CAMPAIGN: Queen Arkwyn's Crown (D&D5e)

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Bob the Hamster
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Post by Bob the Hamster »

When Hyne returns to the red-wheel wagon, the man with the yellow eyes, horns, and top-had approaches him, smiling.

"Friend, I saw you eying my wagon earlier, you are thinking of going to see the Queen Crowned, aren't you? It will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I assure you! As you can see, my coach is the BEST, and I have one seat still available. Normally, I would charge 15 silver, but for you, good sir, I will make you a deal. 1 gold, and the seat is yours."

When Hyne asks about purchasing another seat on another wagon, the man's eyes suddenly look a lot more golden than they do yellow. "Oh, another seat? You have a friend traveling too? Wouldn't you rather sit together? I might be able to arrange to swap one of my passengers with another wagons so you can sit together!"

As for attire, Hyne noticed earlier that among the civilian huts there was one with a tailor's shingle, and another with a barter-shop shingle.
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Post by Newbie Newtype »

Hyne shifts awkwardly, searching for a response in his head. How do you explain needing more seats as a singular person?

His excuse settles on, "Somebody will be boarding your wagon when we arrive at the funeral, and they'll need room for their belongings. I will be purchasing a separate wagon for myself."

---

At the tailor shop, he explains up front, "A jacket and trousers- on a budget."
<TheGiz> oh hai doggy, oh no that's the straw that broke tjhe came baclsb
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Post by Bob the Hamster »

"Ah! That is fine then." the man agrees, stroking his chin.

"What is your friend's name?" he asks, and then seeming to remember his manners, "And I haven't asked your name yet either my fine customer! What kind of businessman am I?"

The man extends his hand to shake. "My name is Erato Borodobur, Coachman and entrepreneur! Who do I have the pleasure of doing business with?"

---

At the Tailor's shop, a tired-seeming woman with bags under her eyes looks Hyne up and down.

"You need custom fit? Or will one of these do?" she says dully. She gestures towards a motley rack of assorted clothes. None of them are in terrible condition, but none look stylish either. If there was anything on the rack that well-suited a man traveling to the capital to witness a funeral and a royal coronation, it has already been well-picked-over. Fortunately, due to Hyne's build, and the fact that this village is mostly a military camp, he will have no trouble finding clothes that fit without needing additional tailoring.
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When the man reaches out a hand, Hyne simply places the necessary payment into the man's palm and says, "I'm just a common yeoman around these parts; a purely business trip."

---

Hyne has his shawl removed and resting with his other belongings while in the store. He picks out a dark jacket that is slightly over sized so that he can fit it over his fitting leather armor. He buttons up the jacket to the neck then finds a belt to complete it. "This should be fine," he explains, before he finds a suitable light pair of trousers to go with the jacket. Once he is done he will pay for the attire and look to buy the second wagon, the one he intends to travel in.
<TheGiz> oh hai doggy, oh no that's the straw that broke tjhe came baclsb
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Post by Bob the Hamster »

Erato looks at the payment of 1 gold coin

"Ah! I apologize! You may have misunderstood before! The price is 1 gold per diem and the journey will take 3 days." He shakes his head, deeply apologetic. "If you were riding along, you could pay-as-you-go, but if you want me to hold a seat and luggage space for your friend, I really must insist that you pay for all three days in advance, I am so sorry to have not communicated this more clearly before"

Erato is dripping with the sort of friendly sincerity that might befit someone who sells second-hand horses for a living.

---

The tailor charges four silver, barely even looking at what Hyne has selected.

---

Looking around at the other wagons, most of them seem pretty full. People are already milling about and loading their bags. It seems the funeral procession will be starting off pretty soon.

Hyne spots two possibilities.

One of the nicer coaches has nobody around it except the driver. A young gnomish woman in rather fine dress is sitting atop the drivers seat, smiling primly around. The white-and-pink horses look well groomed and have ribbons in their manes and tails. The coach itself looks like a proper city coach, and although it is painted with brightly colored trim, it looks tasteful, with lots of soft greens and yellows that match the forest. The side door is wide open, and there does not appear to be anybody inside yet.

Another option is a long low simple wagon with a lot of bench seats in it. There are a fair number of people around it, and some already in the seats, but it has so many seats that it looks like maybe they are not all going to be full. The wagon is unpainted, just bare pine wood, and is decorated with some bunches of flowers and tree-boughs that have been tied to the corners. It looks like there will be little elbow room, and has no roof or canopy, but it might work.
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Post by Newbie Newtype »

OOC wrote:I should've made it more clear in my wording that Hyne would've paid more than 1 GP if he was required, I typed "necessary payment" instead of the gold coin in case it did cost more than that.
Hyne adds to the change, and awaits any excess gold pieces from converting from a platinum first.

He weighs his options for the other wagon. With the public one he could mesh with a crowd, but there won't be as much room for his belongings and he would be more immobile smothered among other people. With the fancy wagon he could play the hiding in plain sight game without blatantly doing so in the Duke's wagon that's so conspicuously marked. He would also have more cover and more room to move.

Cost will decide. He walks up to the empty wagon and asks the driver, "How much for every seat for the trip?"
<TheGiz> oh hai doggy, oh no that's the straw that broke tjhe came baclsb
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Post by Bob the Hamster »

When asked to make change for a Platinum, Erato does a pretty good job of hiding his irritation at having only charged 3 gold to such a high-roller.

---

The young gnome woman smiles down from the driver's seat.

"Good day m'lord! Every seat you say? Well, I've already sold two seats to her Ladyship The Hemi-Duchess of Eastnur, but the other two are still available at 10 gold each."
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Post by Newbie Newtype »

He stifles a breath, but he relents. He would rather not weigh the options in an untimely manner, so he decides, "I'll pay for a single seat then."

After handing over a platinum, he heaves his belongings onto the wagon. There he notices an issue once his belongings rest at his eye level. His blade carries an insignia of Liontribe, a kingdom very foreign to this country, engraved on the cross-guard.

Stealth: 1D20+4 => (9 + 4) = 13

He hastily rearranges his belongings to obscure the blade the best he can before climbing aboard.
<TheGiz> oh hai doggy, oh no that's the straw that broke tjhe came baclsb
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Post by Bob the Hamster »

Neither the coach driver nor anyone else nearby appears to have noticed Hyne's Liontribe sword before it was hidden
DM wrote:How was Hyne carrying his sword when speaking to Erato and to the Paladin of Pelor earlier? Could they have seen it? And if yes, do you want to roll retroactively to hide it?

I'll also say that Duke Borgan already knows you are a foreigner, but just doesn't care (but if you want to roll to have concealed that from him too, you are still welcome to)
Inside the coach is spacious and plush. The seats are broad and soft (rabbit fur?) and the interior smells of mint. Even sharing the space with 3 other people, Hyne will not be cramped. There is even a small side-board with cheese, smoked meats, and a wine-opener (although no actual bottles of wine are in evidence)

Two of the seats face forwards, and two of the seats face backwards, so the riders of the coach sit facing each other, like a social group around an invisible tea table.

After a while, two people approach the coach. A positively enormous woman wearing black and purple finery with a lot of feathers on her hat and coat. She is both tall and overweight. She has a silvery cane in one hand, and has some kind of tiny animal on a leash in the other hand.

She is shadowed closely by a thin and wiry old man wearing a dusty black suit. His ears are pointed, and his head is bald except for wisps. His skin shows age-spots. His is lugging four large suitcases.

They both converse briefly with the coachwoman, and then the man begins cramming the suitcases into the storage area, while the woman waits patiently by the steps for him to finish.

"Good-day, fellow traveller!" she calls to Hyne with a demure wave when she spots him. "Shall we be journey-mates today?" Her voice has a sing-song quality to it like she is looking for an excuse to break out into an opera.
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Post by Newbie Newtype »

Concerning Hyne's weapon wrote:He would only now have attempted to make better effort to conceal the weapon, but it would also have to be closely examined to notice it is amiss I would think. Either way it'd be a static DC of some variance. The sword would have either been worn between his bag and himself (as in the drawing) or held with the bag at his side during this morning.
With a leg resting over another in the seat, Hyne adjusts the cuff of the jacket as it wraps his arm where his arm guard once was. He glances to the other passengers as they board the wagon, and one calls out to him. He gives a slight smile and nods a bit, "I don't see why not."
<TheGiz> oh hai doggy, oh no that's the straw that broke tjhe came baclsb
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Post by Bob the Hamster »

The old man finishes with the luggage, and comes to the coach door and begins helping the large woman ascend.

As she is getting herself seated opposite Hyne, her animal scuttles over and sniffs Hyne's boots.

It is a very very tiny owlbear, about the size of a cat. Its leash is attached to a jeweled collar.

"I am Hemi-Duchess Goduvna" says the woman after she is comfortable. She leans forward and extends a hand towards Hyne in a way that does not make it obvious if she is expecting to shake hands, or have her hand kissed.

The old man sits in the remaining space on the seat beside Goduvna, and smiles at Hyne silently.

Outside, Hyne can see that the drummers and trumpeters by the King's funeral wagon are now mounted on horses-- a feat they managed without interrupting their music-- and that someone who appears to be Duke Borgan is now in front of the funeral wagon, wearing his shiny winged helmet.
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He has to look over his own legs blocking view of the strange owl breathing in at his boots, a bird that seems damned with a cub's body keeping it afoot. Hyne in his travels is sure he hasn't seen anything like it, and wonders if it is some kind of exotic animal.

Nature: 1D20+2 => (4 + 2) = 6

Whatever it is, it is a wretched thing.

Putting back on a smile, he isn't sure how best to address the invitation. He just gently takes the hand and gently shakes it briefly before saying, "It is a pleasure."
OOC wrote:I'll probably come back and edit this post.
<TheGiz> oh hai doggy, oh no that's the straw that broke tjhe came baclsb
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Post by Bob the Hamster »

"Oh, the pleasure is all mine!" says Lady Goduvna brightly.

She tugs gently at the tiny owlbear's leash. "Come, Plucksley! Leave the nice man be."

The pudgy little animal hops up into her lap and curls into a ball. It begins preening the fur between its claws with its tiny beak.

"This is my manservant, Jasputen" says Goduvna.

"Pllllleasure to make your acquaintance." mewls the old man with a slight bow.

They both stare at Hyne, waiting for him to speak.

Outside, the pitch of the trumpets changes ever so subtly as the King's wagon and honor guard begin moving.
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Post by Newbie Newtype »

He nods to the servant, "Likewise."

He adjusts the cuff at his wrist once more, "I hope you two don't mind someone of lesser social status for the trip."

He glances out to the herd of moving vehicles and their prideful displays. He begins to feel uneasy knowing that he's no longer going to be traveling at his own pace, able to procure food at his leisure during these few days. The last time he had rode in a vessel was back on a mission to sail overseas and those memories are unpleasant.
<TheGiz> oh hai doggy, oh no that's the straw that broke tjhe came baclsb
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Post by Bob the Hamster »

"Ah..." Lady Goduvna opens her mouth, seeming embarrassed.

"Wwwe had no intention of giving offense!" Jasputen apologies, flustered.

Goduvna jabs him in the ribs with her meaty elbow. "We are most delighted for your company, mister... Ahhh?"

Both of them stare expectantly at Hyne, waiting for him to say his name.

It takes time for all the wagons to get moving to follow the King's wagon. The horses of Hyne's carriage clip-clop their hooves in response to something the driver did, clearly ready to start moving at any moment, but not moving yet. It looks as if the third seat is going to remain empty.

Out of the corner of his eye, Hyne can see Erato's red-wheeled wagon starting to move.
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