Snow looks a little out of his depth. He was not really sure about the dealings the others had before they met, and it wasn’t any of his business really.

”Well that fills in some blanks. The Abziri, Jlasi and goblins are working together against the Amazighs. The imperials are some form of ally to the Abziri, or were until the viscount was arrested.  It is tempting to let them wipe each other out”, he says but doesn’t look particularly sure.

When Auger mentions the ward at the castle, he remembers his attempts to charm those at the shipping guild. “It would be unfortunate if our magic does not work in the castle, that would put us at a big disadvantage”, he adds. “We should be careful, I don’t think we can survive a direct conflict and it seems our only ally would be the Amazighs in this, which sounds ridiculous as I say it”.

”What is the plan here?”, he asks Strewn outright. “I can conceal us outside the castle when we get closer, so we can scope it out maybe?”.

To Auger, Granophyre responds, his mind acute and active even as his emotions flow thick and dark, “We must remember that the Azhvuv Queen was not omniscient. A kind-hearted Abziri Viceroy signs a treaty with goblins. There seems to be some kernel of truth to be sure. Yet, what if he was acting under the influence of someone else? In the Dwarven Isles it is not the servant’s duty to glare when their employer embraces. Far from it.”

“As for the present…,” and at that moment, Granophyre’s golden bird, which he had sent to scout the castle, returns and, perching upon the sage’s hand, flutes a melody.  Granophyre nods grimly.

“The ward at the castle is not uncommon: familiars are barred from entry. This is the norm in seats of political power where confidentiality is paramount. Py and my construct will have to wait outside. Otherwise, magic will work, both ours and theirs if they have any.”

To Snow, Granophyre responds, “The plan? Improvisation is the key to scholarship, as you know — and to positive outcomes in battle. We must avoid being surrounded. And if we can draw them out, beyond the wards, then we have the assistance of our two flying friends. Goblins are not bright. The existence of the ward is most likely beyond their ability to comprehend.”

Wondering at the actual layout of the castle and its surroundings Auger tries to think how he might take advantage of Py.

"Perhaps if we can draw them out, we can engage them through our familiars. That would work for you and I at least," Auger states to Granophyre. "At least if we can stay out of sight while we do it." Auger looks towards Snow and Varielky, "Do you want to draw them out? Sneaking in might be the safer choice."

Here is an exterior view of the castle grounds.

You are about 100 meters east, hidden among trees, from the marked red X.

"Draw them out. Call them to fight, see how they respond." Varielky answers, clearly not fond of the sneaking option.

"Though, they might just shoot us from the walls if we stand and wait." Varielky realises, raising her concerns. "A castle is usually built to hold attackers off, even a great force. Would the four of us be any consideration to them at all? If you want to storm a castle, the best option would be to somehow climb the walls. Surely one of you can float us up?" Varielky indicates Granophyre, whom she knows had done so in the past. "We'll be easy to surround there, but at the same time, we wouldn't be shot down by a hundred archers simultaneously. We've seen them using bows before."

(OOC: the gates are still open and you still see no one on the walls or through the gates.)

Snow listens to the others before adding his piece.

”I have to admit that storming a castle is not something I have experience in. I will have to take your advice there Varielky. I am unable to help getting us up the wall sorry”.

He thinks for a moment, “I can help us sneak inside, or I can disguise myself as I did before and go and look around”.

“It looks quiet though, are we sure goblins are smart enough to be watching from the walls? Perhaps we move forward and be ready to retreat if necessary?”

He gets a look as if he has just remembered something, “Let’s call them out, if they use archers I can protect us from arrows for a short time while we move away”.

(OOC: Are the wards that block familiars at the walls and gatehouse or at the dunjon/keep?)

"Hmmm - their bows. Even 10 of them could create a shower of arrows that would press us once they know where we are. Perhaps we follow Varielky's way except we do not call them out. We just go in and defeat whichever ones present themselves. They are not watching the doors. Perhaps we can use our abilities that allow us to sneak as a way to retreat if needed."

"Hmm, I see no archers either," Varielky confirms after squinting her eyes, searching the walls for any trace or sign of Goblins. "That said, we don't know if they're not hiding. You say Goblins aren't smart but the Humans giving them orders could be, remember?"

Varielky dons her shield in preparation for battle. "I have never stormed a castle myself, but I have studied about them in the past." She pauses for a moment. "Actually, I've been to the palace in Ishi Ammah. More than a castle, but guards on walls are guards on walls. If they're up there, and I'm down here, there's not much I can do." 

"Just going in and fighting works, I guess, but it will be much less glorious a battle than calling them all to one place. Wouldn't it be better for you, with your... air booms?" Varielky ignorance in magic, even despite seeing Auger casting the spell many times, is obvious. At a loss of words, describing what she hears when he casts the spell as "air booms" was her best attempt. "Anyway, I think it is fine leaving your... umm... familiars? Out of the castle. They can make sure nobody sneaks past us and out the gate. After all, our plan was to send everyone there to the afterlife, right?" When Varielky speaks of it, there is nothing grim nor exceptional about these words. Said as normally as one would mention making dinner.

Auger realizes as Varielky speaks that even he did not have labels for what he did. He gathered energies. He bent light. He touched environments from very distant places and sometimes he moved through those places. Calling his one power an 'air boom' made as much sense as anything. "Yes it is better to fight a few collected in one place for that, for my-- for my air booms -- my thunderous strike," that sounded pretty good, "but I cannot do it over and over again and will not be able to catch more than 10 even if they all gathered together very closely. It is an effective tool but I will have to be selective in how I use it. Perhaps there is a middle ground. Without any scouting from Py and Granophyre's sparrow we do not know what we will really face until we see it. Perhaps we go in quietly to scout things out and then engage in combat once we know more of what we face and how they are arrayed?"

Auger sights along the walls and tries to imagine the Goblins hiding and loosing a bow attack from on high. That would be devastating. A quiet entry did make the most sense.

"And once we know something about them. Then we attack and send them to their afterlives. Yes."

(OOC: the ward only keeps Py and the golden bird from entering the keep. Py and the bird have both carefully scouted the walls and windows. There are no archers.)

Snow waits as the others debate their course of action before speaking, aware that the others had been companions for far longer and knew more about each other's strengths.

He wasn't actually sure what they meant when talking about Auger's magic, but having any enemies grouped together suited him as well.

"In terms of magic, I have some tricks up my sleeve that may aid us as well, assuming we can get the enemy grouped together. It won't exactly harm them, but it could possibly hypnotise them for a short time while we either escape or dispatch them", he muses before adding, "Although I have used up some of my magical energy today already. Should be fine though".

"Are we agreed then that we will advance onto the castle grounds and carefully scope out the situation?".

Varielky stands up, taking the initiative. "I'll lead, follow me. If you see anything, shout it out immediately. I don't want to die to raining arrows from enemies I can't see." Varielky then leads into the castle, passing through the main gates, subduing the urge to announce their arrival, as agreed.

Auger follows along and enters the castle grounds, with Py staying above, invisible and watching.

Chapter 7: Abziri Castle

You enter the gatehouse, and then the courtyard. You are now at the position marked X:
Castle Courtyard

You hear birds chirping in the distance, and the gentle rushing of the cataract over which you just passed to enter the castle. The castle grounds themselves are quiet. You notice marks on the ground extending from the gatehouse to the keep’s front entryway. Something big and heavy was dragged along. Many, many goblin footsteps. Garbage on the ground – apple cores, broken tools, and torn sacks, as if a fraternity had been quietly trashing the place over the course of days.

As they move on to the castle grounds, Auger feels a great deal of discomfort at the display of trash and the signs of many many goblins here. They would certainly have to be careful. Looking to the others he motions towards the keep and tries to move forward to the entrance while staying out of easy line of sight from the entrance. 

Py. You can rest atop the smithy there and keep an eye on things without making any noise.

Listening for signs of anything approaching, and if it appears to be quiet, Auger peeks in through the door, intending to pull back out of view immediately if he sees or hears Goblins nearby.

Some rolls if needed

• Stealth (to approach the entrance): 6 +2 = 8
• Perception (to listen for any Goblins prior to peeking): 11
• Perception (peeking): 12

(OOC: nice rolls, eh?)

Snow looks around at the mess with a frown, seeing the sheer number of goblin tracks. There were lots of them, but possibly not any more.

What could they have been dragging?

He moves quietly, not wanting to alert anyone who was actually still here to their presence just yet. He takes out his violin so as to have it in hand if anything does happen, and then wanders over to the Carriage House to make sure nothing was in there and behind them.

Stealth: 14+5=19
Perception: 14+7=21

The carriage house is similarly vacant. Rows of shelving, drawers and wall hooks have been emptied and divulged of their contents— harnesses and replacement straps and leather working tools, which are strewn upon the ground. A red spray of blood covers the walls of the horse stalls like a macabre action painting, and heavy drag marks on the ground, pulling blood with them, exit the structure, pointed toward the keep, the drag marks joining those you saw coming in from the gatehouse. In one corner of the carriage house, fine, brocaded saddlebags lie ripped upon the floors, and the smell and buzzing flies tell you, were used as a goblin outhouse.

"I see no hundred Goblins, nor even one," Varielky states the obvious in disappointment. "Perhaps they'll be back later. Maybe they have gone to make more of the things we found in that house." The disgust is plain in her voice. "I suggest we use this time to arrange a meeting with the sleeping Human if they're still here."

Snow wanders back to the courtyard, a look of disgust on his face.

"I just don't understand how anyone can make a pact with vile creatures like these", he says to Varielky. "These people must have been really desperate".

He looks over to Auger by the keep and waits for him to report back on what he finds.