TiamatZGhost punsThe Banette of my existenceRegistered Userregular
edited February 2013
Gareth:
History check: Failure
You don't seem to recall anything relating what mercenaries told you of the Greenbelt or that of Oleg's Trading Post.
Smith:
History Check: Success
With the tangled woodlands of the Narlmarches to the west and the rugged hills of the Kamelands to the east, the Greenbelt is a haven for bandits. The lack of dangerous inhabitants other than indigenous tribes of of small humanoid (or goblinoid) tribes makes this the safest of the Stolen Land regions for “freelance banditry”. To the far south, tribes of savage trolls and more dangerous creatures provide a quite effective buffer between Brevoy and the country of Mivon. As for the trader, Oleg seemed to have built his trading post on an old, abandoned outpost of sorts. And where there is an outpost, there is most certainly a fort (though probably abandoned) somewhere in the Greenbelt.
"The gnoll makes a good point. Have you been attacked? Have bandits made off with your rings and people? And why have you been left behind?"
Oleg looks back at Matthew. "Aye. Mayhaps, though my wife and myself are the only two people here in this Trading Post. Has always been, and probably will. As for the last question, who knows. Me guess is they be exploiting us for every copper coin we make with the resident hunters and trappers. One does not cut off the udder of a cow after you milked it for more milk, now do you?"
Matthew:
Insight Check: Success
You can safely conclude Oleg is speaking the truth as well as hammering the point home. Other than the horse, you can safely assume the Leveltons were and are the only residents of the fort. Not to mention relate to his predicament, considering your own past with shady characters and your family's business.
"I understand completely friend. One can never be too careful in these times. If Svetlana still has that stew brewing, I would quite love a taste. And to continue our conversation out of the sight of any birds that may be around."
Arifyn clapped his hand on Oleg's shoulder. He already liked the man and this place. "Well said, my good friend. What a wonderful place you have here! Would that I could retire to such an idyllic life in the country. I must say, it is rather beautiful around here. Can I aid in helping prepare supper? I do regret we drop unannounced like this! It is a burden on folk and I hate being a burden. If I can be of service to you in ridding yourself of those troublesome fiends I would be delight. As a Lesser Judicial of the King's Arcane Justice, it is my sworn duty! I must say, it would be exciting to be way out here and the focal point for travelers. Meeting wonderful strangers and hearing grand stories. You have some fine looking stock here as well! Reminds me of a time when I first started with the King's Justice. We had just located these horse thieves, you see......"
The Changeling babbled on, glad to be off the trail and meeting someone new. Yes, it was all a rather grand and fantastic adventure!
Gareth pulled Smith aside as Arifyn went on to Oleg, and said in a low voice,
"Look, metalhead. I don't know what ye truly are, and truth be told it doesn't matter a bit to me. But I saw yer work out there in the woods with those brigands and I do know a bit about that sort of work, and I can appreciate yer talent. So that's that."
Perhaps a bit uncomfortable with his unasked for speech, Gareth added,
"Oh, and I don't like this place a bit. What's a man 'n his wife doing out in the Greenbelt with catapults and naught else. Smells wrong to me. And I trust me nose."
"Unfortunately I like that particular sense," Smith replies very matter-of-factly. "I would not worry about this couple, these sort of outposts and forts litter the area from days gone by. I doubt they have any nefarious purpose, besides it would require some significant manpower to arm and fire such siege and defensive weaponry."
Nemo sidles up alongside Smith and Gareth, "I don't know Tinman, a brigade of woodland bandits would certainly provide significant manpower. We should remain cautious."
"The psychedelic mind is a higher dimensional mind, it is not fit for three dimensional space time."
- Terence McKenna
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TiamatZGhost punsThe Banette of my existenceRegistered Userregular
"Well said, my good friend. What a wonderful place you have here! Would that I could retire to such an idyllic life in the country. I must say, it is rather beautiful around here. Can I aid in helping prepare supper? I do regret we drop unannounced like this! It is a burden on folk and I hate being a burden. If I can be of service to you in ridding yourself of those troublesome fiends I would be delight. As a Lesser Judicial of the King's Arcane Justice, it is my sworn duty! I must say, it would be exciting to be way out here and the focal point for travelers. Meeting wonderful strangers and hearing grand stories. You have some fine looking stock here as well! Reminds me of a time when I first started with the King's Justice. We had just located these horse thieves, you see......"
Mrs. Leveton pauses in the doorway as she overhears Arifyn. "Well aren't you a friendly one. We sure do have plenty of chores around here that need doing, but... well... I think we have one big one. I think its best we sit down and talk about it though, cause if you are really here to look into bandits, then you might be in for a surprise come tomorrow morning, right dear?"
Oleg nods. "Best we all clean up before we get to dinner. Here, let me grab some basins for us to clean up with."
Arifyn:
Passive Insight: Success
You get the idea that Oleg isn't really comfortable to have someone like you in his trading post. Like he wanted to stay as far as possible from people working for the King or politics.
Oleg soon returns with some water basins and sets them out on the tables near the fire pit for everyone to wash up with, and soon motions for the heroes to all to come inside for something to eat and the promise of a story about bandits and how a little wilderness trading post is in need of some heroes.
Oleg leads the group inside after washing up, and the heroes head into the main building of the trading post. Its a stocky well built structure, serving as the tavern for the trading post. A few doors down the hall lead to a store and stockrooms, a kitchen, and an office, as well as the Leveton's personal bedroom. Oleg leads the heroes into the main chamber off the left of the hall which was the dining room. A large round table takes up much of the space of the room, with enough chairs around it for everyone, including Oleg and Svetlana. Each of the heroes were given a chair to sit on. As Sveltana went to the kitchen to prepare for the dinner, Oleg starts to answer the heroes' questions.
"Well alright, let me try and gather my thoughts. Let's see..." Oleg remains in quiet contemplation, trying to gather his thoughts for what he was about to tell. Svetlana soon arrives just as Oleg starts and puts down a tray of warm bread rolls and a crock of butter. She smiles at the you all warmly and then heads back to the kitchen. "Ah, now I remembered. You see... me and Svetlana moved out here on the edge to get away from the corrupt people and backhanded politics of Brevoy, but it seems you can't ever outrun trouble. Three months ago we were visited by these bandits. They came in riding in force and threatened to burn down my trading post and abduct my wife for their own 'amusements' back at their camp if I didn't agree to hand over all of the furs and trade goods I'd accumulated over the past month from hunters and trappers in the region." He rubs his forehead obviously distressed by the memories. "Since then the bandits have returned twice more, each time within an hour of sunrise on the second day of the month. We learned to have our 'taxes' ready and hand them over quickly -- these bandits seem eager to return to their camp. Where ever that might be in the Greenbelt."
Svetlana returns once more to the room with an open bottle of wine, and a tray of fine mugs. She sets it down in the middle of the table. She comments on Oleg's last statement, "Makes you wonder if their camp is fairly close or not. They never have a day's supplies worth on them for a long trip." She then heads back into the kitchen.
Oleg nods and continues on after grabbing a bread roll and buttering it up. "First time they came there was over a dozen of them. One of their leaders was a cloaked man, had a bow in hand and looked like he knew how to use it. A former hunter, I'd gather. He wasn't the most dangerous of them, not by any stretch. There was a woman with them, had two fine looking hatchets on her hips. Kressle, she called herself. She did the majority of the talking on that first trip, and her black sense of humor and the way she smiled at me when she spoke of the fate that awaited my wife if I didn't do as she asked frightened me and Svetlana all the more." He almost shivers at the memory of her. As if on cue, Jasper shivers as well at the hearing of Kressle's name.
He rubs his hand with his other, "She damn near took my hand off with one of them axes of her's cause I wasn't moving fast enough for her. That alone convinced me she was the most dangerous of them. Then the bloody wench stole me wife's wedding ring to boot! Said it was payment for 'not shortening my reach'.'" He shakes his head and shoves a large piece of bread into his mouth.
Svetlana once again returned, this time with a large pot of deliciously smelling mutton stew. The stew is in a thick brown broth mixed with potatoes, carrots, radishes, cauliflower and plenty of spices. If it tastes anything like it smells, it was going to be a delightful meal.
Svetlana passes out bowls to everyone and pours a warm, delicious helping of stew into each of them (even Smith was given a bowl, though he originally interjected on it), then for her husband last. "Did Oleg tell you that on the second and third visits they've come back with fewer and fewer men? Only constant is that crude hooded man leading them to our post. The second visit was, what dearie, only six other men besides him?"
Oleg nods.
His wife continues on, "Then on the third it was that hooded figure and four men. Me and me husband suspected they have let their guard down, thinking us completely cowed. We've sent word through travelers and even the odd passing caravan to send word for help from Rostov. When you arrived, we had thought you were that help, but... well... we sure could use your aid. Just in the nick of time too, seeing as they are coming back tomorrow morning."
When the basins were brought out, Dhyrn the Indolent took one for himself. He put his head in it and massaged his snout with his fingers, working out any leftover flecks of blood and blowing bubbles in the water. Dhyrn removed his armor and washed the blood from the leather, although he left his leg armor on for modesty in the company of civilized folk. Clear on his back was a brand that marked him as a murderer and barbarian sentenced to a life of forced labor. Although it was not much for a tall furry creature like him, he used what was left to clean his torso and dried with a vigorous shake, pelting anyone nearby with water drops. Despite his effort, Dhyrn smelled of wet dog and body odor.
Inside, he kept his possessions close, stuffing them under his comparatively small chair and keeping it near his feet. He picked the biggest bread roll and dunked it in butter. He snickered at the mention of the bandits threatening 'amusements,' but otherwise he did not seem to pay attention at all. When the stew was finally served, Dhyrn held the small spoon in his right hand, held the bowl up to his head with the left, and shoveled the meal into his mouth. He even licked the bowl clean, and when he was done, a bit of bright green herb stuck to the tip of his nose.
Dhyrn contemplated taking Smith's bowl. The bandit's leg had not left him hungry and this meal was an indulgence. Still, Svetlana's cooking had convinced the otherwise exclusively carnivorous Dhyrn to eat and enjoy vegetables. He scratched his belly and found his eyelids droopy. The gnoll announced with a wide yawn, "I'm sleepy."
Smith catches Dhyrn's sidewards glance at his own meal. Knowing his place at the meal table and what rudimentary manners can convey he slides the bowl over an inch towards the Gnoll. Not requiring food at all, he did not want to contemplate what such a stew could do to his innards. He suspected it may hurt. Just a little.
"Thank you, once again, for your hospitality," Smith says to Svetlana and Oleg, genuinely appreciative of what they have done. "If there is anything we can do, I'm sure we can help. However we will need some lay of the land to be able to aid in any shape or form."
Gareth laid into the meal with a will, not looking up from the bowl until every scrap was eaten. Finally, he belched, and sat back, content to merely observe the company's hosts for now.
Seeing the warforged encourage him, Dhyrn reached over anyone and anything and took the stew, careful not to spill any of its contents. He warded off any objections with an explanation, "Iron man doesn't eat. I do."
The bowl settled into his empty one and he grabbed the spoon in his fist again. This second helping did not improve his manners, although he ate more slowly and cleaned it more thoroughly. The spoon clattered to rest on the table, bearing dimples as evidence to the gnoll's use. Another small herb leaf found itself on his nose.
For awhile, Dhyrn sat back in the small chair, fluffing the fur on his front. He burped, and he tasted mutton with a hint of vile sourness in the back of his throat. Without a word, he left the table and building and let his nose guide him to latrine or outhouse to relieve himself, although if neither was available the palisade walls would do. Dhyrn returned to the main building and informed everyone at the table, "I'm going to sleep."
He pointed at his companions and stated the obvious to Svetlana and Oleg, "They're the planners and talkers. I need rest so I can wake up and stab things."
He reassured his hosts, "Probably not you two."
Dhyrn gathered his things, left for the other building in the trading fort, founnd himself a room, hoped his food stayed down, and curled up on whatever was comfy. It was a good day.
what a happy day it is
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TiamatZGhost punsThe Banette of my existenceRegistered Userregular
"Thank you, once again, for your hospitality," Smith says to Svetlana and Oleg, genuinely appreciative of what they have done. "If there is anything we can do, I'm sure we can help. However we will need some lay of the land to be able to aid in any shape or form."
Watching as the rest of the heroes were busy filling their stomachs, Oleg turns his attention to the Warforged. "Glad you could offer some help there. Smith your name, am I right? We could gladly offer a map we have been working on. Most of it's based on rumors of the odd merchant and hunter around these here parts. It's not exactly completed, but I'm sure it will aid in your journey here in the Greenbelt, that's for sure. It beats walking in blind, am I right?"
Oleg took another bite from the bread. "As it stands, me and the wife have been thinking on a number of plans on running those bums out of the Trading Post, but sadly, we lacked the numbers to drive them off. That's where you lot come in. Tomorrow, after an hour of the sunrise, that there hooded man (and chances are, his lackeys) will be coming in the Post. You lot will hide around the post, waiting on an opportune time to ambush them. When the man has his guard down, we pounce the lot of them!"
Sveltana asks the heroes "Anyone want more stew? I'd gladly make some more..."
Arifyn had stayed silent. The stew was good and filled his belly most agreeable. The accursed boots were off and he sat back in his chair listening. After Oleg laid out his plan, Arifyn leaned forward. "Master Oleg, fear not. I know the Kingsmen may not be trusted out here in the Stolen Lands, but the King's Justice will not abide brigands and thieves to parlay out in these woods. We will show them what true civilized justice of the world looks like. They will face the almighty righteous vengeance of the King's Arcane Justice! We will render judgement upon them and show their true fears on this ground! By the King's Law, I, Lesser Judicial Arifyn Tok of the King's Arcane Justice of the Royal Magical Service, do declare!"
Arifyn's fist slammed on the table and he looked pleased about his noise. He leaned back and folded his arms. "Now, can I help do the dishes?"
"I hate plans like this. Someone always ruins 'em. Usually it's the people I'm trying to kill. But I'll try anything once. Unless one of us has got a better idea than these bumpkins."
Gareth leans back in his chair, picking at this teeth with a splinter he found somewhere- hopefully not pried from his hosts' table.
PSN: corporateshill
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TiamatZGhost punsThe Banette of my existenceRegistered Userregular
"Master Oleg, fear not. I know the Kingsmen may not be trusted out here in the Stolen Lands, but the King's Justice will not abide brigands and thieves to parlay out in these woods. We will show them what true civilized justice of the world looks like. They will face the almighty righteous vengeance of the King's Arcane Justice! We will render judgement upon them and show their true fears on this ground! By the King's Law, I, Lesser Judicial Arifyn Tok of the King's Arcane Justice of the Royal Magical Service, do declare!"
A wide, but uncertain, smile forms on Oleg's face. "Civilized, may be... but justice? Aye! It's time we set these blighters what for! The Stolen Lands harsh enough as it is to us simple folk. Don't want no bandits complicating it all even more."
The man raises a mug of wine to Arifyn. "To the King's Justice!"
Sveltana offers a sincere grin. "Oh my, dearie. This here man's quite the gentleman, he is. Why can't you be as polite like him from time to time? Might do you good, that's for sure." She teases Oleg.
Oleg merely grunts.
"Well then dearie, just follow me to the kitchen, and i'll see if I can scrounge a spare towel. You boys sure had quite an appetite." With that said, Sveltana picks up the dirty dishes, indicating Arifyn to do the same. Both then made their way to the kitchen to clean up tonight's meal.
The rest of the evening is spent with the rest of the heroes following Oleg around the post, as he gives a tour of the trading post, as the proprietor offers a number of spots for potential ambushers for the following day. While he does this, Svetlana prepares the guest house for the heroes. When she realized there were only four beds, Smith, Dhyrn and (surprisingly) Jasper offered to sleep outside, near the fireplace. Dhyrn rolled close to the warmth of the fire, while Smith took a seat. Though he did not need to rest, he could still keep an eye on their newest 'ally', should he cause any undue attention. Jasper though, felt more uneased about the rabid gnoll than the machine man. Eventually the evening turns to darkness and the heroes each drifted off to sleep...
The following morning: One hour before the ambush!
The morning dawn creeps over the horizon, as each one of the heroes wake up from their slumbers from a knock on the door. Oleg's voice can be heard through it, "Time to get up! Time to earn your keep; its almost dawn!"
Smith, Dhyrn:
Since your outside, you can see Oleg is already fully dressed, holding a lantern in his one hand, and knocking on the door with the other.
Oleg is already up and moving about all his furs and other items from inside the building out to the store shed. When asked, he merely replies: "Ambush s'no good if you don't set up the proper bait." He wanted to make sure the bandits have something to keep themselves busy when loading.
The heroes have about and hour before the bandits arrive.
Here's a Map (as well as a legend) of Oleg's Trading Post. Oleg will meet with the bandits in the Market Yard (A1), so choose your spots, roll the necessary DC checks, and remember your !Ready
Note: Map Spoilered for large:
Stealth checks when hiding (anywhere): DC 10
A1(Market Yard): This open area is where trade takes place. The two tables near the fire pit are used to display wares and serve food to visitors, while bulky trade goods are offloaded into the storage pen. This is where Oleg and the bandits will be when the ambush starts.
A2(Guesthouse): Oleg rents out the beds in this guesthouse to anyone who wishes to stay the night. The building has windows, but none that offer a view of the market yard.
A3 (Stable): Oleg keeps his jittery horse here. The stable has a large door that grants access to the market yard. Those wanting to prepare their ambush here will have to placate the horse from time to time (Nature DC 10; only one needs to succeed the roll, the others can Aid Another if they want to) to keep it quiet, otherwise it could alert the bandits during the ambush.
A4 (Storage Pen): This fenced area has a wooden roof to keep off most of the rain and snow—trade goods like furs and other goods are stored here until enough build up to warrant a trip to the city to sell them off. The pen is currently empty, as Oleg’s been forced to turn over his stock to the bandits. In addition, Oleg will keep the door closed (but not locked), so Stealth DC is reduced by 5.
A5 (Middens): Three 3-foot-deep composting pits and middens. Anyone hiding here will start at prone, hidden in the rotten compost, and the Stealth DC is reduced by 5; due to the rotting smell, the bandits don't want to look at the general direction, believing nothing of danger to be there).
A6 (Main Hall): This squat but solid wooden building is Oleg and Svetlana’s home and the storeroom for the trading post. The double doors leading out into the market yard can be barred but not locked. There is a window overlooking the market yard in the lower left room.
"Mister Oleg, might I suggest a course of action," Smith says, striding up to the man setting up his wares. "The bandits we previously encountered believed me to merely be a suit of armour. Would it be possible to, for lack of better phrase, 'turn off' and remain dormant as a product of yours by the rest of your materials? It would allow for a better vantage point and allow me to be as close as possible should you come into danger."
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TiamatZGhost punsThe Banette of my existenceRegistered Userregular
edited February 2013
Oleg places the last furs onto the ground, along with the rest of his 'tribute' for the bandits.
"I'd suppose that would work. Just be careful; not all bandits be as dumb as we take them for granted. If Kressle be any indication, that is. If we could pull off the ruse, it could work in our favor." Oleg responds, as he wipes the sweat of his brow.
_____________________________________________ OOC:
Hiding in plain sight like that will be a high bluff check (I'll treat it as passing off as a disguise), as it would be highly suspicious for a tradesman like Oleg to have a suit of armor (and such a fine one at that) in the wild yonder of the Greenbelt. There's a high certainty that a few bandits will inspect Oleg's suit of armor themselves (hence the high DC; DC 15).
edit: Decided to reduce the DC, seeing as Smith is not trained in Bluff.
"That storage pen should offer me a good vantage point, and decent enough cover 'til we spring this trap 'round their ears," Gareth said, stepping into the pen.
"Oh, by the way, should we have a signal Oleg? Something like "GET THE BASTARDS!"? Or more subtle-like, maybe..."
Smith cocks his head to the side at Oleg. No one can really tell, but that is the Warforged's closest approximation to a smile.
"Mister Oleg, believe me when I say this," striding last him be takes a few of the furs and places them on his shoulders and arms, raising them slightly as he stands completely still, sword and hilt now obscured by the added items. Smith now resembles something akin to a display piece. Without turning his head or moving his lower "jaw" piece he continues to talk to Oleg before lowering his head and letting his eyes dim.
Dhyrn had slept on close to the fire pit on the far side away from Smith. If he cared to notice, the warforged would have seen the gnoll peeking back at him several times before the hyena man nodded off to a drooling, sometimes giggling sleep.
In the morning, Dhyrn only stirred enough to wrap himself tighter in his blankets and to move his head away from where saliva had collected on his makeshift pillow. He squirmed his way toward Jasper and confided to the servant bandit in a whisper, "That iron man just stared at us all night long, didn't he? I wonder what he wants."
The gnoll seemed to pout while he pondered. Smith was not a servant and did not kill for any master and even seemed to be here of his own will. Smith did not show much interest in wealth, which left only one reason for why he would be out and about with a sword and his strange magic: sustenance. Dhyrn imagined that Smith took a piece of his victims' spirits to maintain himself, and he suspected that everyone was a potential victim in dark of the night. The gnoll dismissed the worry with the knowledge that there would be more death for Smith soon enough.
Dhyrn finally woke himself up. He yawned and scratched himself and used the outhouse. He put his things away in a corner of the dining room in the main building, and he donned his armor and made sure his weapons were ready. He picked his nose while he waited for everyone else to get in order.
Arifyn mulled over the options as he inspected the fort. "Surprise would be advantageous," he mused as he walked with the others. "We need to lure them in, shut the gates and proceed to strike. Are there anything flammable we can drop on them from the walls? Perhaps some hot oil to rig up above the gates? Speed, surprise and violence of action. That's what we are talk to utilize in the King's Justice when entering hostile homes in search of nefarious criminals. It can work here as well."
The gnoll decided it was time to get ready. Dhyrn found Jasper and drew a short sword on the man, "You! Mule! You're going to go inside with the woman and stay on guard! Steal anything, and I'll chew your hands off."
He gave the former bandit one more growl and left to prepare. Dhyrn pulled down any ladders leading to the palisade walls and put them behind the main building. While everyone else got into position at ground level, Dhyrn looked up. He scaled the southwest building and crouched low against the shingles with shortsword in his right hand and dagger in his left.
"That storage pen should offer me a good vantage point, and decent enough cover 'til we spring this trap 'round their ears,"
"Oh, by the way, should we have a signal Oleg? Something like "GET THE BASTARDS!"? Or more subtle-like, maybe..."
Oleg thinks for a moment on a proper signal. "How about: 'It's on the HOUSE! It's all YOURS!' That sound perfect?" Even Oleg honestly felt that was a terrible battle cry...
Oleg looked astonish at how still the Warforged warrior stood still. "Blessed Moradin! You be the spitting image of a suit of armor! Even my dear wife would not have recognized you, and she has quite an eye on her, that's for sure. I hate to think what a bandit would see or say when he sees you waking up from behind him!"
"Surprise would be advantageous," he mused as he walked with the others. "We need to lure them in, shut the gates and proceed to strike. Are there anything flammable we can drop on them from the walls? Perhaps some hot oil to rig up above the gates? Speed, surprise and violence of action. That's what we are talk to utilize in the King's Justice when entering hostile homes in search of nefarious criminals. It can work here as well."
Oleg eyes the gates. "If you give me time and distract them for me, I could close the gates behind them, locking them in the post. As for anything flammable, some hunters sold me two flasks of alchemist fire, as well as a flask of frost six months ago. Even I had no idea why they carried them, but they sold them for quite a steal. I never used them though, for fear of catching the whole post on fire!" With that, Oleg quickly runs back into the main building, and (within minutes) returns with three flasks in his hands. Two glowed a bright orange, while the third glowed a dim blue color.
"I'm happy to offer them to your services, Mr. Arifyn. See what you make of them!" He says, as he hands the three flasks towards the Warlock.
Jasper eyed the palisade walls. Given enough distraction, perhaps he could try climbing the palisades and making a run for it...
"You! Mule! You're going to go inside with the woman and stay on guard! Steal anything, and I'll chew your hands off."
Jasper leaps at the viciousness of Dhyrn. "S...su...sure thing, Mr. D-D-DD-Dhyrn! Hyenaman! I mean 'sir'!" The bandit salutes before bounding towards the main building, and hides behind a window overseeing the palisades. He still contemplates on escaping... someday...
TiamatZ on
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TiamatZGhost punsThe Banette of my existenceRegistered Userregular
edited February 2013
From Dhyrn's position atop the building, he is rewarded an uninterrupted view of the surrounding hillsides, even crouched low to avoid being seen himself. From his vantage point, he spots a column of dust originating from the Greenbelt. He is further rewarded a view of a column of horsemen emerging from the forest, snaking their way along the plains at a fast gallop. There are twelve horses in all (8 of which were manned), and as they get closer, it is clear that they are, without a doubt, the bandits.
Each man wears scruffy, unwashed clothes, leathers mostly, with green and brown cloaks flung over their backs. Most have beards or several days worth of stubble. Only two figures stood out to the Gnoll. The first was what appeared to be an elf carrying a great axe behind his back. The other (at the head of the column) is a huge man, who seems at least seven feet tall, with a thick neck and a square-jawed head covered by the hood of his cloak. Raucous laughter precedes them as they come to a halt in front of the fort, outside its gates.
Dhyrn:
Passive Perception (Success) "Alright then, you four head off towards the forest of the King's road north east of here, and meet up with Kaime's merry little band. Hopefully that useless lot has ambushed SOMEONE by now. After that, we'll rendezvous back at base." The tall man says, as he points toward four of the regular bandits. They gladly comply, and take two additional horses with them to meet up with this Kaime fellow (whom its most certainly was the group Jasper belonged to). "Rest of you, you're with me. Let's scare the shit out of Oleg for old times' sake, hehehe..."
There comes the sound of men dismounting from their horses, accompanied by several whinnies and neighs. Then the bandits come sauntering through the gate, their huge leader in front. The rest follow in no semblance of order, guffawing and laughing crudely. The elf man remains close at the wagon.
"Oleg, you crafty son of a bitch, how is it going? Business going swell? And what of that fine young whore of yours? She around?" the big man jeers as he sees the pile of goods laid out in the courtyard. "Boys, you pack this stuff up. I'm gonna pay our friend a visit and remind him that it's polite to say hello to his guests."
A grimace forms on Oleg's face. "Going fine. She is in the tavern. And you lay your hands off her, you hear?! Just because your boss isn't here, don't mean I won't be rough on your sorry arses if you lay a finger on..."
"Hey hey hey, now, Oleg. Why the aggression? That how you treat such loyal clientele? It's no wonder you moved out here; I'd move out of Brevoy too if I was as surly as you." The tall man replies haughtily. Oleg responds with grating his teeth, restraining himself from punching this man in the face.
"Oi! Crikey! Will ya look at that boss!" One of the bandits exclaim while pointing toward the inert Smith. Another bandit whistles. "Mighty fine suit of armor, that there. Where'd ya nicked that off from, Oleg? Thing's a beaut, if a bit dented in some places!"
The two bandits eye the Warforged, oblivious to its true origin.
"Where indeed, Oleg?" The large man asks.
Oleg scowls. "That old thing? A merchant sold it off for a pretty few gold pieces. You want it? It's on the HOUSE! It's all YOURS! That sound perfect?"
With the bandits unaware of the heroes, now was the time to strike...
______________________________
Map:
The two orange an blue circles on the map are the fire and frost traps Arifyn made respectfully. The (Roof) indicator next to Dhyrn is just to indicate Dhyrn is on the roof.
Monster Details:
Human Mercenary: HP 47/47 AC 18; Fort 16, Reflex 15, Will 14, Speed 6; Vision: Normal
Elf Beserker: HP 56/56 AC 14; Fort 14, Reflex 13, Will 13, Speed 7; Vision: Normal
Special:
Wild Step:
An elf ignores difficult terrain when it shifts.
Happs Bydon (Elite): HP 112/112 AC 18; Fort 19, Reflex 19, Will 18, Speed 6; Vision: Normal Vision; Action Points: 1
Special:
Ranged Awareness:
Happs Bydon gains a +2 bonus to AC against ranged attacks.
Swift Mover:
Happs Bydon gains a +4 bonus to AC against opportunity attacks.
Danger Sense:
Happs gains a +2 bonus to initiative checks.
Also, here's a primer on how Surprise actions work:
Limited Action: If you get to act in the surprise round, you can take a standard action, a move action, or a minor action. You can also take free actions, but you can’t spend action
points. After every nonsurprised combatant has acted, the surprise round ends, and you can act normally in subsequent rounds.
Surprised: If you’re surprised, you can’t take any actions (not even free actions, immediate actions, or opportunity actions), and you grant combat advantage to all attackers. As soon as the
surprise round ends, you are no longer surprised.
Dhyrn steadied himself on the slanted roof and picked out a target. That elf looked good, and he was near the booby-trapped wagon, too. Dhyrn smiled. This was going to be fun.
Roughly shaking the furs and wares off of his body, Smith draws his sword in one smooth action. He prepares himself in a rock-solid defensive stance, left hand free to block with right hand poised loosely holding his sword, ready for any kind of assault.
"As I believe the organic term goes," Smith says in his low, rumbling tone. "You've been 'had.'"
Posts
You don't seem to recall anything relating what mercenaries told you of the Greenbelt or that of Oleg's Trading Post.
Smith:
With the tangled woodlands of the Narlmarches to the west and the rugged hills of the Kamelands to the east, the Greenbelt is a haven for bandits. The lack of dangerous inhabitants other than indigenous tribes of of small humanoid (or goblinoid) tribes makes this the safest of the Stolen Land regions for “freelance banditry”. To the far south, tribes of savage trolls and more dangerous creatures provide a quite effective buffer between Brevoy and the country of Mivon. As for the trader, Oleg seemed to have built his trading post on an old, abandoned outpost of sorts. And where there is an outpost, there is most certainly a fort (though probably abandoned) somewhere in the Greenbelt.
Oleg looks back at Matthew. "Aye. Mayhaps, though my wife and myself are the only two people here in this Trading Post. Has always been, and probably will. As for the last question, who knows. Me guess is they be exploiting us for every copper coin we make with the resident hunters and trappers. One does not cut off the udder of a cow after you milked it for more milk, now do you?"
Matthew:
You can safely conclude Oleg is speaking the truth as well as hammering the point home. Other than the horse, you can safely assume the Leveltons were and are the only residents of the fort. Not to mention relate to his predicament, considering your own past with shady characters and your family's business.
Matthew gives Oleg a conspiratorial wink.
The Changeling babbled on, glad to be off the trail and meeting someone new. Yes, it was all a rather grand and fantastic adventure!
"Look, metalhead. I don't know what ye truly are, and truth be told it doesn't matter a bit to me. But I saw yer work out there in the woods with those brigands and I do know a bit about that sort of work, and I can appreciate yer talent. So that's that."
Perhaps a bit uncomfortable with his unasked for speech, Gareth added,
"Oh, and I don't like this place a bit. What's a man 'n his wife doing out in the Greenbelt with catapults and naught else. Smells wrong to me. And I trust me nose."
- Terence McKenna
Mrs. Leveton pauses in the doorway as she overhears Arifyn. "Well aren't you a friendly one. We sure do have plenty of chores around here that need doing, but... well... I think we have one big one. I think its best we sit down and talk about it though, cause if you are really here to look into bandits, then you might be in for a surprise come tomorrow morning, right dear?"
Oleg nods. "Best we all clean up before we get to dinner. Here, let me grab some basins for us to clean up with."
Arifyn:
You get the idea that Oleg isn't really comfortable to have someone like you in his trading post. Like he wanted to stay as far as possible from people working for the King or politics.
Oleg soon returns with some water basins and sets them out on the tables near the fire pit for everyone to wash up with, and soon motions for the heroes to all to come inside for something to eat and the promise of a story about bandits and how a little wilderness trading post is in need of some heroes.
Oleg leads the group inside after washing up, and the heroes head into the main building of the trading post. Its a stocky well built structure, serving as the tavern for the trading post. A few doors down the hall lead to a store and stockrooms, a kitchen, and an office, as well as the Leveton's personal bedroom. Oleg leads the heroes into the main chamber off the left of the hall which was the dining room. A large round table takes up much of the space of the room, with enough chairs around it for everyone, including Oleg and Svetlana. Each of the heroes were given a chair to sit on. As Sveltana went to the kitchen to prepare for the dinner, Oleg starts to answer the heroes' questions.
"Well alright, let me try and gather my thoughts. Let's see..." Oleg remains in quiet contemplation, trying to gather his thoughts for what he was about to tell. Svetlana soon arrives just as Oleg starts and puts down a tray of warm bread rolls and a crock of butter. She smiles at the you all warmly and then heads back to the kitchen. "Ah, now I remembered. You see... me and Svetlana moved out here on the edge to get away from the corrupt people and backhanded politics of Brevoy, but it seems you can't ever outrun trouble. Three months ago we were visited by these bandits. They came in riding in force and threatened to burn down my trading post and abduct my wife for their own 'amusements' back at their camp if I didn't agree to hand over all of the furs and trade goods I'd accumulated over the past month from hunters and trappers in the region." He rubs his forehead obviously distressed by the memories. "Since then the bandits have returned twice more, each time within an hour of sunrise on the second day of the month. We learned to have our 'taxes' ready and hand them over quickly -- these bandits seem eager to return to their camp. Where ever that might be in the Greenbelt."
Svetlana returns once more to the room with an open bottle of wine, and a tray of fine mugs. She sets it down in the middle of the table. She comments on Oleg's last statement, "Makes you wonder if their camp is fairly close or not. They never have a day's supplies worth on them for a long trip." She then heads back into the kitchen.
Oleg nods and continues on after grabbing a bread roll and buttering it up. "First time they came there was over a dozen of them. One of their leaders was a cloaked man, had a bow in hand and looked like he knew how to use it. A former hunter, I'd gather. He wasn't the most dangerous of them, not by any stretch. There was a woman with them, had two fine looking hatchets on her hips. Kressle, she called herself. She did the majority of the talking on that first trip, and her black sense of humor and the way she smiled at me when she spoke of the fate that awaited my wife if I didn't do as she asked frightened me and Svetlana all the more." He almost shivers at the memory of her. As if on cue, Jasper shivers as well at the hearing of Kressle's name.
He rubs his hand with his other, "She damn near took my hand off with one of them axes of her's cause I wasn't moving fast enough for her. That alone convinced me she was the most dangerous of them. Then the bloody wench stole me wife's wedding ring to boot! Said it was payment for 'not shortening my reach'.'" He shakes his head and shoves a large piece of bread into his mouth.
Svetlana once again returned, this time with a large pot of deliciously smelling mutton stew. The stew is in a thick brown broth mixed with potatoes, carrots, radishes, cauliflower and plenty of spices. If it tastes anything like it smells, it was going to be a delightful meal.
Svetlana passes out bowls to everyone and pours a warm, delicious helping of stew into each of them (even Smith was given a bowl, though he originally interjected on it), then for her husband last. "Did Oleg tell you that on the second and third visits they've come back with fewer and fewer men? Only constant is that crude hooded man leading them to our post. The second visit was, what dearie, only six other men besides him?"
Oleg nods.
His wife continues on, "Then on the third it was that hooded figure and four men. Me and me husband suspected they have let their guard down, thinking us completely cowed. We've sent word through travelers and even the odd passing caravan to send word for help from Rostov. When you arrived, we had thought you were that help, but... well... we sure could use your aid. Just in the nick of time too, seeing as they are coming back tomorrow morning."
Inside, he kept his possessions close, stuffing them under his comparatively small chair and keeping it near his feet. He picked the biggest bread roll and dunked it in butter. He snickered at the mention of the bandits threatening 'amusements,' but otherwise he did not seem to pay attention at all. When the stew was finally served, Dhyrn held the small spoon in his right hand, held the bowl up to his head with the left, and shoveled the meal into his mouth. He even licked the bowl clean, and when he was done, a bit of bright green herb stuck to the tip of his nose.
Dhyrn contemplated taking Smith's bowl. The bandit's leg had not left him hungry and this meal was an indulgence. Still, Svetlana's cooking had convinced the otherwise exclusively carnivorous Dhyrn to eat and enjoy vegetables. He scratched his belly and found his eyelids droopy. The gnoll announced with a wide yawn, "I'm sleepy."
"Thank you, once again, for your hospitality," Smith says to Svetlana and Oleg, genuinely appreciative of what they have done. "If there is anything we can do, I'm sure we can help. However we will need some lay of the land to be able to aid in any shape or form."
The bowl settled into his empty one and he grabbed the spoon in his fist again. This second helping did not improve his manners, although he ate more slowly and cleaned it more thoroughly. The spoon clattered to rest on the table, bearing dimples as evidence to the gnoll's use. Another small herb leaf found itself on his nose.
For awhile, Dhyrn sat back in the small chair, fluffing the fur on his front. He burped, and he tasted mutton with a hint of vile sourness in the back of his throat. Without a word, he left the table and building and let his nose guide him to latrine or outhouse to relieve himself, although if neither was available the palisade walls would do. Dhyrn returned to the main building and informed everyone at the table, "I'm going to sleep."
He pointed at his companions and stated the obvious to Svetlana and Oleg, "They're the planners and talkers. I need rest so I can wake up and stab things."
He reassured his hosts, "Probably not you two."
Dhyrn gathered his things, left for the other building in the trading fort, founnd himself a room, hoped his food stayed down, and curled up on whatever was comfy. It was a good day.
Watching as the rest of the heroes were busy filling their stomachs, Oleg turns his attention to the Warforged. "Glad you could offer some help there. Smith your name, am I right? We could gladly offer a map we have been working on. Most of it's based on rumors of the odd merchant and hunter around these here parts. It's not exactly completed, but I'm sure it will aid in your journey here in the Greenbelt, that's for sure. It beats walking in blind, am I right?"
Oleg took another bite from the bread. "As it stands, me and the wife have been thinking on a number of plans on running those bums out of the Trading Post, but sadly, we lacked the numbers to drive them off. That's where you lot come in. Tomorrow, after an hour of the sunrise, that there hooded man (and chances are, his lackeys) will be coming in the Post. You lot will hide around the post, waiting on an opportune time to ambush them. When the man has his guard down, we pounce the lot of them!"
Sveltana asks the heroes "Anyone want more stew? I'd gladly make some more..."
"OH MY! That dogman sure lacks quite a lot of manners, doesn't he dearie?" Sveltana replies, a shock of disgust on her face.
"Got more manners than them bandits, that's for sure! Hahaha!" Oleg chuckles, as he slaps his knee.
"So, what do you think of me plan? Quite good, no? Or what do you propose?" Oleg asks, his gaze directly at the quiet heroes.
Arifyn's fist slammed on the table and he looked pleased about his noise. He leaned back and folded his arms. "Now, can I help do the dishes?"
Gareth leans back in his chair, picking at this teeth with a splinter he found somewhere- hopefully not pried from his hosts' table.
A wide, but uncertain, smile forms on Oleg's face. "Civilized, may be... but justice? Aye! It's time we set these blighters what for! The Stolen Lands harsh enough as it is to us simple folk. Don't want no bandits complicating it all even more."
The man raises a mug of wine to Arifyn. "To the King's Justice!"
Sveltana offers a sincere grin. "Oh my, dearie. This here man's quite the gentleman, he is. Why can't you be as polite like him from time to time? Might do you good, that's for sure." She teases Oleg.
Oleg merely grunts.
"Well then dearie, just follow me to the kitchen, and i'll see if I can scrounge a spare towel. You boys sure had quite an appetite." With that said, Sveltana picks up the dirty dishes, indicating Arifyn to do the same. Both then made their way to the kitchen to clean up tonight's meal.
The rest of the evening is spent with the rest of the heroes following Oleg around the post, as he gives a tour of the trading post, as the proprietor offers a number of spots for potential ambushers for the following day. While he does this, Svetlana prepares the guest house for the heroes. When she realized there were only four beds, Smith, Dhyrn and (surprisingly) Jasper offered to sleep outside, near the fireplace. Dhyrn rolled close to the warmth of the fire, while Smith took a seat. Though he did not need to rest, he could still keep an eye on their newest 'ally', should he cause any undue attention. Jasper though, felt more uneased about the rabid gnoll than the machine man. Eventually the evening turns to darkness and the heroes each drifted off to sleep...
The following morning: One hour before the ambush!
The morning dawn creeps over the horizon, as each one of the heroes wake up from their slumbers from a knock on the door. Oleg's voice can be heard through it, "Time to get up! Time to earn your keep; its almost dawn!"
Smith, Dhyrn:
Oleg is already up and moving about all his furs and other items from inside the building out to the store shed. When asked, he merely replies: "Ambush s'no good if you don't set up the proper bait." He wanted to make sure the bandits have something to keep themselves busy when loading.
The heroes have about and hour before the bandits arrive.
If they arrived on schedule...
______________________________________________________
OOC:
Here's a Map (as well as a legend) of Oleg's Trading Post. Oleg will meet with the bandits in the Market Yard (A1), so choose your spots, roll the necessary DC checks, and remember your !Ready
Note: Map Spoilered for large:
Stealth checks when hiding (anywhere): DC 10
A1(Market Yard): This open area is where trade takes place. The two tables near the fire pit are used to display wares and serve food to visitors, while bulky trade goods are offloaded into the storage pen. This is where Oleg and the bandits will be when the ambush starts.
A2(Guesthouse): Oleg rents out the beds in this guesthouse to anyone who wishes to stay the night. The building has windows, but none that offer a view of the market yard.
A3 (Stable): Oleg keeps his jittery horse here. The stable has a large door that grants access to the market yard. Those wanting to prepare their ambush here will have to placate the horse from time to time (Nature DC 10; only one needs to succeed the roll, the others can Aid Another if they want to) to keep it quiet, otherwise it could alert the bandits during the ambush.
A4 (Storage Pen): This fenced area has a wooden roof to keep off most of the rain and snow—trade goods like furs and other goods are stored here until enough build up to warrant a trip to the city to sell them off. The pen is currently empty, as Oleg’s been forced to turn over his stock to the bandits. In addition, Oleg will keep the door closed (but not locked), so Stealth DC is reduced by 5.
A5 (Middens): Three 3-foot-deep composting pits and middens. Anyone hiding here will start at prone, hidden in the rotten compost, and the Stealth DC is reduced by 5; due to the rotting smell, the bandits don't want to look at the general direction, believing nothing of danger to be there).
A6 (Main Hall): This squat but solid wooden building is Oleg and Svetlana’s home and the storeroom for the trading post. The double doors leading out into the market yard can be barred but not locked. There is a window overlooking the market yard in the lower left room.
"I'd suppose that would work. Just be careful; not all bandits be as dumb as we take them for granted. If Kressle be any indication, that is. If we could pull off the ruse, it could work in our favor." Oleg responds, as he wipes the sweat of his brow.
_____________________________________________
OOC:
Hiding in plain sight like that will be a high bluff check (I'll treat it as passing off as a disguise), as it would be highly suspicious for a tradesman like Oleg to have a suit of armor (and such a fine one at that) in the wild yonder of the Greenbelt. There's a high certainty that a few bandits will inspect Oleg's suit of armor themselves (hence the high DC; DC 15).
edit: Decided to reduce the DC, seeing as Smith is not trained in Bluff.
"Oh, by the way, should we have a signal Oleg? Something like "GET THE BASTARDS!"? Or more subtle-like, maybe..."
"Mister Oleg, believe me when I say this," striding last him be takes a few of the furs and places them on his shoulders and arms, raising them slightly as he stands completely still, sword and hilt now obscured by the added items. Smith now resembles something akin to a display piece. Without turning his head or moving his lower "jaw" piece he continues to talk to Oleg before lowering his head and letting his eyes dim.
"I am very good at not doing anything at all."
!Ready
In the morning, Dhyrn only stirred enough to wrap himself tighter in his blankets and to move his head away from where saliva had collected on his makeshift pillow. He squirmed his way toward Jasper and confided to the servant bandit in a whisper, "That iron man just stared at us all night long, didn't he? I wonder what he wants."
The gnoll seemed to pout while he pondered. Smith was not a servant and did not kill for any master and even seemed to be here of his own will. Smith did not show much interest in wealth, which left only one reason for why he would be out and about with a sword and his strange magic: sustenance. Dhyrn imagined that Smith took a piece of his victims' spirits to maintain himself, and he suspected that everyone was a potential victim in dark of the night. The gnoll dismissed the worry with the knowledge that there would be more death for Smith soon enough.
Dhyrn finally woke himself up. He yawned and scratched himself and used the outhouse. He put his things away in a corner of the dining room in the main building, and he donned his armor and made sure his weapons were ready. He picked his nose while he waited for everyone else to get in order.
He gave the former bandit one more growl and left to prepare. Dhyrn pulled down any ladders leading to the palisade walls and put them behind the main building. While everyone else got into position at ground level, Dhyrn looked up. He scaled the southwest building and crouched low against the shingles with shortsword in his right hand and dagger in his left.
Hiding on the roof at S7.
!Ready
Oleg thinks for a moment on a proper signal. "How about: 'It's on the HOUSE! It's all YOURS!' That sound perfect?" Even Oleg honestly felt that was a terrible battle cry...
Oleg looked astonish at how still the Warforged warrior stood still. "Blessed Moradin! You be the spitting image of a suit of armor! Even my dear wife would not have recognized you, and she has quite an eye on her, that's for sure. I hate to think what a bandit would see or say when he sees you waking up from behind him!"
Oleg eyes the gates. "If you give me time and distract them for me, I could close the gates behind them, locking them in the post. As for anything flammable, some hunters sold me two flasks of alchemist fire, as well as a flask of frost six months ago. Even I had no idea why they carried them, but they sold them for quite a steal. I never used them though, for fear of catching the whole post on fire!" With that, Oleg quickly runs back into the main building, and (within minutes) returns with three flasks in his hands. Two glowed a bright orange, while the third glowed a dim blue color.
"I'm happy to offer them to your services, Mr. Arifyn. See what you make of them!" He says, as he hands the three flasks towards the Warlock.
Jasper eyed the palisade walls. Given enough distraction, perhaps he could try climbing the palisades and making a run for it...
Jasper leaps at the viciousness of Dhyrn. "S...su...sure thing, Mr. D-D-DD-Dhyrn! Hyenaman! I mean 'sir'!" The bandit salutes before bounding towards the main building, and hides behind a window overseeing the palisades. He still contemplates on escaping... someday...
Each man wears scruffy, unwashed clothes, leathers mostly, with green and brown cloaks flung over their backs. Most have beards or several days worth of stubble. Only two figures stood out to the Gnoll. The first was what appeared to be an elf carrying a great axe behind his back. The other (at the head of the column) is a huge man, who seems at least seven feet tall, with a thick neck and a square-jawed head covered by the hood of his cloak. Raucous laughter precedes them as they come to a halt in front of the fort, outside its gates.
Dhyrn:
"Alright then, you four head off towards the forest of the King's road north east of here, and meet up with Kaime's merry little band. Hopefully that useless lot has ambushed SOMEONE by now. After that, we'll rendezvous back at base." The tall man says, as he points toward four of the regular bandits. They gladly comply, and take two additional horses with them to meet up with this Kaime fellow (whom its most certainly was the group Jasper belonged to). "Rest of you, you're with me. Let's scare the shit out of Oleg for old times' sake, hehehe..."
There comes the sound of men dismounting from their horses, accompanied by several whinnies and neighs. Then the bandits come sauntering through the gate, their huge leader in front. The rest follow in no semblance of order, guffawing and laughing crudely. The elf man remains close at the wagon.
"Oleg, you crafty son of a bitch, how is it going? Business going swell? And what of that fine young whore of yours? She around?" the big man jeers as he sees the pile of goods laid out in the courtyard. "Boys, you pack this stuff up. I'm gonna pay our friend a visit and remind him that it's polite to say hello to his guests."
A grimace forms on Oleg's face. "Going fine. She is in the tavern. And you lay your hands off her, you hear?! Just because your boss isn't here, don't mean I won't be rough on your sorry arses if you lay a finger on..."
"Hey hey hey, now, Oleg. Why the aggression? That how you treat such loyal clientele? It's no wonder you moved out here; I'd move out of Brevoy too if I was as surly as you." The tall man replies haughtily. Oleg responds with grating his teeth, restraining himself from punching this man in the face.
"Oi! Crikey! Will ya look at that boss!" One of the bandits exclaim while pointing toward the inert Smith. Another bandit whistles. "Mighty fine suit of armor, that there. Where'd ya nicked that off from, Oleg? Thing's a beaut, if a bit dented in some places!"
The two bandits eye the Warforged, oblivious to its true origin.
"Where indeed, Oleg?" The large man asks.
Oleg scowls. "That old thing? A merchant sold it off for a pretty few gold pieces. You want it? It's on the HOUSE! It's all YOURS! That sound perfect?"
With the bandits unaware of the heroes, now was the time to strike...
______________________________
Map:
The two orange an blue circles on the map are the fire and frost traps Arifyn made respectfully. The (Roof) indicator next to Dhyrn is just to indicate Dhyrn is on the roof.
Monster Details:
Special:
An elf ignores difficult terrain when it shifts.
Special:
Happs Bydon gains a +2 bonus to AC against ranged attacks.
Swift Mover:
Happs Bydon gains a +4 bonus to AC against opportunity attacks.
Danger Sense:
Happs gains a +2 bonus to initiative checks.
Also, here's a primer on how Surprise actions work:
points. After every nonsurprised combatant has acted, the surprise round ends, and you can act normally in subsequent rounds.
Surprised: If you’re surprised, you can’t take any actions (not even free actions, immediate actions, or opportunity actions), and you grant combat advantage to all attackers. As soon as the
surprise round ends, you are no longer surprised.
"As I believe the organic term goes," Smith says in his low, rumbling tone. "You've been 'had.'"