"I was supposed to keep my mouth shut too, but it turns out I'm not very good at that.

"End result is that we're search and rescue. Whatever the motives of those who sent us, that is what we do. We find soldiers and we bring them home."

"My job's to do as I'm told," I reply.  "And keep my mouth shut when I'm told.  They was real clear on that, so sorry, but I aint playing whatever your game is."

"Astra, Olegov," Tarravan replies, "As you may have surmised, I'm not a Karrn myself.  But I've always admired the spirit of the Karrnathi people.  Fortitude.  Perserverance," he adds.  "The two of you may be misguided in many ways, but I see that in you, so you ought to have the facts.  There are factions in your nation which have no great loyalty to your king.  Some would like more power over him - others would like to outright supplant him.  We have reason to believe one such group is active among a portion of your military, including your General ir'Dulinch.  As I understand it, they see your king as too soft, too concerned with diplomacy and keeping all the neighbors happy, not tough enough to stand up for Karrnathi interests, or to hold fast if war were to break out again."

"Yep," I agree, ignoring the rest.  "I figured you aint a Karrn.  Still waiting on hearing who you are.  Your turn to answer, right?  Fair's fair."

"Yep," I agree, ignoring the rest.  "I figured you aint a Karrn.  Still waiting on hearing who you are.  Your turn to answer, right?  Fair's fair."

[A more detailed answer would require some kind of check.]  "Call us a concerned third party," Tarravan says, then revises.  "Fourth party.  Fifth.  That I am aware of."  He considers for a moment.  "We have no use for prisoners.  Tell us what you know about the location of the artifact, and we'll let you go."

"But what leads you to believe General ir'Dulinch would betray his king? Surely you cannot believe we could take you on your word alone regarding such a serious charge? What evidence have you?"

"Y'know, for someone who thinks we oughta have the facts, you sure aint saying shit," I bitch at Tarravan.

[Diplomacy: 2+2=4!  I had a nice little speech originally about how people were just trying to kill us for doing our jobs, and if we were forewarned we'd be more likely than the other groups to be the ones he had to deal with later on in his mission, but.... yeaaah.

Oh, and History and Religion for what groups would be inclined towards the whole "necromancy is WRONG" view: 4, 13+4=8, 17]

"But what leads you to believe General ir'Dulinch would betray his king? Surely you cannot believe we could take you on your word alone regarding such a serious charge? What evidence have you?"

"Oh, proof?  On me?  None," Tarravan says.  "I rely on the word of those better-informed than I.  But think it through.  You're in a better position than us to judge whether your mission appears to be wholly on the up-and-up." 

"Y'know, for someone who thinks we oughta have the facts, you sure aint saying shit," I bitch at Tarravan.

[Diplomacy: 2+2=4!  I had a nice little speech originally about how people were just trying to kill us for doing our jobs, and if we were forewarned we'd be more likely than the other groups to be the ones he had to deal with later on in his mission, but.... yeaaah.

Oh, and History and Religion for what groups would be inclined towards the whole "necromancy is WRONG" view: 4, 13+4=8, 17]

Tarravan gives Astra a dubious look.

  [You are aware that the formal church of the Sovereign Host generally frowns on medding with necromancy, mostly more out of concern about the unethical and dangerous practices surrounding it rather than an inherent objection to undead.  You also know the Silver Flame vehemently object to measures that unnaturally extend life after death, although you're not as familiar with their beliefs, it being an uncommon religion in Karrnath.  You also have the general sense that the secrets of post-life existence extension are closely guarded among the segments of Karrnathi society that are in the know about unlife, and they very much frown on the common person researching, discussing, or worse, producing it.]

"Oh, proof?  On me?  None," Tarravan says.  "I rely on the word of those better-informed than I.  But think it through.  You're in a better position than us to judge whether your mission appears to be wholly on the up-and-up." 

I laugh out loud. "OK. Wow. Let me get this straight. You enter a foreign country, attack a group of soldiers, and interrogate them, and your justification for this is 'my boss told me their boss is a liar'? And you see no problem here?"

I shake my head, still chuckling. "You military types are hilarious."

"Oh, proof?  On me?  None," Tarravan says.  "I rely on the word of those better-informed than I.  But think it through.  You're in a better position than us to judge whether your mission appears to be wholly on the up-and-up." 

I laugh out loud. "OK. Wow. Let me get this straight. You enter a foreign country, attack a group of soldiers, and interrogate them, and your justification for this is 'my boss told me their boss is a liar'? And you see no problem here?"

I shake my head, still chuckling. "You military types are hilarious."

"I'm not a soldier," Tarravan says.  He considers briefly.  "Zoder, take a blanket, wrap Andri's body, and get load it on a horse.  We'll do rites for him once we're well away.  Atrelioth, leave pay on the bar for the innkeepers for their trouble.

"I'm reasonably convinced you're pawns, not players," he says, turning back to the group.  "Even if this is an unsavory company.  Unfortunately, we have no use for prisoners.  Given more time, I would prefer to see the vampire brought to trial, and to explore ecclesiastical methods of putting a ghost to rest, but we must move quickly."

Atrelioth draws her spear, and Tarravan waves a quelling hand.  "They surrendered," he tells her.  "We cannot kill the living ones, and I gave my word to Astra regarding the creature."

"We killed the last lot," Atrelioth points out, not putting away her spear just yet.

"They did not surrender," Tarravan tells her.  "I appreciate your zeal, but you must learn to be both zealous and honorable, Atrelioth."  He contemplates the group.  "Astra, and you, vampire.  You must allow yourselves to be bound, and we will bind the innkeeper as well.  We'll take his daughter with us, and release her some miles from here.  We'll be well away, and she can return and free you if you have not yet freed yourself."

"No," I say immediately.  "Leave the girl and take me.  I aint gonna abandon - my captain, or this lot working here, by trying to follow you or nothing, but I can defend myself on the way back if I gotta.  Countryside aint safe."

[Diplomacy: 13+2=15]

Tarravan goes on, "You face a real problem.  Choose to believe me or don't, but I must in good conscience advise you.  I am aware of at least three main factions pursuing this artifact - your general's group of rebels, the establishment, and some secret unsavory death cabal on which my intel is woefully thin.  I guarantee you want nothing to do with the artifact itself, but I expect that if you simply give up the search, the rebels or the cabal will hunt you down and kill you for knowing too much.  Was the part about the missing kid mere cover story, or an actual component of your mission? 

"Were I in your shoes, I would follow one of two paths:  I would approach the king's people for protection, or continue the rescue component of the mission in hopes of appeasing your general. 

"And do give up necromancy, Astra," he adds.  He looks to Astra, Oleg and the semi-conscious Pepper.  "And I am bound by my promise to you, but I hope you will deal with the vampire appropriately."

"How many groups you killed?" I ask, frowning.

"No," I say immediately.  "Leave the girl and take me.  I aint gonna abandon - my captain, or this lot working here, by trying to follow you or nothing, but I can defend myself on the way back if I gotta.  Countryside aint safe."

[Diplomacy: 13+2=15]

[Not quite enough, alas.]

"That is very thoughtful of you," he says, "but it would be inadvisable to bring the necromancer manhunter with us for even part of our mission, wouldn't it?  We'll arm the girl and bring their pony for her."

"How many groups you killed?" I ask, frowning.

"One," he says. "A party of six, also out of Fort Deepdark.  They fought well enough, but would not see reason."

"How long ago?" I ask, after a brief twist of my mouth at his refusal to take me along.  "The kid wasn't a lie, so if you killed him... guess that makes the job a lot simpler, anyway."

"How long ago?" I ask, after a brief twist of my mouth at his refusal to take me along.  "The kid wasn't a lie, so if you killed him... guess that makes the job a lot simpler, anyway."

"About six weeks ago," Tarravan says.  "We burnt the bodies in a clearing south of here."  He reaches into his bag and draws out a small leatherbound book, sets it on the windowsill beside him.  "This journal was on one of the bodies; perhaps it will be of some use to you."

Or to someone, at least, I think, but merely nod.  Wish all the murderers I met was this helpful with telling me about who all they killed, really.

"There were no children among that group," he adds, and nods to Zoder, who gets out two sets of manacles.  "We'll give the keys to the serving girl," Tarravan says.  "Now, shall we?" he says, gesturing for Astra and Val to hold out their hands and extend their feet.

I hesitate, eyeing Valenae and not extending my hands or feet just yet, trying to delay until he's safely chained first.

I catch the glance.

Peasant

I hold my arms out.

Zoder binds Val, then Astra.  "We'll leave at least some of your weaponry by the stable," Tarravan says.  "Zoder, bind the father and get the girl.  Offer him our assurances.  Atrelioth, shut those window and stoke the fire; won't do for anyone to freeze while they wait."  The trio busies themselves with their departure, although they keep a close eye on the group. 

"My apologies for the inconvenience," Tarravan tells the innkeeper as Zoder kicks the storeroom door shut and carries the girl out over his shoulder.  "We left a generous tip."

In a trice they're out and gone.

As the three canter away, with their prisoner riding in front of Zoder, the pony and Andri's warhorse with his body being ponied along behind Atrelioth, they keep the conversation to a minimum.  But after a few moments, Atrelioth, patting her pockets, says, "Blast.  I must have dropped my papers."  She hands off the ponied horses reins to Tarravan.  "Keep on, I'll catch up on a moment."

Left by herself, she circles back around to the vicinity of the roadhouse.  Looking about to make sure she's not being watched, either by her comrades or by any passers by, she loads a crossbow, lights the alchemically enhanced bolt, and takes aim for the roadhouse's thatched roof.  The bolt goes out midflight, and cursing, she lights a second and fire that as well.  When she sees the first wisp of smoke indicating the fire has caught, she puts the crossbow away, and makes to leave.  She does not have the same enthusiasm she did for this task as she had for real combat.  "Sorry," she mutters to no one in particular, then spins her horse and gallops away to rejoin her party.  "Needed to be done."

The dry thatch of the roof becomes a conflagration quickly.

[The roadhouse is now aflame!  This is now a skill challenge.  Details to come in a sec.  The reward for success is that all make it out with your current HP and inventories intact, and you get a nice present.  Now, I can't kill my party off in a cavalier manner, so the consequence of failing the skill challenge is not that you PCs die in a fire.  But it's not as nice an outcome for you as success.  Hopefully you won't find out!]

[Skill challenge parameters:

• 8 successes before 4 failures
• 6 of the checks must reach moderate DCs (17+); at least 2 must also reach hard DCs (21+)
• No party members assisting (too much of a hassle in this format), but I will give up to +4 to checks that are particuarly well-narrated and creative
• All 5 PCs must contribute at least one attempt
• No restrictions on which skills you use - this is an emergency, after all! - but the skills must apply logically to what you are attempting to do, and what you are attempting to do must logically apply to your escape effort.  No one player may apply the same skill more than once.
• I reserve the right to alter these parameters slightly if it turns out I screwed something up, lol

Your goal is to get all five of you outside, as well as the innkeeper.]