Alexandr grabs the Octogob hit by Ana, surfaces on the other side of the boat and says:
I was hoping for additional foes, no such luck though.
This one could possibly be interrogated if it can be stablized.
Any of us speaking Goblin? Or whatever Octopi speak?
Ideally both? They are too weak to be Qlippoth related so I dont think my Abyssal is of much use here. Nice thinking taking a captive Anastasia!
If nobody objects he will put the Ana-boinked Octogob on the boat. Once everyone is sitting and the boat is no longer swiming wildly.
As Alexandrs weight is not unconsiderable, he will very carefully climb up later as to not capsize it (Taking a 10 on a perhaps neccessary climbcheck).
He gives Brother McLaren a human smile and says: Strictly speaking I am more of a river monster. The "fair lady" who is responsible for this ability strongly prefers sweet water habitats.
Aleksandr is fatigued for 2 rounds and could use a short break otherwise.
”Oh bother…I don’t speak goblin per se, but I speak the root language of draconic pretty well. I can also cast Comprehend Languages but that won’t let me communicate with him, just listen and understand. But perhaps we know what has happened to the community with these things attacking us all willy nilly like that!”
"Had it asked quarter in exchange for information, I would have agreed.
It did not.
I will not be a party to depriving this creature of its liberty and making it a captive."
Brother MacLaren will not stabilize the thing. He will take prisoner those who voluntarily surrender or are clearly under mental compulsion, but he will not otherwise take captives, as it feels uncomfortably close to slavery. And that is the only thing that Cayden Cailean is really strict about.
"If any of you want to make this thing your captive, I will see you as responsible for feeding it, tending to its injuries, and seeing that it is treated humanely. This isn't Irrisen."
You would prefer it to just die of its wounds, as this is what will happen if you dont stabilize it. All it has done was defend its tribes territory against superior foes. I am under no obligation to protect its life while it is a threat, but if it can be spared it should be.
Aleksandr answers, taken aback by the answer, thinking:
Generally speaking, life is more important then liberty because if you are alive but unfree, becoming alive and free is just a broken chain away, while being free and dead, well, unless you are a Phoenix or a Samsaran, becoming free and alive from that is a pretty involved process.
My plan is to make it understand that we are not to be trifled with, which it already does, but that we also can be reasoned with, perhaps extract some information from it and then release it. I dont really see any violation of Caydenite tenets in that.
I have no intention whatsorever to enslave it or keep it captive long term, and I am not a fan of either slavery or serfdom in the first place, in case you ever wondered why, among some other things, I am indeed not in Irrisen.
It will probably get back to its tribe, and tell exaggerated stories of our might, partly in order to protect its own position, and thus establish us as a force to not be trifled with.
"It chose to attack us and not surrender," the priest replies, "and I believe in respecting choices freely made."
"Let's just let it go. If none of us can speak to it, then the best we can hope for is that it will do as you expect.
Or, it might rally its kind to oppose us in greater force. That's a risk I am willing to take."
"If you will let it go, I will stabilize and heal it. Maybe we'll get a few seconds to talk to it before it dives off the boat. If you intend to make it serve you, I cannot be a party to that. Even if the duration of its enslavement is just your interrogation. You would be taking it prisoner, depriving it of liberty, and compelling it to do what you want."
Your position is that all hostiles who are not dead have to be let go?
Alexandr asks confusedly.
Taking wounded/unconcious enemies prisoner, healing them and using them to either gain information and then freeing them to deliver information to the enemy, for example that prisoners are treated leniently, is something Andoran military intelligence is, as a matter fact, very very good at and does frequently.
I am quite in favor of releasing captives in principle, but cannot commit to always doing so.
It did attempt to deprive us of our liberty by trying to kill us. I am indeed willing to let it go after having a short non-violent chat with it, assuming Nox is willing to assist.
Of course, we are talking over Anastasia's head here who actually did the blow that knocked it out, and perhaps Shin and Nox have their own thoughts on the matter as well.
In my view, compelling it to do what we want, for a pretty limited amount of time, seems to be an entirely fair and proportionate punishment for it trying to kill us. And one that is definitly more lenient then letting it die.
"Hostiles who choose to surrender can be taken prisoner. That is their choice. Otherwise, let Fate take its course. Surrender is a choice and prisoners become your responsibility.
I do not see 'trying to kill us' as 'attempting to deprive us of liberty," and I will never come around to agreeing with you on that. It's the argument of tyrants everywhere, excusing every infringement on freedom by saying that life is either more important than freedom or synonymous with it.
I don't agree with compelling it to do what we want. That's slavery. If it is your view that it has committed a crime against us and some punishment is due, then we can hand it over to an actual legal authority to decide - Ramona, I guess.
Otherwise, your attitude sounds a lot like 'Might makes Right.' Where we get to decide its 'punishment' because we won the fight. Yes, some law is needed, but authority must be constrained by due process and rights of the accused."
"Do what you want. I personally will not save it from its freely chosen fate and will not help to make it a captive. Ana, Shin, and Nox can have their own thoughts, but they cannot compel me to play a role in slave-taking."
Brother MacLaren casts Stabilize on the goblin-thing.
Aleksandr smiles a human smile at the tien man, places the Octogob before Brother Mc Laren and puts his butchering axe back on his back.
With 2 open hands he begins speaking:
Are Bloodragers rare in Tien? Those such as I are quite common in Irrisen and in the realm of the Mammoth Lords in particular. Alexandr states.
Generally speaking, a Bloodrager is typically related, by blood, to one or more types of outsider, although not always. Many do not know when exactly the contact happened, in terms of ancestry. Oh, there are actually "devil-spawn" who manifest an infernal bloodline, relatively rare though because Devils do not interbreed with mortals to the same extent Fae or Demons do. There are quite a number of those in Cheliax, and oh boy are they arrogant pricks. Like, take my arrogance and multiply it by 9 or so.
With a bemused expression, implying he gave this talk a couple of times already, he continues.
The abriged version is that one of my forebears, my grandfater Platon Josephevich Kerensky had, on a long winters night, the excellent idea to get very very drunk, and then get intimate with a Rusalka while ice bathing.
With a chuckle he states Platon Josephovich was indeed reknown for the great wisdom of his life choices. Although it was a great shock that this was not his last one.
On the topic of Rusalkas he says:
Rusalkas are quite attractive Riverine Fey creatures who typically amuse themselfs by drowning humans, typically by binding them with their hair, because apparently they have nothing better to do.
I think the Mienkai or Tien term is Youkai?
Continuing, he speaks:
Two surprising things happen, first is that my grandfather actually survived this, which is about as rare as surviving intercourse with a Succubus, maybe the Rusalka was very drunk as well. The second was that 9 months later there was a female half human half rusalka babe placed at his door. Which had exactly his eyes, unless she was annoyed,then she had the eyes you just saw.
This would be my mother, Vialka Platonova Kerensky.
She later married a certain quite brave Sergej Mironovich Kozyrev who was lower nobility, but due to Irriseni laws Fae descent trumps nobility so her surname won over.
Looking directly at Shin, he says with some conviction:
I do not serve my dear Rusalka-grandmother, whom I have met once and who is among the 3 most scary female entities I have met in my life, nor Baba Yaga, a mighty witch who is the surpreme power of Irrisen with might that dwarfs some Demon Lord's and whom I thankfully never met, nor any other Jadwigas.
For context, a Jadwiga would perhaps be a Daimyo in your lands? I know very little of Tien as I never had cause to study it.
Adressing the group, he finishes:
As to why I am here, well, in a Tien context, imagine a low ranking noble from a disgraced family performing a feat of considerable skill and luck in battle, outshining his "better born" superiors, mostly by listening to his veteran soldiers and seargents, by making sure they are probably equipped to do their jobs and by cheating the foe as much as he can.
Further imagine that said low ranking noble had blood ties to a fairly powerful supernatural entity. It would be quite prudent for such a low ranking noble to quickly relocate elsewhere, lest the sticking up nail would be hammered down.
After I hastily tendered my resignation and relocated out of Irriseni borders, fair and just Andoran opted to take me in after a prolonged conversation with Andoran military intelligence. The latter even were friendly enough to recommend me, in writing, to this splendid colonial venture. Andoran gets a specialist for aquatic combat, trained at raised at considerable cost by the Irriseni military, and I get to be as far away from Irrisen as I can.
A most mutally beneficial agreement.
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”Oh, bloodrager! That’s pretty nifty, I must say. If we ever get settled and have some down time, I’d like to do a little study on your blood. I know a spell that lets me swim but it only lasts a very short period of time. Also, I don’t undergo nearly as many physical …. Changes as you seem to. Very interesting indeed!”
Turning to Nox, Aleksandr says:
A reasonable request. As long as you share your findings with me.
I would recommend taking one when I rage and one when I dont. They are supposed to be different, oh, have some protective gear on when you take the rage sample, the alchemist who took a bloodsample while I studied in the Whitethrone military academy said something about "Bloodrage induced formation venal but not arterial organic-druchite-Siccatite-alloy analogons!". I tried to read it up, but what I found sounded incredibly far fetched that he may have just been messing with me.
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Nix pulls out a small note pad, writing down his thoughts on the possibility of examine the blood at some point.
Anastasia looks away from the cheers from the boat, a bashful smile on her features as she raises her knuckled hand straight up to acknowledge the cheering. She keeps her fist raised even as some of the blood runs down her arm in small rivulets. Then she turns to the conversation going on between her comrades about the goblin she had dropped. Her name is mentioned briefly, and she gives a half lidded look to both men.
Drawing her spear out from behind her back, she turned the haft up, the point down, and drove it into the goblins throat. Never did she take her eyes away from the them. "I did not have my life threatened to have others choose for me." she stated flatly before kicking it over the side.
Hesitating, she seemed as if she wanted to say more, and spared a sidelong glance at Nox. She pursed her lips though, laying her spear down against her seat and slipping her knuckles back into her tabard pouch. "There may be more in danger at the settlement." she reasoned, "We should go."
"Nobody is choosing anything for you, Ana.
I only choose what I do and what I do not do."
He watches as she kills the goblin-thing, unconcerned.
Not my problem.
He feels somewhat implicated since he had stabilized the thing, after Alexandr's badgering and Shin's more reassuring statement about delivering it to Ramona, but he had all along wanted to respect the creature's decision to fight to the death rather than surrender.
Giving brother MacLaren a soft look, Anastasia nods briefly. Her features were muted, bearing no anger despite her terse words a moment earlier. "We should get along fine then." she said. Her tone was softer as well. Taking her seat she pointedly looked back over her shoulder to the shore and readied her oars.
Aleksandr keeps his thoughts to himself as he looks at the situation and Anastasia.
Note to self, place solid object between any possible high value prisoners and Anastasia. Being decisive is good, being rash is not, but it would be sheer hypocracy for me to call out people on being rash.
My last major life choice was probably more rash then anything grandpa Platon pulled.
Looking at Brother McLaren:
Also, why does the Caydenite have no problems will killing a prisoner, but great problems with the much less dire fate of being interrogated and released? And how is killing someone not an infringement of their freedoms? To be free is to make choices, the dead no longer have those.
Eying Shin.
The Tien at least I think I understand, completely reasonable concerns which I would also have if positions were reversed.
Casting a glance at Nox:
Poor Gnome probably wonders with what kind of people he will have to work with.
As he gets back on the boat.
Anastasia looks to the side as Shin complimented her. After another forced look over her shoulder she met his gaze. "Just something every Armat is taught." she answers in a low voice, "You should see what my brother Alexander can do, the blowhard."
Nox crooks his eye at hearing the female warrior also mention familial issues. ”So you’ve got a black sheep in your family as well, eh? Might make us kindred spirits,” he says.
Anastasia cannot help the chuckle that comes unbidden at the mention of black sheep. The irony was not lost on her. "More than you might think sir gnome." she replies in gnomish. Again she looked over her shoulder in response to the scrutiny she was receiving.
Listening in to the conversation Alexandr ponders
Well, I think I actually outblacksheeped everyone in my family, which is kind of impressive considering Grandpa Platons antics. Of course, few people know by which extent.
Adressing Anastasia:
Your brother is also called Alexandr? And can also punch pretty hard?
What a coincidence. I do hope that that I and him have distinguishing characteristics. I would bet reasonable amounts of money that I talk a lot more.
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"Unless you make a tired habit of talking about what has been passed down for generations..." Ana noted with a smirk as she began to row anew, "Then you likely have little in common with eldest brother Alexander."
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”And a talent for languages, too! You might be my favorite. After the one that can provide free ale of course ,” the gnome replies with a grin to Anastasia in the gnomish tongue.
”Well, what an interesting little troupe we have here! Now I think we need to hurry on over to the village. If these things attacked them, there might be injured or dying over there that we could aid,” he says to the group.
You reach the beach, landing at the short, sturdy wooden dock. As seen from the ship, a sandy trail leads up to a half-finished wooden palisade, a few huts visible through the gaps. The beach and trail both are smooth, entirely devoid of footprints.
"Yes, Shin - well, a new island at least. Praise to the captain for getting us here."
"But where is everyone, and how long have they been gone?"
Brother MacLaren looks around warily.
He fills his tankard again, but does not drink. Then he draws his sword once more.
Alexandr takes out his bardiche, as it offers far better options when ambushed, looks around and follows Shin, trying to be not obviously loud.
Believing, not without reason, that everyone else is more perceptive then him, he instead attempts to use his exerptize in engineering to asses the fortifactions. Where they began to be build smartly? How much of them are reusable? How long ago was work stopped on them the latter being the most interesting question?
Ana gives a genuine chuckle at Nox's commentary, rowing with a broad smile after being easily buttered up by the gnomish man. As they come ashore she helps pull the boat further up on the sands, focusing on that task before looking out at the settlement. "Please, let there be survivors." she hoped aloud while following the others.
If the Octogobs are seaborne, which is pretty likely, and otherwise act like Goblins, which is also quite likely, they would have dragged victims or spoils towards their lairs, which would almost certain leave tracks.
Alexandr opines
Goblins are capable of reasonable planning and stealth before a fight, and can, if lead by a charismatic and intimidating leader, even follow relatively complex plans. However, their cohesion breaks down as soon as they are victorious, and not even Moloch could impose discipline upon them. This is in part why false retreats are pretty good tactics vs Goblinoid forces, to a lesser extent also against Orcs.
Assuming the group agreed, 14 headed straight for the structures looking for any sign of life or any clues that might shed light on the villagers and their possible whereabouts.
Perception
”Deep breath, everyone. The object of our long journey is just ahead of us,” he says as he looks at the area. Sole of us longer than others, I’d wager!
Hiking up the sandy trail leads you all into the partially complete stockade, with a circle of rough buildings surrounding a well. All the buildings are constructed of either rough timber or mud bricks set in a wooden frame, and have pitched thatch roofs. Many have open window frames, but only a few have actual shutters or even a canvas curtain for privacy. Doors are basic, wooden affairs, too simple for locks, and some buildings lack them entirely. The construction is new, quite rough and unfinished. West of the stockade is a sort of shanty town of tents, some of which are collapsed and partially covered with sand. The whole area is very quiet, with the only sound other than your footsteps being the breeze.
The building to your right as you walk into the stockade, which appears to be a smithy, has small tracks leading out the door on the south side heading further south.
The tracks are very fresh.
Brother MacLaren follows Shin, looking where the Tian warrior points.
"These tracks are very fresh. We should follow them."
The Irreseni does not see anything, but well, he knows quite well what he is bad it.
Following your leads he says relatively quietly as he follows Shin, and McLaren, his Bardiche drawn.
Nox didn’t need to hear anything else. Once the group pointed out the fresh tracks, he turned on his heel and began following the others. ”Very well spotted, gentlemen. Let’s not tarry as we have plenty of time to come back and inspect these buildings, well, I guess they are buildings, although not very sturdy ones now are they? It’ll take a lot of work to turn these ramshackle huts into legit dwellings. Oh yes, the tracks…..let’s follow them!”
The priest tries to figure out where the tracks go.
Making some reasonable guesses based on a knowledge engineering 19 and how it looks on the roll20:
Alexandr opines to Nox.
If you would ask for my professional opinion of how quickly this can become operational, well, we have 25ish pais of hands in total?
I count 9 structures 4 larger 5 small? My guess is that the small structures take about 2 mandays each to make liveable, the larger ones 3-4. 26 mandays give or take a couple? Probably about 2 days to fix most things, tools could be a bottleneck so make that 3.
Now, the Palisades are another issue. Finishing the Palisade, I am eyeballing about a hundred extra trees, next forest is reasonably close so about 1 manday a tree. Could be a week or 2.
Most difficult part will be turn the points of the triangle into actually usefull watchtowers that can provide covering fire. This will be a pain because it requires lifting a fair bit of wood up, and I dont see a way to make a crane easily. Creative use of Ant Haul or enlarge person should help a fair bit though.
From a military pov. what is really missing is a moat, but good luck finding volunteers for shoveling.
Something else we could consider is using some of the larger buildings, who seem to be taller then the palisade, as additional fireing positions by putting a light second store on them.
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Looking at the rudimentary construction has Ana frowning and even scuffing a boot toe in the dirt. "An excess of proper material and no one thought to make alchemical cement." she notes aloud, "You would think they had no proper alchemist with them." Perhaps it was her distraction at the shoddy construction that allowed the others to all notice the tracks before her.
Hearing Nox and Alex speak of the construction and tracks Ana moves to the front of the group and kneels down to inspect the tracks. "I would first tear everything down and erect temporary barricades. she reasoned, "Then start over with a production line for cement brick and mortar. With others digging out foundation fills and drainage."
Studying the tracks for a moment she reconsiders her previous statement and frowns, "Not that I am an engineer, but cement makes a better material than this... refuse."
She studies the tracks to glean what information she can and to attempt to follow them.
Brother MacLaren follows along quietly with Shin and does not join in on the architectural conversation.
Hmm, perhaps with some guidance from Brother McLaren I can assist?
"You want some guidance? Okay: have some faith in yourself."
Alexandr scans for additional tracks:
The party follows the tracks from the smithy to a half-finished gate in the south-eastern section of palisade, leading into a more open developed area, with a grid of dirt streets lined with a mix of mud-brick shacks and small fields. As you head out past the gate, the tracks lead off east, toward the forest, becoming much harder to follow in the thick grass.
You notice another set of tracks heading along the street southwards that seem to have been obscured by the fresher footprints before. These tracks are about the same size, but slightly heavier in imprint.
Ana blinks as Shin picks up the tracks. The pattern that she had failed to see as anything more than a muddled mess a moment ago became clearer, but she still couldn't hope to follow them or identify as he had. Biting her tongue she said nothing as they progressed. As he pointed out the second pair of tracks she looked to the woods, and then back to the rough street the other tracks went down. Looking to Shin she decides to speak, and maybe contribute to the search.
"Good job. I think the path down the street is more likely to have people." she reasoned, "Less likely to get us eaten or stabbed as well. I say we keep inspecting the colony as Shin suggested." Kneeling down to examine the tracks, she tried to make out what had made them and if she could follow them.