Quest #15 "Taking Down Captain Bing"

[Bluehorse]

Monocar

Monocar rushes over and kneels down to help the hobbit up. Don't worry Little Buddy. I already woke em up.
What's going on? Trouble? Someone fall down a well?

[tkrexx]

Lightfinger wipes the sweat from his forehead.

A patrol! From the village! He pants, Half a dozen. They almost got here, but they were grumbling and got lazy. They returned to the village and sounded the horn, like an "all-clear" signal. There are probably a dozen altogether, all snoozing now. I didn't use the clicker, for I was afraid they're close enough to hear and recognize the sound. I believe they might send another patrol, and the next one may indeed take their job more seriously.

[ravenn4544]

Alordan seems to have a moral argument with himself.“Do we try and use surprise to capture them? Then what tho? Do we kill them in their sleep like they would do to us and protect the island? We can’t take on 12 of these bastards directly!”

[Bigtaff]

Talaris

"Should we hide and if the patrol comes this way, then ambush them?"

[Bluehorse]

Monocar

Thinks.... really really hard. I think we are already looking for trouble and I dont want to go looking for more. Maybe we should try to slip away and hide in the bush. We can use mud from the riverbank to keep the bugs off, right guys? he looks at the rangers questioningly... trying to scrape the bottom of the barrel for those early days as a Bear Scout when he was an oversized kid. If they come this way, they will already know that we were here from the fire... So maybe we set up a trap and stay far away.
Rig the tent to go up in flames or something. That will keep them occupied and maybe draw attention here while we slip into whatever there is north of here, or at least find a place to lay low and get some rest tonight since we have to deal with sleeping out here one way or another. Or we just keep on keeping watches and hope for the best. What do you thinky types think?

[Urson]

Luther
OM: Clarification, please- you said Lightfinger came from the southern trail? Did you actually mean Northern?

Luther yawns broadly. Maybe we go back to sleep- I know the wizards need their beauty rest- an' be damn sure we've got weapons at hand. Add an extra guard on each shift. Did ya see 'em? Or just hear 'em, Lightfinger?

Luther becomes visibly more awake as he speaks. Our other choice- the one I like- is to take advantage of the situation, sneak into their camp, and slaughter the bastards. Saw some slavers once- Ranger Jax had to wrestle me down and sit on me to keep me from tackling them all by myself. His eyes seem to shine yellow as he says this. If they're taking slaves, they don't get niceties like warnings or fair trials.

[OGRE MAGE]

Luther
OM: Clarification, please- you said Lightfinger came from the southern trail? Did you actually mean Northern?

No.

Unless I’m mistaken, LF went back the way you came, to spy on the clearing that you just left. That means he would be returning from the southern trail.

I have been reading a lot about Hyperborea lately though, so my directions are pretty messed up.

[OGRE MAGE]

Emancipation
The Pavilion
Earthday, The 4th of Goodmonth
Night, Hot, Humid, Ridiculously Buggy

With the threat of another oncoming patrol being far from immediate, and the early warning system still in place, level headed Luther doesn’t seem to get real excited about Lightfingers revelation. He suggests simply waiting them out at first, but then starts to speak of such horrors as sneaking in to slaughter their entire camp.

Several people offer suggestions about what to do next, ambush taking the place as the front runner choice. No more horns or other obvious commotion is heard as the group discusses their options.

Actions?

Luther R3 18/26
Lightfinger T4 19/19
Talaris C1 9/9 1/3 first
Monocar F3 29/31
Chauncey MU3 16/16 CL, DM, RM 0/2 first 0/1 second
Lerrick C1 8/8 1/3 first
Alordan R3 18/18

[tkrexx]

Lightfinger nods vigorously.

I saw them. He adds, That is, not extremely well, I mean, I couldn't identify any of them in a line up... Maybe the one who yells alot. I was trying not to be seen myself, you understand, but they all carried torches. His gaze then puts him in the "thinking" group. I suppose I could have snuck into their camp and cut some sleeping throats while I was there, but that seems so unsportsmanlike, don't you think?

[Urson]

Luther

OK. I thought I'd spotted a clever clue. Nevermind....

Luther raises one shaggy eyebrow.
Unsportsmalike? You think this is a game?


What weapons did you see, Lightfinger?

[ChubbyPixie]

Chauncey listens intently to each side of the discussion, his eyes darting back and forth from one speaker to the next, his brow creased in thought. He interjects, suddenly. ”I simply won’t hear of attacking them whilst I am out of spells and we are low on healing potential. Assume we somehow managed to evade their guards and that each of us was able to slay a miscreant each before alerting the others - we’d still almost certainly still be outnumbered. My hope is to cut off the head of the snake, this Captain Bing, before being worn out and strangled by the body of the snake, which, in this metaphor, is represented by the various ogres and mercenaries we encounter along the way...” He lapses into thought for a moment, then continues: ”Would mud work? Has anyone tried this?” He seems next to despair, then his eyes light up. ”Have we considered arson?”

[Bigtaff]

Talaris

"I'm new to the group so I will go with the majority."

[Bluehorse]

light up. ”Have we considered arson?”

Monocar

Who's Urson?

[ravenn4544]

Alordan "Well, if they don't know we are here, that's a good thing. Agree that we aren't taking on anything without recovering our spells and healing prayers - seems we can rest now knowing that we are undetected. We should plan on keeping it that way - small protected fires - or better yet none - to not draw attention to ourselves. The mud is a good idea to keep the bugs away. I don't like killing those folks either in their sleep.. speaking of which - could we put them magically to sleep and tie them up?"

[Urson]

Luther

Luther nods, agreeing with Alordan. He kicks sand over the small fire to douse it. Go back to bed, folks. I've got watch.

He paces the clearing randomly, watching the treeline on all sides and listening for any unusual noises.

[OGRE MAGE]

Emancipation
The Pavilion
Freeday, The 5th of Goodmonth
Morning, Warm, Ridiculously Buggy

The expedition's organizer finally puts his foot down on the subject of sneaking back to pick away at the slavers, keeping his sharp mind focused on the groups main objective of taking down the leader of the operation first.

Luther puts the nervous halfling to bed, assuring the little guy that nothing will get past his superb watch. The others follow suit, and the words of the ranger hold true. No more horns are heard throughout the night and there are no more visitors from the camp to the south. There is a commotion to the west of the clearing a few hours into the night, but nothing is there when the ranger takes a closer look.

Though their overnight rest in the pavilion is not exactly comfortable with the heat and infiltration of several insects, the party does manage to get sufficient rest to feel a little better. The priests do their praying and the mage gets his study in. After a meager breakfast of rations and a few more of Monocar's grubs, the group prepares to head out. Their path still leads to the north, likely another full days travel into extremely hostile territory, if the information from Wes was accurate.

Actions?

Lerrick and Talaris can cast their last CLW from yesterday on the injured (Luther) before they regain their full compliment of spells for today. Go ahead and add those rolls in your next post. Thanks! (I will update your spell lists once that is completed)

You are currently at the spot on the map labeled "pavilion"
viewtopic.php?f=446&t=6346#p366477

Luther R3 19/26
Lightfinger T4 19/19
Talaris C1 9/9 1/3 first
Monocar F3 30/31
Chauncey MU3 16/16 CL, DM, RM 0/2 first 0/1 second
Lerrick C1 8/8 1/3 first
Alordan R3 18/18

[ravenn4544]

Alordan "So we are approaching hostile territory - and we are leaving hostile territory behind us. I can range a little ahead of the group to scout the trail. How many smugglers do we think are up ahead?"

[Bluehorse]

Monocar

Somewhat reluctantly gives up watch and almost proposes a double watch... but then shrugs and heads to bed. The boss had spoken, and despite sometimes that he directly questioned and prodded at Luthar, he really did trust the ranger's judgment and seemed to know when to let it go and just do as told.

He settles in near the mage and clerics and mumbles in his sleep about night vision goggles... whatever that might be... as he sleeps through the night.

At dawn, the big man rises and stretches, getting a good scratch and looking around. He tip toes outside to greet the sun and whoever is on last watch. He turns East... oh wait... that way is East... or is it... yup! There is the sunrise coming. He finally faces East and begins going through his prayers and meditation that he learned from Scarecen.

Alordan "So we are approaching hostile territory - and we are leaving hostile territory behind us. I can range a little ahead of the group to scout the trail. How many smugglers do we think are up ahead?"

Monocar nods, joining the conversation. Maybe a scouty type in the front and a scouty type in the back to keep an eye out if we are being followed? Cover our tracks? I can hold up the middle. That way with the squishy people on either side we can kind of swivel either way and make a front if we come into a fight? He looks over at the Clerics and Chauncey. No offense... But like my dad used to say... Monocar my boy... you make a better wall than a window...

[tkrexx]

Unsportsmalike? You think this is a game?


What weapons did you see, Lightfinger?

Lightfinger yawns.

No, no, by all means, it's no game. I like to think of it as a challenge, and sleeping enemies, while the easiest to dispose of, are little challenge. However, were we to happen upon a barrel of rum, we could watch and enjoy while our foes drink themselves into a stupor. They would be easy prey for us then, with far less consequences. Information may then come our way, and that may be more valuable to us than gold. He pauses a moment. Would anyone happen to know where we might scare up a barrel of rum? I hear sailors can't resist rum. As for weapons, I really couldn't see. swords, spears, hand axes, nothing irregular. I did note a conspicuous lack of metal clinking as they walked, so I believe them clad in leather armor. Now, I must rest if I am to be in peak performance in the morn.

Maybe a scouty type in the front and a scouty type in the back to keep an eye out if we are being followed?

The rake looks himself over. I don't think I am amongst the squishy types. I can take fore or aft, or even starboard or port. I learned those terms on our transport here. He grins with pride.

[Bluehorse]

Unsportsmalike? You think this is a game?

Maybe a scouty type in the front and a scouty type in the back to keep an eye out if we are being followed?

The rake looks himself over. I don't think I am amongst the squishy types. I can take fore or aft, or even starboard or port. I learned those terms on our transport here. He grins with pride.

Are we making a plan? This feels like a plan! MMM beams.