Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
Survival:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17
Once within the village itself Liu drops to one knee and examines the ground in front of him, then walks over to the nearest home to examine the doorway. He points to a mark on the jamb.
"Does Sho use monsters? That mark was made by claws not weapons. There's a blood trail too, but........" He moves back and forth, scanning the ground. "There's not enough to follow....."
The scout moves across the lane to the next hut and repeats the inspection again looking for more clues but finds only more of the same.
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
Survival:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23
"It's more than that. These crops have not been tended for a while......" Liu Quon unshoulders his bow and again begins moving quietly off the road to the right of the main group.
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
Liu watches quietly from the sidelines, trying to figure out if the warrior is working an angle to get the fisherman's trust or simply looking to fill his belly. The scout's ear for subtlety has never been that good, but his mouth tends to run off even worse.....
"Fair enough to share with those back in the main village? They are hard at work preparing to take a stand, the extra food would be greatly appreciated I'm sure. And if you come back with us, it would give you a chance to see that this time is going to be different."
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
Seeing Daren reveal himself, and his own sweep finished and uneventful, Liu also comes out of hiding.
"And let's be honest, your lake plan only works if you are aware they are coming. Don't let them catch you unawares: come back to the village with us and we will turn the tables on them, catching THEM by surprise!"
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
Not too bad a start. Im now thinking that the lake houses are a good idea: bringing back a few more able bodies and a decent amount of additional food should help keep morale going.....
Once the lake and homes come into view, Liu trots a few steps ahead of the group to take a look at the undisturbed path ahead of them.
Survival:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20any sign of recent activity that might mean the bandits were here, en masse or even just a thug or two.
After reporting his findings to the others, the scout moves off the western path and begins moving south, taking a circuitous path toward the homes away from the rest of the group. He keeps checking the ground since his primary purpose is more recon of the village, all the while being mindful that if the bandits are already aware of the group's presence there could be a trap waiting here as well.
Stealth:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29trying to stay out of view of the villagers. Survival:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18checking for tracks or unusual activity along the way. Perception:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (10) + 9 = 19constant vigilance!
Yes, he's a little paranoid. But hey, an archer in a decent sniping position is never a bad thing is it?
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
Liu nods his agreement. "While deception and confusion can be great weapons for us, battles are won by armies. We need the outlying farms to be sure. If there is an easy way to make contact with the Kitsune then an appeal to them would have value also."
He can see in his mind's eye the parts of the village he has already surveyed, and the contents of the cart they brought. "Although a cache of weapons would certainly help the cause...."
The scout pauses again. "The lake is to the west, the spiders are to the north....which way do the bandits come from? Master Mott is right, we can't spread ourselves too thin and we don't have time to chase hope to all four points of the compass."
Liu's history is that he joined the merc company at a very young age.....so if there is a young kid in the village who is trying to get involved but being pushed away as 'too young' Liu would probably start letting the kid help out. If many of the villagers are passive about everything, then a fiery-spirited local could be a big help as a guide etc. And besides, don't these movies usually have that one young village kid working with the heroes? I want a side-kick!
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
I was thinking the same thing at first, BUT at some point we have to assume that the bandits are watching and will start getting suspicious of what they see going on. Makes me think that maybe we start with the pit traps (which need to be a surprise) and some of the weapon making and training (which can be more easily hidden from view) before they even realize the village is preparing to defend itself?
Once the enemy sees towers going up theyre going to know somethings up.............
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
is there a local moonshiner? unlikely we'd find a good source of oil to burn, but if we can brew up lots of hootch we can start using saki versions of Molotov cocktails.
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
maybe weave some rough blankets (from vines or fronds or something) to conceal a few of the pit areas. sharpen spikes and such to place other obstacles in the enemy's path and protect the perimeter of the village since we cannot build a wall. find folks to help craft arrows and such for the archers.
and while we've only mentioned it in passing, recon of the surrounding area to find defensible positions and the best places to lay traps and spikes. also question folks on where the bandits typically approach from to do some recon down the most likely paths....
and Liu for one would be interested in finding where their 'lair' is to do some REAL up close recon.........
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
Liu nods his approval of Daren's plan. "the more that are ready when the enemy gets here is good. Better is to not allow them to get here at all. Any villagers who hunt? Or have any skills with a bow? I can teach basic archery tactics and place people at key places to pepper the advance of the enemy. I can also teach your craftsmen to help me make bows and arrows to supply us all."
"as for defenses, a moat would be a huge advantage. There was one campaign when the Company didnt have much time so dug what we called a 'trip moat'. Only a few feet deep but wide, placed in the most direct path and concealed with a woven mat covered in dirt. The first rows of riders didn't see it and their horses tripped. A few thrown riders and lame horses create a lot of chaos on the front line. Chaos in the enemy ranks is good for us."
"some spiked barricades can force their advance into paths of our choosing, so many in the village can start carving stakes and tying them together. But any of this prep depends on some secrecy. Do we know of Sho is having the village watched? Even better, do we know where his camp is so we can watch him?"
sorry if that's a little repetitive. my character is supposed to have military background but I certainly do not, so I've been b@stardizing sun tzu quotes and winging it. From my iPhone on vacation in disney. I'll start doing more research and getting specific ASAP.
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
Liu is about to reluctantly speak again when the priest addresses the crowd. The scout is quite glad to have the attention off him - it is typically his job to NOT be noticed, after all. The crowd is probably better off also since Hisui's message is clear and easy to understand. Liu's mind is already reeling with ideas and tactics, and it would have been very easy to overwhelm the skittish villagers with too much information too quickly.
As the tengu finishes Liu does feel the need to speak up once more. "As we say, we are here to help. That means we will be carrying most of the burden, but that doesn't mean we won't need your help also. Those who want to fight we will teach. Those who don't will not want from things to do that can help: digging ditches, sharpening stakes, helping us learn about your home so we can defend it better.....even the smallest task can aid the effort. 'if you know yourself, you cannot be defeated'."
The wheels continue to turn in the young soldier's mind, the campaigns he has been part of and rousing speeches his leaders delivered slamming against each other as he tries to apply that knowledge to the situation at hand. Gods, is this what generals feel like? To know so much, how can anyone decide.....?
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
that's probably about it.
If we've got supplies Liu can maybe craft some bows/arrows as well (so maybe another trip back to the village we started in?)
And since it looks like the 'building' of defenses is going to be tough with the tools/resources at hand we're going to have to be creative; a shallow moat that's hidden to trip horses vs truly keep people out, traps set at the most logical approach points, etc etc.
A stealth recon mission to the enemy camp might be in order also
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
Liu is SO not the right person for this, but......
By the Hells, what is that idiot doing? Barely able to believe what he is doing, Liu darts in front of Tahei to stand between the warrior and the frightened villagers. Taking every once of willpower the young scout has, he leaves his back to the spear, refusing to turn around.
"ENOUGH!" While he's never been an officer himself, he has certainly known more than his share of men who could make their voices heard over the din of battle. He uses what he has learned from them to shout to the crowd in hopes that the mere volume of it might snap people to attention for a moment.
"Look at this man's passion! Passion for the injustice done to you by this Sho! Yes we are few and they are many. But this is your home. There is no fiercer warrior than the simple man defending what is his. The bear in the woods is much less deadly than the bear protecting its den."
"We can help you. We will help you," finally he looks over his shoulder, almost daring Tahei to disagree with him. After a moment he turns back to the elder. "But you need to want help. There is truth to your fears: it will not be easy. But brigands like this are typically cowards, not as difficult to defeat as you'd imagine. Great victories can be achieved with small forces. I've seen it done. It can be done."
Liu turns his gaze back to the assemble citizens. "So you can buy yourselves a few days of grace as my friend here says. Or you can find your passion for your home and earn back the peace this Sho has taken from you."
He lets his words trail off, breathing heavily from the attempt to rally them. Im no General, but hopefully I learned something from them.
this'll be interesting..... Diplomacy (untrained):1d20 + 0 ⇒ (14) + 0 = 14 Profession (soldier):1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16just in case having experience with 'pre battle pep talks' matters at all
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
Profession (Soldier):1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29
Liu does his best to keep his face neutral but his reconnoiter of the village is not very promising. So much for creating a squad of archers....Im not sure I could find enough material here to make a handful of arrows, forget bows. Maybe some defensive pits but they are going to take time with these tools....
He looks over at the legendary paladin as he talks with the village leaders. What have I gotten myself into?
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
Some might think him standoffish, but Liu spends little time talking to the villagers or distributing food. He takes his time circling the village surveying the approaches and entrances, the walks the streets taking stock of the local craftsmen and resources. Only once he has a good sense of the place and possible defenses does he return to his companions and the village leaders.
looking for smiths, Fletcher's, digging tools, weavers, healers, herbalists/alchemists, other casters.
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
Liu nods his head as the talk turns to training. "We stop Sho to prove to him and others that this village is not as helpless as they would believe. Then you learn to defend it so it is never helpless again."
Building a palisade is going to take time and skill, and if the bandits have eyes on this place we won't be able to complete the wall before they attack again. We'll need to think of more .... subtle .... defenses first.
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
Profession (Soldier):1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23do I know of any famous/infamous military types by that name, maybe someone drummed out of the army in disgrace or anything like that?
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
Liu stand with his companions, trying not to make the old woman even more nervous than she already is, but he cannot keep from looking around and mentally planning the defense of this place.
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
Liu's more of a soldier than an officer (or a gentlemen) so is probably not the best main talker. Once things get started he will definitely be involved though.
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
Liu truly enjoys the trip as the legendary warrior lives up to expectations. The scout finds comfort in the stories, reminders of the soldiers he grew up with and the old tales they would tell. Even for all that, he does learn a few new jokes that he promises himself to remember and share if he ever sees the Company again.
All joking stops as their destination comes into view. Liu barely looks forward as they follow the road to the village, instead constantly looking left and right as he assesses the approach and begins thinking about potential defenses. His gaze moves upward as they enter the village itself, checking for vantage points that can serve both lookouts and archers.
His mind racing with possibilities, it is not until Daren speaks that he realizes just how alone they are. He takes a few running steps ahead of the group and drops to check the road. Are the people hiding from us? Or are we too late.....?
Profession (Soldier):1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16for initial impression of defensibility of this place Survival:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (4) + 12 = 16looking for tracks suggesting that the bandits have attacked recently
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
Liu is not exactly a religious man but he mimics the others as they make their small tributes at the shrine. Soldiers are notorious for their belief in any god or goddess that would listen and an offering like this is a small price to pay to keep on any deity's good side.
He eats little as he sits engrossed in the old paladin's tale.
"So you....we....know nothing of the force facing this village? This band could be a score of bandits or a small company of trained soldiers?"
No idea what he's up against, but he knows in his heart that its the right thing to do so he takes action. Amazing.......
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
Again embarrassed Liu realizes that he gave his name down the road, well out of earshot. Way to make a first impression...
"Liu Quon, sir. Former mercenary. Sir." He bows his head again. "I left the Company in search of something ........ more. I was traveling through town when I saw your notice. Seemed like a good omen to me."
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
Liu listens with a skeptical ear as the older man introduce himself then rambles on about dragons and armies, only to be surprised by his grand flourish ending in a yell at the cart. His surprise is even greater at the reaction of the cart's passenger. He gives a slight bow to Daren. "Thank you for the invitation....Daren."
Respect toward elders was not something the army taught. There were dozens of times when greybeards served under men half their age, and following your commanding officer's orders was a necessity to keep the chain of command intact and the mission on task. That is what the army taught: respect for your superiors.
Liu took a step over to the now-awake swordsman and clicked his heels together to stand at attention, his fist reflexively moving toward his chest in a salute. The action falters, as if the young man is embarrassed by the reflex and perhaps thinking better of it, then he grits his teeth and completes the motion. He then give a much deeper bow.
"Master Masamune, it is truly an honor, sir. I apologize for my tardiness but I wish to offer my services to you and your quest."
As the others introduce themselves Liu uses the opportunity to speak of his experience as he waits for Masamune to answer.
"I should think the name familiar. The Golden Dragon Company is the biggest army-for-hire in The Empire. We.......They have served lords and nobles from Chu Ye to Goka on the slopes of the Wall of Heaven itself. Currently they are contracted in Minkai." It is hard to miss the pride in his voice as he speaks of the Company.
"I served as scout and archer in the Forward Eyes Brigade for over 15 years before leaving to find my own way in the world." The man's sincerity is hard to question but to look at him one would be hard-pressed to believe he had yet seen 30 winters.
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
Liu curses under his breath as the man knocks the arrow off course. He has heard of this trick but never seen it in practice: it is not the kind of thing you train for as you prepare to stand shoulder with your patrol on the battlefield. A warrior then, but probably not a soldier.
He is about to test just how many times Daren can repeat that trick when the man mentions Masamune again. Liu lowers his bow as Daren approaches and accepts the arrow, returning it to a seemingly empty quiver. He holds out his own hand in greeting.
"Many thanks for the offer. I am Liu Quon, recently of the Golden Dragon Company. I am very curious about this notice Masamune posted, and the village he mentions."
As they walk back toward the cart and the others Liu decides to push Daren's bluff further. "I'm even more curious about you and your companions. If you are truly not traveling with Masamune, why is it that yours are the only tracks that lead from his hut to here?"
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
Sense Motive:1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
What have I gotten myself into now?
Liu takes a long look at the speaker, taking the man's measure in the quickly fading light. "Master Masamune's message spoke of a worthy cause and men willing to fight for it. I presume nothing, just the chance to speak to the Master and offer myself to that cause."
He stops walking and flexes his fingers a few times. Sorry, Master, if I have read this situation wrong...."If I could speak with him, perhaps -"
With a blur of motion the bow is off Liu's shoulder, an arrow is on the string, and with barely a split second to aim the twang of a bowshot fills the air. In his rush Liu knows it is not his best shot, but he is confident that is good enough to call the older man's bluff.
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
Well, if theyre bandits they aren't doing much to hide themselves...
Liu had pressed himself hard to follow the wagon's tracks and catch up to the ragtag group. Observing from a distance he could not hear the conversations but it was obvious they were casually talking amongst themselves as they traveled.
No sign of prisoners unless you counted whatever was making that sound in the wagon itself. Also no sign of a distinguished figure that could be Masamune.
The sun is well past setting by now, and soon he will appear to be the brigand skulking about in the dark. The time has come to make a choice, and Liu makes it quickly. Adjusting the heavy longbow to sit more comfortably on his shoulder he steps back onto the road, making no further attempts to hide his approach. When the wagon and its strange collection of escorts are just within bowshot ahead of him he firms up his resolve and calls out.
"Hail! I seek Master Masamune, to pledge my bow to hi cause."
And now to wait for the reply...either an invitation to join them or a hail of arrows...
Male Human Zen Archer 2 / Battle Scout Skirmisher 2
Liu lets out a string of curses as he enters the small hut to find it empty. Seeing the flier last night had certainly sparked his interest. He had been hearing soldiers tell stories of the great Masamune as long as he could remember, so meeting the man would have been a very good omen for the beginning of Liu's post-army life. The chance to perhaps serve with him, fight alongside him.....an honor greater than he could imagine.
But he had missed it. Used to the precision timing of a company of soldiers Liu found being tardy inexcusable. How is it that in a town this small it takes so long to get outside the walls? Liu lowers his head at the stray thought: he could blame the strange kobold and his cart for blocking the road and delaying his arrival at the hut, but that was an excuse, a shameful excuse for not planning far enough ahead. Is being away from the company already starting to soften his edge?
As he looks at his feet he realizes that there are many clues around him. The dirt outside the hut shows the sign of quite a few people coming and going, including at least 2 carts. Shaking away the memory of his own cart-related trouble at the gate he looks inside again and sees three things of immediate interest. Near the center of the room is a damp warm circle, based on the aroma in the air most likely from a pot of tea. Nearby there is a single petal from a cherry blossom. And in the corner just behind the doorway he finds a few drops of blood.
Spot's still warm, if it was tea he can't have been gone long. And I think I saw cherry blossoms as I was crossing the bridge into town the other day. But the blood.....is it all just an elaborate trap for unwary travelers?
A few more inquiries back in town confirm the activities of several warriors preparing for a journey and leaving the town quickly. He heads back out to the hut, quickly this time as the gods-forsaken kobold is no where to be seen, and after a few minutes examining the area the scout is confident that whoever was here is heading toward the bridge among the cherry trees. Without much more to be learned from the tracks he too goes off in that direction.
He approaches the bridge slowly, expecting an ambush at any moment. No one shows themselves, but while several sets of tracks arrived here separately it appears that they all left together. Still suspecting an ambush, Liu steps into the brush just off the road and begins shadowing their trail.
Figure that gets him almost caught up, Im sure there will be a good place between here and the shrine for him to jump in that isn't just him running down the road screaming "take me with you!"
The irony of it all, it was Bromen that first suggested Liu consider leaving the company after almost two decades, ironic because Bromen had been with the company even longer than that. The dwarf was over a century old, and to hear him tell it there was a prophesy that says he was destined to save the world. That prophesy had sent him across the world from him mountain home to this small mercenary company in Tian, where he served for years training up and waiting for some kind of sign.
So even though Bromen was serving and waiting for his destiny to find him, he was the one who asked Liu if the young man had ever wanted more, had ever wanted to go seek out his own destiny. It was a strange question to the boy: Liu had barely known anything else outside the company, and he did not hold any fondness for the little of his childhood that he could remember.
But the cranky old dwarf had planted a seed, and within a fortnight Liu was standing before his commanding officer resigning from the company. The break was amicable, his commander quick to tell him where the company was headed next. "Just in case it doesn't work out" he had said. Liu was confident that he would not go back, too excited about the prospect of going where he pleased, at the time he decided.
Old habits die hard of course, so the suddenly free man still found himself waking up at dawn and completing the same morning routines and rituals. Within a week the freedom was turning into a lack of structure that was starting to tease at the fringes of his consciousness. But that was when he heard about the village. Suddenly there was a cause to consider fighting for. Not a cause that paid well, not a cause that made no sense outside of orders being given, but a seemingly righteous cause to defend an innocent people against an oppressive foe.
He set out immediately to see if he could help. To see if this was a cause worth fighting for and if he could test all the skills he had learned during his time as a soldier. And while he did not admit it to himself, the possibility of finding another commanding officer to follow had a certain appeal to it as well.
And since you mentioned traits and crafting
Being a bowyer/fletcher:
So I've decided to think positive and plan for how Liu might contribute to the prep phase of things when selected. My idea is that (based on the submissions so far) he is going to find himself in the company of warriors but might be the only soldier, and that means he can instantly contribute by training up a few able-bodied villagers to 'man the wall' with bows. (Yes, Im making a big leap that there will be more than just the PCs defending but for the moment I've put it under the heading of 'preparing the village').
Im thinking about shifting some skill point around for more ranks in bowyer/fletcher. I can imagine him scouting the surrounding area with an eye on archers providing a strong defense, helping clear brush for better sight lines, watching several villagers shoot at targets while he walks the line giving suggestions, etc. But that probably also means making sure any villagers who help have the proper gear. Ive never done a crafter before and the rules are a little......bizarre....when it comes to smaller items like this. I mean, I want to make arrows that cost 10sp and its giving me weekly checks? And if Im reading this right, it takes 3 weeks to craft a longbow??
So question the first, do you have homebrew crafting rules or do you use core? if core, am I safe to assume that I could probably churn out 40 arrows in a day assuming mediocre rolls?
- 20 arrows cost 1gp = 10sp
- DC12 * hypothetical roll of 12 = 144 crafting check for the week
- 144 / 7 = 20sp for the day, or 40 arrows
As for question the second, what are your thoughts on the Toilcrafter religion trait? Obvious question is whether the arrows need to be masterwork first (Im assuming yes) and that's where the rules get REAL squirrelly: those 40 arrows that would normally be crafted in 1 day take 10 weeks to make as masterwork (again, assuming DC20 * roll of 15 = 300sp per week, 50 MW ammunition = 3000sp crafting cost) but then made magical after 4 more days according to the trait?
I guess this is why I never did a crafter before!
Well, the bottom line is that Im thinking if Liu arrives at the village he will try to contribute in this way if he can....so Im going to take the trait if you allow it, but I might need some clarity if/when it comes to the crafting part.
One bit of advice for traveling the "underdark": pack a lunch. You may be days traveling in trackless, lifeless cave systems where even survival skill will do you no good for procuring food (luckily water is not as much of an issue as the caves are moist.)
glad I left some coin unspent.....back to the grocery store!!
Delkaneth here, got him built out and pretty happy with him. But looking at some of the other submissions Im afraid he's a little out of his league............but this epic band of 4 needs a tomb-raider type!
