Smoking Out The Bandits

[Scott308]

Crobeus - Human Paladin

Crobeus takes a swing at the nearest zombie.

Long Sword Attack (20): [1d20]=13; Damage sm/med: [1d8+1]=4+1=5; Damage large: [1d12+1]=11+1=12

[Darithe]

Magdal

Thankful for Dredd's intervention, Magdal tries to regain her composure and moves to strike at one of the remaining undead with her sword.

Attack: [1d20]=10
Damage: [1d8]=5

[gurusql]

Renna

With 6 on 2 vs. the zombies, there is little chance that Renna would be able to get into the hand-to-hand. She instead watches the zombies that are "turned" watching where they are going. And wondering if she can see the trail of briars at this time?

[OGRE MAGE]

I see that Stirling (following Q's lead) has noticed that I drop clues into almost every update I make. Since you're on the right track, here is one from earlier you might have missed.

Astute onlookers might notice that these zombies have very tattered and ripped clothing, and are missing splotches of their dead skin in a few places.

The turned zombies are not fleeing up the nearby trail you took earlier. They are simply walking into the forest area behind their graves.

Returning To The Scene
Shallow Graves
Mid Morning, Clear

Dredd and Mienhardt gang up to obliterate one of the remaining zombies, while Crobeus, Crabgrass, and Skratch take down the remaining threat.

The turned zombies flee into the treeline behind the ridge containing their shallow graves.

With the sudden danger quickly diverted, the patch of loose soil is now quiet and empty.

Renna cant see the trail of briars they traversed last time, because it's beyond the forest path, which she can still see, directly to the east.

Actions?

AreaAroundKeep_2.png (510.15 KiB) Viewed 223 times

Magdal (R1) AC:7 12/16
Crobeus (P1) AC:3 8/10
Pimlan (F1/T1) H-L AC:6 4/9
Dubricus (M1) AC:8 5/5
Crabgrass (MU1/C1) H-E AC:7 7/7
Meinhardt (MU1) AC:10 5/5 MM/MM
Renna (MU1/C1) Elf AC:4 9/9
Skratch (T1) H-O AC:6 8/8
Stobart (C1) AC:5 10/10
Dredd (F1) H-O AC:3 13/16

[Stirling]

Crabgrass

Glad he was not grabbed and pulled down into the churned up earthy graves. The boggy patch is quite strange. Is it just 'a mass grave' of whoever (adventurers, bandits, woodsmen, merchants); people killed in the forest and Caves and just dumped here or an actual old grave site?

Once no more zombies crawl forth, I will try and answer that question by searching the area for any wooden headstone markers, rocks with names inscribed upon, maybe even the trees nearby have branches with burial trinkets on?

"Dubricus, maybe you can detect
any magical residue that these zombies left behind?"

the OM comments, 'very tattered and ripped clothing & skin' plus 'zombies not going up that trail' makes me think that the zombies came from the Cave you found. Driven out, fleeing through the briar patch and bizarrely, buried themselves here.

Turned they have to flee but cannot go that way?

Or, the Briar Patch is actually magically made. Formed by some greater Druid since that class cannot Turn Undead so they can't pass through it.

And the skeletons are the ancient Druid acolytes.

He mumbles as he searches the patch and nearby tree trunks for clues to confirm his theory.

Crabgrass: Intelligence 14 vs check [1d20]=6Crabgrass: casual notice of Concealed Doors vs 1 [1d6]=3

[hedgeknight]

Dredd

The Half-Orc rubs his neck where the zombie clubbed him as he pokes around the shallow empty graves. "These...creatures...I wonder how long they have been here? We passed this way just a few days ago, did we not, Mags?"

[Scott308]

Crobeus - Human Paladin

"Sooo...the zombies came from the skeleton cave? The rips in their clothes and flesh are probably what we saw on the briars. But why would they travel to here? And even stranger, why were they buried here?"

[shaidar]

Stobart

"Maybe they were waiting for them to rot down to become skeletons."

[Darithe]

Magdal

Glad to be traveling with others more competent at battle than she, Magdal quickly takes stock of the area they are in. When Dredd asks her his question she nods, first thanking him for his help, "Aye we traveled not far from here I'm sure. The caves should just be over yonder," pointing in their direction. She too wonders why the undead were buried and agrees with Stobart's supposition, though why they need to be skeletal, is a question she cannot yet fathom.

[gurusql]

Renna

"We did pass by here. I think that this was done as a reaction to our first visit to the cave. I think that this is suggests that there is a powerful necromancer that are smuggling something into or out of the area. I think the zombies were trying to defer us or anyone else from even going down the trail.

But we came out here to deal with the bandits. What do you all think of turning the table on the bandits. According the the map there is a water crossing coming up. It is mid-morning now and we could set up an ambush potentially at the crossing for when the bandits return to their camp. We will need to be prepared for the bandits coming either way down the road. What do you think?"

[OGRE MAGE]

It seems rather obvious what is happening here to the guy reading things out of the book. But as I have said many times before, the PbP format eliminates most of the players ability to mention something around the table that might refresh thoughts from the other players. In the PbP format, we usually have situations where the first player might make an assumption, and for the sake of ease or time, the rest of the players simply go along with it. I wish there were some way to improve that, but I see it in every PbP game I'm in. I personally think Q was on to something here, so in his unusual absence, I will NPC Meinhardt the way I think he would play this.

Returning To The Scene
Shallow Graves
Mid Morning, Clear

Crabgrass gets a look of confusion from Dubricus. "You want me to use my skills to detect if this dirt is magical? Preposterous!" Searching the area, there are no indications of grave markers of any kind found.

Meinhardt remains quiet as assumptions about these monsters are made, waiting until everyone has said their peace before speaking. "I believe some of you are on the right track. Do you see how these zombies are missing shreds of flesh? Do you see that their clothing is ripped in many places? Now.......does anyone remember the scraps of cloth and flesh we found on the briars we passed to get to the skeleton cave?"

"I think the assumption that these creatures are used as free labor is correct. These zombies didn't attack us last time we were here. In fact, they didnt attack until their graves were disturbed. The powerful guards, the wagon tracks, and these zombies are all connected in some way. Do you remember the smuggling barrels we found? It is my guess that these monsters are used to deliver those barrels from this trail to the cave beyond the briar patch."

"Does anyone remember the strange reactions we got from the skeletons when we opened their door? As if they were waiting for us to show them something? I believe they were waiting for these zombies to bring the smuggled goods inside their cave."

Actions?

Magdal (R1) AC:7 12/16
Crobeus (P1) AC:3 8/10
Pimlan (F1/T1) H-L AC:6 4/9
Dubricus (M1) AC:8 5/5
Crabgrass (MU1/C1) H-E AC:7 7/7
Meinhardt (MU1) AC:10 5/5 MM/MM
Renna (MU1/C1) Elf AC:4 9/9
Skratch (T1) H-O AC:6 8/8
Stobart (C1) AC:5 10/10
Dredd (F1) H-O AC:3 13/16

[hedgeknight]

Dredd

The Half-Orc frowns as Meinhardt explains the zombies, not really understanding how the undead could react in such a way. But then, he doesn't know very much about these creatures at all, so...maybe Meinhardt is correct.
"Supposing this is true, what do we do now? We can't command these creatures...can we?"

[Quonundrum]

Meinhardt


Sorry, a wild Real Life appeared. You were quite close!

"I don't believe we are able to command them. If whoever does command them, controls these zombies, that horde of skeletons, the two mercenaries, and who knows what else is at their disposal. I don't believe we are equipped to deal with this at the moment. I agree with Renna. Let us not be distracted from our agreed objective."

[Scott308]

Crobeus - Human Paladin

"I like the idea of turning the tables on the bandits- ambushing the ambushers!"

[GreyWolfVT]

Pimlan thinking (scary as that might be) offers up his thoughts "Hmm so maybe it's one of those wizardy or clericy folks that controls undead things. What are they called Necro something or others that is using these zombies and skeletons as his laborers. For what i haven't the faintest idea."

[gurusql]

Renna

Renna will pause to see if the group agrees with her plan.

Since I posted last in the last round, I will allow the others to reply.

[shaidar]

Stobart

"Whoever is running these smugglers is a shrewd operator and a good planner, that's for sure. Renna, laying in wait is a good idea, try to catch them off guard."

[Stirling]

Crabgrass

To be honest, it doesn't make sense to me. Bandits bringing stuff to zombies who then take stuff to skeletons who guard it for other bandits. Seems rather convoluted. So these zombies will eventually return and wait here for unpaid work?

I am not sure waiting for the zombies return or any randon smugglers coming by is worth the wait. Could be a long time. However if you have two murderous guards who hang about the entrance, then I suspect they must be in watch permanently. What about catching the watchers?

[gurusql]

Renna

Renna replies to Crabgrass. "I think you may be combining two factions here that we have not otherwise connected - yet. The zombie, skeleton and wagon driving mercs I am proposing are one faction. We have connected these together because we think they are doing smuggling because of the barrels have hidden compartments and the wagons to transport the barrels and the torn flesh going through the briar field for the zombies. And at least for now the gold stealing bandits are another faction. I am proposing that we leave the undead faction alone for the moment and lay in wait for the bandits to commute back or forth from where we thing they live (the caves) to were they work (the trail we were stopped on)."

[OGRE MAGE]

Returning To The Scene
Shallow Graves
Mid Morning, Clear

Once it becomes obvious the danger is over, Dubricus shakes his head at all the back-and-forth coming from the party. He clears his throat loudly. "Yes. As your esteemed leader, I will make any final decisions regarding the group's next steps."

He looks around at Meinhardt and Renna before continuing. "If the folks who have been here before maintain that this situation with the undead is beyond the means of our limited group, then we shall move on. Better safe than sorry, I always say!"

He gathers anyone interested around the wilderness map he keeps, pointing at the river crossing area near the caves that Renna described. "We can travel to this place and have a look around before we make any determinations on how to set up an ambush for these bandits."

He looks around the group again to see who is actually listening to him.

Actions?

I assume you are referring to the area inside the red oval?

Wilderness.jpeg (163.8 KiB) Viewed 56 times

Magdal (R1) AC:7 12/16
Crobeus (P1) AC:3 8/10
Pimlan (F1/T1) H-L AC:6 4/9
Dubricus (M1) AC:8 5/5
Crabgrass (MU1/C1) H-E AC:7 7/7
Meinhardt (MU1) AC:10 5/5 MM/MM
Renna (MU1/C1) Elf AC:4 9/9
Skratch (T1) H-O AC:6 8/8
Stobart (C1) AC:5 10/10
Dredd (F1) H-O AC:3 13/16