The Nindoru... a name to the monster.
- Does it have a weakness? Sigurd has heard rumors of demons having strange reactions, like rejecting the temptations of alluring demons. Does the Nindoru have a simple weakness?
- It must have some kind of special or unique ability. Some creatures have fast reactions like the giant scorpion. Or those faceless ghosts can steal your face for but a moment. Or just a long reach is enough.
Lan is spending time to speak to the honorable Captain Peng. Good, they are both upstanding citizens.
Sigurd proceeds to continue building for the town - Autumn will give way to Winter in a moment.
(Shining Dawn)
(1)
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"What would a Nindoru want with Willowshore? Why is Willowshore so important? There must be more prosperous towns for it to prey on."
"I sure hope we can find a way to get past that wall of gho-, I mean Spirits, and head to the Tan Sugi monastery."
-----------
Kazuki wanders around town when he has free time and asks any townsfolk if they know of any other special sites in the area.
Lore (Willowshore, T): +7
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With summer come to a close, and the weather changing, the leaves turning, the party looks ahead towards winter, having already gathered enough food to feed half of the entire village, enough security to inure against storms lasting about one third of the season, and a little hope for the villagers to boot.
People on both sides still wonder "who" all the food is for...
And so, as they head to meet Granny Hu, they decide upon next steps to continue to prepare...
1) Lift Hope
2) Prepare Food
3) Improve Security
4) Earn Income
5) Retrain
6) Research Pick’s Memory Ritual
7) Research Willowshore Curse
8) Invest time with an NPC merchant (unlocking 5% discount on certain goods for whole party)
9) Improve Reputation with Auntie Wu or Old Matsuki
10) Other Downtime tasks you discover along the way
11) Other Personal Downtime endeavors
Skills: Diplomacy, Performance, Society, Art Lore, Tea Lore
Task Level: 5
Base DC: 20
You work directly with the people of Willowshore, checking in on them, maybe helping with various tasks and chores, several at a time during the week.
Skills: Crafting, Nature, Survival, Farming Lore, Hunting Lore
Task Level: 5
Base DC: 20
You work directly with the people of Willowshore to prepare food stores for winter. But, you must choose one side of the Ceiba River to store the food on for each point!
Skills: Athletics, Crafting, Survival, Scouting Lore
Task Level: 5
Base DC: 20
You work directly with the people of Willowshore to prepare buildings and other defenses for winter. But, you must choose one side of the Ceiba River to improve upon for each point!
Willowshore is a Settlement of Level 5, so, you can choose a Task Level of up to Level 5, using the standard rules to Earn Income, which will be added to your character's Wealth on top of the standard Wealth by Level benchmark (Houserule).
The DC to Learn the Ritual to Restore Pick's Memory is a DC 25, and you have already earned 1 of 3 needed successes!
Any Tradition check can work. Or Elysium Lore.
Known Libraries include:
Mother's Coil w/ Jubai
DC 17 Library Lore
DC 19 Arcana
Maximum RP: 2
Solo Investigations (this includes Lady of Souls)
Any Tradition check DC 20
Maximum RP: 3
Studying Zoudou's Notes
Must speak both Abyssal and Aklo!
Choose an NPC "merchant" at a Location to spend time with - check the "Wares" entry to see what they have available.
If they become Friendly to you, you will have a 5% discount on their wares.
If they become Helpful to you, you will have a 10% discount on their wares.
This is typically a Diplomacy check, but based on the profession and interests of the NPC chosen, other skills are on the table, and you are encouraged to suggest one!
At the current moment, you are unaware of other ways to improve Reputation...
...perhaps Granny Hu or Old Matsuki has something for you to do?...
At the current moment, you are unaware of other Downtime Tasks...
...perhaps Granny Hu or Old Matsuki has something for you to do?...
Sigurd continues to fix and repair walls and prepare for the incoming winter storms. He looks to whichever side is less prepared and helps them however he can. If they are even, he'll focus on the North this week as a sign of goodwill.
Sigurd, ever an optimist, wants to split food and security evenly between the North and South.
"Auntie Wu?" Sigurd finds some time during his week. He's a bit embarrassed. "Your knowledge of general Religious topics are greater than mine. Next week, can you lead the investigation into Pick's memory restoration ritual? I can't help but feel awful for him- he's all isolated, unable to find his final rest and leave the cavern."
"With him handled, I can fully focus on Willowshore. If the winter is kind to us, I think this is enough shelter. But we'll need more food."
Sigurd spends the week fixing and repairing walls and structures in...
...while the rest of his party...
The party agrees to the summons, heading once again to her War Room.
There is the typical ceremony and fuss, the retired guardwoman's "bureaucracy" ensuring they wait at least 20 minutes, but soon enough, they are allowed inside, standing once again before the tablemap of the town. She points to the Cerulean Teahouse "Here" her sharp glance catches yours "This needs to be Restored" she traces her finger down a different path, circumscribing the entire village "We are building a Perimeter" she glances at you again, then points to another building outside of town, located at a crossroads just inside the Wall of Ghosts barrier "And here, there is a rumor that needs investigating"
Letting the party absorb her implied requests, she braces herself for their anticipated questioning, clearly less at ease given how freely they seem to move about her domicile - the rest of her staff in full attention and not daring to move!
|
"Auntie Wu?" Sigurd finds some time during his week. He's a bit embarrassed. "Your knowledge of general Religious topics are greater than mine. Next week, can you lead the investigation into Pick's memory restoration ritual? I can't help but feel awful for him- he's all isolated, unable to find his final rest and leave the cavern."
"Sure, I can help you next week. I'd love to chat, but this week I'm helping the Northridgers harvest their crops."
-------------------
This is one of Auntie Wu's least favorite places: in Granny Hu's lair. She's on high alert, (and slightly high on a stimulating brew), watching for clues to how to handle this woman who seems to get more sly by the day.
Of course she doesn't tell us *what* the rumor is. She wants us to ask, and she's going to make it seem more urgent than anything else by how much she *doesn't* tell us. Resolving not to be made a pawn so easily, Auntie Wu decides to ignore that bait in favor of biting a different one. "Why is the Cerulean Teahouse a priority now? It's been abandoned for years. The people will need to understand why time and resources are being diverted there."
Of course she doesn't tell us *what* the rumor is. She wants us to ask, and she's going to make it seem more urgent than anything else by how much she *doesn't* tell us. Resolving not to be made a pawn so easily, Auntie Wu decides to ignore that bait in favor of biting a different one. "Why is the Cerulean Teahouse a priority now? It's been abandoned for years. The people will need to understand why time and resources are being diverted there."
Granny Hu narrows her eyes. Her lips do not move. She raises a single eyebrow.
And Kim Gu-won - her dutiful lieutenant - chimes in "Ever since the Monster Mo Douqiu had taken it over, people rarely go downtown anymore. So. In order for Willowshore to move on, something has to be done" he coughs, adds "Most of our deployable men service the Perimeter being built, or work with the Silvermist rangers to patrol the near-outskirts of town" he puts his hands together, in a prayer position, and point them at you beseechingly "A few strong hands is all we ask"
With a few folks working on it, and everyone succeeding their checks, it'd be possible to finish in a week or two!
Sigurd continues his repair work North of the River. "Remember, we're all in this together. Let us work as one!"
---
Sigurd has always appreciated Granny Hu's efficiency. Even if she efficiently does the wrong thing, at least her efforts were in the right place.
"The repairs to the Teahouse would take one, maybe two weeks at the most..." He estimates. "How many people would be needed?"
So many priorities to fulfill. A sense of normalcy would be welcome. And if downtown were restored, people from the North and South of the river would have a reason to mingle.
Sigurd takes the opportunity to Discover more about Granny Hu. When influencing her, what are her Weaknesses?
Realizing that he needs to make a quick study of two new languages, Vekka gets to work in the first week of Fall. He gathers all of the books that he can about Aklo and Abyssal on the first day and then (mostly) disappears into the Mother's Coil to study them over copious amounts of tea. It's not like there are others in town he could practice with anyway.
He finds much of this first week to be preparatory study...
-------------------
He turns sideways to fit his sandwood spell drum circle through the door. It can be a bit of a production sometimes, but he doesn't mean it to be. He simply wants to appear as those around town have come to expect of him.
Vekka frowns subtly at the insistence on solving this, of all problems.
Yes, we do need to move on. Is that truly the biggest rock in our path to doing so? Perhaps something to accelerate rebuilding or improving security. What other problems had you weighed this against?
The tengu stands tall, attempting to strike an assertive pose, but most importantly watching Granny Hu's reaction carefully.
"I'll help out with securing the town as well, Sigurd. I'll help build barriers and reinforce homes. I'll start with my own home since it's so isolated on the south side. I would hate it if creatures came to try to take my family away again. My poor mother is still not over what happened to her."
"Thank you all for your help in rescuing my mother. I am forever in your debt." he says with head bowed.
Kazuki works hard to cut and trim deadfall and use the wood to reinforce the homes and buildings in Southbridge. He helps create barriers of sharpened stakes around homes and near the town's borders in the woods. He also strengthens the grain and food storage structures. He sure does have a busy week of hard work! Up at sunrise, then exhausted and in bed at sunset.
Of course Granny Hu is offering you a chance to prove your loyalty to her! Without having to explicitly say so, she knows how to ask a favor through implied threat. Her stare communicates to you that if you cross her a second time (the first "withdrawing" your support for her bid for mayor...), things could be made unpleasant for you in Northridge. So. This is your chance to "make it right". What will the party choose?
➤ Level: Four (Base DC 19)
➤ Complexity: One round to start. If you complete one of her tasks you "earn" another round!
➤ Timeframe: 1 hour
➤ Resistance / Weakness: Unknown
➤ List of Discovery Skills: Perception, Tea Lore, plus others
➤ List of Influence Skills: Diplomacy, Intimidation, plus others
Previous Influence
☆☆
Outcomes
Auntie Wu @ w/ Discover (Perception) vs DC 21 @ 17
Kazuki @ Pass?
Lan @ ???
Sigurd w/ Discover (Perception) vs DC 21 @ 24
Vekka w/ Discover (Perception) vs DC 21 @ 20
"The repairs to the Teahouse would take one, maybe two weeks at the most..." He estimates. "How many people would be needed?"
Kim Gu-won chimes in again "That would depend on how good a carpenter you are" he smiles "Our carpenters are busy on the Perimeter, which takes priority, unfortunately. We were hoping you could rise to the challenge"
He spins on Vekka.
"Yes, we do need to move on. Is that truly the biggest rock in our path to doing so? Perhaps something to accelerate rebuilding or improving security. What other problems had you weighed this against?"
"Rock? No" he actually smiles here, the opportunity to paint a lovelier tableau tickles something inside of him "But a Rose! Willowshore needs Rocks and Roses..." he nearly blushes "But to answer your question. Our biggest challenge is to provide Security, yes. Not just from the weather. But also: from the Wall of Ghosts!" he seizes the moment of drama, letting it hang in the air a moment, for affect, to punctuate his next ask, so as to frame it with greater urgency "No telling what will come through that Wall when we are hunkered down for the Winter. And so. We'll need to maintain a Standing Army. And an army needs to be fed. Which means we will have to requisition 50% more rations during the entire winter" his eyebrow raises now - he looks to Granny Hu who nods approvingly - then back at the PCs "Please let us know that you can arrange this with Southbank?"
While Granny Hu is more focused on shoring up Willowshore’s defenses, she’s aware that the town
will struggle to subsist. Any Influence attempt that uses a Charisma skill and that involves fears that Willowshore might face food shortages or the like reduces the DC of that roll.
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"This increased need may trigger a shortage of food." Sigurd contemplates his words at Granny Hu's request. "If the security of the town is not ready, thieves will pilfer all of our food. And if the town is without hope, there will be nothing worth securing. The army will be for naught."
Sigurd does not mention the obvious favoritism this would cause if the reenactment heroes helped the north with excess resources.
Defensively, suddenly, the old woman outbursts, even to the genuine surprise of her lieutenant Kim Gu-won "And what would you have then? That more and more Ghosts and Gremlins return and completely overrun our Home!?" Granny Hu's face severe - some ill wind blowbacks all of the functionaries in the room "That you would traffic with these beasts is beyond me. They cannot be tamed" she must mean Gimmy - several people nod their heads in agreement - one man spits on the ground in disgust "No no. We must fight. We must kill them before they kill us. And to do that, we need good soldiers"
She looks around the room, and her gaze fixes upon the only Northridger in the room.
Everyone now awaits what Lan has to say.
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When Kim Gu-Won says the *actual* name of the Wall, Auntie Wu feels a sudden lurch in her stomach. She manages to resist the urge to glance behind her, but just barely.
The audacity of the proposal shocks her back into the moment. Oh, this game, is it? Fine! Auntie Wu takes a moment to consider the proposal to assign 50% more food to Northridge--mostly to figure out how to take the teeth out of it.
Unfortunately, there is some wisdom to the request. Darn that hag! Resigned, she opens with a compliment: "Hmm. It is wise to be prepared for such an attack." Though what ordinary soldiers can do against things that have no physical form is beyond me. "It is also wise to remember that we are stronger together. As your proposal will likely cause friction with the Southbankers, we need to consider how to even the scales. One possibility is to hire one Southbanker for every Northridger in the standing army. Then, at least, half the requisitioned food will be going to Southbankers, but you'll have your army."
Sigurd waits patiently after saying his piece. Granny Hu's concerns are justified, of course. But there is a hint of fear. No one knows exactly what or why the Wall of Ghosts has cut them off. It doesn't matter how large the army is, or how thick the walls are, or how much food is in their bellies.
Such political nonsense.
Sigurd waits patiently, hoping Lan smooths things over.
Kazuki's eyes go wide in shock when Granny Hu says the word "ghost". He dares not say a word to correct her. He sure doesn't want to find out what being chastised by Granny Hu is like.
Not wanting to say anything embarrassing during the discussion, Kazuki fixes his gaze at Lan, hoping Lan the Northridger can appease Granny Hu.
Vekka is just as shocked at her proposal as his companions.
He tenses up, remains quiet, and appreciates Auntie Wu's counter-suggestion. For now he works to read Granny Hu's response. He's sure it will be at least a little incensed, but she can only refuse reasonable offers for so long without demonstrating outright disdain for the South side.
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---
Lan holds back as Granny Hu talks. In part, it is deference to a matriarch who has, for the most part, served the town well. She deserves that level of respect.
But in part, Lan is furious. The monsters did not just attack Northridge, and they dragged off sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, with equal fervor. In light of this, how dare the powers that be ask for special treatment!
"The patience of your allies grows thin. For three months, Gimmy has worked his fingers raw, under my watchful supervision, and yet you still cannot afford him basic respect? For shame. For three months, food overwhelmingly grown in Southbank has been carefully divided evenly, and yet, when it came time for the town to come together in celebration, what was shared with Southbank? For shame."
"This plan to hoard resources for Northridge is not only insulting, but it is self-defeating. Farmers dead of starvation will grow no food, and the entire town will face a bleak winter if people do not implement some self-control beginning right now."
Granny Hu snaps her fingers, and next thing's first, Lan is escorted away...
...to a Back Room!
Where he alone is left unaccompanied. The door is shut. Moments pass. Perhaps a commotion from the other room. And then Granny Hu enters. She sizes him up. "You. Yesterday, a selfish little turd. Today, a paragon of morality" she probes him "What happened to you. Tell me. You can trust me"
She awaits his response, crossing her arms, her face stern and alert and... smiling? No... He has never seen the folds of her face's wrinkles crack under the strain of the facial expression that is otherwise incongruent with her entire persona!
With their combat training sharpened from recent experiences, the party likely resists the urge to draw weapons and fight, but, in either case, Kim Gu-won raises his hand in peace.
"Your friend is okay. But tell me. Do you agree to our proposal or not? You must see that we are doing all we can - with the Perimeter, the patrols - and each man needs to play his part"
...both groups wonder, perhaps, what the other is experiencing!
They are attempting "divide and conquer" tactics to get you to agree to their demands.
Lan's display of personal force is a "problem" that needs stronger tactics to deal with!
Sigurd cannot hide his frown. But it would be unwise to separate the town in this situation. "I cannot make this decision on my own. I would like to speak to my friends."
He turns to Auntie Wu, her trade making more sense than his hesitation. He admires Kazuki and Vekka for not opening their mouths like he did. At any rate, he casks for a huddle.
"A standing army will require more resources. The winter is approaching quickly. I would be able to help in harvesting crops, but then I cannot provide security- and Granny Hu also wants us to help repair the teahouse. I cannot do two things at once." He sighs.
"Auntie Wu, I think your proposal is the least politically dangerous approach. Lying would earn everyone's ire and ruin our reputation. I cannot abandon the people South of the river to please the North, choosing sides will divide the city. But we can offer to provide the extra food IF she agrees to recruit an equal amount from North and South of the river. If she cannot agree to this then we will earn her ire but on our own principles."
"What Northridge-mmggff! MMMMGGG! "
"What happened to me?! NOTHING happened to me that didn't happen to this whole town! We're under attack! Why are we still playing games?! if we don't work together."
Discovery (Tea Lore) 1d20+6
Why did you take him away? Vekka shouts to the North leaders remaining in the room.
He glares at Granny Hu for a moment and then huddles with Sigurd and the others.
We cannot give in. The food will be split equally, but both portions of town may also contribute to the standing army. Even then, I have doubts that Granny Hu will truly put Northridgers to actual security while she has Southbankers to expend first. She has shown her hand as an opportunist.
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When Lan is hauled out of the room, Auntie Wu makes a point to avoid looking at Granny Hu. There's no point in getting into a staring contest with someone willing to use threats of violence to win a discussion. You want to antagonize us? Fool of a hag! ... I wonder how we can make this work for us? And how much time we have before she controls the narrative. I hope I don't have to heal him when they're done with him!
"Your friend is okay. But tell me. Do you agree to our proposal or not? You must see that we are doing all we can - with the Perimeter, the patrols - and each man needs to play his part"
Auntie Wu replies coldly: "We are all doing all we can." She leaves the rest unsaid for now, turning her back on Kim Gu-won and Granny Hu to discuss next steps with her friends. She strokes Mogu, sending a thought to it: Can you please shuffle around a bit so the the noise drowns out our talking? Thanks! Mogu obediently begins flopping around on her head, smacking its flaps together and generally making a ridiculously comical scene atop Auntie Wu's head. She behaves as if this is completely normal.
Huddling with the remaining members of her friends, she replies to Vekka: "That was my concern as well. I had thought to suggest quartering the army in Southbank, so the food would be better located there, but my concern is that some of the more adamant Northridge soldiers would foment trouble in the community if they got relocated, rather than see it as an opportunity to get to know more members of their own community. Hmm..." She absentmindedly takes a drink from her special gourd to help her think. "What if we suggest that the standing army be split, so half is quartered on each side of the bridge. Then the food can still be split evenly. We'd need to specify that both sides be truly equal in every way, so neither side of town can claim favoritism. Half of each contingent should come from the other side of the river, and each unit should be mixed as evenly as possible. We can even let her claim credit for the idea. What do you think?"
"Giving her credit... it will embellish her image of being a hero. And it may get her to speak to the people South of river, and learn they have faces." Sigurd keeps his tone flat. All of this is contingent on Lan's well being.
"What the...!?"
Kazuki is taken aback as Lan is suddenly escorted out of the room. He grips the handle of his sheathed sword, then releases it, knowing not to cause trouble.
"What'd he do? You're not taking him to jail, are you!?"
Kazuki relaxes a bit after lnowing Lan will be okay. He huddles with his friends and listens to what they have to say...
"Good idea, Auntie." he says with a nod.
"Split the army and split the food sounds good to me. I'm a bit against letting Granny claim credit, however, I can see how it would force her to get involved with the Southbank."
He nods at Sigurd.
Heard from the other room: "...WE. ARE. GOING. TO. DIE..." in Lan's voice. But there is no sound of conflict other than volume...
"If I allowed my subordinates to raise their voice to me, this town would have descended into backwards chaos long ago, young man" Something about her voice is charming!
"And if that old fool remains in the throne" she must mean "as mayor"... "Then we will soon only know what he knows: Alcoholism and Lechery. Don't be misled by the outward appearance - I have known Shou most of his adult life. And trust me. He isn't as magnanimous as he intends to present himself. How do you think he made - and then lost - all his money?" she implies.
"But I waste my breath. Your communistic dreams will lead our village into cannibalism. Winter will drive us to the brink, and the Wall of Ghosts will push us over. So. As you are the Little Celebrities of the Town, I am forced to work with you, even support your ill-advised decision over my own intuition, honed year after year of hard work. You think you know everything? Are you willing to gamble everyone's lives on your hunch? Hmm??"
There is that smile again. With the patience only age can bring, she awaits his response...
Why did you take him away? Vekka shouts to the North leaders remaining in the room.
"Granny Hu was prepared for this contingency. You acted with no small modicum of predictability. At least to her" Kim Gu-won shrugs.
"We are all doing all we can." She leaves the rest unsaid for now, turning her back on Kim Gu-won...
He nods politely, allowing you your space.
"What the...!?"
Kazuki is taken aback as Lan is suddenly escorted out of the room. He grips the handle of his sheathed sword, then releases it, knowing not to cause trouble.
"What'd he do? You're not taking him to jail, are you!?"
"Even if that were physically possible, it would not be politically possible. You five are the Little Celebrities of Willowshore after all. It would be ingracious. What we need right now is Unity!" he proselytizes, his own definition of the word different than the party's...
Vekka nods at Auntie Wu's suggestion.
"I apologize, 婆婆. That was disrespectful. I mean you no ill will, but I implore you to favor cooperation over confrontation."
Willowshore Lore:
Lan terrified Granny Hu with his obstinance and sheer presence. So. Having a contingency plan, she relegated him to the other room in an attempt to isolate and divide. Unfortunately, her own plan may be experiencing a backfire, as the party's counter proposition that the Willowshore Ghost Army be equally conscripted and stationed on both sides of the bank seems to be resonating with folks on account of it's own merit. Can the party pull off the negotiation without an Additional Provision working it's way unintended into their Tentative Agreement?
➤ Level: Four (base DC 19)
➤ Complexity: 5 rounds
➤ Timeframe: 30 minutes (so, about 2.5 hours altogether)
➤ Synergies: Group Impression, Group Coercion
➤ List of Skills: Warfare Lore (very easy), Diplomacy (easy), Intimidation (moderate), Society (moderate), Survival (moderate), Perception (hard), Performance (hard), any Tradition skill (hard)
Thresholds
➤ Critical Success: ☆☆☆☆☆, ☆☆☆☆☆, ☆☆☆☆☆, ☆☆☆☆☆ (20+)
➤ Success: ☆☆☆☆☆, ☆☆☆☆☆, ☆☆☆☆☆ (15+)
➤ Failure: ☆☆☆☆☆, ☆☆☆☆☆ (10+)
➤ Critical Failure: Less
You know that Auntie Wu's claims against Old Matsuki's character are based in fact, and distorted to serve her means to undermine him. For example. He was a bit of a playboy in his day, often carousing with women much younger than him, and almost invariably involving alcohol. He was a frequent patron of the brothel while it was running. These relations were always consensual, however, as he was (and still is, to an extent) a very attractive and charismatic man, even at 99. As they say, however, those days are "behind him" (besides the drinking), yet do not seem to impair his generosity nor capability as a leader. He is, after all, well-respected.
"I apologize, 婆婆. That was disrespectful. I mean you no ill will, but I implore you to favor cooperation over confrontation."
"There is something you can do for me. But it will involve you to pay a price either way. I can have Luda Bama ink you" Granny Hu points to Lan's wrist "Join the Network. We will meet once a moon and discuss important matters. You will not regret the decision, and I will make it worth your while" she promises with sincerity.
And gives Lan a moment to think...
"There are certainly strong fighters from both sides of the river. Why not ask for everyone to defend the walls?" He notices his voice is falling on deaf ears.
|
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Auntie Wu desperately wishes Lan were here. With his silver tongue, convincing everyone that it's in their best interests to adopt this plan would be easy. Even Granny Hu would see how she could use it to her benefit. (That part makes Auntie Wu uneasy, but one problem at a time.) A sudden realization hits her: She knows we need him! She sent him away so we'd fail... Not an option! Determined to get through to everyone present, she tries to explain the wisdom of this plan.
"If the whole army is stationed in Northridge, that leaves them unable to respond quickly to an attack on Southbank. If Southbank falls into enemy hands, Northridge will run out of food in the spring. Evenly dividing the army allows for the most flexibility in responding to threats, and also ensures that no one location bears the brunt of providing for and maintaining that army more than the other."
We think it's important that we employ plans that don't erode the trust between citizens on both sides of the river. Despite attitudes and grudges, Willowshore will prevail or fall together. The spirits that brought the wall do not care about our pettiness!
The tengu seems more agitated and animated in this moment, still roiling with some emotion from Granny Hu even pushing her lopsided suggestion.
➤ Level: Four (base DC 19)
➤ Complexity: 5 rounds
➤ Timeframe: 30 minutes (so, about 2.5 hours altogether)
➤ Synergies: Group Impression, Group Coercion
➤ List of Skills: Warfare Lore (very easy), Diplomacy (easy), Intimidation (moderate), Society (moderate), Survival (moderate), Perception (hard), Performance (hard), any Tradition skill (hard)
Thresholds
➤ Critical Success: ☆☆☆☆☆, ☆☆☆☆☆, ☆☆☆☆☆, ☆☆☆☆☆ (20+)
➤ Success: ☆☆☆☆☆, ☆☆☆☆☆, ☆☆☆☆☆ (15+)
➤ Failure: ☆☆☆☆☆, ☆☆☆☆☆ (10+)
➤ Critical Failure: Less
One
Auntie Wu w/ Diplomacy vs DC 17 @ 19 ☆
Kazuki w/ ??
Lan w/ ??
Sigurd w/ Diplomacy vs DC 17 @ 13
Vekka w/ Diplomacy vs DC 17 @ 24 ☆
Two
Auntie Wu w/ ??
Kazuki w/ ??
Lan w/ ??
Sigurd w/ ??
Vekka w/ ??
Three
Auntie Wu w/ ??
Kazuki w/ ??
Lan w/ ??
Sigurd w/ ??
Vekka w/ ??
Four
Auntie Wu w/ ??
Kazuki w/ ??
Lan w/ ??
Sigurd w/ ??
Vekka w/ ??
Five
Auntie Wu w/ ??
Kazuki w/ ??
Lan w/ ??
Sigurd w/ ??
Vekka w/ ??
"There are certainly strong fighters from both sides of the river. Why not ask for everyone to defend the walls?" He notices his voice is falling on deaf ears.
"If the whole army is stationed in Northridge, that leaves them unable to respond quickly to an attack on Southbank. If Southbank falls into enemy hands, Northridge will run out of food in the spring. Evenly dividing the army allows for the most flexibility in responding to threats, and also ensures that no one location bears the brunt of providing for and maintaining that army more than the other."
We think it's important that we employ plans that don't erode the trust between citizens on both sides of the river. Despite attitudes and grudges, Willowshore will prevail or fall together. The spirits that brought the wall do not care about our pettiness!
"Seeding the Army with Tensions that arise from Conflict over North and South is exactly what must be avoided. Would you have it, then, that your soldiers don't listen to your commands, or hesitate, because their minds are concerned with a Feud over the greater purpose of Military Unification?" Kim Gu-won argues the halfling and tengu in good faith.
Vekka sighs in frustration and lowers his gaze slightly.
If that is your defeatist thinking, then Willowshore has already lost...
Kazuki finally chimes in,
"Many of the townsfolk might be able to take up arms to help defend the town. I'm sure there are plenty of able-bodied farmers and laborers who would be willing to use their tools or farm implements as weapons to defend Willowshore, primarily Southbridge."
"With my knowledge of the woods to the south, I might be able to train some of the townsfolk in Southbridge in some of the basics of warfare and guerrilla tactics so that they may better defend themselves... and the town."
Kazuki feels he should just keep quiet.
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Kim Gu-won just stares blankly at the ranger, blinking.
The room, nearly at once, turns to where Granny Hu had Lan taken, wondering when that door will open back up...
Vekka levels a discerning gaze at Kim Gu-won.
This is also a chance to prove that your leadership isn't limited by petty feuding and comfortable favoritism.
"Indeed" Kim Gu-won agrees "Each side shall stick to what they do best. And through this specialization, we can deploy our finest men and women to take up the jobs for which they are best suited to help Willowshore, and together survive Winter and repel the Wall of Ghosts!" failing to really see Vekka's point...
"Mixing armies need not be 1:1. You can have a few predominantly Northridge units and a few predominantly Southbank units, with enough crossover so that people learn to work together."
"We must be very careful with a standing army. If it were completely composed of Northerners, those South of the river may begin to fear them. What better way to disperse fears by inviting those afraid to work alongside you? If anything you can show them the merits of your training and discipline."