"Nope. Looks like the orcs and orogs go in and out of that building. Let that wagon go and go in building, or smash wagon, and then go in building?"
Whatever we do, once we start fighting its on. THe burly Half Orc states.
Looking around at the rest of the complex:
"Oh. We have many more buildings. Maybe we move along the outside of this area and check these buildings out quietly first? Why are they ignoring us, though? They saw us. I thought they would come get us."
I will never understand bipedal mammals.
"It looks like they're wary of Edoom's shooting right now. We should check out the other buildings while they're still cowed. Then we'll either move on the building they're in or ambush them if they work up the nerve to try to attack this one thinking we're still here." Saoirse explains.
"If they have secured supplies in any of the other buildings, they could prove useful. Especially if it means keeping those supplies out of the orcs' hands." Remis did his knuckle flex-and-pop tic.
"On the other hand, each moment we wait is another they they can prepare for our inevitable approach but on the other other hand, they have already had plenty of time and unless they are constructing a war machine of some sort, how much difference is it really going to make? I say we check out at least a couple of the buildings. Maybe that one and that one?" He pointed to building number 10 and 2.
The wagon seems to have head start that would be hard to overcome. The building nearest to the mine office is a stone building of solid dwarven construction. All the others are made of wood, including the mining office you are in.
Just in front of the stables between the stone building looks to be a workshop of some kind.
Brightberry notes the orcs usual aggressive nature is not on display today. Sigvald notes that orcs may be following orders when not aggressive--leaving in a wagon is the last thing an orc warrior would do on his own.
Remis does see that all the recent tracks lead to the structure Edoom pointed out.
An arrow lands on the roof with a piece of paper on it.
The compound is eerily quiet.
"That stone buildin' is likely older than the others. Looks to be of dwarven make. That also means there's probably quite a bit underground here." Saoirse says as they confer on what to do next.
"Let's try to get to that one without bein' spotted, and check it out."
"Friend or foe? Useful info? Threats?"
Brightberry looks around at all of the available buildings.
The stables would be a good target. We could free all of their mounts. That could help us with a get-away too, if we needed it. That stone building is right next to this one though...
Stone building. Makes sense. Let's scoot before anything happens.
Tibold busies himself with attaching the loose papers at various points around the windows using small dabs of alchemical glue to keep up the illusion the party is larger and also still in their original location.
“Have we decided where to go next,” he asks.
Edoom looks at the letter his brow wrinkling in confusion. "I don't know what to do. Perhaps there is information to be gained, but it could be dangerous as well. Who knows what could happen? Should I go meet her"?
He looks for guidance from his more experienced friends... then stares into the forest looking for Whisper.
Perception
But he seems to be blinded by indecision.
Finally he scrawls a note on a the back of the invitation and sends an arrow into a tree near where she disappeared.
NOTE
I would love to have a picnic with you... but have duties to perform before I can do so. Please watch and catch me when I'm done.
"From everything I can tell they are all concentrated in that central building. Should we try to smoke them out into the open... or perhaps attempt to negotiate with them. They could be valuable allies if we can come to agreement".
"Given the way the came at us the last time, I doubt that as an option, but if the opportunity comes up I guess it's worth a try." Saoirse says doubtfully.
"Let's hit the concrete building next." she says leading the way out.
As the begin to move to the next building, she looks over her shoulder at Edoom. "So what was that all about...the stuff with the arrow?"
“Have we decided where to go next,” he asks.
"Looks like we landed on the big one," Remis said. He followed the bard back down, attempting to imitate her stealthy maneuvers.
The stone building (6) is of excellent dwarven construction and is a house with and ample sitting room and back bedroom. The orog tracks and damage to the bed frame seem to indicate the orog has claimed this for his house.
The rest of the SE compound is a shop (7) with an anvil and full blacksmith equipment. I has a partly repaired wagon wheel and parts of a harness. The stable (8) is empty.
Searching the trio of building east of the central building, you find a large ore processing plant with a crushing machine (1), a smelter with a furnace (4) and a large store rooom (9) all empty except for their equipment. They haven't been used in years.
You debate going north or exploring the two story building all the tracks seem to lead to.
Smoke out the foes? Sigvald offers, he seems to be a bit out of it.
Tibold does his best to follow along with the others as quietly as possible to the next location.
"We might as well. The equipment's worth a pretty penny if you've room on the cart, Tibold. Probably too heavy to carry the anvil otherwise, but it could be useful."
"This building is made of stone. Not good for burning and smoking out. I've had enough of burning, anyway. There are likely tunnels beneath this oldest building. They would just éscape. Let's search the rest of the buildings so hidden foes don't jump out at us. Then we assault stone building. Small confines, we can't get surrounded, we can keep frontline fighters healed.". Brightberry is seeming anxious about this situation.
The central building is made of wood where all the tracks lead, and the stone house was already searched throughly.
The Northeast buildings seem to be another empty storehouse (10) a large barracks (2) with over 80 bunks with the doors wide open and a building with three front doors and a single back door. Looking into the windows it seems to be a mess hall (5).
The central building is made of wood
"I think the central Building is the hive of their power. I'll be glad to bring up the rear and use my sniping skills to watch our back... and snipe any obvious targets".
The large bunkhouse barracks with the door wide open is next on the logical search order.
Brightberry and Redleaf pull in close together to discuss what they are seeing within the barracks. It is in a language that no one else seems to understand They point with slight alarm at what they see.
"Bugs in barracks, rats in kitchen, bats in attic. Seems like the orcs already were struggling here. There are many giant centipedes in there. Poisonous. We skip that building."
"At this point, I wonder if we should reconsider our initial plan and simply investigate the middle structure. It would seem that most everything else has been left the be reclaimed by dust and vermin."
Tibold sniggers softly.
"Exterminating their vermin for them doesn't interest you, Remis?"
He shakes his head with a bemused smile. "Maybe that was their plan all along and why they retreated. They were hoping we would clear out the nonsense living around here."
"Aye that might very well be their plan. Lets move on to the main buildin'. If need be we can always toss in a couple o' torches to sett the infested building ablaze when we leave." Saoirse suggest, moving toward the central building.
I dont work for foes and I dont work for free. And I dont do s$&! to swarms, yeah, hard pass The half orc grunts
Brightberry would like to see about climbing on top of the building, in case they want to rush out when the door opens. I assume he will need to climb back down to enter the building with the rest of the party, but just in case. Redleaf will carry the wand astride Bambles, behind the rest of the party, ready to help heal.
Moving to the central building, a careful investigation shows a large door that is untrapped and unlocked.
Opening it reveals a 20 feet square mine shaft that has a rope suspended from pulleys, possibly to aid moving equipment, that now descends into the darkness. To make climbing easy, the rope has been knotted in regular one foot intervals.
Kicking a rock down shows the shaft is about 200 feet deep.
"Oh. Not a tunnel. A hole. We could cut the rope and cover the hole with building material, but i bet they have other exits. That would only slow them." Brightberry says sadly, shaking his head with his hands on his hips. "We have to go down the hole. In the dark. Find them, and get rid of them." He says slowly, clearly not happy with the idea of leaving the sunlit surface. "But then we have a mine!" He finishes, cheery again.
"We might as well. The equipment's worth a pretty penny if you've room on the cart, Tibold. Probably too heavy to carry the anvil otherwise, but it could be useful."
Tibold looks thoughtfully at the opening. "I could lob a few explosive bombs down. Isn't the goal just to retake this location?" He raises an eyebrow.
"Maybe they have an exit somewhere in the mountains, but if all we need do is seal them up from here and clear out the vermin we've seen, we'll be good to declare this fort retaken for those who wish to come in and figure out what to do next."
Tibold shrugs. "If we think chasing them all down in the dark while they clearly know we're here and probably waiting for us is good plan, well..." The alchemist suddenly smiles mysteriously. "It might be a good test."
"While the idea o' exactly what you might be testing scares me a little, I think that's where we're at. Maybe toss a bomb down before we climb dons, so that anything waiting for us gets a nasty surprise." Saoirse suggests, preparing to climb down.
"They might know we're here. They might not. They would really know after that big of a boom. Maybe one of us sneak and peek?"
Edoom seems a bit distracted. As the others really pay attention to the mine shaft his attention keeps drifting back to the patch of woods where Whisper hid.
Well if we don't get on with it we'll be here forever.
"Enough standing around. I'm going down".
He moves towards the rope, pulls on it to test if it's attached, then begins his descent. He stops about every 10' to listen and look down.
Acrobatics
Perception
"Looking on, somewhat impressed as Edoom makes the decision and heads down the rope, Saoirse considers for a moment. [b]"Sigvald, how about you go down, next, watch his back in case there's something waiting down there too close for comfort with a bow. Besides, you can probably see better in the dark than he can. I'll follow. Saoirse says, securing her gear as she peers down at the elf's descent.
Edoom moves cautiously down the shaft, making the descent with ease. As he reaches the bottom he hears the breath and rustle of armor below him. It appears the last twenty feet of rope are in the open and exposed. No one has moved to the twenty foot square directly under him, but he senses the chamber below is very wide and climbing down may be dangerous.
The order on the rope, he feels is very crucial. Dropping the last 20 feet with some good balance would hurt a bit, but it may be better than slowly climbing down. Edoom is forty feet above the floor with a solid 15 feet of chimney before he is in the exposed chamber dangling on a rope.
Sigvald is a reasonable climber and can see in the dark, he is also the least stealthy party member.
"On second thought, I'll go down next. Better chance of not bein' spotted." Saoirse says taking hold of the rope and peering dow to see what Edoom is doing.
Edoom's heart begins to beat faster as he realizes the situation. For a moment he thinks about just dropping in and starting the combat... then remembers he is part of a team now, and going off on his own is now in his past. He returns to the top and shares what he discovered with his new companions.
"It looks like that descending the rope is pretty safe for a bit, but then it opens up. Unfortunately, there is about a 20' killing zone between the where the chimney opens up and the ground. Perhaps if someone could create some concealment, or a bright flash to temporarily blind the enemy we could gain an advantage".
Remis turned to his faithful pooch and knelt to her level, "Alright, girl, looks like you're staying up here, okay? I need you to find Wynston and the other horses and stick by them, got it? I'll be back as soon as I can."
Remis turned back to the others, "I can not see in full darkness but, I do have this." He reached into a pocket and when he opened his hand, a small, heatless flame erupted from a gray gemstone before floating up to orbit his head.
"Normally, I would say that the light would give us away, but given that they can see in the dark..."
"Umm, well, I don't usually go that deep underground, but...I could summon a fire beetle to fly down ahead of us. It would be bright! But it wouldn't last long, and only be a distraction." Brightberry says, considering their options.
"Again, my friends, what exactly is our goal here?" Tibold asks trying to reason out why everyone's so intent on literally dropping into a very prepared ambush. "I believe we agreed to clear this area and make it safe. We seal them in now, go clean up the vermin, then we can call in whatever cavalry is supposed to come and occupy this place."
He shakes his head. "We have a charter to go and explore and see about setting up a fiefdom of our own waiting for us. Why waste time and life?"
"While you have a point, leaving an army of unknown size waiting on the ground with a possible other exit, doesn't really feel to me like clearing this place out." Saoirse points out.
"But If you think you have something that can blow this entrance shut, or collapse everything in on itself, I agreed might be better than risking our necks."
Tibold shrugs. "The letter of the agreement was to attack and clear this 'fort,' I believe. I don't recall delving into the mines/underground being a part of that specifically. Besides even if we do it, it's not like we can guarantee another raiding party won't come whether they are from 'another exit' or just a brand new group of orcs. We're not here to create and police a bastion. Merely 'eliminate the headquarters Pitax has set up in our lands,' was the charge Jasper tasked us. We seal up this shaft, burn the outbuildings, vermin and all," he gestures towards Brightberry here, "in a safe manner which does not disturb our natural surroundings, and we've completed the request."
He taps his temple. "The captain of the guard at Greatwall stated he was sending a troop of cavalry to the mines, so I feel as long as we secure the one stone building until their arrival, we'll have done as they asked."
Tibold pauses and looks around at the rest of them. "I have no problem with joining into this rather foolhardy sounding plan diving into instant combat at the base of this shaft. I suspect strongly we will surprise even ourselves with our performance. To be even more blunt, we all now something is different now. We're different even if we're not talking about it."
His voice lowers and the next words come out softly. "I believe we can do whatever we want in this mine, but it doesn't mean it's the smart choice." The genius alchemist smiles mysteriously. "I'll always be here to remind you all of the clever choice—whether or not you choose to take it," he spreads his hands, "I leave it to the group's decision."
Saoirse listens to Tibold's reasoning, acknowledging the validity of his points in regard to the letter of their agreement. "It's all of our lives on the line if we go down there, so what say you all? Collapse this entrance, burn out the vermin and be on our way, or hewad down the hole and give whatever's waitin' for us, the fight o' their lives?"
A careful search by BB does reveal small sized footprints of quality footwear, not simple boots, lead to the shaft from the stables. Obviously matching the gnome Tertuccio.
Brightberry listens to Tibold's opinion of the next course of action.
Everything he says makes sense. Less fun, but sense. I sometimes forget that these humanoids only get to live in a body once.
"Yes, I am okay for Tibold collapsing the mine and dropping the wooden buildings. We will need to create fire breaks before starting. No fire reaches the trees! Also, that gnome Tertuccio seems to be down there. He came from the stables." Brightberry pauses for a moment, considering the stables. "We should have plenty of horses to ride back now!"
what if we flatfinger the cave collapse, and thus force the opposition to climb up lest we smoke them out?
Sigvald offers
"Flatfinger?" Saoirse asks with a puzzled glance at the half-orc. "We might just be better off collapsing it with a bit 'o digging, and take the rope while we're at it. Though if you've got a better idea, I'm all ears. Not much for engineerin'"