A Keep On The Borderlands: Arrival
Sh'aah
Sh'aah grinned savagely as Arcata gave her orders. There will be plenty of fighting by the end of the day. Many skulls to break.
The half-orc waited a few seconds to see if the smart people had anything to add before grinning again at Greggory and trotting off to retrieve his remaining gear. The horse worried him...it would be hard to run through a forest with it, but Sh'aah was very reluctant to let it go free or leave it with the others...
Sh'aah grinned savagely as Arcata gave her orders. There will be plenty of fighting by the end of the day. Many skulls to break.
The half-orc waited a few seconds to see if the smart people had anything to add before grinning again at Greggory and trotting off to retrieve his remaining gear. The horse worried him...it would be hard to run through a forest with it, but Sh'aah was very reluctant to let it go free or leave it with the others...
Dr Simon
Explorer
Sh'aah feels that the forest is too far from the keep, over a mile away, to make an effective ambush area. Drawing the beastmen that far could be difficult.
However, he finds a series of gullies and steep-sided valleys in the hilles between the camp and the fort which could make a potentially good ambush site.
Whilst the House Ducat forces array themselves in the ambush site, Greggory leads the remnant of the Penal Legion back to the fort, along with Sh'aah.
On the approach, the fort looks much as it did before it was taken, but in evident disrepair. Goat-headed figures can be seen peering over the parapet, and the banner of the Skullcrusher draped over the wooden palisade.
[sblock=OOC]
I rolled against Survival and/or Stealth for Sh'aah to find an ambush site, with bonus for his chosen terrain. I reckon a Bluff check from Greggory to determine how successful the bait is.
[/sblock]
However, he finds a series of gullies and steep-sided valleys in the hilles between the camp and the fort which could make a potentially good ambush site.
Whilst the House Ducat forces array themselves in the ambush site, Greggory leads the remnant of the Penal Legion back to the fort, along with Sh'aah.
On the approach, the fort looks much as it did before it was taken, but in evident disrepair. Goat-headed figures can be seen peering over the parapet, and the banner of the Skullcrusher draped over the wooden palisade.
[sblock=OOC]
I rolled against Survival and/or Stealth for Sh'aah to find an ambush site, with bonus for his chosen terrain. I reckon a Bluff check from Greggory to determine how successful the bait is.
[/sblock]
Sh'aah
Out in the open, surrounced by unfamiliar faces Sh'aah hadn't felt so exposed in a long long time. He kept taking furtive glances forwards, at the walls, then sideways at Greggory...wondering how long he was going to keep walking straight ahead before running back. They must suspect something soon. Even a blind witch could see there is a problem now.
Out in the open, surrounced by unfamiliar faces Sh'aah hadn't felt so exposed in a long long time. He kept taking furtive glances forwards, at the walls, then sideways at Greggory...wondering how long he was going to keep walking straight ahead before running back. They must suspect something soon. Even a blind witch could see there is a problem now.
ahayford
First Post
Greggory uses the hand signal thieve's cant to communicate with his men.
*Quiet...keep an eye on the orc...watch the flanks...*
Greggory's men fall in behind Sh'aah, trying to look and act the part of a lost patrol, returning to base camp.
*Hold your blades....eyes on the road*
Well, here goes nothing... he whispers to himself.
[sblock=ooc]Balls[/sblock]
*Quiet...keep an eye on the orc...watch the flanks...*
Greggory's men fall in behind Sh'aah, trying to look and act the part of a lost patrol, returning to base camp.
*Hold your blades....eyes on the road*
Well, here goes nothing... he whispers to himself.
[sblock=ooc]Balls[/sblock]
Sh'aah
Sh'aah paused in his introspection as Greggory spoke to him. Glancing up at the walls he took a step back as he pretended to notice the beastmen on the walls for the first time. May all the gods protect us, there are so many!
The half-orc leaned down and spoke quietly into Greggory's ear, "Stop the men moving. Bring them close. We must look undecided. I will watch the gate from here." Standing up to reach his full six and a half feet, Sh'aah loosened his spear's bindings and stood impassively watching the fort, butt of the spear resting on the ground.
[sblock=ooc]
Hilarious! Natural 1's are nearly always as entertaining as natural 20's. Just generally more painful for the characters. What was it that old Royal Navy sailors about to cop a broadside of cannons went on about? "For what we are about to receive...Boom!"
[/sblock]
Sh'aah paused in his introspection as Greggory spoke to him. Glancing up at the walls he took a step back as he pretended to notice the beastmen on the walls for the first time. May all the gods protect us, there are so many!
The half-orc leaned down and spoke quietly into Greggory's ear, "Stop the men moving. Bring them close. We must look undecided. I will watch the gate from here." Standing up to reach his full six and a half feet, Sh'aah loosened his spear's bindings and stood impassively watching the fort, butt of the spear resting on the ground.
[sblock=ooc]
Hilarious! Natural 1's are nearly always as entertaining as natural 20's. Just generally more painful for the characters. What was it that old Royal Navy sailors about to cop a broadside of cannons went on about? "For what we are about to receive...Boom!"
[/sblock]
Last edited:
Dr Simon
Explorer
Beastmen gather along the palisade, dishevelled goat-faces leering down at the approaching group. They call and jeer in guttural voices, and some throw missiles of rotten food and dung, which fall short.
A voice calls out from above the gateway. A beastman wearing a sashimono-style banner of the crushed skull hails the group.
"Welcome, illustrious visitors, to the Keep of Aarach Skullcrusher," it says mockingly, in surprisingly fluent Common. "Won't you come in and receive our warm welcome?"
A voice calls out from above the gateway. A beastman wearing a sashimono-style banner of the crushed skull hails the group.
"Welcome, illustrious visitors, to the Keep of Aarach Skullcrusher," it says mockingly, in surprisingly fluent Common. "Won't you come in and receive our warm welcome?"
Sh'aah
Sh'aah sighed softly as the plan went to pieces. We might still be able to get a few of them out...
He took a deep breath, filling his chest to shout across the distance. "Ha! You are brave. For one who hides like human child. And you show poor welcome. Why must we come to your house? It is full of sh*t and bad food. See?" he finished, pointing to the smatterings of dung and rotten food that had been flung.
Sh'aah glanced at his companions - unsure if they understood what he was doing. Greggory was supposed to be in charge, and they were his men. Still, beastmen respected size like the Orcs and would expect him to be the leader as the biggest creature.
Sh'aah sighed softly as the plan went to pieces. We might still be able to get a few of them out...
He took a deep breath, filling his chest to shout across the distance. "Ha! You are brave. For one who hides like human child. And you show poor welcome. Why must we come to your house? It is full of sh*t and bad food. See?" he finished, pointing to the smatterings of dung and rotten food that had been flung.
Sh'aah glanced at his companions - unsure if they understood what he was doing. Greggory was supposed to be in charge, and they were his men. Still, beastmen respected size like the Orcs and would expect him to be the leader as the biggest creature.
ahayford
First Post
Greggory smiled darkly to himself as he realized what Sh'aah was up to.
No reason to be worried men. And here I thought when the scout told us beastmen held the fort we had something to worry about. But I see that he was clearly exaggerating. All I see here are the weak runts of an impure bloodline that had to resort to picking off the old and infirm to make any name for themselves.
Greggory laughs heartily.
Greggory waves to his men and they join in half heartedly.
Are you going to hide behind a coward's walls and make me come gut you in your sleep....or will you come out here, and die a warriors death.
No reason to be worried men. And here I thought when the scout told us beastmen held the fort we had something to worry about. But I see that he was clearly exaggerating. All I see here are the weak runts of an impure bloodline that had to resort to picking off the old and infirm to make any name for themselves.
Greggory laughs heartily.
Greggory waves to his men and they join in half heartedly.
Are you going to hide behind a coward's walls and make me come gut you in your sleep....or will you come out here, and die a warriors death.
