Megan's Legacy of Fire 1

[Gander Longstalks]

Gander's white teeth gleam in the darkness as he grins with eager ferocity.

"Methinks there will be gnoll hunting on the morrow," he says, caressing the haft of his axe. "Best we be rested."

He turns and makes his way back to his bed.

[Erevale Greenleaf]

"Mmm.. wha?... Stupid cats." Erevale throws a boot at the wall and falls asleep again.

[Hale Caress]

Hale looks a bit more concerned than the others, "I'm guessing that these creatures use those howls as a way of communicating with each other. Maybe the fact that we haven't heard one from nearby should worry us."

[Megan Robertson]

The rest of the night passes without incident.

Hale:

You enjoy some more vivid dreams of combat, this time a 'first person shooter' scene of you battling a large demon. You are on the verge of victory when you wake up to the sounds and smells of breakfast being prepared.

After breakfast, a substantial spread now that the herder couple have a proper kitchen to work in, everyone gathers in the main chapel. It's still a bit of a mess, but someone has swept the dais at the north end clear and placed a folding chair for the Lady Almah.

"Now we are established in our new base, I propose that we spend the next few days getting settled," she begins. "However, I would like the 'Special Force' - Hale, Gander, Romo and Erevale - to begin scouting Kelmarane. To start with, make a scouting mission into the outskirts of the village in an attempt to gauge the forces defending Kelmarane. I warn you not to attempt to fight their way to the battle market yet, where I presume the gnoll tribe has set up shop, as preliminary intelligence suggests that the forces there are sufficient to overwhelm you in the case of an all-out attack. Rather, I would encourage you to make guerilla strikes into the town, taking out its defenders a few at a time and exploring the ruined buildings on Kelmarane's lower slopes. Once we have an assessment of the situation, we can consider an assault utilising all the forces at my disposal. Comments, questions?"

[Erevale Greenleaf]

A bit groggily Erevale gathers his equipment

"Romo! Where is my boot? I am sure I put it over her with the other one. Never mind, it's on the other side of the room. How did it get over there?"

After replacing his boot where it belongs, Erevale listens to Lady Almah's plan.

"Sneak in. Kill some gnolls. Find out their positions and numbers and get out. I suppose donkey will have to stay here then. He is not very good at sneaking."

[Gander Longstalks]

Gander grins as he draws his axe and tests its blade with his thumb. "While the idea of a full frontal assault is appealing, I'm just as happy to do slashing attacks, so long as my sweet gets a taste of Gnoll blood. Let's be off!"

[Hale Caress]

"Well. Enough lazing about!" Hale's clearly been sleeping well the last few days; she wakes up with an eager vibrancy and the signs of adventure are etched on her keen cheeks.

[Megan Robertson]

As you make ready to set out, you notice that a guard post has been established high in the rafters of the chapel where whoever is on watch has a fine view across to Kelmarane. Some of the mercenaries are busy making it comfortable with the few soft furnishings that are still fit for use, whilst others are making a bonfire of everything else back in the nave.

So, where do you want to go first?

[Erevale Greenleaf]

"Lead the way, Lady Hale. I am sure we are all eager to kill some gnolls."

[LoreKeeper]

Megan, could you outline the primary options available to us? It isn't inherently obvious other than "Onwards! To Kelmarane!" :)

[Megan Robertson]

Of course...

While the obvious move is indeed to visit Kelmarane, how you go about it will determine what happens next. It might be prudent to spend some time on observation and on scouting the outskirts rather than merely marching brazenly into the centre of the village. You could even go squat in the guardpost that's been established up in the rafters and watch from there for a bit, or go out and find a suitable vantage point a bit closer. This will enable you to get a feel for the lay of the land as well as who might be there.

You also might wish to visit some of the other landmarks marked on the map. So far, you have only been to Sultan's Claw (where you first met Almah and her entourage in the original encampment) and the monastery.

Does that help?

[Hale Caress]

Cetainly!

"Okay! If I understand this right both Romo and Gander are experts in this terrain, and hunting gnolls comes to you as second nature, yes?" Hale muses, "Then I think we should make use of your skills and find a secure shelter close enough to Kelmarane to study it and the creatures that inhabit it now. How does that sound to you? And you elf?"

[Erevale Greenleaf]

"Sounds good to me. Ready to leave when you are."

Erevale's gear that was on the donkey is stored under/near his bed.

[Gander Longstalks]

"The plan is acceptable. Come, Romo." Gander begins making his way forward, slowing after a time to move more steathily, keeping ever sense alert for danger.

Perception Check: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
Stealth Check: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

[Megan Robertson]

You gear up and head out, finding a low rise from which you can observe the ruins of Kelmarane whilst remaining unobserved yourselves, providing you stay low and don't skyline yourselves or make too much noise or light a fire... I'll make the rash assumption that you don't do anything silly :)

After a day's observation, you can pretty much map the place out: Map of Kelmarane - although of course you don't know what everything is yet! (Do feel welcome to ask about any structure that catches your interest, though.)

Every few hours, a patrol of four gnolls wanders through the ruins, but these patrols do not follow any schedule.

A ruined structure at the foot of the hill (B2 on the map) seems to contain a large beast, or at least something both hungry and potentially dangerous. It's impossible to make out details, but a squad of about a half-dozen gnolls armed with swords and crossbows brings large hunks of meat to this location three times per day.

At noon, a group of four gnolls bearing a fat goat walked down the road from the big dome (B11) to the ruined mill at B6. They emerge a few minutes later without the goat.

By the time you've observed this, it's early evening. Do you want to stay here or go back to the monastery?

[Hale Caress]

Hale assesses the information as it arrives, and eventually concludes: "Okay, Gander, Romo, Erevale - do you think we can lay an ambush for a gnoll patrol around there pointing to bottom right of the map, there aren't any handy reference symbols. If we manage to leave no traces we could get one or two patrols before it becomes to dangerous." She strains her eyes at B2, "I'm curious about that... beast -" something in her voice suggests a strange excitement, "- but I think it's better to wait a while before we try there."

[Erevale Greenleaf]

Erevales eyes narrow, grimly he replies "Whittling down their numbers sounds like a good idea to me. If only we had a spy glass so we could make out that beast from here."

[Megan Robertson]

Hello?

[Erevale Greenleaf]

Everyone is waiting for everyone else to post something :p

[Erevale Greenleaf]

I believe the last action was, laying an ambush for the gnolls in the bottom right of the map, if possible.

[Megan Robertson]

Are you hoping to ambush one of the roving patrols?

OK. In the bottom RH corner of the map, you have a clump of trees and a stony ridge - might be natural or the debris of a wall, you're not quite sure.

How do you wish to place yourselves? What preparations do you want to make?

[Erevale Greenleaf]

"Lady Hale, I shall take the ridge, and the rest can ambush from behind the trees. What say you?"

[Hale Caress]

"I say: aye." Hale looks over the terrain features. "Getting some blood on this blade may be just the thing to get some excitement in this town."