Perception Check
Perception check. (1d20+2=8)
Watching Kilenthar out of the corner of your eye as he finishes flashing signals to the other seven positions you notice a strange movement that draws your attention.
Perhaps it's because you know him so well, perhaps it's just a trick of the evening light, but you could SWEAR that his movements in putting away his mirror were not "natural", that his pause was something more than just taking in the scenery and you could swear you saw the hand holding the mirror twitch a couple of times.
You're almost certain, as well, that you saw a return flash from somewhere in the distance, but whether that was sunlight off a shiny rock or a signal remains completely unknown to you.
However, you COULD be completely mistaking this whole thing in the dimming light of the evening as the sun starts to go down over the distant mountain tops.
As Kith's warrior instincts cause the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end, he narrows his eyes at the Commander. Drawing his Elven sword out over his left shoulder, he moves deliberately, directly in front of the Commander.
"Tell me Commander... where were your Mother and Sister the night you left home?"
Thantos grabs his now loaded crossbow and points it at Kith.
Angrily he says, "Kith what is the MEANING of this? Put that sword away before I bury this bolt six inches into your neck."
Imploring the others, "Lash, Mird, Selena! Stand with me!"
**is totally confused, which apparently is normal for this character.**
Selena backs away from the group.
"What's going on?! I don't understand."
Fyird has his suspicions, but for now wants to see how this plays out.
"Let's concentrate on saving the keep for now". "Personal differences must be put aside".
With anquish visible in his face, Kith hesitates a moment before visibly relaxing and breathing a sigh that eases the tension from his muscles. Taking a second breath he sheathes his weapon.
Without taking his eyes off the Commander he says, "My only concern is your safety..."
For a moment it looks like Kith will say more, but then he simply steps away ignoring the poised xbow and the confused looks of the others.
Thantos exhales deeply realizing that he has been holding his breath instinctively to steady the aim of his crossbow. Lowering the crossbow he studies each member of the group to assess their reaction to this event.
Realizing more now than ever that he really doesn't know anyone in this group, Thantos picks a spot diametrically opposed to the Commander about 30 yards from him and he slowly backs his way to this spot while carefully watching the moves of the others.
Thantos keeps his crossbow at the ready, addressing the group crossly he asks, "Anyone else with unresolved issues?"
"These two know each other,with some kinda history. Hell they could barely hide the shock when they saw each other earlier. They've been lyin' to us ever since. Right now we've got more important things to worry about so you should probably put 'em back in your pants boys."
Lash takes a moment to lock eyes with both of the men.
"But when this is over you better quit screwin' with us if you expect us to watch your backs."
"Everyone please, be at ease. The error was mine."
Kith pats the air with his hands in Thantos's direction before making eye contact with Lash.
"I assure you, any deception, either real or suspected, is devoid of nefarious intent."
Kith pauses a beat to let that thought sink in.
"I'm sure we all have questions. I have a few myself. But they'll have to wait. For now, we're going to have to trust each other enough to work together."
Kith looks in the direction of the nearing sounds of Orc war drums and then back at the group.
"I suggest we all get out of sight. The Orcs draw near."
Kith moves around looking for a good vantage point to be able to both hide and see the army as it passes.
As the afternoon deepens into evening and the sun dips below the horizon of the distant mountains to the west, a cool wind kicks up, last of the winter season blowing itself out into spring. A somewhat feted smell, that of a mass of unwashed bodies, filters down on the evening air, heralding the oncoming army. The sounds of the drums, the cries of the orc army, the sounds of stomping boots and swords clanging against metal shields rend the relative stillness of nature, almost as if mother nature herself was holding her breath. Calls of carrion birds, vultures, crows, condors and others from on high signify that even the animal world understands that death is riding the winds this evening.
An uneasy silence settles across the party as the sounds of the approaching army wash over your position. The wary eyes each of you are turning toward each other are soon enough turned outward as hundreds of orcs rumble down the pass below you, and past your position. Many minutes go by as the orc army pushes up toward the Keep miles in the distance. Then, a different sound, that of metal shod wooden wheels squeaking and the creaking of large wooden frames comes to you. The crack of a whip here the grunt of an orc there as eight huge wooden catapults are pulled, each by about a dozen or more orcs, down the valley between the wooded sides and past your position to move off into the distance between you and the Keep.
The commander looks at each of you and says "The foot army will proceed up to the keep and start assaulting the walls, the catapults will need to be removed from their wheels and secured to the ground before being prepared, cranked and loaded. We still have several minutes before the orc army is at and engages the walls and the catapult crews start to secure the catapults. Once the catapults are down off their wheels and the final preparations are made we expect most of the pulling crew to join the faudder assaulting the walls. If we time this right we should face no more than a handful of orcs manning the catapults. At this point I suggest we figure out our battle lines."
As the seven of you start discussing your method you hear the shouts from the walls and screams of dieing orcs as the first volley of arrows falls into the orc lines. The battle for the Keep has begun.
Selena is still worried about the events that transpired earlier that evening, but as the cool darkness of night overtakes her, she looks up to the familiar stars (that she thought she saw earlier, but realized later she was mistaken) with a sigh of relief.
"For some reason, I always feel safer at night."
She quietly moves toward the others, who are hopefully not as on edge as they were earlier.
"What's the battle plan? Do we have one yet? I might be able to do some more damage with this..."
A flicker of golden flame appears in her hand.
"...than I had thought before, but I'll gladly stay back and just try to heal if that's what everyone would prefer."
"Mird grimaces at the confusing exchange happening between the commander and Kith.."We need to keep on track here...leave these differences aside...obviously we need to take out their siege weaponry...they're entirely too much of a threat! I have no problem carrying one of the jars if it will advance our efforts in this campaign..Although my skills are better put to use in more subtle practices, or at range...but...if I am needed on the front lines, I am more than capable...and willing."
"I would also be willing to carry one of the pots". "I have some tunes that might be able to put a few stragglers to sleep, then we could borrow their outfits, and disguise ourselves as members of the horde". "We could be upon them before they knew we weren't members of the tribe". "I also have a tune that might convince one of them to throw a pot on the fire himself". "I can really be quite convincing if need be".
"I say we follow the same plan as before. Lash and Mird, if you are willing, you'd be best suited to move ahead of the group acting as scouts while the rest of us follow behind. Once you've spotted the Orcs and gather what information you may, report back to us. With the racket they are making staging the damn things we can probably walk right up and run a blade through them, but we might as well know what we're up against."
"Again, I'll lead the following group with the Commander. Followed by Selena and Fyird, with Thantos watching our rear."
Kith stops and looks at Thantos, then nods at his loaded crossbow.
"You seem ready enough to use that... perhaps you'll get your chance."
With a hint of a grin, Kith continues,
"I recommend Selena, Fyird and the Commander carry the firepots. The rest of us who are skilled with blade and bow will clear the area of orcs - or at least, carve a path so these three can get close enough to hit the catapults with the pots."
Turning to face the Commander, Kith asks,
"Have you methods for signaling the other teams in darkness? Otherwise, we'll just have to hope they decide upon the same plan."
"I think I'd be more useful picking off intereference and giving them something else to worry about."
"... won't see me carrying one of those things", gruffs Thantos. "Since we have 3 pots might I suggest that we hide one of them about half way between this spot and the catapult. If we find we need it we can send someone back for it. After all one of these pots will easily do the trick."
Stroking the bristle scruff on his chin between his forefinger and thumb Thantos continues, "Dropping a pot on the catapult is going to bring us a lot of unwanted attention from any Orcs in the area. We can use our second pot to cover our getaway. If we need to use the second pot on the catapult then we can return to our third pot, hidden in the brush, and use it to cover our getaway from that location. After all we don't want the Orcs following us to the tunnels, do we Commander?"
"We can hide Selena's firepot when we meet to hear what Lash and Mird have discovered. That's going to leave us with only two chances to take down the catapults, so from that point forward Fyird and the Commander will be responsible for landing at least one of those pots on the catapult. The rest of us will have to do our best to keep the attention off of the them."
"Is there anything else?"
"No questions here...a sound plan if ever I've heard one!" Mird finishes with a grin...hand twitching at his side slightly as his posture and expression change into more of a scouting mode...
Lash nods quietly, then grins at Mird as she shifts into a stealthy crouch. "You can't wait to kill something can you?"
1st roll Stealth, 2nd roll Perception (1d20+10=12, 1d20+3=7)
As Lash and Mird move off down the slope and off into the deepening night the rest of you start more slowly down the slope and off into the forest, keeping to the side of the clear area you work your way along animal trails toward the wider area surrounding the keep.
Practically all of the normal night sounds you'd hear in the forest are abscent, either drowned out by the wall of noise of the raging battle about the keep in the further distance or the more prevalent noise of the preparation of the war machines. At breaks in the forest line you all periodically catch a glimpse of the keep walls, defenders moving atop, arrows lancing out of the towers to strike down orc after marauding orc, poles and ladders being thrown against the keep walls only to be thrown back to the ground. The screams of the dying (thankfully you recognize most of these as the gutteral, piggish squeels of orcs with only a few more human cries) filter to you even from this distance out, but get more and more clear with every step you take.
Eventually, you reach the pre-determined meeting spot within the forested area and wait for the return of Lash and Mird with information about the placement.
Ahead of you, torch light marks the 8 emplacements of the catapults, strung out in a shallow semi-circle half a mile back from the castle walls. The closest catapult position, only 200 yards out from the forest but at least 400 yards from your current position is somewhat visible in the night, the torches revealing about 5 to 7 orcs moving around the catapult, knocking wooden wheels out from under the heavy wooden siege engines while others on top of the catapult seem to be tightening ropes and setting up some kind of hoist, likely for the loading of the obviously heavy rocks that are laying beside the weapon.
Nestling back into the woods a bit you await the report of Lash and Mird.
Moving down the slope and off into the night you exit the forested area and into the wide open field only a short time after you leave the camp. Moving swiftly across the expanse of open field to the road you rely soully upon your stealth and speed to move off toward the distant torchlight of your intended target: a huge catapult. About half way between your encampment and the catapult you place one of the three firepots within the brush on the ground, stepping back and sighting in a landmark between the catapult and your encampment that you can follow to cross the firepot's position again.
A short time later, you stop a couple hundred or so yards back from your target, well outside the ring of light the torches setup around the catapult are giving off, and you both flop down on your bellies and crawl another hundred yards toward the encampment, getting as close as possible without getting near enough to be detected, watching for sentries and finding none. As far as you can tell the entire back of the marauding army is totally unprotected.
Watching for a few minutes you see 7 orcs with rudimentary weapons hanging off their belts (most have a spiked club) moving around the huge war machine, two of them have large hammers and are proceeding to attempt to knock the wheels off the axles of the catapults, thus forcing the catapult to squarely rest on the ground. Another orc is tieing off the one corner they have grounded with several ropes and huge stakes, using his club to pound the huge wooden stakes into the ground and then tie off the securing lines. Four orcs are busy setting up a large wooden frame attached to the catapult with some kind of pre-constructed rope and pully system, you suspect it as some kind of hoist allowing the crew to load the heavy boulders sitting off to the side of the catapult into the throwing arm.
It strikes you that the technology behind this rope and pully system, as well as behind the catapult itself, would be WELL beyond the hope of even the smartest orcs to have designed; a clear sign that these catapults were built and constructed by something or someone much much smarter than the creatures currently sieging the Keep.
Taking a look around the scene, these seven orcs seem to be the only ones anywhere near the war machine. The mass of the army is almost half a mile downfield and, obviously, getting slaughtered at the keep walls.
Are there any marks on either the orcs or catapults that might signify who they're working with (I realize I probably wouldn't know what it was, but if there is some common symbol maybe I can relate it to the rest of the group).
Is there anything about the catapults' construction that might give this information as well (perhaps the engineering is specific to a certain region, or something)
Do we overhear the orcs' conversations at all (if any)?
The two of you move around the catapult, keeping out of the light and viewing the preparations from all angles.
Twice, Lash motions to Mird that they need to leave and report before the catapult preparations get any more completed than they already are, and twice Mird shakes his head, noticing something about the situation that doesn't quite feel right.
As time wears on however and nothing jumps out at him, Mird decides it's high time to leave and motions for Lash to take the lead back through the night and back to camp. As you both start to move off, it dawns on Mird what is wrong.
Several of the orcs are glancing off into the night, almost as if checking on something or watching for something. As you notice this you stop dead and watch, again, as an orc preparing the hoist stops, turns his head looking over his shoulder and then quickly snaps his head back around and works on setting up the hoist.
Knowing time to be of the essence, expecting the signal from the walls at any moment, Mird sprints off behind Lash as you both make your way back through the night to the main group, passing the stashed firepot to ensure it's still in place.
You're about 400 yards from the encampment when you see a flash out of the corner of your eye as several flaming missiles are shot high from the walls of the keep and burst into flame in the air.
Seconds later the two of you are huffing and puffing, crouching in the grass and underbrush with your comrads who are fingering their weapons.
"Report" says the commander, looking at the two of you. "That burst was our signal, we need to move out. 3 more of those will occur in the next few minutes, signaling the other groups to move out toward their respective catapults, a final burst will signal the attack. As we move, fill us in."
The seven of you move out from your positions, taking a round about route to get well back from your target. Standing a good 400 yards off in the distance, well outside the area of light of your catapult, the last of the 4 signals flashes into the air from the keep, signaling the last of the groups to move into position. You now only await the final signal to attack.
"I can't imagine what has the Orcs acting so oddly... "
Kith pauses to stare across the open expanse to the activity on the catapult.
"...I see nothing we can do about it now."
Reaching up across his left shoulder Kith unsheathes his curved, two-handed Elven blade.
"We move on the next signal."
Selena tilts her head, as though listening to a far off sound. She turns back to the group, her eyes alive in the starlight.
"Inlitamae Calan"
Selena waves her hands and a magical field of glowing, white flames and feathers surrounds her body snugly.
The sounds of battle at the walls of the Keep echo down through the still night air and cries of the injured and dying resound through the night. All of a sudden, from off to your left at least a quarter mile, one of the catapult crews gives a resounding yell and you watch as a heavy throwing arm shoots forward and you hear the resounding CRACK of metal shod wood on metal shod wood as the throwing arm jetisons several huge boulders off into the night. Your hearts stop beating for a second as you collectively watch the rocks sail through the air at the keep, knowing full well that wherever they land they'll leave a path of devistation in their wake.
You start breathing again as you notice, however, that the hastily fired catapult (for it had to be prepared and fired quickly, the catapult team in front of you is only now settling and finailzing the staking down, the hoist team starting to load rocks) was BADLY miscalculated, the trajectory coming in WELL below that needed to have reached the castle walls. Piggish squeels pearce the night and a resounding set of THUDS sounds as the rocks land, well short of the castle walls, but not well short of the back of the orcish army. You imagine the inital landing took out 10s of orcs, and the forward roll must have caught at least that number more of the tightly packed faudder. A great cheer from the Keep walls is followed by several voices screaming taunts at the enemy. Off to your left in the direction of the spent catapult, a whiching/cranking sound comes to your ears as the catapult crew works to reset and re-load the misfired siege weapon.
No more than moments later another barage of lit explosive arrows is launched over the keep and Kilenthar says "That's the signal, Go!"
Lash is going to have her rapier drawn in her right hand and a dagger held in a throwing grip in her right hand.
Once at the edge of the 20yd circle of light she's going to charge forward 60ft and plunge her rapier into one of the orcs cranking the catapault.
Attack roll +2 for charge, Sneak attack damage added (1d20+3=12, 1d4+1=3, 1d6=2)
Fyird begins to sing softly to himself and when he gets within range he sings out the words of power and imploring the orcs to "SLEEP"
Selena moves forward cautiously, summoning the heavenly fire to her hand as soon as the others are within the light and such an act does not distract the orcs.
She readies an action to cast a bolt of heavenly flame at the next orc that attacks Lash.
Attack (with Charge), Damage (Overhand Chop) (1d20+8=27, 2d6+10=12)
Kith bursts from the cover of darkness. Raising his two-handed sword over his head he sprints to the closest orc and snaps all of his muscles into a powerful over-hand chop.
"Thantos! Engage the Orc up top! Get those pots in here!"
Fyird: You notice Kith moving off to the right (toward the boulders) and Lash moving off to the left (toward the crank), the orc in the middle and at the far end do not look to yet be engaged. Which area are you targeting?
Initiative Roll
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Generating 1 rolls of 1d20+2, 1 per line
Comment: Initiative Roll
22
Thantos stays a good distance from the Overseer and just close enough to reach him with his bow.
Lining the Overseer up with his crossbow, Thantos pulls the trigger and...
2
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Generating 1 rolls of 1d8, 1 per line
Comment: Damage If Hit Roll
3
With my range I should be able to get off the spell before Lash gets there so I'll aim at the ones on the left. Immediately after casting the spell I will grab the pot and start moving towards the catapult.
I will double move cautiously 45 feet towards Lash, then, and hold off on any attacks until next round.
Mird's face becomes almost engulfed with an old, tempered rage as memories of his past flood him. With a smooth and nimble move, he moves a bit closer to the orcs while taking out his bow, knocks and arrow, and lets one fly at the nearest orc...
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Thantos (22): Attacking Orc Overseer (Surprise Round)
Kith (20): Attacking Orc3 (Normal Round)
Orc 2 (18): Attacking Kith (Normal Round)
Lash (15): Attacking Orc6 (Surprise Round)
Fyird (15): Sleeping Orcs on Left (Surprise Round)
Kilenthar (15): Throwing a Firepot (Normal Round)
Selena (10): Moving and Holding Attack (Move on Surprise, Hold Attack on Normal)
Orc6 (10): Attacking Lash
Orc4 (9): Attacking Lash
Mird (8): Attacking Orc Overseer (Surprise Round)
Orc3 (4): Attacking Kith
Orc Overseer (4): Attacking Fyird
Orc1 (3): Attacking Kith
Orc5 (3): Attacking Lash
Orc8 (1): Attacking Kith
**Fyird: You couldn't have sung your song "early" or you'd have blown the surprise for the group (only you would have been the one in the surprise round). That said you can get within throwing distance on the Pot the next round and still throw due to your movement so it's no harm done.
The seven of you come up from your crouch almost as one and start moving. The twang of Thantos' crossbow and the hiss of the bolt through the first warning any of the orcs get as the crossbow whistles through the night but comes up too high, flying past the orc overseer who squeals in surprise and picks up his own crossbow, cocked and readied, laying by one of the supports on the catapult platform.
Lash goes into a sprint with sword drawn, easily outdistancing the others in the group, and right at the closest orc operating the winch. The look of surprise on the orc's face as Lash leads with his sword is almost comical, unfortunately a stake and tie line for the catapult trips up Lash causing his stab to go just low of the orc. Always in perfect balance, however, Lash manages to recover gracefully and bring his blade up in a flourish, ready for the attack.
Fyird starts singing and all of you can immediately see the effects as two of the three orcs start swaying on their feet, and simply crumple to the ground, one letting out a snore on the way down, the other shakes his head and draws his sword. Fyird picks up his firepot from the ground and starts moving in toward the catapult.
Kith and Kilenthar break into runs, Kith to the right toward the catapult ammunition and the orcs only just coming to their senses that they're being attacked and the commander straight up the middle heading right at the catapult.
The resounding twang of a longbow and the hiss of the fletching through air passes right over the top of the commander's head and thunks into a wooden support just a hair's breath from the orc overseer causing him another squeal.