"I suggest we take the ransom along, but be prepared for a fight. Just in case they decide to spontaneously increase the price."
"Possibly the guild might pay, if the dame is who I think she is. Failing that, I guess we'll just have to kill them."
After hearing the lizardman's words Syleen turns towards him and gives him a questioning look. "If she is who you think? Would you mind explaining what you mean?" Let's see if he knows something the rest of us don't, or if he's just guessing...
Keira just smiled at the half-elf, not minding in the slightest what she was called by her friend. She cocked her head through the conversation across from them until Syleen asked her question. "Maybe its our guild lady... shes more than half a day late after all!" She chimed in happily, smiling brightly at the elf. "But really who she is doesn't matter right? We gotta do something either way."
(OK, people, I did warn you all that this was something that has derailed my games in the past, comming back to a flood of messages like this. This time I got through it, but each time it gets harder in my experience, so please, exercise restraint...) The guard throws up his hands. "Whoa, whoa there, give a man and minute to collect his thoughts before you fire off questions like a volley from a catapult loaded with grapeshot!" The hapless guard exclaims. "There were about forty that I saw at the start, mostly the ankle biters but about a quarter blue noses, but before we were done with them only fifteen or so survived, of which five were the big jobs and ten scrappers. I saw no magisters among them but potions and alchemist's fire they had in plenty, so it's a sure bet they have some back at their base camp. They did refer to the good Knight by name, their leader demanded her surrender personally when the majority were taken or dead, and I am surprised she complied, but she did." He pauses and takes a swig of the glass of milk that was brought by one of the servers. "The leader was a big brute of a Hobgoblin, stood six feet if an inch, and had more muscle than an orc. Of those taken most were our passengers and drovers, some twenty in all, but few of name other than Dame Naevys. At the start of the fight we were the better armed and armored, but as you can see," He gestures to his empty scabbard, "They striped us of out weapons and the dead of their armor so it's safe to say they are better equipped now." He Drinks again before finishing answering the questions. "I only signed on at the dwarf hold, so I didn't know the rest well, but I know Dame Naevys by reputation, she's an old adventurer, past her prime but still spry, and skilled with both blade and spell. They also took Lady Ingrane Balvon, the daughter of Count Saloric Balvon and Captain Valiant Chambers, our commanding officer. The rest I didn't know. The guild won't authorize payment without proof of life, and often not even then, not to members of the Unhuman Races. Their best chance lies in a rescue while the enemy is weak from the fighting..." He explains, and drains the cup.
So he was just guessing. Syleen nods to herself after hearing Damar's answer. She's about to answer Keira, too, when the wounded man starts talking and she focuses her attention on him instead. “Thank you, that is most helpful.” The elf tells the guard after listening to his story. And more than I expected. She adds in her mind before taking a few moments to go over everything she just heard. “Something doesn't feel right here. How and why would the goblins know who the Dame is? And it seems like the ambush was very well organized...” She says to herself, but loud enough for the rest to hear. She then goes silent, trying to remember anything she might have heard about Dame Naevys, Lady Ingrane Balvon, her father Count Saloric Balvon, or about Captain Valiant Chambers... (If it is allowed, using Knowledge: Sexual to see if Syleen has heard anything about the four named people – if she has it will likely be something 'juicy', considering the skill. Result: 23 16(roll)+1 (skill rank)+3(INT)+0(race)+3(class skill) If not, I''ll just assume she has not heard anything of interest about them.)
Keira stepped back up to the man when he finished talking and gave him a comforting smile. "You've done great, just leave the rest to us okay? and make sure you stick to water and try not to walk around too much!" After giving him one more pat on the back, she turned back to look to Syleen, Nalana, and the lizardman, waiting for their thoughts. "I'm no good at making plans, i'll leave all the smart stuff to you three. Just tell me where to go and who to punch!" She said, slamming her fist into her open hand with a resounding crack, still smiling.
You have a choice: learn 1 fact/rumor about each person, 2 facts/rumors about 2 people, or 4 facts/rumors about one person. If you choose the second or third option you must decide who you wish to know about; however if you go with the last choice you may roll again up to 3 times for the other individuals; keeping in mind that the quality of information you get on each one may be much lower...
Alright, then. I choose to know 4 rumors about Lady Ingrane Balvon. I also make 3 extra rolls for the other three people in this order: Dame Naevys Result 17 (10(roll)+1(skill rank)+3(INT)+0(race)+3(class skill)) Count Saloric Balvon Result 21 (14(roll)+1(skill rank)+3(INT)+0(race)+3(class skill)) Captain Valiant Chambers Result 22 (15(roll)+1(skill rank)+3(INT)+0(race)+3(class skill)) Fun fact: My next roll (if there was one) would have been my best yet – 25 (18 roll+7 from bonuses).
Okay, you know the following information: Lady Ingrane Balvon was born to Count Saloric Balvon and his late wife Countess Alemisal Balvon-ne-Suzarin (A Forest Elf) 22 years ago. She has a reputation for probity and chastity. Not less than ten men are courting her, some of high rank. Her health is poor, she is not considered a good candidate for bearing children. Dame Naevys Mirara has been married four times. She has one child by each husband. She is a Full-blooded elf in her mid 400s, and came to Lore as a slip of a girl at the age of 160, where she was a founding member of the Adventurers Guild and married the first Grand Master of the guild as her first husband. Count Saloric Balvon, fourth of that name, is a human man in his late 70s, and is said to now be impotent. He inherited his title at 51 when both of his elder siblings died without living issue. Though he had children later in life he married an elfin woman of relatively low rank, Countess (Ne-Dame) Alemisal Balvon (Ne-Suzarin), and made up for lost time by begetting 6 children on her. The last of those pregnancies killed her, and he has been mad with grief ever since: locking himself in his own dungeon on charges of murder. Captain Valiant Chambers is married, to another Mercenary Captain that he often works alongside. But, he has a reputation for being an inveterate philanderer. Yet, at the same time, his wife appears entirely satisfied with their arrangements. Intrestingly though she has no reputation for sleeping around herself during the long stretches they are apart.
It takes her the better part of a minute, but eventually Syleen manages to remember several rumors she has heard about the four people mentioned by the wounded guard. Most of them are of no help in the current situation, but one rumor involving Lady Ingrane Balvon could be important... She turns her gaze back to the wounded guard. “Two more questions, if I may. One, what was Lady Ingrane Balvon's condition the last time you saw her? Was she feeling well? I've heard rumors about her having poor health...” She pauses briefly before switching the topic. “And two, what would be the consequences if any of us get involved in this? We are not yet members of the Guild. Would any of the higher ups complain about outsiders interfering with Guild business?” She was willing to help, but not if some asshole would try to use her as a scapegoat to cover his own mistakes.
Nalana hummed. She really disliked the idea of working with the pure-blood, but she seemed to be one of few... people with common sense in the area. She took the lizardman and pure-blooded Elf to the side, out of the earshot of the guard - and shared her theories. “I see four possible scenarios.” “First,” She straightens one of her fingers “the least possible scenario is that the goblins indeed want the gold from ransom – I would consider this option completely unlikely, as only total morons would risk an ire of nobility and the guild-” Her eyes land on Keira, then move to the barbarian. “No – I take it back, it is a completely realistic scenario.” “Second,” she straightens another finger “this is some kind of screwed up, overly realistic test for us and Dame Naevys is the one behind this.” “Third,” she rises another finger “Dame Naevys is a decoy, to lure someone into an ambush... the question is who?” “Fourth,” Nalana smiles “we are victims of purposeful disinformation. Because, how would we know, that anything the guard told was true? Maybe he is part of the group that kidnapped the Dame and came here to leave false leads?”
Damar looks pointedly at Syleen."We must act fast, before any harm can come to the hostages. I doubt the guild will punish us for saving the lives of nobles." Damar turns to the rest of the party. "A plan built on a second-hand recounting is no plan at all." He holds up one thick finger. "First, we must find these goblins, see their numbers and equipment for ourselves, then we can build our plan."
Syleen listens carefully to the half-elf's words. She's about to answer when she hears Damar speak and looks at him. “I hate to tell you, but... You'd be surprised what some people would do, be it out of spite, malice, fear, or just plain greed. Or good old stupidity – never underestimate people's ability to act dumb. And second-hand information is still better than no information.” The elf turns her attention back to Nalana. "Personally, I like the second idea best, but I doubt this is the case. It's too easy, and things are rarely this easy. As for the other possibilities... Anything is possible. For example someone could be using the goblins as a distraction, to do something while everyone is focused on the hostages and the ransom." She pauses for a moment. "Based on the limited information we have I'd go with the first possibility for now, but we should not discount the rest just yet. Maybe I'm just tired and paranoid after waiting for half a day, but I have the feeling that something is wrong here... Let's see if the guard has anything helpful to add." The elf looks at the wounded man.
The Guard makes his reply: "Well, as to the Lady Belvon's purposes on this trip, as I've said, I was only with the caravan 12 days, so I don't know much. She was headed for some temple on the coast, the goddess 'Alhambra' so I heard, though I've never heard of that goddess before. Supposedly she was going to immerse herself in the goddess' sacred spring, though I don't know why or weather this is normaly allowed or what have you," the guard explains. He takes a drink from the fresh glass of milk that has been brought by one of the servers, and then continues: "As for if you would get in trouble with the Guild for mounting a rescue, that's not my department. I'm an independent member of The Mercenary's Guild, but lately under contract with Captain Valiant Chambers as part of his 'Silver Gryphons' for the duration of their current service as caravan guards. Since that service is clearly at an end my duty will be discharged once I've reported to the local Count about the ambush. I do know this though: almost every Guild Hall of the Adventurer's Guild that I've ever visited has a 'Keep' in residence. The Keep, like the Captain of an approved Company, is authorized to extend limited membership in the Guild for specific purposes within their area of influence. For a mercenary Captain it's 'Contracted Membership' with their Company, f0r a Keep, who are based at specific guild halls, I'd imagine it's more along the lines of limited authorization for specific missions in their own areas," he drinks again and looks everyone over. "No offense meant, but you don't seem like a very experienced lot. Some of the men in our company were veterans of a dozen battles, as am I, but, as my contract is soon to be over I would not object if you get authorization to mount this rescue if you hired me on as a backup to your party. The Mercenaries Guild often works closely with the Adventurers Guild, in fact there was a time about a century ago when they were one and the same for a few decades, so if you have authorization to go on this venture I could guide you back to where the ambush happened and lend my sword arm to the fighting thereafter;" He pauses and looks at his empty scabbard, "if I was given a sword and contracted you understand..." he finishes, resting his wounded foot on another chair and drinking from his glass of milk again.
Keira sighed when the guard continued to drink milk despite what she said but didn't press the issue. "I'm gunna be honest, I didn't really get much of that," Keira replied dimly, "but I don't think you should be going anywhere until you've seen a healer. I'm no expert but those wounds could get infected, and you already left a trail to where the ambush was anyway!" Keira indicated the blood spot trail that the guard had left in his wake with a smile. "Going into a fight hurt is a bad idea no matter how exp... no matter how good you are. I'll leave the decision up to my friends, but dont push yourself." With that said the monk sat down cross-legged and looked to the rest of the group for their opinions.
"So... we talk to this keep person, and they make it legal for us to kill those goblins?" Damar looks around, Questioningly. "So we do that first, right?"
