The Unseen Servant forums

Marullus wrote:One ration deducted.

Hellebore urges fair shares. Setting aside 40gp with the bank for Chet, everyone gets 885.5. She encourages the others to agree to this and to gather at the cabin when ready next week.

Hellebore keeps enough to gift the druid enclave for her training (don't remember that math) and puts the rest in the bank.

Can we do a scene with Castleman and then break up?

Yep. Probably won't get an update in until tomorrow, though.

Zorroroaster wrote:Right! If anyone else is taking time for it, I suppose Arnie could get some time in. I kinda thought folks were keen to get back out there.

Sounds like I need to trot out another temporary logistics thread. That will be a good place to plan. It's here

After divvying their loot, our adventurers wish to visit Captain Castleman. How much difference a couple of months makes! Then, a group of adventurers was met with skeptical, hostile glances from the townsfolk. And although the strange mix of humans, demi-humans and animals still draws dumbfounded stares, they are also hailed as heroes and clapped on the back as they pass through town. A trail of several adolescents trail them, awestruck, but they disperse when venturing too far from their neighborhoods.

Eventually, they reach the Captain's barracks. He's not there, but his guard ushers them inside his tent anxiously. Minutes later, the captain appears, smiling. "How wonderful to see you all." He nods towards Rrkox, the raven perched on Hellebore's shoulder. "Clever pet you have there. I thank you for the message. I suppose you'd wish to discuss that. Well, as you know, I am charged with protecting our home. It was wise of them to reach out, but how Alleborg responds is not up to me. You can be assured that I have passed it up to the Council itself. I anticipate that we would send a delegation there first to discuss the matter. That much seems certain. If you would like to accompany them, I'm sure it would be appreciated." He looks around and awaits questions.

"I have another matter to discuss. As further thanks for your service, the Council has granted those of you involved in vacating the goblin lair the underground structure and all land within a one mile radius...except that land already in the safe zone, of course. The conditions are that you must promise to begin construction on a fortification within a year, and you provide for your own defense outside the safe zone. Alleborg will build a road to your fortification once ground has broken. I've been asked to remind you that timber is at a premium in town, and a well-protected source of this could pay handsomely."

He smiles. "Now, what news of lands beyond the safe zone?"

Date: 21 Hewing, Year 42
Time: 13:20
Conditions: 37F, west wind at 18 mph, clear, but cloud moving in, 6 inches of snow on the ground
Known Spells in Effect: None
Light bearers: Sunlight
Intended Direction of Travel: At the captain's
Injury Status: Dandelion slightly wounded

Angus, though not one of Castleman's original conscripts, accompanies those who have been duly shanghaied into duty. When Castleman suggests that the party could accompany a delegation to Sambord, Angus chuckles.

"Well, don't go appointing us ambassadors just yet," he says. "We moseyed by Sambord after we sent the letter back—talking about which, what happened with Chet and Khahl-Elf? Chet we heard about, though not much, but ain't heard boo about the elf. Anyhow, it wasn't what you'd call a love fest at Sambord. One of us—ain't saying who; damage is done and no point in pulling the scab open—decided to be all sneaky-like and use mojo to figure out what if Jobin and them can be trusted. Turns out it wasn't that sneaky-like, and next thing Jobin's trying to pull the same mojo on us without even a by-your-leave. Well, words were exchanged, many on the notion of trust, and I'll fess up that I was a big reason why. Ain't no man gets to poke around in my head without my okey-doke, and that sumbitch wasn't exactly asking nicely."

"But someone much more pleasant than Jobin asked us to relay a message to you," Angus adds. He pauses for a moment, smiling, remembering Leylana. Mostly her fire-red hair. Mostly. Realizing that everyone is staring at him (a few of them stifling laughs), he snaps out of his reverie. "The gist of it's this: they're awful proud down there in Sambord, as I reckon you already know. Big on protocol and decorum and all that nonsense. Mostly, though, they want to be treated as equals. Got a mace right up the wazoo about it, too. Said that things broke down between y'all in the past because Alleborg didn't treat Sambord with enough respect. Like I said, I reckon y'all already knew that, but that's the message."

He looks around for a place to sit. "I'll let Hellebore or one of these others what actually work for you fill you in on the orcs and Town No Go and whatnot."

Yenny- "Captain, we visited an old town sort of here on the map. Looks like it was quite something once, and had some wealthy folks living in it. Now it is plagued by necromancy. I don't what ramifications that might have on keeping this city safe, but it's awfully close to here. There were tortured human and orc corpses, and some of the bodies were reanimated, and tough. If whoever is raising them decides to attack here, it's a new level of threat. I'll talk with the folks at the temple to see if they know anything, but perhaps there are historians or others wise in local lore that might have some insight."

Zhym wrote:Angus, though not one of Castleman's original conscripts, accompanies those who have been duly shanghaied into duty. When Castleman suggests that the party could accompany a delegation to Sambord, Angus chuckles.

"Well, don't go appointing us ambassadors just yet," he says. "We moseyed by Sambord after we sent the letter back—talking about which, what happened with Chet and Khahl-Elf? Chet we heard about, though not much, but ain't heard boo about the elf. Anyhow, it wasn't what you'd call a love fest at Sambord. One of us—ain't saying who; damage is done and no point in pulling the scab open—decided to be all sneaky-like and use mojo to figure out what if Jobin and them can be trusted. Turns out it wasn't that sneaky-like, and next thing Jobin's trying to pull the same mojo on us without even a by-your-leave. Well, words were exchanged, many on the notion of trust, and I'll fess up that I was a big reason why. Ain't no man gets to poke around in my head without my okey-doke, and that sumbitch wasn't exactly asking nicely."

Castleman chuckles a bit at Angus' tale. "You're lucky you didn't get yourselves killed...or kill them. We have others that can act as ambassadors, though their skills are dulled. We have some old men that watched other diplomats as young men, but they haven't had occasion to use those skills much. You'd be more of a vanguard for 'em. Or at least help the vanguard navigate..." He looks slightly alarmed as they mention Chet. "He said he was off to meet you yesterday. Have you not heard from him? He arrived with the Khahl-Elf. Still haven't met one of that race that I could figure out. He acted all strange, and my men saw him heading east out of town yesterday. No word from him."

Zhym wrote:"But someone much more pleasant than Jobin asked us to relay a message to you," Angus adds. He pauses for a moment, smiling, remembering Leylana. Mostly her fire-red hair. Mostly. Realizing that everyone is staring at him (a few of them stifling laughs), he snaps out of his reverie. "The gist of it's this: they're awful proud down there in Sambord, as I reckon you already know. Big on protocol and decorum and all that nonsense. Mostly, though, they want to be treated as equals. Got a mace right up the wazoo about it, too. Said that things broke down between y'all in the past because Alleborg didn't treat Sambord with enough respect. Like I said, I reckon y'all already knew that, but that's the message."

"Yes. I wasn't present when they last met. We do have some leaders who are a bit too...say...prideful? I hope they let the diplomats talk this time."

Yenny chuckles slightly to herself as she briefly thinks Castleman is talking about Chet and humans...

"He said he was off to meet you yesterday. Have you not heard from him? He arrived with the Khahl-Elf. Still haven't met one of that race that I could figure out. He acted all strange, and my men saw him heading east out of town yesterday. No word from him."

"Sorry--Chet was acting strangely and headed east, or Khahl-Elf?"

enn.in.me wrote:Yenny- "Captain, we visited an old town sort of here on the map. Looks like it was quite something once, and had some wealthy folks living in it. Now it is plagued by necromancy. I don't what ramifications that might have on keeping this city safe, but it's awfully close to here. There were tortured human and orc corpses, and some of the bodies were reanimated, and tough. If whoever is raising them decides to attack here, it's a new level of threat. I'll talk with the folks at the temple to see if they know anything, but perhaps there are historians or others wise in local lore that might have some insight."

"Well, there were small baronies, towns and lords scattered all over when the kingdom was whole" he replies. "I'm not well versed in that sort of thing. But I am sure many awful things befell those towns when Masmuria fell" he frowns.

"The sage might know more, especially of these animated corpses. Did these tortures and murders look recent?"

enn.in.me wrote:Yenny chuckles slightly to herself as she briefly thinks Castleman is talking about Chet and humans...

"He said he was off to meet you yesterday. Have you not heard from him? He arrived with the Khahl-Elf. Still haven't met one of that race that I could figure out. He acted all strange, and my men saw him heading east out of town yesterday. No word from him."

"Sorry--Chet was acting strangely and headed east, or Khahl-Elf?"

Castleman laughs too. "Chet acts plenty strange, but I can figure him. Those elves are the ones I can't figure out. Gifted Ilfrien with a prized elven sword and she disappears" he grumbles...then collects himself. "it was the elf headed east. Chet went looking for you."

AleBelly wrote: Castleman chuckles a bit at Angus' tale. "You're lucky you didn't get yourselves killed...or kill them. We have others that can act as ambassadors, though their skills are dulled. We have some old men that watched other diplomats as young men, but they haven't had occasion to use those skills much. You'd be more of a vanguard for 'em. Or at least help the vanguard navigate..." He looks slightly alarmed as they mention Chet. "He said he was off to meet you yesterday. Have you not heard from him? He arrived with the Khahl-Elf. Still haven't met one of that race that I could figure out. He acted all strange, and my men saw him heading east out of town yesterday. No word from him."

"Hellebore got word from one of her animal pals that Chet's wandered off out of Sambord with Tempus and some Sambord men. Tempus is a short fellow what signed up with us for an even shorter spell then joined them Sambords. Guess he's a joiner. Anyhow, Chet must have gotten to Sambord just after we left. We got, um, a bit misdirected on the way back." Angus turns almost as red as Leylana's hair as he admits that he let a group under his care get lost. "Mighty curious what Chet and them have got up to."

"Elf Bi—er, Ilfrien's a tough one to figure out," Angus agrees. "Heck of a fighter to have on your side, but 'moody' don't even begin to cover it. Sounds like we shouldn't wait up for Khahl-Elf."

"What do you reckon this 'vanguard' will do?"

"The sage might know more, especially of these animated corpses. Did these tortures and murders look recent?"

Perhaps one of us should talk to him. Might be interesting. As to the bodies, it's hard to say. Several were stripped almost clean, and a few were still pretty fleshy--guess those were the magically preserved ones. Some of the ropes they were hanging from had rotted through. Maybe a year or so five ten years?

Any sort of a Wisdom check possible for approx. age of the corpses?

"The bodies hanging from the rafters looked like they'd been there for at least ten years," ventures Angus. "The dead orcs weren't quite as rotted. I'd reckon they'd only been dead a couple of years or so."

AleBelly wrote:It was a long time ago, but Chet got his fancy map from the sage.

Looking at that map again, it strikes me how little of the "known world" we've seen. Nowhere we've been yet other than Alleborg is even a landmark on that map! We've barely stepped past our own door.

With several people training, it sounds like we'll have plenty of time to visit the sage.

Hellebore politely acquiesces a nod as her Raven is complimented. She quirks an eyebrow as he offers to I've them the goblin hovel, but says nothing.

"Yes, I would like to discuss that missive. Relations with the Sambords be as they may, you still have the problem of protecting the people living west of the cityand they already are facing increased Orc patrols. What of the tower we mentioned and cleared? A rotation of sentries there, particularly if you have them take trained birds, can provide some early warning." She pauses. "If you wait until the orcs take initiative and come in force, what is your plan then?"

Marullus wrote:Hellebore politely acquiesces a nod as her Raven is complimented. She quirks an eyebrow as he offers to I've them the goblin hovel, but says nothing.

"Yes, I would like to discuss that missive. Relations with the Sambords be as they may, you still have the problem of protecting the people living west of the cityand they already are facing increased Orc patrols. What of the tower we mentioned and cleared? A rotation of sentries there, particularly if you have them take trained birds, can provide some early warning." She pauses. "If you wait until the orcs take initiative and come in force, what is your plan then?"

"Of course. I do not like waiting, either. Which is why I recruited the initial lot of you. But I don't control the forces - I'm only responsible for the defense of Alleborg. I'm confident your defeat of the goblins and the resulting positive impact upon the eastern farms has shown the Council the wisdom of engaging. Which is why they will talk with the Sambords. You should be proud of the impact you are having on the leaders of this town...but be prepared to deal with their slow decision making."

We be proud, yeahh, Hyde finally speaks up. But someone ain't. You rememba when you told me you be worried about corruption at high levels here in Alleborg, hah? Now we be worried about that, too. Someone big in town don't like that we stomped them Goblins, someone big enough to put a bounty on us. I been told since that a fella could get rich by knockin' us off, yeahh. Can't say I be proud of that, no. Do you hear any chatta that way, Captain?