Red Dead Annihilation: Campaign Thread

Inete has been looking out toward the gate and the commanders tent, engaged in quiet prayer.  Now she breaks into the conversation.  “I’m quite sure no one but us has left the Commanders tent since we finished talking to him.  In that case… I don’t know that anyone else here is yet aware of his plans to seize our canoes.”

She let’s that sink in.

”If I’m right, we should make our plans quickly.  If his lieutenants learn our canoes are to be taken from us, then may send guards with us when we go out to unload - doubly so if they are already suspicious of us.  If they still think we are just guests for the night, we have a better chance of slipping away before they realize we are stealing back our boats.”

[I think you were all already aware of this, but I didn’t see it explicitly spelled out anywhere so I had Inete say it out loud.]

"I think at least some guards are already aware that we are to get our things and bring them here, into the tower. Honestly, do not see a problem if we all go to the boats to do just that, while someone invisible frees the apes and makes the run towards the open gates, because, they will be open at the time."

Ran looks around at the others.

"I'm happy to sneak about, but these chainlinks don't always make that easy," Ran says, patting his armor. "But I can probably get those locks open so maybe worth the risk."

 “I don’t think they would leave before the next meal, but it is not a bet worth making.” With that said he unsheathed a dagger and cut a flock of his hair. Putting back the blade, the wizard tied the hair in a not. “I can speak with whoever holds this and whoever hold this can talk with me. Twenty-five words at time, spoken messages and as long as we are no further than ten miles. With this we can coordinate the moment of the release. That said, someone is going to the cages, I am sorry to say that, Ran, but we would have greater chance of success. And I will need to be no further than two-hundred feet from the woman to have Ninlil deliver the Invisibility spell.”

For a moment Velan considered having the owl drop the eerie token on the cage, but the prisoner would have no idea about the true nature of the thing. She was far more likely to ignore it.

“I will work the magic whatever you guys decided.” The hexblood said offering the hair and telepathically commanding the familiar to fly high while keeping an eye to the cage. “So, I’m counting Ran and Meili for the break. What of everyone else? Would you go, Mica?”

Running a hand over her face, greased from bug repellant, Danica inhaled a deep breath and held it, surveying the group before letting out air and asking, "If Inete is right, time is doubly of the essence. Need to go now before he spreads word and while the rest of the camp things we're just getting our things out of the canoes to stay the night."

Focusing on Velan she asked pointedly, "Feel like this damn heat is getting to me and I just want to make sure we're all on the same page. You can make two different people invisible at the same time and keep in communication with whoever holds yer little memento there." Gesturing to his lock of hair. "That I get. We want to get that one out so as to get more information. But what do you mean "the break"? The break to the canoes?  The breaking of the cage?" Feeling like an utterly simple-minded human as she tried to follow along with the more intelligent wizard's plan. 

He didn’t understood Danica’s question at first, imagining that given the context the term ‘break’ should be easily enough equated to ‘prison break’. Then he realized that his knowledge of how people normally spoke at Faerûn was theoretical at beast. He could not say how old were the books he read on the continent, safe from those from Volo, but the meetings with the bard had left more than clear that the man was not exactly a reliable referential when it comes to customs and speech. He dressed to extravagantly and spoke too theatrically. As such there was a fair chance that the term ‘prison break’ was no longer that common in Faerûn. Maybe it was not common at all. Truth be told, Velan never experienced the speech habits of any community before Port Nyzaru. His figurative speech could be less than understandable. At least she asked politely, the wizard thought. That and her synthesis of the situation would never be less than useful.

“By breal I mean prison break. To be fair I don’t know if nowadays the expression is used in your homeland or if its meaning is unchanged since I learned through books, but it’s meant to imply escaping from a jail as in a carceral facility.”

Explanation made he kept looking at the others. Waiting for their decisions and for Mica’s and Ran’s answers.

Ran looks at the others.

"I'm not sure she knows anything but it seems like cruel punishment even for a thief," Ran says. "And maybe she does know."

He looks around.

"Can your bird tell me when you're at the gate?" he asks Velan. "I'll open the cages then and race to the dock."

Mica shrugs “We will be branded enemies by the Order for our own escape and for taking the canoes.  Breaking out another prisoner will make much more of a difference.” He looks at Ran “If you think she can provide word of your sister.  If you think she is worth it.”  Turning to the others he adds “But Inete is right, whatever we do, we should do quickly. I will try to stall and keep the gates open if it looks like they will close them.”

Ran nods at Mica's reasoning.

"The odds are bloody poor that we'll make it out of this rainforest in one piece," Ran says. "And I don't see any of this lot getting back to the coast. Not with that leader. The rest of the Order is never going to hear about us. If it doesn't look like I can get her out I'll leave her and head to the canoes. Either way, I agree with Mica. We need to go now or we're stuck here."

He looks back at Velan.

"If your bird can give me a signal when it's time that would be the quietest way to do this," Ran says. "If not, I'll just count to one hundred."

He then gestures at his own body.

"Can you turn me invisible?"

[It sounds like the plan is:

1. Velan turns Ran invisible
2. Group sans Ran heads to the canoes to "gather the stuff'
3. Invisible Ran goes to the back, waits for signal of some kind, opens cages for monkeys and for prisoner
4. Everybody runs for it

Is the DM missing anything?  If you are ready, go ahead and turn Ran invisible and then everyone let me know what you're doing next.]

Meili will walk with others to the canoes and once "monkey punic" begins (supposedly it will be noisy) - pushes canoe into water and raws away with others.

Quote from Bartjeebus >>

If anyone wants to make a perception check, they might learn more.

 
Perception Check: 18

Velan,:

Staring between Velan and then intensely at Ran as they spoke, Danica looked down at their feet and simply whispered, "I jus' hope you know what you're getting into." Clapping a hand on the warrior's shoulder she cast Guidance for however little it might help while it lasted. Her hand lingered in a grip that was almost a hug but not close enough before dropping. With that, the sailor nodded to the wizard and set off out across the camp, attempting to make an effort to appear casual while staying near the rear of their party. 

“I’ll tell you myself when we are twenty-five feet from the gate.” He said handing the eerie token to Ran. Apparently, the man had failed to understand both his explanations and Danica’s synthesis of it. Maybe it was nervosism. The possibility that no one on the party would give support to his choice and he would need to act alone on what could be a piece of information about his sister. For the group as a whole it was certainly an extra risk, but for the warrior it was a chance that could not be left alone. “If you attack the lock, or anything, you will become visible so if you need to attack the lock give her the weapon to that. Tell her that as soon as she is out an owl may roost on her, delivering a spell to make her invisible. As soon as she is out you tell me and I will start running to the boats. You do the same.”

He still thought Mica was the best to carry the mission, being the stealthier of the group, but the ranger made no mention of taking action. Velan too out his arcane focus and turned into Ran’s direction, eyes glowing teal. He pressed the crystal against his chest, casting Mage Armor then, as he continued to whisper arcane words, tapped the fighter’s shoulder, making him invisible. Ninlil was ordered to keep looking at the cage.

“Ran, now.” He said by the time the rest of the party was twenty-five feet from the gate. By then the wizard stopped, crouching as if to tie his boots.

Notes: Velan casts Mage Armor on himself then Invisibility on Ran and walks with the party until he is 25ft from the gate (100ft from the cage). There he signals Ran and crouch as if to tie his boots (spells marked on the character sheet).

Ran nodded his thanks to both Danica and Velan and then moved quickly to get back to the prison cages. He had no intention of attacking the cell doors. If his makeshift lockpicks didn't work he might try leveraging his sword to crack them open but if he had to start hacking at them, all was probably lost.

Letting loose the apes first might provide the distraction he'd need to keep the guards busy.

Moving quickly through the tents, he didn't waste too much time trying to be quiet. Anyone hearing something from in the tents wouldn't worry too much as long as he didn't sound like an animal or zombie. The more he sounded like a soldier the better, at least until he got within eyesight of the guards at the cages.

Once he does get close to the cages, he does take extra care with his steps, trying not to draw the guards attention.

He goes to the ape cage first and tries picking the lock without opening it. If he can unlock it but leave it closed for now he then goes to the half-elf prisoner's cage and tries unlocking that one.

If gets it unlocked without drawing the guards attention he moves to the back of the cage and whispers to the prisoner, and in as few words as possible tells her he's going to open the ape cage, then hers, and that as soon is she is out an owl will fly down to her. Once she's invisible they're both going to run to the boat, Ran letting Velan know via the sending stone that they're on their way.

Stealth: 16  

Lock Pick - Apes: 21  

Lock Pick - Half Elf: 39  

Typo in the second lock - pick. That's just a 5.

If the stealth draws the guards attention he'll sit still for a few moments before moving again.

Stealth: 14  

Adding guidance to that stealth roll:  1  

And trying the half -elf's cage again: 20  

While making their way through the gates (assuming they are opened for us and no one tries to stop us), Danica will try and surreptitiously look around to see how closely they're being monitored and if she can discern anything of note.

Perception: 13

Danica, Meili, Velan, Mica, Inete and Hew set out for the front gate, ostensibly to collect their things from the canoes.  Hew strikes up a cordial conversation with one of the guards atop the gatehouse and asks them to open for him.

Danica, you keep your eyes peeled for trouble.  You spot Lt. Salhana rise from her seat by the fire.  She begins walking toward the front gate purposefully... but she also nods to the guard atop the gate, who raises the heavy wooden pin that locks the doors closed.  While Lt. Salhana is still walking in your direction, the gate is now open.

Ran: