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Post by Master on Jan 28, 2015 14:49:41 GMT -8
Darvan is the last to arrive. In the small anteroom of the office stand four intrepid adventurers, off to one side, sitting at a small desk is a man dressed in black. A door leads to the captain's office, behind the door are muffled voices, and occasional laugh. After a few moments, the young man at the desk looks up from his papers, notices that Darvan has arrived and stands up and knocks on the door. A moment later the door opens, out walks Captain Olenna Tane and a halfling. Both are smiling as the halfling finishes his humorous story. Behind them stands Rothgar. The halfling turns to Rothgar and says. Well, it looks like this is where we part ways. While your little excursion does sound fun, it pales in comparison to a city wide party and prospect of winning a pile of coins while playing cards with rich suckers. They shake hands, the halfling turns to the rest of you, and bows low. He smiles and with a bit of a skip in his step, he walks out the door. The woman motions for the party to enter her office. Along one wall of her office stands a bookcase, the other walls are covered in maps drawn to various scales with handwritten notes all over. Among the papers, maps and letters strewn about the captain's desk is an orb. About 3 inches in diameter and resting on a small pedestal it appears to be made of a highly polished stone. It is very dark brown, or perhaps green, streaked with white that look like tendrils of smoke. Behind her desk stands a mannequin wearing a full suit of plate armor, it looks to be made from steel dyed black. On the breastplate is the sigil of the Oprichniki, a hammer within a starburst. Captain Tane is also dressed in black, with a long duster. Welcome. I am glad you all could make it. As some of you may know, as Captain of this sector it is my duty to police rogue magi. You don't need to know the details, but there was an incident in the Badlands about a month ago. Some fear that a cabal of magi have joined up with one of the centaur Khans. Whether this is true or not, a massive ranging was organized by the Oprichniki, those of us left behind are expected to cover things here in the south until the riders return. Half of my squad was reassigned to the mission, and I have to cover 3 sectors with what remain to me. Ordinarily, that would not be a problem, by with this town crawling with Wannabes, many of whom are mages, I find my resources stretched a bit thin. On top of all that, there is a group of bandits operating on the borders of the Zarakwald, the great forest to the west of us. Normally such bandits would be dealt with by the city guards, or a local lord, but the city guard here is convinced that the bandits are lead by a mage. They do not want to risk themselves against a mage of unknown power, so the situation is dropped in my lap. I know the leader of this band, and he is very smart, crafty, but he is no mage. It is likely that he paid off some travelers to spread lies, or he has some means of faking magic use. I told all of you that I had some work for you, I want you to go to their hideout, kill their leader, and verify that the bandits don't have magic users. Rothgar McRothgar will command this operation. She indicated Rothgar. Currently I have more money than men, so I can pay each of you 500g on your return. Any Questions?At this point, I would like every player to respond. Even if you do not have anything meaningful to add, at the very least have your character 'sit quietly' or 'nod along'. Responding lets me know everyone has read the post, and had a chance to respond.
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Post by Surallel Sol on Jan 28, 2015 19:38:37 GMT -8
The only thing more tiresome and worse than a magic user upstart is an upstart pretending to wield magic.
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Post by Master on Jan 31, 2015 9:46:59 GMT -8
I agree. Do not underestimate Lucky, however. He is crafty, for a thief, liar and gods know what else.
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Post by Darvan Marnos on Jan 31, 2015 23:43:54 GMT -8
Looking around at those gathered in the office, Darvan says, "500 each? That is quite a deal of coin. I'd think for that kind of money you could hire a small army of Wannabes. Why do you think the five of us are better suited to this task than another fifty-fold larger? 'For false generosity may lead the devout into the arms of a demon, thinking he an angel.' "
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Post by Master on Feb 1, 2015 9:41:07 GMT -8
A good question, Brother. For which, I have three answers. One. I do not know how many men Lucky has, or how they are deployed. If I send 500 men stomping around the bush, it is possible that Lucky will have more waiting in ambush. Or more likely, they will simply run away, scattering to the wind. Either way, my duty is left undone. If I send a small team, the likelihood of you being discovered is smaller. Two. Most of the Wannabes are too stupid or too inept for this kind of work. Mr. Tery has vouched for the skills of MacRothgar, I overheard Mr. Sol describing the skills and talents of himself and his companions, and I have personally studied with masters of Wolf Style martial arts, that coupled with seeing you in action against a few Wannabes gives me a picture of what you are capable of. I am paying a premium, because I expect a premium Third and most important. I can trust you, which cannot be said of the other Wannabes. If I sent 500 Wannabes after Lucky, there is a chance that Lucky would have 500 new recruits before long. If even a fraction of them turned, Lucky might have enough men to wipe the rest out. In this town, it is sacrilege to say it, but a man whose loyalty is bought with gold is not truly loyal. As for the five of you? Mr. MacRothgar needs some information from me that he cannot get from Lucky or his bandits. Mr. Sol and Ms. Reiersgaard are members of the Arcana Society, if they went rogue, they know what would happen to them. They vouched for Ms. Rothaldi before the Company recruiter, so they must trust her, which is enough for me. As for you, Brother Darvan Marnos. The Brothers of Charity have a reputation for honor. A word from you is all I need. Can I trust you?
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Post by Tessa Rothaldi on Feb 5, 2015 19:50:56 GMT -8
Tessa listens attentively. It does seem like a reasonable approach. What more can you tell us of this "Lucky?" If we are to do this thing, I should like to know what I may of our opponent.
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Post by Rothgar MacRothgar on Feb 5, 2015 20:24:46 GMT -8
Rothgar stands, looking over his new charges for a moment. Agreed. Sembo said that Lucky "pissed you off". That has to be more than just a bit of banditry. I need all of the information that you have to ensure that none of these folks gets themselves killed. I can't have any more death on my hands.
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Post by Master on Feb 5, 2015 23:21:38 GMT -8
Sembo was referring to Lucky pulling this shit in my backyard. Sembo knows, as Lucky no doubt knows, if he spreads word that he has a rogue mage on his payroll, none of the conventional lawmen will go after him, even if there is little evidence to the veracity of the claim. City guards are not generally well equipped to deal with rogue magi, they rely on the Oprichnina. Because of the trouble up north, the Oprichnina is stretch thin, I am the only Oprichnik captain within a week's ride from Lucky's camp. All that amounts to Lucky specifically challenging me and my authority. I do not like that. Furthermore, I do not like the idea of punks like Lucky using the threat of magic to bully other people.You all notice her fist and jaw clench. She closes her eyes for a moment, and then continues in a steady even tone of voice.
Lucky was a lesser son of a noble house in Linargion. His house fell when he was teenager, and he turned to petty crime. He was a grifter and a confidence man for many years. He pissed off the wrong people and escaped a number of attempts on his life. Earning his nickname, Lucky. I met him when I was a new rider. He helped us with a few investigations, pointing fingers and testifying against rogue magi and some underworld figures who tried to protect them. He used us to get information on other gangs, after we took down the ringleaders, he would swoop in and hire their unemployed underlings. After he turned Highwayman, we had a falling out. I thought he had changed, he expected me to look the other way. I am not sure when Sembo befriended Lucky, or why. It was after Lucky and I parted ways.
Like I said, Lucky is more con man than fighter. He came north recently, about six months ago. Apart from the Highway, there aren't many lucrative caravans or travels about, so I imagine he came north to avoid authorities in the south, or his underworld enemies. If that is true, the bulk of his troop would be in one encampment, or several small encampments within a day's walk of each other. If he came north to hunt, then his forces would be spread out, scouting for targets. Either way, his main force should not be any trouble. The guard reported that they tracked Lucky to a small ruin nearby. Last report was yesterday, that Lucky was still there. I do not know what he is doing there. Sembo used a Sending scroll to try to contact him, but got no reply. It is possible, Lucky thinks he is still hidden, and is hiding away from the bulk of his men to avoid capture. Sembo has never made his movements or friendships secret, so it is likely that Lucky knows that Sembo is here and talking to me.
A few local farmers and shepherds claimed to have been robbed by bandits, who made a special point of telling them that they had a mage who would blow them up if they refused to stand and deliver. The guard down in Bafford captured a few bandits, who claimed their boss, Lucky, would freed them with the help of a wizard who can teleport through stone walls. If Lucky has such a wizard, I doubt very much his men would advertise that fact. If the authorities in Bafford were afraid the bandits would be rescued by a powerful wizard, they would simply hang the bandits immediately. Which they did. I think it is more likely that Lucky wants people to think he has a mage in his pocket. Either as a ploy to enlist more men, or to scare off other thieves and brigands. At that. She gets up from her desk, and directs you all to a map on the wall. Here is where the scouts found the ruins. They saw a few bandits patrolling around, and about a half dozen inside the ruins with Lucky. The ruins she indicate would be about two days walk. There are no roads or paths along the way. The terrain is mostly hills, with a few streams flowing from Cold Lake, making the walk difficult, but not too rough. Beyond the ruins she indicates lies a massive forest, the Zarakwald. Knowledge (Geography), Knowledge (History) or Profession (Merchant) to learn about that forest, the legends, rumors or history regarding it.The hills and dales should provide you with some cover. The ruins are not large, nor do they provide good visibility of the surrounding area. The patrols would be the only way you could be seen coming. When you see Lucky, he may try to charm or buy his way out, do not let him. He preys on the weak. Not just the innocents he robs, but the desperate men and women in his service.I won't lie to you. This mission is dangerous. If I could, I would not be sending you, I would go myself with a full company of Oprichniki at my back. Unfortunately I do not have the time nor the riders. Lucky is exposed, but he will not be so for long. I do believe, however, that together you are more than capable of completing this mission. If you have no more questions...She returns to her desk and stands behind it. I will see you on your return.Players Respond.
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Post by Tessa Rothaldi on Feb 6, 2015 19:56:23 GMT -8
Knowledge Geography for the information on the forest (assuming it is feasible for me to know. I'll understand if me being a foreigner might prevent it.) X1FJjv8m1-20 +7=19 1-20
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Post by Darvan Marnos on Feb 7, 2015 0:28:06 GMT -8
Very well, your cause seems just. I will follow McRothgar in this. Darvan then waits, listening to the others present.
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Post by Master on Feb 7, 2015 10:22:07 GMT -8
Tessa: By and large I will not hold your origin against you for knowledges. I figure, Tessa probably learns as much as she can about this new land, not knowing what bit of information may be useful down the road. That said, there may be times when Tessa's origin might preclude her from knowing something. I will judge it case-by-case, but you should always roll anyway. In this case, since you have all training in all three applicable knowledges, I will give you +2 for the other two, for a total of 23.DC 15 Knowledge The Zarakwald is the largest forest within the human lands. It is bordered in the north by the Barrier Mountains. Its southernmost reaches stretch to Bafford, while the eastern groves roam into Ishmeara and the Badlands. Nearly a third of Forlinde is covered by the forest. The forest is largely unmapped, as few have ever ventured into the interior, fewer still have every come back. There are many legends among the people who live on the borders of the woods. Tales of dark and evil creatures within. The stories are too old and numerous to completely discount. Whatever goes in deep within the forest, the fringes at least are relatively safe. The city of Bafford rests on the border of the woods, historically without much trouble. DC 20 Knowledge There are many legends and rumors around the Zarakwald, tales of terrible beasts and monsters. The worst of the stories seem to be exaggerations. However, it is clear that some ancient and powerful force protects that forest. Disappearances in the surrounding communities are common. Those taken by the forest, however, are generally foolish woodsmen or adventures, men and women who seek to exploit the forest. Most believe that whatever force, or forces, that protect the woods are guided by some intelligence. Lost travellers often find their way from the fringes of the woods, unaware of the route they took to get out. Bandits and criminals often attempt to hide deep in the Zarakwald, and are rarely heard from again. Rumors have surfaced in recent years that the forest is ruled by a benevolent Treant, but such rumors are often dismissed.
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Post by Rothgar MacRothgar on Feb 8, 2015 11:48:15 GMT -8
Captain Tane, can we borrow one of your maps that shows us where the ruins are?
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Post by Master on Feb 9, 2015 9:49:07 GMT -8
Of course.She turns and rummages around in a large chest in the corner of her office, the chest is filled will dozens of large rolls of parchment. She pulls one out, unrolls it on her desk. It appears to be a smaller version of her wall map. She indicates on the smaller map where the ruins were reported, and traces with her finger a route between them and Cold Lake.
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Post by Rothgar MacRothgar on Feb 10, 2015 21:14:23 GMT -8
Thank you Captain. Rothgar bows before the Captain, grabs the map, and turns towards the rest of his team.
Team, does anyone have anything else to discuss? If not, we need to ensure that we have all of the supplies that we will need and set out in the morning. We should also make sure to have a good meal tonight as it may be the last good one we each have.
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Post by Surallel Sol on Feb 11, 2015 13:26:09 GMT -8
You mustn't be so dramatic, young Rothgar. No doubt this brigand is a charlatan and con man. We will appear in force, assert dominance with our presence, apprehend the brigand, and return peaceably home to collect our fee. No more, no less. This is a trifle. I am nigh certain that none of us shall come to any harm.
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