(002) Taken!

[Eris]

There is a village elder who seems to be a calmer head. You learn that the Baron has a troop of riders that go up and down this road keeping an eye on things...in fact you passed them on your way here...that are expected to be back in Hassleford (name of village) in a couple of days. You also learn that the Jon the Wader, the local cleric, would probably argue against a rush to execution for the Hobgoblins, even it they are monsters.

Are either the village elder or Jon the Wader in the inn? if not Valerin will go to the local temple to speak to the cleric.

The village elder, Alric, is on a stool near the bar rail taking small sips from a mug of ale and chatting with the villagers as they come up to the bar for drinks. His eyes are shrewd as if he is evaluating the feel of the individuals as well as the entire crowd in the inn.

The cleric, Jon the Wader, isn't here. He is probably at the local temple.

[bruce.desertrat]

There is a village elder who seems to be a calmer head. You learn that the Baron has a troop of riders that go up and down this road keeping an eye on things...in fact you passed them on your way here...that are expected to be back in Hassleford (name of village) in a couple of days. You also learn that the Jon the Wader, the local cleric, would probably argue against a rush to execution for the Hobgoblins, even it they are monsters.

Are either the village elder or Jon the Wader in the inn? if not Valerin will go to the local temple to speak to the cleric.

The village elder, Alric, is on a stool near the bar rail taking small sips from a mug of ale and chatting with the villagers as they come up to the bar for drinks. His eyes are shrewd as if he is evaluating the feel of the individuals as well as the entire crowd in the inn.

The cleric, Jon the Wader, isn't here. He is probably at the local temple.

Valerin walks up to him "Master Alarin, I've been told you are wise and cool-headed, and of some influence in this village. I would like to have a quiet word with you. It is regarding tonights rescue of the young man. "

[joertexas]

Eodrien goes to stand watch as her more eloquent companions ferret out more information from the townsfolk.

[ateno]

When you approach the strong room where the Hobs are being held you find one of the local men sitting on a bench outside the door, standing guard. You aren't going to be able to talk to the prisoners while he is there, so you will need to find a way to get him to leave for a while.

Darian will buy 5 quarts of cheap wine in cheap containers and put them in his backpack.

Approach with the light, as not to sneak up.

"Good evening, I am Darian, this of course is Kazan, the village children know him at least." <Smile>

OOG: Darian wants to use some perceived negative of the Hobgoblins to show this duty is undesirable, like:

"Whew, the smell, that takes some getting use to, how can you stand it. Do they not understand how to at least pretend to use basic cleanliness. Am I right?" or
"Does them talking even count for language instead of pig squeaks? How long has that been going on.?"

OOG: Then remind him that there are other things he would like to do besides this job, like:

If hes young a ale, or if I saw him with a another...

"Much rather eat a meal with your sweetie instead of the hand bread and cheese in the dark." or
"A ale would taste better than the warm water in your leather botha."

Than Darian will ask, depending on the feedback he gets from the guard.

"I can take your spot for a hour or two, I was looking for a quiet spot to sit and study my spells, that is what I was doing when I walked by.
You head off and come back in a while, I'll be here."

IF I get him out of here I will apologize to the Hobgoblins in Kobold and ask to talk to them. Darian will speak as friends, say that he was the the one who put them asleep instead of having the party skewer them with heavy crossbows. He can promise their lives for a short time and would like to know what they know of the Redhats. If they are reluctant he will show the quart of wine.

"I have 5 of these, I am willing to give them all to you so you each have one for the information you have on the group and the leader Diago. You will be given to the Baron on his usual patrol, you will not escape, I am just offering..."

With that Darian will pour just a bit of red wine on the floor.

"You don't get these all at once, I will play them out as I get more and more information. I am quite willing to leave without giving you any.

So what do you say?"

Darian will pull out his pen and paper.

[Eris]

Valerin walks up to him "Master Alarin, I've been told you are wise and cool-headed, and of some influence in this village. I would like to have a quiet word with you. It is regarding tonights rescue of the young man. "

The short man with a red beard looks Valerin up and down and then nods, "If you want a quiet word, this isn't the place for it."

"Let's take a table over in that alcove." he nods toward an empty table over the far left of the bar.

"So, what do you want to talk about." Alarin asks after the pair take a seat.

[bruce.desertrat]

Valerin walks up to him "Master Alarin, I've been told you are wise and cool-headed, and of some influence in this village. I would like to have a quiet word with you. It is regarding tonights rescue of the young man. "

The short man with a red beard looks Valerin up and down and then nods, "If you want a quiet word, this isn't the place for it."

"Let's take a table over in that alcove." he nods toward an empty table over the far left of the bar.

"So, what do you want to talk about." Alarin asks after the pair take a seat.

Valerin leans forward, quietly and says "We caught the hobgoblins because they were arguing with some kobolds who they'd apparently dragooned into joining their little kidnapping venture. The kobolds are local, I expect people here know something of them. We took the kobolds back to their cave and spoke with their king, who declared that they never wanted to do anything wth the hobgoblins and their redcap masters, and merely wished to be left alone to their caves. "

Valerin sips his ale and continues "We promised the king that we would respect their wishes. But when we joined back up with the townsfolk searching for the boy, they were ready to kill the hobgoblins on the spot. I fear that when the questioning begins, the hobgoblins will paint the kobolds as their willing co-conspirators. We are leaving tomorrow and the Barons men will come for the hobgoblins, and the hobgoblins will squeal. But if people learn the kobolds were involved it would be...a problem. I truly feel that the kobolds have no love for the redcaps and desire nothing more than to be left alone, but hotter heads taking it on themselves to, ah, 'deal with the problem' would force them to choose a side. As unwilling as they are to join in any of this, I feel they would be much better as friends, or at least non-threatened neighbors, than unwilling enemies forced by circimstances to join with the redcaps. I was hoping that you might be able to convince people here of this."

[Eris]

Valerin leans forward, quietly and says "We caught the hobgoblins because they were arguing with some kobolds who they'd apparently dragooned into joining their little kidnapping venture. The kobolds are local, I expect people here know something of them. We took the kobolds back to their cave and spoke with their king, who declared that they never wanted to do anything wth the hobgoblins and their redcap masters, and merely wished to be left alone to their caves. "

Alarin nods, "Yes, that there are Kobolds under the hill up that way is known to many here. They have never bothered us and we have no need to bother them. For the most part they have always struck me as being peaceful as long as no one challenges them in their caves, and trying to root them out would get many men killed. We don't have men to waste on that."

Valerin sips his ale and continues "We promised the king that we would respect their wishes. But when we joined back up with the townsfolk searching for the boy, they were ready to kill the hobgoblins on the spot.

"We might have been better off if you'd have let them." Alarin shakes his head, "They will surely be killed now or later, better all around if it was done then, quickly, but alas that didn't happen."

I fear that when the questioning begins, the hobgoblins will paint the kobolds as their willing co-conspirators. We are leaving tomorrow and the Barons men will come for the hobgoblins, and the hobgoblins will squeal. But if people learn the kobolds were involved it would be...a problem. I truly feel that the kobolds have no love for the redcaps and desire nothing more than to be left alone, but hotter heads taking it on themselves to, ah, 'deal with the problem' would force them to choose a side. As unwilling as they are to join in any of this, I feel they would be much better as friends, or at least non-threatened neighbors, than unwilling enemies forced by circimstances to join with the redcaps. I was hoping that you might be able to convince people here of this."

Alarin nods again, "I'll see they are turned over to the Horse Guard and will make sure those guarding them already know about our neighbors. It is going to get out, though. There are never secrets for long in a village you know? If I could say the Kobolds were the ones that turned the Hobs over to you, or at least had nothing to do with this, I think it would go over better with the folks here. I suppose I can try to sell the Hobgoblins as lying to save their necks, I think my people would buy that."

"Thanks for giving me a heads up on this."

[bruce.desertrat]

Valerin sips his ale and continues "We promised the king that we would respect their wishes. But when we joined back up with the townsfolk searching for the boy, they were ready to kill the hobgoblins on the spot.

"We might have been better off if you'd have let them." Alarin shakes his head, "They will surely be killed now or later, better all around if it was done then, quickly, but alas that didn't happen."

Valerin says "I see your point, but they are agents of a shadowy force threatening all along the river. I suppose the Baron's men will probably torture a few grains of truth and a basket full of lies out of them in the end. But I doubt they had any mercies in store for that poor child."

Alarin nods again, "I'll see they are turned over to the Horse Guard and will make sure those guarding them already know about our neighbors. It is going to get out, though. There are never secrets for long in a village you know? If I could say the Kobolds were the ones that turned the Hobs over to you, or at least had nothing to do with this, I think it would go over better with the folks here. I suppose I can try to sell the Hobgoblins as lying to save their necks, I think my people would buy that."

"Thanks for giving me a heads up on this."

Valering says "Thank you, Alarin. I think that us finding the boy unharmed will help in that. " He shakes his head "I find myself becoming more thoughtful about what I leave behind me as I move through this life, and I would regret if it were to include unneeded strife and killing and I did not try to prevent it. peace be unto you, sir." He bows his head, then joins the rest of his companions for sleep and the continuing journey tomorrow.

[Eris]

Valering says "Thank you, Alarin. I think that us finding the boy unharmed will help in that. " He shakes his head "I find myself becoming more thoughtful about what I leave behind me as I move through this life, and I would regret if it were to include unneeded strife and killing and I did not try to prevent it. peace be unto you, sir." He bows his head, then joins the rest of his companions for sleep and the continuing journey tomorrow.

"I feel much the same Sir Valerin, I feel much the same." Alarin shakes hands with Valerin and remains at the table when Valerin leaves.

When Valerin reaches the bar he looks back and sees 3 men have joined Alarin and are leaning in as he speaks to them. One is an old man and the other two are younger. It looks like he is already passing the news around and trying to calm the waters.

[Eris]

Darian will buy 5 quarts of cheap wine in cheap containers and put them in his backpack.

Approach with the light, as not to sneak up.

"Good evening, I am Darian, this of course is Kazan, the village children know him at least." <Smile>

OOG: Darian wants to use some perceived negative of the Hobgoblins to show this duty is undesirable, like:

"Whew, the smell, that takes some getting use to, how can you stand it. Do they not understand how to at least pretend to use basic cleanliness. Am I right?" or
"Does them talking even count for language instead of pig squeaks? How long has that been going on.?"

OOG: Then remind him that there are other things he would like to do besides this job, like:

If hes young a ale, or if I saw him with a another...

"Much rather eat a meal with your sweetie instead of the hand bread and cheese in the dark." or
"A ale would taste better than the warm water in your leather botha."

Than Darian will ask, depending on the feedback he gets from the guard.

"I can take your spot for a hour or two, I was looking for a quiet spot to sit and study my spells, that is what I was doing when I walked by.
You head off and come back in a while, I'll be here."

This goes much as you wanted and are soon alone with the Hobgoblins.

I will apologize to the Hobgoblins in Kobold and ask to talk to them. Darian will speak as friends, say that he was the the one who put them asleep instead of having the party skewer them with heavy crossbows. He can promise their lives for a short time and would like to know what they know of the Redhats. If they are reluctant he will show the quart of wine.

"I have 5 of these, I am willing to give them all to you so you each have one for the information you have on the group and the leader Diago. You will be given to the Baron on his usual patrol, you will not escape, I am just offering..."

With that Darian will pour just a bit of red wine on the floor.

"You don't get these all at once, I will play them out as I get more and more information. I am quite willing to leave without giving you any.

So what do you say?"

Darian will pull out his pen and paper.

The Hobs are reluctant to talk, but first one then another reaches for the bottles of wine. Soon all of them are drinking and talking.

What Darian discovers:

• These are low level thugs and don't know much
• They know their Boss', Boss is an Orc named Natron
• Natron has a base with, at least, 2 hands of warriors about 5 days walk north of here
• There are many slaves there that grow food and do the work for Natron and his men
• Natron had a visit from a Hobgoblin named Luter from over on the eastern side of the ridges
• He came through "the pass" in the steep ridges
• Luter talked to us, and said soon the Goblins in Goblintown would join the Red Caps and then we would control the road between Hurst and Elesburg and beyond!
• The big boss is way north many, many days walk away, he and his men live in a City!
• Or the ruins of a city, they seem confused about that

[Eris]

As bedtime approaches the party gathers together in the livery stables. It is warm there and the straw is fresh and sweet...it's also free to bed down here for the night.

[ateno]

What Darian discovers:

• These are low level thugs and don't know much
• They know their Boss', Boss is an Orc named Natron
• Natron has a base with, at least, 2 hands of warriors about 5 days walk north of here
• There are many slaves there that grow food and do the work for Natron and his men
• Natron had a visit from a Hobgoblin named Luter from over on the eastern side of the ridges
• He came through "the pass" in the steep ridges
• Luter talked to us, and said soon the Goblins in Goblintown would join the Red Caps and then we would control the road between Hurst and Elesburg and beyond!
• The big boss is way north many, many days walk away, he and his men live in a City!
• Or the ruins of a city, they seem confused about that

Darian thanks the Hobgoblins and makes a second copy of the notes for the town elder to give to the horse guard with the hobgoblins and heads to the stables to try to get some sleep.

Darian

[bobk2323]

As bedtime approaches the party gathers together in the livery stables. It is warm there and the straw is fresh and sweet...it's also free to bed down here for the night.

As she usually does, Callista is asleep almost immediately, seemingly moments after she lays herself down on her makeshift, straw bed. Also as usual, she sleeps on her back, with her gray arms folded into a disturbingly funerary sort of position.

OOC: Sorry that I've been away from this game so long, guys! I'll try to be more attentive to things in the future.

--
Bob K.

[joertexas]

As bedtime approaches the party gathers together in the livery stables. It is warm there and the straw is fresh and sweet...it's also free to bed down here for the night.

Eodrien finds a place out of public view to strip off her armor and clean up a little before bed. That done, she dresses in a clean shirt and prepares a place to lie down.