He'dnever been asked before, strange that this giant Badger would ask. Intriguing. Reggie, erm Reginald. Reggie was my Grandfather or so I was told, I never met him.

He was explaining himself to a Giant Badger, a Magical creature! I do use magic, do you sense it because you are magical yourself? And you are correct about the weapons, I commend you.

Unfreldro sort of looks around a little like he's worried about being overheard. "I might be," he says. "M'not supposed t' talk about it too much."



"Yah, well, that's just havin' a good nose. But... I tell ye what..." He thinks. "Bring me the best weapons ye find-- not-magical ones, I mean-- and I promise t' trade ye the best I've found. I've a magical thing or two that I've been savin' for them what might do me a favor I'd want..."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:31, Wed 12 Apr 2023.

Aubree nodded eagerly, smiling at their new friend.
"That would be lovely, sir.  Where can we find you, when we have our collection of goblin weapons?"

In reply to Unfreldro (msg # 23):

Catching the little inflections as he does with the position of runes, the question, he feels, is right to ask. "Who is this 'He' you speak of so I know not to mention these things to him?" Convincing someone to say something, he felt, was like moving the inflections of the Rune sounds around to create the spell or activate the Ward.

"As Aubree says, your offer would be lovely. Knowing where to go to find you and not upset or disappoint the 'He' would be our aim and to uplift you in their mind would benefit both him and you don't you think!

"Pah. I'll find ye. An' only th' best ones, now-- not magical, mind, but otherwise... I'm jus' sayin', don' bother cartin' a whole wagonload'a sorry goblin weapons around... just save the two best that aren' magical for me. Ye can keep any magic ones fer yeselves..."




"Eh? Whuzzat?"

(Ronald: Like Unfreldro, I honestly have no idea what nor whom you're talking about.)

 Marthine purses her lips at The Badger's, well, rudeness?  No... unique tact... towards Aubree.  She begins to say something, but then pauses as the conversation continues.  Among the many questions that are on her mind, his name is one of them!  This is revealed to be "Unfreldro".  To this knowledge, she nods her head in approval.

 Mental notes were taken on his accounting of geographical features, such as enchanted waters, and Goblin homes.

 "Where are my manners... I am called 'Marthine'.  I will be sure to be on the look-out for anything of good enough craftsmanship for you, Unfreldo.  Even some foul things can be given a good purpose..." She lets the side of her cloak fall, to reveal her Dwarvish pistol.  She seems resentful as she speaks this, though... not of Unfreldro, but rather of the pistol.

"Bah. Those things. Goblins invented those, orginally, I warrant. But all th' more meet t' fire th' results back at th' goblins, ay?" Again, Unfreldro chuckles at his own little joke. "Oh, speakin'a weapons an' goblins, by the way, they've got a hill-troll with 'em, an' say what ye want, hill-trolls know their runes. Ye'll definitely want any treasure he's got-- if ye can find it-- an' if it's not magical, I'll want whatever weapon he's usin'. Y'won't see 'im while th' sun's up, o'course..."

In reply to Unfreldro (msg # 28):

Olewyn realizes her mistake. People like names and she had not shared hers. This is what happens when one spends too much time alone and not enough around actual people. Her little brothers do not count. They're hitting a very awkward age and Olewyn refuses to count them as people currently.

"And I am Olewyn. I will keep watch for anything that is sound enough for you Unfreldro."

It seems they have a secondary quest now for this one. How fun.

"Never mind. Good To meet you

Aubree smiled brightly at Mr. Badger.
"That sounds very amenible, good sir.  We'll keep our eyes open."

 Marthine gapes, and then looks at each of her companions in turn at the mention of a Hill-Troll!  "That... might complicate things."

"Aye," nods Unfreldro, misunderstanding, "because when ye find 'em, it's gonna be at night, when they're away from whatever hole they've carved out for themselves t' hide from the sun, an' that's where th' good treasure'll be. But jus' do your best!" He's been gathering up goblin-weapons the last couple of minutes, and putting them in his big sack, but now he's done. "Fare ye well!" With that, he disappears into the bushes, and is gone.

He wasn't the best strategist but he contemplated.

"We'll do well to have a Warding line and some kind of plan. I'm not a big planner. I think a Hill Troll will be too large for my straps and I haven't practiced with Spider Cord as yet.  How big are they and do we need some food for it so as not to be attacked straight away?"

He was waiting for suggestions, after all, he was new to the group.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:06, Fri 14 Apr 2023.

Aubree tried to remember any lessons she'd learned about trolls

OOC:
17:09, Today: Aubree Farwalker rolled 7 using 2d6 with rolls of 1,6.  Troll lore

Aubree knows that there are various different types of trolls. Hill-trolls aren't the biggest, but they are the closest to being cunning. They can speak Westron perfectly fluently (although with a slight accent, but one could say the same for many, up to and including Unfreldro).

And "not the biggest trolls" isn't very reassuring, either-- they are usually nine to twelve feet tall, and even then they're pretty hefty. An average troll can pick up a full-grown dwarf warrior with one hand without much trouble.

As for food slowing them down, it's not at all likely-- they prefer their food on two legs, and to have been recently walking on them.

In reply to The GM (msg # 36):

Olewyn is thinking about this. It sounds crazy but she just has to ask.

"Do you know the land speed of a troll? Or how thick their hide may be? We may have to take them from a distance. I am not comfortable fighting up close. I do not wear armor."

 Marthine looks down at her pistol.  "We might have to get comfortable hearing this more than once, if we run into that troll... I don't think that my, ahh, claws and teeth... Will be able to mar their hide.  Maybe their eyes, but someone blinded is half as likely to hit as they are to miss..."

"Hill-trolls move only slightly more slowly than do men. If one charges, though, it seems more than fast enough," says Tirien. "They have scales, but the scales of Hill-trolls are not that thick. Arrows, swords, and certainly pistol-balls will find purchase enough. The problem is how many arrows and cuts and wounds one can take. It's certainly more than can a goblin, or even a warg. Probably as much as one the largest spider we saw the other day, I'd guess-- although the best places to strike are certainly different. Are you thinking of trying to lead the hill-troll into some sort of ambush...?"

"Yes, we are better equipped for goblins than we are trolls. It is the difference between hunting deer and facing a bear. The goblins only trouble us when their numbers are great. I propose we account out a good location to set up an ambush. If any of us know how to set up say, trip wires and some traps to cause a nuisance for the goblins and troll? Now would be the time to speak. I know that Aubree has limited arrows. I do not wish the group to risk themselves more than nessisary. I mean for us all to survive."

Olewyn is trying to plan to protect the group. She does not fancy herself a tactical genius but she thinks that the ideas that are sparking like embers in her mind must have some merit. Thank Eru that she had suddenly become inspired.

 "The only thing I can trap is a sick cat, for care..." Marthine sighs.  "Unless catnip or fish attract trolls, then I am at a loss.  But, maybe you have some ideas?" She looks to Ronald.

Using what she's learned from her time with her mentor,as well as during her travels, Aubree pondered a good ambush site
OOC:21:44, Today: Aubree Farwalker rolled 11 using 2d6 with rolls of 5,6.  Foraging

Looking upward and to the west, it seems to Aubree that there are two or three places where the possible paths up the nearest mountain should offer a good spot for an ambush.

On the other hand, the goblins would be coming from the west, wouldn't they? So they'd be more likely to be climbing up the mountains from the west, north, or south.

So, logically, the best thing to do should be to climb up high in the mountains next. That should help pick a better spot than the ones visible from here. (Aubree, you may roll THREE d6s the next time you try this from high up on any of the mountainsides.)

Aubree would explain her thought process and deductions to her Traveling Companions.
"Let's get to high ground, so that we might see things with a better perspective.  Those paths and gullies offer our best chances to ambush our foes "

OOC:  Thank you!  :)   

 "What a good idea..." Marthine licks her lips, and looks for a way to high ground, however obvious it might be to her.

The thought of a Hill Troll by what the others had said, made Ronald wonder what they could go to overcome it.

"You said it's a Hill Troll right, so chances are it would be in higher ground anyway. If we could find common tracks for it, we could do the Traps along or just off to one side of that."

His mind was a whir. "I could, rather than a line, great a Warding circle, use some of tge spider silk cord I gathered to mark out the space, it may or may not make it stronger, not tried that before but I know, after the Goblins, that it'll hold. Should keep the Goblins out.

That's leave Goblin archers or stone throwers, if between trees, maybe Traps in those areas would keep them either away or trap them. Marking lines on the floor, pretending there were lines in those places too, add a few runes for looks."

He didn't want to overstep, so he left his thoughts hanging there. He almost blushed in embarrassment when he realised just how fast he had been talking.