(hp 38/38, AC 17, T 11, FF 11, Initiative +1, Perception +5, Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +10)
Lyrica smiles at Marcus' attempt at rhyme and decides to give it a try herself. Turning to Vichtana, she asks. "Black creature of sneakness. Does it have any weakness?"
(hp 38/38, AC 17, T 11, FF 11, Initiative +1, Perception +5, Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +10)
Encouraged by her words, Lyrica continues,
"Looking the devil in the eye,
sounds like foolishness to make me cry.
But if a weakness is to be found,
then its bound to come around.
It leaves me no choice but to try."
Jak gives Aerik a wink, but his face is just as quickly deadly-serious as he turns to Lyrica.
”Everyone knows a Howell will dance
with just about anything.
But of unknown levels of pain and danger
does tomorrow’s two-step ring.”
”The cards we’re dealt and forced to play
aren’t suited, straight, or flush
And if we go all in, it’s not just the rabbit’s skin,
but the lives of all of us.”
He pauses, shakes his head, and continues, his meter changing, ”Or, as a wise bard once sung, ya gotta know when to hold’em.. and know when to fold ’em.”
Maybe we’re in for a fight either way, and we should try to hedge our bets if that’s the case. But the reality is that we’ve no way of knowing what we’re really up against until Black arrives. We should at least be wiling to entertain the notion that letting Black collect on his deal and walk away is better for Albridge, our heroes, and the Drear.
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Justin was pretty up-front about the fact that we could (and would) run into situations we can't fight our way through. Maybe this is one of those; maybe it's not. But let's not go into it thinking "we're heroes, surely we can win the day".
I'm not saying how this encounter will pan out... but Ben is essentially correct about how I roll. As I stated in the first OOC post, there are no training wheels. Not every encounter will be CR appropriate to the group. As I've also stated, this is a world of greys - not black and white. Total victory is never assured. The heroes don't always win and sometimes walking away with your skin intact is the best outcome possible.
Zeke quietly ponders the rhymes, feeling an anger rise up. Anger at the strange way of talking. Anger at the idiot deal makers. Anger at the general lack of ability to do anything.
"I agree a deal was made,
and I agree it's not our...place,
to interfere with the trapman
when he collects his due damn."
"But the pups are a different tale,
a way to save them we should seek...without fail,
and the town rising up in arms,
we need to avoid to save their...farms."
Obviously the bonesetter was not meant to be a poet, struggling over his own rhymes.
I agree, this seems to be working against us. That doll was pretty dang tough to start with. We might be able to do it, but in the end a deal was made and saving those who had nothing to do with it directly seems to me a place to focus on.
Thank you for your help--we will do what we can and hope that it is enough.
I agree with Jak and Zeke--our first priority should be to save the innocents. The mayor and Tull chose to make the deal, if they have to be claimed to keep the rest of the town safe, so be it. We do have SOME bargaining power over the demon, though. We DID kill the doll, and he likely only has limited knowledge of our abilities. He might not want to risk his own neck, you know?
Victahana takes Marcus' hand, as if it were a strange thing and acknowledges his thanks with a nod.
"Good luck."
So, I imagine your plan is to return to town, do a little dinner, sleep in your rooms (unless you specify something else), and then... what? If you have some specific plans for the next day, lay them out, because I will be fast-forwarding.
At this point, I'd prefer to see if we can be a bit more strategic with our sleeping arrangements. As much as Jak would love a comfortable bed to himself in his inn-room, having the townsfolk sleep in one communal area guarded by Mordecai and Galt is smart. Then we can try to convince the remaining deal-makers to stay in one place, as well... separate from the larger group of townsfolk, of course. Hopefully that'll let us keep an eye on them and be around should Mr. Black drop in early.
Anyone see any gaping holes in that plan? Or have something better?
(hp 38/38, AC 17, T 11, FF 11, Initiative +1, Perception +5, Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +10)
Keeping everybody in one room is probably a good idea. I am hesitant to sleep with my armor off again, but I do not want to go through the next day with penalties. Do you think I should risk it?"
The only spaces large enough to hold the entire town populace are either one of the largest barns or the church. Convincing all of the locals to bed down there will be a trick. Many will likely do it but a certain number will not want to be close to the surviving family members of citizens that were 'marked for death'. It may be a silly superstition, but there it is. You'll need to let me know which building (barn or church) you want to herd them to, it could make a difference to their receptivity.
The other fly in the ointment are the deal makers. Your relationship is burned. You've made it clear you'd sacrifice them, so they aren't likely to follow any plan where you stake them out as sacrificial lambs.
Lyrica--don't risk it fatigue, sleep with your armor off. Then just put it on first thing in the morning.
I'd vote for the church rather than a barn. Galt could perhaps help us persuade some of the townsfolk.
As to the deal makers--I'd like to tell them that Victahana told us Black is coming tomorrow. They might not like us, but they won't be able to put up much of a fight without us, if it comes to fighting. I also thing we might want to keep guards on wherever the deal makers are staying--don't want 'em to pull a "Waveharp" ;-)
Regarding Lyrica's armor, I agree with Marcus. Sleeping in armor guarantees fatigue. Sleeping without it only means you might run into a surprise encounter where you have to choose between jumping in or armoring up. Then just armor up in the morning.
Yah, I say we get Mordecai and Galt's help to convince as much of the town that sleeping together—and in the church, in my opinion—is going to be safer for everyone until all this is down with. People who won't go along should be warned that they're putting themselves and their families at risk, but allowed to make that decision on their own.
And yah, the deal-makers may be a problem. If they are—and if they won't stick together with us there to help deal with whatever comes up—then I say we let them do what they will... as long as they stay away from the rest of the townsfolk.
1) What happens if the deal-makers won't stay away from the communal gathering? How far are we willing to go to keep them away, or to allow superstitious members of the town to do so?
2) There's also the concern that we ourselves may have been marked for destroying the doll. We might be putting the townsfolk in danger by being near them.
As far as the first one, I'm not sure how far Zeke would go. It would depend on the RP and how they act. The second, well we don't really know what will happen. My preference would be to still guard the townsfolk, and if a fight does break out to try to move it away from the gathered people.
1) What happens if the deal-makers won't stay away from the communal gathering? How far are we willing to go to keep them away, or to allow superstitious members of the town to do so?
This is why I think we need Mordecai and Galt in on the plan. We need some support from the town on this, so we can convince the townsfolk that it's in everyone's best interest to have the deal-makers at arms-length until we can get it to blow over. As to your second question, if we're straight-up out-numbered or out-voted—and we can't get the support from the townsfolk to help us keep the deal-makers isolated—then we just do our best, stay close, and be prepared for the worst. I agree with you; Jak won't force these people to make any decisions. It sounds like some of thsi will come down to some RP and rolls to determine who's going to be willing to do what.
Ezekiel Druiminn wrote:
2) There's also the concern that we ourselves may have been marked for destroying the doll. We might be putting the townsfolk in danger by being near them.
This second point is why I think Mordecai and Galt should be left in charge of keeping an eye on the townsfolk. I'd love to be there to help out, but we could be targets as well. So I'd say we stay close enough to be in ear-shot, but far enough so they won't be easy collateral damage.
OK, down to brass tacks...
1. You want all of the innocent locals to gather in the church for the night along with the surviving family members of the deal-makers. They are to stay there until this game plays out. Galt/Mordecai are to oversee this group. Hopefully everyone will agree.
2. You want Trannyth/Tull to be somewhere close at hand but NOT at the church - and it sounds like there was some talk of you guys being close to them as guards (to either protect them or keep them from running away). Is that the play? There should be no issue with convincing them to stay in the Tull compound (at least for the night) which is pretty close to the church which gives you a chance to watch over both locations.
I will point out that Mordecai and at least one other farmer contributed to defeating the Doll... so if you are concerned about being 'marked' for that, they would also share some of that. Not saying it should change your thinking any - just pointing it out.
Also, Galt helped in the fight--I don't think he attacked the doll, but he did keep healing us so we could defeat it, and we wouldn't have beat it without him. Something to keep in mind. I'm not sure what would be the best location for us to stay--all of the people that could potentially be targets of the demon are the ones who have the best chance of defending the people. Do we risk drawing the demon to them, or leaving them unprotected? Tough call. I think we at least need to post a few sentries during the night.
I'd still suggest we pretty much keep everyone who's not a deal-maker in the church with Galt and Mordecai. If we're "marked", my guess it is that it has as much to do with us nosing around in all this mess as it does to do with us getting into a fight with the doll... of course that's all supposition at this point.
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I just prefer to keep it simple. The deal-makers at the Tulls (if we can manage it), everyone else in the church with Galt and Mordecai, and us taking watch shifts at a location in-between that gives us visual access to both locations if possible.
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Though something else occurred to me as I was typing this. Depending on the wording of the agreement—which we can't find, but we know it's likely the deal-makers were negligent in forging—anyone related to the deal-makers may be on the hook (as opposed to simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time). Not that I think that changes anything for my opinion on how we deal with this whole thing, but if that little girl is still a target, it's not going to sit well with Jak. Just a heads up.
(hp 11/35, AC 18, T 13, FF 15, Initiative +3, Perception +9)
I think we should sleep in the same area as the innocent locals, just incase Jak is right about the family members being targets. At least we can protect them if we are there. I don't mind taking a watch to make sure the "guiltys" dont run, but I am much more effective after I rest and restore my spells.
(hp 38/38, AC 17, T 11, FF 11, Initiative +1, Perception +5, Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +10)
Jak's plan sounds good. The church is a good place to keep everyone. Lyrica keep her armor on up until just before sleep. She will remove it just before she goes to bed.
I was looking at the map. According to storm raven, the little compound at 6 is some shared storage stuff… barns and what-not. I hit him up briefly off-line for some clarity, and it sounds like there’s not a good option that offers a good view of both the Tull compound and the church at the same time… though I didn’t ask him about the roof.
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SR, is the roof a viable lookout spot to allow views of both locations? If so, what’s the most efficient way for someone to get up and down? Do they have ladders tall enough? Or would it require climbing? And would it be a dangerous perch for someone staying up there for any amount of time?
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If thats not an option, we’re left with either just picking one spot to protect or getting more lookouts and just posting people in both spots.
Work is slamming today so I may not be posting much... The brown wood building on the North end of #6 is a barn. The roof is sloped but not nightmarishly so - at least not at the top. With a little prep it could be used as a perch to oversee both locations. You'd take the stairs into the hay loft and then take the attached wall ladder to the roof through the vent. They might have a single ladder that will just barely reaches the bottom of the barn roof. It would be a treacherous way to get up and down.
Also, if the roof if viable, could Marcus & Aerik check their smart phones to see if it's supposed to rain tonight? :D
"My knee's acting up! Either rain's a'comin', or a demon is. Not sure which..."
stormraven wrote:
[ooc]Work is slamming today so I may not be posting much... The brown wood building on the North end of #6 is a barn. The roof is sloped but not nightmarishly so - at least not at the top. With a little prep it could be used as a perch to oversee both locations. You'd take the stairs into the hay loft and then take the attached wall ladder to the roof through the vent. They might have a single ladder that will just barely reaches the bottom of the barn roof. It would be a treacherous way to get up and down.
Marcus isn't afraid of heights--I can take the spot up top on the barn if no one objects. Do any of us or any of the townsfolk have a bell or whistle or something? Something to sound an alarm if I find anything suspicious? We should try to post some lanterns or light some fires or something to create an illuminated perimeter, if possible.
I don't like the idea of splitting the party right now. What about all of us being in the barn itself? We can take shifts on being on watch. If we could find enough two of those handbells, one at each location would be ideal. In fact, Zeke does have a signal whistle. This way in case we don't see anything they could alert us. As a third layer we could even build a small fire at each location to light in case something happens.
(hp 38/38, AC 17, T 11, FF 11, Initiative +1, Perception +5, Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +10)
I agree, Zeke. We should all stay together. The roof sounds like a possibility in terms of offering a good view, but I wonder how long it would take to get down safely and join the battle. Is there a reason the church cannot hold everyone?
The Church can hold everyone. But the initial concern was that you guys and/or the deal-makers would draw Black to all the innocents there. Also, from the church, you can't keep an eye on the deal-makers in the Tull compound.
Have Galt and Mordecai lock up the church with all of the non-deal makers. We all stay in the barn, taking periodic watches. Tull and Trannyth can stay in the Tull compound. This seems like the best course of action, given the circumstances. Right?
Our heroes leave the strange witch to her business and return to town just as evening begins to fall... After sharing their plan with Galt and Mordecai, the two locals set about trying to gather all of the town in the church. Given all that has happened, they are remarkably successful. All of the innocents gather at the church with bedding. Regis Ahhn brings loads of food and drink from the Inn, attempting to bolster spirits. It is a quiet evening as the locals settle down with watches set within the church, just in case.
The Tulls and Davril Trannyth stay at the Tull compound, though it is clear they are watching the migration to the church with great interest.
The Drearians walk through the now empty town and make themselves as comfortable as possible in the barn. Night falls quietly. There are uncomfortable murmurs amongst the townfolk when the moon appears stained with bloody horns - a sign of outsiders. But the watches atop the barn go quietly, until Mr Grey rolls in before midnight. He comes in thick and heavy obscuring all vision beyond a few feet. He pools around the buildings, swirling in disturbing patterns as if invisible assailants slide through the thick fog. The fog slinks up every building, eventually leaving the steeple of the church and the top of the barn free of the mist... but below that everything is mist-bound and blind. It makes for a nerve-wracking night for those on guard.
But dawn eventually comes, though Mr Grey shows no inclination to leave, reducing the sunlight to a pale joke. As the light brightens slightly, the folks in the church breathe a cautious sigh of relief and quietly set about making breakfast, still staying to the church and not letting down their guard.
OK. It is 8AM and Mr Grey will be sticking around - reducing visibility to 5' with partial cover to 10' and full cover beyond that. The watcher on the barn roof can see a normal distance over the fog... but that proves to be less than helpful since pretty much everything you are trying to watch is in the fog. So, plans? Actions? Just going to wait things out?
