1 - 002: And it Begins...

[K Man]

SEA GREEN

{OODM: Man did I pick the wrong bunch to mess with!}

[Natsumi Bardic Knowledge Check - You have heard nothing about the Raven-Knights before, but it doesn't surprise. This 'Roberto' looks like new to the whole robbery thing and his crew look nervous and shakable. Perhaps this guild was just formed and this is how they build spending money?]

Roberto and his 'Raven-Knights' advance, only to be met with intimidation and coercion. [Various Diplomacy / Intimidate Checks] The 'dashing' man looks to Natsumi, gives her a slight wink and adds his best attempt at a suave comment.



"No worries darling, we are just here for the gold and I am just here for the company." He winks knowingly. "No need to be running off just yet..."

He doesn't stand aside and a Bard moves to the top of a table, strumming a light melody, also trying to diffuse the situation. Roberto casts a glance as his people move about the room, having the tavern-goers empty their pouches into the sacks.

{To Sean} "I agree that the best place for robbery is high in the upper city, but a man can't just walk up steps his first day...he needs to take smaller, baby steps."

The man remains annoyingly persistent in his attempt at robbery...and his attempt to look 'dashingly handsome'.

Those that do resist are bypassed without a second thought--like the Raven-Knights had never really intended to get away with money this evening. When his men approach the brutish Half-Orc, they are immediately frightened off and head towards the precious few other patrons, taking a few copper and a silver piece from them.

Either Roberto and his men are extremly poor rogues or there is something else afoot here...

[Spot Checks Vs. Hide for BlackJack] They completely gloss over the hidden rogue, not seeing him hidden in the corner of the tavern.

When Roberto's men have finished collecting what meager treasure they could, they return to the Eastern wall and line up again. {None of the PCs, if you resist, lose any items}

Roberto bows low, as do his men.



"I thank you all for your patronage this evening and I bid you a fond..."

"COME OUT NOW CUR!"

Roberto is cut off by a booming voice outside the tavern--it sounds much like a member of some authority...like the city guard.

He looks to his companions, each shrugging in turn as if to say I don't know what to do. Roberto spins around and slumps against the wall, confused.

---

---

DARK RED

Bidding your commander a farewell, you move towards the crimson tent topped by the Tertian flag. It billows slightly in the breeze, the morning sun giving the emblem stitched into its surface a dull orange tint. You notice others are heading towards the tent as well; some human rangers, a human scout and a Halfling. Some of them you recognize, others you have not seen.

The flaps to the tent are draped closed, but not tied shut. You pull them aside and one by one, you file into the darkened interior. It is like the air itself is bleeding, the thick crimson tent walls only letting meager amounts of light through. There is a dirt floor barely covered by a small tapestry and topped by a large round table. In the center of the table is a copper depression where wood and incense lazily burn, thickening the dark air in the tent even more. Surrounding this low table is a collection of fancy pillows meant for sitting.

Atop one of these pillows is a man. He young, but his clean-shaven face shows the wear of war like so many other Tertians. His long blonde hair flows around his face, framing his deep and thoughtful eyes. You wouldn't place the man physically over thirty, but he is nothing less than sage-like in presence. There is something about his features that are pleasing and calming. He motions for you to sit around the table.



"Please, sit and speak with me...as equals." Even his voice carries an aura of tranquility. "My name is Dermont. Once I was a sergeant and there are others that believe my title should be higher, but I wish for you to call me by nothing but my name."

Dermont takes a moment, let's you all get seated, and then begins the conversation very casually. He asks each you your name, where you hail from and a little bit about your history. He seems genuinely interested, listening intently and nodding wherever appropiate. Mid-way through this discussion, a maiden brings in plates of food and sets one before each of you. It is heaped high with spiced potatoes, breakfast meats and a delicious pastry of sorts--far better than the trail rations and emmaciated rabbit meat that you're used to.

It is only when he senses your curiousity about why you sit in this tent now that Dermont comes to the point. He watches the maiden leave before reaching beneath his pillow and retreiving an item about two feet in length.

It is a human leg bone--or at least a copper cast of one. It is very similar to every leg bone you've ever seen, but completely copper in color, like it were made of metal. Dermont places it in the center of the table and you swear you can see the wood burn brighter, the incense smell sweeter.



"You may have heard the rumors floating around the army. The rumors of how an artifact will change this war and defeat the barbaric Yexuhl, of how Rose Canyon was defended single-handedly by an awesome warrior...of how Tertia will stand forever because the gods have smiled upon us."

"I assure you that those rumors are...mostly true."

"I found this during the battle of Rose Cayon a mere ten days ago. We were losing the battle and all seemed grim, and that...thing did help me stay alive. I don't what it is or where it comes from, but it filled me with enough strength to not only survive, but to inspire others to do the same."

"I did not stand alone on that field, but with that artifact I did lift everyone up. I crawled out of a foxhole without enough hope to fill all of Tertia's warriors to the brim."

You eye the bone strangely, listening to Dermont's tale.

"I did not single-handledly defeat the armies of Yexuhl, but we did surprise them. We caught them off guard, but they are not defeated. The war is not over. They will return, in greater force."

"Though the artifact made me nearly invincible, it did not make all of Tertia invincible...the lands still burned with oil, the men still cried out in pain, swords still clashed and axes still cut deep. I did what I could, but the bone's strength began to fail me after some time. Luckily, the Yexuhl retreat was sounded and we never had to find out if the bone's power could be fully sapped."

Watching your faces as he tells his tale, Dermont smiles. "Those that were not with me that day don't believe me either. Go ahead, touch it, feel it's power course through you and tell me that you don't feel like you can take on the whole nation of Yexuhl!"

{Let me know if anyone is brave enough to touch it.}

Regardless of how you treat the copper artifact, Dermont continues.



"The generals know this artifact is powerful, but it is also--currently--unique."

"It will make one man powerful beyond measure, able to crush whole plattoons by himself, but the war is fought on many fronts. We cannot take it everywhere at once, nor will it make more than one man more powerful. It will not take long, even for the brutish hoardes to discover that to avoid the one holding the bone is to defeat him emotionally. They could bypass our champion, burn our villages and homes, take our women...much like they do now. They will shift their armies and but one man will be left standing in all of Tertia holding this bone, with no nation under his feet."

Dermont calmly sips from a cup.

"We are taking a gamble by assuming that there are more bones like this in the world. This is but a leg bone. What of an arm, a torso...a skull? What powers could these artifacts possess?"

"We asked for several commanders to send their most discreet forces so that we may investigate further. We asked them to send their most loyal, most trusted and most able-bodied men forward. This is why your are here."

"We fear treachery in times of war, so this bone will be kept secret in there be a defactor among us. We will shift its presence in our battles to keep our enemies guessing...but we must know if there are more like it... If there are, then the war will truly be won and Tertia will stand forever!"

"We need to find out if there are more bones like this. To this end, we ask that you go through Yexuhl territory and search the world for the remainder of these bones...if they exist. Bring each you find discreetly here so that we can silently build our strength."

"You were chosen because you were the best. What say you to the plea of Tertia?"

[Wicksy]

As the black garbed thief profers the bag to Gro-Bug he looks down upon the small man and shakes his head. He couldnt believe that no man would stand with him to fend off these theives. Cattle, all but those few who resisted with him. Well, they wouldnt get away with this.....

Sense Motive
[dice=20] -2

Spot
[dice=20][rand=76612499698060134568543450992578236998387963792369113056911590107]

[Fangor the Fierce]

Oooooh, a treasure hunt! Hopefully one better than Master Wyn had me running. Damned chickens and their feathers!

Lenny reaches forwards, touching the bone. Its smooth surface from decades of rest stretches the entire surface, as Lenny's fingers peruse the surface. (Don't know what he feels, doesn't matter...)

"So, you want us, the mere four of us, to head into enemy territory, alone, outnumbered, with no chance of aid from any army. Then you want us to survive on what we can find, search the lands for bones, and believe me, there's plenty during war, and try to find the copper looking ones? Then, you want us to keep this from the enemy, and from anyone else, make it back here, deposit the bones, and continue this again and again?"

Lenny grins, almost laughs, and says, "Count me in! I have a few surprises for those damned Yexuhl hoards. Although, I am used to working alone. It will be a different scheme altogether, but one I don't mind facing. The names Lenny. Trapsman and Locksmith by nature, soldier from the need of it. Scouting, trapmaking and disarming, and dabbling in poison when the need arises are my specialties. I prefer archery to using the rapier, but will use it if need be. So, who are you three?"

Turning to the others, and trying to get an idea on their capabilites, Lenny turns back to Dermont. "I would like to know one thing though. Let's say you were in Yexuhl territory. You find one of these bones. Suddenly, you have been cornered. You have two choices. You have the chance to destroy the bone you hold, by some unknown means, yet you would die. Now, let's say you also hold the knowledge on where others are. You could leave that bone, and go after the others, yet one would fall into enemy hands. What would you choose?"

He faces Dermont, waiting for the answer to his own question.

[Fangor the Fierce]

Edit - "So, you got a plan to find these things? Or do we simply wander around?"

[Japic]

{while she would have fought to prevent a copper go missing, I guess we'll run this way.}

Keeping the brigands away with the tip of her lance, Sax lets out a low warning growl. She will not allow anyone within her reach to be robbed. Hopefully she could cover atleast a table of patrons with her lance.

When the voices sound outside Ella becomes certain of her next action. She quickly mounts up and levels her lance at the leader.

(fast mount: free action @ DC 20 ride check. +8)
[dice=20](13)+8=21 success (barely)

"I would advise you not to move. Someone has come to collect you."

{Move to within 10 ft of leader, ready non-leathal attack if he should try anything funny (like leaving or attacking or ordering his men to attack).}

Spot+3
[dice=20]

Sense Motive +1
[dice=20]

Hopefully the law would back them up (atleast she hoped it was the law).[rand=6393217895444154228395728166955976041049756209387881193186690564]

[TheZebraShakes™]

Natsumi looks aside and rolls her eyes at the man's suggestive comments.

"Yes, I understand," she steps out of his way with a nod, not wanting to provoke him or his crew to any sort of violence against her.

She watches in silence as they collect what little money they manage, wondering what these men were all about. Obviously new to this way of life, though what had driven them to it is what concerns her the most.

A few of the other patrons in the tavern seem ready for a fight, especially the halfling woman mounted atop her dog with a lance at the ready.

She hears the voice outside shouting and a slight twinge of panic courses through her as it always does when she fears that her life may be in danger.

She watches, ready to see how this will progress, ready to sieze her chance to run from here if it should come.


-----------------------------
spot
[dice=20]+1
sense motive
[dice=20]+6[rand=592674233962088707665344683923081126468543393035548048885926466218]

[VemuKhaham]

A strong, mediumsized but somewhat slender man bearing the tools of war abundantly all over his body steps into the tent and lays his longspear to rest against the side of the tent, the razorsharp blade pointing downward. He wears a quality chain shirt but most of it is hidden under multiple layers of cloth, and over his shoulders he wears a cape. A bow, quiver and a pair of javelins all hang from his back; his belt is adorned with an enormous sword, a dagger and an axe.

When however, he removes his iron helmet out of politeness, he reveals a reasonably friendly face with long blond hair and a thick mustache. He appears in his late twenties, and only speaks with a very heavy, deep and rough voice once asked to tell more of his own qualities and identity.

"I am Gildas Arowan. I have formerly served as a scout at one of our outermost borderguards, namely Spikerock. My longtime proximity to Yexuhl territory has made me experienced both with their culture, lands and language. I am not unfamiliar with working in a team, having shortly functioned as a leader of our outpost in the absence of our captain under... dire circumstances. I am trained in a varying number of combat styles and weapons, usually adopting a mobile and fastpaced aggressive tactic to confuse my foes. Ambush, hit-and-run, skirmish; the kind of things necessary when outnumbered three to one."

His introduction quickly became an enumeration of his skills and qualifications, and so he came to a point where he had nothing further to say and found himself staring at the carpet thinking for more. Finally raising his head, he said with his monotonous voice: "I believe that sums up most of my qualifications."

When faced with the story of the bone and asked to touch it himself, Gildas waits patiently until Lenny - who seems to Gildas, judging from the halfling's own words, a skillful attribution for their mission - is done with it, before stepping up himself and taking the bone with both his large hands. He grasps it firmly, looking at it seemingly without many expectations but certainly with interest.

During his entire presence in the tent, he often looks at the darker man in their midst. The Yexuhl features are obvious to Gildas, and he eyes him with careful suspicion.

[Rojito]

Sense Motive: +8
[dice=20]
15
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Good sirs, maybe now would be the time to return the items and money your borrowed. Then whoever is out there will have no reason to be interested in you and your Raven-Knights." Sean doesn't want anyone to get hurt here, so he attempts to be diplomatic again.

Diplomacy: +15
[dice=20]
18[rand=308161562284756338366910668480314057339983568852959042359907158726]

[TheZebraShakes™]

I think it would be the same roll on Diplomacy so we don't need to roll it everytime. It does take a minute to diplomacize afterall. I think his attitude toward you would be set by now, the rest would just be left to roll play. (especially since you rolled far better last post. )

[TheUdjat]

Wanderer enters the tent in smooth, solid strides, , his height forcing him to duck a little more than the others when he moves the tentflap aside. The man is dark-skinned, with long, fine dark hair and dusky eyes - all of these things telling in no uncertain terms where this man originally hails from. His clothes are loose and black, save for a long red sash around his waist - something of a tribute to his new allegiance. He unslings both his pack and a long curved sword, very much unlike anything forged in Tertia, resting both items along the side of the tent. He's not here for battle after all. Then he sits, quiet and alert, listening to Dermont's words and those of the others.

He listens to Lenny, apparently their trapper and locksmith, and then to the true soldier-at-heart Gildas. He notices the man's stares, just as he takes note of the casual slanders for the Yexuhl in Dermont's speech. He's accustomed to both, and displays no reaction. He just takes a mental note of it and moves on. Finally, when the silence stretches on and it is left to Wanderer and Wystfalrun to speak up, the dark man shifts in his seat and introduces himself.

"I am called Wanderer." He levels his gaze at Gildas. "I am Yexuhl by birth, though that was not my choice. I know the wilds as you might know your families. I have dwelled in many different places under many different moons. I wander, and I fight - these are the things that I do."

That said, he almost hurriedly moves on to discussion of the bone, clearly uncomfortable talking about himself. "I find your tale as suspicious as you admit it to be. The quest seems a fool's errand, but also Tertia's only chance. I would rather spend my time fighting than riding on such a bleak, unlikely hope, but I go where it is thought I am needed. If those I have fought with have chosen me for this, than this is what I will do." He will touch the bone lightly when the others are finished with it - enough to get an idea of its inherent power, to know how to recognize it again, but that is all. Anything more felt disrespectful to the dead.

"I, too, wonder where we should begin looking for these remains. Was the bone not found in a tomb, or with the rest of the corpse? That would strike me as quite peculiar. Why would a bone be found, stray, without any of its brethren?" The answer was fairly self-evident, of course. They would have to be scattered.

And what kind of man, what kind of being, deserved to have their remains disturbed so? A criminal? Heretic? Or just a great leader, finally put to rest by his enemies some centuries ago?

[BluSpecs]

Sense motive +6 [dice=20]

Spot check +8 [dice=20]

Seeing the Halfling woman prepare for battle, black jack does his best to move into a flanking position opposite the leader. He makes sure to stay far enough back as to remain unnoticed.

If battle was going to start, he wanted to be in a good place for it.

Move Silently +15 [dice=20]

Hide +15 [dice=20][rand=19667597127547598126800668161508539126798263374061865987621859138]

[ryngo]

Tyrano enters the tent behind Wanderer and regards Dermont for a moment to memorize his features. It has become his custom in these bleak times to be sure he will recognize familiar faces in an instance. Battle instincts are such a quick and unyielding thing. One must be able to determine in a fraction of a moment whether one should strike or stay one's hand. In decidedly friendly company, he removes his black hat and coat for now revealing a mess of dark hair, brown eyes that flash golden in the light and several throwing daggers secured to his person by a strap usually hidden by the coat. His skin is pale for lack of exposure to the sun.

He listens the Dermont, followed by Lenny's introduction, Gildas's introduction then finally Wanderer's. The mission was a fool's hope. They all knew that. Hell, Dermont must have known that too. He said himself it was a gamble.

But then...

You never knew how long the Tertian army would last. Tyrano encountered new heroes everyday, but heroes don't live forever. Even if they did, were it only the heroes that survived this bleak time, what was even the point in their fighting. Tyrano thought of Emily. Maybe she was married by now. Probably not. But maybe she'd found someone to offer her comfort. Who knew, but the thought was cut short. It is his turn.

"I am Wystfalrun," he said, "Tyrano by name. 49th generation of a family cursed to the 100th. Yet our curse has brought us ever to times that needed us. In that respect I am not so different from yourselves. The undertaking seems unlikely at best, but for that my thread leads me to it. I can only trust that, though I am woven into dark times with no foreseeable future, the tapestry itself has other event in play to counter it. Your threads and mine are woven together into this task and so succeed or fail, we were ever meant for it. I would see it to the end."

Tyrano Wystfalrun lightly traces the copper bone with a finger. Being the last, it would seem gratuitous to do more.