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Post by Admin on Sept 19, 2013 23:25:27 GMT
"There is a road that runs from the northeast, by the camp, and towards Vizzini's estate," Lorenzo says. "We saw convoys of stolen goods and captives moved along it. What did you have in mind?"
[Teo's Stealth check fails vs. Milford's perception by 4.]
Teo fumbles with the manacles, alerting Milford to his presence. Just as he looks down, globules of light whiz around the room. Lorenzo and some of the militia dive for cover before they realize they are harmless. The humorless militia leader glowers at the gnome, his hand reaching for his sword before Mrs. Perin stops him.
"Please, save it for the brigands," Mrs. Perin says.
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Post by aldeus on Sept 20, 2013 2:20:06 GMT
Aldeus crosses his arms and turns away from the gnome who managed to steal everyone's attention.
"Is this group rudderless? So far I have had the pleasure of receiving a feeble attack from a thin skinned orc and now had to wince through a failed attempt at comedy. Was your survival to this point just a night without scabs of a whore-ridden week?"
"We need to act now and with conviction. Someone step forth and declare your plan of action."
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Post by jon on Sept 20, 2013 5:47:05 GMT
"Well on the way here the bandits laid a trap for us. A woman screaming next to a broken cart... Possibly if we went along that road in a cart in the guise of a merchant and his lovely wife..." Hans winks at Alicia, "Maybe our cart brakes down and we cry for help... We could draw out some of the bandits from their camp and ambush them. The militia could come behind the camp and we finish the remainder of the camp in a head-on assault?"
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Post by elgeon on Sept 20, 2013 13:27:08 GMT
"Nice! Using their trick against them..."
Ambushing a prey in the forest, now that is something Elgeon is familiar with!
"If we could capture someone, that would be great as well!"
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Post by teodoro on Sept 20, 2013 16:24:30 GMT
What would burn another man's cheeks red with embarrassment hardly even registers with Teo. He smirks at the thought of a successfully-manacled Milford hobbling around the barn as Perin and Aldeus take turns scolding him.
"Well you say you need distractions, I can't think of a better way to prove my abilities than that." He smiles earnestly at the rest of the group. "I think the wagon ruse is our best way to go about this!"
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Post by tengen on Sept 20, 2013 17:17:15 GMT
She seems to only be able to return a thinly veiled incredulous look towards Hans as he winks at her. There were a few choice words she would like to give over her nomination as bait but she decides to hold her tongue for the sake of civility. Besides it seems like the best plan we had that did not involve charging blindly up the hill. With a heavy sigh she directs her response to Hans.
"Indeed....... Although I have slight reservations over some of the details. It does seem like a workable plan." She remarks calmly but some of her trepidation seeps through in her tone.
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Post by Admin on Sept 21, 2013 0:08:07 GMT
Lorenzo grins slyly at the merchant. "A clever ploy," he says. "My militia could assault their camp, but we would need a signal for when to begin the assault," he looks at Teo. "Bene, thank Perin I did not draw my blade on this one. He has just the abilities we'd require for a signal."
"If I may make a suggestion," Mrs. Perin hobbles forwards on her quarterstaff. "If you could capture a bandit leader alive, you could find information about their fortifications, how they dammed the stream, or even the extent of Vizzini's involvement. Many lives could be saved with such information, including our own."
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Post by teodoro on Sept 21, 2013 13:38:17 GMT
"I won't demonstrate around this jumpy group," he looks at Lorenzo cheerfully, "so you'll have to take my word for it. But, I do know a spell or two that will potentially knock a man out. I also have a set of manacles I'm sure you're all aware of." He chuckles again at the thought of Milford tripping over himself.
"Shall we go get the wagon now?" Teo says, thrilled that the planning stage is at an end.
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Post by Admin on Sept 23, 2013 0:09:58 GMT
"My militia will advance along the northern side of the hill," Lorenzo says. "We will be closer to the road than if we were to approach along the southern flank. Would you prefer to join us, or venture along the south?"
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Post by teodoro on Sept 23, 2013 17:30:26 GMT
Teo looks about the room certain that nobody is awaiting the answer from him. Nevertheless he interrupts the silence by pointing out, "I think the wagon could only use the route with the road?"
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Post by elgeon on Sept 23, 2013 19:45:52 GMT
"Most probably." Elgeon then turns to the rest of his fellow adventurers: "Are there any other details about the plan that we should settle?"
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Post by tengen on Sept 23, 2013 20:41:48 GMT
"I'm going to have to change into my town dress for this to work aren't I?" She says with vaguely held back annoyance before turning to point accusingly at Hans.
"Know this Mr. Hans if I get Killed, Maimed or even get this attire dirtied. I will hold you dutifully responsible! " She says sternly getting uncomfortably close with her glare before storming off in a huff presumably to find a place to change. [Intimidate just because I can]
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Post by henwen88 on Sept 24, 2013 0:19:00 GMT
"Something like a flaming arrow fired into the sky should suffice for a signal," Leath suggests. "If that's taken care of, I suggest we get under way." He is chafing at being inside the walls of a town again, and eager to get on the road, he goes off in the direction of Orgoth to wait with him.
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Post by aldeus on Sept 24, 2013 1:07:04 GMT
Aldeus turns his gaze to Perin and Lorenzo "I will go with these travelers. There may be traps along the way."
Aldeus begins to walk towards the entrance of the barn. He slightly turns his head and speaks over his shoulder "I trust you can manage to find a cart and bring it to the hill?"
He turns away before anyone has a chance to respond and walks towards the hill.
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Post by Admin on Sept 24, 2013 2:19:08 GMT
Hans cannot help but feel somewhat intimidated by Alicia. [Alicia rolls 13=9+4.]
---
The group travels in front of the militia, following the road looping around the north of the hill. As they get near it, the hill resembles an upside down earthen bowl before them. Along the northern side of the hill, trees and rocks begin to obstruct their view of the summit, and militia fighters begin taking position behind the various nooks and crannies in the earth, readying their weapons for the coming attack. The militia grants them a spare wagon and pony to use for the ambush, covered and full of empty crates.
Leath notices something that tugs at his heartstrings, a number of dead animals lying on the road, such as cats, rabbits, and various livestock. They have cuts and lacerations that are hardly natural, and more likely due to the bandits abusing them for amusement. If they tortured harmless animals for perverse enjoyment, he shudders what to think at what unnatural travesties the necromancer is doing to innocent people. The carcasses were left to rot by the side of the road, with many of their organs removed for undoubtedly sinister purposes. The pony neighs and nuzzles up to him as he pets the animal.
Elgeon notices details that the others have missed, his keen senses serving him well. He notes this is a well-traveled road in recent times, with tracks of humans, skeletons, and beasts of burden pulling wagons. He imagined any loot or captives the bandits take were marched along the road to their fates. He also notices ash and chips of charred wood on the side of the roads, likely fallen from caravan wagons. He muses the bandits might be doing some type of slash-and-burn logging based on the burnt patches of forest they’ve seen before, or perhaps even some kind of magical ritual or purpose.
[Elgeon’s perception roll of 14+10=24]
Lorenzo gestures to the party, signifying he is moving into position. “A flaming arrow or one of those light spells will suffice as a signal,” he says. “If you can bring some captives back, it will be invaluable. I envision many of them fight for coin, and not for love of their employer.”
Aldeus notes the militia using the tactics he taught them, with lines of crossbow-equipped troops and polearm equipped troops covering each other. Most of them had not picked up weapons before the bandit raids, and now they moved like hardened fighters. He cannot help but feel a bit of pride in his fortune in training them. They hide in wait as the party sees the bandit compound. They look up towards the hill, now that the eastern side is in view. Ramshackle walls of fallen timbers cover large swathes of hillside, with some used to fence in captured livestock. Sentries man the walls, but mercifully do not have a clear view of them and seem to be facing inwards. The brigands have no uniforms, save what they deserted with or stole from their victims. There is little consistency in their numbers and ranks, save their metal armor and weapons being covered with blood-red rust from improper maintenance.
While the walls hide much, the party sees some movement within. Captives, with their skin barely hanging from their bones, move shovels and handfuls of dirt as a taskmaster gives them a taste of the lash. Some of the captives are children, or at least short in stature. A stream bubbles up from the ground, but due to the digging, it weeps into a gulley by the side of the mountain. The captives move clods of yellow dirt around, taking it to one of the two main structures.
There appears to be two primary structures, a small storehouse of some kind, and a single barn-like barracks where the guards likely rest. The slaves move earth into the storehouse, while skeletons form a rattling corridor between the dig site and the destination, preventing any from moving elsewhere. Many of the torches around the camp do not glow the familiar yellow and orange of a fire, but instead an unearthly blue. Strange, blood-red substance drips from the otherworldly torches. The taskmaster and the sentries are the only living beings bothering paying attention to the captives, while the animated skeletons stand a tireless vigil.
The party is fortunate enough to have thick coverage of the forest as they continue around the hill, making it unlikely the bandits have seen them. It is now late afternoon, and the party is alone on the road connecting Vizzini’s estate to the bandit compound. They see the gates open, and a wagon emerges. The wagon is uncovered, and carrying a cargo of various barrels and crates. A pair of brigands drive the wagon, while a troop of skeletons march alongside. Two famished looking horses trod slowly down the road, and it appears the bandits have not noticed them yet, leaving them time to set their ambush.
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