Voren and Danua are a hundred feet nearly vertically above the river plain. A weight, such as plentiful loose rock, can carry a written message down to your army below; or a shot arrow or crossbow bolt as well.
[npc]
After spotting the avalanche trap, Danua and Voren retreated back around the bend.
Voren jotted down a note reporting what they found, then Danua wrapped it around an arrow and shot it down next to your army command tent.
Stepping into the Command tent, a guard announced "Message for you sir!" and held out the arrow with the note to you.
How the river cut into the bank...
You realize that the drop off to your right had an overhang where the river once undercut it. You and Danua could possibly climb under it and move north, using it to conceal your movement and get to point blank distance from the squad guarding the trap; or at least get north of them and approach more comfortably from a very unexpected direction.
Voren looks over the riverbed again. That's when he's hit by inspiration. He turns to Danua. "Danua! Over there! The drop off on our right. It had an overhang where the river had undercut it long ago. We could climb under it and then move north, using it to conceal our movement. We could get to point blank distance from the squad guarding the trap. Or we could try and get north of them and approach them that way. It would be more comfortable and they won't expect it!"
Karthak patiently waits for Arthas' decision...
After consulting with the command team, Sir Aron quickly sketches out a plan for Arthas.
"To sum up sir; While holding our main body back out of sight, we send out a small squad of paladins into the middle of the floodplain in front of the old town. They are all polished, white cloaked, pennons flying, glowing with light spells, make them gem encrusted if we can.
"Then have them stop and mill about in a disorganized, militarily ineffectual manner. Like helpless puppies as much as they are able.
"Then we shout the challenge out to the demons themselves! We use magic to enhance the sound if we have it, we use the Abyssal language, and we stir them up as hard as we can!
"If done right, the demons'll go berserk, break their handlers leash and charge out at the bait. Even odds the Tieflings charge out after 'em. Then the main body of OUR army charges and we have them! Either one at a time or all together, they'll be on cavalry ground this time!
"What do you think sir?" He asked anxiously.
Jokum frowns. "Fighting on our ground is certainly not a bad idea," he murmurs to Arthas. "I wish we knew what was going on up on the canyon's edge, though. 'Twould be best to be able to send some soldiers up that way."
Danua and I are scouting on an old roadway up on top of the canyon. The road eventually turns north along the riverbed. From our concealed position, we can see that the read is clear for about a hundred yards. However, there is wall from an old building over where one of the enemy companies is positioned. There is a mound of rubble, loose rock, shale, and old logs piled up behind the wall. A simple tug of a rope would make the wall collapse and bring all of it down into the riverbed. It would block the north pass and crush anyone who's below it. There are about a dozen tiefling cultists manning it. They are watching you on the plain below. Be careful.
- Voren
Arthas summons the Ranger Jokum to him in confidence.
"Jokum, Karthak, go out with a couple scouts and figure out where Voren and Danua are. If it was nothing they would have returned by now. Something is wrong---"
One of Arthas's guards presents him with the message arrow, "Message for you."
Arthas takes it and reads it.
"Karthak, here, read this."
He hands the dwarf the note.
Jokum is too polite to read over his general's shoulder--but Karthak is another matter. He stoops over the dwarf to read the message, then straightens up.
"A trap," he growls. "But perhaps one we could turn on the cultist, if we brought it under our control? I imagine that a small force--we ourselves, for example--can dispatch a dozen worthless tieflings." He chuckles darkly.
With Aravashnial's liberal use of the Message spell, it is a simple task to discuss plans and intentions between the command tent and the scouts (Voren and Danua) up on the cliffside.
"I can take three or four tief--cultists," Jokum says. "Shall we join you up there and secure the trap?"
Voren listens to Jokum's suggestion. He says, "Well, I just remembered something after sending the note. There's a drop off on the right of our current position. It had an overhang where the river had undercut it long ago. The two of us could climb under it and then move north, using it to conceal our movement. We could then get to point blank distance from the squad guarding the trap. Or we could try another plan and get north of them and approach them that way. It would be more comfortable for us and take them by surprise."
"If we can sneak up on them, so much the better," Jokum rumbles. "We'll most likely see victory, then!"
Voren nods as he hears Jokum. "Some of our more sneaky members could go that route, while the rest of us could try and attack the cultists when we have the chance. I could join the stealth team and lay down support by trying to use a web spell to trap the cultists before they pull the trap. Cast enlarge person on Jokum or someone. Curse them and blind them."
Karthak waits for the battle orders to be announced
Danua doesn't flinch at Jokum's words. In fact she encourages him. "Quit hesitating, their dark tieflings and they are the enemy. Lets kill them. So are we sneaking up on them then Voren?" She smiles playfully at that, the though of facing death making her heart beat faster. She fely useful for once as Whisper chided her. "Your an archer remember, you act like I was a blade or something..."
Voren looks at Danua. "We can do that. However, I may not be much use. I'm not the best at stealth. But, I will try my best."
Jokum nods. "Wait for us, then we'll all go together." He begins the climb as soon as Arthas gives permission.
Retreating out of sight of the enemy to point A, Danua shoots a travel line down to your army and hauls back a climbing rope.
At this point you can move any personnel you want up to the trail or down to the army.
When ready, you move quietly to point B, around the corner from the enemy manning the trap. Here it is a Climb Check DC15 to climb down under the pathway to where the ancient waters undercut a shallow groove below the pathway.
It is fairly solid but narrow, DC15 Acrobatics check to traverse it as you move up to point C.
At this point you can make a surprise attack on the guards by making a terrifying climb check DC30 straight up the overhang, or you can continue on to point D and climb up to the pathway with a Climb Check DC15.
Jokum climbs up the rope and joins Danua and Voren at the top of the cliff, then silently takes point as they move toward the enemy position. When he gets to the pathway, he...
Easily makes his way down the ledge and continues down the groove, where...
...he staggers and slips, some small pebbles clattering down the cliff!
"My host is prepared, the Heavens will make things clear soon enough. Sir Aron, will you please lead us in the prayer before battle."
Jokum manages to catch the lip of the cliff with a grunt. Carefully hauling himself back up, he grabs onto the wall of the cliff above. "Be careful," he grunts to the others. "It's narrow."
Voren nods at Jokum as he reaches the top of the cliff. He moves with Danua and Jokum to point B. He watches as Jokum moves down. Voren looks down at the old riverbed and gulps, nervous in his ability to climb down. Keeping an eye on the enemies, Voren tries to move down.
Voren's fears are founded as he clumsily falls.
After their earlier climb Danua follows Jokum and Voren, more concerned with Voren over the brawny Aasimar. When she sees Jokum have issues climbing she waits at the edge, ready to lend assistance. She doesn't hesitate the second Voren slips to reach out and grab him, risking a chance to be pulled over into a fall as well...
Her lunge to grab Voren wasn't exactly quiet and she tried to use her mythic power to muffle her movements. Hopefully after she helps him bacl up against the cliff she slips over the edge and goes to join the others.
When the heroes started to climb down to the underhang, Jokum slipped and almost fell, but he grabbed the lip of the underhang and climbed back up.
Voren was not so lucky.
When he slipped, he windmilled wildly and would have been catapulted to the jagged riverbed far below if Danua had not lunged out and grabbed his ankle while holding on to the rope as well.
In perfect silence she hauled both of them back up to the underhang with the others.
Carefully the party walked the narrow underhang, where ages of river flooding eroded a curved shelf under a layer of harder rock overhead.
Eventually, you are able to look down on the enemy unit below; all of them seeming to be oblivious of your presence, all eyes looking towards the valley where your army awaited the signal to enter.
"Which way?" Asks Karthak
"I think we should take the easier road but I'm willing to try whatever you choose"
When Voren slips, he frantically tries to keep himself from falling. However, he feels a tug on his robes, saving him from the fall. He turns to see Danua, keeping a tight grip on him. He smiles and says, "Danua! Thank you! Thank you so much!" Using the others to aid him, Voren gets to point C.
Voren looks at the others. "I'm with Karthak. It would be much easier to go down the route and then climb up there."
Jokum nods. Whispering, he says, "Let us attack them from the way they least expect." He'll lead the way further down to the point with more handholds.
Deciding the climb straight up was too risky, you all continue to move North along the underhang as quickly and quietly as possible; all the while dreading the chance that any of the two hundred tieflings below you might glance up at the wrong moment... But you are in luck. It seems they only have eyes for looking towards the valley cut where your army would have to enter the battlefield.
Another hundred yards, and you find a ravine with plenty of handholds.
After carefully climbing up, you find yourselves at the north end of the ancient trail, and peeking around the bend you see the tiefling guards cautiously looking over the barricades down at the future battlefield.
You see an iron rod stuck in the pathway with a rope tied to it leading off into the rubble held back by wooden palisaides. That has to be the trap trigger.
Voren peeks at the tiefling guards. He whispers at the others. "So, what now? Should I start putting them to sleep? Maybe shoot a web spell at some of them?"
"Let's go! We can't wait so we shouldn't tarry anymore!" says Karthak approaching the bridge.
Jokum nods. "Karthak and I will distract them! Danua, you get to the trigger!" He lunges forward, following Karthak.
Voren sees Karthak and Jokum run off to engage the enemy. He takes a deep breath and moves out and begins to cast a spell. He chants, gestures, and pulls out some bit of spider web from his spell component pouch. Seeing a prime location, he focuses on that spot. Near the fourth tiefling, a burst of webs explode! The webs spread over the bridge and cliffs, reaching all of the enemies.
Voren's gratitude makes Danua turn red from happy embarrassment. She nods as they return to their working to ambush the guards.
When Karthak calls out to her she does as asked, moving towards what she hopes is the trigger. As she moves she draws her bow, Whisper and readies to fire on anyone who tries to stop her from reaching the trigger...
Karthak________
"Let's go! We can't wait so we shouldn't tarry anymore!" says Karthak approaching the bridge.
Hustling forward, Karthak lunged forward in a low bulrush.
Jokum of the Breakbones______
Jokum nods. "Karthak and I will distract them! Danua, you get to the trigger!" He lunges forward, following Karthak.
for a possible damage.
Voren the Outsider______
He takes a deep breath and moves out and begins to cast a spell. Seeing a prime location, he focuses on that spot. Near the fourth tiefling, a burst of webs explode! The webs spread over the bridge and cliffs, reaching all of the enemies.
Fail.
Fail.
Fail.
Fail.
Danua_______
When Karthak calls out to her she does as asked, moving towards what she hopes is the trigger. As she moves she draws her bow, Whisper and readies to fire on anyone who tries to stop her from reaching the trigger...
ENEMIES________________
Tangled up in webs, the tiefling soldiers try to break free.
Fail.
Fail.
Fail.
Fail.
And a number of tiefling soldiers come around the shoulder of the cliff, burning the webs as they come.
Round 2__________________
Players take their turn in order of posting, enemies will go last.
Jokum swings his greatsword in sweeping arcs, attempting to dispatch the tiefling directly in front of him.
As the tiefling falls under his sword, Jokum bellows, "They know we're here! Go, Danua!" He leaps into the web himself.
Jokum shout brings her back to reality and the oncoming soldier's makes her desperate to reach the lever. She lowers her bow and raises a hand as she invokes a spell and casts it. Unlike normal force arrows the lights that form from her fingertips are like javelins.
She points at the closest targets and unleashes three mythical magic missiles...
After lobbing the missiles she tries to get up behind Jokum. Making the next few moments an easier time to reach the lever...
Voren sees the new group come in through the webs. He frowns and moves to the edge of the webs. He takes a deep breath and releases a silent scream at the tiefling in the lead.
Karthak points his finger to the nearest tiefling and yells:"Stop right there you... DEGENERATE!"
Round 2__________________
Jokum of the Breakbones_______
Jokum swings his greatsword in sweeping arcs, attempting to dispatch the tiefling directly in front of him.
As the tiefling (probably) falls under his sword, Jokum bellows, "They know we're here! Go, Danua!" He leaps into the web himself.
Danua_______
Perception - see another path?:
Jokum shout brings her back to reality and the oncoming soldier's makes her desperate to reach the lever. She lowers her bow and raises a hand as she invokes a spell and casts it. Unlike normal force arrows the lights that form from her fingertips are like javelins.
She points at the closest targets and unleashes three mythical magic missiles...
After lobbing the missiles she tries to get up behind Jokum.
Voren the Outsider_______
Voren sees the new group come in through the webs. He frowns and moves to the edge of the webs. He takes a deep breath and releases a silent scream at the tiefling in the lead.
Casting Ear-Piercing Scream on tiefling 6.
Karthak Ironbreaker______
Karthak points his finger to the nearest tiefling and yells:"Stop right there you... DEGENERATE!"
ENEMIES______________________
The other tieflings grimly make their way through the webs and around their disabled comrades, trying to close to melee range. They would love to have fired their bows at you, but ranged attacks are impossible in the webbed zone.