"Are we planning to ask them what business they had with the ruins? I don't think we should startle them," Tavion said as they rode.

"As is their right, assuming they leave us in peace as well."  Keliantharas remarked, rocking easily with the horse's stride.  "Though be ready should they decide otherwise.  I would prefer someone else ride ahead of me, in case the riders' intention is less than honorable.  Naturally I will ensure any possible battle runs strongly in our favor."

Kora says "I am willing, though mine might not be the friendliest face. Still, how many minotaurs ride horses? The uniqueness might give them pause."

"Oi! - Yuhu!" Caitlin called out to those who were leaving before them. "Please stop! Can we talk? Just a minute?" the sorceress yelled, hoping to bring the group before them to a halt.

ooc:
23:29, Today: Caitlin Merrywick rolled 24 using 1d20+19.  Persuasion.

As they continued forward, Caitlin called out to the people ahead.

If she had waited until they had ridden around the pillar, they would have seen the group already dismounted and breaking into a tomb at the far end of the ruined area with nothing but grass and trees behind them.

The room they were in had walls on three sides, the ones to the left and right were taller than the one behind the graverobbers.

Instead, they now saw a group mostly facing them. Mostly with drawn weapons.


[OOC: To make the file small enough, I had to crop it more than I wanted to. There should be a similar wall on the right side too. The "room" is about twice as wide as the slab is long. And the room is at least twice that long. And there are some stone slabs visible on the ground in the room, but most of the ground is grass.]

Kenliantharas squinted slightly and peered over the distance at the graverobbers.  With keen eyes peeled, he tried to discern the makeup of the other group, from the shapes of their ears to the general gear of each.

Keliantharas Warden rolled 34 using 1d20+14.  Perception. Trying to determine race and gear of the graverobbers, hopefully with a clue as to the class composition of the other party.

GM passing a message.

"Well.  One human and one half-human who may be wizards based on the lack of armor and weapons; a goblin with a bow; three humans with swords and one with a spear; and an ogre with a sword."  Keliantharas listed as his sharp eyes picked over the nine members of the approaching party.  "And they do not look to be overly inviting.  I shall ready some measures to even the odds."

Moonflute hurries along to keep up with Caitlin.

"Hey, um... you seem to know your way around here. Can you tell us what this ruin once was?" she asked curiously. "We were minding our own business and a sudden noise lead us here to investigate. - What brought you here?" she asked in a friendly tone.

"It doesn't matter what it used to be," one of them told her. "It only matters what it is now. Ours. We were here first. So I would suggest that you leave."

Kora rides up to join Caitlin. "That spear you carry. Have you any idea of its historical value?"

Tavion glared at the grave robbers as he joined Kora and Caitlin.

The mercenary was about to reply when Kora brought up the matter of her uncle's spear. She closed her mouth and turned to the minotaur "Um... you really want to discuss this now?" Caitlin commented, her eyes darting towards the strangers, not expecting an answer. Turning back to the grave robbers "Oh by all means, dig on. I don't want to be near when you disturb a wraith or ghost." the woman said, her leather saddle creaking as she turned back to face Moonflute "You remember what happened last time, Moonflute? I am not looking for an encore." she shuddered.

Caitlin turned her horse around "Let's move, we should put as much distance between us and the restless dead when these grave robbers open the wrong crypt." the sorceress said, loud enough that every one of the other group could understand her.

ooc:
19:54, Today: Caitlin Merrywick rolled 33 using 1d20+19.  Persuasion check.

The centaur cleared his throat unconcernedly at the snarkly reply to Caitlin's question.  "A succinct reply, if rudeness to her friendship words," opined the centaur's voice as he set his longish spear point-down... though still within reach.

Talrand twisted around to pull a pair of clay mugs from his backpack, resting them upon small hooks of seasoned wooden keg upon his equine back.  One hand turned a dark metal spigot, pouring a small amount of golden-green beverage into each of the clay mugs; the freshness of fruit and warm, rich wood mingled in the fall-winter air as he sipped of one mug, and held out the other towards the speaker of the opposite group.

"Thy work is taxing, conversation little less so; beith it not mannerly that we might share with thee libation to smooth words and startled feelings, hmmt?  Mine peoples share good drink in toasts to the world about us."  The centaur took another sip and chuckled loudly, nonplussed about the tension.

"Hast thou custom of thy people in the sharing of names, or are such hidden in secrecy?
 Lead you this herd of folk disparate?"

Moonflute simply nods to Caitlin referencing ghosts, and again when she suggests they put some distance between themselves and the robbers.

"We have been in many tombs before without encountering any wraiths or ghosts."

"But perhaps there will be some here," another said.

"I mean," a third added. "We've never run into a ruined temple before. There has to be a reason why this place was abandoned. Right?"

The group talked amongst themselves and then rounded up around Talrand now back in his centaur form to share in the drink that he was offering.

"Why don't you tell me what you think you know of my weapon's history," the spear wielder said to Kora.

Kora says "I would need to examine the filigree near the head to be certain, but it appears to be a weapon from the First Age. A Dragonlance. "

There was no flash to it, no calling forth of arcane incantations or intricate finger work.  The elf simply sidled up to the centaur and gently brushed a finger over Talrand's equine spine.  Despite the apparent rapport Talrand seemed to have found, Keliantharas was still keenly aware that the grave robbers were close enough to eliminate the advantage of distance the smaller group had once possessed, nor how they had initially been so hostile.

"It is indeed a Dragonlance, though it would require closer examination to determine exactly the pedigree of such.  Have any of you attempted to wield it thus far?"  Keliantharas asked, coming into view but keeping the now-warded centaur between himself and the uneducated horde.

OOC: Casting Quickened Silent Mage Armor on the horse-man.

Caitlin's eyes flitted over the other group and how her words had sown second thoughts about robbing the graves in the ruins. She had a slight smirk on her lips when she saw them accepting Talrand's drinks. "Whoa, stop it, will you?" she told her overly friendly companions. "Mercenary, remember?" she said, gesturing at herself, "Usually I don't even get out of bed without being paid, alright?" the sorceress reminded the group and turned her attention back at the grave robbers.. "So, warning you about the potential threat in this ruin was a one-time only freebee. And my friends telling you about that dragonlance is already allowing you to ask a higher price from the person you are going to sell it to, isn't that so?" she pointed out the obvious. "If you want to know more about that lance, you will have to purchase that knowledge from my well educated companions here. They studied long and hard to expand their knowledge, now it is time to pay up. - Keep in mind: The more you know about that weapon, the higher your asking price can be!" Caitlin added, implying that the benefit of knowing the weapon's background would be well worth the coin invested in obtaining that knowledge.

ooc: Convincing the grave robbers to pay for knowledge.

13:11, Today: Caitlin Merrywick rolled 23 using 1d20+19.  Persuasion (haggle).

"I would like a look as well," Tavion said as he peered at the spear.

21:37, Today: Tavion rolled 19 using 1d20+15 ((4)).

Moonflute keeps to herself as the others discuss artifacts and weapons.

Keliantharas hid and cast a spell on Talrand.

The graverobbers no longer interested in conversation, started moving about. Most of them drawing their weapons.

The ogre swung his greatsword at Caitlin for a perfect hit.

One human started playing the lute.

The human with the dragonlance went for Kora, but the tip just slid off his armor.

The goblin withdrew and fired his bow against Moonflute, but missed.

The bugbear with the rapier went for Talrand and skewered him.

Both humans with rapiers went for Tavion and using their tactical advantage, one of them got a perfect hit, while the other missed.

The human without weapons cast a spell and two energy darts shot forth from his hand and slammed into Kora.

The half-elf went for Talrand, but the centaur avoided him his blow.



[OOC: Talrand now has +4 to AC for 8 hours.

Caitlin lost 54hp. She has 18hp remaining. Unfortunately, he made a critical hit.
Talrand lost 16hp. He has 62hp remaining.
Tavion lost 8hp. He has 58hp remaining. Another critical hit.
Kora lost 5hp. He has 67hp remaining.
]

[What do you do?

As far as where everyone is, Moonflute and the goblin are both on their own. While everyone else is easily within movement, but movement would also give two of them a chance for attacks of opportunity.
]

"Kel, you moron!" Caitlin shouted which turned into a scream of agony.

ooc: I really need a map to determine her action.

Kora tries to get the warhorse to attack the moron with the lance while he rides to Caitlin's side. He reaches out a hand and cool energies release, binding cuts and reknitting muscles.



11:48, Today: Kora rolled 23 using 4d8+8.  Cure critical wounds on Caitlin.



OOC Not sure the stats but Warhorses ARE trained to fight.