Red Dead Annihilation: Campaign Thread

Ran:

Ran takes in a quiet deep breath, reaches over and flips open the cage door to the “primates”.

The moment the guards are distracted by that and hopefully by what ever the ape-creatures do, Ran pops open the other cage, telling the half-elf “Now.”

He then messages Velan telling him the cages are open and they’re coming.

Ran then grabs hold of the now free prisoner by the wrist and leads her through the camp to the gates.

Ran:

 Everyone Else:

Velan, you receive the message from Ran that they are coming.  Moments later, you all hear the savage cries of some sort of horrible beast or beasts.  And then a guardman calls out,  "The Su-Monsters are loose!  Arm up!  Arm up!"

The soldiers sitting around the campfire jump up from their seats, but only Lt. Firebeard springs into action immediately.  He grabs an axe and charges off toward the rear of the camp, shouting, "Never a dull knight in the Order's service... Up and at 'em, lads!  Kill the damned things before they bring down the house!"  The other soldiers around the campfire start to set down their tin plates and reach for their shield and weapons.

Lt. Salhana stops halfway between the gate and the campfire, looking back in the direction of the cages, then back toward the gate, then at Danica and Hew, then toward the cages again.  Then she wheels back.  "Close the gate!  All of you, get back in here until we get this under control!" she shouts.

[We are not in initiative... yet... but I am including the map for reference and will handle what happens next in 'roughly' 6 second turn like intervals until you either all get out, or we wind up in combat of some kind.  Mica, Meili, Inete and Hew are all through the gate already and near the canoes.... which I am now realizing I didn't put on the map.  Your canoes are at the water's edge straight east from the gatehouse.  Danica and Velan were stopped just inside the gate.  Ran is still invisible and near the cages.  His new half-elf friend is running for the tower just north of the cages.  And the devil-chimps you released are mauling Gauntleteers near the back of the camp.]

Mica, already out of the gate, pauses and looks back at the camp as he hears the cries and shouts.  “hurry , get to the canoes” he whispers to Inete, Meili and Hew. “I will cover for the rest”  

Mica turns and moves back toward the gate, seemingly following Lt. Salhana’s orders.  At the gate, he pauses and waves Danica and Velan forward, then waves Hew and the others back toward the gate, attempting to confuse the guards on their true intent.   Mica looks to see if there is anything he can do to either  jam the gate open, or anything he can cut to prevent the gate from closing. 

Perception 5. (Passive: 13).

Investigation 5. (Passive:12).

Deception (to confuse the guards) 19.

.

Danica did her best to seem surprised when chaos inevitably ensued. But when Lt. Salhana ordered them inside and the gates to be closed, she froze. Why in the seven hells would she want to be locked in with the monsters killing her men? Or did she suspect something? Nothing to be done about it now. Not wanting to give away their hand too soon, nor having any actual ill will to these people, the druid tried to think what she would do naturally. Argue. "Oy oy, me n my crew don't wanna be locked up in here with all that! Thought you had those things locked up! Damned devil-kin." She made a gesture to try and hide the fact she was casting Guidance on herself. "If they can't be re-contained, better to funnel them out, right?" 

Deception to stall: 19 + 1 = 20

((So there's a big pin that a guy is holding up at the top of the gate to unlock the gate, but does that open the gate as well or just allow them to be pushed open?))

((I think the gates are still open because Lt. Salhana ordered us to get inside?))

Meili nodded to Mica on the go, speeding up to the canoes with Hew and Inete. Loaded boats needed to be pushed into the water and be ready to carry the people.

Ran moves quickly after the now ex-prisoner.

"What are you doing?" Ran says quietly. "We need to get out of here and to the river."

“My friends are out there so hold the gates open a little!” Velan shouts to the lieutenant as he walk on its direction in a manner such that no one could now for use if he was trying to escape or to get closer to the official so she could hear him better. “What the Hells is happening? Undead already?”

He asked trying to both get her attention and gain time. The question made the wizard consider that there was at least a chance that undead were attacking and at that point he wasn’t so sure if this was a good or a bad thing. For one side it would be one more distraction, for another it would also be one more risk to them. Where’s the dammned elf? The hexblood questioned with the voice of his mind, turning his head towards the cages then back to the gate.

“I’m going to call the others!” He shouted starting to dash towards the canoes. On an ideal word the guards would believe him, keep the gates open and eyes on the commotion at camp. More likely than that they would shot at him and then he could only hope Shield would be enough to keep him whole. Just get here already, Ran. He though ignorant of what was happened between the fighter and the prisoner.

Notes: Velan tries to look as he is going to call the other Seekers while moving into the gate's direction, using his action to dash.

Ran sends a message to Velan if the link is still open "She's going up into one of the towers. I'll find out what she's doing. May just need to leave her."

Ran:

 Everyone Else:

The howls of enraged wild beasts continue to echo through Camp Vengeance, and flickering torchlight casts menacing shadows on the camp walls.  Soldiers begin stumbling out of their tents, many of them bandaged about the face and neck, or limping with clear sign of trench-foot.

Meili, Hew and Inete arrive at the canoes.  "Heh heh heh" Hew laughs nervously.  "This reminds me of breaking out of boot camp with my brothers back in Mirabar...".  He seems to be legitimately having some fun, perhaps for the first time since you began this journey with him.  The river shimmers darkly under the moon and stars, and the three of you orient the canoes for a quick getaway.

Mica takes up a position inside the gate passage, while Velan races out in the direction of the boats.  From where Mica is standing, he can see ropes that pass upward above the heavy gate doors.  In addition to the thick wooden pin lowered from the roof to lock the gate, there must be some other mechanism up there to open and close the doors as well.

Danica, for now the gate hasn't begun to close, either because the guards are waiting for the Seekers to get back inside, or because Danica's ruse was convincing, or because they are simply too distracted by the chaos unfolding to take any action.

Ran looks up at the tower and curses. He looks into the centre of the camp and listens to the chaos for a moment.

If he goes over the fence it could take forever to get to the canoes leaving his companions exposed.

With a last look at the fence, he turns and takes off at full speed, avoiding the su-monsters as he heads for the gate.

"She what?! Argh, forget her. They are closing the gates, get to the canoes as fast as you can. Now!"  Velan answers telepathically while keeping his dash. If the prisoner had something worth risking her life in any of those tents then she could go after it herself. Alone. If she was trying to escape through the tower… How could she even do that? The wizard felt bad for the fighter, but they could not take further time there. Each passing second was closer to the sealing of the exit. If the party was divided, part inside and part outside of the camp, then they would all be damned. Those who remained would probably receive physical punishment and with no doubt face interrogation. Torture was a strong possibility. And a terrible one too.

Those outside would have the same fate, if they decided to return and the Hexblood doubted most of their team would simply carry on without trying to get back whoever stayed behind. With as much in mind he continued running, dashing, and started to wish Ran could to the same fast enough to reach the exit. We should have used fake names, he said with the voice of mind, far too late. I need a spell to run faster.

Notes: Velan continues running full speed and dashing towards the boats.

Ran lets Velan know he's on his way but if they close the gate, he'll find away over from one of the towers.

Lt. Salhana looks back and forth between the gate and the violence at the rear of the camp.  At last, she draws her longsword.  "Get that gate closed... NOW!  We'll sort out who is inside and who is outside once we get this under control."  Then she turns and runs to join. Lt. Firebeard and the others fighting the Su-Monsters.  In addition to Lt. Firebeard, three other soldiers have joined the fray, though you can't make out how the battle is going from the front of the camp.  One of the Su-Monsters had climbed halfway up a watchtower and is screaming down at the warriors below.

Velan reached the others gathered at the boats.  The canoes are ready to launch.  A light white mist hovers just over the surface of the river, reflecting the moonlight and bathing the area in an unearthly glow.

Danica and Mica are both near the gate.  A rope creaks and the gate begins to slowly close.

And through the middle of the camp, a loud 'ching-ching-ching-ching-ching' signals the passing of the invisible Ran as he races towards the gate.

Ran counts on the mayhem caused by the su-monsters to be the biggest concern of the camp so much so that the clinking sound of armor doesn't draw enough attention to cause him problems.

He continues to dash towards the front gates. If they're open that's the easiest way out. If not he'll figure out a plan B when he gets there.

Mica peers into the camp, trying to see any sign of Ran through the confusion, even though he remembers he was invisible.  As Lt. Salhana’s cry to shut the gate, Mica turns to the rope, grabs his quarterstaff and attempts to jam it the opening between the gate and the wall, pinning the gate open and preventing it from closing.  “Cap’n, to the boats, we need to join the others” he calls to Danica, urging her forward.

 Athletics to jam open gate. 18.

.

Danica moves to just on the outside of the gate, eyes flicking between Mica, his quarterstaff holding the gate open, and into the camp towards the familiar sound of Ran's armor. "That we do..." She says, still hesitating, wavering on whether she should stay just in case the gate started closing. But looking towards the canoes where the others were already waiting she was and she was reminded of all that there was left to do. Nodding resolutely, the elf turns and begins jogging towards the canoes, settling in and picking up oars, ready to shove off at a moment's notice as she watched towards the gate. 

((Danica is going to hold casting Entangle if someone other than Ran (if she can semi-perceive him if he's invisible) or a prisoner looking elf, pass through the gate and move aggressively towards the group in the canoes.))

Mica shoves his quarterstaff between the gate and the wall, forcing it in with great effort.  The staff is quickly wedged in place, the gate biting into the wood... but it holds.  For now, the quarterstaff is jammed tightly and the gate stops closing.  There is a groan from above as one of the ropes grows slack while the other gets tighter and tighter... and then there is a 'Crack!' from above.  

"Bollocks!"

"Something's wrong with the gate!"

Danica passes through the gate, and shortly behind her, the invisible Ran comes 'ching-ching-ching-chinging' though the gate as well.  Back in the camp, the chaotic sounds of night combat with crazed devil-monkeys continues unabated.

Gathering at the canoes, you all shove off and begin to paddle away from shore.  The guards on the gatehouse cry out for you to stop, but they seem too preoccupied with figuring out what is wrong with their gate winch to do anything to stop you.  As you pull further away, you see a shadowy figure untying one of the last Order of the Gauntlet canoes, and hopping in.  As you continue south, the turns north, toward Port Nyanzaru.  The half-elf gives you a curt salute.  "The last I saw of Shepard, she had plans to follow the Thayans, at least as far as M'bala.  Her quarry was still alive and traveling with them... but that was weeks ago.  If you find her alive, tell her Harmony bids her well... and tell her I'm serious about the job offer.  Tell her to look me up in Baldur's Gate the next time she's in town."

Ran waves back to Harmony.

"Ta, will do," Ran calls back "Do you know who she was traveling with?"

Whether she answers or not, Ran will add "Travel safely. The river's still chocka with dinos." 

Focusing back on their canoes and the others .

"At least we all got out of their in one piece. Those su-monsters were something else."