A Keep On The Borderlands: Arrival

ahayford · Mar 11, 2012

Greggory nods to Comoray. The loss of this many of their number will throw them off guard. Best to press our advantage while we have it. However, I'm not sure how is best to proceed. Guile and trickery have gotten us this far....but there is still a large number entrenched in the fortress. As we cannot wait them out...I suggest we assault the breach in the pallisades soon. If we are lucky, we can take the place before they even realize we are inside the walls.

Kaodi · Mar 11, 2012

" I am loathe to give up the ranged advantage unless we are sure it will do us no good, " says Comoray. " These beastmen relied on thrown weapons for ranged combat, and while we cannot assume that those entrenched are similarly limited, the range of our longbows is a potent advantage if they are and their main force can be coaxed into an open engagement. "

" What is your decision, Lady Ducat? "

jkason · Mar 12, 2012

Bastian Sangue, human cavalier

Bastian considers, and though he isn't his lady, throws out his own opinion.

"With ramparts to hide behind, I'm not sure increased range gives us anything but a lot of wasted arrows," The Last Lion says. "I'm not sure I want to try storming their walls, but if we don't think we can lure out any more, I'm not sure we've much choice."

Shayuri · Mar 12, 2012

"All right, all right, let me think for a second," Arcata says, rubbing her temples.

The ambush had been successful, with injuries but no deaths. Storming the walls though...even a victory would not see every man here through. She'd be ordering some of them to their deaths, and for what? A ramshakle fort of timber in a forsaken wild land?

But if that's a problem, you'd best solve it because they're far from the last men you'll order dead before you can avenge your family. You're risking everything to give your line a second chance. You're prepared to give your life trying. Are you prepared to risk the lives of others as well?

"From Sha'ah's scouting, there aren't many beastmen on the walls," Arcata said slowly. "Archers on our part will be of limited use. A force our size will have trouble sneaking up to the breach though, no matter how bad their guards are...unless..."

"Sha'ah...these beastmen haven't seen humans for some time. But there are elves not far off...what do you know about them? Would you able, do you think, to imitate one of their war horns, or whatever they use to signal their troops?"

ahayford · Mar 12, 2012

Making our enemy believe our force is larger then it actually is...A classic outlaw gambit Lady Arcata.

Greggory's wry grin stretches his scars unpleasantly.

Perhaps you should be raiding caravan's and dodging Kingsmen rather then holding down some meaningless keep for an uncaring empire.

Axel · Mar 13, 2012

Sh'aah

"No, pointy ears dead. Only ruins and ghosts." was the Ranger's reply to Lady Dulat. Sh'aah then paused and considered for a while, scratching his bare scalp as he did so.

"I know fairy horn sounds," he volunteered, spitting to one side as he thought of the vile, tricky little creatures. "I try to make one. From beastman horns. This will take time." Sh'aah shrugged, not really caring how long the campaign took now the fighting madness had left him. He had food for a week or so, and finding more in the wilds wasn't exactly difficult.

Shayuri · Mar 13, 2012

Arcata laughed at Greggory's suggestion. Not mockingly, but with honest amusement of one sharing a joke.

"If this doesn't go as planned, it may come to that," she said with a lingering smile, "But we'll let that be a fallback position. The empire's lack of caring is, in this case, a boon. If we can take this fort we will be free to flourish and grow without supervision, without the eye of the great Houses on us."

She took a breath and nodded at Sha'ah.

"What I have in mind is this. Just before sunrise, our force goes around to the breach side and waits. You and I will be on the opposite side. You'll sound the horn, and I will create lights. Magical lights that will, with luck, in the distance and gloom, appear to be fey lights of an army coming to attack. In truth, it doesn't matter if they accept the ruse at all. It's merely a distraction to allow our army to approach without them noticing."

"Once the battle is joined, we circle round and join in."

"It's a bit simplistic, but we haven't time or resources for complex plans. What do you think?"

She addressed the last question to everyone present at the war council.

Axel · Mar 13, 2012

Sh'aah

Sh'aah shrugged again. "It work enough. I go to make horn."

Without further gesture or comment he turned from the group and walked back to the recently decapitated beastmen. Selecting the head with the longest horn he carefully lined up an axe-blow, severing the horn from it's former owner's head with a sharp Crack!.

He then hesitated. Foolish Sh'aah. You did not bring a knife for carving or skinning! Stupid! Just like everyone says...

Sh'aah turned, looking for a guardsman that seemed to linger near him most of the time. Whether through mistrust or curiosity, the half-orc genuinely didn't care. "Knife." he not so much as asked, but stated his need while holding out his hand for the sharp blade.

Before long, Sh'aah had sat down with the knife and the horn, attempting to create some sort of instrument passable as a fey hunting horn. With a sigh, he resigned himself to a second night without sleep...

jkason · Mar 13, 2012

Bastian Sangue, human cavalier

Bastian frowns.

"I'm not exactly keen on you alone with only a single protector, and a fort full of beastmen between us," he says. "Though I suspect you knew that and have a pretty rejoinder ready to quiet all my 'needless worry,' yes?" He tries to give a smile, though it's clear it's a bit forced.

"Just promise me you'll do your best to stay the hells out of sight once you've cast your spell, until you can find some protection with the troops. It won't do us any good to take the fort and lose the person who's meant to run it."

Kaodi · Mar 18, 2012

" Well, at least in tight quarters I may be able to make the good use of my remaining healing abilities, " says Comoray. " We will make it a battle worth recounting. "