"That's probably a good idea - take them out quietly to start. Wouldn't want to raise the alarm too early."
-------------------------
Hedran listens intently to Gren's report, then nods - "Very thorough my friend, well done" - and returns to the notes he was actually taking.
"If they are taking the same route across the clearing, with a lot of back and forth, it probably means the area is trapped" - he reasons - "It can be a problem for us if we want to get to them fast, but can be an advantage if we attack them from range, since they will have to flee across a pre-determined path" - the half-orc adds - "So we either need to study their route, or take advantage of this"
Looking at his notes again, he proceeds - "If we decide to take them out silently, and do the same with the next two or three patrols, there are at least two things we need to consider: how we will dispose of the bodies IF the clearing is indeed trapped, and how long do we have to play the 'kill the patrol game', until they decide to dig in and reinforce their defenses instead of coming out"
He continues - "It would be good to understand what is in those tents to decide on an attack plan, but in any case we will have to make sure we neutralize their ranged support, possibly from that tower, and also target the stronger looking, leader types first, in the hopes it will create some disarray in their midst, while we stay in control"
"Guess that is about all... Ah, two more things - I suggest we start with the hardest looking patrol, and try to make a prisoner" - the magus concludes - "That way we can try to piece the rest of the puzzle"
Cavall wuffs in response, vigorously nodding his head.
Father Noelan nods slowly as Hedran talks about body disposal. ”There are ways to hasten the decomposition process leaving only bones behind.” He says, somewhat evasively. ”Again, a school of magic I would rather not use. And also each corpse I do this way will be one less spell I will have for the final assault, if it is done on the same day.”
”Do we strike from the direction of the tower, then? I can blast the watch tower guards, but it’d be….very bright.” Father Noelan asks.
”Before we go in, I can set up a circle of protection around a single target, which extends about 10 feet. I could use the rod of extend for that. Also who should be the recipient of that circle? Ideally that person should be in melee at all times.” He adds.
”I can prepare a spell to enhance your armor and one other spell – should I keep it for dispelling hostile magics?” Father Noelan asks the party.”Also I’ll probably prepare as many blasts as I can for the final part.”
Cavall then starts barking.
Maybe the last person who jumps off the cliff(no, I’m not looking forward to that), puts a knotted rope so we can get up in a hurry if need.. I’d say get rid of the thorny bush, so there are more exits.
The party then moves further away from the encampment to settle in for the night. After having a cold dinner, the party sets up camp and waits out the storm, with Nigel building a shelter for Fernir and 2 wolves, Ratel sharing his shelter with 2 wolves, Father Noelan sharing his place under a fallen tree with Cavall and two wolves, and housing 2 wolves with Hedran in a hollow tree trunk. Ratel gets Bear for company, and Robert, Pila. Before long it starts raining heavily, with fat cold droplets splattering the ground, but there are no strong winds, so the shelters are not blown over.
The following day dawns rather cold and dreary, and after a breakfast of jerky and berries, the party looks for the biggest baddest patrol they can find…
Noting by the collar on the bloodhound, it's probably the hobgoblin's animal companion.
” Dood die boogskutter.” The hobgoblin with a bloodhound following her commands, as she fires an arrow at Father Noelan,striking him on his shoulder, as he hisses in pain.
Kill the archer
She then orders her dog to attack anything coming close to her.
Father Noelan returns fire, hitting her once in her ribs, while she dodges another arrow.
He then sics Cavall to subdue her dog but her bloodhound nips Cavall on his forepaw. Cavall, holding back, tries to grab the bloodhound, but misses.
Hedran hides behind a tree, and casts a spell to try and gain advantage over their opponents - a cloud of golden particles covers everyone and everything in the area designated by the Magus, just beyond Cavall.
The hobgoblin is blinded by the glittery particles though her dog is Shinny, it is not blinded.
Nodding in agreement with the plan, Ratel climbs into the shelter with Bear and goes to sleep.
Seeing the patrol, Ratel tells Bear, "Come on Bear." and moves to the right flank, hoping to prevent any Hobgoblins from getting away.
Gren drops his glaive and moves up adjacent to Cavell after shimmering with the spirit of the aurochs.
The dog ducks out of the way of Grenwold's morningstar but is struck by Ringo and entangled by Ringo's horns.
One hobgoblin moves to the left to get a clear line of sight, then they both fire their longbows at Father Noelan, but one of them goes wide, while the other bounces off his studded leather armor.
+1 Longbow, to Red
(+1 Longbow, +2 Favored Enemy)
Seeing their target move the opposite direction, Ratel and Bear maneuver through the trees and attack the hiding hobgoblin.
Robert manages to shoot red in his leg.
Blinded, the hobgoblin withdraws and she tries to shake the particles out of her eyes and manages it.
Her dog tries to bite Cavall,nipping him on his shoulder.
Father Noelan continues shooting her retreating form.
Cavall tries to subdue the dog, and manages to body slam the entangled dog into a nearby tree and it totters unsteadily on its feet.
Ratel rams his scizore into the gut of red, and as he doubles over, Bear swipes open his throat.
Gren nods at Cavell, ”I’ll try to take more care with the animals in the future, you’re right.” He then takes Ringo over to the other two hobgoblins, around the bush. He readies his shield as he goes, and strikes at the fleeing target with Ringo.
Grenwold rides up to her on Ringo and smacks her on the ribs, but Ringo's horns do not penetrate her leather armor.
"Ons is oortref! Retreat!" She gasps out.
Nigel stands where he is, ordering Fernir to attack. Fernir savages her torso, leaving her barely standing.
Varies. Handling an animal is a move action, while “pushing” an animal is a full-round action. (A druid or ranger can handle her animal companion as a free action or push it as a move action.)
Hedran moves up, drawing a javelin and throwing it at unbordered, but not wanting to hit Fernir, it misses.
The hobgoblin archer begins to retreat from Fernir and the party.
+1 Longbow, on Unbordered
( +1 Longbow, +2 Favored Enemy )
Robert manages to shoot the hobgoblin in the ribs.
The yellow hobgoblin continues fleeing, calling her dog after her.
Bear grabs the dog and gives it a good shake, and it goes limp.
Father Noelan takes two shots at the running hobgoblin. One shot hits in in his back while the other whizzies by its side.
He then commands Cavall to chase her down.
Unbordered ducks out of the way of Nigel's swing and yellow weaves to one side.
Seeing the hobgoblins trying to escape, Ratel waives at the one going right, ”Get him Bear!” as Ratel himself starts to give chase to the one on the left. Ratel nears his foe as Bear manages to pass the other furry allies and attacks the fleeing hobgoblin.
Bear's bite does not penetrate the leather armor.
Gren whispers in gnomish,
and moves to the leader of the hobgoblins, maneuvering around the stumps and fallen trees.
Gren tries to trip the fleeing hobgoblin.
Grenwold manages to trip the hobgoblin and Ringo runs her through.
Hedran continues moving forward, retrieving a wand and launching a magic missile at the fleeing hobgoblin.
Hedran takes out his wand of magic missiles and activates it, causing a single glowing blue missile to strike the hobgoblin in the back and he falls.
Father Noelan, seeing the fight is over, goes and stabilizes the dog, and checks on her condition. "She should be out for about 6 hours or so...but after that she would wake up and possibly come after us."
"And I'm not leaving her here for predators and scavengers to find either, even if she bit Cavall earlier. Her owner forced her to fight."Father Noelan says sadly.
The hobgoblin leader has a potion of cure moderate wounds; mwk studded leather, dagger, mwk composite shortbow (+2 Str), mwk scimitar, nets (3), a grey cloak that Hedran identifies as a cloak of resistance +1, bedroll, riding saddle, saddlebags, 8 gp
The other two hobgoblins have on each a potion of cure light wounds (2), alchemist’s fire (2),padded armor, composite longbow (+2 Str) with 20 arrows, handaxe, mwk battleaxe, backpack, bedroll, blanket, mess kitUE, small tent, Provision Points (3) of pears, dried apricots, hazelnuts and jerky, 3 gp
Father Noelan borrows Nigel's wand and heals Cavall and himself.
Cavall gives a little sniff.
Well, he wasn't the one getting bit...but again he's always had a soft spot for dogs.
"No. I'll build a shelter to hide her some distance from here, and we can pick her up later when we're done with the hobgoblins. With luck, nothing will find her till we return."Father Noelan answers."I'll need some rope and a hammer. Probably better to tether her to a post so she doesn't run out of the shelter."
"Or I could wake her up and try to explain things to her now, but not here."
"Hide the evidence. Ok - Loot everything, then I'll take care of the rest. Just remember to spread out the bones." Father Noelan then touches each corpse in return as the flesh begins to decompose rapidly, leaving only a pile of cleaned bones behind. " I can only do one more today."He adds.
Hedran spreads the bones as best as he can, throwing a femur here and a skull there. Then he is ready to move out.
Father Noelan nods slowly as Hedran talks about body disposal. ”There are ways to hasten the decomposition process leaving only bones behind.” He says, somewhat evasively. ”Again, a school of magic I would rather not use. And also each corpse I do this way will be one less spell I will have for the final assault, if it is done on the same day.”
"Agreed on using this spell for today Father Noelan, but not tomorrow - if needed we'll dispose of bodies in another way"
Ratel helps gather the usable items as place them in the magic bags. He then helps scatter the bones, tossing them here and there. Once everyone is ready he asks, "Where to now?"
"Aren't we going to attack their camp late afternoon today? I was wondering about you using that much of your magical energies that fast."Father Noelan comments.
"Into hiding again - the patrols all come through the same place if I remember correctly" - Hedran replies - "So we need to wait for the next one. And this time, let us attempt to capture someone..."
"Aren't we going to attack their camp late afternoon today? I was wondering about you using that much of your magical energies that fast."Father Noelan comments.
"I didn't think it was set in stone" - the half-orc nods - "We would start drawing them out, then play it by hear, was it not?"
|
Nigel nods thoughtfully.
"Actually... attacking later today is probably not a bad idea. If ve let zem realise zat zeir patrols are starting to disappear, zey are more likely to start organising zemselves better, from a defense perspective. I reckon ve can probably safely take out another patrol, before zey really cotton-on to vhat is happening. After ve extract vhat ve can from zat patrol, ve should swoop in, and overwhelm ze defenders, before zey have a chance to regroup."
Father Noelan excuses himself and borrows a hammer, some rope and goes into the woods with Cavall, carrying the dog. He then returns without it, and a shortened rope an hour later. ”Ok, it’s done, lets go look for another patrol.”
The party then camps along the patrol route, as the next patrol, wondering what happened to the previous one, comes to look for them 2 hours later.
Soon they see 2 hobgoblins and a large black wolf, with red glowing eyes, together with an ugly creature resembles a twisted shadow puppet’s silhouette, a wild thing of flared black and brown fur whose pelt juts out from its body at freakish angles.
Hedran recognizes the black wolf-like creature with red glowing eyesas a worg. It can trip with its bite. Worgs are oversized, evil, intelligent wolves often found dwelling amid goblins or other savage races.
Father Noelan shoots at one of the scouts at the back.
Robert does the same Between two of them, they stick 3 arrows in his chest and he falls.
Nodding in agreement, "Yes, wipe out one or two more patrols, then swoop in."
He looks around then asks Gren, "Gren, you scouted, where should the next patrol be?"
Fernir whines at Nigel.
You know, you're not a very good rider. You're making my ribs ache by squeezing too hard.
The worg manages to maintain its footing despite being savagely bitten by Fernir, and bites Fernir back and drags him to the ground.
The worg growls, "Voltooi hierdie welpie af."
Finish this whelp off.
Nigel nods thoughtfully.
"Actually... attacking later today is probably not a bad idea. If ve let zem realise zat zeir patrols are starting to disappear, zey are more likely to start organising zemselves better, from a defense perspective. I reckon ve can probably safely take out another patrol, before zey really cotton-on to vhat is happening. After ve extract vhat ve can from zat patrol, ve should swoop in, and overwhelm ze defenders, before zey have a chance to regroup."
Nodding in agreement, "Yes, wipe out one or two more patrols, then swoop in."
He looks around then asks Gren, "Gren, you scouted, where should the next patrol be?"
"Actually... I don't agree" - Hedran replies - "Father Noelan is exhausting a relevant portion of his own divine power , and I doubt they will dig themselves in right away" - he ponders - "We could get lucky and they dispatch a larger patrol this evening, and we get to thin them further. Or we can attack first thing in the morning when we are all at maximum strength. That would be my suggestion"
Realizing they had sprung their trap too soon and would not be able to immediately attack the patrol, Ratel points at the odd black creature and tells Bear "Flank." They both then hustle toward the creature, hoping it wouldn't flee.
”Well, of course I like resting, but I haven’t expended much. I was holding back a bit because I thought we might go for the main fight today. This legion seems very organized. It isn’t clear whether waiting or continuing is better. Ask Father Noelan and Robert - but I’m good to go.” Grenwold performs his standard morose shrug.
Grenwold drops the glaive and draws his morningstar, then approaches the short creature and tries to pummel it, and then Ringo makes a gore attempt.
"Sure, I'll take the Cloak."