Cedric is pretty good at helping to keep the trail from getting lost, but not very good at being quiet about it thanks to his armor.
Bree trusts the others to follow tracks. She focuses more on being sneaky.
Boudra takes the lead, once again, in following the hobgoblin's trail.
Although she almost loses the trail near the end, she manages to keep on it. As she realizes that they're getting near the hobgoblins' camp, she gathers her cloak of shadows around herself and waves the others to be silent.
Thorek follows along in Boudra's wake, ready to help if it seems like she needs it but otherwise preferring not to slow the group down. His woodcraft does leave something to be desired though.
Lily starts to follow very quietly slightly trembling at the thought of being discovered.
Current Commotion Level: 3
A thin trail of smoke twisting into the sky, rising above the forest's tangle, is the first sign that you have found the Ironfang forward camp.
The second sign is a scout patrol, tramping through the forest on the camp's periphery.
There are three of them: two hobgoblins and a bugbear. They approach from the east, drawing agonizingly close to your hiding spots among the brush and tree trunks. For a tense moment that lasts for a fleeting eternity you fear that they have detected you. However, they seem far too wrapped up in a heated argument and pass right by without taking notice.
"You don't know nothing," the bugbear counters. "Fresh, blood-slick tendons? Have you never flayed a deer hide? It was obviously a wet ripping sound."
Once the patrol passes westward, well out of both sight and earshot, you cautiously emerge to survey the site. The camp appears to be built into a small ravine. A dense tangle of briars grows along the camp's southern verge, some 50 feet thick. Your wilderness skills, sharpened as of late, make it clear that venturing into that thorny morass would be painful business.
Cedric doesn't really fancy traipsing through those thorns, and worries somewhat about making straight for the natural choke point. "If we give that patrol a 15 minute head start," he whispers, "I can fill one of my open spell slots with a spell that makes us quieter while we follow them to the high ground from which to survey the camp and see what we're dealing with."
"I agree with Cedric, let's follow in the patrol's wake at a safe distance." Thorek whispers his assent to the plan. "That ravine would be an ideal spot to observe the camp."
Bree nods her agreement.
After giving the patrol a head start, you creep through the forest to survey the camp. Earthen walls rise to form a steep-walled raving in the side of this low hill. Thick briars grow to heights of eight feet along the southern verge of the ravine.
Two large tents and a long lean-to dominate the camp erected within the ravine. You can hear the sounds of an army camp - the grumbles of soldiers, the growls of hounds - rising from below.
More immediately worrying, though, is the simple wooden watchtower that rises above the ravine's far end directly ahead, providing a perch for lookouts to scan the entire area. The hillside has cut a natural clearing in the forest, leaving you at the edge of a wide, open span between the treeline and the watchtower. Already you feel vulnerable and exposed.
Before making the trek to the overlook, Cedric will cast Shield Other on Thorek and then the freshly prepared Muffled Sound on the party.
"I don't like this clearing much," he whispers. "Can anyone tell how many Ironfangs we're dealing with?"
Thorek peers intently at the watchtower, attempting to determine how many guards it held. "Can't get a good look at the camp without dealing with that tower first," the battle priest whispers. "Think we can take them out quietly?"
If we’re going after the tower we’ll have to, Boudra signs grimly. I don’t need to speak to cast spells, which might help...a bit.
Damn! I need to learn her sign language! "That tower worries me as well. Course, if we light the base on fire, then the lookouts are trapped up there."
"That'll draw a lot of attention--what if they have more wolf riders?"
"Yeah there seems to be a lot of people there and I don't want to provoke them."
Although they do not seem very alert, one of them is moving and will soon be looking in your direction.
If Cedric can make sure we all stay quiet, is it worth reconsidering and going through the undergrowth instead? Boudra signs, to one side, with Thorek.
"We need to move, now!" Bree says, grabbing Boudra's shirt to guide her to cover.
Once they're safely out of view, she clarifies her earlier statement. "I didn't mean setting it alight now, but when we decide to take this place down."
Current Commotion Level: 5
Upon Bree's muffled insistence, the party retreats back into the cover of the surrounding forest's growth. When no angry shouts in Goblin or volleys of arrows fly through the air, you assume that you have not yet been noticed.
While in the open, some of you caught glimpses of the camp below, offering insight into their forces.
Cyrioul calculates that they have around 16 Ironfangs in the camp, but Thorek suspects that it may be as many as 20.
Through the window, you spot a table covered in alembics, jars, and tubing. This leads you to suspect that the Ironfang unit stationed here has an alchemist on hand.
"That's so many people. I'm not sure about you but I think the alchemist might be one of the more dangerous targets."
"Did anyone else see the animal-pen-looking place? It didn't have a gate on it, but it looked like the ground was bloody." He scratches at his hairline. "I'm not sure what to make of that. Either the animals are very well trained, or there might be some internal trouble in the camp that we can maybe capitalize on. If they're already distracted this would be the perfect time to take them. I think we can probably do it if we hit the watchtower first and hard and then use the high ground to our advantage. What do you guys think?"
"I think maybe they have worgs, or some other uncannily smart beast," whispers a prayer of thanks to Angradd. "Sacred Flames! I think there may have been as many as twenty Ironfangs in the camp...three to one odds doesn't sound good to me without serious preparation."
"I think I have to agree Thorek. We could definitely sow some confusion, do some damage to them, and I do like that some of them are out on patrol. But we don't know how soon any of them are due back. And we might want to make sure we have the optimum spells prepared for large group combat versus small skirmishes."
The ravine walls, although not especially steep, appear treacherously unstable. The crumbling soil would make climbing these walls very difficult. Unfortunately, the soil is rather loose and devoid of stones larger than a small pumpkin, so such sabotage would be fruitless.
However, fire could be a potent weapon.
The lean-to barracks, if not the tents, could be set alight, as could the large tree growing in the center of the courtyard.
On the far side of the ravine, there is a narrow, rickety set of wooden stairs leading up towards the watchtower. If you could quickly seize the tower, this could be an effective chokepoint to neutralize their numerical advantage - at least until they send a detachment to circle around the long way and attempt to flank you.
Boudra watches everything carefully, then signs--slowly enough to be udnerstood--I think that watchtower is definitely our best bet, given the stairs there. And I have to point out that it's not just us against the Ironfangs...I've spent most of my life in Nirmathas. If there's one thing I know about these people, it's that they'll want to fight this threat if we tell them about it.
"Yeah also on top of that I would like to get as many of the hostages out of the way. Hell it might be easier to take out the messenger the next time he visits so we don't have to fight him here."
The party withdraws away from the edge of the ravine, moving through the cover of the trees, before the Ironfang patrol makes its next circuit. Once certain that you are a safe distance away from the camp, you pause to take some notes.
Boudra takes out her maps to record two important details: the location and general layout of the Ironfang camp.
During the march back to Hidden Hope, however, it becomes agonizingly apparent that your band of refugees will never be truly safe as long as this camp of Ironfang bounty hunters continues to operate. It will take some planning and preparation to make it happen, but taking out this camp will be imperative.
I'm glad that you got a better look than I, Thorek. As for fire, if I had a couple of weeks to research it, I believe that I could make someone invisible long enough to get right up into the camp. But that puts this person in a difficult spot once they start burning things. The theory - if I understand it right - is that it's difficult to keep the spell in place when someone moves too quickly. He pauses to think.
If we wait until that... 'ambassador' returns, he might get some of the captives out of the way for us. However, if my research doesn't stay on track, I might not be able to keep that timeline, but perhaps Novvi might be able to bring another scroll for me to use?
He shakes his head. Too much to consider. Let us see what Novvi has when she arrives. Hopefully, it will be just what we need!
[ooc]Right! Anyone remember who makes the Loyalty check? :) Looks like Cedric or Boudra, bonus is +4.[ooc]
During the agonizingly slow wait to find out how many hostages they will be "gifted," Cedric continues to do his best to provide a stable foundation for their burgeoning settlement. Counseling, ministry, and just trying to always look like he knows what he's doing and has a plan, all go a long way toward giving others the confidence they need to believe, deep down, that there's hope for the future.
We can skip the steps for Maximum Notoriety and Treasury Shortfall.
Thanks to accumulated training points, the Militia Rank rises to 2. Your weekly militia actions increase by 1, and your focused check (Secrecy) bonus increases by 1.
The Skilled PC Boon is also earned, so each PC can immediately gain a bonus skill rank.
Since the new minimum treasury for the militia is 20gp, during the Deposits and Withdrawals step, someone may want to deposit 10gp to avoid the shortfall penalty during the next turn.
As an alternative, you can also Guarantee an Event by paying 20gp and gaining 1d6 Notoriety. I would then roll for 2 possible events, and you can choose which one occurs. As you can imagine, there are both positive and negative events that could result.
To Drill the Militia, pay 20gp (the minimum treasury value) and make a DC 12 Loyalty check.
On a success, the militia gains Training Points equal to 2d6+3
Boudra spends some of her time in the intervening week carefully cultivating the few herbs that she's managed to find and plant near Hidden Hope, walking through the forest almost silently on bare feet. As she walks, she carefully recites some of the stories of Immonhiel's miracles that she learned from her teacher in her mind, trying to keep her recollection sharp.
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Drill Militia:
Gather Information:
Recruit Team: Patrons
Event Phase
Practice makes perfect! As the residents of Hidden Hope continue to transform themselves into its defenders, they make phenomenal progress. Rather than the fearful rabble that the Ironfangs believe they are hunting, the survivors of Phaendar are quickly becoming an efficient militia.
Your scout informants report seeing a lone centaur traveling the forest. They suggest that he could be a source of information, if not aid.
Meanwhile, since less time needs to be devoted to building shelter and securing as much food, several of the refugees have been able to practice their trades again. Annis the Fletcher has begun producing arrows using the crude tools left over by the troglodytes. Kinning has taken to the restored forge to repair or salvage ancient tools into something usable. Oreld mixes some basic tinctures and remedies from the many molds, fungi, and plants in the cavern refuge. Others now produce baskets, pots, and even pitchers of milk from your livestock.
It is hardly a thriving economy, but at least these are items that Novvi might buy for a bit of gold.
Boudra spends a fair amount of time with Oreld, swapping recipes and cultivating herbs together. The peaceful work makes her happy.
When she learns of the centaur, though, it seems like too good an opportunity to pass up. She goes directly to Cedric and Thorek. Have you both heard about this horse-man wandering through the forest? He could know things. He could help! We should try to find him.
I agree, such a person could make for a great ally, says Cedric in stilted, deliberate sign language. His tongue pokes through the corner of his mouth as he concentrates on getting the gestures right. He or she is probably as threatened by the Ironfangs as we are, and might be on good terms with the Rangers, too. I definitely think it's an avenue worth pursuing.
"There are centaur bands in the Chernasado region? I've never seen any, but invasion causes great disruption." Thorek grabs his bugout bag and waits by the door for the rest of the group to be ready.
Boudra smiles at Cedric's sign language. Keep it up! You're doing great. She just nods to Thorek and gets her cloak, ready to head out and try to track down this centaur.
Cyrioul encourages the others to go on without him. I'll continue with some research, friends. Best of luck with finding our new ally! In the meantime, remind me what items I can begin making preparation around for you. I want to help get everything in place as soon as possible while we have these resources available.
Aubrin takes a break from overseeing the militia's arms practice to speak with you. She leaves the half dozen refugees currently drilling to continue their sparring, swinging improvised weapons made from downed, heavy branches.
"Centaurs, you say?" she asks curiously. "I have heard of a couple that travel the Nesmian Plain. There aren't any full tribes, but a few loners and at least one small group are known to wander Nirmathas. While they enjoy the comparatively wild and ungoverned land, I think the constant threat of war pushes them away.
"If you do find a centaur or two, hopefully they'll be keen to trade. They have some potent beverages, and some spirits could certainly raise our spirits," she says with an eager, wry smile.
Of course, tracking down a single centaur in even this one corner of the Fangwood poses a daunting challenge. It will take a bit of both tracking skill and luck to cross paths with him.
"Surely, between Boudra and Thorek, we can track a centaur," Bree says, glad that she isn't the tracker. "In the meantime, what have we decided to do with that forward camp?"
"I think we should wait for them to show up with the sacrifices. Namely I don't want them to show up while we're out adventuring. I think I'm the only one who can pull off this charade."