The Wilds - Murder-hobos at the gate

The party has stumbled across a small settlement protected by a palisade on their travels. Rather than killing everyone, they decide to parlay. After a few weeks in the woods, dungeon, and death pit, they're looking a little rough. We'll see how this goes.


Start Date: September 12, Year of the Badger, afternoon
Start Status: Oh HAI!
Start Location: The Wilds

The Turn

Quickly whispered plans in the trees, then the party moves, slowly and carefully, into the more open ground. Maro, Mordikarr, and Ohwatoo in the fore, hands out and open, showing they carry no arms. Behind them, the party stops just at the edge of open ground. The dog is the first to spot them. It starts barking and is quickly joined by several others within the palisade. The watchman on the tower turns, looks, and then grabs, not the spear, but a short rod. He starts pounding on a metal rod that you took for a railing, CLANG CLANG CLANG!

The people outside the wall run for the gate, one of the workers picks up a crossbow and waits for the others to get clear, then follows them in. The dog barks a couple more times, but a yell from the wall brings it to heel.

"Well, they're prepared for trouble," says Raúguey to the others back by the mules.

The party is in no hurry to force a confrontation, so the trio at the front slowly moves forward. As they do the watchman drops out of sight, but several heads pop up along the top of the palisade, peering between the logs. "Guess there's a walkway behind the wall," mutters Maro. His sharp elven ears pick up voices from beyond the wall, but can't make out the words. Everyone can hear the loud horn call though, BRA-ba-ba-BRRRAAA! That's followed by a loud, shrieking whistle.

Mordikarr frowns at that, then whispers, "That sound like eagle call. Maybe they have pets?"

From the distant southeast the horn is answered, Ba-ba-braaaa.

"I don't like the sound of that," says Durego. "Another settlement?"

"Maybe," answers Rawon, "or maybe a hunting party or patrol."

There's no further reaction from the palisade, so the envoys advance again, slowly. They cover about 70 yards [the entire clearing is about 300 yards wide, the rest of the party is about 150 yards from the wall], when a voice calls out from the palisade. "That's far enough! Who are you and what are you doing here?!"

Maro starts his spiel, saying that the party is exploring the region on behalf of Thambar the Prudent, Lord of Hembard Wilds, Defender of Highcliff Keep, Recognized Lord of the Peerage of the Kingdom of Jal, Meisterburger of Auslaug, Hustwood, and Brekkevale. He begins to explain that the group has had some run-ins with various denizens of the wilderness, gnolls, bugbears, and troglodytes. He also mentions the group has encountered other people, the Jago clan, and that they wanted only peaceful speech, and perhaps trade with, any friendly folk they encountered.

There's a few moments silence, and the front group can hear voices, then, "We have no need or distant lords or their agents! These are our lands, and no other may claim them! Tell your lord of many titles he and his agents are not welcome here!" There's a pause, and more voices, then louder voices, followed by a definitive, "Quiet!" Then the speaker continues. "If you come to trade, perhaps we can do business, though you look like no traders I've ever seen. What do you offer?"

End Date: September 12, Year of the Badger, afternoon
End Status: Foot in the door!
End Location: The Wilds

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