"Tis a strange place," I say, leaning against a post for comfort, "and I've seen stranger than vampires here. A roving revenant warforged, for example. I didn't know those things could have souls, let alone one strong enough to bring em back. Purposeful thing, though. You could see that in its unblinking, phosphorescent eyes."

"And I saw a gallows tree once. Hung seventeen gnome spies from it, they did, and left them there to rot. Something in that oak tree went... bad. Uprooted itself and went on a walkabout, seventeen shrieking gnome corpses swinging in the wind."

"Strange place this is, yes," I say, pondering. "Vampires can be downright pleasant."

"This is a horrible country," mutters Atrelioth.

"This is a horrible country," mutters Atrelioth.

"Feel free to leave anytime," I drawl, slouching in my seat.

[Don't know that Mari has any intention of aiding Pepper, but I'm going to roll Initiative just in case I need to do something: 17 + 9 = 26]

[Do they sound like they're from this country?]

[Insight Roll(1d20)+12: 7,+12, Total:19]

"You got a name?" I ask the commander, then jerk my head at Andri's body.  "And sorry about him, for real.  I shoulda knocked him out at the end, there, before... don't matter now, I guess."

[Don't know that Mari has any intention of aiding Pepper, but I'm going to roll Initiative just in case I need to do something: 17 + 9 = 26]

[Do you want to be part of the incipient combat encounter?  i.e., should I be including a Mari turn in every round?]

[Do they sound like they're from this country?]

[Insight Roll(1d20)+12: 7,+12, Total:19]

Nope!  Not a hint of a Karrnathi accent in their Common.

"This is a horrible country," mutters Atrelioth.

"Why are you here? Are you lost?"

[Do you want to be part of the incipient combat encounter?  i.e., should I be including a Mari turn in every round?]

[Yeah. Odds are I'll pass on most of my turns, but if it looks like the fight's going to escalate, or somebody's about to be killed, Mari will intervene at that point.]

[Initiative, just in case, 2 + 6 = 8]

[Initiative, just in case, 2 + 6 = 8]

[Same question, am I including a Val turn in every round?]

[Initiative, just in case, 2 + 6 = 8]

[Same question, am I including a Val turn in every round?]

[Like Martin, I'll most likely pass most of them]

[As long as they're leaving her and Olegov alone, Astra will stay out of it.]

I sit.

I sometimes know when not to push my luck.

"Now hand over your cloak, mask and gloves," the commander says.

"You got a name?" I ask the commander, then jerk my head at Andri's body.  "And sorry about him, for real.  I shoulda knocked him out at the end, there, before... don't matter now, I guess."

"Tarravan," he replies.  He adds stiffly, "We will celebrate his death, not grieve it."  He doesn't look particularly celebratory.

"This is a horrible country," mutters Atrelioth.

"Why are you here? Are you lost?"

The commander says dryly, "We're here for much the same reason you are, I believe."

And what reason's that? I think, but look to the captain rather than asking myself; better wait and see how he wants to do this before speaking out too much.

The commander says dryly, "We're here for much the same reason you are, I believe."

"Yes, but why would you be interested? I mean, you're not from around here and clearly we have... differing beliefs."

The commander says dryly, "We're here for much the same reason you are, I believe."

"Yes, but why would you be interested? I mean, you're not from around here and clearly we have... differing beliefs."

"Naturally, we wish to prevent the monstrous abuses that would result from such a device falling into the hands of any Karrnathi faction," he replies.  "A question for a question.  Which faction are you agents of?"

"What monstrous abuses?" I break in to ask, curious what this staff whatever thing we've been sent after actually does.  Necromancy aint that useful a description, after all, seeing as how apparently some people think what I do counts as necromancy.

"What monstrous abuses?" I break in to ask, curious what this staff whatever thing we've been sent after actually does.  Necromancy aint that useful a description, after all, seeing as how apparently some people think what I do counts as necromancy.

"Not only the cruelty of fielding vast armies of twisted abominations itself," Tarravan says, "but doing so for one's own personal gain."

"Nobody said nothing to me about no twisted abominations," I reply.  "I'm just here cause some guy wants his missing kid back.  Why're you after us, anyway?  I mean, what makes you think we can even help you?"

[Just to clarify my thoughts here, I'm not rolling Bluff because to Astra's view that is the only reason she, in particular, was included on this mission; the group as a whole has another purpose as well, but she's just talking about herself.  Let me know if that's skirting it too much and I'll toss in a check!]

"Nobody said nothing to me about no twisted abominations," I reply.  "I'm just here cause some guy wants his missing kid back.  Why're you after us, anyway?  I mean, what makes you think we can even help you?"

[Just to clarify my thoughts here, I'm not rolling Bluff because to Astra's view that is the only reason she, in particular, was included on this mission; the group as a whole has another purpose as well, but she's just talking about herself.  Let me know if that's skirting it too much and I'll toss in a check!]

"One question for one question," he says.  His grip on the hilt of his sword shifts, perhaps unconsciously - not a threat, but the gesture of a warlike man who feels he's being far more magnanamous than the situation warrants.  "It's my turn.  Tell me about this 'missing kid'.  And answer my previous question.  Which faction?"

I glance over at Olegov.

"The Sovereign Host. I'm a member of the clergy. Unordained, mind you. But as I said before, my patron is Kol Korran, the god of gold, the deity of commerce, the maker of money. May his praise bring a rain of riches upon us all! Yes! Yes... "

I scratch my beard thoughtfully with manacled hands.

"Where was I? Oh, the missing kid. Got to adventuring in these parts we were told, and his father wishes to see him return. We were heading this way, and he offered a fair reward."

[Now THAT does need a bluff check ]

[I'm sure Olegov's +3 Bluff will dramatically improve our chances over Astra's +2.]