"That is a curse I could manage. There are spells that negate Aromas but I'm not blessed with them. We could look for berries and flows and adorn ourselves."
Richard is... not pleased, but the thoughts of a beautiful woman cleaning off the smell of dung in a luxurious bath keeps his morale up.
"Onward."
Lead on Dog Tongue to Mother!
"Yep let's go."
As you travel on, Dog's Tongue will relate the following:
Hagwood’s twisted heart is this single, towering oak tree, the lair of the Mother of Flies—a hideous den known as the Maggot Tree. This thick-trunked monstrosity of massive boles, knots, splayed roots, and mazes of limbs covered in wide leaves is supernaturally immense—the result of various magical infusions and eldritch manipulations from the Mother’s magic.
Below the immense tree is a wide clearing formed in the giant’s shadow, and it is around the perimeter of this large clearing that the besieging Council has set up its encampment. The siege is precariously balanced at this point—the Mother of Flies has retreated to the heart of the Maggot Tree 150 feet above so she can keep an eye on the besiegers, but this (and her relative lack of area-effect attacks) keeps her from directly opposing the large number of opponents—particularly as long as the smoky fires that help to oppress her swarms persist. The Council forces, while they have a strong grip around the perimeter of the clearing, have so far been unable to reach the Mother of Flies in the Maggot Tree, for she can direct the immense tree to lash out and attack any who draw near. Until we arrive, this siege is likely to last for days until the thieves finally manage to unseat the Mother from her roost high above, at which point she’ll take out a fair number of the aggressors but won’t be able to stand against their numbers for much longer.
Close inspection reveals that the Maggot Tree is in fact a twisted knot of nearly two dozen trees (oak, redwood, and fir) that have grown into one vegetable behemoth. At ground level, the hoary trunk is creased and creviced through its thick bark, and an incredible 100 feet in diameter. Yet despite this girth, the tree appears squat compared to normal trees, even though its crown rises to a height of just over 300 feet (Hagwood’s other towering trees help to cloak the Maggot Tree’s immense size). At a height of 150 feet, the separate trunks of the trees magically merged to form its base branch out, widening to a tangle of upward-thrust limbs that are practically trees themselves—the crown of the Maggot Tree is its own forest in miniature. The tree sags and weeps with sap and other fluids, its branches encased in thick webs and crawling with vermin—the Mother of Flies herself dwells in a series of platforms and web-tents amid the tree’s higher branches.
At the center of the tree’s upper branches lies the tree’s twisted core, a tangle of webs, maggots, and eldritch fetishes the Mother of Flies uses to cultivate and shape the tree’s growth and activity. As long as the Mother of Flies remains ensconced at this core, she can observe everything around her both visually and audibly and also via tremorsense in a 100-foot radius around the tree’s trunk. She can direct the branches of the maggot tree to strike at any number of foes in a 20-foot radius of the tree’s trunk or anywhere amid its branches. In addition, the tree’s upper branches are home to a dozen strange bird-like creatures called gryphs and to six spider swarms and eight swarms of biting poisonous flies (treat as wasp swarms). The gryphs are ugly storklike monsters with six legs and a hideous habit of laying their eggs in living flesh—all of these denizens of the tree are cowed by the foul-smelling plumes of smoke rising from the campfires below, and while they’ll rise to defend the tree itself from invaders, they do not seek out foes beyond the tree’s reach.
Richard hides his frown to the best of his ability. He would love to get there just in time for the Mother and the Council to wipe themselves out. But he can't risk a Council victory. At least the Mother doesn't encroach on his home.
One bad guy at a time, Richard. Sherix simply nods.
"Sounds like our best plan is to eliminate the smoke from the camp- that would break the stalemate and give the Mother's troops an angle of attack."
I would agree Richard. Freeing Mother’s other Allie’s will help but how do we get there and out out such large fires? Do we make a disturbance in one area to allow other to slip in a different place and try to out the fires out? I dislike the idea of splitting our group when we do t know how many enemies we will be facing.
"This is a good idea. If I have some time to pray I can ready spells to summon elementals water could put out the fires, or aether could scatter the burning wood all over the camp."
B1. Bonfires: These large, smoky fires are continuously fed with green logs harvested from the surrounding woods, augmented by various noxious additives the thieves have learned work as insect repellent. While the smoke is too thin to provide concealment, it does irritate the eyes and throat—swarms are much more impacted by the smoke and grow slow and lethargic in the presence of the foul-smelling stuff.
B2. Fuel Piles: These piles of wood were cut from the surrounding forest and are used to feed the bonfires. They are considered dense rubble for movement purposes and provide cover to anyone behind them. B2. Fuel
Piles: These piles of wood were cut from the surrounding forest and are used to feed the bonfires. They are considered dense rubble for movement purposes and provide cover to anyone behind them.
B3. Siege Mantlets: These are crudely constructed wooden frames approximately 10 feet square covered with layers of branches, foliage, hides, cloth and various other bits of debris. They’ve been erected in a perimeter around the Maggot Tree just outside the range of the tree’s direct observation. They provide total concealment to anyone behind them.
B4. Siege Camp: The main siege camp is roughly divided into four quadrants. Bivouacked in each of these areas are 10 thieves, four ogres, a hill giant, and six warhounds, some in lean-tos or shallow pits but most just sprawling wherever they lay down.
B5. Camp Middens: The thieves and their mercenaries are lazy and not particularly clean, and have gathered these reeking piles of garbage, excrement, and assorted rotted carcasses on the outer edges of their camp sites.
B6. Baggage Train: The equipment and supply wagons brought with the attacking force are gathered here and protected at all times by eight thieves and four warhounds.
They include the camp’s chuck wagon where meals are served to chow lines on rotation throughout the day. Nearby are picketed the 10 draft horses that drew the wagons.
B7. Base Camp: This marks the location of the troop commander’s camp.
Richard thinks. "Alright... The Baggage Train and the Fuel Piles are our highest priority, I would say. How do we approach without making too much of a fuss?"
Richard has a realization. "As much as I hate to say it, I think we should approach through the Camp Middens. It probably has the least amount of protection, and the jinkins and their guardian don't seem to mind the smell. We go through there, and then attack whichever is closest."
"If we hit the Baggage Train, we cut off the camp's supply. If we take out the Fuel Piles, Mother can descend from above to support us. Sounds like a good plan to you?"
TRY THIS LINK: Tactical
"Ah, yes, now I see it!" Richard looks at the map. "Let's enter through the Northwest side, near the top right corner of this map here. We can enter through the Camp Middens, disrupt the Siege Camp there, and get to the Fuel Piles!"
Do we have to go through the Midden Heaps? How about we send the jinkins and the giant beetle that way while we take a cleaner route? Tal tries to reason. After looking at the map that Richard had drawn though Tal resigns himself to the fact that it does make some sense. Perhaps if we skirt the edge of the midden while the jenkins go through it directly that would work. We could take out the siege encampmentthere and then head west passing the north side of the tree to arrive at the other siege camp and the command camp. The jenkins priorities are the siege mantlets as they are accomplished at manipulating items, the blood caps take out the thieves and warhounds while I focus on the giants and ogres. Taht frees up you and Acheh to focus on those targets that you are best suited to handle.
"That seems fine my small team has range and mobility so call if you need support. I like to have Cheken pounce from enemy to so I will focus on optimal opportunities to remove enemies rather than one group or another."
As we decide to move in, at some distance, Acheh will case communal air walk, hunters blessing (giant, and the appropriate terrain for this battlefield). Then at the last second give everyone blessing of fervor as the movement will be very helpful in getting into position (this is as close to go time as is possible.
"We should probably go as one group, yes? Let the jinkins and their beetle lead through the Middens, and we follow in their wake."
"One group. I think Tal and Cheken in front."
The COT Army will use Full Defense (+4 DV, +4OM)
After reviewing the possible >Army Tactics<, Richard calls to his teammates.
"I say we open up with some Dirty Tactics- the Jinkins are quite skilled at traps and ambushes. We may as well play to their strengths."
I concur with using the dirty tactics of the Jinkins to full effect. That should provide us with the opportunity to use them as a distraction to assault from another area.
"Go!" Richard pulls his bow and orders the Jinkins to get Dirty.
Looks like the Jinkins don't do much.
Well, Richard will show them how it's done.
Whoops.
The PC army does not do much with their ranged weapons, but maybe they will have better luck in their melee attack!
The Jinkins are very disorganized...
For the next phase, the COT army will go with a total defense strategy.
"Aha! Well done!" Richard bluffs through his teeth. "They're trying to protect themselves. Quickly, taunt them!"
Your army is skilled at taunting its opponents, provoking stupid mistakes and overconfidence in battle. The target army must attempt a Morale check (DC = 10 + your army’s ACR) at the start of each Melee or Ranged phase; failure means it reduces its OM and DV against your army by 2 for that phase. If the target army succeeds at two of these Morale checks, it’s immune to this tactic for the remainder of the battle.
Hopefully he can soften them up some more before the Jinkins scatter completely.
It looks like it is a d20+ OM, which is equal to the CR of the unit for a unit of 100. So, I'm not sure, so I will roll with an approximation of a PCs Cr. Please correct any mistakes.
The volley is successful and in short order, the council's army is scattered and redcaps gleefully start mutilating the bodies and using their caps to soak up all the excess blood. They even smear blood on you and soon the battlefield is not only littered with corpses but parts of corpses. You cannot not step in any direction with out stepping on a hand or foot! Even the giant beetle is gorging on the remains! Overall it is a very gruesome affair!
Until you hear an old woman's voice boom from high in the tree, Who are you and why have you helped me defeat my enemies!
The Council's army scatters to the best of their abilities. But they are slow and cut down mercilessly. The smoke is put out, and the aerial defenders swoop in to clear anyone they don't recognize. Richard is a bit pleased for all of the blood, as it means they recognize him as one of their allies.
The carnage is filthy.
"Greetings, Mother of Flies! We come as Defenders of Riddleport, harassed by the Council. When your great ally Dogtongue came to us for help, we rallied the forces and broke the siege!"
"That's the long and short of it. Tells us how to best help."
Tal gave himself over to the carnage that ensued. For the most part he left the Redcaps to their own ends but would occasionally call them to attack a knot of thieves or war hounds while he took on the giants. Soon the fighting was over and the only sounds were those of the redcaps celebrating. While he let himself be doused with blood once he then emptied his waterskin over his head to cleanse and refresh himself from the fighting. That was when a voice called out from above and Richard answered it. He noticed that Richard ddi not give his name and wondered if that was intentional and wise or just an oversight. Following his lead Tal responded in kind. We wrested control of the mapcaps after a single ritual combat to the death and hired the jinkins with trinkets after they swore off loyalty to you.
Please come down so we may talk while we recover from the fight.
Seconds after Tal speaks, a woman suddenly appears - if you can call it a woman. She is a hideous crone indeed. Her face is a gray mass of wrinkles, warts, and scars beneath a mop of coarse, bark-like hair. Her eyes are dark and sagging, but lack any indication of coloration—they’re flat black orbs. She leans heavily on a large gnarled staff and wears filthy rags and dozens of bone and stone fetishes. But perhaps worst of all is the layer of maggots and crawling flies that cover her. With every step, the flies take flight, only to land on her body again whenever she comes to a rest.
Despite her hideous appearance there is a certain amount of warmth when she says, So you want to defeat the Council and the Drovenges too, eh?
"That's right. They terrorize our hometown. We've lost too much." Richard grunts.
Tal hesitated before answering knowing that there is likely no backing away from whatever course is set after this. I am committed to Westcrown having a better future for its peoples. The night terrors must end along with threats like the Bastards of Erebus. Westcrown must be free to prosper without threats of infernal fires erupting from mayor’s houses. It seems that we have already attracted the attention of the Council so if that means we must defeat them and the Drovenges…so be it.
I wish there was an easier way and that we had more support but it seems that it is the 3 of us who must pursue this to the end if we are to make any lasting change. Even then I am worried that with the defeat of the Council and Drovenges there will just be another that fills the void that is left. If you have any wisdom or knowledge of such matters you will find me open to any advice you would give us.
In a whoosh or as you magic users might believe is a teleport spell, you all find yourself inside the tree!
Let me tell you my tale on me and the Droveneges!
She then proceeds to tell you the following.
As devastating as Aroden’s death was to Cheliax, and to the city of Westcrown in particular, not everything changed during the resulting Chelish Civil War. The Adivian River continued to flow, the seasonal winter storms continued to blow, and on the far shore across the river, the insect infested wetlands endured. And within these wetlands, in a particularly forested area to the northeast of the city of Westcrown, a coven of hags known as the Flies continued to rule the scattered woodlands.
The Flies have been a part of Hagwood for as long as anyone can remember—long enough that the scattered and sodden woodlands within which they made their home became known as Hagwood. Far enough from Westcrown that the three hags weren’t considered a major threat, yet close enough to remain a constant menace in folktales and bedtime stories, these three green hags (the Mother, the Sister, and the Daughter) have for years played upon the fringes of Wiscrani society, working their nefarious plots for their own unknowable ends beneath the noses of the government of arguably Avistan’s most powerful kingdom. Such was their pervasive influence that Aroden’s death had no real impact on their lives and insulated positions—save perhaps in making it easier than ever to prowl the streets of Westcrown to further their complex web of plots.
Since the rise of House Thrune, the Flies have maintained their fastness at the aptly named Maggot Tree in the heart of Hagwood, where they constantly seek new methods to spin the tangles and threads of their schemes. When Sidonai Drovenge approached them in 4686 ar seeking an infernal heir, the Flies cackled with glee. From the depths of Erebus, the coven procured a coin from the archdevil Mammon’s own treasury that, if swallowed within 24 hours of his heir’s conception, would impart the power of that duke of Hell upon Sidonai’s offspring. Little did Sidonai Drovenge know that by accepting this potent gift, he was cuckolding himself—the coin in fact held the possessing spirit of Mammon, and the heir would not be Sidonai’s but Mammon’s own son, begat upon the world through a mortal coupling. When Sidonai’s son was born a fiendish freak 9 months later, Sidonai’s father Vassindio flew into a terrific rage. He ordered the deaths of all involved—midwives and house staff alike (the mother having escaped this fate by dying herself from complications in birthing the infernal heir). While Vassindio tempered his rage when it came to his son (exiling him rather than executing him), the Flies
themselves did not escape his wrath.
Of the three green hags, only the Mother of Flies was away when Vassindio’s forces stormed Hagwood with a deadly combination of fire, assassins, and charmed giants and fey. The Mother learned of Vassindio’s rage and, nursing her own grudge against the Drovenges for the deaths of her sister and daughter, relocated deeper into Hagwood and began the process creating a new Maggot Tree. To gird herself against further Drovenge vengeance, she sought and found an unlikely ally among the dark fey of the Court of Ether hidden within the upper reaches of the Darklands region of Nar-Voth. Her alliance secured, allowing agents of the Court of Ether a foothold within the surface realm of Cheliax and providing the Mother with the added protection she wanted, she set out on the slow process of thoroughly learning about her foe—Vassindio Drovenge, de facto leader of the Council of Thieves—and the many secrets
of his criminal order. That Vassindio apparently neither cared about her continued existence nor sought further retribution against her mattered not in her one all consuming lust for vengeance.
Yet the Mother of Flies may have taken too long in plotting this revenge, for now things have changed in the Council of Thieves. Control has passed to Chammady and Ecarrdian Drovenge, and now the infernal heir the Mother helped to engineer seeks to destroy all records of those who know the secrets of his past. If the Mother of Flies is to live to see her revenge, she’ll need to swallow her pride and find aid from the very city she has so long preyed upon.
Richard swallows hard. The son of Mammon? Wholesale murder of innocent lives to keep a foolish secret? And so many grudges... Richard shakes his head.
And now he has to deal with the Mother of Flies. At least Sherix is keeping him afloat. His moral compass must remain stable.
"It sounds like we have a common foe. It's the easiest kind of alliance to maintain. This information answered a few questions I already had. But I still have more."
"How deep is the Council of Thieves? How do we stop the son of Mammon? How much have they infiltrated Westcrown?"
Tal coughs as his mouth goes dry at the thought of what they are up against. It seems like it was simply power hungry mortals but now it seems that devils were involved and Mammon at that. So Eccardian is actually Mammon’s offspring then and Chammady is his half sister. Sidonai is alive but exiled somewhere and Vassindio has been replaced. Great family history but how does any of that help us? I doubt the council is going to turn on him if he already controls them. That leaves us to get rid of him ourselves after going through the council and their forces. With Mammon we likely will have devils to worry about. Oh and there is still the problem of the shadow beasts and the Aohl, so undead as well. Do you have any information or schemes how we could eliminate one of these factions so we aren’t facing all of them going forward at once?
"Tal laid it out quite well. There is a monumental task ahead of us, and the path to the outcome is unclear. Is there a solution where we tip the balance of power and have the factions fight themselves? Then clean up the remainder."
To Tal she smiles, I tell you this because I know that you have your own reasons for pursuing the Council of Thieves and that I merely wish to use you for my own ends by helping you in your quest. Am I evil? Sure. and perhaps the destruction of the covey was justified for the act of inflicting an infernal heir upon the Drovenges. But we do have a common enemy, and as the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend! I have no intention of doing you harm, and in fact, once you succeed, I never wish to see you all again.
To assist you in their mission, I offer you information that I have obtained about one of the Council of Thieves’ secret guildhalls. I've gained this lore after years of spying, infiltration by my agents, and interrogation of captured thieves. Furthermore, I will provide you with magical items that I have created in order to help you on your way, provided you promise to make sure that the deaths of any Drovenges
are spectacularly gruesome and that they know before their deaths that the Mother of Flies has had her touch in their fates. Using my gifts against the Council all but guarantees this message is sent. Finally, I offer to provide you with a secret of such magnitude that you can use it to forever destroy Ecarrdian and Chammady Drovenge when your final conflict with the treacherous siblings occurs.
Richard is silent. Staring at such a fiend wracks at his conscience.
Sherix takes note of this. Good. She's glad.
"I know my friend here wishes he was someplace else right now. Someplace warm, quiet. And honestly I'm not a fan of you, either. But sometimes we have to bend the rules a bit to get what we want. We all want the Council destroyed. So the information you give us, we accept it."
Richard relaxes a bit. Sherix smiles. He's staring at himself: indulgence and corruption at its peak. A slippery slope Sherix helped him from. Her job is doing well, and she puffs her chest in pride.
"We also hope to never see you again after this." She finishes. Unless we're destroying you, too.
If I am in such a position as to make the twins pay for their deeds I will gladly do so. However I will not tarry long in their suffering if it jeopardizes our mission. I can promise that prior to any death blow I will speak you name to them.
Now what is the information and resources you are willing to provide? I look forward to knowing this hideout you speak of and bing it to the ground once we finish with our investigation.
"It is always helpful to understand a prey's weaknesses. Please let us hear what you know."