Outside the Three Dancers Inn

Post by **NeomerArcana** » Thu Apr 18, 2019 10:49 pm

It is a bright a sunny mid-autumn morning. You slept well the previous night, in a comfortable bed at The Three Dancers Inn. Some low strands of mist cling to the tall grass between the thatch-roofed buildings but in the open the warm sun has melted them away. Despite the early time, the towns-people are already out attending to their chores. Barlowe is a tiny, rural community, with most people making a living tending the communities fields and animals. Like all settlements along The Merchants Trails there are a few tradespeople in town to supplement the people's incomes.

You're awaiting Landowe, your employer, outside by his wagon. The other members of your party have likewise been employed by Landowe and are awaiting with you. He needs able-bodied people to escort him to Lavender, he says the northern Trail has been dangerous lately, or at least that what he's heard. The King in Kalindar should be doing more to secure Kalindar's parts of the Trails.

Landowe has promised to pay you each 100gp each for the Journey which you will be rewarded with once you safely reach Lavender.

Once your character sheet is complete, feel free to mill around, talk, or purchase any additional last minute supplies you may need. Once all the players are ready, Landowe will arrive and the party will set out. I'll leave it up to each of you to work out how your character arrived here in Barlowe and accepted the employment offered.

Hragg · Post by **Hragg** » Fri Apr 19, 2019 6:59 am

Hragg breathed in the clean air, only slightly fouled by horse manure and the stench of the recent dumping of chamber-pots onto the street. He checked the edge on his axe again, but it could still cut paper so he tried to relax. In truth, he didn't like meeting new people, especially humans. They're bodies looked to be made of taffy and stretched to ridiculous lengths in his opinion.

He nodded to a matron taking casks to be filled at the well. "Goodwife." He greeted her.

He shifted his shield and axe on his back and wiped the sweat from his face. The scale mail was blasted hot in the sunlight. He looked about to see if Landowe was in sight, though in truth he didn't know what the man looked like. Hragg had given a description of himself, though: a blocky and broad-shouldered dwarf with red hair and beard, heavily armored and armed with a dwarven axe. If he were in Clan Cobalt, that would describe hundreds of individuals, but here in Barlowe he stood out as unique.

Hragg dropped his back pack and shield in the shade against the exterior of the Three Dancers and plopped beside them, his back to the wall. And waited...

Post by **NeomerArcana** » Fri Apr 19, 2019 7:56 am

Three village youths, two boys and a girl, begin mock sword fighting with branches nearby. One of the boys makes an excellent parry before making a killing blow on his opponents shoulder.

Arlette Craven · Post by **Arlette Craven** » Fri Apr 19, 2019 10:41 am

Arlette, accustomed to the early morning fuss and gossiping of village people, rose early to wander the town and talk to those eager to chat. She hadn't met Landowe in person before and was curious to learn more about him, and what could possibly make this Northern Road so dangerous. She had travelled alone from Middleton and assumed he must be quite a timid man, probably small in stature and fearful of his own shadow; how could a man be too afraid to travel alone on a well known road? She shook her head with a sly grin, she would be happy for the easy gold.

Gather Information Check
1d20+6

After talking to the villagers, she practiced her skills, hiding, sneaking around corners, mostly hoping others would notice how good she was at not being seen. Her confidence and pride in her abilities often exceeded her skill.

Rounding a corner to head to the Inn, she sees a dwarf wearing far too much armour to be only a traveller, seeming to struggle in the warm sun. He mustn't be from around here, she thought, but then neither was she. He must be part of the crew to help Landowe. She sees the youths fighting and hopes the dwarf is distracted. Whilst he may be strong and carrying impressive weaponry, she is sure she could sneak up behind him and prove her utility for the coming journey - it's not all about brawn, she thought to herself.

Move Silently Check
1d20+6

Hide check in case it's needed too
1d20+6

Post by **NeomerArcana** » Fri Apr 19, 2019 11:03 am

Arlette there's no way that Hragg can hear you, but he may spot you coming at him along the wall. Hragg roll a spot check, I'll leave it to you to decide whether or not the children sword-fighting is enough of a distraction to give you a -5 penalty.

Elec · Post by **Elec** » Fri Apr 19, 2019 9:46 pm

Elec wakes up and stretches towards the side of his bed. His trusty crossbow right beside him. After struggling and failing for a while to go back to sleep, he reluctantly put on his leather armor and walked down for breakfast, ordering himself a plate of meat and ale to wash it down. Looking around, he does not see the other two person he was supposed to meet for the job "perhaps they have already left" he thought to himself. Its been so long since he was involved in a group and the hesitance to meet new people almost made him reject the job when Landowe first approached him but the lure of easy gold got him in the end.

After finishing his breakfast, he heads out of the inn. As he walks out of the inn, he notices three children by the shade playing with branches, and off towards the side, a heavily armored dwarf just standing by the side of the inn watching the children. "Well, at least I know Landowe have not left yet" he thought to himself and begin walking towards the dwarf to introduce himself.

Im going to try a spot check to to see whether i notice Arlette sneaking as i'm walking towards Hragg. (dm feel free to ignore it if you think it doesn't make sense)
1d20+4

Post by **NeomerArcana** » Fri Apr 19, 2019 10:14 pm

Tartarus you fail to notice Arlette sneaking up on the dwarf.

Arlette, during your morning hours wandering town and asking questions you've learned:

The harvest festival will be in a couple of weeks, everyone in the town is excited
It's been a decent harvest this year so far
The road along the north has been dangerous for some time. Almost all merchants arriving from the east now have hired guards with them, and most merchants travelling out to the east bring guards with them
Ralmond of Barlow, a man of about 25 years, with some minor martial skill, was recruited as a guard about six weeks ago to head east along the north road and hasn't returned. Rumour from travellers coming from the east since then has been that some merchant caravans even with guards, have been lost
What has been happening on the road is not really known. It seems everyone has heard a different rumour. Goblins, Orcs, a dragon, evil spirits have all been mentioned.
Everyone seems in agreement that the king in Kalindar must do more to secure the road and the safety of travellers in his kingdom, but so far no soldiers have been reported seen. In fact, no patrol has passed through Barlowe since the beginning of the growing season.
Landowe isn't a well known merchant in these parts, he passed through here at the end of winter heading westward and has only now returned heading back east.

Hragg · Post by **Hragg** » Fri Apr 19, 2019 11:07 pm

Spot check for Hragg

[d20+2]

Hragg · Post by **Hragg** » Fri Apr 19, 2019 11:14 pm

Hragg admires the skill the young boy shows, though he can't help thinking that an axe would have finished his opponent more quickly. Good armor and a strong shield would have turned that blade aside. Trust humans to try to make war into an art form instead of an act of survival.... But, then again, these humans didn't grow up in tunnels infested with orcs trying to bash your face in. Ah, youth. The dwarf considers going over to the youth and giving some pointers, but he fears he may miss his employer while doing so... Instead, he gives a short prayer to Clangeddin that the boys have no need to swing a sword in earnest for many years, yet.

Arlette Craven · Post by **Arlette Craven** » Sat Apr 20, 2019 10:38 am

Arlette sees someone else approach the inn. "Ooh, a half-elf, I can practice my elvish, though I don't need to." she thought, snaking her way towards them. "I bet he hasn't seen me either. I'm so good at this... I wish they'd notice how good I am." She furrowed her eyebrows, frustrated at the inability of others to appreciate her skills. As no-one had noticed her, she played out a couple of scenarios of what to do next. She briefly entertained the idea of stealing something from one of them to reiterate how talented she is, she'd return it right away of course, but a half-orc didn't take that too well in the past and she didn't particularly feel like running...

Arlette will approach the two travellers and attempt to bluff them as Landowe, their employer - after all, she spent the morning learning quite a bit and is fairly confident she can succeed. As usual, she hasn't thought further than that in her plan, but she assumed that as she'd never met Landowe, these two probably hadn't either.

She tumbles to land before them, to add flair to her entrance.

"I'm Landowe!"

Bluff check
1d20+6

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