The Sundered Way

[spiderwrangler]

When Zephyr and Holger get to about 60 ft from the crest of the hill, there is a rustling as a human male in studded dark leather armor steps out from the grass to the north of the road and stands at the hill. His armor is well maintained, and a scimitar rests at one hip, and a trio of daggers along the other.

"Greetings travelers! I hope your journey from the Eastern Cities has been a pleasant one. There's just a small matter of the roadway tax, you know for upkeep of the wells and campsites and the like... and then you can be on your way again."

[M0rtimer]

((Is Ulmwin too far off to chime in on any conversation, or..? Also, are our fellow centaurs sneaking or clearly visible?))

[BadgeAddict]

Zephyr plays the fools and strikes up a conversation with the soon to be dead bandits. "A tax, oh my, how much is it to pass?"

► Show Spoiler

Or we could turn this into a naughty film.

I can't pay sir, but I do have these. UU

[spiderwrangler]

((You're 30 ft behind Zeph and Holger, centaurs and sneakers are in the grass.))

"Oh, quite reasonable, only 5 gold a head, so 30 for your party."

((I'll take a Deception check from Zephyr please.))

[BadgeAddict]

Deception: 1D20+1 = [3]+1 = 4



Could we get a map update?

[M0rtimer]

30 gold? Ulmwin thinks to himself... For that kind of price, he'd probably could be convinced to just pay them and be rid the trouble, considering the haul they made... Not that they'd need know that- Nor that he expected things to go over that smoothly, especially with how Zephyr was quite blatantly revealing she knew they weren't "road inspectors"... Not that there'd ever been any illusion they were, but still.

[BadgeAddict]

^Rub my face right in that big pile of FAIL while you're at it M0rt.

[M0rtimer]

I'm just playing at how it is definitely intentional, so Zeph will get the chance to slay some fools.

[Arch Lich Burns]

Maji continues sneaking until he finds a bandit to maul. Per: 1D20+5 = [4]+5 = 9

[spiderwrangler]

"And I'll be needing you to not try any funny business.", he says with a scowl, waving a hand as two others step forward out of the grass from the south, holding crossbows (but not actively pointing them at you yet). The first is a taller fellow, with a neatly trimmed blond beard and shaved head. The other might be a half elf, though the multiple piercings in his ears mask their shape, but he has the more angular features that suggest elven blood.

((I think I forgot to describe the leader beyond his gear... which might be all these guys are to Zephyr... ... close cropped black hair, mustache and goatee, scar at his right temple.))

Ambush!: MAP

((He only rolled an 8 on his Insight check, btw.))

((Has the back half of the road party stopped, or are you continuing forward to join Zephyr as they are talking?))

[BadgeAddict]

"Hey wait a minute, we weren't in the Eastern cities, I think that negates this so-called tax of yours, we only used half the road, so that would be half the tax, right?"

[Arch Lich Burns]

Maji is going to creep closer as Zephyr provides a distraction, ready to turn into a browm bear when things go south.

[spiderwrangler]

"Oh, this is the only portion that I'm collecting taxes for, if someone wants to wait about and collect taxes in the Blasted Lands, they're welcome to it. So... you're currently using this all of this road, so we'll be having all of the tax."

Maji moves up past Dryderion.

[thinkslogically]

Nem is continuing to move towards the bandits, but staying out to the side / behind them.

[BadgeAddict]

Zephyr pulls out her coins purse. "I suppose you just want me to lay it out here on the road right, and us to back up so you can collect it then?"
Zephyr kneels down in the dirt of the road and lays a bit of cloth on the ground and then starts counting out coppers onto it. "You said 5 gold each right, what's that in coppers? I'll start counting, you tell me when to stop okay."

Zephyr starts counting loudly from 1 while dropping copper after copper onto the cloth in the middle of the road.

Every now and then, she'll "lose count" and start over with the coppers on the cloth.

[spiderwrangler]

Zephyr gets to 11... for the third time... before the "taxman" flicks a hand at her and the taller crossbowman raises his weapon and fires, the bolt pinning the cloth to the ground and sending copper scattering.

"That purse looks plenty full. Just toss it towards me and we'll handle the counting."

[NotStickFigures]

Coljin will not head all the way up to Zephyr. He is going to stay 25 feet behind her.

[BadgeAddict]

"Are you sure? My mom always told me that..." Long sniff... "Less educated people can't count the best." She pauses for a few moments thinking. "You know there mr elf, that was an impressive shot, you come work for me and I'll pay you twice what this guys gives you, it'll be a real shame when If I have to kill someone with such a steady hand."

Intimidation: 1D20+3 = [4]+3 = 7

[thinkslogically]

((I assume Nem is too far away to be able to ehar any of the conversation?))

[spiderwrangler]

Zephyr's attempt to intimidate folks after calling them less educated falls bit short when she calls the human who is reloading his crossbow Mister Elf. He looks at his boss in confusion, receives a puzzled shrug, and finishes loading.

((You can at least hear Zephyr being Zephyr, and the increasingly irritated tones of whoever she is speaking to.))

[M0rtimer]

Ulmwin takes a couple steps closer, and lets out an audible sigh. Here's hoping he can salvage things somewhat...

"Gentlemen, please, there's no need for hostility. Nor is there any need for pretense, but I can appreciate the poetry behind it. You're far better than a whole other lot one meets on these roads."

"Still, I'd urge you..." he pauses for a second, intentionally. "Are you aware of the game of poker? Mechanics and luck aside, it's a game where you weigh what you think your cards are against those of your opponents. Now, there's... Ten, fourteen, of you maybe..?" he betrays, letting slip just a little bit that they know more than they let on, as he continues trying to sweet talk his way out of things: "And yet... You don't stop to wonder what a group like us is doing on this path, if supposedly we didn't go all the way along it."

"Gentlemen, myself, I'd gladly pay my part of this 'tax' if it gets us out of your hair without a scuffle. Although I'm afraid some of my companions might think it a bit high... Some of my companions would rather settle this another way." he says, giving a sidelong glance to Zephyr.

"And ultimately, I'm still the kind of guy that'd not want to see my friends hurt... Basically, all I'm trying to do is plead with you to ask yourself if this is the kind of hand you want to go all in on, or if you're just not better off folding to play another day. One you actually know all the cards you're playing against."

(So what kind of roll would you say this is Spider, if any? I was thinking deception, but intimidate might fit better...)

[Theis2]

Holger tries not so discretely as he had hoped to urge some process from those sneaking, trying to hide it as urging Zephyr to hurry up the counting.

"Can't blame her for being a bit slow, the demon breed needs a few hits to head to not cause too much trouble."

Once they decide to increase the stakes Holger decides to get a bit more of a threatening demeanor as his mage armor pulses slightly with energy.

"You didn't by any chance hear of any of the great magicians at the festival in circle vale then?

Holger will ready an action to cast sleep on them if they try any more shooting or more people get out of the bushes.

Holger deception: 1D20+4 = [4]+4 = 8
Holger intimidation: 1D20+4 = [19]+4 = 23

[spiderwrangler]

((Ulmwin, I'd say you we speaking reasonably and pleasantly enough to make it Persuasion if you want, otherwise yes, Intimidation.))

((Sneakers can give me Perception checks.))

[Lurks_In_Shadows]

Randy keeps heading forward in a straight line, trying to find an angle for a clear shot at the bandits.

[M0rtimer]

Persuasion: 1D20+4 = [13]+4 = 17

Ulmwin generally seems to give the air that he does care to prefer to not hurt them, which is genuine... But only in the sense that he'd rather avoid battle, not in the sense of some altruistic 'good'- Honestly, some of the more devout members of this party would probably have no issue diving straight in so innocent travelers would not end up bothered...

edit: missed a pretty important "not"