Grimbald looks bloodied, despite his attempts to not show it. He will benefit from a heal. "Well we go their attention. what have they got on 'em that we can use?" Grimbald takes his time to remember what each of them look like, including any small details on their clothing and armor. He suggests any armor or weapons we can't immediately use we stash for retrieval later. 'Let's leave a mark to show this was us"
The farmhouse looks like it has been ransacked some time ago. Anything valuable has been taken. There are chickens coming out now the commotion is over, and a goat gives you a stare with its weird eyes. There is food if you need it, stale bread, hard biscuits, jerky, apples.
Before the short rest RL will wild shape into the Starry Chalice.
Starry Form: Chalice (Special)
(While in Starry Form, with the Chalice constellation selected) Whenever you cast a spell using a spell slot that restores hit points to a creature, you or another creature within 30 ft. of you can regain 1d8+4 hit points.
You can gather together the shields, spears, maces, crossbows, a good amount of bolts, daggers. The chain shirts of the guards is still useful, and the leather armour and helmets of the rabble can be salvaged. The Drake Rider's leather armour is not in good shape. The studded leather of the cult priestess is still functional, apart from some bits of melted skin.
The priestess also had a rod with a metal ball painted red (which would act like a mace in combat). Esa gets a magic tingle from it.
Grimbald thanks RL for the healing and gathers up the stale bread, jerky, biscuits and apples for the party. He shares some of an apple with squirrels and appears to give thanks for the mother's gift. he gathers up any hand crossbow bolts. Remembering his encounter with skeletons, he has a few practice swings with different maces until he finds one to his liking. Grimbald scrapes the melted flesh off the studded leather and tries it on for size. Others in the party will note that Grimbald's smell was largely the hide armour he was wearing. grimbald will stash any unused gear in nearby woods and conceal.
Grimbald thanks RL for the healing and gathers up the stale bread, jerky, biscuits and apples for the party. He shares some of an apple with squirrels and appears to give thanks for the mother's gift. he gathers up any hand crossbow bolts. Remembering his encounter with skeletons, he has a few practice swings with different maces until he finds one to his liking. Grimbald scrapes the melted flesh off the studded leather and tries it on for size. Others in the party will note that Grimbald's smell was largely the hide armour he was wearing. grimbald will stash any unused gear in nearby woods and conceal.
Looking around the farmyard you find a handcart filled with livestock feed you could empty and use to carry all the armour, weapons, and gear.
You can gather together the shields, spears, maces, crossbows, a good amount of bolts, daggers. The chain shirts of the guards is still useful, and the leather armour and helmets of the rabble can be salvaged. The Drake Rider's leather armour is not in good shape. The studded leather of the cult priestess is still functional, apart from some bits of melted skin.
The priestess also had a rod with a metal ball painted red (which would act like a mace in combat). Esa gets a magic tingle from it.
You pack up everything into the hand cart and continue on your way. RL and Grimbald range out ahead in the fog, listening for the squeaking wheels of the hand cart to guide them back to the party.
Finally the buildings and bridge of Albridge appear out of the fog. The party are challenged and reply. They are checked and then the guards break out into smiles and welcome you back. You push the cart over the bridge. The guards have to move the barricade a little so you can get it past.
You hand over your cart of goods to Kathrid the dwarf smith who nods. "These will come in handy. We may be fighting tomorrow or the next day so I'll give them out now." She wheels the cart away.
A dog comes bounding out of the mist. Gnasher. He crouches a little, wagging his tail low, as if unsure of the greeting he will get. The party make a fuss of him and he responds enthusiastically. Dar Gremath is not far behind. He looks like he has aged two decades. Apparently being the leader of the resistance means you get little sleep. He greets you all as equals and hears your report and is happy to hear elven archers will be arriving in a day. Dar Gremath then asks you to come to his stable converted to a war room.
Once inside he arranges himself at the table with a roughly drawn map of the area and indicates for you all to look.
"We've had word the Iron Circle are still gathering at Marl and Dardun. We don't believe they will attack until they have all their troops. Harken doesn't seem to be a staging post, they appear to be keeping some troops there. If they lost Harken they would be cut off if they lose the battle of Albridge."
"They are drawing in all their patrols and roving bands - some of them are looking for you, I believe. You must really have them worried. Anyway our best guess is that they will attack the day after tomorrow, probably at dawn just to be dramatic. If they could hold off until a few hours after sunrise I'll be grateful to get a bit of a sleep in." He grins, then continues.
"We've got every free man or woman who can fight from all the villagers here. We've kept some where the White River can be crossed, we don't want them sneaking behind us. But the Iron Circle can match our numbers. They've got better arms and armour, and most of them are trained soldiers, although we've come across a few whose training is poor. Still, with everyone working together we'll give them one hell of a battle. After all, we're fighting for our homes, our livelihoods, and our freedom."
His face becomes very serious, and he sighs.
"But you have fought the Iron Circle now, several times. Do we have a hope? Give me your honest opinion. Can Nazin Redthorn be beaten?"
"The Iron Circle are well armed, they would have us licked in an open field. So we don't go toe to toe unless we have to." ponders Grimbald, thinking more out loud than to anyone. He looks up at Dar Gemath. "They are predators too confident in their might. But they are neither bear or wolf. Target their leaders and see how committed the rest are to their cause. Your people must use every bit of cover they know in this town, hit, run, hide and hit again. Piss em off like a squirrel would a fox. With permission, i'd like to recruit some townfolk for squirrel tactics, your fast, nimble ones. They'll need to dash between buildings and give the impression our numbers are greater than they are."
Grimbald will endeavour to set up concealed traps to maim and obstruct the Iron Circle should they breach the barricades. Caltrops, leaking oil barrels amongst hay stacks. He will look for vantage points for locals to call the movements of troops, and trees for him to lay ambush from. He will call for squirrels to move constantly to distract the Iron Circle and sow doubt about their human targets.
RL asks the party do we go and hit Marl again to take out some of the Iron Circle before they congregate on ALbridge, split their forces and give the town more time to prepare?
"This brings me to my other problem. We've got diverse groups here. There's our villagers, the refugees, the White River halflings, farmers and homesteaders, ex-military folk, Reithann the druid and her disciples and followers, Bran Torsson and his fighters from Tor's Hold. You'd think we'd all be pulling together and be ready to defend our lands. Instead we have petty rivalries and jealousies between groups, leaders who think we should have a meeting before any military decision, or want to dictate where their own people will be in the battle. Some people want glory, some are scared and just want to survive, and everyone is demanding I place them on the battlefield where they want to be. Nobody wants to do the difficult, unpleasant jobs, like digging to build fortifications. I need to pull this army together before the Iron Circle attacks. I need you to help me draw our troops together and inspire them."
Dar Gremath pauses and rubs his eyes.
"I'm so tired. Look, they're not bad people, and will listen to reason. But my negotiation skills are less than adequate and I end up losing my temper with them, which ends up creating an even bigger divide. But everyone is talking about you, everyone looks up to you."
Grimbald is absentmindedly scraping something out of his ear with his finger. He glances at the rest of the party, as if in thought, and rests his gaze on Augustin saying "You can DO IT!"
I assume this happens before we get into the current situation, after short rest before we start talks.
Esa (who has stuffed the rod crudely into Augustin's pack while she takes notes on it), finishes identifying it and looks over her party. Realising Augustin is potentially the only one here who can use the rod, she hits him on the back of the neck.
"Hey, this might make you less useless. I guess I'll be gracious and let you have it."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Augustin is tired and there is not a part of his body that doesn’t hurt. He uses his great sword to stand up almost like a crutch and looks around at those in the room before taking a deep sigh. He starts pacing around the room
(If anyone as thaumaturgy and can my voice loud enough to echo through the time that would be swell)
People of Albridge, of the White River and Tor’s Hold. Hear me. Those with nothing to fight for and those with lands to protect. Hear me. The Iron Circle is not a threat that is coming, it is a threat that is here, knocking at the door. We do not have the luxury to meet and plan and argue over who’s door they are at, for we all hear them knocking. We know they are here for all of us.
Look at the people around you, these are no longer strangers, these people are siblings, not by blood by experience. An experience that brings us all closer than blood ever could. The need to survive. Tomorrow these strangers will tend to your wounds, fight for your land and family and ideals, even if they do not know who they are and who they stand for.
If you can think you can stand alone against the forces that are coming. I honour your conviction and self-belief, but you are wrong. The Iron Circle is mightier than any of us individually, you know this to be true because you can here the words I am saying now. If you were more powerful, you would not have fallen and would not be in Albridge today. Hear me when I say we have tried, and failed, on many occasions to tackle the Iron circle ourselves.
Hear me! Survivors of the Iron Circle. This is who we are now and this is who we will be. If we try and be anything else, we will be nothing. Look around at your new brothers and sisters, the Survivors. Just like a new baby brother or sister, there is no history, no petty struggles to overcome, no glory to be gained by besting them. There is bond between yourself and your siblings, an Ancient bond that we all know and have but can’t explain. A bond to protect. A bond to care for. A bond to die for. And through that bond, we will work together to protect our new siblings.
Hear me! Survivors and know this. If we do not work together, we will all feel the pain of losing a sibling. Look to those who lead, listen to what they say and do what they ask. You may find youself somewhere you do not need to be doing things you did not think we could. Know that you are not alone in these tasks (Augustin puts his great sword away over his shoulder and picks up a shield. Tomorrow you may be displeased with your posting and wonder why you are there. Look around you and remember that you are not alone, you are with your brothers and sisters. (He picks up a longsword) And we do what we must to protect our families.
If not, we will all feel a pain tomorrow the likes of which I cannot describe as everything you know and care for is broken.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Grimbald will wet his finger to test the air, remembering too late it was the finger just in his ear a moment ago. He listens to his bones, those ones that had previously broken and improperly healed, to try and get a read on the upcoming weather forecast <yes that is a Survival check apparently> 12
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Grimbald looks bloodied, despite his attempts to not show it. He will benefit from a heal. "Well we go their attention. what have they got on 'em that we can use?" Grimbald takes his time to remember what each of them look like, including any small details on their clothing and armor. He suggests any armor or weapons we can't immediately use we stash for retrieval later. 'Let's leave a mark to show this was us"
The farmhouse looks like it has been ransacked some time ago. Anything valuable has been taken. There are chickens coming out now the commotion is over, and a goat gives you a stare with its weird eyes. There is food if you need it, stale bread, hard biscuits, jerky, apples.
Naturally, loot the bodies for anything important, particularly the spellcaster. Perhaps some weapons are salvageable.
a shield for Augustin
Before the short rest RL will wild shape into the Starry Chalice.
(While in Starry Form, with the Chalice constellation selected) Whenever you cast a spell using a spell slot that restores hit points to a creature, you or another creature within 30 ft. of you can regain 1d8+4 hit points.
cure wounds of healing to Grimbald.5
And 6 healing available to someone else that needs it.
Or any information they have on them!
You can gather together the shields, spears, maces, crossbows, a good amount of bolts, daggers. The chain shirts of the guards is still useful, and the leather armour and helmets of the rabble can be salvaged. The Drake Rider's leather armour is not in good shape. The studded leather of the cult priestess is still functional, apart from some bits of melted skin.
The priestess also had a rod with a metal ball painted red (which would act like a mace in combat). Esa gets a magic tingle from it.
Grimbald thanks RL for the healing and gathers up the stale bread, jerky, biscuits and apples for the party. He shares some of an apple with squirrels and appears to give thanks for the mother's gift. he gathers up any hand crossbow bolts. Remembering his encounter with skeletons, he has a few practice swings with different maces until he finds one to his liking. Grimbald scrapes the melted flesh off the studded leather and tries it on for size. Others in the party will note that Grimbald's smell was largely the hide armour he was wearing. grimbald will stash any unused gear in nearby woods and conceal.
Looking around the farmyard you find a handcart filled with livestock feed you could empty and use to carry all the armour, weapons, and gear.
Esa will cast Identify on the rod
The rod is a Red Sceptre.
You pack up everything into the hand cart and continue on your way. RL and Grimbald range out ahead in the fog, listening for the squeaking wheels of the hand cart to guide them back to the party.
Finally the buildings and bridge of Albridge appear out of the fog. The party are challenged and reply. They are checked and then the guards break out into smiles and welcome you back. You push the cart over the bridge. The guards have to move the barricade a little so you can get it past.
You hand over your cart of goods to Kathrid the dwarf smith who nods. "These will come in handy. We may be fighting tomorrow or the next day so I'll give them out now." She wheels the cart away.
A dog comes bounding out of the mist. Gnasher. He crouches a little, wagging his tail low, as if unsure of the greeting he will get. The party make a fuss of him and he responds enthusiastically. Dar Gremath is not far behind. He looks like he has aged two decades. Apparently being the leader of the resistance means you get little sleep. He greets you all as equals and hears your report and is happy to hear elven archers will be arriving in a day. Dar Gremath then asks you to come to his stable converted to a war room.
Once inside he arranges himself at the table with a roughly drawn map of the area and indicates for you all to look.
"We've had word the Iron Circle are still gathering at Marl and Dardun. We don't believe they will attack until they have all their troops. Harken doesn't seem to be a staging post, they appear to be keeping some troops there. If they lost Harken they would be cut off if they lose the battle of Albridge."
"They are drawing in all their patrols and roving bands - some of them are looking for you, I believe. You must really have them worried. Anyway our best guess is that they will attack the day after tomorrow, probably at dawn just to be dramatic. If they could hold off until a few hours after sunrise I'll be grateful to get a bit of a sleep in." He grins, then continues.
"We've got every free man or woman who can fight from all the villagers here. We've kept some where the White River can be crossed, we don't want them sneaking behind us. But the Iron Circle can match our numbers. They've got better arms and armour, and most of them are trained soldiers, although we've come across a few whose training is poor. Still, with everyone working together we'll give them one hell of a battle. After all, we're fighting for our homes, our livelihoods, and our freedom."
His face becomes very serious, and he sighs.
"But you have fought the Iron Circle now, several times. Do we have a hope? Give me your honest opinion. Can Nazin Redthorn be beaten?"
"The Iron Circle are well armed, they would have us licked in an open field. So we don't go toe to toe unless we have to." ponders Grimbald, thinking more out loud than to anyone. He looks up at Dar Gemath. "They are predators too confident in their might. But they are neither bear or wolf. Target their leaders and see how committed the rest are to their cause. Your people must use every bit of cover they know in this town, hit, run, hide and hit again. Piss em off like a squirrel would a fox. With permission, i'd like to recruit some townfolk for squirrel tactics, your fast, nimble ones. They'll need to dash between buildings and give the impression our numbers are greater than they are."
Grimbald will endeavour to set up concealed traps to maim and obstruct the Iron Circle should they breach the barricades. Caltrops, leaking oil barrels amongst hay stacks. He will look for vantage points for locals to call the movements of troops, and trees for him to lay ambush from. He will call for squirrels to move constantly to distract the Iron Circle and sow doubt about their human targets.
RL asks the party do we go and hit Marl again to take out some of the Iron Circle before they congregate on ALbridge, split their forces and give the town more time to prepare?
Dar Gremath nods. Then he sighs again.
"This brings me to my other problem. We've got diverse groups here. There's our villagers, the refugees, the White River halflings, farmers and homesteaders, ex-military folk, Reithann the druid and her disciples and followers, Bran Torsson and his fighters from Tor's Hold. You'd think we'd all be pulling together and be ready to defend our lands. Instead we have petty rivalries and jealousies between groups, leaders who think we should have a meeting before any military decision, or want to dictate where their own people will be in the battle. Some people want glory, some are scared and just want to survive, and everyone is demanding I place them on the battlefield where they want to be. Nobody wants to do the difficult, unpleasant jobs, like digging to build fortifications. I need to pull this army together before the Iron Circle attacks. I need you to help me draw our troops together and inspire them."
Dar Gremath pauses and rubs his eyes.
"I'm so tired. Look, they're not bad people, and will listen to reason. But my negotiation skills are less than adequate and I end up losing my temper with them, which ends up creating an even bigger divide. But everyone is talking about you, everyone looks up to you."
Grimbald is absentmindedly scraping something out of his ear with his finger. He glances at the rest of the party, as if in thought, and rests his gaze on Augustin saying "You can DO IT!"
I assume this happens before we get into the current situation, after short rest before we start talks.
Esa (who has stuffed the rod crudely into Augustin's pack while she takes notes on it), finishes identifying it and looks over her party. Realising Augustin is potentially the only one here who can use the rod, she hits him on the back of the neck.
"Hey, this might make you less useless. I guess I'll be gracious and let you have it."
Augustin is tired and there is not a part of his body that doesn’t hurt. He uses his great sword to stand up almost like a crutch and looks around at those in the room before taking a deep sigh. He starts pacing around the room
(If anyone as thaumaturgy and can my voice loud enough to echo through the time that would be swell)
People of Albridge, of the White River and Tor’s Hold. Hear me. Those with nothing to fight for and those with lands to protect. Hear me. The Iron Circle is not a threat that is coming, it is a threat that is here, knocking at the door. We do not have the luxury to meet and plan and argue over who’s door they are at, for we all hear them knocking. We know they are here for all of us.
Look at the people around you, these are no longer strangers, these people are siblings, not by blood by experience. An experience that brings us all closer than blood ever could. The need to survive. Tomorrow these strangers will tend to your wounds, fight for your land and family and ideals, even if they do not know who they are and who they stand for.
If you can think you can stand alone against the forces that are coming. I honour your conviction and self-belief, but you are wrong. The Iron Circle is mightier than any of us individually, you know this to be true because you can here the words I am saying now. If you were more powerful, you would not have fallen and would not be in Albridge today. Hear me when I say we have tried, and failed, on many occasions to tackle the Iron circle ourselves.
Hear me! Survivors of the Iron Circle. This is who we are now and this is who we will be. If we try and be anything else, we will be nothing. Look around at your new brothers and sisters, the Survivors. Just like a new baby brother or sister, there is no history, no petty struggles to overcome, no glory to be gained by besting them. There is bond between yourself and your siblings, an Ancient bond that we all know and have but can’t explain. A bond to protect. A bond to care for. A bond to die for. And through that bond, we will work together to protect our new siblings.
Hear me! Survivors and know this. If we do not work together, we will all feel the pain of losing a sibling. Look to those who lead, listen to what they say and do what they ask. You may find youself somewhere you do not need to be doing things you did not think we could. Know that you are not alone in these tasks (Augustin puts his great sword away over his shoulder and picks up a shield. Tomorrow you may be displeased with your posting and wonder why you are there. Look around you and remember that you are not alone, you are with your brothers and sisters. (He picks up a longsword) And we do what we must to protect our families.
If not, we will all feel a pain tomorrow the likes of which I cannot describe as everything you know and care for is broken.
Hear me, and fight, together.
Persuasion 7 Guidance4
Well Grimbald is inspired!
Grimbald will wet his finger to test the air, remembering too late it was the finger just in his ear a moment ago. He listens to his bones, those ones that had previously broken and improperly healed, to try and get a read on the upcoming weather forecast <yes that is a Survival check apparently> 12