In reply to Dilandua (msg # 28):

"We should also bear in mind that the Mage Guild might have magical ways of tracking items, possibly using their insignia. Might be best to remove them sooner rather than later."

"There is no reason for them to begin tracking anything for longer than it will take us to return and dispose of the goods through Guild fences, and even if so they will track the gear to Northport, which is where their members were going in the first place."

In reply to Dilandua (msg # 30):

"But if they then cross check if they passed through St Remy it would point back to the Guild there...and it would also indicate they did not stop at St Remy."

"As I said, we can check with our guide about an alternate route back, but the damage is done vis-avis your idea of 'cross-checking' with Saint Remy.  We stayed there and made inquiries about the Mage's Guild yesterday.  No more damage can be done by passing through quickly."

"The elf -- Dilandua? -- may be right.  Just passing through a village built on a road isn't likely to raise much interest.  How far is it?  When were you there last?"

"This morning.  It's a few hours that way," Dilandua indicates the direction the Mage's Guild was traveling, "if we make time, we can pass through and be a few hours past it before darkness falls."


Dilandua gives the horses and packs the once over.  "If we're done here, are we moving, or waiting for the bodies to burn?  Either way, someone should return these beasts to camp, Guillaume can tend to them, let whoever brings them back know if they are too injured to travel or not.  That will further determine what we pack and what we dispose of."





OOC:

Understood.  No doubt we could "easily" drum up someone to buy the gear for just such purposes, but shielding it against Mage's Guild scrying might not be as easy for us, our means are limited.  Making notes on the garb's design and replicating it later might be more prudent for us.  Though there are organizations that can provide the scry proof containers... but whether or not anyone other than the Dilandua would want to have anything to do with the one DIlandua knows of is another story.  But that's another discussion we could have in character if anyone wants to pursue that line of dialogue.


It will take 2-3 hours for the bodies to burn, that will give our Guide time to tend to the horses, and whoever returns to camp time to further sort down gear if Guillaume has bad news about our new pack mules.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:02, Wed 25 Aug 2021.

“I have to believe the guild will figure out what happened one way or another.  Fretting over whether or not they can scry us seems superfluous at this point.  Besides, we were just the muscle. If we hadn’t taken the job, someone else would have.”

"I agree with 'Nay, there are a lot of awfully smart people in the Guild, and not all of them are totally caught up in research and learning.  The one saving thing is that once they figure out what happened, they still have to figure out how and who.  And when the body count comes up one short, if they can be sure of that, they have to determine who's not accounted for."

"For that matter, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if one or more of those bodies had a Tracer on it -- it's even possible one was put on me without my knowledge; at least a couple Guildsmen thought it was worth the risk to try to make me into a tool, against both law and Guild rules."  His voice, normally just grating, rises here to a rather disturbing quality.

"If we didn't need to hang around to cover the burnt bodies, I'd say we should hit the road immediately; I can maintain the fire from anywhere as long as I can stay awake.

"Can you trust the guide?  Those horses have Guild brands, and all the tack has their symbols on it as well."

"Guillaume is from the Adventurers Guild in Northport, so he is as trustworthy as the rest of the thieves, brigands, cutthroats, and blackguards employed there.  But to the point, he isn't likely to sell us out to the Mage's Guild as he knows what would befall him were he to do so."

Dilandua actually sighs dramatically and has momentary cross look, "Though the minor trouble we went through to to keep him in the dark concerning this operation is moot when we return with all this looted gear.  Next time I'll take that into consideration before making plans."

In reply to Dilandua (msg # 37):

Reanna will take the look, and the beasts, back to camp and check with Guillaume, leaving the others to discuss the deatial.

Virgilio's ears figuratively perk up.

"The Adventurers' Guild is on the outs with the Mages' Guild?"

"I have no idea.  But I suspect if not yet, this will certainly create some level of animosity.  Though if the Imperial Mages Guild requires enrollment within their ranks to be 'legally' allowed to cast spells, learn spells, and sell the services of spellcasters, then since Northport follows no such strictures... well, I suspect there is already some level of animosity."


Before Reanna leaves, Dilandua will take four of the hip quivers off the packs and set them nearby, "We may as well while we're waiting."




OOC:  GM it's normally a successful Scrounging roll to recover a third (outdoors) to half (indoors) expended ammo.

10:19, Today: Dilandua rolled 13 using 3d6.  Scrounging 11 (Default 6 + 5 Extra Time) bolt recovery.

If Virgilio pitches in, we can do this (and unless he's lazy, go ahead and Take Extra Time +5, x30 time, since we've got the hours to spend).  Dilandua is just not very good at Scrounging.

scouring the area, you find about a third of the bolts, which in this case is 43.

Someone will have to go and collect the guide.

“Perhaps when we return, we should inquire about another contract against the Mage’s Guild.  This one went smoothly enough, and it would keep them off balance if we continue destroying them.  Not that this is anything personal.”

Dne offers to aid the gathering.

In reply to Narrator (msg # 41):

Reanna was going to take stuff to collect the guide. Ideally, she would take the mounts to the guide, rather than bring the guide here, but unsure of the mounts co-operation.

"Since this lot were apparently too well off to use slings, I guess I could carry a crossbow, just to have a first shot if we run into trouble.  Not something I'll care to keep once I can get a sling, but better than throwing a rock.

"They're easy to use, right?  Pull this back until it latches -- oof, using the lever -- then drop a bolt into the slot and slide it under the keeper, point that end at the enemy, and push this lever."

He takes aim at a nearby tree trunk and lets fly; the bolt goes deep into the wood.

"Seems simple enough."

He clips one of the hip quivers to his belt and reloads the crossbow before setting it aside while doing other things.

OOC: Virgilio is happy to assist in scrounging the scattered bolts while maintaining the fire.

[Private to GM: 09:27, Today: Virgilio Hohlfeld rolled 9 using 3d6.  Crossbow (Default 7 + 4 Acc).]

OOC:  If you don't have Animal Handling, bringing the guide here actually be the better idea.  Also, we don't know enough to judge if one has an injured leg.

In reply to Dilandua (msg # 45):

Whatever works....

In reply to Reanna Draegan (msg # 46):

You head back toward Saint Remy to find Guillaume

In reply to Narrator (msg # 47):

Wait, I am pretty sure we set up a campsite not far from the ambush site...from the previous thread

In reply to Reanna Draegan (msg # 48):

so long I forgot he was with you!

Guillaume tends to the horses.  you might just be able to load the armor and weapons on them, but the horses will be lightly encumbered.

Dne keeps his distance from the horses, eager to avoid spooking them.  Meanwhile, he keeps an eye out for interesting birds.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:11, Tue 31 Aug 2021.

"Guillaume, is it?  I'm Virgilio Hohlfeld of Bon Chance, formerly of the Mages' Guild.

"Tell me, is riding a horse very easy to learn?"

In reply to Virgilio Hohlfeld (msg # 51):

Yeah, that was a long way back!

So, get everything back to camp, bodies disposed of, by nightfall?

In reply to Reanna Draegan (msg # 52):

fire does 1d-3 per second, bodies need to go to -10 ht, so yes by nightfall