([Completed] Corvin/Mordred Adventure 2): Hole in the Thornwall

[shaidar]

Corvin

"I'm not that easy to disguise, but we could try. I'm wasn't planning on being on watch outside, but it's not a bad idea, some inside and some outside... I'm not sure. It's just that it's obvious who ever it is has no issue getting over the palisade, and it'll be easy for me, but not so easy for the rest of you."

[Edeldhur]

Mordred

"When I said outside, I meant outdoors" - Mordred clarified - "Not outside the pallisade"

[shaidar]

Corvin

"Sorry, now I understand. It's a good plan."

[archolewa]

"Has anyone been take from inside their homes?" - he asked Diana.

Diana shakes her head. "No, not yet. Though it would be beyond stupid for them to try. Our home are all one room homes, with everyone sleeping together. Most of the adults have served at least one tour with the military, and everyone older than five has had to drive off a raid. We sleep lightly and well armed."

I have searched, but did not find it - have we been given the name of the village?

I haven't given one. We can assume Sebastian gave a name for it during conversations on the way down here. People call it the Watchwood.

Diana listens to the two discuss their plans. "I'd like to volunteer myself as bait, if you'd really like to smoke them out."

"Diana!" cries Sebastian. "Don't be--"

"I lost my son, Sebastian," says Diana. "Friends have lost husbands, children, wives, sisters and brothers. I won't lose anyone else. And I am no daisy, who wilts at the first sign of trouble as you well know."

"Sounds like mom," murmurs Astrid with a small, sad smile.

[shaidar]

Corvin

Corvin nods at Diana "You are brave." he looks around at everyone "We should use whatever light is left to choose the best place for our bait" he smiles at Diana "So we can be hidden, but close enough to watch and react. We should probably be in pairs for this."

[archolewa]

Diana snorts. "I'm just old. Even the Kinslayer's monsters lose their edge, you see enough of them. I'd say the northern perimeter works well. That's where we keep our grain barns, so I can be checking on those. It also means they won't have to circle around the entire village to get me and get out, so I'd be an easy catch."

Astrid nervously runs her hand across the hilt of her mother's sword. "So, where do you want us Corvin?"

Don't forget Edeldhur's out for family reasons for any unknown amount of time, and told us to bot him as necessary. So we're going to assume Mordred has no objections to any of Corvin's plans, just to keep things moving.

[shaidar]

Corvin

"Can you sketch a map of the layout, or is there a building that would give us a good view, so we can decide on the best places to hide?"

[archolewa]

"Well, sure. Come on," says Diana. She fetches her shortsword, and begins drawing in the dirt floor with the tip of her sword. "This square here in the middle is the green. These little rectangles around it are the houses. We're right here, in the central northern hall. The gate is these two horizonal lines to the west. The palisade surrounding the village is roughly circular. The grain barns, I'll draw as triangles up here just under the northern palisade. The stream runs through the eastern edge of the village, these two long vertical lines. Bit of a gap in the palisade walls there, where the stream runs through, but the Kinslayer's monsters hate running water. They've never tried to attack through either of the stream gaps."

village.png (3.91 KiB) Viewed 324 times

[shaidar]

Corvin

Corbin studies the map for a moment.

"A pair to the west of the barns and one on the east side seems the thing to do. he looks at Diana "Is there anything in those areas we could hide in, outhouses, stores, that kind of thing?"

[Edeldhur]

Mordred

Mordred listens attentively while taking a look at the crude drawing - "Somewhere close to these corner buildings" - he points to the the top left and right rectangular ones - "Would allow us to quickly scramble, regardless of the direction they might take. Unless they try to go over the palisade"

[archolewa]

"Well, there's the grain barns themselves," says Diana to Corvin. "Probably fit two of you if you squeeze. We use a latrine pit on the southeastern side where the river flows. Nothing so elaborate as outhouses in this village!"

Diana points to right corner building, the one of the northeast corner of the green. "There's also a drainage ditch we dug from the easternmost grain barn to the river. It winds right past this house. We'd just built that barn last fall, only to discover this Spring that we'd been slightly off. Like a bunch of bozos, we built it in a small depression, and water started collecting at its base. Had to get that fixed right quick. Ditch should be relatively dry. Hasn't rained in a week or two. Could possibly hide a couple of folks in there. And as you've seen, our homes are pretty close together. Could probably lurk in the shadows between two of them."

[shaidar]

Corvin

"Well, I'm pretty good at lurking in the shadows. The barns might be good locations for those more heavily armoured."

[Edeldhur]

Mordred

"Sounds good" - Mordred nodded at Corvin - "Perhaps Astrid should stay with me then" - he added, turning to the girl.

[archolewa]

Astrid nods. The group wait until the sun is mostly set, and dusk blankets the village. Clouds roll in, and there is a scent of rain on the breeze. A few golden/red rays of sunshine slip under the clouds as the last vestiges of the sun vanish over the horizon.

Sebastian takes up position in a grain barn on the eastern side, while Mordred and Astrid squeeze into the westernmost barn. Unfortunately, the barns only have very narrow windows high up, so they can't see anything. They are utterly reliant on cries from Diana or Corvin.

Corvin lurks in the shadows of the houses, moving as necessary to keep Diana in sight. Diana tromps about checking on the barns, alternatively grumbling and singing to herself.

While she is walking around the barn holding Mordred and Astrid, Corvin spies two low, short shadowy figures separate from the northern palisade and slink through the darkness towards Diana. One of them pauses and looks around, but quickly begins moving again. There is no sign they saw Corvin.

[shaidar]

How far is Corvin from Diana, and the same for the figures? I'm just trying to determine how long before they reach her and how long it will take Corvin to get there at a run.

[Edeldhur]

Mordred

Waits calmly - he tries not to show it to Astrid, but the lack of vision unnerves him somewhat.

[archolewa]

How far is Corvin from Diana, and the same for the figures? I'm just trying to determine how long before they reach her and how long it will take Corvin to get there at a run.

Diana knows what she's doing, and the grain barns are pretty close to the homes. She's making sure to stay within 35 to 40 feet of the houses, periodically pausing to "check" something to make sure he has time to keep pace with her. The two figures are creeping slowly. They're probably 60' or so away from Diana, but at the rate they're going, it'll probably be at least a minute before they get close enough to grab her.

[shaidar]

Corvin

Corvin continues to shadow Diana, maintaining his distance from the halfling. Once the creatures are within grabbing distance of her (~ 5') he will rush out of the darkness at them, calling "Intruders! To arms!"

I'm not sure if he will be able to attack this round, but if he can reach one of the creatures and attack then he will try to knock it unconscious with Unarmed Strike.

[archolewa]

As Corvin charges out from between the houses bellowing, the shadows freeze for a split second, surprise: 1d6 = 6, they are not surprised then bolt back towards the palisade.

Astrid and Sebastian will sprint out of their respective barns, and run after Corvin. Each are using the run action, allowing them to move 3 times their movement. 60' in the case of Astrid, 90' for Sebastian.

The two shadows will sprint back towards the northern edge of the palisade. They are also using the run action.

shaidar has already given Corvin's action (move and attack. Due to his enhanced movement as a Lupine, he is close enough to get within melee if he goes before the shadows), so we just need an action for Mordred.

[Edeldhur]

Mordred

Mordred gives chase, but he pauses just for a split second, to make sure this is not some sort of distraction.
Then he goes after the others.