Initial Background

You are at the Golden Carp Inn in the Town of Tisloch, the largest town in the the land of Kinergh. Four years ago the Kinergh was invaded by hordes of hobgoblins, goblins, bugbears, and other fearsome monsters. After several years of intense fighting the main group of evil forces were defeated in battle last fall. Much of the northern part of Kinergh, north of the Holbrook River, was plundered and many of the inhabitants fled south. Now it is the spring of the year 1004 and the bold and the desperate are heading north again to reclaim their lands.

Osrik

You are attempting to discover the fate of your father and older brother, who were running a smithy in the village of Vim, about 30 miles north of Tisloch. Two years ago the village was overrun by goblins and bugbears. Neither of your family members have been heard from since and their fate is unknown.

Chaedi

Human towns are slightly vulgar and mundane. Your family disapproved of your infatuation with a handsome human adventurer, Sir Dudley Whitehelm, whom you met while he was in the elvish town of High Hold. They are so old fashioned and boring. So you decided to go and find your love and together have great adventures, etc. You can't wait to get out of Tisloch and you have heard that Sir Dudley's friend Dex is up north a bit in Vim. Maybe he knows how to find his friend.

The Cleric (Gloriana)

You have been assigned to go to the village of Vim to assist its inhabitants in the task of rebuilding the village and to see to it that they have proper spiritual support and guidance. A large group of the village's original inhabitants are planning to leave for Vim in two days and you are supposed to accompany them or meet them at the village in 5 days.

Traveling to Vim

August 22 (Session One)

From your knowledge of the geography of Kinergh you know that the Village of Vim is about 30 miles north/northwest of Tisloch. There are two reasonably good ways to get to Vim. Either following the Old Cardolan Road a few miles west and then north along a road past Castle Halys, or crossing the Holbrook River at the Town Ferry and taking the North Road along the edge of Tlin-a-Yilliki, which eventually meets up with the North Road where that also crosses the Holbrook will get you to Vim. The second route is perhaps a mile or two shorter.

Gillian:

Osrik is a bit conservative. He thinks it might be dangerous traveling alone to Vim. So he goes to the Innkeeper or bartender at the Carp, and inquires if he or she knows anyone who might be traveling to Vim in the next few days or week. Chaedi, who has just heard from the same source about Dex's possible location in Vim, overhears the conversation. She immediately assumes that she and Osrik will travel together, telling the dwarf "It's going to be sooooo much fun to get out of this stuffy little town!". In fact, she's ready to leave tonight, explaining that "travelling under the stars is sooooo romantic!" Osrik quickly vetoes this foolishness, explaining that "everything happens in its proper time, young lady, and journeys that begin in the dark end in the dark."

-- TodHarter

Lol. OK. The bartender looks like a pretty spiffy looking half-elf. Try making a die roll, in fact roll 1d20 twice and tell me what you get on each one.

Ugh! Osrik gets a 9 and a 1!

Since the bartender ignores Osrik's request, Os gets out a silver coin and begins tapping it on the counter. He asks the bartender again, a bit more pointedly, what he knows about groups that might be travelling to Vim.

Message from Tod at 20:28:27
He looks at your silver piece and takes it. It is a dwarven silver piece, so he seems to like it. The local ones are OK, and you know old Cardolan Coinage is good, especially if it is not too worn.
Message from Gilladian at 20:29:14
But does he give me any info? And do I get a beer along with it?

-- TodHarter

OK, you get a stien of beer. It is dwarvish beer. And he says "Well, I'm not sure...". He's probably holding out for another silver.

Message from Gilladian at 20:33:57
I harrump a little and tap the counter "Info - or change!" I say, as firmly as I can, and then take a gulp of ale. (I would know how big a tip I'm giving, right? I want it to be just a bit better than average, but not huge. I don't want to be known as loose in the pocket!)
Message from Gilladian at 20:36:11
Chaedi giggles and leans over the counter to the bartender. "Awww.... give the poor shorty his answer, why don't you?" She smirks a bit and winks at Osrik.
Message from Tod at 20:38:45
lol, OK. Roll another d20.
Message from Gilladian at 20:39:08
15!
Message from Tod at 20:40:24
OK, you manage to bluff him into saying "I think there was a young lady around here somewhere said she was bound for Vim".
Message from Gilladian at 20:41:15
Chaedi laughs gleefully and Osrik mutters, "I hope she's not another pointy-ears."
Message from Tod at 20:41:51
lol. Chaedi can make another roll.
Message from Gilladian at 20:43:25
A 7! She has a +1 for Charisma
Message from Tod at 20:43:59
Still doing her nails.
Message from Tod at 20:48:36
Ah, I have a copy of it.
Message from Tod at 20:50:05
Yup. Actually you seem to have stopped doing your nails and you notice a guy walking by the bar. He's fairly young and he's wearing some kind of leather armor and cloak that looks kind of like a uniform. And he has a bow with silver chasing on it.
Message from Gilladian at 20:51:07
Oooooh! Cute guy alert. I stroll in his direction, and gently shake out my hair, making every effort to catch his eye.
Message from Tod at 20:51:36
OK, I think that falls under the 'can't really fail' rule, lol.
Message from Tod at 20:52:02
He says 'Good afternoon Miss...'
Message from Gilladian at 20:53:11
I look him in the face and say, "Oh, Sir, I'm soooo sorry to bother you, but I just had a little bitty question to ask, and I just knew you'd be the right person to help me..." I put my hand on his forearm and squeeze his big strong muscle gently, and glance down, shyly.
Message from Gilladian at 20:53:53
(I'm laughing so hard I can barely type...)
I want to ask him if he knows anyone going to Vim, of course.
Message from Tod at 20:58:59
He says, 'Why I was going that way myself, why do you ask?'.

Message from Gilladian at 21:32:24
"Why, I have a friend of a friend up in that direction, you see. And my new friend, Osrik, is also interested in going that way. He's looking for someone, I think. I'm not quite sure..." she flips her hair again and peeks at the man, "we want to travel alone... all that way!"

She waits patiently for him to answer, but glances around the room to see if anyone else is paying their conversation any attention. Osrik, watching from the bar, snorts and drinks deep from his ale. No dwarf would be so demeaning to him or herself in his behavior!

After a few seconds he continues. "You're traveling, Miss? I'd recommend you take care if you're going north."

"I most certainly want to take care!" she says, getting impatient. "That's why I'm asking if you were going north! Or if you're NOT, do you know anyone who is?" Osrik nods his agreement, leaning forward to add "We'd be happy to travel with any small group, and add our numbers to the group. My axe is a good one!" He slaps his belt, where his trusty blade would normally hang. (My presumption is that weapons remain in guest rooms, not the common room?)

OK, right, generally people in the Inn don't seem to be wandering around festooned with weapons or wearing armor. Probably most of the people at the Inn don't HAVE anything more than a dagger or maybe a sword, though they might have stuff in their baggage, who knows... It isn't usual for people to bother to wear armor in town anyway, unless they're guards or whatnot or if they're say on their way out of town. As far as any of you know there aren't any specific laws regarding that, but obviously a whole bunch of heavily armed people wandering around will invite questions about their business.

"Ah, I see" the man says. "Where might you be heading exactly, if I might ask?"

This guy looks pretty clean cut. He IS armed, wearing some sort of light armor and a green cloak. He has a dagger and a sword on his belt. All of his stuff looks pretty well made and like maybe it is some sort of uniform, but he doesn't look like one of the town watch.

SessionTwo