The Shadow of Esgaroth

[Eclecticon]

Nice rolling, Doug.

EDIT:

[Eclecticon]

The Master throws his hands into the air.  "Such is the lot of we merchants," he sighs, "to be forever between the desires of others!  I tell you truly, I know not which wizard may have set his eyes upon this Council, but I shall show you he who styles himself the wizard's man.  May you bring your questions to him and leave my name unsullied!" 

At his nod, the remaining guards open the door of the small council chamber, revealing the hall beyond almost full.  The Master points toward one man, swarthy of skin in the way of Men of the south but clad in bright green and with his hair intricately braided. 

"That is he," he says. "And now, if you please, I must attended to the businessof the hour.  Be about your investigation if such is your will.  I ask only that you keep quiet about it. Already there has been far more excitement beyond the walls of this hall than within them!"

[Telcontar]

Hathcyn eyed the man in the room.
"Is nothing ever easy..."

Well it appears the Master has given us his leave. As vague as it was it suits out purpose. Should we make for the toll house or the braided man?"

"I'm for the tollhouse, but I know the inquisitive nature of my companions is not so direct."

[GandalfOfBorg]

  Is the Council reconvening now or is there time for Grimbeorn to confront the man?

[Eclecticon]

The Council members are gathering, but there's time to shirtfront him now, if that's what you want to do.  He's in the Town Hall, right where Grimbeorn's supposed to be. 

[Telcontar]

  go get him boss. We'll be right behind you to beat feet if it goes south.

Now I KNOW they have some hinky shit in the tollhouse.

[GandalfOfBorg]

  Well on we go...

Grimbeorn just shakes his head without another word to the Master.  With or without the others, he makes his way to this foreign man, fairly certain he hasn't met his kind before.  Refraining from a scene at this time, he stands off to the side, waiting patiently, albeit intensely given the weight of his presence, for the man to take notice.

[Telcontar]

Hathcyn strolls into the room and at an angle to the man and Grimbeorn warms himself by a brazier. He notes on the folk of the mountain and engages him in small talk while keeping an eye on Grimbeorn his lord.

[tomcat]

Esgalwen follows the pair in and stands to the left, just behind Grimbeorn. The man and his appearance was none too strange to the Gondorian - more than once, she had seen his ilk prowling the lands of Ithilien. Like her, this mage was far from home.

Though her homeland and the lands to the south could call themselves friends, there was some familiarity with each others customs. Esgalwen made the proper gesture of introduction and spoke a word in the mage's native tongue in hopes that it would engage some conversation.

[tomcat]

I will invoke Esgalwen's Folk-lore trait and assume she knows a little bit of the introductory customs of the south lands - whether he be from Harad or the independent City of Umbar.

I will also give you a Courtesy roll. I am not sure if we still carry over our advantage die

TN -- courtesy 2d

1d12 : 3, total 3
Rolled 2d6 : 6, 1, total 7

[tomcat]

If we still have the advantage die, I will use it...

Rolled 1d6 : 5, total 5

[tomcat]

Okay, that would be a 10 failure (unless my trait makes it an auto-success), or a 15 success paired up with the trait... I will wait to learn what happens.

[Eclecticon]

The dark-skinned man turns his head, his eyebrows raised at the sound of familiar speech in an unfamiliar place.  "Greetings to you, lady," he says in flawless Westron.  "And to you, Grimbeorn Alfscyld!  I had not thought to attract the attention of one such as you so soon in the day." 

Around the knot of the companions, the crowd in the hall continues to grow, the hubbub of voices rising slowly but steadily.  Upon the raised platform, Gildas of the Woodmen takes her seat, and Legolas appears from a back room surrounded by bodyguards. 

"What may I do for you?" the Southron asks. 

[Eclecticon]

Okay, that would be a 10 failure (unless my trait makes it an auto-success), or a 15 success paired up with the trait... I will wait to learn what happens.

I'm happy enough to wave an auto-success through.  This won't be a full-on Encounter - just a quick roleplay moment. 

EDIT: And with that in mind, anyone should feel free to talk.  I can have Arbogast and/or Laeral step in, but I know from past experience that there are few things less thrilling than watching GM characters discuss things and advance the plot for you. 

[GandalfOfBorg]

The dark-skinned man turns his head, his eyebrows raised at the sound of familiar speech in an unfamiliar place.  "Greetings to you, lady," he says in flawless Westron.  "And to you, Grimbeorn Alfscyld!  I had not thought to attract the attention of one such as you so soon in the day." 
...
"What may I do for you?" the Southron asks. 

"And to you, but you have me at a disadvantage as I know you not," he replied brusquely.  "Regardless, I hear that you come in the stead of some wizard.  Pray tell, which one would that be and what business does he have here in the north of Rhovanion?"  Grimbeorn sets his steely gaze upon the man, determined to pierce his words and mind.