Gunther d20+1=3 d20+1=6 Monday August 30th, 2004 12:50:03 AM
Gunther smiles as he finds the remains in such good shape. He spends the next few days working on the skining and curing the dragon hide. Though the smell is aweful, Gunther goes about his work happily, knowing that it will make a magnificent present one day soon.
On the way into the the city, Gunther is too preoccupied about the impending armor smithing to notice anything out of the ordinary (Spot-3,Listen-6).
Olana d20+13=28 d20+12=24 d20+3=13 Monday August 30th, 2004 1:41:16 AM
"What about this dragon head?" ponders Olana amongst the dragon remains. "Might make a good garden ornament?" If its physically possible, she'll try and drag it back. (STR roll 13)
Spot 28 Listen 24
Days later, on the way to town, the elf points out things that seem a little strange. "That shrubbery doesn't look natural, and I can't hear anything, you know - birds singing and the like."
Brother Bertram d20=3 d20=1 Monday August 30th, 2004 4:34:10 AM
Bertram moves on obliviously, missing any signs of disturbance in the area. At Olana's words, Bertram removes his axe and watches more closely for any signs of trouble.
Figment d20=10 d20=6 Monday August 30th, 2004 6:44:01 AM
The mage is oblivious to the shrubs or the lack of noise. Must be that 'city living'... He contentedly rides Jux until they are pointed out. He decides to put down his reigns in case there is trouble.
This is a Stick...Up..? -- DM Donna d20=1 d20=3 Monday August 30th, 2004 4:58:57 PM
Olana gets some help from the feyfolk who are helping to...ah...fumigate the forest, and so the dragon head is transported to the Tower. Now all you need is the services of a good taxidermist.
Later, on the way to Emerald City, K'Nara is also amongst those who notices nothing until the intrepid ranger points out that the bushes don't appear to be native. As though to underscore Olana's announcement, an errant breeze blows a few of the leaves from off one of the bushes...and they smack K'Nara in her face.
"Hey..." she says as she at first angrily and then contemplatively whips them off and looks closely at them, "...guys...? These things are...paper...?"
"AhhhCHOO!" says one bush, rustling.
"Bless you." another one offers.
"Shut UP, already--they'll get suspicious!" barks another.
All in Common. And they don't sound like plant-type voices either.
K'Nara rolls her hazel eyes, points at Figment, Brother Bertram, Falin and Lian and then at the row of bushes on the group's right. She turns and indicates the lefthand bushes to the rest of the group...then she dismounts from Poki.
One of the bushes gives an exasperated groan and leaps out into the middle of the road--it's NOT a bush, obviously, but a human male who's covered with paper leaves. He clears his throat and reaches his right hand to his left hip.
"Stand...and deliver!" he orders, extracting a short fake branch with more paper leaves on it.
"Psst! Harry! You pulled off part of your disguise!" one of the other bushes hisses. The man drops his branch and gropes around several times as he tries to issue his ultimatum once more.
"S...stand...and...deliv--" Unfortunately by the time Harry the Wannabe Bandit has his longsword cleared of his scabbard, K'Nara already has her trusty blade under his chin.
"My, that's a big sword you have there, Harry," she says in an overly-chipper voice, "But...mine's bigger."
"W-we have arrows..." Harry declares with false and unconvincing bravado, "...arrows trained on each of you!"
K'Nara looks back over her shoulder to see exactly where her Talons are and what they are doing to neutralize the rest of the "bush league" (the majority of which are now shaking hard enough to dislodge even more fake leaves.)
Ingrge Monday August 30th, 2004 5:28:51 PM
having noticed the unbelievably well cameoflaged ambussh attempt Ingrge is already off Moon shadow and casting as K'nara beckons. In just moments there is a 5ft diameter flaming ball rolling along in front of Ingrge.
"Hey you know I though the bushes around here were supposed to be burnt back away from the road so no one could hide in them. As these bushes seem so very flamable, perhaps I will save parnoth the trouble and do it myself."
As he finishes speaking the ball of fire starts slowly rolling toward the left side of the road and the "bushes" over there.
Lian d20+13=14 d20+9=23 Monday August 30th, 2004 9:12:14 PM
"Oh... dear... did you hear that? I think we are going... to be... attacked..." The monks eyebrow raises as he stifles a laugh. He pats Merlot and simply hushes the horses winnie. Whispering to his horse, "It's ok friend, these fools have no idea..."
When arrows are declared openly, Lian dismounts and approaches the 'bushes' slowly.
Looking at Knara, Lian says, "Commander, are you going to kill this one too?" He makes a glance at the brush and trees, seeing if he can spot a number of brigands. (Spot 14, nat 1, Sense Motive 23)
"Oh, my. You wouldn't harm a young unarmed elf, would you?" Lian raises his hands over his head and moves forward a little more. He has NO visible weaponry.
Gunther Tuesday August 31st, 2004 1:38:02 AM
Gunther drops to his characteristic crouch at K'nara's hand signal and goes over to the left flank, his two-bladed sword at the ready. He begins to chuckle at the exchange between K'nara and their would be thieves.
Olana Tuesday August 31st, 2004 1:53:48 AM
As Gunther moves left, Olana moves right, readying her bow.
Falin Tuesday August 31st, 2004 2:29:39 AM
Falin pulls out his bow and knocks and arrow. "You mean arrows like this?" As he tracks onto the nearest brigand.
Athalorn Tuesday August 31st, 2004 4:33:39 AM
The druid smiles at the exchange of words. As he does, he pulls his spear from his back and points it in the direction of the bush he had approached to examine. The spear crackles with electrical energy, and he thrusts the point into the paper disguise of the nearest brigand.
Brother Bertram Tuesday August 31st, 2004 4:35:28 AM
Bertram peers at the strange sight before him and chuckles as the group responds to this 'threat'. He shifts his axe and moves towards one of the shaking bushes.
Figment Tuesday August 31st, 2004 5:58:30 AM
The mage snickers as he percieves the magnitude of the threat and decides to stay mounted. "Maybe we could pay them to go back to town and never try this again?".
Someone Has a Hot Time -- DM Donna d20=20 Tuesday August 31st, 2004 8:07:07 PM
"What's that?" one of the bushes asks as Ingrge's Flaming sphere rolls idly toward them.
"FIRE!" yells the closest bush, and the man literally jumps out of his leaves, scrambling backwards and falling down on his butt.
The others follow suit...or try to.
Meanwhile, K'Nara points out the obvious to Harry:
"Look--I just don't think this should be your chosen profession, Harry." she says. "You just don't seem to have the...luck required."
"We were doing okay..." Harry sullenly insists, even as one of his less-dexterous comrades begins running back and forth, his fake leaves smoldering, "...until you guys came by! Just who do you think you are, anyhow--the Emerald Talons???"
The flaming bandit runs by again, hollering.
"As a matter of fact--" K'Nara says, only to be interrupted by the fiery unfortunate, whose bandit buddies were tripping over themselves yet unable to put out the flickering flames that were threatening to envelop him.
"Oh, for the love of the gods!!!" the leader of the Talons groans, kicking her foot out and tripping the panicky bandit so that he sprawled at her feet (OOC: made a natural 20 on that roll.) Then she whipped off her cloak and dropped it over the smoking human.
"You have to smother th--" she no sooner tells the others this when there is a sudden dogpile on the man on the ground, who grunts and "oofs" as each of his fellows lands on him.
"Get up--get UP--you'll crush him to death!" K'Nara snaps, rolling her eyes once more. The bandits peel themselves off the ex-fire victim, who slowly regains his feet (rather unsteadily) and gives the redheaded warrior back her cloak.
"Thanks..." he says, then nods at Harry. "We don't normally come this close to the City...it's just that we've...um...robbed everyone in our hamlet...so we needed to do new routes...and the army was pulled back into the City itself so we thought the main road was ripe for the picking..."
"Shut up, Rex!" Harry snaps, but he's more pouty than angry.
"Look--we've tried jumping 'em from behind--we did the 'injured guy in the middle of the road'...and I just nearly became roasted alive..." Rex says, "We've only gotten 18 silver pieces and a ball of twine for our trouble! Let's just go back home and forget this 'swashbuckling bandit' thing, okay? It's NOT working!"
"Go." K'Nara says, replacing Lucia and hooking her thumb away from Emerald City. "Get on back to where you came from--and if I ever hear that you've tried this stuff on ANYone ever again...I'll let those Emerald Talons know all about it! THEN you'll be sorry!"
This galvanizes the rest of the bandit troupe to just turn tail and bravely run away. Harry finally goes with Rex, muttering about fame and fortune all the way.
"Now...if there is no longer any vicious plant life in our way...shall we go to Emerald City..?" K'Nara asks her comrades, laughing as she remounts her trusty horse.
Lian Tuesday August 31st, 2004 9:32:48 PM
"As for that 18 silver and the twine you collected... it just so happens that the Ambush Tax for this road is 18 silver. The orphans could use these monies."
"Perhaps finding an actual job might be a good thing for you."
Figment Tuesday August 31st, 2004 9:45:59 PM
The mage just sits on Jux, not sure what to do. He just waits for K'Nara to get the group back underway.
Ingrge Tuesday August 31st, 2004 10:08:51 PM
Letting the flaming ball follow along behind the fleeing wannabes, Ingrge chuckles. "That was almost fun... then he scowls and goes back to Moon Shadow.
Athalorn Wednesday September 1st, 2004 3:29:08 AM
Looking up to the sky, to ensure that Glannath is still with him, Athalorn keeps hold of his spear and follows the rest of the group.
Falin Wednesday September 1st, 2004 11:05:53 AM
With a slight smile crossing his face, Falin places his arrow back in his quiver and shoulders his bow.
Lucia Wednesday September 1st, 2004 11:08:32 AM *"I think you have gotten soft now that you have a home. You could have taken them.* K'Nara can detect a hint of a smile on her words.
K'Nara Wednesday September 1st, 2004 2:35:30 PM
"Yeah, yeah..." she mutters out loud, "...I'm a real softie--choosing not to beat down a bunch of nearly-defenseless rubes." Checking to see that the other Talons are all ready to continue, K'Nara clucks to Poki and begins to trot towards the gates of the City.
Gunther Wednesday September 1st, 2004 3:25:02 PM
The warrior smiles and wishes that all conflicts could be dispelled as easily as this one...mind you, not that he wasn't up to a good fight or two. Just sometimes he wonders what his life would have been like if he hadn't taken up adventuring... He might have even found a nice orc lady to cuddle up with and start a family. But then he thinks back to his "family" and upbringing and shakes his head. No, things were the way they were on purpose. This was the way it was meant to happen.
Having no mount of his own, Gunther travels behind the other on foot, rather enjoying his stroll into town.
Brother Bertram Wednesday September 1st, 2004 6:06:56 PM
Bertram watches the figures of the would-be bandits disappearing into the distance, "Pity we dont have a bard to immortalize us all with a song of our bravery at 'The Battle of Burning Bush'."
The gates...(ADM Jay B) Wednesday September 1st, 2004 7:21:41 PM
As the band of pathetic brigands disperse, the Talons all remount and continue toward the city gate.
Coming upon the gate, the Talons may recognize the guards on duty. Their the same slack-jawed morons that were giving the blind old lady some trouble.
As the Talons stop at the gate, the lead guard steps forward, grinning and snickering to his friends. One guard points at Lian, and the other stifles his laughter. One very grumpy looking guard seems very intent on watching Olana and Ingrge. The lead gate guard starts in on his speel. "What is your business in the City?"
Ingrge Wednesday September 1st, 2004 8:26:34 PM
You know, If our business were your business then perhaps you would have the right to know. Of course if you were aware of what your business was, we wouldn't have had to break up a bunch of brigands that tried to waylay us just around the bend of the road. Now move out of our way before My friend whom you are pointing at loses his temper and I get down right mad. That said he rides forward and if any of the guards tries to stop his horse, Ingrge will ride him down.
Gunther Wednesday September 1st, 2004 10:52:59 PM
The warrior giggles at Ingrge's harsh words...certainly not what he imagined from an elf. It seemed that the Wold was full of surprises. Looking at the guards, Gunther simply states the truth. "Do not mind my friend here... he is just a little grumpy from almost being robed. Ve are here to do a simple bit of shopping. Dat is all."
Olana Thursday September 2nd, 2004 12:20:12 AM
"Good morning!" says Olana breezily to the guards, intent on following Ingrge through the gate.
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