Chapter 8 - Orc Recon

[onlyme]

Dandelion asks, since she knows nothing of this orctown ,
Is this a far away place? Do we need to procure cute little ponies for the trip, or are we planning on a power walk?

[Keehnelf]

Ilfrien chuckles. "I plan to ride an invisible horse all the way there."

[AleBelly]

Fluffy and Redfang become acquainted. In most situations these two massive canines would fight for dominance, but their masters forbid such hostilities. They form an uneasy peace, sniffing each other and growling softly.

A crowded and smelly night is spent at the farmhouse. Most rise before first light - the casters memorize spells and the group makes its way west, perhaps stopping to stock up on some last minute provisions and retrieve their mounts. The snow near town is stale, dirty with weeks of dust, soot and debris. And now, yet more snow falls.

The sun rises to their backs, barely warming the chill air. At the west gate, they contemplate the road which heads towards the western perimeter. Somewhere along this path lies the orc city.

Actions?

Date: 17 Hewing, Year 42
Time: 07:30
Conditions: 16F, calm, snowing, all bodies of water frozen solid, 4 inches of snow on the ground
Known Spells in Effect: None
Light bearers: Sun
Direction of Travel: tbd

[Storm11]

Tempus will speak with Hellebore about her bird friends.

"Magnificient each of them. Do they scout ahead for you or stick close and watch your back? This snow made fighting difficult when Sev and I went in search of the fairy lake, hence I stayed in town until the worst of it passed. You lot being more experienced seem to be quite at home in it however!"

[Marullus]

Tempus will speak with Hellebore about her bird friends.

"Magnificient each of them. Do they scout ahead for you or stick close and watch your back? This snow made fighting difficult when Sev and I went in search of the fairy lake, hence I stayed in town until the worst of it passed. You lot being more experienced seem to be quite at home in it however!"

Desc:

What strikes you first about this hobbit is the grace of her movement, like ripples in water. She is fluid and precise in her action, standing three and a half feet and solidly-built with ample bosom and hips. Her shiny-black hair is pulled back and neatly plaited, vines and pale blue dried flowers woven within it. He face is round and freckled; a pert nose lies below eerie, intense cornflower-blue eyes. She is enfolded by charcoal-grey wolf-fur cloak and hood worn over her clothing - a fitted dress of supple black leather over wool shirt and leggings, panels of boiled hard-leather beneath. She holds a spear, its walnut-wood shaft polished to a sheen, and a large rawhide and wood shield painted with an intricate pattern of leaves.

Hellebore falls into an easy rhythm: talking to Tempus, issuing occasional shrill whistles to the eagle above, and crooning to Rrkox and stroking his feathers before sending him flapping off ahead of them once more. She looks displeased by her thick fur-lined boots, but Tempus notes that she barely breaks the surface of the snow as she walks with her soft footsteps, and leaves no tracks as she does so.

"They are good companions, in their way. The eagle is a brute, but a mighty one. He flies above to keep us safe. Rrkox is far more discerning and intelligent, so he looks ahead of our path to find any threats or man-made structures for us. I worked with him to develop the signals for each." She reaches over and ruffles Qatkir the wolf's fur affectionately. "This fellow is mighty in battle, and tracks as well as Angus, there, ensuring scouts do not escape to give an alarm."

She adds to Tempus further, "None of these others are as quiet as our kind, in the forest. I had been scouting ahead on our past missions alone to warn them of foes, but now you and I might do it together. Just far enough to catch a foe unaware and bring word back, generally. I am not the archer my sister was, so less adept at eliminating them alone. Aided by Rrkox, we might find ourselves even more successful and miss less as we search the wilds."

She turns to the others as they cross the farmlands. "We can be quiet and aid in stealth or escape in the wood... Angus can bring invisibility, but not silence, to our cause. We might eventually get close enough to Strohd to learn what Alleborg faces there, and perhaps some weaknesses to exploit - all living things must have food and water and orc cities are no exception."

"I don't advise we do more than scout there just yet, and we might find it a better course to not rush it. Town No Go seems an enemy of our enemy, and that might be worth finding. Or, whittle their friends, like ogres or the Frogmen abominations. Perhaps charm them into allies? Learning the land is wise as well - finding what lies more broadly between us and Strohd to ruin their hiding holes, forward bases, supply stores, and things that allow them to more easily harry our farmers. If making things inhospitable for them dissuades their raiders, we gain easier success."

[AleBelly]

A cartographer is available, but they won't be able to construct a map unless they observe the terrain first hand or a surveyor has made detailed observations. The information is there, but the group must put it together.

However, you can hire a cartographer to travel with the group. You can hire one for 20gp a week plus expenses (rations and a mount). Given the danger outside the perimeter, a cartographer will also require two armed escorts. This requirement can be met by party members, but two will have to remain with the cartographer at all times. Otherwise, the party can hire guards for 3 gp a week that are already outfitted.

The perimeter extends 6-7 miles in every direction outside Alleborg. So the tower is about 4 miles outside the safe zone. It would be reasonable to think that the party could get a reasonable bearing on the town no go. This assumes the orc map is accurate.

[Zorroroaster]

Arnulf removes the finger from his nostril and sniffs.

"I think if we head towards the tower, we can get an idea of where Town No Go is, and likely disrupt some orc patrols along the way. We should consider trying to capture an orc, for information. It might help us figure out where best to strike."

He looks towards the newer recruits who are unmounted. "One of you is welcome to hop up here, if you need. Fair warning, I fart pretty regularly though. Just saying."

[Marullus]

The attractive halfling offers Arnulf a coy smile and nods. "I planned to bring one of their number under my charms. Better for finding what they know."

Hellebore considers, as they approach the perimeter. "Perhaps let us flank the road this time to the north. We know about where the tower is and might uncover something new on the way to it."

[tkrexx]

I know it hasn't worked yet, Hyde offers, But keeping me up front in Orc country could maybe at least give us a chance for some words before a fight, maybe allow us time to prepare. Or maybe get me shot, if we run into folk them Orcs been putting upon.

[Zorroroaster]

Arnulf considers Hellebore's plan.

"I think the like you way." He digs his heels hard into Sucks and the pony responds in kind. "Onwards! To glory!" He lifts his arm in triumph, finger pointed at the heavens. It gets caught in the crook of a thin branch overhanging the path and for a precipitous moment threatens to pull him from his mount. He recovers and mumbles a little to himself, looking back angrily at the offending tree and rubbing at his wrist.

[AleBelly]

Hellebore falls into an easy rhythm: talking to Tempus, issuing occasional shrill whistles to the eagle above, and crooning to Rrkox and stroking his feathers before sending him flapping off ahead of them once more. She looks displeased by her thick fur-lined boots, but Tempus notes that she barely breaks the surface of the snow as she walks with her soft footsteps, and leaves no tracks as she does so.

Although a druid can pass through natural undergrowth undetected, this doesn't extend to not leaving footprints in the snow. A druid can move through swamps, forest, tundra, etc without leaving due to his/her special bond with nature. But snow is inorganic and this ability doesn't extend into that milieu.

[CAI4]

Still smiling from his encounter with the boy hobbits, Chet whoops "I wanna get me some orc flesh!"

He's OK with heading towards the tower.

[AleBelly]

After preparations, the party hits the road again, heading back towards the tower where they battled the stirges and evil men. They ten brave souls tromp through the forest, following a path many of them have tread before. A damp, warming breeze blows from the south, but it also brings snow. Nerves frazzle as they realize their tracks will be easy to follow.

Hellebore's raven scouts ahead and to the side, chirping with Chet. But the scout continually leads the party to abandoned old farm houses that hold nothing of interest. Hellebore's eagle alights from time to time, circling overhead. Twice a crash is heard distant in the trees - the eagle has fed itself for the day.

Finally, two hours before darkness, the party comes upon a familiar bank.

viewtopic.php?f=176&t=4587#p197488

The tower lies across the frozen canal. No smoke or other signs of habitation are evident, but the newly fallen snow would likely mask any footprints made before daybreak. Out in the middle of the cleared snowy field lies a humanoid figure. It is motionless, and remains so for several minutes. Then, a half dozen vultures swoop in, crowding around and tucking their heads into it.

Actions?

Date: 17 Hewing, Year 42
Time: 15:45
Conditions: 28F, warming breeze from the south, snowing, 6 inches of snow on ground, bodies of water frozen
Known Spells in Effect: None
Light bearers: Sun, visible light for another 110 minutes
Direction of Travel: Towards the tower, 250 degree bearing, staying a mile south of the road, 1.2 mph, 10.5 miles traveled

[enn.in.me]

Yenny - "If that were my field and my once-living scarecrow, this'd be a trap. Perhaps we should scout the perimeter of this clearing? Maybe some of us noisy folk could "scout" one way while you stealthy folk go around in the other direction."

[Zhym]

Angus takes a careful look at the snow. Sometimes depressions in new-fallen snow show where footprints had been in the old snow.

"Good idea," he tells Yenny. He draws Bloody Useless (which has yet to repudiate its name outdoors) and gets ready to go with the noisy group.

[Zorroroaster]

Arnulf flexes his fingers in the cold air. "I guess I'm with the noisy ones. You know, fat people can be stealthy too. I mean, not me. How noisy should we be? Obnoxiously so?"

He prepares to lead his mount around the perimeter.

[tkrexx]

Hyde nods at the wisdom of the plan, and looks to Hellebore. I think maybe your birds ought take a look behind us, too, hah? No harm in being too safe. He too readies his bow.

[Storm11]

Tempus blows on his hands, adjusts his antlered helm and pushes his dreadlocks over his shoulder, getting his sling and a bullet ready.

He steps to the side away from the noisy group in readiness.

[CAI4]

Chet looks puzzled initially. "Now, what are we supposed to be doing again?"

Moments later, when he sees the group dividing into "quiet" and "not so quiet," he joins the quiet folk.

[onlyme]

Dandelion realizes that a silent party doesnt sound very fun or lively. One thing she knows is that she would never train to be a mime.
She moves on with the less-quiet group.