Stormraider Keep (A M.E.T.A.L. Campaign)

Flynt nods in somber agreement. "Seems to be our only option now'

"Not such a bad option though, is it?" Elyria says with a small smile, trying to be encouraging, then readying herself for the journey to the ambush site by the canyon.
Perception: 17 Aelric perception: 16

Neither Elyria nor Aelric turn up anything unusual as you travel.  Now and then you note the tracks of various animals in the snow, but otherwise the day is quiet. As you travel the snow lessens, and soon, despite there still bring snow on the ground, it is no longer falling.  

It takes a couple of hours to get to the ambush spot. 

"This should be it right?" Elyria says as the team reaches it's destination. "I can send Aelric to spot when Leilatha approaches."  She says putting down her gear and looking to Flynt and Aurelius. "So how do we do this? Can we avoid fighting the satyr scouts somehow? Any chance we can convince them to join us against Leilatha the hag?" She finishes, looking at Yoë.

Aelric perception to spot approaching threats from the direction of Leilatha's fortress: 18

"Well let's work out exactly what we need then we can plan solutions. So #1 we need to get rid of any scouts she may have. #2 We need her to stop at a desired spot. #3 We need to decide our level of aggression. Are we capturing or killing? This can help us decide what exct method we use against her. #4 What is our escape plan and at what point do we enact it?" ponders Flynt as he walks about the proposed site.

OCC:

Do we have a map or detailed description of the area we had chosen previously as our strike point?

"I would say our primary objective with this operation is to kill Leilatha, and I think Rahkeshi would prefer it if I was the one to deal the kiliing blow. I'm aware this will be a hard one to pull off. If possible we don't kill any satyrs but I have no suggestions on how to pull that off other than Yoë and Aurelius might possibly convince them they should not defend a hag. If we strike hard and fast I don't think we will need a way to stop her really other than to outright kill her." Elyria says, then trying to make the others to huddle up a bit speaking in a lowered voice. "Also remember our blue friend might still be around, even as we speak."

Aurelius agrees, "Yes, we must kill the hag, although I may try for the coup de grace myself.  It would be amusing to have Rahkeshi at my beck and call."

Smiling, he continues, "It may be possible to create a distraction large enough to draw away the main group of scouts, leaving the hag and her inner circle vulnerable.  I could ride Lady at full speed right by their group, and perhaps many of them would give chase, improving the odds for the rest of you.   As I suggested previously, it may be possible to create barriers of logs and boulders at either end of the canyon to trap Leilatha there."

(I do not have a map off the top of my head - but let me take a look. Maybe I have something saved somewhere!) 

Yoë grins, "What about me? Maybe I could be the one to do the cup of grass! Nobody would suspect me!"  She pulls out her small knife, taking a rather poor looking fighting stance.  She then becomes more serious. "I could try talking to the satyrs I guess. But we'll need a Plan B.  I don't think Lady Leilatha's closest guards are likely to be the first to turn against her."

It certainly might be possible to block off the canyon.  Logs would be great, but might take more time than you have.  Based on Rahkeshi's message, Leilatha was leaving today and thus at most you would have several hours until she got to this point.  Perhaps dislodging rocks would be faster, though you would still need to come up with a way to accomplish that. 

Aurelius will scout the canyon on horseback, looking for anything that could be used as a barrier.  Perhaps even dried brush that could be lit on fire at the appropriate moment.  Are there any caves or hollows in the canyon where they could conceal themselves and spring out?

Investigation 6

Survival  19

OOC What do you think about my armor's special artillery attack thingy?  If I aimed at the canyon wall, might that dislodge enough rubble to block the way forward?

Quote from rob88scps2 >>

OOC What do you think about my armor's special artillery attack thingy?  If I aimed at the canyon wall, might that dislodge enough rubble to block the way forward?

 That would absolutely be able to dislodge the sort of rubble you would need to block the way.

"I suggest then that Aurelius and Yoë tries to talk to the satyr scouts as they arrive, and if they can't be convinced to at least not oppose us I don't see what choice we have but to fight them. I know too little of trickery to trick them. Assuming we handle the scouts we will block off the canyon and try to kill Leilatha." Elyria says, again trying to make the team huddle up and talk to them in a lowered voice. "We must also be wary of our blue friend trying to turn up to deal the death blow to Leilatha."

"Elyria, I wonder if you could wildshape into a small animal that would not be noticed, and then get past the scouts, and be able to attack the hag directly

I think that once the hag is in the canyon, someone draws the scouts and guards forward, at which time I can create a barrier of rubble between Leilatha and the scouts.  If Flynt were the one to act as bait, once the scouts were cut off, he could take owl form and fly back to join us.  You might be able to use your druidic magic to create difficult terrain in the canyon to trap them there."

"I suppose I could get past the scouts but I think we would need to make a coordinated attack on Leilatha to stand a chance against her and her loyal underlings. With the help of my winged boots I will be able to hover above the entourage and assail them with arrows and druidic magic. I can also call upon an elemental of air to aid us." Elyria answers.

"Ah, that is true.  I keep forgetting about those wondrous boots of yours."

Canyon Map: 
The canyon opens up to the bottom left of the map - that is the direction Lady Leilatha would be coming from.  To the top right the canyon heads predominantly north towards the tower you see in the far distance.  (Although the colors are rock/sand, the terrain is covered with a light snow at this point. Ignore the snake that is shown.)  Coming from the south you can fairly easily get to the higher ground on the bottom right of the map.  There is no simple way from one side to the other (besides flying or climbing the cliff).  About a mile or so to the north the land is flatter, and you can access canyon or either side of the cliffs from there.  Squares, if you can make it out, are 10' x 10'.  This makes the narrowest point about 5' across. 

"Do we have a way of lowering her resistances or dulling her abilities? " asks Flynt

OCC: 

Flynt will try to restrain Leilatha but I need her STR checks disadvantaged. Flynt may also be able to charm the Satyrs only I don't know how many at a time. The rune says:

Quote from MrJanuary812 >>

 

Stone Rune

When a creature you can see ends its turn within 30 ft. of you, you can use your reaction to force the creature to make a WIS saving throw (DC:12). Unless the save succeeds, the creature is charmed by you for 1 minute. While charmed in this way, the creature has a speed of 0 and is incapacitated, descending into a dreamy stupor. The creature repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. 

But I'm assuming it's only one because I only have one reaction.

 It definitely says "a creature" which would be one.  The end is also "Once you invoke this rune, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest."  So, once it is used on one creature you have to finish a short rest at least before using it again. 

OOC

Well it would be ideal if we could bottle them up in that narrow passage.  Maybe Flynt and the dire wolves are hiding behind the corner, and we could trap them in there.  or else when half their party is through the narrow part, I could  blast it and cut half their group off from the other half.

(OOC: I planned for Elyria to summon the air elemental instead for this fight as it will not be screened from attacking Leilatha I think, ready to summon Freke and Gere should the elemental go down for some reason. Elyria also has some surprise arrows that might come of use. Also, perhaps we could simply hide well and hope the scouts pass us by without noticing us? Trying to cut off Leilatha from most of her escort in the narrow part of the canyon sounds good though.)

"First we need to know where the scouts are, and how many there are, and if they travel with Leilatha or ahead of her.  Perhaps Aelric can help with this.  I think it would be best if we could create some sort of diversion for the scouts that would cause them to investigate and leave the hag temporarily vulnerable.  A forest fire?  Some sort of illusion? A rumor that Sylmare's forces are nearby planning an ambush of their own?  Hmmm.  I wonder if it would work for our dear satyr here to approach Leilatha's satyrs, and claim she saw Sylmare's forces preparing an ambush up ahead.  When they go to investigate, we attack Leilatha, assuming she remains behind.  If they recognize her, she can claim she was captured and just escaped? "

OOC Clearly none of us are master tacticians here.  I'm grasping at straws.  Help, anyone?  DM, any tactical knowledge or assessment that our characters might have that we as players do not?