My group's next session begins part two of The Hook Mountain Massacre: Retaking Rannick. They've managed to put an end to the threat of the Grauls, and now it's time for Jakadros to fill them in on what befell Fort Rannick. The only problem I have is identifying what information Jakadros and Vale have to share. I'm trying to piece together details about Fort Rannick before its fall, so the PCs have some idea about the defense the Black Arrows mounted (and by deduction, the force that was able to defeat them).
How many Black Arrows defended the fort?
The Anniversary Edition says the Black Arrows numbered in the "dozens." This thread assumes that means three dozen or so:
~ 12 Recruits
~ 16 Regulars (Kaven)
~ 4 Officers (Jakadros, Vale)
~ 1 Commander (Lamatar)
The entry for the Fort mentions at least two noncombatants:
- Drannnis, the resident architect who taught Vale about fortifications
- a fat priest of Erastil, who ran the Fort's chapel
- Petter, the mumbling simpleton poet (possibly an Arrow recruit rather than noncombatant)
Given that they had a stable of horses, I suspect a farrier was also on site. They possibly also had a cook (for the kitchens) and an archivist (map room).
How many Black Arrows were on patrol?
I'm also curious about day-to-day operations of the Fort. For example, Kaven's bio mentions a "Southern Patrol Route" that covers the eastern shore of Claybottom Lake, and that it's a boring duty that give the Arrows plenty of time to kill at the Paradise before it's sunk.
- What are the other patrol routes? The "heights of Hook Mountain" are also mentioned...
- How many men are assigned to each patrol route? The "Southern Route" is at least 3, and Jakadros' patrol a similar number.
- How often do patrols leave the Fort?
- How many scouts were sent to investigate Jorgenfist before the Kreegs retaliated?
- The entry for Turtleback Ferry indicates that one or two Black Arrows visit the town on a weekly basis for supplies and entertainment, and that they arrive on Fireday. How long does the Arrows liberty last?
- How many Black Arrows were in Jakadros' patrol before the Grauls got ahold of them?
- Was the patrol waylaid by the Grauls before they knew what happened to Fort Rannick, or were Jakadros and company captured trying to return to Turtleback with news of Rannick's fall?
When/How did the news reach Magnimmar?
Finally, there's the question of how, and how often, the Arrows are in contact with Magnimmar:
- The Sanos trail overland route from Magnimmar to Turtleback is two weeks in each direction. I think we can assume a monthly supply train drops goods off in Turtleback for the Fort.
- It also been mentioned that the Arrows may be in contact with Magnimmmar via messenger raven or wand of sending.
According to the Anniversary Edition timeline;
- A month ago, the Black Arrows spotted plumes of smoke from the Jorgenfist forges, and sent several scouts to spy on the Kreegs. None ever returned.
- 3 weeks ago, Commander Lamatar Bayden left Fort Rannick on one of his monthly 3-day "communion walks"
- Shortly after that, Jakadros left to lead a "long range" patrol. Kaven volunteered to join him, and Vale went along as well.
- Kaven engineered a few convenient delays to keep the patrol from returning in time to join the defense of the fort.
- Jakadros' patrol was captured by the Grauls
Grobaras sends the PCs on a two-week journey to the Fort after hearing that Turtleback has seen no sign of the Arrows for "weeks." If the Fort only fell three weeks ago, that only leaves a week of "radio silence" before Turtleback sends word overland to Magnimmmar...
Any input from Paizo and/or fellow GMs to clear up the ambiguities in the AE would appreciated!
Some notes on timeline that I made, when ran this arch of AP:
1. Barl had 3 weeks to organize Kreeg Clanhold in a forge.
2. In the middle of the third week Arrows spot the fumes. At the end of it, Lamatar sends scouts to investigate. They are caught.
3. Barl organizes attack plan on fort as soon as possible (he has to consult with lamia, and bring Grauls in the picture, as somebody to hunt for those Arrows who may escape the attack). He vaguely understands that he has a week, before Arrows will send a bigger party to investigate the Clanhold/inform Turtleback Ferry-Magnimar.
4. A week after the scouts were killed, ogres take the fort.
5. I think Arrows maintained weekly contact with TF. So, after a week from attack, there's no news from them. Plus Paradise barge is sunk by lamia.
6. In the next week after "radio silence" and Paradise sinking, TF sends 2-3 messengers to Fort, but they obviously don't return (captured by Grauls). At the end of the week, mayor of TF send a messenger, by horse to Magnimar.
7. After two weeks of fast ride, the letter from TF is in Grobaras hands.
So, by me, there was a month between the attack on the Fort and Grobaras being informed.
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So, by me, there was a month between the attack on the Fort and Grobaras being informed.
I think I'll go with something similar:
Timeline of the Fall
8 weeks ago: Black Arrows on the Northern patrol route spot forge fires on Jorgenfist. Half the patrol heads off to investigate, but do not return.
7 weeks ago: Lamatar leaves on his communion walk, Jakadros leaves on patrol to investigate the missing scouts.
6 weeks ago: Rannick falls. Jakadros' patrol returns, but is cut off from the fort by the Kreeg ogres. Jakadros attempts to retreat to Turtleback for aid, but is waylaid by the Grauls. Ominous rain begins.
5 weeks ago: The Paradise sinks. Mayor Shreed sends word to Ilsurian about the disaster. Also noted is the lack of visitors from Fort Rannick.
4 weeks ago: An official from Ilsurian arrives in Turtleback, travelling with Magnimmar's monthly supply caravan for Fort Rannick. The caravan begins the return journey to Magnimmar with news of the Black Arrows' absence.
3 weeks ago: The official from Ilsurian concludes his half-hearted inquest, ruling the Paradise's sinking a tragic accident.
2 week ago: The supply caravan arrives in Magimmar and passes its news to Mayor Grobaras.
Today: PCs arrive in Turtleback Ferry.
Fort Logistics
- The Fort maintains a minimum complement of 24 fighting men and women in the fort at all times, with 16 on duty and 8 off.
- Duty at the fort consists of standing watch at the walls, patrolling within line-of-sight of the fort, training, and maintenance of gear and the fort.
- An additional 12 soldiers are on long-range patrol outside the fort at any given time. Patrols do not leave the fort at any set interval, for fear of creating a pattern the ogres might exploit.
- Assignments are divvied up on a volunteer, first-come-first-served basis, making for a somewhat haphazard schedule. A Black Arrow's typical month will see them at the fort for two weeks, and on long-range patrol the other two. Consideration is usually given so that no soldier is outside the fort two weeks in a row.
- Regulars are those soldiers who've served the Black Arrows with loyalty and been voted into the fold by their peers in a ceremony held in the Fort tribunal chamber. Regulars are expected to mentor/discipline Recruits, and the current makeup of the Arrows ensures that Recruits never outnumber Regulars on an assignment at any given time.
Patrol Duty
Long-range patrols consist of two routes:
- The Northern Route, which skirts the northern edge of the Kreegwood and provides recon of the Skulltaker trolls of Skull's Crossing and the ogres of the Hook Mountain clanhold. This patrol generally lasts a week, and consists of 8 Black Arrows in two teams of 4 (2 Regulars and 2 Initiates per team).
- The Southern Route, which covers the roads from Rannick to Pendaka along the eastern shore of Claybottom lake. This is considered "light" duty for a 4-man patrol; It usually also lasts a week, though the Arrows spend at least two days of it in Turtleback collecting supplies and taking R&R.
Final Disposition of the Black Arrows
Given the above, here's the final fate of the Arrows:
4 scouts lost investigating Jorgenfist
24 soldiers slain defending the fort
2 members of Jakadros' patrol died in a rearguard action covering the retreat from Fort Rannick
2 members of Jakadros' patrol slain by the Grauls
4 survivors rescued by the PCs after 6 weeks of captivity.