"Ecru seems like a big detour. Let's go back across the river to Nibbitz. I'll summon some water elementals to swim these folk over. Then we can get them all quickly to Longshadow with some encouragement from Baszil.
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Nibbitz and the former prisoners are happy to be under your protection on the trip to Longshadow. The leader introduces himself as Frank. "We owe you strangers, anything you need from us let us know."
Slowed somewhat by your need to escort this group to Longshadow, you move at what seems a glacial pace after many days of riding through the Hollow Hills like avenging angels, striking down the Legion wherever you found them. A needed blow against the forces that have assaulted your home, you wish you could share your victories with the Rangers and Misthomians. Walking now along the banks of the Marideth you recall many months ago a similar journey.
Huddled with survivors of a surprise attack and fleeing for your lives into the Fangwood, now you intend to arrive at another human settlement on the same river with a different group of survivors. This time not as scared men running in a blood soaked night, but freedom fighters delivering hope and a chance to fight back.
Mindful of the massing Legion forces ready to strike you restrain yourself from making too much noise on your march, even if Bazsil's sonorous voice feels like it could carry for miles. You arrive at Longshadow, the Jewel of the Marideth, largest town in this region and a major source of worked steel and other goods before the invasion, looking forward to a stand up fight from a position of strength. It is only a moment before those hopes are dashed. The once mighty walls of the town are crumbled and in need of repair. The gates are weathered and look to have been standing open for years. You're not sure you could close them even if they weren't rotted through.
Nibbitz looks at the walls and gate in dismay. "I would've though old Thom Crawbert would've taken better care of his town as mayor, but then he never much cared for the administrative side of things. Still, even if Moldune hasn't attacked in years that's no reason to..." She shakes herself. "Anyway, you guys better find Mayor Crawbert and sort out whatever you need to. I'll get Frank and his group settled. Maybe I'll find you later."
Faolan is crushed as they walk through the gates of the city. "Those wouldn't stop anyone at Misthome, let alone the Legion! Perhaps a retreat is in order, lest it become a rout!"
Despair leads to anger as they get closer to the Mayor. "Where is the son of a b$#&! who let things go like this?" he grumbles as he walks.
"YOU! You there! Where is the Mayor of this city? Where?!" he shouts at some random stranger looking for directions.
A dark scowl settles upon Krowe's face as he looks around at the state of Longshadow. "We should have come here earlier." He hopes there is enough time to bolster defenses... or evacuate the town.
Following the citizen's directions, he marches to the pub and throws open the doors.
"Mayor Crawbert!"
Bazsil looks around, hoping for so much more from the town.
"Yeah. This may not be good," Bazsil agrees with the initial assessments. "I'm worried that we brought the prisoners to an even worse situation."
He hopes that the mayor shows some hidden reserves of resolve.
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The interior of the tavern is well lit and well maintained. Though buildings are dirty from the industry of the town, their interiors don't share that trait. You would no doubt find it quite pleasing if a rampaging horde of hobgoblins wasn't about to descend upon you.
Into this scene you see many happy townsfolk, their revel only momentarily disrupted by your appearance. At a large table near the fire you see what can only be Mayor Crawbert. He is lean with a full beard, mostly hair and some beer, with a wide grin.
Around the table you see a middle aged human wearing the vestments of Abadar's priesthood, another male human dressed in finer clothing, and a female half-elf in similar attire. You estimate these three to be the mayor's advisors or council based on their seating.
The Mayor stands and waves at you to approach. "What can I do for you fine gentlemen? Adventurers if I remember the look from my own days on the road." He wipes his mouth on his sleeve as he sits back down.
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Bazsil pulls up a chair, turning it around and sitting down sprayed-legged.
”Hey,” Bazsil begins in a deep voice. ”Are you not aware of what is happening around here?” Bazsil begins to look at the man as he talks to see if the Mayor is aware and uncaring or unaware and just ignorant.
Sense Motive
”Let me start from the beginning...I’m Bazsil, the walking armadillo if Faolan, the one with the eyes you shouldn’t look into is Bors, and the one you should be careful around is Krowe,” he continues in a deep voice. ”Now, have you heard of hobgoblins? Let’s talk about them...”
Bazsil will go over most everything ever since the first attack, and going into detail about the threat to the town. For the parts he has already written song for, he will song those part, but mostly he delivers the situation to the Mayor in detail.
Diplomacy
Faolan looks pissed, but says nothing, allowing Bazsil's approach to rule the day rather than violence. He wonders if the mayor is as bad as he seems. Perhaps he has a cunning plan! Faolan waits and watches.
Krowe holds his tongue for the moment, trusting Bazsil’s calm approach. Inside, he fumes at the situation. He’d lost two homes to the Legion. Both thought they had been prepared, and both were wrong. Now Longshadow stands surrounded yet little effort has been made to protect it. It’s like they were just waiting to give up.
We should do this town a favor and get rid of these fools.
”I was thinking the same thing, blood! Styx them all, make yourself a high-up, and sort this place out good!”
I hate to agree, but it might be the only way to save this place from the Legion.
”The Legion? Oh right.. save them from the goblins. That too.”
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The mayor reacts with shock at the news that an army is invading, shock that slowly turns to anger as you insult him and order him about. You see veins standing out on his forehead and tendons on his neck as his jaw grinds. "I appreciate the warning, but you can stow those attitudes back in whatever filthy saddlebag you packed to get here. I am the mayor of Longshadow and I won't be talked down to by vagabonds."
"Longshadow is the most heavily fortified town in Nirmathas and I won't be driven out of it by some uppity goblins. These tales you tell are all well and good, but have you any proof?"
The female half-elf nods at this. "Were such an army massing to attack we'd know of it, our shipments would've been disrupted and I'd know about it. These fellows have no doubt been attacked by some marauding band of mangy goblins and seek the protection of our town walls now!" There is a rising cheer from the crowd at this.
There's something else going on here, something in the mayor's eyes when the attacks are mentioned. You suspect the half-elf is lying to you and the mayor was surprised, not by the information, but the decision to lie about it.
Just before the crowd turns ugly, a small form leaps to the tabletop. It is Nibbitz, come to your rescue. "Here now, these fine lads are the Dragonslayers of the Fangwood don't you know. They fought free of a hobgoblin attack on their town, gathered refugees in the forest and fought back against the Legion! They freed captive rangers and killed a mighty black dragon set to rule all of you. They've ridden the Hollow Hills and killed Legion patrols, ambushed their wyvern riders. Not 10 miles upstream they destroyed 4 great war machines set to rain rocks upon your homes!"
The crowd calms down and looks at you with new eyes, as does the mayor. He straightens his waistcoat. "Very well Nibbitz, let's hear what they have to say to prove this threat is real."
The mayor hates mockery and enjoys wit. Any dialogue that uses mockery is at a -2, anything with wit is a +2.
vs DC 25
vs DC 15
Faolan frowns at the half-elf, and being somewhat brusk, goes for the direct approach.
"I think you're lying." he says simply to the half-elf. "...and I'm not sure why, unless you are an agent of the hobgoblins. They are quite well organized and we've found their agents before. Now I'm not saying you are one of their agents, but I wonder why you would hide knowledge of the enemy." he gives her the stink eye, but moves on to the others.
"You all need to realize the coming threat and act to defend yourselves. There is not much time to save your town. Please, do not underestimate your opponent, for surely they will come with overwhelming force - though no wyverns or siege engines thanks to our efforts so far."
He tries to get a sense of the room, based on his statements, and tries to see who might be more allied with the half-elf or the mayor.
Verbal Duel
”Speaking of siege engines...” Krowe reaches into his pocket, pulls out a piece of cloth, and holds it up. ”We brought one of theirs with us with the plan to give it to you to use against them.”
Krowe tosses it onto an empty nearby table. As it settles the magic upon it releases and the arm of a catapult springs forth, breaking the table beneath it.
”Some assembly required.”
Sense Motive vs. DC 25
Sense Motive vs. DC 15
Intimidate to Aid vs. DC 10
Though he dislikes Krowe's approach here, he keeps quiet and failing to mask his anger at the Mayor's reaction.
* * * Check #2?
Baszil tries to spin Krowe's aggression with a different tone, a different focus.
"He's right, we will need siege engines. You can talk to the prisoners we brought back with us about them. And how they were enslaved. They will back up that we rescued them and the forces arrayed against this town. But fear not, we have time. We have the ability to pull together if we work together," Bazsil intones and pleads with his deep voice.
Perform (oratory)
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The people jump back as the table breaks. The cleric of Abadar stands and shouts in anger as the piece settles on the ground. "This is how you prove your worth, by breaking a table and almost injuring people? Mayor, how can we take these men seriously when they have such disregard for safety? No doubt about it, they are exaggerating their claims!"
Neither the crowd nor the mayor seem swayed by this argument, since the table was after all broken by a siege weapon part.
The half-elf sputters. "You are not privy to council business, I didn't feel the need to tell outsiders about the attacks on our norther n trade routes." The crowd gasps at this revelation, and you sense the half-elf pause as she realizes her mistake.
The last adviser stands. "Good people, we have no need for concern here. You've always know of the attacks from Moldune, a few hobgoblin slavers and a dusty old piece of wood breaking tables is no need for concern."
The crowd and mayor are unmoved by this plea as they have been the ones before, seeming almost completely convinced that you are genuine.
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This is different. They are moving in large numbers and seem to come from nowhere and everywhere at once." Bor urges, though probably a little harshly. "These are more than slavers. If nothing is done, then they will be at the gates and we will definitely perish." Bor turns to the others. "If you prepare now we will stand with you."
Diplomacy
Bazsil listens when it’s time to listen.
He cheers when it’s time to cheer.
And even jeers when it will support his need to jeer.
”Now then, let’s talk about working together and getting this town ready for the assault to come! I’m sure our good Mayor lead will lead us right! Now, let’s get behind him and work together,” Bazsil rumbles in a deep voice.
Diplomacy -
Faolan does what he can to help Bor.
vs DC 10 to aid.
"Look, we're very serious here. We've been fighting the Legion for a long time now, and we've come here to help, only to find you in denial about the problem. This is real."
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The cleric of Abadar stands firm in the face of this escalation. "If that's true then we will either pay them off or fight them off, as usual. This town is strong." The crowd seems to believe this.
The mayor relaxes as the debate settles. "Well then, not sure we needed to break a table for that, but it's settled now and we've obviously got a problem." He motions the advisers to give him some space. They stand and nod to him before leaving in a group.
Once they are gone the mayor motions you to have a seat and fresh beers are delivered. The innkeeper gives Krowe a dirty look but the beer doesn't appear to be spoiled in any way.
"So, I'll be honest with you fellows, we've had some attacks on our northern trade routes, as Seneka told you. The survivors described the bandits as looking at lot like your group here. You'll understand why I needed to test you before having you arrested or believing you. So, we've got a bunch of Legion-whatsits wandering around causing trouble and you say our defenses won't be enough." He leans back in his chair and takes a sip of his beer. "You're the experts, what do you suggest we do then?"
Bazsil sips his beer, trying to enjoy it before things really get hairy.
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"Three days ago we came across a hobgoblin camp upon a ridge approximately 35 miles northeast of here." Krowe gets out the maps and notes captured from the hobgoblins a few days back and lays them out on an intact table. "Upon their defeat we recovered journals, orders, and maps detailing their plans for this region. They had recently sacked Radya's Hollow and attempted to reopen the mines, but a collapse and restless spirits forced them to abandon it. We investigated the site ourselves, and found a few survivors from the town, but little else. Guided by the maps we found, we attacked Legion forces here, and here, slaying wyvern-riders and destroying war machines. A camp of warbeasts remains to the north here, and a munitions dump exists in Ecru - also fallen to the Legion."
Krowe takes a breath, picks up one of the papers and offers it to the mayor. "This order indicates they planned to assault Longshadow 9 days from now. If they stick to their schedule, we may have enough time to prepare."
"First, you need warn the citizens of Longshadow and call upon them to defend the town."
"Second, we organize the citizens according to skill. We will need engineers, labor, quartermasters, scouts, and armed militia."
"Third, we will need to repair the walls and gates and add to the defense by digging trenches and building barricades."
"I will send word to our people in the Fangwood, and the Chernasardo Rangers. Perhaps they can send us reinforcements."
"Once things are in motion here, perhaps Faolan, Baszil, Bor, and I can do something about the munitions in Ecru or the warbeast camp."
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The mayor reads through the note and the maps, taking it all in. He nods decisively as Krowe outlines the plan. "Well make it happen. I have 20,000 gold we can use for any purchases you can think of that will help, and the town will provide whatever assistance we can. In addition, we can provide a 500 gold a day stipend to each of you for your services as consultants. Keeps the treasurer happy."
The mayor points out some locations on your map. "All of our caravans were attacked on the Old Oak Road, whatever is up there is probably part of the Legion forces." He also sketches the town with the walls, gates, docks, and street layout.
Longshadow’s defenses are measured in Defense Points, which function for the community like hit points function for an individual creature. They represent a combination of physical defenses, militia strength, and town morale. Longshadow begins with 50 Defense Points, representing its stockpile of weapons, but also reflecting its poorly trained militia and crumbling walls.
With the mayor’s blessing, the PCs can rally residents to begin reinforcing the town’s defenses. Most Nirmathi cities eschew traditional defenses, as they rarely last long against the focused force of Molthune and, once captured, actually serve to protect the Molthuni occupiers from the guerrilla tactics favored by Nirmathi militias. Longshadow, like many communities of the Hollow Hills, bucks this trend. The settlement contains numerous forges and foundries that would be difficult or expensive to rebuild should they be captured or destroyed by Molthune, and so Longshadow resembles a typical fortified town more than most Nirmathi settlements, with sturdy buildings, siege provisions, and a 20-foot-tall brick wall encircling the town. Of course, there is plenty of room for improvement; a successful DC 15 Knowledge (engineering), Knowledge (history), Profession (soldier), or Survival check can identify weak points where the PCs can focus their efforts.
Each day the PCs spend in Longshadow, they can perform up to three actions from the list below (each requiring about 5 hours of time). These actions represent the PCs’ ability to organize Longshadow’s laborers, artisans, militia members, and business leaders to improve the town’s defenses. Each action requires the oversight of at least one PC, who must succeed at a DC 15 skill check with one of the listed skills. Multiple PCs can oversee an action; additional PCs beyond the first can use the aid another action. The PCs can perform a given action more than once in a day and gain its listed benefit multiple times, but each action has a maximum number of Defense Points it can provide. Rolling a natural 1 on any of these skill checks indicates an accident has befallen the rushed preparations, dealing 3d6 points of damage to the appropriate PC.
City Walls: A sturdy brick wall surrounds most of Longshadow, leaving only the dockside district exposed. The walls have battlements and walkways, allowing the town’s militia to patrol the edges of Longshadow and keep a watchful eye out for bandits, Molthuni armies, and the occasional hunting wyvern. However, the wall is in poor repair in several places, making it easy to climb (Climb DC 10). A PC can lead laborers in repairs to the wall with a successful Craft (stonemasonry), Knowledge (engineering), or Profession (stonemason) check. Benefit: Each successful attempt to repair the town’s walls increases Longshadow’s Defense Points by 10. Each successful check also increases the DC to climb the walls by 5. The PCs can gain this benefit up to three times (gaining a maximum of 30 Defense Points).
Internal Defenses: While the walls of Longshadow are paramount to defense, they cannot hold off every enemy. With some preparation and planning, PCs can organize fallback locations and choke points, as well as barricades and medical stations. Organizing untrained citizens to make all these improvements requires a successful Craft (alchemy, carpentry, stonemasonry, or traps), Diplomacy, or Knowledge (local) check to determine the best locations for defenses or to directly aid in their construction. Benefit: Each successful check to improve the internal defenses increases Longshadow’s Defense Points by 5. The PCs can gain this benefit up to three times (to a maximum of 15 additional Defense Points).
Militia Drills: The town’s militia consists of 50 soldiers (use the statistics for a guard on page 267 of the NPC Codex), though only 25 of these operate in the town at a given time. The remainder operate as scouts and marshals in the wilderness and nearby villages. If they have Mayor Crawbert’s backing, the PCs can muster an additional 300 soldiers from the town’s reserves, but these conscripts are inexperienced and undisciplined. A PC can whip the militia into shape with a successful Intimidate or Profession (soldier) check. Benefit: Each successful check to train and organize Longshadow’s militia increases the town’s Defense Points by 10. The PCs can gain this benefit only once with the town’s primary militia, and up to two additional times if Mayor Crawbert helps them assemble new volunteers (to a maximum of 30 additional Defense Points).
Reinforcements: The PCs may have some additional forces they can draw upon to reinforce Longshadow’s defenses, such as the Chernasardo Rangers or slaves freed from Ironfang forces (areas J, M, and O). Freed slaves are eager to fight but unskilled, while the Rangers cannot field large numbers of troops in their current state. Benefit: Training freed slaves requires a successful Perform (oratory) or Profession (soldier) check. Recruiting aid from the Rangers is automatically successful, but the Rangers take 2d4 days to arrive once called. PCs with the Leadership feat can also call
upon their followers to bolster Longshadow’s defenses, automatically succeeding. Rangers and followers from Leadership each add 5 to the town’s Defense Points, but can only be called upon once. Each unit of rescued slave adds 5 to Longshadow’s Defense Points (for a maximum of 25 additional Defense Points from all sources).
Siege Supplies: Many of Longshadow’s crops in the surrounding fields aren’t quite ready for harvest, but can be gathered to help the city prepare for disaster. Likewise, townsfolk trained in hunting and trapping can redouble their efforts to fill larders before disaster strikes. Organizing these efforts requires a successful Profession (baker, cook, farmer, or trapper) or Survival check. Benefit: Each successful check grants Longshadow an additional 5 Defense Points. The PCs can gain this benefit twice (to a maximum of 10 additional Defense Points).
Townsfolk Readiness: Although not trained as soldiers, Longshadow’s townsfolk are strong, ablebodied, and eager to defend their homes. Rather than serving as soldiers, these adults can be trained to fight fires, run messages, and tend to the injured. Inspiring and training the average citizens of Longshadow
requires a successful Diplomacy, Heal, or Profession (soldier) check. Benefit: Each successful check grants Longshadow an additional 5 Defense Points. The PCs can gain this benefit twice (to a maximum of 10 additional Defense Points).
Faolan, still feeling a little grumpy at the mayor for doubting them, says little - though he's pleased he has come around, and will bring the force of his government to bear on the problem. That's something anyway. He's not sure what twenty grand can buy in so short a time from local sources, so he leaves that to the more arcane folks.
"Nine days. Not a lot of time, but if we're lucky..." He considers the options and lays out where he can help best to his friends.
"We should summon the rangers right away as it'll take them some time to arrive. I can then help with Siege Supplies, Militia Drills, and the Internal Defenses with decreasing success. We should all focus on what we do well and see where that gets us after a day or two."
He suggests he spends the first day 1) summoning rangers, 2) obtaining siege supplies, and 3) obtaining siege supplies. But he's happy to follow the groups plan if another is put forth.
Rolls as needed...
Bazsil rubs his chin as Krowe offers some ideas, then begins to think on his own. It's not a quick process, but one that can get moving with enough beer.
He slowly works it over in his mind, and does his best to help in whatever ways he can.
He plots and his orders his thoughts, he thinks about have-nots, then has another draught; he worries about dry rot, and what can be bought...and the milita that must be taught...and what can be wrought before the onslaught; he goes for another mug shot (whiskey), more of an afterthought, before thinking about a big sling shot?, but no that would cause a worker's boycott.
He drinks a bit more. And then he gets to work.
"I'll begin to organize and recruit the people," Baszil says to the party, thinking that his horn will finally be tooted and used to its full potential.
Militia Drills: Intimidate
Reinforcements: Perform (Oratory)
Townsfolk Readiness: Diplomacy
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Bor scratches his stubble. "I am not so good with masonry but I can find weak points for those who can. I'll take the walls and help with getting the townsfolk ready."
Bor is a bit worried that his curse of accidents happening around him is bound to catch up soon enough.
”I will contact our people and ask for reinforcements, then aid Bor with the walls.”
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Checking on your work that night, Faolan finds that some of the siege supplies have been destroyed. By the looks of it the water barley sprung a leak and spoiled some of the food, making a sodden mess. Worse still, Bazsil finds that all of his recruits from earlier have abandoned their gear on the drill ground, leaving an untidy pile in the middlle of the area where just a few hours earlier they’d been practicing their spear thrusts.
Bazsil stands in the drill ground trying to keep his cool. He considers himself a pretty chill guy, but this sort of laziness and lack of discipline was really testing him. In his mind, as he was adding to the edda that he was composing.
”The languid recruits left their weapons on the field like dogs marking their spots, showing no more attention to...”wait, no...I’ll need to work on that...
Nonetheless, he continues to try to get the town ready for the battle to come. He trains more slaves and works with the militia (twice).
Perform (Oratory)
Intimidate
Intimidate
Faolan will work on the Internal Defenses the next day, doing what he can to organize the locals. He’s pleased with the speed of their work, and hopes to continue so they can head back out into the field to see what’s coming.
He worries a little about their setbacks, and wonders if there are enemy agents afoot. He decides there probably are, and discusses it with the group alone.
"What should we do about enemy agents? The city is, or was, wide open. And we know the Legion has paid locals before to cause mischief."
Unsure how to handle it, he keeps working.
Sadly, today is not his day, as he spends the day worried about others undoing his work - so much so that he fails to do any of his own!
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On the second day Bor cleans up the mess left over from the the supplies being destroyed. He sifts through it salvaging what he can. Once complete he begins to discipline some of the newer recruits for leaving their weapons laying around. He forces them to carry around with them for the rest of the day and even sleep with it as necessary. "You lose this once the fighting starts and you will wish it was chained to you."
Though Faolan does his best, Krowe finds him struggling to secure Longshadow’s internal defenses. Krowe joins him and offers some advice, but tries to give the big brawler credit for strong leadership.
When the group has a private moment, he addresses the concern about enemy agents inside the walls.
”Faolan’s right. It would have been easy to establish spies here, and some of these setbacks we’ve had are suspicious. We should take the night to root out troublemakers. I suggest we start with that lying female half-elf and track down our “friend” with the eyepatch.”
”But sir, ‘‘twas your friend with the eyepatch and voice what told us to stop wasting time drilling and leave our weapons where we did.”
The men seem confused by Bor’s anger, doing their best to repeat the drills from yesterday.
"Uh, I'm not good at the sneaky stuff. I say we interrogate everyone, the way we did before. Make everyone aware there's a problem. Or maybe that's the opposite of what we should do. Maybe that'll just spread panic."
"Oh, I don't know. Damn those Legion hobos and the humans that work for their gold!"
"What the piddlespot? I didn't tell them that. I'm certain of it. You know that. You guys have to believe me," Bazsil makes his case, wondering who could have been telling the recruits such things.
Baszil we know you wouldn't just tell them to leave the spears lying around or ruin some of the stores, but it sure sounds like you." Bor scrunches his face in though. "Question is how do we find someone that looks like you?"
Bazsil seems relieved when Bor believes him.
"There can't be *that* many devilishly handsome men in this backwater town, can there? How hard could my twin be to find?" Bazsil asks with a smirk, knowing that something must be wrong.
"We *could* interrogate everyone, but not sure what that would do. Why don't we just go interrogate those that look like me? That should take much less time." Bazsil thinks more.
"Should we set up a patrol, perhaps? Or some way to ensure that the Bazsilganger doesn't cause more problems?"