Storms of Change IC Part 4

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

"I rather favor the idea of getting these various nasties to fight each other. Heaven knows I once talked a guard out of hauling in my brother for stealing fruit even with the juice on his face, so I should be able to plant a few tracks, use a few spells, make it seem like the the other group is spoiling for a fight... could be very useful," Zook says, stroking his chin. Mindful of the disturbing stories of demons, dragons, and other powerful magical creatures, Zook will ask the gnomes about books on how to make one's magic more potent, and study them carefully in the days to come.

OOC - Just flavor text for my new feat. I believe I'm all leveled up.

 

[Someone]

OOC: Sorry, Dunathar is still 3rd level, with 5999 exp.

The following days Dunathar starts bothering everyone about going to kill one rat.

"Stopping these intruders is important, but we must not lose sight of our primary goal, that of bringing aid to Shillen. I have no interest in fighting these cultists and demon-spawn. But if there is something in this complex that could aid our cause, then I will leave no stone unturned to find it."

"Oh, yes" says Dunathar. "We could find more rooms like that one."

 

[Manzanita]

Manzanita

"Very well. It appears we should first help the gnomes rid this forest of these intruders. Then we shall return to the keep and continue our quest to find aid for Shillen. Zook, you plan of setting them against each other is a good one. But problematic. First we would have to bring them together before the reach the keep. Then we would have to convince them to fight, for it seems equally likely that if they met they would form an alliance, even if just a temporary one. And if they did that, it seems unlikely we would be able to overcome them."

"Personally, I think we might be better off simply taking them on individually. The gnolls first, I would think. They seem the weaker of the two parties."

 

[doghead]

Lucan, human male pit fighter.

"Ideally, we get them to all go home and report finding nothing at all except a few wolves and a lot of trees. But I can't see how we could do that.

"If they fail to return then others would be sent to see why. Eventually. But it wouldn't be so far out of the ordinary to lose a scouting party as to raise great alarm I think. So 'eventually' may be sufficient.

"So I say we just hunt down an' kill all of them," he concludes with a broken grin.

Lucan turns to Govan.

"What do you think Govan? Its your territory."

 

[Someone]

"We almost missed the way here" says Dunathar. "If we erase the path and our tracks I doubt anyone would be able to reach the keep, and so we could concentrate on the tunnels"

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

"Well, I don't think all evil guys will just decide to get together to defeat us and work toward a common gold. Most people like that are also greedy, selfish, and unwilling to share anything. If we bring the two groups in contact... then we get a head start," Zook points out.

 

[Sado]

Goven

Goven considers their options. "I am not afraid of a fight," he says, "but I don't know if that would best serve our purpose.

"Goruka's military is organized in a manner similar to our own," he continues. "The disappearance of a group of scouts would most likely arouse suspicion. There is a possibility it would be counted as simply bad luck and not given consideration, but that is not a chance I would like to take.

"So I would, as Dunathar suggested, do what we can to hide the way to the keep. We leave the other parties be for now, and return to Carodan with the information we have. The Warden will want to know what we have discovered. That was the purpose of our mission, after all.

"If the rest of you are determined to eliminate the other parties, I would suggest this-do it quickly, and return to Carodan quickly with our findings, hopefully before the enemy realizes what has happened.

"I will defer to the wishes of the rest of you in this," he finishes.

For a moment, Goven's face assumes a dark countenance, as if troubled by evil thoughts, but he says nothing, and it passes after a moment.

GM: [sblock]Though Goven looks up to the Warden and thinks nothing ill of him, he bears a slight mistrust of "great men" such as the Dharnans, and he wonders for a moment if it may be that they are seeking the demon for their own ends.[/sblock]

 

[Manzanita]

Manzanita

"Zook. Your idea would be a good one if it worked. But I don't know that it will. Can you tell me how you propose to lead the two groups to meet, and then how to antagonize them into fighting?"

 

[doghead]

Lucan, human male.

Lucan nods in agreement with Sparrow.

"If we try something fancy, and one of them lives to tell of it, then it would draw a whole lot of attention I would think. Were I inclined to," he adds with a lazy shrug and easy grin.

Lucan turns to Zook to see what Zook has to say, curious to see if she has something in mind.

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

"I would say use a bit of false trackmaking to lure the two groups in contact. I would also like to use a bit of magic, illusions, to make lights and sounds like another group tromping about to keep them paranoid and on edge. I even have a little device that will 'run' down a path and make a bit of a racket while doing so, nice for having them chase wild hares. And a well-placed spell of fear can whip them up into a frenzy. They'll be too busy screaming or fighting with each other to even think about another group," Zook says thoughtfully.