5punk

Forenrond practically vanishes in the tall grass. Where do you want to move to?

Thoon, as you and Thor approach the men stop chatting to each other and stand straight, expectantly. All three are older human men, maybe in their thirties. The man on the left speaks up first, he's in scruffy leather armour and sports a messy, short beard.

The guy on the left wrote:Mornin'. What's the matter with your wagon, broken wheel?

Threader, Glib, Orovan. What do?

Threader walks towards the men, past Thoon & Thor and pipes up for the first time in this journey:

Threader wrote:Ho, lads! Nothing wrong with our wagon, but something seems to be up with this road. Namely, it's got some junk blocking it. What's with the blockade?

They have a bit of a chuckle at that, and the one in the middle looks as though he's sizing you all up.

The guy on the left wrote:Uh, word from on high. Lord Thorben wants this road guarded. Bunch of crooks going round fleecing people as they go about their business.

The other two are fair haired and wear padded armour, scratched and patched up.

The guy on the right wrote:You chaps don't look the sort though. You've not been robbin' innocent folk have ya'? Haha. Why don't you come right through and we'll get out of your way.

Threader, can you make a Spot check for me?

The guy in the middle wrote:We should probably check their wagon though. Could be smugglers.

~~ PIRATE EYES ACTIVATED ~~

Roll(1d20)+0:
14,+0
Total:14

Thanks.

Threader points at the middle guy, flaring his nostrils and pulling the most goddamn death metal face he's ever pulled.

Threader wrote:Check our wagon and you'll be checking the ground for your teeth. And if I see anyone's hand move for their quiver they'll be in the mud lookin' for their gods-damned fingers too.

INTIMIDATE LANDLUBBERS
Roll(1d20)+6:
15,+6
Total:21

The guy in the middle's eyes bulge, and the one on the right punches him square in the arm.

Middle wrote:Owfuck-!

Right wrote:We don't need to trouble ourself with every caravan, Stuart. Let's let them pass on in peace, yes? They're clearly very busy.

They sheepishly move to either side of the road and lean against the wooden stakes, making way for you.

Threader's ready to move on at this stage, and is looking at the rest of the party expectantly.

Orovan will saunter on past the "High lords guards"

So does Thoon.

Yep, Threader's ready to walk in front of the caravan as it moves. Cautiously. Keeping his eyes on the "guards", especially Stuart. Fuck that guy.

Alrighty, Bill sees motion up ahead and kicks the caravan off again.

Orovan, Thoon. Spot checks please!

spot check:
Roll(1d20)+1:
20,+1
Total:21

Hot damn, natural 20 on a skill check.

As you're walking through the gap in the stakes you notice some of the worn dirt road looks like it's been freshly turned over. Threader just dismissed it as an uneven road, but you're pretty sure it's "body length".

Being a paladin, Thoon can't let these imposters get away with potential murder. He unsheathes his axe, points it at the "guards" and says:

Thoon wrote:You three, what is in the ground there?

Nice work Shada. That was some impressive fast-talking. I will have been approaching then skirting around these guys during all this. Mostly I'm looking for an ambush, but I think they're dodgy as hell and I'm thinking of a way to uncover their villainous ways and make them dead. Unless they're legit, in which case I just don't like them (but I don't want to kill them). Looks like our Paladin might beat me to it anyway. Never liked Paladins either, but you've got to admire their commitment to doing the right thing.

The two fair headed men jump in shock and turn to look at the one with dark hair, whose face falls after a few moments, staring at the ground with a morose expression.

[quote="Dark haired guy, previously "Mr Right", haha"]That's Matthew. Our brother in arms.

He left to hunt for our meal this morning, but returned with a gut wound instead. You understand, we have our duty to perform, we couldn't return to town to bury him.[/quote]

would the guard not be on shifts or something, surely they would be going back before the body started to decompose

also would a sense motive roll help here at all?

It certainly would!

And as we've come to that - would you guys prefer to roll your Sense Motives (and have to horse yourself not to metagame if you get a poor result) or would you prefer me to roll them in future (removes metagaming, but if you get a shitty roll it can feel like it's my fault instead of just bad luck)?

Either way, you roll Sense Motive for now

sense motive

Roll(1d20)+3:
14,+3
Total:17

Orovan gives them the hairy eyeball