Game Thread: Mercenaries (D&D 3.5e)

[Carrikature]

[Why is the marketplace near a gate that only slavers use?

[The city has three gates: one directly north, one on the southeast side and on on the southwest side. The quality goods and craftsmen are in permanent buildings on the southwest and west parts of town. Administrative facilities and the upper class neighborhoods are on the southeast side of town. The seedier neighborhoods are to the north. The slavers set up their market and slave housing facilities in the north and northeast. The marketplace in the northwest sells lower quality goods, and it serves the sort of clientele likely be in that part of the city.]

And we have a freedman, while exploring an area slavers frequent. ]

[ This campaign is going to be interesting, if I do say so myself.]

[One Bad Pig]

"Ah. Thank you for the warning, then. Unfortunately, we're trying to determine the whereabouts of a party that left this gate a couple weeks ago."

[Why is the marketplace near a gate that only slavers use? And we have a freedman, while exploring an area slavers frequent. ]

[Carrikature]

Calpurnius:

The guard nods. "Yes, the southern roads are regularly patrolled. That keeps incidents down. The northern road is different, though. No one uses this road unless they're slavers. We can't guarantee your safety past this point."

[Carrikature]

[oh no! the jungle! If only we had someone in our party who is attuned to nature, like a ranger or a druid!]

[]

[Spartacus]

Ratzus takes a deliberate, deep breath and steps aside and back to let the rest of the party try to manage the negotiations.

[One Bad Pig]

Calpurnius shrugs. "We all got to the city without incident yesterday."

[Spartacus]

[oh no! the jungle! If only we had someone in our party who is attuned to nature, like a ranger or a druid!]

[Carrikature]

All:

The guard is clearly unimpressed by Ratzus' display, but he makes no further comment. He looks askance at Nataer's question. "Are you daft? It's the jungle. No telling what you'll encounter out there. And that's if you're lucky. If you're unlucky, the orcs'll...well, you get the idea."


Calpurnius:

Beyond the city gate, a dirt road leads away from the city in a northerly direction. To either side, all the trees within a thousand yards of the wall have been completely cleared away. Maintaining it is obviously an ongoing process. Beyond this stretch, the jungle grows unimpeded. It's difficult to see very far into the dense vegetation.

Nothing moves on the road ahead. There are no people in sight.

[Pinoy]

Nataer approaches from the back of the group, and ask "Why is it dangerous to travel outside?"

[One Bad Pig]

"He is free to do as he pleases."

A weasel slips out the gate to see what's on the other side.

[Spartacus]

Ratzus growls as he adjusts the cloak so as to draw attention to the emblem of the Companions. "Jeul."

[Carrikature]

[I think you would have come in from the south, but it doesn't matter. The gates are open right now, too, but the guards are just trying to keep you from going out.]


Ratzus:

The guard frowns at you disapprovingly before returning his attention to the other three. "Which of you owns this thing?"

[Spartacus]

"The gates were open yesterday. What has changed?"

[Carrikature]

Purchases made, the you make your way out of the city, reaching the gates just before noon. A rough dirt road stretches away to the north, though it's much narrower than you would have expected. There doesn't seem to be any traffic on it all.

As you approach the gates, you are stopped by two male humans in worn steel breastplates. At their sides are strapped longswords, and a heavy steel shield is slung across their back. The man on the right steps in front of you. "Halt!" he says. "It is not safe to journey past the walls. Turn back."

[Pinoy]

[i will be buying arrows: normal 20 (1gp), cold iron 20 (2gp), adamantine 5 (300gp), silvered (40gp)]