Map, Erk Attempts Diplomacy
Subject: Re: Bringers of the Grass Demon
How many of them are there? What kind of penalty would I be looking at if Buchek tried to inrimidate them after two unsuccessful diplomacy checks? I can't remember, was it you who talked about the possibility of using a strength score instead of a chr. score for the purposes of intimidation attempts?
From: Matt
Subject: Re: Bringers of the Grass Demon
Right now there are five warriors, Kubalc and the shaman.
Two of the warriors have battle axes, and three have spears (with hand axes at their sides). Kubalc carries his great axe, engraved with all manner of designs and symbols, and the shaman carries his staff.
I'll enclose a map of how everything looks.
I'd have to leave the decision about whether agressiveness would work up to Buchek, and how he'd handle the situation. At the moment, he realizes that things are not going so well for him, and that his scars and tattoo are definitely playing against him at this point.
From: Matt
Subject: Re: Bringers of the Grass Demon
I realize I didn't include a key with that map.
The green dots, from left to right, are:
Telwyn, Holn, Buchek, Erk, Elotai, with Kayla in the grasses behind.
The red dots, from left to right, are:
spearman, axeman, spearman, Kubalc, shaman, axeman, spearman.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: Bringers of the Grass Demon
Erk adds his voice to Bucheks. "Indeed, Kubalc. I could stop your men from attacking us by calling on the strength of my God, if it were not for the fact I have expended myself in healing your men. We sacrificed much to aid you." To the shaman he says, "I have the power to detect works of evil. Many of us who speak in the name of the gods do. Do you? If so, I will bring the girl out, and let you call on your gods for divine insight. You will see she carries no taint. Would I offer to do this if she were demonkind?"
[Diplomacy attempts all over the place]
From: Raja
Subject: Re: Bringers of the Grass Demon
Given the results of his last effort, Elotai waits to see how the barbarians react to Erk.
From: Erik
Subject: Re: Bringers of the Grass Demon
Holn too will "wait and see".
From: Clara
Subject: To keep you up to date
I sent an email to Matt asking about some options for Kayla. But I don't want to leave you hanging. I had one extra question to add, Matt. What's the dirt like? It would take Kayla a while to bury herself in it, right? Certainly not in time to escape the fire?
---
Kayla sits in the grasses, cursing her fate. "This'd make a fine comedic bardic tale fer sure. If I live!" she mutters to herself, trying to keep still. She hears Erk's attempt to belay their fears and shakes her head a little. If previous attempts have failed, she has little hope in Erk reaching their ears.
She considers her options. Few options, that. She wonders if she can make it to the wagon unnoticed, but reminds herself that the barbarians would likely light the wagons on fire as well. She recalls a song that will make a person become enraptured by her, but it seems most likely that would only set them off more.
"What kinda fool sets a fire in the grasslands like this n'how? No way to control a fire, we'll all be killed." she grumbles to herself as she keeps thinking of a way to get out alive.
From: Clara
Subject: Bribery
Kayla bakes some chocolate and dried berry cookies using the fire as her oven.
She passes out the cookies to the barbarians, hoping to appease their sweet tooths.
From: Matt
Subject: Re: To keep you up to date
Kayla looks down at the "dirt" beneath her feat, and realizes that it is only a thin layer of dead grass, with a sturdy root structure underneath. She now understands why this land isn't home to more human farms, and why the tribes are so nomadic. Agriculture would be backbreaking labor, and irrigation would be constantly interrupted by blockages of dead grass.
From: Clara
Subject: Re: Bringers of the Grass Demon
Kayla sighs to herself, "Ain't walkin home from here. Time to get closer."
She crawls toward the wagon (ending about 10 o'clock angle in the drawing), controlling her breath. As soon as she can make out the wagon and the shapes of any barbarians, she will halt briefly to consider if she can creep under the wagon. She recalls seeing a bit of board jutting out from the edges underneath. With luck, she can grab onto the axle and find something to hold onto underneath the wagon. Maybe from there she can sneak under a friend's cloak and grab onto their back...?
But for now, Kayla just wants to get close enough to the wagon and the barbarians to see if she has a chance.
(Matt: Any of my friends wearing some bulky clothing? Cloaks, shields, etc? Especially the taller folks (sorry Erk!))
From: Mike
Subject: Re: Bringers of the Grass Demon
Telwyn doesn't move a muscle, but a bead of sweat forms on his brow and rolls down his cheek. Believe him, he thinks. But he remains silent, for the moment at least.