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Clerical dot!
Dotty McDottington
You were all chartered as a group to explore the area prior known as the stolen lands
You have traveled for many days before finally reaching Oleg's trading Post. Oleg’s trading post is surrounded by a wooden palisade that stands 10 feet high. At each corner of the palisade are 20-foot-square watchtowers, each armed with a run-down catapult. These catapults are in no condition to be fired, and you ballpark the time it would take to repair it at about a week.
Walking in and stretching Freya let´s out a long yawn and looks around.
"A nice place and I bet a good place to get a bed for the night.
I mean I do love the Inn one million stars, but a hot bath sounds great for a change. And Tilladee, forgive me for saying it, it will be great to not hear you snoring for a chance!"
Looking around for the main building she enters, hoping to find a chance for a mug of mead and a hot spiced meal.
Tilladee snorted as he made into the fort. "Aye, and I bet you'd feel better without the stench too" he said sticking his tongue out at her. "You don't get a glorious beard and mustache like this without sacrificing something! Tis a small price to pay for a masterpiece." he said, using a finger to twirl the mustache a bit.
He looked around, his Dwarven Axe balanced across his shoulder. A single hand helping hold it in place. He scrunche his nose and cleared his throat before spitting a bit of tobacco out of his mouth. "It'll do me some good to get some proper nutrition. All these pinecones and berries is murder in the woods." he said giving his back a scratch.
"Are you talking to me, <Dwarf>?" Shontar grinnned heavily when saying the last word in Gnomish. "What's wrong with pines and berries. Kept me alive for decades now."
Shontar recognices the fort with satisfaction, as it was exactly, where the map said it was. They made good progress today and are arriving as planned. Perfect! He then recognizes the state of the catapults.
"Not so nice a place as you might think, Freya. Look at these catapults. They won't protect us from anything for a while. Trust me, I studied siege engines. Even tried handling one myself once. Not easy I must admit." Bad memories are surfacing, when he thinks about that accident with the catapult and the new church, that he was not totally innocent about.
"Unless you're anticipating a throng of orcs to attack, we shouldn't need them. My blade will be more than a match for any threat we may face, if not my magic." Adrac mused, looking up at the towers.
Granted, he was looking forward to a good bed instead of a sleeping bag for a change. Perhaps a cool bath... the weather in this region could be unforgivably muggy, and while his magic kept him clean, it wasn't quite a replacement for a good bath.
Just about to enter the common room Freya looks at the catapults and shrugs. "I heard it is very hard to hit with those! Against normal enemys I think a bow is better."
She takes a deep breath and smiles.
"Someone can cook here, I would say!"
As you reach the building the door is opened by a middle aged female and she looks around out side and says "Come on in, please hurry up. I presume you were the reinforcements we sent for that've taken so long?" she then appears to reconsider her choice of words "my apologies if I sound blunt, the bandits have been robbing us dry, and recently they took something that meant a lot to me" and she gestures to her ring finger
You notice an older man patching a hole on the roof, and he waves and begins to climb down.
Freya bows and replies with a smile.
"May your journeys be without effort and your time under the stars without clouds.
My name is Bjorn, Freya Bjorn. And yes, my companions were sent to aid you against the bandits."
"You're probably right in that we shouldn't need them. We haven't had any encounters of that caliber so far. But they are here for a reason I guess." Shontar agreed with Adrac and Freya and the last sentence was barely a mumble to himself.
As the woman greets them and lets them in, he also bows lightly. "And I am Shontar Hadove. Nice to meet you." Shontar takes a moment to consider Freya's words. Is she just being polite or nice? On the one hand she's right, we are tasked to fight banditry. But on the other hand, we haven't actually been sent to specifically help these people.
Floria hasn't said much for most of the trip. Getting away from the city should have been refreshing, but her companions aren't exactly what she'd hoped for: the crazy swordlord wizard who'd visited the academy a while back and a gnome pretending to be a dwarf...Floria knows dwarves - the hammer on her back being proof - and he isn't really even close. Although, Shontar and Freya seem to be okay, for now.
Anyways, it seems like they've arrived at some sort of frontier outpost, and it's time to make introductions again. "I'm Floria." She adds a curt nod, deliberately avoiding her noble name.
Adrac seemed a bit surprised to hear that the bandits had been threatening this fort in particular. He knew they were a problem in the area, but here?
"A minor correction to that: we were sent here to drive the bandits out of this region. The Swordlords failed to mention that they were threatening this fort specifically. Matter of fact, I would've thought that since this was to be our point of origin, it would be well protected." Adrac folded his arms and shook his head. Why was he not surprised? Seems it was up to him to clean up their mess... not that it didn't suit him fine. He could add it to the growing list of things that he could do, but the Swordlords couldn't.
"Perhaps you could enlighten us on their recent activity? We do have the advantage of surprise. We might be able to catch them off-guard and save ourselves some effort. And what exactly was it that they took from you?"
Tilladee grunts when the lady of the fort comes up "Name's Tabernacky. And yea? I don't think we're reinforcements per say. We've got this here decree and all that saying we's to clean up these lands a bit and explore it all. Not sure what the end game of it is all, thought they explored it all centuries ago but I reckon any map needs updating." he said pulling out the charter and letting the woman read it.
A look of disappointment flashes over the woman's face,but that's nothing compared to the kook of rage that flashes over the face of the man (who'd climbed down from the roof) "Of course they're not. All that time waiting for the sword lords to send protection, but they couldn't be bothered to even send a couple inexperienced mercenaries. And instead of that they send people to populate the area,robbing us of our solitude" he kicks the wall of one of the buildings. The lady softly puts her hand on the man's arm "Oleg" he sighs and says "I suppose you're right." and he turns to the group "Now I know it was not part of your mission,but i don't suppose you could find it in yourselves to" and he pauses and looks behind you "Son of a b~%~$, they're ahead of schedule. The bandits are coming,so either get out of here as fast as you can, or ready yourselves for a fight. Choose now because if a fight breaks out I want my darling Svetlana inside where she can't get hurt"
Looking at the others and shaking her head Freya replies.
"I think we were sent to rid this lands of bandits. And we can´t do that while running away!"
"Well, at least they've decided to come to us, instead of making us go looking. How nice of them." Floria laughs awkwardly, trying to ease a bit of the tension of the coming fight even as she draws her sword.
Shontar turns his head into the direction Oleg was looking at. He tries to make out, the remaining time and the strength and number of the opposition to come. What does Oleg mean by schedule? How often does this menace come here?
"Enough with the pleasentries, kids, time is of the essence now." After a quick look at all his party members, it dawned on him for the first time. No one is carrying a bow! A slight feeling of sadness reermerges within him. He sometimes regrets never having had the chance to get proper training in his race's traditional weaponry. He was instead tought the ways of the other races to become a diplomat. And how did that turn out, father? He grinned.
"The element of surprise is ours. Unless the bandits were scouting this place or the road. Unlikely, I estimate. I guess, we do have time to set up a proper ambush." He looks at his allies questioningly.
Adrac looked down at his side, scowling before his sword drew itself from his scabbard. Hovering it in front of him, Adrac waved it a bit before his body shimmered with a translucent sheen purple, shaping itself into armor before nodding. "Your first mistake was asking the Swordlords for anything. But you've lucked out... they've sent someone better than any mercenary you could've asked for. Me."
He turned to the others, before nodding at the gates. "I plan to hide on the right and strike them when they come in. I would advise everyone else to find a similar place. They'll be expecting Oleg and his wife... not us." Sword still hanging in the air by his side, he hurried to the right corner of the gate, leaning against the wall and waiting.
There are 4 of them, and you have about 30 seconds till they arrive
Oleg sends Svetlana inside, and stands by the gate so it does not look like anything is amiss
You have 6 rounds to prepare, move, and hide. mage armor would have been Adrac's first action, and he can move. I'll post a map in the description
First up is Floria
"We have half a minute. I agree with Adrac. We're not carrying any kind of fire power, so we'll draw them into melee." Before moving into an advantageous position, he adresses Oleg. "Oleg, in a few sentences, what are they expecting here? I mean, what do they usually do and how have you survived their raids?" He probably just gave them whatever they wanted. Shontar assumes, the bandits won't expect any opposition.
Putting her hand in her pocket Freya takes out some spirit of wine. For the moment she is waiting and prepares to cast a summon monster 1
Floria rolls her eyes at Adrac's braggadocio, though he does have a point. Her eyes dart around for a good place to hide, though she doesn't move yet, waiting for Oleg to respond.
"They expect to come in, get a nice meal,and take anything they want.t they certainly won't expect an armed group of adventurers hiding waiting to take you out"
You have 5 rounds to move yourselves around, hide,and prepare.you get one post where you can talk in a round,and that can be separate from the rest of your actions. The map link should allow you to edit.
"Ok, Oleg. Let them in, show them past the waggon, close the door and RUN!" Shontar decided to take point on the ambush plan. Some of his young allies seemed too uncertain or too bloodlusty. He wasn't exactly the warrior-type either, but he has seen battle.
To be honest, he played a minor role back then.
"For us, I suggest, two hide at the gate, two in there", he pointed at a partly open door , "and I will hide behind this corner in the back". He pointed into a small alley between two buildings . "This way, we can surround them."
Tilladee looks at the others and looks up at the walls around the fort. He grins and scales up onto the second floor. He uses his unusually short body to sneak along the catwalk where he will prepare to draw his axe and drop down on the last bandit through the gate hopefully axe fully embedded in his spine.
"Good idea!"
Running towards the other side of the catwalk and moving low to avoid being seen Freya moves to the other side.
Floria nods at Shontar's plan, darting towards the open door and pressing herself against the wall inside, sword drawn, waiting for a sound of fighting to pop out.
Everyone roll stealth checks
You hear the sounds of four horses approaching, and you hear a man's voice say "Ah Oleg, step aside my good man, Im on a deadline and in a hurry."
And then he stops for a moment, "Ah, I see you have guests, we'll come back later"
What do you want to do
Flaith quickly casts a spell
It appears the bandits have trained senses. My allies have not been able to find a hiding spot as good as mine.
Shontar observes the gate from his dark corner. Without any way to communicate to his allies. In his opinion it seems the best course of action to let them leave and return later. we will set up a more thorough ambush then.
"Close the door!"
It appears that her companions have been spotted, but Floria stays put, waiting for any sign of, well, anything.
Adrac grimaced at bit at being spotted... not that he was trying super hard, to be fair. After all, how to conceal his might so easily! Mentally commanding his blade, Adrac sent his weapon flying towards the nearest bandit, before motioning as if actually wielding the weapon... and his sword complied, striking at his foe with a series of feinting slashes, before returning quickly to his side.
Unfortunately the two people who went before the bandits did not act, so they turn around and move 100 feet away on horse back. Oleg's face pales and he says "They'll probably be back for more, with more people. This is bad."
"There wasn't much we could do anyway. They surprised us, so we couldn't hide quickly enough. Even if we fought, the last one would have gotten away." Shontar thinks for a moment. "I see two options. A) We leave and you tell the bandits, there were some random visitors passing through, or B) we prepare a proper ambush. The latter means you better show us your storage."
He looks at the others.
"There is a third, but equally unappealing option. We follow them back to their hideout and wipe them out there." Adrac replied, mentally sheathing his blade as looked out at the road beyond. "I doubt they will be so forgiving as to believe Mr. Oleg's story of us being mere passersby. And to follow them to their hideout would be reckless... if unexpected. I doubt they would be prepared for our approach. But we would be equally unprepared for an assault..."
He waved a finger. "No... as in dueling, one must anticipate his opponents moves, and act against what has yet to transpire. An appropriate ambush would be the better option. We know they will return, and if Mr. Oleg is to be believed, with more men... and expecting us. Which means we must anticipate their actions."
He nodded out to the main road, just outside the fortress. "It would be wiser to strike from out there. They will expect a fight at the outpost... not the approach to it. I can prepare Grease spells to set up the road. Beyond that... I can promise my blade will cut their numbers down."
Tilladee slams the axe into one of the posts of the fort wall as the horses turn and run. He growls angrily and shakes his fist at the retreating bandits "<COWARDS, SWINE, YELLERBELLIED BEARDLESS CHILDREN!!! COME BACK AND FIGHT YOU BLOODY A+@**%&$S!>" he says yelling in dwarven.
He paces back and forth up top, yelling and cursing more profanity while the others speak. Finally after a few minutes of letting his blood boil over, he yanks the axe head free of the wood and jumps down in anger.
"Bunch of cowards, honestly. Who ever heard of bandits afraid of an extra man or three in a building. Way I sees it, it would've been more gear and gold to steal if I looked at it from their side." he said grumbling.
He looked at the others who seemed in deep discussion. "Alright, what we talking bout. I hope it's when I get to burry me axe is that mouthy coward's side." he said spitting on the ground as if even speaking of the man was an insult to his own mouth.
It's clear that the bandits have left, so Floria heads out of her spot and joins the conversation about what to do next, asking Oleg: "When do you think they'll be back? And how many people do you think they'll have?"