(IC) Against the Giants PBP Group 2

[FitzTheRuke]

Only a few short hours after they had arrived at Culligan's Cairn, the group set out. They were still getting to know each other - not so much a team, as a group of individuals. Still, they had some things in common: power; confidence; experience. Each of them had known only a handful of others that matched or exceeded themselves in competence. Whatever their differences, they could tell that they were among their peers.

Except for Doc. No one quite knew what to make of him.

The scouts led them along the winding trails through the hills for an hour on foot. The company had some time to get to know one-another. It was the beginning of dusk and heavy mists were rolling over the hills when they came in sight of the steading, a massive timber stronghold hidden in a secluded dale.

Spoiler: Steading (looking south-west)

Note: This gate would be the "side" door. The main gate is near the watchtower.

A well-worn trail ended at the south-east corner before a pair of fifteen-foot-high doors made of ironbound logs. The stronghold had no windows, but a squat watchtower overlooked the gates. Thick logs comprised the walls of the entire stronghold. A thickly-thatched roof inclined toward the middle, reaching a height of forty feet at its peak. Smoke rose from numerous stone chimneys, the largest one was at the roof's peak.

On the north-east side, a log guardhouse stood apart from the main stronghold. It was connected by a palisade wall of vertical logs twenty feet high. Heavy log doors set into the palisade lead to a courtyard lodged between the two buildings.

The scouts settled into a spot on a nearby hill, where they could observe from behind a rocky tor.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

"There she be," announced Cromby, needlessly, "How d'ya plan on tackling her?"

 

[Tonguez]

Kahru listened silently to the words of the Colonels prayer before nodding to affirm It’s sentiment. Sky, Land, Water, Fire: All things Were allive with power, there to be shared by those with the strength to claim it. Raised on the northern tundra the Storm Bear clan knew that lesson well – it was a good prayer.

The Barbarian Druid was keen to reach the giants steading to find if those he sort were there. Even if they were not he would rend the flesh of ogres as an offering of blood to feed the soil. He had thought of taking wing and scouting ahead, but for now he thought it best to keep pace with the others rather than rushing away on his own.

The Druid walked with a light step and In his hand he gripped the gnarled Quarterstaff that he had drawn still living from the trees of the Wooded Grove. The staff remained rooted in his northern homeland and leaf and berry still sprouted from its length.

By force of habit as he trekked along he scanned for sign and spoor that might indicate pray for hunting or forage to be gathered.
Then as they neared their destination, his pace slowed and focusing on the staff he called upon the spirits to conceal their tracks so they might pass without trace or detection

OOC: Perception and Survival checks (coming) Cast Pass without Trace from Staff (2/7 charges) - everyone gets +10 bonus to Dexterity (Stealth) checks

 

[Maxperson]

Smoke rises from numerous chimneys, but does smoke rise from all chimneys? Kaligan looks closely at them to see. An unused giant chimney could afford us access into the structure at a room not in use. While he is looking, he also spends some extra time on the watch tower to see if any giants are in it.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Doc had watched the prayers of the Colonel impassively. After a year, he had learned that people here had access to strange powers that he knew better than to question, yet Doc also realized that in the end, all this talk of this god or that god didn't matter when the light faded from your eyes. No god saved me from this, did they?

As the group set out, following the scouts provided by Lord Falldur, Doc pulled out a cheroot and stuck it in his mouth. Raising his hand, he snapped his fingers to create a small flame {prestidigitation} and light it. As Doc inhaled, the cherry at the end of the cheroot flamed up, and as he exhaled from his lifeless lungs, the smoke writhed around his face before going up into the sky. Doc could sense that the others were uneasy with his presence. I'm not your huckleberry. Doc understood that only standing together in combat would form the kind of trust needed for a group like this. In the meantime, a little unease might be helpful. Still, he observed each person he was with, sizing them up during the walk.

As Cromby and Siersha slowed as the trail began to peter out, Doc spit out his cheroot and ground it out under his boot. He was close. He let the darkness rise within him, felt the shadows of the Mesa of Madness coalesce around his left hand until the shades began to solidify into his pistol. Once he held his peacemaker firmly in his hand, Doc put it in his holster.

Doc looked at the massive timber stronghold that was pointed out by the scouts. He thinks for a second, and then looks back at the group.

Reckon we can try and sneak in. Then again, reckon wood burns. And rustlers burn too.

OOC: The obvious play would be to go in and take them on individual basis; start with the guards ... Doc is decent at stealth as well. That said, Doc would have no issue (assuming we can generate the fire and/or explosives) with taking ambush positions and burning the whole thing down and taking out survivors as they come out. Maybe it's not the traditional way to tackle this, but ... And even if we don't, it's definitely what Doc would suggest.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

After Kahru used the magic of his staff, the ground and air seemed to cooperate with moving silently. Grass pressed down underfoot without a whimper and stood back up as if not trodden. They took their first long looks at the fortress before them. The company having approached the steading from the north-east, to avoid being spotted by anyone in the watchtower (on the south-west side).

From here, Kaligan could see the chimneys on most of three sides - the north, east, and north-west. All of the chimneys that could be seen from here on the main building poured smoke, but one of the two on the outbuilding did not.

To see the watchtower, they would have to get closer and move southward.

Doc thought about burning the whole place to the ground. While the idea appealed, the spring rain had made the thick and heavy thatch roof saturated with moisture. It would take a long, hot fire to get it going. Certainly enough time for the giants to abandon the place as it slowly burned, billowing smoke. He was used to the dryness of the Mad Mesa, but he didn't miss it. The whistling winds would blow dust in your eyes and cover everything in a constant layer of grit that never came clean.

Here a mist was rolling down the hills as the temperature dropped for the eventing. It threatened to cover it all in a damp fog within the hour. This ain't much better, he shrugged.

OOC: Want to move southward to get a look at the watchtower? And/or make your way up to the wall first using the building itself for cover from the tower?

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

OOC: Doc will be moving toward the wall for cover, in order to get a better look at the watchtower. Assume that's going to be the plan when others come along. Gun will be drawn. Passive Perception: 20 +6stealth, +10Pass: 1D20+16 = [20]+16 = 36

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Doc moved like a ghost - like he wasn't entirely there. Even the others had missed where he had gone until they saw him wave his hat from down near the corner of the outbuilding, beckoning them to join him.

OOC: LOL. Now that's some stealth! North-east corner to start, then moving you clockwise toward the watchtower. I'll give a few more a chance to post before doing that, though.

 

[Maxperson]

Startled, Kaligan swears a bit under his breath. "This is too dangerous for someone to go alone." he thinks to himself. Kaligan begins sneaking down towards Doc to join him in case things go bad.

OOC: 1D20+15 = [12]+15 = 27 Stealth +5, +10 Pass Without Trace

 

[JustinCase]

Duvraels eyes widen only very slightly, as the wizard is surprised by the unusual human called Doc. First the strange magics he appears to wield, then revealing himself a stealthy sort. Perhaps the creature has access to some form of spells the yuan ti has not heard of before?

Not being very stealty himself, Duvrael nevertheless moves rather quietly behind the others. As he approaches Doc, a green-brown snake unwraps itself from the magic staff and moves through the grass looking for a way inside.

"Let me take a look inside," he says, pointing to his familiar. If the snake does not find a way, he will cast a spell to look beyond the door.

OOC: Stealth (+10 Pass Without Trace): 1D20+2+10 = [16]+2+10 = 28 If my familiar manages to find a way in, use an Action to see and hear through its senses. Otherwise I will suggest casting Clairvoyance, needing 10 minutes to cast. Which means, of course, I have finished the spell section of my character sheet.