ROA: Part 1, The Lone Tower

[ArcticFox]

Nodding in acceptance, Guy withdraws from the huddle and turns again to await Ingruhn's reply.

[ArchAngel]

Kratimos steps back a little from the group, and while wanted to investigate the wreckage and corpses, he turns his attention back to the gnomes.

((can I roll for sense motive on the head gnome? You know, just in case? See if something might be up.))
[dice]0[/dice]

[ironwizard]

Turning to Brokan, (and striking his best scolding father pose), "Are ye daft boy? Do ye really mean to suggest that I only want to help for a reward? Do ye really know nothing about clergy? A proper burial requires the attendance of a priest, and I unless thar be a gnomish priest here ((@fathom, is there? do I see one?)) then it falls to me to give these poor souls a proper send off. No one here is proposing a week long funeral, simply a quick burial and ceremony for the deceased. It be our sacred duty to the fallen. Would take til evening at the longest, or is that too long for yer short-lived human impatience?"

[Truthseeker]

"I do not doubt you have no interest in a reward, priestly dwarf, but our knight here [he gestures toward Guy] suggested that we might gain a reward of information by assisting the gnomes. I get the sense, however, that even his insinuation was pretextual and was meant to appease those among us who earnestly hope to press onward soon. I meant no offense to you or anyone else, Dwarf. I simply . . ." Brokan struggles to phrase his sentiment as inoffensively as possible. He is bad at this. "I simply worry that our delay will result in more unnatural deaths--deaths of those who might yet be saved. Remaining here until evening costs us a day of travel time. That is a day later we reach the tower, a day later we end this, a day more of opportunity for our enemies to commit murder. And moreover, our path will surely be full of deaths. How many 'quick burials' will there be? I do not wish to argue this more. I was sent here by my druidic mentor, keeper of the great tree, to aid and guide, but not to command. My only power is to try and persuade you that time is of the essence. I've said my piece. But it is true that I know practically nothing of the clergy."

[ArchAngel]

Kratimos laughed and asked Brokan, "Did the dwarf just call us short?"

[Truthseeker]

"He called our lives short," Brokan replies with no sense of humor. "Everyone's lives are short these days."

[ArchAngel]

Kratimos looked a little at Brokan, unsure how to respond to the druid's seriousness.

[ironwizard]

((what time of day is it anyways?))

[fathom123]

Ingruhn stands there witnessing the debate among these newly acquired...friends? The years have tempered him into a man who weighs words and actions carefully and does not respond quickly. He mills over what is being said to him and what is being said amongst the party. These are some young individuals, they have yet to experience life and have no idea what lies in store for them.

Ingruhn, smiles, "If I may...." He waits for the attention of the group to be directed at him.

"I offr ye'all a place't sleep for th'evening, an opportunity t'rest yer weary bodies before ye continue yer journey. Regardin our dead, we will take care o'them. Where might ye be travelin to?"

Kratimos

Spoiler:

You find him exceptionally hard to read. This is a man of depth and reason, you can tell he has no malice in his intentions though you can not understand by what depth he views and understands you. He's old and wise and his mannerisms and calm demeanor reflect this.

Kagor

Spoiler:

In order to tell who among the Gnomes may be a priest then you would have to roll a knowledge religion check to look for signs of clergy. At face value, you see armored gnomes.

Ironwizard/Everyone

Spoiler:

In order to tell the time of day, you will need to roll a survival check (trained). You are in the forest and the only way you can tell the time is by the sun which is filtered through trees so you have to know what you are doing in the wild. You can tell it's daylight and that the sun is not dim in the sky.

[ArcticFox]

Guy looks up, seeing that there's still plenty of daylight left, although not certain how much, exactly. He then addresses Ingruhn once more. "We travel to the north, into the Pago Mountains. We must make haste, and so we must decline your gracious offer. Much depends on our arriving at our destination as quickly as possible. We intend to follow this road, but if you know of a faster route, we would be most grateful if you could tell us of it, or even provide a guide. We wouldn't ask if the need weren't so great."

[ArchAngel]

Kratimos was ready to leave when he remembered what the old gnome has said earlier.
"If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing in these parts? Are you hunting someone or something? And what you mean by monsters responsible? Responsible for what?"

[ArcticFox]

((Good catch!))

[Truthseeker]

Survival check to learn the time of day

[dice]0[/dice]

EDIT: Also, I'd like to know generally what types of natural dangers there are in these woods. Not sure if that's a survival question or a knowledge question, so I'll include both rolls. Please let me know which one actually applies for future reference.

Knowledge (nature): [dice]1[/dice]

Survival: [dice]2[/dice]

I'd also like to know if there are any natural dangers specific to traveling at night. That is, are there giant nocturnal rats that could swarm us in our sleep if we don't take the gnomes up on their offer of shelter.

Knowledge (nature): [dice]3[/dice]

Survival: [dice]4[/dice]

[ironwizard]

fathom

Spoiler:

Knowledge (Religion) at +6. Do you want to roll or should I?

[fathom123]

Ingruhn looks at the Paladin and the Fighter, his face curls up a little into a confused and slightly offended look. He puts the head of his pick on the ground and rests his hands on top of it.

"Monsters r'sponsible fr what?.....Fr th bodies at yer feet. In any case," he looks at guy, "I can offer you a way under the mountains if you like, will prove much faster, I believe, then going around them."

Brokan

Spoiler:

The time is 2:45pm.
You know that there are many natural beasts that hunt the forests including large rats, giant spiders, large cats, and other carnivorous animals. Many of these prefer to hunt at night and usually keep to their dens or lairs during the day. The bigger threats lie in the dangers of trying to navigate the forest at night. Especially without having the luxury of roads and being involved with a party who can not see at night without the use of torches. You know that there are magical and unnatural creatures known to wander these woods as well, but that is not your field of expertise.

Kagor

Spoiler:

You rolled a 22.
You recognize that there is one company priest, possibly a war priest judging by his armor and weapons. You can tell that he is a priest of Baervan Wildwanderer, a lesser known deity of the gnomish Pantheon. Baervan is the gnomish god of the forests. His armor looks the same as the others except his helmet is topped with the fur and upper skull of a raccoon.