, Natalia spots a cloud of dust turn the corner around an upcoming mountain, perhaps a thousand yards away. The dust's source quickly becomes apparent as it hurtles towards them: a pack of humans traveling on horseback.

The instant the danger becomes clear, Natalia gives the codeword in a harsh whisper behind her, and Shiny makes his preparations. The gnome casts a quick pair of spells: the first shrouds the group of nonhumans in magical silence such that they can speak to each other easily, but that no one outside can hear. He then casts a spell that turns the group entirely invisible, including the warpony that had maneuvered behind their wagon. Shiny quickly gestures for the group to follow him, and they carefully maneuver themselves off the wagon while staying close enough to be covered by the beguiler's silence and invisibility spells. The four then move to the side of the wagons, still staying close together, and reach a point along the side of the trail to make their stand and wait out the barbarians. So far, their strategy had gone off without a hitch.

As the barbarians draw closer their number and nature becomes clear: ten humans, in varying degrees of armor, all on horseback and all with shaven heads. The rider behind the leader carries a flag, which Natalia recognizes from the books and periodicals she'd studied: it is the banner of the Crusaders.

 
 Spoiler 

Summarized a lot of action here, but I think it was your plan so it seems to make sense. If you have anything you want to do as the barbarians approach (spells, potions, scrolls), you have several rounds in which to do so.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia tenses; her blades have been drawn this whole time but now they might actually see use. Her eyes flit over to where Shiny, Kurt, Aicha, and Zenn hid, but she controls herself and levels her eyes forward. She remains silent, leaving the talking to those capable of it. Instead, the rogue tries to assess the Crusaders as best she can.

 
 Spoiler 
How well can they see Natalia, and can she make a trap from horseback?

I guess I'm looking for approximate ages, sex, and what kinds of weapons/armor they're carrying, along with anything else of interest. Can I use Natalia's same spot check?

Once I know these I'll post further. Sorry.
 
Admiral
The group is made entirely of men, likely in their 20s and 30s, with the leader a bit older. A few wear breastplates and carry greatswords, a few wear chain armor and carry short swords or longbows, and one plated entirely in armor bears a lance and steel shield. Most have either crossbows or nets hanging next to their saddles.
CoffeeIncluded
 "Shielded leader,"  Natalia whispers her guess to the group. She falls silent again, her eyes passing over the nets once more. Did they capture people alive? Hunters...the worst possible game.

And all men. Somehow, Natalia doesn't find this very surprising.

  Stay quiet, stay safe, please.  
achinca
Miriam sees the crusaders and shes imagines them hunting and killing Shiny and Kurt. Anger rises inside her but she bites her lips and stays quiet.

" Listen, you are not the leader of this group. You will do as they say no matter what. Resisting will be someone else decision. You stay silent and you obey they orders and grant them their requests. If the other 4 can live with the requests so can you. Think of the greater good! "
Cavelcade
Kurt watches the abnormally silent riders approach, unsettled by the fact that he can hear and see everything going on outside their 'hiding place', causing his fingers to drum nervously on the haft.  "What's the sign for if things are going badly again?" 
 
 Spoiler 
Duly noted!
 
Admiral
The riders approach Mithril and Natalia, seeming focused on Mithril since she is riding a horse at the front. The rider out in front wears chain armor and a rapier, and his horse rides up to Mithril.

 "Halt!"  he shouts.  "We are the Crusaders of Eldgar. Where are you taking these wagons, and what do you have aboard them?" 
 
 Spoiler 

If Mithril would rather ride a bit out in front of the wagon, athedia can place her there on the map.

Note for Cavelcade: since it's a  zone of silence  spell rather than a  silence  spell, the three of you can actually hear everything that's happening outside it, and hear each other- people outside just can't hear you (tactically a lot more useful, worth an L3!)
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia stays silent, not trusting her voice to say anything. But she trusts her eyes, and flits back and forth, scanning everyone, including the one who approaches them.

 
 Spoiler 
I still can't get my character sheet until I link it in my sig, which I'll do later, but two questions please.
1: Can Natalia set a trap from her horse?
2: Does she see anything else of interest: possible magic items, injuries nursed ( on a random note I think it would be kinda neat to come across a previously injured foe at some point, gives us a sense there's more to the world, though you're already doing a fantastic job of that), someone they're clearly deferring to, if the horses seem trained for battle? Thanks.
 
Athedia
Mithril raised her hand, signalling the wagons to stop.   "We are carrying a supply of food, and are just passing through to help some starving villages." 
Admiral
 "How many are traveling with you?"  the man at the lead asks harshly, craning his neck to look over the wagons.
Athedia
 "Five others, not including myself.  One for each wagon. We are just passing through sir."  Mithril felt her hands sweat as she held Honey's reins.  Hopefully Shiny and the group had already evacuated the wagons.
Admiral
 "Bring the others up here so we can take a look,"  the man says.
Athedia
 "I will just be one second."   Mithril rode down the line of wagons signalling the monks and Miriam to make their way to the front.  Returning she walked Honey slowly, following behind the last monk.
CoffeeIncluded
As the crusaders pass Natalia she slowly sits up straight and pushes her black bangs back, exposing her shortened, rounded ears for them to easily see. For Natalia has rarely, on occasion, been mistaken for half-elf, those times when she was younger and less developed and sometimes didn't get enough to eat. It's not apt to happen now, but this is not a time to risk such an error.
Admiral
From their position off to the side of the wagons, Shiny, Kurt, Zenn and Aicha watch, shrouded from the barbarians by Shiny's spells of invisibility and silence. Aicha is tapping her foot nervously.

When the man on the horse introduces himself to Mithril, Aicha's foot tapping increases.  "'We are the Crusaders of Eldgar, defenders of the human race and saviors of the continent,'"  she sputters hyperactively.  "That's their chant, it's how they introduce themselves... even in battle. Why didn't he say it?" 

Her discomfort seems to transfer to Zenn.  "Their flag is stained,"  the monk observes.  "To the Crusaders the flag represents purity, they would never raise a soiled flag."  He continues watching as Mithril rides down the line of wagons to signal the other monks.  "Why didn't he ask her what villages she was heading towards... He wants them all to walk up front..."  His eyes dart over the men on horseback.  "Nets... Since when do they use nets..." 

Zenn's eyes widen and he looks over to Aicha, who gasps as she seems to come to the same conclusion he does.  "They're not Crusaders." 

-----------------

As Natalia sits up and pushes back her hair, glancing carefully at each of the men on horseback, she is surprised to see a burst of glitter appear above the riders in front of her, falling to cover three of them, including the leader. Before she can react, she hears Zenn's deep voice from far behind her, shouting a warning that chills her heart.

 "SLAVERS!" 
 
 Spoiler 
See OOC for initiative.
 
achinca
Miriam stays seated in her cart and tries to move it next to Natalia. She is not about go on the ground and walks to these bigots in armor. She does not look at them, afraid her hatred will show and will create problems.

When she hears Zenn's voice saying "Slavers", she stops the cart and starts whispering a spell. The piece of cloth on her finger and on Kurt's starts to shine.

 
 Spoiler 
Activate Shield Other
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia, her tension coiled around like a spring, instantaneously reacts the moment she hears Zenn's shout and see's Shiny's glitter fall like rain. With a howl of,  "AWAY FROM FRIENDS!"  she flashes off the cart with a twist of her anklet to appear mid-air ten feet away. She tucks into a roll and uses the momentum to roll herself forward and plunge her drawn twin blades into the blinded slaver's thighs.

 "KURT! NOW!"  she screams as she does so.  "MONKS, RUN!" 
 
 Spoiler 
Attack:  (d20+7)[ 13 ] 
Crit confirm:  (d20+7)[ 17 ] 
Damage:  (d6+1)[ 6 ]  plus Sneak Attack:  (2d6)[ 6 ] 

Attack:  (d20+7)[ 13 ] 
Crit confirm:  (d20+7)[ 14 ] 
Damage:  (d6+1)[ 7 ]  plus Sneak Attack:  (2d6)[ 5 ] 
 
Admiral
Natalia's blades manage to find the weak spots in the blinded barbarian's armor, and slide deeply.

Kurt growls in furious anger when he hears of the riders' true intent. Disregarding Shiny's spells, he charges straight forward and lunges at the same rider Natalia had attacked.

 
 Spoiler 

Kurt's build is quite a puzzle, but I think I got the bonuses right.

Charge, Rage, Vanguard Strike (+4 to hit for melee attacks if he hits), power attack -2/+4.

 (1d20+12)[ 13 ]  Attack
 (1d20+12)[ 15 ]  Crit

 (1d12+13)[ 17 ]  Attack
 (1d12+13)[ 14 ]  Crit
 (1d12+13)[ 25 ]  Crit

Ouch, he would have hit on literally anything else.
 


In his anger, Kurt's swing is too hasty and he just barely misses his target.
Athedia
Mithril's hand flashed to her saddlebags once Zenn let out his warning.  In one smooth motion the circlet was on her head and her hand was forming another symbol.  Sticky white threads, reminiscent of the spiders webs she had seen underground, spread across the bandits attacking.
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 

Reflex saves. To avoid sharing too much meta information, I am posting them without bonuses.

B3:  (1d20)[ 17 ] 
B4:  (1d20)[ 15 ] 
B5:  (1d20)[ 13 ] 
B6:  (1d20)[ 3 ] 
B7:  (1d20)[ 10 ] 
B8:  (1d20)[ 4 ] 

B6-B8 are entangled, the others not.

Is Mithril's save DC 16? If not, let me know.
 
Admiral
From his spot on the hill overlooking the battle, Shiny pulls his hand back and conjures another burst of glitter, this one above several of the less armored warriors in the back of Mithril's web.

 
 Spoiler 

Will saves DC 16:

B5:  (1d20)[ 13 ] 
B6:  (1d20)[ 6 ] 
B9:  (1d20)[ 10 ] 
 


All three clutch their eyes, blinded.
Admiral
The warriors at the back of the attacking party pull on their horses' reins urgently, trying to break free.

 
 Spoiler 

I used the warrior's bonuses (though it made minimal difference), but I think it makes sense to use the horse's Str bonuses to try to escape and move.

B6:  (1d20+4)[ 20 ] 
B7:  (1d20+4)[ 11 ] 
B8:  (1d20+4)[ 15 ] 

Coffee reminded me that blinded creatures take -4 on Str- and Dex- checks.
 


All three remain ensnared despite their best attempts to fight it.

The blind warrior in the back tries to lead his horse around the web, closer to the fighting.

The other rider leads his horse along the side of the web, stopping at the side of the battle.
Admiral
Zenn and Aicha had help onto the copper piece Shiny had enchanted with invisibility, and started heading down the hill right as he cast his spell. Now the two monks run to the wagons to protect the other monks, still protected by the invisibility.

Mithril suddenly feels herself enveloped by the spell's effect, and as she turns she sees Zenn and Aicha appear out of thin air. The two monks help the human monk on the wagon off of it: it's clear that Zenn plans on using the invisibility to help the others escape.
Admiral
The leader of the attacking tribe seems surprised at the resistance that has appeared. But as his scowl returning, he splays out his hand at Natalia and Kurt, and to their surprise he unleashes a familiar flurry of rainbow colors over them.

 
 Spoiler 

You know this song:  color spray , DC 16 Will save or be stunned for 1 round. I will roll for Kurt:

 (1d20+3)[ 12 ] 
 


Kurt drops his axe, stunned by the overwhelming pattern of colors.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia gasps at the blinding blast of colors and tries to shield her eyes.

 
 Spoiler 
Oh great, another beguiler. And with a +2 bonus I don't have much of a chance. Now I'm really starting to get worried. I TOLD YOU, ADMIRAL! 😛
 (d20+2)[ 4 ] 

Yeah, of course.
 


Natalia shouts and drops her blades, clapping her hands to her eyes.
Admiral
The blind barbarian in front of Kurt and Natalia takes a swing with his greatsword at the girl who had injured him.

 
 Spoiler 

B2
Attack:  (1d20+10)[ 21 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+10)[ 20 ] 

Damage:  (2d6+9)[ 14 ] 
Crit:  (2d6+9)[ 14 ] 
 


Even blinded, his blade finds her and deals a deep wound.
Admiral
The other riders try to move their way out of the web's hold.

 
 Spoiler 

B3:  (1d20)[ 5 ] 
B4:  (1d20+4)[ 16 ] 
B5:  (1d20)[ 3 ] 
 


Only one manages to move at all, pushing himself partly out of the web's hold.
Admiral
Shiny scans the battlefield and comes to a quick decision, conjuring a third burst of shiny glitter right above the leader and another of the riders.

 
 Spoiler 

Only two I can hit that aren't already blinded (besides two that are far back and entangled). I am settling on the rule that a blinded creature can't be re-blinded: otherwise blinding spells would be too powerful against one or two opponents. Will save DC 16.

B1:  (1d20)[ 20 ] 
B4:  (1d20)[ 2 ] 
 


The rider who had partly cleared his way from the web clutches his eyes, but the leader resists the spell once again.
Athedia
Mithril rode out of the safety of the spell, spotting Kurt and Natalia in the front of the wagons.  Quickly she cast a spell over then to help them battle.

 
 Spoiler 
Move to 23H, using Honey's movement.  Cast Haste to hit Kurt, Natalia, Mithril and Honey, leaving 2 more "slots" if anyone else is in range (can't tell
 
Admiral
Miriam steps off of her wagon and then rushes quickly towards the battle: it was clear her divine assistance would soon be necessary.

 
 Spoiler 

I'm taking Miriam's action for achinca since it is a straightforward action (and I trust him to tell me if I am doing so too frequently). Move action to get off the wagon, then 30 feet towards the battle, still 10 feet away from Natalia and Kurt.
 


Two of the gang still trapped in the web struggle to escape.

 
 Spoiler 

B7:  (1d20+4)[ 7 ] 
B8:  (1d20+4)[ 15 ] 
 


Neither makes any progress.

Another, a blinded rider in a chain shirt, seems to have a different plan. He moves his hands in a few unusual motions.

 
 Spoiler 

Concentration check:  (1d20+9)[ 22 ] 
 


A fiery sphere appears in the air in front of him, igniting the web instantly. The sphere rolls forward purposefully, setting the web on fire as it moves.

Another blinded rider, this one carrying a large crossbow, seems to hesitate, unsure of where he should go. He listens closely to the sounds of battle.

A final rider, unblinded, sees Miriam running to help her friends. He pulls an arrow from his quiver and fires a quick pair of shots at the running cleric.

 
 Spoiler 

DC10:
Attack1:  (1d20+8)[ 14 ] 
Crit1:  (1d20+8)[ 19 ] 
Dmg:  (1d8+2)[ 10 ] 
Crit Dmg:  (1d8+2)[ 10 ] 
Crit Dmg:  (1d8+2)[ 7 ] 

Attack2:  (1d20+8)[ 17 ]  Miscalculated- should have been +6
Crit2:  (1d20+8)[ 13 ] 
Dmg:  (1d8+2)[ 4 ] 
Crit Dmg:  (1d8+2)[ 9 ] 
Crit Dmg:  (1d8+2)[ 7 ] 

I am sorry: I forgot the rules of Rapid Shot. This means neither arrow hit Miriam's AC of 16, the second one barely missing.
 


Both arrows miss the cleric, one whizzing mere inches from her.
Admiral
Near the back of the wagon, another monk disappears into invisibility as Zenn rushes to protect them.

The leader of the gang, seeing most of his crew left blinded, raises his hand, and conjures a similar burst of glittery dust above the three leading members of the party.

 
 Spoiler 

Natalia, Kurt, and Miriam get DC 16 Will saves or become blinded.
 


The barbarian in front of Natalia again tries to attack her.

 
 Spoiler 

B2
 (1d20+10)[ 17 ]  Since she's still stunned (-2 to AC, flatfooted) there's no question it hits
 (1d20+10)[ 19 ] 
Miss chance (miss on 1):  (1d2)[ 2 ] 

Damage:  (2d6+9)[ 17 ] 
Crit:  (2d6+9)[ 18 ] 

One other note: the two actions in this post happened in reverse order. We arrange our combats to do the most damage, it's fair they get the same chance.
 
Admiral
The three slavers trapped in the web all try to escape.

 
 Spoiler 

Fat chance, but let's see.

B3:  (1d20)[ 10 ] 
B4:  (1d20)[ 11 ] 
B5:  (1d20)[ 15 ] 
 


All three once again struggle to no effect.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia comes to screaming, scrabbling at her eyes and trying to staunch the bleeding from the deep wounds.

 
 Spoiler 
Yeah...I'm not making this DC.
 (d20+2)[ 19 ] 

...Did I just make it?
 
CoffeeIncluded
Glitter still sparkles on Natalia's face, hair and shoulders, but she manages to wipe most of it out of her eyes. Glaring up at her attempted killer, making a noise halfway between a pant and a snarl, Natalia picks up her weapons off the ground, takes a quick step, and then tries to ram one of the swords--the one with the health-sapping enchantment--into the blinded slaver's gut.

 
 Spoiler 
5 foot step to flank with Kurt after retrieving my weapons, so I don't trigger an AoO from the unblinded leader.

Attack:  (d20+12)[ 25 ] 
Crit confirm:  (d20+12)[ 31 ] 
Damage:  (d6+1)[ 3 ]  plus Sneak Attack:  (3d6)[ 7 ]  plus Vampiric Touch (if it hits):  (2d6)[ 9 ] 
 
Admiral
Natalia's blade slices directly into the barbarian's gut, and he slumps off his horse, until he lies immobile on the ground.

 
 Spoiler 

Note that she didn't have to flank with Kurt (and indeed, if Kurt fails his own Will save, it will be impossible to flank with him): the barbarian she's attacking is still blind, so still flatfooted.
 
Athedia
Mithril watched Natalia down the first slaver.  She felt odd that she was glad to see the man fall, they deserved it, god knows what they would have been sold into, but she had never felt this glad to witness a death.

Seeing Natalia had teleported herself near the mage she quickly cast a spell under his horses feet.  With any luck the horse would slip and take the man with it.

 
 Spoiler 
 Grease , see map.  Reflex save DC 16
 
Cavelcade
Kurt struggles to shake off the glitter, the brightness stinging his eyes.

 
 Spoiler 

 (1d20+3)[ 12 ] 

I'm not sure if I should roll for finding his axe or not, but I assume it's all he can do.
 


He grunts in frustration as all he can see are bright flashes of light in front of his eyes, bending down he tries to find where he dropped his axe at least, to be ready to strike back.
achinca
 
 Spoiler 
Not sure when it is Miriam turn and where she is and a bunch of actions has happened so I will list several in one post assuming she can reach without AoO.
She will take the AoO if needed.

a: enlarge Kurt
b: bull strength to kurt/or heal if needed
c: heal if needed or do a sound burst on the most threatening enemy

I will post the first action only.
 


Miriam smiles a Natalia downs a slaver " Well done Little One ".

She moves next to Kurt and touches his back and the Dwarf quadruple in size. " Slavers, You have messed with the wrong peace loving monks. This is your last chance to walk out of your mistake alive. Surrender now and keep your life. Or fight and burn in the Abyss forever. "

 
 Spoiler 
Cast Enlarge Person on Kurt
Shield other is active on Kurt

Diplomacy attempt  (1d20+4)[ 6 ](10) 

Leaving the door open assuming not all the slavers are suicidals.
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 

Mage's horse Reflex save:  (1d20+5)[ 7 ] 
 
Cavelcade
Even enlarged, the glitter making his eyes water is too distracting for Kurt to quickly find his axe, but just before Miriam enlarges him his hand closes around the haft, his grin returning to his face as he feels it grow with him.
Admiral
The leader's horse flops to the ground, taking the Mage with it. He braces himself for the fall...

 
 Spoiler 

Soft fall Ride check:  (1d20+5)[ 20 ] 
If fail,  (1d6)[ 5 ]  damage

As a result of falling he ends up lying prone in a space adjacent to the mount of his choice. Naturally he doesn't want to fall into a spot that gives Natalia an AoO or into the grease- see map.
 


He manages to break his fall, ending up lying on the ground in front of his horse, just outside of the grease.
Admiral
Shiny bites his lip as the leader casts spells so familiar to him, and his mind races- if he were in the leader's position, what would most hurt him? When he falls off his horse, Shiny he doesn't miss his opportunity.

The gnome raises his wand and casts a spell, aiming for the space behind the mage. And with a whooshing noise, all sound in the region is suddenly extinguished.

 
 Spoiler 

See the map for the grey area of silence (also covers the grease, though I didn't change that color). Since I aimed it at space rather than a person there's no Will save. Good luck casting now.
 


His spell cast, Shiny begins descending the hill, heading towards the main battle.
Admiral
The fire in the webs spreads, freeing one rider and partially freeing another, though burning them in the process.

 
 Spoiler 

B4 damage:  (2d4)[ 6 ] 
B6 damage:  (2d4)[ 7 ] 
 
Admiral
The mage who had cast the fire scowls at its touch, not bothering struggling since he knows he'll soon be free. The others continue struggling against the web's hold.

 
 Spoiler 

B7:  (1d20+4)[ 11 ] 
B8:  (1d20+4)[ 21 ] 
 


One manages to break free of the worst of the web's hold.
Admiral
The blinded slaver that had ridden out of the battle continues to seem confused: he holds a net, but doesn't seem confident of where to throw it.

The rider in the center of the silence looks across the field to see the gnome who had cast it. He raises his longbow and fires a quick pair of shots.

 
 Spoiler 

B10:
Attack1:  (1d20+6)[ 13 ] 
Crit1:  (1d20+6)[ 21 ] 
Dmg:  (1d8+2)[ 6 ] 
Crit Dmg:  (1d8+2)[ 8 ] 
Crit Dmg:  (1d8+2)[ 9 ] 

Attack1:  (1d20+6)[ 15 ] 
Crit1:  (1d20+6)[ 13 ] 
Dmg:  (1d8+2)[ 10 ] 
Crit Dmg:  (1d8+2)[ 7 ] 
Crit Dmg:  (1d8+2)[ 8 ] 
 


The gnome appears lucky: both arrows miss him, though one comes fairly close.
Admiral
In the wagons at the back, the last monk turns invisible as he is joined by the others.

The leader of the barbarians lets forth a silent cry of frustration as he realizes he's been trapped in silence. He stands up from where he had fallen, assesses the situation, and then falls back, apparently not wanting to dive into combat without his horse. As he moves, he makes some frantic gestures at the rider on the horse, pointing furiously towards the gnome caster and mouthing orders desperately.

The blinded rider in heavy armor tries to break fully free of the web's hold.

 
 Spoiler 

 (1d20)[ 3 ] 
 


Blind and in heavy armor, his attempts are clumsy and unsuccessful.

Another barbarian, newly freed by the fire, pushes his horse forward to where he had heard Kurt, and attacks.

 
 Spoiler 

B4
Attack:  (1d20+10)[ 28 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+10)[ 27 ] 

Damage:  (2d6+9)[ 12 ] 
Crit:  (2d6+9)[ 19 ] 
Miss chance (miss on 1):  (1d2)[ 2 ] 

Total 12 damage to Kurt, which gets split into 6 to Kurt and 6 to Miriam. You're lucky greatsword crits only on 19-20.
 


Even blind, his greatsword lands a solid blow.
Admiral
One final barbarian tries to fight his way out of the web.

 
 Spoiler 

B5:  (1d20)[ 11 ] 
 


His attempts are also unsuccessful.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia curses in frustration as the leader escapes her reach, then turns to the blinded barbarian. With a snarl, she falls upon him.


 
 Spoiler 
attack:  (d20+8)[ 25 ] 
Crit: (d20+8)[ 16 ] 
Damage: (d6+1)[ 6 ]  plus sneak attack  (3d6)[ 9 ] 

attack:  (d20+8)[ 24 ] 
Crit: (d20+8)[ 22 ] 
Damage: (d6+1)[ 4 ]  plus sneak attack  (3d6)[ 7 ] 

attack:  (d20+8)[ 19 ] 
Crit: (d20+8)[ 11 ] 
Damage: (d6+1)[ 4 ]  plus sneak attack  (3d6)[ 7 ] 
 
Admiral
All three of Natalia's strikes hit the barbarian, wounding him greatly.

 
 Spoiler 
37 damage: he is badly bloodied.
 
Cavelcade
Kurt shrugs off most of the blow and simply goes for the one he had been trying to attack before.

 
 Spoiler 

At least, I think b4 is the same one - today has been an especially frustrating day. That's who he's attacking anyway.

Furious counterstrike, +1/+1. No power attack. -1 from being bigger, +1 from being stronger, +1 from haste.

+6 BAB, +7 STR, +1 FC, +1 Haste, +1 Masterwork, -1 Bigger = 15

Two attacks from haste.

I forget what maneuvers he has ready - he's used vanguard strike, if he has stone bones he uses that. I'll roll now.

 (1d4)[ 1 ] 
 (1d3)[ 2 ] 

Next round:
 (1d2)[ 2 ] 


Attack 1:
 (1d20+15)[ 29 ]  Attack
 (1d20+15)[ 24 ]  Crit

 (3d6+11)[ 22 ]  Damage
 (3d6+11)[ 23 ]  Crit
 (3d6+11)[ 22 ]  Crit
 (1d2)[ 1 ]  hit on 1

Attack 2:
 (1d20+15)[ 32 ]  Attack
 (1d20+15)[ 21 ]  Crit

 (3d6+11)[ 21 ]  Damage
 (3d6+11)[ 23 ]  Crit
 (3d6+11)[ 24 ]  Crit
 (1d2)[ 2 ]  hit on 1
 
Cavelcade
 
 Spoiler 
He didn't have stone bones - so I'll use crusader's strike instead:

 (1d6+1)[ 7 ] 
 


His memory is good, his attack cleaving into the blind warrior with crushing force, restoring some of his good feeling.
Admiral
The barbarian crumbles beneath Kurt's devastating blow, his corpse rolling to the ground.

 
 Spoiler 

B2 was actually the one Kurt was attacking before, but he's dead. So it makes sense for Kurt to retaliate against the guy who attacked him.

Mithril, Miriam and Shiny have their actions.
 
achinca
Miriam feels the string from her robe attached to her finger warms up and gasps as a wound opens on her belly. She feels her warm blood staining her used robe.

Still blind she moves her hand forward in order to touch Kurt and grant him additional strength.

 
 Spoiler 
Looking for Kurt
 (1d100)[ 16 ]  &gt; 50 succeed

Cast Bull strength if find Kurt

PS: No answer from anyone to Miriam offers to surrender?
 
Admiral
Smiling at the other beguiler and the rider, Shiny first casts a quick spell at the leader, as fast as a blink. He then leans back and tosses something invisible towards them- but he performs the toss in a way that seems slower and more deliberate than his usual spell, as though throwing a heavier object.

Between the leader and the rider next to him appears a burst of purple light that envelops them both.

 
 Spoiler 

 Distract assailant  and then  deep slumber . Will save DC 16 for first one, then 18/19 for second depending on whether the assailant is distracted.

DA B1:  (1d20+6)[ 13 ] 
DS B1:  (1d20+6)[ 20 ] 
DS B10:  (1d20+2)[ 14 ] 
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
B10's in a military saddle, so &lt;=75 he stays, otherwise falls off.

 (1d100)[ 43 ] 
 


The leader resists Shiny's sleep spell, but the rider next to him cannot, and slumps forward, asleep, in his saddle.
Athedia
Mithril reached behind her one more time, grabbing her rod from where she had placed it.  The familiar battle of temperatures raged through her body as she pushed her palm forward, aiming it at the slaver who had cast the fire spell to escape her web.

 
 Spoiler 
Magic Missile; Circlet (2/3): Empower Spell (2/3)
Damage:  (3d4+3)[ 11 ]  *1.5 = 16.5
 
Admiral
The slaver grunts as Mithril's magic bolts hit him, but he stays on his horse, badly injured. Moments later, the fire continues to spread, burning him and others once more:

 
 Spoiler 

B3:  (2d4)[ 8 ] 
B5:  (2d4)[ 2 ] 
B6:  (2d4)[ 5 ] 
B7:  (2d4)[ 6 ] 
 


With a final scream the mage falls backwards off his horse, his own fire killing him.
Admiral
Another slaver recovers from his burns quickly enough to see Natalia standing near him, preparing to attack. He leads his horse closer to her, grabs his net from the side of his saddle and tosses it at the rogue.

 
 Spoiler 

B7 Ranged touch attack:  (1d20+6)[ 7 ] 

If hits, Natalia is entangled.
 


The rider moves too quickly, clumsily and eagerly upon escaping the web, and drops his net on the ground.
Admiral
Finally, one of the slavers still remaining in the unburnt web tries to break out.

 
 Spoiler 

 (1d20+4)[ 22 ] 
 


He breaks out of the web, and turns his horse to head towards the battle.
Admiral
The leader glances over at the rider asleep in the saddle, and seems torn for a fraction of a second about what to do. In the next moment he abandons the rider and races away. After only a few steps he finds himself outside of the region of silence, the sounds of battle back in his ears.

He turns to look across the battlefield at Shiny with an angry look, and casts a spell at the gnome that Shiny immediately recognizes, having cast it only a few moments earlier.

 
 Spoiler 

 Silence  targeted at Shiny (not at the space near him, at the gnome himself). Shiny gets a Will save, DC 16:

 (1d20+3)[ 6 ] 
 


The gnome grits his teeth as sound disappears from the world around him.
Admiral
The rider in full plate armor laughs as the fire burns away the web, glad to finally be free of the entanglement. Though blind, he seems newly confident, and with lance raised, he has his horse charge forward-

and moments later he finds himself in dead silence, while his horse starts slipping on the grease-soaked ground.

 
 Spoiler 
It seems fair to treat this as a Reflex or fall situation, since he didn't know what he was running into.

Reflex:  (1d20+5)[ 10 ] 
If succeed, Balance to keep moving at half speed:  (1d20+1)[ 8 ] 
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
Soft Fall Ride check:  (1d20+8)[ 17 ] 
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
Ah, but I forgot that while blinded, he gets a -4 to Str- and Dex- based skill checks. So this fails and he takes  (1d6)[ 2 ]  damage.
 


The rider grunts silently in pain as he falls to the ground, lying prone in his heavy suit of armor, blind and effectively deaf.
Admiral
The last blinded rider hesitates after the webs are burned off him.

 "Where are they?"  he shouts with a scowl, too cautious to move.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia grins viciously as she sees the slaver slip and fall. Before falling upon him, she says to Kurt,  "By me, foe between flames! Feel net between feet, then last out!" 
 
 Spoiler 
Natalia's telling Kurt to 5 foot step to where she is now. He can fill attack b7 from there. Before I attack lance guy I need to know: is Miriam healing me this turn?
 
Admiral
Shiny realizes that the silence does not just prevent him from casting spells- it's currently preventing the blind Kurt from hearing anything, a dangerous disadvantage. He takes a step backwards to make sure Kurt ended up out of the range.

He twists his features as he studies the existing battleground, and makes his decision. Some of his enemies would not be blind much longer, and they'd be too dangerous. He targets one of the slavers at the side of the battle with a  sleep  spell, carefully manipulating his motions to avoid having to add words to the spell.

 
 Spoiler 

 sleep  against B9, DC 17 (flatfooted):  (1d20+2)[ 13 ] 
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
Does B9 fall out of the saddle:

 (1d100)[ 61 ] 
 


The blind barbarian Shiny had targeted slumps forward on his horse, fast asleep.
CoffeeIncluded
As the pain of her wounds increases, Natalia calls out,  "Miriam! Here, help!" 
achinca
Miriam moves forward at half speed until she touches who she believes is Natalia. Her staff shines at it conveys St. Cuthbert divine healing magic. " St. Cuthbert, please heal the little one to the best of my worth! "

 
 Spoiler 
 (3d8+12)[ 1 ][ 6 ][ 8 ](27) 
 
Admiral
Hearing the rogue's calls, Miriam steps forward and finds the rogue with her staff, casting her most powerful healing spell.

 
 Spoiler 

 CSW (+6 for Augment Healing, +6 for level):  (3d8+12)[ 24 ]  

Oh, I'm quite sorry! For some reason I thought achinca was asking me to post for him. His original post holds, not this one.

Note that Natalia still keeps her temporary hit points from vampiric touch, which I think means this puts her over her normal max HP.

Natalia, Kurt and Mithril should go.
 
achinca
 
 Spoiler 
Admiral, can you use my rolls?

And she dropped Bestow Curse. She has dispel magic but needs a round to unblind herself or Kurt
 
Admiral
[SPOILER]
 
 Originally Posted by achinca 
  
 Spoiler 
Admiral, can you use my rolls?
 
 
 

 
 Spoiler 


See my edit: we're using yours of course.

Unfortunately, Shiny has the  dispel magic  spell to get rid of his  silence , but can't use it!
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia grins as her wounds are fully healed.  "thanks! Now DIE!"  she howls, leaping onto the fallen slaver. He can't see of hear her, but he can feel her.

 
 Spoiler 
5 ft step. Anklet if needed. Full attack!
attack:  (d20+8)[ 20 ] 
Crit: (d20+8)[ 27 ] 
Damage: (d6+1)[ 4 ]  plus sneak attack  (3d6)[ 12 ] 

attack:  (d20+8)[ 23 ] 
Crit: (d20+8)[ 9 ] 
Damage: (d6+1)[ 2 ]  plus sneak attack  (3d6)[ 6 ] 

attack:  (d20+8)[ 24 ] 
Crit: (d20+8)[ 22 ] 
Damage: (d6+1)[ 6 ]  plus sneak attack  (3d6)[ 10 ] 

Oh and she shouted directions to Kurt for b7 and she aoOs off of lance guy when he stands.
 
Admiral
The slaver's thick armor and shield fail to protect him from the rogue's precise fury. As he lies on the ground, she slices him with three expert cuts, one to the neck, and two to weak points under his arms. With her last strike he bleeds out, and slumps down in the armor.
Cavelcade
Kurt takes a step towards where he last heard Natalia's voice, hoping he interpreted her instructions correctly as he lashes out again with new found strength.

 
 Spoiler 

An extra +2 to hit and +3 to damage from Bull's Strength - no FC though.

Attack 1:
 (1d20+16)[ 35 ]  Attack
 (1d20+16)[ 27 ]  Crit

 (3d12+13)[ 42 ]  Attack
 (3d12+13)[ 34 ]  Crit
 (3d12+13)[ 24 ]  Crit

 (1d2)[ 1 ]  Hit on 1.


Attack 2:
 (1d20+16)[ 33 ]  Attack
 (1d20+16)[ 31 ]  Crit

 (3d12+13)[ 27 ]  Attack
 (3d12+13)[ 32 ]  Crit
 (3d12+13)[ 32 ]  Crit

 (1d2)[ 1 ]  Hit on 1.


Attack 3:
 (1d20+11)[ 16 ]  Attack
 (1d20+11)[ 18 ]  Crit

 (3d12+13)[ 29 ]  Attack
 (3d12+13)[ 31 ]  Crit
 (3d12+13)[ 30 ]  Crit

 (1d2)[ 1 ]  Hit on 1.
 


The gods smile on his fervour, it seems, as the blindness hardly impedes his ability to land blows.
Admiral
Kurt's axe swings true, and his first two blows are enough to smash the slaver into a bloody pulp. Even blind, the dwarf knows a killing blow when he feels one.
Athedia
Mithril may not have seen where the spell went, but she did see the man cast the spell.  Repeating her motion from the her last attack she again sent swirling bolts of energy hurtling toward the enemy.

 
 Spoiler 
Magic Missile; Circlet (1/3); Empower Spell (1/3)
 (3d4+3)[ 9 ]  *1.5 = 13.5
 
Admiral
Mithril's magic bolt hits the leader, who scowls. He surveys the battlefield: with most of his men dead or sleeping. He gestures to the rider near him with a quick whistle. The rider comes towards him, pausing beside for him to get on.

The fire spreads so that it burns the last of the webs away, all the slavers long since escaped.

Across the battlefield, another blind rider, this one burned, hears the battle in front of him, and rides forward, drawing a longsword, to attack the giant dwarf he hears killing his comrade.

 
 Spoiler 

B5
Attack  (1d20+9)[ 14 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+9)[ 28 ] 
Damage  (1d8+3)[ 11 ] 
Crit:  (1d8+3)[ 4 ] 
Miss on 1:  (1d2)[ 2 ] 

I dont think that hits giant blinded Kurt, given his full plate.
 
Admiral
The wounded leader steps up onto his comrade's horse, then turns around and twists his wrist in a jerky motion. There appears another burst of glittery dust, this one directly above Natalia.

 
 Spoiler 

Dc 16 Will save for Natalia. And then it's the party's turn again.
 
Admiral
As Shiny sees the beguiler cast his spell, he balls up his fists and performs the same one, only this one modified like the sleep spell he had just cast. A matching burst of glitter appears above the horse on which the two slavers are sitting.

 
 Spoiler 

Last l3/silent L2.

DC 16 Will saves:
B1:  (1d20+6)[ 12 ] 
B8:  (1d20+3)[ 9 ] 
 


Shiny cackles silently: he's finally succeeds in blinding the slave traders' leader, along with the rider he has joined.

 
 Spoiler 
FYI: I can't effectively edit the map for the next few hours. The only things that have changed are that now B1 and B8 are both on a horse next to B1's old position (now both blind), and that B5 moved up to be able to attack Kurt.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia yells in pain and frustration and anger and fear, trying to wipe her eyes clean again.

 
 Spoiler 
 (d20+2)[ 5 ] 
 


This time she's not so lucky. Blinded, she cries out for Miriam to help.
Athedia
Mithril cursed.  The leader was trying to run now, first he had tried to trick them, then used cheap tricks (well the same as Shiny, but the gnome was not malicious) and now he was fleeing?  Pure coward all the way.

 
 Spoiler 
One last MM aimed at the leader. Circlet and Empower Rod

 (3d4+3)[ 10 ] *1.5=15

EDIT: Admiral, I will edit the map for you.  According to what you put in your post.
 
Admiral
The blind leader grunts again as he is hit by Mithril's spell, now bloodied and injured, but stays on his horse.

Natalia's cries are lost even to her own ears- she's trapped in complete silence.

 
 Spoiler 
She'd have to take her turn and move to cry out for Miriam's help. It would then be up to Miriam whom to try dispelling.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia runs to where she saw the beguiler last, crying out to Miriam the whole time, crying louder when sound returns. Fear consumes her, and anger, about what they'll do to her and her friends, what they've already done to others.

 
 Spoiler 
attack:  (d20+8)[ 19 ] 
Crit: (d20+8)[ 11 ] 
Damage: (d6+1)[ 5 ] 
Miss on 1:  (d2)[ 2 ] 

Attacking beguiler. Outside silence and grease.
 
Admiral
The beguiler had been foolish to get onto his horse before blinding the rogue- she is able to recall his position and run over to attack him. Her blade sinks into his leg, and he howls in pain and anger, but though he seems horribly wounded, it is not enough to bring him down.
achinca
Miriam yells " Kurt are you blind? Yell to tell me where you are! ""

 Miriam follows Kurt voice and remove the blindness from the enlarged dwarf. 
 
 Spoiler 
Sorry Coffee but Miriam does not know Natalia is blind and even if she did, she thinks the enlarged warrior is a more effective weapon. She did not see the carnage that Natalia did.
 
Cavelcade
Just as he hears the sword scrape across his plate, Kurt lashes out at his attacker, stepping back as he does to compensate for his extra size.

 
 Spoiler 

I think I need to take a 5' step back to do so, but I assume that's okay? He might have to take some fire damage, but c'est la vie.

The attack misses - but only because the haste cancels out the size penalty! Whew!

Also, Kurt is at full health because of crusader's strike and will use Leading the Attack, and just that for his attack.

Also also - Stone Bones will be available next turn and he'll start recovering his maneuvers.

Attack 1:

 (1d20+16)[ 30 ]  Attack
 (1d20+16)[ 19 ]  Crit

 (3d6+13)[ 22 ]  Attack
 (3d6+13)[ 23 ]  Crit
 (3d6+13)[ 26 ]  Crit

 (1d2)[ 2 ]  Hit on 1.


Attack 2:

 (1d20+16)[ 35 ]  Attack
 (1d20+16)[ 30 ]  Crit

 (3d6+13)[ 25 ]  Attack
 (3d6+13)[ 25 ]  Crit
 (3d6+13)[ 26 ]  Crit

 (1d2)[ 1 ]  Hit on 1.


Attack 3:

 (1d20+11)[ 12 ]  Attack
 (1d20+11)[ 17 ]  Crit

 (3d6+13)[ 20 ]  Attack
 (3d6+13)[ 25 ]  Crit
 (3d6+13)[ 25 ]  Crit

 (1d2)[ 1 ]  Hit on 1.
 


The extra step throws off his first attack, but he recovers with a crushing blow, leaving a satisfying crunch.  "Who needs to see, Miriam, when I have Kord to guide me!" 
achinca
Hearing that her friend Kurt is having a blast cutting people even as he is blinded and knowing that he has not been touched since the start of the battle, thanjks to the shielding other spells, Miriam decides to unblind herself.

She casts the spell and as her eyes readjust to the light, she can see the scene of destruction. 5 men are laying dead and two are sleeping.

" I repeat my offer, Slaver. Surrender now and you walk away with your life. It is your last chance to avoid meeting your evil gods sooner than expected. "
Admiral
 Kurt's blow again easily shreds his opposition, and a sixth slaver falls dead. 

Kurt's blow badly wounds his enemy, who suddenly regains his sight. Seeing the giant dwarf he had unwittingly entered combat with, and feeling the crunch of his armor under the dwarf's axe, he turns and runs.

The leader gives a desperate order to the other rider, who turns the horse around and starts riding away from the battle. The horse rides 25 feet before the mage casts another spell, and a dark mist bursts out from where he sits, shrouding both riders.

 
 Spoiler 

I am sorry, I misread Kurt's attack. His opponent is bloodied but still alive (and Shiny's spell just wore off), and just used the withdraw action to move 100 feet away.

Can't edit map right now but he moves 25 feet north, then casts obscuring mist. Others still fast asleep, and Kurt still blinded.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia growls as she hears the beguiler flee.

 
 Spoiler 
listen:  (d20+9)[ 20 ] 

She's within charging distance.
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 

I'll rule that she can hear well enough to find their position based on both the hooves and the cast spell (DC 20 so just made it), but that when he attacks she has an equal chance of attacking either of the two riders OR the horse, since they're all on top of each other, and then another 50% miss chance. It's tough charging when blind.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Get back here!"  Natalia cries, charging after them and leaping into the air, trying to strike down the beguiler. [COLOR="rgb(153, 50, 204)"]"Mithril, Miriam, Shiny, Kurt, follow voice"[/COLOR]

 
 Spoiler 
attack:  (d20+12)[ 32 ] 
Crit:  (d20+12)[ 16 ] 
Damage: [roll]d6+1[roll]

Beguiler on 1, b8 on 2, horse on 3:  (d3)[ 1 ] 

Miss on 1:  (d2)[ 1 ] 

Fair enough. And we've still got Shiny and Mithril and Miriam! How many silent spells does Shiny have left again?

And of course I would have crit and likely killed him. Guess the Natalia Bolts Power Hour is over.
 
Admiral
As the fleeing leader is shrouded in mist, Shiny chooses to instead stop the other slaver just before he runs out of range. He casts another silent spell, this one creating a burst of purple light right behind the slaver fleeing from Kurt's blow.

 
 Spoiler 
DC 16 Will save:  (1d20+2)[ 5 ] 
 


The injured slaver halts as he falls fast asleep on his horse.
achinca
Miriam moves 5 feet and raises her quarter staff in the air. The crudely carved symbol of St. Cuthbert starts shining and the area in the obscuring mist with the leader get blasted with a tremendous cacophony.

 
 Spoiler 

damages - Sonic
 (1d8)[ 3 ] 

Fortitude Save: DC 16

If failed stunned for 1 round.

Stunned: A stunned creature drops everything held, can’t take actions, takes a –2 penalty to AC, and loses his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any).
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia yells in pain at the sudden burst.

 
 Spoiler 
tell me if this isn't needed.
Fort:  (d20+8)[ 15 ] 
 


Blinded and temporarily deafened, Natalia hunches over in pain.
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 

Just for kicks, for this one, I'll roll separately for the horse.

B1:  (1d20+3)[ 5 ] 
B8:  (1d20+5)[ 14 ] 
Horse:  (1d20+7)[ 26 ] 

Other: [roll]1d100[/roll
Other:  (1d100)[ 57 ] 
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
Other:  (1d100)[ 25 ] 

I think I read somewhere that spellcasters can figure out whether someone made a save or not.
 


Miriam cannot see what is happening in the cloud of mist, but she feels her spell affect three beings, with a fourth resisting its hold.
Athedia
Mithril looked at the spent rod in her hand.  Well the circlet had done its job at least she thought as she raised her empty hand to send out a weaker, but still powerful missile.

 
 Spoiler 
Can't miss :)
 (3d4+3)[ 10 ] 
Oh and at beguiler
 
Admiral
Mithril feels her spell strike its target even as she cannot see it.
achinca
Miriam yells " 3 out of 4 are stunned. Let's finish them while they are stunned "

 
 Spoiler 
Sorry for posting out of order but I wanted to translate IC the OOC info from Admiral
 
Admiral
Hearing Natalia's calls, Kurt starts running towards the noise, though he avoids swinging his axe out of fear of hitting her and uncertainty about what is happening.

 
 Spoiler 

I had Kurt move next to Natalia.
 


After running, Kurt's vision suddenly returns, although for a moment he is unclear that it has as he finds himself in a thick, almost opaque mist. Next to him he sees Natalia covering her ears, her blades dropped to the ground, and next to her he sees a vague outline of a horse carrying two riders.

 
 Spoiler 

Anyone except for Natalia can go at this point. I'll wait for Cavelcade to take this next action.
 
Admiral
Shiny casts the last spell he can besides his cantrips: this one, like Miriam's spell of sound, aimed at the position where he last saw the riders.

 
 Spoiler 

Will save against  sleep :

B8:  (1d20+3)[ 15 ] 
Fall:  (1d100)[ 70 ] 
 


Kurt sees the rider in front slump over on his horse, asleep- and as he does, he notices that the rider behind slumps with him: it's clear that while the saddles are keeping them in place on the horse's back, they're both either unconscious or dead.

 
 Spoiler 

Combat's over. Three sleeping enemies (B8, B9, B10), the rest dead, including the leader. Anyone can summarize how you handle it as a group. Natalia's blindness disappears three rounds afterwards. Shiny's  silence  will take almost five minutes.
 
CoffeeIncluded
As the ringing fades, Natalia scrabbles in the dirt for her dropped weapons--and then notices the sudden quiet.  "Where--what--GET BACK--"  but then her vision returns and the sight of the battle, along with her friends shrouded in the mist, answers her questions.

 "We...safe. Alive. No more slavers. HA! SAFE!" 

When the rogue realizes that some of the enemies are sleeping, she looks at the others and asks,  "Search and bind and ask, like before?"  Immediately she runs off and collects the three sleeping slavers, stripping them of all possessions and tying them fast with her rope. Afterwards, she surveys the grim scene, realizing that for the first time, just as many of the bodies bear her small precise stabs in addition to Kurt's gaping hacking strikes. And she remembers how Kurt and Miriam were blinded before her. And how when her friends needed her, she rose to the occasion.
  You've always protected me. My turn.  

After the three sleeping slavers are stripped of their items and bound tightly, Natalia strips the dead slavers of all their possessions as well. It's not as if they'll need them anymore.

 
 Spoiler 
In order, Natalia does the following:
1. Strips the sleeping slavers of all items (take 20 on Search for 32)
2. Ties up the sleeping slavers (take 20 on Use Rope for 30)
If there's not enough time to do both before the slavers wake up, then Natalia takes 10 on the checks.
3. Strips all the dead slavers of all their items.
4. If possible, Natalia sorts out the items as best she can.
This includes the warhorses.
 Loot time!  😁
 
Athedia
Mithril slowly climbed down from Honey's back.  She walked back to where the monks had fled, gesturing that it was safe again.  She then walked to where Natalia was stripping and binding the slavers, mostly carrying the items Natalia handed to her to a growing pile on the side.  As the rogue tied the men up, Mithril returned to Honey.  Whiskers had stayed on the horses back the whole battle, not realizing the danger he and his mistress had been in.
CoffeeIncluded
As Natalia works, she embraces Shiny, then Mithril in turn.  "Thank you,"  she says to each. As Mithril helps her sort the loot, the rogue says,  "Saved us, saved as much as Shiny, slowed the torrent to a trickle." 
 
 Spoiler 
Athedia, may I please ask Mithril to help Natalia in finding magic items?
 
Athedia
At Natalia's request Mithril focused on the items she had found, spreading them out and casting a spell over her eyes so she could spot what was magical and what was mundane.

 
 Spoiler 
Detect Magic
 
Admiral
Kurt, Natalia, Miriam and Mithril had finish the careful process of taking the sleeping slavers down from their horses and tying them up securely. With Kurt's size and strength and Natalia's skill with ropes, they have little trouble getting the four prisoners secure.

Once they finish, Shiny runs over to them and hugs them each.  "Well done crew, I thought we were goners!"  he says, seeming even more glad than usual to hear the sound of his own voice, the beguiler's spell having ended with his life. However, no one else more than 5 feet from him can hear his voice: Shiny's earlier spell crafting an assymetric zone of silence still remained. He seems content to talk to the air for a bit, and the party decides to let him get it out of his system.

 
 Spoiler 
I had earlier forgotten that Natalia's glitterdust blindness would go away after Mithril's MM killed the leader.
 

 "I am glad you are safe,"  comes a voice next to the party. Zenn and the other monks suddenly appear out of nowhere, each seeming a bit out of breath but otherwise unharmed. Zenn points to the ground near him. "The copper piece you so graciously lent me is there, Shiny- it served us well and I thank you for it."
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia shakes her head, and realizes that she's spattered in blood from her rampage.  "no, thank you. But how did you know, slavers?" 
Admiral
Aicha perks up, and rattles off the differences that she and Zenn had noticed together: the lack of the Crusaders' chant when they introduced themselves, the stained flag (which, upon closer inspection, appears to have been likely stolen from a battlefield), that the leader hadn't asked where Miriam was heading, and most notably the nets, unusual weapons for the tribe.  "I've read about slavetraders posing as Crusaders before,"  Aicha says, looking at the ground.  "I'm sorry I didn't think to warn you." 
Athedia
Mithril patted the half-elf on the shoulder.   "No worries.  I had been wanting to try some of those spells out." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "It okay,"  Natalia says, still smiling, though a bit shakier.  "No harm. Probably...help overall."  She turns to look at the unconscious men.  "But what to do with them?" 
 
 Spoiler 
Back in a few hours.
 
Admiral
Zenn clears his throat.  "I've told you of my view towards violence, and that I once swore not to be a part of it. What happened earlier here was not up to me or to you, but what happens now is. These men are helpless and defenseless, and I need to ask you not to harm them. We can make room for them in the front wagon, where I'll watch over them, and take them to Soshima to be dealt with there." 
 
 Spoiler 

Everyone please make a DC 13 Will save when you next post. If you do not make the save, you find yourself less angry at the slavers than you were earlier, and dislike the idea of any violence against them. (This is a  calm emotions  effect).

Shiny:  (1d20+3)[ 14 ] 
 
Athedia
 
 Spoiler 
Will Save:  (1d20+7)[ 11 ] 

Does Mithril notice that she had a spell cast on her?
 


Mithril took a deep breath as she felt calmer.   "We don't kill downed men.  Only those who would and can kill us." 
achinca
 
 Spoiler 
DC 13 Will Save

[roll]1d20+9/roll]

Post once the roll is known
 
achinca
 
 Spoiler 
Redo:

DC 13 Will Save

 (1d20+9)[ 22 ] 

Post once the roll is known
 


Miriam looks at Zenn " Master Zenn, as you can see, violence is sometimes the only answer. I am mad at these men for stealing one of the gods best gift, individual freedom. However, I do not believe in killing prisoners. I believe we should strip them of their possessions and make they walk behind the cart until we reach a place where they can face their crimes in a court of law. "

" Now if you want to share your rations and water with them be my guest. I do not have any as I do not need it. Food and water are like loot. They do not hold any interest to me. But I think the slavers should taste their own medicine until we reach and free Soshima. "
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by athedia 
  
 Spoiler 
Will Save: [roll0]

Does Mithril notice that she had a spell cast on her?
 
 
 

 
 Spoiler 
No, though she may attribute the feeling to Zenn's calm presence and words. Incidentally, it's not a spell but a  supernatural ability. 
 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by achinca 
 Miriam looks at Zenn " Master Zenn, as you can see, violence is sometimes the only answer. I am mad at these men for stealing one of the gods best gift, individual freedom. However, I do not believe in killing prisoners. I believe we should strip them of their possessions and make they walk behind the cart until we reach a place where they can face their crimes in a court of law. "

" Now if you want to share your rations and water with them be my guest. I do not have any as I do not need it. Food and water are like loot. They do not hold any interest to me. But I think the slavers should taste their own medicine until we reach and free Soshima. " 
 

Zenn smiles at Miriam.  "Do you see yourself as better than these men?"  he asks calmly, apparently without agenda.  "More ethical, more benevolent?" 
achinca
Miriam smiles at Zenn although some anger is still visible. " I do not see myself better. We have chosen two different paths. I chose to try to make the realms a better place for good people. They decided that economic profits through the sale of sentient being is a fine thing. I disagree and stopped them. I believe it is the duty of good people to stand in the path of evil people. I do not question your non-violent choice. Just do not question my choice to use violence to stop evil when needed. Your solutions would have had the 12 of us enslaved and sold. My solution had 6 slavers in the abyss and 4 ready to face judgement. May be if slaving becomes too dangerous for the money it brings, less people would do it. "
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by achinca 
 Miriam smiles at Zenn although some anger is still visible. " I do not see myself better. We have chosen two different paths. I chose to try to make the realms a better place for good people. They decided that economic profits through the sale of sentient being is a fine thing. I disagree and stopped them. I believe it is the duty of good people to stand in the path of evil people. I do not question your non-violent choice. Just do not question my choice to use violence to stop evil when needed. Your solutions would have had the 12 of us enslaved and sold. My solution had 6 slavers in the abyss and 4 ready to face judgement. May be if slaving becomes too dangerous for the money it brings, less people would do it. " 
 

 "There are two counts on which we disagree,"  Zenn says pleasantly.  "The first is that you suggest I would have let ourselves be enslaved, which I would not. The second is that I  do  think that you are better- more benevolent, more righteous- than these men, which is why I don't think you will treat them like slaves." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia looks back at the men they tied up.

 
 Spoiler 
Will:  (d20+2)[ 17 ] 
Can't wait to dip Swordsage and take Moment of Perfect Mind.
 


She growls at the tied-up slavers.  "Don't like killing bound...but we kill rats in trap, trap vermin then slay. They've hurt. They would...hurt us. They'll hurt and hurt again. What would have done to us..."  She shudders.

 "Fight to protect, always shielded by others...time to be shield of blade and cunning in return. My turn. Shoshima...would prefer to deliver, face justice by court. But...what if too far? Too far, too long, too few defenses, too little time? Can't set free, at least...not without warning of nature, shown for all..." 

Natalia looks back down.  "Want to be better...but need to stop pain." 
Cavelcade
 
 Spoiler 
 (1d20+1)[ 10 ]  - though it's irrelevant, as his reply would be the same either way.
 


Kurt looks over them men and shakes his head.  "Toss them in the wagon and take them with us, or else kill them quickly. They've done wrong and would again..."  He glances at Zenn for a moment,then shrugs.  "Or maybe they can learn to be better. I think we should take them with us." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Either way, should...ask what known first. If others. If chasing us now." 
Admiral
 "I could try charming them,"  Shiny volunteers cheerfully. He's stepped close to the others now, and his still active spell lets the group talk freely without the slavers, just a few paces away, hearing a word.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia nods.  "Just, please not like Orc before."  That still disturbed her.
Cavelcade
Kurt glances at him, shrugging a bit.  "You can't just...read their thoughts, again?" 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by Cavelcade 
 Kurt glances at him, shrugging a bit.  "You can't just...read their thoughts, again?"  
 

 "I could, but not until tomorrow. Today's a gnome holiday, where in our old tradition we don't read minds, instead thanking the gods for the power to communicate through speech." 
 
 Spoiler 
He's also out of L2s.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "don't like holiday. Insensitive to...dislanguaged."  Natalia says with a quirked smile.
Admiral
Shiny studies the four slavers carefully, considering which might crack.

 
 Spoiler 

Sense Motive:  (1d20+6)[ 17 ] 
If it's not good, he'll pick one at random:  (1d4)[ 3 ] 
 


Shiny points to one of the prisoners.  "Kurt, let's bring that one a bit away from the others. My spell will give us some privacy." 
 
 Spoiler 
Very busy today so won't be on too much.

Note that  zone of silence  works for 6 hours, so we don't have to worry about it running out. (I wish Shiny had this spell when he was assaulting the giant's cave: he could have cast any spells he wanted without worrying about the giants hearing, could have skipped the  move silently  checks, and wouldn't have had to stress about the silence accidentally enveloping a giant.)
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia helps move the slaver, and offers to help keep an eye on the others.

 
 Spoiler 
heh, that would have made things easier. Is there a place Natalia can stand or everyone else can be so she can listen in on the interrogation and keep an eye on the other prisoners?

And you do what you have to, admiral.

Heh, what do you guys think of the ginger beer trick?
 
achinca
Miriam waits for the group to make its decision. Her understanding of Natalia has gotten worse and she readies herself for Shiny shenanigans.

She has spoken her peace and wait there, using the quarterstaff as support and she looks at the blood stain on her used and beat up robe. " Wow! I really look like a beauty queen "

She suddenly smiles which could surprised her friends but the smile is short-lived. All is balanced in the realms.
Admiral
Kurt and Natalia take one of the bound slavers aside- he glares up at them as they do, with a silent scowl. Shiny readies himself and then casts his spell.

 
 Spoiler 

Anyone who wants to listen to the interrogation or add to it can do so, but we'll make it pretty quick.

Since he's tied up he's clearly denied Dex bonus, so DC 17 Will save, though the slaver gets +5 for being threatened. Shiny will keep trying until it works, so let's keep things simple and see how many spells it takes:

 (1d20+7)[ 15 ]  On the first try, then.
 (1d20+7)[ 26 ] 
 (1d20+7)[ 8 ] 
 (1d20+7)[ 9 ] 
 (1d20+7)[ 12 ] 
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia stands close to both the slaver interrogated and the ones tied up, her blades drawn and hidden behind the tails of her coat.

 
 Spoiler 
I'll chime in if I feel anything needs asking. Is that okay?
 
Admiral
As soon as Shiny casts his spell, the slaver seems to relax and looks at Shiny less angrily, though he still seems frustrated by the ropes.  "What's going on?"  he asks Shiny warily.

 "Listen up,"  Shiny says to the man in a quiet, urgent voice.  "You remember me: Shiny Chainlocker, slave trader and enforcer. Where was it we met before... at an auction in, uh..."  he closes his eyes and snaps his fingers...

 "Hamilton?"  the slaver replies, unsure.

Shiny points at him.  "Right!"  He points to the others who had joined him in the interrogation.  "Don't worry, these guys are with me, you can trust them. Now is when things get serious."  His voice lowers.  "We were sent here by your boss: he knows you've gone rogue and are skimming from the top." 
 
 Spoiler 

My view is that someone charmed who's tied up won't just cooperate (no more than your friends would if you tied them up), but he's likely to believe even an unlikely story.

Bluff check:  (1d20+12)[ 25 ] 
Sense Motive (with a -2 circumstance penalty from charm):  (1d20+3)[ 21 ] 
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia listens in, impressed once again by Shiny's quicksilver tongue.  "Ask...where routes, reinforcements, our fates, Cutler's lair...and any to rescue. If close, break chains. if far, try breaking chains too,"  Natalia whispers to Shiny in draconic. She just can't leave anyone to be enslaved.
Cavelcade
Kurt simply stands by, watching the conversation silently go on, leaning casually on his axe, though he's looking at the greatsword that had worked so poorly against him with interest as the interrogation goes on.
Admiral
The slaver panics.  "That's not true!"  he says to Shiny.  "Cutler approved this operation himself!" 

Shiny shrugs.  "That's not what I heard. The way I heard it, you're out on your own here in Crusader territory. Maybe you think that if some travelers disappear, everyone will assume they were taken by the barbarians... including your boss." 
 "None of that's true! Where did you hear that?!?"  the slaver says, agitated and apparently desperate.  "We've got a whole squadron out here in the territory, fifty guys! And the cargo we collect gets shipped down to the Port of Ashford, just as usual! It all gets kicked up the ladder!" 

Shiny scoffs.  "I may be short but I'm not stupid. I don't see fifty guys out here, just a handful of bandits about to lose all their heads."  He starts to give a signal to Kurt.

 "WAIT!" he shouts desperately. "They're not here, they're at the camp, with the cargo! We're just the raiding party, you know how it works!" 

Shiny kneels next to the slaver with a scornful expression.  "I know how it works,"  he says quietly.  "I'm not so sure that you do. I think you're buying time, hoping that we'll head to this "camp" to verify your story, and that you or one of your friends can break free on the way. But think of it from my perspective: how's it worth the effort and the risk? We'll get paid either way. Unless you can think of a faster way to prove it." 
 
 Spoiler 
To be continued
 
CoffeeIncluded
Cargo...This time Natalia can't suppress a snarl, and she flips her blades in her hands. That's it. They've got to stop them as soon as possible. She just prays Shoshima won't take too long.

 
 Spoiler 
damn time constraints. I'm so used to Take Your Time.
 
Admiral
The slaver's eyes dart around, until they land on his bound comrades.  "Ask them! They'll tell you the same thing!" 

Shiny scoffs.  "So they'll all lie to save themselves, that hardly means anything."  But he seems to think it over.  "Well, I guess we could ask each of you individually, and see if your stories match. Would be a lot easier than heading all the way to your "camp": we could just let you go here and be on our way. But we'd need details to compare if we're going to prove it." 

The prisoner nods vigorously.  "You'll see!"  he says.  "Someone up the line made a mistake, and we can prove it." 

Shiny thinks.  "All right, you get one shot at this."  He leans back into a sitting position.  "If a single detail doesn't match..."  he gestures with his head to Kurt's axe.

 
 Spoiler 

Felt pretty weird having this kind of conversation with myself, but that's how it goes.

Basically anything he knows he'll share.  charm person  made him desire Shiny's approval and trust him to start with, and he fell for Shiny's bluff so he thinks his life depends on Shiny matching the story to the others (which we can still do afterwards).

When I get a chance I'll post the info you learned from him. If Natalia or someone else has something they want to say to him during the interrogation, they can, but generally you can just assume you got whatever information you want (that he has), and ask me as we go.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Spoiler 
Natalia wants to know where the camp is, how many slavers and prisoners are there, the general layout and breakdown of the camp, when the prisoners are going to be shipped, who gets the money (the middlemen, I guess?) and how Shoshima and the Horde will affect the timeframe. Why yes I want to stage a rescue. 😁

And it's fine. You did a great job and I was refreshing every few minutes in anticipation.
 
Admiral
About 10 minutes after sitting down with the slaver, Shiny and Natalia walk away from the prisoner and gather the party again.  "We need to talk,"  says Shiny.

 
 Spoiler 

Summary of the information you gleaned:

The slaver's camp is in a cave on the side of a mountain: it's a moving camp and they've been in this location for about four weeks. It's about a two day's journey from where you currently are, and it brings you no closer to Soshima (it is roughly perpindicular, so it's a three day's walk from the camp to Soshima just like it is from here to Soshima). There are between 40 and 50 slavers based in the camp (not counting this raiding party), though how many there are depends on how many are out hunting. You can always expect at least 20 to be there guarding it.

At any time there are between zero and two dozen prisoners being held there. He was last there four days ago, at which point they had 7 slaves in custody. When they get a good number of prisoners, roughly once every 1-2 weeks, they send a wagon with all the captured slaves down to the Port of Ashford on the coast, where they are loaded onto a ship for other countries. This slaver hasn't been down to the Port in years. He knows that Josiah Cutler manages the entire slave trade, but he's never met him, and hasn't the fainted clue where Cutler operates from.

The head of the camp is a human named Dent: he's a very nasty fighter, chosen to lead this camp in Crusader territory because he'd be suited to defend against a barbarian attack. His second in command is named Crusoe, who's a powerful warmage. The prisoner doesn't know more than that about them or about other guys in the camp- almost all of his contact was with the people in his own crew.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "bad news. Hard choices,"  she says.

 
 Spoiler 
thank you Admiral. Three more questions:
1: How many slaves is a good amount?
2: Where's the port and route? We might be able to intercept the caravans at some point, maybe raid the port itself. Is the whole port a wretched hive of scum and villainy?
3: About how long do they expect to stay in this location for?
 
Athedia
Mithril shook her head.   "Poor people.  But we are sworn to bring this load to Shosima. Natalia, I know you want to help them, but those men are just the pawns.  We kill them, more take their place.  And we would alert Cutler to our threat.  Better to have him unsuspecting than trying to make us dead." 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
thank you Admiral. Three more questions:
1: How many slaves is a good amount?

 Ah, that age old question 🫤. Something like 20. 

2: Where's the port and route? We might be able to intercept the caravans at some point, maybe raid the port itself. Is the whole port a wretched hive of scum and villainy?

 The Port could barely be called that, it's more a wide expanse of coastline with some villages that are used and frequented by smugglers. Some villages have deals with the smugglers and slavers to defend against newcomers in exchange for being, well, not kidnapped. There's no guild presence, and it would probably be dangerous down there, though perhaps not worse than the kinds of areas you frequent. It's ten days' travel from here, eight from the camp. 

3: About how long do they expect to stay in this location for?

 He's not privy to that kind of information. They've stayed in some places for months and others for days. 
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia shakes her head.  "And after? If not is to rescue, then whom?" Can't...just leave. Not when there to help. Remember ogres?

Even pawns run out. Or block rivers, ambush trails. Or...could dam the source." 
 
 Spoiler 
I'll assme taking onCutler himself is beyond our pay grade at the moment.
 
achinca
Miriam looks at Natalia and shakes her head, unsure of what the rogue is saying.

The cleric finally decides to chin in " Listen, at any time of the day in the realms, evil is being committed. I believe that we have two villages at risk, Soshima and the dwarves. Not we can affect the slave trade. I know the temptation to go free the slaves is great right now, as we ourselves could have ended up slaves ourselves. But we need to keep the bigger picture in mind. We are here to stop the threat on the realm represented by the man in the hooded cloak and his bosses. This is our main goal. As we are trying to figure that out, we decide to go help Soshima and then the dwarves. After that we can go after the slavers if you want. I am afraid that these slaver operations is like a hydra. You cut a head and two more appear. "
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia sighs. Maybe Miriam will understand if she tries again.  "If heads redrawn, then stab the heart. Know our job., but can't ignore." 
 
 Spoiler 
i want to take down Cutler at some point, and if we have time I want to stop whatever slavers we find. I know our job, but I want to accept this side quest too.
 
Admiral
Aicha looks a bit confused.  "Why would we go after the slavers ourselves?"  she asks quizzically.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia shakes her head.  "Not you, us. You...think we can?"  Her confidence and hints of bravado spurred on by her performance are quickly wearing off.
Admiral
 "But I thought we were all going to bring food and supplies to Soshima,"  Aicha says.  "You'd put all that at risk just so you can claim the full bounty?" 
CoffeeIncluded
 "No!"  Natalia says, horrified by the suggestion.  "we free after. Why we asked what time." 
Admiral
 "No,"  Aicha says, shaking her head.  "The bounty for killing slavers. Why don't you just tell the Firm about the camp and let the mercenaries handle it, like they usually do?" 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia pauses. She hadnt even considered that.  "Are they close enough? To reach in time? For us to warn in time?" 
 
 Spoiler 
can we contact them? How soon?
 
Admiral
 "From Soshima,"  says Zenn, who had clearly been thinking along similar lines,  "it might be possible to send a message by raven." 
 "Aicha forgets that you're new to Eldgar,"  Zenn explains.  "Slavery is outlawed by all the guilds. Even the Syndicate, which happily deals in assassination and extortion, prohibits it. So they express that prohibition in the most effective and efficient way possible: each guild contributes towards a collective bounty on all slave traders. That bounty is bolstered by the voluntary donations of citizens- citizens who couldn't care less about the barbarian wars or the struggles of the impoverished in the slums, but are terrified by horror stories of being whisked away to a lifetime of misery." 
 "The other monks try to contribute in ways that no one else thinks to."  Zenn gestures towards the wagons.  "Someone has to answer the call when a village is hungry, or threatened by the forces of chaos. But even even besides the bounty, mercenaries love taking up the call to go chasing after slavers- an primitive instinct, perhaps, but one that is at least put to good use. Hunting slavers is, well..."  he considers how to put it tactfully-  "a rich man's game." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia squirms a bit, but at the same time...Zenn may be right, but he's missing some info.  "But...what if close? Rescue sooner rather than later? Catch now, before it flees. Or...not now, but after Shoshima. If...us there before Firm, then..."  She closes her eyes and tries to line up the words.  "Better for closer to save, ensure freedom, then to arrive later...find cages already emptied, birds already eaten." 
 
 Spoiler 
How quickly could the firm get the message and send a rescue party?
 
Admiral
Aicha starts scratching away in her notebook.  "If they do have a raven in Soshima,"  she mutters,  "it'll take two days to fly to Marvell. Bounty hunters without our wagons and weight could reach the slaver's camp in perhaps three days. All rough estimates,"  she's quick to note.

 "This will be answered when we reach the village,"  Zenn says patiently.  "I am responsible for these monks, and I won't take them so far off course- we're going to the samurai village. I can't force you to come with me, though the guilds did trust you with this mission- not to mention our lives."  
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia groans in frustration.  "Know, and agree. Shoshima and protecting you first. Job before us, won't abandon!" 
 
 Spoiler 
I'm sorry Admiral, but I thought I repeatedly said that I agree that Shoshima is the first priority. I do want to rescue the slaves and daze the slaver camp, but  after  Shoshima (and possibly the dwarves) are taken care of.
 
Admiral
 "I'm glad,"  says the monk. He gestures to the prisoners. "Let's secure them in the front wagon- we can travel for at least another two hours before we make camp."[/B]

The imposing half-Orc starts unloading crates from the wagon in front: there is enough room to fit them on the others. He watches Natalia tie the prisoners hands and feet to parts of the wagon, ensuring that they can't escape. Shiny had the idea to take a few sacks, formerly full of apples, and blindfold each of the prisoners. In the end, they seem well-secured. And so once again the party steps up onto their individual wagons and continue on their journey.

 
 Spoiler 

Will continue tomorrow. Any roleplaying, reactions etc, now would be a good time.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia just stares disheartened at the captives.  "That common? Why?"  she sighs and rubs her temples, all the while keeping at least one sword leveled on the captives. Her head's suddenly started pounding all of a sudden.

 
 Spoiler 
anyone have any input on her spells? I want to rp the switch tonight or tomorrow.
 


She offers her friends a weak smile, proud yet aickened at the same time. At least nobody else would be hurt.
achinca
Miriam looks at Zenn " The little one is quite impulsive and seems to answer the last problem that calls her. No worry. I said we will deliver the goods to Soshima and we will. Natalia will come too. She is a victim of having such a  good heart that she wants to save everyone. "

She looks at the rogue and make sure she is not within striking distance " She does not have the curse of being a simple farm girl who knows nothing. "
Athedia
Mithril watched as Miriam gauged the distance before making her comment.  She smiled at Natalia and then swatted Miriam on the back of her head.   "For a know-nothing, you do an awful lot of thinking." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia laughs and gives Mithril a high-five.  "And not enough ducking. Trust me, need both. Other lessons farm girls need." 
Cavelcade
Kurt stares hard at one of the captives all the while they travel, his brow furrowed slightly like he's trying to figure something out. He ignores the banter going on around him, except once to comment that he's going to Soshima, seeming to go deeper into his reverie as the wagons trudge on. When they eventually, he asks Natalia to untie one of the slavers from the wagon, so he can take him aside and talk to him one on one. He chooses one of the non magical fighters, just to be safe.
achinca
Miriam looks at Mithril with a surprised look as she rubs the back of her head. " Not you too .... "

Then she starts giggling at the two women as they high fives.

She watches the slavers tied and bound and asks Zenn " If having them walk did not slow us down, what are against that idea? We would not walk they to hurt them. Just get a sense of the humiliation and sense of dread of being capture to be sold in slavery. This of it as an attempt to reform. "
Cavelcade
Kurt does respond to that.  "I think...I think I understand why. They are...that would just make them angry at us. More determined not to be captured again. Maybe if we could get them to see others as more than meat they'd reform."  He scrubs at his beard angrily.  "Or maybe not." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Or...no chance anyway, if penalty is death, Try, but..."  Natalia mutters, taking one of the more wounded  prisoners and handing him to Kurt.
Cavelcade
He simply shrugs at that and takes the prisoner aside to some smooth rocks before sitting him down and pulling off the makeshift hood, looking at him curiously.  "Why did you do this?" 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia continues keeping an eye on the remaining prisoners, listening in on Kurt's conversation. She wants to know the answer just as much. Who in their right mind would trade in human suffering?

She turns to Zenn and asks,  "What have...you heard? Traveled much, far." 
achinca
Miriam looks at the dwarf. " This is a good question Kurt. Can evil doers be shown the evil of their way and reformed? I do not know. I have heard stories and legend about it and my favorite is the one of a succubus who felt in love with a paladin and became a paladin herself. But my experience has been that reforming people is .... please don't hit me ..... beyond the power of a simple farm girl who knows nothing. "

As Kurt takes the prisoner for his interrogation, Miriam steps aside. She notices that Natalia wants to eavesdrop. " Little one, let Kurt do what he wants to do in peace .... "
CoffeeIncluded
Since Miriam's too far away for Natalia to smack, the rogue settles for throwing a piece of bread at her.

Turning back to seriousness, she says,  "I think...some can reform. But not all. But...should try." 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by achinca 
 She watches the slavers tied and bound and asks Zenn " If having them walk did not slow us down, what are against that idea? We would not walk they to hurt them. Just get a sense of the humiliation and sense of dread of being capture to be sold in slavery. This of it as an attempt to reform. " 
 

 "My experience,"  Zenn responds,  "is that those who deal in cruelty are perfectly aware of what they put their victims through. A raging barbarian would learn nothing from being slain: he has been thinking of it all his life."  He looks back at the slavers.  "Similarly, I doubt there's any mystery in these men's mind about what it's like to be tortured. Such visions likely haunt their nightmares." 
 "But in any case, my concern is simple and practical. If these men walk, we can't bind their feet, and they're more likely to escape. And our supply of water is limited- though you and I might be beyond such needs,"  he notes.  "Four men walking in the sun waste far more water than four men lying in a covered wagon." 

 
 Originally Posted by Cavelcade 
 He simply shrugs at that and takes the prisoner aside to some smooth rocks before sitting him down and pulling off the makeshift hood, looking at him curiously.  "Why did you do this?"  
 

The prisoner squints as Kurt removes the hood. Then he looks up.  "What are you looking for, dwarf?"  he says with scorn.  "Same reason as anyone: for the gold." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "But...why choose it?"  Natalia asks.  "Even if not better nature...by risk?" 
Cavelcade
 
 Originally Posted by Admiral 
 The prisoner squints as Kurt removes the hood. Then he looks up.  "What are you looking for, dwarf?"  he says with scorn.  "Same reason as anyone: for the gold."  
 

He ignores the tone as he continues to stare at him hard.  "Plenty of other ways to make gold, right? Do you want some water?"  Offering him a waterskin, before remembering the man's hands are tied.  "Ah, I'll have to hold the bottle while you do." 
Admiral
Kurt pours the water into the man's mouth. The prisoner's expression makes his internal conflict clear: he seems intent on spitting the water back in Kurt's face as a dramatic gesture, but the desert heat makes him reconsider and he regretfully swallows it.

 "Making money as an errand boy for the guilds, you mean?"  he sneers.  "Watching them take what we earned for ourselves? You watch as the "civilized" take away everything you are, and then you tell me they don't deserve to be in chains." 
achinca
Miriam looks at Zenn. " That is a very practical approach. I am impressed. "

She checks where Shiny, Mithril and Natalia are before adding " I did not think of that. I am truly a simple farm girl who knows nothing .. ."
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia winks at Mithril, then throws another hardened crust of bread at Miriam.

 
 Spoiler 
Do you want me to start doing attack rolls? 😛
 
Cavelcade
 
 Originally Posted by Admiral 
 Kurt pours the water into the man's mouth. The prisoner's expression makes his internal conflict clear: he seems intent on spitting the water back in Kurt's face as a dramatic gesture, but the desert heat makes him reconsider and he regretfully swallows it.

 "Making money as an errand boy for the guilds, you mean?"  he sneers.  "Watching them take what we earned for ourselves? You watch as the "civilized" take away everything you are, and then you tell me they don't deserve to be in chains."  
 

Kurt seems genuinely troubled by the remark, settling back down on the rock quietly.  "What did they take away from you, these 'civilized', then?" 
Admiral
 "Growing up in a small village, you end up with no shortage of complaints,"  he spits.  "First good decent human farmers, miners laborers, who've been living on this continent for generations, get driven out of work by the dwarfs, the elves, the halflings: folks who couldn't stay in their home countries where they belonged."  He eyes Kurt menacingly as he says this.  "And if that's not bad enough, then the guilds start moving in: the Firm buying up businesses and farms, the Church sucking up the temples, the blasted Syndicate killing and intimidating their way into power. And no one who's "civilized" bothers to complain, cuz they get their wine and their tobacco and all the cushy comforts of guild life. Why should I care what happens to them?" 

He growls.  "You think you can judge me? Everyone on this continent is a slaver." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Mithril,"  Natalia says, looking up from the second text book.  "Your magic, feels like...burnt orange. Hint of smoke." 

She looks at Miriam curiously as well.  "How did you learn? Books, tutors?" 
achinca
Miriam looks at Natalia and the joking, friendly attitude is gone. All is left is a cold stare. " I guess, when you ran away from the battle against the giants, you also lost your memory. Now if you do not mind, I will go help my Brothers and Sisters in poverty. "

She goes see Zenn, Aicha and the other 4 monks and help them in anything she can.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia crumples, and she looks like she's about to start crying.  "I...what did I..." 
 
 Spoiler 
It was a year ago! I forgot if it was Calric or one of the other clerics!

I just wanted to see if you wanted to roleplay Natalia learning the spells or not...
 
Cavelcade
Kurt shakes his head at him.  "I'm not judging you. I don't know enough about your life to judge you...except you got unlucky enough to fight us, but lucky enough to live. I've just had a hard time myself, kicked out of where I was born, forced to come here and sign up to something I wasn't born into." 

He sighs a little, shaking himself away from his own thoughts. [color="green"]"But that doesn't mean squat. Where we're going is a village on the outskirts of nowhere, defending free farmers from the forces of the horde. That's where we're going with our supplies, and with you. They'll need good fighters, but it'll be up to you to convince them that you'd stick around and help defend them if you do live...a good fighter doesn't come lightly, and a group like yours could really help in what's to come. If you can convince me you'll quit your ways, I'll speak for you."[color] He stands up then, nodding back to the wagons.

 
 Spoiler 

He'll have a similar conversation alone with each of them, except the Beguiler who he'll bring Shiny along with him and be more suspicious of because of Shiny. We can rp or summarise it.
 
Admiral
The slaver bites his lip in response to Kurt's suggestion. He doesn't respond, instead going back to the wagon quietly.

The other prisoners have mixed reactions. One responds similarly to the first, with scorn but possible curiosity. Another stays completely silent to all of Kurt's questions and offers, starting him in the eye without saying a word.

The final one is quick to dissociate himself from the other slavers, immediately agreeing that the practice is immoral and wrong, and nods enthusiastically when Kurt brings up the possibility of defending Soshima. His instant deference somehow makes Kurt trust him the least.
CoffeeIncluded
Stung by Miriam's words, and realizing the extent of her rampage (he couldn't see or hear her coming, she dealt death from nowhere, a lightning bolt from the blue), Natalia curls up sniffling in the caravan, curled around her textbook. She just wants to hide, to avoid the world, to turn into mist and go away, at least for a little while.
Admiral
Natalia hears someone come and sit down next to her, and looking up she sees Aicha, her journal tucked under her arm. The elf adjusts her glasses.

 "What's the matter?"  she asks timidly.
CoffeeIncluded
 "Anger,"  she says, quietly, barely unfurling her head.  "Miriam furious. Wrath at my words." 
Admiral
Aicha frowns.  "That's not your fault. It sounds like she doesn't like talking about her past. Anyone can understand that." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia nods.  "Still, didn't mean to hurt. And what she said...lost memory when nearly lost life..."  She chokes up at the last statement.
Admiral
Aicha shushes the rogue, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder: it's obvious there's something she doesn't want to talk about.  "So, uh, what's the story with Shiny?"  she says, clearly trying to change the subject.  "I know it sounds weird, but I think he lied about his last name: he said it was Dustbuster back in Marvell, but for some reason yesterday he said it was Lightninglegs. I could be mistaken, but I'm usually pretty good at remembering names." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia looks curiously at Aicha--just what else is she hiding?

Still, her question puts a small smile on Natalia's face, and she says,  "Lies always, like breathing. Not dangerous, but new stories with each thought. Hiding something, but..."  She shakes her head.  "Not good to hide secrets. Hope they...don't bite." 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
Sorry: Aicha wasn't hiding anything, the "she" in that first sentence referred to Natalia. Aicha was trying to change the subject to make Natalia feel better.
 


Aicha laughs.  "A gnome who always gives a different last name? That's something you-" 

The girl pauses mid-sentence. She spends a moment in thought, her eyes blinking furiously. Then she bites her lip in discomfort.  "I'm sorry... I have to... er..."  She pats Natalia on the back again, then stands up awkwardly and shuffles away.

 
 Spoiler 

 Now  it's possible she's hiding something.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia stares in confusion as Aicha walks away. A pit of dread starts to gnaw its way in her stomach.

She needs to find out about this. But whom to ask?  "Mithril!"  Natalia shouts, calling the wizard over. When she does, Natalia says,  "Need to talk,"  and explains what she heard from Aicha.

 "Whom to...get story from?"  she asks.

 
 Spoiler 
Oh, whoops. Thanks for clarifying.

Hmm, whom to ask first? Shiny's going to lie about everything, but it doesn't look like Aicha's talking.
 
Athedia
Mithril listened to Natalia's story.  "I would ask Miriam, if Aicha is referring to Shiny then she would be the one that would know.  I know they were talking after we escaped the caves, though she has seemed more annoyed with him recently."  She paused recalling her past conversation with Aicha.  "Aicha doesn't seem to really want to talk to members of the Institute, but maybe a Church member could get more out of her.  She seems to know a lot more than she is telling us and that makes me nervous." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia bites her lip.  "Talked to me fine, though...maybe not this. I think...hear both sides. Or at least try. Two of us, two to talk. Though Kurt and Miriam need to hear...too. Should ask now, before troubles find us."  She blinks.  "Shiny...said what? Lies or no?" 
 
 Spoiler 
I'll be honest, a meta-reason I'm a bit worried about getting Achinca involved is that he'll be gone all weekend and I don't want this to drag.
 
Admiral
That night two guards keep watch, one watching for Crusaders or other threats, the other over the prisoners. The next morning the party awakens, the night having passed without event.

The wagons ride on during the day, the party still cautious about running into the racist barbarians. They know that with four prisoners, it is unlikely they will get away with their original plan of subterfuge, so they are prepared to fight back if they run into trouble. But late in the day, Aicha, who had been keeping track their bearings carefully throughout their trip, looks up and with an expression of relief announces that they've left the territory of the Crusaders, and with it the most dangerous part of their journey. She says that though various barbarian tribes are known to be active in the plains they're entering, the most likely threat for the two days before they reach Soshima would be the Horde.

 
 Spoiler 
Might post more later tonight.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia sighs with relief when Aicha says they've left Crusader territory. She's been on her guard nonstop, scanning the horizon, keeping watch over the prisoners, and trying to figure out just what's up with Shiny, Aicha, and the guilds. She barely slept from nightmares of the battle, about what was done and what could have been done. Frankly the rogue just wants to meld into something, get peace and catch her breath for a few moments.

And...as she tries to calm herself by looking through the textbook, there's something...a spell, that might help with that. Natalia whispers the spell and the movements and the chant again and again, using the techniques Mithril showed her for learning her own spells. She wishes she knew how Shiny and Miriam learned their spells, how they focused, but...no. Natalia's not asking again. And, for the first time, she feels something in her mind that's never been there before.

Everything stands still for a moment.  "Mithril, your magic...could you check? Here a second?" 
Cavelcade
Kurt rides in troubled silence beside Zenn for most of the morning, before looking over at him.  "Do you think these men can change?" 
Athedia
 "What is it?"   Mithril walked up to Natalia, looking at the page the rogue was practicing.   "This your studies?  Do you need something?
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia nods.  "I think...think I may... The magic. Hold the magic, "  she says, almost not daring to speak it out loud.  "Can you...spot me? Check?" 
Athedia
 "You mean use the spell I check our items with?"  Mithril shrugged, it was late and she had only used one spell that day to mend a tear in her sleeve she had gotten after Whiskers had deciding to hang off of it with his teeth.  She brought her hands in front of her eyes as her vision opened.  "Ocuir."  She stared at Natalia, waiting for the spell to take effect.

 
 Spoiler 
Detect Magic
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia closes her eyes and concentrates, searching through her mind for that thing which was not there. Small, she grasps it and tugs it out into the open.

And at that moment Mithril sees a dim glow surrounding the rogue.

  Now how did it go...?   Natalia thinks for a moment, before saying, haltingly,  "Like smoke, like mist, smudge and fade." 

Something trickles down from the spot in her head, down the base of her skull, and flows down her body. Natalia jerks forward and opens her eyes with a gasp.   Is that it? Is that magic? Is that what it feels like?  

She looks down, and the gasp actually turns into a yelp. Her body has...faded, become less tangible, almost less real. The very outline of her body is smeared and smudged, like a charcoal drawing partially rubbed out.

 "I-I..." 
 
 Spoiler 
Cast Gaseous Form on herself.
 
Athedia
Mithril reached out to squeeze Natalia's hand, but missed as her hand passed through the smoky image.  She settled for a reassuring smile.  "I didn't need magic to see this.  I am glad you have found your understanding, do you see why I couldn't explain it now?" 
CoffeeIncluded
Mithril's hand passes through Natalia's, though it's still warm. For her part, the rogue is just standing there trembling in one spot, actually floating off the ground. Her mouth is moving, but no words come out. It's hard to tell as her face is a blur, but Natalia looks as if she's about to cry.

Finally, she manages to say,  "I...I...Understand."  Her voice quavers, as if spoken through a filter.
CoffeeIncluded
After just a couple minutes, Natalia solidifies and the spell fades. But the memory of it still burns strong, and she stumbles forward into Mithril's arms.

 "Weak magic, but still magic,"  she babbles.  "No magic, no magic for Nuts, never give Nuts magic, but I got the magic! Touched the magic, held the magic, made magic of my own!" 
achinca
Miriam notices that Kurt is less and less barbaric and spending more time talking than smashing. She gives him space as he seems on an internal journey.

She stays away from Natalia, still hurting from the rogue question " She would have never forgotten Mithril's training. I guess I know where I stand with her. "

She is polite and pleasant with Mithril as she has learned that the wizard is fiercely independent and strong headed. As the arcanist is getting more powerful, Miriam worries about her use of power.

Finally, she jokes a couple of time with Shiny but that is it. She does not trust the gnome since the giants fight issue and does not want to make the effort to see the truth within the lies.
Athedia
Mithril held Natalia close stroking the girls hair.   "I didn't doubt you would.  Be careful with it."   Mithril looked over Natalia's head as she held the smaller woman.  No-one could see the look in her eyes, the far off stare that seemed to wish for something else, that things did not have to be the way they are.   "Don't let it rule you." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia snuggles in closer, finding warmth and comfort from her friend. Though she still feels terrible about Miriam, and resolves herself to try and explain as soon as possible, for now she settles into this comfort and joy at her finally learning some magic, even if only a little.

And then Mithril says something cryptic and slightly concerning.  "Of course not. Part of me, not ruling me, so small..."  She looks up at Mithril, small from her angle.  "Why warning? Warning you were given too, knowledge of wisdom with spells?" 
Athedia
 "There is always a danger with power.  Wether it is strength, magic or money we are mortals and have mortal wishes." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia nods, her hair rubbing against Mithril's nose.  "Strength in power...how you use. Use to help, or hinder...tool, wonderful too but..." 

She nods.  "Help with tools. Opposite forces, push and pull, keep in bounds."

 Are you...worried, Mithril? I'll watch you. I promise.  
Admiral
The party continues their journey through the southern plains. As they walk the climate continues to grow gradually less harsh, with grasses springing up along the sides of the path. After two uneventful days of travel, they reach the Takagawa River.

Aicha explains, in her usual helpful tone, that the Takagawa River is the widest and deepest in the entire southern quarter of the continent, and the sight bears out her story: the river is perhaps five hundred feet wide and so deep they can't see the bottom. For that reason it is among the strategically most important features of the region. Farming villages originally sprung up alongside it to take advantage of the rich soil and the easy transport of their goods to larger cities. However, in the last few years the barbarian tribes have claimed much of the river to use in transporting their soldiers and supplies, with much conflict: the bloodiest battle in history between the Crusaders and the Horde took place about 30 miles north of where the party currently stands.

Aicha explains that without established roads leading to Soshima, it was impossible for them to aim their bearings directly for the samurai village itself, but that they can now follow the river south until they reach it. She estimates that the journey might take another hour, though they're likely to run into an outpost first. Sure enough, just twenty minutes into their walk down the river, they spot a short stone tower alongside the river, with a fenced stables at its side. A matching outpost sits on the other side of the river. As the party approaches, they hear a shouted voice from the top of the tower, and glancing up they can see a few arrows pointed through the vertical slits along it.

 "Halt!"  comes the voice.  "You've reached the sovereign territory of Soshima. Identify yourselves!" 
 
 Spoiler 
More coming soon. Shiny might respond though others can as well, to the river to the guards or to whatever.
 
Athedia
 "The guilds sent us."   Mithril refused to say more, still wary of tricks after the deception of the slavers.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia is silent but wary as she observes the guards and scans the area.

 
 Spoiler 
Can I take 10 or 20 on the check? If not:

Spot:  (d20+9)[ 28 ] 
Listen:  (d20+9)[ 23 ] 
 
Admiral
Through the slits she can hardly see the archers pointing arrows at the group, but gets the fleeting impression that they're probably human. She hears a few horses grazing in the stables, and sees a rowboat docked on the river at the side of the tower, as well as one docked at the other side.

 "Which guilds?"  the guard says warily.  "And what's in the wagons?" 
 "Thedon of the Oath sent us,"  Zenn says simply from his spot on the front cart. He looks back at the others: he seems to share their caution but appears to have decided he has no other choice.  "We bring aid for Soshima." 

With Zenn's mention of Thedon, the party hears rustling inside the tower, and hear a heavy gate in the back swing open.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia shuffles nervously, craning her neck to see what's behind the tower. She's wary and cautious, but not to the point of attacking without forethought.

 
 Spoiler 
Is the tower attached to a wall or anything?
 
Admiral
Out from behind the tower come five men, each clad in heavy armor bearing a pair of swords, one long and one short. Each bears a guild insignia: four humans bear the marks of the Firm, while the leader wears the mark of the Church. The party's eyes are instantly drawn to the soldiers' colored belts: two humans bear orange belts, and two others bear purple belts. At the front marches a stout dwarf, who eyes the party warily. But behind him, the two humans with orange belts glance at each other with an expression that might indicate relief.

 
 Spoiler 

Visual aid:

 
 

 "May we see your guildmarks?"  the dwarf asks warily. He cranes his neck to try to get a glimpse of the wagons in back.
CoffeeIncluded
 "Mentioned belts, right?"  Natalia asks the others nervously. Though she doesn't quite yet sheathe her blades, she twists her right hand around and raises it to show the glimmering insignia of the Institute.
Admiral
Zenn stands up and shows his Church insignia, as do each of the other monks. Shiny rides forward slowly and does the same.
Athedia
Mithril pulled her sleeve up, turning her hand so the guards could see the mark on her hand.
Cavelcade
Kurt puts a gentle hand on Natalia's arm.  "Relax, Natalia. The calmer we are, the less likely we'll have to fight them - put your weapons away, so they don't draw theirs."  Kurt takes off a gauntlet, riding forward to show his off, his axe hanging in a loop off the saddle.
CoffeeIncluded
 "Sorry,"  she says.  "Just...remembering slavers."  She lowers her blades and looks at her friends, her stomach twisting a bit when she looks at Miriam. She needs to clear the air as soon as she can.
Admiral
The soldier starts to lower his weapons as he sees that all the travelers bear a guildmark. But as he gets closer, he suddenly raises them again.  "Who's in that wagon?"  he shouts with alarm, gesturing to the wagon holding the four imprisoned slavers.

At this point Shiny rides forward, his attitude the usual deferent one he reserves for soldiers and noblemen.  "On the way we were attacked by slavers of Cutler's Gang,"  he says calmly.  "Four survived the battle, and we took them prisoner. We brought them to Soshima in the hopes they could face justice."  
 
 Spoiler 
Diplomacy:  (1d20+15)[ 28 ] 
 
achinca
Miriam shows her marks. " So this is how it works. Interesting land. Having a mark means you have been vouched for. You are not a brandless barbarians. I guess it is a way to identify your enemies. "

" These 4 are slavers who bit more than they could chew. We bring them to face justice and answer their crimes against the realms. "
Admiral
The dwarf seems to believe Shiny's story. He gestures for Zenn to step away from the wagon, and the monk does. He takes a look in to see the slavers and confirm that they are tightly bound, and not bearing guildmarks. As he does, he orders his men to check the other wagons.

The four humans hustle down the line of wagons. As they look in and see barrels and crates of food, several of them breathe sighs of relief, and appear to suppress smiles. They run back and report to the dwarf. All five of them sheath both their weapons with a dramatic flourish and turn to the party.

 "I am Captain Nelson of the Soshiman Guard. We've been told to expect you,"  says the dwarf,  "though not your 'guests.'."  He turns to give a few quick orders to his men, who turn and quickly move towards the stables.  "Your caravan is of the utmost importance,  Soshima waits eagerly for your supplies. Thus, my lieutenants will escort you the rest of the way. It is six miles to the town: make haste." 

From the stables ride the four samurai, atop fearsome warhorses each draped in armor. They ride along each side of the wagon, flanking it. The dwarf samurai steps out of the way and gestures downriver.

 "Soshima awaits." 
achinca
Miriam looks at the soldier " Master Captain, we were told that Soshima was starving and under siege. Why would you be in a defensive tower so far from the city. And where is the Horde sieging the town? "
CoffeeIncluded
 "Do what, with slavers?"  at some point, Natalia turns to Miriam and asks,  "Can'...I talk?" 
achinca
Miriam looks at Natalia " I believe in Soshima justice system and they will judge the slavers for the crime they committed. I will let the sentence be decided by their system. "
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia shakes her head.  "Talk about before. With magic. Didn't mean to hurt. Knew about Calric, but...wanted to know the how, not the who. Thought the how was happier." 

She smiles, thought there's sadness to it.  "I learned the magic. Finally learned the magic. But...I'm sorry. Didn't think the how would hurt as much as the who. Should have." 
achinca
Miriam just nods at Natalia. " I guess you are trying to apologize. I accept it. You have trouble with words. From now on, you should let your blade do the talking. You don't make mistake with them and get your point across quite well. "

" What are the gods thinking giving magic to someone as unstable as her? I hope that new found power does not go to her head. Now I have two to worry about. "
Cavelcade
After a few moments, considering what he said to the men before, Kurt rides forward a few paces.  "I said I'd speak for some of the slavers, and I will. If they were able to prove that they would fight loyally for you, with the circumstances you're in, could I vouch for some of them - could I offer myself in ransom for those I believe might actually help?" 
achinca
Miriam looks at Kurt " My friend, are you sure you are OK? You are willing to offer yourself in ransom for men who a few days ago tried to enslave us? You really believe your reformed then? "

" Shame on you Miriam. He is more pious that you are. May be he should become a real cleric, not a full of angst, tortured soul like you. "
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia stares at Miriam, wounded.  "So stay Nuts forever? I thought...words lined up better. Better than before,"  she says with a whimper at the end.
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by Cavelcade 
 After a few moments, considering what he said to the men before, Kurt rides forward a few paces.  "I said I'd speak for some of the slavers, and I will. If they were able to prove that they would fight loyally for you, with the circumstances you're in, could I vouch for some of them - could I offer myself in ransom for those I believe might actually help?"  
 

The red-belted captain looks a bit surprised by Kurt's suggestion, but he shrugs.  "Such decisions are for my commanders,"  he says.  "Bring it up to them when you arrive at the village." 
Admiral
The wagons start moving down the path. One of the purple-belted lieutenants sees fit to answer Miriam's question.  "All the lands beyond this point are under the protection of Soshima. This is an early warning tower, meant to raise the alarm in case of barbarian advances. We'll reach another tower in two miles, where reinforcements will join us. Now let's make haste." 

The wagon continues down the road.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia barely looks up. She asks quietly,  "Horde between us?" 

Is she really that hard to understand? Everyone else seems to understand her, she thought she was getting better...
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
 Natalia barely looks up. She asks quietly,  "Horde between us?"  
 

The samurai shakes his head.  "We should hope not, but there is no way to be sure. The raiding parties have been coming more frequently of late, and several have been known to reach the river." 

Before long, the caravan of wagons reaches a second tower. The samurai relay their orders, then the two orange-belted soldiers turn to return to their post, while four samurai bearing green belts join the caravan. A few minutes later, a patrol of two more green-belted samurai rides over, and upon learning the situation joins them. The caravan starts to feel like a snowball accumulating guards, all seeking to protect the latest supplies.
Cavelcade
 
 Originally Posted by achinca 
 Miriam looks at Kurt " My friend, are you sure you are OK? You are willing to offer yourself in ransom for men who a few days ago tried to enslave us? You really believe your reformed then? "

" Shame on you Miriam. He is more pious that you are. May be he should become a real cleric, not a full of angst, tortured soul like you. " 
 

Kurt shakes his head at that.  "No, not really. But I think some of them might reform...or at least, I think some of them might fight the horde. I'm willing to spend my time watching over them to make sure they do, if I need to.  He nods in thanks and understanding to the guard in charge.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia asks another quiet question, curiosity overcoming fear.  "the belts. To rank?" 
Admiral
The men don't respond, but Aicha smiles at another chance to show off her studies of Soshima.  "The belts indicate both a soldier's level of mastery of combat and their rank in the Soshiman military."  The half-monk closes her eyes as she recalls.  "White, yellow, orange, green, blue, purple, brown, red, black." 
 
 Spoiler 
I'm going by Tae Kwon Do since that's what I'm most familiar with. (Jiujitsu has too few levels of belts).
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia relaxes slightly when Aicha speaks; she understands her.  "rank for Soshima, or universal?"  She wonders what rank they would be.
Admiral
Aicha scratches her head at Natalia's question, but does her best to answer.  "Soshima grants belts only to those it trains." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Oh...so even we start at white base?" 
Admiral
Aicha scratches her head.  "Well, obviously." 

The caravan continues along the river, which curves very slowly to their right as they progress. They reach the final guard tower, where more soldiers fall into line behind them as others return to their original post. They're walking alongside long paddy fields of rice, of a rich green that contrasts sharply against the brown dust they've traveled in so far. Farmers wade up and down these field, mostly human but some halflings and gnomes, and most of them drop their tools and rush over once they see the caravan.

Finally, after a little more than an hour of traveling, they spot the samurai city around the riverbend. By now a little more than twenty others are walking with them, half samurai and half villagers, all interested in what the party is carrying. They are about a quarter of a mile from the village when a team of seven horsemen ride out to meet them. Each bears the familiar heavy armor, and a pair of sheathed swords. One human at the lead bears a black belt, and as he waves his hand the party behind him stops.

He gestures to the soldiers flanking the caravan.  "I understand there are prisoners on board. Secure them and bring them to the jail. Everyone else,  he says, raising his voice,  "fall back two hundred paces, and come no closer." 

The samurai leap forward to obey their commanders' orders, without question. The prisoners are chained and led away from the wagons in chains, but the party and the drivers are escorted away as well, though not harshly. The samurai lead them and all the commoners away until there is a full two hundred paces between themselves and the wagons, and only then allow them to turn around.

Back at the wagons, a pair of soldiers donned in red belts step forward. They step onto each wagon, and though from this distance it's impossible to tell what they're doing, it seems they are searching it quite thoroughly.
achinca
Miriam looks at Zenn " Master Zenn, I thought the whole idea behind the brand was to show that we were good people and not bandits. Why are we treated so suspiciously? I thought that people bringing food to a starving city would be treated less like criminals and more like friends. I do not want the key of the city or a parade but being treated like this makes me wonder at times why I care so much to help others. It is definitively not for the thank you, that is for sure ... " her voice trails as she fights her emotions.

Miriam is visibly hurt that the moment she thought would be about bringing hope to people and see relief and joy in their eyes is spoiled by the military action.
Admiral
Zenn bites his lip as he watches the soldiers search the wagons.  "I don't know why they're doing this either, Miriam of St. Cuthbert,"  he says.  "But when you consider the position they're in, surrounded by enemies, protecting refugees who have entrusted them with their lives... perhaps we should not be quick to pass judgment." 

For a few more minutes the wagons are carefully searched.
achinca
The sadness in Miriam voice is very obvious " But you are Holy monks and I am priestess of Ct. Cuthbert, all members of the Church. I understand the search for safety reasons but why sending us 200 feet away, like potential suspects? We brought them prisoners. It just hurt. I just wanted to bring some hope to children, the poor and the disenfranchised ..... "
CoffeeIncluded
 "Maybe tricked my slavers before?"  Natalia asks, we'll, more mumbles. Miriam's words have still thrown her.

She asks the guards with them,  "Doing what? Why? search for safety?"" 
 
 Spoiler 
Admiraj, are you angry at me?
 
Admiral
Zenn looks at Miriam with a smile, then gestures over his shoulder. As Miriam turns she sees three dozen men, women and mostly children already standing behind the party, and more walking towards them from the town, all with hopeful expressions on their faces as they look to the caravan. From out on the fields she can hear excited shouts: she cannot quite make out the words but can guess at their content.

 "I would not say that you had failed." 
achinca
Miriam sees the hope in the people eyes and her sadness dissipates a little. " It is just that ..... I ..... I am just learning your world, Master Zenn and it keeps humbling me, which is good. "

She brushes some of the road dust off her beat up and dirty robe. " May be they thought I was a beggar ..... "

She waits patiently and if the soldiers decide to distribute the goods, she will stay back and enjoy the renewed hope of the people.

She asks Aicha " What about my share of the gold from the slavers? Should I give it to Soshima or would I be better off sponsoring another caravan? "
Admiral
After about five minutes the two samurai step out of the wagons and walk back to their black-belted commander. After exchanging a few words, the officer seems to sigh with relief, then he gestures welcomingly to the party to return to their wagons. The monks step back onto the wagons, and they continue the final few hundred yards of their journey to Soshima.

The leader moves up to the party to ride alongside them. He is a muscular, middle-aged, dark-skinned human, with short black hair, and his hand bears the mark of the Church.  "You'll forgive me the precautions,"  he says with a short bow,  "but I must protect my city and its people. If you had the information I had, you'd understand." 
 "I am General Roper, leader of the Soshiman Guard, and a Professor of the Shiro School of Bushido. We received word of your caravan in the Church's message two days ago, and let me assure you your arrival could not come sooner. Our people have been on limited rations for the past two weeks, and even those were expected to run out soon."  As if to confirm the general's story, villagers start flocking to the caravan as soon as it draws close to the city. They step carefully and obediently out of the way of the procession, but clap and cheer when they see what the wagons hold, giving the party's arrival the feel of a military parade.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia looks to her friends and grins as she sees the welcoming party. When asked to distribute supplies she eagerly does what she can to help. Natalia also takes a look around as she does so, trying to get a feel for the area, terrain, general situation, and so forth.

  What knowledge?   she thinks, not trusting herself to speak. Or at least, speak clearly.

 
 Spoiler 
do I need to roll checks?
 
Cavelcade
Kurt glances at the others curiously, then back at Roper.  "Something to make you so suspicious of an expected convoy...can I ask what, or is it a secret? We're here to help...and I have to keep my word to the prisoners we brought." 
achinca
Miriam bows to the general " Master Roper, why did you move us and the people away? If we had tried to hurt you, you would have given us a bunch of people to slaughter or take hostage. The monks are Holy and I am a simple cleric of St. Cuthbert. Why would you keep us away? I have dedicated my life to help others, especially people of misfortunes. You are good man. If we cannot trust each other, then evil has won...... "

She stops " but I am probably once again jumping to conclusion as I must only have partial knowledge of the situation. I hope I did not insult you Master Roper. You and your men should distribute the goods the Church donated as soon as possible. "

She steps back as if her only role was to escort the convoy.
Admiral
The general shakes his head at the dwarf's query.  "There's intelligence I can't share with newcomers, even those who bring our salvation."  He nods similarly to Miriam's query.  "As you suspect, there is much I cannot share. For now, let it be said that it was not simply a matter of trust." 

The caravan approaches the city. Most of the village of Soshima is short and unexceptional: it is a larger town than Linwood but much smaller than the other cities the party has adventured to. The architecture, however, is unusual: many have walls made of paper, held up by frames made of unusual thin stalks. Aicha explains in her usual encyclopedic manner that wood and carvable stone are a rare commodity in this region, but that a plant called bamboo grows readily, and those who built the village took advantage of it.

Ahead of the party looms the only stone building in sight: the Shiro School of Bushido. Aicha had told them as they approached of its history: that the legendary warrior Shiro had retired twenty years ago after a lifetime of heroism in service of the Church, and had set up the school to train others in the samurai way of life. The school is built right along the side of the river, and seems to be shaped like a large ampitheatre.

 "We'll bring the wagons to the warehouse, where we'll take inventory,"  Roper explains.  "Then you should come visit the school with me: you are our most honored guests here." 
CoffeeIncluded
What, if anything, did this have to do with the horde, the guilds, Shiny? They need to ask him and AIcha sooner rather than later. For now, Natalia runs her hands along the rice paaper walls, the strangest she's ever felt. The bamboo may be even stranger; it doesn't feel nearly as green as it looks. She looks at the shiro style, and wonders how it compares to hers.

 
 Spoiler 
guys, when do you want to confront Aicha and Ahiny?
 
achinca
Miriam bows again respectfully to the general. " It would be an honor, Master Roper to visit the School under your guidance. "
Cavelcade
Kurt nods, looking around curiously.  "Thank you, General." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Thank you. Honored, pleasure to help."  Natalia says. She doesn't trust anything else to come out of her mouth.
Admiral
The wagons stop by the warehouse, where a couple of guards help them unload all the crates, barrels and other assorted goods. The party catches a glimpse of the inside of the storage facility, and realize how necessary their help was: it is almost completely empty.

Once the wagons and their mules have been stored alongside the warehouse, Roper leads the group on horseback towards the school. As they walk, Zenn asks,  "We were given to understand that Soshima had given shelter to refugees from the surrounding farmlands. Is there anything we can do to assist them?" 

The samurai general seems momentarily confused by the monk's statement. "Refugees..." Suddenly something clicks, and he nods with a gruff chuckle.  "Refugees, and shelter. Isn't that just like the Church to tell you that: they see everyone as a victim, someone to be protected, fed and clothed, given a new home." 

Roper points out towards the farmlands.  "Imagine that you called one of these farms your own. Imagine you toiled over it every day of your life, just as the last generation had and the one before that. And then imagine it was threatened by the forces of chaos, forces that wanted nothing more to burn your home and your work to the ground. Would you want to be protected, to have stronger men and women ensure you could live out your life in the care of others? Or would you want to learn how to fight back?" 

Now the party approaches the school, its stone walls looming ahead.  "KYAAAH!"  From within the walls they hear a rhythmic chant: every five or six seconds there emerges another synchronized shout.  "KYOOOH!" 
 "Soshima is not a shelter,"  says Roper.  "The young, the elderly, the infirm... of course we care for them as any civilized people would. But most of the farmers and villagers who come here, those who seek to protect- or avenge- their homeland, they don't come seeking shelter." 

The party walks up a short set of steps, before reaching a set of heavy wooden doors set in the stone walls. On the general's command, two brown-belted guards flanking the door quickly move to open it. As the door opens, the party walks out onto what looks like an arena, a flat grassy field surrounded by carved steps.

On the field stand nearly two hundred men and women in lines of 12 each, all clad in the same loose-fitting white cloth outfit, and none bearing armor or weapons. Most wear light white or yellow belts, though near the front there is visible the full rainbow of colors. At the front stands a woman clad in white cloth with a black belt, and as the party watches she leads the full eightscore martial artists in a pair of high kicks.  "KYAAAA!"  comes the cry from the field, overwhelming in its power.

 "These aren't refugees,"  Roper says.  "They're volunteers." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia blinks. Now she can't stop the words from coming out.  "So no shelter, not without payment of protection. Enough to fight back?"  Would the five of them even make a difference when compared to the sheer volume Soshima has?

She looks to the others.  "Was expecting another Linwood...think we should dig deeper." 
Admiral
The general scratches his head a bit at Natalia's wording, but tries to answer.  "They are... what we have,"  he says hesitatingly,  "Our samurai soldiers and these monk volunteers are prepared give all they have to give. Whether they are enough to stop the oncoming Horde is for fate to decide." 
achinca
Miriam shakes her head " With all due respect, Master Roper, if all your farmers are now volunteers in your army, who will grow your food? Have your ever been a farmer? I am a simple farm girl so I can tell you how the people I grew up thought. There were farmers, not fighters. They woke up early, worked the earth hard and then went to bed early to repeat the same thing over and over. When trouble came via raiders or brigands or bandits, they would not resist but look for help, for protection. They were not build to fight. They will pay for their protection via taxes or hiring sellswords but they never thought about taking the  arms. I am sure these people are convinced they can become fighters but over time they will realize they are farmers at heart. Look at me. I have been adventuring for a while but asks my friend, I am still a farm girl at heart. Once the fighting is done, the warriors are dead but the farmers are still standing.   "

She stops " Of course, things in Eldgar could be totally different and I could be absolutely wrong. "
Cavelcade
Kurt whistles softly as he watches them prepare, though he takes a more critical eye than Natalia.  "How many of these men have been in a fight themselves? Training is one thing...a fight for your life though..." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia raises her hand to smack Miriam, but thinks better of it. She then mutters to Kurt.  "Why I asked. Large numbers, but trees or grass?"

"Still...I learned fighting. If I can, any can." 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by achinca 
 Miriam shakes her head " With all due respect, Master Roper, if all your farmers are now volunteers in your army, who will grow your food? Have your ever been a farmer? I am a simple farm girl so I can tell you how the people I grew up thought. There were farmers, not fighters. They woke up early, worked the earth hard and then went to bed early to repeat the same thing over and over. When trouble came via raiders or brigands or bandits, they would not resist but look for help, for protection. They were not build to fight. They will pay for their protection via taxes or hiring sellswords but they never thought about taking the  arms. I am sure these people are convinced they can become fighters but over time they will realize they are farmers at heart. Look at me. I have been adventuring for a while but asks my friend, I am still a farm girl at heart. Once the fighting is done, the warriors are dead but the farmers are still standing.   " 
 

 "What these men and women do after the threat of the Horde has passed is up to them,"  Roper says.  "I imagine, and hope, many will indeed return to their crops. But they are fighting for survival, and I feel you underestimate them." 

 
 Originally Posted by Cavelcade 
 Kurt whistles softly as he watches them prepare, though he takes a more critical eye than Natalia.  "How many of these men have been in a fight themselves? Training is one thing...a fight for your life though..."  
 

 "Your concerns are not without merit. Let me tell you more of their training."  Roper gestures for the others to follow him down towards the area, towards where the monks are training.

 "This school started as a place to train samurai. Our combat style centers around the daisho: the pair of blades, a katana and a wakizashi."  He draws his own blades and holds them before him to show the party: one is long and curved, the other similar in size and shape to Natalia's short sword.  "The samurai wear thick steel armor, and are trained to stand their ground against many opponents on the front lines of battle. As you've seen on your way in, the Shiro School still trains many samurai. They are powerful and fearless warriors, and this city's first line of defense." 

With a flourish Roper sheathes both his blades.  "But the way of the samurai is not for everyone. The blades and the armor are expensive and difficult both to craft and to wield: we could never train and arm farmers and villagers in this way. In any case, a samurai lives by a strict code that centers his life around loyalty to his lord. It is not a hobby you can pick up when the need arises." 

The group walks along the side of the field.  "Fortunately, we have a different way to train these recruits. Leading the training you will see Yuki: a master without peer. Yuki came to this school two decades ago so she could develop her own style of combat, which is now called Soshiman Jiujitsu. The style focuses on fighting stronger and better-armed opponents, using tricks to grapple them to the ground and to subdue them once they're there." 
 
 Spoiler 
Yes, Soshiman Jiujitsu. Because who's going to stop me? In this story Yuki will be taking on the role of  Carlos Gracie .
 

 "It's far from a perfect system,"  Roper explains as they walk towards the front.  "The trainees grapple every day as part of their training, but of course it's not the same as combat experience. And the combat style is very weak when faced with multiple opponents, which is one reason we are training them to fight alongside experienced samurai. But think how much better prepared these people will be when the orcs storm our village: they won't need to hide in some basement and pray to the gods. They can fight alongside us with honor and dignity." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia listens with interest, especially when she sees the swords. She then lifts her head as a sudden idea comes to her.

 "What about...practice against us? Combat with wood, not steel. Kurt fights like orcs, raw power. I fight with swift speed. Practice against us, best kind. See strength for all." 
 
 Spoiler 
Is there a way we can do a mock duel with non-lethal damage with these different fighters, as practice for us all?
 
achinca
Miriam thinks about Roper's answer before replying " You must be right Master Roper. Farmers in Edlgar are surely different from the farmers with which I grew up. "
Admiral
The general scratches his head again at Natalia's words, but seems to understand them in the end.  "You're talking about a tournament? Indeed, there's already one planned for tonight, in celebration of the arrival of your supplies. There are two divisions: armed combat and unarmed wrestling. Normally only students of the school compete in the tournaments, but I suppose we could make an exception." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia nods eagerly.  "Yes, practice! Tournament! Strength in combat. ...Can we join?" 

After a moment, she pauses and says, awkwardly,  "Can...you understand me?" 
Athedia
Mithril had remained silent for the tour.  As the general mentioned the tournament, she raised her hands.   "While my comrades may appreciate that, I doubt you would like me to join in.  If I could have a seat to watch the proceedings I would appreciate it."  As she spoke she couldn't help but flinch at every shout from the gathered trainees.
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
 After a moment, she pauses and says, awkwardly,  "Can...you understand me?"  
 

Roper goes back to scratching his head a bit at the unusual direct question.


 
 Originally Posted by athedia 
 Mithril had remained silent for the tour.  As the general mentioned the tournament, she raised her hands.   "While my comrades may appreciate that, I doubt you would like me to join in.  If I could have a seat to watch the proceedings I would appreciate it."  As she spoke she couldn't help but flinch at every shout from the gathered trainees. 
 

 "Oh, yes, of course,"  he says, seeming a bit relieved to have something else to respond to. He starts to lead the group back out of the arena.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia hangs her head. As they walk, she asks her friends, Mithril, Shiny, Kurt, and the monks, even Miriam though she already knows the answer,  "Can...you understand me? Or all Nutspeak?" 
Admiral
 "I've always understood you,"  says Shiny kindly,  "but that's not surprising, as Nutspeak was my native tongue. Adults in my town only spoke Gnomish when they didn't want us to know what they were saying." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia giggles, Shiny's antics helping to bolster her spirits.  "Then learned Gnomish how? Coming of age?" 
Admiral
Shiny scoffs.  "Who says I bothered to learn it? In any case, it's hardly worth speaking: the gnomes' dirty little secret is that Gnomish is basically a hodgepodge of Elven and Sylvan spoken with a Dwarven accent." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Then...saying what here? True white hair?"  Natalia asks in very rusty Elvish.

 
 Spoiler 
Shame he doesn't have Sylvan on his known languages list.
 
Cavelcade
Kurt hestitates for a moment, then shrugs and decides it'll be worth his while.  "If it's possible, I'd like to take part too." 
achinca
Miriam nods at Kurt. " I agree with my companion. I would like to test against your fighters. Just my quarterstaff and my magic. "
CoffeeIncluded
That...actually applies to her now, Natalia realizes as she swells a bit with pride.  "Do we get magic aid? Either through selves or others?" 
Admiral
Roper shakes his head at Miriam and Natalia.  "It's a contest of strength, speed, and technique: no magic is allowed." 
 
 Spoiler 

Maybe in the next tournament, casters. Though Miriam might still want to give it a try with her quarterstaff.

FYI: you can get 1/4 traditional XP for beating an opponent in a tournament, which I feel is fairly discounted because you are at no risk of death.
 
achinca
Miriam smiles. " Of course Master Roper. No magic. Just me, my quarter staff and my beat up robe .... "
Admiral
The general leads the party back out of the arena. He seems somehow newly distracted, and upon consideration turns back to the party.  "You say you have access to magic?"  he says to Natalia and Miriam.  "What kind of magic?" 
CoffeeIncluded
 "So straight fight, solo? No items or aid either?"  A straight fair fight...there's little chance she'll win. Still,  "I'll do it." 
 
 Spoiler 
sounds fair. Will I still get to sneak attack? And I doubt I'll win since Natalia's not built for one on one fair fights (she's a ROGUE) but count me in regardless!
 


Natalia beams with pride now at that question.  "Just a little. Not great magic like Miriam, other friends. Better sneaking spells. Just a few. But have them. Why?." 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
  "So straight fight, solo? No items or aid either?"  A straight fair fight...there's little chance she'll win. Still,  "I'll do it." 
 
 Spoiler 
sounds fair. Will I still get to sneak attack? And I doubt I'll win since Natalia's not built for one on one fair fights (she's a ROGUE) but count me in regardless!
 
 
 

 
 Spoiler 

No items except your armor and the wooden swords you're given, designed by the school to deal nonlethal damage. While in theory there's nothing stopping her from sneak attacking, in practice the only way she could do so is if she gets in the first attack when the opponent is flatfooted. There's no one to flank with.

The other way is to  feint , though since Natalia doesn't have the Improved Feint feat she'd have to spend a round doing so. (And she's not much of a bluffer).
 


 Natalia beams with pride now at that question.  "Just a little. Not great magic like Miriam, other friends. Better sneaking spells. Just a few. But have them. Why?."  

 "What kind of sneaking spells,"  Roper asks, his voice deadly serious.
CoffeeIncluded
 "Um, graceful feet. And pass through...small holes,"  natalia says, tapping her fingers together nervously at his sudden change in tone.
 
 Spoiler 
That's fine, it's what I was expecting.  This is part of the reason I plan to dip sword sage later; itll make me more self sufficient. But the tourney sounds like fun anyway!

Oh, and do these guys have guild marks?
 
Admiral
 "Hmmm..."  the general scratches his chin, then turns around and continues leading the group outside.

Once outside, Roper calls over with a white-belted student and instructs him to lead the adventurers to some temporary quarters, before bowing deeply and making his departure. The party is led to a row of apartments on the outskirts of the town, where they find a room with similar architecture to the rest of the buildings they've seen, with papered walls and a bamboo frame. The insides are humble and stoic, but comfortable enough, and the party is encouraged to take their rest before joining the arena for the tournament in three hours..

 
 Spoiler 

Tonight (both in realtime and in the game) the tournament starts.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia sits on a map, unable to calm herself after the look Roper gave her and what he said.  "Why look? Wants what? Should I...not have said that? 
 
 Spoiler 
sweet! I'll be having a birthday dinner with my parents but I can still post tonight.
 
Athedia
Mithril tried to reasurred Natalia.   "With the Horde at their door they must be wary of spies.  You should be proud, they think you strong enough to be a possible threat." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Why me, not you?"  she asks.  "Because of sneaking? What if...act on wrong thought? Or plan for me? Don't like secrets. And...many secrets in Eldgar,"  Natalia says, glancing at Shiny.  "Need to unravel. Unravel before they...sneak on us." 
Athedia
Mithril thought for a moment.   "I never told them what I could do.  People get uneasy if they know that someone has the power to read their thoughts."   Observing Natalia's glance toward Shiny she winced.   "I would not ask about his secrets.  Not yet.  But Aicha, she has been dodging more and not in the way you do.  No, she plays at being a truthful Shiny, avoiding the whole truth agility of a cat." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia smiles as Mithril almost adopts her speech patterns.  "How to pin cats? Need...several people. One to snag and net, other to scruff. Should...go now? Time before tournament?" 
 
 Spoiler 
Do you want to go for Aicha now?
 
Athedia
 "Would Miriam help us?  I know she cares about knowing the truth and is uneasy in these lands.  And Aicha might talk to a member of the church more readily than to us." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Maybe. I..."  Natalia falters.  "Can you ask? 
achinca
Miriam replies to the General " Master Roper, the only magic I have is what ever St. Cuthbert decides I am worthy of today. "
Athedia
Mithril looked on concerned.   "Have you been arguing again?"   Not waiting for an answer she sighed and stood up.   "I will ask, though I am not sure if she will listen." 

Walking over to Miriam she sat beside the cleric.   "Natalia and I are concerned, and even though I am older you are far wiser than I am.  During our conversations with Aicha we believe she is hiding things.  Things she may know about our guilds, about the Horde and even about Shiny.  I doubt she will listen to me, but I believe that since you are of her guild that she will talk to you.  Will you help?" 
CoffeeIncluded
 "She..."  Natalia curls up,  "You understand words, right?"  She nods along to what Mithril says when the wizard explains the situation to her.
achinca
Miriam looks at Mithril with a surprised look. She did not expect such a request from the powerful wizard. " I am not sure what to say. I can ask Aicha what she hides if anything but I doubt that being part of the same guild will made a difference. It has been quite obvious that I was new to Eldgar. Any way I will try my best to go and inquire from Aicha. "

The cleric approaches the elf monk. She smiles before starting talking with hesitation " Aicha ... not sure how to say this .... well ... I trust you ... You are part of the Church as I am and you have taken the same vow as I did .... You want to make Eldgar a better place .... you want to be an agent of good .... and sometimes, it means sharing some information .... I have been told that you might know something important about someone in our party ..... someone I used to trust and then he betrayed my trust ..... I have been trying to figure him out ever since .... so if you have any information you want to share .... I need to know ... I need to know what you know about the master of lies, the gnome named Shiny .... "

 
 Spoiler 
Diplomacy roll if needed

 (1d20+4)[ 17 ] 
 
Admiral
Aicha bites her lip as Miriam speaks. It's clear the clerics' words have touched her, but she seems conflicted.  "It's not my place to get involved,"  she finally says.  "Nothing good can come of gossip." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "And...what if danger?"  Natalia asks.  "We're...with Shiny, what if silence puts us in danger?" 
Admiral
The rogue's interjection startles the shy elf, whose eyes dart between the two women interrogating her. She shakes her head, and mumbles  "there's nothing..."  before backing away and curling up on her hay mattress, scribbling in her journal.
Athedia
Mithril shook her head at Natalia's interuption.  It looked like they had lost their chance.  She laid a hand on Miriams shoulder in thanks and gestured that she wished to be alone with Aicha.

Sitting by the girls mattress she asked.  " "Do you want to hear a story?" 
Admiral
Aicha continues writing, but her eyes dart upward to Mithril a few times: she seems to be interested.
Athedia
Mithril took the looks as a cue to begin.   "Once their was a young wizardess who grew bored of working in her families store.  She wanted to live the life of the old stories, fight dragons, save princesses and maybe even meet a god or two.  So she left her town, and ran into a young girl.  This girl was like a mouse, occasionally squeaking out a message, but never being understood.  The two companions traveled on until they meet some adventurers, hired by the ruler of the wizardess's city to recover some precious keygems.  The mission failed, and the adventurers left for another land.  There she met a young boy, just new grown in adulthood.  The wizardess was missing home now, missing her brothers and sisters who she had always been beside.  So she saw this young man as her brother, to be protected to the point of folly." 

Tears had started to roll down Mithril's face, and she realized she had never had time to grieve, to truely mourn Henry's death.  Taking a deep breath she continued.  "This folly was the young man's unduing.  The wizardess was still new to death and the pain around it.  When the man followed the group to the caves of the orcs they were investigating she told him to warn the village.  She was trying to protect him.  Instead she sent him to his death.  As she and her friends escaped the caves they came across him, dead.  Captured by the orcs.  To the end of her days the wizardess felt guilt under the knowledge that if she had told him to stay with them, to fight alongside them, and had given the knowledge she had to him, he may have been alive to this day.  Instead she chose to protect him from the sorrow of what she saw.

Knowledge is not your right to keep, for what you know could be endangering out lives.  You may be trying to protect us from rumors and gossip, but trust me.  That will only lead to your own folly." 

Mithril stood up to go, her heart feeling strangely lighter.  She didn't realize how much that had been weighing on her all these weeks.  For was it only that short time ago that Henry had died?  She felt like a different person these days, stronger in some ways but also like a piece of her, a vital piece was locked away and just out of her reach.

 
 Spoiler 
The events above are how Mithril sees them, not how they actually occured necessarily.
 
achinca
Miriam looks at Mithril, rolls her eyes and says " All yours Wizard ".

She gets up, moves far away from were Aicha and Mithril are and looks for a place where she could be alone to meditate.
Admiral
As Mithril turns away, Aicha's hand lands on hers, and the elf sits up.  "I can't..."  she whispers.

 "I... remember... a lot of things. I study and I recite and I recall, and I think I'm good at it. But sometimes it's too much, and it all gets jumbled together..."  she looks down at her notebook.  "'You always forget to check your work,' that's what the archivists say. I've been wrong before. And if I'm wrong now..." 

She looks back at Mithril.  "When we get back to Marvell, there's something I need to check in the library. If I'm wrong, then I'm just worried over nothing. And if I'm right..."   she takes a deep breath,  "you'll be the first people I'll tell." 
Athedia
Mithril started at the sudden hand on hers but listened to the young monk.   "Thank you.  I can not ask for more."   She stood up and bowed slightly to Aicha.  It was an awkward bow as she tried to repeat what she had seen others give to those they acknowledged the wisdom of another.   "I should help Natalia prepare for the tournament.  She is eager to prove herself." 
CoffeeIncluded
For her part, Natalia is curled up outside where Mithril and Aicha are speaking, too ashamed to talk to Miriam.   Idiot! You screwed it up again! Just when will you ever learn? Maybe Miriam's right. Maybe you should just shut up. Even if...you're just finding your voice.  

She looks out at Soshima, with the rice walls and greenless bamboo frames, and the river cutting through flat land, and the martial artists desperately training to protect everything they hold dear. Like her.

So why does she think of Henry? She closes her eyes and shudders. Mithril wasn't there, but she was, and she can't get it out of her head now, just when she almost had, how they'd appeared to save them, and he looked at them with hope in his eyes, and...and then...

And he was right in front of them, and they couldn't do anything about it, and they could have done something.

With a sigh almost like a choked sob, Natalia goes over to Kurt and slides down next to him, curling up her legs so she's almost his length.  "...Soshima volunteers,"  she finally says.  "Tournament...do you think strong enough shield, flesh and bone?" 
Admiral
That night, the entire town, save the guards on patrol and the watchmen, gather in the arena to watch the tournament. The party learns from others as they enter that these tournaments are quite common, occurring almost every week: they are viewed not as a form of celebration or entertainment, but as a method of training for the school's students.

Natalia, Miriam, and Kurt meet up with the red-belted professor organizing the tournament, who sets them up with their brackets: the event will begin with the unarmed matches, and the armed competition will take place in the second half of the night. They then go to join Shiny and Mithril in the stands, where Shiny is explaining to anyone who will listen that he'd love to compete, but that his crippling chromatogirdleliphobia (fear of colored belts) puts him at an unfair disadvantage.

The party watches as the monks begin their competitions. The arena is divided into four sections, each with its own referee and match: the party gets a good view of two of the sections. The competitors spar in a combination of striking and grappling, some clearly preferring to unleash quick kicks and jabs with others aiming to take their opponents to the floor and finish them with chokeholds and armbars.

First a few pairs of white belts face each other, and even among the beginners it is clear who has natural talent for fighting and who does not, with some matches ending with quick tap-outs. When the yellow belts face each other the competition is already considerably fiercer. The top performing competitors in each belt are permitted to advance to the next level, as part of an intricately complicated and rigid system of advancement the newcomers can barely hope to comprehend.

 
 Spoiler 
Imagine an MMA tournament. If you're interested in a visual aid YouTube is filled with good examples.
 


A few white belts and yellow belts advance to the next level, but across the arena the party gets a glimpse of someone else who is advancing: a tall, bulky fighter who wears no belt at all. Even in the distance, he seems like a fearsome martial artist, easily dodging his opponent's blows and then tripping them to the ground, before maneuvering them immediately into a chokehold. He reaches a match against a green-belted fighter, this one located in a circle close to the party where they can get a better look at him. He's in a white robe similar to that of the others, but more tattered, as though it had been discarded. And as he turns to face his opponent the party is surprised to recognize him: he's Zenn, the half-orc monk sworn to peace.

After soundly defeating the green belt in a fierce wrestling match, the monk spots the party and walks out to meet them.  "Hello, friends,"  he says with a smile.  "Will you also be competing tonight?" 
Cavelcade
Kurt is taking the chance to get more familiar with the greatsword he'd picked up, doing a light warmup with it before settling down to care for it, oiling and sharpening.

He blinks in surprise at Natalia's question, figuring it out in his head.  "...I don't know, Natalia. We'll find out, I suppose." 

When the tournament starts, he waits his turn to join in like the rest, laughing suddenly when Zenn turns around.  "Ah, so you know how to do this, too. We'll take part, we'll see if we're good enough to count as competition." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "I hope,"  Natalia says quietly.  "Don't...want another Henry. Or many..." 

Natalia watches nervously as the competition takes place, realizing (as she suspected) that she's not cut out for this kind of fight.  "Straight brawl, made for you,"  she says to Kurt.  "So strong, strength in fair fight. I...fight dirty. Fight dirty because no strength of mine. Find strength that way. But you have strength...you'll win, know it. And...show them how horde fights, raw strength. No tactics when alone. Kurt, best teacher." 

She watches in awe as Zenn tears his way through the competition, realizing that just because the half-orc had taken a vow of peace (a somewhat guilty realization, as it seemed so strange to her) doesn't mean he can't defend himself, or fight.

When Zenn speaks, Natalia says,  "Yes, or try. Doubt I'll...be good as you. Not like this, fight without tricks. You...saw me against slavers. Couldn't fight alone, evenly. But...Kurt can,"  she says, in response to them both.  "Strong Kurt, fantastic Kurt." 
achinca
Miriam sits next to Kurt as they watch the competition. She takes a specific interest in watching them, rooting for him discretely. When Zenn comes to see them, she congratulates but indicates that she changed her mind and will not participate in the competition. " My calling is to support and help, not take center stage ...... "
Cavelcade
 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
  "I hope,"  Natalia says quietly.  "Don't...want another Henry. Or many..."  
 

 "In war there are always Henrys...that's why we should try and have as little as possible. But there are too many different ways out there...it never seems to work out."  He sighs a little at it.  "It's tough, but you'll have to get used to it. It always happens." 

 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
 Natalia watches nervously as the competition takes place, realizing (as she suspected) that she's not cut out for this kind of fight.  "Straight brawl, made for you,"  she says to Kurt.  "So strong, strength in fair fight. I...fight dirty. Fight dirty because no strength of mine. Find strength that way. But you have strength...you'll win, know it. And...show them how horde fights, raw strength. No tactics when alone. Kurt, best teacher."  
 

He seems to find that remark amusing more than anything else.  "Don't be so sure about either Natalia. The weak can beat the strong, and the horde can have tactics. We'll see how I do. 
CoffeeIncluded
 "But could have done something. Did nothing with Henry...Should have. 

She laughs a bit.  "But still, see your power. Good power, not like Horde, but same effect. You...We owe you lives. Dead many times...without you." 
achinca
Miriam shakes her head, looking annoyed " I know this will not be a popular statement but Henry was a fool. He soiled his pants against the lizardfolks and was not build for adventuring. He should have stayed a farmer and adventured through bard' songs. "

She stops and looks towards Mithril " I know our Wizard has a thing or two for him and might feel guilty but honestly, he should have known he was not cut for it. In conflicts people die. Good people, evil people, all kind of people. You cannot save them all. In the end, save the ones you can and who want to be saved. If a commoner decides to take on a old wyrmn, we cannot save him. It was the same thing with Henry. He was out of his league and did not want to admit it. So enough with his self-inflicted death and let's move on. I do not see anyone feel sorry for the soldiers who died at the outpost against the giants. Everyone told me they died doing their jobs. It is the same thing with adventuring. You can die tomorrow. Any of us. So enough with Henry. Yes the Wizard heart is broken but she will move on. Trust me, if you want to move on, you can. "

She spits on the floor and gets up " You know what, I think I will not only pass entering the tournament but watching it too. I will retreat to our quarters and wait for you there. Have fun. "

She bows and leave.
Admiral
Zenn nods at Kurt.  "Soccer is my favorite sport, but grappling is thrilling as well- and it must be, I suppose, or it would not be Kord's favorite."  He stretches a bit as he speaks.  "Soshiman Jiujitsu has many differences from the combat style I learned from Thedon; I have learned so much already." 

He bows and jogs back into the arena.

As Miriam leaves the tournament, a samurai approaches her from behind and taps her on the shoulder.  "Miss Miriam, could you come with me? Master Endor has a favor to ask of you." 
achinca
Miriam bows to the samurai " Anything for the Masters " and follows him.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia clenches her fists, but swallows her retort until Miriam leaves.  "Who...put bugs in her breakfast?"  She looks down at the gloves she made for the cleric, then realizes something.  "Wait...when was last breakfast?" 

She thinks on matter as she watches the tournament.
Admiral
Miriam is led to a covered tent off to the side of the bleachers. Around her sit some of the monks she'd seen on the field, both those who had won and lost, all sporting wounds from the matches. They sit, nursing their bruises but laughing and joking with each other as they do. A number of men and women walk around the tent treating them, and Miriam recognizes them as healers.

She's led to a samurai in a black belt, who greets her with a deep bow.  "Miss Miriam, I am Endor, professor of the Shiro School and manager of the tournament." 

He gestures to the arena.  "I have heard that in the cities similar competitions are held as games, and are treated as light entertainment. Nothing could be father from the truth here: we treat the competition with the utmost seriousness. The tournament is a crucial part of Soshiman training: no number of drills or exercises can compare to the experience of combat. We know that what it teaches each student could save their life, or the lives of those they protect. But it comes with its own cost."  

The professor gestures around him.  "The weapons used in the tournament cannot kill, but they can wound. And when we send each winning fighter back onto the field, we need them healed and capable of continuing their training. We have some resources that allow magical healing:"  he gestures to a human man and a halfling woman stepping around the tent with a wand each.  "But such resources are precious in this time of war, and we do what we can to conserve their use." 

The master turns back to Miriam, with a hopeful expression.  "You've done much already for the village, but I am not in a position to avoid requesting another.  General Roper has told me you are a cleric of St. Cuthbert. Do you have the power to assist in our healing?" 
Cavelcade
 
 Originally Posted by Admiral 
 Zenn nods at Kurt.  "Soccer is my favorite sport, but grappling is thrilling as well- and it must be, I suppose, or it would not be Kord's favorite."  He stretches a bit as he speaks.  "Soshiman Jiujitsu has many differences from the combat style I learned from Thedon; I have learned so much already."  
 

 "I'm worried I'm going to be taught a few painful lessons tonight as well - I suppose my pride can take it!" 

 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
 Natalia clenches her fists, but swallows her retort until Miriam leaves.  "Who...put bugs in her breakfast?"  
 

Kurt frowns a bit at Miriam's outburst as well, but remains where he is for now - he said he'd take part, and so he will.
CoffeeIncluded
 "Pride either way. Pride of victory, or pride of teaching,""  says Natalia. She flips her blades nervously as she watches and waits for her turn. Hopefully she won't embarrass herself too much.

 
 Spoiler 
Just to make absolutely clear: no cats gracing herself either, right?
 
Admiral
Zenn's next match is against a blue-belted halfling, at which point they are the only two non-human competitors still on the field. The halfling is masterfully nimble, either avoiding Zenn's lunges or deftly sliding out of them, while repaying them with quick flurries of kicks and punches. The fight lasts for a while, but eventually Zenn rolls behind the halfling and grabs him in a rear mount, locking in his arms tightly. From there, he carefully maneuvers himself into a choke, never giving the halfling an inch of slack, and after a few seconds the halfling taps Zenn's arm twice, knowing he's beaten.

The competition is far thinner now, with only two matches being played on the field, and Zenn finds himself against a brown belt. The two circle each other for a full minute, both bearing serene expressions that don't reflect the surely complex machinations underneath. Finally the brown belt makes his move and the two fall to the ground, grappling. For twenty tense seconds they seem to be a rolling flurry of limbs, but when it resolves the human has captured Zenn's arm in a lock between his legs. He slowly leans back, twisting the arm as he goes, until Zenn taps twice. The two monks stand and shake hands, even from a distance clearly conversing about technique as they walk off towards the tent together.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia watches the bouts with rapt attention, trying to follow the movements and see what grappling techniques are being used. Clearly there's a lot she can learn here.

With the first set of matches winding down, Natalia whispers to Kurt,  "Good luck." 
achinca
Miriam bows to the Professor. "Of course Master Endor. It would be my honor to heal everyone to the extend of my limited abilities."

She starts looking at the injured and doing heal checks when it makes sense and using her healing spell when needed.

 
 Spoiler 
Admiral, do you need rolls and if yes, which one?
 


When she is out of spell, she continues doing healing check.
Admiral
The competition lasts only a few rounds after Zenn is eliminated. Another match between a pair of brown belts seems to last forever as the two grapple for dominance, but ends with one mounting the other and unleashing a furious series of jabs to his face. The brown belt narrowly succeeds over a red belt in a tense match that combines wrestling with furious strikes, but he is soundly eliminated by the other victor in an even more harrowing match.

A few minutes later, the winning red-belt is offered the honor of facing the champion: Yuki, developer of Soshiman Jiujitsu. The two face each other at a distance, bow deeply, and then the whistle blows. The red belt reacts instantly, closing the distance and taking a few impressive shots at the black-belt: but Yuki dodges one and lets the other land without even a grunt. Then she looks back up with a smile, and launches into a dizzying set of kicks, each of them landing with a satisfying sound.

Her opponent stands dazed by the blow, and the master wastes no time. In a blur she is at his back, and has locked both his arms in. The two tumble to the ground, where the red-belt tries to regain control, but is blocked at every turn. Yuki's expression is one of determined concentration, like a speed chess player making sure every move is quick but deliberate. Bit by bit the challenger loses what leverage he has without gaining any on his opponent, until finally he is completely immobile. The master pauses, then puts just enough pressure on her opponent's neck for him to quickly tap, knowing he's defeated. The two stand, shake hands, and bow, and the unarmed component of the tournament is completed.
Admiral
Miriam's spells astonish their recipients, most of whom had never seen such a powerful healer. She notices as the competition progresses that while early on, many fighters had been brought in unconscious or close to it, among the higher-ranked competitors some competitions had ended with only mild bruises. It seemed that while the less trained fighters usually aimed to grind their opponents into unconsciousness, the more experienced competitors knew when they were beaten and often resigned with barely a scratch.

 
 Spoiler 
No need for rolls. Miriam's spells and skills go a long way, and greatly reduce the need to rely on their magical resources.
 


There is a brief intermission while many martial artists who had competed run out to the fields to relieve some of the samurai on guard duty, who themselves return to the arena to join in the second half. Natalia and Kurt come forward to learn their schedules and hear about the rules. They learn they are permitted to wear their armor, but will be fighting with wooden weapons specifically designed for such challenges. They have the options of a bastard sword, short sword, or greatsword, and can fight with one or two weapons at their choice. Finally, they are requested to remove all their magical items (other than armor) and remove any magical protections cast on them.

 
 Spoiler 
Casting Cat's Grace is strictly against the rules. Whether Natalia would do it is up to her.

These weapons are designed to deal nonlethal damage but otherwise be equivalent to bastard swords, short swords or great swords.
 


Both Natalia and Kurt each face off against a white belt samurai, whom they defeat soundly. After the fights are scored, each are assigned to skip the following round and take on an orange-belted samurai. Half an hour later, they step into the arena. Kurt faces a human woman and Natalia a male dwarf, each clad in their full plate armor and brandishing their traditional pair of ancestral weapons.

 
 Spoiler 

Not going to roll for Natalia or Kurt against a white belt: you defeat them easily (Kurt perhaps most easily) and gain no XP. You are very welcome to summarize the fight.

Now LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!

Initiative:
Kurt's opponent:  (1d20+1)[ 8 ] 
Kurt:  (1d20+2)[ 7 ] 

Natalia's opponent:  (1d20)[ 4 ] 
Natalia:  (1d20+7)[ 8 ] 

Natalia goes first (no rule about natural 1s in initiative as far as I can tell), as does Kurt's opponent in his match.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia finishes the fight swiftly, defeating her opponent with two swift punishing blows to the soler plexus that leaves them crumpled and winded, but otherwise unharmed.

 
 Spoiler 
before I roll: the initiative is for this fight, right? And are the swords considered masferwork?
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
Forgot to mention: you start 20 feet apart. Also, weapons aren't masterwork because who would bother making a masterwork wooden sword. Initiative is for this orange-belt fight.
 


Kurt's opponent charges towards him with her wooden weapons held high, shouting a battle cry.  "KIAI!!" 

She swings in with her wooden katana, aiming for a solid blow between the plates of his armor.

 
 Spoiler 

Kurt's flatfooted.
Attack:  (1d20+9)[ 18 ] 
Damage (nonlethal):  (1d8+3)[ 9 ] 
 


The woman lands an impressive blow against the dwarf.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia runs up and deals a swift blow, trying to make it count as she won't get another chance to get the drop on them later in the match.

 
 Spoiler 
really? So I'll never be able to sneak attack work both weapons? That means I only get one potential big hit instead of two.

Attack:  (d20+8)[ 28 ] 
Crit:  (d20+8)[ 15 ] 
DamAge:  (d6)[ 3 ]  plus sneak attack:  (3d6)[ 12 ] 
 


She strikes soundly along the bone of their arm, in the spot that numbs the hand most.
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Spoiler 
crit damage?  (d6)[ 2 ] 
 
Admiral
Natalia's blow strikes soundly against the samurai's arm: he grunts as the sword lands.

 
 Spoiler 
What kind of match would start two opponents standing 5-10 feet away from each other?

Shiny and Mithril would be useless in this competition (neither even has proficiency in a single one of the weapons, we'd have to use a quarterstaff) and you don't hear us complaining.

Doesn't quite confirm crit.
 


The dwarf samurai shakes his head clear, then returns with a quick pair of attacks, shouting a battle cry as he does.

 
 Spoiler 

Katana Attack:  (1d20+7)[ 24 ] 
Damage:  (1d8+3)[ 6 ]  Miscalculated, should have been +4, so it's 7 damage.

Wakizashi Attack:  (1d20+5)[ 7 ] 
Damage:  (1d6+3)[ 6 ] 
 


The dwarf's first strike hits Natalia, but the second misses her completely.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia winces but rolls with the blow to dodge the second one. She attempts to retaliate with two swift strikes of her own.

 
 Spoiler 
A tournament with rigid rules.:😛: But okay, I understand. No more complaining.

Attack:  (d20+6)[ 19 ] 
Crit:  (d20+6)[ 17 ] 
Damage:  (d6)[ 3 ] 

Attack:  (d20+6)[ 20 ] 
Crit:  (d20+6)[ 26 ] 
Damage:  (d6)[ 4 ] 
 
Admiral
Both of Natalia's blows land. The dwarf had been bloodied after her first strike, and now seems quite substantially wounded. He attempts a pair of swings in response.

 
 Spoiler 

Attack  (1d20+6)[ 10 ] 
Damage  (1d6+3)[ 8 ] 

Attack  (1d20+5)[ 15 ] 
Damage  (1d6+3)[ 7 ] 
 


The dwarf misses both of his blows. As Natalia raises her swords, he drops his own and then raises his hands.  "Alright, lass, you win,"  he says with a chuckle.  "Let's save the healers the trouble o' putting me back together. 
 
 Spoiler 
"A tournament with rigid rules." I'm sorry, could you explain what that means?
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia nods and sheathes her blades with a smile.  "Good match,"  she says as she shakes the dwarf's hand.

 
 Spoiler 
It was, in retrospect, a poor attempt at a joke. I'm sorry.
 
Admiral
Natalia is taken to the healers' tent to cure her light bruises before her next match. Her stomach lurches as she sees Miriam on the other side of the tent, tending to one of the more injured combatants.

 
 Spoiler 

Apology accepted. The rules were perfectly rigid, and I'd even made reference to competitors closing the distance or circling each other before.

Whenever Cavelcade gets back we'll play out his competition: we'll play out Natalia's while you're here. If Natalia wants to avoid Miriam awkwardly and get healed by someone else, she's able to, or she can walk up to her.
 


Natalia's next match is against a human green-belt, who bows with her as they prepare to fight.

 
 Spoiler 

Whenever you do fight:

Opponent:  (1d20+1)[ 14 ] 
Natalia:  (1d20+7)[ 14 ] 

Natalia has the higher Dex and thus goes first.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia's mood is more morose as she returns from the tent. She wants to patch things up with Miriam, but the things the cleric's said...

She can't quite face Miriam yet. She can't speak right, the cleric is...cranky, it seems, she's just too...argh.

The rogue shakes her head, trying to put the thought out of her mind and focuses on the fight. She bows to her foe, then rushes in and attacks.

 
 Spoiler 
thanks. And on another note, Natalia's upset with Miriam for several reasons.

Attack:  (d20+8)[ 22 ] 
Crit:  (d20+8)[ 16 ] 
Damage:  (d6)[ 2 ]  plus sneak attack:  (3d6)[ 6 ] 
 
Admiral
Natalia lands a decent hit against her opponent's neck.

The samurai responds by making his battle cry as he swings his pair of swords.

 
 Spoiler 

Attack:  (1d20+8)[ 20 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+8)[ 27 ] 
Damage:  (1d8+6)[ 13 ] 

Attack:  (1d20+6)[ 22 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+6)[ 13 ] 
Damage:  (1d6+3)[ 4 ] 
 


Both strikes hit; the first, empowered by the samurai's powerful yell, injures the rogue especially deeply.
CoffeeIncluded
Miriam is still buzzing around her Mind; natalia can't focus enough to dodge the blows. Panting heavily, she tried again.

 
 Spoiler 
do I fight to 0 HP or yield before?

Attack:  (d20+6)[ 18 ] 
Crit:  (d20+6)[ 13 ] 
Damage:  (d6)[ 1 ] 

Attack:  (d20+6)[ 14 ] 
Crit:  (d20+6)[ 15 ] 
Damage:  (d6)[ 1 ] 
 


It's no use, she's too upset to concentrate.
Admiral
Natalia's swings miss, the first only barely as the samurai steps into it to let it bounce off his armor. He uses the momentum to return two further swings.

 
 Spoiler 

Attack:  (1d20+6)[ 9 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+6)[ 22 ] 
Damage:  (1d8+3)[ 7 ] 

Attack:  (1d20+6)[ 20 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+6)[ 13 ] 
Damage:  (1d6+3)[ 5 ] 
 


The first misses, but the second lands a clean blow.


  
 Spoiler 
do I fight to 0 HP or yield before?
 
 

 
 Spoiler 
Entirely Natalia's choice. She's seen others in the armed combat go unconscious and others resign, though usually only when they're truly close to being beaten.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia's nearly knocked over by the second hit, but recovers and tries again.

 
 Spoiler 
im going until I drop; I have 46 total hp

Attack:  (d20+6)[ 16 ] 
Crit:  (d20+6)[ 15 ] 
Damage:  (d6)[ 2 ] 

Attack:  (d20+6)[ 20 ] 
Crit:  (d20+6)[ 24 ] 
Damage:  (d6)[ 5 ] 
 
Admiral
The samurai grunts at Natalia's latest blow, then continues his battle.

 
 Spoiler 

Since this fight may last a good number of posts, I am rolling for the next two rounds together, and I encourage you to do the same. (Obviously the second round won't count if you are able to drop him or make him resign).

Round 1:
Attack:  (1d20+6)[ 15 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+6)[ 23 ] 
Damage:  (1d8+3)[ 4 ] 

Attack:  (1d20+6)[ 13 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+6)[ 16 ] 
Damage:  (1d6+3)[ 6 ] 

Round 2:
Attack:  (1d20+6)[ 25 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+6)[ 8 ] 
Damage:  (1d8+3)[ 5 ] 

Attack:  (1d20+6)[ 16 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+6)[ 18 ] 
Damage:  (1d6+3)[ 8 ] 

Only the third hits, dealing 5 damage.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia backflips and sidesteps, then rolls into an attack.

 
 Spoiler 
Attack:  (d20+6)[ 14 ] 
Crit:  (d20+6)[ 17 ] 
Damage:  (d6)[ 3 ] 

Attack:  (d20+6)[ 15 ] 
Crit:  (d20+6)[ 13 ] 
Damage:  (d6)[ 1 ] 
 


Both miss entirely.

She grunts at the samurai's attack, then flashes her swords out and up.

 
 Spoiler 
Attack:  (d20+6)[ 13 ] 
Crit:  (d20+6)[ 12 ] 
Damage:  (d6)[ 1 ] 

Attack:  (d20+6)[ 24 ] 
Crit:  (d20+6)[ 19 ] 
Damage:  (d6)[ 6 ] 
 


The first misses, but the second deals a crushing blow to his hand.
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 

6 damage total from Natalia (unfortunately this is a shortsword, not a rapier, so it threatens crits only on 19-20).
 


The two swordfighters continue trading blows.

 
 Spoiler 

Round 1:
Attack:  (1d20+6)[ 25 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+6)[ 18 ] 
Damage:  (1d8+3)[ 10 ] 

Attack:  (1d20+6)[ 11 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+6)[ 20 ] 
Damage:  (1d6+3)[ 8 ] 

Round 2:
Attack:  (1d20+6)[ 18 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+6)[ 23 ] 
Damage:  (1d8+3)[ 5 ] 

Attack:  (1d20+6)[ 8 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+6)[ 21 ] 
Damage:  (1d6+3)[ 8 ] 

Just to confirm, is Natalia's AC 20 without any magic items (other than her magic armor?) If so, these two rounds deal 10 damage total.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia is panting heavily at this point, nearly knocked out. Nevertheless, she growls and continues.

 
 Spoiler 
it's 19 without the ring.

Attack:  (d20+6)[ 25 ] 
Crit:  (d20+6)[ 17 ] 
Damage:  (d6)[ 5 ] 

Attack:  (d20+6)[ 25 ] 
Crit:  (d20+6)[ 21 ] 
Damage:  (d6)[ 5 ] 

Attack:  (d20+6)[ 16 ] 
Crit:  (d20+6)[ 16 ] 
Damage:  (d6)[ 6 ] 

Attack:  (d20+6)[ 23 ] 
Crit:  (d20+6)[ 15 ] 
Damage:  (d6)[ 2 ] 
 
CoffeeIncluded
Ina frenzy of a last wind, Natalia launches onto a frenzy; three of her blows make contact, one against his windpipe.

 
 Spoiler 
crit damage:  (d6)[ 3 ] 
 
Cavelcade
 
 Originally Posted by Admiral 
  
 Spoiler 
Forgot to mention: you start 20 feet apart. Also, weapons aren't masterwork because who would bother making a masterwork wooden sword. Initiative is for this orange-belt fight.
 


Kurt's opponent charges towards him with her wooden weapons held high, shouting a battle cry.  "KIAI!!" 

She swings in with her wooden katana, aiming for a solid blow between the plates of his armor.

 
 Spoiler 

Kurt's flatfooted.
Attack:  (1d20+11)[ 25 ] 
Damage (nonlethal):  (1d20+11)[ 16 ] 
 


The woman lands an impressive blow against the dwarf. 
 

Kurt winces a bit before shrugging it off, and swinging his greatsword in an upward arc, towards her side, though he's taking it easy and focusing on sure strikes rather than power for now.

 
 Spoiler 

Crit on 19.

 (1d20+11)[ 25 ]  Attack
 (1d20+11)[ 16 ]  Crit

 (2d6+6)[ 11 ]  Attack
 (2d6+6)[ 11 ]  Crit
 
Admiral
The samurai is badly wounded after Natalia's blows: the contest is close. The two fencers continue their swordfighting as the match reaches its climax.

 
 Spoiler 

Round 1:

Attack:  (1d20+6)[ 25 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+6)[ 24 ] 
Damage:  (1d8+3)[ 11 ] 

Attack:  (1d20+6)[ 7 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+6)[ 11 ] 
Damage:  (1d6+3)[ 6 ] 

Round 2:

Attack:  (1d20+6)[ 11 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+6)[ 24 ] 
Damage:  (1d8+3)[ 9 ] 

Attack:  (1d20+6)[ 16 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+6)[ 26 ] 
Damage:  (1d6+3)[ 8 ] 
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
Crit damage against Natalia:

 (1d8+3)[ 4 ] 

15 damage total in the first round; I don't know whether it takes her down. Nothing else.
 


The samurai lands a devastating blow against Natalia's head.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia goes in for one more strike.

 
 Spoiler 
i think I'm Koed if I miss.

Attack:  (d20+6)[ 16 ] 
Crit:  (d20+6)[ 15 ] 
Damage:  (d6)[ 1 ] 

Attack:  (d20+6)[ 7 ] 
Crit:  (d20+6)[ 8 ] 
Damage:  (d6)[ 4 ] 
 


Her blows miss pathetically; and the sword crashing g down on her head knocks her out.
Admiral
The female samurai facing Kurt rolls with the blow, and attempts to return it.

 
 Spoiler 

Lemme know if Kurt is raging or using maneuvers.

Attack:  (1d20+5)[ 14 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+5)[ 16 ] 
Damage (nonlethal):  (1d8+2)[ 8 ] 
Crit:  (1d8+2)[ 5 ] 

Attack:  (1d20+4)[ 12 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+4)[ 14 ] 
Damage (nonlethal):  (1d6+2)[ 3 ] 
Crit:  (1d6+2)[ 6 ] 
 


Neither of her strikes manage to hit the dwarf.
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
FWIW, Natalia wouldn't have gotten an attack in: the order went Samurai round 1, Natalia round 1, Samurai round 2, Natalia round 2 (since I started doing pairs of rounds on the samurai's turn).
 


Miriam is tending to the wounded in the tents when she spots another fighter being brought in, unconscious, by a healer and a wounded samurai in heavy armor. They lower her gently onto one of the beds, and the samurai goes to sit down and rest as the healer tends to the other. Even from across the room, Miriam recognizes the unconscious fighter as Natalia.
achinca
Miriam recognizes the unconscious Natalia and tells the other healers " I will take care of that one! "

She approaches the rogue, inspect her wounds and heals her as much as she can, even using magic if needed.

When Natalia opens her eyes, Miriam looks at her and say " How do you feel? Are you comfortable? Do you hurt? "
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 

Natalia will need magical healing to wake up immediately. Miriam can have chosen to save a Cure Serious Wounds for a situation like this one, and is welcome to roll for it.

Natalia currently has 47 points of nonlethal damage on her (it would be 52 but I don't think it makes much sense for nonlethal to go farther than 1 past unconsciousness. Otherwise he could have kept bashing at her head with his wooden sword, and she'd have like 200 points of nonlethal and take  forever  to wake up!): once Natlaia has less than 46 points of damage she'll wake up.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Spoiler 
gah, I didn't see your post. Can I assume this is after Miriam heals her?
 


Once miriam casts her spell, Natalia wakes and groans, rubbing her head.  "Fine. Heat hurts. Fought until dropped."  She looks at her foe next to her and says,  "Good match. But would have won on my terms. Don't fight fair."  Sje looks at Miriam awkwardly, not quite meeting her eyes.  "You've...seen." 
achinca
 
 Spoiler 
Miriam will use a CSW:  (3d8+12)[ 3 ][ 1 ][ 6 ](22) 
 


Miriam looks at Natalia " I did not watch your fight. I kept attending the injured ..... "
CoffeeIncluded
 "Why? Why leave angry?"

 Were you always like this?  

She pauses, then gives Miriam a pair of handmade gloves. Simple yet comfortable, their main feature is a flap that can either expose or hide the guild mark.  "Because hate it so." 
achinca
Miriam looks at Natalia, wondering the answer to the question. " No reason other than thinking that some lives are worth more than others. I still remember the soldier' screams as the giants crushed them. I was the only one who did not have the attitude of " They are just soldiers doing their job ". Anyway, are you feeling OK? "

She looks at the gloves " Thank you Natalia but I cannot wear them. The Masters told us specifically that only evil people wear gloves in non-freezing climates. Now if you excuse me, I need to attend to the others. Let me know if you need more healing. "
CoffeeIncluded
 "Not the only one, not the holy one,"  Natalia protests.  "Not showing...not always meaning not feeling. And Kurt, Mithril, Valen cared too." 

She looks up at Miriam.  "And what meaning with tournament anyway?"

"Thank you. Okay now..."  She watches asMiriam rejects her gift with an explanation that makes little sense to her, then tends to the others.
achinca
Miriam looks at Natalia and pinches her lips " I am not holy, trust me. Kurt is holier than me. Did you see how he is trying to reform the slavers? That is what a real cleric should do. "

She stops and swallows hard " Valen was the one who mentioned they just did their duties ... anyway, it does not matter. I am glad you are okay. "

She walks away and turns around " oh ... and thanks for the gloves ... "
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia pauses. Valen said that?  "Valen? ...I knew stoic, fighter, even more than Kurt, but cold? Maybe...talking responsibility? Responsible for Henry more than soldiers?" 

She shakes her head.  "You have the magic, have the blessing. Why say as worthless as your robes? Dead every fight without you, just like Kurt. Need you both."  hypocritical coming from her, but still.

 "And...welcome. But not evil to hide." 
achinca
Miriam stares at Natalia, smiles and goes focus on healing an injury dwarf.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia looks back down, playing with the threads of her blanket, bunching and stretching the fibers, running her fingers along them and notes the subtle shift of colors felt with the stretch.

Did she say something wrong again?
Athedia
Mithril watched the bouts as Natalia and Kurt progressed.  When Natalia went up against the larger samuri she looked on nervously, such a small girl compared to the man she fought.  But her face soon turned to joy as she saw Natalia dodging in to return blows.  Once the small rogue had been knocked unconscious she waited for a second, wondering if she should wait for Kurt to finish.  Deciding that he would probably still be in the competition when she got back she left to check on Natalia.

As she arrived she saw Miriam walking away from a now awake Natalia.  Pausing by her as the cleric helped another fighter she gently laid a hand on her arm,  "Thank you."   With that she hurried on to see Natalia.

 "That was some fight, you almost had him.  But I suggest ducking away from the sword next time." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia laughs, though the moment aches against her bruised ribs.  "Easier when someone behind him. Or blinded. Want...ask for rematch? Only with Shiny...this time?" 
Admiral
 "I tried to help, Natalia Nimbletoes,"  Shiny says as he steps up behind Mithril; he'd followed her from the stands.  "I kept aiming distraction spells at him the whole time. But you kept ducking and weaving and ending up in the way, so I never got one off." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "And hit me instead...almost had him,"  Natalia replies with mock graveness.
achinca
Miriam nods at Mithril " Just doing what St. Cuthbert asked me to do Wizard. Just doing my job! "
Cavelcade
Kurt simply continues his attacks, for now keeping things as simple as possible, seeing how far he can go on his own.

 
 Spoiler 

No raging or maneuvers but yes iterative attacks!

 (1d5)[ 3 ] 
 (1d4)[ 1 ] 
 (1d3)[ 1 ] 

Attack 1:
 (1d20+11)[ 29 ]  Attack
 (1d20+11)[ 20 ]  Crit

 (2d6+6)[ 14 ]  Attack
 (2d6+6)[ 8 ]  Crit


Attack 2:
 (1d20+6)[ 7 ]  Attack
 (1d20+6)[ 13 ]  Crit

 (2d6+6)[ 12 ]  Attack
 (2d6+6)[ 12 ]  Crit
 


His first attack connects solidly, but the second glances off, the wooden weapon proving a bit harder to use effectively.
Admiral
Kurt's second successful strike knocks the wind out of his opponent. She jumps in to try a desperate pair of blows.

 
 Spoiler 

Attack:  (1d20+5)[ 19 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+5)[ 14 ] 
Damage (nonlethal):  (1d8+2)[ 3 ] 
Crit:  (1d8+2)[ 3 ] 

Attack:  (1d20+4)[ 9 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+4)[ 17 ] 
Damage (nonlethal):  (1d6+2)[ 7 ] 
Crit:  (1d6+2)[ 8 ] 

Looking at Kurt's sheet: why does Kurt get -4 Misc to AC?
 
Cavelcade
The mithral gives him exactly the little extra flexibility he needs, he gets the sword up just in time to stop the first blow from landing, pushing her off balance as he does.

 
 Spoiler 

 (1d2)[ 1 ] 

Attack 1:
 (1d20+11)[ 22 ]  Attack
 (1d20+11)[ 29 ]  Crit

 (2d6+10)[ 18 ]  Attack
 (2d6+10)[ 20 ]  Crit


Attack 2:
 (1d20+11)[ 19 ]  Attack
 (1d20+11)[ 16 ]  Crit

 (2d6+10)[ 17 ]  Attack
 (2d6+10)[ 15 ]  Crit
 


He deftly uses the momentum from the block to attack her back, stepping past to attack again.
Admiral
Kurt easily finishes his orange-belted opponent, and as is traditional helps the healers carry her to the tent, before making sure she is all right.

His next opponent is a green-belted samurai; this one a stout, muscular dwarf.

 
 Spoiler 

Initiative:
Kurt:  (1d20+2)[ 6 ] 
Opponent:  (1d20+1)[ 2 ] 

Kurt's initiative first. He's 20 feet away, can charge first if he likes.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia sits up in her bed.  "Should see Kurt!" 
Athedia
Mithril offered her arm to help the bruised Natalia out to the stands.  She was glad she had caught the tail end of his fight, as he helped his opponent toward the tent.
Cavelcade
This time Kurt charges in, attacking with a great deal more force.

 
 Spoiler 

Charge +2/-2AC
Power Attack -2/+4Damage

At
 (1d20+11)[ 12 ]  Attack
 (1d20+11)[ 29 ]  Crit

 (2d6+10)[ 21 ]  Attack
 (2d6+10)[ 17 ]  Crit
 
Admiral
 "First let's get you more healed up!"  Shiny says cheerfully.  "No need to bother anyone else: I'm trained as a cleric myself."  He places his hands on her.  "Gond, this is your follower Shiny, inventor and guidance-dog trainer. Heal this young woman of her serious yet stylish wounds." 
 
 Spoiler 

Using CMW wand. He'll spam UMD until he gets it, so no need to roll those. Let's see how many charges it requires:

 (1d8+1)[ 2 ] 
 (1d8+1)[ 5 ] 
 (1d8+1)[ 7 ] 
 (1d8+1)[ 9 ] 
 (1d8+1)[ 4 ] 
 (1d8+1)[ 7 ] 
 (1d8+1)[ 7 ] 
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Not needed, bruises heal,"  Natalia tries to protest to Shiny as Mithril helps her up. Perhaps she holds the wizard's arm a bit tighter than is necessary.

 
 Spoiler 
i think that's the clw wand.
 
Admiral
In his excitement and enthusiasm Kurt completely misses his enemy, his wooden greatsword driving into the ground.

The samurai swings towards the other dwarf in a pair of impressive arcs, screaming a battle cry on his first strike.

 
 Spoiler 

First:  (1d20+9)[ 16 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+9)[ 17 ] 
Damage:  (1d8+5)[ 9 ] 
Damage:  (1d8+5)[ 12 ] 

Second:  (1d20+8)[ 18 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+8)[ 24 ] 
Damage:  (1d6+5)[ 11 ]  Not sure it matters, but shoulda been +4
Damage:  (1d6+5)[ 9 ] 

Cavelcade: can you remind me of Kurt's correct AC?
 
Cavelcade
Kurt grunts as the second one makes contact, steadying himself to go again.


 
 Spoiler 

20 normally, 18 while charging so it hit!

Power attack -1/+2

Attack 1:
 (1d20+10)[ 15 ]  Attack
 (1d20+10)[ 19 ]  Crit

 (2d6+8)[ 14 ]  Attack
 (2d6+8)[ 18 ]  Crit

Attack 2:
 (1d20+5)[ 25 ]  Attack
 (1d20+5)[ 8 ]  Crit

 (2d6+8)[ 16 ]  Attack
 (2d6+8)[ 14 ]  Crit
 
Admiral
Shiny uses three charges of the wand, and on her insistence stops after that to let the rest heal overnight.

As the group walks out of the tent to watch Kurt, one of the healers goes running after them.  "Sir! You left your wand." 

Shiny looks back at her, and looks down at the wand she's brandishing.  "My wand? I didn't have any wand. I'm pretty sure that one's yours." 

He turns around and leaves with the group, smiling at nothing in particular as he does so.

 
 Spoiler 
Indeed, meant to write CLW and wrote the other thing.

Shiny has two CLW wands now, so donated one to Soshima.
 
Admiral
Kurt's first blow misses, but his second one lands solidly. The other warrior adjusts his stance and retaliates.

 
 Spoiler 

Attack:  (1d20+8)[ 23 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+8)[ 14 ] 
Damage (nonlethal):  (1d8+4)[ 12 ] 
Crit:  (1d8+4)[ 6 ] 

Attack:  (1d20+8)[ 13 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+8)[ 27 ] 
Damage (nonlethal):  (1d6+4)[ 6 ] 
Crit:  (1d6+4)[ 10 ] 
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
Please bear with me as we get nonlinear. So that Cavelcade doesnt feel like we're waiting on him, we're going to progress the story a little bit while still continuing Kurt's tournament "asynchronously." Thus, we'll finish Kurt's experience in the competition, including any future rounds, at his leisure while the rest of us also do this other stuff.

This is in no way a punishment or indictment of Cavelcade! The game has been moving  very  fast this week. I'm trying to make it easier on literally everyone including him.

Hope it's not too confusing!
 


As the tournament wraps up, a red-belted samurai approaches the group in the stands, and bows.  "Guests of Sosima: your presence is urgently required at the Council of Masters. Please follow me."  On the way, the procession stops by the healer's tent, and Miriam is called to join them as well.
achinca
Miriam nods " Whatever the Masters want and need "

She bids adieu to the other healers and join the group, trying to straighten up her old dirty beat up robe and trying to rub the blood spots away.
Cavelcade
 "Oof!"  Kurt lets out a nice grunt as the blow connects, retaliating in kind.


 
 Spoiler 

Power attack -1/+2

Attack 1:
 (1d20+10)[ 19 ]  Attack
 (1d20+10)[ 25 ]  Crit

 (2d6+8)[ 15 ]  Attack
 (2d6+8)[ 13 ]  Crit

Attack 2:
 (1d20+5)[ 17 ]  Attack
 (1d20+5)[ 10 ]  Crit

 (2d6+8)[ 16 ]  Attack
 (2d6+8)[ 12 ]  Crit


That's fine!
 






*******

Kurt looks up from where he was washing himself off and just nods, throwing his tunic back on and coming with the others.
Admiral
Kurt's first blow connects solidly with the dwarf, who grunts again in response but remains standing. He rushes in for another pair of swings.

 
 Spoiler 

Attack:  (1d20+8)[ 10 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+8)[ 10 ] 
Damage (nonlethal):  (1d8+4)[ 8 ] 
Crit:  (1d8+4)[ 11 ] 

Attack:  (1d20+8)[ 26 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+8)[ 24 ] 
Damage (nonlethal):  (1d6+4)[ 10 ] 
Crit:  (1d6+4)[ 8 ] 
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia cheers on her friend, at one point shouting out,  "Kurt smash!"  in response to a particularly devastating blow.

After the tournament, Natalia straightens, and looks at her friend with a nervous swallow before following the samurai.  "What wrong?"  she asks, as much to her friends as to their escort.
Admiral
Their escort says nothing in response to Natalia's question, but simply continues leading them. They walk away from the arena, to a short building on the edge of town. The building is unusual for being, like the arena, constructed from stone, and also for the circle of samurai that guards it.

The guard opens the door for the party, and once they are inside closes the door behind them. The group finds themselves at a large, round table, with five tall seats at the opposite side, three of them occupied. On the left side sits General Roper and a man the party doesn't recognize, and on the other side sits Yuki, the master of unarmed combat. All wear black robes tied with black belts, and other then the general gesturing for the party to sit down, and then afterwards to wait, they say nothing.

A silent minute passes, and then the door opens and they are joined by Endor, also adorned in a black robe and black belt, who walks over and takes his seat next to Yuki. The largest chair in the center remains unoccupied, but the samurai masters clear their throats, and it is apparent they will be waiting no longer. The first to speak is the man they don't recognize, sitting next to Roper.

 "Thank you for joining us,"  he says in a tone that doesn't lend itself easily to thanks.  "My name is General Carlyle, I manage intelligence and strategy for Soshima. I believe some of you have already met General Roper, leader of the Soshiman Guard, and Master Endor, headmaster of the samurai and manager of the tournament. This is Master Yuki: you may have seen her compete in the unarmed tournament. Together with Master Shiro, who could not be present tonight, we manage the education and defense of Soshima: two responsibilities that often blend together."

"Since you arrived, my men and I have been interrogating the slavers you brought with you. We've gathered some details of their slaving operation, as I take it you have as well, which we intend to report by raven to the Firm office in Marvell. But they've also told us a little of how you came to capture them, and that is why we've brought you here." 

He takes a long pause, and then he leans forward.  "Which of you has the power to turn creatures invisible?" 
CoffeeIncluded
There's only one in their group who could. But what does that have to do with the slavers?

Natalia looks around, trying not to keep her eyes on Shiny too long. The whole scenario is designed to intimidate, especially with the entire building out of place in Soshima.

 "Sorry, but...why asking?" 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
  "Sorry, but...why asking?"  
 

 "The prisoners said that several of you appeared out of thin air right before you attacked, despite having nowhere you could have been hiding behind. And that afterwards, several of the human monks traveling with you similarly vanished from sight, only to reappear all at once when they returned."  He takes a deep breath.  "We need to know who possesses that kind of power, and what its extent and limits are." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "For wh..."  And then Natalia trails off. And she remembers how she snuck in to spy on the ogres, nearly died for it (how Kurt and Shiny actually did), how Shiny apparently did much the same sneaking to steal from the giants while she was unconscious.

 "For spying on Horde?" 

Natalia casually folds her hands behind her back, but she uses one hand to point at Shiny, where only he can see, and forms the other one into a crude approximation of a question mark.
Admiral
 "Something... of that nature,"  says the general.

Shiny has never looked less certain whether it's a better idea to lie or tell the truth. He scratches his head, and his eyes dart around the room as though considering escape options. Finally he looks back to the council, and then meekly raises his hand.

General Carlyle nods at the gnome.  "One of the slavers said you carried some kind of field: something that let you speak to one of them without anyone else hearing. I take it you also have that power at will?" 

Shiny scratches the back of his head.  "I guess I do,"  he says, in an odd sort of flippant modesty that could not feel more inappropriate in this room.

The general leans back and looks to the other masters. One by one, each of them gives him a nod. Then he turns to the party.

 "As I said, we are responsible for the defense of Soshima. That is not an easy responsibility to bear, but it has never been more difficult than in these last few days. There has been a threat hanging over Soshima, one that despite our desperate plans and efforts we have not been able to stop... until now. The fate of the city may rest in your hands." 
 
 Spoiler 
To be continued.
 
Admiral
General Roper clears his throat, and begins speaking.  "Thirty miles upriver from Soshima lies a Horde encampment, one of the larger ones in this part of the plains. The site is of some considerable importance for the barbarian tribes due to its proximity to natural resources and its usefulness as a passage point for armies. Last year the Horde seized it from the Crusaders in the Battle of the Red River, the bloodiest battle on this continent since the Guildpact."

"We've known for a long time that the Horde desired more territory along the river: for months we've fought off their raiders, and with careful planning and great heroism even withstood a small invading force. But until recently, it was not possible for the orcs to mount a naval attack: fifteen miles upriver there was a secret fortress held by the Church, built to serve as a base for their activities against the Horde. The fortress was guarded by over a hundred paladins, and it oversaw a thick iron gate that prevented the Horde's ships from approaching along the river. The Horde attempted a few raids, but the fortress was so well designed and guarded that it seemed impenetrable: a much needed shield between us and a naval attack." 

[B]"Until one day, about a month ago, an unusual Orc ship approached: enormous, beetle-shaped, made of many jagged shards of iron fused together, and from the outside apparently impregnable. The paladins fired on it with everything they had- arrows, catapults, alchemists' fire- but nothing could even scratch its hull. Some courageous paladins leapt on it from shore, but none succeeded in stopping its progression.And when that monstrosity reached the fortress..."

The master pauses.  "I am describing it as it was described to me, but I am not sure I trust my own words to capture it. I heard it said that the fortress was engulfed in an instantaneous blaze of fire, while unleashing a monstrous roar that deafened every witness. And when the smoke cleared, mere seconds later, the fortress was half rubble. Half the paladins died immediately, and the others were killed when the Horde swarmed in minutes later, as they had lost their defensive position. (we owe what we know to a few brave paladins who escaped to tell us). We have heard of magic that can do tremendous feats of fire and destruction, but in our consultations with mages we are given to understand that no known spell had ever reached this scale. And still, we figured, what else could it be, other than some wizard's fiery suicide?"

"We grew infinitely more vigilant now that the river route was open, but we still had not fully grasped the danger that was upon us. Then two weeks ago, a patrol of samurai came across a troop of orcs bearing a supply wagon in the direction of the encampment. The battle was fierce but was tipping in the samurai's favor, when suddenly one of the barbarians lit a torch and then cast it into the wagon. And there came a burst of fire and noise- and when it cleared, the few samurai who survived saw that the wagon, and the combatants around it, had been shredded into nonexistence."

"Since then, we have reached out to every contact we have, in the guilds and elsewhere, to discover what destructive payload that wagon and that boat could have been carrying, and only one conclusion has surfaced. There is a substance- rare, novel, and even to the greatest experts mysterious- that upon the slightest touch of a flame releases a tempest of fire and destruction. It has been seen in other distant countries, where some tyrannical empires are said to have harnessed its power for a new a form of warfare. In those regions they name it by this devilish weapon it fuels: they call it  gunpowder ." 
 
 Spoiler 
It's safe to say that, in this world, none of you have heard of this.

To be continued.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia's eyes bug out at Roper's description. The iron-shielded shp sounds fantastic enough, but the...gunpowder itself? That sounds like a thousand flasks of alchemist's fire all going off at once--in a silo full of dusty flour!

 "And--and no magic?!"  Natalia stammers out.
Athedia
 "It must be enchanted by a very powerful mage.  No normal person could contain that much power without certain death."   Mithril looked terrified.  If powerful mages were on the side of the Horde, then no-one could stop them.  And it was ridiculous to think that such damage could be caused by a mundane source, almost as silly as the idea of a metal ship.  How would it float?  "And a bespelled boat.  Iron doesn't float, no normal metal does.  Even my namesake isn't as light." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Even if, which...not sure. May not be magic, remember Linwood orcs?"  Natalia babbles, nearly petrified.  "Stupid orcs. Ships, gun...powder, need brains. Brains from where?" 
Admiral
General Carlyle chooses to respond to Mithril's comments.  "Based on our limited understanding, there's no magic involved in the substance at all: no more than in burning firewood." 

The rogue's comments utterly confuse him, and he consults with a few of the other masters before responding. Even then he seems to speak slowly, as though to a foreign speaker.  "We were also surprised about the orcs' use of such technology. Acquiring such a rare substance would be extremely difficult and require a great deal of contacts and cooperation, more than we thought possible from the barbarians." 

He shakes his head clear.  "In any case, what bothers us is not how they acquired the gunpowder, but that they are continuing to
 collect it. If they are planning an attack on Soshima, as we believe they are..." 


The general trails off, and at this point Master Endor takes over.  "Our samurai are well trained, disciplined, and courageous. They are fully prepared for a traditional assault from the barbarians; some have been preparing for it all their lives. Put them on level ground with an enemy, and they'll go face to face with all the skill and bravery you could ever ask for in a soldier."  He shakes his head sadly.  "But if the Horde can sail right up to the school and simply erase it and its inhabitants from existence in a flash of fire and thunder...." 

General Roper clears his throat again.  "When you first arrived in Soshima, you'll recall I had everyone moved two hundred feet away before we began the search. (I remember some of you found it quite rude)"  he adds, with a look towards Miriam.  "That wasn't for security, it was for safety. Our greatest fear is that someone could bring this powder into Soshima, to activate it where it could cause the most harm. And indeed, the precaution wasn't even based on a lack of trust; our nightmare scenario is that some ally could bring a trapped barrel of this powder into the village  without their knowledge . Such tactics would have seemed beyond the Horde just a few months ago... but so much has changed." 

General Carlyle speaks up again.  "All our information suggests that the Horde is stockpiling this 'gunpowder' for use against Soshima, and keeping it in the encampment on the river. Their most likely plan is to sail into Soshima on a vessel similar to the one that destroyed the fortress, but we cannot be sure. Whatever their plan, we know that Soshima would be nearly defenseless against it- and thus our only choice is to destroy their supply of the powder."

"Every scenario we've considered for an assault on the Horde encampment has failed. Their soldiers outnumber ours five to one: We don't have nearly enough to succeed. And even if a full-on assault did, through some miracle, destroy the orcs' supply of gunpowder, we would leave no soldiers for the defense of Soshima, and the next wave of Horde barbarians would overwhelm us." 
 "The only plan that retained some chance of success was to sneak into the Horde's camp and detonate the explosives without ever engaging in direct combat. But our samurai are truly ill-suited for such a plan: our training prepares for direct fights, not for stealth, and for terrifying our enemies, not for slipping past their notice. The only promising strategy was using magic to infiltrate their lines: something we have no access to."

"In the last few days we have reached out to both the Church and the Institute, looking for assistance in such a mission. But the Church has almost no familiarity with such magic, and though they promised to reach out to some of their more esoteric clerics they have heard nothing back. And while many of us have old friends within the Church or the Firm, we have almost no contacts within the Institute, and in any case we could hardly afford what they would charge for such an operation."

"But when you arrived... and we learned what powers you had, enough to slip past hundreds of guards unnoticed..."  the general closes his eyes momentarily.  "You might be the only ones who can do what needs to be done."

"So this is the mission we ask of you. Infiltrate the Horde camp, find their stash of gunpowder, and destroy it- along with all the collateral damage you can do. You are not sworn samurai, so we cannot compel you to this quest. But know that if you can complete it, we would give anything that was  in our power to give you, as long as it did not endanger the city. And know also, if it matters, that your choice may determine the final fate of the city of Soshima." 
Cavelcade
In the tournament, Kurt doesn't let up anymore than the samurai does, returning his blows in kind.

 
 Spoiler 

Power attack -1/+2

Attack 1:
 (1d20+10)[ 15 ]  Attack
 (1d20+10)[ 22 ]  Crit

 (2d6+8)[ 18 ]  Attack
 (2d6+8)[ 15 ]  Crit

Attack 2:
 (1d20+5)[ 8 ]  Attack
 (1d20+5)[ 22 ]  Crit

 (2d6+8)[ 13 ]  Attack
 (2d6+8)[ 14 ]  Crit
 



*****

Kurt simply stares at that, trying to encompass in his mind the idea of a...substance that could do that to a building so completely, and how one could defend against that kind of thing. The thought of it in their enemies hands...

 "We should do it."  He says it lowly, but seriously, looking at the others in turn.
CoffeeIncluded
So that's why he asked her about the sneaking spells. Natalia ignores their reaction to her speech (at least they dont mock her for it) barely thinks about it, awed by the might of this weapon, awed by both fear and intrigue. Such weapons would inevitably threaten Deldon as well, blast through stone walls like nothing.  "I'm in. Little magic, but good sneaker. " 
Athedia
 "I am not one for sneaking.  It has never been my strongest suit.  But Whiskers here is small and agile, and can report back on what he has seen, though through a skewed filter."   This was as close as Mithril had come to admit that Whiskers occasionally talked to her, though he had been doing less as he grew bored of her lack of knowledge of burrows and the like.
CoffeeIncluded
 "And if a fight after? Need your spells."  Just what was this gunpowder? It couldn't be fine flour, but something just as potentially explosive...her mind us brimming with questions. Does it take open flame to ignite? A simple spark? How much damage per ounce does it do? What does it look like? How heavy is it? Does dropping it set it off? What if it gets wet?

She needs to take a sample if this gunpowder, and find out fit herself.
Admiral
Shiny thinks, scratching his chin.  "My spell can make all five of us invisible, and it will last for about six minutes. I can cast two or three times if I have to. Another spell can stop anyone from hearing us, and that one will last for hours. There are challenges: we can't pass close to anyone or they'll see us, and anyone who attacks one of the orcs will become visible... But I'd say those spells give us the best chance of getting in." 
 "You should make your invasion during the day, preferably while the sun is bright,"  General Carlyle explains.  "Orcs see better at night than during the day, and far more will be sleeping. We thus recommend you set out tomorrow morning before dawn, after getting what sleep you can: you should reach the camp a few hours after midday. Our farthest outpost is 10 miles upriver: you should leave your horses there, as it will be too difficult to travel quietly with them."

"We have very little information about the layout of the encampment, or where the gunpowder could be stored, but we'll brief you on what we have. We know there are between five hundred and a thousand orc soldiers there, depending entirely on how many are out on patrols or raids. The Horde tends to rely on numbers rather than fortifications, so their physical defenses will probably be primitive: wooden fences, trenches, palisades, caltrops and the like, designed to stop a charging army." 
 "Most of the camp will be composed of tents, where during the day orcs will be sleeping or otherwise avoiding the sun. Perhaps only a fifth or fewer of the orcs will be serving on guard duty during the day. But if the alarm is sounded, the full Horde will rise: and I can tell you from experience how powerful they are en masse." 
CoffeeIncluded
A  thousand?  if those orcs wake, they're done for!  "S-size of camp?"  Natalia stammers, terrified by the number.

It would have to be those best at sneaking heading in them. Her, and Whiskers, and Shiny.
Cavelcade
Kurt whistles softly, imagining already the sprawl of the camp.  "Well, if we set off the powder hopefully they'll be too busy with that to worry too much about us, but still...what's the lay of the land around the camp? Is there someplace we could hide afterwards, someplace nearby? I don't fancy trying to steal a boat..." 
achinca
Miriam listens to the conversation before chinning in " Why would all 5 of us need to go? Kurt and I are useless in such a situation. I buff and heal, he smashes. Why use we would be? If the horde wakes up, we would all be dead anyway. Would it make more sense to just have the sneaky guys do this? Anyway just a thoughts. "

She shrugs " I guess we have decided to do this. Fine with me. Could have a minute of silence and prayers for the dwarves who will die because we cannot rescue them? "
Athedia
 "What about those who will live because we have weakened the Horde?  Miriam, you chose to venture here help Soshima, the dwarves fate was sealed as soon as we took this path.  All we can do is try to show the Horde our power, a move we would have undertaken in either case to free them." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Miriam!"
  Natalia shouts.  "Could save Deldon too, no gunpowder to blow stone tunnels. Could be waiting for that too." 
achinca
Miriam just shrugs " Whatever the wizard says! "

She closes her eyes, prays silently and reopens them.
CoffeeIncluded
 "Stop! Not her pet like you think!"  the rogue cries.
achinca
Miriam looks at Natalia with a surprised look. " Pet? Who said pet? I said that I will do and go and follow whatever the Wizard will say! She knows better and she is smarter. "
CoffeeIncluded
 "You always say, think that. About me and Mirhril. Affection, feelings, not follow loke spaniel." 
 
 Spoiler 
i thought that was another "Mithril's pet" thing.
 
achinca
Miriam shakes her head " You proved at the outpost fight with the giants that you were no one pet. "

 
 Spoiler 
It was not a comment on the Mithril-Natalia relationship at all.
 
Cavelcade
Kurt steps slowly between the two women, raising his hands as if to shield one from the other.  "Enough! Natalia, not everything is someone trying to dig at you but Miriam, that last sentence was too far! We've all made our mistakes and pay for them, we don't need to be rubbing salt in each others' wounds. The dwarves are in trouble - and it may be too late when we get the chance to try and rescue them - "  Suddenly he cuts off, his eyes going wide as he turns towards the generals.

 "If we destroy the gunpowder, can you send a small force and supplies to help us try and save Deldon too?" 
CoffeeIncluded
 "TOLD YOU! Hurt, fell, didn't flee!"  Natalia nearly leaps at Miriam but Kurt holds her back. She goes slack with a whimper.  "Rifht, Kurt. You're right." 
 
 Spoiler 
im sorry Achinca, I didn't realize. And cavalcade, that's brilliant.
 
Admiral
 "That's  enough! "  declares Master Yuki, the first she's spoken. She slams the table in front of her with a resounding thud. She glances at each of the party across the table, who had been taunting and snapping at each other.  "We heard that you are warriors. You may not be samurai, but we did not think you were barbarians. Our mission is of enormous importance, but it is not more important than the principles of honor that we uphold. You will treat each other with dignity and respect, or you will leave Soshima." 

She raises her eyebrows.  "Are we clear?" 
 
 Spoiler 
I want to make it clear this dialogue has nothing to do with any OOC discussions. It is just how I imagine top military officials in a strict hierarchy that is built on respect and honor would react to what is happening in front of them. It doesn't even mean I didn't like what you guys were doing in roleplay terms.
 


Once the room has settled down, General Roper considers Kurt's suggestion thoughtfully.  "The defense of Soshima must be our first priority. but this mission against the gunpowder is worth sparing a contingent of guards. And..."  he says, with further consideration,  "defending the innocent against the forces of evil and chaos is the sworn mission of Soshima, whether those innocents are farmers four miles away or dwarves three days away. If you complete this mission, we will provide a contingent of twenty-four samurai, to defend against the Horde at this Dwarven city." 
Cavelcade
Kurt relaxes slowly, still frowning at the two women as he scratches his beard.  "It might be we'll come too late to do anything, but dwarves are stout hearted. Thank you. I...apologise for our outburst."  Scratching his beard more awkwardly as he sits down again.  "Is there a map of the area we can look at?" 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia startles and immediately draws into a seated position, where she bows deeply.  "I...sorry. Sore subject, but still wrong to open before you.

"Thank you. But...must wait until our return?"  Natalia asks in as respectful tone she can manage. Though its only a day, Deldon can wait, especially if they manage to decimate the horde.

 
 Spoiler 
i have a lot to say, both IC and ooc, most of it positive. But my battery's nearly dead so I can't for several hours. Sorry.
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
Oh, I had forgotten about Kurt's tournament:
 


Both of Kurt's swings miss once again, and the samurai takes his chance.

 
 Spoiler 

Attack:  (1d20+8)[ 28 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+8)[ 20 ] 
Damage (nonlethal):  (1d8+4)[ 7 ] 
Crit:  (1d8+4)[ 8 ] 

Attack:  (1d20+8)[ 9 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+8)[ 22 ] 
Damage (nonlethal):  (1d6+4)[ 6 ] 
Crit:  (1d6+4)[ 8 ] 

I think the first one's a confirmed crit: 15 damage.
 


His first swing slams straight into Kurt's neck with a powerful thwack.

**********


 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
 "Thank you. But...must wait until our return?"[/COLOR] Natalia asks in as respectful tone she can manage. Though its only a day, Deldon can wait, especially if they manage to decimate the horde.  
 

Roper nods.  "We don't want to imply you don't have our trust and confidence. But if the mission fails, we will need every soldier we have to defend against the Horde." 

General Carlyle shuffles through some papers on a nearby table, then brings back a map of the region and passes it to Kurt.  "As I said, we don't know much about the camp beyond its location. Following the river there is the most straightforward route, but is likely to run into orc patrols."  He points out the farthest outpost from the city, then draws a careful curve from there to the Horde encampment.  "This would likely be the safest route to take. We will send a guide with you who knows the land, and who will do what he can to help you avoid the patrols. If you do run into guards, you  cannot  let them return to raise the alarm, or the mission is forfeit." 
Cavelcade
Kurt grunts as the blade smacks into his neck, twisting around to attack the exposed underarm.

 
 Spoiler 

That is one lucky samurai! And I just realised I've been forgetting about delayed damage, so +1/+1 for furious counterstrike.

-2/+4 power attack.

Attack 1:
 (1d20+10)[ 18 ]  Attack
 (1d20+10)[ 14 ]  Crit

 (2d6+11)[ 15 ]  Attack
 (2d6+11)[ 14 ]  Crit


Attack 2:
 (1d20+10)[ 17 ]  Attack
 (1d20+10)[ 13 ]  Crit

 (2d6+11)[ 18 ]  Attack
 (2d6+11)[ 17 ]  Crit

Edit: Obviously the second attack should be +5 and thus misses. Hopefully the first attack can put him down!
 


*************

Kurt simply nods in understanding towards the generals, looking at the map.  "It's a pity there's nowhere you can set up a raid after we blow up the supply...that seems like it would be the perfect time for a quick mission."  He sighs, shaking his head.  "Too risky, if we fail." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "What's too risky?"  Natalia asks Kurt,  "Mission, or side raid? Think...we can sneak." 

She looks down at the map.  "Even a day, by curve?" 
 
 Spoiler 
Wow Kurt has bad luck this match. 😛

Oh, and Admiral, how far is the encampment from Deldon?
 
Cavelcade
 "Well, if we succeed and could have the samurai nearby, after the explosion they could attack, do as much damage as possible and then retreat to Soshima either by boat or by foot. But if we fail, they'd be trapped near an alerted horde and Soshima would be defenceless. Attractive, but so is the cheese in a mousetrap."  Kurt is getting almost animated as he discusses the idea in his mind.  "Of course if there was enough time and enough ships we could disguise them as horde ships and have them come after us - then if it goes wrong there'd still be time to retreat by the fastest means possible; the river. But there never is, unfortunately." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "But if right boom, then orcs scattered and decimated anyway. I think problem is speed of entry, exit. Time to avoid our boom. But..."  Natalia trails off, and a slow grin appears on her face.
Cavelcade
Kurt shakes his head again, thinking about the camp.  "Not unless we're very lucky. The camp would have to be very badly designed to have their forces destroyed by one explosion, no matter how big...but they would be vulnerable."  He shakes his head vigorously, dismissing the idea it seems, or trying to.  "But what to do about us getting away?" 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia laughs a bit at the simplicity of her response.  "Horses. Run, fast. Need to do anyway. Invisible silence as shield. Maybe...boom makes chaos, too much chaos to notice us? Make...look like accident. Little spark, hole in gunpowder..." 
Cavelcade
 "What do we do when the horses are too tired to continue, or if they get scared by the...the thunder of the gunpowder? This is tough. I want to get it right if we can but...tough."  He settles down, then, staring at the map hard, as if he wants it to tell him what to do.
CoffeeIncluded
 "Magic to heal, and...don't think scared war horses, calm in battle, noises, screams."  Natalia looks at the map as well, wishing they had something of the actual encament itself.

 
 Spoiler 
cavelcade, we all have warhorses now.
 
Admiral
General Carlyle closes his eyes to think when Kurt makes his suggestion.  "Invading the Horde encampment is not something we were planning on,"  he says carefully.  "Our mission is to protect innocent lives, not to seek out conflict when it is not necessary. Any invasion would lead to the loss of many lives." 

Shiny takes that moment to speak up.  "But even if this weapon were destroyed, surely it could eventually be replenished,"  he says.  "And even if it weren't, it sounds like as long as the Horde controls that section of the river it will have reason to invade Soshima. Destroying the gunpowder might delay the threat, but routing the encampment could snuff it out." 
 
 Spoiler 

Let's see if Shiny can bring Kurt's idea home.

Diplomacy:  (1d20+15)[ 32 ] 
 
Admiral
Shiny speaks convincingly, sounding just as wise and knowledgeable in war as the council he addresses. The samurai look to each other, and exchange a few serious, whispered words. Then the masters turn back to them.

 "Even in success, your plan would lead to the loss of many samurai lives,"  he says.  "But if we can take the Horde encampment and permanently free our city from their threat, they will have died honorably and in service of their duty."

"As you suggest, we will have a force just under a mile away, waiting to attack the encampment once you have destroyed this weapon. With luck, the orcs will be disoriented and unprepared for such an assault. We would probably still lack the necessary force of arms to take the camp even after the explosion... but we have allies we can call to our assistance, ones who will likely stand at our side if they knew this assault would threaten the very presence of the Horde in our lands. With these reinforcements, we stand a good chance of destroying the orc camp entirely."

"We are trusting you with much, newcomers to Soshima. If you are all agreed to this, let us begin our plans, for in the morning you will ride." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia nods.  "Won't disappoint." 
 
 Spoiler 
going soon but one thing: sorry for the deeply question but by allies who is he referring to?
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
That's a meta question. You could ask him. Most likely from what you know about the towns' history is that Shiro and his generals used to serve the Church, and still have many contacts there.
 

 "I can't fit all the horses into the silence spell,"  Shiny says thoughtfully.  "Once stealth is necessary we'll have to leave them behind. It would be too difficult to maneuver them into position anyway." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "And after boom, need speed over sneaking."  Natalia nods. She then tentatively asks the alders,  "Allies in church?" 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
  "And after boom, need speed over sneaking."  Natalia nods. She then tentatively asks the alders,  "Allies in church?"  
 

 "We have a number of allies,"  he responds,  "some in the Church and others in similar nearby towns terrorized by the Horde. But the tactical planning of the invasion is our responsibility. Your mission is only to find this weapon and use it." 
Admiral
Kurt's poor luck continues in his fight, as both of his swings miss. The samurai steps forward and swings both of his weapons inward towards the dwarf.

 
 Spoiler 

Attack:  (1d20+8)[ 16 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+8)[ 22 ] 
Damage (nonlethal):  (1d8+4)[ 5 ] 
Crit:  (1d8+4)[ 5 ] 

Attack:  (1d20+8)[ 21 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+8)[ 21 ] 
Damage (nonlethal):  (1d6+4)[ 9 ] 
Crit:  (1d6+4)[ 6 ] 

9 more damage. Someone should go through and check how much HP Kurt's got left.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Or destroy. Can do both. See boom from here!"  Natalia says with confidence and a smile. However, anyone listening can hear the nervousness in her voice. still, she tries to keep it under control.   Like ogres before attack, not giants. I won't let anyone die!  
Cavelcade
Barely standing, his will the only thing keeping his body from falling, Kurt launches one last attack.

 
 Spoiler 

If it's against the rules to use crusader's strike, he'll do a full attack, otherwise one attack and the strike.

Power attack -2/+4


Attack 1/?:
 (1d20+10)[ 14 ]  Attack
 (1d20+10)[ 13 ]  Crit

 (2d6+11)[ 21 ]  Attack
 (2d6+11)[ 21 ]  Crit

Crusader's strike if allowed:
 (1d6+2)[ 3 ] 



Attack 2/?:
 (1d20+5)[ 13 ]  Attack
 (1d20+5)[ 18 ]  Crit

 (2d6+11)[ 17 ]  Attack
 (2d6+11)[ 18 ]  Crit

Ah well, makes no difference either way. All comes down to whether there was healing between rounds!

 



******


Kurt sighs in relief as they agree to the desperate gamble.   Thank the gods for Shiny.  
Admiral
Kurt's attacks miss once again, and the samurai aims to finish him.

 
 Spoiler 

Attack:  (1d20+8)[ 26 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+8)[ 21 ] 
Damage (nonlethal):  (1d8+4)[ 7 ] 
Crit:  (1d8+4)[ 6 ] 

Attack:  (1d20+8)[ 25 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+8)[ 11 ] 
Damage (nonlethal):  (1d6+4)[ 8 ] 
Crit:  (1d6+4)[ 9 ] 
 
Cavelcade
With literally his last effort, Kurt tries to at least take the samurai down too.

 
 Spoiler 

He immediately falls after this round is ended.

FC: +1/+1
PA: -2/+4

Attack 1:
 (1d20+10)[ 24 ]  Attack
 (1d20+10)[ 23 ]  Crit

 (2d6+11)[ 21 ]  Attack
 (2d6+11)[ 16 ]  Crit

Attack 2:
 (1d20+5)[ 9 ]  Attack
 (1d20+5)[ 24 ]  Crit

 (2d6+11)[ 17 ]  Attack
 (2d6+11)[ 20 ]  Crit
 


He uses the momentum of his own fall to bring the wooden sword down on the samurai's crown, slowly slipping into unconsciousness.
Admiral
Kurt's blow is powerful, and the samurai shudders, but as Kurt slips into unconsciousness he sees that his enemy remains upright. The next thing he sees is Miriam standing above him as he feels her healing touch, and spots his dwarf opponent sitting on a nearby bed having his own injuries tended to. The dwarf gives him a friendly nod when he sees him come to.

 
 Spoiler 

I think it was a great roleplaying choice not to rage: hard to get that raw anger up in a simulated combat!!
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia studies the map a bit more.  "No more knowledge? Of horde strength, fort, defenses?" 

Afterwards, she scribbles out a few half-formed ideas, not elaborating further in case circumstances prevent them from working or she needs to change plans on the fly. She then requests a few items that would be needed for the various plans to work.

 
 Spoiler 
natalia requests the following things:

Another dagger or a sharp knife.
Another crossbow
A small sack, preferably filled with flour or sugar or sand.
Some string and rope
Supplies for making flaming arrows (oil and cotton, I think? I could be wrong though)
A tinder twig and a thunder stone. Maybe a sunrod too.
 
Admiral
The samurai masters arrange for the group to have what supplies they need, save one or two items they did not have available. For the next hour, they discuss plans for the invasion, and go over again and again what little they know about the Horde encampment. Then they quickly bid the party to take their leave, as they have many preparations and plans to make if they are to invade the camp the following day.

 
 Spoiler 
You got everything on the list except the thunderstone. If it matters they had only one sunrod.
 


The tournament had ended just shortly after dusk. The party sleeps as long as they can, though Mithril wakes a bit early to study her spells, and the rest are awoken at dawn by a young green-belted samurai. Unlike the others in the camp, this samurai does not wear the familiar heavy armor bearing the Soshima sigil: he wears a green tunic that matches his belt, covering a light chain shirt. His hair is a dark black and his skin is deeply tanned.

 "Good morning,"  he says once the party has assembled.  "I'm Ash, I've been assigned to guide you to the orc encampment. Follow me,"  he adds with a hint of a smile,  "we might not even get killed on the way." 

The party mounts their horses, and races out of town, led by Ash on a dust-colored horse. They notice that though the samurai of the city guard are still at their posts, the village seems strangely quiet and empty even for this early in the morning, and they know that the majority of the samurai had already ridden out to make their battle preparations. Dawn starts to break, and their shadows are cast across the river as they ride north.

For a little over an hour they ride quickly along the river, as the sun slowly clears the horizon. Finally they reach the outermost guard tower of Soshima, ten miles up the river. There they step off their horses and lead them to the stables, as Ash explains that it would be much easier to slip unnoticed through the Horde lands without them: except that Shiny keeps his warpony, as it is the only way he can keep up, and is also smaller and difficult to track than the others.

The Horde encampment is almost a full day's journey, and they need to reach it before sunset. Travel along the river is far riskier, so they set out away from it, heading into the mountains, canyons and plains of the orc territory.

 
 Spoiler 
Good time for some conversation.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia's oddly quiet as they travel across the plains. The rest of the group can see her check and recheck her items, mouthing things and drawing diagrams in the air with her hands. If they ask, she says,  "Gunpowder plans." 

Finally, as they dismount and rush into the mountains, Natalia asks in a whisper,  "What known of fort, gunpowder? Color, smell, feel? Size of explosion...from barrels in wagons?"  She then turns to her friends and asks,  "How to seek room, fastest without maze like caves?" 
Admiral
The party progresses forward, Shiny on his mount and the rest on foot, moving quickly but carefully through enemy territory. When the party was approaching Soshima, the terrain had seemed simple and straightforward: a series of alternating fields, canyons, and hills with few forms of life and only one plausible path.

Traveling with Ash, however, showed just how complex the terrain truly was. He wove them in a jagged path through the mountains, occasionally stopping to climb a short peak or to press his ear to the ground. He explained that the orcs' territory grew more dangerous the closer they came to the camp, though they were fortunate to be traveling while the sun was high in the sky and orc patrols were few.

Two hours after the sun reaches its zenith, while the party is traveling through a wide canyon with short, steep walls, they hear a hawk call out a pair of cries, the sort of animal noise that had been common throughout their trips through the desert. The samurai, however, seems to take them seriously: he raises his arm to halt the party, glances around furiously, then gestures quickly for them to take cover in a nearby crevasse. A few minutes pass as the party watches from cover, where it seems as if the green-belt had just been paranoid. And then around the bend comes the noise of a marching party, followed soon after by a set of sixteen barbarians, the first barbarian orcs the party has seen since they arrived in Eldgar. They ride mounts not too different from the warhorses the party rode, and bear fearsome warpaint and weapons. They pass menacingly through the canyon, and though they look around suspiciously they fail to spot the adventurers.

 
 Spoiler 

I rolled everyone's spot and listen checks to make things easier.
 
CoffeeIncluded
As they travel, Natalia whispers her plan, praying that she'll be understood and not mocked. This will be quite difficult for her to try to explain, and she needs her friends to understand. So.

 "Gunpowder plot. Fire trigger, spark like flour dust explosions. Flour and fire start here too. Liquid fire, broken by crossbow. Crossbow held down...by flour weight. Flour sits, holds still, hand on trigger. Then...I stab, flee. Hand bleeds, goes slack. We run, and...when leaked enough, bloodless...it fires. Into fire, into powder. Boom.

But need to find powder, sneak to powder. My mist spell, fog under doors, there and back but no more." 

Natalia also shows her friends the diagrams she made, hoping they'll help.

 
 Spoiler 
it is really hard to write Nutspeak sometimes.
 


When Ash motions for them to stop, Natalia presses herself against the wall, drawing her blades behind her and praying she won't be noticed. She barely even breathes as the orcs march past her and her friends. Silently, she curses herself for not hearing them. She really needs to get better at noticing people in the mountains.
Athedia
As they traveled Mithril slid into the conversation.   "I can find the powder.  I picked up spell recently that is designed for finding hidden things." 
Admiral
A few minutes pass after the last noise of the orcs disappears from the air, and then the green-belt gestures for them to return to the trail.

As they emerge from the crevasse, Ash notices Natalia seeming frustrated with herself, and he laughs.  "Don't think too low of yourself for not knowin' they were coming,"  he says.  "I couldn't hear 'em either. Luckily for us, I had some help."  As he talks, he puts on a glove with a couple of hooks built into it, and from a small bag on his belt pulls out a small furry ball. He holds it in the air and looks upward.

From far above in the sky a winged shape starts circling down in wide, gentle motions: Natalia had seen it once or twice earlier in the day but hadn't thought much of it. As it gets closer, it switches into a dive and swoops down to land on Ash's gloved arm, where it snatches the mouse from his hand and quickly swallows it. The hawk has brownish coloring except for some striking red patches along the underside of its wing. It looks over to the party with barely a passing interest, then takes to the sky again.

 "Firefeather's been watching out for my safety for a long time,"  the ranger says affectionately.  "I'd like to see a pack of orcs sneak past her." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "And I...blow it up,"  Natalia says with a grin.

The rogue watches Ash and his hawk with a smile, remembering Lisk and her golden eagle.  "Beautiful. Found where, how?"  she's never seen this kind of bird before.

 
 Spoiler 
area like the southwest desert. Brown-black with red-brown on the shoulders. Is she a Harris's Hawk?
 
Athedia
Mithril reached inside her cloak where Whiskers sat in a small pouch she had sewn for him.  Ash had a familiar as well, but not in the same way.
CoffeeIncluded
 "Are links same? Or different bonds?"  Natalia asks Mithril quietly. Now a pit of nervousness is starting to gnaw at her. Seeing all those orcs made the danger more real.
Admiral
 "I used to escort supply caravans for the Firm,"  Ash says, as he gestures for the others to follow and continue the journey. Sure enough, his right hand bears the double circle insignia of the Brearshaw Firm.  "We'd travel through the desert, bring a dozen or more soldiers in case we ran into bandits and barbarians. I acted as scout and spotter, but the fact is that this is their territory, so we didn't stand a chance of avoiding their traps."

"It was a crafty ranger, Bentley, back in Marvell who first figured out the idea of using birds as warnings. Bentley ran the Firm's aviary, but he wouldn't let us rangers use any of 'em: told us we had to catch our birds for ourselves."  Ash suddenly closes one eye, stoops, and adopts a bizarre accent.  "'If'n the birds don't care enough to come to ye when yer  looking  for 'em, why'll they bother to save yer arse when ye  need  em??'"  He snickers as he seems to be amused by the memory.

 "Anyway... finding and training Firefeather took a bit of work, but it was worth it. She kept me and the caravan out of the trouble, but it didn't make escorting wagons of coal and lumber any more fun. Truth is, I always wanted to be a hero, an adventurer, like Master Shiro in the old days: someone out saving innocents from evil. I knew I'd need training, so I joined the school: in a few years I'd like to make it to brown belt, then head off to start my own journey." 
 
 Spoiler 
I knew Coffee would know the hawk's species even if I completely didn't. I just came up with the name Firefeather and worked backwards.
 
Athedia
 "Bonding is easier when you and the animal find each other."  Mithril opened her cloak enough that he could see the white head of Whiskers poking out of his pocket.  She closed it again in case the hawk noticed the possible meal.
CoffeeIncluded
 "Lisk told me how caught...Witj nets and bait, hood and jesses. Faithful.

"How trained? Yell like samurai? Still part of firm?" 

Natalia feels a bit lonely as she sees human and animal, but not as much as she once would have been.

 
 Spoiler 
well with a name like Firefeather my first thought was a red tail, bit not with that description or our location.
 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
  
"How trained? Yell like samurai? Still part of firm?"  
 

Ash turns his head a bit at Natalia's strange phrasing but does his best to answer.  "Yes, I trained in the fighting style of the samurai. Everyone does to earn their belts." 
 "And everyone in Soshima is still a guild citizen, we're no barbarians." 
CoffeeIncluded
That's something she keeps hearing over and over.  "Why barbaric, to not want guild?" 

And while the fighting style of he samurai is interesting, it's not for her. Not for her and her speed over strength.
Admiral
Ash blinks in response.  "I never understood that about foreigners,"  he said.  "If you meet a fella on the road, and he has a mark on his hand, you know he's given himself to laws, oaths, protections. His guild protects him if you hurt him, and it will hold him accountable if he hurts you. In any case, something more powerful than either of you is vouching for him." 
 "But if you meet a man without a guildmark, what do you know about him? Is he a bandit, a slaver, a psychotic killer? What's he hiding? Already you're ready for a fight, you have to be. And if you don't have a guildmark either, he'll be thinking the same thing about you. So you have two people passing by each other on the road, each sure the other one's about to slit his throat, with nothing but their swords protecting them... I mean, that's what a barbarian is, innit?"  he adds.  "Someone who has no recourse except his speed and his strength. The rest of us have the law: we have our guilds." 
 "I know you probably had a, uh,"  he thinks for a second to recall the word-  " government  too. But what's stopping a barbarian from walking into your cities, taking what he wants, and escaping? And there's another thing I never understood about foreigners: you're so confident in your ruler you're OK having only one of them? And you're OK with the farmers being ruled by the same person who's ruling the wizards, same person who's ruling the churches? What are the odds that guy knows what's best for  all  of them? Anyway, don't make much sense to me." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia frowns. He makes some good points, and she hopes she can state her response clearly enough.

 "Marks of safety, but also restrain. Limit. Mark you as protected by one, but...one only. What if a farmer and Mage? If Church and Firm, or Church and Institute? Allied to one and neglect others, split strength, weaken the whole. Like cutting...half branches from tree. Lose half the sun, half the green.

Good to protect, but not if forced. Not if forced to choose between good fruits, unable to taste other flavors. I like Instuiute, but what if I wanted Church, or Firm, or Syndicate? Why lock myself...to one mark? If no mark means enjoying all?"  
 
 Spoiler 
i really hope I'm not coming off as whining, obstinate, or uncooperative here, am I? Natalia and I don't think the guilds are perfect, but an I expressing her concerns in a mature, in character, and ultimately constructive way instead of just bashing your setting? Because I really don't want to do that.

Also, I think this is a good piece of Nutspeak. Is it?
 
Athedia
Mithril nodded as Natalia spoke.   "Take me, I am a cloth merchants daughter, a church gave me access to books that allowed me to learn my art and a small town wizard taught me the rest.  The syndicate doesn't quite fit in my story, but the point still stands.  Without those three I would not be here before you.  And in discussions with the librarians at the Institute and an archivist from the Church I see problems.  They keep their information locked away, only for those who have gotten the mark to peruse.  I assume the other two guilds have a similiar practice.  This locking away of knowledge is foreign to me." 
 "And in answer to your question of rulers.  It never truely concerns us.  A farmers crops still grow depending on the weather, a book still reads the same and money is still worth the metal it is made from.  A ruler gives us someone to tell tales about, to dream about being called into service for, but other than that we are not concerned, they give us general rules to follow and otherwise allow us to prosper.  We also have the power to rise up, though seldom has such an occurrence happened, but the books tell stories of heroes who overthrew tyrants and united the lands." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia nods, continuing where Mithril left off.  "Maybe rule of many better. Many voices, many ideas, less...stagnation, less swampwater. Boats move faster...with many than one. But not if rowers split, not if rowers row...in different ways. Or if one one knows, and...won't share. Many stronger than one, but...need to row in same direction. Or stuck all the same." 
 
 Spoiler 
Am I portraying Natalia's brand of Chaotic well? Is it chaotic?
 
Cavelcade
Kurt watches in silence as the orcs pass through, finding the whole situation very ominous. As they ride along, he doesn't join in the debate, instead drumming his hand along the hilt of the greatsword he holds.  "How much longer until we get close, do you think?" 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
 Natalia frowns. He makes some good points, and she hopes she can state her response clearly enough.

 "Marks of safety, but also restrain. Limit. Mark you as protected by one, but...one only. What if a farmer and Mage? If Church and Firm, or Church and Institute? Allied to one and neglect others, split strength, weaken the whole. Like cutting...half branches from tree. Lose half the sun, half the green. "  
 

The ranger chuckles.  "If I ever meet a farmer mage, I'll be sure to check the back of his hand." 

 Good to protect, but not if forced. Not if forced to choose between good fruits, unable to taste other flavors. I like Instuiute, but what if I wanted Church, or Firm, or Syndicate? Why lock myself...to one mark? If no mark means enjoying all?"  

 "No mark doesn't mean enjoying them all,"  he says simply,  "at least not in Eldgar."  He looks around to check the horizon for a minute before continuing.  "Nothing good can come from wanting everything. You might as well ask why you can't be in two places at once." 

  
 Spoiler 
i really hope I'm not coming off as whining, obstinate, or uncooperative here, am I? Natalia and I don't think the guilds are perfect, but an I expressing her concerns in a mature, in character, and ultimately constructive way instead of just bashing your setting? Because I really don't want to do that.

Also, I think this is a good piece of Nutspeak. Is it?
 
 

 
 Spoiler 
Yep, great as always. There's no need to worry so much. Debate about the guilds is great. And if I have an issue I'll tell you. (Also, you have a bit of a tendency to ask if people like what you're doing, which if done too much can come across as fishing for compliments!)
 


 
 Originally Posted by athedia 
 Mithril nodded as Natalia spoke.   "Take me, I am a cloth merchants daughter, a church gave me access to books that allowed me to learn my art and a small town wizard taught me the rest.  The syndicate doesn't quite fit in my story, but the point still stands.  Without those three I would not be here before you.  And in discussions with the librarians at the Institute and an archivist from the Church I see problems.  They keep their information locked away, only for those who have gotten the mark to peruse.  I assume the other two guilds have a similiar practice.  This locking away of knowledge is foreign to me."  
 

The ranger thinks about that.  "I've never been outside of the continent,"  he says,  "and I don't suppose I've ever been to a library, unless the record halls of the Firm count. I did once guard a caravan of books to Marvell, destined to stock the Institute's library, and they sent along an Institute librarian with us, an ancient old elf who'd studied in all kinds of distant lands. We got to chatting, and she said that the largest libraries on the other continents were locked up tight, held secret by the most powerful wizards or temples: that by contrast, the Institute's library was more open than any of them."  He pauses for a moment to check the sky for Firefeather.

 "She said something else: that even the largest libraries in those countries were dwarfed by what the Institute was building in Marvell. And she said even that wasn't as big as it gets: she said that the library in Providencia was so enormous, they had to use powerful magic to  shrink  it so it could fit! Whatever they're doing, sounds to me like they're doin' it right." 

  "And in answer to your question of rulers.  It never truely concerns us.  A farmers crops still grow depending on the weather, a book still reads the same and money is still worth the metal it is made from.  A ruler gives us someone to tell tales about, to dream about being called into service for, but other than that we are not concerned, they give us general rules to follow and otherwise allow us to prosper.  We also have the power to rise up, though seldom has such an occurrence happened, but the books tell stories of heroes who overthrew tyrants and united the lands."  

The samurai considers this.  "I don't know much about history,"  he says,  "but I think Eldgar once had rulers a little like that. Except they didn't win their thrones in battle like you say, they were chosen by the people. But the rulers were weak, and people started not to trust them: they trusted the guilds. And once the guilds grew strong enough, there was just no reason for rulers anymore." 

He shrugs.  "Anyway, not like I chose how things are, or have any say in changing it. All you can do is look at what you can fix, like these barbarians here, and make what difference you can. No reason to dream about turning back the tide." 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by Cavelcade 
 Kurt watches in silence as the orcs pass through, finding the whole situation very ominous. As they ride along, he doesn't join in the debate, instead drumming his hand along the hilt of the greatsword he holds.  "How much longer until we get close, do you think?"  
 

The ranger takes a careful look at the sun and the surrounding landscape.  "Two hours, maybe two and a half, about an hour before sunset. I haven't been in these regions since the Horde took it over." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "But why not try everything? Just...guilds force choosing sides. Don't like having...to choose...sides." 

Nevertheless, when Asj describes that giant library, Natalia looks at Mithril with a broad grin. They have got to check out this library.

The rogue thinks for a moment before responding.  "Maybe. Can't go forward if always looking back. But...need to know where path started. Better way for all. Maybe way to bring guild walls down,"  she says, more to herself than anyone else. But just what is the history of this land?

Finally, when Ash says how close they are, she asks,  "So close to night? What here before?" 
 
 Spoiler 
thanks. I was just worried about coming off as whiny and complaining, especially with, well, you know. as to asking how I'm doing, honestly I'm eager to do a good job and always a bit worried about screwing things up like before. Thanks.

Anyway, lets see what's up by the fort!
 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
  "But why not try everything? Just...guilds force choosing sides. Don't like having...to choose...sides." 

The rogue thinks for a moment before responding.  "Maybe. Can't go forward if always looking back. But...need to know where path started. Better way for all. Maybe way to bring guild walls down,"  she says, more to herself than anyone else. But just what is the history of this land? 
 

At the mention of the "guild walls," Ash gently rolls his eyes and goes back to focusing on the road.


 Finally, when Ash says how close they are, she asks,  "So close to night? What here before?"  

Ash shakes his head a bit as he tries to parse her questions.  "We'll arrive before sunset, yes, that's the farthest we could travel in a day. 'Here before?'" 
CoffeeIncluded
Just what history, what bad blood was there between the guilds? Clearly it didn't extend through all the members, but...

She'll get those answers (along with Shiny's) later. For now, she asks,  "What here, when you traveled...before Horde?" 
Admiral
The ranger sighs as he thinks back.  "This territory used to be ruled by the Crusaders,"  he says.  "and it was easier to pass through, if you came at night. The Horde took it almost a year ago, and their patrols are thicker, and more merciless to humans. Now  this  is a bit of history everyone in Soshima knows: the bards won't stop singing about it." 
 "The Crusaders had a fort at the river, held by maybe three hundred men, when the Horde invaded from the West with more than ten times that. From what I'm told, the invaders probably expected it to be an easy fight. What they must not have known was that some Crusader general was marching with all his forces just a few miles East: thousands of human soldiers hungry for orc blood. When the two armies met at the river, the clash led to the bloodiest battle in more than fifty years."

"The river is about five hundred feet wide at that point, and about forty feet deep at its center. Imagine two shores with nothin' but screaming barbarians on either side, desperate to cross over and kill the other. They say that the soldiers first started crossing in boats, and when they ran out of boats they cobbled together rafts. When they ran out of rafts they started swimming, and soon that became unnecessary as they started just wading over the arrow-ridden corpses that had clogged the water."  Ash shivers even in the warm desert air.  "And the river kept the battle slow enough that reinforcements just kept arriving, called in from all over the surrounding plains." 
 "I don't know how the Horde ended up triumphant, though with the Horde it always seems to be about their numbers. I do know that even thirty miles away in Soshima, the Takagawa River turned dark red, poisoning a season's worth of rice, and stayed that color for over a week. So that's the story of the Battle of the Red River." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia boggles at the sheer scale of the battle. And the blood. The thought of white water running red makes her ill, and all she can say is,  "If only kept hatred to selves. Destroyed selves, not is. But hatred flows like blood, poisons us too. So...have to StoP them then. With more blood..." 
 
 Spoiler 
i can't help but feel bad when you type all that and this is all I can respond with.
 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
 Natalia boggles at the sheer scale of the battle. And the blood. The thought of white water running red makes her ill, and all she can say is,  "If only kept hatred to selves. Destroyed selves, not is. But hatred flows like blood, poisons us too. So...have to ATP them then. With more blood..."  
 

Ash nods, and turns his attention back to the surroundings.


  
 Spoiler 
i can't help but feel bad when you type all that and this is all I can respond with.
 
 

 
 Spoiler 
Nah, this one I'd basically written in my head over the last week while doing other stuff. Just looking for a chance to use it. ETA: Anyway, one advantage of being the DM is that you have a whole continent's worth of history you can generate, so I rarely lack for inspiration. In some ways it's easier than saying "How would my character react to this?"

What is ATP?

Anyone can keep talking, you'll reach whatever's next by tonight realtime.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia looks around to see if any traces of the battle made their way here and remain. She also looks for orcs.  "Why fight, when people like Zenn..." 
 
 Spoiler 
i thought so, and thanks. ATP is auto corrected stop. It's supposed to say stop. Are the monks still at Soshima or did they return to where we ce from?
And yes, it can definitely be much easier.
 


Edit:  
 Spoiler 
admiral, what do you plan to do with Miriam of Achinca is back before we blow the gunpowder?
 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
 Edit:  
 Spoiler 
admiral, what do you plan to do with Miriam if Achinca is back before we blow the gunpowder?
 
 
 

 
 Spoiler 
Not your concern.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Originally Posted by Admiral 
  
 Spoiler 
Not your concern.
 
 
 

 
 Spoiler 
Ok then.

Uh, is there a craft dc and a time to make the hollowed out crossbow part of the trap, and if so what is it? Because I'll probably do that part while we head to the Orc fort then.
 
Cavelcade
Kurt looks around sadly, sighing as the story goes on.  "That's the problem, isn't it. Not all people are like Zenn, and some people are almost his complete opposite...willing to do whatever it takes to get the to the top. The problem is that that way is so damn effectively."  He growls angrily at that.  "People will fall into line too easily, take the chance to take revenge for something that happened years ago, some accident or hell, even something imagined and then they're under the thumb of the one in charge." 

He mutters something else darkly in dwarven, but it's too low to properly be made out -suffice to say the tone is unpleasant.
CoffeeIncluded
 "Zenn like peace, but also Zenn...half. Human and Orc."  She shakes her head.  "What revenge here? Stand and scream and kill, can't see blood poison? Stupid. All stupid. And...will we help? Or make more stupid, more revenge and puppets? I hope we cut strings, not make more." 

She looks at Kurt curiously. Is there some history behind his words?
Cavelcade
 "History's long, and we're just a part of it. All we can do is our best Natalia, leave history to the historians."  Kurt seems to have put his mutterings out of his mind again, focusing once more on the task at hand.
CoffeeIncluded
 "But...why not make own?"  Natalia says quietly before returning to her own task--carving out the crossbow to fit a flask of liquid fire.
Cavelcade
Kurt laughs a little.  "My father used to say that it was the bards who decide history, not the heroes. If you want to end up in them, you have to convince them you're worth something, and bards are so fickle there's no point in making the effort - just do your best anyway." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Shouldn't be problem with Shiny....if he remembers to ...put us in autobiographies,"  Natalia says slowly and with a smile.  "But...worth something? You are, but...me?"  She shakes her head.  "If bards decide history, then decide from choices. So...make the choices. Like what...you say." 
Admiral
 "I'm sorry to say I've already written my memoirs,"  Shiny says over his shoulder when he hears Natalia.  "It was titled  Never Arm Wrestle a Werewolf , by Shiny Shadyfeet, autobiographer and gravedigger. But if you'll want to hear more about it, you'll have to buy the book." 

The party continues for over another hour, when the ranger's hawk again alerts them to some danger and they need to take cover. This time the danger was more narrowly avoided, with the barbarians emerging mere seconds after they had secured their cover in a cave, but the party remains safe. At that point, the samurai instructs Shiny to tie up his warpony in the cave.  "We're almost there,"  he says,  "and the terrain will get flatter so there'll be nowhere to hide her. If you're going to leave your pony, now's the time to do it." 
 
 Spoiler 

My proposal for what Natalia would come up with would be more like an hourglass. Put a hole in the bottom of the flour like you suggested, and suspend it above a cup or plate rigged to the trigger mechanism so that, when the cup gets heavy enough, it triggers the crossbow. This makes more sense to me than the plan of having the flour "hold the trigger down", which I'm not sure works since it's pulling the trigger than shoots the bolt, not letting it go.

Carving out a chunk of the crossbow Natalia can do without a check, let's say, it's just some woodcarving and she has both ranks and practice. Setting up the timed flour trap once you're there will require a Craft DC check. Now  that's  one you don't want to fail.

If you get to the point where you're setting up the timed device at the gunpowder, you'll have a choice when you set it up, to do it slowly and carefully (take 10 on the check) and take two minutes, where she can be sure it doesn't go off, or do it in one minute and take the risk of accidentally triggering it. Natalia doesn't know as of now how risky it is, but she knows she can  probably , not certainly, do it even if she's rushed: perhaps 75%.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "No group discount?"  Natalia asks. When the other warning for orcs comes, Natalia practically presses herself into the ceiling of the cave. She gets down slowly, careful not to disturb the freshly-carved crossbow, which she thumbs carefully. Now she's nervous. This is something she can't afford to screw up. Because if she does...

They'll all die. They'll all die because of her.

 
 Spoiler 
I've got a +14 modifier to Craft as it is. And...that is not a check I want to fail. Or want to risk, considering my luck. What other illusions besides invisibility and silence does Shiny have that will work to conceal the group? And the invisibility lasts six minutes and silence lasts several hours, right? I think we can afford to wait two minutes and do it right?

And I was thinking something like a string balanced between the trigger and the flour, similar to the trap Natalia failed to set off back when she joined the guild. I dunno, I'm prevet, not an engineer! 😛

Thanks. This is going to be damned risky if I rush it. And I don't want to be the cause of a TPK!
 
Admiral
With Natalia's help, Shiny ties his pony to a rock outcropping, and the group sets forth again, with Shiny hustling to keep up with the others. As they walk, the hills get shorter and the canyons more shallow, which Ash attributes to their approaching the flatter regions of the river. In half an hour, with the sun lower in the sky, Ash says they'll soon be out in the open grassland in front of the orc encampment.

As they round another short hill, Firefeather suddenly swoops down in a circuitous arc and lands on Ash's arm, where she lets out a quiet caw in the ranger's face. Ash gives a sheepish smile to the others:  "Sounds like she has something to say." 

Ash closes his eyes, mutters a few words, and waves his other hand in a few motions- the familiar motions of a spell being cast. He reopens his eyes, and when he speaks again it is not in the common tongue: he emits the caws and calls of a bird, but not in a loud and squaking way: the sounds are quiet and oddly respectful. The hawk responds with some noises of its own, and their conversation continues for a couple of minutes, with the samurai seeming alternately concerned and satisfied.

He turns to the group, and when he speaks his voice is normal but still quiet.  "Our scout here has some reports about what lies ahead. Just two hills ahead of us lies the final ridge, after which there is open plains. But there are two orc sentries posted there, right around the last bend. We'll have to handle them before proceeding, unless we are to slip past them." 
 "After those hills lie wide open grassland approaching the river encampment. Firefeather estimates it might take us about four minutes to cross them if we hurry. At the end of that open region lies the trenches and short fences surrounding the camp, where perhaps twenty orcs are stationed with crossbows watching all around them. They've cut down the grass all through this flat region so it will be difficult to hide. Now, orcs can't see as well during the day, but our chances of not being seen are quite slim once we get even a small distance into this field. So if'n you were planning on turning us all invisible,"  he points to the gnome,  "that might be a good time to do it." 
 "But again, first we have to handle these two sentries. Firefeather says they'll be standing about fifty feet from where we would emerge onto the field, and she says it's likely they're watching in both directions. So sneaking up on them could be difficult. Thoughts?" 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Stand in sight of other orcs?"  Natalia asks.  "Way to lure silently...to us? Or away?" 
 
 Spoiler 
This seems to be more Kurt's forte...but maybe cast a silence on the area, lure them, and kill them? How close are they? Sorry, it's kinda hard to tell where exactly things are without a map.
 
Admiral
The samurai frowns.  "If they saw us, they'd be more likely to run off and raise the alarm than to come at us." 
 "I could try putting them to sleep,"  Shiny says thoughtfully,  "but there's no way of knowing whether it will work on even one of them, let along both."  He looks to Natalia.  "Or I could turn you invisible." 
 
 Spoiler 
You guys are a couple of minutes away from them, far enough that they can't hear you talking quietly, and they can't see you. When you emerge from around the last hill, you will be about fifty feet from them, and judging from the hawk's description one is likely to see you.
 
Cavelcade
Kurt frowns a bit, chewing his lip.  "I suppose we could...or we could try and put them to sleep, maybe?  He glances in Shiny's direction at that.  "Either way it might set off an alarm and let them know we're coming, and they'd be more alert for at attack. Do you think that's enough time for us to fly to the camp and find the object while we're invisible?" 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Maybe find gunpowder first with magic, before triggering traps? So...don't start clock early. Find first, don't waste tick-tocks. 
 
 Spoiler 
Are we close enough to the camp for Mithril's Locate Object to work?

How close are the guards to each other. And can't Mithril Haste us all for a burst of speed while flying?
 
Athedia
 "If Shiny were to use his spells to make us silent and unseen, I could make us like Firefeather.  Natalia, you didn't see the Institutes library but they showed it to me.  The mages fly to the tops of bookshelves, as fast as walking.  We could do the same.  Be warned I can not cast many of these spells, we may have to carry each other." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia suppresses a delighted squeal at the prospect of flying through the sky.  "But enough to get across, into gunpowder room?" 
Athedia
 "It should be, and the entry will be simple enough.  Kurt is the strongest, and I well I guess I am next in line.  So Kurt will have to carry you Natalia, I know you want to fly on your own, but that comes later. I will carry Shiny, I did it once before.  Then once we are in the center of the camp I will try to locate the powder, the center should give us the widest area for the spell to reach, unless we see a better point in our flight."   Here she paused, collecting her thoughts so she would stop rambling.

 "The escape will be more complicated.  I assume that you, Natalia, will want to go last.  To finish the trap and then flee.  So I will shrink myself, I did it to you once Shiny, though though I doubt you remember. It works the opposite of Miriams spell for Kurt.  She makes people large, I can make them small.  This should make it easy enough for Kurt to grab the both of us and fly away.  Leaving the last spell cast on you Natalia, free to fly on your own." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Wait, and leave me behind? With own firebomb trap? You...wait?"  Natalia starts shaking. What if she can't escape in time? What if none of them do?

But if this is the only way...
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by athedia 
  "It should be, and the entry will be simple enough.  Kurt is the strongest, and I well I guess I am next in line.  So Kurt will have to carry you Natalia, I know you want to fly on your own, but that comes later. I will carry Shiny, I did it once before.  Then once we are in the center of the camp I will try to locate the powder, the center should give us the widest area for the spell to reach, unless we see a better point in our flight."   Here she paused, collecting her thoughts so she would stop rambling.

 "The escape will be more complicated.  I assume that you, Natalia, will want to go last.  To finish the trap and then flee.  So I will shrink myself, I did it to you once Shiny, though though I doubt you remember. It works the opposite of Miriams spell for Kurt.  She makes people large, I can make them small.  This should make it easy enough for Kurt to grab the both of us and fly away.  Leaving the last spell cast on you Natalia, free to fly on your own."  
 

Shiny thinks.  "I've been weight-training recently,"  he said,  "trying to reach the former heights of Shiny Strongarm, musclegnome and dictionary editor. But even so, I suppose you're right that I shouldn't be the one doing the carrying." 

Once Mithril has explained her plans, the samurai frowns and breathes out slowly.  "I was ordered by my masters to join you in the assault. I assumed I would enter the base with you. But I suppose if it is tactically impossible for me to come, I can here and wait for you after your escape."  He seems unhappy about it, as though he feels he might be defying orders.

 "I do have a wand,"  Shiny notes,  "That can double Kurt or someone else in size, though only for a minute."  He thinks.  "We still can't carry Ash Aviantongue in... but it would let Kurt and Mithril have a much easier time carrying us. And more importantly, I've seen Kurt as a giant, but not Mithril, and that's something I have to see before I die." 
 
 Spoiler 
Enlarging Kurt and Mithril would let them fly 50% faster (120 per round instead of 80, two minutes to cross the open field instead of three) because Natalia and Shiny would become light loads rather than medium loads. If you want to go that route, we have enough charges on the wand.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Giant Mithril? But...already tall,"  Natalia says, though shakily. She's shaking from the plan, now that it's so close.

 
 Spoiler 
yes please! And I'll be on and off, helping my mom clean.
 
Athedia
Mithril squeezed Ash's shoulder.   "I promise if I had more spells you would join us.  But I am not yet strong enough to carry that knowledge." 

As she listened to Shiny's suggestion she laughed.   "I guess you shall see me as a giant and a midget today.  Let us hope I can return to my original size." 
Admiral
The group finishes their careful planning. Early in it, Shiny casts a spell, and smiles.  "Now there's no need to keep our voices down,"  he says.  "Now as long as you stay real close to me..."  he gestures to move in closer...  "Then no one outside can hear us, but we can hear them. Needless to say, this spell has made me quite the hit at parties, among the more gossip-prone gnomes." 

The group agrees there is no sense attacking the sentries when they could just fly over them with less chance of alerting anyone. They figure based on the bird's description that it will take about two minutes to reach the edge of the encampment, perhaps another thirty seconds to reach the center. After a quick discussion between Mithril and Kurt about the flight plan, during which time Ash calls over Shiny to discuss a few last details, they start their preparations.

 
 Spoiler 
Let's say Shiny left his rapier, armor and crossbow with his warpony, and that he cast  mage armor  then, so there's only one place he has to go back to pick stuff up. It would be rude to ask the samurai to hold it.
 


Shiny first places his wand on Kurt, and then Mithril, to enlarge both of them. Once he gets the spells to take hold, the two of them end up towering over the others like giants. As soon as Mithril grows, she responds by casting her spell of flying on the giant dwarf. Then as Shiny goes back to his trick of casting a spell of invisibility on a copper piece, which he slips into his front pocket, Mithril casts her spell of flight on herself.

Knowing that there is no time to waste, Kurt picks up Natalia, and Mithril picks up the gnome. The two of them look upward, and through force of will take off into the sky. The samurai below cannot see or hear them, but he looks to where he imagines they have gone, and snaps into a Soshiman salute.

 
 Spoiler 
Will post the next part when I get a chance either tonight or tomorrow morning. In the meantime, we can get a spot and listen check from everyone, and a reaction so far if you want one.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia steps back as her friends more than double in size. She's used to seeing Kurt grow so huge, but the sight of Mithril so huge in front of her, already tall enough normally that the rogue had to look up to meet the mage in the eye, sends her blushing with a smile.

As they soar through the air, Natalia spreads out her arms like bird's wings and lets out a bright peal of laughter as the wind ripples her hair and sends her coat fringes out behind her like tailfeathers.
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Spoiler 
Sorry, forgot to post these checks. I can't take 10 or 20, can I?

[roll]Spot:  (d20+9)[ 15 ] 
Listen:  (d20+9)[ 17 ] 
 
Admiral
Soaring into the air is as amazing as the party could have expected. Shiny and Natalia experience only the secondhand feeling of being lifted, but the giant Mithril and Kurt experience a wondrous feeling of power and freedom. Kurt reflects that off the ground, moving with nothing but his will, his mithril armor has never felt lighter.

The four waste no time in darting straight towards the encampment with all the speed they can muster, knowing that the spells are temporary. They pass over three hills, and then, just as Firefeather had described, come out onto an open plain, the orc encampment already visible ahead. They soar over the pair of sentries the hawk had mentioned, and have to suppress the urge to laugh at how effectively they've slipped right by their watchful eyes.

The encampment looms ahead as they soar over the fields, and they see with dread that the Soshima masters had not exaggerated its size. The camp is filled with tents, some huge, some quite small, all painted with the barbaric war signs of the Horde. It is surrounded by a simple barrier: a deep trench, with a short stone fence behind it. It's clear that the purpose of the barrier is to slow an charging force rather than to help in a siege or other extended warfare: as the Soshima masters had mentioned, the Horde trusts strength in numbers above all else.

And numbers they have. Though the tents look quiet, with the orcs all presumably asleep or resting, the fence is guarded by dozens of orcs in just the region they can see, all facing out towards the fields, watching carefully. Some rest crossbows on the fence, while others pace back and forth with longbows on their backs. Around the fields ride a few other patrols, ranging in size from eight orcs to twenty. There are also a couple of hastily built stone towers, perhaps twenty feet tall, from which orc archers watch the surrounding terrain. If this is how many orcs guard the base during the day, they shudder to think how many are awake at night, and how many are right now asleep in those tents, ready for battle at the sound of a horn.

While Natalia focuses mainly on the camp ahead, her eyes dart down to the fields below. She spots a couple of pit traps similar to the one that had threatened her life back in the giant's camp, and guesses there are more dotting the field that she can't see. Traveling over these fields, even invisible, would have indeed been treacherous.

The orc encampment, unlike Soshima, is equally spaced on both sides of the river. A wide, sturdy wooden bridge connects the two sides, the only construction in the encampment that seems to have been undertaken with some care and attention. There are three tents far larger than any other, one on each side of the river, and a third, the largest, that fully straddles the river, a bit downstream from the bridge.

Their plan shows great efficacy as they soar above the fences and into the orc encampment. They make almost no noise, as all except some of Kurt's armor is completely muffled by Shiny's spell, and in any case the guards would hardly know what to make of a few indistinct noises coming from above. As they go, Shiny counts off a little under a minute and then quickly renews both Mithril's and Kurt's spells of enlargement, sometimes requiring two or three tries. It feels strange to come so close to their enemies without engaging them; except for Shiny, to whom the feeling is quite familiar from his experience in the orc camp.

The four travelers continue to fly over the tents, but soon realize something they hadn't considered: the gunpowder could be on either side of the river, which is five hundred feet wide. Mithril's spell could cover almost one full side of the camp at a time, or the group could move to the center of the river and cover a region of either side closer to the water, but there is no way to cover the entire encampment at once.

 
 Spoiler 
Natalia could have taken 10, but not now that the rolls have been made (of course no taking 20).

2.5 minutes passed. No more until everyone's checked in: we've made lots of progress so I'm happy to wait a day.

Shiny's rolls:
Spot:  (1d20-2)[ 6 ] 
Listen:  (1d20-2)[ 11 ] 
 
CoffeeIncluded
The wondrous feeling of flight isn't quite replaced by dread, but the dread definitely makes itself more known as she hisses,  "Pits below. Retreat by sky too,"  to the group, and then turns to near-panic as she realizes the camp is too big to locate the gunpowder with one spell. Frantically, she looks around, to see if there's any large buildings, any buildings that seem out of place, with an unusually heavy guard presence or significantly more fortified than the others. If gunpowder causes that much of an explosion, they probably wouldn't put it in a tent.

 
 Spoiler 
Anything unusual, a stone or wood fort instead of a tent, a building out of place if the rest of the camp is symmetrical, a building or tent far off from the rest? Can we get all three big tents with one go of the spell?
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 

There are basically no wooden or stone structures visible other than the wooden bridge and the stone fence and guard towers surrounding the fort. If you're interested in some realism: there's no forests for many miles, and stone is heavy, but linen or cotton tents can be woven (or stolen), and are light enough to ship easily. You see a hodgepodge of various textiles and leather among the tents.

Mithril can get two tents at once: one on either side of the river and the one in the center.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Spoiler 
How does the tent go 500 feet across the river? Do the edges of the tent just stop right at the riverbank, or do they go beyond the riverbank?

Is there any way to tell how wet the ground is around the riverbank, and how far out the ground is wet? I don't think they'd store gunpowder in a wet place; whomever gave it to them probably made that very clear.

So there are no buildings that seem out of place? Larger than others, or more heavily guarded?

I'm about to go to bed now, but ugh, what to do.

Worst case, Mithril uses the circlet for another charge of Locate Object and not another flight spell, maybe? I can still fly with Gaseous Form. Or you could all wait for me.
 
Cavelcade
Kurt looks around anxiously as well, glancing over at Mithril as the euphoria of flying fades, the reality of finding the powder setting in.  "What do you want to do? You're who has to do it, so it's your choice." 
 
 Spoiler 
A wizard did it.
 
Athedia
Mithril paused, the mission had almost left her memory in the thrill of flying.   "I guess we should just pick a side and pray.  But even though it is my spell, it is Natalia's skill and life in the risk.  And your might Kurt, to bring us back." 
 
 Spoiler 
Spot  (1d20+3)[ 22 ] 
Listen  (1d20+3)[ 4 ] 
 


Even though the only sounds she was able to hear were the currents of wind passing through the silent and unseeable bubble, Mithril could see her surroundings clearly.  The river looked different from up here, different from being up a tall hill.  Maybe if she flew high enough she could touch the clouds.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia pauses, shuddering in fear. Though she knows her words could lead to her death, she speaks regardless.

 "If two to find gunpowder, then...two to find gunpowder. If...no flight for me, then...then that's o-okay. I can fly...a little. Gas spell. Flight of my own. Magic of my own. And quick feet. My trap...my safety. Not yours. Find trap. Leave to me...I...I w-won't fail..." 

Natalia's visibly shaking in Kurt's arms, but her voice remains as firm as possible. She can't fail her friends. Better them than her.

 
 Spoiler 
If Mithril wants to use the circlet to cast Locate Object twice and not cast Fly on Natalia, that's fine. Natalia can get out on her own with Gaseous Form and run the rest of the way. With DR 10/magic under gaseous form, Evasion, and a +11 reflex save, she's got the best chance of dodge-tanking the blast.

And if not, well, you can reincarnate from charred bone fragments, right?

Should I roll another spot check?
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 

There are three big tents (no guarantee the gunpowder is necessarily in one of them, but Coffee was interested in which would be covered): one on the east side, one of the west side, one in the center. Mithril has five general choices I can think of:

1. Cover the entire east side, not the center tent
2. Cover the entire west side, not the center test
3. Cover 50% of the east side near the water (incl big east tent) and the center tent, missing the west
4. Cover 50% of the west side near the water (incl big west tent) and the center tent, but leave the west side alone
5. Go to the center of the river, and cover about 25% of each side nearest the river along with the center tent (no other tents).
 
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Spoiler 
Hm...It seems like covering the entire east and west sides would be the best idea. Because if it's not in either, then it's got to be in the center tent.

(And honestly I doubt the gunpowder's in the center tent because then it would be in the river and ruined, but orcs aren't exactly known for their intelligence.

Did any of us spot anything off?)
 
Admiral
As Mithril flies over the field, she spots various pit traps, and spots a few little details of the orcs guarding the fence, but sees nothing that could indicate where the gunpowder is hidden.

 
 Spoiler 
Nothing in particular. There are many types of tents made of various textiles: canvas, cotton, linen, a few of leather, a few of silk. Some guards walk among the tents but none of them wear t-shirts that say "Gunpowder Patrol."

Athedia should post by tomorrow morning with the decision, otherwise we'll go with Coffee's choice.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Spoiler 
Okay, now I'm convinced Mithril was a rogue or something with a maxed spot rank in a previous life.

And you sure about that, Admiral? Everybody loves T-shirts! And it's always good to know just who's responsible for not turning you into shrapnel. 😉

Heh, okay then. I guess it was a good idea then? Goodnight, and I can't wait until tomorrow!
 
Athedia
Mithril looked over the camp.   "The west side.  We can hope that that will work."   She prayed she had made the right decision and cast her spell as she moved into position.

 
 Spoiler 
west side, not center tent
 
Admiral
Mithril and the others fly to a position at the center of the west side of the camp, and the wizard casts her spell, imagining the color and texture of gunpowder as the masters of Soshima had described to her...

But when she concludes her arcane motions, she feels nothing- the spell has failed.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia pauses, looking at Mithril in concern. She's starting to sweat, and she can feel the sudden blue on the back of her neck. Invisibility won't do anything about the colors she can feel.  "Then...maybe east?"  She shakes her head.  "If two findings, then no flight for me...at least...none from you. Though still. Flight from me, by me. I'll...be fine. Mission, your flight, more...important." 
Athedia
Mithrils face hardened in panic. Then the warmth of her circlet reminded her of the plan.   "Natalia, are you sure you will be safe?  Able to escape?  There is no guarantee I will be able to find it with my last casting of this spell." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia closes her eyes.  "No, but...if not east, then in river tent."  But how would that work? Flour only exploded when dry and dusty; gunpowder should work the same, right?

She shakes her head.  "Not sure if safe...if..but better me than you. If one left, then...then me...My life. Won't leave you again to doom. My trap. Not yours."  But isn't that what she was doing anyway?

 "What...what other way? How..to wait? Enough weight for all?" 
Athedia
Mithril geared up for there last chance.  Boccob willing the gun powder would be found quickly.   
 Spoiler 
Locate object on the other side.
 
Admiral
The four adventurers soar over to the other side of the camp. Mithril closes her eyes and casts the spell, more hopeful now that the other half of the encampment has been ruled out...

But when the spell finishes, she is left with the same emptiness. Her spell had failed to find anything.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia blinks.  "Then in river? Why? And...why tent over river? Swimming orcs? Swimming steel?"  She pauses, openmouthed, and seems to come to a decision.  "Fly down. I'll sneak look. See what cloth hides." 
 
 Spoiler 
Natalia wants to sneak into the tent with Gaseous Form, preferably while still in range of silence and invisibility sphere, so nobody spots her peeking in. Here are rolls to see and hear if orcs are in the tent.

 (d20+9)[ 10 ] 
 (d20+9)[ 19 ] 

How much time is left with he spells?
 
Cavelcade
 "If you want, I can carry us all in easily enough as well, I think."  Kurt offers his services, looking down at the tent curiously.  "I hope the - the gunpowder is still in the camp. If it's already left..." 

Suddenly his eyes open wide.  "What if it's another boat, a boat made of metal like they described? Natalia, can you get into that?" 
CoffeeIncluded
 "...Gunpowder? On ship! Ship, if not a tent, a tarp! Ship, send powder in steel to Soshima, send fire to their door!"  She nods frantically.  "Gas spell, gas through cracks, even through your armor, any hole. I can...get in." 
Admiral
Deciding to check out the last tent, Kurt and Mithril fly the others down in a swooping arc down towards the tent, coming from the north side. There are only about five feet between the canvas of the tent and the rushing water. The enlarged Mithril and Kurt have a bit of trouble fitting under, such that Shiny and Natalia get a face-full of water, but the splash is small enough in the running water that it seems unlikely to alarm anyone.

The inside of the tent is cavernous and deeply dark, the small space along the water providing only a small amount of illumination, and the group flies forward to explore the space. For a moment they hear nothing but the echoing water. But as they move forward they can hear a faint creaking from the western side of the river, and fly towards it. Kurt is the first to see the source, his dwarven eyes well accustomed to darkness, and moments later Shiny gasps as he sees it as well.

For Natalia and Mithril, the shape slowly melts out of the darkness as their human eyes slowly adjust to the dim light. Jagged edges come into being as if being knitted from the darkness itself. As they grow closer they appreciate its form: it looks like an enormous, scaly beetle swimming just alongside the shore. The shape is a hundred feet long and fifty feet wide, and covered in sharp, twisted edges that jut violently out of its side. As they come up alongside it, they see that the dim light is reflected from its side with an unearthly gleam, and they realize it is made of metal.

Kurt and Natalia's suspicions seem to be confirmed: they've found the weapon to be used on Soshima.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia splutters, spitting out water and then her words.  "Not a tent, a tarp! Powder inside, flame in steel..." 
She looks at the ship, wondering if there's a window where she can peer inside.

 
 Spoiler 
Spot:  (d20+9)[ 11 ] 
...Really?
If somebody casts Invisibility and maybe Silence on me, I can Gaseous Form inside and search out the gunpowder in the ship myself.
 
Cavelcade
Kurt whistles softly, looking over the ship in front of him.  "The craft of building these..."  He sighs a little, seeing something so wonderful designed only for destruction.
CoffeeIncluded
 "Beyond orcs? With magic at all?"  Natalia scans the ship with widening eyes. Was it all metal, or metal encasing wood? How did it stay afloat? What technology was used for this?
Admiral
As Natalia stares at it, her eyes still adjusting to the very dim light reflecting from the water, she notices it seems to be crafted from thousands of sword and blades and spears, all crudely made and melted to fit together. The structure seems secure enough to prevent anyone from entering, but she can see the gaps where air can soak through.

Natalia doesn't know too much about boats, and even less about this "gunpowder." But she knows a trap when she sees one. And from the Soshiman masters' descriptions of the damage at the Church fortress, it seems clear that when the gunpowder goes off, this structure is intended to fracture and shred everyone around it.

 
 Spoiler 

If Natalia gaseous forms her way in, how is she going to see anything?
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Floating shrapnel,"  Natalia hisses in realization.  "Unmanned, I think, but all arms. Weapons in hull, fired by gunpowder, not orcs. Sail the bomb to Soshima."  And yet, part of her grins at the irony they're about to induce.  "Or set off here. Floating shrapnel, filled within...by gunpowder. Maybe. Everywhere, maybe. But can't tell outside." 
 
 Spoiler 
It's the only way to get inside to the gunpowder, isn't it? There's no light that seeps through the cracks? Humans can see a candle light from miles away; the light seeping in should be enough to see a little bit. Does Mithril have/prepare Darkvision?

Unless...If this thing is a suicide bomb, then is there gunpowder everywhere, not just one room? In that case, it won't matter where Natalia sets the trap, as there will be gunpowder everywhere? Still, there's no way to tell unless we get inside, and Natalia's the only one who can get inside.

Does it look like there are rooms inside the ship? Or is it just a hull filled to the brim with gunpowder? Does it seem like there's a place for orcs to sail the ship? Or is there no way to tell at all?
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
Natalia can barely see anything right now. The cracks are small. Humans can see a candlelight from miles away, but that doesn't mean they can see anything  by  it.

Given the cracks, it seems unlikely the thing is just stuffed with gunpowder. And she knows something has to set it off.

Who says Natalia is the only one who can be  gaseous formed ?
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "But...gunpowder with what?"  she muses.  "Fire lying quiet, like my trap? Maybe...maybe burn outside, not within. Can...closer, check please? Charges, fire waiting silent to burn. Cotton, oil, wicks, alchemist flasks...others like those. Can you see? Hear inside?" 

Natalia tries to see if there's charges placed within the hull. She also tries to hear if there are orcs inside--and if so, where.

 
 Spoiler 
About to go help my mom make dinner, will be on and off.

Spot:  (d20+9)[ 20 ] 
Listen:  (d20+9)[ 16 ] 
Search (if applicable):  (d20+14)[ 23 ] 
 
Admiral
The party flies over to put their ears to the metal, and Natalia hears the faint, hollow sound of footsteps inside.

 
 Spoiler 

Spot and listen checks from everyone else as well.

Shiny:
Spot  (1d20-2)[ 8 ] 
Listen  (1d20-2)[ 16 ] 
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia listens closer, trying to make out a pattern and direction to the footsteps, groaning silently in frustration. So she'll have to deal with company too.

 
 Spoiler 
Got to go for a while. How much time is left?


And she doesn't see anything either? Would a search check be applicable here?

Does anybody have any ideas? If my sunrod trick doesn't work, I'm not really sure what to do. I know there's got to be something we can do, but...
 
Cavelcade
Kurt flies closer, listening as well.

 
 Spoiler 

 (1d20)[ 5 ]  Spot
 (1d20)[ 9 ]  Listen
 


However, the rushing of the river overwhelms all other sounds for him.
Athedia
Mithril groans, of course the gun powder would have been in the center.  Why didn't she check there first.

 
 Spoiler 
Spot  (1d20+3)[ 16 ] 
Listen  (1d20+3)[ 20 ] 
 
Admiral
Listening closely with her ear to the metal, Mithril is able to hear that there are at least two sets of footsteps inside, and possibly more.

As Natalia slides her eyes along the side of the hull, looking for spots she can enter enter with her spell, she notices something strange on the shore side: there seems to be a crease in the shape of a crude entrance, about five feet tall and wide. Judging by the shape, it looks like it would open by folding out downwards.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia pauses, pointing at the structure.  "Closed door,"  she whispers.  "But how to open...without alarm?" 

She inspects the entrance more closely. Is there any way they can get in undetected?

 
 Spoiler 
just had a thought: Shiny disguised as an Orc with Natalia invisible beside him.
 
Admiral
The entrance seems unlikely to be openable from the outside.

Shiny thinks.  "Can you get Kurt in there? He might be able to take care of whoever's inside,"  he says thoughtfully.

 
 Spoiler 
Re: disguising Shiny as an orc: don't forget that he would have to dismiss his (so far quite useful)  zone of silence  if he wanted to get away with it.
 
Athedia
Mithril raised her hand, asking for silence.  She examined the ship.   "Does anyone know how thick this ship is?" 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia pauses.  "Maybe, but...can only cast twice today. And anyway, wouldn't shouts echo?"  she asks, looking up at the canvas of the tarp.  "Shiby, can you make me and Kurt...silence quietly?" 
 
 Spoiler 
Ne he wouldn't, would he? He cast it on the pebble; couldn't he leave that with everyone else?

If Kurt and I killed te orcs (maybe with a silence on a pebble on us do nobody heard, we'll still be invisible when we return to the invisibility sphere, right?

Hm. We could gas inside, dismiss the gas, kill the Orcs, set the trap, then run out.
 


She turns to Mithril.  "Not sure. Why?" 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
Mithril, by listening closely, guesses the hull ranges from about three inches to a foot thick, depending on the place.
 


 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
 Natalia pauses.  "Maybe, but...can only cast twice today. And anyway, wouldn't shouts echo?"  she asks, looking up at the canvas of the tarp.  "Shiby, can you make me and Kurt...silence quietly?"  
 

Shiny nods.  "Twenty feet around you,"  he says urgently,  "no sound." 

  
 Spoiler 
Ne he wouldn't, would he? He cast it on the pebble; couldn't he leave that with everyone else?
 
 

 
 Spoiler 
Nope, it was sphere of invisibility that was cast on the pebble (copper piece actually): zone of silence can only be cast on oneself (personal range).
 


  
 Spoiler 
If Kurt and I killed te orcs (maybe with a silence on a pebble on us do nobody heard, we'll still be invisible when we return to the invisibility sphere, right?
 
 

 
 Spoiler 
No, once you leave the sphere once, the spell never works again on you. (One mistake I've made before is to say that if someone comes within range of the spell, they become invisible and can see you: that is not the case. You can pass right next to someone and stay invisible to them)
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "So silence after spells. Sneak, stab, smash. Then open door, find powder, trap, and run?" 
 
 Spoiler 
Natalia has a nonflammable sunrod so she can see too. And are you serious with the invisibility sphere or just teasing me again?

In this case, do you think it's a good idea if Kurt and Natalia go gaseous, are silenced (maybe silence Natalia's stone necklace), kill the orcs, open the door, set the trap, and run?

Shiny can set an illusion of the closed door over the open door, right? And can he recast invisibility sphere?
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
See responses below.
 


 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
  "So silence after spells. Sneak, stab, smash. Then open door, find powder, trap, and run?" 

[SPOILER]

 
Natalia has a nonflammable sunrod so she can see too. And are you serious with the invisibility sphere or just teasing me again?
 
In this situation I'm afraid I'm quite serious. See the spell description: "Any affected creature moving out of the area becomes visible, but creatures moving into the area after the spell is cast do not become invisible."


 
In this case, do you think it's a good idea if Kurt and Natalia go gaseous, are silenced (maybe silence Natalia's stone necklace), kill the orcs, open the door, set the trap, and run?
 
Personally, I like it. If noises do escape the ship, Shiny can set up a diversion outside for any guards that come to check it out.

Don't forget that to fly on out of there, Mithril will have to recast fly on Kurt. You're already approaching the end of the first  fly  spell, maybe a minute and a half left.


 
Shiny can set an illusion of the closed door over the open door, right?
 
As described it looks like it opens outwards.


 
And can he recast invisibility sphere?
 
Yes, he has two more L3s. He has not cast any L2s of his 6 yet so he's willing to make Kurt and Natalia invisible if they want an edge in their first attack within the ship, though Natalia's sunrod would give the game away immediately.

In case you're wondering, it would be impossible to set the trap without light. 
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Shiny, if this...can you stay outside, distract? Ready to recast when...return? Mithril, please...if not back, then...my life, not yours." 
 
 Spoiler 
Well, we're escaping together, so Mithril can cast the spell upon our return. And when you say the door opens outward, does it swing out or roll up?

If this is good, then what are we waiting for? Lets finish this today!

Though I will want to make part of the post about going into the ship (Natalia's reaction post) happen before she enters the ship proper. You'll see wgat I mean. And you don't need the invisibility; I'll have the sunrod out.
 
Cavelcade
 
 Spoiler 
Actually, I'd like invisibility on Kurt - send him in first, as he has darkvision. Can Natalia come in invisible and ready an action to take the sunrod out as soon as Kurt attacks? She'd hear it, I assume.
 

 "It's the best chance, and we swore we'd do it. I hope the explosion messes with them enough for the samurai to really make a difference...let's do this quickly then, before we change our minds." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Kurt, you sure? If too much, then please...already died once. Not again, not...because of me. Then...me instead."  Natalia's hands start trembling, but she swallows and stands firm.

 "If too much, then please. You still...live..."  She turns to Mithril.  "I...I know. Too much to say, though you still hear. Always hear. And know about you. So...this, and no more."  She plants a quick kiss on the edge of Mithril's lips, a light brush, almost chaste. And then she nods to Kurt.

 
 Spoiler 
thats fine, cavelcade. Though Natalia needs to dispel the gaseous form first.
 
Cavelcade
 
 Spoiler 
You should be able to do that without having to have the sunrod out, I assume (that is, we'd know if we'd be crushed by dispelling it).
 

 "There is no 'price' Natalia. If I think you can be saved, I'm going to try...I was selfish and rash and it's only ever gotten me into trouble, but I promise if I can save you, I'll do it no matter what." 

He's taken aback at the show of affection from her to Mithril - suddenly Miriam's words make a modicum of sense, though they still seem cruel.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia, blushing from her spontaneous display, shuffles her feet a bit.  "And I you, Kurt. Stronger now. Can protect too. Will protect." 
 
 Spoiler 
what do you mean crushed? And I think we need to dispel the gaseous form to do anything, including attack. But I could be wrong.
 
Cavelcade
 
 Spoiler 
As in, if we don't know where we are and accidentally dispel it while in a crack and accidentally kill ourselves.
 

 "Let's go then. When you're ready Shiny, Natalia"  Kurt tries to sound more confident than he is, going into the unknown - but then, with a deep breath, he finds the conviction of his faith, grasping his greatsword by the hilt.  "For the farmers of Soshima, eh!" 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia draws her blades and the sunrod, and asks Shiny, " "Ready?"  She takes a deep breath. Once Shiny makes them invisible Natalia casts the spells to turn them to mist, savoring the magic as it courses through her.

 
 Spoiler 
i don't think that's. concern. Is the order invisibility, gaseous form, then silence on Natalia's necklace?

Anyway, Natalia is dispelling the gaseous form once they're inside, Kurt first so he can attack. Then her with the sunrod, dropped on the floor so she can sneak attack while seeing. Kill them all, open the door, find and blow the powder.
 
Admiral
Shiny nods grimly at the plan. As they stand on top of the ship, knowing that the flying will wear out before long, Shiny casts a quick pair of spells to turn both Natalia and Kurt invisible. Then he casts his spell of silence, while Natalia indicates he should cast it on her necklace, he has a different idea at the last minute, and suddenly casts it on one of the crossbow bolts she has ready.

 
 Spoiler 
This way, if you guys need to shut an orc up fast from a distance, Natalia can shoot him.
 


As he does so, Natalia casts her own spell to turn first Kurt, and then herself, into a thin mist. They cannot see or hear each other, but both pass into the cracks of the ship.

 
 Spoiler 

Will update tonight with a map of the ship and an indication of your position. Incidentally, there is about a minute left on the  sphere of invisibility  and  fly  spells.

Boy, you guys are lucky gaseous form doesn't have a verbal component, or there would be no way for something Natalia was holding to be both silenced and gassed.

Don't forget: Natalia has to dispel the gaseous form on herself before doing so to Kurt,  and  before activating the sunrod. Also don't forget that if anyone is there, they won't see you guys since you're invisible, but they will sense the world going mute.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia keeps her form together as she looks around the ship, trying to see as much as she can, preparing to dispel her spell and return to a solid form the moment they're in an open area.

 
 Spoiler 
Hopefully we'll be out of there by then. Hm, maybe Shiny and Mithril could cast invisibility on themselves while waiting, or just hide and hope nobody looks up. Are they above the door? And that was a good idea with the arrow.

And if it had a verbal, then I could have placed the silenced item in the haversack.

Is there enough light for me to tell what's wall and what's a body? Like can I tell shapes?

The order for dispelling is: Natalia, Kurt, Activate Sunrod. I think I can dispel Kurt and activate the sunrod in one round. I'm not opening the door until all the orcs in the area are dead.
 
Athedia
Mithril could do nothing but watch as the spells were cast on her friends.  Now the waiting game was just about to begin.
Cavelcade
 
 Spoiler 
I'd still prefer for Kurt to get a round of surprise before Natalia activates the sunrod, as he can see without it.

 (1d20)[ 10 ]  Spot.
 


Kurt looks around as he sinks down, holding onto Natalia with one hand if he can find her.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia fumbles around, feeling for the cool mist that indicates Kurt's presence. She can't see much, but keeps her ears pricked.

 
 Spoiler 
Orcs have darkvision too, but okay.
Spot (if applicable):  (d20+9)[ 18 ] 
Listen:  (d20+9)[ 25 ] 
 
Cavelcade
 
 Spoiler 
Kurt is invisible, which would be spoiled by the sunrod.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Originally Posted by Cavelcade 
  
 Spoiler 
Kurt is invisible, which would be spoiled by the sunrod.
 
 
 

 
 Spoiler 
No, you're right. I'll wait until he smashes. Do you want to take this to the OOC thread?
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
If you guys want Kurt to surprise someone, you should have Kurt be the one to drop the sunrod. Natalia can neither see nor hear anything right now, so she wouldn't know that Kurt had gone visible. (I'll let you have planned that as such so that Kurt is carrying the sunrod. It will be a move action to drop it).

In the future let's pick up some potions of darkvision. It also would have been quite handy for the giant's quest: who knows how much treasure Shiny could have gotten if he didn't need to mess with those lights.

Now, there are two versions of what happens. I can't stop you from reading both if you feel you have to, but avoid using any meta knowledge.
 


Natalia:

 
 Spoiler 

Natalia is completely ensconced in darkness: if any light is seeping through the cracks, her eyes haven't adjusted enough to spot it yet. She listens very, very closely, and hears literally nothing at all.

 
 Spoiler 
Listen checks don't do much when you're in a  silence  spell!
 


The moment Natalia feels that she's passed through the cracks, she dismisses her own spell that had let her pass through. Her plan was next to reach next to her and dismiss Kurt's spell. But mere moments after she regains solid form and drops to the floor below her, she is knocked off balance by a terrifying, disorienting force.

 
 Spoiler 
Coffee and Cavelcade, please roll initiative.
 

 


Kurt:

 
 Spoiler 

As Kurt passes through the cracks, he can see far more than Natalia can, though his vision lacks color and some of its usual detail. The moment he passes through, he sees that they lie along a long, crude, narrow hallway. One wall is comprised of the iron hull, but the other side is made up of wood, coated by some strange, gooey substance he can't recognize. The floor seems to be made of wood covered with the same substance. But he  has no time to meditate on the materials- for only a few feet away from him, coming from the side where he knows the invisible Natalia to be hiding, is a very large and very confused orc bearing a greataxe, his head jerking from side to side: Kurt immediates grasps that he's wondering why he'd just gone deaf. The orc is advancing slowly towards him, until suddenly to Kurt's horror he stumbles as if colliding with some invisible wall. Kurt realizes that the orc's run into the newly solid Natalia: but he remains incorporeal, and for now can do nothing about it.

 
 Spoiler 
 The map is up!  As you turn corners more of the map will be revealed: right now it's just things Kurt can see.

Incidentally, Shiny and Mithril are standing on top of the ship, and they moved back to avoid being in the range of the silence (they want to know if sounds are escaping, after all). And Natalia cannot see anything yet, so if Coffee's reading the map she should know her character can't see it.
 

 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia gasps with a squeak of terror that's lost to the silence. As she bumps into the solid object, her synesthesia triggers, and she feels the flashes of color consistent with a living creature--a warm red glow of body heat, and the almost greenish springy pliability of living flesh. And right now Kurt is mist. She immediately draws her blades, and rolls backwards--and as she does so, she feels herself pass through Kurt, mist that starts out feeling the warm dull reddish glow, but leaves the cool blue trace of mist on her cheek afterwards. She flails her hand out and dismisses the spell.

 
 Spoiler 
Initiative:  (d20+7)[ 18 ] 

Draw blades, move back, dismiss Kurt's gaseous form.

No AoO, 1) I'm invisible, and 2) my tumble modifier's high enough that I autopass any tumble check to avoid AoOs.

Please make it so Kurt carries the sunrod. I didn't realize; I thought she'd be able to at least see shadows and shapes. And I thought dropping an item was a free action?

And yeah, we should probably pick up darkvision potions from now on.
 
Admiral
As Natalia rolls backwards, her dismissal of the spell succeeds: and Kurt drops heavily to the floor below him, the orc flailing at thin air a few feet away.

 
 Spoiler 
 Man  you're lucky you beat his initiative roll, or he would have had an action before you did that. If he'd won initiative, his next move would have been to try and grapple you. If he'd succeeded (50% miss chance, but otherwise he had good odds since you couldn't AoO him in the dark), you wouldn't be able to dismiss the spell until you escaped the grapple. Just something to keep in mind next time you want to say the dice hate you.

Depending on Cavelcade's initiative roll, either his or the orc's action next. So that you don't have to wait for me: If Cavelcade doesn't beat a 16, the orc will just try and grapple the space where Natalia  was , and when that fails will move forward and bump into Kurt, after which point it will be Kurt's turn. Otherwise, Kurt can go first.
 
Cavelcade
Kurt activates the sunrod, dropping it on the floor and bringing his sword up in a cruel arc, his invisibility wearing off. As he smashes it into the orc before him, he appears before him, grinning, laughing silently.

 
 Spoiler 
 Init:  (1d20+2)[ 8 ] 

In Iron Guard's Glare.

And since I'm going to attack anyway...:

 (1d5)[ 1 ]  - Charging Minotaur
 (1d4)[ 1 ]  - Stone Bones
 (1d3)[ 2 ]  - Vanguard Strike (used).

I totally forgot to roll for next round. Ah well.

I am going to use either of the +4 to allies attacks maneuvers, if I can, otherwise I'm going to use stone bones. Only one attack no matter what, as I have to activate the sunrod.

Power Attack -2/+4

Attack 1:
 (1d20+9)[ 23 ]  Attack
 (1d20+9)[ 27 ]  Crit

 (2d6+10)[ 15 ]  Attack
 (2d6+10)[ 15 ]  Crit
 
Admiral
The sudden light of the sunrod through the pitch black disorients everyone, tr orc most of all, and Kurt's axe lands a solid blow. At that moment the dwarf reappears in view.

 
 Spoiler 
Natalia's turn, then the Orc. I can't move them on the map yet but they are now in a consecutive row- Orc, Kurt, Natalia- since the Orc used his turn to bump into Kurt.

Note: if Natalia wants to squeeze past the Orc and flank (rules are a bit complicated since she's invisible so I'm ruling with my best judgment), she has to make a DC 25 Tumble check or use her handy-dandy anklet. If she uses the anklet she can full attack.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia sees the orc and instantly leaps into action, flashing behind him and plunging her blades deep into his back. As she does, the rogue fades into view.

 
 Spoiler 
You sure I can't 5 foot step to where Kurt was? I guess I'll full attack with the anklet then.

Attack:  (d20+13)[ 29 ] 
Crit:  (d20+13)[ 33 ] 
Damage:  (d6+1)[ 2 ]  plus sneak attack:  (3d6)[ 10 ] 


Attack:  (d20+13)[ 30 ] 
Crit:  (d20+13)[ 15 ] 
Damage:  (d6+1)[ 6 ]  plus sneak attack:  (3d6)[ 6 ] 
 
Admiral
The orc turns to Natalia, and even in the silence, Natalia feels like she can hear him snarl. He leans down into a headbutt and moves straight towards her.

 
 Spoiler 
Overrun, Kurt and Natalia each get an AoO. While you're at it Natalia should roll a Dex check in case her AoO fails.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia readies her sword, thrusting it out to cut him down as he passes.

 
 Spoiler 
AoO:  (d20+15)[ 35 ] 
Crit:  (d20+15)[ 32 ] 
Damage:  (d6+1)[ 3 ]  plus sneak attack:  (3d6)[ 11 ] 
Crit damage = 2
Dex check:  (d20+3)[ 19 ] 
Is he bloodied?
 


She plunges a deep cut into his upper thigh.
Admiral
With Natalia's last blow, the orc crumples to the ground, defeated.

 
 Spoiler 
Once he was flanked I didn't like his odds.
 


As Natalia and Kurt look up at each other and start to catch their breath, Natalia spots another orc round the corner over Kurt's shoulder, who jolts suddenly when he sees the intruders ahead of him.

 
 Spoiler 

Initiative:

Kurt:  (1d20+2)[ 16 ] 
Natalia:  (1d20+7)[ 12 ] 
Enemy:  (1d20+2)[ 8 ] 

I'm sorry, my mistake: since Kurt cannot see or hear the enemy, Natalia and the orc get a surprise round. Once Natalia and then the orc have gone, we'll go to regular initiative in Kurt-Natalia-orc order. The orc is currently flatfooted but won't once he's gone, Natalia's not since she just now finished a combat.

Natalia's turn.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia barely even has time to catch her breath as she sees the second orc. She lowers her shoulders and hunches into preparation for a charge.

 
 Spoiler 
I'm waiting until Kurt goes so I can run, maybe tumble, and flank.

How far away is this second orc? And should I post the Benny Hill music as we run back and forth killing orcs? 😛
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia taps Kurt's shoulder, then runs past him straight at the orc.

 
 Spoiler 
Charge.
Attack:  (d20+11)[ 24 ] 
Crit confirm:  (d20+11)[ 28 ] 
Damage:  (d6+1)[ 5 ]  plus sneak attack:  (3d6)[ 15 ] 

Does he have the same equipment as the other orc?
 
Admiral
As Natalia races past Kurt and towards the new orc, he opens his mouth to call out a warning. But the words are stolen from his throat when Natalia draws close and he is enveloped in silence, and then Natalia lands her first, severe blow.

The orc's surprise turns immediately into anger, and he swings twice at the rogue with his greataxe.

 
 Spoiler 

Attack 1:  (1d20+11)[ 28 ] 
Crit 1:  (1d20+11)[ 23 ] 
Damage:  (1d12+12)[ 23 ] 
Crit:  (1d12+12)[ 22 ] 
Crit:  (1d12+12)[ 16 ] 

Attack 2:  (1d20+6)[ 8 ] 
Crit 2:  (1d20+6)[ 8 ] 
Damage:  (1d12+12)[ 17 ] 
Crit:  (1d12+12)[ 21 ] 
Crit:  (1d12+12)[ 15 ] 

One hit: 23 damage.

Similar equipment. Greataxe and breastplate.
 


The first strike hits Natalia with devastating force, but luckily for her the second goes wide.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia gasps and cries out in pain, clutching her bloody chest. Focusing, and knowing Kurt's right behind her, she teleports behind the orc and lashes out, though she can't quite strike his most vulnerable areas.

 
 Spoiler 
Attack:  (d20+7)[ 25 ] 
Crit:  (d20+7)[ 13 ] 
Damage:  (d6+1)[ 6 ] 

Attack:  (d20+7)[ 18 ] 
Crit:  (d20+7)[ 17 ] 
Damage:  (d6+1)[ 7 ]  plus vampiric touch:  (2d6)[ 7 ] 
 
Admiral
Both of Natalia's blows hit, and the second strike manages to sap his health and channel it to Natalia.

 
 Spoiler 
Kurt's turn.
 
Cavelcade
Kurt turns and charges too, finding the sudden disappearance of the sound unnerving as he does so, bringing his greatsword down too.

 
 Spoiler 

I changed to greatsword when we came across the slavers and you said there'd be a masterwork one - seemed more in line with a follower of Kord!

 (1d5)[ 5 ]  - Leading the Attack
 (1d4)[ 4 ]  - Vanguard Strike
 (1d3)[ 3 ]  - Crusader's Strike.

Use stone bones if it's available, otherwise one of the +4 to hit maneuvers. In Iron Guard's stance.

Charge: +2/-2AC
Power attack: -3/+6

 (1d20+10)[ 15 ]  Attack
 (1d20+10)[ 27 ]  Crit

 (2d6+12)[ 17 ]  Attack
 (2d6+12)[ 19 ]  Crit
 
Admiral
Kurt's blade comes swinging in, and until the last moment he thinks the orc will be able to avoid it. But the barbarian seems too distracted by bloodlust to care for his own safety, and Kurt's axe connects, leaving the barbarian bloodied.

 
 Spoiler 
Dont overestimate the AC of a raging barbarian 😉
 


The orc snarls, and takes another pair of swings at the human rogue.

 
 Spoiler 

Attack 1:  (1d20+12)[ 19 ] 
Crit 1:  (1d20+12)[ 22 ] 
Damage:  (1d12+10)[ 18 ] 
Crit:  (1d12+10)[ 12 ] 
Crit:  (1d12+10)[ 14 ] 

Attack 2:  (1d20+7)[ 27 ] 
Crit 2:  (1d20+7)[ 19 ] 
Damage:  (1d12+10)[ 18 ] 
Crit:  (1d12+10)[ 19 ] 
Crit:  (1d12+10)[ 20 ] 
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia screams as the orc smashes his axe down into her face and shoulder, cleaving through muscle and nearly down to bone. She stares at Kurt desperately and lashes out two frantic strikes.

 
 Spoiler 
My AC is 20. That very nearly killed me. And I'm at 12 HP anyway; I die with the next hit! 😦

Did Kurt use one of the +4 maneuvers? I'm rolling as if he did, tell me if he didn't.
Attack:  (d20+11)[ 19 ] 
Crit:  (d20+11)[ 31 ] 
Damage:  (d6+1)[ 6 ] 

Attack:  (d20+11)[ 25 ] 
Crit:  (d20+11)[ 18 ] 
Damage:  (d6+1)[ 3 ] 
 
Cavelcade
Kurt's eyes widen at that, as he launces a flurry of blows at the barbarian, trying to take him down.

 
 Spoiler 

No maneuvers this time, instead RAGE.

Power attack: -2/+4

Attack 1:
 (1d20+11)[ 12 ]  Attack
 (1d20+11)[ 18 ]  Crit

 (2d6+13)[ 18 ]  Attack
 (2d6+13)[ 18 ]  Crit

Attack 2:
 (1d20+6)[ 23 ]  Attack
 (1d20+6)[ 23 ]  Crit

 (2d6+13)[ 18 ]  Attack
 (2d6+13)[ 17 ]  Crit
 


His first attack goes wide of the mark, but the second cuts deeply into the orc's back.
Cavelcade
 
 Spoiler 
Damn, forgot to intimidating rage. Well - for next time:

Meant for OOC thread.

 (1d20+7)[ 25 ] 
 
Admiral
Kurt's last blow cuts deep into the barbarian, and with a silent howl he crumples to the ground as well. Kurt glances down bend, which is dark to Natalia's eyes as the sunrod's light only reaches the corner, and can't see anyone coming yet.

------

Above the ship, Shiny re-casts the spell of invisibility, not wanting it to catch them by surprise when it runs out.

 
 Spoiler 

Spot:  (1d20-2)[ 0 ] 
Listen:  (1d20-2)[ 11 ] 

Mithril gets a Listen check.
 
Cavelcade
Kurt takes a deep breath, calming himself as he does, looking around. He signals to Natalia he's going to drag this guard over to the other before doing just that, signalling her to walk beside him to dull any sound, before they venture further into the ship.
CoffeeIncluded
Nayalia nods, retrieving the sunrod after they drag the dead Orc over to the other. As she goes to retrieve it, she downs a few potions, hoping to stop the bleeding.

 
 Spoiler 
why not keep raging for the next fight?

Natalia's getting the sunrod before anything else. She then drinks potions in this order: clw, clw, cats grace. Tell me if she's stopped by orcs.

 (d8+1)[ 9 ] 
 (d8+1)[ 2 ] 

Natalia also searches the Orc if she can. If she can't, no big deal.
 
Cavelcade
He looks up and down the corridor, then shrugs and points to where they'd just killed the orc as the way to go, looking to see if she agrees.
Admiral
Natalia is able to drink both of her healing potions as Kurt drags the body back to the middle, but as she reaches for a third potion, another orc rounds a corner, this one the opposite side from where the last one had.

 
 Spoiler 

Now if I were Natalia, I might keep my distance from this one until she's a bit more healed up.

FYI, I made a mistake on the last combat. Barbarians have uncanny dodge and so can't be caught flatfooted. Thus, Natalia's sneak attack didn't work- but as it happens, that damage didn't make a difference (good thing Kurt raged). Thus, she knows it didn't work on the last one, and since she has uncanny dodge herself it makes sense she'd recognize it.

Initiative:
Natalia:  (1d20+7)[ 12 ] 
Kurt:  (1d20+2)[ 20 ] 
Enemy:  (1d20+2)[ 15 ] 
 
Cavelcade
Kurt immediately drops the body and charges at the enemy, wondering how many more there can be.

 
 Spoiler 


Charge: +2/-2AC
PA: -3/+6

Either Stone Bones, or if it's not available, a +4 to hit manuever. In Iron Guard's Glare stance, still.

 (1d20+10)[ 27 ]  Attack
 (1d20+10)[ 11 ]  Crit

 (2d6+12)[ 17 ]  Attack
 (2d6+12)[ 23 ]  Crit
 
Admiral
Kurt's charge is successful, and he deals a severe blow to the orc's chest. The guard wheels back, but as he stands back up he starts to shout. As he screams, he swings back at the dwarf with his axe.

 
 Spoiler 

Attack:  (1d20+9)[ 19 ] 
Crit:  (1d20+9)[ 22 ] 
Damage:  (1d12+10)[ 20 ] 
Crit:  (1d12+10)[ 14 ] 
Crit:  (1d12+10)[ 11 ] 
 


As he screams an alarm, he deals a devastating blow.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia screams silently in alarm as she realizes that he's making noise, and instantly fires her an arrow at the orc, praying that she can cut short his scream of alarm before too many orcs come running.

 
 Spoiler 
Attack:  (d20+4)[ 20 ] 
Crit:  (d20+4)[ 12 ] 
Damage:  (d6)[ 6 ] 

Well, this has gone completely pear-shaped.

Natalia also runs into the range of the silenced arrow if she can, though still out of range of the orc. The arrow's now broken, but it's still an object she can use.
 
Admiral
Mithril and Shiny are waiting on top of the ship, when they hear a deep scream emerge from the south side of the ship. Shiny understands the words-  "&lt;Orcish&gt;Intruders! Intruders in the ship!&lt;/Orcish&gt;" 
Athedia
Mithril started, drawing her hand up, ready to cast a spell.  "Shiny, what was that?" 
Admiral
 "Someone found them-"  he says urgently, and raises his hand with the wand to aim it towards that part of the ship. Luckily, the sound is suddenly quenched, and he lowers it- the spell would have forfeited his invisibility.

 
 Spoiler 

Spot  (1d20-2)[ 2 ] 
Listen  (1d20-2)[ 6 ] 

Spot and listen from Mithril.
 


----------

Natalia's bolt strikes true, landing in the guard's shoulder, and most importantly engulfing him in silence.

 
 Spoiler 
No time to run in, had to draw the crossbow. Cavelcade's turn.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Spoiler 
I can draw as part of a move action. Was it a bolt or a regular old arrow, since I have both a crossbow and a shortbow? I thought it was a shortbow arrow.

By the way, I didn't move into melee, just closer.
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 

Sorry: shortbow, not crossbow, since otherwise you wouldn't be able to move.

Sure, you moved closer as you drew, then shot. Will update map later.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Spoiler 
Thanks, Admiral. I'm going to bed in a moment, but see you tomorrow! Let's hope there aren't too many orcs left on the ship.

And I've got to say, those repeated spot and listen checks up above are starting to freak me out.
 
Admiral
Kurt swings his greatsword in two wide arcs.

 
 Spoiler 

If there's a maneuver or stance to be rolled for, Cavelcade'll have to do it when he comes back: I'm afraid the crusader class is over my head.

-2/+4 power attack as requested

Attack 1:
 (1d20+11)[ 17 ]  Attack
 (1d20+11)[ 28 ]  Crit

 (2d6+10)[ 20 ]  Attack
 (2d6+10)[ 18 ]  Crit

Attack 2:
 (1d20+6)[ 19 ]  Attack
 (1d20+6)[ 13 ]  Crit

 (2d6+10)[ 17 ]  Attack
 (2d6+10)[ 22 ]  Crit

Nice.
 


Both swings connect, slashing deeply into the orc's flesh, and the third guard crumples to the floor in silence. Kurt looks up, and doesn't see anyone new coming around the bend.
Athedia
 
 Spoiler 
Spot  (1d20+3)[ 21 ] 
Listen  (1d20+3)[ 6 ] 
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia grins at Kurt, then runs over to the dead orc and plucks the silenced arrow out of his shoulder, tucking it into her belt. She looks around for other orcs, and searches around the immediate area for anything odd, any doors, any strange smells. What's this ship like? Does anything hint at the gunpowder within?

If Natalia has time, she also quickly pats down the orcs for more healing potions and the like. But it's cursory at best, and if she doesn't have time, she doesn't have time--it's way down on her list of priorities.

If nobody else is coming after that...Then she keeps her eyes pricked, but it's time to do their job. But Natalia remains wary, on guard, ready to attack at a moment's notice.

 
 Spoiler 
Spot:  (d20+9)[ 15 ] 
Search:  (d20+14)[ 29 ] 
 
Admiral
Natalia and Kurt race to the corner ahead of them, and peer around, ready to continue their battle. Fortunately, they spot no more sentries; only a long, empty corridor similar to the one on the other side, with wood on the inner side and the hull on the other. They hurry down it, but see no other corridors emerging from it: it seems this ship has an extremely simple architecture with a single square of corridors.

Kurt and Natalia both notice the strange greenish-brown substance coating all of the wood in the floors and the walls. As Natalia runs her fingers along it she notices it is smooth, but sticky, and overall unfamiliar.

Halfway along this corridor, Natalia spots a latch on the wall: it seems to be designed to pull a wooden hinged hatch that folds down and outward. The mechanism is dull and nondescript, and doesn't seem to be designed to be hidden.

-----------

Mithril, her eyes finally accustomed to the darkness within the tent, spots a group of four orcs, their weapons raised, racing along the shore towards the boat. She points them out to Shiny as they approach. As they run, they shout out in the ship's direction. Once at its side, they call out what sounds like questions. Shiny understands their grunting speech:  "&lt;Orcish&gt;What happened? Hello? Get others?&lt;/Orcish&gt;" 

Shiny and Mithril hold their breaths, but no noises emerge from the ship below them. The orcs on the shore grow more impatient as they wait for a response. Shiny pales as he turns towards Mithril.  "I can't yell anything back,"  he says weakly,  "not while keeping this spell... what do you think, diversion or attack?" 
Cavelcade
Kurt gestures to the door, then shrugs a bit - there's no time to stop and talk about it, now that there's an alarm being sounded. He readies his blade and indicates for Natalia to open it.
CoffeeIncluded
Normally Natalia would inspect this place for traps, but she's out of time. Any moment now they'll have a wave of orcs crashing down on them. So she hands the broken arrow to Kurt, and indicates that he backs off a few feet. As he does so, she sniffs the strange substance, maybe touches her tongue to it if she's feeling particularly bold (this substance...at first touch it's a smooth black but at the second it's a sticky brown, like half-dried sap or glue. But it's not either). Once Kurt backs off just enough for her to hear around her, she presses her ear to the door to see if she hears anyone inside, though she doubts it.

 
 Spoiler 
Listen:  (d20+9)[ 21 ] 
 


If she hears anyone, she indicates it to Kurt, and carefully slides open the door from the side, letting him enter first, fully armed and ready to charge.

If she doesn't hear anyone, she just yanks open the door and runs inside.
Admiral
Natalia pulls opens the hatch, both her and Kurt ready for whatever's inside... but when she looks in, all she sees is a thick stack of barrels. They're packed tightly in so she can't tell how deep or thick they are, but as she hasn't seen any other corridors yet, her guess is that they fill the entire center of the ship.

There is a 2-barrel by 3-barrel space immediately inside the entrance of the chamber, easily enough for Natalia to crawl inside.
CoffeeIncluded
 "Ghnpowder,"  Natalia whispers to herself. Can she pry open a barrel or climb on top of them? If she can't climb on top, she crawls inside, and motions for Kurt to follow.
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
Should have been clearer: the space is packed with barrels, but the area right around the entrance is not filled yet: she is thus climbing on top of some of the barrels.

The barrels appear sealed. If Kurt wants to pry a barrel open he can use his sword to do so with a Str check, or break one open with an attack roll.
 
Cavelcade
 
 Spoiler 
Or rather, post one.
 


Seeing that Natalia will have trouble opening one by herself, he comes in, then after looking at the barrels he finds one with the lid able to come off and tries to for it open using his sword.

 
 Spoiler 

 (1d20+4)[ 10 ] 
 
Admiral
Kurt's first effort fails to break open the barrel's lid.

 
 Spoiler 
DC 20 (it's sealed in wax), keep trying.
 
Cavelcade
Kurt frowns and repositions himself. He's about to ask for Natalia to try and loosen the wax with heat before he remembers what's probably in there and simply tries again.

 
 Spoiler 
 (1d20+4)[ 21 ] 
 
Admiral
The mighty dwarf heaves with all his considerable strength. With a heavy creak, the wax around the sword cracks, and the barrel's lid pops open.

To Kurt and Natalia's relief, from the barrel pours a flood of dark, grainy powder, just like the substance the masters of Soshima had described. It spreads messily all over the barrels around them, slipping through the gaps.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia hops down and tosses her pack to Kurt, motioning for him to fill one of the side pouches with the powder. There's another sack inside just for that purpose so the inside of the haversack won't have residue. With a deep breath, she sets to work, wiring the trap just as she planned.

 
 Spoiler 
Thought there was a path to the center of the room. Never mind. I think this is my modifier

The trap is set for 2 minutes, 30 seconds.
Craft:  (d20+16)[ 25 ] 
 
Cavelcade
As he watches her work, Kurt goes to stand by the door, constantly checking for other orcs coming.

 We should break the lock if we can...and bar the other door, or stop it opening somehow. If we had time."  He seems to mostly be talking to himself, distracting his attention from what's going on behind.
Admiral
Natalia sets up her rigged crossbow on an adjacent barrel: she'd wired it in the way her textbook had suggested for tripwires, such that a substantial increase or decrease in slack would set it off. She hammers a nail into an adjacent barrel, then tosses the wire over it, with a bag of flour tied tightly on the other end. She fixes the crossbow in place so that it points at the gunpowder, and piles a small amount of gunpowder under it to ensure efficacy. Once she's sure the trap cannot go off by accident, she motions for Kurt to get out of the tunnel so that his tremors don't set it off, she reaches over to the bag of flour and pulls off the piece of wax she'd used to seal the hole she'd carefully measured the night before, and the flour begins to pour out in a slow and steady stream. Finally she fiddles with the trap to activate it, and then once she sees it is steady, places the flask of alchemist's fire in the notch she'd carved.

The trap is set.

 
 Spoiler 
Man, this was your chance to have a big trapsmithing post and you let me do it for you! 😛

Did Kurt shovel a round's worth of gunpowder into the bag first?
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia flashes a hand signal for 2 minutes, 30 seconds to Kurt, then runs like hell.

 
 Spoiler 
yes, Kurt shoved a rounds worth of gunpowder in there, if I have him time. Or is that question meant for cavelcade?

And I'm sorry, but I was on my phone between appointments, I didn't have time.
 
Admiral
Kurt and Natalia race back around the corridors of the ship to the entrance, knowing every moment counts. There, they find the steel door Natalia had noticed from the outside- it is barred by a thick, heavy metal rod.

 
 Spoiler 
Another Str check from Kurt to unbar the door.
 
Cavelcade
Kurt followed suit, hurriedly closing the haversack as he sprints after her, pausing only to pull the door closed behind him.
Cavelcade
 "Natalia, you can't turn us to gas again?"  He curses then, looking at the bar.  "Help me with this, then."  He grabs hold of one side, pushing it up and away.

 
 Spoiler 
 (1d20+4)[ 17 ] 
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "****!"  Now Natalia wishes she had her adamantine dagger to cut through the steel. She shakes she head, no more magic.  Instead, she helps Kurt unbar the door.

 
 Spoiler 
aid Kurt:  (d20)[ 11 ] 
 
Admiral
Natalia and Kurt both put their shoulders under the bar and heave with all the strength they have. Slowly the iron gives way, until it lifts slowly off of the door and clatters to the ground. They both then push hard at the door, until it creaks gently open.

 
 Spoiler 
Two rounds to unbar it.

About a minute earlier:
 


--------------

On top of the ship, Shiny and Mithril watch nervously as the orcs wait to hear back from the ship. Finally, Shiny hears one of them say  "&lt;Orcish&gt;You two: go get others. Many.&lt;/Orcish&gt;"  Two of them start to run out of the tents, calling out an alarm.  Shiny feels he has to make his move, and he casts a spell into the distance.

Suddenly above the river, about a hundred feet outside of the tent, there appears a gnome flying in midair, as though he had teleported there. The gnome is dressed in a robe of black and fiery red, and is barefoot. His hands hold spheres of flame, which he raises slowly and ominously. It's hard to tell from a distance, but his face seems to be streaked with blood, as if from tears. He looks down at the orc camp around him as if contemplating it, and grins.

 
 Spoiler 
Silent Image.
 
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia races out the door and flags down Shiny and Mithril. If Shiny and Mithril don't see her and Kurt, she tosses aside the silenced arrow, or puts it in her haversack, and shouts,  "Two! Tick tock!" 

If they see her and Kurt before she shouts, she says the same thing once they're in range of the silenced spell.
Athedia
Mithril stayed silent, but on seeing the orcs running she cast a quick spell anchoring it to the poles of the tents and various rocks she could see while trying to catch as many orcs in it as possible.  Spiderwebs should slow them down, at least enough to allow Kurt and Natalia to arrive.
Admiral
The orcs are surprised by the sudden appearance of thousands of tendrils around them, and they struggle to avoid the worst of it. At that moment, Mithril appears out of thin air on top of the ship, her invisibility broken by her spell.

 
 Spoiler 
Map is updated.

Orc Reflex saves:
O1:  (1d20+4)[ 7 ] 
O2:  (1d20+3)[ 10 ] 
O3:  (1d20+2)[ 10 ] 
O4:  (1d20+2)[ 22 ] 
 


Moments later, Shiny appears beside her, his wand raised and pointing at the shore- and with it, the noises of the struggling orcs have vanished from the air. He grabs Mithril and the two of them, newly revealed, drop down to lie down on top of the ship to gain some small amount of cover.
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Spoiler 
wait, why did the invisibility fail? They didn't attack.
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 

 Invisibility 

 For purposes of this spell, an attack includes any spell targeting a foe or whose area or effect includes a foe 
 
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Spoiler 
dammit. So now what? Invisible again and wait for Natalia and Kurt to show up? How much time do they have?
 


Edit:  
 Spoiler 
can you cover yourself with a silent image, or is that not allowed? I'm sorry, I'm not fully clear on what's allowed with illusions.
 
Admiral
Trapped in silence, the orcs struggle to escape.

 
 Spoiler 

Orc1:
 (1d20+6)[ 16 ] 

Orc2:
 (1d20+5)[ 18 ] 

Orc3:
 (1d20+5)[ 14 ] 

Orc4:
 (1d20+4)[ 6 ] 
 


Even in their fury, the orcs fail to break free.
Admiral
Shiny looks at Mithril, nods, and casts a quick pair of spells: one meant to distract the orc closest to escaping, and one to him and perhaps another to sleep.

 
 Spoiler 
Casting  distract assailant  on O4, then  sleep  where it hits O4 and O3.

O4 Distract:  (1d20)[ 20 ] 
O3 Sleep:  (1d20)[ 11 ] 
O4 Sleep:  (1d20)[ 15 ] 
 


Both the two orcs fall asleep.

 
 Spoiler 
Coffee: No, you can't cast a silent image on top of yourself.

Figments can't make things look like other things, nor can you cast them overlapping with something. Shiny could make a big orc and hide  behind  him, just as well as he could hide behind a real orc.

Please read  this series : it explains a lot of the things you've been confused about.
 
Admiral
One orc continues to try to break free, while the one next to him reaches over and slaps one of the sleeping ones awake.

 
 Spoiler 

Orc1:
 (1d20+6)[ 13 ] 

O2 wakes up O3. O4 still asleep.
 
Admiral
Shiny rubs his hands together and casts another spell of sleep.

 
 Spoiler 

O3:  (1d20)[ 10 ] 
 


The orc that had just been woken up flops back to sleep again.
Admiral
Once again, one orc tries to escape while the other wakes up his comrade.

 
 Spoiler 

Orc1:
 (1d20+6)[ 17 ] 
 
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Spoiler 
oh god, this is starting to get silly with the sleeping and waking. But are you saying that the wall trick Élan just did in the comic wouldn't actually work?
 
Athedia
 
 Spoiler 
Benny Hill is playing in my head.  And the wall trick would work.  he cast it in front of where they were standing. For example if you have watched Labrynth he basically pulled the trick from when the worm tells Sarah that there is a passage behind her.  It is a form of optical illusion in that case.  Same way Shiny could make a floor look real, but have a water tank of piranhas underneath it and when you step on the floor it actually isn't there.
 
Athedia
As Mithril realized she was visible she cursed and flattened herself on the ship.  As she spotted the trapped orcs she ducked up and shot at the one that was trying to wake the others.  No need to prevent shiny's spell from going to waste.  Again and again she hit him, not stopping until he was down.  Then she turned her attentions on the other ones that were awake.  Where was Natalia, they needed to get out of there!

 
 Spoiler 
So three rounds? So six total MMs, hitting first O4, then the ones trying to flee that are awake.

1.  (1d4+1)[ 3 ] 
2.  (1d4+1)[ 4 ] 
3.  (1d4+1)[ 2 ] 
4.  (1d4+1)[ 5 ] 
5.  (1d4+1)[ 2 ] 
6.  (1d4+1)[ 4 ] 
 
Admiral
As Mithril wears away at one of the orcs, Shiny continues trying to keep the drowsy barbarian down...

 
 Spoiler 

Save  (1d20)[ 11 ] 
 


Once again he falls back to sleep.
Admiral
The orc next to the sleeping one, wearied of this routine, slaps him awake yet again.

 
 Spoiler 

Orc 1 Str:  (1d20+6)[ 20 ] 
 


With a silent cry, the strongest of the orcs finally bursts most of the tendrils holding him in place.
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
I'm going by athedia's description and assuming she meant O2. Also going by her instruction that she'd keep firing.
 


Mithril launches another pair of missiles at the orc trying to wake the other one, and Shiny tries his spell again.

 
 Spoiler 

MM:
 (1d4+1)[ 5 ] 
 (1d4+1)[ 2 ] 


Sleep save:  (1d20)[ 12 ] 
 
Admiral
The orc falls asleep for the fourth time. Mithril's barrage of spells have very badly wounded the other orc, but he continues to survive, and with a desperate expression wakes up the orc next to him yet again.

 
 Spoiler 

O1 Str check:  (1d20+6)[ 16 ] 
 


The other orc manages to fight his way to the edge of the web: just a little farther and he will be free.
Admiral
Mithril casts her spell at the same target, hoping this last one will be enough to finish him.

 
 Spoiler 

 (1d4+1)[ 4 ] 
 (1d4+1)[ 2 ] 
 


For a moment he crumples and his death seems certain... and yet he jolts back upward, still alive.

 
 Spoiler 
Taking down a raging barbarian with Magic Missile (III)s is  not  easy
 
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Spoiler 
oh  crap.  So is the range of web also the range of silence? And it's been...5 rounds now? Or 6?

Hm, I think there may be a way to shut him up but I don't know if it's good or not.
 
Admiral
Seeing that one of the orcs is about to escape, Shiny changes his focus, and aims a quick spell of sleep at the orc who's escaping. But he feels his spell fail him: the orc's mind is too strong for his simple spell.

 
 Spoiler 
Can't use my metagame knowledge for evil. This is what I would have done as a player.
 


The orc continues to fight his way out, as does the badly wounded one. The one who had been awakened so many times slaps the one next to him awake. From his expression, it looks like his action is as much about paying forward his frustration with being repeatedly slapped awake as it is about any tactical consideration.

 
 Spoiler 

O1 Str:  (1d20+6)[ 20 ] 
O2 Str:  (1d20+5)[ 20 ] 
 


The two struggling orcs make progress: one breaks completely free of the web and steps out onto the grass, and the wounded one breaks free of the worst of the tendrils holding him to the ground, so that he can start to move through the web.
Admiral
Seeing one of the orcs break free, Shiny makes a quick choice, and raises his wand to aim it at the orc.

 
 Spoiler 

Casting  silence  at him, in the hopes it will make it harder for him to raise the alarm.

Will save:  (1d20+2)[ 9 ] 
 


The orc who had escaped, after the briefest moment of hearing sounds, once again finds himself surrounded by silence.
Athedia
Mithril saw the orc escape from her web and quickly laid down a sheen of grease below him.    Lets see him try to walk on that.  
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 

Reflex save:  (1d20+3)[ 13 ] 
 
Admiral
The orc slips and falls flat onto the grease Mithril had laid on the ground. The other orcs all try to escape the web.

 
 Spoiler 

Str checks (incidentally, I'd miscalculated the bonuses earlier)
O2:  (1d20+6)[ 22 ] 
O3:  (1d20+5)[ 8 ] 
O4:  (1d20+5)[ 21 ] 
 


Both the badly wounded orc and the one that until now had been asleep make substantial progress through the web, while the last one is still left stuck.
Admiral
The orc who had fallen slowly stands up, and tries to walk out of the grease.

 
 Spoiler 

Balance check:  (1d20+2)[ 5 ] 

If necessary, Reflex Save:  (1d20+3)[ 8 ] 

Nice.
 


The barbarian is clumsy in his fury, and flops back down to the ground.
Admiral
  "You think you're clumsy now..."   Shiny thinks as he watches the orc struggle to get a footing in the grease.  "Just you wait."  Shiny stretches out his arm, then opens his fingers in a quick, violent motion.

 
 Spoiler 

Casting Vertigo (Shiny's first time doing so) at O1.

Will save:  (1d20+2)[ 20 ] 

Then Mithril's turn. (Don't forget that the badly wounded guard is about to escape!)
 


His spell fails to take hold in the orc's mind.
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 

Since athedia is offline, and since this seems like a very obvious action (and since her earlier instructions were just to keep MMing until O2 was down), I'll play one more round for her.
 


Mithril cast one more spell at the wounded orc about to escape, hoping it would finally take him down.

 
 Spoiler 

 (1d4+1)[ 3 ] 
 (1d4+1)[ 3 ] 
 


As the magical bolts crash into the orc, he falls over, dead, just a couple of feet from escaping the web.
Admiral
The escaped orc, now veritably coated in grease, tries once more to stand up and keep moving.

 
 Spoiler 

Balance:  (1d20+2)[ 10 ]  Oooh, just made it.
Reflex:  (1d20+3)[ 20 ] 
 


This time he is able to stand fully up and walk out of the grease, though not much further.

The other orcs continue to try to escape the web.

 
 Spoiler 

O3:  (1d20+5)[ 6 ] 
O4:  (1d20+5)[ 23 ] 
 


While one orc still struggles with the web, the other breaks fully free with a burst of strength, and steps out onto the grass.
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Spoiler 
aw ****...I'm practically shaking my phone linked to my character sheet, shouting, "Hurry up Natalia!"
 
Admiral
Seeing the other orc escape, this one without magical silence, Shiny hurriedly tosses a spell of sleep in his direction.

 
 Spoiler 

Will save:  (1d20)[ 5 ] 
 


The orc falls to the ground just as he is stepping out of the web.
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
I hope athedia doesn't mind I'm skipping her action again. Please tell me if I do so too much: we have  great  momentum here and I'm just trying to keep it up, but I try to avoid any situation where I make a decision for a player. What I'm really aiming for is to make sure that when you catch up, you are facing a decision you are actually interested in.

Mithril can only get one MM in against the escaping orc before he's out of range (barbarians run quickly), so she has no way to stop him. She can start MMing O3 if she wants.
 


The escaped orc moves along the shore towards the edge of the tent. To Mithril and Shiny's relief, he seems completely exhausted from his efforts to break out of the web, and can only jog there. The one left in the web continues to struggle.

 
 Spoiler 

O3:  (1d20+5)[ 18 ] 

Just realized their rage just ended, so can't charge or run! Nice stalling.
 
Admiral
Tense seconds tick by as Mithril and Shiny watch the orc jog his way to daylight. He is soon out of the range of Mithril's spells, and he is shortly after lost to the darkness, with Mithril and Shiny straining to keep their eyes on him.

As the orc flees, Shiny turns to Mithril.  "When that orc gets outside, we'll need a diversion." 
 
 Spoiler 
Incidentally, that reminds me: we should have applied Kurt's penalties to Str, Dex, and inability to charge after his brief rage, which would have affected his second combat. We'll let that combat go of course, but as of now he's fatigued.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Spoiler 
Could Natalia have recognized this and given him a potion to heal his HP from the battle and cured his fatigue? Can I do this retroactively if this affects our time to escape and whatnot?
 
Athedia
 "What type of diversion are you thinking of?  I have so few spells left at my disposal.  I could change the color of his hair perhaps, or darn his socks.  But much else is beyond my powers." 
Admiral
Shiny jerks his head to look at her.  "You could darn his socks? At this distance?"  he asks. Then he turns to aim a spell of sleep at the orc still struggling in the web: the last thing they needed was for him to get out of it too and start screaming.

 
 Spoiler 

Will save:  (1d20-2)[ 10 ] 
 


The orc falls asleep into the web, and Shiny turns back to Mithril.  "Never underestimate the power of a well-timed sock-darning. It once saved my life from a mob of murderous theatergoers."  He looks out towards the entrance to the tent where the orc is approaching and aims a spell.  "But I had something different in mind. Your sock-darning idea is Plan B."  He mutters a few words and casts his spell.

A few feet above the river, about twenty feet outside of the tent, there appears a gnome flying in midair, as though he'd flown there from out of the tent. The gnome is dressed in a robe of black and fiery red, and is barefoot. His hands hold spheres of flame, which he raises slowly and ominously. It's hard to tell from a distance, but his face seems to be streaked with blood, as if from tears. He contemplates the orc camp around him, and grins.

 
 Spoiler 
Ack had to issue a correction, I just remembered there was only a small gap along the river. Sorry: the gnome wasn't floating far above the river, just a few feet above, and just barely outside the tent.
 
Admiral
Mithril and Shiny can hardly see what's happening outside the tent, but they hear it: a wave of alarmed calls and shouts. Soon after, a few bolts and arrows fly straight at the illusory gnome wizard. Some miss, but many hit, and the gnome seems wounded. He seems to grin more and more with each hit, as if daring them to take him on.

The two spot the orc guard clamber his way out of the bottom of the tent flap. It's again difficult to see what's happening, but based on what they can see in the sliver of shore under the tent flap, he seems to be jumping up and down... but much of the attention outside seems to be oriented elsewhere.

The "wizard," now badly wounded, starts flying to his right, to the opposite side of the shore from where the ship is docked. As he flies, he seems to be casting a spell, and suddenly vanishes from sight as if newly invisible. Shiny exhales as he ends his spell.

Seconds pass, and the two travelers wonder how much time Shiny's deception had bought. After only a few moments, the guards appear- a full seven, climbing under the canvas of the tent from right where the silenced barbarian had escaped. It seems somehow he'd gotten the message across. They hustle down the shore towards the ship, weapons drawn and ready, apparently cautious of what they'll find in the darkness...

And just then Shiny and Mithril catch a glimpse of motion in the corner of their eye, and they turn to see the heavy iron door on the side of the ship edges open and then slams onto the hull without making a single noise. The party is reunited.

 
 Spoiler 
15 rounds from when the  web  was cast was just the right number.

Note that I was very charitable in assuming Natalia extinguished the sunrod before opening the door. Almost asked Coffee just now but didn't want to spoil the surprise.

Time to roll initiative, as every round counts:

Shiny:  (1d20+2)[ 13 ] 
Kurt:  (1d20+2)[ 6 ] 
Mithril:  (1d20+2)[ 9 ] 
Natalia:  (1d20+7)[ 19 ] 
Enemies:  (1d20+2)[ 22 ] 

Enemies will be within range of seeing the ship and web (darkvision has limited range, and light in here is low) after one round.
 
Admiral
The orcs continue to march forward carefully, and soon afterwards they see the chaos of the web ahead.  "&lt;Orcish&gt;Move! Move!&lt;/Orcish&gt;"  their leader shouts. The orcs all start shouting their battle cries.

 
 Spoiler 

Whole party goes in any order.

It takes Shiny and Mithril a move action to reach the door. I wasn't keeping very good track of where they were on the ship, so it makes sense they would be fairly forward while waiting for them to emerge. It takes another move action to jump down to where Shiny and Kurt are, which is a 10 foot fall.

Shiny's going to wait for Mithril to reach the door first so that he can then follow and then cast  invisibility sphere , hopefully the last they'll need.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia nearly jumps back as she sees the figures of the dead and sleeping orcs on the shore. Panicking, she immediately flags down Shiny and Mithril, or climbs up.

When Shiny and Mithril are near, Natalia tosses aside her silenced broken arrow, or puts it away, and says,  "Two minutes. Tick tock. RUN!" 
 
 Spoiler 
Which is faster, flagging down Shiny and Mithril, or climbing up the hull ourselves? How many rounds has it been since I set the trap?

Could we climb up to make closing the gap easier?

And fly and invisibility sphere, now! RUN FOR IT! Crapcrapcrapcrapcrap! 😦 😁
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia tries to climb the ledge or jump up it, to make reaching Shiny and Mithril easier. She's nearly hyperventilating now in panic.

 
 Spoiler 
She's only tossing aside the arrow once in range of Shiny's Zone of Silence spell.

Climb:  (d20+2)[ 7 ] 
Jump:  (d20+7)[ 25 ] 
 
Cavelcade
Kurt simply turns around, puffing a little and tries to shut the door they just came through, wishing he could bar it too. He then turns uncertainly, not sure if he wants to hold the door or go to the others.
CoffeeIncluded
As Natalia keeps trying to jump or climb up to meet Shiny and Mithril, she turns to Kurt and mimes if he can fly them all out of there immediately, if he needs a potion? She looks back at the orcs moving towards them, dim but visible in the half-light, and becomes more frantic.
Athedia
Mithril scrambled to Natalia, slapping a hand on her shoulder and shrinking the rogue til she around the size of Shiny.  Her circlet warmed, the feeling reassuring as she brought her hand to her own shoulder and pushed.  Immediately the world started to get larger.

 
 Spoiler 
Casting the Reduce Persons
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Mithril, no! Fly leave now, small later! Tick tock tick tock run!"  she screams in rising panic, having tossed aside the arrow once in range of Shiny's spell.

 
 Spoiler 
seriously athedia, what are you doing? It takes you a round to get to us, and they'll be on us next round. We need to leave NOW!
 
Athedia
 
 Spoiler 
Kurt can't pick us up until we are small.  I only have 1 fly left and it would be wasted if some of us were left behind.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Panicking, Natalia prepares to smash her first of three smokesticks against the ground if the orcs actually notice where they are.

 
 Spoiler 
he can pick us up when we're regular sized, he'll just be encumbered. Make us smaller midair so well be a light load and then he can fly faster. But he can pick us up now.
 
Admiral
Natalia leaps up and grabs the top of the door, ready to climb and find Shiny and Mithril. Then Mithril appears in front of her, grabs her arm, and casts a spell. Natalia is disoriented as she feels the world grow larger around her, while she dangles from the roof.

Shiny clambers up right next to Mithril, and, seeing the group all close together, casts another spell on a copper piece in his pocket. The whole party feels themselves turn invisible.

The pack of orc guards race to the edge of the web, and furiously look around as they try to determine what is happening. One of them shouts  &lt;Orcish&gt;"The door! It's open!"&lt;/Orcish&gt; , and the others start shouting their alarms.

 
 Spoiler 

Now we're all invisible, so no attacking or spelling anyone, please!

If Kurt wants to drink a healing potion during that round, he can.

The detachable ladder was already up on the ship, not connected to the shore, so you don't have to do anything to make it unusable.
 
Admiral
Shiny rolls forward and drops to the floor of the ship next to Kurt.

 
 Spoiler 

Tumble check DC 15 (not wearing armor so no penalty):  (1d20+11)[ 24 ] 
If fail,  (1d6)[ 4 ]  falling damage
 


Once down next to Kurt, he casts a quick spell: this one designed to make it harder for the orcs to get into the ship once the party has escaped left. Smoke billows out around them, surround the door and the hallway around them.

 
 Spoiler 

Obscuring Mist. 20 feet, better than the smokestick's 10.
 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Tick tock!"  Natalia shouts, letting go of the ledge and latching onto Kurt.

 
 Spoiler 
Can she smash a smokestick? should she smash a smokestick? Can we leave this round if Mithril hops down and casts Fly on Kurt?

Dammit, we're out of time now. I think a smokestick would be a good idea; it'll take them a bit longer to get to the door, but gah!

So tense, how long ago did Natalia set the trap?
 
Cavelcade
 "Natalia! Calm yourself!"  Kurt reaches up towards Mithril, then, waiting for her to cast her spell.
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
For expediency, we'll have Mithril cast the spell. My deepest apologies to athedia if she'd rather Mithril have cast prestidigitation to change the color of her hair.
 


Mithril reaches down and casts her flying spell on Kurt, and gestures for him to fly up with the other two and close the door.
CoffeeIncluded
 "But tick tock!"  Natalia says nervously, though slightly less frantically.

Once Kurt picks up her and Shiny, if Natalia has the time, she drops a smokestick and empties a bag of caltrops into the entrance to the ship behind the open door. Anyone running into the ship is going to get a nasty surprise.
Admiral
After Mithril casts her spell, Kurt grabs Shiny and Natalia and flies them up above the door of the ship. He drops them next to the others, and then quickly positions himself to push the door back in. As he does, Shiny presses the wand against him and tries casting a spell to enlarge him.

 
 Spoiler 
UMD Check:  (1d20+12)[ 24 ] 
 


Even through the mist the party can see Kurt grow to a far larger size.

 
 Spoiler 
Time for Kurt to make a Strength check (don't forget his Str modifier is 1 higher with this size). DC 15 to close it in 1 round, otherwise 2 rounds.
 
Cavelcade
With a great heave, Kurt tries to pull the door shut.  "Come on..." 
 
 Spoiler 
 (1d20+5)[ 21 ] 
 


Pulling even as he grows, he feels the door slowly start to come, then faster before it slams shut, with him on the right side.
CoffeeIncluded
As Kurt pushes in the door, Natalia pours in a bag of caltrops and maybe a smokestick if she has the time. Slow them down as much as possible. Her heart is racing at the orcs swarming and the bomb ticking down beneath her feet.
Admiral
Once Natalia is atop the hull, she steps over and drops some caltrops and a smokestick into the door. Just as she finishes, she spots the door emerging from the mist, pushed by the enormous dwarf, and she pulls her hand away just in time to avoid it being chopped off. The door slams shut with a resounding thud. Just then, Shiny points down at the crease and casts a spell: a small, deadly looking trap appears across the top of the door, featuring what seems to be a small keg and a tinderstick fuse. The keg is open and features a dark grey powder inside.

 
 Spoiler 
Here's hoping the guards recognize the stuff.
 


The sound of the door closing is accompanied by a couple of thuds on the side of the ship's hull, which the party can feel beneath their feet: though they can't see through the mist, they fear that one or more orcs have leapt on to the ship not far from them.

 
 Spoiler 
Kurt's move. Fly fly away?
 
Athedia
Mithril grabbed onto Kurt's now surprisingly large arm and held on for dear life.  Squeezing her eyes shut she started a litany of prayers in her head.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia clutches on tight next to Mithril, nearly digging her fingers into Kurt's arm as well. If they die now, blown up, it's all her fault. She also squeezes her eyes shut and whispers, faster but at an even tempo,  "Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock..." 
Cavelcade
 "Tick tock - away from here!"  Kurt immediately starts flying south, as best as he can judge it, planning to get as far away as fast as he can, moving in a direct line and barely stopping, rising just high enough to make it unlikely they'll be hit by some accident.
CoffeeIncluded
As they fly off, everyone can hear Natalia muttering,  "Tick tock, tick tock,"  at a quick even tempo. And then it slowly becomes clear--she's speaking a countdown.
Admiral
Once the door is closed, Kurt flies straight forwards and grabs Shiny, Mithril, and Natalia in his enormous arms. Without pausing he careens forward over the river and arcs towards the south side of the tent. Moments later the three who are carried are splashed gently with water as they pass under the low hanging tent.

As they emerge into the late-day sun, they see a rather different camp than when they arrived. Orcs are emerging from their tents as the alarms are sounded, and parties of guards are rushing towards the center of the camp, snowballing as they gain bystanders. "The Horde trust in numbers," the masters of Soshima had said, and the party sees these numbers start to take form around them.

Kurt pays little heed to anything but their escape, and thirty seconds later the party is flying over the edge of the camp, the sentries below still guarding the crude walls even in all the excitement. And shortly afterwards they are again gliding over the fields, back towards the hilly terrain where they'd first launched their stealthy assault. Behind them the alarm and battle cries of the orcs grow fainter, and the party's hearts grow lighter as they feel safer from what they know is coming.

They're almost halfway across the field when they hear the blast: like a crack of thunder louder than any they've ever heard. Looking over their shoulder they see it: an enormous ball of fire sprouting from the central tent. And yet the fire is nothing compared to the chaos it spreads: in the blink of an eye shards of sharp metal debris erupt from the center, some tearing a path of destruction through the orc camp, others raining down on it from above in violent arcs. Another few claps of thunder sound and other bursts of fire appear around the ship: the gunpowder appears designed to spread before it exhausts itself. Just then the burst of hot air reaches them, flapping through their clothes as Kurt carries them away.

And mere moments later the noise and fury have ceased, and what is left is a massive cloud of smoke that seems to cover the whole camp, fires along the ground feeding into it, and a ringing in their ears as a faint echo of the violence they'd unleashed.

 
 Spoiler 
As the secret roll worked out, the trap went off only a single round early. No damage to the party, who was over a quarter of a mile away, except a little ringing in your ears.

Good work.
 
Cavelcade
Kurt pauses in midair as the hot air washes over them, slowly turning to look back in awe at the destruction that had been wrought.  "...imagine if that had been Soshima..."  The colour has drained from his face as he reconsiders again the effects this will have on war - the ferocity of the explosion was so much more than he'd imagined. Would there even be a job for the samurai to do, after such an...an eruption?

He starts flying backwards slowly then, before turning around to face away from the camp, pausing mid-flight.  "Does anyone know where the samurai raiders are?" 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia looks back with widening eyes, the color draining from her face as the ringing in her ears recedes. All the orcs swarmed towards the center, rand towards their own destruction. And if this had gone to Soshima, well...

 "How much Soshima left?"  she murmurs, half to herself and half in response to Kurt's question.

 "Don't know where, though maybe Ash..."  Natalia says to Kurt, though she sounds distracted. The camp is before them, in fire and rubble and ruins, with the samurai about to deal the death blow (how many are left?) and...

  I did this.  

Natalia fidgets, looks at her friends.  "Can we? Need to see my hands..." 
 
 Spoiler 
Fantastic work for you too, Admiral!

So should we join in with the attack on Soshima now? I kinda do want to see the destruction up close.

Is it time for Achinca to return?
 
Athedia
 "The Hooded One is more dangerous than we thought, if he had unleashed this before in Linwood."  Mithril was still in awe at the explosion.  How could such a simple thing, a powder, carry all this power.
CoffeeIncluded
 "But...not in Linwood,"  Natalia says, still quiet and a bit distant.  "Searching for Linwood? Sending to Linwood orcs?"  If this had gone off in the tunnels during their attack...She shudders at the thought.

 "Not like orcs. Too fine for Linwood orcs. Too fine for these? Taught, but...by whom? Hooded one? Puppetmaster? What if...not just orcs? Giants and ogres with gunpowder too!" 

She shakes her head.  "Find Ash, should...help samurai? See with close eyes?" 
 
 Spoiler 
I take it any surviving orcs are also temporarily deafened from the blast? 😛
 
Admiral
Kurt continues flying the party towards the hills at the edge of the field. Behind them the sounds of the explosions end, are replaced by a new cacophony: shrieks of pain from orcs burning alive, screams of torment from the wounded, howls of lament from the bereaved, and battle cries from the survivors. The camp keeps receding behind them and yet the haunting voices follow them across the field, even as they reach the edge of the field and land on top of a ridge.
CoffeeIncluded
As Natalia hears the cries of the orcs, the cries of the living and soon to be dead, she lowers her head and closes her eyes. Anyone looking closely can feel her shoulders and hands trembling, and see that her face is tinged slightly green.
Admiral
The party waits on top of the hill, watching the encampment in the distance and waiting for the assault. After all the hurried rushing of setting the explosives, the waiting is almost intolerable.

They can just barely see orcs start emerging from the cloud of smoke in the camp: at first they seem to be escaping, but as they start to align in rows it becomes clear their intention is to fortify the perimeter. It's hard to tell how wounded they are at this great distance, especially with smoke starting to blow across the field, but the party's best impression is that they have some mix of injured and uninjured. The wall becomes packed with kneeling orc sentries: even at this distance, it's clear they're holding crossbows and preparing for an attack.

A couple of minutes later the party feels the invisibility disappear around them, and Kurt sinks into his armor as he loses his power of flight. Soon after, Natalia expands to her normal size as Mithril's magic wears off. They keep low on the ridge, watching the orcs regroup in the distance and waiting for the cavalry.

Five more agonizing minutes pass as the smoke starts to rise from the camp. It leaves the surface a bit clearer, but starts to blot out the nearly setting sun, setting a grim pall over the entire field. The party keeps a close eye out for Ash but can't yet see him in the surrounding hills. The sentries still keep their watch, but the party manages to hide from them once their invisibility is lost by crouching low on the hill.

Then without warning the air is broken by the crashing sound of horns, and from the southeast side of the field, about five hundred feet from where the party sits, there comes the noise of hoofbeats. Then moments later, out from the hills charges about forty men and women on horseback: even from this distance the party can recognize the heavy armor and colored belts of the Soshiman Guard. The first wave of the attack bursts across the field in a flurry of hooves and steel.

 
 Spoiler 

Let me know if there's anything you want to do during the wait, or once the riders appear.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia looks around for any more evidence of pit traps, the state of the orcs and the camp, and Ash. She still feels sick about the size of destruction.

 
 Spoiler 
spot:  (d20+9)[ 20 ]  unless I have time to take 20, which I'm not entirely sure of.

Why didn't we go all the way back to where Ash was? Where are we, somewhere on the plain?
 


When the riders appear, Natalia asks,  "Wait, or join?" 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
 Natalia looks around for any more evidence of pit traps, the state of the orcs and the camp, and Ash. She still feels sick about the size of destruction.

 
 Spoiler 
spot: [roll0] unless I have time to take 20, which I'm not entirely sure of.

Why didn't we go all the way back to where Ash was? Where are we, somewhere on the plain?
 
 
 

 
 Spoiler 
I told you, you're on a ridge at the edge of the plain. It's right where you left Ash, but I put you on top of a ridge (you can climb down if you want to) so that you could see what was happening out on the plain. You just haven't spotted Ash yet.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia looks out at the battle, and down where the sentries are.

 
 Spoiler 
okay, thanks. Sorry, at the doctor. Can we attack the two sentries from where we are? Sneak attack? Can we tell what they're wearing? I think it might be a good idea to take care of those two, what do you think?

And did Shiny heal me and Kurt?
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 

Shiny healed Natalia and Kurt while they were flying, yup. He'll heal both all the way. Let's see how many charges it takes, doing Natalia first (Kurt had 15 damage, remind me how much Natalia had)

 (1d8+1)[ 9 ] 
 (1d8+1)[ 5 ] 
 (1d8+1)[ 7 ] 
 (1d8+1)[ 5 ] 
 (1d8+1)[ 2 ] 
 (1d8+1)[ 5 ] 
 (1d8+1)[ 2 ] 
 (1d8+1)[ 4 ] 
 (1d8+1)[ 2 ] 
 (1d8+1)[ 9 ] 
 
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Spoiler 
natalia is at 23/46 HP, though it'll go down to 16/46 in a couple hours when the vampiric touch wears off. So the first four to five fully heal her. Thanks!
 
Athedia
 "Let's find Ash."   Mithril looked pale, about to faint.  The day had taken its toll on her, and she felt weak with so little magic left to protect herself.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia reaches an arm out for Mithril to steady herself on, though for her part the rogue isn't looking much better.
Admiral
Moments after the charge of the soldiers, Natalia finally sees Firefeather circling above her and breathes a sigh of relief. Looking down she spots Ash sneaking along the side of one of the hills, and with a discreet wave she is able to get his attention.

Ash signals to them to wait- he seems to be stationed there waiting to join some future charge.

In front of them the forty samurai race across the field towards the camp. But the ground is treacherous before them, and  (1d6+1)[ 3 ]  fall into concealed traps as they ride, their horses whinnying horribly as they meet some grisly fate at the base of the pits. The riders don't slow down, but instead charge towards the orcs' lines. Once they are within a few hundred feet, the arrows and bolts start flying, but still they ride. When they reach the trench, the horses take the leap, and not all make it. Those that do come to a horrible clash with the line of barbarians waiting for them, and begin carving into the ranks.

As the first force is riding, there is the sound of trumpets behind the party, and on the paths around them appear a new force of samurai marching from the South, this one composed of 60 men and women on horseback. They proceed at a more measured pace across the field, with a few riders at the front punching at the ground to do their best to avoid traps. They are about a third of the way to the encampment just as the battle there is beginning.

 
 Spoiler 
Waves are good strategy for barbarians because they wear out their rages. Sucks to be in an early wave though.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia shudders as she watches the battle. Was this what it was like against the giants? What if their work wasn't enough? Though it was so much...Their screams are still echoing in her skull.

  I did this. 

"What...should we do?"  she asks, whispering, looking back down at Ash and the two sentries. Is he ahead or behind them?
Athedia
Mithril held out her hand, watching the bloody scene in front of her.   "We did our part.  Now we wait. If the gods are smiling then the samurai will succeed. " 
Admiral
With a grim smile, Ash signals to them to stay where they are. Then he finds another passing green belt and leaps onto his horse, ready to join the battle. As he rides past the party he can't help but shout up to them .  "Guess now's my time to be the hero!" 

When the second wave reaches the battle, some soldiers from the first wave still remain, battling the orcs on foot- but not many. Even from a distance it looks like the samurai are superior warriors, but even after the explosion, the Horde still seems to have the advantage of numbers. At least their wave had torn through the line of archers, so the second wave is able to join the battle nearly uninjured. Still, for every orc they cut down, two more seem to emerge through the smoke.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia watches in growing fear, clenching her fists. All they did, all  she  did, and it still wasn't enough? Where was the help the Soshimans were promised? All she did was forestall the inevitable-- they'll still be crushed by sheer weight of numbers.

And Miriam was down there too.

 "Something?  Anything?!"  Just sit and watch die?"  She just barely refrains from shaking Shiny.  "Glass emptied? No blinding left?" 
 
 Spoiler 
they all ran to the center of the camp, of the explosion. So few of the total actually got blown up?
 
Admiral
From the east side of the field comes the sound of horns, announcing the third wave. But this horn is much deeper and longer than those of the Soshiman guards, and when the horses emerge from the eastern hills, most bear neither the heavy armor nor the colored belts of the samurai. It seems Soshima's allies have arrived to give their aid.

A squadron of over a hundred soldiers starts swiftly across the field, following the paths set by the previous riders and avoiding most of the pits. Thirty Soshima samurai ride alongside them, making this the largest wave by far. Some soldiers wear breastplates, others chain mail, while others are bare-chested. All ride swiftly, purposefully and expertly towards the camp, brandishing their lances, axes and greatswords above their heads.

With the battle at the border of the camp growing bloodier and bloodier, the party feels great relief that such a substantial force has arrived as backup. But as the force draws towards the camp, the rider at the front raises his banner, and a chill comes over the party as they recognize it. And then the whole squadron of riders starts speaking as one, their practiced chant so loud that it can be heard all the way across the plains.

 "Orcspawn! The one true race has judged you and found you unworthy! We are the Crusaders of Eldgar, defenders of the human race and saviors of the continent!" 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia's jaw literally drops when she sees the raised banner. She splutters in shock for a moment, before somehow managing to say,  "I--I don't--They--CRUSADERS?! SOSHIMA CRUSADERS?! CHURCH ALLIED CRUSADERS?!" 
 
 Spoiler 
WHAT?! Wait, WHAT?! The crusaders are the actual allies?! The allies sanctioned by the CHURCH?! You're telling me Soshima and the church have been on the side of the crusaders the entire time?! But Deldon and Zenn, Kurt and Shiny welcomed, that doesn't make any sense! Was this just a case of "Enemy is my enemy?" There's got to be something else behind it!
 
Athedia
Mithril glanced over at Shiny and Kurt.   "Damn, Aicha probably knew about this didn't she.  We need to leave, soon, before they find us.  Even we aren't safe Natalia, we ally ourselves with non-humans." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Then why not warn her danger, ours?"  Natalia asks, her voice rising again.  "Why ally with mixed church, mixed. Soshima? Desperate? Shared foe?"  But even so, fighting on the field with them, putting their nonhuman friends in danger, it didn't make any sense!

 "Flee, or wait for end? Know road back?" 
Admiral
The four travelers watch from a distance as the new soldiers join the battle. The Crusaders are fierce fighters, and they clearly have experience combating Horde tactics. The battle rages for a while longer, but the Horde seems to take greater losses than the human soldiers.

As they fight, thick smoke rises from the burning camp. The battle is on the east side of the river, such that the mass of smoke nearly blocks out the setting sun, and as the territory of the fight gets darker it becomes harder and harder to see from their distance.

The party hears a noise behind them, and when they turn they see Ash finishing his climb up the steep ridge. One look at his grim expression as he joins them shows that he knew about the Crusaders all along.

 
 Spoiler 
As mentioned OOC, I am retconning out that Ash joined the battle. He just climbed up from behind you.
 
Athedia
Mithril backed away from Ash, still holding on to Natalia's arm.   "No warning, nothing?  If we had settled down among soldiers, if they had found us.  What then?" 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia's anger is much more visceral, and she's all but fighting back a snarl.  "Endangered Kurt, Shiny, us all! Soshima Crusaders?! Church allied Crusaders?! What happened to mixed Soshima? Why? Why not warn?! Why choose them?!"  She edges between Ash and Mithril--and Shiny and Kurt, using herself as a shield.
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by Athedia 
 Mithril backed away from Ash, still holding on to Natalia's arm.   "No warning, nothing?  If we had settled down among soldiers, if they had found us.  What then?"  
 

 "Your orders were to return here, not to join the battle,"  Ash says calmly,  "I relayed 'em to you myself. Just as I had my orders to take you here, and not to tell you what I knew."  Standing in the setting sun, the katana and wakizashi at his side, he looks less like a young, carefree boy than he had during the day.


  Natalia's anger is much more visceral, and she's all but fighting back a snarl. "Endangered Kurt, Shiny, us all! Soshima Crusaders?! Church allied Crusaders?! What happened to mixed Soshima? Why? Why not warn?! Why choose them?!" She edges between Ash and Mithril--and Shiny and Kurt, using herself as a shield. 

Ash scoffs.  "You think the Church is on our side? From what I hear, most of their army is off on the other side of the plains, saving some city that better 'deserved' their favor. Soshima gets help where it can." 
 "It's not a samurai's place to question his orders,"  he says seriously.  "But I also don't suppose it's my place to hear newcomers lecture me about danger while my brothers die on the battlefield. Imagine the samurai took the encampment without any help. They say six thousand orcs died in the Battle of the Red River to get this territory; how many will they send to take it back? All the soldiers we're losing today, you think we have enough to protect forty miles of river while still defending Soshima?"

"Some tribe was going to get the river,"  he says severely.  "The masters did what they had to do." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "So then what?"  Natalia growls.  "River for Crusaders? Endangering own non-human Soshimans? You...think they'll leave you be? Won't turn on you next?"  The gnomes, the dwarves, the elves, halflings, and orcs of Soshima, they'll still be targets. Possibly even bigger targets than before. It wasn't right! Shiny and Kurt and everyone not human shouldn't be afraid!

 
 Spoiler 
I've got to go to bed now. See you all tomorrow!
 
Admiral
 "I don't think anything,"  he says.  "I obey the orders of the masters of Soshima, and I trust them to protect it. If they're making deals with the Crusaders, they must know that it's in the best interests of the city." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Obey without question? No choosing yourself?! Best interest of Soshima, but what of Soshimans?"  She looks out at the battlefield, trying to gauge whether by sight or sound how the battle is going.  "If Crusader river, then nonhumans hunted down! Nonhumans like Soshimans, like friends!" 

She looks back at her friends, shuddering, remembering what Zenn had said about his family butchered, imagines Aicha trying and failing to flee. She squeezes her eyes and fists shut, and says quietly,  "Kurt and Shiny, Aicha and Zenn...Unsafe Soshima now." 
 
 Spoiler 
Do I need to roll spot and listen checks? Or can I take 10/20 since there's no danger?

And sorry about taking it out on Ash, Natalia's frustrated and terrified. And "Obeying orders without question" doesn't exactly sit well with her. 😛
 
Cavelcade
Kurt watches the battle closely, watching to see the tactics that Soshima prefers to use against the superior numbers of the horde. He doesn't take his eyes off it for a second as the men start to die, even when the banner unfurls at the head of the column - not until Ash finishes climbing the ridge behind them. Even then, his attention stays focused on what's going on below - after all, the battle might still go badly, even at this stage. How he feels about his part in it all is hidden by his silence.

Eventually, however, Natalia's words catch his attention and he turns slowly, dragging his gaze off the battle.  "The crusaders held this outpost before, and Soshima existed. They'll be too busy fighting the horde to hold it to waste time on Soshima - and the horde will be too busy trying to retake it to grab Soshima...I hope anyway.  He sits down on a rock, facing away from the battle - or sinks down onto it.  "War...war is always dirty, Natalia. That's what we were told, back in our lessons - that's why the dwarves rarely go to war anymore, preferring to stick with trade. Trade leads to some dirty dealings, but nothing that leaves a taste like this in your mouth."  He looks over at Ash unhappily and shakes his head.  "Not that that excuses shutting your brain off..."  He sighs, looking back out again.  "But we did what we said we would - we saved Soshima, because we think...or thought, it deserves to be saved. I still think that - and I don't regret what I had to do to save it. I wish I could live like Zenn, but I believe too much in the strength of my own hands. Let's just hope there are enough samurai left to spare some to help us try and rescue the dwarves." 
achinca
Miriam looks at the first wave of samurai attackers reaches the Horde's defense. She has spent a little time with them and she had realized that all of them knew it was a suicide mission. However, there was none of the fear that she saw in the soldiers of Hulburg at the outpost. These samurais had orders and they knew that they will not be coming back. They will die with honors and bring honor to their families. None of them look scared as if they knew it was the day the gods decided to call them back. She did cast a bless spell on as many as she could to slightly increase their chance of survival but she knew her main task was healing.

She saw the carnage of the first wave and her heart shrank a little but before she could really analyze the situation, the was part of the second wave. She rode behind and green belted samurai and reached the front. As sound as she joined the fray, she was 100% on instinct. It was all blood and gore and she just kept healing soldiers, trying to save a many as she can while make the best use of her limited healing magic. At one point, she realized that her simple white robe has turn red because of the blood of both samurai and orcs and started to show rip. She stopped for a second and looked around the battle and remembered what nasty old man Calric told her " Simple farm girl you knows nothing, repeat after me: WAR IS HELL. There are no winners in war, just the rich and the nobles who wage war from their palaces. In a batlle there is blood, death, maiming and trauma. Nothing else. No glory. Just guts everywhere. The soldiers who survived are changed for life. They are tougher, less sensitive, less caring and better killing machines. Old young pups without experience can dream and glorify war. Anyone who has been in a battle is marked for life and not in a good way. Remember that, Miriam who knows nothing ."

The rolling head of a young samurai, probably not older than 20 wakes her up from her reverie. There is so much carnage around her, so much pain and death that she cannot think. She does not want to think. She cannot afford to think. She goes back to healing, potential saving one to every two or three she loses. Yet she sees in the look of the samurais around her how much they appreciate her often futile effort.

As Miriam starts to realize that the second wave is not big enough, she sees the third wave made of crusaders. She is too drained to get upset but yet is still feeling betrayed until the words of nasty old pervert Calric come back " Another lesson you need to learn, as you are a simple farm girl who known nothing. War makes strange bedfellows. the enemy of your enemy is ALWAYS your friend. Even if you have to kill them right after the battle is over. So remember that. If you are in a battle, we might ally yourself with people you hate. But as long a both of you fight the same enemy, it is fine. Remember that, Miriam who knows nothing. " She had never expected that the old bastard words would come so true. She returns to healing the allies, samurais and crusaders aside.

As the battle continues, she ran off healing materials and magic and just become a fighter. She thinks " at this point, one side needs to withdraw or both sides will lose all their fighters. "

She is exhausted, her robe is totally red and ripped but she clings her teeth and heal and fight, wondering is today, St. Cuthbert decided it was a good day to die.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia can't understand how Kurt seems so calm when so many people who want him dead for being him are killing each other just a few hundred feet away. She still thinks they should have saved Soshima, but...

 "Horde as Crusaders. One and same. Skin and tusks only change."  She turns around.  "What if Deldon price of Crusader aid? What if kill Samurai for "crime" of helping Deldon?!"  she spits. But it doesn't get the taste of ash out of her mouth.

 
 Spoiler 
yes, I know Natalia's being a bit irrational.
 
Cavelcade
 "Then they'll be fools. Soshima was doomed - just look at the state of the camp if you don't believe me. Even if we only delayed the inevitable isn't that good? Maybe someone else will be able to delay it the next time, and again, and again. Or maybe not. We still did the best we could."  He looks over at the battle again, wishing he could make out what was going on better.  "Only the gods know everything, so we just have to muddle through doing our best. Even when it leads to scenes like this." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "Already fools, if not seeing worth,"  Natalia says, again clenching her fists and eyes shut. She can't quite look anyone in the eye. Finally, she roars,  "After all blood?! Not enough to save, after all blood?!" 
Admiral
As Natalia, Mithril, Kurt and Ash talk and argue, the smoke continues rising, both above the camp and along the plains. Between the battle growing dark and the cloud of smoke and dust blocking their view, it has become impossible to make out anything other than a vague mass of shapes in melee.

Like Kurt, Shiny stays quiet for most of their time on the ridge. He lies on his stomach, watching the battle in the distance. Now he finally speaks up.

 "'The Battle of the Red River'... how do you think the bards came up with that?"  he asks idly, as if speaking to the grass in front of him.  "Do you think they called it something else first, until they could settle on a name? And what do you think they'll call this one?"  He takes in the scene: a massive cloud of smoke of the party's own doing, blotting out what little light remained in the day, and he exhales slowly.  "'The Battle of the Early Dusk'..." 

He laughs suddenly as he turns to Natalia.  "You know the funny thing about what you're saying? About how nothing can be worth partnering with such awful, irredeemable people?"  He points out at the battlefield as he suppresses a chuckle.  "It's just... I bet you... I bet you anything..."  he has to pause to slow his giggling.  "I bet you most of the Crusaders were just saying  the exact same thing about us- "  he starts cracking up uncontrollably, rolling on his back and kicking out his legs.
Cavelcade
Kurt looks over at Shiny, then shakes his head and smiles.  "I don't think I'll ever fully understand your humour Shiny. I think what you said just sounds so...sad." 
Athedia
Mithril watched Shiny rolling around and couldn't help but smile.  It was a small smile, a grim one, but it was there.   "You are right.  Won't that be embarrassing to them." 
Admiral
Shiny wipes some tears of laughter from his eyes as his cackling slows.  "Ah, well then. I suppose I feel lucky to be me,"  he lies.

The sounds of battle in the distance slow, and after just a minute whatever sounds are left are overwhelmed by the distant crackle of the fire. For five minutes there is nothing left to see or hear.

And then from the smoke there emerges a samurai on a black horse, holding aloft the banner of Soshima, riding slowly towards the party. Behind him come four other soldiers on horseback, and then there emerge a mass of other samurai, all walking in their heavy armor along the fields, their horses lost to the battle.

Their march is not the careless haste of a retreat, but nor is it a victory parade through the streets. The soldiers walk proudly but painfully, most of them bearing wounds of varying severity from the difficult battle. From the hundred and twenty soldiers Soshima had sent to war, only fifty return. As they march towards the ridge, they draw closer into view, and the party is relieved to see among them a woman in simple robes stained dark red. She stumbles from her injuries and fatigue, and yet as she walks she still supports a samurai next to her.

As they march, a victory whoop emerges from the smoke behind them. The encampment is now the territory of the Crusaders.

-------------

 Miriam: 
 
 Spoiler 
As repulsive as she finds the Crusaders, she cannot deny that they fight well- even valiantly. Nowhere does she see the uncertainty of the draftees or the greed if the mercenaries at the battle of the outpost. The Crusaders fight for a cause, however despicable, that they believe in with all their hearts.

The tide of the battle turns with the new arrivals, and at any moment she expects the orcs to sound a retreat. But for some reason they never do-  the waves keep coming, even as they grow sparser and sparser, until the last orc, who looks almost like a child, runs with a furious cry straight into the Crusaders' blades. A cold chill comes over her heart as she guesses why they don't retreat: perhaps those with the authority to order a retreat had been killed in the blast, and without the order the barbarians would simply rush forward until they were all dead.

Finally the last of the orcs is defeated, all sides having suffered heavy casualties. She does what little she can to stabilize the wounds of the dying. And then through the smoke, she spots two men standing ten feet apart, each backed by their guards. She recognizes General Carlyle from the Masters Council, addressing a man in full plate armor who seems to be the leader of this band of Crusaders. She cannot make out the words from this distance, but in the end they shake hands. General Carlyle's face is stoic and reveals nothing of his feelings. As he steps away, the Crusader adds something loud enough that a fragment drifts across the battlefield to Miriam:  "...give the Grand Master my regards." 

And then the general orders the march back to Soshima, and the samurai first hoist the most wounded men onto one of the few remaining horses and then begin their journey.
 
Cavelcade
Kurt glances over at Ash as the samurai come down, anxiety in his face even though he spots Miriam.  "Where will we climb down to meet them?" 
Admiral
The samurai gestures to the side he'd climbed up.  "Not as hard as it looks,"  he says, his smile returning.

Slowly and gently he leads the party down the hill. They reach the bottom just a minute before the General rides up, his face serious and severe, followed by the remainder of the Soshiman guard, Miriam among them.
CoffeeIncluded
 "Yeah,"  Natalia says, her voice distant.  "monsters, us all." 

She barely feels more than a twith of relief as she sees Miriam. There's no joy in this victory for her. Instead, she feels hollow.

 
 Spoiler 
sorry, have to go again.
 
achinca
Miriam hears the last words spoken by the Crusaders leader and she is reminded of some other teaching for the dirty old bastard Calric."  Stupid farm girl who knows nothing, never judge people on their words. Analyze their actions based on their motivations. People will do a lot of things for specific reasons. A mother who self herself to feed her starving children is a better person than the concubine who joins the court for the riches and fame. Understand the motivations and why people do that. Before you judge and condemn, understand the reasons, you Miriam who knows nothing " The old man might have been nasty and took advantage of her but the young cleric is starting to see his wisdom. He might not have used for a good thing but he did try to teach her a lot. She might despise what the Crusaders believe and would stand to them if needed but she does not judge Soshima. She does not know all the reasons for the alliance of a city based on honor and a group dedicated to eradicating non-human. She saw the Crusaders in the battle and they had the discipline and dedication of fighters who believed in what they were doing. They were fighting and dying for a cause. She has no respect for the cause but she did respect the strength of their convictions.

As she starts the long walk back, she sees no sense of euphoria among the samurais. There is not even joy of a victory. It is clear that the survivors know that they were lucky. Sadness for the ones who will not come home is the omnipresent feeling. Miriam sees a samurai who has trouble walking and give him her shoulder. He thanks her with a nod, both too tired to speak. She notices that her left sandal is about to rib and new holes in her bloodied robe. She walks slowly, starting to feel aware how the battle had changed her. It was not like Hulburg where the soldiers were fodders until the wizards came and took over. This was a man to man battle of people truly believing in what they were doing. She had seen more death and dismemberment than she could imagine. She had survived and she knows that changed her. She did not wish that feeling to anyone in the world.

She keeps walking, supporting the injured samurai more and more.
CoffeeIncluded
As Natalia sees Miriam and the surviving samurai approach, she works her mouth, trying to say something, a shout of protest, anything at the slaughter and the crusaders. But she can't say anything, not here, not with the blood on them and her at the moment. So she says nothing, and instead looks as if she is about to scream wordlessly and cry.
Athedia
Mithril half climbed, half slid down the slope to meet the coming troops.  Seeing Miriam in such disarray she pulled together her meager remainder of spells and laid a hand on the bloody robe.  Where there had once been red and holes, the fabric bleached and wove itself together.  She knew it was very little, she couldn't do a thing to help the injuries and the injured, but she could make the cleric look strong again.
Admiral
As the samurai reach the ridge, Shiny races forward to Miriam, his healing wand up his sleeve.  "Surely you remember me, Miriam Marooncloak,"  he says to the dazed cleric.  "It's Shiny Valorvale, cleric of Heironeous and chivalry tutor! Allow me to provide some professional courtesy." 

Shiny quickly heals Miriam of her battle wounds: she had used the last of her healing magic on the other soldiers some time ago. Combined with Mithril's thoughtful mending of the robe, the cleric looks whole again, physically if not mentally. Shiny proceeds to trot around the samurai, healing those who need it with his usual inconsistent efficacy. The other healers travel through the group: only one has a wand with any power remaining after the bloody battle, and it is soon expended.

 
 Spoiler 

Shiny decided to spend most of the CLW wand healing the worst-wounded samurai, as the wand is of increasingly limited value to the gang. He'll leave 5 charges in case of emergency.
 


General Carlyle carries the banner until he finds a clearing in the hills,  where he turns to address the soldiers. He nods brusquely at Ash and the party when he sees them. Now it is apparent that there is another samurai slumped over the back of his horse, and with dismay the party can see this fallen samurai bears a black belt.

 "The battle is won,"  he says,  "though at great cost to Soshima. Many samurai gave their lives, all soldiers of great worth and honor. Among them was..."  he pauses for a moment to collect himself,  "Master Endor, an extraordinary teacher and warrior. It was he who took on and killed the orc champion, saving countless lives with his courage and skill." 
 "Make camp, for we will spend the night in these hills. At dawn we will return to our home, to regroup and protect it against any retaliation. Know that while we cannot carry them with us today, all our fallen brothers and sisters- every soldier on that field who bears a colored belt- will soon be retrieved and laid in their final resting place in Soshima. And remember: a death in righteous battle is the greatest honor that a samurai can achieve." 

He rides off to the side to talk to the party.  "You completed your mission admirably,"  he says simply.  "Soshima will return your debt as promised. Twenty four samurai are already in the city prepared to escort you to the dwarf fortress of Deldon. You may travel back with the army, or Lieutenant Ash can lead you back on your own, in which case you might travel more quickly: the choice is yours." 
achinca
The exhausted Miriam has barely the strength too smile as she sees first Kurt then Natalia. She is truly happy to see them in one piece. As she suddenly sees her robe being whole and clean again, she turns and see Mithril. She nods her head and whispers a weak " thank you "

When Shiny heals her, she recovers her strength and energy, " thank you Shiny Valorvale! Heironeous does choose his followers wel l"

Miriam provides more support to the wounder warrior until the General makes his speech and decides to set up camp. After making sure the wounded samurai is comfortable, she takes Mithril to the side. " Mithril, I want to apologize for the things I said in Soshima about Henry. It was really unwise of me. I never focused on why he was doing what he was doing. I had no right to judge. I hope you can forgive me for the words I said. It was a very young and stupid girl talking. I just hope you are wiser and kinder than I was and find it in your heart to forgive me. "
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia smiles as the master promises aid to Deldon, feeling slightly abashed at her outburst. Though the feelings remain the same. When he asks if they want to stay the night, she asks,  "With Crusaders?"  with a significant look to Shiny and Kurt. Still, she leaves the decision to them.
Athedia
 "I do, of course I do.  We have been fighting together for to long for me not to."  On hearing that the samurai were waiting Mithril put in a word that she would like to meet them.   "Not just for Deldon, we should bring news back that Soshima is safe for now.  It may help the people to feel more secure." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia nods.  "Tell safety ahead..."  Especially for Shiny and Kurt's sake.   
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
 Natalia smiles as the master promises aid to Deldon, feeling slightly abashed at her outburst. Though the feelings remain the same. When he asks if they want to stay the night, she asks,  "With Crusaders?"  with a significant look to Shiny and Kurt. 
 

 "You are all under our protection,"  the general says sternly.  "No one would threaten you or them."  But as the others agree to go back to Soshima ahead of the army, the general nods in consent.

He steps off his horse and pulls a slip of parchment from his saddlebag, on which he proceeds to write, sign and seal a short message. Then he calls over Ash and gives a few orders, after which the ranger attaches the message to Firefeather's leg. Ash whispers a few words in the hawk's ear and then launches her into the sky.

The general turns back to the party.  "Soshima will know the outcome of the battle. They'll also know you're coming, and that you've fulfilled your duty. Talk to General Roper, who stayed behind to guard the city: he will have the soldiers ready for you when you arrive." 

With that, the party sets back on their path south, Firefeather racing ahead to bear the news of the victory.

 
 Spoiler 
It's a bit more realistic that those in Soshima wouldn't trust your word immediately, even with Ash at your side, or give you the task of letting Soshima know about the victory rather than find the fastest way to notify them.

Let me know if there's anything you want to do before or during the journey back, or we'll proceed very soon.
 
achinca
Miriam nods at the decision made by Mithril. She goes say goodbye to the samurais she healed and saved before leaving with the group.

EDIT: She also has a long silent prayer for all the samurais she failed to save and who died with honor on the battlefield.
CoffeeIncluded
  You may promise safety, but will Crusaders listen? Trust you, not them,   Natalia thinks to herself. But still, she nods and thanks the general and soldiers. Though she lacks Miriam's healing magic, she tries to help as she can. They didn't decide to side with Crisaders, the masters did. And if anyone asks, Natalia confirms that she set the trap, but emphasizes that she couldn't have done it without her friends. Especially not Shiny or Kurt. And as before, she gives them a significant look as she says it.
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
If it matters, I don't think the general was trusting the Crusaders when he talked about the party being under his protection: he was trusting himself and his samurai to protect the party with force if necessary.
 


The party starts on their journey back through the hills. They make their way to the cave where Shiny's warpony, along with the other gear he had stashed, is safely waiting for him, and decide to make camp in that cave. They don't know what orc raiding parties remain in the hills, and if they had decided to flee or take revenge after the camp was taken.

The night goes by without incident, and first thing in the morning they pack up their goods and set out again. They move quickly, but not as quickly as they had the previous day, when they had to reach the orc encampment before dusk. Ash in particularly moves more cautiously now that he no longer has Firefeather to watch the road ahead.

And so the trip back takes a little longer, and the sun is quite low in the sky on the other side of the river when they reach the guard tower at the edge of Soshiman territory. The dwarven guard who steps out looks cautiously at the party as they approach, and when Ash gives a nod he smiles (it seems Firefeather had gone straight to the city, so that the samurai on guard duty weren't yet informed of the victory). He quickly leads the party to the stables and sets them up with their horses- only ten miles remain to Soshima, and they hope to reach it before it is fully dark.

The party rides along the river swiftly, looking forward to their triumphant, if somewhat bittersweet, return to Soshima, and to the opportunities it provides for defending Deldon. As they go, they pass by a few other guard towers, each of which is glad to hear that the city is safe from the orcs.

 
 Spoiler 
Spot and Listen checks, everyone.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia keeps a sharp eye on the road. The orcs may be gone, but a potentially equal danger still remains. And her failure of the giants hasn't been replaced by the success with the orcs. She needs to protect her friends.

 
 Spoiler 
ah, thanks. I wasn't aware of that. Yeah, in pretty sure they left out the fact that a gnome and dwarf would help set the traps.

Spot:  (d20+9)[ 17 ] 
Listen:  (d20+9)[ 15 ] 
 


And so she stews with fear and anger. Crusaders and orcs, she doesn't see the difference.
achinca
Miriam goes with her friends but stays mostly quiet, the memories of yesterday battle still traumatizing her. She had little sleep, reliving the battle and the deaths over an over again.

As they get closer to Soshima, the idea of helping the Deldon dwarves start to think into her and provide a little relief until she realizes that more blood and death will follow. She gives a silent prayer for the samurais who will join them but never return to their home town.

 
 Spoiler 
Listen
 (1d20+4)[ 13 ] 

Spot
 (1d20+6)[ 14 ] 
 
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Spoiler 
Im sorry, I didn't have time to post this before. If you say I should delete it and edit into a previous post, I'll do that. I would have posted this before but I'm done for the day now and have time to make a longer post.
 


The night is much quieter than the battle beforehand, such that at moments Natalia wonders if she's still deafened. Eventually, however, she drifts off to sleep. And then the nightmares come.

"Dwarfspawn! Gnomespawn! We are the Crusaders of Eldgar!" And then they charge against Shiny and Kurt, and not even Shiny with his decoys and Kurt with his might can hold them back forever.

 "No! Stop! Back"  But they keep coming, and soon Shiny and Kurt are swallowed by a sea of red and steel. Natalia wakes up screaming, loud enough to wake at least a few of her friends.

But it doesn't end there. After drifting off again.

"Tick tock...tick tock..."

The bomb counts down and Natalia flees through a twisted maze of steel that goes one forever. And when she finally makes it to the door, it's sealed shut with locks and chains and bars.

 "Help! Please! Mithril!"  she screams, pounding on the door and screaming the Mage's name when the door turns clear and she sees her.

But Mithril merely touches the spot between lip and cheek where she kissed her, and silently turns away. And Natalia is left screaming impotently as the fireball consumes her.

This time the rogue wakes in cold sweat and years. She silently stands guard the rest of the night.
Admiral
The sun sets while the party is just a couple of miles from the city. Soon after darkness falls, Miriam and Natalia become aware of a strange noise in the distance over the sound of the rush of the water- perhaps a small animal howling in pain. As they keep moving forward, the sound starts to grow louder, and clearer: it is the sound of painfully terrible singing.

They round a bend, and from the twilight there emerges an old, disheveled man walking along the river, wearing a filthy robe and some kind of dirty knotted rope around his neck. He is kicking rocks into the water and absent-mindedly singing a children's song.

  Four guilds have stood since the times of old,
A guild of magic, a guild of gold,
A guild for the gods, a guild for the thieves,
There's a guild for you, and there's one for meeeeeeeee...  

He slurs the words together as he belts them out off-key, and leans back so far on the last syllable that he loses his balance and flops over. He is very obviously drunk.

Only upon falling to the ground does he see the party approach on horses, and he fumbles his way back to standing up. He slouches over to put himself on the path before them.

 "And where.... and where do you think you're going..."  he asks, trying to point an accusatory finger at the party and missing by several yards.
CoffeeIncluded
 "...Soshima,"  Natalia says cautiously as she eyes the drunk man. She doesn't dismount from her horse, but she reaches for a healing potion.  "You okay? Need help?"  she asks. She also looks at Miriam and asks,  "Can you help?" she also takes a good look at the rope around his neck. Can she identify the knot?

 
 Spoiler 
sense motive:  (d20+6)[ 16 ] 
 
achinca
A genuine smile appears on the priestess face. She nods at Natalia and climbs down from the horse she is borrowing. " Sir it would appear that you have enjoyed too many of the dwarven spirits. If you allow me, I can help you with your intoxication. But I must admit I do like your song. Which one is your guild? And what are you doing alone at this time of the night? Aren't worried about raiders? Why don't you come with us to Soshima. "

She approaches the beggar-looking man, the moon reflecting off her white robe.
Admiral
 "Soshima!"  the old man backs away in a hurried stumble when Miriam and Natalia approach, and he spits at the ground.  "Nobody  wants  to go to Soshima... they just...  have  to go there..."  The old man looks up and bounces his head as he tries to follow his own logic.

His rage returns when Miriam mentions the guilds.  "Guilds! You can... urgh..."  he seems to stop himself on the point of vomiting...  "take your guilds and keep em."  He waves his hands angrily at the helpful people approaching him. And when he does, they see that the back of his right hand is an awful charred black: his guildmark seems to have been burned off by fire.

 "And raiders... heh... wouldn't that be good and right? If they're to kill anyone, why not me?"  He stumbles around a bit more. As he turns to the river, they see he is carrying something loosely over his shoulder: it seems to be a pair of swords.

 
 Spoiler 
Sense Motive result: the man appears to be drunk.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia can't help but gasp when she sees the awful state of his hand. Who did that to him?  "Raiders wrong to kill anyone!"  she exclaims, riding over to the drunk man and giving him some bread.  "Soaks beer, feel better." 
 
 Spoiler 
Can Natalia tell anything about the swords? What about the rope around his neck?
 
achinca
Miriam continues to approach the drunk man " Guilds are not perfect Sir, but they are the laws of the land. Why don't you tell me what guild you belonged too and why you charred your hand. And please move away from the water. It is not safe. I am really interested in your story Sir. I am myself new to this land and still uncomfortable with the guild. And why a nose around your neck? Can I please heal you Sir? "
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
The swords look like the same shape and size as those carried by the samurai, though these are in unadorned black sheaths.

The rope around his neck seems familiar but it's hard for Natalia to tell why in the dark.
 

 "The noose..."  he breathes heavily...  "I knitted it myself, all those years ago... only right to... wear it..." 

He seems lost in thought for a moment. But then when Natalia's horse comes riding up to him it wakes him from his daze, and he snarls and snaps.

Natalia never sees the blade leave the sheath, nor see the old man step towards her. His motions are too fast, too fluid, and even in his horribly impaired state they seem to come easier than breathing.

 
 Spoiler 

Attack roll:  (1d20+25)[ 36 ] 
Drunk miss chance &lt;=20:  (1d100)[ 99 ] 
Damage:  (1d8+8)[ 10 ] 
Extra:  (4d6)[ 18 ] 
 


The katana slashes into Natalia with incredible speed and irresistible force: her breath is knocked out of her before she knows what's happening.

 
 Spoiler 

28 (not a typo) damage to Natalia. Natalia makes a DC 20 Fortitude save or cannot take a standard action next round.
 
achinca
"  Stop Now!  " yells Miriam as she stands an incantation!

 
 Spoiler 
Cast Hold Person DC 16
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia gasps, crying out in pain as the katana cuts through her. Her blades were drawn, dammit! How could she have let her guard down?

 
 Spoiler 
fort:  (d20+8)[ 18 ] 

Oh ****, that's staggering strike, isn't it? I think I know what this guys is, and for him to have that much of it...we could be in serious trouble, guys!
 


It's too fast, and the way he hit her, her arms are shaking, she can't catch her breath. Just what did he do?
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
This guy's drunk so I'm letting you win initiative automatically after his reflexive attack. Drunk also gives a wisdom penalty, as we all know too well.

Will save:  (1d20+5)[ 8 ] 
 


The old man freezes in place, his katana still held aloft, his face fixed in an oddly confused expression.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia pants heavily, trying to stem the blood from her wound. She snarls silently. Dammit, she was only trying to help. And those swords...

 "Secrets. Disarm or kill?"  she pants.

 
 Spoiler 
would I be able disarm him and tie him up now? Or would I have to knock him onto negative HP first? Can Shiny keep him locked down with color sprays while I disarm him, so he doesn't get up?

Ash is still with us, right?
 
Admiral
In an instant Ash has left his horse, and rushes to the old man. He knocks the sword out of his hands and pulls the other, a wakazashi, from the sheath on the man's back. He tosses both far out of the way.

Kurt similarly races over and tackles the old man, any gentleness gone after his brutal attack on Natalia. Together the party easily restrains the mysterious man, shoving him down to the ground and securing his hands behind his back. By the time he escapes from the hold of Miriam's spell, he is just blubbering nonsense.

 
 Spoiler 
This is not a combat worth rolling, you had him once Miriam's Hold Person worked and he was disarmed.
 


As the party holds him down, Ash stares at the man. His eyes widen and his breathing starts to quicken....   "no...."   he says quietly...   "no... it's impossible..."  ...
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia, her bleeding partially staunched, thoroughly searches the man for any other weapons.

 
 Spoiler 
take 20 on search, tie him up too if I can--and take 20 on that If I have the time.
 


Natalia looks up at Ash's outburst.  "Not who? Know him?" 
Admiral
 "I've... never seen him... " the young samurai says. Tears are starting to fill his eyes.  "I've never met him. They told us he was always off on important missions, too important to teach us. But I've read of him. We all have." 

He stretches out the noose that is tied around the man's neck. Upon close inspection, and after brushing off the mud and dust that cover it, it's clear that it's not a rope at all: it's a belt of the Soshiman Samurai, and its color is the deepest black. Ash pushes his fingers along it, and shows seven golden stitches in the fabric.

 "Seven degrees... the highest level, held by only one man."  Ash looks down at the vile, drunken man sprawled on the ground and looks like he's going to be sick.  "This is Grand Master Shiro Minamoto, founder of Soshima: the greatest samurai of all time." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia stares down in shock. What? No way. This can't be true.  "THIS Shiro? This Spshima's founder?!"  How could this be possible? How could such a fabled man end up a drunken branded wretch who tried to kill her for offering him bread?!

 
 Spoiler 
im sorry, what? This has to be an illusion. Will save to disbelieve? Who is this possible? Why is my battery choosing this moment to run out?!
 
Admiral
 "You saw how he moved with a sword..."  Ash mumbles, seeming a thousand miles away.  "You saw how fast, how strong he was... like the... like the  stories ..."  he says, his last word so bitter it could poison the entire river.
CoffeeIncluded
 "What happened...in stories?" . Natalia asks quietly. He's right. The man was so fast, so string, without Miriam's magic she would have been killed in seconds. She looks down at...Shiro.  "Bring to Soshima. Learn truth, lern what rot,"  she says harshly. There isn't much room left for mercy today, not after everything.

 
 Spoiler 
nothing on him? And if he's going to Soshima with is Natalia will put a sack over his head so nobody sees him in the street and flips out. Damn. What rot in Soshima?
 
Athedia
 "Why should we bring him?  He does not seem willing to go and I do not want to tangle with him like that."   Mithril gently walked to the man's side and knelt in the river, tearing a strip from her shirt to soak in the water.  Gently she wiped the man's face down, quietly talking the whole time.   "Are you a legend from the stories?  I am from another land, one in which your stories are not told.  I love tales though, true and false and will listen if you settle and talk.  My friends mean no harm, but we have just seen much death, caused much as well.  Nerves are on edge and well, blades sharpen fear.  Do settle and talk and we will let you on your way.  It is not our right to stop you from your journeys, as intoxicating as they seem." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia kneels down next to her.  "But Mithril, tried to kill me! For giving bread...And look at burned brand. Something rusted. Why lie? Why hold secrets...against Soshima honor, code?"  Natalia indicates her deep gash over her chest. Why wasn't Mithril standing up for her? Defending her against her potential murderer? Was it...because of what she did?

Natalia holds her hands to her mouth. Had she gone and alienated her first friend in a very long time?

Nevertheless, she holds her blades close. She may not be as strong or fast as Shiro, but he won't lay a finger on Mithril, or anyone, while she breathes. Mithril's so compassionate...what's happening to Natalia?
Admiral
Shiro calms a bit as Mithril talks to him and rubs water on his face, or perhaps he had simply gotten sleepier now that he had been pushed to the ground. He smiles ever so slightly. [B]"I used to hate the stories... When I was young... When they were still happening...." his voice is still clouded and difficult to understand, and no wonder- his breath reeks of rice wine.  "But then after it all went wrong... I started to like the stories... because the stories never mentioned him." 

He takes a deep breath.  "After all that, I thought the stories would let me forget. They did for a while. But then the whispers started, and they wouldn't let me forget..." 
CoffeeIncluded
All went wrong? Mentioned whom? Whispers? What the heck is he talking about? Natalia, still wary and ready to pounce, lets Shiro continue his story. If he falls silent, she asks Shiny to nudge him into continuing, trusting the gnome to say the right things. To not let anger and self loathing and...she doesn't know what...get the better of him.

 
 Spoiler 
Okay, now I REALLY want to know what's going on because I have no idea. Though I wonder if the Crusader leader's mention of, "Say hi to the grandmaster for me," holds any significance. I think it might.

Is Shiro schizophrenic?
 
Athedia
 "Then let me remember for you.  A story told is easier to handle, as I found out only a few days past."   Mithril winced at Natalia's words, but she helped Shiro all the same.
Admiral
 "You don't know..."  he says drowsily...  "Sometimes I forget whether everyone can hear the whispers or just me..." 

Suddenly lanterns appear a little down the path, and hoofbeats approach. Two samurai, a dwarf and a human, both bearing red belts and the insignia of the Church, come racing up the road, halting their horses when they see the party crouched around the man.

 "You found him!"  the dwarf shouts. They both step off the horse, and seem to recognize the party and Ash because they keep their swords low.  "Thank you, we'll take it from here. The poor drunk fool stole some swords and a belt and made off down the road." 
Athedia
 "You can return, I will bring him back where he leads. We are having a conversation now, and it would be rude to stop at this moment in time."   The two samurai seemed to think her foolish, why would she let a man who seemed to have good reason to want to stay away from them near.   "After all, he did escape your custody once, and he is doing no harm here."   Well, some harm, she thought glancing at Natalia's cut. But still, this might be her only chance to talk to Shiro and learn why he was so hurt.
CoffeeIncluded
Poor drunk fool? Then how could he have attacked her like that, so fast, too fast for her to even see the blade drawn? Do they not know? Is this drunk man a particularly good impostor, impersonator? Or are the dwarves hiding something? Samurai and the church, and Shiro with the burnt off mark. She looks at everyone, particularly Mithril and Ash, and says to her friend,  "Story important. Many stories, one thread."  Something's rotten in Soshima and the church.

 
 Spoiler 
This can't be isolated to Soshima.

Sense Motive:  (d20+6)[ 21 ] 
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
Sense Motive result: For the sake of Soshima, Natalia hopes the samurai are better swordsmen than they are liars.
 


The human red-belt leans over.  "It doesn't look like he's telling a story,"  he observes. And indeed, the old man's head seems to be rocking back and forth, mumbling to himself- whatever coherence Mithril had drawn out of him seems ephemeral.  "And if that's from him, then he certainly did some harm,"  he adds, pointing to the deep wound on Natalia's chest.

 "The hawk arrived with the news,"  the dwarf says,  "General Roper is waiting for you in Soshima: you should go meet up with him to debrief. Our orders, in the meantime, are to find this man and bring him back. Are you going to prevent us from following our orders?"  Each of the two samurai's four swords raises  ever  so slightly.
CoffeeIncluded
 "Orders from whom? Bring to where?"  Natalia asks. They can't! There's too many questions that need answering, and she feels her friends would agree (though of course she can't say for sure). In her opinion, they should bring him along.

Natalia looks again at their red belts. The second-highest rank, according to Aicha. They wouldn't send two high-ranking samurai after a simple drunk. She hisses out of the corner of her mouth, to Shiny and Mithril and Miriam and Kurt and Ash,  "Liars. Know him. Help?" 
 
 Spoiler 
Do I keep my sense motive roll for the rest of this encounter?

Heheh, looks like a job for Shiny though? 😁

Hm, rereading what you said, red belts are the second highest rank.
 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
Natalia's pretty sure they're telling the truth about the orders.
 


Ash wakes up from his daze.  "Of course, Colonel,"  he says quietly. He turns to Natalia and whispers.  "The penalty for a samurai disobeying an order is death, Natalia. Don't get me in trouble here, and don't make this get ugly." 

Shiny's fingers twitch as he studies the red-belted samurai, but in the end he casts no spell, instead looking down at the ground.
CoffeeIncluded
Again Natalia asks, to confirm,  "Orders from Soshima, or...Church?"  However, she then drops the subject and quietly nods, indicating she doesn't want to cause a scene. She whispers back to Ash,  "Of course. Your sake, your stake."  She can't put Ash in danger.

Still, she watches the samurai and Shiro carefully as an idea comes to mind. Samurai may not be able to disobey the laws of their superiors...but she's not a samurai.
Admiral
 "Samurai of Soshima don't take orders from the Church,"  the human responds, apparently a bit confused by her question.  "They come from the Masters' Council." 
 
 Spoiler 
This also strikes Natalia as him telling the truth.
 
Athedia
 "What exactly were your orders? Not the gist, the words?"   Mithril was unwilling to let these men take Shiro, if only because she felt badly for the old man.   "As for my friends cut, that was more her own doing than this mans.  My parents always said the drunk and sleeping are the same, approach with caution." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia nods.  "New to Eldgar. Know little of laws. Meet Roper where in Soshima?"  She shoots a look at Mithril but then stops, realizing what her friend's trying to pull. Still, she says, quietly,  "Don't poke sleeping bear...or Ash mauled too."  She's never played deescalator before, but...

 
 Spoiler 
I wanted to confirm because both these guys had church markings and Shiro had his burnt off.
 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by Athedia 
  "What exactly were your orders? Not the gist, the words?"   Mithril was unwilling to let these men take Shiro, if only because she felt badly for the old man.   "As for my friends cut, that was more her own doing than this mans.  My parents always said the drunk and sleeping are the same, approach with caution."  
 

 "We don't answer to you,"  the samurai replied, their swords rising gently once more.  "Just let us bring him back, for his own safety if nothing else."  They seem tired of negotiating. Ash steps away from the rest of the party and draws his own blades, his eyes begging the party not to escalate matters.
CoffeeIncluded
Oh crap!  "Shiny, help. Silver tongue, smooth ridges,"  she whispers to him, standing before Mithril and gently leading her a few steps away from the drunkard, leaving him exposed for the guards to take.  "Sorry, but...not now, not safe. Please, danger for Ash, for us all. I...find way later. Good sneaker. Promise. But not now, not in open. Safer in shadows,"  she hastily whispers to Mithril.

 
 Spoiler 
A conflict right now would be a terrible idea, wouldn't it.

And Natalia's asking for Shiny to please help defuse the situation.
 
Athedia
Mithril shook Natalia's hand off.   "Then I wish to travel with you.  I have a horse, I can manage on my own."   She needed to do this one thing, to show herself that she hadn't changed that she still cared.
CoffeeIncluded
 "Mithril, please!"  Natalia begs, holding her hand as though it's been burnt by her rebuff. Her eyes are turning watery.  "Please, no more danger..."  Oh Gond, it's the choker all over again.

 
 Spoiler 
I think I've been a bit overbearing today. Night guys!
 
Athedia
 "How am I in danger?  These samurai are obviously elite, and we know this mans reflexes.  I still have a few spells at my disposal and if they are not trustworthy you still know I am headed to Soshima, and I doubt they are foolish." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia shakes her head.  "Strong Mithril, wonderful Mithril, no danger for you. But danger for Ash through code! Please, Ash needs rules now, his safety, his life!" 
 
 Spoiler 
OK, now I really need to go to bed and stop hogging. Goodnight!
 
Athedia
Mithril looked confused at Natalia's words.   "The man is going with the samurai, I conceded that.  I simply requested to join them on their journey.  Ash is in no danger, he followed the code." 
achinca
Miriam looks at the samurais and listens to the discussion and finally intervenes " Enough! No one is going anywhere until I heal everyone. I will heal Natalia of her wounds and the drunken master. It is my duty and my honor as a cleric of St. Cuthbert. And trust me, I learned a lot about honor, fighting with your samurais brother against the horde a few hours ago. "

She cures Natalia with her most powerful healing spell and use a cantrip on the master, just to eliminate the effect of the alcohol. Once the Master is healed, she looks at the master " Are you better now? Are you willing to go with the two samurai masters? And how about you tell us a story !"

She looks at Mithril "Y ou are not going alone. Someone need to have your back! "

 
 Spoiler 
Did not roll but let me know if needed.

If the samurais did not let her heal the masters, she will tell them they offended their honor and will ask for reparation. If being a veteran who saved a lot of samurais does not carry any weight in Soshima, Miriam will not want to have anything to do with the city anymore
 
Athedia
 "Why?  I can hold my own, may-hap not in a test of physical blows, but even after today's events still have power left." 
Cavelcade
Once Mithril has made her choice, Kurt simply nods, frowning a little as Natalia tries to stop her from going.  "You were complaining about following orders blindly before, and now you're trying to talk her out of her choice? If she wants to ride with the old man, let her, she's the one who has to live her life." 

His piece said, he steps away from it all, letting the samurai take their charge.
achinca
 
 Originally Posted by Athedia 
  "Why?  I can hold my own, may-hap not in a test of physical blows, but even after today's events still have power left."  
 

" I know you can hold your own but I would feel better if you are not going alone. And I do like to hear stories too ..... "
CoffeeIncluded
 
 Originally Posted by Cavelcade 
 Once Mithril has made her choice, Kurt simply nods, frowning a little as Natalia tries to stop her from going.  "You were complaining about following orders blindly before, and now you're trying to talk her out of her choice? If she wants to ride with the old man, let her, she's the one who has to live her life." 

His piece said, he steps away from it all, letting the samurai take their charge. 
 

Natalia flinches as though she's been struck. Rubbing the dark circles under her eyes, she says,  "You...right. But afraid of danger to Ash. Not just us here."  She lowers her voice.  "Thought find truth, our choice, in shadows when Ash safe." 

She looks to Mithril, almost pleading.  "Mithril, I..."  But she trails off, unable to finish her sentence.

As Miriam heals Natalia and offers to go with Mithril, Natalia hangs her head.   I should have offered that. Not thinking clearly, no excuse! What kind of friend am I...  
Admiral
Shiny steps forward.  "I'm sorry, my friends and I are weary from the battle, and we did not mean to offend. As we are traveling in the same direction, surely you would not mind if we followed behind you, if only to escort us to Soshima. There we will get out of your way as we brief the general on our mission." 
 
 Spoiler 
Diplomacy: (1d20+16)[ 29 ] 
 


The samurai shrug as they pick up the old man, who is slouched over, still intoxicated. For all their sternness, they handle him very gently.  "You are guests of Soshima,"  the human says.  "We could hardly dismiss such a request." 

As they pick up the old man, he continues talking in a sing-song voice.  "At first I thought it was the town... But I ran and ran and the whispers never stopped... Then I thought it was the guild..."  he cackles wickedly as the samurai hoist him up...  "So I took a torch and I  freed myself ... But then I knew... It was just me all along, and there was nothing to do but drink..." 

The samurai then takes a length of rope and pulls it through the old man's mouth, gagging him, before placing him on the back of his horse.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia follows them, keeping an eye on them. She listens with horror as Shiro continues his story and looks to Shiny and Mithril as he's gagged.  "Thought speaking magic?"  she whispers, then hangs her head again.

 "Mithril, I...so sorry. So stupid, wasn't thinking, but still wrong! So stupid, I...I'm sorry, so sorry, didn't mean to bind, just protect, but wrong way..."  It's mainly for Mithril, but for everyone as well. She needs to sleep, everything's muddled.
Athedia
Mithril rode behind Shiro, debating in her mind.  She had promised herself never to travel down the same road as Shiny, never to pry into someone's mind and disturb.  She would make allowances for their enemies, people's lives hung in that balance, but this?  This was just an old man.   And no-one else could see if what he said was true. Steeling her nerve she finished a copper piece out of her pouch, under the pretense of playing with it and focused, muttering the words under her breath and making her movements as small as possible.  She didn't know how to narrow the spell to just Shiro, but pressed on anyway.

 
 Spoiler 
Casting  Detect Thoughts 
Sorry guys this might hit some other people.  It is a cone shaped 60 ft emanation  and she is trying to stay close behind Shiro.
 
Admiral
After Mithril casts her spell, she senses the minds of the two riders in front of her: the samurai and Shiro. Moments later, she gains a sense of their intelligence: the samurai is of moderate intellect, while the old man's seems quite poor- but, she reflects, that could easily be explained by the effects of the alcohol.

 
 Spoiler 
Samurai 12, Shiro 8 (right now, anyway)
 


She focuses harder and tries to read the subjects' minds.

 
 Spoiler 

Samurai:  (1d20+4)[ 10 ] 
Shiro:  (1d20+5)[ 21 ] 

Nuts
 


Shiro seems to resist her spell, but she is able to hear the samurai's thoughts. The soldier thinks slowly and deliberately.

  "Poor fool... what would have happened if he had run into the town square, babbling and screaming... If the masters want us to guard him, they should let us lock him up. Their mercy doesn't do him any favors. And it's time they locked up his  daisho , too, tradition be damned... he could have sliced us all up even while drunk- heck, he could have done it while asleep."  

Mithril sees him bury his head in his hand even as he rides.   "Endor! Did anyone tell him about Master Endor? No... we haven't... gods know how he'll take that... if there's anyone left in there who remembers... "

"I'll tell them 'we can't do our jobs if you don't let us lock him up...' No, I won't tell them that... we all have our duties to perform, and damned if I can't perform mine."  
Athedia
Mithril felt sympathy wash through her, she had been harsh to them but it was true.  They were just people, struggling to do what was right.  She was annoyed that she had not been able to hear anything of Shiro, but even alcohol impaired he seemed to have an incredible mental fortress.

Frustrated she was glad for her circlet.  The warmth had flown through her as she cast the spell, mostly out of habit.  She focused again casting on Shiro and the samurai.  Let this one work.
Admiral
Mithril saves the magic in her circlet, and casts it one more time, hoping this time to penetrate the mind of the grand master.

 
 Spoiler 
I figure by "that would be best" you meant Mithril would save the spell in her circlet and cast it again.

Samurai:  (1d20+4)[ 10 ] 
Shiro:  (1d20+5)[ 9 ] 
 
Admiral
Shiro's mind is a drunken jumble, such that at first Mithril has a hard time catching more than a snippet or two: thoughts twist into themselves and melt off into nothing, all overwhelmed by nausea and dizziness. Indeed, what the words remind her most of is her friend Natalia's twisted speech. But as she listens closely, she begins to sort out the pieces, and what she hears is a tale of regret.

  "Hero once... I must have been or they wouldn't say it... when the goblins came ashore, who was there with blades flying... when the Necromancer led his army of abominations towards the capital, wasn't that me on the front lines... when I swung, surely it was Heironeous Himself who guided my blade... unless it was the whispers all along..."

"What I did... I did as a warrior, and as a teacher... how can any teacher know what their students will do? Does a blacksmith know what blood his swords will shed..."   his thoughts and justifications sound practiced, as if he's been down this road a thousand times before.   "It was him, and him alone... It's not my fault, it can't be my fault..."  
   "But it is your fault."   

The words startles Mithril as she rides- it comes from Shiro's mind, and yet it is not his voice- it speaks in a soft, calm tone, far from Shiro's desperate ramblings.

   "You saw his vision clouding, you knew what he was becoming. You could have cast him out, and yet you kept him at your side. You were a samurai, the first samurai, and yet you chose weakness over honor."   

As the spell reels to adjust within Mithril's mind, she comes to understand: there is another mind at work, not Shiro's or the samurai's, but someone  connected  to Shiro: someone far more intelligent than he, far more intelligent even than Mithril herself.

 
 Spoiler 
Intelligence score: at least 22.

To be continued.
 
Admiral
Shiro's mind seems to host a fierce struggle. In contrast to the unparalleled swordmanship he'd shown just minutes earlier, his mind flails hopelessly and impotently against his foe.

  "No, it wasn't like that. I couldn't have known..."  
   "Others knew. Roper knew before anyone, but you didn't listen to him. Endor told you a hundred times, but you defended your protege- he was so very talented, so very special. Until his intentions became clear even to you, and by then it was too late to stop him."

"So years later, when the river ran red, did you recognize your handiwork? When you heard of the innocents slaughtered along the shore, were you proud of the talent you'd cultivated?" 

"No... I didn't do anything... it was Danton, only Danton..."

 "It was what you      gave  Danton. The training- did you ever give so much attention to any other student? The  daisho  you granted him- how many dwarves, gnomes, halflings, half-breeds have met their end at those blades? Even the name, the name you'd made for yourself and your followers in the Church. When he started gathering his own followers, you let him have that name too. Isn't that right?"   

"No... he stole it... I never..."   The voice in Shiro's head is pitiful and pleading.

   "Isn't that right?" 

"No, don't say it... please..."

 "Isn't that right,    CRUSADER... "   

Mithril's connection snaps as her spell ends, and she is left with only her own thoughts once more.
Athedia
Mithril let Honey slow down, dropping to the back of the group.  She needed to think for a while.  This poor man had been driven mad, by guilt and the voice inside his head.  And that voice.... Whoever it belonged to was far more powerful than her, far smarter as well.  She had to proceed carefully, she couldn't let the others know what she had done.  But she also felt a glorious rush, alongside her thoughts.  That power, the power to read the man's mind, to know all the inner thoughts, she wanted another taste of that.  And he had never known, none of them had.  She looked down and saw herself still turning the copper piece over in her hands.  Quickly she stashed it away, trying to settle, to think.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia watches silently as Mithril drops to the back of the group.  "Mithril? You..."  but the rest of her inquiry dies on her lips. Is she still angry at her? How badly did she alienate her with that?
achinca
Miriam continues her ride following the samurai and the drunken master, trying not to think about the horrors of the battle she just lived through.

She pays no attention to the fact that Mithril dropped to the back of the group.
Admiral
A few minutes later, the riders see Soshima on the horizon. The dwarf samurai at the front turns to the other and nods. Suddenly they both remove their red belts, and stash them away in the saddlebags. At the party's side, Ash does the same thing, putting away his green belt.

When he sees the travelers watching him, he explains in a low voice.  "The city of Soshima is celebrating its victory, but it is also honoring those who gave their lives. When we do so, the living samurai remove our colored belts (when it is tactically safe to do so, of course). It signifies that whatever our rank, we are all humbled in the shadow of those warriors: that the greatest honor of all is to die in righteous battle." 

Once the belts have been put away, they start riding into the camp. Though it is nighttime, the citizens are stepping out to greet them much like the last time they rode in: many of them look like they've probably been waiting a while. They start cheering as the party approaches, and the sound brings more watchers out. Some are samurai who had stayed behind to guard the city, many of them nonhuman. Others are monks, another component of the defense plan should the assault have failed (like the samurai, none of them wear belts today). Others are those too young or too old to defend Soshima, but are certainly able to stand and cheer its saviors.

Some seem a bit disappointed at the few travelers showing up, having expected the samurai army, and are most are obviously unclear about what role a couple of outsiders who didn't even bear white belts could have played in the battle. But they've clearly been waiting all day to cheer for someone, and so they cheer.

By the time they're within range of the crowd, the two samurai leading them had spirited Shiro away, taking a long route around the crowd so no one could see him. Firefeather swoops down out of the sky to land back on Ash's arm, and the party spots General Roper riding up towards them, with a grim smile.

 "Travelers... General Carlyle's message reached us this afternoon. We were glad to hear the mission was a success. Please come, we have some remaining business to take care of before you depart." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia looks around, waving to the cheering crowd with a little smile. The smile becomes a bit sadder when she sees how so many of the guards left behind are nonhuman. Like rabid sharks, the crusaders would have fallen upon themselves, their allies. No, worse than sharks. Sharks have instincts. Humans have brains.

She turns around to see the two guards whisk Shiro around the corner, but only a glimpse and only because he was paying attention.

As General Roper congratulates them, Natalia nods, reflecting his emotions. She's got a lot of questions that need answering herself.

She turns to Ash, wondering how he's doing. He's probably been hit hardest by Shiro.
Athedia
As they passed through the cheering crowd, Mithril kept her head low.  As soon as General Roper called them to him she joined him, asking in a hushed voice if she could speak to him after the business had been taken care of.
achinca
Miriam is in no mood to cheer but she tries to do her best and smiles, looking the least warrior like in her white robe and sandals.

As Shino is being whisked away, she gives a silent prayer for him "H ow sad to see such a grand master fall down the river of madness "

When General Roper instructs them to follow him, she just nods and obey.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia muses quietly to herself on what to do. What drove Shiro to that state? Why did Soshima ally itself with the crusaders when they'd be just as endangered? And...with just half of Soshima human, what drove the Crusaders to answer their call so readily, join in full force as allies, instead of just waiting for all the Soshimans to be killed and mopping up themselves? Why fight alongside the Soshimans, and get more of themselves killed?

Natalia needs to find out for herself. And now she can do that. She leans over to Shiny and asks,  "Later...can you make invisible? Please?" 
 
 Spoiler 
Natalia has the intelligence score to reason this out, that there's more to the Soshiman-Crusader alliance than meets the eye. Though she obviously has no clue on the details.
 
Admiral
General Roper lets the party put the horses in the stables. As he waits for them, one of the red belts that had escorted the party runs up and whispers something in his ear- the content of which the travelers can guess rather easily. He gives a quick nod and the samurai departs.

The general then leads them back to the chambers of the Masters' Council. Master Yuki is already waiting there, dressed in her traditional fighter's robe, but held together with a simple piece of string rather than a black belt. Roper sits on the other side in his traditional seat, leaving three empty seats in the middle. The party knows that General Carlyle is out leading the samurai army back to Soshima, and that Master Endor will not be returning at all. And they now know why the largest chair, the seat in the center, is not filled.

The general starts speaking.  "First, we give you our sincerest thanks. Your mission was a critical part of the assault, and one that would have been impossible without your talents."  He turns to Miriam.  "And the general specifically mentioned your impressive healing powers on the battlefield. It's been a long time since I served the gods directly, and so it's been a while since I've seen their gifts being put to such effective use. For the lives you saved, we thank you. As promised, we have readied twenty-four skilled samurai to escort you to Deldon, and to aid in their defense as long as it is necessary." 
 "We have other ways to thank you, but first we would appreciate hearing the details of your mission, which may aid in the future defense of Soshima." 

Shiny clears his throat, after glancing at the others, and proceeds to give an account of their incursion, though he doesn't know enough to fill in the details of what happened to Kurt and Natalia on the ship, or to Miriam on the battlefield. When he mentions the iron ship already in the water, Roper and Yuki glance at each other with a sharp intake of breath, as they both realize how close the orcs were to using the weapon on them.

 
 Spoiler 
Shiny gives the simple summary of what happened. He doesn't mention Shiro, at least not yet. If anyone wants to add anything or ask questions they can.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia smiles a bit and opens her pack. Best to give the good news first.  "Center filled with barrels Ship of shrapnel, floating fragments to explode, send steel all over. But..."  She opens up her pack, and shows the masters.  "Got some gunpowder. Blew the rest." 
 
 Spoiler 
I'll bring up the Crusaders and Shiro later. I do want to bring it up before the meeting ends,  if nobody else does so.  I don't want to steal anyone's thunder.

How much gunpowder did Kurt shove into my sack?
 
achinca
Miriam bows at the General comments " I did the best I could given the powers my God gives me. I have lost probably more lives than I saved, so there is no real reasons to thank you. I do however want to recognize that all the fallen samurais went to battle knowing the likely outcome and none showed fear. I was truly impressed by their sense of duty and honor. They are the ones who really deserve the "thank you", not me ."

She bows again and takes a step back, indicating that she will not talk unless invited by the masters.
Admiral
Master Yuki nods approvingly in response to Miriam's comments.  "Courage and honor are a samurai's greatest weapons,"  she says.  "Next to them the  daisho  is almost ceremonial." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia lowers her head a bit at his comment. Courage and honor...she wouldn't make a very good samurai, would she. Cowardice and...not dishonor, but she doesn't like a fair fight.

She keeps quiet and lets everyone continue, not saying anything until later.
Athedia
Mithril nodded at Miriam's comment but stayed quiet, waiting for the meeting to end.  She had a private matter to discuss, and was thinking about how to broach the topic.
Cavelcade
Kurt sighs softly at that.  "I'm just sorry I couldn't help in your fight. Though, I understand why."  He can't help but frown at the memory of the banner unfurling.  "We were lucky, as well. The gods smiled on our efforts, or the guard wouldn't have escaped in time to have the camp start coming towards the ship, and your men would have had a lot more to deal with. Or we might have been caught earlier and had to hold our ground and being forced to hold our group." 

He bows very slightly then, to each of the generals.  "I wish I could stay longer and learn more from you. Your fighters are amazing, even when they aren't aware of their surroundings."  Wincing a little as he thinks about the deep wound to Natalia, not considering that it might be...sensitive.
Admiral
When Shiny reaches the point in his story when the Crusaders arrive, Roper heaves a quiet sigh.  "We make no apologies for our brief alliance with those barbarians. The protection of the citizens of Soshima is our first and only priority: we masters are sworn to this oath just as is every samurai. We did what must be done to defeat the Horde. For reasons we cannot fully disclose, we trust the Crusaders to uphold their truce: the nonhumans of Soshima will be safe."

"We do offer our apologies for omitting this fact in our briefing, a decision we did not make lightly. We did not know whether you would agree to the mission were this revealed, and for the sake of our citizens that was a risk we could not take. Besides which, you are not sworn samurai, and we were already trusting you with much." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia sits up straighter and inhales deeply when Roper mentions the truce. The deep breath turns into a wince as her muscles protest against the remnants of Shiro's slash, but she was right. Why would they have a truce with the nonhumans of Soshima, if their hatred is so rabid? There's some personal connection between Soshima and the Crusaders. But Soshima's welcoming to nonhumans, so what could it be?

EDIT: Quietly, Natalia adds,  "What did...they know...of us?" 
Athedia
Mithril nodded along with General Roper's explanation.  It made sense to her now, the complicated mess of a truce.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia fingers the rent in her armor, feels the ridges of the scab underneath.  "Another thi..."  but she trails off halfway through her sentence. Not yet, she doesn't think.

 
 Spoiler 
I'm going to hold off on asking any questions until the loot's handed out. And I...I'm not sure if it's the right time yet. I want to ask, but I don't want to impose. However, if you want her to ask now, that's cool too.

Also, did they take the gunpowder sample Natalia showed them?
 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by CoffeeIncluded 
 Quietly, Natalia adds,  "What did...they know...of us?"  
 

 "Nothing,"  he says.  "Even the details of the gunpowder were secret. They were told as much as the samurai: that there would be an explosion, and that would be their cue to ride." 

He clears his throat.  "Our magical resources are quite modest: Soshima has always been defended by strength, speed and skill, not by wondrous artifacts. But we do wish to show our appreciation. So please accept these gifts on behalf of Soshima." 
 
 Spoiler 
Note: these items are quite valuable, and were selected specially by the masters to fit each of you, so there will be no gold accompanying them. It makes more flavor sense anyway. Note also that I focused on items it would make sense for them to have: certainly no arcane scrolls or wands, and nothing that buffs magic users.

FYI to Natalia: they didn't take the gunpowder (just looked at it, perhaps a bit impressed) unless she specifically offered it as a gift. It's your gunpowder.
 


Roper gives a short whistle, and the door opens, after which a brown-belted samurai walks in carrying a large case. He reaches in and looks over to Shiny and Mithril.

 "For you two: your strength is very unlike that of the samurai of Soshima. And yet without that power, this mission never would have been possible. And so it is the duty and responsibility of those who are stronger to defend you. Some samurai will accompany you to Deldon, but let us also grant you some protection that will last for the rest of your days."  He pushes a pair of amulets across the table.

 
 Spoiler 
Shiny and Mithril: an amulet of +1 natural armor each.
 


He turns to Natalia.  "You helped save our city by bringing supplies from Marvell. May you always the strength to carry what you need."  He pushes what looks like a plain burlap sack across the table. When Natalia looks inside, however, she sees it is far deeper than it appears.

 
 Spoiler 
Bag of holding, max weight 250lb.
 


He turns to Kurt.  "We are given to understand you are a recent member of the Church. You may know that many of us worked for the Church, before we followed our leader here to start a new life educating the devoted and defending the innocent. But we look back fondly on our adventures- seeking out evil wherever it lurks, bringing it to justice with our blades and our devotion."

"Master Endor was such an adventurer once..."  his voice grows sad as he remembers his friend.  "One of the first to join Shiro, after myself and Carlyle. Now that he has come to his end, his  daisho - that's the pair of swords each samurai bears- will pass on to his oldest child (his daughter, an accomplished samurai herself), as is our tradition. But his other possessions he left to the city. He died for a purpose..."  he glares deeply at Kurt and the others-  "and you gave him that purpose. So to honor that, it is appropriate that one of his possessions be passed on to you." 

From the case he pulls out an enormous, shiny greatsword. On the hilt is the insignia of the Church on one side, and on the other a crest that must be Endor's family seal.

 "This is  Daybreaker - it is the sword Endor carried when he was an adventurer like you, before Grand Master Shiro taught him to use the samurai's pair of blades in concert. The blade was forged by the finest blacksmiths of the Church, empowered to smite evil with every swing. Endor always told me that  Daybreaker  should be out in the world fighting evil: I feel you are the right person to entrust with that mission." 
 
 Spoiler 
Kurt gets a Holy Greatsword: it deals an extra 2d6 damage to evil creatures and is good-aligned (for bypassing damage reduction).

What can I say, I'm a sucker for Kurt the crusader.
 


He turns last to Miriam.  "There are gifts we can give to you, servant of St. Cuthbert, but I am given to understand that you would just refuse them. So in honor of your devotion to others, I'll instead grant you a promise: that what gold we have in our coffers, everything we have to spare, will go to the families of those samurai who sacrificed their lives alongside you yesterday. They did not fight the sake of such rewards, but that is all the more reason they deserve them." 
Cavelcade
Kurt stares at the sword in absolute wonder, for a moment even forgetting to reach out and take it. He bows low as he does so, picking it up, feeling the weight of it in his grip, feeling the history of the blade as he does so - as well as the reassuring aura it has, a feeling of power and overall...rightness to it, like it was waiting for him to pick it up.

 "I...I thank you for this. I could never...I will reward your faith in me, I swear it. My word is my bond."  He's fervent in his declaration, bowing again as he says it, his voice ringing with emotion at the gift. He sits back then, holding it reverentially for now, though he knows soon he'll have to put it to the test.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia looks down into the bag of holding, plunges her arm up to the wrist, them withdraws it and bows to the masters with a smile.  "Thank you,"  she says, her voice genuine with appreciation.  "Strength to carry, to protect. Promise." 

She runs her hand over the rent, then looks back up.  "Actually, I...one other thing." 

Natalia removes her armor. Underneath the masters can clearly see a deep cut in the fabric, and blood staining it all around.

 "Returning, saw drunk man. Offered water and bread. Then...he did this. Struck fast, too fast. And so strong. I...not strong, not like friends, but fast. And couldn't even see his strike. But saw his blades. Katana and wakazashi, like yours.

Strong man, fight like Soshima, and nearly killed me. Miriam saved me, froze him with magic. Tried to kill me, For offering bread. What, and why?"

 please don't make me say I know it's Shiro.   
 
 Spoiler 
Haha, these are great! Thank you so much!

How much gunpowder did Kurt manage to shovel in the sack though?
 
Admiral
Roper glances down at the table as if he'd been expecting the question.  "I heard of this incident: he's just a drunk and a thief, and now a prisoner,"  he says.  "I heard he was trained as a samurai, though he has lost his title through disgrace, so that's why he's so quick with a blade. The citizens of Soshima are our responsibility, and so I blame myself for his injuring you: such a dangerous individual should never have been allowed to walk the streets." 
 
 Spoiler 
Kurt got four handfuls worth, two per turn. Not sure what that works out to in weight. What matters really is what you choose to do with it. Some would pay a lot of money to have the chance to study it.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia looks up to meet Roper. It's clear she's trying to choose her words carefully, though she's not much good at it.

 "Rambling words, but coherent. Twisted words, but untwist to straight line...I know words. I speak them."  She shakes her head and carefully repeats part of what he said.  "Old, fast, strong, talked of ages. Heard him, but know him? If...I, so sorry, but...if thief and drunk, why guarded, with blades? If...so hard to steal, are they...his own? If...too much in public, then...can talk alone. If easier, if my ears because my blood."

 I know, you know I know, and I know you don't want me to say it. If you want to talk about this privately that's fine with me.  
 
 Spoiler 
Hm. I'll decide when we get to a lab!
 
Admiral
Roper shakes his head a bit as he listens.  "I don't know many languages besides the common tongue, young lady, and certainly not that one." 
 "He stole a valuable set of blades and an important belt, and a pair of capable samurai were sent to retrieve it. That is all." 
 
 Spoiler 
You're already talking in private: besides the party it is just Roper and Yuki here.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia yanks on her bangs in frustration.  "Shiny, Mithril, spells for my speech?"  she pleads. Natalia takes a breath and tries again, more simply.  "More than drunk, thief? Why stay in Spsjima, why have such strong guards? Unless important man." 
 
 Spoiler 
haha, remember our conversation about Nutspeak?

Also, I've got a couple funny photos I think you'll get kick out of. Can I post then ooc?
 
Admiral
 "The men were chasing after the blades and the belt,"  the master says, weary of the game.  "Who stole them didn't matter." 
 
 Spoiler 
Sure, I suppose.
 
Cavelcade
Kurt glances at Natalia, shaking his head almost angrily. This is a distraction from Deldon, that's what matters now.  "Sorry, masters, do you mind if I speak to Natalia privately for a moment?"  He leans in closely to her then, whispering.  "Natalia, we've got other things to worry about than who the man might or mightn't have been. Deldon needs our help just as much as Soshima did yesterday - or maybe even more. We don't have time for distractions, and we can't afford to offend them." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "But know it Shiro--"  Natalia starts to protest, then goes slack,  surrendering. She's already alienated enough people, Kurt's right.  "...fine." 
Admiral
 "Then if that's settled..."  the general says, only slightly annoyed...  "I suppose you'll want to get some rest. First thing tomorrow morning you'll meet the samurai who will be accompanying you."

"There is some news on this front. When the Church updated us in our semi-weekly communication today, they let us know that there are supplies already bound for Deldon on a caravan like yours, but that those supplies have been held up. Here, let me read you their message, it was quite compact..."  He fishes out a piece of parchment.  " Deldon caravan stuck in Bellville: orcs discovered safe route. Supplies safe, cannot proceed. Assistance? "  He puts it down.  "Bellville is a very small town about two and a half days from here, and just one day away from Deldon. In my half of the message I had already mentioned that your work here would soon be complete: I believe they are hoping you can help their caravan break the siege, and bring these supplies through to the dwarves. I am sure that with the assistance of the samurai, you'll be able to break through. So we suggest that you set out for Bellville, which is east of us, first thing tomorrow. The samurai will be able to guide you on the route." 
 
 Spoiler 
I think Mithril wanted to speak with them in private afterwards. It's up to her how she does it (perhaps leaving with the group and doubling back is wise), but the rest of the party will head back to the rooms as she does (I assume).
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia stays silent. Just what are the masters trying to hide? Do they not want the truth of Shiro to come out? That would make sense, but she and her friends weren't samurai, they weren't Spshimans, they didn't have ties to Soshima like Ash or the masters. And just what connection is there between Soshima and the Crisaders? What ties are there between honor and evil that can ensure safety and the truce? Just what rot is hidden in Soshima?

Secrets of Soshima...Shiro's truth and Crusader connections. Natalia thinks as they are led back to their rooms. There's something else, she can almost feel the edges of it, but can't quite grasp it...

Still, she nods. They have a chance to save Deldon, and the samurai assisting them have nothing to do with this. She hopes.

 
 Spoiler 
Natalia's not going to figure it out herself, but I figure with 18 int and the knowledge she already has she can come close. Please tell me if I'm overstepping my bounds.
 


If they run into Ash, she quietly asks him,  "You okay?" 
Athedia
Mithril followed the group for a little, ducking out with the excuse that Whiskers was still asleep in the meeting room.  Hurriedly she rushed back, disturbing Whiskers nap, not on the table like she had said, but in her cloak, in his pocket.

She returned in before the heads of Soshima left, and stumbled to a halt, giving a shaky bow.   "Good sirs, I know that was Shiro we spoke to earlier.  I apologize for my rudeness, but I have information that I fear you are lacking in his situation.  He was kind to me, just frightened of my friend." 
achinca
Miriam steps forward and does a long 90% bow to the Masters. " This is the greatest gift I could have received. Knowing that the families of these braves warriors will be taken care will make my heart and my mind at peace. And please apologize to each one of them for my shortcoming and not being able to save them all. "

She takes a step back and stays silent even when Natalia seem obsessed with the drunken master. It was Soshima business after all. When Kurt takes her aside, she chides in " Little one, listen to the wise warrior. You are not making sense due to your speech impediment. Why do you care about a former master who is now mad? Let's go get some rest and get ready to help the dwarves of Deldon. "
CoffeeIncluded
 "Care because why hide when we know? Why hide unless something else? And why...Deldon..."  she says, slowly trailing off. She starts frantically looking around for Mithril, who has vanished, and then Shiny.

 
 Spoiler 
Im worried about overstepping my bounds but I think Natalia's capable of coming up with her thought. If not, just say so.
 
achinca
Miriam smiles at Natalia " We did our job here. And according to what I heard, you did beautifully, Little One. Soshima is saved. Time to move on and help others. Unless you want to become a citizen of Soshima, our work here is done. Time to move on. "
Admiral
 Mithril 

As Mithril enters, Roper and Yuki are poring over some parchment. They both glance up startled at her entrance, and after her words seem concerned. Roper leans forward.  "What do you think you know, young wizard?"  his tone neither confirming nor denying anything.

---------

 Others 

The other travelers walk back to their rooms. Between the masters' gifts, thanks, and assurances that Deldon would be helped, they are filled with a new confidence that they had done well in saving the city.

And then they turn the corner to the row of paper houses where they've been residing, and they see him. Zenn, the half-orc monk, stands in front of their building, looking towards them with sad eyes, his hands clasped behind his back. It's not clear how long he's been waiting for them, but when they approach it appears he has some questions.

 "I'd heard that you returned,"  he says simply,  "and I heard other stories of your journey. Perhaps you would be kind enough to tell me if they were true." 
Athedia
Mithril cleared her throat nervously, did she want to admit what she had done?
 "First, that he is Shiro, by his thoughts and your samurai's.  Not that I was trying to read the Samurai, they were simply in the spell.  But Shiro is not mad, or more accurately he suffers not what I believe most people think.  Those voices he speaks, babbles of.  The voice is true."   Mithril shuddered at the memory of the calm calculating voice.  It's calmness paired with how intelligent the owner was scared her.

 "He suffers greatly from guilt.  I take it that his student founded the Crusaders.  Poor man... but that is not my point.  The voice nutures his guilt, makes it grow.  He is trapped inside his head, it.. it was terrifying.  Your traditions prevent his daisho from being hidden, locked away.  But he needs be, for your protection.  No traditions encompass other entities stealing into ones thoughts.  I know I did so, a spell I swore I would never apply to an ally. But I merely saw his thoughts, this voice.. this voice invaded them." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia hangs her head.  "Yes. Crusaders fought too. Won't harm you. I promise, and so does Soshima."  Zenn of all people needs to know that the crusaders fought. He, who lost everything to their rabid frothing hatred. She can't fathom what that mist be like, if someone butchered her brother for protecting her...She has to stop them, as much as they need to stop the horde. Saviors? More like destroyers. Stop then, for Zenns sale, and Kurt's, and Shiny's, and everyone's.
Cavelcade
Kurt looks almost guiltily at Zenn, before he sighs, his hands still on Daybreaker. This was his choice.  "Do you want to come inside, to talk in private? I don't know what stories you might have heard, but they're probably true, yes." 
achinca
Miriam puts her hand on her dwarf friend's shoulder. " Zenn, you are wise. Listen to Kurt. You seem chagrined my friend. What is torturing your soul? "
Admiral
 Others 
 "Then I'll tell you what I heard, so you can contradict me if need be. I heard that the samurai of Soshima fought side by side along the Crusaders of Eldgar,"  Zenn says, his voice still level.  "And that when the battle was over, the Crusaders claimed the territory for themselves, for use in their war against all non-humans." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia nods, slowly. How can Zenn remain so calm at a time like this? If anything happened to Edmund, or her friends, or oh Gond Torin and Karik...

 "Heh. Heh heh."  A smile slides across Natalia's face as she draws her blades and twirls them in her hands. Why is she laughing? The stress, her exhaustion, the fury, the rage at their hatred and Soshima's secrets, the desire to protect those she loves.  "Heh. War. Want a war?Then...give them one." 
Admiral
 Mithril 

The samurai masters are even more startled by Mithril's news. Roper draws a sharp intake of breath and seems angry when Mithril mentions that she had read his mind- for a moment his hand seems to drift subconsciously to his sheath. But she finishes her story.

Roper stands up and paces around the room. Mithril had never seen any of the masters so agitated, not even when Yuki had scolded them two nights earlier. The sight is terrifying: she hadn't realized how tall Roper stood, and without his armor she can see the muscles rippling under his robe. She becomes acutely aware of how alone she is, and how deadly the warriors before her are.

Yuki is the first to speak.  "In normal times, an outsider reading the mind of a samurai would be grounds for arrest, or be considered an act of war."  She thinks further.  "But these times are anything but normal." 

Roper paces back and forth, now seeming to have bigger things on his mind than the wizard's crime. Finally he stops and puts his hands on the back of a chair.  "You said there was a voice inside Shiro's mind."  In his haste he seems to drop any pretext about the man's identity, without even noticing.  "You are sure this voice came from  outside  his mind, and was not mere madness? So this was some form of attack?" 
Cavelcade
Kurt sighs and nods.  "We didn't know until we saw the banner."  He looks up, shaking his head.  "But if I had known, I would have done it anyway. The choice as the masters saw it - as I see it - was between that, and Soshima being wiped out. You wouldn't have us fight, but the samurai would be too proud to run, so I would have done it too, and left the horde and the crusaders to fight over it. Besides, they seem to have some kind of...of understanding, I don't really know. They seemed content, at least. They feel they're safe." 
Athedia
As Roper's hand moved toward the sheath, Mithril couldn't help but wonder why she had confessed to her spell.  No-one would have known otherwise, she would have been safe in secrecy.   "I can tell the intelligence of those whose minds I read.  Shiro, through drink or other means was.. not of my level.  His mind was simpler, easier to read.  This voice, it was far more intelligent and powerful than I.  I feared that it may have noticed me, but it did not."   She knelt, on one knee bowing down before the samurai.   "And what you say is true, my invasion is a crime.  I felt that Shiro might still be saved, and that is why I came forward." 
Admiral
Zenn takes a long pause.  "My history with the Crusaders is of no relevance here. The men who butchered my parents and my brother were not among those who marched today. My anger is a personal weakness, one that is my own burden to bear, not yours. And in any case, I don't know what the masters of Soshima know, or why they made the decisions they did. I am no more qualified to lecture them about military strategy than I am to advise them on the cultivation of rice." 

Zenn nods his head, then he looks back up.  "But there was something else that I heard. I heard that before the battle started, hundreds of orcs were killed in a burst of fire and iron, many before they even awoke or could prepare for battle. And there was a rumor that this was due to the actions of newcomers to Soshima."  He leans forward.  "Was this your doing?" 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia nods.  "My trap. I set. Kurt guarded, Shiny and Mithril gave sneaking spells. My trap, but all helped set. Was our mission. Knew nothing of Crusaders. And...Anger not weakness. But strong Zenn, to...not eat you." 

Torin and Karik, halfling and kobold, why did they return when they knew the crusaders were here?
Cavelcade
 "Not just our doing - the orcs' doing as well. Did you hear about what happened at the...the battle of the red water...how there was a ship, that sailed to the castle and then destroyed it. They had another one, maybe even bigger, just for Soshima. We blew it up in their camp instead." 
achinca
Miriam listened to Zenn and Kurt and Natalia. She could feel the sadness in Zenn's voice, the shame in Kurt's voice and the price in Natalia's.

Finally, she speaks " I agree with your analysis, wise Zenn. As much as I find teh Crusaders beliefs to be abject, I understand why the Soshima leaders did what they did. They did what it took to save Soshima. On the battle field, it was orcs versus non-orcs, not human versus non-humans. A lot of Crusaders die in that battle. Without them, the samurais, including myself would have not survive. The explosion saved the city from destruction but the threat was eradicated when the samurais and the Crusaders went hand to hand against the Horde. If the samurais and the Crusaders had not attacked, the Horde would still have been a threat to all. I would understand your disgust but sometimes, the end justifies the means. I would probably have higher moral outrage if I was not so damaged from living that battle. "

She turns towards Natalia " Little one, I know you are excitable and proud of your accomplishments as you should be. But please don't talk about. You do not know what war is. It is worse is hell and should be avoided as much as possible. "
CoffeeIncluded
 "And crusaders and horde want war. Want more war, suffer others and not themselves. No difference between either. Orcs and crusaders, same monsters alike. Spread pain..."  Again, the slightly manic grin so out of place on her face.  "Why not grant wish?"  There's no pride and only false joy in her voice.

 
 Spoiler 
natalia isn't that proud of what she did.
 
achinca
Miriam shakes her head " Little One, War has side effect. A open war between the horde and the crusaders would hurt a lot of innocent people. Warring tribe needs resources and raiding innocent people is the only way to get them. Innocent always die in a war. You know that. "
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia shakes her head.  "Only seek innocents. Cowards killing villagers. False honor, fake honor, how could Soshima ally?"  She sighs.  "War against innocents. With larger topic, fewer innocents die. Or...kill all at once. Wipe threat away like rain."  Natalia's eyes widen as she hears the words coming out of her mouth. Where did her mercy go? What happened to tying up the kobolds like just a few months, a lifetime ago?

  theyll hurt and hurt again. Hurt my friends, I hurt you back tenfold. But...  
 
 Spoiler 
aww, now I want to go after the crusaders too, wipe the three faces of evil out at once.

Hey, could this voice be playing both sides?
 
Admiral
 Mithril 
 "As Captain of the Guard, defense of Soshima and its citizens is my responsibility,"  the general growls.  "If someone was attacking Shiro's mind, it is my fault for not realizing it and protecting against it."  His fingers tighten around the wooden chair, which creaks slowly in response. His fury is evident on his face, but it does not seem to be directed at Mithril.

Yuki sees the fear in Mithril's face, and she leans forward to change the subject.  "It seems you've learned something of Shiro's past,"  she says.  "We'd kept the secret for years, and I must ask you to continue to keep it. In return, perhaps I can provide some small amount of context." 
 "Roper said earlier tonight that he and Carlyle were Shiro's first students, but that is not entirely true. Danton was Shiro's oldest friend and first student. They had met in the Goblin Invasion."  She sees the look of unfamiliarity on Mithril's face and continues.  "Just over fifty years ago, when the democratic government of Eldgar collapsed, to be replaced by the guilds, the goblin nation of Urgon thought that the continent was weak and ripe for conquest. And so they landed upon the shore, a hundred thousand strong- but the guilds united to drive them back. Shiro was a lieutenant at the time in the Church's army, assigned to defend a fort that was thought certain to be overrun, and Danton was an enlisted soldier. Their courage and skill in holding the fort against what seemed to be insurmountable odds went down in military history."  She sighs.  "The Goblin Invasion was thought to be the external threat that solidified the strength and conviction of the guilds, when no one thought they could survive as a nation. But the sight of thousands of goblins landing on the shore, a murderous flood of monsters with teeth bared... it had a different effect on Danton." 

Yuki continues.  "Shiro always said that courage and honor came before all else, even before the gods. And Danton had nothing if not courage and honor. He and Shiro were the bravest of all of us. Twenty years after the goblin invasion, the Necromancer- an insane orc wizard- led an army of undead abominations towards Providencia, and we were the only ones who could stop it. Shiro and Danton carved their way into the center of the army and brought the necromancer to his end. But I suppose you can read all about that in the storybooks." 

She sighs.  "But there was a very difficult lesson that Shiro had to learn... that honorable is different than good. Danton was so very brave, but something within his mind was twisted. Perhaps it was the goblin army crashing down on the shores, or the zombified orcs making a mockery of life, or perhaps it was our fault, for letting him convince Shiro to staff our party only with humans. But whatever war we thought we were fighting, he thought he was fighting a different one- a war of the humans against all other races." 
 "Shiro never shared these views, and yet he was the last to recognize them. Danton tried to turn our party to his own evil ends, asking us to imprison all the halflings in Senn just to punish a single halfling crime lord, or to destroy a dwarven mining camp for putting humans out of work. Shiro resisted these ideas, of course, but refused to see the pattern. Until one day Danton gave an announcement, that he had collected his own party with minds as ugly as his, who would join him in his new crusade. He drew his blades right in Shiro's chambers, and challenged our honor if we would not join his cause." 
 "Shiro could have struck him down right then- indeed, that is probably what Danton was expecting. Danton had sworn an oath of loyalty to Shiro: in the twisted logic of the samurai code, a duel to the death with his lord was one way to free himself of it. But for whatever reason, Shiro stood up, tears in his eyes, released Danton from his oath, and banished him from the chambers." 
 "When the crusaders grew and began their campaign of terror, the guilt destroed Shiro... more than anything else it destroyed his sense that honor was all that mattered. He became bitter and nasty, locking himself up in his chambers reading old stories about himself- a far cry from the brave and selfless warrior we once knew. Together, we agreed to retire our party of adventurers and move out here, to a school in middle of the desert, where we could still save the grand master's reputation and perhaps use it to do some good. And for a while, we thought we could get through it..."

"But the day the river ran red, it was as if Shiro's soul broke completely. That night we barely saved him from drowning in it, drunk as can be. And a few days later, he started to speak of the 'whispers...' and you've seen the rest." 
 
 Spoiler 
Type, type, type, typing away I go.
 
achinca
Miriam's eyes grow wider " I am not sure what you are trying to say Little One but violence only generates more violence. At one point the wise person needs to stop retaliating and starts controlling and work toward peace. Orcs or Crusaders or even Samurais do not like the idea of dying before their times but they are convince by their leaders that it is a good thing. It is the leadership. As long as people are ready to die for a cause, war will exist and innocents will die. Thinking war can solve anything is misguided in my humble unwise opinion "
CoffeeIncluded
 "But only looking to kill innocents! Entire cause to kill, burn, destroy those not like them!"  Natalia rages, something in her having been knocked loose.  "We kill to defend! They kill because...they like it! Why else slaughter parents, children hiding from blades! They'll...kill and kill and kill unless stopped, horde and crusaders alike! And slavers no better! Kill to defend, so have to stop them!" 
achinca
Miriam shakes her head " They follow their leaders. They were told the land was theirs and was stolen. They were told the "others' were responsible for all their problems. So they follow. Hatred is an easy feeling. What you did not see, Little One was that some of the orcs we slaughtered were just young pups. They followed their elders but were they really given a choice? Actually, the last orc to die was a young pup, a child who fought because no one was smart enough to order an withdraw of the Horde. He had no idea of what he was doing and probably did not really know why he was fighting. There is a lot of evil and injustice every where. All we can do is try to make it a little better and a little easier for the innocents. You want to start a war? Be my guest. But do not become like your enemy as you are trying to defeat it. "
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia sighs and slumps.  "And they would have chased as retreating. Arrows in back."  She looks up at Miriam.  "When younger, before meeting you...No peace in youth. Hunted with words, sometimes sticks, stones. I fled, hid, sometimes fought but too weak. No threat, but still hunted, hater. Needed others...to protect me. Edmund and Lisk. Fought to protect, hunting stopped. Then Lisk left, and started again." 

Natalia's hands fall into her lap.  "Don't want war. Rather fight with tricks, traps, so only their blood. But...they won't stop. Won't stop until gone. I know.
Don't want...to be like them. But need to protect." 
achinca
Miriam shakes her head " At least you people who loved you. I was given away to a temple because my family decided I was not worth feeding as I was not a good farm girl. Once in the church, I cleaned "Holy" men toilets while they pretended I did not exist. Even the "Wise" man who rescued man was nothing more than an old pervert who ultimately only wanted to get under my skirt. So I do know about being hopeless, and taken advantage of. No one really loved me until I met you and the group. You showed me that being angry and feeling sorry for myself was not the right to live my life. I had to decide if I wanted to be an harbinger of doom or of hope. You helped me see through. So don't let anger and revenge destroy who you are Natalia. There is strength in forgiveness. Look at me and Calric. Until I learned to forgive him for all the things he made me do, he was ruling my life and I caused the death of two of my friends. "

She stops and suddenly grabs Natalia's hand " You are my friend Little One. I will not lose you over a blind vengeance. I will not lose one of the few people who love me in this world ... "

She let go of Natalia's hand and gets up. " I need to go to the little girls room. "

Once in the privacy of the privy, she cries her heart out. After she returns to the room, a quiet peace on her face.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia's left with her own thoughts, growing darker.   Before I'd capture, not just kill. And now...Wipe them out? Just like with orcs? I'm better than them! I fight to protect! I'm better! ...right?

My traps kill. What's happening to me? I don't want to lose myself. I can't forgive them, but I need...I can't let this rule me. I need to remembere my mercy. Even if Shiro tried to kill me for it.

What's happening to me?  

When Miriam returns, she sees Natalia quietly sobbing into folded arms.
Admiral
Zenn listens to Natalia and Miriam's discussion, and speaks only when it is finished.  "You view the world as complicated, and perhaps you are right. Maybe if I were smarter, I would not see it so simply. But as it is, all I see is that there were hundreds of orcs, orcs like my father, who were unprepared for battle- some even sleeping- and that they burned alive, screaming, because of you." 
 "It's not your fault. War is a disease, one with roots deeper than any mortal plague. Sometimes, out here on the plains, I feel like it has infected the very land we walk on."  He looks out towards the horizon, where the river snakes off into darkness.  "There is evil in the cities... some as vile as you can imagine. But only out here in the desert is the evil so senseless, and life so cheap." 

He looks back at the party.  "When I left, Thedon told me that if once my mission to bring the supplies is complete, I could either return to Marvell or spend some time in Soshima. Yesterday, I was interested in staying, to learn what I could of their martial arts and perhaps to help in their education. Today, after the tales of bloody war and strange alliances, there is nothing I want more than to return to the Church."  He sighs slowly.  "But nevertheless I know it is my duty to be here, just as it is a healer's place at the center of an epidemic. I'll return the monks that wish to go to Marvell, and then come back here myself. I don't know what I'll do then, but there is one thing I do know: that I cannot travel with you any more." 

He bows, then turns and walks off down the road. Wherever he intends to sleep, it will not be here tonight.
CoffeeIncluded
 "But Zenn, your danger, more than anyone..."  Natalia tries to protest. But she sees his determination and says,  "Please. Stay safe." 

Zenn's words seem to strike her harder than Shiro's blade, and she starts choking sobs once more.  "I...my hands, my blood. Killer as much as any. But..."  the fear is clear in her eyes.  "Can't be like them. No hate, no rabid froth. Have to...stop self. Before becoming them." Sje smiles, shaky.  "Thank you. For catching spiral..." 
achinca
Miriam looks at Zenn leaves " I am not sure what you resent more from us. Blowing up sleeping orcs, participating on an attack on a orc Horde or fighting next to the Crusaders. I wish I was wise enough to understand that. Have safe travel and may the gods protect you. "

When Natalia starts sobbing, Miriam takes her in her arms " It is ok Little One. I am here for you. We only have each other and we need to help each other. "

She caresses her forehead. " It is OK. It is OK. "
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia just breaks down in Miriam's arms. She's tired and scared and confused. She doesn't know what's going on and hates the secrecy and hatred surrounding her and she just wants to tear it down. She's terrified she's gone and alienated her friends, first Mithril and now Zenn, and she fears he'll die by the hands of vile excuses for humans. She just wants things to be clearer again, to get back to making the machines and learning the magic. She's tired of killing, but knows she hasn't even started staining herself with blood. And she can still hear their screams.
Cavelcade
Kurt simply nods at Zenn's response - it had been what he'd expected, when he saw the expression on his face.  "Travel safely." 

He stands besides Natalia as she cries, but is unable to offer any comfort - he doesn't understand fully what she's going through, and her sudden bouts of tears today have left him more uncertain than ever.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia barely looks up. But when she does, her gaze is intense.  "Can you promise? Never aggressor, always defend, only attack to stop pain and protect?" 
Cavelcade
 "No, Natalia, I can't."  Kurt speaks quietly, not meeting her gaze.  "I can't guarantee we'll always make the right decision or be on the right side." 
CoffeeIncluded
 "But...then why fight? If not to protect, help, hen monsters too..." 
Cavelcade
Kurt shrugs his broad shoulders, looking tired.  "We do the best we can and remember we can be wrong. I'm going to bed."  He goes inside then, immediately finding his bed and curling up in a blanket.

__________________________________________________  ______________

In the morning then, he awakens and stretches, dressing slowly, glad not to have to put on the burden of his armour for once. After a small breakfast, eaten in silence, he seeks out one of the masters if he can, wanting to fulfill his promise to the slavers. While at first it seems like it's going to be an uphill challenge to even find one, his quiet perseverance pays off at last as he tracks one down, bowing low before approaching a bit.

 "Ah, excuse me master, but I have to ask you something about the slavers we brought in when we first arrived."  He tries to be humble, but he looks determined as well.
Admiral
After some searching, Kurt notices Master Yuki teaching a class of young monks, but decides she is too busy to bother. He circles around the town until he spots General Roper riding along the perimeter, checking with each of the guards and giving some orders. The general halts his horse when he sees Kurt approaching. Kurt notices that the samurai in town have foregone their belts in mourning, but the samurai on duty still wear them- even after tragedy, the war goes on, and order must be maintained.

Roper furrows his brow when Kurt asks his question- the well-being of a few imprisoned slavers seems to have been the farthest thing from his mind.  "Ah, right. The magistrate has them in the city jail. Do I recall that you were asking whether they could join the defense of Soshima?" 
Cavelcade
He nods slowly at that.  "Though there's at least one I don't trust at all and the others..."  He sighs and shakes his head.  "But I can't take responsibility for them if I leave and they stay, and that was what I offered. So, what I was going to suggest is that they travel with us to Deldon. They do not get weapons, at least, not until we are about to launch our attack, you don't have to worry about them here, and I fulfill my oath both to you and them - with your samurai there to...carry out whatever judgement you see fit on me, if they prove unfaithful." 
Admiral
Roper steps off his horse to continue the conversation.  "You think they will make good soldiers? That you can put them to some use on the battlefield, that it would be better than prison?" 

He sighs slowly.  "The Brearshaw Firm has a similarly practical approach to their prisoners. Almost any prisoner, save those convicted of the most vile crimes, can volunteer to serve his time in the Firm's military. The Firm's network of bounty hunters is immersive enough that there is little desertion, and the prisoners are put to good use rather than waste away in a cell. Their system is reasonable, effective,"  he calls over a green-belted samurai...  "...and antithetical to everything Soshima stands for." 

He turns to the samurai who has run up next to him.  "Lieutenant, at attention. Stand firm and do not move."  The samurai draws his blades and crosses them in front of him. The general turns back to Kurt.  "Every samurai under my command is held to the highest standard of honor and obedience. Their trust of their masters is absolute." 

In a motion so fast that Kurt's eyes can barely catch it, Roper's blade leaves his sheath and swings straight towards the lieutenant's neck. Before he knows it, the blade is at the samurai's throat, where it stops within an inch of his flesh. Throughout the swing, the samurai never moves an muscle.

 "Few soldiers could block a swing that fast. But there are fewer still who  wouldn't try - and that is what makes a warrior. The lieutenant he had his orders, and he followed them even in the heat of instinct."  Roper sheathes his blade and dismisses the samurai, who returns to his post.

Roper turns back to Kurt.  "You can stock your soldiers as you will, but we choose ours only from the most honorable men and women. This is not for any high minded moral concerns- it is a purely tactical decision. I trust every samurai in my army to follow any orders- and with that trust comes great power; the power for an army to move and act as one. If I had to consider the loyalties of a single soldier, our entire strategy would fall apart. Would you swear to the unparalleled honor and unquestioning loyalty of these men who traffic in suffering? Would you trust them with your life and the lives of those you love? Do you think there's one of them who wouldn't have flinched from my blade?" 
 "You can take the slavers to Deldon- we will grant them to your custody. But think to yourself if it is the right course of action. On the battlefield, a soldier whose motives you have to question is worse than an enemy soldier." 
Cavelcade
Kurt winces as the blade goes to the samurai's throat, doubting if he'd have been so unflinching in the face of that deadly speed. And yet he can't help but nod as Roper goes on, acknowledging the wisdom of what he says, frowning as he tries to think of how to phrase his response.

 "What you say is true. I wouldn't trust any of them with my life, were I to meet them in the street, in fact, I'd hold tighter to my coinpurse until they'd gone passed me. But this is not the street - we captured them when we could have killed them then and...I feel like they're owed a chance. You're right, they will more than likely be a danger to me on the field; though I will do my best to ensure they endanger no-one else. But our duty doesn't end at the field of battle, I...I want to try and let them see another way. Because if they can see it, then maybe so can others. If not..."  He sighs, shaking his head. For a moment more he hesitates, before deciding it is better to share his motivation than to hold it back.

 "I have died, once, Master. When I returned to life, my...memory of that time faded, but for one thing: I had failed in my purpose, I had strayed and become selfish, thinking of my own success, my own pleasure. I am lucky enough to have friends who got me an opportunity to correct that. I am not very good at words, I don't do well at inspirational speeches...but I can act. I can act, and leave a mark behind me that others can see and follow. I have to try to redeem these men, because I could have  been  these men, but for the efforts of others. If they fail - then so be it. I will take the responsibility, as I said. But if they rise to the challenge, even if it's only one of them...then I'll have started something." 

He bows deeply, then, glancing at the samurai, still standing beside Roper.  "I apologise for bothering you with this. And I appreciate the lesson. I will take it with me."  He bows to the green belted samurai as well, in thanks, though not as deeply as for Roper.
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia doesn't sleep well that night either. Steeped in blood, she slays the foe before her...and when she falls, she meets her own face. Natalia looks in the mirror and a Crusader looks back at her, then a Horde member, then she can no longer tell the difference.

Maybe it's a small mercy that this bolts her awake just past dawn, before anyone else is awake, too early to rise, too late to go back to sleep. Natalia takes a deep breath. She needs to walk around. Silently, Natalia slips out of bed and walks around. Everyone looks peaceful, untroubled in their sleep. Miriam's sprawled on her back and Kurt's arm is stretched under his head and Shiny's hunched up, muttering something about being a master camel tamer and martini maker. They should be peaceful. They don't have the blood of countless orcs in their hands. She set the trap, not them. Funny. She always kept count, of how many she killed, regardless of species. Bit she doesn't know how many orcs were in the blast. She can't keep count anymore.

And Natalia looks down at Mithril, her hands folded, her lips slightly parted, her hair draped over a curled-up Whiskers, almost achingly beautiful in the early light. She loves Mithril, but even if the wizard felt the same way towards her, which she doesn't, she deserves better than Nuts. She deserves so much better.

Natalia goes outside in the quiet of early dawn Soshima, looks around for Aicha or Zenn or Ash or the masters or anyone, while yesterday, from orcs to Shiro to secrets to her own burning runs around and around in her mind. If she can't find anyone, then Natalia just sits down on a curb or bench or something and hunches over, burying her head in her hands.
Admiral
Roper considers Kurt's words carefully, and as the dwarf turns to leave Roper gestures for him to wait. He presses his hand to his eyes in frustration.  "Maybe it's just that sword you're carrying making me soft... Master Endor was a paladin before he was a samurai, and he showed the same kind of mercy as you did. He was always the finest teacher of us- excepting Master Yuki perhaps- for him the satisfaction of smiting an evil foe was nothing compared to the pride of redeeming one." 
 "Anyway... if I recall, the magistrate has some spell scrolls that could be of use in your situation- only two, if I recall correctly, and we've had them since we moved out here. The spell inscribes a permanent mark on the subject, one that will trigger when a set of conditions is met- for example, if the subject tries to harm you and your party, or escapes- and activates a debilitating curse. This would protect you and your friends against him."

"But again, we have only two... And thus I would ask if you must insist in bringing  all  the prisoners with you. Do you have the attention to watch over all of them? Are they all equally deserving of your kindness and mercy?" 
Cavelcade
Kurt sighs at the question, as he considers it carefully.  "There is one I didn't trust...I will talk to them again, with a friend who's better at reading people than I am. If...they don't trust them, I will leave them to you. Thank you, master."  He bows again, then takes his leave, going to look for both Shiny and Natalia, if he can find them.
Athedia
 "I can and will."  Mithril promised as they asked her to keep their secret.

She listened to the history they told, the new knowledge filling into its lot on the timeline.
 "I am sorry, and understand his blindness.  Change that occurs over time and to those you love is sometimes the hardest to believe. But your story brought questions. This goblin invasion, was it similiar to what we see now? This necromancer you speak of may yet live. Those who delve into such magics have no qualms about fooling death.  And a wizard powerful enough to raise an army would have to be of a great intelligence." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia is curled up on a bench, holding her hand out, collecting the magic and letting it dissipate without casting anything. Just a couple days ago this feeling of the magic finally flowing through her would have given her such glee. Now, she's not so much.

 
 Spoiler 
i want to see if there's someone, shiny or an npc Natalia can talk to, but if Kurt needs to see her now she's free to talk.
 
Admiral
 
 Originally Posted by Athedia 
  [B]"This goblin invasion, was it similiar to what we see now?"  
 

The masters seem puzzled.  "What do you mean by 'what we see now'? I heard nothing about voices invading people's heads, at any rate." 
 
 Spoiler 
Remember that from their perspective, they're not thinking about orc/giant alliances or anything like that. From their perspective, they just foiled an orc invasion, and learned their masters' mind is being remotely attacked.
 


  "This necromancer you speak of may yet live. Those who delve into such magics have no qualms about fooling death.  And a wizard powerful enough to raise an army would have to be of a great intelligence."  

Roper sighed in recollection.  "He had come back from death before, so the concern was very much on our minds at the time. After Shiro and Danton defeated the Necromancer, the High Priest of the Church personally ensured he would never return. The magic involved was far beyond my comprehension- you'd have to ask the Church." 
 
 Spoiler 
Retcon: the Necromancer was a halfling wizard, not an orc wizard. With a -4 to Int, orc wizards would have an awful rough time, a fact that just hit me today.
 
Admiral
 "What's getting you down, Natalia Neverclear?" 

Natalia, seated on a stone bench next to the riverbed, turns around, and Shiny is striding up behind her, stretching his arms as he walks. He sits down next to her to enjoy the view of the river and the guards patrolling it.

 
 Spoiler 
We'll chat here before interviewing the prisoners.
 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia looks over at Shiny. Slumped over like this, she's barely taller than Shiny.  "All fighting, death, destruction. I fight...to protect, to defend, but...what if lose myself? Want Horde and Crusaders and slavers too gone, but...to what ends?" 

She buries her head in her hands.  "I killed Horde. Killed as much as Crusaders, by fire and tricks instead of steel. Horde and Crusaders vile, evil, live on hatred and froth, but...what different? If kill the same? We...fight, kill to protect, would never never harm families, not you or Kurt or Aicha or Zenn, sneaky but not cowards like Crusaders, but..." 

Natalia lets her hands flop down on her knees.  "What happens to mercy?" 
 
 Spoiler 
Ok, sounds cool!
 
Cavelcade
 
 Spoiler 
Posting this up now, before I go to bed, so things will be able to move a bit more smoothly.
 


Just as Shiny and Natalia's heart to heart comes to a close, Kurt comes into view, looking relieved to find the two of them sitting together.  "Shiny, Natalia, I need your help! I have to go and decide on whether some people are trustworthy or not and I am...well, bad at it. Can you spare some time? It's ah...to do with deciding what to do with the slavers we captured." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia turns to Shiny.  "Shiny Manymasks, what...what if not sure underneath? I feel...growing other faces too. Others of anger. Remember kobolds? Long ago, underwater? Kobolds we trapped? Would bind now?"  She looks down.  "I want to, but...don't know."  The rogue shakes her head.  "And crusaders...two dangers. Death all around to those not like them, crusaders and horde. You, Kurt, and...mentors. My teachers. Torin and Karik. All in danger. Will protect, have to protect, but...protect or chase? Chase, and then forget...where started?" 
Admiral
 
 Spoiler 
We'll handle Shiny and Natalia during the intermission, and Kurt's issue when Cavelcade gets back. Wanted to get to this first.
 


The next morning brings some much needed peace for the party of travelers. Kurt looks to redeem the band of prisoners they had saved, while Natalia seeks to handle the overwhelming guilt of the gunpowder attack, and Shiny helps her in her redemption. For once, Miriam feels satisfied in her search for redemption; her battle scars from two days earlier are still healing, and the experience of watching the Crusaders take the victory will not soon leave her, but she feels proud to have served her part.

Only Mithril is restless; having promised to keep secrets about Soshima darker than she had ever expected. Before leaving with the others, she wanders about the town, wondering what other secrets this town holds now that she knows the truth about its founder, Shiro.

The innocent civilians run past Mithril as she wanders around: some children are laughing, playing; perhaps unaware of the danger they were in; and that her friends had saved her from. She is so distracted she hardly notices the woman in the hood until she is upon her; and when it happens, it takes a moment to recognize her.

 "Hello, Mithril, servant of Boccob,"  she says. Looking up, Mithril is shocked- before her stands an old woman with light grey hair, one she had not seen since the temple of Boccob in Hulburg a month earlier, and one she had never expected to see again.

 "It's time we spoke,"  says Avaralynn.

 
 Spoiler 
This is the coda.
 
Athedia
After the events of the past few weeks Mithril barely showed her reaction.  She was startled but what good would it do to show that?   "So I am not mad.  You do exist.  But you are not who you claimed, I could find no history of you." 
Admiral
Avaralynn tilts her head towards Mithril intently, her eyes full of mystery. Mithril sees that her hands are lily-white, bearing no guildmark.  "Not all that I told you was the truth, but one thing was: we both serve the Lord of All Magic."

"It is in His service that I found you in Hulburg, and that I am before you today. Listen closely. The Uncaring does not normally meddle in our world: neither Good nor Evil concern Him; only their balance. But times have changed, and that balance is threatened. If it is to be maintained, you and your friends will have a part to play." 
CoffeeIncluded
Natalia falls silent for the moment, not sure whether to keep talking, to keep spilling her heart out, or to listen if Shiny has anything to say. She's not even sure why she's talking to him. Except that then, Natalia looks at him, alive, and knows.

 
 Spoiler 
I've been waffling back and forth over posting this for hours. I hope I'm not pissing you off.
 
Athedia
Mithril looked concerned.  If Boccob was getting involved in something it meant trouble.  As much as she prayed to him and worshiped she knew he took a hand's off approach toward the world.  Observing, interested, but not meddling like some other gods.

 "What does Boccob want?  And why pick me?  There are much more powerful wizards in the libraries and the Institute." 
Admiral
 "Boccob's knowledge is not limited to the past and present,"  Avaralynn intones.  "He is the Lord of All Magic, and all of time and space is open to Him. You may not be chosen for who you are, but who you will become." 
 "And there is another reason,"  she says, leaning in further.  "We know that you have heard the Voice." 
Athedia
 "You mean in Shiro's head?" 
Admiral
Avaralynn nods.
Athedia
 "So the voice, he or it is behind this?  I remember Shiny saying the Hooded One was speaking in his head, the Hooded One's not Shiny's.  Are they the same?" 
Admiral
Avaralynn nods again.  "And in many minds beside. There are many villains in this world,"  she says,  "so many foes and evildoers. But there is only one war: the War of the Whispers."

"I wish I could say that it is your choice whether to fight,"  she adds,  "but I cannot; for this war will consume all else until there is no safe ground left. Even now its quiet battles weaken the very foundations of this continent's civilization- a danger that perhaps only you can reverse." 
Athedia
Mithril knotted her hands back and forth, worrying at her cloak.   "Even if I could tell my companions about the voice, and the truth of here, they would never believe me.  You suddenly appearing here, a War of Whispers? They would think me mad."   She laughed nervously, bringing her hand up to move her hair from her face.   "I am not fully certain I believe myself sane." 

With a deep sigh she gave a slight smile, meeting Avaralynn's gaze.   "But I owe enough to you to believe.  And enough to others to fight." 
Admiral
 "What you tell your friends is your choice... but know that in any case they will all be called upon to fight. Your path to the dwarves is the right one... you may not find answers, but you will learn the proper questions." 

Avaralynn suddenly smiles as she sees Whiskers poking his head out of Mithril's pocket, his fur as white as snow. With an unexpected warmth she leans forward and gently pets his head, her affection breaking through her cold facade.

 "I know you have more questions... your unending curiosity is to your credit... but it is not my place to answer them. Boccob's knowledge is a delicate gift, and it has its limitations."  She steps back from Mithril, and before the wizard's eyes she seems to fade away into smoke and vanish into the air.

 "Take great care, Mithril, servant of Boccob,"  she says, her voice turning into a faint echo.

 "There are  stormy seas  ahead." 
flat_footed
  The Fullmetal Mod   : Raise Thread 