The return of the three, the encampment
Subject Arrows
Oh me too. I started playing in about 1979-80 and had one of the original 1st edition books. In fact a kid I went to HS with helped Gygax write the first DM guide. The kid did the naval section.
From: Karl
Subject Supplies
"We'll take 2 sections of the hemp rope and 15 rations of the hard tack, as well as the arrows we mentioned," Salix says. (OOC - how do you want to do the negotiation, Mark? Do we need to play it out or can we just give you a low bid and a settle price and see what happens from there? If the latter, take Kevin's prices below and use Salix's diplomacy skill for the negotiation, if possible. Assuming all goes well, Salix will continue as follows, /OOC)
"We thank you for assisting us so early this morning. If we're back this way we'll give you our business again." He pauses then asks "Oh, can you tell us where we can find the market? This hard tack is fine for travel, but since we're here we might as well pick up something fresh." He will listen to the shopkeeper's answer, then casually mention, "While we were hunting, we came across the remains of a caravan. Looked like it was attacked by goblins. Has there been any talk about such raids lately? We'd like to steer clear of them, you know."
Depending on the answer, the group should go to the market quickly and buy an assortment of fresh goods. (veggies, bread, apples, maybe some salt or spices. Anything they can get quickly and depart the city as soon as possible. To that end, Salix will seek out the friendliest looking grocer at the market, use his diplomacy skill to get quality and speed and pay whatever reasonable price, not wanting to waste too much time haggling.) The party should also listen to the general converstations around them for any talk about goblins or recent raids. Not that Salix expects to get any hard info, but it never hurts to try. ;)
From: Mark
Subject Turn
Ok I would like to hear from Derrell, Jake and Ami if at all possible before I write up the next turn.
From: Mark
Subject The encampment
With Salix's first offer of 15 gold for the supplies, the man's face takes on a pained expression. ?What do you have against an honest, hard working man? 15 gold? Do you want me to end up in the Dukes debtors? prison? I thought you were honorable people. I could not part with that for less than 29.? And at that the negotiations start in earnest. In the end Salix is able to get the merchant down to 24 gold for the lot. He knows that this is more than he would pay most other places, but feels that it is not spending more time over and that this is Impact.
When asked about the market the keep replies ?Two streets over is Bakers Row. The next road over from there is Meat Street. You will have to head over near the West Gate to find the find the closest market, The Indiril Square market. ?When asked about the goblins, the man laughs. ?Talk about goblin raids? Hell, the little buggers are in here all the time bragging about how they just wiped out some army. Bunch of liars and braggarts. I tell you, the goblins are worse then the Kobolds. Stinking, dirty, thieving little buggers. If a goblin ever did anything right, it was because he got lucky.? The man continues on his little rant about goblins and it becomes obvious that goblins, as well as many other evil humanoids, are common shoppers at this store as well as the city.
Salix, Harp and Surin thank the merchant and head out to get the rest of their supplies. They know that time is very important and that they are on a tight schedule. The quickly make their way to the needed shops and get the needed supplies, especially some fruits and vegetables. (Spend 5 gp for enough supplies for a week) They also stuff themselves with fresh baked bread and a few sweets. The local crowd is starting to show up for the daily shopping so the three decide that it is time to leave. There is no word on the street about the goblins. The three of them then head for the west gate.
It is just around noon when the three exit the city. They start looking skyward and after a few minutes Grey swoops down and flies around them and then heads off in a north easterly direction. The three change course and follow after the bird. After about an hour of travel, they see another hawk fly up. Ebon glides down and circles them a couple of times and then head off in a more easterly direction. They shift course and a couple of hours latter they see Ebon and Grey flying off and then coming back about 10 minutes later. Eventually the three are able to follow the birds to where the rest of the party is taking a small break.
Welcomes are made and supplies are redistributed among the horses. Cai in particular is happy to refill her quiver. Bel and Cai are fairly sure that party is catching up with the goblins and that they should be able to be with in sight by tonight. Both Ran and Alatyr are excited by this news and hurry people along so that the party can resume its travels. Another hours passes. It is now about 4 in the afternoon when Ebon comes flying back and does not even take the time to circle the party first. He flys right to Bel's shoulder and starts hoping up and down. The bird is obviously excited. The party pulls up and dismounts, listening as Salix talks to Ebon. (Speak with Animals.)
OOD: I will let Karl inform the group of what Ebon and found out.
From: Karl
Subject Ebon
What have you seen?
(I assume the party we seek, so follow up questions are:)
Did you see the lady (female human)? Is she alive? How many goblins? Do they look alert? Seem to know they are pursued? Any other non goblins can you describe?
If there is time I may have followup questions to those.
From: Mark
Subject Ebon
Nature person
The ugly ground things we follow. I followed them up ahead. Maybe a half hour as I fly, twice that as you slow people move. But they have stopped moving. They have entered a walled area with many more ugly things like them. There is a wall of wood around where they live.
How many? Well there was the large group we have been following, more than one score but less than 2 score. And there was the big brute leading them and I did see a female two legged like you. However there are lots of ugly things in the walled area but they are all women and brats.
The big ugly thing that leads them is a bit bigger than that one over there but uglier.(He motions to Harp.)
From: Karl
Subject Ebon
Did you notice how they guard the walled area? How many? How they are placed?
Did they seem to know they are being pursued?
From: Mark
Subject Ebon
No guards but much milling around. Lots of wailing from females and children.
Did not seem to act persued.
OODM: One more set of questions.
From: Karl
Subject Ebon
How was the land? Any cover? Any ravine or stream bed or sewer exit that might be accessible to a man-sized creature?
And thank you for your diligence. You are a credit to your kind. We appreciate what you do for us.
From: Karl
Subject Ebon
Salix shrieks and clicks in what appears to be furious conversation with the hawk. This goes on for a couple of minutes when Salix turns back to the group.
"The goblin party has reached a fortification of some sort - probably their village or camp. The party we were following is between 20 and 40 goblin males. They are being led by what is probably an Orc. The village has many other goblins in it but they all seem to be she-goblins and spawn. The village is surrounded by a wooden wall and backs up to the forest. There is a stream about 50 yards from the camp, and Ebon only saw one entrance, which was in the east wall. Ebon did see a female human but had no information about her condition.
"Most importantly, Ebon did not seem to think that the goblins were aware they are being pursued. They did not seem particularly on guard, and seemed to be milling around as could be expected with their men returning from a long expedition. We are clearly outnumbered, but we do appear to have the element of surprise."
With that he looks expectantly at Ran.
From: Derrell
Subject The encampment
Fal is glad to see that the others have returned safely from town. He frowns upon hearing of the fort. How will we handle getting into the fort? Is it possible to draw them out of the fort?