Theodric strokes his steed's neck as he ponders Cromwell's best option for a spell. After about a minute he comes to a decision. "Cromwell, out of the options you listed the fog sounds like the most useful. Don't use it in the initial engagement though, it's just as likely to confuse us as it is them. Hold it in reserve and use it to cover our retreat if we are overwhelmed. If you can prepare more then one spell focus on ones that will boost the rest of the group, not me. Charging the enemy is one thing I do not need magical support on."
"The fog spell does reminds me though that we need a backup plan. No matter what happens I'll go through with my part of the plan as intended. If they end up bringing the whole gang instead of the five to seven we expect, or if they prove to be too much for us, everyone else will retreat into the forest. Try to give Svetlana and Oleg a bit of a head start if you can by hitting the bandits with a few ranged attacks. Then Cromwell should cast his fog spell and the rest of you should make your own escape. Oleg, do you own any horses?"
"I am much better up close than at range, but vhatever you tink vill give us the best chance."
Gliadel listens and turns to Oleg.
"Your wife is fortunate to have a husband such as you. So many would throw their lives away from foolish pride and leave their wives to the mercy of the fates. It will be an honor for me to assist you in this."
She looks into his face, hoping for a sign that he is encouraged by her thoughts, but after a moment, she turns to Theodric.
"I can cast a spell that will put some of our foes to sleep before we close for melee. I would like to take one or more of them alive," she stops and grins. "Not out of mercy, but to question for information. These are clearly men who have done much evil in their lives, and I will spare no tears for them if they die."
She looks around the fort, thoughtfully.
"I would put Drym and I on either side of the gate, with Cromwell and Ging behind the barracks. Lanya and Kern on the wallwalk to either side of the gate and Theodric ready to charge their archer before he can do too much damage. Is that close to what you had in mind?"
"I know you are Dyrm, but you need to wait until after all our group's spells are cast before you attack up close. By all means charge in as soon as you can after that, but if you get the opportunity to take a shot at the enemy before you do then take it. Do you think you can repair the catapults by the way? Or maybe you Kern?"
Theodric excitedly turns to address Gliadel. "A sleep spell would be wonderful Gliadel! I'd like to interrogate one or two of them as well. Use that after we hit them with whatever other spells we end up using on them though, we don't want them to wake up if Kern or Lanya use a fireball or some such wizardry on them. It should still be part of the initial strike though. As for your thoughts on positioning, they sound like what I was thinking. My only addition is that Oleg needs to be placed so he can close the gate after I charge, after which he is to go to wherever Svetlana is hiding and defend her from anyone that gets past the rest of us."
"The horses the bandits'll be riding were mine."
"Now what do I do again? I'm sorry but it were years since I was in the army."
"Oh, well in that case I'll try to hold onto all of them instead of sending them off into the woods. Your part in the plan is simple Oleg. As soon as I charge through the gate you lock it shut. Then fall back to where ever you have Svetlana hiding and protect her from and bandits that get by us. If it looks like we're going to be completely over run, or if the bandits come with their full crew of 15, then take your wife and escape to safety. We'll try to buy you some time to get a head start before we flee ourselves. Understood?"
Lanya finds the scene of Ging and Cromwell doing their utmost to take similar steps very entertaining. She takes onto the other side of Ging and walks with them back to the trading post, in the meanwhile hearing the story of Ging walking in front and stopping. She couldn't resist a slight chuckle as she heard that.
When back in the trading post.
"As I understand Theodric" she says slowly, "You want to charge outside all alone after some of us have cast some spells on them? But there will still be perhaps 7 bandits taking a swing at you? I don't know if I should call that brave or foolish."
Lanya walks around the walkway and looks out to the entrance.
"What if they are out of reach of our spells or not all are affected by them? We don't want them to escape and alarm the other bandits do we?"
" I will prepare the Mist spell then."
Thinks for a second then adds.
" I think it would be a good idea if Ging and possibly Dyrm charged out with you Theo. They may not move as fast, but caught alone and surrounded seems a bad play. Tho I think Ging may surprise you on speed." Cromwell adds with a smile, thinking of his march this afternoon.
"I believe the rest of us should be manning the walls and ranging down upon them, with Oleg and Svetlana in a safe place or secured to flee if necessary.'
"You misunderstand my plan Cromwell and Lanya. From what Oleg has told us the vast majority of the enemy will enter into the outpost, but they will leave one or two bandits to guard their horses outside. I will charge those bandits and steal their horses. It will be a little more difficult if there are two instead of one, but I'll still be able to pull it off without much trouble. They are the only enemies I will personally engage. The rest of you will be fighting a different battle against the five or six bandits locked inside the outpost. Ging and Dyrm will be needed to help you all deal with those bandits."
" Ahhh. Very good. Sounds like a plan then."
Cromwell seems confused for a moment, then a light seems to go on inside his head.
" May Abodar bless our endeavors with success."
"I know you are Dyrm, but you need to wait until after all our group's spells are cast before you attack up close. By all means charge in as soon as you can after that, but if you get the opportunity to take a shot at the enemy before you do then take it. Do you think you can repair the catapults by the way? Or maybe you Kern?"
"I do not tink der is enough time to repair them before the fight, to be honest. Ver I a master vit der proper tools, maybe." Dyrm looks embarrassed. "But I can still fight from afar mit my sling if needs be."
"I agree, Dyrm, I doubt we can repair catapults overnight, and I'd question their effectiveness against a small, mobile group in any case"
"As for myself, I do not possess many ranged magics; my spells are more geared towards making myself an effective hand-to-hand opponent, and that is where I will be most effective."
Kern will hide behind the gate, on the left-hand side just under the walkway.
Lanya will be on the walkway, at the right side of the gate.
Cromwell will cast guidance on the party in this order, which decides how long they have to use it...
Ging 3 rnds
Dyrm 4 rnds
Theodric 5 rnds
Kern 6 rnds
Lanya 7 rnds
Gliadel 8 rnds
then cast bless on everybody.
Then he will climb the west ladder and lay down on the ramparts behind the wall, next to the gate, with his crossbow next to him..
Oleg casts a look at Theodric as if to say, "What do I do?"
Theodric points to Oleg and then to a spot around ten feet within the gate, but still visible to the enemy horsemen. He then makes a stopping motion with his hand. After a second, he repeats the motion again to make sure the trader understands.
I hope he realizes I only want him to go up to just within sight of the bandits and then stop
Gliadel hears the uncertainty in the bandit's voice and closes her eyes. It had been such a good plan, but some things weren't meant to be. The important thing was that they get the bandits in the fortification.
She made a few quick gestures and muttered a few arcane syllables under her breath, পাঠান, and her next words reached Oleg as if she had been whispering in his ear.
"Tell them there are dancing girls from Qadira in the trading post," she whispered, so only Oleg could hear, and she slipped off her horse. "Say whatever it takes to get them to come in."
Oleg nods to Theodric, then glances around, searching for the unseen voice. He shrugs and walks toward the gate.
"I am here, and there are dancing girls from Qadira here too. They're on their way to the court of Brevoy. Lucky you boys came by today! If you can get it up that is..."
Oleg retreats back into the trading post.
Remaining prone below the wall, Cromwell loads his crossbow. He then quietly intones the guidance spell on himself and says a quick prayer to Abodar.
Ahh Mylord, it seems we could use your help now. Or not. I do understand you help those who help themselves. So be it. I am ready.
Lanya mimicks as though her voice as though coming up the wall.
"What is all the ruckus Oleg? No I will not stay down, I have to know who is outside!"
A few moments later she appears on top of the wall where her place was.
She holds her hands up as she sees the bandit holding the bow, waving them to indicate she doesn't have a weapon.
"Hello and good morning. What is all this hostility about? My Qadiran friend and me are on the road south and needed rest before continuing on.
Surely there can be made some other arrangement then burning this welcoming trading post. If me and my friend Glie can do anything to relieve the burden on Oleg we will do so, he was very hospitable to us. He has very comfy beds in here you know?"
She is obviously hinting at certain favours if they come in. Hoping to appeal to the lonely life of a bandit.
As she speaks these words she looks around, trying to see if they are all men, what kind of weapons and armor they wear and such.
Edit:
The dwarf stays where he is and sees if Lanya's silver tongue can sell the dancer's half lie
Staying behind the wall, Kern quietly casts Mage Armor and places his staff in a ready position.
Gliadel strolls casually out into the area just inside the gate, to stand beside Oleg, and smiles at the bandits and gives a graceful curtsy.
"We had hoped to practice our trade on our way to the south," Her accent is thicker than it normally is. "But there is no cause for violence. We will be on our way tomorrow and you may return safely. I'm sure your masters will understand you were afraid of two dancing girls."
Theodric sits on his horse quietly waiting to see if the women's ploy works.
We didn't make any plans about what to do if the bandits tried to burn this place down...Do we even have a way to put out a fire?
Hopefully my create water orison can keep up with whatever fire they might start. Hope this happens soon, though, spells are gonna start wearing off soon.
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"C'mon Happs, let's go see some dancin' girls!", seems to be the consensus from the men.
The man with the bow shakes his head. "Those are not our orders. Jakkar,Ralo, and Gop, go get the tribute and the dancers. The rest of you, bows ready."
Three of the bandits canter up and, as the reach the threshold of the trading post, spot Theodric and Ging. They halt their horses.
"Shit! shit! They have an ogre!"
The waiting bandits draw their bows and nock arrows.
"Bless me Abodar for I now need your aid."Cromwell whispers a spell to aid him further.
He will climb from prone to a squatting position, still trying to remain below the palisade.
"শয়ন!" Gliadel whispers, waving a hand at the three bandits with bows.
Drawing her shiny new sword, she steps between Oleg and the bandits.
Lanya squats down to hide behind some of the wall's battlements.
Readying a spell but waiting to see what effect the magic had she sensed being cast.
When she does not see any visible effect on the bandits, she will cast Grease on the bowmen that are awake.
If they all fall asleep, she will wait for the bandits to try and escape.
Staying under cover for the moment, Kern casts Shield
Dyrm waits to see who the sleep spell affects, and who it does not.
"Someone tell the bloody Ogre to go after the bandits by the gate!"
If any of the bandits with bows were unaffected by Gliadel's sleep spell, Theodric will charge one of them. He will put a priority on going after those bandits with bows who are awake and not affected by the grease spell. If bandits who are awake are either all affected by grease or all unaffected by grease, Theodric will charge whichever one is farthest away but still within charging range.
If all of the bandits with bows were successfully put to sleep, or if he is unable to charge those bandits with bows for whatever reason, he will charge the bandit who is nearest to himself who is within the trading post.
As he charges, Theodric shouts "When you get to the Boneyard tell Pharasma that Theodric Lebeda sent you!"
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Their leader, the man called Happs, suddenly falls into a deep sleep along with one of the other bowman. The third bowman shakes off the slumber, but falls from his newly greased saddle. His horse canters off a short distance.
Theodric charges: roaring an curse a he impales a bandit on his lance. The man is driven from his saddle and his bloody carcass slides off the knights lance to crumple in a bloody heap.
Seeing the carnage, the other two horses spook and rear. Their riders are unable to control them!
Seeing the knight charge and hit a bandit after yelling his name, Ging also joins the fray.
"GING SMASH!"
Powerful though the blow is, the enthusiastic ogre was unable to find purchase with his tree branch.
This went a bit different then I expected, but no complaints here. thinks Theodric.
With Ging occupying the other bandits, Theodric charges at the bowman who was hit by Gliadel's grease and attempts to finish him off, avoiding the grease as necessary. As he passes through the gate, he cries out "Someone get the gate locked! Let no one escape!"
Gliadel, seeing the nearer bandits struggling to control their mounts, rushes the nearest on foot, sliding her blade up under the man's ribs.
Hmp, looks like this will be easier than expected. Still, no reason not to follow through
Kern moves towards the bandits looking to control their mounts, casting Enlarge Person as he approaches and preparing to strike any bandit who attempts to escape.
Lanya waits and watches patiently from up above preparing to cast a spell on any fleeing bandits, that are hopefully hurt.
Not much I can do down there, they seem to have everything in hand. I'll see to any of the struggling runaways if there are any left.
Readied Action to cast Magic Missile on any bandit that tries to run.