Al furrows her brow. "As for the journey... This is definitely a sensitive issue. We can't keep it from Halla if we pretend to be the friends we are trying to convince her we are. But she'll want to come and deal with Erestor herself. With the way she gets, I'm not sure we trust her to work with us. Or convince her that we are working with her. It's going to be another hard conversation." She grimaces, hiding tusks behind her hand again.
Kuldahar
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Al furrows her brow. "As for the journey... This is definitely a sensitive issue. We can't keep it from Halla if we pretend to be the friends we are trying to convince her we are. But she'll want to come and deal with Erestor herself. With the way she gets, I'm not sure we trust her to work with us. Or convince her that we are working with her. It's going to be another hard conversation." She grimaces, hiding tusks behind her hand again.
Ras stands up and rolls up his sleeves. "We can do it, Uncle. I'm sorry I've been so distracted. Let me help. We can save this old airbag." He pats the railing affectionately.
Gathering up his things, including an apron, some goggles, and his tinkerers tools, Ras earnestly begins working on the ship.
Rolls
Here a tinker there a tinker - (1d20+5)
(5) + 5 = 10
Thanks Unc - (1d20+5)
(8) + 5 = 13
He was quite the hermit, wasn't hit?
He had spent a lot of time exploring the area around Kuldihar, speaking with Fluphy and crafting arrows. He spoke with Fluphy about whether he wanted to continue traveling with Zenithral despite the dangers and pain of being blasted away time and time again. The flumph decided to stay, but requested that he stay out of most combat. He had also spent some time praying in the temple to Ilmater, paying proper respects to his divine patron. Zenithral paid for new half-plate armor with the party's funds and it was still being fitted for him.
He still had yet to speak with Orrick...perhaps that should be his first stop.
They run into some troubles however. Uncle Oswald pauses and wipes some sweat and soot from his eyes. "Well. Maybe she will fly again after all. But we've got some damaged parts here that just won't do. It'll take a small fortune to get her in the air." He scratches an ear. "Your friends. Adventuring is a strange profession. Either you get filthy rich, or you die. Since you're all still alive - even your friend, kind of - maybe they've got some gold to spare? If they can spot us some money to get her flying, I'll take them anywhere they want! At their beck and call, and all that. It certainly beats staying grounded, and it seems like you lot are doing good work anyway."
He cleans some dust out of his goggles. "What do you think, nephew?"
Rolls
Arcana check with help of course - (1d20+5, 1d20+5)
1d20+5 : (1) + 5 = 6
1d20+5 : (16) + 5 = 21
Insight into an innkeepers mind. Where would he hide it? - (1d20-1, 1d20-1)
1d20-1 : (8) - 1 = 7
1d20-1 : (3) - 1 = 2
Inscribed on the inside of the ring are the words:
In the case of my death, The Evening's Shade Inn shall belong to my niece Natalie.
Casting message at Ug he says "We are coming out, play along.". And to the boy he says "Let's chase the illusion, don't hit it."
The door seemingly bursts open and a figure darts out. The door bangs against the wall, rebounds and closes again. Making the figure look as closely as possible to the image Zen told them about his father the night of the assassination, he looks like Zen, but has blood red leather armor.
The figure runs out the front door and Nessa and the kid follow behind him yelling, "Thief!"
The run out of the inn, shooting illusiory firebolt at the fleeting figure. Faster than humanly possible the thief dashes past Ug and the fake owner. Fergy and kid continue to yell, "Thief, thief!" As he pulls away Fergy stops fireing at him. He darts between a few houses and disappears.
Within a few days they find the place. Supposedly Keggruk had stayed kneeling here in the snow even as Aeri left him behind. That had been many weeks earlier however. At this point, they do not expect to find much sign of the orc, aside from his corpse if he had simply sat and starved or frozen.
True to their suspicions, they find no sign of the orog. Still, this could be an indication that Keggruk lives - wherever he is.
They spend the next day looking about for signs of any orcs in the area nearby. Around midday they pick up a trail, where it appears that two orcs recently killed a stag. Following the pair's footprints in the snow, Alalla and Erevain eventually come to a ridge where they look down upon a camp of orcs.
With the sun beginning to creep towards dusk, Erevain whispers to Alalla.
"Aside from several sentries, I do not see many warriors. I would guess that either they are out on a raid, or have gone to join a larger force. Should we go down to speak with them, sharuhk? I doubt they will be happy to speak to an elf, but if you leave me your bow I can cover you from here."
Rolls
Erevain Survival to find Keggruk - (1d20+6, 1d20+6)
1d20+6 : (6) + 6 = 12
1d20+6 : (17) + 6 = 23
Mystery roll - (1d20+14)
(5) + 14 = 19
Mystery roll - (1d20+5)
(13) + 5 = 18
Mystery roll - (1d20+5)
(10) + 5 = 15
"I can't say I've ever done anything quite like this before," she says, using her scarf to pull her dreadlocks away from her ears, showing their orcish shape. "Orcs aren't interested in diplomatic excursions from the Ten Towns, and as a member of them I don't typically flaunt my heritage." Al gives Erevain a kiss. "Here goes nothing. Be back in a minute."
Alalla begins trekking down the ridge, using her glaive as a walking stick to help get her through the rough terrain. She takes a somewhat sideways approach to the camp so that they won't be able to immediately pinpoint Erevain's location should she end up needing the backup.
When she knows the sentries have seen her, Al calls out to them.
"Hail, brothers," she says in Orcish, voice confident and strong. "How goes hunting in these parts?"
Really? That's your opener?
As several more orcs run to join him, this one charges forward to skewer Alalla. From the corner of her eye, she can see Erevain ready with an arrow on the string, but not drawn. He seems to be waiting.
"Peace!" she says, throwing the spear away from her and raising her hands. "I come to talk and then to leave. I am unarmed." They didn't need to know that she could summon her glaive to her, despite it being out of her reach. "Don't make me prove I am a poor enemy to make." She adds a flash of tusks to her warning.
Rolls
Athletics - (1d20+9)
(7) + 9 = 16
Opposed check - (1d20+2)
(3) + 2 = 5
You don't want to mess with me (intimidation) - (1d20+4)
(12) + 4 = 16
An orc woman steps forward. Her face is lined and weathered from a lifetime of hardship, but her crimson eyes are bright with wisdom. She steps past the fallen orc sentry, giving his foot a kick as she goes. Her piercing gaze follows Alalla from head to toe and back again. "You are as he described. Young, strong. Merciful." The last word is almost tasted a small it is spoken. She reaches out a claw of a hand, letting it hand in the air as an invitation. "My name's Chaide."
The other orcs, most of them young or very old, watch with wide eyes, fingering their weapons hesitantly.
"I am Alalla," she says, leaving off her Elvish last name for the moment. "But I suppose you know that, since I'm assuming you've met Keggruk?"
The other orcs give Chaide and Alalla a wide berth as they enter the camp. Just before they enter a tent made of thick canvass, Alalla notices Erevain shadowing them along the ridge high above. He appears alert, but calm. He nods to her as she ducks into the tent.
"Daughter of Gru-" He cuts off the title. "I do not know what else to call you. I did not think you would come to find me..." He gestures to the pages. "I have struggled to remember everything from our time together, and to write down your words and actions. It seemed to me that any guidance would be better than none at all..." He hesitates, an odd behavior for the proud warrior. "Have you come to show us the way?"