It started a couple months ago. Some rumors of people gone missing. Crazed reports of walking boxes in the woods. Obvious nonsense. But then things progressed. More people missing. More strange sightings. And then empty villages. Soon the region was in alarm as forces of mechanical beings scoured the land. Some even reported seeing this missing loved ones among them, now outfitted with clockwork modifications.
Amidst this chaos the town of Chesterfeld has become a beacon for those seeking safety. Though the old fort within has seen far better days work has been done to get it in functional, if roughshod, order. Perhaps your character grew up here or has come seeking safety. Perhaps they're from elsewhere and sought to aid the situation after hearing stories. But now this safehaven is in jeopardy.
A messenger has arrived. Humanoid from a distance but mechanical in nature. Flesh merged with gears and other constructs. A modronized person with a simple message. "We are modron. Resistance is futile."
Soon after the declaration of those words a frantic rider appears from the road with further news. A large force of modrons and modronized peoples, backed with siege weaponry, is coming towards Chesterfeld. By the rider's estimates they'll arrive within an hour or so.
Upon hearing this the mayor of Chesterfeld, an older man with weathered robes, addresses the town. "A dark hour is upon us. And from what this rider has told us our town guard alone is not enough. We will aid from anyone willing to take up arms in defense of our people."
The man in the corner is talking to a captive audience, of about four locals. Being new to the town, the long haired man is looking to make a name for himself. As he speaks, his eyes seem to change color, from red to orange to yellow. The change is subtle, a blend of magics.
"Perhaps too subtle for this lot" he thinks, I don't even think they are listening.
All of a sudden the tavern is a stir, as people begin filing outside. "What is it? The Mayor is looking for help, the towns under attack!" come from the voices around him.
"Well, I guess it's time to get to work. Real work"the man says, and stands and heads to the door.
A scraggly looking older gentleman wearing old tatter clothes and worm sandals on his feet walked up irritatedly waving a walking stick around and carrying a large book close to him in his other arm. "Metal heads are no discovery! These mindless tin cans need to go back to there glorified jobs as scarecrows out in the fields. Grab your pitchforks and touches. We will not be push around so easily." Looking around at the other riled up bunch of brutes around him, Hamma's iron resolve feels even harder then ever. But it was a long walk to the gates, perhaps they coukd wait for these modron come to them. All this stomping about was tiring.
Away in a corner, a goliath is sat hunched up, and seems to be trying to squeeze his large frame into as small a shape as he can without it becoming uncomfortable, simply so he can watch and listen without drawing much attention to himself. His lanky arms are wrapped about his knees, which are bent up to be just in front of the thick fur around his hood. Speaking of which, all that can be seen beneath the hood of the thick, worn leather jacket is a pair of glassy, eggshell blue eyes, that seem far further back into the skull of their host than one might expect. They take in the ruckus and mayhem of the townspeople fretting over the upcoming assault, or perhaps raring for battle, and then he sees an apt opportunity to rise from his seat, as he spots a group that seems to be taking a serious interest in the matter at hand, rather than throwing about senseless boasts or woes. He stands, his body unfurling into a long, gaunt figure, and strides over to the group, and the mayor.'My name isCallow. I am a man of the land.'he says in a low voice, as his frosted marble-like eyes roll across in their dark sockets to take in more of the people below him, 'The very being of these creatures goes against nature. It is my duty to fight with fang and claw to defend it, and so I will be. If we share a common enemy, I will gladly take you all on as allies.'
Looking up from his drink Aronan slight too loud to be under his breath “well it’s either fight, flee, or die… what can we do against an army that’s outside our front door?”
walks up the the old man and says “where do you think we could be best used? “
The mayor is gladdened as you step forward. "Thank you for volunteering." He thinks and then responds to Boigo and Aronan's questions about where the need is greatest, "You lot don't seem like mere ordinary soldiers. I know not what their plans will be, but we'll need capable people able to respond wherever the battle calls. Do you think this would be good for you? And perhaps any suggestions on our plans"
Summary of the Mayor's plans: town forces: mostly guards and commoners volunteers. Some scouts, and couple acolytes and apprentice wizards. Planning to hold most people in the keep, then barricade some houses
[[ For an overview of the town and land, I'll refer you to the map below. But be warned, its awe-inspiring beauty and artistry is such that you might weep at its glory and be unable to find delight in anything else, for everything else is but a pale reflection of its glory.
Green: forested areas Yellow: fields brown boxes: village grey box: fort black line: road the purple word saying "hill": a hill
More for a "here's the general lay" rather than trying to offer a concrete map to use. Most of Chesterfeld will be theater-of-the-mind. ]]
The man with long white/grey/blueish hair walks up, "Greetings Mayor" after hearing the Mayor speak. "I am Expos, a pupil of the divine, a messenger of good, and now, a savoir of towns. But what's important, is, that we all work together, because working together, when it matters most, ..."
[Assuming we have ten minutes until they get here and we are all together...]
Expos' new friends, as well as the mayor, all get 5 temp hps from his very inspiring speech.
"What's to know, all creatures work in a similar fashion, destroy the ticker, destroy the target. Find what powers them and remove it, they are simply flesh stretched over gears and plusing eletrical current, shouldn't be that hard to find their power sources." Hamma watches the gathering lot of volunteers, slightly more dangerous looking then the average peasant running about with pitchforks. Well they would have to do. Hamma was getting to old and tired to be rushing out the face these creatures head on but what was he to do. They had distributed his studies and forced him to abandon his work. Oh Hamma may not be as young as he once was but he woukd show these modron's that he was not to be bothered.
[Assuming we have ten minutes until they get here and we are all together...]
[[ give about an hour of prep time ]]
The mayor responds to Boigo, "Some fly. Others walk. Those that aren't assimilated people have very boxy and such looks, fighting with fists or javelins often. As for those that have been-," he gulps down a lump in his throat, "they seem to follow the others' commands in some strange language. Some are sturdier than others. And some say they've seen people immobile in the grasps of some."
Callow snarls at this description and mutters, 'Boxes. The most unnatural shape. No good thing is ever square. Nature works in spirals, not straight.' He then nods along at the warning of the modronised captives. 'Are they beyond hope, or could they be saved? Mind, I am in no mood to tear metal gears out of flesh if it will cause the victim pain. Therefore we should consider if it is better to slay the assimilated and put their souls to rest, or try and rescue them. I personally see the former as the better option. Even if they can be reverted, I imagine it would leave the survivors egregiously scarred, both mentally and physically.'
"Mayor, do you have a militia or defenses that we can get in place? Perhaps there is a way to create a choke point, force them in a direction that benefits us?"
"Best place to hamper seige weapons is before they get in range. Best way to hamper them is to disable their ability to move, either by landscape they cannot pass or focused attacks on their wheels. Of course this all should have been attempted long before now." Hamma looks like he gave some great insight with devastating conclusions despite stating the obvious.
As Callow and Boigo ask about possible saving the mayor frowns with a sad look, "To our knowledge, no one has been able to do so."
To Expos he replies, "We do have our forces." He thinks for a moment, "They'd most likely have to bring any siege weapons down the road. Would that fit your plans?"
[[ For terrain, forests in the prior map would be poor for moving large things / formations. The fields, while not having much cover, would have tilled land and fences making them slow to walk through. For the hill, grassy hill, so clear sights. The roads being clear terrain. And Modrons are coming from the East (right) of the map.
For exact numbers on forces, don't have those. Planning to run the upcoming battle as a series of miniquests (some set up by how you guys plan for it, some will be random die rolls for possible positive/negative outcomes within (and creating some new options to mitigate setbacks or make use of forward momentum)) ]]
The talk of disabling the siege equipment from Aronan and Hamma seems to lift his spirits. He turns to the rider with a look for information. The rider is able to say, "I wasn't able to get too good a look while running from crossbow bolts, but I did see some ballistas and a large mangonel getting pulled along."
"When is the best estimate ro when they will arrive? As much as I would love to go hamper their travels and equipment, of time does not allow then we shoukd focus on either reinforcing tbe defenses, or perhaps use the defenses of this town as a trap. Perhaps lure them in and trap them in the walls that they are trying to get into. Or not being your homes and all." Hamma saying the latter part with a mocking in his old raspy voice.
"None of it matters if we don't start. We should send out horses and plows to marr the roads and hunker down within the keep, slowing the attack and moving the less able to safety through the north woods. And someone needs to take and keep the hill" Boigo says emboldened
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
The rider responds to Hama's question, "Probably no more than an hour. At this point more like three quarters o' one."
[[ Factoring in talk time + Expos' inspiring leader speech ]]
Some people nearby hear Boigo's thoughts on tearing up the road and go to get their plows for some quick work. Meanwhile others begin evacuating out, with the sick/elderly taking refuge in the keep.
[[ From some quick research, took a farmer about a day to plow an acre. Acre is 43560 sq ft. 43560 / 12 ~= 3600 sq ft. per hour. So roughly a 60x60ft region. For the road in, from my rough map, got a narrower area between the two wood between opening up for fields and opening up for the town. So let's call it 10 * 30 ft. of road they're able to obstruct and turn into rough terrain. ]]
With the strategy of keeping the hill, the town garrison devotes 75% of its scouts toward the hill and 75% of its guards to the hill and disrupted road.
As the hasty preparations near their end you begin to see spherical creatures flying in the sky with the dust column of the approaching army now near.
It started a couple months ago. Some rumors of people gone missing. Crazed reports of walking boxes in the woods. Obvious nonsense. But then things progressed. More people missing. More strange sightings. And then empty villages. Soon the region was in alarm as forces of mechanical beings scoured the land. Some even reported seeing this missing loved ones among them, now outfitted with clockwork modifications.
Amidst this chaos the town of Chesterfeld has become a beacon for those seeking safety. Though the old fort within has seen far better days work has been done to get it in functional, if roughshod, order. Perhaps your character grew up here or has come seeking safety. Perhaps they're from elsewhere and sought to aid the situation after hearing stories. But now this safehaven is in jeopardy.
A messenger has arrived. Humanoid from a distance but mechanical in nature. Flesh merged with gears and other constructs. A modronized person with a simple message. "We are modron. Resistance is futile."
Soon after the declaration of those words a frantic rider appears from the road with further news. A large force of modrons and modronized peoples, backed with siege weaponry, is coming towards Chesterfeld. By the rider's estimates they'll arrive within an hour or so.
Upon hearing this the mayor of Chesterfeld, an older man with weathered robes, addresses the town. "A dark hour is upon us. And from what this rider has told us our town guard alone is not enough. We will aid from anyone willing to take up arms in defense of our people."
This is a signature. It was a simple signature. But it has been upgraded.
Belolonandalogalo, Sunny | Draíocht, Kholias | Eggo Lass, 100 Dungeons
Talorin Tebedi, Vecna: Eve | Cherry, Stormwreck | Chipper, Strahd
Let's Test Monsters! | We Are Modron
Get rickrolled here. Awesome music here. Track 45, 2/3/25, Adiemus
*Boigo steps forward offering salute and saying*
"Where am I needed?"
The man in the corner is talking to a captive audience, of about four locals. Being new to the town, the long haired man is looking to make a name for himself. As he speaks, his eyes seem to change color, from red to orange to yellow. The change is subtle, a blend of magics.
"Perhaps too subtle for this lot" he thinks, I don't even think they are listening.
All of a sudden the tavern is a stir, as people begin filing outside. "What is it? The Mayor is looking for help, the towns under attack!" come from the voices around him.
"Well, I guess it's time to get to work. Real work" the man says, and stands and heads to the door.
A scraggly looking older gentleman wearing old tatter clothes and worm sandals on his feet walked up irritatedly waving a walking stick around and carrying a large book close to him in his other arm. "Metal heads are no discovery! These mindless tin cans need to go back to there glorified jobs as scarecrows out in the fields. Grab your pitchforks and touches. We will not be push around so easily." Looking around at the other riled up bunch of brutes around him, Hamma's iron resolve feels even harder then ever. But it was a long walk to the gates, perhaps they coukd wait for these modron come to them. All this stomping about was tiring.
Away in a corner, a goliath is sat hunched up, and seems to be trying to squeeze his large frame into as small a shape as he can without it becoming uncomfortable, simply so he can watch and listen without drawing much attention to himself. His lanky arms are wrapped about his knees, which are bent up to be just in front of the thick fur around his hood. Speaking of which, all that can be seen beneath the hood of the thick, worn leather jacket is a pair of glassy, eggshell blue eyes, that seem far further back into the skull of their host than one might expect. They take in the ruckus and mayhem of the townspeople fretting over the upcoming assault, or perhaps raring for battle, and then he sees an apt opportunity to rise from his seat, as he spots a group that seems to be taking a serious interest in the matter at hand, rather than throwing about senseless boasts or woes. He stands, his body unfurling into a long, gaunt figure, and strides over to the group, and the mayor. 'My name is Callow. I am a man of the land.' he says in a low voice, as his frosted marble-like eyes roll across in their dark sockets to take in more of the people below him, 'The very being of these creatures goes against nature. It is my duty to fight with fang and claw to defend it, and so I will be. If we share a common enemy, I will gladly take you all on as allies.'
Xaul Lackluster: Half-Orc Fathomless Warlock: Warlock Dragon Heist
Borvnir Chelvnich: Black Dragonborn Barbarian: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Sparkles: Aasimar Monk: Drakkenheim: What's in the Here and Now
Lith Ja’mas: Githyanki Sorcerer: Ghosts Of Saltmarsh
Pushover Gerilwitz: Tiefling Wizard: Acquisitions Incorporated
DMing The 100 Dungeons of the Blood Archivist! and The Hunt for the Balowang!
Killer Queen has already extended this signature, though not by much!
Looking up from his drink Aronan slight too loud to be under his breath “well it’s either fight, flee, or die… what can we do against an army that’s outside our front door?”
walks up the the old man and says “where do you think we could be best used? “
The mayor is gladdened as you step forward. "Thank you for volunteering." He thinks and then responds to Boigo and Aronan's questions about where the need is greatest, "You lot don't seem like mere ordinary soldiers. I know not what their plans will be, but we'll need capable people able to respond wherever the battle calls. Do you think this would be good for you? And perhaps any suggestions on our plans"
Summary of the Mayor's plans:
town forces: mostly guards and commoners volunteers. Some scouts, and couple acolytes and apprentice wizards.
Planning to hold most people in the keep, then barricade some houses
[[
For an overview of the town and land, I'll refer you to the map below. But be warned, its awe-inspiring beauty and artistry is such that you might weep at its glory and be unable to find delight in anything else, for everything else is but a pale reflection of its glory.
Green: forested areas
Yellow: fields
brown boxes: village
grey box: fort
black line: road
the purple word saying "hill": a hill
More for a "here's the general lay" rather than trying to offer a concrete map to use. Most of Chesterfeld will be theater-of-the-mind.
]]
This is a signature. It was a simple signature. But it has been upgraded.
Belolonandalogalo, Sunny | Draíocht, Kholias | Eggo Lass, 100 Dungeons
Talorin Tebedi, Vecna: Eve | Cherry, Stormwreck | Chipper, Strahd
Let's Test Monsters! | We Are Modron
Get rickrolled here. Awesome music here. Track 45, 2/3/25, Adiemus
"Do any of you know anything about these creatures that are invading?"
Boigo asks the gathered volunteers (the party). He looks conflicted, and scared, but he's putting on a stoic face
The man with long white/grey/blueish hair walks up, "Greetings Mayor" after hearing the Mayor speak. "I am Expos, a pupil of the divine, a messenger of good, and now, a savoir of towns. But what's important, is, that we all work together, because working together, when it matters most, ..."
[Assuming we have ten minutes until they get here and we are all together...]
Expos' new friends, as well as the mayor, all get 5 temp hps from his very inspiring speech.
"What's to know, all creatures work in a similar fashion, destroy the ticker, destroy the target. Find what powers them and remove it, they are simply flesh stretched over gears and plusing eletrical current, shouldn't be that hard to find their power sources." Hamma watches the gathering lot of volunteers, slightly more dangerous looking then the average peasant running about with pitchforks. Well they would have to do. Hamma was getting to old and tired to be rushing out the face these creatures head on but what was he to do. They had distributed his studies and forced him to abandon his work. Oh Hamma may not be as young as he once was but he woukd show these modron's that he was not to be bothered.
[[ give about an hour of prep time ]]
The mayor responds to Boigo, "Some fly. Others walk. Those that aren't assimilated people have very boxy and such looks, fighting with fists or javelins often. As for those that have been-," he gulps down a lump in his throat, "they seem to follow the others' commands in some strange language. Some are sturdier than others. And some say they've seen people immobile in the grasps of some."
This is a signature. It was a simple signature. But it has been upgraded.
Belolonandalogalo, Sunny | Draíocht, Kholias | Eggo Lass, 100 Dungeons
Talorin Tebedi, Vecna: Eve | Cherry, Stormwreck | Chipper, Strahd
Let's Test Monsters! | We Are Modron
Get rickrolled here. Awesome music here. Track 45, 2/3/25, Adiemus
Callow snarls at this description and mutters, 'Boxes. The most unnatural shape. No good thing is ever square. Nature works in spirals, not straight.' He then nods along at the warning of the modronised captives. 'Are they beyond hope, or could they be saved? Mind, I am in no mood to tear metal gears out of flesh if it will cause the victim pain. Therefore we should consider if it is better to slay the assimilated and put their souls to rest, or try and rescue them. I personally see the former as the better option. Even if they can be reverted, I imagine it would leave the survivors egregiously scarred, both mentally and physically.'
Xaul Lackluster: Half-Orc Fathomless Warlock: Warlock Dragon Heist
Borvnir Chelvnich: Black Dragonborn Barbarian: Dragons of Stormwreck Isle
Sparkles: Aasimar Monk: Drakkenheim: What's in the Here and Now
Lith Ja’mas: Githyanki Sorcerer: Ghosts Of Saltmarsh
Pushover Gerilwitz: Tiefling Wizard: Acquisitions Incorporated
DMing The 100 Dungeons of the Blood Archivist! and The Hunt for the Balowang!
Killer Queen has already extended this signature, though not by much!
"I'm in agreement, we put them down unless and until someone comes up with a cure."
Boigo says stoically. It's a grim task, but better to protect the defenseless
"Mayor, do you have a militia or defenses that we can get in place? Perhaps there is a way to create a choke point, force them in a direction that benefits us?"
also we should try to figure out a way to take out the seige weapons as well..
"Best place to hamper seige weapons is before they get in range. Best way to hamper them is to disable their ability to move, either by landscape they cannot pass or focused attacks on their wheels. Of course this all should have been attempted long before now." Hamma looks like he gave some great insight with devastating conclusions despite stating the obvious.
As Callow and Boigo ask about possible saving the mayor frowns with a sad look, "To our knowledge, no one has been able to do so."
To Expos he replies, "We do have our forces." He thinks for a moment, "They'd most likely have to bring any siege weapons down the road. Would that fit your plans?"
[[
For terrain, forests in the prior map would be poor for moving large things / formations. The fields, while not having much cover, would have tilled land and fences making them slow to walk through. For the hill, grassy hill, so clear sights. The roads being clear terrain. And Modrons are coming from the East (right) of the map.
For exact numbers on forces, don't have those. Planning to run the upcoming battle as a series of miniquests (some set up by how you guys plan for it, some will be random die rolls for possible positive/negative outcomes within (and creating some new options to mitigate setbacks or make use of forward momentum))
]]
The talk of disabling the siege equipment from Aronan and Hamma seems to lift his spirits. He turns to the rider with a look for information. The rider is able to say, "I wasn't able to get too good a look while running from crossbow bolts, but I did see some ballistas and a large mangonel getting pulled along."
This is a signature. It was a simple signature. But it has been upgraded.
Belolonandalogalo, Sunny | Draíocht, Kholias | Eggo Lass, 100 Dungeons
Talorin Tebedi, Vecna: Eve | Cherry, Stormwreck | Chipper, Strahd
Let's Test Monsters! | We Are Modron
Get rickrolled here. Awesome music here. Track 45, 2/3/25, Adiemus
"When is the best estimate ro when they will arrive? As much as I would love to go hamper their travels and equipment, of time does not allow then we shoukd focus on either reinforcing tbe defenses, or perhaps use the defenses of this town as a trap. Perhaps lure them in and trap them in the walls that they are trying to get into. Or not being your homes and all." Hamma saying the latter part with a mocking in his old raspy voice.
"None of it matters if we don't start. We should send out horses and plows to marr the roads and hunker down within the keep, slowing the attack and moving the less able to safety through the north woods. And someone needs to take and keep the hill" Boigo says emboldened
The rider responds to Hama's question, "Probably no more than an hour. At this point more like three quarters o' one."
[[ Factoring in talk time + Expos' inspiring leader speech ]]
Some people nearby hear Boigo's thoughts on tearing up the road and go to get their plows for some quick work. Meanwhile others begin evacuating out, with the sick/elderly taking refuge in the keep.
[[ From some quick research, took a farmer about a day to plow an acre. Acre is 43560 sq ft. 43560 / 12 ~= 3600 sq ft. per hour. So roughly a 60x60ft region. For the road in, from my rough map, got a narrower area between the two wood between opening up for fields and opening up for the town. So let's call it 10 * 30 ft. of road they're able to obstruct and turn into rough terrain. ]]
With the strategy of keeping the hill, the town garrison devotes 75% of its scouts toward the hill and 75% of its guards to the hill and disrupted road.
As the hasty preparations near their end you begin to see spherical creatures flying in the sky with the dust column of the approaching army now near.
This is a signature. It was a simple signature. But it has been upgraded.
Belolonandalogalo, Sunny | Draíocht, Kholias | Eggo Lass, 100 Dungeons
Talorin Tebedi, Vecna: Eve | Cherry, Stormwreck | Chipper, Strahd
Let's Test Monsters! | We Are Modron
Get rickrolled here. Awesome music here. Track 45, 2/3/25, Adiemus