Riding all out the full day sees Fioarion across the bridge as dusk falls, by all reports if he follows the river on his left side he should run directly into the staglords fort and the lake...

Moving forward would get him closer to an area where most beasts would be afraid of the encampment, but sneaking up in the dark was the best way to receive an arrow to the chest. So he decides to split the difference. This is when being an elf is a great advantage. Needing only 4 hours of rest, he keeps moving the the fading light. Only stopping when he's closer to the middle of the night or he starts to see evidence of the camp.

Sitting down to rest, he keeps his horse close so that, if something does attack, it'll attack Linta first and would snap him out of his reverie. He doesn't dare start a fire and just munches on a trail ration.

Filarion follows the Shrike river and to his right he knows the skunk river is flowing and that both flow into the Tuskwater lake.

He is still fairly far away when he sees a large structure most likely the Staglord’s fort
You can see the telltale signs of smoke rising into the air...




This message was last edited by the GM at 13:49, Thu 03 Sept 2020.

The elf is surprised at what the bandits have built. He had expected at best a camp and not a full fort. This, and it's location, complicated things a little. Nice he can change his mind, he removes the basic equipment he needs and slaps Linta's flank. "Go home my friend."

Watching for an hour he decides the best course of action for now is to head directly to a patrol and bid his case. "Hail!," he calls out. "I have information for the Stag Lord of the utmost urgency."

The palisade itself sits on a hillock, the wall is 15 feet high, consisting of logs which are set no further apart than 6 inches. A 30-foot-wide safe zone is cleared around the outer perimeter of the palisade. The top of the wall has numerous splinters and sharpened branches there.
To the southeast of the fort, a slightly sunken section of ground might be a low area to make an approach.

A narrow path of hard-packed earth winds up the hillside approaching the Stag Lord’s fort—this path is 30 feet wide, 300 feet long, and provides no cover.

The remaining hillside surrounding the fort is a swath of hill devoid of shrubbery save for isolated thorny vines, but periodic large boulders provide better cover for a stealthy approach.

This is me catching up....

The bandits look shocked at your sudden appearance, the underlings show only confusion

They part and a man in black leathers rides forward, he is a slender man with long dark hair, earrings, an exposed and tattooed midriff, armed with a rapier and a dirk.

You have no doubt this man is as dangerous as any you have ever encountered
“I will be the judge of that!”

He rides up to you, out of earshot of the bandits...
“Who are you?”

This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 16:14, Tue 08 Sept 2020.

"I am Filarion Petxalim," he says with a bow and the white flag in his off hand just in case this turns violent. "I come to your fort with dire news that effects all of us in the Stolen Lands. I come to hopefully unite our people's to fight this threat. Who may I have the honor of speaking to?"

Throwing in a Know Nobility just in case.

12:34, Today: Filarion Petxalim rolled 6 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 1.  Know nobility.

Well crud. . .
This message was last edited by the player at 16:35, Wed 09 Sept 2020.

Filarion is convinced he is fave to face with
Hieronymus Karl Friedrich, Freiherr von Münchhausen
AKA Baron Münchhausen

“My name is Dovan.”

Filarion has a look of confusion cross his face, but waits for the man to respond to his statement.

“I am Dovan.  What threat do you speak of?”

"Dovan it is then. I just recently ran into a troll that fancies himself a king. He's trying to recruit the local monsters to his cause. I understand the Stag Lord is about to attack the trading post south of here. It would be mutually beneficial if we put our differences aside to deal with this new threat." He ticks off each point with the fingers of his hand.


"I'm not going to lie to you, but tell you that I come the Oleg's and have a charter. Your fort technically lies outside of this charter, so we could actually live in peace as neighbors. How long do you think it'll be before the full might of the Swordlords comes down on this area? If we work together, deal with this troll and any beasts he's brought to his side, and end hostiles twords each other, we could grow stronger together."


Come on die roller, don't. .

21:26, Today: Filarion Petxalim rolled 6 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 5.  Diplomacy.

Whelp, this character was fun. . 

Dovan
“I have a better idea.  We gather some guys from the fort along with a wagon of pitch, intercept your troll and return to the fort later, you as my prisoner and I have a job for you, to take out the Staglord.”

Filarion smiles for a moment and then his face drops in shock. "Excuse me? Do I look like an assassin? I'm not interested in human squabbles. How would this benefit the Stolen Lands as a whole?" He breaths for a moment. "Why would you ask me to do this thing?"

Dovan shrugs
“Someone must! he is an evil man and the eyes of his lieutenants are upon each other and upon me always; if your honor allows it if you can face him one to one would you be satisfied in waging a fair fight against him?”.

Filarion's jaw works as he thinks about this opportunity. "Who would take over after him? What has he done to make you all wanting his death? What can you tell me about the human so I know what I'm getting into?"

He's warming to the idea, but his own sense of honor has to be satisfied.

Dovan
“I will tell you more when I have a chance, for now we ride!  You men get any who are sober and a wagon of pitch, we have a hunt to go on!”

The men flinch and two ride for the fort...
the others ask Dovan about what’s happening
He makes a grim face and answers....“Troll.”

Nodding his assent, Filarion follows Dovan. "Just to make you aware, I'm on friendly terms with a kobold band. I was visiting them and that's when I ran into the troll. Make sure your men don't attack them."



I'm assuming they're going to offer me a horse since I sent Linta back to base.

The bandits return with a wagon of pitch and a barrel of arrows

Dovan sends one of the men back and offers you a horse

“Lead on to the troll.  No good waiting around.”

Mounting the borrowed horse, the elf warrior leads them back to where he last saw the troll. While in route, he talks up the others trying to get a feel for them as a group and what they think of current happenings at their fort and in the areas in general.

05:39, Today: Filarion Petxalim rolled 13 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 12.  Gather info (Diplo).

Soon enough the group encounters a troll, this one is not the king troll Filarion had met at the kobold caves...

The troll roars and charges into the riders in the front swatting two bandits off their horses and trying to munch on one of the men he just swatted..

The bandits fire flaming arrows at the troll..  the arrows stick but do not slow the troll in the least

Dovan releases the horse from the cart and holding a torch in one hand his rapier in the other he balances on the edge wagon over the pitch...

The elven warrior joins the fray. He yells and swings his sword in a display of might trying to demoralize the troll.

Standard: Intimidate
Move: advance 30'

DC should be 13 (10+(6x0.5)-1(wis mod))

16:12, Today: Filarion Petxalim rolled 24 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 20.  Intimidation (-4 for large included).

Since I beat the DC by 10, it'll be shaken for 3 rounds.

The troll seems to avoid you but he tears into the bandits with abandon
Killing three of them in the process and scaring a few of the horses
6 flaming arrows protrude from the troll and it is still coming

Moving into battle, Filarion swings his blade at the monster trying to get it's attention focused on him. "Keep the fire arrows coming!"

Standard: attack
Move: move closer.
Free: yell out

12:38, Today: Filarion Petxalim rolled 18,10 using D20+11,d8+2 with rolls of 7,8.  Attack/damage.

I thought about charging, but that'd just open my ac even lower. How many other guys are left?

Troll should have 2 more rounds of shaken.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:59, Wed 30 Sept 2020.

Filarion takes the battle to the troll, cutting a deep slash in it.

The large creature slashes out with its clawed long and gnarled limbs, but both attacks are turned aside by Filarion’s armor...
The second one leaves a bruise on your chest...

Today: The Spirit of the Land rolled 8 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 2.  Attack shaken troll claws . 08:16, Today: The Spirit of the Land rolled 15 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 9.  Attack shaken troll claws.

A few more arrows hit the troll as Dovan directs the men to provide support

The individual bandits realize that not a one of them should go into combat with the troll. They had went from a dozen to 10 in the trolls first attack...