Foes - Stánford and the South

[Eclecticon]

The man Esgalwen holds sinks to his knees.  His reluctance is plain, however, and there is a readiness about him for bloodshed as soon as his circumstances might improve.

Oderic, meanwhile, goes with Tate and Williferd into the woods, well beyond the circle of firelight.  His expression is concealed by the darkness, but his voice conveys his bemusement as he says "You should know, of friend, that I require no rescue.  I am here of my own will, and have been treated with much honour by mine host.  I will make no apology for your pains in reaching this place, for I asked for none of them, and no good will they..." 

He trails off, and when he speaks once more it is with a hard edge to his voice. " Unless you were sent by Beorn!  Then know that I shall not willingly go to the Carrock!  The crime of which I am accused is a farce, and the law that would punish me is an injustice!"


  Doug, in the absence of Aryn, would you like to take over Tate?  It'll save me the bother of having to talk to myself. 

[Posterboy]

"Aye, you have guessed our reason for being here correctly," Tate states plainly once they've move a little ways from the camp. The minstrel tries to calm Oderic before the Beorning can bolt. "But hold on before you go running back.

"It's true that my companion and I have been sent on your master's behalf to escort you back to the Carrock to share your story before him and face whatever judgment that may be yours. Williferd has come, though with some resistance.

"Wait though... listen... if you do not desire to come with us, I have no desire to cross swords with you. Especially not here, with the camp so close. And if you be here by your own free will and feel as though you are being treated well enough, I am fine with putting off our rescue mission.

"However, if you would show me a kindness, I would be eager to hear your story, from the death of Rathfic to the deaths of Merovech and Odo, to your run in with the Toft, until our present time. I have heard bits and pieces from others, but I would rather hear it from your own tongue. It would be a kindness to me... so I might something to take back to Carrock."

  I'm thinking another Persuade roll:
Persaude TN = 14(?)

Rolled 1d12 : 6, total 6

Rolled 3d6 : 4, 3, 3, total 10

[tomcat]

Sensing the guard's tension and knowing that he was a dangerous liability, Esgalwen quickly knocked his helm from his head all the while keeping the dagger poised at his throat. Reaching up with her free hand, she slid Nimronyn from its scabbard and then smashed its pommel down on the Toft-man's unprotected pate. It was a painful stroke and it might cause him to bleed, but she would not kill him outright...she could not, no matter how little her compassion for such folk had ebbed.
let's hope this works! I really need a homerun, right now!

The goal here is sub-dual damage only - I am not trying to kill this guy, just make him sleep for a good number of hours.

TN -- longsword 4d

1d12 : 6, total 6
Rolled 4d6 : 3, 6, 4, 4, total 17

9    edge: 8    injury: 16

[tomcat]

that is a 23 great success

Esgalwen would do 15 damage to the guard. If for some reason he is a Shadow-creature, my sword's edge is reduce by 4 making that a wounding attack, too.

I will wait to see how you rule it, Paul. If it all goes according to her plan and he is now face down in the dirt, the following is the continuation of my narrative...this will fall in after Tate makes his persuasive roll and is given whatever information Oderic reveals.
The guard gave a muted groan when the pommel struck and then he saw blackness. Esgalwen gripped his upper torso and tried to lay him down in the foliage as quietly as possible. She slid her dagger back into its sheath and pulled the guard's sword from his own and laid it plainly near his outreached arm and hand that she poised just so. If anyone found him, it would look as if his charge got the better and dealt him a knock-out blow, then disappeared into the woods.

She cleared any other traces of them being there, as best she could, and then moved quickly to where Tate spoke to Oderic. Esgalwen caught the few words from the Beorning, even as Tate made his plea for information.

[insert this after Oderic reveals what he will to Tate - and even later than that if Tate makes headway with the man]

"I cannot assume your relations with these people, Oderic, but it would appear your welcome here is baring thin," Esgalwen spoke as she appeared from the shadows - her sword still in her hand. "I do not know who your companion was, but it would seem he had a permanent solution to your evening task." The ranger held forth the dagger that had been in the Toft-man's hand.

Tate looked to Esgalwen with a curious and concerned eye, which clearly asked, Where was her prisoner?

She nodded at her friend, "He is alive but will wake in the morning with a terrible pain. If he is found by his companions, it will look like Oderic subdued him and made off into the night." Her remark made the Beorning stare at her incredulously. "Yes, Oderic...it would seem now that you are a fugitive from these folk, as well. I suggest your best odds are with us and that we move on right away. I can promise you, at least, that you will not find a blade between your ribs if you come with us now."

[Posterboy]

  oooo... Gen is getting so dark!

[tomcat]

I am not saying she going dark, more that her patience is at an absolute low. She has had all the arguments that she will about why the fugitive must be left alone. Grimbeorn gave her a task and she will see it done - no more pleading. If it need come to weapons, so be it. She is at that point.

All this said, her low patience, weariness, and low hope/shadow ratio makes her very susceptible to impulsive - and dangerous - actions.

Esgalwen has nearly died a number times - once to the undead at Dol Guldur, once to a warg in the northern vales, and once to the Beast of Mirkwood. This does not include the wounds sustained from orcs and spiders. She has seen children being taken as slaves; spiders massing in the forest; and an evil man that cannibalized all he could...so yea, she is weary of chat.

All of this places her in a precarious position to lose herself completely to that which she resists.

Bandy truly was the heart and positive thought of the party.

[Eclecticon]

First things first, let's have some more Insight rolls:

Esgalwen

1d12 : 8, total 8
Rolled 1d6 : 5, total 5

Tate

1d12 : 5, total 5
Rolled 2d6 : 6, 6, total 12

[Eclecticon]

At first, Tate's request is met with sullen silence, but when the young Beorning at last begins, his words gush like a fountain.  It is as if he has held them in as long as he might, but can hold them no longer.  "Until I was taken up the river," he says, "the village was my whole world.  When my parents were slain, Helmgut took me in but never did he love me as a son.  Only Brunhild ever had kind words to spare for me... and him," he adds, his dim silhouette indicating Williferd.  I determined that, were I never to be loved, my skill at arms would ensure that I was respected, or if not, then that I would be rightly feared.  And I was!  As Helmgut slowly sank into his cups, I surpassed him as a warrior.  And though none ever spoke of it aloud, I had only to await the day when I took his place." 

He spits, and when he speaks again it is with such bitterness that it seems to sour the very air about him.  "Then Rathfic came from the mountain folk, and was given Brunhild for a wife.  He was hardly my equal at arms, but it mattered not.  He was judged as his own man, but never was I allowed to step out of the shadow of my foster-father!  His idiot smile and easy ways won him undeserved admiration from all who knew him, while I was ever unjustly shunned!  Then, when insult had been heaped upon insult, he came to me and offered to lie with me as he did with Brunhild!  I, who had every cause to hate him and was twice the man he ever was!  I fought him and slew him that night, and regret it not at all, for no sound man was he, and he would have failed my folk at the pinch." 

"Then Brunhild came looking for her man," he continues, and just as suddenly the high dudgeon and wounded pride leave him, and in the darkness he sounds as the young man, his beard barely growing, that he is.  "Helmgut was with her.  Any other men in Stánford I would have fought for my freedom, but such was not the doom that awaited me.  They, I could not harm.  So I gave myself up, and in durance was held in the house of my childhood until..."

Then the branches part once more, and Esgalwen emerges, dagger in hand.  Tate practically hears Oderic's eyes narrow when the Ranger says that the Toft-man planned to murder him.  As she makes her harsh offer to the outlaw, Tate revolves the tale, and all else that he has seen and heard this night, in his mind. 

Though he has hurt his kin, he still loves them, the minstrel thinks, and he has little trust for his new companions...


Make of that what you will.  In the meantime, you have two successes in the encounter, and Tate has two bonus dice to spend on interaction tests.  Doug, if you want any concrete results from Esgalwen's threat, you'll need to roll for it, and it'll count toward the (very low) Tolerance.  I haven't counted your previous failure, on the assumption that Esgalwen was out of earshot of Oderic when she tried to intimidate the watchman. 

[tomcat]

Make of that what you will.  In the meantime, you have two successes in the encounter, and Tate has two bonus dice to spend on interaction tests.  Doug, if you want any concrete results from Esgalwen's threat, you'll need to roll for it, and it'll count toward the (very low) Tolerance.  I haven't counted your previous failure, on the assumption that Esgalwen was out of earshot of Oderic when she tried to intimidate the watchman.  

I am just reading through the previous posts, Paul, to find out where we started testing in the current encounter. You said we have 2 successes thus far - is that for Tate's two persuade rolls above? What were the Insight rolls for - success dice? If so, does Tate have 2 dice available?

Ayrn is gone now, so I can manage Tate for you. I am going to post now, but I will add some tests based on your response for the above questions.

Thanks!

[tomcat]

Esgalwen strode across the clearing towards Oderic, which made the Man pause for fear of an attack, but the Dúnadan sheathed her sword as she did and handed the Beorning the dagger, pommel first. "A souvenir for you, which might have been your death."

Oderic took the blade and saw it was long and sharp, meant to pierce deep and quick.

"I do not know what has been discussed thus far, but I suggest we make our way from here - put distance between ourselves and the Toft-men. Most certainly they will seek you out, Oderic, if you do not return or if they find their unconscious assassin. We should move for the river as quickly as possible."

The Beorning shook his head in defiance, his face evidently pondering his next course.

"In Gondor," said Esgalwen, "there is a great library and many great documents that recount tales of the ages past - both the First and Second. I have always loved the old-lore and had spent many days of my youth learning to read the old texts and scrolls. There is a tale of the First Age, before Númenor...before Men...and it speaks of a great Elf Lord who led his people from the immortal lands to Middle-earth. When they arrived, he burned their ships so as to commit them to their choice. There was no going back..."

Esgalwen let silence hang there in the night-covered clearing for just a moment.

"Your ship has been burned, Oderic. There is no going back, now. I suggest you come with us."

Tate had been nervously picking at his hands, while his friend had spoke, afraid of what she would say. Gwen had been so harsh of word and spirit these past days. He was surprised to hear her words, calm and non-threatening or condescending, merely truthful.

"She is right, Oderic. You know Williferd and he has helped us to locate you - there is safety in numbers. Please come with us to the safety of the river."

All knew the river was a good three leagues from where they were, but the distance could be traveled through the night.

[tomcat]

Okay... here is another series of Persuade rolls

Esgalwen and can I invoke her Fair trait, because what man can resist a pretty face?? 
TN 14 persuade 3d

1d12 : 4, total 4
Rolled 3d6 : 5, 2, 3, total 10

Tate
Courtesy roll to use Trader's Savvy and try to increase Oderic's Tolerance rating 
TN 14 Courtesy 3d

1d12 : 5, total 5
Rolled 3d6 : 6, 6, 6, total 18

Persuade roll to add to the plea for them all to get out of here and least find safer ground where the discussion can continue.
TN 14 persuade 3d

1d12 : 7, total 7
Rolled 3d6 : 4, 4, 5, total 13

**I have assumed all TN's at 14 - let me know if something is different, Paul. The Trader's Savvy roll is made against a TN 14, just an FYI.

[tomcat]

Wow!! Awesome!

Esgalwen scores a 14! Hopefully a success.

Tate scores a 23 extraordinary success on his Trader's Savvy, which should increase Oderic's tolerance by +3


Tate also scored a 20 on his Persuade, so hopefully we have 2 a total of more successes in our Encounter with Oderic!

*I cannot update Tate's character sheet for his Persuade success.

[Eclecticon]

I am just reading through the previous posts, Paul, to find out where we started testing in the current encounter. You said we have 2 successes thus far - is that for Tate's two persuade rolls above? What were the Insight rolls for - success dice? If so, does Tate have 2 dice available?

Ayrn is gone now, so I can manage Tate for you. I am going to post now, but I will add some tests based on your response for the above questions.

Thanks!

Right on all counts, and my thanks for taking Tate over.

EDIT: And great googly-moogly, what a roll!  Pity his AP for Custom were already maxed out!    On the plus side, it got me to look over his sheet and see that Aryn hadn't given him any AP for his Persuade successes.  I've marked one off, and he may need more - I'll need to read back over the last few threads and check. 

[Eclecticon]

"I... would go with you," Oderic begins, sounding as surprised as anyone by his words.  "But this you must know: Vidugalum and his folk have little grain set by, and no meat on the hoof.  By the silence of the wood, I fancy that they have hunted near all the game that may be taken.  The time is nearly come when they must either conquer or starve.  And from my own lips, they know that Stánford, and its herds and fields, are near.  I had no inkling that I was under guard, but now that my watcher is overcome, it seems I must fly with you." 

Tucking the dagger into his belt, he finishes, "Lord Beorn must be told of the host at our borders, and I would fight in defence of my family." 

[tomcat]

Esgalwen's head came up at Oderic's words and a faint feeling of relief entered her heart, as if a flame had been kindled and hope renewed.

She nodded, "Then let us make as much haste as is wise and come once more to your town."
Unless you need any more narrative/dialogue or tests, Esgalwen will lead off towards the river and then north.