last time sir quackenscrump got some scoop on a secret back way into the dungeon we're going to! but will he remember what he heard while drunk off his tailfeathers on troll booze? let's find out!
GM Elle: I don't hear anybody bragging about their new Heroic Abilities -- are you all in a dry spell with your experience rolls?
Harriet: I'm finding it uncanny to the extreme that we cumulatively rolled 5 or 6 numbers over 17, but in every case they landed on skills that weren't high enough to nudge us to 18.
MSG: I'm going to propose that at the end of this session, we mark all our experience marks and then go around the table rolling only for marked skills that are 17.
Ariel: Will that make it more likely for us to roll over 17? I mean, in math land?
MSG: No. It will just make me feel like it ought to be more likely.
Claire: Well, whatever makes you feel good, msg.
Sasha: Fine by me.
GM Elle: Okay, well, last time you wasted the whole morning searching for Quackenscrump and Glinssa --
Akane: Only half wasted, since we found them and one of two is not an untrustable cultist.
GM Elle: So now it's time to roll for the first shift of travel for the day. Is Filvius still navigating?
Claire: Yes, but I'll let Dolora help so I can get a Boon, since we're so late starting out. Definitely a success.
Heddy: As we travel during the day, if I notice Sir Q looking Exhausted and Sickly, I'll spend Willpower on my Raise Spirits ability to tell him jokes or stories to remove those Conditions. I'll make all the punch lines about someone killing a monster.
GM Elle: Sure. Both of you mark it.
Sasha: I quack-laugh at every joke. Thanks, Brandy, you're hilarious.
GM Elle: Filvius and Dolora estimate you'll be at the cave after one more shift of travel. Want to push on to get there tonight?
MSG: And go into a cave full of giant spiders at night without a good rest? No thanks.
Claire: By the way, has Quackers told us about the back door orcs?
Sasha: He doesn't put it that way because that sounds kind of nasty. But he does say Drov told him about an old keep with orcs in it that leads into, and you guys brought that stupid wolf-nebula orc banner, right? So maybe we can impress them with that.
MSG: It's not actually a wolf-nebula banner, but I don't correct Sir Q because I'm keeping it secret that I know how wrong Filvius's information on the banner was.
Claire: Well, since I don't know I'm wrong, I'll say the orcs probably won't care too much about it if there's no wolf-head nebula in the sky, since that's when it's supposed to work.
MSG: The orcs might still think it's valuable or at least interesting. We could probably trade it to them for information about the caves or safe passage in through their fort.
Ariel: Fidu perks up when you talk about trading. Maybe we could get even more out of them than just information or getting let into the caves!
Sasha: Yeah, like some alcohol that won't knock me on my ass like this troll brew Drove gave me. Which, by the way, I'll take out when we make camp and offer around to everyone.
Heddy: Since we're drinking buddies now, I'll take the jug, but once I open it and smell it, I'm probably too faint-hearted to give it a try.
GM Elle: Glinssa says she will definitely pass. She's seen what the stuff does.
MSG: Sigh. It's a mistake, but Dolora can't pass up the knowledge of what troll booze is like.
Claire: Filvius either. But are you offering us this while we're setting up camp, or after we're done?
Sasha: Probably while. I don't have anything better to do when the tent's being put up.
MSG: Great. I'm sure we're in a race to be the first one to know, too. Do we draw initiative?
GM Elle: Yes, but you're drawing initiative to see who's setting up the tent and who's just helping. Then you'll draw again and the helper will get to draw two cards and take the better one, since they'll
MSG: That's complicated enough. 5 for me setting up the tent.
Claire: 7 for me, so I'm helping. My two booze initiative cards are ... blah. 8 and 10. Maybe you'll get the 9 ...
MSG: 4. I'm taking an experimental swig, not a huge one.
GM Elle: Make a Con check with a Boon.
MSG: I make it, but I'm glad I had the Boon. I'll pass the jug to Filvius and say, "It's definitely palatable in small measures."
Claire: Damn you. That means I have to take a full glug in order to know something you don't. In for a penny in for a pound, then. I'll take a really big drink.
GM Elle: Con check with a Bane, then.
Claire: Hah! 7 and 10.
GM Elle: Dolora gets a Bane on her Bushcraft to set up the tent, then.
Claire: Even with my help?
GM Elle: The Con check was to keep from passing out immediately. Even with a success, you're too drunk to be any real help.
MSG: I make my roll even with the Bane. Then I crawl into the tent and go right to sleep.
Claire: Same.
Ariel: Fidu goes to bed without trying the troll stuff.
Akane: Zedeja resists also. She pauses at the tent door, though. "No drinking with trolls if any more arrive! Or with orcs or giants ... or even with humans. In fact, no drinking at all when on watch!"
Harriet: That shouldn't be a problem, given that all we have to drink is borderline poisonous troll whiskey.
GM Elle: So I take it Dilfriida and Brandywise are out of the drinking crew for tonight. Is Quackers going to indulge?
Sasha: I think he'll take a break from it tonight.
GM Elle: Let's see if the encounter die has anything for us this shift, then. Hmm ... everyone on watch make an Awareness check. Glinssa fails hers.
Sasha: Got it.
Harriet: Not I, unfortunately.
Heddy: Mine succeeds.
GM Elle: Through the trees in the distance, you think you notice some lights moving. They go east to west for a bit and then stop.
Sasha: Can I tell how far off they are?
GM Elle: You're well into the Iron Woods at this point, following the area on the map that looks more lightly forested than the rest. In the dense parts, you probably wouldn't be able to see torches or lamps much farther than a couple of football fields away. Even here, you figure the lights are probably within a quarter mile.
Sasha: Well ... our campfire is probably bigger than whatever they're carrying, so I'm going to guess they can see it better than we can see them.
Heddy: That idea makes me very nervous. Are we going to wake everybody up?
Sasha: And have Zedeja bite our heads off? I'm gonna vote no on that.
Harriet: I could sneak over there and scout it out to see what might be going on.
Heddy: That makes me nervous too. What if it's a band of orcs and they spot you?
Harriet: I'll run and hide.
Heddy: Will you even be able to find your way over there in the dark without tripping on roots or rocks?
GM Elle: Dragonbane is a lot less specific about dim lighting conditions than D&D. They basically have rules for complete darkness and that's it. I'd probably give you a Bane for certain actions in the woods at night, but I think the intent is that you can walk around at night just like in the real world.
Harriet: I'll say I think I can do a good job sneaking up and spying on whoever it is. Can Glinssa sneak? She could be my backup.
GM Elle: She has some Sneaking skill, but she says she's not the greatest at it.
Harriet: Perhaps she could go most of the way with me, and then hold back just outside of easy earshot while I cover the last part stealthily.
GM Elle: She looks like she's thinking about it.
Sasha: I give her the thumbs up for encouragement. Can I use that to try Persuasion?
GM Elle: Sure.
Sasha: Made it.
GM Elle: She girds herself then, and says she'll to it.
Harriet: Exceptional. I'll tell Brandy I'll be back before she knows it.
Heddy: I'll reply that they should be very careful.
GM Elle: Moving through the dark of the woods, you get closer and closer to the stationary lights, which begin to look more and more like torches. Then you begin to hear voices speaking in rhythmic patterns though you can't make out what they're saying.
Harriet: If we're close enough to hear them, this might be where Glinssa should stop. I Sneak on ahead with a 9.
GM Elle: You close in on a clearing. There are three black-robed figures there -- each holding a torch as they move in a circle and chant. Make a Languages roll.
Harriet: Not even remotely close.
GM Elle: You can't make out the details, then. But something about the tone feels ominous to you.
Harriet: I'm going to peer as best I can and look for cult tattoos.
GM Elle: That's Spot Hidden.
Harriet: 11 succeeds.
GM Elle: You definitely see that one of them has part of a familiar tattoo showing where the sleeve of his robe has fallen back from the upheld torch in that hand.
Harriet: Could I have the rulebook briefly to read up on Sneak Attacks?
Heddy: By yourself? I'm glad Brandywise doesn't know about this.
GM Elle: Here you go.
Harriet: Hmm. Mm ... here's my plan, then. First, I'm making sure all 3 of my daggers are At Hand. Then I'll sneak up to dagger-throwing range, which is 11 meters for me. If I make it I get to choose my Initiative card, and I qualify for a Sneak Attack and I'll do an extra die of damage with my dagger because it's a subtle weapon, on top of my Backstabbing and Assassin abilities. Hopefully that will be enough to kill my first target outright.
Heddy: Backstabbing and Assassin abilities? Oh my, Brandy really doesn't know how dangerous a person she's getting into, does she?
GM Elle: Make your Sneaking roll, then.
Harriet: I do. I'll pick the 10 card, since they don't know I'm here. That way it will be a new round after my turn and hopefully I'll beat them.
GM Elle: All right, take your shot.
Harriet: With a Boon ... I succeed. 6 WP for my special abilities gives me 4d8 for my weapon and 1d6 for my Agility ... 27. That may have been overkill. In any case, I draw another dagger to be ready for my next turn.
Heddy: I certainly hope so, because if they have more hit points than that, you're in trouble.
GM Elle: The cultist instantly drops dead. Draw for Initiative.
Harriet: 4.
GM Elle: Sorry, but they get the 3. Both draw their daggers and rush you. The first one rolls a 14, just what he needs.
Harriet: I'll use my Fast Footwork ability to dodge without losing my turn. That's a success.
GM Elle: Second attack ... ooh, Demon. You get a free attack on him.
Harriet: Nice. I hit with a 17, doing 6 points of damage ... and there's a sleeping poison on this one, potency 12. I roll a 12 for the poison.
GM Elle: He rolls an 8, so he shakes it off. Your turn.
Harriet: I draw my other poisoned dagger and stab this fellow with my newly un-poisoned one. That's a hit for 8 points.
GM Elle: Dead. New Initiative.
Harriet: Ah, the 1 this time. I'm stabbing the last cultist with my poisoned dagger. A hit, for 8 points, and the poison roll is 5.
GM Elle: Unfortunately for you, the cultist rolls a Dragon. I'm going to say that means he's got some natural immunity to this poison, so he won't have to roll again if you have any more.
Harriet: I do not, so his immunity doesn't concern me.
GM Elle: He strikes at you with his dagger and misses. New initiative. The cultist is on 1.
Harriet: 6.
GM Elle: He yells, "In the name of Sathmog! Die!" But his roll is a 19.
Harriet: My attack is 19 too ... which I'll say makes me fearful that he's somehow cursed me, and I'll Push my roll by becoming Scared. A hit for 4 points.
GM Elle: He gasps a plea to join Sathmog in the afterlife and falls dead.
Harriet: Whew! I retrieve my dagger and search their bodies.
GM Elle: You find one treasure card worth of loot. Goodness, you hit the jackpot -- 120 silver pieces. They also have backpacks with rations and sleeping pelts, plus flint and tinder and a half dozen torches.
Harriet: I leave 10 silver pieces on the bodies and whistle up Glinssa to help me with their gear.
GM Elle: She goes a bit pale at seeing three of her former co-religionists so easily dead at your hands and says she's glad she switched sides.
Harriet: I'll suggest she check their pockets and unless she finds something special, she can have whatever is on them, since Zedeja is so miserly about her pay.
GM Elle: She's very appreciative of that and lets you know she found the 10 silver. She wants to make sure that doesn't count as anything special.
Harriet: I tell her it's all hers. Then I guess we can head back to camp.
Heddy: Brandy jumps up in relief when she sees you return.
Sasha: Quackers says, "Hey, what's with the bags?"
Harriet: I'll tell them we discovered some cultists who seemed up to no good, and they decided to fight instead of running, so we took care of them. "Here's their stuff if you want to look through it before we dump it in the cart."
Sasha: Quackers assumes Dilfriida already got whatever good stuff was there, which is fine by him since she did the work.
GM Elle: Time for second watch, then.
Sasha: I tell the new shift there were cultists sneaking around but Dilfriida and Glinssa took care of them. "Keep your eyes peeled in case there are more, though."
Akane: Do not order the peeling of eyes! This is Zedeja's authority. After this assertiveness, I command a dwarf and elf to peel their eyes.
GM Elle: It doesn't look like you need to, because the rest of the night goes uneventfully. Last shift of travel to reach Oracle Cave.
Claire: Assuming we don't Demon the navigation check. Nope, I succeed.
GM Elle: Since you know roughly where to look for the ancient keep, you don't have any difficulty spotting it. It's built well up the hillside, and commands a deliberately broad view of the forest. Sneaking up unobserved would be extremely difficult, you think.
MSG: So the question is whether we head up there and see how things pan out with the orcs, or just go in the front way and take our chances. If the orcs see us coming, they could pepper us with arrows from that keep, no problem.
Claire: That's why Filvius suggests we carry the banner boldly at the front of our marching order. If nothing else, they won't want to damage a legendary orc artifact by shooting it full of arrow holes.
Heddy: If Brandywise has been allowed to examine the map in any detail, she'll say she much prefers the orc entrance to the main entrance on the map, which has been drawn with a horrifically large spider coming out of it. I know embellishments like that aren't drawn in proportion, but I can't help comparing it to the map's scale, which makes it look at least a kilometer long.
Sasha: Do you say that out loud? Because Quackers is definitely going to have his blood pumping at a chance to see a kilometer-long monster spider and figure out a way to kill it.
Heddy: Since we have these two knowledge-devouring people in our party, I think I'd be fearful of getting mocked if I said anything about it looking a kilometer long. That's obviously not accurate.
Sasha: Rats. In that case I guess it's fine if we try talking with the orcs.
GM Elle: Are you going to try to have the donkeys haul the cart up to the keep?
MSG: How steep is the way up?
Claire: More importantly, do we want to reveal our loot cart to the orcs and then leave it outside while we go into the cave?
GM Elle: Glinssa thinks that sounds like a terrible idea but is also nervous about being left on her own a significant distance from the party's explorations. The way up to the keep looks steep and is pretty heavily forested at its lower reaches. You'd expect it to be quite a chore to get the cart up there.
MSG: Well that's kind of a pickle.
Claire: Could we use Bushcraft to scout around for a nice secluded clearing nearby that might put Glinssa more at ease?
Akane: This cultist's employment is watching donkeys and a cart. Employment and "ease" have opposite meaning. Why perform extra work to make our worker's work have more ease?
GM Elle: You can roll Bushcraft if you like, but it will take a shift unless you Dragon the roll. You could try to do it more quickly, but you'll have a Bane.
MSG: I'll help so that the Bane is counteracted. But before we go looking I'll tell Zedeja that leaving the cart out in the open is just begging for someone to come along and steal it.
Claire: My roll succeeds pretty easily.
GM Elle: All right, within a stretch, you luck across a natural nook at the base of a hill where rocky outcroppings will hide the cart from either side.
MSG: Then once we get Glinssa and the donkeys settled in, we'll head up to the keep with someone carrying the banner.
Claire: I can do it. But I'll have to drop it to use my staff if it comes to combat.
Sasha: We mostly just need you to heal anyway.
GM Elle: So. Once you get Glinssa and the donkeys tucked away out of sight, you make your way through the thick woods at the base of the hill that the keep is attached to. The slope gets steeper and steeper, until finally you come out in the open space overlooked by the ancient fortress. Around a hundred meters of inclined ground separate you from the stone walls. Almost immediately, you see a figure behind the parapet above point at you and give a cry of alarm. Others quickly join the figure.
Claire: I'm going to raise the banner as high as I can and give it a bit of a side-to-side wave.
Harriet: Wait, though ... should Filvius really be the one carrying that? Don't orcs and elves notoriously dislike one another?
GM Elle: You can make a Myths and Legends roll.
Harriet: Actually, I can't. A 10 is double my skill of 5.
GM Elle: On an out-of-game level, then, I'll just say there's nothing in this campaign or the main rulebook that suggests an unusual degree of hostility between orcs and elves. Orcs don't get along especially well with any of the daylight kin, but elves aren't any more of a problem than dwarves or humans.
MSG: Can we tell if they recognize the banner?
GM Elle: There's some more pointing and gesturing. It looks as though some of the figures now have bows at the ready. But after a minute or so, you see a lone orc coming out of the bottom of a stair on the keep's eastern side.
MSG: I'll give a wave of greeting.
Claire: I don't have a free hand to wave, but I'll start heading up the slope to meet the orc halfway.
Akane: Zedeja says, "Wait! This is unauthorized! Consult your superior first, junior mage!"
Harriet: Dilfriida will step up next to the elf and say, "Zedeja saying not to go is a good enough reason for me to head up with you, Filvius."
Claire: I'll keep walking, then.
Akane: Impertinent halfling.
Heddy: I'm terrified of the orcs, but seeing two of the weaker party members venturing forward, and one of them being Dilfriida, I'll tag along ... fretfully.
GM Elle: Anyone else?
MSG: Dolora won't want to be left out of knowing what's going on, so she'll go too.
Ariel: I'm resting from already hiking so far up the hill.
Sasha: Quackers will hang back.
Akane: Zedeja knows only a small amount about orcs, but she thinks they are warlike. Seeing elves and halflings defying the leader of a group probably means, no respect from orcs. There could be danger to have disrespect of warlike orcs. I remain with our duck knight.
GM Elle: The orc is going downhill, so he's making better speed than you are unless you want to make Agility checks to go faster.
MSG: I'd rather not risk Demoning a roll like that and tumbling all the way downhill to smack into one of the trees.
Claire: It might also appear aggressive. Filvius is for sticking to a normal speed.
GM Elle: In that case, when the orc has covered about half the original distance, he stops and waits for you.
MSG: So, 50 meters from the keep, which according to the rulebook ... is within range of a heavy crossbow and long range for a short bow.
Claire: That's a very pessimistic way to look at someone literally meeting us halfway.
MSG: Maybe Dolora is in one of her dour moods.
GM Elle: As you get closer, within 15 yards of him, he raises a hand and speaks in heavily accented Common. "Why are strangers carrying this orc banner? What business brings you?"
Claire: Filvius says that we found the banner in the basement of an ancient tower in the Haunted Marshes, and determined that it holds the power of the Wolf's Head Nebula.
MSG: Dolora says, "Actually, he's the only one who believes that. The rest of us just know that an orc ghost called it the Banner of Takrûk and said it brings power to an orc leader in battle."
Claire: Filvius gives Dolora a narrow-eyed look. "So you think I'm wrong about the Wolf's Head Nebula?"
MSG: Basically, yeah.
Claire: Well, you could have said something before!
GM Elle: The orc interrupts you. He has an expression of cautious surprise on his face. "The Banner of Takrûk? That clan I have heard of. But this banner -- it is clean and new!"
MSG: We're thinking it might be magical or have some kind of blessing on it.
Claire: D'oh. I never used my Sense Magic trick on it, did I? Wait a minute. I ask Dolora why she didn't have me Sense Magic on it if she thought it was magical.
MSG: And have you learn something about it I didn't know?
GM Elle: The orc says, "Strangers! A banner like this could be important to us. I must ask our patrol's leader, Agra, about it. Speak of your business to me. I will take both pieces of news to Agra for her to ponder."
MSG: I say we've come to explore the cave in search of treasure.
GM Elle: The orc grunts and nods and turns to head back up to the keep.
Heddy: As soon as he's a good distance away, Brandywise will ask if we should retreat back out of arrow range just in case.
MSG: I think if they have longbows, we'd have to go all the way back to the trees and hide.
Claire: Filvius says of course that's the case if they have longbows.
MSG: Does Filvius know that much about bows? Or do you need to roll a bluff?
Claire: I could ask you the same question! But ... my Bows skill is only a 7.
MSG: Mine's 14. What's the GM's ruling on knowing about bows?
GM Elle: Hm. It seems like the weapon skill would be the main way you'd gain that knowledge. But it also feels off to let you roll an Agility skill to know something. Let's say ... make an Intelligence check to know what longbow range is, but you can have a Boon if you make a Bows check first.
MSG: Sweet ... no, spoke too soon, I roll a 19 on my Bows check. Int check is a Dragon though!
Claire: Well, I get a Dragon on my Bows check and two successes on my Int check.
GM Elle: Dragons all over the place. Okay, I'll say both of you surveyed the lay of the land so well against your knowledge of archery that if it comes to either firing or evading a bow shot in this situation, you'll get a Boon on your first roll.
MSG: I guess that's a benefit -- but I hope we don't end up needing to use it.
Claire: I say bring it on! Filvius will always take the chance to show off his knowledge.
Heddy: Brandy meekly suggests that maybe we should not bring it on.
GM Elle: While you're discussing it, the orc makes it back to the keep. He appears to be making very good time, as though he's motivated to be quick.
Ariel: Ooh, maybe that means the banner will really help us make a deal with them!
Sasha: Or maybe he just can't wait to give their bow-orcs the all clear to start firing.
GM Elle: You see that he's calling up to the orcs on the ramparts, then seems to enter a conversation with them.
Akane: There must be shouting to discuss arrowing two know-it-all adventurers from the top of a keep to the bottom. Can we hear?
GM Elle: Everyone who went up to meet the orc can roll Awareness. Everyone at the tree line can roll with a Bane.
MSG: 2.
Claire: 17 fails.
Ariel: Same for me. Foo.
Sasha: A 2 and an 8 for Quackers, so he makes it.
Akane: Zedeja succeeds also, thanks to being so greatly Aware.
Harriet: Dilfriida just misses it.
Heddy: Brandywise just makes it.
GM Elle: All right, everyone who succeeded now needs to roll Languages, because they're speaking orcish.
MSG: Dragon! We're on fire with those tonight.
Sasha: Whoa! Look at this!
Akane: Another Dragon?
Sasha: No, a 2. But my skill's only 4, so I was sure I wouldn't make it.
Akane: My roll is 17, but Zedeja is so startled that a duck might understand while she does not, it makes her Dazed. After Pushing this way, I succeed with 11.
Heddy: I succeed as well.
GM Elle: The messenger is telling the orcs up top that you have the banner of Takrûk, and someone with an authoritative voice answers that "Maladûk will be angry if we can't acquire it for her. What do they want?" He tells her that all you mentioned was exploring the cave for treasure, and in response she orders him to bring you up for her to speak directly to you. He nods and turns your way.
Sasha: Quackers says, "Well, sounds like it's time for us to head uphill, then."
Akane: Zedeja is slow in responding. Still, she is dazed that her ears almost missed what this knight heard.
Sasha: Oh ... uh-oh, I just remembered my great helm gives me an Awareness Bane, which means I should have rolled three dice, not just two. Should I roll the third one now?
GM Elle: No, I hate to back all of that up. Why don't you just say you used your ill-tempered ability to get a Boon on the roll because you were annoyed at things taking so long? That will cancel the Bane from your helmet.
Sasha: Sure. Now I'm down 3 WP and have a Condition, but I guess that's what I get for not remembering that Bane. Anyway, I'll start marching up the hillside.
Ariel: Wait, I was resting and not paying attention I guess. Why are we going up? Dolora and Filvius didn't call us, did they?
Sasha: No, but those orcs are talking about our banner and about making deals, I think, so we need your bargaining skills, Fi-fi.
Akane: Zedeja speaks after a delay. "Yes, hound! It is time to go."
Ariel: All right, if we have to.
GM Elle: As before, the orc will make better time than the characters hiking up from the forested part of the hill to the meeting point, unless you hurry.
Ariel: No way am I hurrying and getting all out of breath when I might need to do some Bartering soon.
Sasha: Are there monsters anywhere in sight? Quackenscrump doesn't care about hurrying if there aren't monsters to kill.
Akane: Still so dazed by a knowledgeable duck. No hurrying for Zedeja.
GM Elle: This time, the orc comes all the way to where the banner is.
MSG: Whew, that's a relief.
Ariel: Why?
Harriet: My assumption as a player is that it indicates the messenger isn't concerned about leaving his comrades a clear line of fire this time. Dilfriida doesn't put that together, though.
GM Elle: Once he arrives, he tells you that Agra wants to talk to you about the banner and about the caves.
MSG: I'll ask him to lead the way, but after the rest of the group catches up.
GM Elle: He waits for Zedeja, Fidu, and Quackenscrump, then heads up to the keep. As you near the fortifications, you see several other orcs descending the stairway. In the lead is a big, well-muscled female orc whose skin shows the scars of many battles. She meets you at the bottom of the stairs and crosses her arms as she sizes you up. "I am Agra," she says. "Varkorr says you intend to explore the caves. Normally, we would warn you away from our encampment in these ruins and tell you to enter the cavemouth to the west. But you carry an orcish banner that interests me. Let us have it and I will grant passage through our keep to the caverns."
MSG: I tell Fidu he's up.
Ariel: I'll say that's a generous offer ... I mean we'd like the banner to be back with its rightful owners. But what if we also agree to trade information too? They could tell us what they know about the caves, and when we come back out, we can let them know if we found out anything else.
GM Elle: She seems agreeable to that. But then she also says, "There is another object we have interest in -- a small statue of black stone. If you find such a thing, or any pieces of it, let us examine it and we may trade you for it if it is the one we desire.
MSG: Uh-oh.
Ariel: Yikes! Um ... I'll ask the group, "Wasn't there somebody in town offering money for pieces of a statue?"
MSG: I'll say, "Yeah, but why drag something all the way back to town if our friends the orcs offer a good price too? In fact, why don't we just say we'll show them everything we find in the cave that we don't want to keep for ourselves, and they can bid on anything that interests them?"
Claire: Ooh, nice save.
Ariel: I'm not sure I get it, but I guess I'll -- ooh, wait, you mean we do want the statue pieces for ourselves so we wouldn't have to show them to the orcs! That's so smooth! Fidu asks this Agra lady if that sounds good to her.
GM Elle: Go ahead and roll your Bartering to see if you can make that sound as innocent as you want it to.
Ariel: Easy-peasy 13.
GM Elle: Agra agrees to your deal. She says she wishes she had more to tell you, but the scouts they've sent into the caves have not returned. The entrance to the caves at the back of the keep leads to a long stairway down into the darkness, and that's all she and her crew know.
MSG: I'll ask how many scouts they've sent in ... if she doesn't mind saying.
GM Elle: She says one orc went down day before yesterday, an experienced caver and tracker. Then another two were sent last night when the first one didn't come back.
MSG: Then I'll say we'll keep an eye out for them while we're inside.
Claire: I'll hand over the banner since we've made our deal.
GM Elle: She thanks you on both accounts, and then leads you up the stairs to the upper level of the keep. You see a ruined guard-house there, just walls with no roof. The orcs have set up a tarp across the top to give them shelter from the sun. At the back of the area is a dark opening leading into the cave. And I think this is probably a good place to stop the session, since you could get in the thick of things pretty quickly inside.
Sasha: I hope the thick of things includes monsters.
GM Elle: We'll see. Okay, participation, check. Exploring a new area, check. Defeating a dangerous enemy ... check for Dilfriida, but not really anyone else. Solving an obstacle without violence, definitely. Weaknesses -- I leave that up to you as usual.
MSG: I think Filvius and I kept up our knowledge-hunger competition pretty well.
Claire: Yep.
Ariel: I was for sure lazy several times, and Sash was always going on about monsters.
Akane: Zedeja commanded many times, despite dazedness the last part of the adventure.
Harriet: I'm going to say I don't feel like I was especially thin-skinned tonight, so I'll dock myself. You did a lot better playing faint-hearted, H.
Heddy: Thank you!
GM Elle: Next time, into the cave, then!
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