Dungeon Raiders: The Wolf's Den

tuxgeo

Adventurer

• Nov 9, 2013

• #11

Having returned to the rest of the party, Aeiyan reported the results of his scouting: "No other entrances. All windows look like arrow-slits. Three ballistae atop the fortress, one per side except east; and east would be a waste of a ballista anyway, since the cave is so far below the structure that defenders cannot get a shot at its mouth."

He added, "The east slope is steep enough that we might have to climb there, whether we approach from directly downhill or at an angle from southeast or northeast. And -- that's all I learned." He shrugged, and stood awaiting further comments or questions or plans before he would make any move to sit and trance till shift-change.

 

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Li Shenron

Legend

• Nov 9, 2013

• #12

Just one more clarification because I don't want my bad English to mislead you

You can easily reach the cave entrance if you want, and the area around it has been cleared from the vegetation (something like half a circle of 100ft radius). It's the terrain between the cave (down) and the fortress' East wall (up) that is very steep.

 

Kobold Stew

Last Guy in the Airlock

Supporter

• Nov 9, 2013

• #13

"Thanks, Aeiyan," says Bartleby with a single curt nod. "Good of you."

He picks some dirt from between his nails, thinking about the prospects of climbing a cliff. "My preference is still for the cave. The bandit guards haven't moved much [or have they?], and don't seem especially vigilant [or do they?]. I imagine the night shift will be worse, and we'll be fresh."

 

S

Shayuri

First Post

• Nov 9, 2013

• #14

"Those bandits who left still haven't come back," Sulannus reminds everyone in a bored voice from where she lounges on a blanket with the dimunitive Hannah fussing over her hair behind her. "By night they probably will be back. We've waited an hour already just to find out I was right all along. And people say elves are slow to act..."

 

tuxgeo

Adventurer

• Nov 9, 2013

• #15

[I would go back and correct Aeiyan's report to state that getting to the cave is a walk; but if it's alright, I'd prefer to just take Li Shenron's clarification as read: getting to the cave is a walk.
And now that I've had Aeiyan split the party and hog the spotlight, I have that out of my system -- at least for a while.]

 

Li Shenron

Legend

• Nov 9, 2013

• #16

In the hour you've been waiting for Aeiyan, the three guards at the cave entrance haven't moved from their position. They have been sitting on top of the boulders all the time (the boulders are positioned just at the opening, so that entering the cave would require to climb over the boulder, although it definitely seems like it would be a trivial climb). They do however seem to be quite vigilant and taking their duty seriously, since they haven't indulged in chatting or eating, and they haven't let go of their bows for a second. They are also armored, their faces somewhat concealed by light helms.

[MENTION=23484]Kobold Stew[/MENTION]:

[sblock]Bartleby has been particularly attentive, and has noticed that those few words ever spoken by the cave guards so far were in goblinoid language.[/sblock]

The guards at the south gate seem to be more of a mixed bunch, and there's even be a small quarrel between two of them at some point. Their number fluctuates between 3 and 6, but you get the impression that there is definitely more bandits inside, plus several moving on the roof.

 

J

Jimmy Disco T

First Post

• Nov 10, 2013

• #17

"I am going to side with our Elven companion" says Tock, "Even if the bandits guarding the cave are the more vigilant, there are less of them. It seems like we may not have an opportunity as good as we have now."

Musing over the situation, he continues, "We could engage them at range with missile fire and spells, or try to draw them away from their position somehow to gain a tactical advantage."

 

Kobold Stew

Last Guy in the Airlock

Supporter

• Nov 10, 2013

• #18

Enough of this, thinks Bartleby to himself. These people have no restraint, and won't wait for enough information. Very well.

Bartleby stands up, and dusts himself off. He shoulders his pack and urges the others to do the same. We're doing this.

Aloud: "The guards are speaking goblin. It's a language I know well -- one should always know how to speak with vermin -- and if we capture one, we should be able to get tyne coward to talk. You want a distraction? Archers get ready. Here you go."

And with that, once anyone who is getting ready is, he cats Druidcraft. His fat fingers rub together and finally all five wiggle back and forth, as if they were light dancing. And then he points, and twenty five feet to the right of the party along the perimeter of the clearing, five slowly moving lights appear behind the first row of trees. Bartleby wants the goblins to see the lights, but think they are a group trying to hide behind the bushes.

"This should draw them out. If one of them bolts, someone should be ready."

Bartleby hopes the lights will draw out one or two of the guards. If any start moving towards the lights, he'll move the lights further back, or even stop the spell, so that it looks like they're trying to avoid being seen.

If one or more of them bolts, his plan is to follow up with an entangle spell.

 

J

Jimmy Disco T

First Post

• Nov 10, 2013

• #19

"Ah, excellent" says Tock, catching on to what the Druid is planning. He readies his crossbow and loads a bolt, primed to loose a shot if one of the bandits breaks from the group as per Bartleby's instructions.

"Let us see how gullible these rogues are..."

 

Last edited: Nov 14, 2013

tuxgeo

Adventurer

• Nov 10, 2013

• #20

[now shifting to present tense]

Aeiyan murmurs, "And if they don't follow the lights with their eyes, then they're likely illusions, or mind-controlled, or zombies, or aliens from another plane, eh?
"That's a good test you used there," he approves.

He draws an arrow but does not nock it yet; then he moves somewhat closer to the east side of the slope down from the fort, while still keeping behind cover, in order to find a good vantage point for an attack on the guard highest up the slope -- whose fall wouldn't be obvious to the other guards, since all of them are facing outward from the fortress.