Gnoll Resolution

[BSF]

It is great you guys are planning ahead for what you will do in Delve. However, I am a little more interested in what the PCs are doing "today" and "tomorrow" so we can begin plotting stuff out online and try to get to a resolution point before we play again.

 

[Kultar]

I don't really think that it is necessary to have Li take them all the way back to Greerson. Especially since it will take him twice as long as us to train.

It is going to take Tyrm just as long as Li to train. Besides this gives us two places to draw support from, gets the hostages to a safe place and reports what information we do know. On top of all of that it is going to be much quicker time wise for Li to gather support from Greerson, if there is any to be had, then it will be for Tyrm and the other group to from Delve due to established contacts.

Kind didn't realize the magnitude of the gnoll problem, and now realizes that if it is something that he is willing to pursue, then he will require allies. Therefore, Kind wishes to join the SOL. If any oppose this then they may speak up and Kind will leave... or fight you to the death. Either way.

"I would welcome another ally against the vile gnolls though I am not in control of this group as I too have recently joined."

 

[Kultar]

It is great you guys are planning ahead for what you will do in Delve. However, I am a little more interested in what the PCs are doing "today" and "tomorrow" so we can begin plotting stuff out online and try to get to a resolution point before we play again.

Tyrm votes for circling back to the Mannor and picking up any supplies and the woman and child and then proceeding on towards Delve and attempting to get the exhostages back to Greerson.

 

[FelixtheWanderer]

Even if it does take you the same time to train, we would have to wait another few weeks for Li to go to Greerson and come back. I don't really think that we will get much help from the people of Greeerson for this anyways.

 

[BSF]

I would suggest that the group prioritize what it is you want to accomplish. Your course of action will be different depending on what you want to do.

Are you just trying to train?
Are you trying to train and equip?
Are you trying to enlist aid?
Are you trying to train, equip and enlist aid?
Are you trying to get the refugees someplace relatively safe?
etc.

If you are trying to enlist aid, then you also need to figure out how you are going to do that.
Are you just looking to hire some mercenaries yourself?
Are you looking to gain sponsorship/support from a government?
Are you looking to have a government rouse an army and send them with you?
Etc.

Regardless of what you want to do, you also need to figure out how you are going to do it. You may have to deal with bureaucracy as well as actually convincing any given group that a given set of actions is in their best interests. All of this will require time unless you have a fast track to somebody in a position of influence and responsibility.

Work to your strengths. Be realistic. Prioritize your goals. Create an action plan. Understand where your payoff, for the work you are doing, will be. I told you guys there would be more politics in this game. If you want to deal with large groups of people, you are dealing with politics.

 

[Macbeth]

I think we want to (in order of importance):

Gather a larger force to fight the gnolls

Get the refugees somewhere safe.

Equip Ourselves

Train

That's how I think our goals are right now. How does everybody else feel?

I think going to Greerson accomplishes all those goals, but the one real downsaide is that we loose time. However, at this point, I think it is our best option. Is there a way we can get all this done without loosing so much time? I'm drawing a blank.

 

[Kultar]

Oceas would disagree with your priorities. First and foremost should be to get the refugees to safety. Their lives are more important than our personal benefits (training). Then we should train and equip ourselves while seeking out help in the way of a larger force. Then we can decide from the results of that whether we are big enough to go head on with the gnolls or if we are still a small force then hit and run guerilla tactics are best suited for our abilities. Are we going to come back this way after the refugees are taken to Greerson??? If so, then I will probably stay in Delve to train and try to recruit some help there while others can recruit in greerson and return. It is going to take time to find someone willing to listen to us and then more time to actively get volunteers trained and organized for your return> Besides my training time it could easily take the extra month or two to get the ear of the local lord/government/priest/militia to hear our case and make a decision.

 

[FelixtheWanderer]

priority 1: figure out if we are going to continue with the gnolls. If not then we may as well go to Greerson. If so, then we want to act as quickly as possible, so that they don't get too much larger.
If the gnolls are our primary concern, then going to Greerson would not be a good choice. The time it takes to get there, and the amount of help we would receive would not be worth it.

 

[Macbeth]

Oceas would disagree with your priorities. First and foremost should be to get the refugees to safety. Their lives are more important than our personal benefits (training). Then we should train and equip ourselves while seeking out help in the way of a larger force.

That is in my priorities too. I have the refugees directly above training. It seems like our only difference is that I think stopping the gnolls by gathering a larger force is more important then getting the refugees away.

Then we can decide from the results of that whether we are big enough to go head on with the gnolls or if we are still a small force then hit and run guerilla tactics are best suited for our abilities. Are we going to come back this way after the refugees are taken to Greerson??? If so, then I will probably stay in Delve to train and try to recruit some help there while others can recruit in greerson and return. It is going to take time to find someone willing to listen to us and then more time to actively get volunteers trained and organized for your return> Besides my training time it could easily take the extra month or two to get the ear of the local lord/government/priest/militia to hear our case and make a decision.

I think that is the plan. We could have one group, maybe Oceas Ceru and Tyrm, could stay in Delve, while the rest go back to Greerson with the survivors. This would give you considerable time to gether supporters, since the trip to Greerson will eat up time.


However, I have to disagree with Kind. I think goign to Greerson woul dbe for the best. The gnolls are not getting bigger, if anything they are spreading thinner. There aren't new gnolls appearing, so the only thing we have to worry about is that the gnolls will take more territory. I think this is an acceptable risk, sine if we can gather a larger group we can really take the land back. By taking time to train we let the gnolls take more territory, but we also gain the abilities and the allies to be able to take that territory back in the long run.

 

[Tormal]

However, I have to disagree with Kind. I think goign to Greerson woul dbe for the best. The gnolls are not getting bigger, if anything they are spreading thinner. There aren't new gnolls appearing, so the only thing we have to worry about is that the gnolls will take more territory. I think this is an acceptable risk, sine if we can gather a larger group we can really take the land back. By taking time to train we let the gnolls take more territory, but we also gain the abilities and the allies to be able to take that territory back in the long run.

Tormal quickly disagrees.

"Granted, the Gnolls as a species are probably not growing very rapidly but their power probably is. While neither the group nor I can speak for them who's to say that the Gnolls don't have allies? Who's to say that their growing power won't sway others to fight for them? If there's one thing I have learned out here it is that, above most things, the Gnolls and other similar creatures admire power or strength. Strategicley what would be the benefit to their strategy if all they were doing was spreading thin? They're far more organized then they seem like they should be. There's something greater... and possibly more intelligent... at work there.

As far as gathering a group... it really depends on how large you are planning on. Even if it were large enough to go head to head with entire regiments of Gnolls they, as an organzied army, could quickly out manuever a single organization. What we need is some sort of high-level support. We need more assistance on every level from combat to stratagy. Our greatest impact would be revealed in assisting, on a tactical level, those higher organizations."

While Tormal does not oppose letting anyone go back to greerson and even sees some benifits to the idea he feels that such a movement would be, on the whole, a greater loss. He states...

"For me personally there is no need for me to go back to Greerson as of right now. As a matter of fact, I would much rather stay here to train and resupply. On that same note I have a much better chance of finding Wolf on this side of the river then the other! Count me out!"

He smiles and continues walking.

"As far as the refugees are concerned.... I... I don't know. I feel it would be the noble thing to do if members of our group assisted them back. On the other hand it would be more efficient if we could hire somone to take them back. Unless of course if somone is already heading back... then there's really no argument..."

(OOC: Dave, I'm wondering if there would be any support to be found from Gobadan's academy?)

Later...

"I've been thinking.... There may be some way I might be able to get some... not entirely sure how much... but some support from the Academy. Perhaps I can get word to them when we reach Delve..." He says to himself as he is walking. He sternly nods " I think we should try. What says everyone?"


Tormal is all for going back to the manor to get the woman and child. If no one else will Tormal will ask Ayla to assist him in this Endevor. (I don't think it will be much of an argument though!)

Tormal's priorities mimic Li's.