Egan is obviously torn. He would love to have his flame spell back, but he is not a one trick caster and knows there is great risk both from the storm, and from camping so close to the bandit's main camp.
If we wait until tonight we will be nearly blind. This could take the advantage from their bows, but you humans will need some light to see by. These clouds mean no moon light and we are not likely to see a single star. I will be blind as well. We might not even find the camp tonight. If that is a concern, and I think it has to be, its now, or first light.
"My name is Todd milord, Todd Hunter. Thank you for sparing me, i promise you will not regret it." The boy seems distracted from the grisly scene behind him but in his eyes you can still see the fear.
A stormy night would cover our approach into the camp and mask what noise and scent we have - maybe the boy can draw us a map, Andrej says, seemingly heedless that he is not much older than the bandit.
We'd not have to worry about being shot full of arrows to start.
Lets listen to what he can tell us and see a map and then decide if a night or a dawn raid is best.
"They have two people up in the trees even at night milord, though in the morning when breakfast is cooking everyone wants to be relieved. Their attention may wander." The boy will sketch a map of the camp and show you the way to the trail the decoy wagon sits on. His information is almost identical to the faeries.
Mark the trees with the sentries
He watches...
Could Magic be used to quietly disable them? Also I doubt they'll be in those trees in the midst of a storm, let alone able to use bows... Gods, even if they were? We could likely kill them and not be heard over the storm.
Todd mentioned the guards being relieved in the morning. What if we moved in early and then attacked as the elevated positions switched? Todd...are they both on the ground at the same time?
Sounds like breakfast would be the ideal time to hit them, if the storm will hold off.
"It depends if Kressle is watching, she makes us climb up before the other one gets down but its cramped up there so if she's not watching we swap on the ground."
I agree with Egan. My vote is we heal up and then rest. The casters can replenish their resources. We need to get up early though so we can travel the hour journey to the camp before dawn. Todd can guide us in the dark. I plan to keep Todd by my side and allow him to hide while we attack the camp. Does anyone know what is going on with the weather?
Andrej scans the weather and mentally calculates....
"I'll ask Erastil's favor to move my prayers earlier, for the day so as to better serve the people of this land, if we wait to rest up fully, I do think that best, but I'll abide by you'll's decision." Maksim frowns, "We'll be coming in just as the storm hits, will it be blizzard or a torrent of rain?"
Survival Type of Storm? Well I don't think I have a clue.
You gather up your things and move back to Anza for an afternoons rest, as the day draws in the clouds loom above you pregnant with snow. The afternoon is dark as the sun is blotted out and the forest draws in close around you, while you prepare your evening meal even Egan has trouble keeping the fire alight as the winds begin to pick up. Taking to your bedrolls the temperature begins to plummet once full dark comes and the sun gives up its struggle to penetrate the cloud cover for the night.
Your watches are long, cold and lonely, but also extremely uneventful as even the animals of the forest cease all activity seemingly in preperation for the storm. Awaking in the dark of the early morning to a world covered in a fine layer of frost even your bedrolls are rigid with the cold, looking around grimly each of you begins to wonder weather marching through this weather is wise after all.
Fort:
Maksim invites any who wish to join him in prayers to Erastil. He prays for the good of the group, the land, and even the miserable souls so lost to evil as to harm the innocent. He prays that Erastil restores his favor so that the land may be cleansed of the wicked and filled with the just.
Orisons
- Light
- Guidence
- Resistance
- Virtue
Cleric Level 1
- Bless(D)
- Endure Elements
- Shield of Faith
- Shield of Faith
Survival
Fort-Cold Weather: Plus any other modifier such as Anya's or Maksim's or any other survial roll that applies. Only Fort. base of 3 and cold weather gear of 5 is applied in the roll.
Perception: See what is to be seen.
If the above survival roll is not enough, here's another to not get lost on the way.
Survival Find the bandit camp.
Maksim goes close to the obvious leaders of Egan and Silva (even if they don't know it :p), shouting over the howling wind, "Mi'lords, we best stay in touch with each other on the way to the camp, maybe rope together, so no one wanders off. There be dangers with that too, for all, but we might lose a straggler in the storm otherwise;" Maksim looks to the strange sky, "-hard to predict with such magics playing about but I think that the storm will not get better, most like much worse on the way there." Maksim continues in a hoarsing voice, "(cough) When we get there, and before we attack, I should check everyone for frostbite or any other trouble, we don't want to go into combat half-dead already, the plan is bold enough as it is." With that last enigmatic remark, Maksim waits the leaders reply.
During the morning preperations the cold takes its toll on the spellcasters, leaving them lethargic and dazed.
Egan is willing to go on fatigued, unless the consensus is to wait until after the storm.
In bustling about preparing to leave Maksim neglects to keep himself from chilling till too late and the relentless fatigue of the winter's cold catches up to him. "Beggin' mi'lords pardon but, I've become chilled, is any other so affected? If I was to go on I'd likely arrive totally exhausted. Give a moment and I'll take care of it. If anyone else wants to be remedied, please just tell me."
Maksim gives himself the touch of Calm.
Use 1 of 5, remove fatigue and heal of non-lethal damage for Maksim. Erastil's warmth and calm enters into Maksim.
if Egan wants it: Calming Touch.
Use 2 of 5, remove fatigue and heal of non-lethal damage for Egan. Erastil's warmth and calm enters into Egan.
"We can go on now, thanks to Ol'Deadeye."
Silva looks up at the clouds and then packs his gear. Come Todd. Lead us to the camp. When the battle starts, I want you to hide until the end. Afterward, I will take you to the Outpost for your new job.
Thanks Maksim. Nice trick, that one. Egan seems good as new.
Todd will lead you through the frozen woodlands, the heavy cloud cover forces you to move slowly in the darkness but after an hour Todd declares that you are close to the camp. There is around half an hour until sunrise but the storm seems to be coming to a head, several heavy flakes of metallic seeming snow are begining to drift down...
Fort:
"Not so good with the sneaking and seeing parts of hunting, I'm better with a bow, not that it matters now." Maksim says, just loud enough to be heard over the ever more violent winds, so in a near scream he continues, "That Andrej fellow seems a good scout though."
Survival
Fort-Cold Weather: Plus any other modifier such as Anya's or Maksim's or any other survival roll that applies. Only Fort. base of 3 and cold weather gear of 5 is applied in the roll.
Perception: What can he see?
Andrej scouts...
Andrej has take with mild hypothermia on the journey, by the time you arrive his feet are dragging amd he is barely responsive. He begins to walk in the direction of the bandit camp as soon as Todd points it out, mumbling something about scouting...
Recovered Andrej creeps towards the bandit camp, avoiding getting too close. You cannot spot the watchers you know are in the trees but four bandits are hastily errecting lean to's around the fire pit under direction of a stern woman. They have placed tarps over their gear and tied it down ready for the storm.
Maksim, seeing Andrej distress, gives him the Calming touch before he goes off.
Use 3 of 5: Calm touch: Remove fatigue. non-lethal damage healed.
Let hope those bandits are as cold as we are. Egan comments to know one in particular as he rides forward, keeping close to his mount for warmth and to stay out of the wind.
Just as you expect Andrej to arrive back the heavens open, a deluge of snow begins to fall quickly from the sky. At first nothing seems unusual but then you notice the snow is actually shines as though metallic, it also weighs heavy on your shoulders. As it settles on the trees and branches you can already hear them creaking and snapping with strain as the light dusting of snow causes branches to flex and break.
All we can do at this point is make for the bandit camp.
I agree Egan. We need to attack swiftly and get to shelter.
Andrej nods and prepares rapidly.
Maksim agrees, wondering how we are hearing each other in such an insane storm. Maksim thinks to himself, It's win or die, Oh Erastil, guard us all.
He will charge with the others.
Egan trudge on thinking he is freezing to death. He is grateful for the warmth of his mount and works to brush the slowing snow from both himself and Sparly. At about minute 3 into the walk he calls out to Maksim. If you can channel my friend, call upon your god to do so, I may not make it too much farther.
Bearly hearing Egan above the storm's howl, Maksim nods. "We will have but a minute to win, or perish."
When everyone is together Maskim touches his Sigil and prays, "Blessed Erastil, Father of Forest, Farm, and Family, bestow thy favor upon us, to succor us from this preternatural storm, that we may deliver this land from evil."
Channel Healing:
The Sigil of Erastil seems to move as though alive, then a wave of green light spreads though the area, bringing feelings of peace and contentment that remind people of the good memories of home, family, and friends for those that have them, for others, a vision of families they can make and find joy in. The birds burst into joyeous song, and you'd swear that the other small forest creatures are dancing in the light. Then it fades, with a bit of regret that you feel when friends leave but contentment also for the good time had.
Try one more save the rest.
Channel Healing:
Used 2 channels of 4.
Used 3 of 5, Calm Touch.
Approaching the camp you fear to have lost your way in the snow until you catch a glimpse of light across a clearing, almost having stumbled straight into the bandits camp you notice the shape of a man on a platform hidden 20ft up a tree, he lays on his front and does not seem to be moving.
Around the fire through the drifts of snow you can see several bandits huddling around a fire under hastily constructed lean to's, seemingly miserable and tired they fuss around the fire striving to keep it alight in the high winds and snow.
Before the party gets within close shooting range (conveniently the same 30' that is the area of a channel) Maksim does his second to last channel of the day, without helping the bandits.
Channel Healing: This one better be good.
Maksim then grips his shortspear and makes ready to fight since his archery is useless.
Used 3 of 4 channels.
Used 3 of 5, Calm Touch.
"Since you be the most afflicted, Andrej. I'll partner with you to give aid, if needed." Maksim will stay closest to Andrej in the fight, as much as possible.