Leira attempts to identify the stone.
She then helps to pack everything and keep moving looking for a good spot to study the fort.
Leira discovers that the blue-green stone is an Elemental Gem. Whoever crushes the gem (standard action) will cause a Large Water Elemental to be summoned. The one who crushes the stone controls the Large Water Elemental.
The party moves on. It doesn't take long before you come across a large open area. Hundreds of tree stumps can be seen all around. In the distance, about one half mile (800m) you see Red Lake fort. Leira will determine that your current location along the tree line is too far away to really be able to study the fort without magic or some other visual device.
"Let's be takin' the shiny baubles'n see if'n we can't get around the clear cut. I'm no likin' t'way this be lookin'" He points a chin towards the clear cut forest leading to the Keep.
"We can disguise as the orc patrol. I can use an extended enlarge person and disguise self to simulate the giant" proposes Leira "I can also use disguise self and invisibility to climb up the fort walls and attempt to find a way in"
"There should be a way in they get waters in, and have caravans taking food in"
oh why get so tricky. Let's just attack.
"Attacking sounds reckless!"
Looking around Ulfgard inspects the area for better options!
"
Look over there, the tree line. Good place to get closer"!
Calrianne grows visibly excited at the mention of Redlake Fort and produces a map of the abandoned border stronghold. The knight informs the party that her ancestor, a man named Fabian Blix, was the fort’s cleric. Fabian died during the final siege of the fort, but one of his sons, "My Great-Grandfather, he escaped through a hidden sewer tunnel," she reveals.
Calrianne’s map shows the majority of Redlake Fort, including the sewer tunnel, which Calrianne believes is submerged. Additionally, the knight says, I would be interested in knowing of Great, Great-Grandfather Fabian’s fate, should the you learn anything about him while you are there."
Things observed from the bluff:
Built from reddish stone (which also contributed to its name), Redlake Fort was originally surrounded by a waterfilled moat fed by a nameless tributary of the River Esk, but after the construction of the dam , the water eventually evaporated, leaving the fort sitting atop a rocky outcrop 20 feet above a wide, dry trench. The bottom of this dry moat is 15 feet below the level of the surrounding land, encircled by a 10-foot-high wooden palisade constructed of 2-foot-thick logs lashed together. The only gaps in the palisade are where a stone bridge leads to the fort’s barbican (area K1), and where the wall butts up against the old dam that separates the moat from the Esk’s side channel (area K8). The outer wall of the fort itself is 15 feet high. There are several arrow slits that pierce the wall.
Orcs are everywhere. They control the Barbican and many parts of the moat. Hill Giants, Ogres and Ogrekin can be seen milling about various areas.
Haskyll looks at Kaos incredulously.
And just how do you propose to get my strapping 3 foot 3 inch to look like an orc whom is over 6 foot
"Magic!" With a shrug Ulfgard smiles!
"You will make for a very handsome orc boy" says Leira with a smile and very good humour.
If the group goes with it Leira can help locate the sewer corridor and disguise the party with the previous patrol clothings.
Maybe our cleric has a spell to give us the ability to breath underwater?
ah have no spells to sneak an such. But ah could memorize one ah guess.
Ragnir bumps Leira with a companionable shoulder (well companionable for a dwarf ;) ) "Aye lass, do ya be havin' enough finger wagglin' tha' ye c'n be makin' all o' us look like the greensnouts? He grins, a white gash amidst the riot of red beard, "Otherwise, I'm fearin' it'll no be a lengthy foray inta the keep."
I could do the breathing underwater as you ask, but for only one person right now. We will have to look at the sewers as the way in. like they were the way out so long ago.
"It will be enough to cause the confusion to gain the initiative. I hope" says a blushing Leira.
"We can attempt to access that sewers through Kaos bath suggestion. If he succeeded it might be not that difficult to hold our breath and swam there. We might transport our armors so we can more easily move through the waters" suggests Leira.
"Feel free to use any of my spells in the book Anga, if those might help us now" she ends.
The party will notice that the only area being watched is in front of the barbican. The party is on the opposite side of the fort from the barbican.
Ingrahild will speak up, "When be nigh'fall. We canna be sneaking up and look fer ways in." She then looks at Haskyll, "Ye mays not be ab'l to make us all breeeth wata, but canya keep us clanky sods quiet?"
Aye, give me a bit o time, and I can make the whole area quiet.
"I'll be takin' the first watch while we be restin' Have we looked for a sewer entrance anywhere else? Seems ta me that placin' a sewer in standin' water is askin' fer your sewer ta be backin' up." Ragnir sets himself on a log, pulls out a dagger and starts to whittle a small branch.
"I will take the last watch!"
Laira nods at Kaos proposal "I agree, we should look for a safer place, concealed around mountains or forest. Let's head back some miles before resting"
The girl will help concealing the group's tracks as they head back. She will then take the second or third watch, ensemble with someone if possible.
Well, if we are going to be resting for a night, then I will ready a water breathing spell, which should help us all.
As the sun begins to set, and while discussing a plan of attack:
We best hide any gear we don't need here. Water is a wee bit damaging for some things. Darkness is no problem fer us dwarves, but may be fer Kaos and leira. One of us should guide them.
Anga busies her self with renewing her spells, while waiting. She checks the seals on her scroll case to make sure it is watertight.
obviously too busy to notice anything
"Curious" says Leira watching over the horizon "Camp fires spring up around the tents in the dry moat, but only the tents more to the east side of the fort, and one bright colorful tent. The tents to the west side of the dry moat area do not have fires starting up. There appears to not be an Orc or anything else on the west side of the dry moat area of the fort."
I wonder why that is
Haskyll will survey the situation. There are more tents than Orcs to fill them. It might be a ruse to hide their numbers. It could be their losses from the attack on Trunau. Either way, it does look like the west side of the dry moat is not being inhabited.
Anga waits to move. Her instincts tell her to burn the orcs out, but her intelligence tells her to be cautious. Still...
if it tis a ruse, they know we are here. she mused aloud. But that is a lot more subtle than ah think they are.We should approach from that side. But we should be aware of snares an traps.
She gets up. shall we get movin'? Those orc skulls won't breal themselves.
"Ha, can do! No worries!"
Leira prepares herself for getting into the fort by checking all her spell components and arrows "Just a last confirmation, are you sure you do not want to attempt the disguise plan better than swimming? We can make some of you pass as prisoners."
"The other option is using Haskyll silence spell to get close to the West side of the fort. I can easily climb the palisade there and set a rope for you to easily go up" says the girl mimicking rope climbing.
Anyway, whatever the group decides, she instructs the group that she will disguise as an orc and makes sure others do not confuse her by a real one.
Leira helps everybody to properly disguise.
Leira, we could do both, swim through the sewers, and disguise ourselves for tha other end. But remember our purpose. Kiĺl the orcs and fid out why they attack trunau
"Palisades. Sewers are not my favorite avenue!"
I think the pallisades, as I cannot swim well.