Atzi nods to Natalyah and Setebo as she begins the slow return back to the grove. "We will discuss this further once we return to the great ones grove and we are truly safe from being overheard or found. Setebo please lead, everyone take hold of the person ahead of you and do not let go. The return will take time but we may not be safe near their village."
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Amisi waits for the details
"Any information that can be useful. Any plans - or magic you hope I should use? I could try to put some to slumber if there is a good place close enough and if you don't barge in. It did work pretty well when we took out the last group.
I doubt it will work on the guard dragon though."
"How do you break a jungle?"
Not quite understanding why Atzi wants them to march this way Setebo none the less complies and sets a hard pace back to the tree. Hoping to make it back before nightfall.
"Any information that can be useful. Any plans - or magic you hope I should use? I could try to put some to slumber if there is a good place close enough and if you don't barge in. It did work pretty well when we took out the last group.
I doubt it will work on the guard dragon though."
"I still have my wand," Helga adds quietly. "With that and your spells we could put to sleep the guard dragon, or the guards in the tower."
On the trail...
"Their wall is not strong..."
Setebo ducks under a branch.
"..we should be able to go through it and leave the dragon alone."
Something about Caithan's smile disturbs Natalyah. The devilworshiper was up to something and she was sure she wouldn't like it. The captain's smile and the rising heat started to wear the ranger's patience thin. She quickly and forcefully shakes of any atempt to follow Atzi's advice of holding on to the person infront of them. "I'm not an infant. I can take care of myself", she snaps taking out her frustration with the chelaxian's smile on the nearest target. "Vaikka kysistë asiaa avat meidât se ih, jos emm sa veiyseen.", she mutters to herself as she follows Setebo through the jungle, eyes and ears peaked.
Although with that thing leading us it will be a miracle if we don't get ambushed.
You make it back to the Dryads grove without Incident..there you find Ancenyia has piled up a large amount of fruits and berries a fine supplement to your rations.
Caithan's grin continues as he finally lets loose. "My friends I think we have just witnessed what is likely going to be the site of the bloodiest massacre as ever going to be wrought on those who can be no more deserving. Did you notice what was missing? What they are completely lacking as we watched?"
Tranquility creeps up on Natalyah as she enters the dryad's grove once more. An unwelcomed feeling as he does not have the luxury to relax. However she does not have the time to dwell on it for long before Caithan speaks up. She picks up one of the fruits Ancenyia prepared and watches the chelaxian, trying to figure out what he's got on his mind.
Setebo, thinking he recognizes a feed line, quickly swallows a mouthful of blue berries and answers.
"Fear, Capt'n."
"Aye. They have no fear we might threaten them - they've not found the bodies we left them yet. They aren't alert for an attack, and we'll take thm by surprise."
"Bully! Very intuitive of you Setebo and Helga. Yes, fear. Fear of attack. Fear of being challenged, fear of the dark. Their meager defenses only serve to stave off the wild animals. They do not even consider that one might attack them on their own ground. There were no patrols. Hells, the only patrols we've seen were hunting parties and groups checking their own traps. I'm willing to wager if it weren't for their guard lizard I could walk calmly into their village and start slaying with impunity before they could gather their spears."
"We've three of us that can see well at night. And the rest of us can manage well enough if we fight intelligently. If we attack at night, hurling flame as we go, we can make ourselves appear much more numerous and much more terrifying than an attack at light. If we can bypass the guard lizard entirely without alerting the village we have as good as won. Any ideas?"
"Sir! I could go over that wall with ease. Back at Dead Island we have enough rope and good wood to make a pair of rope ladders. I go up leaving a ladder running down the outside. Then I'm over the wall after setting the second ladder. With both ladders secured top and bottom we will all be in that compound quick and quiet. The only problems I see are Rollo who we would need to rig a harness for and keep silent during the climb and that lookout tower. If they man it at night they might see something so we will need to pick our crossing point with care."
Setebo continues, he has obviously thought about this.
"There are two other ways that I can think of. First that wall is only plants we can cut through. It might take several nights to do the job quietly but we would have our own door. Finally the wall terminates at a cliff on the south side. It is a long drop but I am pretty sure I could secure a rope ladder or two to bend around the end of wall. An easy walk so long as you don't look down and they will not even remotely be expecting an attack from that direction."
Setebo takes a long drink of lime water. He is unused to speaking or this length.
Atzi strokes Quetza's scaled head, oddly quiet as the talk went on. The plan was well thought out, each gave a intricate way they could attack the savages village. Bloodshed was unavoidable but ever since she killed that savage she had been feeling queezy at the thought of killing another helpless human. She was not like the Bekyar, yet she did something she regretted...
"I can... Perhaps turn the Dragon to our side... It is at least worth trying and it would make a useful ally while under my charms. Then the front gate would be ours and we could walk through the front door. Should we gather the others for the attack? It would increase our numbers and gives us an edge. Two groups go in, each with balanced strengths and take on seperate portions of the village while we catch them by surprise. Then we could bring more of them down before they could fight back..."
She pauses looking oddly pale before leaning against Quetza, his presence was comforting despite the turmoil her mind was causing her. "We will need more bowe's... Perhaps Belfast can make more or is the process long?"
"It's long," Helga sighs. "But I will say this, between my wand and Amisi's spells, we can ensure that the guard-tower stays silent. That done, at night it will not matter if it takes a little while for us to get through, over or around their wall. I could climb up there, do what needs to be done to silence the guards permanently, and then take up my bow and wand against those inside."
Helga considers it as she says it: Use the wand and Amisi's spell to make those in the tower fall asleep, climb up there to cut their throats, then as the attack begins, support it by shooting from the tower.
.... "We will need more bowe's... Perhaps Belfast can make more or is the process long?"
"There is another bow back at Dead Island camp but I do not think there are any arrows for it. Ishirou and Sasha were trying to make more but I do not know if they had much success."
"I wonder how many foes we will face?"
"Thirty or forty at most, probably less I'd say, given how many we have killed." Helga supplies. "Amisi, you should join me in the watch-tower, you could throw your spells from there in relative safety."
She pauses a moment.
"What concerns me is not what is in the village. It's what could be in the tower. Whatever happens, let's try and stop any of the savages from getting in there. I don't want to deal with it until I know what I am dealing with."
"Let us hope they succeeded in making some." Atzi turns and nods in agreement with Helga. "Perhaps we could combine our tactics..." She takes a moment to gather her thoughts before continuing. "If we can convince the others to help us then we could include Setebo's idea as well. Breaking through their wall. Rollo, Quetza, and I with perhaps the Shiv Dragon, could storm the village from the front while others take the tower over during the distraction. Then while Helga and Amisi sling their magic from on high and the savages surge towards me. Setebo, Caithan, Aerys, Sasha and Ishirou could take out the stragglers and come where they least expect it."
"No, those at camp would likely not accompany us, and if they did, they would be endangered. We know how well WE work together, let's keep it small and capable."
Natalyah keeps to the background, listening as the plans are made. She snorts unconsciously in agreement as Helga dismisses the notion of bringing reinforcements from the camp. Although some of the other castaways where capable, most of them would just get in the way.
Atzi grimaces sadly at the idea being rejected but soon shrugs it off, then rolls her eyes at the thought of why no on worked well together. Mud slinging gets us all no where. "If you think so..." She waited then for Caithan to speak, he was more military minded then she was and all she could think of was a more direct attack.
"I agree. Best to keep this force small as to ensure few of them know what's coming until it's too late. I'm not sure about the complicated climbing plan either. Seems like all it'd take is one slip and Setebo might be joining the shipwrecks by the coast in terms of shattered ribs. Nay, I suggest Atzi, myself, Amisi and the animals up front while the rest of you find a way to break through the wall from the side or front."
"Myself and the others can wait a short distance from the front gate while the rest sneak in and take out the tower guards. You can see in the dark and will have no trouble to pick them off from the shadows. Meanwhile the rest of us will await your signal or for the alarm to sound before we crash through the gate, either with or without the shiv dragon, and make our way towards the towers where we can provide support for you while you fire upon the savages at will. Once they become wise to use they'll likely seek shelter or bring forth their spellcasters. In which case depending on our status we can destroy them utterly or slip back into the forest like ghosts once we've set a few fires. Hows that plan sound?"
"I like it, but if Amisi can join me in the tower, it would be best, maybe - our spells can set the guards there asleep, and I'll climb up and cut their throats. Setebo and Natalyah can help deal with any other guards, then Ilower a rope for Amisi and we get in position. Natalyah and Setebo can form a separate flank, or retire to join you. I think the less we split our forces the better, though."
Caithan's strategy was simple and straightforward. Atzi liked it and nodded in agreement with his suggestion and Helga's suggestion made sense as well. Centralize their spell masters and give them the greatest advantage, with the help of the great mother and her companion they could take the front gate. They're would be no turning back once they began though, not without some of them falling or being captured. "Helga's plan sounds good to me, we will have enough work just trying to succeed in a headlong fight. If Amisi is with us she would be vulnerable and I am already going to be a hindrance to you Caithan. But great mother willing I will return the pain and suffering they have inflicted on others for so long, that they best fear the jungle for it has teeth and it is not afraid to bite. But we will have to have Natalyah then. We will need another blade and Setebo can protect you two."
She starts drawing circles in the sand indicating Caithan's plan and the smaller group of Setebo, Helga and Amisi. Then Caithan and the rest, before drawing their advance through the front door. "They won't expect you three and the more we can hit them with from the front the more likely their eye will be on us and not you. Five of us will strike them from the front, six if the shiv dragon joins us and you three will be free to strike from above. Setebo's spear throw is as deadly as your spells and from where he is he can both protect you two and strike at our foes."
Ancenyia listens to your plan and steps up as you complete it.."I see you are thoughtful warriors as well as brave ones and therefor I offer you my aid..If you desire I can open a way through the creeper wall for a short time."
"Ancenyia, the gods smiled on us when we met you," Helga declares earnestly. "That solves the matter of passing the barrier, my friends; we can ignore both gate and dragon if we choose. We will strike them from two places unawares!"
Atzi smiles at Acenyia. "Thank you great one, your aid will help us immensely." She pauses for a moment before addressing Caithan. "I do not know the word Amisi said but if someone should take the lead it should be you General Caithan. It is your plan and it is only right if you execute it."
"Why? We're going to climb into the watchtower anyway, so we'll be climbing the fence regardless," Helga points out. "Let us do that, and we will be in position for the fence to open elsewhere."
Here is the map..hopefully this should make the planning easier.The north and west edges are cliff
"Very well, we enter with as much stealth as we can, after Amisi and I enspell the tower guards. We go there and climb up while the rest of you choose a position to attack from. Acceptable?"
Setebo bows deeply to the dryad.
"Thank you Ancenyia. This is a dark thing we do. Dark but needful. Thank you for all your help."
"Hmmm I understand about bypassing the shiv dragon completely. But I honestly feel we should eliminate it as a factor entirely either through death or diplomacy understand? If we must escape through that avenue I'd like to be able to do so in such a way. And even if its unnecessary I'd rather deal with it alone then try and keep it from snapping my legs off while dodging javelins. In any case if you'd rather avoid that I suppose we could handle it. But I still want the stealthier, more night inclined members of the group to go in first and slay as many as they can in their sleep before the rest of us go in properly. IT is dark work that must be done. They've built their entire existence upon preying on those unfortuante enough to get caught on their island. Let's see to it this blight on the world is dealt with swiftly."
"Aye captain. So you want Natalyah, Helga, and myself to enter the village through the gap Ancenyia will make and.." Setebo pauses and swallows. "..kill as many people as we can?"
"That's the idea, Setebo," Helga nods, grimacing. "It's not nice, I know, but it is necessary. If it helps, just think about what they would do to us if they had the chance."
"More to the point Setebo keep in mind they have not bilt their fort to keep themselves from being attacked. They did it to have a better vantage point from which to hunt. It's entire purpose is to take advantage of the unfortunate. You need not like what we are about to do but you'll like what they'll do to the next batch of unfortunates far less."
"Aye, we stop them like we stopped the fungus. Just feels dirtier somehow."
You make your way back to the camp and answer all the questions from your comrades about what you have discovered.Gellik informs you that the Thrunes Fang was amongst the ships listed as having been lost in the great battle between the Chelaxian Navy and the Shackles Pirates some 70 years ago.
Having reequipped and spent a night in relative comfort you once agin make your way back to Ancenyia's grove encountering nothing of significance on the way.
You spend the hours of the afternoon preparing for the assault on the village.
Helga carefully prepares her weapons and herself. She has collected every spare arrow she could scrounge at the camp.
As discussed earlier Caitahn will let Setebo borrow his masterwork breastplate and exchange it for the banded mail in camp.
Additionally Caithan will look about to see if there are any spare javelins and longspears about.
Plenty of Javelins..you took 12 off the Savages at the ford and another 4 were left at the camp