Caelesti's notes

Date

10/18/2007

Log

The party settled on a plan. Mavis and Yoshi woke up the bowmen. Talon cast Detect Thoughts. The bowmen were told that they had to give up their lives as bandits if they wanted to live. All agreed, but only two seemed honestly sincere, and one was borderline. The party then brought their leader, Brun, to consciousness. Brun was questioned and also told to give up banditry. He also agreed, but thought about getting revenge on the party if he were let go. Caelesti announced the insincerity of the bandit leader, and stated that his punishment was death. Mavis and Yoshi killed Brun. The party then questioned the others again. All four bowmen now seemed to sincerely intend to give up banditry. The party freed all four in turn; each headed south.

The party kept the bandits' stuff: (from bowmen) masterwork leather (4), masterwork buckler (4), masterwork shortsword (4), masterwork short bow (4); (from Brun) magical chainmail, magical longsword, heavy shield, masterwork short bow; (from Jackie) magical studded leather, masterwork buckler, magical short sword, masterwork short bow; (from campsite) horses (6), 368 gp, 192 sp, and a paper with the notation "lot 42, lot 68, lot 81". Mavis believed that the lots could be associated with a pawnshop or warehouse.

The party traveled north. Days later they arrived at the spot where they believe the kidnapped Nessey had crossed the river. There were signs of an old barbarian encampment.

Talon's notes

Talon: No path, no road, on open steppes heading north presently, but stopped for brigands
Carric: Hello Carric rolls Save/Will (d20 + 7): [17 + 7] = 24
Carric rolls Save/Will (d20 + 7): [17 + 7] = 24
Talon rolls Bluff -Talon? (d20 + 12): [19 + 12] = 31
Talon rolls Diplomacy (d20 + 12): [15 + 12] = 27
Carric rolls Save/Will (d20 + 7): [4 + 7] = 11
Talon: Talon has a private, womanly chat with Caelesti and Mavis.
Talon: Then with Carric.
Talon: Carric asks about the location of her scattered silver scales.
Talon speaks of getting something off her chest and of revelations. Then she reveals that she has "recently" learned Detect Thoughts and asks if she try it out "for the first time" on Black Night?
Talon: Someone else does a Detect Thoughts on Carric while Talon is talking to him and discovers he is not trusting Talon as well, but also is wondering where all her scales are located and if they all look the same and some lusty thoughts on top of that.
Talon: conjuring Detect Thoughts
Talon: Talon hums to herself as she conjures by tintin
Talon: Caelesti is frustrated. She thinks taking their stuff and just letting them go is too lax
Talon: Yoshi chatises Caelesti for putting words in his mouth. He would still consider executing the leader, depending on how the interview goes.
Talon: Caelesti - we have to tell the followers that if they do it again, we will execute them.
Talon: We all agree.
Mavis: each archer has: mwk leather, mwk buckler, mwk shortsword, mwk shortbow and a horse .... somewhere
Talon: Mavis asks if we should wake up the archers and let them see how we deal with the Big Guy, their leader, Black Night.
Talon: Others agree.
Talon: Yoshi says they should be aware
Talon: Yoshi volunteers to slap them awake
Talon: Mavis and Yoshi go off together to do so
Talon: Mavis says to bowmen, we hve defeated you, you are our prisoners.
Talon: Yoshi - we require that you abandon your evil ways.
Talon: Mavis pulls out her rapier - But if you don't, we will slay you, no sweat off our brows.
Mavis rolls 1d20 (d20): [5] = 5
Mavis rolls 1d20 (d20): [14] = 14
Talon: I have 3 Detect Thoughts today
Mavis rolls Mavis Intimidate (d20 + 4): [16 + 4] = 20
Talon: Readying Detect Thoughts for Bowmen and Black Night when they are awake
Mavis rolls Mavis Intimidate (d20 + 4): [3 + 4] = 7
Mavis rolls Mavis Intimidate (d20 + 4): [7 + 4] = 11
Mavis rolls Mavis Intimidate (d20 + 4): [18 + 4] = 22
Talon: I follow Caelesti around with my Detect Thoughts up
Talon: Caelesti is questioning each in turn
Mavis rolls 1d20 (d20): [20] = 20
Talon: Caelesti says - what's really going is wouldn't you rather be able to live a long life with a family and kids and an honest job rather than have a short life of bandit
Talon: He says - oh, yeah, I see what you mean.
Yoshi rolls Skill:Sense Motive (d20 + 9 + 3 + 5): [7 + 9 + 3 + 5] = 24
Talon: Talon does not Detect any Thoughts on him.
Mavis rolls 1d20 (d20): [15] = 15
Mavis rolls Mavis Sense Motive (d20 + 7): [20 + 7] = 27
Talon: Carric says to him - tell me young man... how did you find out about us?
Talon: Bowman 4 - I was ya know um, Jackie came riding up on the horse and talked to Brune and said we've got a group coming up, come on.
Talon: Carric - Is Buddy Jackie?
Talon: Bowman 4 - yes
Talon: Carric - do you have any people who tip you off, accomplices.
Talon: B4 - No, just Jackie. It's all Barbarian Territory around here. We have to keep lookouts.
Talon: Caelesti - so where are your horses?
Talon: B4- up there beyond that dune (points North)
Mavis: Brune Talon: Yoshi - are there any more people in your group who hang out at the outpost?
Talon: B4 - not that I am aware of
Talon: Calesti - what did Brune say that made you want to be a bandit? Was life at home that bad?
Yoshi rolls Skill:Sense Motive (d20 + 9 + 3 + 5): [5 + 9 + 3 + 5] = 22
Talon: B4- It seemed like a good idea at the time. All my buddies were doing it. You keep that woman with the rapier away from me.
Talon: Yoshi - that depends on your answer
Talon: Caelesti - does it seem like a good idea now?
Talon: B4 - Not right at this moment.
Talon: Caelesti - so where do you come from?
Talon: B4 - I came from Rowansmeade. Seems like a good deal cause we don't have to give a cut to the thieves guild
Talon: Calesti - Aren't there any other skills you know that you could do - besides being a thieve - and that seems fun?
Talon: B4 - Hey, I didn't want to do what my Dad did. Who wants to carry barrels down by the docks all day.
Talon: Carric - It's an honest profession.
Talon: B4 - It's dangerous and not fun. And so you are saying I should go back and be a porter of barrels? At leat this was fun.. But if it's a choice between that and being stabbed by a rapier, I'll go back to Rowansmeade witih my Dad.
Mavis rolls 1d20 (d20): [5] = 5
Talon: Caelesti repeats her talk about short life vs long life
Talon: Talon detects his thoughts, B3 thinks - who is she kidding, I ran away from the wife and kids - she thinks I should go back to that hell on earth life I had there and give up this life of freedom?
Talon: Hmmmn, go back to Hell on Earth or Die now? Tough choice
Talon: He says - so basically, you are threatening me? You are going to kill me if I don't stop being a bandit?
Talon: Caelesti - pretty much.
Talon: B3 - Well, I'm new here. I came here cause my friends invited me and they seemed to be having a good time.
Talon: Caelsti - Well, being mean to others is not fun.
Talon: B3 - What do you mean? I mean... I see what you mean!
Yoshi rolls Skill:Sense Motive (d20 + 9 + 3 + 5): [5 + 9 + 3 + 5] = 22
Talon: B3 - Oh, man, what can I say to get these to let me go.
Talon: Carric is distracted (perhaps by Talon) so Caelesti is doing the bulk of the questioning.
Talon: Yoshi says "he does not appear to be sincere and we need to interview him again later."
Talon: Caelesti repeats her talk with Bowman 2.
Talon: He is a young kid. He looks really scared.
Talon: He says - I'm sorry, I'm just here with my brother - he indicates the one poisoned by wasp.
Talon: cae - Well your brother is alive but looks like he is hurt pretty bad. That's what happens to bandits eventually - they run into a stronger group.
Talon: B2 - The last group was really easy and just gave up their stuff. You could have just given up some of your stuff and that would have been more fun.
Talon: Caelesti - well, your friend Jackie is dead. That could be you next.
Yoshi rolls Skill:Sense Motive (d20 + 9 + 3 + 5): [20 + 9 + 3 + 5] = 37
Mavis rolls 1d20 (d20): [2] = 2
Talon: He is an open book to Yoshi and Talon.
Talon: We know he is sincere and really, really regrets his banditry
Talon: Caelesti - We are going to go talk to your brother now.
Talon: B3 - You gonna let me go?
Talon: Talon to Yoshi - Sincere.
Talon: To the kid - Perhaps. (per letting him go)
Talon: Caelesti - later.
Talon: B2 - You keep that nasty lady away from me - indicates Mavis.
Talon: Mavis smirks.
Talon: We go to Bowman 1, who is stable, but unconscious as opposed to sleeping. We have to cure him up a little.
Talon: We can't figure out how to cure up B1 cheaply enough to suit us.
Talon: Yoshi can lay hands on him - but only to worsen his condition, not improve it.
Talon: Talon keeps expressing the deep desire that Yoshi be able to heal.
Yoshi rolls his eyes.
Talon: Carric does cure minor for 1
Talon: He is just conscious, beat up and unhappy
Talon: He says - Whoa?
Talon: he is dazed and confused
Talon: He says - I thought I was a gonner.
Talon: Caelesti - you still could be. We don't take kindly to thieves.
Talon: B1 - Well, can't blame you for that!
Talon: Cae - unfortunately, you led your younger brother into this bad life.
Talon: B1 says - Well, okay, maybe I did.
Talon: Caelesti - well, look over there by the mules, see Jackie? Is he one of your buddies? That could happen to you.
Talon: B1 - Oh, that couldn't happen.
Talon: Mavis unsheaths her rapier and points it at him.
Talon: Caelsti - how would you feel if that happened to your brother?
Talon: B1 - any group that would do that to him, would do that to me, so we'd go together.
Talon: Yoshi - I wouldn't assume that!
Talon: B1 looks at Yoshi and is puzzled,
Talon: Yoshi - if you do not decide to become an honest, hardworking citizen, we may well kill you and not your brother.
Talon: B1- I would rather be honest OR hardworking. I am already hard working. Perhaps I could just be honest instead,
Talon: Caleslti - you find this funny?
Talon: B1- Okay, tell me the deal, what do I have to do?
Talon: Carric - you have to give up being a thief.
Talon: Yoshi - you have to go straight
Talon: Caelesti - the world is full of wonderful things for those who live to enjoy them.
Talon: B1 - you got me and the rest of us, but what will you do when Brune comes to get ya?
Talon: Caelesti _ you mean that guy, over there, who is tied up and unconscious.
Talon: B1 - grows pale, yeah him
Talon: Caelesti - we haven't killed him yet
Yoshi rolls Skill:Sense Motive (d20 + 9 + 3 + 5): [2 + 9 + 3 + 5] = 19
Talon: B1 - I don't think you are going to kill us or you would have already.
Talon: Yoshi _ do you feel lucky, punk?
Talon: Carric - we have let you live to find out if we can convince you to go straight.
Talon: We know he is putting on a brave front, but not completely recalcitrant
Talon: He is neither as insincere, nor as sincere as others
Talon: Carric - alright, time to talk to the big man
Talon: Big man has -
Talon: Brune as in Prune
Talon: Brune born of Prune, soon to swoon, in death
Mavis: magical chainmail, magical longsword, heavy shield, mwk short bow, horse .... somewhere
Talon: Jackie/Buddy has --
Mavis: magical studded leather, mwk buckler, magical short sword, mwk short bow. And... Somewhere, the horse.
Talon: DM tells us we can find masterwork stirrups
Talon: And spurs
Talon: Carric says he has ranks in ride and wants to ride one of the woman and eyes Talon.
Talon: Talon concentrates on brune
Talon: Brune the Black Night is beaten into submission
Talon rolls Healing Belt 1 Charge (2d8): [1 + 5] = 6
Talon: If that make him conscious, then I do my second Detect Thoughts
Talon: Brune shudders and settles and slowly opens his eyes and look up at us
Mavis rolls 1d20 (d20): [9] = 9
Mavis rolls 1d20 (d20): [12] = 12
Talon: I detect his thoughts
Mavis rolls Mavis Will Save (d20 + 9): [13 + 9] = 22
Mavis rolls Mavis Intimidate (d20 + 4): [1 + 4] = 5
Talon: Mavis pulls out her rapier and says - we're here, we didn't have to bring you back, you are at our mercy
Talon: unconvincing
Talon: He smirks
Talon: Caelesti - look, we are youi captors and we could kill you know for attacking us and tryinng to rob us or you could figure out that this kind of life isn't going to get you anywhere but dead.
Yoshi rolls Skill:Sense Motive (d20 + 9 + 3 + 5): [5 + 9 + 3 + 5] = 22
Talon: Caelesti - Your friend is dead. You could be in the same boat.
Talon: He leans back and acts cool, but is thinking "holy shit, they did get Jackie."
Talon: Caelesti - what we are trying to convince you all to do is give up your life as bandits and have a normal life perhaps with a family and new trade.
Talon: Brune = and then you will let us go?
Talon: Caelesti - yes.
Talon: Brune - well of course I'd rather live. What does it take to convince you?
Talon: Yoshi - you are not interviewing you for our own enjoyment. You need to be sincere. We could have left you for dead.
Talon: Brune - you killed my buddy and tied up the others, are you torturing my friends?
Talon: Celesti - they are simply tied up
Talon: Brune _ what do these wierd people REALLY want?
Talon: Brune - I see your point, leading a successful bandit has not paid off this time.
Talon: Caelesti - eventually you were bound to go up against a group you could not beat
Talon: Yoshi - and many of those groups would not be so merciful.
Talon: Brune - I absolutely see your point. You are in a position of strength.
Talon: Yoshi - it is not a question of strength, but of right.
Talon: Brune - you've got the might, you've got the right
Mavis rolls Brune Bluff (d20 + 3): [6 + 3] = 9
Yoshi rolls Skill:Sense Motive (d20 + 9 + 3 + 5): [11 + 9 + 3 + 5] = 28
Talon: Yoshi - I think this attitude will not serve you in the long run
Mavis rolls Mavis Sense Motive (d20 + 7): [9 + 7] = 16
Talon: Yoshi - will give up your life of crime?
Talon: Brune - Absolutely!
Talon: His thoughts _ I'll say what I have to and get them later.
Talon: We talk among ourselves.
Talon: Caelesti announces loudly that - for crimes against society - his penalty is death
Talon: Yoshi and mavis want to do the deed
Talon: Yoshi may not want to, actually, but feels it right to.
Talon: Caelesti is announcing the proclamation more to the others than to Black Night
Mavis rolls Mavis Rapier or Bow Critical Sneak Damage (2d6 + 6 + 2d6): [(3 + 4) + 6 + (5 + 4)] = 22
Yoshi rolls Dmg:Kama/Siagham (d6 + 2): [1 + 2] = 3
Yoshi rolls Dmg:Kama/Siagham (d6 + 2): [6 + 2] = 8
Talon: Caelesti - your leader in crimes against us and insincerity will be executed for his wrong-doing
Talon: insincerity for his wrong-doing - will be executed.
Talon: Caelesti - let's talk to them again.
Mavis rolls 1d20 (d20): [20] = 20
Talon: Bowman 4 resists Detect Thoughts yet again! Sigh.
Talon: Mavis shows him her bloody rapier. "Convince us. you are giving up a life of crime, aren't you?"
Talon: B4 - you betcha
Talon: Yoshi - where will you go?
Talon: B4 - back to the docks of Rowansmeade
Talon: Yoshi - tell me exactly, I will check on you.
Talon: B4 - gives name and address of his Dad
Talon: We untie him.
Talon: B4 sits up, rubs his muscles, and says thank you and runs away to the south after asking if he can go now. Yoshi is pleased.
Talon: B3 was insincere before
Talon: Detect Thoughts on him
Mavis rolls 1d20 (d20): [13] = 13
Talon: Talon can read him. He is pretty darn frightened.
Talon: B3 - okay, you aren't kidding are you? And if I give you the right answer and you don't believe me, you will kill me?
Talon: Right. Talon: B3 - Do I have to go back to my wife and kids?
Talon: Carric - no, but have to do something honest.
Yoshi rolls Skill:Sense Motive (d20 + 9 + 3 + 5): [19 + 9 + 3 + 5] = 36
Talon: B3 - Okay, I will go to a town East of Rowansmeade. My name is Such and Such. You can look me up there.
Talon: Detect Throughts - he means it, for now anyway. He knows he could be killed and feels we have a point and will give it a try.
Talon: Talon and yoshi agree on reading of him.
Talon: We untie him. He goes running off to the south.
Talon: B2 - young fellow is frightened out of his wits and very sincere. He clutches himself - thank you for sparing me.
Talon: We untie him so he can help us with his brother
Talon: B2 - Come home witih me, Billy
Talon: Caelesti - your brother is going free, do you want him to see you die or do you want to give up your life of crime.
Mavis rolls 1d20 (d20): [4] = 4
Talon: Billy - this had not worked out the way I expected, I'll try something else.
Yoshi rolls Skill:Sense Motive (d20 + 9 + 3 + 5): [8 + 9 + 3 + 5] = 25
Mavis rolls Mavis Sense Motive (d20 + 7): [1 + 7] = 8
Talon: Detect Thoughts - he does seem sincere.
Talon: Yoshi - what do you mean by something else?
Talon: Caelesti - do you agree to give up crime?
Talon: Yoshi - all crime? Talon: B2 - yes
Talon: Yoshi - I will check up on you - your parents must know where I can find you and you must tell me know how to find your parents.
Talon: Bill agrees and gives parents addresses to Yoshi.
Talon: Billy and his younger brother exit south.
Talon: They go walking off and talking to each other.
Talon: None of them had money on them.
Talon: We wonder if they had a hideout and are sorry we didn't think to ask
Carric rolls Track (d20 + 13): [19 + 13] = 32
Talon: Carric looks for horse tracks and tracks for a camp or hideout
Talon: Carric finds they came from the North
Talon: We find a campsite witih 6 horses and a few tents.
Talon: We don't detect magic, but do find some "coins and things"
Mavis: 368 gp, 192 sp, paper with notation "lot 42, lot 68, lot 81"
Talon: We don't know what it means
Talon: mavis thinks it might be something in a pawn shop or warehouse
Talon: Yoshi speaks of auctions
Talon: Yoshi says when we are coming back South, we should check at the warehouse at the dock
Talon: Mavis is excited that we now have horses to sell
Talon: Yoshi prefers to walk
Talon: Talon prefers to ride Tintin
Talon: Carric picks the best horse for himself
Carric rolls Kno Nature (d20 + 11): [11 + 11] = 22
Talon: Caelesti picks the prettiest one
Carric rolls Kno Nature (d20 + 11): [1 + 11] = 12
Talon rolls K - Nature - T (d20 + 9): [5 + 9] = 14
Talon: mavis wants the second best one to ride
Talon: Carric picks randomly, foolishly
Talon: Mavis, Caelesti, Carric ride on.
Talon: Talon shifts gear to a horse and rides Tintin
Talon: Talon thinks we should go back now to check out warehouse
Talon: Most others are more anxious over Nessey.
Talon: Talon agrees with majority decision
Talon: Mavis argues for going onward, North. We do so.
Carric rolls Kno Nature (d20 + 11): [13 + 11] = 24
Talon: Carric says mules are more suited to carrying and horses more suited to riding and Talon should get used to riding a horse.
Talon: Talon says okay, but only if Carric will talk to horse and tell it to be nice to me
Talon: Carric speaks horse talk to horse and we have no idea what he said.
Talon: He claims to have picked out a docile horse for me.
Talon: I want to ride a female horse, if I can
Mavis rolls 1d2 (d2): [2] = 2
Talon: Yes. It is female
Talon: Carric says we should come to good point for camping
Talon: 6 antkegs come at us from north, east, south - not really
Talon: We continue north
Talon: We each name our own horse
Talon: I name mine Clover
Mavis rolls 1d6 (d6): [1] = 1
Mavis rolls 1d6 (d6): [2] = 2
Mavis rolls 1d6 (d6): [2] = 2
Talon: Not disturbed that night. Wake to chill Spring Day
Talon: I have a new set of matching hats, I packed on Tintin, that I can break out at any time
Talon: I switch to my Barbarian Queen outfit - magic dress
Talon: I say I am incognito - you are my escorts - taking me to my betrothed
Talon: Caelesti - and who is that?
Talon: We finally, after a few days, get to exact spot across the river from Medowsbrook - where we saw rug merchant heading for ship to this side - this Barbarian side
Carric rolls Track (d20 + 13): [4 + 13] = 17
Talon: We find evidence of old Barbarian camp, abandoned months ago.
We head West.