A Keep On The Borderlands: Arrival
- Thread starter Dr Simon
- Start date
Sh'aah
Sh'aah sat atop his horse, apart from the main group. He kept his eyes roving over the fort and surrounds, and his ears open. It wouldn't do to get ambushed in response. Beastman Chief must know things are wrong. Is evil day for him today.
He used the time the brains of the group spent arguing over tactics to string his bow. And that he could reach the crude horn slung from his belt. Today is hard day for me. No fighting. No glory. Just sounds...
Sh'aah sat atop his horse, apart from the main group. He kept his eyes roving over the fort and surrounds, and his ears open. It wouldn't do to get ambushed in response. Beastman Chief must know things are wrong. Is evil day for him today.
He used the time the brains of the group spent arguing over tactics to string his bow. And that he could reach the crude horn slung from his belt. Today is hard day for me. No fighting. No glory. Just sounds...
Arcata was still and pensive on her horse near Sha'ah. This would be where her legacy was decided. They had to do more than just win. They had to win decisively. If too few men lived, there wouldn't be enough to hold the fort should the beastmen return. In theory more people might come, in time. But how many, and in how long?
From the moment she'd learned the fort was occupied, she'd known it would come to this...live or die, here on the frontier. Knowing that didn't make it any easier though.
"Sha'ah," she said quietly. "Let me start the lights before you blow the horn. I can only do a handful at a time. Once I've gotten a few groups out, start sounding. I'll keep lighting as you sound three times. By that time, the others should have hit the breach."
She took a breath to steady her nerves, concentrating briefly on blank white; a trick for control she'd learned at the Magisterium.
"Then get on my horse behind me. We'll take some shots at the beastmen on the way to the breach to join the fight."
Arcata couldn't help but fret, though she tried to keep it from her face even if Sha'ah was the only one to witness. Had she done all she could? Should she have given a speech to rally the men? Their spirits seemed all right to her, but would they show their fears when she was there?
Minutes dragged by. She squinted at the black mass of the fort in the fog.
"They should be in position by now. I'll start the lights. Give me a minute or so, then start the horn."
The cantrip was easy, and oddly soothing. Magic was something familiar, something old and comfortable. It sprang from her blood with the confidence of a child who had not yet learned the world could be cruel.
In the fog before the gates of the keep on the borderlands, lanterns of cold blue light began springing into existence. They arrived in irregular clumps, moving impatiently to and fro. Their bearers were not in sight...shrouded in the enveloping mist.
(Spamming Dancing Lights. Each group of lights starts low and she moves them up so it seems like they're slowly being lit, not just suddenly appearing. Each round she casts as a standard, and use her move to move someof the lights she's already cast. She makes them in staggered, interlocking patterns, so it's not obvious they're coming in groups...and she doesn't move entire blocks, but rather just a few at a time, to further make them seem like individuals. Within a few rounds they start to organize in to ranks, like an army would.)
From the moment she'd learned the fort was occupied, she'd known it would come to this...live or die, here on the frontier. Knowing that didn't make it any easier though.
"Sha'ah," she said quietly. "Let me start the lights before you blow the horn. I can only do a handful at a time. Once I've gotten a few groups out, start sounding. I'll keep lighting as you sound three times. By that time, the others should have hit the breach."
She took a breath to steady her nerves, concentrating briefly on blank white; a trick for control she'd learned at the Magisterium.
"Then get on my horse behind me. We'll take some shots at the beastmen on the way to the breach to join the fight."
Arcata couldn't help but fret, though she tried to keep it from her face even if Sha'ah was the only one to witness. Had she done all she could? Should she have given a speech to rally the men? Their spirits seemed all right to her, but would they show their fears when she was there?
Minutes dragged by. She squinted at the black mass of the fort in the fog.
"They should be in position by now. I'll start the lights. Give me a minute or so, then start the horn."
The cantrip was easy, and oddly soothing. Magic was something familiar, something old and comfortable. It sprang from her blood with the confidence of a child who had not yet learned the world could be cruel.
In the fog before the gates of the keep on the borderlands, lanterns of cold blue light began springing into existence. They arrived in irregular clumps, moving impatiently to and fro. Their bearers were not in sight...shrouded in the enveloping mist.
(Spamming Dancing Lights. Each group of lights starts low and she moves them up so it seems like they're slowly being lit, not just suddenly appearing. Each round she casts as a standard, and use her move to move someof the lights she's already cast. She makes them in staggered, interlocking patterns, so it's not obvious they're coming in groups...and she doesn't move entire blocks, but rather just a few at a time, to further make them seem like individuals. Within a few rounds they start to organize in to ranks, like an army would.)
Sh'aah
Sh'aah looked puzzled at The Lady's command to mount her horse. "My horse not good?" he asked. He shrugged, just happy to be spoken to directly by Arcata Dulat again. "Can ride yours. Sh'aah is big and heavy. Hope your horse is strong."
Before dismounting he reached for the horn hanging on his belt. If he was a religious half-man, no doubt he would have prayed to whatever god he believed in. Instead, he simply put it to his lips without ceremony and did his best to imitate the only fey hunt he had ever heard - not that he could forget that day...a quarter of a lifetime ago.
The horn sounded out mournfully across the shrouded space. Is good, like human funeral , Sh'aah thought as he breathed in for another blast.
OOC: Figured perform was most appropriate. Intimidate was my second choice. +4 modifier (and trained!) if that's more appropriate. No favoured enemy bonuses included.
Sh'aah looked puzzled at The Lady's command to mount her horse. "My horse not good?" he asked. He shrugged, just happy to be spoken to directly by Arcata Dulat again. "Can ride yours. Sh'aah is big and heavy. Hope your horse is strong."
Before dismounting he reached for the horn hanging on his belt. If he was a religious half-man, no doubt he would have prayed to whatever god he believed in. Instead, he simply put it to his lips without ceremony and did his best to imitate the only fey hunt he had ever heard - not that he could forget that day...a quarter of a lifetime ago.
The horn sounded out mournfully across the shrouded space. Is good, like human funeral , Sh'aah thought as he breathed in for another blast.
OOC: Figured perform was most appropriate. Intimidate was my second choice. +4 modifier (and trained!) if that's more appropriate. No favoured enemy bonuses included.
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Bastian Sangue, human cavalier
"My men will do what they need to for victory," he answers stiffly, though it's an automatic response. He still wasn't sure how much his men trusted Greggory's. Hells, Bastian wasn't sure how much he trusted them.
It didn't help that he was currently fighting back his final memory of his father.
She is the last Dulat. She is your only duty. Your only hope to keep our family honor. She must live at all costs, or the Lions will mean nothing.
Bastian bit his tongue to bring himself back to the present.
"Do it," he said, ordering the men clumped to take best advantage of those who knew the battlefield's layout already.
Bulwark fidgeted as the order was carried out. His rider settled him with a soft pat on the neck. As the first of the lights began to move off in the fog, Bastian drew his greatsword, steering Bulwark with his knees as he held steady. Then the horn sounded.
"Now or never, boys," he whispered, and sent the signal down the line: unto the breach it was.
"My men will do what they need to for victory," he answers stiffly, though it's an automatic response. He still wasn't sure how much his men trusted Greggory's. Hells, Bastian wasn't sure how much he trusted them.
It didn't help that he was currently fighting back his final memory of his father.
She is the last Dulat. She is your only duty. Your only hope to keep our family honor. She must live at all costs, or the Lions will mean nothing.
Bastian bit his tongue to bring himself back to the present.
"Do it," he said, ordering the men clumped to take best advantage of those who knew the battlefield's layout already.
Bulwark fidgeted as the order was carried out. His rider settled him with a soft pat on the neck. As the first of the lights began to move off in the fog, Bastian drew his greatsword, steering Bulwark with his knees as he held steady. Then the horn sounded.
"Now or never, boys," he whispered, and sent the signal down the line: unto the breach it was.
Dr Simon
Explorer
Arcata's phantom lights bob and weave in the mist, and Sh'aah's makeshift horn sounds eerie in the half-light.
There are sounds of movement from the keep, the grunts and snarls of beastmen hang in the air as, on the other side, the soldiers move into the partially-sealed breach.
[sblock=OOC]
Been working up a map - if you can give me some idea of the rough disposition of those entering the breach that would be good - minions or PCs first, for example. You can get one person through at a time with a move action, two at a time if they spend a double move; it would only take one person a standard action to clear enough of the barricade to allow two at once normally but this could be noisy. There's no obvious resistance immediately on this side of the keep, but how long the ruse will last...
[/sblock]
There are sounds of movement from the keep, the grunts and snarls of beastmen hang in the air as, on the other side, the soldiers move into the partially-sealed breach.
[sblock=OOC]
Been working up a map - if you can give me some idea of the rough disposition of those entering the breach that would be good - minions or PCs first, for example. You can get one person through at a time with a move action, two at a time if they spend a double move; it would only take one person a standard action to clear enough of the barricade to allow two at once normally but this could be noisy. There's no obvious resistance immediately on this side of the keep, but how long the ruse will last...
[/sblock]
ahayford
First Post
Greggory disperses his men among the groups of Dulat soldiers, he himself joining one of the Dulat groups. Greggory hopes he made the right choice dividing his men. The advantage of having someone that knows the land in each group is immense...but you never know how line infantry will treat crows.
Greggory joined up with the Dulat men he'd be running into battle with.
Damnation....I've been running from these bastards all my life, and now I'm charging into battle with them. Fate has a sense of humor
Follow close lads. You get lost, don't expect me to come back for you.
Greggory grins wickedly.
Last one through gets to clean the blood off my armor when we win.
[sblock=ooc] Greggory divides his men among the Dulats to provide valuable battlefield intelligence. Greggory will be moving in with the front line. Its a sergeants place to keep order at the front of the battle.[/sblock]
Greggory joined up with the Dulat men he'd be running into battle with.
Damnation....I've been running from these bastards all my life, and now I'm charging into battle with them. Fate has a sense of humor
Follow close lads. You get lost, don't expect me to come back for you.
Greggory grins wickedly.
Last one through gets to clean the blood off my armor when we win.
[sblock=ooc] Greggory divides his men among the Dulats to provide valuable battlefield intelligence. Greggory will be moving in with the front line. Its a sergeants place to keep order at the front of the battle.[/sblock]
Bastian frowned. A leader lead. He should be going first, but with his armor, he know he'd be killing the surprise the less-armored men could take better advantage of. He held back, long enough to get some men through who could hold the breach, then nudged Bulwark forward. Time to see what he was made of...
[sblock=ooc]I'd say Bastian is most likely to enter near the middle, after we've gotten a few folks footheld inside. He and Cormoray have the worst stealth of the group by a wide margin, and he knows it's more important at this juncture to sneak in folks who can hold the entrance than to ride through in the van. so, probably with Cormoray about 1/3 in as far as folk entering.
If / when we're discovered, he'll order the closest soldier to spend the action it takes to widen the gap and let the remaining soldiers in faster.[/sblock]
[sblock=ooc]I'd say Bastian is most likely to enter near the middle, after we've gotten a few folks footheld inside. He and Cormoray have the worst stealth of the group by a wide margin, and he knows it's more important at this juncture to sneak in folks who can hold the entrance than to ride through in the van. so, probably with Cormoray about 1/3 in as far as folk entering.
If / when we're discovered, he'll order the closest soldier to spend the action it takes to widen the gap and let the remaining soldiers in faster.[/sblock]
Dr Simon
Explorer
The invading troops begin to make their way into the keep as quickly and quiestly as they can. Luckily the bulk of the beastmen seem to be across the other side, you can hear the commotion of barks and hoots as they respond to the sudden apparitions appearing on Arcata's side of the keep.
Beyond the palisade of the keep are several low stone buildings in various states of damage, and seven troopers manage to get through before they are spotted by a passing gang of three beastmen. Both sides stop and stare at each other for a second.
[sblock=OOC]
I have a map for this but I'm currently sundered from it and probably will be for a week. Until then, you can at least decide on the disposition of the seven troops already through the breach and roll initiative. The situation is more like street fighting at this part of the keep due to the outbuildings.
[/sblock]
Beyond the palisade of the keep are several low stone buildings in various states of damage, and seven troopers manage to get through before they are spotted by a passing gang of three beastmen. Both sides stop and stare at each other for a second.
[sblock=OOC]
I have a map for this but I'm currently sundered from it and probably will be for a week. Until then, you can at least decide on the disposition of the seven troops already through the breach and roll initiative. The situation is more like street fighting at this part of the keep due to the outbuildings.
[/sblock]
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