Vengeance of the Downtrodden (Inactive)

Game Master DM Mooshybooshy, "the Foolish"

"Goblin, I should be able to request at least one recruit for myself. I believe one of those tieflings will be better suited with me...her, there." Greas points out a female tiefling, with a more slight build than the others. The same one that had caught his eye earlier when looking for stealthier individuals in the recruits. "From what Oadir said, they don't have the correct build for Thunk's brand of action, and they show promise in my field. As I understand it, they have at least some knowledge of Headquarters as well, which ought to be of at least some aid on arrival. Everything counts."

"Ah! You have the right of it, of course of course. We should maintain unity, so take all 3 Tieflings. We don't want them to get uncomfortable surrounded by orcs. Greas and 3 Tieflings shall be "Squad Spider" and will assassinate high value targets of opportunity."

He updates the list of chalk:
Greas, 3 Tieflings -- Squad Spider
Smoog, 5 Strix --Squad Phoenix Hawk
Thunk, 5 Orcs -- Squad Vindicator
Retzack, 12 goblins, 13 kobolds -- Squad Warhammer
Oadir, Half-Giant, 3 Trolls, the Duergar, 10 kobolds -- Squad Atlas.

"Just the one I requested will be enough, Retzack. The others don't show the same promise, and since I will be infiltrating Headquarters in order to do my work, it is better to keep numbers as low as possible. Taking on extra bodies without the correct set of talents will only hurt the chances of success."

"I doubt unity is a great issue anyway in this case. Just so long as they get fair and equal treatment, I suspect they should be fairly well adjusted to whoever they end up with."

"Oadir, do you have anything to say on the matter?"

Yes, I will take the bulky tieflings, you take the sneak. She should serve you well in any assassination or covert operations. As for dividing by race, I'm wholeheartedly against that. It's easier to speak in terms of race when describing any specific person of the 50 odd people added to our ranks for the moment, but I aim to address every single one of them by name as soon as possible, and I suggest you do the same. The strength of this group is in its inclusive nature. I don't know how racist any of you aim to be, but I think mixed groups are good where they are possible.

I only asked for the Trolls because I know they should last a while out there, given their regenerative capabilities, as for the Duergar, he was the first to go against me and he was about to incite a riot, so I'm trying to get on his good side as I think he may be a valuable asset as such. All I'm saying is he has a way with the people. As for the Orcs, I'd gladly take them along. Kobolds are free to join my ranks or yours whichever way they please.

After spending a few days wandering in a daze of religious fervor Thunk comes to and finds himself somewhere completely different and new.

He looks to Greas

What we do now?

"We're about to head out with the recruits. Stay with Oadir, keep your group alive and spirits high, and thump anything that wants to thump you. Free any slaves, and get them to join our cause. We will make Estr ours."

I've updated the campaign info tab with the recruits breakdown.

By now, everyone inside is soaked through their clothes to their scales or skin beneath. Lightning strikes a few times in the main dining hall, sending slaves running for cover, and there's already water coming up to your ankles that you have to slosh through to get anywhere. On the stairs leading upward is a waterfall from the rainstorm that is also taking place on the second floor.

Smoog, one of the Strix that you address reaches out and clasps your arm in one hand.

"What is this sorcery?" he demands, in a high-pitched voice that is almost flute-like in its quality. He has to shout to make himself heard over the rain. "Before we go anywhere we need to know you aren't leading us into certain death! There's powerful magic at work here; do you understand it?" (The 9 result on your parley means the Strix needs some assurance of your competence before they will willingly follow your orders. If you don't provide this, they will still follow you, but take a -1 whenever you're ordering them to do something.)

After you respond, in whichever way you see fit, you order the goblins and the kobolds that were hiding in the kitchen to begin gathering up food supplies. At first they bombard you with questions too, but they're easier to browbeat into submission than the Strix are.

With his hands on his hips and a short-tempered burst of blunt curtness, Smoog dresses down the down-headed twitter-fiend...
"I understand enough to know that being above the clouds will be safer than in this lightening-laced squall.
I should think birds would know that already and be thankful for the chance to soar above once again.
If you need further assurance, I hold here a key to one of the Sky-Ships.
See the engravings?
The wings should be sign enough that my path leads where I say!
Hurry now; before I change my mind and pick a more amenable crew."
-
With their major concerns addressed, Smoog continues thru the kitchen to the exit.
"Spoon; Ordo; Do you or any of these other fellows here know the sewers-way to the Sky-Ship lots to the north?
Lead us there quickly, please."

Lead the Flock: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 1) = 7 unite and fight for us

We not lead you to death. You help bring death to them! Join us to bring glory of Red "nard to all! No slave no more. Red 'Nard make me strong. Red 'Nard make you strong too! Fight with us!

Thunk spreads his arms wide and shows his rippling muscles and massive club, he cuts an impressive figure, spouting the glories of Tanard.

figured this makes more sense than just an aid

Still only taking the one tiefling that was pointed out earlier.

"It is too dangerous to stay in here any longer. This area is filling with water, and lightning is beginning to come down. We need to move. Now."

------

Greas treads through the water towards the tiefling meant to be his partner in this mission. She's currently in the kitchen, looking through the knives. She doesn't startle when he appears by her side, which is a good sign. She stops for a moment, and turns to look at him. "You here to tell me we're going out to fight? I think I got the message between the rain inside and the red guy."

"If that was it, I'd leave it to Thunk." Greas takes a look over the knives remaining in the kitchen, and picks one out. It's well balanced - it would be a pretty poor kitchen tool if it wasn't. "Here. That should suit our needs nicely." He holds out the knife to her.

She takes the knife, but she's giving him a deadpan look. "Our? You aren't going to give me that schpiel you gave to those three earlier, are you? Because I assure you, I don't need smooth-talking to want to help, thanks. Not sure why you picked them anyway, that lot got caught up in trying to pry open the wine cellar and forgot everything."

Greas sighs. "It appears almost everyone did. But that's not the matter at hand. What's your name?"

She quirks her brow. "Ariza. Why's it important?"

"Proper communication with your partner is essential when you're on a mission. We might have another stop on the way relating to the weather, but you and I are going to Headquarters to assassinate Hemmerschmidt."

Ariza blinks. And then grins. "Just Hemmerschmidt? Because I have a couple of names I'd like to add to the list."

Unless they're stopped, both of them start to make their way towards Headquarters. If the light Greas saw earlier seems to be coming from a separate location, then that's where they head first.

It's fine if it's just a couple of unimportant people that made things hard for her, but I assume Ariza would tell Greas if there was anyone else worth dealing with that she knew of, and fill him in on any useful information.

Sees heads up the narrow stairs to the bell tower, trying to find Tanard. The torrent of water down the stairs feels good. She has to take her time, but with the handrails, it's just a matter of patience.
Should I DD(CON)?

As far as her plans, which are still being remade, she figures her best bet is to head for whoever is making it rain. She'll let the boys decide what they're doing and make corrections when its time to leave. They'll remember what happened the last time someone wanted to revise her orders.

Maybe the rainmaker has charms. That would make her feel useful. So would blasting him into a fine mist with her horn. Her claws still itch from before. As she approaches the top, Sees calls out for Tanard.

Retzack nods at Greas' parting form. "Agreed. The time to plan has passed. We must needs now act. Even if what we are doing is wrong, any action is now better than now action. Methinks 'tis only a matter of time until yon Rainmaker drowns us in thinks more violent than water."

He splashes over to the eating area and gathers up the goblins and kobolds. He counts off 10 kobolds at bids them to go to Oadir.

The rest he gathers about him, noticing that the goblins have gathered themselves on one side, and the kobolds on another. Looking at the goblins, he places his a fist over his heart and again says "Werze."
The goblins raise fists and, knowing what the gesture meant, repeat it. Twelve throats sayeth, "Werze."

Still holding fist on heart, Retzack turns to the Kobolds and says, in their own language, "Et Takardem" The kobolds need known to sell them on this point, and they mirror that statement. "Et Takardem"

"We will count off in pairs--one goblin to one kobold. This will represent our unity in purpose. There is but one distinction: Us, and the Humans. Let none say otherwise."

The demihumans reluctantly pair off. A few look on the boarder of rebellion, but the Crocolcih paddling in the water and the look of RedTooth's arm quell any poison tongues before they wag.

That left on kobold alone. "You there," said the Necromancer. "By what are you called?"

"Me...Me am...Me am Runs-Like-Coward." The kobold took a great interest in his wet feet.

"No, that is not a name fitting one who holds such an august position in this army! No name like that should be given to...our flag bearer!" Runs looks up in interest, and, at a gesture, Bart went over to a thick oaken eating table and smashed his undead fist through a board, returning with a stout plank five feet in length.
Lily grabs at her dress and tears it away with a strong but clumsy effort, revealing all of her long, milky, still-smooth legs. She holds up the wide swatch thus liberated.

"Ah, but white is no color for a conquering army that shall never know defeat!"
Bart and Lily bite into their wrists, and bright red blood spills out onto the cloth. They each mark a large 'X' to a side before their blood flow seals of its own accord. Bart fixes the flag to a few protruding nails of the stout board.
"There! Now they shall know us! If any among you feel like running, you run to where this noble flag flies! There you shall find me, and our brave standard bearer, and then your strength shall revive you!"
Bart hands the flag to the kobold. "And henceforth let all call you 'Brave Standard'! For that is as you shall be!

Now, we must needs have weapons for our culling of the humans. Since they have provided the material, let us harvest it from them!"

Bart's fists again attack the table, smashing the oaken boards into planks a few feet long. Each of these make-shift clubs are lifted by goblin and kobold hands, and brandished proudly as though they were fine Aquilonian steel.

"Yes. YES! Now for Wrath! Now for Ruin! Let us muster at the gate and await the sign of our Revenge!"

Retzack gathers his force at the front door, pausing for sign that the other Squads are on the ready line.

Smoog: the Strix peers at your key curiously, but you snatch it away before he's done studying it, in a show of dominance. You stare at each other a moment tensely, then Thunk approaches, the barbarian sloshing through the rising water levels and kicking aside floating chairs as he comes. "FIGHT FOR THE GLORY OF THE RED 'NARD!" he shouts at them, jumping up on a table. His retinue, the freed Orc slaves - AKA Squad Vindicator - join his shouting with roars of approval of their own. The Strix shrink back at the naked display of force. Though their species is known for their guile, only a fool would fail to see the leadership of the red kobold and his religious fervor. The skeptic Strix, and the other Strix nod in affirmation. You hear Tanard's distant roaring above the Temple and over the sound of the thunder as you move out toward the kitchen entrance to the tunnels. Soup-Spoon shakes his head helplessly, but Ordo the goblin answers your query with an evil grin. "Yeah, I've been down there a few times," he says, nodding eagerly. "Follow me."

With that, Squad Phoenix Hawk is off through the Sewers. Give me a Wisdom roll to help scout the path - or let the Strix handle scouting while Ordo trailblazes, and let me decide how the subterranean journey progresses.

Greas, Ariza quickly proves herself to be a worthwhile source for a hit list. As she follows you out of the kitchen, newly armed, two of the kobolds from Retzack's group sneak away and join you. "We overheard you speaking of assassination," one of them starts, "and we knew that we'd be best put to use with you," the other one finishes, in a voice that sounds eerily like the first one. If you had your eyes closed you might have thought you were being addressed by a single speaker.

"Shrike," "and Pike," they continue, introducing themselves one after the other. As one, they smile at you. Neither kobold has any teeth; they appear to have been torn out, replaced by crude metallic imitations that have been pounded into their jaws by a hammer and nails.

Ariza gives you the following names:

Umlaut, Hemmerschmidt's personal chef, wanted for extraordinary acts of cruelty to the slaves
"Princess" Joanna, Hemmerschmidt's daughter, not actually a princess. She wasn't particularly cruel but she held all sorts of precious jewelry all over herself and her vain attitude was quite annoying.
Trelawney, the mountain lion - has a taste for Tiefling flesh that has been nurtured by Hemmerschmidt's personal wild animal tamer, Minerva the elf.

No Defy Danger roll needed, Sees, though the water pounds against you frightfully at some places on the stairs. Luckily the handrail is solid. You have to shout loudly to make yourself heard over the storm, but as a bard, you have a solid set of pipes, and Draconic hearing is acute. In moments, Tanard rejoins you, flying in through the window. Landing on your shoulder, she gestures out into the rain with a wing - and you see the same green flash of light coming from HQ that Greas saw earlier.

Oadir and Retzack lead the largest squads, both in numbers and in raw size. Gathering together in the flooded banquet hall, with benches and chairs beginning to float off the floor around them, Retzack addresses the crowd. Thunk stands nearby, and his presence adds a religious authority to the goblin's unifying attempts at leadership. The squads have been fed, they have been organized...and now, they have been rallied. Looking around at their faces, you can see that while some may have lingering doubts, none of them are lacking in resolve.

With difficulty, you manage to open the doors that Smoog had sealed off earlier to ward off attackers. Estr lies before you, and the storm has spread to the immediate area. Rainwater blocks visibility beyond a few blocks. What do you do?

Thunk waves his squad forward taking the vanguard position as he goes Thunk calls on Tanard

Red 'Nard give strength to thump!

2d6 + 1 ⇒ (3, 1) + 1 = 5

Uh oh. No blessings for thunk

Smoog tries to lend a little advice gleaned from his days tunneling thru Moontower Mountain.
Ordo nods in agreement and scurries on ahead to look for the next landmark...
Tunneling Wisdom...: 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (4, 5) + 1 = 10

"Hmm. Well then. Shrike. Pike. Let's see to it that you are properly equipped." A brief moment is taken to acquire more knives for them, if they don't have an effective weapon already. These kills needed to be clean. They couldn't waste time here.

Everyone armed, the four set out through the doors. The tunnels would be preferred normally, but there was no way of knowing the impact the rain would have had. Additionally, the light couldn't be seen underground. The rain would be a problem when getting about, but it would help hide them, given the amount coming down. It would do.

The group heads for Headquarters, and the strange light.

Untyped Travel DD: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 5) = 10

--------------

Along the way, Ariza starts to speak up a bit. "This damn rain...I'm soaked through! I want to pay a visit to whoever's doing this."
Behind her come two nearly indistinguishable voices. "That's part of what we came to do," "so you don't need to worry about that."

"Is it physically possible for you two to complete your own sentences? Am I going to be split off with Pike and only get the last half of a sentence?"
The pair look at each other briefly, and for a moment you could swear you see them smile in the rain. "What she means, do you not know?" "I do not know, what does she mean?" "Does she think this is an act?" "An act, she thinks this."

Ariza is about to reply, but Greas has had enough by this point. "You three! Knock it off. You'll draw attention. Keep moving, and lower your voices."
There are a few other such incidents, but nothing that would cause a problem.

When you introduce them like that, of course I'll make them speak like Zorn and Thorn, even if it's just to annoy someone else. Doesn't matter if you know who they are, or if this continues, this is just for my own amusement.

So, Thunk, are we going together or each our own way? I feel there is merit in both, but I can't yet facor in your newfound abilities. As for Tanard, is she coming with or staying here? Whenever we're ready I'm moving as many people as I can out of here, we're going for a wild ride. Oadir states as he eagerly looks around at the troops, his troops. He instantly doesn't mind not going with Greas, he would've gotten in the way there and he was needed here. Hell, he was nearly in charge here. Oadir turns to the Duergar: What's your name, friend? And what will be your favoured means of killing the rotten bastards?

Retzack stands with his small warband, drinking in the sights and the conquest to come. He takes breath and is about to give word to move out--
"Master, may I have a word?"
"Eh? Ah! Eats-Bugs, my dear boy. Well, I'm in a bit of a hurry--"
"I assure you, lord, 'tis of greatest importance. May I see your Book?"
"Eh? What? No, you may not see -thee- book, for it is well sequestered, but I have another that I am using to fill with new names."
Retzack takes from his inside pocket another book filled with white, unblemished paper. The cover bears the script "Eternal Memories Service" inscribed on it.
Eats-Bugs opens it to the first page, scribes his name on it, and hands it back.
"You may kill me now, master."
"I shall do no such thing boy! I shall do something greater. You may take thy place there, next to Brave Standard, and win glory in battle!"
"Very well. But...if I survive...will you grant me a boon?"
"Yes, yes, dear boy. If it is within my power I shall grant it. Now toe the line and prepare for STEEL!"

OAdir, im waiting to see the result of my failed roll

I'm waiting to see what manner of un-failing that roll I can write.

And I'm waiting on Oadir who is waiting on Thunk who is waiting on Sees who is waiting in a hole in a log at the bottom of the sea.... =p

I'm just waiting on Mooshy. Seems like the obvious one to wait for here.

-and the cheese stands alone.

Haha, sorry for making you all wait!

Thunk leads his squad of orcs out of the Time Temple and into the driving rain. In his exuberance, he had opened his mouth too wide when he shouted his divine exultation up at the rain. An unexpected gust of wind causes water to flood the barbarian's mouth, and he cough-cough-coughs uncontrollably for a few moments, completely ruining the effect.

When Oadir and Thunk finish speaking, the duergar tugs on Oadir's sleeve. He's carrying a large one-handed mallet that is ordinarily used to tap casks of ale, and he slaps the head against one palm. "I'm Dhorim. I know a little bit of magic that all duergar learn at their mother's knee - lets me enlarge my body size in battle. Just stay out of me way when I've activated the spell and I'll crack some skulls for ye."

The duergar finishes talking and lapses back into his surly silence, glancing over at Eats-Bugs and Retzack with a look of obvious distaste.

...What's going on in assassin land?

Thunk looks at Oadir. Time to thump! Lets go.

He pauses and listens to the durgar Thump! Good. Big thump better! He says with approval

Linking up with Oadir here and ready to rock

Oh crud, I was finishing my draft up in another document and forgot to post it here. My bad. I was focused on resolving the in-character RP that was waiting on me to resolve.

Meanwhile, in the sewers below, Smoog takes the lead with scouting. In the subterranean labyrinth you narrowly avoid a gang of slave-catcher humans who are hunting slaves that escaped to rally to Tanard's cause, but the goblin leads you true. He's a wily one, and there are some passages that even you might miss as he provides his services as guide through the sewers.

In all, the journey takes 3 hours, consuming no rations. There were some doublebacks and unexpectedly locked doors, but they didn't hinder you for long. Ordo points upward, at a ladder set into the walls of the sewers leading to a manhole cover overhead. Further down the tunnel, your path ends in a wall. "Right over there's the northern wall of Estr," the goblin mutters to you, Smoog.

Greas demonstrates the stealthy nature of kobolds as he leads his troops through the human-ruled city. Much has been written of the abilities of halflings to go unnoticed - but it has been recorded (many times, and gleefully by kobold historians) that halflings can be and have been snuck up on by kobolds. The heavy rainfall is a boon here, not a hindrance - visibility is reduced to about 2 blocks around of you, and lightning and thunder regularly shake the shutters of the buildings you pass.

"You stirred up,"

"quite a reaction when you took that Temple of theirs during a big wedding," the two kobolds following you whisper, Shrike in one ear and Pike finishing the other's sentence on the opposite side.

You peer off, down the street. There, on the very edge of your vision, is the looming, thick facade of Headquarters, where Hemmerschmidt has made his...headquarters.

Does the green light appear to be coming from Headquarters at this range?

The lighting crashes brightly and the thunder rumbles as a mighty wind blows powerfully on Retzack's cloak. He drinks in the power and energy of the storm like a thirsty Irishman in a pool of whiskey, uncaring of the droplets that pelt his keen-eyed frame.

He glances about him one last time, then both arms rise, one hand clenching his other wrist in the Sign of the Hammer. It is the sign that says "Many stand against us, but they will never win
We said we would return and here we are again!"

As his small army flows forward, they hear him mutter, "Wipe them out.

All of them."

Dhorim, you're to be my second in command, my Lieu. It sounds like you fight indiscriminately, losing your distinction between friend and foe in the heat of battle. I will instruct any and all I can to stay out of your way, but I'll drop in from time to time to steer you in the right direction. Oadir talks to his Lieutenant.

Everyone under Oadir, I am he! We will be raiding the town! Go in their homes and take EVERYTHING from them! Their food, their ale, their LIFE!

This is Dhorim, my second in command! If I can't be reached for whatever reason, you go where this man goes! He's your beacon! Trust me, you'll be able to find him! Oadir shouts, and repeats in every language he knows. being Common, Orcish and Draconic, iirc, Infernal is probably unnecessary, as most, if not all Tieflings know one of the other 3, it also hurts to shout in Infernal

He follows it up with a short brief in all languages as well: If any of you know a language I didn't use, please repeat this message to any who didn't understand me! Now pick up whatever you wish to arm yourself with and meet me outside, we have to meet this rain with blood!

[ it also hurts to shout in Infernal

I like little details like that.

Greas, it's difficult to tell with the storm. As you made your way through the city of Estr, the storm had lessened from how bad it was inside the Temple, but here near Headquarters the storm is back to frightfully heavy intensity. We're talking some crazy rain here, lightning striking all over the place. Guards, in their metallic armor, have already largely sought cover beneath rooftops and overhangs.

Ariza tugs on your sleeve to get your attention and points. "There, an entrance point!" she points out, gesturing up at a tall apartment building next door to HQ. There's a fancy-looking balcony on the highest floor that you could conceivably use to get onto HQ's roof.

"There's a rear entrance around back, we know," Shrike pipes up. Ariza looks over at Pike, who sticks out his tongue at her.

Oadir, Dhorim just stares up at you with an expression that might be called amazement as you offer him his field promotion. At last, he accepts, his dour face nodding with a serious enthusiasm.

As for how your troops fare in the raids, Dhorim the duergar rapidly proves ineffective at guiding the orcs. The two races had an ancient animosity as both races of subterranean environs. Still, you can tell the dark dwarf isn't daunted, probably used to having to brute force his way into respect.

The tiefling commander's orders are simple and easy to follow. Cheering and roaring, without any order beyond "Hey that house looks lootable," the troops begin to spread out into Estr and cause some property damage. Since the ring of buildings closest to the Time Temple had already been evacuated by the town guard when the Temple was taken, they're first to fall, and easy pickings. You find rations aplenty, and lots of valuables from the houses. What do you do during this destruction, specifically? Do you stay near Dhorim?

And what of Retzack's Squad, Warhammer? Do you loot the easy prey buildings that are largely abandoned nearest to the Time Temple or go elsewhere? If not told to go elsewhere, many of your troops will start to move off in the direction of the abandoned business buildings.

Smoog looks around at the end of the tunnel and at the stout iron ladders.
"I presume these will deposit us just inside the walls.
I hope there is a gate or portal up there that will allow our escape to the Air Docks?"
-
Once on the surface, the tiny group of would-be Sky Sailors moves quickly and quietly towards the
Air Ships docked along the low, wooden walkways that radiate out from the north wall of the city.
Ropes creak against the buoyant bobbing of the behemoth boats.
Smoog is surprised to see so many hulls awaiting repair and upkeep.
Apparently ESTR had let most of its fleet languish in disrepair and only recently had the shipwrights and longshoremen begun renovating the aging fleet.
-
This seems odd to the blue tinkerer so he takes a moment to scrutinize the scene...
-
Discern Reality with Logic: 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (1, 3) + 3 = 7
What should I be on the lookout for?
-
Once the situation is more clear to him, Smoog sizes up a sleek pair of schooners docked near each other and points up to them while leading his squad forward.
-
"Birdmen, you take that one and the rest of us will pilot this one.
Our first effort will be to damage the rest of the fleet so we are the only force airborne.
Tear at the sails and wreck the rudders; that should ground most of the airworthy ones."

Yeah, I'm sticking to the vicinity of Dhorim until I trust everything to be alright there. I would instruct some of the troops to return some of our findings to the temple, but that place is way too much of a mess to store anything. So instead I would like to find another good storung place. Wondering whether this is an intelligence or wisdom thing, I'll roll blank and you decide which to add.
Find a warehouse: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7

That's a great idea, Oadir. Imma totes do that. =)

As Squad Warhammer moves out, Retzack is surprised, if not disappointed, to find no immediate resistance. Still, one does not go looking for trouble if it's not quick in the offering.

As the abandonment becomes clear, Retzack quickly gathers his small band in a nearby schoolhouse. It's an old building, and though the facade shows signs of years of rough treatment and spilled fluids, the stout brick that peaks out through holes in the whitewash holds a strength that one can count on.

"Alright, we are here to kill and loot. Since we have nothing to kill, we can begin to loot!

Vae Victus!"

Thunk and his squad stick near Oadir

Smoog's squad climbs up the ladder after their blue-scaled leader and they all emerge from the manhole cover in the street together. It appears that a wagon has been parked overhead, providing you with the cover you need to emerge undetected. A good thing too - here in this district there is still lots of activity from townsfolk that are far enough away from the action to feel safe. You hear the crowd's talking to one another in every direction, and you have to move cautiously to avoid being detected.

There's a small gate built into the city wall that leads to the docks - and you can see through the open doors to the shipyard beyond. But you immediately spot a problem - the gate is guarded by two humans wearing fullplate and carrying halberds. They appear to be relaxed and members of the community, chatting with passersby and leaning casually on their weapons, but it would be impossible to get past the gate undetected while they are there.

Your team is assembled, crouched low, beneath the parked wagon. One of the Strix lowers the manhole cover back on, but to get his fingers free in time he has to let it go at the last second, causing a loud clang and everyone else in the squad to wince immediately...

Back on the other side of town, near the Time Temple, Thunk's squad of Orcs begin to tear the actual buildings apart. Where there are wooden overhangs, they rip them out of the ground. Where there are buildings ready to fall over, the Orcs heft heavy weapons - the heaviest they could scavenge - and swing them repeatedly to knock them down. When there is wreckage aplenty to work with, the orcs begin to spread it out, erecting crude barriers made of debris across what roads lead to the Time Temple...

Oadir, since neither Int nor Wisdom would modify your roll, I'll just call it a partial success. You find a large building that can be used to put your newly-looted possessions inside safely - but there's something very wrong or unsafe about the building. What is it?

At Retzack's urging, Squad Warhammer spreads out and begins looting more methodically than the wild looting of the other two squads. They focus more on arms and armament, however there's not much to be found inside a schoolhouse. That is, until one of the freed Kobolds in Retzack's crew shouts that they found something.

The schoolhouse had a small, primitive gym, with school football uniforms still inside! The old shoulder armor is too large for any of the goblins or kobolds in your squad to actually equip, but there are some smaller football helmets designed for practice with young ones that make excellent head protection for your squad. In no time, Squad Warhammer's appearance resembles that of a college football team from a Kobold mountainside high school infested with goblin foreign exchange students.

From the tower, Sees plots out a route for a small force to press the rainmaker.
Discern Realities: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (5, 4) + 2 = 11
What should I be on the lookout for?
What here is useful or valuable to me?
What here is not what it appears to be?

Tanard in tow, Sees-Death makes her way through the spreading carnage, making a beeline for the green light and the magic-user who is intent on washing the streets clean. When she reaches the front line, she notices she's not alone. Tallest Silver slips out from the rubble of a building previously toppled by the deathclaw. She's carrying a familiar dagger. The pair of them are an odd sight, little tendrils of steam curling off of Sees' dress, and tiny flakes of frost sheeting off of Silver's black leathers.

"I've been afraid of you." the bard offers the admission, rather than explain her plan. Underestimating the yellowjacket now wouldn't suit either of them. "It's almost funny now. You really seem to hate the burden of court. I'm sorry for anything I might have put you through over my own insecurities. I think the two of us could really work well together." She nods to where the light was.

"Bloody Bugbear Balls", Smoog whispers to those close by.
At the cacophonous sound, one of the guards cocks his head and looks in thru the gateway toward the city.
Smoog grabs the magic spoon from Spoon's apron pocket and sends a nearby barrel rolling down the street away from the vicinity of their hasty hide-away.
To draw their attention event further, he magically slaps the rear of a cart horse and pushes over a rotund housewife carrying a basket of sweetrolls on her head.
-
Hoping that had created enough of a distraction, Smoog watches the guards reactions and hands the magic spoon back to the slightly-perturbed kobold cook.
"Sorry about that, mate. Did not have time to warn you," Smoog whispers.
"If those guards need more urging to leave their post, 'spoon up' some more trouble with this thing like I just did."

do we see the green light as well?

Oadir, you find a large building that can be used to put your newly-looted possessions inside safely - but there's something very wrong or unsafe about the building. What is it?...

All the buildings have some form of flooding, with the torrential rain water is pouring into everywhere it can go. Not this place, whether or not the water is pouring in this house, Oadir can't tell, but for some reasons the house sits comfortably dry. Foods and drinks should stay dry in here, if it can keep this up.

Greas doesn't turn to address either kobold. He's watching the guards. "I would have preferred to have taken the temple less obviously normally, but circumstances dictated otherwise. My companions had already made their presence known, and there would have been missed opportunities had it we waited."

When the quibbling starts anew, he gestures for quiet, and calls attention. "We try the balcony first. Any ground level entrance is likely more closely watched. The guards will be looking for us more closely than normal, both due to the alert we created and to find an excuse to get into the building. Ground level entryways get the most attention anyway, generally. The rain may cause an issue, but the attention of the guards will cause more. Unless you have further intel that would mitigate the issues at hand?"

Greas looks about. Either they needed a means to reach rooftops, or a way past to that apartment. From either they could reach the balcony, but it's a matter of achieving it...
The assassin's eyes survey the area, taking cover not from the weather but from prying eyes. Guard movements, watch zones, pathways...there was a way up, under their noses. They would find it.

DR: 2d6 + 2 ⇒ (4, 5) + 2 = 11
What here is useful or valuable to me?
What is about to happen?
What here is not what it appears to be?

Retzack gleefully congratulates the ones that found such a rich trove of armors, and happily claps each trooper on the helm as he sees that all can wear something do so.

As every member clamps helm to head, Retzack starts to move out in earnest. He restricts their looting to the street they are on, methodically cleaning out the adjacent building, and working their way to the center.

As nice as looting the buildings of his former gaolers is, he knows that the primary mission of Squad Warhammer is to divert the attention of any formal resistance remaining. As they clear out one building after another, moving inexorably closer to the center of power, he keeps a watch for any attack.

Sees-Death, Tallest-Silver doesn't know quite how to react to your words. In kobold culture, the kobold with the superior rank almost NEVER admits weakness or fears to the lesser ranked kobolds beneath them. Still, Tallest offers you a small smile at your mention of cooperation, and nods. At first you think she's not going to say anything, but she finally musters up the will, and says "Thank you, Sees-Death," in a small voice. Her dagger is clutched in one hand, belying her relaxed attitude, but the smile seems genuine.

What should I be on the lookout for?

You are the last to leave the Time Temple, and the rain inside is only intensifying with time. It appears that whomever this rainmaker is, he's intent on completely flooding out the Time Temple. You should beware when returning back to your safe haven, as it may turn out to be less safe when you return.

What here is useful or valuable to me?

Since you, Tanard and Tallest don't have a squad of angry freedmen with you, and you aren't as stealthy as a group of Strix, you must take extra care when moving through the city streets. Luckily, you and Tallest are able to conceal yourselves with some rags you take off of a washed-up beggar's corpse that you find in an alleyway. They are damp and smell musty, but they completely conceal your identities and allow you to pass through Estr unremarked - as long as you don't try to interact with anyone.

What here is not what it appears to be?

As you get closer to the Headquarters building, Tanard points out something strange to you. Now that you're closer, you can faintly see that the stormclouds' origin point is NOT actually at the green flashing light, but rather at the very top of HQ's central tower in the center of the facility. You get a very ominous feeling - the green light, which formerly was an indicator of your enemy's position, now feels more like the bait to a trap. Like an angler fish attracting its prey.

Not far from their position, Smoog and the others in his squad are hunkering down beneath a wagon. Smoog's quick thinking and telekinesis are enough to keep the guards distracted and within moments, between the woman falling over and knocking over other people nearby and the cart-horse being startled into bolting, the scene is chaos. If you were careful and quick, you think you could get past the gates now, as long as you're willing to take the risk...

Your teammates shake their heads in the negative at your question for more intel, Greas. You'll have to figure this out yourself.

What here is useful or valuable to me?

Greas, you find the entryway to the apartment building that has the balcony on the top floor. The door is unlocked, but you would need to leave the shadows and cross the street to get to it. Luckily, there are baskets nearby, filled with fruit, that are small enough for your crew - even the gangly Strix - to fit into, if needed.

What is about to happen?

You notice a third possibility for entry. About a block away from your current position, headed toward HQ, is a food truck pushed by two human servants. The food truck reads "McCarthy's FINE CATERING" on the side, and the truck is large and overladen enough that the servants pushing it can barely see where they're going. They're about to head up to the main HQ gate and enter inside, presumably for lunch.

What here is not what it appears to be?

You get the same bad feeling about the green light that I described to Sees-Death.

Retzack, by the time your crew of goblins and kobolds is through, they've cleared out 5 buildings' worth of loot. The former inhabitants took much of what they could carry when they evacuated, but heavier goods - treasure chests, armoires, looms - were left behind for the taking. With the orc squad under Thunk's command assisting you, you now have taken control of a city block's worth of buildings, alongside the Warehouse that Oadir uncovered.

"Go. Now. We may not get another chance."
-
Smoog readies Steamer for a little bit of covering fog and puffs out a low wispy blanket behind them as he clears the doorway passed the guards.
-
They hug the edges of the docks for cover and head out into the massive vessel-strewn boatyard...

The tiny group of would-be Sky Sailors moves quickly and quietly towards the

Air Ships docked along the low, wooden walkways that radiate out from the north wall of the city.
Ropes creak against the buoyant bobbing of the behemoth boats.
Smoog is surprised to see so many hulls awaiting repair and upkeep.
Apparently ESTR had let most of its fleet languish in disrepair and only recently had the shipwrights and longshoremen begun renovating the aging fleet.
-
This seems odd to the blue tinkerer so he takes a moment to scrutinize the scene...
-
[dice=Discern Reality with Logic]2d6 + 3
What should I be on the lookout for?
-
Once the situation is more clear to him, Smoog sizes up a sleek pair of schooners docked near each other and points up to them while leading his squad forward.
-
"Birdmen, you take that one and the rest of us will pilot this one.
Our first effort will be to damage the rest of the fleet so we are the only force airborne.
Tear at the sails and wreck the rudders; that should ground most of the airworthy ones."

-

Dm you missed my question. Did we see that light as well?

Smoog, you should be on the lookout for repair crews. The burly workers - humans, mostly, some dwarves - are hefting lumber planks into place over small holes dotted along the hulls of some of the ships. There are jagged holes torn in small rows at different places on the airships and throughout the riggings. Also, some of the hulls are blackened as if they were struck by fire.

Thunk, if you're up on a rooftop and staring at HQ you might see it, but do you have a reason to go up on the roof and stare at HQ? The orcs under your command wouldn't notice it, they're busy creating fortifications.

Sorry for not including those in the previous post, I was trying to finish what I was writing for the campaign before I had to leave for the day.

"Tch. Appears we made the right decision. Our rain-maker is here. With luck, the rest will avoid the light. We need to get to the top of Headquarters more than first thought." As to getting in...hmm. This could be work. Greas directs the group toward the apartment door, using the baskets to hide as necessary. Along the way, the kobold grabs a piece of fruit, and scratches the heat rune into it.

Sneaking in via the food truck may well have worked, but it was liable to leave them in an inconvenient location. Plus, they'd still have food. Get rid of that food, and it's bound to distract them as hunger rises, and tension with it. Along their path, when the distraction is needed, Greas throws the runed fruit toward the food truck, remembering what happened when he and Hegh had first determined the activation words. Time this right, and even if the rain smothers it quickly, the sudden pyrotechnic display should be very distracting. With any luck, the fireball would ruin a large chunk of the food, too.

"Klaatu, Barata...Nikto."
It wasn't blasting powder, but with this much power in the rune, it didn't need to be. As the fruit goes off, the group slips into the apartment.

DD INT: 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (6, 6) + 1 = 13

Retzack looks about gleefully upon seeing that they have started on such a good foot-hold into the city. He calls a halt to the work and gathers every around.
"Excellent! Excellent! Good work, everyone. Gather 'round and take a knee.
Now, we've got a good start here, but I can't help but think we might still face an attack in some force.
Since we now have something worth defending, it's time we were able to defend it.

Eats-Bugs, go and run and find Oadir or Thunk. Let them know that we're pausing in the advance to fortify our position, but we'll press on again shortly."