Gratitude Turathsloss's page

That was my understanding of it certainly.

Nodding briskly, Gratitude assents to the plan.

"So if Teven gets to the other side, Varlis and Adar can move up on a goblin each, backed by one of us. Varlis with Kaelynne maybe and Adar with you. They need protection to cast. I can stay central and help Teven deal with the dog."

At a practical level, my grasp of strategy isn't as good as Gratitude's anyway :D

In practical terms, Gratitude is a melee fighter (+6 greatsword), but can deal ranged damage if he has to (+2 crossbow). Inspiring Presence (+2 to init rolls for allies) means he needs to stay centre and his more interesting powers involve allowing allies to shift to make dual attacks with him. I know this is stating the obvious, but it saves hunting for information in the profile.

Gratitude grimaces. "We'd better work fast then." he comments.

"Khronos, what would you like us to do?" The tiefling waits attentively to hear what the paladin has to say.

Apologies. It seems a little mean to hurl everything back to Kronos, but at this point Gratitude isn't going to do anything to undermine his authority. He's only just in the inner circle.

"Teven, have you the skill to silence the dog?"

As they wait for Teven to report, Gratitude shifts slightly and catches Khronos's eye. Sensing his concern, he also stretches a hand out towards the horse.

"If Teven comes back with good information, we need not risk another life. I'm averse to losing pieces." His eyes take on a slightly distant look, mentally calculating their strengths and weaknesses.

"Khronos, no decision you make will be bad. Any choice can only be made based on information known at the time."

Listening to Khronos, Gratitude nods emphatically.

"I'm trying to be tactful here. It's not easy. Not all our neighbours are the easiest to accommodate, but even the most vocal will rally to protect their own. Spread the leadership role among them and give them responsibility. Apart from anything else, it will keep them busy and out of trouble and hopefully too tired to make mischief."

He pauses. "Maybe not so tactful. As far as your plan goes, I will follow you Kronos. Getting the crofters away gives them the chance to fight or flee if we fail. Although personally I'm not planning to fail."

He smiles at Kaelynne's boy. "Little one. Do me a great favour and look after my chess set until we all get back. Then I'll teach you how to play."

"If we're going to attack them, let's give ourselves all the advantage we can. Night favours the goblins. Khronos, tell us what you need us to do. We will support you, never doubt that."

Gratitude looks around the group. "If I stay central, I'm a good rallying point I think. Are the horns and purple hair noticeable enough?"

While Gratitude would always rather go into a battle knowing as much as possible, he respects the others opinions. In the end he will go with whatever Khronos decides and will back him to the hilt. Adar's thoughts on goblin trickery have given him pause for thought.

"If we do decide to attack them, I did just wonder if we could stampede horses and dogs through them to break up any plans they might have. Do you think they'll try and pick us off or risk an open attack Adar?"

"A combination Khronos. Without more information, we can't take on a whole tribe. With it we can at least identify the leaders and target them. It's always about finding the King."

He looks at Kaelynne's little boy and thinks of the other children of the village, forcing himself to imagine what might happen to them if the goblins took any one of them.

"Adar, I've heard that goblins fear horses and dogs. Is that true?"

As day breaks, Gratitude hovers near Khronos, wondering if he belongs in this elite group or if he should simply slip back to join the other axemen. Finally he shrugs and eases himself into the group without comment, listening to the report and considering the options.

"Using the goblins to hold off our enemies? I don't know. They sound as if they'd both enjoy hunting us down and that's two threats on our trail. I don't like those odds. Not when we have so many people to care for."

"Symmetry is a beautiful thing sometimes." Gratitude's smile grows just a little wider.

Gratitude nods approvingly at Khronos's suggestion about the looted money.

"Blood money should go to help the bereaved. Although Varlis has a ritual that would need gold to cast."

The tiefling grins. "I like the idea of using goblin gold to defeat goblins. Maybe keep a small amount aside to make sure our casters can work... what do you think?"

Gratitude ambles back to Varlis and Adar in time to overhear the end of Adar's story of that happened to his parents.

"With your knowledge you could be the best weapon we have Adar." he comments quietly.

"How easy would it be for you to identify the leader of any goblin group?"

He drops to the ground again, sketching a map of the camp and jabbing at the ground as he makes his points.

"We must keep you two protected so you can cast your spells from a safe distance. Kaelynne will always be needed near the front line, Khronos too, for his fighting skills and his healing gifts. The crofters will be happier seeing him there as well. Teven is our key piece here. He and I are mobile. Our role must be to stay flexible, picking off what we can and keeping a path clear for you two. And in the worst case, we may need to build and keep an escape route for the village."

He looks up at the two casters.

"Look, I have to do this as a chess game. If I think about what's likely to happen if the goblins take anyone, anyone at all, I can't function. Tell me, what kind of damage can you do. Can any of your spells be used together to build an ambush, pulling enemies into areas of danger?"

"I agree too, besides with so many children we need to keep as close to a routine as we can to save them getting too confused, tired and upset to be moved easily."

"You're right and it's something I never thought of. Good. Let's do this."

Now he has a purpose again, Gratitude is positively bouncy as he makes his way around the camp, offering help where needed, and concentrating on making sure that every family has all the equipment and food they need. His good spirits are infectious and he hopes that looking competent will give others confidence as well.

"Until now the only battles I've fought have been with these." Gratitude indicates his beloved chess pieces.

He looks thoughtful, stroking his horns, piecing things together.

"Night is for goblins. They can see, the crofters can't. If Teven is scouting for danger, that gives us valuable information. Khronos, it's not for me to say, but I think starting again at dawn makes more sense. Let people rest. Light fires, move the wagons to a defensive position, keep watch.

When Teven comes back with whatever he's managed to find out we think again. We stay alert, resting in shifts ourselves and we don't walk panic-stricken into whatever lies ahead."

As always when thinking about potential strategy, Gratitude's voice becomes a little distant and dreamy as though he's seeing a huge chess board in his head.

"Whatever happens, we need calm or we're going to lose more. Maybe a lot more. We can't spare anyone."

Gratitude half-smiles

"The whole point of strategy is not to die. Let's just be very, very good at it."

"Kaelynne, do you play chess?"

Gratitude looks up at the graceful eladrin girl with a wide, welcoming smile.

"Look. The pieces each have their moves and the roles they need to play, but a player can change that. See here," he passes her the lovingly carved pieces one by one as he talks.

"This is the King. He can move in any direction, but only once. All the other pieces protect him because if he is lost, the game ends. But he can defend himself as well, if he has to.

He's flanked by the Queen - she can go in any direction as long as it's a straight line. She can swoop down on an ememy from any distance and all the pieces are right to fear her. Then the Bishops. Their limitation is that they must move diagonally and only on their own colour, in play they wind through the opposition, but an enemy need only stay on their opposite colour and they can do nothing...

Castles are power players. Charging down the field, nothing stops them except a diagonal. Their special charge is protecting the King. In dire need they can swap places with him. But only once in any game. Knights are clever. The only piece to be able to jump another. Who knows where they'll appear from? So dangerous to take your eye off them.

And pawns. A whole row of them, and they may be the most important pieces of all Kaelynne. A pawn that moves up the whole board can become any piece it wants to be. Any pawn at all can do that. And a pawn can capture any other piece."

Stretching out his hand, he takes the pieces back.

"Kaelynne, we may be pawns in this, but we are not powerless."

Gratitude, I think you may be able to help me better plan our camp to prevent attacks such as this casuing people to flee wildly into the woods. We need a rally point, maybe a light or fire in the centre, the wagons near that. I don't know really, you seem very capable at long strategy and planning from all I've heard. What say you?"

Gratitude looks thoughtful. He sits down and marks out a set of squares in the ground. From his pocket, he pulls his chessmen and sets them out, thinking out loud as he does so.

"The wagons are a problem. They will always define how fast we move, so they need to be protected. So, I'd suggest that those who must travel in them always have someone armed in the group as well. Armed and capable. Have we enough manpower to accomplish that?

We can spread out ourselves, but that isn't the best plan to my mind. We need the flexibility to defend on any front, and that means we must remain centrally placed. There is added merit in that as we become an automatic rallying point for the people. They will run towards us rather than away. Fewer casualties.

The defence of the wagons can be delegated. Nearly every family or group has someone capable of defence. We need to make sure they know their duties and responsibilities, offer continued training and make tactical suggestions. If we're attacked again, the wagons need to move instantly to a defensible formation. That will need practice and drilling, but we're Woodcrofters. We're not stupid any of us. Everyone will understand the need."

He shrugs. "It's a start anyway. Let me think some more."

Gratitude nods at Stanislav.

"Shall we go then?"

In sombre mood, the tiefling leads the way back to where Hareh's body lies in the mud. Gratitude looks around. "We'll bury him in the trees. Look I've marked the area. At least 6 feet. No scavengers will disturb our dead."

Leaving Stanislav to start digging, he carefully moves Hareh's body onto the back and cleans away the worst of the mud and filth. He binds the lock of his own hair tightly round the dead palm and talks to his friend for the last time.

"You're our symbol Hareh. You represent everything we have to lose and all we must protect. Good friend, when we planned our campaigns in wood over the winter we joked about testing them in reality. You won't do that now, but I will. You will be remembered Hareh."

His personal observances finished, he helps with the digging and with Stanislav lowers the corpse into the newly dug grave. The earth thuds over with comforting finality. Hareh will rest peacefully here, and the dreams he carried with live on with his widow and his friend.

Duty done, Gratitude and Stanislav return to the camp.

"Thank you. I was glad to have your company, but you should return to your family and see that everything is well with them." It's a dismissal, but not harsh one. The tiefling appears quietly beside Khronos.

"What now Kronos? Do you have a plan and can I help in any way?"

As Khronos speaks to Stanislav, Gratitude's tail twitches slightly. Stanislav is a nuisance and a bully, usually looking for ways to make himself important. He stays close to Khronos, listening to him intently and as he finishes, taps the troublemaker lightly on the shoulder.

"Stanislav - how good to see you concerned for others. I'm happy to have misjudged you. Will you join us burying the dead?"

Diplomacy/Intimidate rolls to stop Stanislav being a pain: (1d20 7=17, 1d20 7=20)

Although there is no overt threat in the words, Gratitude knows the man to be a coward who would rather keep to the back if possible. If he's stirring up trouble, he'd rather he had Stanislav under his own eye and away from Khronos.

Smiling politely as he waits for an answer, he goes to Khronos.

"Let me keep him with the burial party if we can. We can watch him and he'll be useful. Look at the shoulder muscles.", he says quietly.

"You'll have enough to do keeping everyone calm and confident without this idiot disturbing things with his foolish talk. Don't be afraid to ask us to help you Khronos."

His admiration for the half-elf's handling of this tricky situation is plain to see.

As Khronos is directing the crofters and trying to get them back under control he hears the voice of the young warrior who helped them that night. Turning to Gratitude he smiles and bows low.

"Thankyou for your efforts tonight Gratitude. It would seem the elders underestimated at least one of the crofters. You are welcome to grab whomever is willing to help bury the dead. I will of course do a reading for the family if they so wish. Can I advise we also bury the goblins and the wolf, but only after we take what useful items we can from them."

Gratitude returns Khronos's bow with an equally low and appreciative one of his own, sweeping his tail up over his arm.

"The elders know me as a chess player and a woodcarver. They're right of course, but it seems that there is more to find and perhaps I can be helpful."

The flamboyant tiefling turns to catch Teven in his gaze.

"If you would be willing to help with the burials, we could probably arrange some defences at the same time. Adar too, although ..."

Gratitude considers the volatile young warlock

"... maybe he shouldn't do any digging. In any case I promised Walta I would bury Hareh myself."

At the thought of his dead friend, his eyes fill again and he turns away rather quickly.

Gently returning the embrace, Gratitude listens to Khronos's words.

"That's sensible you know Walta. Go and find your family and your friends and let me bury Hareh. I'll show you his resting place and you can mark it in your own way."

Disengaging himself from the widow, he pushes his way through the crowds to Khronos, waiting for a good moment to catch his attention. Then he says discreetly,

"I think it would comfort the bereaved to know their dead are buried honourably away from scavengers. I will bury Hareh for his widow. If you think we can spare another man, we can sweep the edges of the camp after that, just to check our defences and see if there's anything else out there."

"Just because we lost a piece, doesn't mean the game stops."

"We should take better care next time. Plan more. Be aware of the dangers. Now we know what they can do, we can coordinate our own resources, make sure we cover our weak spots, use decoys to draw their fire ..."

The tiefling stops himself abruptly.

"But first we need to comfort the living."

Gratitude pulls himself together and goes to find Walta. Kneeling beside her, he tells her quietly

"I will miss him too. Our griefs do not compare, but I would not like you to think you were alone in your loss. If I can help you, you have only to ask."

His tears start to flow again as he remembers Hareh.

As the battle ends, Gratitude's mood changes abruptly. He moves swiftly back to Hareh's body, joining Khronos in his prayers.

Tears roll down his face and he cuts off a lock of his hair to place in the dead hands.

When he finally rises, he moves purposefully towards Teven, his very raw emotions still plain to see.

"Forgive my rudeness. I am Gratitude Turathsloss. Very much at your service and the service of all Woodcroft."

He flings his head back and stands tall, tail lashing slightly.

Since the ambush struck, Gratitude has been entirely in his element. A living chess board has opened out before him and he's stalked his prey, striking them down and planning his next moves with meticulous precision.

Now though, he's turned serious. He'd liked Hareh. They'd played long games of chess over most of last winter and now all that friendship was facedown and dead under a tree. And right beside him was Hareh's brother Nico.

Even better, on the other side of the tree, was Hareh's killer. Smiling demonically, Gratitude's plans form. A short distance away, he can see Teven facing down another goblin. He'd not been part of the negotiations up until now, but he'd admired the group leaders from afar and had thought of offering his services. Their close seriousness had pulled him back, until now.

A long purple twist of hair falling over his face, he leans down to young Nico.

"Step around now and strike him" he whispers intensely, "I'll be back"

Then he sprints across the mud to flank the goblin facing Teven, grins maniacally and slices downwards with his greatsword.

"Knight to Kings Pawn 4 I think. Good evening Teven."

Commander's Strike, giving +3 to damage to Nico the expendable axeman, then run to P28 attacking g5 at-5. Used action point.

Gratitude's attack/damage v gobbo 5: (1d20+1=18, 1d10+3=12)

Pat

DM

Gratitude's init: (1d20 2=5) - an awesomely incompetent start. This is going to go well ...

Gratitude the wood-carving, chess-playing, hair dying Warlord is almost ready to go. Pat, could you let me know what you want to do about introducing him? I'm very happy to follow any suggestions you have on this one.

Also - as always could you check the mechanics? I used Heroforge, but it's not always very intuitive (to me anyway) and I will have missed something.

Gratitude is in the process of formation. Nearly there. I hope.