The two released former-bandits shake their heads rapidly and head off south towards Hyarantar pass.
Back in the hills surrounding the bandit compound not a lot has changed since the last day. It's still relatively early in the morning and the camp is quiet with a small plume of smoke gently rising from their central fire pit.
Archie sneaks up to get a better look at what’s going on and scouting ahead. Sticking to the tall grass but getting as close to the gate to see inside.
As Archie draws nearer he does notice some differences to the day before. Both the eastern and western palisade gates are now closed and three guards now patrol the top of the wall, positioned to the left of the eastern gate, between the two gates, and to the right of the western gate respectively. As a result of this, he cannot see inside the compound from down here.
Dorno sits down in the grass alone and continues collecting small buds and such until the group is ready to head back towards the bandit camp. Once they set out, Dorno taps a thick finger on Brundir's shoulder. "Little man come talk to Dorno......please?" Dorno then drops back 100ft behind the others.
Assuming Brundir is willing to join Dorno, the firbolg shares his concerns with the dwarf. Dorno seems a little down and has a lot on his mind. "Little man is nice and good, me think. Others are nice, but hurt people a lot too. I hope we help nice elf wizard man. We have not helped anyone yet though, only hurt. Are we bad people? Do we do good? Dorno wants to help people. Only hurt bad people. Only if they are not sorry."
Archie makes it around the top and peering over the ridge finds much the same as Dorno did the previous day. The compound is built up against a rocky bluff, which either occurred naturally or was dug into the hill. It's about a thirty foot drop down the bluff into the compound from the back and anyone attempting to do so would be visible to everyone inside. Inside the camp the mood seems subdued, but it is still early in the morning. A couple of men sit around the fire, while five are currently on guard, manning the walls and towers.
Bründir settles back with Dorno's moral dilema, "Hard t'say who's good an' bad. Ma used t'say ye can only tell th'good ones when they're drunk off their arse." The old memory brings a warm smile, "Seen as many steal a friend's woman as stand up for'em in a fight when they get drunk."
"Truth be told, I don' wanna kill anyone, but bad people are bad. Some see their mistakes an' change, most don' wanna," with a bit of frustration, the dwarf lays back on the grass, "I don' know, bein' good seems easier th'less ye talk about it. Don' hurt'em 'less they try t'hurt ye first, don' kill'em 'less ye need to."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Characters:
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero
Valaith listens to Dorno and Brundir talking while they wait for Archie to return from his scouting mission and resists the urge to jump in to explain their perspective to the simple giant. Instead she lets out a heavy sigh and keeps an eye to the horizon and grasslands to ensure no one is attempting to sneak up on the group. Once Archie is back she listens to his explanation. "We don't have much of a choice. We either scale the wall somehow or get through the gates. Or we find someway to get them to open the gates. Does anyone have magic that could make them look like one of the bandits from the raiding party? They could go up and try to get them to open one of the gates, then the rest of us rush in?"
Dorno looks mostly confused about Brundir's explanation about being good, especially the part about one being drunk revealing their character. He nods along pretending to understand more than he does, and is then quiet for a minute. Eventually he asks "tiny man, what is drunk?"
As the others strategize Dorno waits for a pause in the conversation. He then points to the woods on the far side of the bandit camp, opposite the direction the bandit party departed earlier in the day. "We make fire over there? Bad men go see? Like this one said?" He points at whoever it was that suggested the fire distraction the day before. "We thump them good. Me come back and go in camp. Find nice elf wizard man. Me look like bad man. More come, too?"
Dorno can disguise self and shrink to be a bandit, but of course his Common is terrible and he probably can't do much alone once inside the camp. Not sure if anyone else can disguise themselves.
Dorno could return as a wounded bandit, covered in blood, screaming for help and collapse 50 yards from the camp, forcing some of them to come out and help him. When they get close he could pop up as a dire wolf or something and attack them or just run. Meanwhile the rest of the group could make their way into the bandit camp from another angle. Just thinking out loud here, none of these ideas are really a full plan.
Valaith laughs at Thurston's suggestion of mundane disguises as she looks around at the motley crew. "A good idea, but for one thing; me. The rest of you might be able to pass it off, but I cannot without magics." She nods at Dorno's suggestion. "We can always try it. If we can get close enough without being seen and get the gate open we can handle this group."
“What if I were to run up as a deshvoled merchant. Say I was attacked by some beasts and fled into the woods. I will plead for help but also leave hints that my wares are quite expensive. This will lead some out To quickly take what has fallen in their lap. Once they walk out a bit. We ambush them. Worked well that last time. After that their numbers will be low enough that we just hop the fence and take ‘me out.”
"Unless they just decide to fill you full of bolts and then collect your wares from your corpse. I think we would have a better chance with the injured 'bandit'."
Vark is silent through all of this deliberation, with a thousand yard stare towards the encampment. While his face had originally been one of trauma as they made their way back from the ambush, it now conveys the uneasy calm of introspection.
Dorno starts pulling back from their scouting position. "Come, come. Dorno will do it. Me show you. Tiny, loud man will help, please. All come with me, ...please."
The lumbering firbolg pulls back out of view of the camp and starts to make his way south and then west, looping around at least a half mile from the camp beyond at least a couple of hills. Along the way he collects any sticks or dried grass that he can for the fire they are about to build. Once they find a suitable place behind a hill west or south-west of the camp the druid begins building a sizable fire if he can, saving some of the fuel to ensure the thing lasts at least a half hour or so. Once ready, Dorno suggests a course of action for the group, especially Archie. "We hide here and thump bad men here?" "Tiny, loud man be quiet and go watch camp? Make sure they leave? Make sure they come this way? Follow them back and help friends thump them good? Tell friends if they come different way?" The innocent firbolg appears to be finished but then adds "maybe no kill if they are sorry?"
Stop me anywhere here if people want to modify the plan or the DM has things happen, or if the terrain or supplies for a fire don't allow it to go this way. Doesn't really matter to me, just helping to keep things moving while I can.
Dorno is suggesting they all hide in the hills as they did last time, and that Archie be in place to watch the camp right as the fire is lit so we have eyes on anyone they send the whole time. Hate to sit back and assume they will come, that if there are multiple they will come in a group, and that they will take the straightest path to us. Don't want to let them come at another angle and get behind us during our own ambush.
Valaith considers Dorno's proposed plan. "It as good a plan as any, Dorno, but I cannot promise I won't kill them. The ones that have given themselves to the fiend don't deserve to live in my mind. Ones like the two that surrendered earlier today, I may agree not to kill them."
Dorno puts on a brave face and says "yes, sometimes bad men not sorry." "Sometimes bad men just bad." By the end his brave face is gone and he looks sad again, but he looks at Val and restores the brave face, trying to be tough for the sake of the mission and for the 'elf wizard man' they intend to save.
OOC . You guys will make an adventurer out of Dorno yet!
Bründir can't help but smirk at hearing his own semi-sagely advice repeated. "At this rate, there'll be only one really confused bastard left in there by mornin'."
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Characters:
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero
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The two released former-bandits shake their heads rapidly and head off south towards Hyarantar pass.
Back in the hills surrounding the bandit compound not a lot has changed since the last day. It's still relatively early in the morning and the camp is quiet with a small plume of smoke gently rising from their central fire pit.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Archie sneaks up to get a better look at what’s going on and scouting ahead. Sticking to the tall grass but getting as close to the gate to see inside.
As Archie draws nearer he does notice some differences to the day before. Both the eastern and western palisade gates are now closed and three guards now patrol the top of the wall, positioned to the left of the eastern gate, between the two gates, and to the right of the western gate respectively. As a result of this, he cannot see inside the compound from down here.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Archie shakes his head “shit”. As he decides to make his way around the camp to see if there is a better way in on the other side.
Dorno sits down in the grass alone and continues collecting small buds and such until the group is ready to head back towards the bandit camp. Once they set out, Dorno taps a thick finger on Brundir's shoulder. "Little man come talk to Dorno......please?" Dorno then drops back 100ft behind the others.
Assuming Brundir is willing to join Dorno, the firbolg shares his concerns with the dwarf. Dorno seems a little down and has a lot on his mind. "Little man is nice and good, me think. Others are nice, but hurt people a lot too. I hope we help nice elf wizard man. We have not helped anyone yet though, only hurt. Are we bad people? Do we do good? Dorno wants to help people. Only hurt bad people. Only if they are not sorry."
Archie makes it around the top and peering over the ridge finds much the same as Dorno did the previous day. The compound is built up against a rocky bluff, which either occurred naturally or was dug into the hill. It's about a thirty foot drop down the bluff into the compound from the back and anyone attempting to do so would be visible to everyone inside. Inside the camp the mood seems subdued, but it is still early in the morning. A couple of men sit around the fire, while five are currently on guard, manning the walls and towers.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Archie makes his way back and relays the information.
Bründir settles back with Dorno's moral dilema, "Hard t'say who's good an' bad. Ma used t'say ye can only tell th'good ones when they're drunk off their arse." The old memory brings a warm smile, "Seen as many steal a friend's woman as stand up for'em in a fight when they get drunk."
"Truth be told, I don' wanna kill anyone, but bad people are bad. Some see their mistakes an' change, most don' wanna," with a bit of frustration, the dwarf lays back on the grass, "I don' know, bein' good seems easier th'less ye talk about it. Don' hurt'em 'less they try t'hurt ye first, don' kill'em 'less ye need to."
Characters:
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser
Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale
Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero
Valaith listens to Dorno and Brundir talking while they wait for Archie to return from his scouting mission and resists the urge to jump in to explain their perspective to the simple giant. Instead she lets out a heavy sigh and keeps an eye to the horizon and grasslands to ensure no one is attempting to sneak up on the group. Once Archie is back she listens to his explanation. "We don't have much of a choice. We either scale the wall somehow or get through the gates. Or we find someway to get them to open the gates. Does anyone have magic that could make them look like one of the bandits from the raiding party? They could go up and try to get them to open one of the gates, then the rest of us rush in?"
Valaith "Rimehand" Kalukavi - Chronicles of Arden
“Maybe we can just disguise as them?”
PbP Character: A few ;)
Dorno looks mostly confused about Brundir's explanation about being good, especially the part about one being drunk revealing their character. He nods along pretending to understand more than he does, and is then quiet for a minute. Eventually he asks "tiny man, what is drunk?"
As the others strategize Dorno waits for a pause in the conversation. He then points to the woods on the far side of the bandit camp, opposite the direction the bandit party departed earlier in the day. "We make fire over there? Bad men go see? Like this one said?" He points at whoever it was that suggested the fire distraction the day before. "We thump them good. Me come back and go in camp. Find nice elf wizard man. Me look like bad man. More come, too?"
Dorno can disguise self and shrink to be a bandit, but of course his Common is terrible and he probably can't do much alone once inside the camp. Not sure if anyone else can disguise themselves.
Dorno could return as a wounded bandit, covered in blood, screaming for help and collapse 50 yards from the camp, forcing some of them to come out and help him. When they get close he could pop up as a dire wolf or something and attack them or just run. Meanwhile the rest of the group could make their way into the bandit camp from another angle. Just thinking out loud here, none of these ideas are really a full plan.
Valaith laughs at Thurston's suggestion of mundane disguises as she looks around at the motley crew. "A good idea, but for one thing; me. The rest of you might be able to pass it off, but I cannot without magics." She nods at Dorno's suggestion. "We can always try it. If we can get close enough without being seen and get the gate open we can handle this group."
Valaith "Rimehand" Kalukavi - Chronicles of Arden
“What if I were to run up as a deshvoled merchant. Say I was attacked by some beasts and fled into the woods. I will plead for help but also leave hints that my wares are quite expensive. This will lead some out To quickly take what has fallen in their lap. Once they walk out a bit. We ambush them. Worked well that last time. After that their numbers will be low enough that we just hop the fence and take ‘me out.”
"Unless they just decide to fill you full of bolts and then collect your wares from your corpse. I think we would have a better chance with the injured 'bandit'."
Valaith "Rimehand" Kalukavi - Chronicles of Arden
“They would need me to lead them to the wagon. But what you all decide I am fine with.”
Vark is silent through all of this deliberation, with a thousand yard stare towards the encampment. While his face had originally been one of trauma as they made their way back from the ambush, it now conveys the uneasy calm of introspection.
Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - Vark Galestone | Half-Orc | Storm Sorcerer
Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - Caio Cypherien | Shadar-Kai | Inquisitor Ranger
Dorno starts pulling back from their scouting position. "Come, come. Dorno will do it. Me show you. Tiny, loud man will help, please. All come with me, ...please."
The lumbering firbolg pulls back out of view of the camp and starts to make his way south and then west, looping around at least a half mile from the camp beyond at least a couple of hills. Along the way he collects any sticks or dried grass that he can for the fire they are about to build. Once they find a suitable place behind a hill west or south-west of the camp the druid begins building a sizable fire if he can, saving some of the fuel to ensure the thing lasts at least a half hour or so. Once ready, Dorno suggests a course of action for the group, especially Archie. "We hide here and thump bad men here?" "Tiny, loud man be quiet and go watch camp? Make sure they leave? Make sure they come this way? Follow them back and help friends thump them good? Tell friends if they come different way?" The innocent firbolg appears to be finished but then adds "maybe no kill if they are sorry?"
Stop me anywhere here if people want to modify the plan or the DM has things happen, or if the terrain or supplies for a fire don't allow it to go this way. Doesn't really matter to me, just helping to keep things moving while I can.
Dorno is suggesting they all hide in the hills as they did last time, and that Archie be in place to watch the camp right as the fire is lit so we have eyes on anyone they send the whole time. Hate to sit back and assume they will come, that if there are multiple they will come in a group, and that they will take the straightest path to us. Don't want to let them come at another angle and get behind us during our own ambush.
Valaith considers Dorno's proposed plan. "It as good a plan as any, Dorno, but I cannot promise I won't kill them. The ones that have given themselves to the fiend don't deserve to live in my mind. Ones like the two that surrendered earlier today, I may agree not to kill them."
Valaith "Rimehand" Kalukavi - Chronicles of Arden
Dorno puts on a brave face and says "yes, sometimes bad men not sorry." "Sometimes bad men just bad." By the end his brave face is gone and he looks sad again, but he looks at Val and restores the brave face, trying to be tough for the sake of the mission and for the 'elf wizard man' they intend to save.
OOC . You guys will make an adventurer out of Dorno yet!
Bründir can't help but smirk at hearing his own semi-sagely advice repeated. "At this rate, there'll be only one really confused bastard left in there by mornin'."
Characters:
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser
Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale
Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero