Here is the Balentyne Watchtower
Here is the Watchtower Map
Both have been added to the command bar above.
I've got some pictures of characters ready to be posted whenever they get encountered.
If no one has anything else they want to do during the day of day 2, we can press on to that night, and you guys can compare notes?
@Gertrart - as the only member of the group to have actually seen some of the defenses and the troops on the job at the Watchtower, you are pretty sure this is a tough nut to crack. Those guys at Branderscar were complete jokers from top to bottom compared to this place.
The invisible imp flies to Mott's house, to check if the adulterers are there and in action.
Bapho finds that only Kaitlyn Mott is at home this evening.
As the evening gets going, off duty soldiers, some of the dwarves, and townsfolk trickle into the tavern.
Taeral spends his evening entertaining in the common area of the inn for his food and lodging, reciting tales and stories of old. He sprinkles tidbits of Asmodeus and the other gods before Markadian the Zealot ran rampant with his unjust witch hunt.
So, a decent number of them do manage to get the gist of your hidden meaning, and they grumble a bit. They are ardent Mitrans, after all!
A number of patrons leave early, grumbling about "bad entertainment" and "if that's the sort of he show he wants to put on, then I'll take my money home."
Bellam is less than pleased with this result, and determines that your days of free room and board are done!
Xeram will offer 'words of encouragement' to those unsatisfied patrons. Likewise listening to any rumors or troubles they might have of late, that the team might exploit.
Gertrart shares his knowledge of the day with the others and inquires about the hidden store room. Given the direction and distance of the tunnel, he tries to ascertain what building that might be a store room to (from the outside).
Vosil does his best not to throttle Taeral - or rather, summon a minion to do it for him. "Was there some part of the word 'undercover' that was a little too complicated for you?"
When the group meets later to discuss what they have learned, Taeral will explain his actions at the inn.
"The tale was intended to ruffle a few feathers and to allow me to have a need for spirital guidance from the acolytes and even a possible session with Farher Donnagin. I know you may have a hard time doing tasks with out the aid of your minons, Vosil, but some of us can think beyond the first immediate step of a plan. My actions also provided us with a measure of the moral and loyalty of the people of Aldencross and the watchtower. So next time you think to get upset about something, think first."
Given the direction and distance of the tunnel, he tries to ascertain what building that might be a store room to (from the outside).
This seems like a reasonable use of Knowledge (geography)
It is in the base of the tower, and aligns with room 1 on the map.
As an aside, now that you've seen the map, it is clear that you came in through 8a, walked through 8, to 8b, across 18 and 18a, and then, oops, silly me, that's not how it goes!
Retcon: You'd have had to go across 24, the Bridge of Death!!! That means you had to go through 8, down the small corridor to 2 (and been just over Solomon’s head at the time!) Up the stairs to 32. Into the courtyard, up the steps to the top of the walls. Go across 24, and into 25!
Ok, so some areas I hadn’t described for you already, and in the order I figure you'd have seen them.:
2 – The Armory – there is a fully functional forge here. Racks of halberds, longswords, breastplates, heavy steel shields, etc. All bear the mark of the Talirean military. There were 4 guards here, with their armor off and working the forges repairing gear.
32 – Flag Room - This open room is where the banners and honors of the garrison are kept. Six large flags hang on the wall and provide a fine place to hide. There were 2 guards here.
27 – Fountain and Courtyard - The courtyard of Balentyne is a utilitarian affair. The grass is short and neatly attended by the acolytes. The paths are cobbled stone. A plain fountain burbles quietly. There were two acolytes out cutting the grass and cleaning the fountain.
28 – Statue of the Victor - This larger than life statue commemorates the man who ordered Balentyne built – King Markadian I called the Victorious. It is a statue of a powerfully built knight clad in plate armor bearing the holy symbol of Mitra. At the base of this statue is a quote attributed to the Victor himself. It reads “Hold fast to courage, faith and fellowship and this tower shall never fall.”
23 – The Walls of Balentyne – Just walls, 20’ high, crenellated battlements. There were pairs of guards roaming about.
24 – Bridge of Death – Previously described. Crenellated walls and able to rain death down onto the main bridge 18.
25 – Gatehouse 2nd Level – 2 stout winches are here operating the portcullis and drawbridge. 4 guards were here, with 2 of them tending fires to keep buckets of sand blistering hot, so it can be poured through the murder holes if needed. This room was very hot. This is where you did your work with Slate.
Ok, so did I miss anything that I should describe?
"Solomon, I believe we have discovered a back way into the tower."
The city side keep has one level somewhat below ground, you came through that.
It has the main level with walls. And then the central keep seems to have maybe three or four additional levels. Defenders inside the central keep could rain arrows down anywhere inside the walls. The SE corner of the keep also has a round tower that goes up several levels. And appears to have the rookery up at the upper level.
@Gertrart - It will take 4-5 hours to get to the proposed ambush site, if I may label it as such.
Alrighty then, so the day and the dawn were the second day, and we wake up on Day 3!
Bapho heads off to spy on the supposed lovers!
What is everyone else doing?
Gertrart continues working with the engineers, hoping he will be able to see the foundations. In particular he is counting guard numbers and, if an opportunity arises, liberating some guard uniforms.
Vosil will investigate the chef responsible for the stew, trying to charm her.
He will also look around to see whether there is anywhere they could obtain the necessary quantities of poison. He will try and do this with a degree of subtlety.
Xeram is going to throw his fishing line in with the old granny, trying to get info on the guards and the place she goes to on those mondays.
Day 3
Taeral approaches Bellam Barhold in the morning.
With a look of sincerity, meekness and desire to do right, Taeral asks, "Good Sir, I wish to appologize for any misunderstanding about the tales I told last night. These were the tales I was taught as a youth and thought they would glorify the might of Markadian IV and his pursuit to bring Mitra's blessings to the lands. Is there someone you can recommend I can should speak with to seek forgiveness for my actions of upsetting you and your patrons, as my heart weighs heavy this morning? Maybe someone that can help me understand my misinterpetation and set me on the path of true understanding of Mitra's ways and ideals and of his royal champions?"
------------------------------------------------------
On Going Effects: Iron Circlet, Half-Elf bard;
A half-elf bard wearing a fine supple, light purple, leather doublet over a green shirt, with rich forest green breeches and a lute in his hands.
@Vosil and Xeram - I am going to pick and choose and combine your rolls as I see fit to help you along with this.
Garrison food is repetitive and forgettable at best. But once a week Mama Louisa Giuseppe comes to the kitchens of Balentyne (10.) and makes her special beef stew. A savory, hearty mixture of beef, wine, onions and herbs harvested from her garden – the stew is always a hit. The guards line up and eagerly wolf down a bowl. Mama Guisseppe’s sons both served in this garrison years ago when she started this tradition.
Though both of her boys have long departed for better careers in the southern city of Ghastenhall, she still makes the trek up to Balentyne once a week to make her stew. She does this for no pay. Everyone from the commander on down simply calls her ‘Mama’ – a title that warms her aged heart.
There are a number of possible ways of getting poison locally, but the easiest is likely to be arsenic. In checking with the local alchemist, Xeram determines that the man has a sizable amount of arsenic, and you could buy the whole lot for 240gp. Xeram's bluff roll was used to provide a decent cover story as to just what you'd use the arsenic for.
If someone (anyone) wants to throw down a heal check, I'll give you an idea of the possible effects of arsenic.
Likewise with an alchemy roll, or some such, and I'll throw out ideas on how to apply it, but in general she cooks the stew right up inside the watchtower, so you'd need to be there as she is doing the cooking.
@Taeral - Bellam seems very understanding of your plight, and he recommends you go and see the local village priest. I know your intent was to head towards Father Donnagin, but he's not like just the local confessor, his job is the watchtower and its occupants.
"Solomon, I believe we have discovered a back way into the tower."
Gertrart has managed to ease the itching at the back of Solomon's mind, who's been somewhat overwhelmed at not knowing where that trap door led and being unable to investigate further that day. "Then it's probably good I stayed below. Animals don't like me, and I hear there's a rookery there."
------------------------------
In discussing the possibilities of Arsenic, Solomon pipes up with his own experience handling such things.
He's by no means a healer, but he knows his poisons, so his information there seems a bit more extensive than his actual experience would suggest. Then when it comes to application, he can tell you just about every way someone might fall prey to arsenic... even accidental exposure through public bath-houses, etc. One gets the feeling that the ratman spends most all of his free time considering every possible instance, no matter how circumstantial or unlikely.
"There is the fountain as well. If we think this is a good way to go, I'll see if it is the primary source of water if I can," Gertrart says when discussing arsenic with the Knot.
@Solomon - You believe that the best way to implement the arsenic would be to apply it directly into the stew while it is being brewed. You believe that the immediate effect would be the death of multiple guards, the sickening of even more. The initial symptoms would likely appear like those usually present in a cholera outbreak, but of course those that don't die will get better in probably 3 days to a week.
You do think there are other methods that could be used to poison even more guards, but those methods would likely be recognized as such, so it's a toss up which route to go.
@Gertrart - yes alchemy is a craft, and maybe includes poison, probably so, but I'm not positive off the top of my head.
@Vosil - I'm sure there's something that can meet your needs.
Roughly 70 guards eat her meal each week. My spreadsheet is at work to check on Monday.
Think we missed it this week though.
Days 7, 14, 21, and 28 are soup days!
So what's the plan
If the group doesn't have efforts they would prefer Solomon to be a part of, he'll make sure his disguise is at least passable and spend the day casing the northern walls of the city. He has no skill in Knowledge(Engineering), which would certainly be helpful if someone who does wishes to join. But he'll look for places he might be able to set up some serious explosives, and where they might be most effective. If these walls are as impregnable as people say, then it would help to have a place where we might be able to weaken them from the inside.
Day 3 activity
Taeral will seek out one of the local clergy in Aldercross to start his 'Repentance' process.
He will explain the situation that occured at the inn, and his missundertanding of Mitra. He will pretend to fail to understand the problem, and will continue to ask and interpt in a seemingly never ending circle of questions and observation. Taeral is trying to get the clergy to apoint that they feel they may need to send him to a higher more devote person (acolytes or Father Donnagin).
On Day 3, let’s see if I have it down as to who does what.
Bapho spies on the lovers.
They are NOT together tonight.
Gertrart works with the engineers. He does get a decent look at the foundations, and in general he can determine that the place is just built pretty stoutly.
However, he does get a bit more info about various areas in the watchtower.
23a - The Seal of Balentyne - Above the servants entrance (8a) hangs a great stone emblem bearing the heraldry of Talingarde. This emblem is one of the watchtower’s most prominent features. Everyone knows this. Gertrart is able to determine though that the seal is hung on massive chains attached to a winch, and that this winch can be used to lower the seal and block the 8a entrance, should the tower be compromised, and thus give the defenders outside the tower time to go for reinforcements. His check provides him information on how to disable this winch and eliminate this last line of defense for the town and for Talingarde.
Gertrart did also say he was looking into the fountain and water sources. Water is stored in barrels in the store rooms/pantry (11 and 13), and could be retrieved from the river if absolutely needed, but that is not the easiest thing in the world. 12 is the mess hall, and 10 is the kitchen. 26 is the choir hall, which can be discovered via casual conversation with the acolytes or the dwarves. Gertrart seems to really be getting great into on the watchtower, so Gertrart, keep asking me specifics about the interior, and I'll keep answering questions. Keeping it casual with the dwarves is working well for you.
Vosil, Xeram, and Solomon looked into the stew/poisoning idea
Taeral approached Bellam, and then on towards the local priests, who he can find and get his story going. With those rolls, let's say that "tomorrow" which is day 4, the priest thinks that yes, maybe you should talk with a higher authority, and will present you up to the tower if you can come back in the morning?
On to Day 4.
Evening Day 3, Group Update Meeting
Tearal can meet with another priest in the morning of Day 4, which can still allow him to participate with the Ambush (Task #3)
Tearal suggest that maybe Bapho can start killing off ravens (task #15). Maybe make his sting attacks look like beak attacks and then give some of the ravens bloody beaks. Make it look like they are killing each other.
Tearal recommends individuals that are going to participate in the Ambush (task #3) leave for the the location by early afternoon.
Yes, Gertrart is pretty sure that with a quick 15 minutes of work, he can damage the drawbridge and portcullis such that it will take hours, and maybe days, to get them working again.
@Taeral - the ravens technically function as a swarm, so individual attacks aren't going to be effective.
During the day Gertart looks for a way to neutralize the bridge of death. I suspect, removing the guards in the gatehouse effectively neutralizes the murder holes.
At the end of his second day with the dwarves the traveling smith begs off to see more of the city. "I've only a day or two left of coin and will have to find work away from you good sirs," he says to the journeyman Slate. "But, I'll be back tomorrow if you'll have me, and no paying work presents itself."
That evening he meanders around town. Mapping out the city to some small degree. "Where is an enterprising street cartographer when you need one?. He is looking for the location of banks, if any, a jeweler shop, and a magic item/wand shop.
@Gertrart - Relative to the murder holes, there are other guards who could use them, and they keep that sand piping hot 24/7.
@Gertrart - Relative to the bridge of death, unfortunately the structure itself just seems pretty well built, and there appears to not be a way to really damage it. There's not a door to block access to it. Of course, if you've disabled the drawbridge, there's no chance of your allies getting caught as "fish in a barrel." If you come up with a way to keep the good guys off the bridge, then I'll come up with a way of calculating that when the attack comes.
@Gertrart - Guard shifts tend to be 8 hours long, so 3/day. The greatest number of guards in the barracks, and the least defended the place ever is, is during the night, which is not surprising. Most of the off duty guards get a good night of rest, after their drinking and such in town, etc.
@Gertrart - Slate responds, "aye, ye be welcome. You're no great hand with the tools, but your knowledge and ideas on how to fix things have been helpful."
@Gertrart - I have no true map of Aldencross, as the focus of the task is the Watchtower, but absolutely there would be a magic item/wand shop, as well as banks and jewelers.
The town also has smiths, cobblers, etc. most mundane gear is available. If something magical is desired, then let me know what you seek, and I'll roll for it.
Gertart takes the criticism to heart, "What areas can I work on to improve my skills?" he asks the journeyman.
As the dwarves prepare to enter the gates, the traveling smith rushes up to join them. He greets the guards, making sure they recognize his (false) face as they enter.
Nearing lunch he asks Journeyman Slate, "Have you met the rookery keeper? Is he as mad as they say? I was thinking it would be a nice view to enjoy lunch from if you think we can." He produces an extra loaf of bread and additional cheese wedges and meat slices. "If he's not too dangerous that is."