Burnt Offerings: Changing Hands

[Duniagdra]

Ameiko thanks you all for your help, and in Chada's honor, begins to plan a production with Cyrdak Drokkus, Master of Ceremonies and sole owner of the Sandpoint Theater, the most impressive playhouse this side of Varisa. You all spend the two days healing, resupplying, and morning the loss of Chada.

Devion is approached by someone seeking him from Magnimar and with great apologies, he's forced to leave you.
“I have no choice. I must go. Be well and may the gods guide and protect you.”
From seven, you are now five, but still you feel an obligation to try and save the town. From all you know, Thistletop is at best, to days travel north and you've packed accordingly. The trees are beginning to turn color. Fall is steadily approaching.

Along your way, you hear the sounds of a struggle, and when you close in you see someone engaged with two bugbears. Another bugbear lies dead on the ground. You're close, but it seems not close enough to be of any immediate help. But before you can react, this individual smacks one of the bugs in the side of the head knocking it down, and just before the other bug can attack him, another figure lunges out from a thicket nearby, killing the bug with a lightning strike to the kidneys.

By the time you get there, all is settled and the sneaky one is searching the bugs, but finds nothing of use except for a potion.

OUT-OF-CHARACTER:    Let the Introductions begin. Dregs, Durmisht, Mak, Tuck, and Vi, meet your two new companions, Tarkiah and Thelios. I'm in need of a token for Tarkiah so no map yet. Not that there's really a need for one. The road you're one is gavel on dirt with grass partly grown through. The trees are spars, but thickening and are typical to the area. Dregs has a wand of vigor 25 charges.

[marine7312000]

Durmisht eyes the two newcomers warily and then says “Looks like the two of you can take care of yourselves. Would you care to join us on a mission involving the safety of a local town? I'm Durmisht and these are my companions.”

[admin]

“Well Met!” A cheerful Mak says
“I be Mak” he says offering his hand in greetings

“Yes, we are trying to save lives..” he trails off, more seriously.

[shai-hulud]

OUT-OF-CHARACTER:    Not sure where to find a token for my character. Duni, if you can find one, I'd be most appreciative.

The woman is difficult to distinguish from a man. She has shaven her head, and her dark skin and blue eyes makes her have a rather sinister appearance. She whistles to a large warhorse standing nearby. She takes the reins, mounts up, and treating the horse entirely too roughly, she says, “Let's meet these folk, Jartik. And let us pray none are of Chelaxian descent.”

As she guides the horse over to the group, it is clear that she is quite familiar with riding technique. She approaches cautiously, her rapier and shield at the ready. “Help people, huh? To what? What sort of squabble have the great peoples here gotten themselves into? And what profit is there for the rest of us?” The woman has yet to give her name. She has a gruff attitude, and has clearly marked herself as an outsider. She talks much like the stereotypical Shoanti, nothing more than a stupid barbarian, and yet, there is an underlying contempt in her tone, as though her speech is carefully crafted to be insulting to those who hear it. It is as though every word is planned by a master of social ineptitude. Only someone of vast genius could be so crass, and yet still so sure of herself.

Tarkiah eyes the group, taking in all of their belongings. Material wealth is the route she has chosen to regaining the honor her people once knew. She will buy her lands back for her people, by any means necessary.

OUT-OF-CHARACTER:    Knowledge: Local to see if she recognizes any of the faces in the group: Knowledge: Local (1d20+10=16) Appraise to pick out the most wealthy among the group approaching her: Appraise (1d20+10=16) (Failure) (I take this to mean that she values multiple items equally, and assumes the party to be quite wealthy). Appraise to determine the nature of the potion she stole from the bugbear: Appraise (Potion) (1d20+10=21) (Failure)

Tarkiah doesn't await the answer to her question. “I'll join with you. But I want an equal share of any valuables we discover. And don't try to cheat me. I know what things are worth. I pride myself on my excellent eye for quality. If you need my help, I will grant it, but don't expect me to be interested in saving your town. I'll join you for the wealth that I am likely to attain. Understand?”

[Benji]

Dregs looks at Tarkiah curiously. “If'n ye join us then ye'll end up helpin' people in th' end lass. Ye may claim to be motivated by greed, but that'll change soon enough. I leave it up t' th' other's t' decide yer role.” He then moves over to the other person. “Greetin's friend. Me name is Dregs. Fine work wi' th' buggos there.”

[patransom]

Violasha tries to hide the fact that she's impressed with how these two handled the bugbears. She comments quietly to Tuck, “I suppose a couple more meat shields couldn't hurt.”

[klakxor]

“Never hurts to have more combatants. Lets hope they can fight with us as well as they fought those creatures.” Tuck says back to Vi.

Calling from the back of the line (as Tuck always stays back there): “I say we let them join us. A fair cut of any profits should not be an issue if their swords work as well for us as they did just there.”

[shai-hulud]

Tarkiah nods, “Good. Now that's settled, I'm Tarkiah of the Sklar clan. You may call me Kiah for short. And Dregs, I assure you, I have no interest in helping your town. My people, on the other hand, are worthy of aid. They deserve the land that was taken from them returned. Anyway, let's go right those wrongs and get me some of the goodies that you all seem to have found. I'm sure there is some out there for me, as well.”

Kiah turns her mount in the same direction as the party is traveling and follows along.

[shai-hulud]

OUT-OF-CHARACTER:    Is anyone of the party obviously of Chelaxian birth?

[Duniagdra]

OUT-OF-CHARACTER:    Is anyone of the party obviously of Chelaxian birth?

OUT-OF-CHARACTER:    Not that I'm aware of. I'll be getting a map and new post up soon. maybe in a new thread. This was just for meeting the new members to the party.