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[KittenMaster]

EDIT: <Removed, moved to next post after quotes.>

 

[KittenMaster]

<Quoting my own post and ThLunarian's for new page.>

With his coins and personal trinkets splattered against his face like he was just spit at, the half-creature lowers his head dejectedly, skin reddened and his breath visible from the harsh night winter air. He mutters, "I.. I won't stab your back.. I can't at all."

As the consequences weigh down on him, his words become heavy, "To be honest... I am a kind of coward. I had a chance to attack one of your dogs, but.. I got scared and held back. I heard the whimpering and saw the painful breathing of a puppy in my head and I just couldn't do it. I got my partner killed because of that. I never liked the idea of hurting animals or even people for that matter; I was hoping I could coast with these so-called revolutionaries doing all of the work and still get paid for it."

Swallowing, his face and voice become more strained, "You're right.. I should be tied up and abandoned here. My worthlessness hurt a lot of people today and now there is nobody that would accept me. I would give more to the earth as meat for the wolves."

He concludes, deciding it would be best to help them about something he wasn't explicitly asked about, "You probably know more about who I was working for than I do. All I know is that they call themselves revolutionaries and orphans," the term revolutionary being spoken twice of redundantly now, "and something big happened at the prison I wasn't a part of. I'm guessing that's where you want to go. I only saw it once when I was being recruited, but there were a couple of guys on the roof and some dogs in the yard. I only visited the barracks there, maybe a dozen guys off duty."

Alf's ears perk up. He spends a moment trying to come up with a way to say what he wants to say without words, and when he can't think of one, he transforms back to his human form. Giving Lady the signal to stay in the wagon, he hops out and approaches the centaur.

"Man-horse," he says urgently, "You say there is dogs in yard. What kind of dogs? Breed is most helpful, but if not, tell me how they look as much possible."

He turns to the others. "This may be our way in."

Only a shrug is given, "Just... dogs. The kind people keep."

 

[ThLunarian]

Alf frowns. "Many different kind, then? Or all same kind? Look like that one?" He gestures toward Gnaw, in the carriage. "Or very different?"

 

[KittenMaster]

He clearly doesn't seem to be in the mood to recall specific details, his sadness in the way. He answers, a bit annoyed, "Just one of those strong looking kinds, okay? I don't know anything about dogs. Please, just go ahead and tie me up and throw me out."

 

[Azih]

Stricia, who had to struggle so hard for her own self worth, is caught between feeling sympathy or anger at the centaur's self loathing and settles for being incredibly annoyed at his pathetic display.

Stricia speaks to the unhappy creature "We are not all fighters, but we all have our worth. The only ones who are worthless are the ones who give up." She hands the centaur 25 gold pieces.

"You look like you have fast hooves and we need to get a message to Emerald Bay. Ask for a military dwarf named Dortumn. Tell him you have a message from the Forrester wagon and in private tell him that you were sent by us to inform him that the Orphans gain confidence and have set up a border on a forest bridge after the 2nd inn off the main road and we are proceeding to the destination."

"When we get back to Emerald Bay there will be 25 more gold for you for fulfilling the mission. It may be you are meant to be a courier rather than a mercenary. A profession of much more honour. Prove your worth by this."

Stepping back Stricia asks "Before you go, what is your name?"

 

[KittenMaster]

<*waits all day before posting* Nobody wants to object? Okay then, centaur being a messenger it is.>

The centaur seems confused once a serving of gold pieces are handed to him and instructions are given. He looks to the human woman and asks, "Are you seriously letting me go?" Wiping his eyes, he doesn't hesitate to say, "I don't deserve this, but if you are wanting me to help you, then promise not to tell anybody I was working for these guys, alright? I feel like I barely did anything for them."

He slowly works his way up, from the ground now that it is easier to do so, and will start to head off, "My name is Uqualek."

 

[DeadPhoenix]

After waiting for the centaur to leave "Holy... I hope the drow is much less of a self loathing whiner. I don't think I could take listening to that again. Speaking of, shall we go wake him up now?"

 

[ThLunarian]

Alf shakes his head, watching the centaur trot off out of the woods. "Wolves act like that, tend to die alone. Maybe Uqualak should be better off put out of misery." He says it more out of pity than anything else, as a passing thought.

At Draco's suggestion, he nods in agreement and looks to Dreadstone, who has proven himself as a capable interrogator on multiple occasions already.

 

[KittenMaster]

<Just a heads up, I am also thinking of nerfing Intimidate so that it's more in line with the difficulty of bluffing or Diplomacy, at least within the context of this game's villains

THE NERF: Intimidate isn't going to be a "get information for free" card. You'll still need to Diplomacy or Bluff after the attitude is influenced.>

 

[Azih]

Stricia nods, glad to be done with the centaur. "I do not think the drow will be nearly as easy to handle. We might as well get it over with."

 

[Mike M]

<Just a heads up, I am also thinking of nerfing Intimidate so that it's more in line with the difficulty of bluffing or Diplomacy, at least within the context of this game's villains

THE NERF: Intimidate isn't going to be a "get information for free" card. You'll still need to Diplomacy or Bluff after the attitude is influenced.>

((D'oh. Who's got the stats to play good cop?))

 

[Azih]

((How are we going to deal with the guy anyway? Intimidation and then Draco asks questions with the Broken trait? Niko's got some Charisma too. Does a successful Intimate might lower the DC for subsequent diplomacy or is talking all house rules?))

 

[KittenMaster]

<I will take GM liberties in how much of an effect Intimidate has because the rules as written aren't helpful in that regard. Basically I'm going to treat it as an alternative means of influencing attitude (the levels listed in the Diplomacy page) and not a less than 20 DC check to completely put somebody at your mercy which only makes sense for some NPCs.

So yes, it can indirectly lower DC.>

 

[Mike M]

Dreadstone mutters darkly as he hops into the wagon. "Madness," he grumbles. "Weren't bad enough we're already mountin' a jailbreak, but now we're callin' the enemy our messenger boy. And here I thought the world went topsy-turvy the day of the Fall."

Pointing at the unconscious Drow, he adds, "Let's wake him up and get us some proper answers. I've developed a powerful desire to see at least one thing go as it should today."

 

[Azih]

((Healing him so his hp will be higher than the non lethal damage will wake him right?))

 

[KittenMaster]

<Yes.>

 

[DeadPhoenix]

Draco dumps ones of his extracts down the drow's throat, and gives him a little smack on the cheek, probably a little harder then needed, "Come on princess, time to wake up."

Cure Light Wounds: (1d8+5=12)

((That may be a bit much due to the lethal and non-lethal damage... oh well.))

 

[Azih]

((Can you let us know what his non lethal damage and HP are? Don't want to waste too many wand charges EDIT: NEVER MIND))

 

[Jackben]

Niko stands at the ready in case the drow tries anything sneaky when he wakes up.

 

[KittenMaster]

<I think you actually did most of his HP's worth of non-lethal damage, but I'm just gonna go ahead and let one use of heal slide for waking him up, which Draco just did.>

Sputtered coughing and convulsive movements hindered by the quick bindings placed upon him wake their captive back into this world. He thrusts the liquid from his throat and spits some of it out over himself, simultaneously keeping the fluid from being forced into him painfully and rejecting hospitable action.

 

[DeadPhoenix]

"Oh good, you're up. Now, we are going to ask you some questions, and we expect you to give clear answer with no bullshit excuses. Before we continue, Dread, would you like to explain to him what will happen if he gives us any bullshit?"

 

[Mike M]

Dreadstone taps his chin with his finger, looking upward as he feigns deep thought on the matter. "Well," he says gravely, "we'd be askin' the feller out there with the axe, but it seems he came down with a bad case of gettin' torn apart by a pack of wolves."

As though on cue, the half feral Gnaw bounds into the wagon and pounces on the bound Drow's chest, snarling and snapping his slavering jaws inches away from the dark elf's face. "I don't reckon Gnaw got his fill, though," says Dreadstone. "I'd be downright remiss as a dog owner to let 'im go hungry."

 

[KittenMaster]

"Then that is how it'll be! I am willing to share the same humiliation as my younger kin! As far as our effort is concerned, I have already been killed."

 

[Azih]

"You would be willing to die for your cause?" Stricia asks leaning in close. "You accused me of ignorance right before you fell. Please, disabuse me of my ignorance of your effort."

 

[KittenMaster]

The body shudders in the humor he finds from the earier claim, a low chuckle escaping him, "You seriously think that our kind would willingly bring ourselves to the surface world? The revolution is my new upbringing."

 

[ThLunarian]

Stifling a hearty laugh at the indignity of this silly drow, Alf pulls Niko out of earshot and eyesight of the prisoner.

"In my other pack, sometimes we found a small scrawny deer - not big enough to feed half of us.

"When this happened, we went after it, and pretended to lose trail so it thinked it escaped. Then we followed it without knowing, and always led us to many more deer."

He looks at Niko levelly. "Maybe same thing works here?"

 

[Jackben]

Niko looks a bit disappointed to be pulled away from the interrogation, but his eyes light up as he quickly catches on to Alf's meaning. "That's...actually a really good idea! But do you think he would fall for it?" Niko frowns as he thinks about the logistics of such a deception. "The other possible downside is that unless we neutralize him at the right moment before he re-unites with his brothers, we lose the element of surprise. Also I wager it'd be difficult to follow him undetected. Unless..."

Inspiration strikes and Niko smirks deviously as he leans in to hurriedly whisper. "It just so happens I have learned a new trick recently...I have learned how to bend light energy in order to make people disappear. Which is advantageous as I also happen to have procured two potions that render the imbiber scentless, allows them to leave no smell or physical tracks where they walk." Continuing, he finishes his description with restrained excitement. "What this means is I have enough energy to make two people virtually undetectable."

Ozzy the weasel pokes his head out of the sorcerer's cloak before dashing down his body to dance around his legs. "Ah yes. And Ozzy, being the small and unnoticeable woodland creature he is, could follow whoever goes to serve as an extra lookout."

 

[KittenMaster]

<If only I could read what was in the spoiler tags.>

 

[ThLunarian]

Much of what Niko said sails straight over the head of Alf, but he manages to grasp the important parts. "Invisible and scentless," he says, nodding thoughtfully. "But only two? Maybe is best to send scouting party. Two maybe not enough to defeat whole camp."

Alf frowns. "Plan might work, but is more complicated than I thinked. We should tell everyone about it and see what they say. We wait until they finish talking to Drow? Or you think maybe they... will kill him if we do not interrupt?"

 

[Azih]

Stricia asks the obvious question. Trying to understand the root cause of all the strife. "What revolution? Who is revolting? Why?"

 

[KittenMaster]

A humph is given, "You only need to know what whoever sent you does as long as we are enemies."

 

[Jackben]

<If only I could read what was in the spoiler tags.>

((By the time I thought of this, it was too late -_-))

Biting his tongue as he reconsiders their plan of action, Niko sighs. "Well technically I can make four invisible. But I only have two potions for scentless passing and making four people invisible would completely drain my powers. The other pitfall is invisibility will only last 5 minutes."

Turning to look at the others the sorcerer shakes his head at Alf. "No they don't seem to be the rash sort to do that. Not even the Dark ranger himself. Remember the goblin? Still an interruption might serve purpose."

Walking back to the wagon as the drow spits angrily about enemies Niko shrugs and raises an open gloved hand in a gesture to the prisoner.

"And just how are we to know that we are enemies besides the fact that we have fought? How are we to know we aren't being used? Or that someone plays us against each other? Surely there is another way out of this besides death!"

 

[KittenMaster]

"Each of you must stop playing the idiot. I know why you're here. We are enemies because the company I fight in is considered an enemy to many in these lands. And you have killed family.. my brother.. so we remain enemies."

 

[Jackben]

"That's certainly true. Quite simple when you put it that way. I suppose both of our unstated, unknown objectives must juxtapose too deeply." The sorcerer shrugs nonchalantly. "Seems a shameful way to live, but feel free to continue hiding the truth just like the shadows you and your kind crawl from. I'm sure that attitude will put an end to the bloodshed. Have fun with Dreadstone."

Niko walks away to begin preparing a few things of his own and keep watch over their surroundings.

 

[Mike M]

At the Drow's continued intransigence, Dreadstone's veneer of patience evaporates. Moving like fluid shadows racing from the light of the sun, he straddles the captive, Gnaw nimbly leaping out of the way in surprise.

His silver eyes flashing with malice Dreadstone grips the Drow's collar in both hands, and hauls the man's face up to his level. He unleashes a verbal tirade in a language not meant to be spoken on this plane, unintelligible to all but those possessed of abyssal descent. His meaning is unknown, but his apparent intent is unmistakable.


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Intimidate check:  1d20+11=28

((I seem to be enjoying a statistically improbable lucky streak on intimidate checks.))

 

[KittenMaster]

Heavy breathing ensues, eyes meeting nervously as the forbidden language strikes at his spirit. "You.. truly are a demon," he grunts, his body pulled uncomfortably.

 

[DeadPhoenix]

"Yes, quite the demon, and I've from what little I've heard about him I suspect he may only get worse. Now do you risk seeing just how truly demonic he is or do you start telling us something useful?"

Diplomancy: (1d20+8+1d6=19)

"We only have one objective, to get some people out of there. The easier that is, the fewer family members you have to worry about losing."

 

[KittenMaster]

"My brother is my only one.. anyone else are mere comrades." He must have not made that clear already. "I already told you, I should already be dead. I realize now I am already in one of the nine hells if I am to be tortured by him."

 

[Azih]

"If you believe you are in hell then you must have much to confess." Stricia presses. Hoping Dreadstone's intimidation and Draco's inquiries have finally loosened their prisoner's tongue. "Tell us what lies between us and the prison and what kind of forces man the prison itself"

 

[KittenMaster]

"I'll give you a free one..." he answers, "We were the ones standing between you and the prison. However, I refuse to endanger my comrades to you any further than I have simply from losing."

During this time, papers ruffle at the driver's seat of the wagon. News is brought forth, from around the wagon as Forrester steps to join with the others that are holding private conversation that fails to carry wind to the enemy's ears, "I might have an idea," she says, holding the map tightly at a pressed point of location, "We can't get a map of the prison without getting it from the prison ourselves, but this might interest you.." She points at a geographical quirk where the building is marked, "The prison is marked right on top of a line that represents a cliffside where there's a waterfall nearby which is strange. This bridge we're at crosses over the river that starts from that waterfall. I wonder if we could find terrain that you could use to your advantage?"

<I am gonna try to avoid having so many "the _____" descriptors in my posts from now on. Also, I just added my house rule for vertical distance as I've decided for sure how it'll work because it might be relevant soon.>

 

[Azih]

((Ah, so we're not that far away from the prison then? It's on top of a cliff upstream from where we are? We probably should scout the place, don't think we'll get anything else from the prisoner.))

 

[KittenMaster]

When asked if it was atop a cliff, she clarifies, "I don't think so, then it would be behind the line. I think it's either right next to the cliff or built into it."

 

[Azih]

((How far away is the prison from the bridge according to the map))

 

[KittenMaster]

<You are literally a short hike away from it.>

 

[ThLunarian]

Alf figures that his plan has been rendered irrelevant, since the Drow seems to have come from the prison, and they already know where the prison is. His refusal to give up any further information clinches it.

"Dreadstone, make room. I will handle this." He produces his handheld sickle and calmly starts forward, adding as an afterthought, "I make sure you die quickly, and not much suffer."

If no one tries to stop him, he'll slit the drow's throat.

 

[KittenMaster]

<Since the coup de grace is a huge decision that might conflict with some of your moral values, I am not going to continue until everybody has posted and decided what to do if they want to react, help, or stop him.>

 

[Azih]

Stricia catches Alf's wrists right before he administers the fatal cut. "He should face a trial for his violation of the law. We are not to be murderers."

So saying she knocks the drow out for the second time today

 

[Mike M]

((Hopefully we can just have a DM fiat ruling that the Drow is KO'd right now, 'cause otherwise the conversation between Alf and the others might undermine the group's credibility.))

"Son, have you taken complete leave of your senses?" Dreadstone hisses to Alf as Stricia once more deprives their captive of consciousness. "We ain't savages, and as such we don't kill our prisoners! Loosenin' tongues is one thing, but we ain't a pack of murderers!"

 

[ThLunarian]

Alf allows Stricia to stop him, adopting a skeptical expression. When she mentions a trial, he laughs at her.

"A trial? Look around. Human laws are made for human cities. Here, law of the wild is all matters. This drow is dangerous. He wants to kill us. Can't let him go; too dangerous. Can't keep him with us; too dangerous and will slow us down. What else to do but kill him?"

((EDIT: Got ninja'd by Mike M))

Alf is particularly blindsided by Dreadstone's reaction. "What? Ain't murderers? So when you fired arrows at Drow to start battle, you were not trying to kill them?"

He gestures outside. "No trial for others. This one still every much as threat as before. Maybe more, if have to... to... babysit for days while travel. So what is difference?"

 

[Azih]

Stricia shakes her head trying to explain the difference. "It is different. Before it was like... attacking a dangerous predator threatening you in your own territory. But now..." Stricia gestures at the helpless unconscious drow "It would be as if we killed a helpless pup in our care. He is our prisoner. Our responsibility"