Golun kept his eyes on the stranger while replying quietly to the tiefling. “We are duty bound to challenge him. If he has no intent to cause trouble then he can go about his business, but if he is a threat to the town or to travellers on the road then we must act.”

Larwick sighed, "'Ats two o' us, then. Lets get goin', eh? Im gunna keep ma distance, lest 'e go rabid on us, an' I need ta shoot 'im down".

Going along with the popular opinion, the tiefling expresses his desire not to get too close to the stranger, and his ability to attack at range. He doesn't seem to be carrying a bow, though. He doesn't carry any visible weapons, but he may have some concealed underneath his cloak, which is dark enough to hide any contours.

The goliath steps forward from the group a little ways, cups his hands around his mouth, and loudly hollers, "HEY, YOU THERE! YES, YOU, HIDIN' IN THE WOODS. WHAT'RE YOU DOIN' OUT HERE? SOMETHIN' WRONG?"

He pauses, nonchalantly awaiting a response to his perfectly normal conversation starter.

After a while of nobody speaking up, Larwick sighs and is about to call out before his teammate does so.

Deftly avoiding an awkward moment of talking over the fellow, Larwick follows up in support by also shouting to the shifty man from a distance of sixty feet, "Oi! Don't ye dare try runnin', and state yer biznis!"

OOC - If you think the situation needs it (prolly unecessary if the guy isnt hostile), here's an intimidation roll:

quote:

16:05, Today: Larwick rolled 25 using 1d20+5.  first roll pog - intimidation check.

It's not my luck. It's just my reality

This message was last edited by the player at 20:09, Mon 03 May 2021.

The man draws a small crossbow, but stops in his tracks when Larwick calls out. He looks you all over, and decides to take his chances at running. He moves shockingly fast!

Initiative!
Larwick
If you beat a 13, post your first round action. If you roll lower, please wait until after I've posted again.

15:38, Today: Golun Fearstorm rolled 20 using 2d20, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 20,7.  Initiative, ADV with Vigilant Blessing.

Seeing the fellow begin to flee, Golun reacted quickly. He spoke a brief incantation in a strange tongue, then gestured forward towards the running man. “A-nis an dorchadas a ’cruinneachadh, bidh rionnagan a’ tòiseachadh a ’spùtadh; bidh eòin, agus beathaichean, agus flùraichean a dh ’aithghearr nan cadal.”

If the spell works he will then advance towards the man while retrieving a length of rope from his pack.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
“Now the darkness gathers, stars begin to peep; birds, and beasts, and flowers soon will be asleep.”

---

Casting Sleep centred on the running man. If he has 20 or less HP and is not immune he will collapse in a deep sleep for 1 minute.

16:04, Today: Golun Fearstorm rolled 20 using 5d8 with rolls of 3,7,4,1,5.  Sleep spell.

Golun attempts to put the running man to sleep, but it doesn't seem to work.
The man dashed behind a tree (1/2 cover)

Initiative

Qitris 12
Larwick 7
Narbu 6
Golun 20
E1 13


This message was lightly edited by the GM at 19:03, Thu 13 May 2021.

Narbu hustles toward the man. "STOP! WE'RE WITH SMITH'S GAMBIT!" It's important to make sure he knows they're an official town patrol, after all.

Action: Dash
Movement: To D16

Whoever the man was, he seemed more interested in making a standoff versus running away completely. Holding up her shield and keeping her other hand free, Qitris moved up to be a barrier between the man and the rest. "If you like not having a bolt shot into you I'd advise you to stay behind me. Or use the trees for cover. Or use your own shield if you have one!"

OOC: Move to D 10, Dodge action.

Since the elven lady seemed intent on letting herself be a human shield, Larwick was more than willing to comply. On his way to rush to skulk behind the shieldbearer, he expertly stowed his weapon and magical energy coalesced in his now free hand.

A rotating, perfect sphere of pitch black void apparated, letting off a cold mist before the tiefling let out a hoot of joy and launched the orb motionlessly towards his target at such incredible speeds that it travelled over a hundred feet in an instant, and was stretched out of shape from the G-force, becoming a foot-long needle before impacting on a nearby tree, having missed it's mark.

Golun looked distinctly unimpressed at the failure of his spell. “Either that fellow is stronger than he looks or he has fey blood in his veins.”

He began to hurry along with the rest of the group. As he did so he unslung his shield and held it ready to block any incoming missiles.

Move - heading in a straight line towards the fleeing man.

Quitris acts as cover for her allies.
Larwick assaults a tree with magical force.
Narbu dashes after the stranger.
Golun readies his shield as he moves forward.
The suspicious man comes out from behind the tree... and drops his crossbow to the ground as he approaches, stumbling for a moment on the uneven ground, and raises his hands to show he is unarmed.
"I surrender," he says. He looks over at the blasted tree, "don't shoot!"

Initiative

Qitris 12
Larwick 7
Narbu 6
Golun 20
E1 13

Golun kept advancing but slowed to a more sedate pace, shield held ready just in case this was a trap. But he kept his warhammer in his belt for now, to demonstrate that he didn’t want to attack. “We accept your surrender. Walk slowly towards us, you will come to no harm. I swear this by Selune’s grace.”

As he walked his eyes darted left and right, scanning the trees for signs of an ambush. As he got closer he continued talking. “Now, who are you and what are you doing here?”
This message was last edited by the player at 21:55, Fri 14 May 2021.

Narbu approaches the man, saying, "No sudden moves, alright?" He grips his handaxes and draws them, keeping them low, just to be ready for further surprises.

Action: Readied attack for if the man stops cooperating (hits AC 19 for 7 slashing damage, melee or ranged up to 20 ft., roll disadvantage if further).
Movement: to D20
11:00, Today: Narbu Thalikko rolled 19,7 using 1d20+5,1d6+3.  Readied attack, damage with handaxe.

Larwick scoffed in disappointment. He had been looking forward to turning the rude man into a mushy corpse, but unfortunately the majority of his party weren't likely to allow that, now.

He wasn't so hateful that he valued ending that man's life over maintaining his own, so he reluctantly stopped his assault, for the time being.

Hopefully they could extract their information, and then brutally dispose of the man with the utmost secrecy, but the chance of everyone in the group keeping quiet over something like that was terribly low. Maybe if he turned out to be an enemy to town, the group wouldn't mind letting Larwick act as judge, jury and - most importantly - executioner.

The most likely scenario where Larwick actually got to kill the stranger was if he put up resistance, since most the group still seemed on edge- they would have no place to berate him if he acted out of 'panic'. Even if his charisma failed him, he could pass it all off as shock from the situation; feigning innocence over the matter was a fine choice.

With an audible sigh, Larwick glared spitefully at the man with a clenched jaw, strongly hoping they would act out so that he would have an excuse to murder him.

Preparing an action to launch Eldritch Blast if the man does anything that Larwick feels could be warped with words to appear hostile.

Movement: Larwick will stay put, unless Qitris moves, then he will follow behind her

The man walks slowly towards the group, stopping about 15 feet before he would meet Narbu, sweating, despite the cold, he says, "My name is Mels. I was sent by the lord of the Foothill March, in Wuaden, to find out if the man, Smith, is amassing an army to threaten us from across the Umbretals." The man is obviously lying.

Narbu stops to think. He still doesn't know much about this Smith fellow. He hadn't noticed any obvious signs of an army amassing, but he should make a point to learn more about Smith's motives.

Are we still in initiative order?

Qitris stepped up near Narbu as the man spouted off his lie. "Yeah yeah, that's a lot of names that don't mean anything to me, chum, and your statement holds less water than an anvil. I suggest you say what is really going on or I can't guarantee I will abide by fuzzy's statement of no harm." To emphasize her point she tapped her magically enhanced mace on her shoulder, causing a minor spark and hum from the flanges.

Following Qitris with a newfound respect, Larwick speaks up, in an arrogant tone of voice, "I smells decepshun from this 'ere stranger. I says we take 'im prizna, waddyall reckon?"

He gives the man a sidewards glance, "Or, I could jus' 'ave some funs with 'im..." he threatens with a crooked smile, as if begging the man to make a wrong move.

If we're still in combat, larwick will take the dodge action
If we're out of combat, Larwick will say some more stuff:
"This fellow 'eres lyin' out 'is teeths. I've not an idea why a guvna would wage war 'gainst an 'ole nation. Ye cant even think o' a better lie than that, ya slimy bastahd?" the tiefling spits on the ground before continuing his explanation, "An' even if that were th' case, we'd still take ya in fer questchunin', since yer an enmy scout and whatnot?" he chuckles condescendingly under his breath, taunting the defeated man with his ongoing mockery.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:34, Tue 18 May 2021.

Golun glanced at his companions, unsure if they were just trying to intimidate the man or actually wanted to tear his arms off. He also ignored the fuzzy comment, there were more pressing issues at hand. He thought for a moment about the man’s lie. He had seen no sign of an army massing. And he had strolled straight into the town, as had others, without challenge. No would-be invader would allow suchlike to happen. The man’s tongue was dripping excrement, but why?

He continued to walk towards the man. “Well, Mels. Can I suggest that you start telling us the truth. It may be that the only thing keeping my friend here,” he gestured at Larwick, “from tearing our your gizzards and eating them in front of you... is me. And if I think you’re still lying then I might be less inclined to stop him. This is your only chance, come clean now and you will see tomorrow with your limbs intact, I swear.”

As he approached closer his hand slipped into his belt pouch where he kept a selection of smooth pebbles, and he muttered a quiet incantation.

You're out of initiative order, but if anyone tries to attack, we roll a new one.
Larwick, could you give me another intimidation check, with advantage, thanks to Golun?

OOC: Your asking a face character to roll a charisma check with advantage? Heh heh... with pleasure B)

quote:

00:37, Today: Larwick rolled 22 using 2d20+5, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 13,17.  intimidation with advantage.

This message was last edited by the player at 04:39, Sat 22 May 2021.

He drops the fake accent, and speaks in the manner of a second-generation Varnese-Amelakian. "I'll tell you anything you want! Please, just keep him away from me! said the man, cowering from Larwick. "My name is Roland. I'm spying on Smith for Nesevir Acquisitions, an Amelakian business consortium. They want to know what it is about these lands that possessed one of the world's wealthiest men to spend such a fortune to colonize it."

Narbu ponders the man's words. "Spying, huh? That don't sound very nice. How's about you tell us everythin' you know about this business o' yers, and if you got any friends out here, and we'll keep our comrade from hurtin' ya?"

A spy? That was unexpected...

Golun kept moving forward towards the man. As he did so he retrieved a length of rope from his pack. “Well then, Roland, I suggest you simply ask Smith himself. He is a reasonable fellow from what I can see, and may be willing to share such information if you have the good grace to ask.”

He held up the rope. “Now, if you don’t mind, I will bind your hands to keep you from running off. You can then accompany us on our rounds before we take you back to see Smith. He can then decide what to do with you. And if you have companions out here I suggest you call to them right now. They will not get another chance to surrender, and I will not be feeling so charitable if they try any sneakiness.”

Assuming he complies, Golun will bind his wrists tight and will tie the other end of the rope to his own shield wrist. He will then begin to search the man’s pockets for weapons,  any documents or other items of interest.