Red Dead Annihilation: Campaign Thread

Ran nods at the guards but really watches the prisoner for a moment, trying to decide if they really know Shepard or not.

Insight: 6  

Ran:

Ran looks from the prisoner to the guards. Meanwhile wondering if the prisoner really just wants nettle tea. He thinks of the alchemy jug but he doesn’t remember any mention of it making tea.

” Can I get you boys anything? That one’s asking for tea but maybe something a bit stronger to help you through the night.?”

He watches the prisoner when he asks the question.

Mica climbs back down from the watchtower and shares what he has learned with the others. “The dead attack most every night and there is no rhyme or reason to when.  We will just have to take our chances.  Two guards man the gate, but I would not be surprised if they put more up when we go out to the canoes.  That Lieutenant is suspicious.  She is keeping her eye on us, I saw her watching me from the gate.”  Mica looks over at the others “Maybe a small diversion when we head out? A fire or the like?”

"We can try to start a fire in this tower, slowly, so it burns when we are out." The idea sounded ridiculous when said out loud, but so was the situation. Meili shook her head: "If she is watching and notice us doing anything remotely suspicious, she might attack." It was obvious but sometimes you need to talk things through to see the whole picture. "Maybe Ninlil can ... not sure... turn something upside down? "Steal" something?" She looked at Velan unsure how to continue. "We need but a minute to push canoes into the water. Or maybe Will can help us? Though, we would need to find him and talk about it."

1

Ran, the prisoner doesn't react to your words.  She just continues to lay there, seemingly resigned to her prison.  

The guards take another step toward you.  "Last chance.  No more jokes.  Move along."

You also notice something else... the aggressive posture of the guards has caught the attention of the apelike creatures in the other cage.  All three are now crouched, watching the situation intently.  Seeing them sitting up, you realize that despite their emaciated ribs, they have a surprising amount of muscle mass in their upper bodies and thighs.  They crouch, eerily quiet; their yellow eyes watch you and the guards.

Hew weighs in.  "Setting a fire..." his eyes are distant as he ponders Meili's words.  "No.  I'm all for getting out of here - and fast - but a fire in a place like this could get out of control quickly.  If the walls fail, we'd be condemning these folk to death."  

Ran watches the ape-creatures for a moment before shrugging and then nodding at the guards.

"Easy with the threats, lads," Ran says. "Someone might take them seriously and give you a lesson on how to use those swords of yours properly."

He looks back at the prisoner. "If I find a spot of nettle-tea, I'll bring you back a cup."

Ran then makes his way back to the others, telling them about the apes, the guards being ordered to watch them carefully, and then asks anyone if they know what on earth nettle-tea is and why someone would make a big deal about asking for some.

The part about the tea Meili shrugged away ("Sounds like code word? Special signal? Never mind.") while the apes were truly interesting. In a way. "If the fire is bad - it is bad, of course - can we maybe somehow release those apes? Though the cages should be locked and we need to leave now..." She looked at Velan again. "Can Ninlil do that?"

While he tries to catch up on what the others are discussing, his mind keeps going back to the 'nettle tea'. Is this something he's heard before? It doesn't sound like a signal from Shepard.

Memory/History/Investigation? All not great: 12  

 Velan didn’t think about the danger of lighting a fire on the camp, but when Hew spoke it seemed all to obvious. The wizard didn’t care if the soldiers lived or died. Truth be told, the Seekers could benefit more of their death. He had no reason to leave Chult, but others came from Faerûn, where the friends of the Gauntlet could have them turned into criminals and hunted like beasts. A fact he decided it was best left unsaid for he preferred to not kill without reason. Anything else would put him too close to her and he was already closer than he would ever wish.

The hexblood fought upon the monk’s question. Releasing the ape-like creatures could make for a good distraction, but he wasn’t quite so sure the owl could be even capable of doing as much. Ninlil was a fantastic scout, but less than skilled with its feet. Or should he call them hands?

“I don’t think she can open most cages, but I can make anyone approach the cages without being seen. We would need no more than a reserved place for me to do my part. From there our ghost would have one hour and I could keep communication twenty-five words at time, as long as we didn’t get further apart than ten miles.” He then stopped for a moment and looked around. “No one would happen to be a master locksmith, right?”

The term lockpicker was more adequate to his intentions, but he didn’t want to insinuate any of his cohorts was a thief. Although, he would love if at least of them was.

Shaking her head to Velan's query about locksmithing ability among their group, Danica then spoke up, "I'm with Hew about the fire. It'd work like a charm to be sure, but the consequences don't quite sit right with me." Making sure her voice was lowered so that others in the tower couldn't overhear she put forth, "If you sent me to the apes, I could try and speak with them, get some more answers possibly about Shepard," Nodding at Ran before shrugging, "As for getting the apes out for a distraction, best I could try is to break the lock. And I could turn into something small to try and get away. Maybe while you all are at the canoes."

((Being proficient in nature, would Danica have any knowledge as to what nettles are or what they might be used for brewed into a tea? Nature: 9))

Ran:

Danica:

Ran smiles at Velan and Danica.

"I'm no master locksmith," Ran says. "But I've picked a few. You'd be surprised how many people think a simple lock will keep you from finding them. I'm going to guess the locks aren't too complicated so I could probably pop them, as long as the guards look the other way."

He pauses for a moment as he works through all the possibilities of what the prisoner might have meant.

"I think she could figure out I'm from Waterdeep. I probably still smell like the Dock Ward. She took a stab at seeing if I run with whatever gang she's part of. Maybe the Fire Kings. They always have alchemists mucking about with potions."

Mica listens to the others and frowns.  He tries to think of what he knows of the ape-like creatures Ran described in the cages. Nature.  10.

“Even if someone were invisible and could open the cages, how would they get back to us in the canoes?  I am sure the gate would be locked behind us and they would need to fly to get over the walls.  And the girl would not be invisible. No, I am glad it is not your sister Ran, she is likely hiding in the jungle or still following the wizards.  Let us leave them in the cages and just make a break for it when we return for the canoes. We can head for M’bala to pick up your sisters trail.”  He looks to the others for their thoughts.

Hew is wondering the same thing as Mica, though he holds a better understanding of these jungles.  "I should get a look at those 'apes.'  They sound like bloody su-monsters, from what you describe, but I cannot for the life of me think of a good reason to keep those inside of camp.  They're vicious, evil things, and stronger than they look."  

Ran offers to take Hew to look at the 'apes' and anyone else who wants to come along to see what their options might be.

“The gate is a matter we would need to considerate, but if there is a problem in having the girl visible I can solve that through Ninlil too.” He said expecting the others would understand his meaning. Only a moment later he remember that he no longer lived surrounded by nothing but a spellcaster. “It is possible to cast spells through a summoned familiar so if someone open the cage and Ninlil can touch the girl I can make her invisible too. But that still leaves the question of the gate.”

Velan said putting his hand under his chin. The more he considered the scenario the better Mica’s idea sounded. It was certainly faster to simply run for the canoes. The problem lied on the safety. Without a distraction beyond the undead, success was far for guaranteed.

“Wait.” He said noticing something they have been ignoring. “What if we stay for the camp’s next meal and have someone invisible season it with some of the gifts we got from Jessamine? We dilute the thing, so no one dies but every single one of our new less than friends get incapacitated for some time.” Possibly in a latrine, preferably deep in sleep.  "Then we free the lead to Shepherd and go away unopposed.”

Notes:  Would Velan know if there is some poison Jessamine given them that could be diluted to a non-lethal dose but either the guards temporarily unable to move or at least with dysentery (assumed Nature Check, since it is about remembering the characteristics of a natural substance)? Also, would the nettle tea ring any bells for Velan (assumed Investigation Check)? In case of some of the checks is not enough I would like to use Chronal Shift.

Nature Check: 18
Investigation Check: 7

Ran listens to Velan's proposal but after a moment frowns.

"The canoes may not be there by that point. Or the diluted poison might not kick in until they've already gone down river." Ran says. "They've already said they'll open the gates so we can go collect your gear."