# Five Against the Slavers



## Insight (Feb 25, 2011)

This is the journal of the brave five adventurers who I am running through my 4E conversion of "Scourge of the Slavelords" (originally, AD&D modules A1-4).  As the conversion is a work in progress, so will be this Story Hour.

*DRAMATIS PERSONAE*
At the start of this adventure, our 5 heroes are:
*Billy Silvertongue*: Gnome Wizard 7
*Grimgal Ironhearted*: Dwarf Cleric of Moradin 7
*Jordi Tonbarrel*: Human Fighter 7
*Keldok the Bludgeoner*: Half-Orc Rogue 7
*Zindra Silvermoon*: Elf Ranger 7
Rogues Gallery

The narrative begins _prior to_ the start of the Slavers adventure, as you will see below.

Where possible, 4E stats will be provided.  This is not, however, intended to be a mechanics related story hour.


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## Insight (Feb 28, 2011)

*586 CY*
The crude, wooden sign, forced into the ground only recently, bore fetishe skulls of many small races.  The four travelers who had come together at this point stared off into a land they had known many years before.  Something had changed about this place and none of the four assembled here could quite put their finger on it.

"The Grand Orcish Kingdom of the Pomarj," read BILLY SILVERTONGUE, the gnomish illusionist, translating the Giantish glyphs painted on the wooden sign.  The gnome donned magical reading glasses to translate the Goblin language portion at the bottom of the sign; neither Billy nor his companions ever bothered to learn Goblin.  "And the Goblins, Gnolls, and Flinds."  The illusionist let out a lyrical laugh.  The other travelers soon joined in.

"What's so grand about... this place?" asked JORDI TONBARREL, the human armored warrior in whom the rest of them had entrusted their lives on more than one occasion.  "I suppose this is the best _kingdom_ that the orcs could put together."

"Don't forget the goblins, gnolls, and flinds," added GRIMGAL IRONHEARTED, the dwarf priest of Moradin.  Grimgal spat on the muddy earth at his feet.  "To the Hells with the lot of them."

ZINDRA SLEEKMOON, the elf ranger, had remained quietly at Jordi's side.  She surveyed the land before them: the scrub-covered hills, the broken rock outcropppings, and the dense forest.  "We'd better be on the lookout for scouts and patrols," she said.  Zindra drew an arrow to the string of her magical greatbow.

"You're the expert," said Jordi as he adjusted his shield.  Jordi's eyesight and hearing were nowhere near as keen as that of Zindra, his lover; Jordi had long ago learned to trust in the elf's perceptive abilities.  She knew this land and knew where and when hidden enemies might plan an ambush.

"Zindra's got a point," said Billy.  "Look, I see a precipice not far from here.  It should give us a decent view of this place.  We can survey the way forward from there."

"Aye, and trust not the road," Grimgal added.  "Remember well the last time the lot of us passed this way.  The road seemed safe enough."

The four of them has been this way, many years before there was an 'Orcish Kingdom of the Pomarj'.  There had been a fifth companion then.  In fact, it was in pursuit of this fifth member that the rest of them had come together at this spot.

"So," Jordi said, following Zindra's lead across the scrub and towards the precipice that Billy identified.  "Keldok is some sort of prince, then?"

"That's the word," Billy said.  

"We should be safe to that ledge," Zindra, now many yards ahead of the rest of her companions, said.

"Very well," the gnome said.  "Once we are there, make camp.  I will perform a rite to disguise us.  That should at least get us close enough to Keldok and his subjects to have a chat with our old friend."

"I dunno why we have to march inna orc and goblin territory for this ingrate," Grimgal said.

"We travel as five," Jordi said.  "Remember?"

"Aye," Grimgal said, sighing.  "I remember.  It's just... do ya trust old Keldok?  I'm not sure that I do."

"He _did_ betray us last time we were together," Billy said.

"That... wasn't his fault," Jordi said.  "You know that he was under that witch's spell."

"That's what Keldok _said_," Grimgal said.

"I didn't see her cast any spell," Billy said.

Jordi frowned.  He was not about to be overruled in this matter.  He had given up too much.  Jordi had dropped everything, including the promise of a noble title, to travel south to the Pomarj and track down Keldok the Bludgeoner, half-orc master of the mace.  He had put forth the effort to collect Billy and Grimgal and had summoned Zindra forth from the Feywild, where she was raising their son.  In fact, many of the travelers had given up adventuring altogether.  This was quite the undertaking, just getting them to this point.  Jordi could see all of this falling apart before the four of them even found Keldok.  He would have to take action.

"Look, Keldok is _still_ our friend," Jordi said.  "I know it's been a decade since any of us have seen him, but..."

"That's right," Grimgal said.  "The rest of you have been to my annual feasts, and we went to your wedding to the elf, and you and I went to Billy's magical whatever-it-was.  These are events that _friends_ attend. Where was Keldok?"

"I don't know."

"Exactly," the dwarf continued.  "None of us know where he is, or if he even considers us friends.  We could be walking into a trap!"

"I find it unlikely that Keldok will attack us," Billy said.  "He has nothing to fear from our appearance."

Grimgal laughed.  "He's half-orc!  He could do it out of spite!"

"Still, when we get there, please let me do the talking," Billy said.

"Har," Grimgal said.  "They'll not listen to a gnome!"

"I have a way with words," Billy said.  "Or have you forgotten?"

Zindra returned to the group.  "As I said, the way to the precipice is clear.  Can you laggards keep up a pace?  And keep the noise down to a dull roar, please?"

"Excuse me, your _highness_," Grimgal said.

"Oh, here we go," Billy said.

"What?  Oh, I forgot.  Everyone is supposed to worship the elf now.  She and Jordi have the special _love child_ being raised in the Feywild."

"Be quiet, Grim," Jordi said with a warning tone in his voice.

"Look, I was perfectly happy in the Kron Hills.  Perhaps I should turn around and head back there."

"Grim, you know that your people are threatened by the giants, just as well as are my people in Geoff," Jordi said.  "We are here for my people, your people, as well as anyone else in the giants' way.  The giants will not stop on their own.  Someone must stop them.  And that someone will be us."

"He's got a point," Billy said.  "Even my adopted homeland of Veluna is threatened, if we sit by and do nothing.  And my own birthplace, Verbobonc, is also threatened.  This giant invasion is not limited to Geoff and the humans, Grim."

The travelers reached the precipice.  It was nearing dusk.  Zindra had already laid out the camp essentials.  Though it had been many years since Zindra had camped outdoors, it was something with which she had a lot of practice and setting up the camp came right back to her.  She knew that the dwarf didn't like to sleep next to any sort of cliff nor near the fire.  She knew that Billy had brought a magical tent for himself and so left room for it.  Zindra also knew that she and Jordi would be sharing their own tent.  

The fire was started as the rest of the travelers arrived.

"Just like old times, huh?" Billy asked.


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## Insight (Feb 28, 2011)

When she was fairly certain the rest of her companions had drifted off to sleep, Zindra Sleekmoon approached the edge of the precipice.  As the fire burned behind her, Zindra stared from the edge of the cliff, into the distance, towards a solemn keep that she and her companions had visited some nine years before.  The place didn't look much different; even with her superior vision, Zindra couldn't make out any details from this distance, not in the dark, anyway.  But she knew something was different about this place, the Pomarj.  The orcs had definitely taken control, owing in some part to the role Zindra and her allies played in taking down the slavers who once controlled this land.  The orcs undoubtedly took advantage of the power vacuum and wrested control from the rest of the tribes in the Pomarj.

Zindra was so focused on that keep that she almost failed to notice Jordi join her at the cliff.

"Remember that place?" the elf, pointing towards the keep, asked Jordi.  She knew that Jordi probably couldn't see the outline of the keep, but he might be able to see the plumes of smoke rising from it.

"Is that the old keep?"

"The very same," Zindra said.  "The one we _thought_ belonged to the slavers, but ended up being little more than a bump in the road."  She turned to Jordi.  "Still, I never thought we would be tested the way we were at the Temple of Elemental Evil.  That keep proved quite a dangerous place for us, back then."

"I don't think it would even hold our interest now," Jordi said.  "After what we ended up going through with the slavers.  And the years since."

"I suspect the orcs have strengthened its defenses," Zindra said.  "Remember when we first visited the place? The patrols were a _joke_.  The barricades and traps were... laughable.  I mean, they're laughable to me now.  Perhaps nine years ago..."

"Nine years ago, all of this _scared_ us.  I recall a _certain elf maiden_ seeking refuge in my _manly_ arms."  Jordi smiled as he took Zindra's slender hand.  "This was an untamed land filled with evil humanoids.  None of us had much experience in the world.  Hommlet and the Temple were fresh in our minds, but... I guess we figured we could save Dame Gold and her party guests just like we freed Hommlet."

"It turned out to be a very different story," Zindra said.


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## Insight (Feb 28, 2011)

*577 CY*
THE VILLAGE OF HOMMLET

KELDOK THE BLUDGEONER, the half-orc, stalked impatiently through the quiet, rustic roads that made up the heart of the village of Hommlet.  Keldok had just freed Hommlet from the threat of the nearby Temple of Elemental Evil.  Keldok and his companions, BILLY SILVERTONGUE, the gnome illusionist, JORDI TONBARREL, the human warrior, ZINDRA SLEEKMOON, the elf scout, and GRIMGAL IRONHEARTED, the dwarven priest of Moradin, had come to Hommlet only recently and quickly found themselves embroiled in the local conflict.  Since no one else seemed up to the task, it fell to Keldok and his companions to defeat the villains at the Temple and clean up the surrounding countryside.

But that was nearly a month ago.  Since then, Keldok and his able companions have lived the lives of local heroes, being treated to feasts and free ale, the locals fawning all over their saviors.  All of this made Keldok a little sick.  The half-orc wanted to prove himself, to meet enemies on the field of battle, to beat them down with the magic mace he found in the Temple.  Keldok's bloodlust was rising and waiting around Hommlet was not doing a thing to quench it.

Keldok turned a corner to see the dwarf, Grimgal, finishing off yet another free ale.  The dwarf sat at the patio outside Hommlet's only tavern.

"Have a seat, ye old rogue," Grimgal said.  "The ale is a little watery, and so am I."

Keldok leaned against the wooden rail forming the outside of the patio.  "Don't you wish to leave this place?  It stinks of inactivity and decay."

"The only stink I smell around here is half-orcs!" Grimgal said.  "You'd be a lot more tolerable with some local ale in your bloodstream."

"Bah," Keldok replied.  "Like the rest of your kind, you are perfectly satisfied to drink yourself to death.  I have other aspirations."

"Yes, to die with honor, blah blah blah," the dwarf shot back.  "I know all about orcish so-called battlefield honor.  I raise my empty flagon to you and your orcish honor."  Grimgal feigned raising his empty ale in a toast.

Jordi Tonbarrel emerged from the tavern.  Keldok could see he was in no shape to go off adventuring.  Jordi hadn't worn his armor in weeks and his tunic was rather filthy with the residue of feast food and spilled wine.  Jordi stumbled just a little as he joined Grimgal.  He looked to the half-orc.  "You know, Keldok.  There are some fine wenches here.  Maybe partaking of their services would lighten your mood."

"Perhaps one of them could show you how to do laundry," Keldok said.

Ostler, the tavern's owner, looked out one of the open windows.  "Look there," he said.  Ostler pointed down one of the roads leading through Hommlet.  "Now, what d'ye make o' that, fair sirs?  'Tis a man wrapped in the colors of some _laird_, strollin' through our Hommlet, bustlin' like he's driven on some grand business.  Mayhap I'll have me some laird's party stayin' for the night."  With that, Ostler went in to call to his family, the tavern's employees.

Keldok, Grimgal, and Jordi looked down said road.  Indeed, the sober among them could make out a single humanoid, with flaxen hair tumbling out from beneath a liveried cape.  

Keldok sized up the stranger and determined that it was not a _he_, but a _she_.  They each wondered what business a lone woman traveling these backwoods would have in Hommlet.  She continued past the the three adventurers standing at the patio, and, just as it looked as though she would continue on into the tavern, she stopped.

The woman threw back her hood to reveal a gorgeous face, possibly of half-elven descent.  The golden locks covered most of her face until she brushed them aside.  "Good sirs," she said.  "I bear a message from the most worthy DAME GOLD of Safeton."  The nameless maiden looked mainly at Jordi, but also at the dwarf and half-orc.  "You are the saviors of Hommlet, are you not?"

As the comely traveler addressed him, Jordi straighened up.  "We are," he replied.  "Along with Billy Silvertongue and Zindra Sleekmoon, not present." 

"Here you are, then," the maiden said, thrusting a heavy, buff envelope into Jordi's somewhat startled hands.  "Good day."

Jordi, Keldok, and Grimgal watched as the female traveler simply turned, left the tavern patio, and continued back down the road from whence she came.

"Strange, that," Grimgal said.

"The letter?"

Jordi looked down at the envelope.  

"No, ye daft..."

"I guess we should open it," Jordi said.

"I'll go get the others.  They should all see this."  Grimgal looked at Keldok.  "You stand there looking menacing."

Keldok nodded as Grimgal stumbled off the patio and into Hommlet.


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## Insight (Mar 1, 2011)

Grimgal, Keldok, Zindra, and Jordi stood by as Billy examined the sealed envelope.  Hommlet's inn and tavern was otherwise quiet and unoccupied - save for the occasional grumbling of one tavern proprietor upset that he wouldn't be hosting a laird's party after all...

"Open the thing, gnome," Grimgal said.

Billy looked down at the wax seal.  He flipped the envelope over.  It bore the words, "TO THE SAVIORS OF HOMMLET" in a _spidery_ hand.  "I'd hazard to guess that an older, more distinguished and educated person, probably a human, wrote this."

"Maybe it was that half-elf girl's mum," Keldok said.  "Who cares?  Open the damnable thing."

Billy looked over at the half-orc.  "Impatient?"  The gnome flipped the envelope on its face.  "I don't suppose we should be paranoid enough to wonder if this is some sort of _magical trap_."  He looked again at the wax seal.  "I don't recognize this mark.  Anyone else?"

Jordi looked down at the wax seal and nodded in the negative.  Keldok and Zindra didn't even bother.  Grimgal took a fleeting glance and didn't recognize it.

"All right, then.  Here goes nothing!"  Billy broke the wax seal and _cringed_, just for a moment.  When nothing happened, he settled in.  "See? No need to worry!"  The illusionist reached in and drew forth a letter.

The letter read:


			
				letter said:
			
		

> To those Brave and Worthy:
> 
> May it never be said that the courageous undertake valor for the hope of reward nor the righteous seek purity, and thus may aspersions of evil never fall upon thy name.  But, as ye know too well, the rewards of virtue are painful and cold.
> 
> ...




Grimgal, looking over the gnome's shoulder, scoffed.  "Good and virtuous?  Does this Dame Gold know that we travel with a _half-orc_?"

"That's enough, dwarf," Zindra said, uncharacteristically defending Keldok.  "His actions, however... distasteful at times... were as nobly intended as ours."

"We _all_ saved Hommlet, didn't we?"

"Remember what we said when we first got together?  In this very tavern?"  Billy looked at the others, individually.  "We travel as _five_.  We fight as _five_.  We survive as _five_."

Grimgal looked at the silent half-orc.  "Still, I dinna think the Dame Gold is expecting ole Keldok here showin' up at her door."

"From the tone of that letter, it sounds like she knows something of us, if from reputation only."

"Well, I think we should go, half-orc or not," Billy said.  "Once we're all at Dame Gold's door, she's not going to turn us away."

"More feasts and honors," Keldok said.  "Do humans think of nothing else?"

Jordi turned to the half-orc.  "I don't think you quite understand what we've done here in Hommlet, Keldok.  We're heroes!  And heroes don't come around often.  Especially in a backwoods place like this.  They want to _celebrate_ us."

"More importantly, they want us to stick 'round," Grimgal added.  "The old Dame probably wants to shows us off to her fickle noble friends.  We're like the latest shiny thing she can shove in their faces and make the rest of them jealous."

"Regardless of the lady's motive, I am in favor of a change of scenery," Zindra said.  "I tire of Hommlet.  Let us be off, as soon as possible."

It was decided, then, that the group should take up Dame Gold's offer.  They said their goodbyes to the people of Safeton and gathered what belongings they had collected.  Before the group left Hommlet, Zindra made Jordi promise to get his tunic laundered once they reached Safeton.  It wouldn't do to have the local hero smelling of wine and week-old turkey.

Once pointed in the right direction, the group traveled east along the fairly well-traveled road to Safeton.  Before the travelers had made it completely out of sight of Hommlet, Zindra spotted a strange, white, flying object coming towards them.  The adventurers spread out, expecting trouble.  The object was revealed to be the half-elf maiden who had given Jordi, Keldok, and Grimgal the letter from Dame Gold, riding a _PEGASUS_!

The maiden gracefully landed her steed in the road.  "You have decided to join us at Windy Crag?" she asked.

Jordi stepped forward.  "I have never seen such a steed.  Not in person.  I've heard legends, of course..."

Billy joined Jordi.  "Yes, noble lady.  We're off to Safeton anon.  I don't suppose you have five _more_ of those flying beasts hidden away somewhere."

The half-elf smiled.  "Unfortunately, gnome, pegasi are rather rare.  I know not of anyone who has tamed more than one."  She looked to Jordi.  "I am called Enari.  You can call on me once you reach the estate.  I look forward to it."

She got her steed ready to take flight once again.  "I will advise Dame Gold and her staff that you are on the road.  We will see you soon."  With that, Enari and her steed were on the wing, headed east into the sky.

Billy turned to Jordi.  "Looks like you've got a new friend."


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## Insight (Mar 3, 2011)

It was getting towards nightfall and our travelers were still heading east on the road to Safeton.  They spied a pony-driven wagon, heading in the same direction.  Upon catching the thing (it was moving quite slow), Billy Silvertongue decided to strike up a conversation with the merchant driving the thing.

"So, merchant.  You travel as do we.  Towards Safeton?"

Billy noticed that the wagon was overloaded with goods: copper utensils and cookware, wineskins, cured hams, bags of apples, flour sacks, rings of salt, and pots of honey.  Precariously perched atop everything were two cages - one with chickens and the other geese.

"I am called Revv Aair," the halfling merchant replied.  "If you mean to rob me, please do so in all haste so that I may get on with my journey."

"Oh, no, good sir," Jordi said.  "We are headed to Safeton on the invitation of one Dame Gold.  I don't suppose you know the name?"

Aair turned to see Jordi and, at the same time, appraised the rest of the travelers: an elf maiden with a longbow, an ugly human or half-orc with a stern look on his face, and a dwarf bearing the symbol of Moradin on a necklace.  "Strange group of motley fellows you travel with."  The merchant thought for a moment.  "Wait!  You must be... I'd heard rumors... the Temple..."

"Yes, we are the ones who defeated the villains at the Temple of Elemental Evil."

"And saved the village of Hommlet," Billy added.  "It was quite impressive, don't you know?"

The halfling chewed on a piece of sausage.  "Like I said, I'd heard the rumors of your group.  Yes, quite impressive."  He slowed the ponies to a stop.  "I could camp soon.  I wonder if the lot of you would care to join me.  A lone traveler, such as myself... and my nephew..."  Revv nodded to a smaller halfling, a chap named Bellod, who generally said nothing.  "It's probably unwise for us to travel unescorted."

"Is there much trouble on these roads?" Grimgal asked.

Aair turned to the dwarf.  "No, not... much trouble."  The merchant hopped off the seat of his wagon.  "It is getting dark.  Let us make camp.  I will cook us a fine meal.  You will then accompany me and Bellod to Safeton, yes?"

The traveling heroes agreed to camp with the halfling merchant and his nephew.  Within half an hour, Zindra, the ranger, had raised several tents and cleared a semi-circular area of vermin and debris.  She and Keldok had patrolled the general area, making sure it was free of potential attackers.  Grimgal and Billy regaled Revv Aair and Bellod with tales of their adventures within the Temple of Elemental Evil.  Meanwhile, the merchant had a fire going and was busily cooking up a stew.

"That's quite a tale, young travelers," Aair said.  "Our dinner is ready!

Aair passed out copper bowls and servings of sausage and meat stew to each of his new traveling companions.  They arranged themselves around the fire and settled in.

"This area isn't much different from the Kron Hills," the dwarf remarked.  "Less hilly, I suppose."

"I was about to say that this Welkwood reminded me of the Gnarley Forest," Zindra said.

"I was about to say that this doesn't look much different than mine own Verbobonc," Billy added with a lyrical laugh.

"These are all trees," Keldok said.  "I see no difference between these trees and those to the northwest."

"Of course not.  I wouldn't expect Keldok the Bludgeoner to understand the subtleties of life in the forest."

"Before this conversation gets out of hand," Jordi said, "I would like to thank Mr. Aair for a fine stew."

"Aye," the dwarf added.  "Let's just have us a fine evening and leave the bickering for later."  Grimgal laughed at his own suggestion.  "I know.  Seems daft coming from old Grim."

The companions finished their stew and broke open a case of wine.  The heroes learned that Revv Aair and Bellod were headed for Dame Gold's feast as well.  The merchant had been commissioned to acquire certain goods for the affair and to bring them with all due haste to Safeton and, eventually, to Windy Crag.  It was decided that the heroes would accompany Revv Aair and Bellod all the way to the dame's estate.  Doing so would benefit both parties; Revv Aair needed escorting, just in case there were bandits or other problems; the heroes knew not the road ahead and knew no one in Safeton.

Morning came without incident.  Aair, Bellod, and Zindra packed up the camp while the rest of the travelers took care of morning essentials.  Before an hour had passed since daybreak, the companions were again headed east towards Safeton.









*OOC:*


This begins a skill challenge, "The Road to Safeton".
Primary Goal: The group arrives safely in Safeton.
Secondary Goal: Protect Revv Aair and his wagon along the way.


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## Insight (Mar 4, 2011)

*OOC:*


Thus begins the skill challenge.  This is a _staged_ challenge, which means that there are certain objectives/obstacles that must be overcome in order for the challenge to be considered a success.  The first such obstacle is presented below.







After striking camp, our travelers continued eastward, towards Safeton.  Revv Aair informed the rest of the companions that it was likely to be a few more days to Safeton and that, while he really didn't expect trouble, it was good to have company along for the trip.  For his part, Grimgal Ironhearted lamented that there was no room on the wagon; his poor feet were killing him!

The group was well into the afternoon when they were about to enter a heavily wooded copse.  Zindra, the ranger, wary of an ambush, stopped the cart and the other travelers and sneaked into the woods to take a peek.  In a few moments, the elf emerged and declared that the road was clear as far as she could see (which is pretty far).

The mule-driven wagon lurched forward and the rest of the travelers followed.  In less than an hour, however, the group stopped again.  This time, it was because there was some disturbance up ahead.  Just around a bend, Zindra spied a pair of humans or half-elves in disheveled clothing, stumbling along the road.









*OOC:*


Zindra will make a Stealth check, below.  This is NOT directly related to the challenge, but if successful, will give Zindra a +2 circumstance bonus to her next check related to the challenge.







Zindra, longbow at the ready and nocked with an arrow, approached the men.  "Halt," the elf said.  "Who goes there?"

The men paused.  Zindra noticed that both men were wearing what was once fine noble clothing.  Their wounds were those of arrows and small bludgeoning melee attacks, perhaps from clubs or maces.  The bedraggled men looked around.

"Hello?" one of them called out.  "We are mere travelers, recently ambushed along this road.  We mean no harm."  It was clear to Zindra that they had no idea where she was.









*OOC:*


Zindra will also make an Insight check, below.  This IS related to the challenge and will affect successes and failures.  This roll is a success!SUCCESSES: 1, FAILURES: 0







Zindra had her suspicions about the mens' intentions.  She said nothing now, but remained hidden.  She waved the rest of her companions forward.

When the men spotted the mule-driven wagon and the people on foot, they brightened.  "Good travelers," the bearded one said.  "I am called Beonar and the man traveling with me is Chadonel.  We are from... Veluna and were on our way home from Safeton when bandits struck."

The men took a few tentative steps forward.  "The bandits took everything - our horses, our goods, our valuables, our gold," Beonar explained.  "We just need some coin to get us through to Hommlet."

Revv and his nephew looked at one another in mild surprise.  Grimgal wore a bit of a frown, which was really nothing new for the dwarf priest.  For their parts, Jordi and Billy seemed sympathetic to the travelers' plight.  Keldok said nothing, eyeing the men for weapons or possible spellcasting.









*OOC:*


The rest of the party is making a _group_ Insight check.  Grimgal, the best at this sort of thing, will be the lead roller, with Jordi, Billy, and Keldok using aid another.  This is _BARELY_ a success.  SUCCESSES: 2, FAILURES: 0







"I dunno 'bout all this," Grimgal said after a moment.  "Ye are _dressed_ as might be nobles, but it seems..."

Beonar stepped forward again.  "Good sirs!  I can assure you that our intentions are true!"

"What else would charlatans say?" Keldok asked.

"Now hold on," Billy said.  "We don't know..."  The gnome watched as Keldok slowly drew his mace.  "There's no need for violence!"

Seeing Keldok draw his mace, the disheveled men stepped back and assumed defensive postures.  "Look, HALF-ORC!  We aren't even armed!"

Billy, Jordi, and Grimgal all turned to look at Keldok.  They knew that the half-orc had been itching for a fight for weeks, but this was a little unwarranted, even for Keldok.

Jordi put his hand on the half-orc's shoulder.  "Keldok, let's not start a fight.  These men have done nothing to us."

"You don't know what they _could_ do," Keldok replied.  "They could be spellcasters for all we know.  No weapons needed."

All present realized that Keldok was right to be cautious.

Billy stepped in front of the half-orc.  "Now, now.  Let's not be hasty.  No one needs to cast spells or draw weapons or anything of the kind."  The gnome turned to the disheveled travelers.  "I've no doubt you are NOT from Veluna, but your deception is your business and I really don't care.  You will NOT have any of our gold and I bid you to move along.  Perhaps some fool will believe your tale of woe and hand you some coin, but it will not be us.  Good day."  Billy looked back at Keldok.  "Please put away your weapons.  I'm sure we will have use for your unique skills at a later date."









*OOC:*


Billy makes a Diplomacy check as part of the challenge.  This is a success!  SUCCESSES: 3, FAILURES: 0.







Keldok frowned and put his mace and dagger away.  As he did, the deceptive men stood to the side of the road.  Revv and his wagon started again and continued to the east.  Grimgal shot the men a dirty look and they did not respond.

As the wagon and the eastbound travelers continued down the road, Chadonel looked at Beonar.  "I don't suppose we should have warned them about the _real_ ambush down the road?"

"Not a chance."


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## Insight (Mar 4, 2011)

*OOC:*


The skill challenge, "The Road to Safeton", continues.  We currently have 3 Successes and 0 failures.







Revv Aair and his wagon continued eastward, towards Safeton, as Grimgal, Jordi, Billy, Keldok, and Zindra followed on foot.  As they traveled with Aair, the heroes of Hommlet regaled the merchant with additional tales of their trials and tribulations within the Temple of Elemental Evil.  All of this was quite off-putting to the traveling merchant, but quite exciting to the halfling's young nephew, Bellod.

It grew dark.  The travelers found themselves smack dab in the middle of the Welkwood.  It was not difficult to find a spot for the wagon and a few tents, but Zindra wished to avoid any possible nocturnal ambushes or attacks.  She spent about an hour searching the immediate area for various hazards and vermin.









*OOC:*


This is a Nature check.  While not directly part of the skill challenge, success on this check will give Zindra and any others a +2 bonus to their passive Perception to avoid ambushes and such for the night.  This roll is successful.







Zindra had little trouble in securing a safe location to camp for the night.  Aair drove his wagon into the empty spot in the woods.  Zindra and Keldok set up tents and cleared space.  Grimgal and Jordi set up a small campfire.  Jordi unpacked trail rations and waterskins.  When all was readied, the group had their dinner.  Meanwhile, the adventurers continued tales of the Temple of Elemental Evil and freeing the people of Hommlet from its threat.  Revv Aair puffed on a smokepipe, barely paying much attention to the tales, while Bellod was in rapt attention.

As the night grew long, the group settled in.  It was decided that neither the merchant nor his nephew would prove useful for watches, so they were to sleep straight through the night.  Grimgal and Keldok would take first watch -- neither would agree to sleep while the other was awake.  Zindra, who would be done with her trance by midnight, would watch the rest of the night and until sunrise.  Jordi joined her for the midnight watch and Billy would rise early to take over for Jordi.

That was the plan, anyway.  Some time after midnight, however, just about an hour after Zindra and Jordi took over and Keldok and Grimgal had fallen asleep, the elf's ears pricked up.  She stoodn and started looking around, searching for the source of a noise she heard.

"What is it?" Jordi whispered.  The warrior threaded his left arm through the straps of his shield and took his handy warhammer in the right.  "Did you hear something?"

Zindra said nothing.  She moved to a tree trunk, her longbow at the ready.  She looked to Jordi and motioned into the darkness.

"I don't --"

The elf maiden motioned more vigorously.  Jordi shut his mouth and joined her at the base of the great tree.

"Drat and _double_ drat!" a voice said as it neared the campsite.  

"Will you keep it down?" another voice called out.

"Keep quiet, you two!" a third voice called from farther away.

From the footfalls, Zindra could tell that these were small-sized creatures, possibly the same general size as Billy.  She knelt and eventually, Jordi did the same.

"Who are they?" Jordi whispered.

"I don't know," the elf replied.  "Be quiet."

A pair of gnomes, somewhat in forest colors, emerged from the wood.  They stopped mere feet from where Jordi and Zindra waited.  A third appeared to be coming up from behind.

"A campsite," the shorter one remarked.

"No kidding!" the taller one replied.

Zindra's head turned towards the wood.  She heard more of them coming.  A LOT more.  The elf moved into a crouch and backed off, away from the pair of gnomes who had already entered the camp.  Jordi waited and attempted to do the same.









*OOC:*


Zindra and Jordi must attempt Stealth checks.  This is not directly a part of the skill challenge.  Both checks are successful.







The gnomes, now joined by a third, this one carrying a _noose_, took a few tentative steps around the camp.

Zindra backed into a tree.  She looked at Jordi.  "There are more of them in the wood."

Jordi took a glance in the direction of whence the gnomes came.  "More of them?  How many?"

"How should..."

One of the gnomes moved adjacent to the sleeping Grimgal.  "They travel with a dwarf now."

Another found Billy.  "A gnome!"

"Will you two be quiet?"

A dozen more gnomes entered the camp.  One of the existing gnomes tried to wave them off, to no avail.  Several of the new gnomes carried torches and a few more brought nooses.

"Do they mean to hang someone?"

Grimgal stirred.  The gnomes reacted by shutting up, all at once.  They held their breaths while the dwarf turned over in his bedroll.

"I don't think these are them," one of the gnomes said.

Billy started to get up.  "You guys know that I'm a light sleeper!"  His eyes opened to reveal a camp full of strange gnomes.  "What is all this?  A gnome congress?"

The other gnomes gasped and took a step back.  They murmured amongst themselves.

Keldok also woke up.  "You've gotta be kidding me."

There were now easily three dozen gnomes in the camp.  More were on the way.

Billy stood up and approached the gnome that he determined to be the leader of this rabble.  "What business have you with us, fellow gnomes?"

"We're in for a hanging!" the gnome replied.  "Hence the rope and nooses, don't you know?"

Billy looked about and counted three nooses total.  "You mean to hang _us_?"

The gnomes looked around the camp and took a count.  "Oi!  There's too bloody many of them, cap'n!"

Grimgal finally opened his eyes.  "There are entirely too many gnomes in my camp."

"Yes," Billy said.  "They still have yet to satisfactorily answer my query about why they are here."

The gnomes looked at one another and chatted a bit amongst themselves.  The lead gnome then addressed Billy.  "We thought you might be the scalawags who stole our gold."  They chatted some more.  "Wait, _stole_ might not be the right term.  You see, a pair of men whom we took for the victims of brigands..."

"We met them yesterday," Billy explained.  "I can most assuredly proclaim that we are not them.  You see, they _attempted_ to fleece us with some tall tale of a bandit attack.  We did not believe them."

"They could be _harboring_ the bandits!" one of the gnomes announced.

"Now, look here..."

Grimgal, who had gotten out of his bedroll, approached the illusionist and took the gnome's arm.  "Can ye just make them all go away?  I've gotta get my sleep, now."

Billy turned to the gnomes, three of whom were brandishing nooses, several more of which were holding torches, and one of whom, undoubtedly confused, had brought along a chimney brush.  He has already been appropriately chided for his foolishness.

"We are not your bandits.  We sent them west towards Hommlet.  I'm sure they will attempt to con someone else out of their gold."

"It's the truth, strange gnomes," the dwarf added.  "Now, begone."









*OOC:*


Grimgal is going to aid Billy with a Diplomacy check.  This is directly related to the skill challenge.  This is a success!  SUCCESSES: 4, FAILURES: 0.







The gnomes speak amongst themselves for a time that seemed an eternity to those wishing to get some sleep.  Eventually, the gnomes decided that our travelers were NOT the bandits and agreed to move on.  The rest of the night passed without incident.


----------



## Insight (Mar 5, 2011)

*OOC:*


The skill challenge, "The Road to Safeton", continues.  We currently have 4 Successes and 0 Failures.







The group - Revv Aair and his nephew, Bellod, Billy Silvertongue, the gnome illusionist, Grimgal Ironhearted, the dwarven priest of Moradin, Jordi Tonbarrel, the human warrior, Keldok the Bludgeoner, half-orc scoundrel, and Zindra Silvermoon, the elf ranger - traveled the road east for some time without incident.  For once, the road was an uneventful as Revv Aair had promised upon meeting the heroes of Hommlet.  The travelers met only the occasional merchant or other random traveler heading west from Safeton to Hommlet, or, more likely, points farther west-northwest, such as Verbobonc and Veluna.

The travelers found the Welkwood rather peaceful, a canony of green, brown, red, and yellow leaves, with the normal squirrel, raccoon, or deer running across the well-traveled road.  On the third day since what Grimgal termed the "gnome event", the travelers, late in the day, came upon the banks of a pond overlooked by a grassy meadow.  After checking around the perimeter of the pond and its environs, Zindra declared the spot right for camp and the group set about their normal early-evening activities.

"See?" Aair said.  "This is a safe road.  To Safeton!"  Bellod let out a chuckle at that one.

Zindra sat down next to Jordi.  "This area is known to be replete with evil humanoids - goblins, kobolds, gnolls, orcs, and so forth.  I'm rather surprised we haven't see too many."

Jordi tugged a piece of boiled pheasant off its leg.  "Do you think we've just been lucky not to have run into them?"

"It's possible," Zindra said.

"Unlike our friend, Keldok," Jordi said.  "I'm not really looking for a fight.  I'm perfectly happy to have a safe and uneventful trip the rest of the way to Safeton."

Zindra looked to the distant ridge.  "They hunt at night, you know.  Especially the orcs."

"I'm not terribly worried about orcs," Jordi said.

"Not singly or in small groups, no.  But in large numbers... we haven't seen the likes of an orc warband.  The few of us can do little against such forces, even if individually they can barely cause a scare."

The elf stood up and took a few steps towards the pond.  "That ridge could conceal quite a few enemies."

Jordi joined her.  "Don't get jittery.  You checked it, right?"

Zindra continued towards the pond.  "I'm sorry, Jordi.  I have to go make sure.  Stay close to the camp."









*OOC:*


Zindra attempts a Nature check and a Perception check.  These are not directly related to the challenge.  These are successful, so Zindra and her allies gain +2 bonuses to Perception and Stealth checks made as part of this.







Zindra crept around the pond and up the grassy ridge.  There, the elf ranger found some ettins, a large group of goblins, and smaller groups of bugbears and orcs.  There were also some war dogs, no doubt controlled by the orcs.  A lone half-orc led them.  Zindra had not been seen.  She realized that this large a group of bandits would prove too much for her and her companions, so Zindra would have to sneak back and warn her companions before the bandits attacked.









*OOC:*


Can Zindra make it back to camp unnoticed by the bandits?  She attempts a Stealth check to do so.  This is directly part of the skill challenge.  The Stealth check is successful.  SUCCESSES: 5, FAILURES: 0.







Zindra found the camp in order.  While Grimgal tended to the campfire, Billy recounted tales of his homeland in Verbobonc, of the gnomes, and of the Feywild.

"An attack is imminent," Zindra announced.  "There are dozens of them - goblins, orcs, bugbears, and a few ettins."  She looked to Jordi.  "This is what I was worried about!"

Jordi grabbed his scale mail armor and started putting it on.  Billy gathered his goods.  Grimgal had not yet removed his armor, as he was to take first watch.  Keldok was already geared up and itching to defend his companions.

"Can't we just get out of here?" the halfling merchant asked.

"No," the elf said.  She looked to the ridge.  "They will see us run.  The war dogs, if nothing else, will track us down."

"War dogs?" the priest asked.  "Mayhap the orcs are ridin' 'em, then.  I've done my fair share o' defendin' me clan against orc invaders.  They don't ride war dogs unless there's a warband afoot.  I s'pose them orcs mighta stolen the dogs from their warband, but..."

"We don't have time to debate the finer points of orcish warbands, now, Grim," Jordi said as he continued to strap into his armor.

Billy looked across the pond.  "I don't suppose there's any chance to avoid violence?"

Keldok frowned at the very idea.

"We could run and hope they can't find us," Zindra said.  "We're in no shape, really.  Not with the wagon."

"Don't leave my wagon behind!" the merchant cried.

"Perhaps they're not looking to sack us," Billy said.  "Bigger fish, you know."  The gnome took a few steps towards the pond.  "Maybe they'll recognize us as the heroes of Hommlet and be too afraid to..."

Billy's voice trailed off as a horn sounded from across the lake.  Dozens of humanoids began pouring over the grassy ridge.

"Perhaps not."









*OOC:*


This is going to become a combat encounter, but the PCs are not intended to fight _all_ of the bandits.  In fact, if the PCs figure out what's going on and are clever enough, they may only have to fight a few of the enemies and drive the rest of them off.

The first thing, however, that the PCs must do is determine what's going on.  This is a group Perception check.  Because of the distance and darkness, it would normally be a -10 to the check.  Zindra's prior reconnoitering gives each of them a +2 bonus, for a net -8 to the group check.  Zindra will be the main roller.  The rest are making checks to aid another.  All of the aid another checks got at least a 10, so that's a +8, cancelling out the effects of the darkness.  Unfortunately, Zindra rolls a 1, the only thing that would have caused her to fail.  SUCCESSES: 5, FAILURES: 1.







The heroes looked around the pond area.  They heard movement, but none could make out exactly what was happening.  All they knew was that the bandits Zindra had described were on the move and that there were quite a few of them.

"They mean to surround us," Keldok said.  "If they are bandits, they mean to rob us, not kill us.  They will surround us, announce that there's no way out, and demand our coin or our lives."

"We don't know for _shure_ that they're bandits," the dwarf said.  "Could be a war party come to kill anyone who crosses the road."

"We have seen many merchants heading west and none mentioned being attacked or robbed," Billy said.  "Except, you know, _those two_."

Keldok took two steps to the southeast.  "Speculation is getting us nowhere.  We must act."

"Aye, ye daft son-of-an-orc, but we dinna know what we're dealin' with!"

"We know they have a leader," Zindra said.  "If I know anything of the sorts who tend to become leaders of these groups, the leader will command from behind.  He's probably directly across the pond from us.  Striking the leader, taking him down, will almost certainly demoralize the rest of them.  We could win this very quickly."

"I say we make a break for it," the half-orc said.  "Head this direction.  Lead them away from the camp.  We should be able to take down small groups of goblins and whatnot while the others redirect."

"If they are deploying as you say, Keldok, that will leave us flanked, in any event.  Just flanked in a different way."

"Not if we take out one of their units, elf," Keldok replied.  "We can bust a hole in their line and escape."

Jordi had just finished strapping on his shield.  "What of the merchant and his wagon?  We cannot just leave it here while we escape."

"I agree with the elf," Grimgal said.  "Take out their leader and watch the rest of the bandits scurry into the darkness."

Zindra turned to the half-orc.  "Keldok, you and I will sneak around the pond and strike at the leader and his guards, if any, from cover."  She turned to Jordi and Grimgal.  "Jordi, you and Grim get straight across the pond as best you can.  It didn't look too deep."

"They won't be expecting us to come directly at their leader," Grimgal added.

"I'll stay here and cause trouble for the bandits in my own ways," Billy said, smiling.  He looked to Revv Aair and Bellod.  "This is going to be great fun!"


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## Insight (Mar 9, 2011)

*OOC:*


This is the first round of the combat encounter that ends the skill challenge, "The Road to Safeton", which currently has 5 Successes and 1 Failure.  The PCs have the opportunity to earn additional Successes or Failures during the course of the combat.

I have decided against rolling everything here for future posts.  It just clutters things up.







[sblock=Initiative Order]
PCs
14 - Zindra
11 - Keldok
10 - Grimgal
6 - Billy
6 - Jordi

Enemies
27 - Goblin Bowmen x12
25 - Ettins* x2
17 - Dergrenche (Unique)
10 - Ettins*
6 - Goblin Skullcleavers x4
* Ettins roll 2 different Initiatives and act fully on each!

Combined
27 - Goblin Bowmen
25 - Ettins
17 - Dergrenche
14 - Zindra
11 - Keldok
10 - Grimgal
10 - Ettins
6 - Billy
6 - Jordi
6 - Goblin Skullcleavers
[/sblock]

[sblock=The Situation at Start]The heroes have decided to strike at what they consider to be the heart of the enemy: the leaders across the pond.  The combat starts when Grimgal and Jordi are about halfway across the pond, Keldok and Zindra are sneaking up the ridge, and Billy is following somewhat behind the sneaking heroes (he's not very stealthy, but he doesn't plan on getting very close).  The enemies our heroes face are DERGRENCHE, a half-orc leading the bandits, a pair of ETTINS serving as his bodyguards, four GOBLIN SKULLCRUSHERS, and 12 GOBLIN BOWMEN.  Note that there are other enemies around, but they have been dispatched to try to surround the camp (they will not be part of this encounter until later, if at all).  The Goblin Bowmen are spread around the trees and bushes atop the ridge.  The Goblin Skullcrushers are deployed at the edge of the ridge and are looking for the heroes' approach.  The Ettin Bodyguards are somewhat behind the Skullcrushers and Dergrenche is behind the Ettins.[/sblock]

"Are you sure this is the wisest course of action?" Billy Silvertongue asked as he followed Keldok and Zindra as quietly as he could.  "I could stay with the halfling and his nephew."

"Be quiet, gnome," the half-orc replied.  "We are _trying_ to be sneaky about this."

Zindra nodded in agreement.

The trio arrived at the base of the ridge, to the west side of the pond.  They stopped and Zindra waved across to where her companions, Jordi Tonbarrel and Grimgal Ironhearted, awaited a signal.  Seeing the elf's signal, the human and dwarf began sloshing across the open pond.

Keldok winced.  "Well, I guess we wanted Jordi and Keldok to draw the bandits' attention."

As the arrows flew, most plinked off Jordi's and Grimgal's shield, but two struck the dwarf between his magical armor.

"Perhaps this wasn't the best plan!" Grimgal said as he surged forward in the pond water.

"I have no doubt our sneaky friends will dispatch the archers or otherwise draw the attention away from us soon," Jordi replied.

Otop the ridge, the self-appointed leader of the bandits, DERGRENCHE, a half-orc who slew the bandits' prior leader, threw his battle horn to the ground and drew his longsword.  "It won't be long now, my friends," he said to the pair of two-headed giants serving as his personal bodyguard.  "You hear the twing of those bowstrings?  Our goblin friends have found the quarry.  Those sharpshooters should cut down the foolish adventurers before we even see them fall to the ground!"

The ettins, knowing that these were _goblins_ Dergrenche was talking about, simply looked at one another and shrugged.

Through the evening darkness, Zindra Sleekmoon could spy several goblins emerging from the treeline atop the ridge.  She drew two arrows to her bowstring and let loose, killing two of the goblin archers.

Keldok took the opportunity and cover of darkness to advance upon the group of archers unaware of the half-orc's presence.  Keldok knew he was too far away to get an immediate attack on any of them, but he found a spot behind a large shrub, giving him cover against whatever enemies were to the east and from where he would strike against the goblin archers as soon as they got a little closer.

Jordi and Grimgal continued through the pond.  The water line was neck-high on the dwarf and waist-high on Jordi.

Jordi tried to quicken his pace.  "We'd best get out of this pond and quick."

"I thought you said Keldok and Zindra would take care of the archers," Grimgal replied.  

"Yes, well... We don't know how _many_ archers there are.  Or what else might be up there!"

The gnome illusionist had followed closely behind Zindra and Keldok and was now just behind the elf.  "I'd better keep some of those archers busy," he said, brandishing his magical lavender orb.  The thing glowed with arcane power and Billy harnessed this power into a spell.  Billy created an illusory maze to confuse a group of the goblins.  "That should do the trick, for now."

Dergrenche, seeing the use of magic against his archers, winced.  "It is possible, however unlikely it sounds, that I may have underestimated our foes.  I did not expect them to have a spellcaster among their number."

The ettins readied their weapons, but the half-orc did not deploy them.

"No, my friends," Dergrenche said to the ettins.  "Goblins!  Find that spellcaster!"

Four goblins wielding battleaxes had stayed back and now pounced into battle.  They ran westward across the ridge, towards the direction of the archers.  They could see no spellcaster, but one of the goblins spotted an elf, and so charged her, battleaxe held high.  Zindra, in response, sidestepped the goblin's violent attack.

"Keldok!" she yelled.  "More goblins!"

[sblock=Round One] *Goblin Bowmen (12)*: All 12 of the Bowmen move at least 4 squares to take advantage of their _Great Position_ trait (+1d6 damage to ranged attacks).  All shoot arrows at Grimgal and Jordi (they cannot see Keldok and Zindra and Billy is behind cover).  6 shots at each hero.  2 hits against Grimgal for a total of 15 damage. None hit Jordi.
*Ettins (2)*: The Ettins have no reasonable targets and do not wish to move.  They delay.
*Dergrenche*: Dergrenche is in the same boat as the Ettins.  He delays.
*Zindra*: Currently _hidden_ from all enemies.  She attacks the two nearest Bowmen (with Combat Advantage) using Twin Strike.  She kills 2 Bowmen and is no longer _hidden_.
*Keldok*: Currently _hidden_ from all enemies.  He moves 6 squares and ends this movement behind _cover_ from all enemies except some of the Bowmen.  Keldok attempts a Stealth check to remain hidden from Dergrenche, the Ettins, and the Goblin Skullcleavers.  He gets a 21 (with the penalty for moving more than 2 squares) and beats the passive Insight for all of the enemies named above.  He takes no further action.
*Grimgal*: Effectively _slowed_ while in the water.  Double moves through the pond, moving 4 squares.
*Ettins*: Still delaying.
*Billy*: Moves 3 squares up the ridge.  He uses Maze of Mirrors on a square that targets 5 Bowmen in its area burst.  He hits 4 of the 5.  Those Bowmen hit are _immobilized_ and take a -4 penalty to attack rolls until the end of Billy's next turn.  The Bowman that Billy missed is _slowed_ until the end of Billy's next turn.  Billy has combat advantage against all of the Bowmen he hit until the end of his next turn.
*Jordi*: Effectively _slowed_ while in the water.  Double moves through the pond, moving 4 squares.
*Goblin Skullcleavers*: The Skullcleavers move 6 squares in the direction of where they see Zindra and Billy attacking the Bowmen (they cannot see Keldok because he is _hidden_).  Only one is close enough to attack, so one of the Bowmen charges Zindra and uses a melee basic attack against her.  The Skullcleaver misses badly.  The other Skullcleavers take move actions to get behind cover.[/sblock]


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## Insight (Mar 12, 2011)

*OOC:*


The combat continues...







[sblock=Initiative Order]
27 - Goblin Bowmen
25 - Ettins
17 - Dergrenche
14 - Zindra
11 - Keldok
10 - Grimgal
10 - Ettins
6 - Billy
6 - Jordi
6 - Goblin Skullcleavers
[/sblock]

[sblock=The Situation at Present]Grimgal and Jordi are continuing across the pond, perhaps one more rounds' worth of moves away from the shore.  Billy and Zindra are at the base of the ridge, to the west of where Jordi and Grimgal are crossing.  Keldok has moved up the ridge, advancing on a group of Goblin Bowmen.  Billy has immobilized about half of the Bowmen.  Goblin Skullcleavers, who were gathered near Dergrenche, the bandit leader, and his Ettin Bodyguards, have moved closer to our heroes.  One Skullcleaver charged Zindra.[/sblock]

Seeing a massive half-orc scrambling towards them, the goblin archers retreated, firing their bows fairly ineffectively at their target.  One arrow hit Keldok in the chestplate of his leather armor, causing the half-orc to flinch a bit.  Other archers sent arrows flying towards the pair of heroes crossing the pond, but their arrows did not find a target.

Dergrenche, hearing the sounds of battle, took a few steps in that direction.  "Get them, archers!" he yelled.  The axe-wielding goblins looked to their leader, who flung his arm in the direction of the archers and, presumably, the enemy.  "You, too!"  As the axe-wielders ran towards the combat, Dergrenche, sword in hand, moved towards some tall shrubs.  He nodded back to the pair of ettins otherwise motionless in response.

Zindra Sleekmoon stepped back from the golbin who charged her.  As she did, the elf reloaded her magical longbow with a pair of arrows.  She narrowed her focus and buried two arrows into the goblin.  For his part, the axe-wielding goblin moved in and ineffectively swung his axe at the elf.

"I've got this one, Billy," Zindra said.  "Help with the archers."

Up the ridge, Keldok the Bludgeoner stepped around the row of bushes and took a swing at a hapless goblin, crushing the little thing's skull with his mace.

Keldok, for his part, opened himself up to the enemy and quickly found himself surrounded.  "The more, the merrier," he said.  The half-orc quickly wished he hadn't been quite to cavalier.  A pair of axe-wielding goblins closed in.  One of goblins, apparently, more skilled with the battleaxe than the other, struck Keldok across the back, opening a serious wound.

Grimgal finished crossing the pond and got to the shore.  He looked back at Jordi, who was still making his way across the body of water.  "C'mon, ya lout," he said.

Billy Silvertongue, the gnome illusionist, stepped well away from Zindra's side.  "Just need to find..." He spied a goblin archer between two trees.  "Yes!"  In his zeal, however, the gnome's bolt of arcane energy flew wide of the mark.

[sblock=Round Two]*Goblin Bowmen (10)*: The 5 Bowmen not immobilized move 4 squares away from Keldok in order to use _Great Position_ for extra damage.  4 of them fire their bows at Keldok and 1 hits Keldok for 6 damage.  1 mobile Bowman cannot see Keldok and so fires his bow at Jordi and misses.  The _slowed_ Bowman moves 2 squares away from the _immobilized_ ones and fires his bow at Grimgal; he misses.  The 4 _immobilized_ Bowmen fire their bows at Jordi and Grimgal, diving their shots evenly.   Due to the attack roll penalty Billy gave the _immobilized_ Bowmen, their attacks all miss.
*Ettins (2)*: Delay
*Dergrenche*: Move action to get behind cover.  Readies Commander's Strike if an enemy moves within melee range.
*Zindra*: Move action to shift 1 square away from the Goblin Skullcleaver who charged her.  Minor action to use Hunter's Quarry on it.  She attacks it using Twin Strike and hits twice for a total of 18 damage.  Because of her Predator's Hide Armor, Zindra has a +1 to all defenses against the Skullcleaver's attacks until the end of Zindra's next turn.
*Keldok*: Moves 5 squares, around some cover, to get closer to the _immobilized_ Bowmen.  In doing so, Keldok is no longer _hidden_ and provokes an opportunity attack from 1 Bowman (who misses).  Keldok attacks one of the Bowmen using a Melee Basic Attack (+2 Subtle Mace) and kills it.  Down to 9 Bowmen left.
*Grimgal*: Effectively _slowed_ while in the water. Double moves through the pond, moving 4 squares.  He reaches the shore and is no longer _slowed_.
*Ettins*: Delay
*Billy*: Moves 4 squares so that the Goblin Bowman he is about to target no longer has cover from him.  Billy uses Phantom Bolt against the Bowman and misses.
*Jordi*: Effectively _slowed_ while in the water. Double moves through the pond, moving 4 squares.  He is not quite out of the pond.
*Goblin Skullcleavers (4)*: The Skullcleaver near Zindra shifts 1 square into melee range and attacks using his Battleaxe.  He misses.  1 Skullcleaver near Keldok moves 6 squares to set up a flank with a Goblin Bowman against Keldok.  He attacks using his Battleaxe and hits, doing 14 damage.  Another Skullcleaver moves 5 squares to get into melee range with Keldok and attacks using his Battleaxe.  He misses.  The last Skullcleaver moves 3 squares to the edge of the ridge.[/sblock]


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## Goonalan (Mar 13, 2011)

This is glorious, I hope you keep it up, I love this kind of thing- see my own miserable stat based efforts in my sig. 

I will say that the yellow (I think) text is hard to read on the white/pale background- but that could be just my bad eyesight.

Again- fantastic, one of my favourite series of adventures, and a great (and different) story hour style- with enough info (so far) for others to see exactly what you've done as regards the conversion.

Love it.

Cheers Goonalan

PS It wont let me give you anymore XP, I'll be back.


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## Insight (Mar 13, 2011)

*OOC:*


The combat continues...







[sblock=Initiative Order]
27 - Goblin Bowmen
25 - Ettins
17 - Dergrenche
14 - Zindra
11 - Keldok
10 - Grimgal
10 - Ettins
6 - Billy
6 - Jordi
6 - Goblin Skullcleavers
[/sblock]

[sblock=The Situation at Present]: Jordi and Grimgal are about done crossing the pond.  Billy has moved off by himself to get a better shot at some Goblin Bowmen.  Keldok has been surrounded by some Bowmen and Skullcleavers.  Zindra has a pesky Skullcleaver trying to engage her in melee.  The Goblin Bowmen are pretty spread out.  Dergrenche and the Ettins wait to see what comes up to them.[/sblock]

The goblin archers farthest away from their leader saw the gnome move into an easy position to target and let arrows fly.  One of these arrows struck Billy, but caused little real injury.  The archers next to Keldok drew short swords and paired up with the axe-wielding goblins to give the half-orc a major headache.  Distracted by all of the swords and axes lunging at him, Keldok let out a growl.  Despite this, one of goblins tagged Keldok quite squarely in the side, causing blood to spill.  

At the sight of his own blood, Keldok drew upon his innate nastiness and, targeting a pair of goblins, swung his mace in quite a fury.  The erstwhile archer stepped out of the fray, but Keldok struck the axe-wielder squarely in the chest.  The axe-wielding goblin stumbled back a step or two, unsure what to do next. 

But Keldok was quite wounded now.  Zindra looked to the ridge and saw the dwarf cleric scrambling atop it.  "Grim!  Please, hurry!"  Seeing that the dwarf was not going to arrive in time to help Keldok, Zindra sprinted closer to the half-orc and the enemies surrounding him.  As she did, Zindra took her eyes off the goblin at her back and the axe-wielding enemy took the opportunity to slash the elf across the back.  Zindra was unwilling to stop her advance.  She drew a pair of magic arrows to her bowstring and, concentrating on the axe-wielders plaguing Keldok, struck both with well-placed shots.  Zindra quickly reloaded and finished off one of the more-injured goblins.  "Now, you owe me one, half-orc." 

Grimgal, having finished climbing the face of the ridge, looked down at Jordi, who had just started his own climb.  "Get on up here, Jordi!"  The dwarf drew his mordenkrad and moved adjacent to a goblin archer who wasn't paying much attention.

But Grimgal didn't realize that a pair of ettins was coming for him.  The two-headed giants sped forward and closed in on the cleric.  Both ettins swung their massive clubs at Grimgal, who was able to sidestep one attack, but not the other.  "It's gettin' serious up here!"

Hearing what was going on across the set of trees between himself and the rest of his allies, Billy Silvertongue laughed a bit.  "Oh my.  I guess I'd best stop fooling around with these louts and help the rather foolhardy half-orc."  The illusionist turned his gaze to four goblin archers that had broken off from the rest of the gnome's enemies.  He moved a bit closer and let loose with a gout of magical flame, which was enough to engulf the four archers.

Billy then turned to the forested part of the ridge, where Keldok had found himself surrounded.  Billy engaged his illusion magic to confound the goblins near the wounded half-orc.  The psychic onslaught was enough to overcome a pair of archers slashing at Keldok with their swords and confused the axe-wielding goblin near Keldok.

Jordi finished his own climb.  He crossed the top of the ridge and, drawing his warhammer and adjusting his shield, moved next to an unsuspecting axe-wielding goblin.

Dergrenche, who until the point hadn't seen his enemy, smiled.  He looked at Jordi.  "And now, the main event!"

The axe-wielding goblin Zindra left behind took off after her.  As the goblin neared, the elf turned and fired off an arrow, striking the advancing goblin. 

[sblock=Round Three]*Goblin Bowmen (9)*: 4 of the Bowmen move 4 squares to take advantage of their _Great Position_ trait and fire their arrows at Billy.  1 of them hits Billy for 8 damage.  1 of the Bowmen adjacent to Keldok shifts 1 square to get into a flank with one of the Goblin Skullcleavers (now both Skullcleavers on Keldok are in flanks with 2 Bowmen).  1 Bowman near Keldok moves 4 squares back to get _Great Position_ and fires an arrow at Keldok.  He misses.  The 2 Bowmen adjacent to Keldok attack with their shortswords and both hit for a total of 8 damage.  Keldok is now _bloodied_.  The two remaining Bowmen move 4 squares (for _Great Position_) and fire one shot each at Jordi and Grimgal.  Grimgal is hit for 8 damage.
*Ettins*: Delay
*Dergrenche*: Readies Commander's Strike if an enemy moves to within melee range.
*Zindra*: Moves 5 squares, provoking an opportunity attack from the Goblin Skullcleaver adjacent to her at the start of the move.  He hits Zindra for 14 damage.  As a minor action, Zindra enters the Spitting Cobra Stance.  She uses Biting Volley against the two Skullcleavers in melee with Keldok.  She will use 2 Onslaught Arrows for this attack.  Both attacks hit.  Taking a gamble, she uses Elven Accuracy to re-roll one of the attacks and gets a critical hit instead!  One of the Skullcleavers takes 7 damage and the crit does 22 damage to the other.  The Onslaught Arrows give Zindra's allies a +1 bonus to attack rolls against these enemies.  Zindra spends an *action point* and uses Two-Fanged Strike on the Skullcleaver she just critted.  Both attack rolls hit and she does 39 damage, killing the Skullcleaver!
*Keldok*: Uses One-Two Punch on the Bowman and Skullcleaver that have him in a flank.  He hits the Skullcleaver, but unfortunately, misses the Bowman, and so does not apply his Sneak Attack damage to them.  He will also use Furious Assault against the Skullcleaver.  He does a total of 20 damage and the Skullcleaver is _bloodied_ and _rattled_.  Keldok spends a move action to shift out of the flank.
*Grimgal*: Moves to the base of the ridge.  This uses 2 squares of movement.  He must now attempt an Athletics check to climb.  It is fairly easy to climb (DC 15), and he easily succeeds.  Moving up the face of the ridge uses up the rest of Grimgal's first move action, so he spends another (his standard action) to get to the top.  He has 3 squares of movement left, so he moves adjacent to a Bowman.  
*Ettins*: The Ettins see Grimgal climb over the ridge and use a move action to get closer to him.  Because of their reach, both Ettins get close enough to make Club attacks against the dwarf.  One hits Grimgal for 15 damage, making the dwarf _bloodied_.
*Billy*: Moves 3 squares closer to the Bowmen he's been targeting.  He uses Burning Hands against all 4 of them, hitting 2 and critting 2.  All 4 are very dead.  5 Bowmen left.  Billy spends an *action point* to use Enemies Abound on a square that targets 2 Bowmen and 1 Skullcleaver adjacent to Keldok.  It hits the Skullcleaver for 15 damage and Billy's allies treat the Skullcleaver as an ally for the purposes of flanking until the end of Billy's next turn.  Both Bowmen are hit, killing them.  Down to 3 Bowmen.
*Jordi*: Spends 2 squares of movement getting out of the pond and then moves adjacent to the ridge face.  He makes an Athletics check (against DC 15) and succeeds.  He finishes his climb adjacent to a Skullcleaver.  He is also a 2 squares from Dergrenche.
*Goblin Skullcleavers (3)*: The _rattled_ Skullcleaver adjacent to Keldok attacks with his Battleaxe and hits for 12 damage.  The one chasing Zindra around moves 2 squares to a space adjacent to the ranger and makes a melee attack, but misses.  As a result of her Spitting Cobra Stance, Zindra gets to make an immediate ranged basic attack on the Skullsplitter and hits, doing 12 damage to him.  The remaining Skullcleaver attacks Jordi and misses.[/sblock]


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## Insight (Mar 13, 2011)

Goonalan said:


> This is glorious, I hope you keep it up, I love this kind of thing- see my own miserable stat based efforts in my sig.
> 
> I will say that the yellow (I think) text is hard to read on the white/pale background- but that could be just my bad eyesight.
> 
> ...




Thanks for the support and the note about the yellow.  I've changed the magic item color to "Sienna".  I hope this is easier to read.


----------



## Insight (Mar 13, 2011)

*OOC:*


The combat continues...







[sblock=Initiative Order]
27 - Goblin Bowmen
25 - Ettins
17 - Dergrenche
14 - Zindra
11 - Keldok
10 - Grimgal
10 - Ettins
6 - Billy
6 - Jordi
6 - Goblin Skullcleavers
[/sblock]

[sblock=The Situation at Present]Keldok (_bloodied_), Grimgal, and Jordi are in the middle of a big mess of bad guys, including a pair of Ettin Bodyguards and the leader, Dergrenche.  Billy is off by himself, away from any enemies.  Zindra is about halfway up the ridge, close to the action.  There are few Goblin Bowmen left and one of the Goblin Skullsplitters is down (and one is _bloodied_).[/sblock]

One of the goblin archers decided to harass Billy Silvertongue, firing an arrow at the wily gnome and hitting Billy with an arrow.  The other archers, mostly dispersed, ineffectively attacked the heroes.

The two-headed giants continued their assault on Grimgal Ironhearted.  One of their clubs smacked the dwarf across the face, sending Grimgal reeling.

"This isn't the best time of my life!", the dwarf said, wiping fresh blood out of his beard.  He looked to Jordi.  "Hey, hero!  How's about a lil help over here?"  The dwarf slammed his dwarven hammer into the nearby goblin archer, killing the pathetic creature.  The attack, imbued with divine power, healed Keldok.  "Yer welcome, half-orc!"  Grimgal took a breath, saying a quiet prayer to Moradin.  He suddenly felt quite better.

Unfortunately, the dwarf's feeling of safety was short-lived.  One of the ettins drew close to the dwarf and smacked him over the head.  "Owwww!  Would ya lay off?"

Keldok swung his mace towards the goblin next to him, but intentionally missed.  The move drew the goblin off-balance, allowing Keldok to smash the goblin across the face, flattening the creature on the ground, never to get up again.

Zindra looked to Keldok and Grimgal and back to the goblin pursuing her.  Deciding that it was best to finish off the goblin nuisance, the elf turned and fired her bow, badly injuring the goblin, but not quite dropping the axe-wielder.

"Well now," Billy Silvertongue said as he spied the situation brewing atop the ridge.  "Perhaps a little more illusory magic will help level the playing field."  The gnome extended a hand towards the two-headed giants.  "What's that over here?  A great chasm!  Oh no, my new friends!  Don't fall in!"

The ettins stumbled a bit, arguing between themselves (and among themselves) before falling headlong onto the ground.

"I don't believe we have been properly introduced," Jordi said to Dergrenche.  The warrior swung his shield into a goblin, knocking the axe-wielder off the ridge.  The warrior surged into the nearby ettin, bashing it as it lay sprawled on the ground.  Jordi stepped towards the bandit leader.  "Don't worry.  I've got something for you, too."

"You're no match for my superior tactical mind, human!"

Jordi lunged forward, smashing his magic shield into Dergrenche.  The move caught the bandit leader off-balance.

"What... what is this?" Dergrenche said as he wobbled at the edge of the ridge.  Jordi gave him a tap.  The half-orc flew off the ridge and onto the silty ground below.  Thud.

Jordi looked over the edge and started to climb down.

The goblin who'd been chasing Zindra around took another step toward the elf.  For her part, Zindra snapped off an arrow at her pursuer, killing the goblin. 

[sblock=Round Four]*Goblin Bowmen (3)*: 2 Bowmen move 4 squares to gain _Great Position_.  1 is in melee with Grimgal and attacks the dwarf with a Short Sword, missing.  The other Bowmen take aim at Billy and Jordi.  Billy is hit for 9 damage.   
*Ettins*: Both Ettins swing Clubs at Grimgal.  1 hits the dwarf for 16 damage.  
*Dergrenche*: Moves 4 squares into a flank on Jordi (with a Skullcleaver).  Uses Commander's Strike against Jordi, but misses.
*Zindra*: Shifts 1 square away from the Skullcleaver.  As a minor action, she uses Hunter's Quarry on the Skullcleaver she just shifted away from.  She then attacks him using Twin Strike.  She hits twice, inflicting a total of 24 damage, causing the Skullcleaver to become _bloodied_.
*Keldok*: As a minor action, he uses Perfect Feint to gain combat advantage against the Skullcleaver adjacent to him.  He attacks the Skullcleaver using Disheartening Strike and hits for 23 damage, killing the Skullcleaver!  Down to 2 Skullcleavers remaining.  He moves 1 square closer to Grimgal and adjacent to a Bowman. 
*Grimgal*: Shifts 1 square towards Keldok and away from the Ettins but stays adjacent to the Bowman.  He uses a minor action for Healing Word on himself, regaining 28 hit points (Surge Value + 14) and 2 temporary hit points.  He attacks the Bowman using Healing Strike and hits, killing the Bowman.  Down to 2 Bowmen left.  More importantly, this allows Keldok, adjacent to both the Bowman and Grimgal, to spend a healing surge and add 7.  Keldok regains a total of 20 hit points and he is no longer _bloodied_.
*Ettins*: 1 Ettin shifts 1 square closer to Grimgal.  The other shifts 1 square closer to Jordi.  Both attack the PCs with their Clubs.  1 Ettin hits Grimgal for 11 damage and the dwarf is _bloodied_ again.  The other Ettin misses Jordi.
*Billy*: Moves 4 squares to have a clear view of the Ettins.  He uses Phantom Chasm on a square between the Ettins, targeting both of them.  Both Ettins are hit with the spell and take 14 damage and are knocked _prone_ and are _immobilized_ until the end of Billy's next turn.
*Jordi*: Shifts 1 square to get out of the flank.  He uses Shove and Slap against the Skullcleaver and inflicts 12 damage and the Skullcleaver is _marked_.  In addition, Jordi can push the Skullcleaver 3 squares, right off the ridge!  The Skullcleaver takes 7 falling damage and is _prone_ at the base of the ridge.  Shove and Slap allows for a secondary attack, which Jordi will use against the _prone_ Ettin adjacent to him.  This is a critical hit, which only does 8 damage.  The Ettin, however, is _dazed_ (save ends) and _marked_ by Jordi.  Because he hit with a power requiring a shield, Jordi now has a +1 bonus to AC and Reflex until the end of his next turn.  Jordi spends an *action point* to use Armored Assault.  He moves 1 square (the adjacent Ettin cannot make opportunity attacks at the moment) and attacks Dergrenche, hitting for 10 damage.  Jordi is able to slide Dergrenche 2 squares, which throws the bandit leader off the ridge, inflicting another 1 damage.  Dergrenche is _prone_ at the base of the ridge and is _marked_ by Jordi.  The fighter can continue his movement (part of the power) and decides to use that climb down the ridge.  This requires an Athletics check (DC 15), which is successful.  Jordi climbs down to the base of the ridge.  
*Goblin Skullcleavers (2)*: The _prone_ Skullcleaver at the base of the ridge spends a move action to stand.  He then attacks Jordi with his Battleaxe and misses badly.  The other Skullcleaver moves towards Zindra, triggering her stance to give her a ranged basic attack against the Skullcleaver.  She hits with this attack and inflicts 19 damage, killing the goblin.  Down to 1 Skullcleaver remaining.[/sblock]


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## Insight (Mar 13, 2011)

*OOC:*


The combat continues...







[sblock=Initiative Order]
27 - Goblin Bowmen
25 - Ettins
17 - Dergrenche
14 - Zindra
11 - Keldok
10 - Grimgal
10 - Ettins
6 - Billy
6 - Jordi
6 - Goblin Skullcleavers
[/sblock]

[sblock=The Situation at Present]Grimgal (_bloodied_), Keldok, and Zindra are near the top of the ridge, clustered rather closely together.  Billy has moved closer to the rest of his companions, but is still off by himself.  Jordi has climbed down the ridge face to deal with Dergrenche and one of the Skullcleavers, both of whom Jordi knocked off the ridge last round.  Both Ettins remain, but, owing to Billy's illusions, they believe they've falled into a chasm and are _prone_ and _immobilized_.  One of them is also _dazed_.[/sblock]

The ettins, trapped in their illusory chasm, stood and staggered around.  One of them managed to take a swing at Grimgal, but missed wide of the mark.  "Me get dwarf," one of the giants' heads said.  "No, you get dwarf!" its other head said.

Keldok walked up casually to one of the confused two-headed giants.  Using his magic mace, the half-orc battered the giant, causing the lumbering oaf to slide itself between the half-orc and Grimgal, who was waiting in position.  "Let's finish this stupid giant."

The dwarf, for once, agreed to cooperate with Keldok.  Invoking divine power, Grimgal held his mordenkrad aloft for a moment and swung it against one of the giant's heads.  The divine power shielded Keldok.  

The ettin turned to the dwarf.  "You go away!"  He swatted the dwarf away, sending Grimgal over the ridge.

"Up to you now, half-orc!" the dwarf shouted from the base of the ridge.

The remaining goblin archers still pestered the gnome.  They fired arrows at Billy, one of which hit and drew gnomish blood.

"Of all the --"  Billy looked down at the arrow sticking from his chest.  "Where is that healer, anyway?"  Billy saw that the ettins were regaining clarity and decided to give Keldok a little help.  He cast another illusion spell, creating the mental image that the ettin was fighting someone else.  "_More_ of a fair fight."

At the base of the ridge, Jordi continued to take on the bandit leader and the remaining axe-wielding goblin.  "I'm afraid that your superior tactical mind has done little to impress me," he said to Dergrenche.  The warrior shifted his shield into position and looked to both Dergrenche and the goblin.  "Bring it on."

Dergrenche and his goblin ally swung their weapons with great skill, but could not penetrate Jordi's superior defenses.  "Buck up, my goblin friend!  This foolish human cannot stop us!"

[sblock=Round Five]*Goblin Bowmen (2)*: Move 4 squares to gain _Great Position_.  They fire arrows at Billy.  1 hits for 10 damage.  Billy is now _bloodied_.
*Ettins (2)*: Both Ettins spend move actions to stand.  The one that is _dazed_ does nothing else.  The other attacks Grimgal with his Club and misses.  The Ettin is no longer _dazed_.
*Dergrenche*: Spends a move action to stand.  Uses Commander's Strike against Jordi and misses.  He spends a minor action for Inspiring Word and heals the nearby Skullcleaver to full hit points.
*Zindra*: Uses a minor action to put her Hunter's Quarry on one of the Ettins.  She attacks said Ettin using Twin Strike and both shots miss.
*Keldok*: Moves 3 squares adjacent to an Ettin.  He attacks the Ettin using Duelist's Flurry.  He hits the Ettin for 10 damage and slides the Ettin 1 square. 
*Grimgal*: Shifts 1 square to get into a flank with Keldok on the Ettin that the half-orc just hit.  Using Dwarven Reslience, Grimgal spends his Second Wind to regain 14 hit points and is no longer _bloodied_.  Grimgal also gains a +2 bonus to his defenses from the Second Wind.  He attacks both Ettins using Shield of the Gods.  He hits both for 16 damage.  Keldok gains a +3 shield bonus to AC and Reflex.
*Ettins (2)*: The Ettin caught between Keldok and Grimgal uses Swat against Grimgal.  This hits, pushing Grimgal 2 squares and off the ridge.  Grimgal falls and takes 2 damage and is _prone_ at the base of the ridge.  The other Ettin is still _immobilized_ and has no enemies in range of its attacks.  At the end of their turns, the Ettins are no longer _immobilized_.
*Billy*: Moves 3 squares to get cover from the Bowmen who still pester him.  He uses Phantasmal Assailant against the Ettin adjacent to Keldok.  This hits the Ettin for 18 damage, making the Ettin _bloodied_.  The Ettin is also taking ongoing 5 psychic damage and grants combat advantage to Billy's allies (save ends both).
*Jordi*: As a minor action, Jordi uses Shielded Sides.  Until the end of Jordi's next turn, he does not grant combat advantage to enemies flanking him and gains a +2 power bonus to AC and Reflex.  He attacks Dergrenche using Unexpected Shield Bash and hits for 20 damage.  Dergrenche, the Skullcleaver, and both Ettins are _marked_ by Jordi until the end of his next turn.  As a free action, Jordi will also use Shield Slam against Dergrenche, but this misses.  
*Goblin Skullcleaver*: Attacks Jordi with his Battleaxe and misses.[/sblock]


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## Insight (Mar 14, 2011)

*OOC:*


The combat continues...







[sblock=Initiative Order]
27 - Goblin Bowmen
25 - Ettins
17 - Dergrenche
14 - Zindra
11 - Keldok
10 - Grimgal
10 - Ettins
6 - Billy
6 - Jordi
6 - Goblin Skullcleavers
[/sblock]

[sblock=The Situation at Present]Jordi is at the base of the ridge, flanked by Dergrenche and the last Goblin Skullcleaver.  Grimgal has been pushed off the ridge and is laying _prone_ near Jordi.  Billy, Keldok, and Zindra are near the top of the ridge and dealing with the remainder of the enemies.[/sblock]

Hearing sounds of movement from nearby in the bushes and overgrowth, Billy turned.  "I don't think these are all of the bandits," he announced.  "Be prepared for another wave."

Keldok and Zindra turned their attentions to the gnome.  "I concur," the elf said.  "Perhaps they will flee if their leader falls.  Jordi?"

"Working on it," the warrior replied from afar.

The gnome, while somewhat faithful in the warrior's skill, did not want to wholly rely on Jordi.  When the goblins again fired at Billy, and struck again, the gnome called upon his fey ancestry to vanish from sight.  Billy invisibly scrambled away from the archers, trying to find Zindra.  Along the way, Billy stopped for a moment to catch his breath.  

The gnome was quite badly injured and perhaps about to drop unconscious from blood loss.  "Oh, dear," the gnome said quietly to himself.  "I might have an idea to buy some time."  Billy used his illusion magic to make himself appear as one of the goblin archers.  

Still invisible, Billy crept near Zindra.    He spoke, quietly, in the Elven tongue.  "Cousin," he said to Zindra.  

The elf knew this as a "pet name" the gnome used to refer to elves.  "Billy?" the elf said, looking around.  "Where are you?"

The gnome appeared as a goblin carrying a bow.  "Hello, cousin," he said.

The ettins, still stumbling in the throes of the illusory chasm, swung their weapons wildly at Keldok and Zindra.  Neither struck true.  The illusionary warrior threatening the ettins continued to harass them.

The elf maiden stepped back from the giant's wild swings and fired off a pair of arrows, hitting the giant once in one of its four eyes.  

Keldok, taking advantage of the giant's momentary distraction, leaped into the air and struck the staggered giant square across one of its jaws, breaking it.  The giant let out a great gasp before falling to the ground with a massive THUD.

At the base of the ridge, Jordi found himself between Dergrenche and the remaining axe-wielding goblin.  Dergrenche shouted at his ally.  "Now!  Now is the time to strike!".  In response, the goblin drove its axe-head deep into Jordi's exposed back.

"Now, that hurt!" Jordi yelped.  The warrior turned to the goblin and swung his magical shield.  The shield glowed at the moment of impact and sent the axe-wielder flying back towards Grimgal, who had just got to his feet.  "Your turn!"

The dwarf reared back, mordenkrad in hand, and said a short prayer to Moradin.  "Back to the Nine Hells with you, goblin!".  Grimgal struck the goblin with a heady blow, sending the goblin nearly to the ground.  The dwarf's target glowed with divine power for a moment.

Looking over the goblin, Grimgal remembered Billy complaining about healing.  "Oh, yes, friend,"  he said.  "I haven't forgotten you."  Grimgal invoked his deity's power once again.  He pictured Billy in his head and envisioned the gnome healing.  "That will have to do for now."


[sblock=Round Six]*Goblin Bowmen (2)*: The Bowmen continue to focus on Billy.  Each moves 5 squares to gain _Great Position_ and also obviate Billy's cover.  Each fires their bow at the gnome and 1 hits for 8 damage.  In response, Billy uses Fade Away and turns _invisible_.  
*Ettins*: Each Ettin takes 5 psychic damage.  Both Ettins are now _bloodied_.  Both Ettins shift 1 square.  The more injured Ettin is now adjacent to Zindra.  1 Ettin swings his Club at Keldok and misses.  The other swings its Club at Zindra and misses.  Neither Ettin saves against their ongoing damage and granting combat advantage conditions.
*Dergrenche*: Uses Commander's Strike against Jordi and hits.  The Goblin Skullcleaver makes a Melee Basic Attack with a +3 bonus to attack and damage rolls.  The Skullcleaver crits Jordi, inflicting a total of 18 damage.  As an immediate reaction, Jordi uses Shield Riposte and hits the Skullcleaver for 10 damage and, also using his Bashing Shield power, pushes the Skullcleaver a total of 4 squares adjacent to Grimgal.  The Skullcleaver is also _marked_.  Jordi then shifts 2 squares towards the goblin. 
*Zindra*: Shifts back 1 square.  She attacks the Ettin using Twin Strike.  Zindra hits once, inflicting 11 damage on the Ettin.
*Keldok*: Shifts 1 square towards the Ettin Zindra hit and attacks using Disheartening Strike.  Keldok hits and inflicts 30 damage, easily killing the Ettin! 
*Grimgal*: Uses a move action to stand.  He attacks the Goblin Skullcleaver using Strike of Judgment.  He crits the Skullcleaver and inflicts a total of 40 damage.  The Skullcleaver is now _bloodied_.  If the Skullcleaver attacks one of Grimgal's allies before the end of the dwarf's next turn, one of Grimgal's allies within 5 squares regains 17 hit points.  Grimgal spends his *action point*.  From spending the action point, Grimgal's Hero's Finemail gives him a +2 to defenses until the end of his next turn.  He uses Healer's Mercy, which allows Billy to spend a healing surge (+7).  Billy regains a total of 18 hit points and is no longer _bloodied_.    Grimgal is _weakened_ until the end of his next turn.
*Ettin*: Shifts 1 square into melee range with Keldok.  The Ettin attacks Keldok using his Club and barely misses.
*Billy*: Moves 5 squares.  As a standard action, he uses his Second Wind to recover 11 hit points and gains a +2 bonus to his defenses until the start of his next turn.  As a minor action, Billy uses Disguise Self to make himself look like a Goblin Bowman.  Billy's Bluff check for this power is a total of 34 (creatures must make an Insight check with this DC to see that his is _not_ a Goblin Bowman).  At the end of his turn, Billy is no longer _invisible_.
*Jordi*: Charges Dergrenche using Threatening Rush and misses.  Dergrenche is _marked_.
*Goblin Skullcleaver*: Attacks Grimgal using his Battleaxe.  He misses.  As a result, Keldok regains 17 hit points from Strike of Judgment.[/sblock]


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## Insight (Mar 21, 2011)

*OOC:*


The combat continues...







[sblock=Initiative Order]
27 - Goblin Bowmen
25 - Ettins
17 - Dergrenche
14 - Zindra
11 - Keldok
10 - Grimgal
10 - Ettins
6 - Billy
6 - Jordi
6 - Goblin Skullcleavers
[/sblock]

[sblock=The Situation at Present]Keldok, Zindra, and Billy are near each other at the top of the ridge.  Nearby is the remaining Ettin.  Two Bowmen lurk in the distance.  At the base of the ridge, Jordi and Grimgal face off against the remaining Skullcleaver and the bandit leader, Dergrenche.[/sblock]

"Look, cousin," Billy whispered to Zindra.  "These goblin archers are real pests.  I'm going to see if I can get rid of them.  And maybe save Revv and the wagons at the same time."

"Wait," Zindra replied.  "What's the plan?"

"Who said I had a plan?"

Zindra smirked.

"Fine.  My plan is to convince the goblins that their leader has ordered a retreat and to tell the others.  I assume that there are more bandits than just these."

"There's a hole in your idea, gnome," Zindra said.

"I don't speak Goblin."  Billy looked at the archer, who were closing in.  "I know a few words.  Let's give this a try."

Before Zindra could say anything else, and she had her hands full already, the gnome in the form of a goblin archer strode quickly towards the archers.  He yelled the few words in the Goblin language that he knew, hoping to sway the archers not only to flee, but to tell the others that a retreat had been ordered and to hurry.  Billy could only pray that this gambit would work.

Sure enough, the goblin archers turned to each other and fled into the woods.  Billy could not tell if the goblins were heading towards other groups of bandits or not.  In any event, they were gone and the ploy had worked.

Billy removed the illusion disguising him as a goblin archer and watched as the rest of the battle played out.

Nearby, the two-headed giant menacing Keldok and Zindra lurched forward.  Still under the throes of Billy's spell, the ettin ineffectively swung its club at the half-orc and missed.  Keldok jumped aside the creature and bounded behind it slightly, bashing the ettin in its side with a mighty hew of his mace.  The ettin cried out with both mouths.

Keldok looked the Zindra.  "We must end this before more bandits arrive," Keldok said.  "You finish this thing."  Keldok turned towards the edge of the ridge.  Unfortunately for the half-orc, taking his attention off the ettin was a foolish maneuver and the two-headed giant hacked at Keldok, smashing him in the back.

His balance failing from the attack, Keldok took a dive off the ridge, bounding to the soft dirt below and adjacent to the pond.  Keldok landed with a thud, but on his feet and near the bandit leader, Dergrenche.

The dwarf priest's mouth was slackened wide.  "You are either brave or a fool, Keldok!"

Keldok turned towards the bandit leader.  "I am injured, priest.  Heal me, if you would.  Then, we can finish this."

Grimgal grimaced.  Keldok was possibly brave _and_ a fool, but perhaps with Dergrenche down, defeating the rest of the bandits would be an easier proposition.  In fact, they might just split and run.  The dwarf surged forward, ignoring the axe-wielding goblin at his back.  Grimgal uttered a prayer to Moradin and added something extra for healing the son of an orc.  Grimgal took Keldok's wounds as his own, but the half-orc was fully healed in the process.  

"Don't make me regret this, half-orc."

Jordi, the warrior, bashed at Dergrenche using his magical shield.  This caused the bandit leader to step back, but caused no great harm.  Seeing the half-orc jump down, Jordi smiled.  He knew exactly what Keldok intended.  The warrior repositioned himself, allowing for Keldok to move in.

"Your time is nigh, bandit!"

Atop the ridge, Zindra realized that the distance was short between herself and the two-headed giant.  Everyone else was below - or, in Billy's case, had run off on an errand of questionable motive.  The elf archer drew a magic arrow to her bowstring.  The giant lurched forward, intent on ending the ranger's life.  With determination, Zindra fired off her arrow, which transformed mid-flight into a bolt of lightning.  The ettin was fried and fell, sliding across the ridge and ending a few feet from the elf.

"One less thing to worry about."

[sblock=Round Seven]*Goblin Bowmen*: One of the Bowmen moves 4 squares to gain _Great Position_ and to get a shot at Keldok.  The attack misses.  The other, with no obvious target, double moves to set up a shot at either Zindra or Keldok next round.
*Ettin*: Takes 5 psychic damage at the start of his turn.  Shifts 1 square towards Keldok and attacks using his Club.  This misses.  Fails saving throw versus Billy's effect and continues to grant combat advantage and take the ongoing psychic damage.
*Dergrenche*: Uses Stand the Fallen as an attack against Jordi.  Hits, doing 24 damage.  Jordi is _bloodied_.  The Ettin and Skullcleaver regain 20 and 13 hit points, respectively.  The Bowmen gain 7 temporary hit points.
*Zindra*: Uses Twin Strike to attack the Ettin and hits once for 11 damage.
*Keldok*: Attacks the Ettin using Blade Vault.  This allows Keldok to shift 2 squares before the attack.  He also gains Sneak Attack since the Ettin is granting combat advantage.  Keldok hits for 23 damage.  The Ettin is _bloodied_ again.  Keldok leaps from the ridge, provoking an opportunity attack from the Ettin.  This crits for 16 damage.  Keldok is now _bloodied_.  Makes an Athletics check to clear 2 squares.  He must also attempt an Acrobatics check to ignore the falling damage (it is only 2 squares, so he can do this untrained).  This is successful.  The DM awards Keldok with a bonus *action point* for his heroics.  This must be spent during the encounter*.
*Grimgal*: Moves 3 squares, provoking an opportunity attack from the Skullcleaver.  This misses.  Grimgal uses Life Transference on Keldok.  Grimgal takes 14 damage and is now _bloodied_.  Keldok regains 35 hit points and is full up.  Grimgal is no longer _weakened_.
*Ettin*: Moves 2 squares closer to Zindra, which gives Zindra a ranged basic attack from her Spitting Cobra Stance.  She uses a +1 Lightning Arrow on the attack and hits for a total of 25 damage.  This kills the Ettin.
*Billy*: Makes a Bluff check against the Bowmen.  He gets a total of 34 (rolled a nat 20), which is easily enough to overcome the Goblins' passive Insight, plus any penalties applied to the attempt.  He also moves 5 squares away from the combat to sell the Bluff attempt.  The DM awards Billy with a bonus *action point*, which must be spent during this encounter (see below).
*Jordi*: Attacks Dergrenche using Resolute Shield.  Hits for 16 damage.  Dergrenche is _bloodied_ and _marked_. Jordi gains resist 3 all until the end of his next turn.  He moves 3 squares, which provokes an opportunity attack from Dergrenche.  This hits Jordi for 6 damage.  Jordi is now set up in a flank with Keldok on Dergrenche.
*Goblin Skullcleaver*: Shifts 1 square.  Attacks Grimgal with his Battleaxe and misses.


* Note that this is a house rule that I use in my campaigns.[/sblock]


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## Insight (Mar 21, 2011)

*OOC:*


The combat concludes.







[sblock=Initiative Order]
17 - Dergrenche
14 - Zindra
11 - Keldok
10 - Grimgal
6 - Billy
6 - Jordi
6 - Goblin Skullcleaver
[/sblock]

[sblock=The Situation at Present]Jordi is flanking Dergrenche with Keldok.  Grimgal is nearby.  One Skullsplitter remains, just behind Grimgal.  Zindra and Billy are atop the ridge with no enemies left.[/sblock]

The elf, Zindra, moved to the edge of the ridge.  She wanted not only to get a better look at how things were going down at the base of the ridge, but also to lend a hand, if possible.  Zindra drew a pair of magical arrows to her bowstring.  As the bandit leader danced around between Jordi and Keldok, the elf took aim and when the time was right, Zindra let loose, sending the pair of magical arrows, become lightning bolts as they went, nailing Dergrenche twice in the chest.  Zindra smiled.

"Things look pretty poor, bandit!" Jordi said as he moved to engage Dergrenche.

"It does not matter.  I have a superior tactical mind that will not be outdone by the likes of you rabble."  Dergenche, seeing Keldok closing in, took a swipe at the half-orc, grazing Keldok, but not stopping the half-orc's advance.  "I will not surrender!  Not the mighty Dergrenche!"

With a savage blow from his magical mace, Keldok pummeled Dergrenche, nearly sending the bandit leader to his knees.  "I have a better idea," the half-orc said.  

"When you have ideas, Keldok, people get hurt."

The half-orc stared intently into Dergrenche's eyes.  Both were half-orcs and both knew the lineage that an orcish bloodline bore.  "Do not surrender, brother.  We will surely beat you down.  We will surely kill you and all of your bandits.  What legacy will you have then?  No great warrior.  No great leader.  Just a tired fool.  Is that what you want for your legacy?  Is that how you honor your father?  If so, hold still while I --"

As Keldok reared back to prepare for another beating, Dergrenche went to his knees.  "You are right.  It... cannot be, but perhaps I _have_ been bested on the field of battle.  I submit to you, fellow son of an orc.  Leave me with my defeat and all that it brings."

Keldok looked to Jordi.  The human warrior put a hand on Dergrenche's shoulder.

"You must call off the rest of your bandits.  We protect a merchant and his wagons.  They must not be attacked, here or on the way to Safeton.  Will you agree to these terms?"

Grimgal walked up behind Keldok.  "And tell us about other bandits in the area.  We won't be ambushed again."

"Fair enough," Dergrenche said.  I agree to your terms.  You will not be harmed for the rest of your journey."

[sblock=Round Eight]*Dergrenche*: Uses Inspiring Word on himself to regain 32 hit points.  He is no longer _bloodied_.  He shifts 1 square to get out of the flank.  This provokes a melee basic attack from Jordi (Combat Challenge), but Jordi misses.  Dergrenche attacks Jordi using Bloody Ending, but this misses.
*Zindra*: Moves 7 squares around the ridge.  Uses a minor action to put her Hunter's Quarry on Dergrenche.  Attacks Dergrenche using Twin Strike and using two +1 Lightning Arrows in the process.  Both shots hit, totalling 20 damage.
*Keldok*: Moves 2 squares to get back into a flank with Jordi on Dergrenche.  This provokes an opportunity attack from Dergrenche, which he takes.  Since Dergrenche is attacking someone other than Jordi, this also provokes an opportunity attack from Jordi (Combat Challenge).  Jordi's attack will go first and this misses.  Dergrenche now makes a melee basic attack against Keldok.  This hits for 11 damage.  Keldok, with combat advantage from the flank, attacks Dergrenche using Disheartening Strike, adding Sneak Attack.  This hits for 28 damage.  Dergrenche is _bloodied_ and _rattled_.  Keldok spends his *bonus action point* to make an Intimidate check against Dergrenche.  DC will be Dergrenche's Will +10, which is 31.  Keldok gets a 33, well enough to beat the DC.  Dergrenche surrenders and calls off the rest of the bandits.

*COMBAT ENDS*

This also ends the skill challenge, *"The Road to Safeton"*, as a success.  This will provide the PCs with certain mechanical benefits in the following encounter.
[/sblock]


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## Insight (Mar 21, 2011)

*OOC:*


Whew.  Eight rounds of combat.  I decided to sblock the mechanical bits of the story.  Check them out, if you wish, or they can be easily ignored.  I hope this makes the posts a bit easier to digest.

If you're curious about the PCs, I have created a Rogues' Gallery for this story hour.  Check the link in my signature.

Next up is another skill challenge, this one most likely without a combat.


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## Insight (Mar 28, 2011)

*OOC:*


The prior skill challenge, *"The Road to Safeton"*, concluded with a success.  That will provide our PCs a bonus to skill checks in the next skill challenge, *"The Feast at Dame Gold's"*, starting soon.







Revv Aair and his nephew were bright with smiles as the heroes of Hommlet returned from the ridge across the pond.  "I see you drove them off, whomever they were!"

"Yes," Jordi Tonbarrel replied.  "I believe we made enough of an _impression_ on those bandits to cause them to leave us alone for the rest of the journey."

"Which shouldn't be long, I am given to understand!" the gnome, Billy Silvertongue, added.

This was true.  The journey from the ridgeside pond to Safeton, their destination, was short.  The group camped at the spot next to the pond and, after only a few short hours, arrived in the seaside town of Safeton.

The group first came upon a rather large, wooden sign. 

"Welcome to Safeton," Billy read.  "Use No Magic Here.  How rude!"

"Sounds good to me," the half-orc, Keldok the Bludgeoner, remarked.

The heroes entered Safeton, which appeared just like any other seaside town.  The place boasted no more than a thousand inhabitants.  It was a walled town, probably owing to the continued presence of bandits and evil humanoids in the lands surrounding Safeton.

The guards stood before our heroes, in an attempt to collect a tariff, but the merchant, Revv Aair, would have none of it.  The halfling merchant paid the entry fees for everyone and soon, the group as inside Safeton itself.

"As I explained, dear companions," Aair said when they had stopped at the stables.  "I bring goods to Dame Gold's affair, the Feast of Edoira.  If you're not familiar with Edoira, or her feast, this is a week-long festival that commences... tomorrow!  Oh dear!  I'd better get some men to transport my goods and wares to Gold Manor!  Terribly sorry, but I must be going!"  He grabbed his nephew's arm.  "Come along, Bellod!"

With that, the heroes of Hommlet were on their own.  They had a standing invitation to attend to feast, but with the road dust covering them and a number of wounds to dress, the heroes knew that they had little time to get ready.  

The heroes arrived at the Rough 'N Ready, a seaside inn and tavern.  From this spot, the heroes could see Gold Manor, on a cliff nearby.  That place seemed a world away from the surly and mundane customers of the Rough 'N Ready.  Most of our heroes felt more at place in the inn than they would at Dame Gold's place.  This certainly included Keldok.

"Look, I appreciate you all wanting to _culture_ me, but I think I'd better stay here."  The half-orc looked around at the sailors, longshoremen, grooms, servants, and other laborers inside the tavern.  "I want no part of that fussy festival and those fussy guests.  I'm sure they don't want no part of a savage like me."

"I'm inclined to agree with Keldok," the dwarf priest, Grimgal Ironhearted, said.  "Why force the half-orc into a situation where he'll only embarass himself... and us?"

"Hold on there," Jordi said.  "Remember our oath.  We travel together.  We fight together..."

"Yes, yes," Grimgal interjected.  "This is no dungeon and there are no monsters at Dame Gold's manor."

"I dunno about that, dwarf," Keldok said.  "Spending more than an hour with those people might drive you mad!"

The gnome smiled.  "I rather like _that sort of folk_.  In fact, I may head to the manor right now.  I don't particularly care for some of the looks I'm receiving around this tavern."

"Now hold on," Jordi, the diplomat, said.  "Billy, the rest of us will need a little coaching on how to handle ourselves amongst the finer folk we'll encounter at Dame Gold's.  I suppose you're the only one suited to such a task."

"That is almost certainly the case."

"We will also need proper attire," Jordi explained.  "I know for certain that I do not have anything in my pack that I would dare wear to the festival."

"Nor I," the dwarf added.

Billy looked at Zindra, who had remained silent this entire time.  "What of you, cousin?"

The elf maiden turned from staring out the window.  "The sea is so beautiful.  So peaceful.  Sorry, I wasn't listening to a word."

"The festival, elf.  What know you of proper behavior at such a place?"

"And do you have appropriate clothing for such an event?" Jordi asked.

"I do not have such clothing," the elf admitted.  "As for proper behavior, you don't have to worry about me.  I've been around elven nobility and I suppose that's little different from the haughty humans we are likely to encounter."

"You can't just show up and sulk, Zindra," Billy said.  "We are attending this festival for a _reason_.  Does anyone remember what that reason is?"

"To make nice with the locals," Grimgal said.  "I'm not sure why, though."

"This is an adventure!  Just a different sort of adventure.  Perhaps this will lead us to bigger and better things.  Look, you all grew tired of being big fish in a little pond.  We are bigger than Hommlet.  If we had stayed there, we would have grown old and fat.  We would have woken up ten, twenty, thirty years from now and wondered what we might have done with these skills... with this magic... with a heroic tale at our fingertips."

"You sure you're not a bard?"

Billy smirked at the dwarf's comment.  "My point is that we can do more.  We can accomplish much.  With a wealthy patron, the good we can do is nearly limitless.  Please, can we make an effort?  If nothing else, consider this a favor to me."

The heroes, in some cases, reluctantly, agreed to go along with Billy's request.  Even the surly half-orc agreed to make some sort of effort, though he was the least committed of the bunch.

Billy's challenge now, indeed, the group's challenge, would be to get ready to attend the festival and make a good impression.  They had just 24 hours to prepare.


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## Dawn (Mar 30, 2011)

Loving the storyline and characters.  Also like how you hide the details, but make them available should we wish to see how the mechanics played out.


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## Insight (Mar 30, 2011)

Dawn said:


> Loving the storyline and characters.  Also like how you hide the details, but make them available should we wish to see how the mechanics played out.




Thanks!  I'm glad someone is reading this


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## Goonalan (Mar 30, 2011)

Insight said:


> Thanks!  I'm glad someone is reading this




Still reading, and still loving it- I'd XP you but it wont let me...

Goonalan


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## Insight (Apr 4, 2011)

*OOC:*


The skill challenge, *"The Feast at Dame Gold's"*, starts now.  This is going to be a little strange, so hang on.















*OOC:*


*"The Feast at Dame Gold's"* is a "stepped" skill challenge.  In the first step, which offers up to three Successes, the heroes must make the proper preparations to attend the feast.  Billy is taking the lead on this part of the skill challenge.







The heroes of Hommlet made their way from the Rough 'N Ready into the markets of Safeton.  Everywhere the heroes went, people talked of the upcoming feast at Dame Gold's manor.

"Didja hear they're bringing in red pheasant from Verbobonc?"

"There might be a wizard performing magic tricks!"

"I heard there's gonna be a filthy half-orc there!"

This last comment got wry looks from Keldok, but cooler heads prevailed; Jordi convinced the Bludgeoner not to take his rage out on the poor cobbler's wife.

When the heroes made it to the market square, Billy made sure everyone understood what they were going to be doing and that they didn't have a whole lot of time to fool around.

Billy made it his personal mission to do something with Keldok and Grimgal.  These two would stand out like a swollen sore thumb if the gnome didn't take matters seriously.  Billy let Zindra lead Jordi to the appropriate clothing shops; he knew that the elf maiden would know what to do.

Billy took Keldok and Grimgal to "Blue Threads", a tailor's shop.

"Good morning," Blue Silver, the proprietor said, seeing the trio enter his shop.  "Well, I can't say I've ever had a gnome, a dwarf, and... half-orc... in my shop at the same time.  Must be a special occasion."

"Yes, well, we are here for the feast," Billy explained.

The tailor looked at Grimgal and then at Keldok.  "We've got our work cut out for us, don't we?"

Billy smiled.  "I'm glad you understand."

Grimgal and Keldok, wearing rather horrified looks on their faces, clenched teeth as the gnome and the tailor traded well-crafted barbs and stories of high society.  The dwarf and the half-orc could not have felt more out of place.  But they knew how important all of this was to Billy and possibly to their future as adventurers.  They had to come to grips with the fact that they were heroes now, and heroes occasionally had to accept summons to nobles' homes.  This was just one of those times.

"Remind me to channel all of this into the next enemy we face," Keldok said quietly to the dwarf.

Soon, Billy, Grimgal, and Keldok emerged from Blue Threads.  Each had two new outfits suitable for attending a gala such as the Feast at Dame Gold's.  Of the three, Billy was the only one wearing a smile.









*OOC:*


All of this results in a Diplomacy check and a SUCCESS for Billy and the PCs.  1 SUCCESS, 0 FAILURES.


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## Insight (Apr 4, 2011)

*OOC:*


The skill challenge, *"The Feast at Dame Gold's"*, continues, with 1 Success and 0 Failures.







Zindra took seriously Billy's request to lead Jordi into the Safeton market square and advise the warrior on appropriate attire.  Zindra walked carefully through the narrow streets and shop warrens, keeping a close eye on Jordi, who had a tendency to wander.

"Have you attended a gala like this before?" Zindra asked as the pair walked through some jewelry shops.

"No, not even anything close," Jordi replied.  "You know me, Zindra.  I grew up on a farm.  Didn't see a lot of people except when Pa and I would take our harvest to town. Attended a few weddings.  Maybe a local harvest festival or two.  Met my betrothed there, but..."  Jordi stopped at a stall where a half-elven woman smiled and watched the human warrior paw her scarves.

Zindra joined Jordi.  "I didn't know that you were married."

He looked at the elf.  "Oh, I wasn't," he replied.  "You see, my betrothed...  She was from the next town over, Laketon.  Her name was Bettia.  Her father often purchased grain from our farm.  It seemed a good idea, since our families had mutual interests, that Bettia and I should marry."

"What happened?"

Jordi looked down at the scarf he was mindlessly examining.  "She... orcs came.  Hundreds of them.  Laketon was the first target.  Then, the orcs crossed the road towards Firth.  It didn't take long.  We weren't prepared.  The Lord's men usually handled these sorts of things, but even the few guards and cavalry we had were pathetically incapable of responding to such an invasion.  I took up my dad's old sword and found a shield in the barn.  Several of us struck a group of sleeping orcs drunk on Laketon wine.  I saw in the possession of one of the orcs a blue scarf Bettia once wore.  It had bloodstains on it."

Zindra put her hand on Jordi's.  "Were you in love with her?"

Jordi looked down at the elf's slender hand on his.  He moved his hand away.  "No, I barely knew her."  He put down the scarf.  "Can we finish this shopping trip and go join the others?"

Taking this as a sign that Jordi wanted to speak of the incident no more, Zindra led Jordi through a dizzying number of clothing shops, haberdasheries, and tailoring shops.  It took quite a while; Zindra had been out of practice.  Finally, after a few hours, and a lot of asking directions, Jordi and Zindra managed to acquire the clothing they needed.









*OOC:*


Another success, this time with a Streetwise check.  2 SUCCESSES, 0 FAILURES.


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## Insight (Apr 13, 2011)

*OOC:*


The skill challenge, *"The Feast at Dame Gold's"*, continues with 2 Successes and 0 Failures.







By the time the sun went down on Safeton, the five heroes of Hommlet has gathered what clothing and fineries they felt they needed to attend Dame Gold's event that started on the next morning.  All that was left to do now was for Billy, the gnome and resident culture expert, to coach the rest of the heroes on proper etiquette at such an event.

Billy knew that he has his work cut out for him.  Zindra, the elf, would be no problem, other than possibly being a little aloof at times.  Billy knew he could trust Zindra not to make any horrific social faux pas.  Jordi was likely going to act the gentleman, though his rustic upbringing did not do much to reassure Billy.  But Keldok and Grimgal, the half-orc and dwarf, respectively, they would be Billy's challenge.  He wasn't sure he had enough time to make them properly sociable.

The heroes gathered again at the Rough N' Ready.  This time, Billy had purchased a loft suite, a room large enough for the heroes to spread out a bit and get comfortable.

Jordi sat next to Zindra on one side of the room, while Keldok and Grimgal were each in their own corners.  Billy stood in the middle of the room, pacing.

"The most important thing to remember at these sorts of gatherings is that everything you say AND do tells a lot about you.  It is not always the poorly chosen word that sets you in the wrong company.  Often, it is your demeanor, the way you stand, the way you eat.  There is... it's quite complicated, you see."

Keldok, chewing on a turkey leg, belched.  "Don't worry.  We'll be the picture of bleedin' decorum!"  This drew chuckles from the normally stoic Grimgal.

"Now, look here, half-orc," the gnome shouted.  "This is no laughing matter."

"It is sort of funny," Jordi said.  "I mean, look at us.  We're not the sort of hobnob with the rich and influential.  No amount of coaching or shouting is going to make Keldok presentable, or keep Grimgal from being off-putting.  Zindra and I should be all right.  I don't know that those two aren't a lost cause."

"Now, wait just a minute, Tonbarrel," the dwarf replied.  "I've attended a dwarven function or two in my time.  And only once was I thrown out for being drunk and disorderly."

"You were thrown out of a dwarven function for being _too drunk_?"

"And disorderly."

The gnome grimaced.  "Look, this isn't helping!  I need you to focus on what I'm talking about.  We're going to be at Dame Gold's estate for a few days.  I need you all to understand that we can ill afford any mistakes.  Just, please, for _me_, try to be polite.  Is that too much to ask?"

Billy walked to Grimgal.  "Look, what I'm really worried about are you two," he said, looking across at Keldok.  "The plan is this.  I'm going to run interference with the really snooty types.  The ones the rest of you should steer well clear from.  Jordi, I want you paired up with Grimgal here.  That should mitigate some of the potential damage.  Just don't either one of you get too drunk until the event is over.  And Zindra, pair up with Keldok.  I think you can help him at least avoid some of the major pitfalls."

With that, the plan was set in motion.  We would soon find out whether this was all for naught.









*OOC:*


So for this part of the skill challenge, Billy made Diplomacy checks against his own party members.  He also made a History check to determine what sorts of behaviors to expect from the nobles.

3 SUCCESSES, 0 FAILURES.


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