Adventures in Grath - Gameplay

Jory takes it all in. "Zylo, you can ride a pony for now. Until you earn enough gold for my prized steed. I'll give you the same deal as Delrun here, 5 gold for rental." He reaches out his hand to yours and shakes. He turns to Delrun. Aentar is the destination, sir. Lets get the horses and the cart ready. I have enough stores for a week's journey. If we hunt along the way, we can make it in a fortnight."

Jory and his father start saddling their horses and getting their cart ready. Toth grunts to the group, "Make yourselves useful. We have a long journey ahead...and my mother will need an easy ride."

Tolr'ax wrote:Jory takes it all in. "Zylo, you can ride a pony for now. Until you earn enough gold for my prized steed. I'll give you the same deal as Delrun here, 5 gold for rental." He reaches out his hand to yours and shakes. He turns to Delrun. Aentar is the destination, sir. Lets get the horses and the cart ready. I have enough stores for a week's journey. If we hunt along the way, we can make it in a fortnight."

Jory and his father start saddling their horses and getting their cart ready. Toth grunts to the group, "Make yourselves useful. We have a long journey ahead...and my mother will need an easy ride."

"I appreciate the courtesy and I will hold you to that." I get one final stretch in," Lets us get this all together then."

As the morning passes, the horses are tied together in a line, 11 of them. 2 rows of 5 with one in the front as the leader. Toth and Yidi are in the cart, which has 4 horses pulling it. The cart has the family's most valuable and essential possessions. It takes the entire morning to get all the things set up.

Jory leads on the war horse. All the horses have saddles on as well and are loaded with saddle bags.

The marching order is Jory at the front, Toth and Yidi in the cart with the team of horses trailing behind them. Banmila is as close to Shoshana as she can be. (You 3 can pick where in line you want to fall).

In the fore.

I watch the left flanks, shield on my left arm guarding the family wagon.

I stand near the front near Jory. Hears pointed and eyes looking for any suspision.

As the caravan leaves the stable, fully packed with a week's supply of food, the midday sun is high and everyone can see down the streets clearly. Bodies litter the muddy streets, birds pecking at the meat. A stray dog chews on a corpse's limp hand. The smell of death lingers in the air. The horses stir at the odor. The street is deserted otherwise. Toth and Jory keep their eyes open as they head South down the street.

I look toward Jory,"I assume dis is not yer typical mornin'."

I scan the streets for any signs of life or other items *Perception +2

Zylo - Jory shakes his head, "usually bustling". You hear sounds of the animals around you. You don't see anything that you didn't see last night. Just bodies, blood, and animals. There are a few more of the crudely painted murals on some of the buildings.


Everyone:
As your group reaches the South Gate, you spy 5 men, standing a the gate. The gate is closed.

I look ahead and try to determine what they are wearing, what weapons they are holding, if slaves or guards.

Perception +2

Zylo - You see that they are not in any type of uniform. They are wearing mixed sets of armor, like they were gathered over time from various places.
One of the men has an ornamental face covering.
One man is significantly larger than the rest, his muscular arms are as big around as Shoshana's body, and he stands at around 8ft tall, he is not wearing any armor, just a few ornaments from his beard, and some leather wrappings around his sledgehammer hands.
The other three are in mismatched armor and clothes. All three of them have weapons on their hips.
You cannot make out any facial markings on any of them.

You also see a body crumpled on the ground, moving away from the five men. A long trail of deep red blood between them, getting longer with every inch the body moves from the gatekeepers.

"What kind of bloody mess is dis?" I yell loud enough for the others to hear

Banmila lets out a squeak when she sees it, her face wrinkled in cringe. "Oh my...this isn't good."

"Speak small one. Why are you so afraid?"

"Look at them, you fool!" Her arms flail in the general direction of the men and her face curls with worry. "These guys look like freed prisoners..." She looks straight at them.

Jory addresses the group."They were too vicious to be sold into slavery. That is why this town has the prison, we would get the criminals from the other parts of the island, if they were tame enough to enslave, they would get sold. If they were like that brute," he points to the giant man, they get chained in a cell until they die. The slaves must have broken into the prison...." he signals to slow the convoy.

I look to the inevitable fight coming, smile and think to my self that I better not get my arse kicked again..

(How close are we from them now?)

Shoshana isn't listening. She is staring, with unabashed attraction, at the giant. "Those ornaments, mhmm." She flushes a bit, before shaking visibly. "Perhaps they can be bought off with horseflesh?" She says to Jory.

"Calm down then wee lass, and stay behind." My shield raises higher as I ride to the front towards the guards, "We need to pass..can the gate be opened?" My eyes veer towards the crippled man, hoping we can avoid the same trouble.

Jory nods to Shoshana, "Aye, maybe..or they could try to kill us and keep all the horses, and you and wee Banmila there for their pleasure."

Zylo - you are about 200 feet away from them.

"What's your plan?" Jory asks Shoshana as the team of horses gets closer to the shut gate and its guards.

Tolr'ax wrote:Jory nods to Shoshana, "Aye, maybe..or they could try to kill us and keep all the horses, and you and wee Banmila there for their pleasure."

Banmila yells at Derun. "We'll I don't bloody know! Do I look like a guard to you?!" Her voice is panicked.

"What's your plan?" Jory asks Shoshana as the team of horses gets closer to the shut gate and its guards.

Shoshana clears her throat, reddening again after his talk of pleasure. "We talk. Do a deal. If not..."

(I was talking to the guards sorry if that wasn't clear.)

I ride up to the guards, cautious but sitting straight, and ask the guards the same question. "We seek passage through here, if that not be any trouble?" I grin slightly, not to show myself on edge.

As you ride up, you catch the gatekeepers' attention.

The masked figure comes forward towards you. The Large Man walks to the gate, his hand reaches up and grasps what you can only assume is his weapon, he holds it there waiting for an excuse to draw it.

A voice comes pouring slowly from the masked one, "You wish to pass, Dwarf? And what would we gain from your passage?" the voice is smooth and high pitched, you are uncertain if this masked figure is a man or woman. The voice is nearly monotone, but soothing in its own way. "You all don't seem to be freed slaves, seeing as your faces are unadorned." The Masked One moves as if gliding across the ground instead of stepping, the garment worn by this one is long and flowing, robe-like, and elegant and clean, unlike the rest of the gatekeepers. "Maybe you are slavers that have gotten lucky to escape your newly freed property." Of what you can see, this one is the only one without a weapon. "Maybe we should deliver you to Freedom and let her judge if you may pass...unless......you have another idea?"

Of what you can see of the gate, it is a stone wall that surrounds the town, it is 20 ft high and has 3 gates that block the arched tunnel. The tunnel is about 15 feet deep (a gate every 5 feet) long and 10 feet wide. All three gates look to be iron, rusty and not well maintained, but still near impossible to get through without significant force. The tops of the walls are lined with spikes pointed down.

From what you all know, the wall surrounds the town and keeps outsiders out and insiders in. You all entered through this gate when it was open to get into the town. The usual guards that keep watch on either side on top of the tunnel are gone, most likely dead. To the left of the tunnel is one of the murals in blood.

I look to the masked figure, their graceful movement taking me aback. Yet I grow curious of..it. "We are no masters except of trade. I came to work the mines. The farmers seek another home, if a bargain fer passage is what you seek, what be the price? We have some food, perhaps a sturdy horse." My hand runs through my beard as my mind wonders why this person hides their identity, but I try to keep focused.

Shoshana will move her horse forward, past the dwarf and Mask. She will stop in front of the giant, even mounted as she was only meeting his eyes at level with her own. She makes no move to hide her attentions, however, says nothing... Only biting her bottom lip. Just a little... Nibble. (Persuasion +8 )