0 Azzy 0

~ Cinders ~

I have a basic outline for a character, which I plan to flesh out and post tomorrow ideally.

Storm King's Thunder

Having seemed on the verge of commenting again, Xolkin cut off at the suggestions he was getting from the group. "W-what?!" He sputtered, a mix of outrage and incredulity in his voice. "You want to negotiate? With ORCS?! You would open our gates, let them plunder and burn MY town on the offchance they might not murder us all when they get bored? No, I will not have it. We need to stand and fight for what is mine!"

"It is true that orcs aren't well known in these parts for being very willing to come to the negotiating table, especially if they see you as begging for mercy from a position of weakness." Unlike Xolkin, who has dismissed the idea out of hand, she seemed to be giving this plan of action a bit of thought. "At the very least, if someone were distracting them with negotiations, that might give the rest of us a chance. Perhaps get their leader to come talk and pack half a dozen or so of our men in a nearby guard tower with bow and crossbow? Then we could cut off the head of the snake in one fell swoop and scatter the newly leaderless savages? Or perhaps just evacuate into the moat while some poor fool tries to negotiate with them, then find somewhere safe to retreat to while they ransack the town."

Having gained some measure of composure back, Xolkin was listening to Kella's suggestions with rapt attention, nodding in approval. "Yes, yes, I like that. Of course you're right- as things stand we would have no chance in a fair fight. That's why we have to fight smart. Kill the leader, scatter the rest. Beautiful plan you had, err, I forget your name. Were we ever properly introduced?" The final bit he addressed to Marcon.

"The real question is who we want to go try and chat with these brutes." Kella added in casually, looking pointedly at the pair she seemed to have taken a disliking to.

~ Cinders ~

^ I have the same question. Just saw this and it looks neat.

Group 2: Curse of Strahd [5e]

That's everyone except @Cao the Exiled accounted for thus far! I'm pretty sure we had left off with everyone having posted something and just sorta waiting for a DM post.

Storm King's Thunder

"Well, what wonderful enthusiasm from some of you- I'm impressed. So, here's how things stand. Less than an hour or so ago, we heard a bit of a commotion from the North, up towards Ardeep forest. We thought it might have been some trouble with the elves but it turns out it was a band of orcs heading South. I figure they probably saw the lights of the watchtowers and decided to try their luck." As he spoke, he started gesturing to the crude map on the table before him. "My men spotted a bunch of them trying to swim the moat near to the drawbridge. Between the palisade and the few arrows my men shot at them from the towers, they gave that up quickly enough. Since then, we've been hearing lots of shouts and such from the darkness and caught a few glimpses of several different bands of them, but none have yet tried the moat again. We think they are scouting the perimeter of the town- either to find a weak point or to eventually try climbing the palisade at more points than we can effectively defend."

"It was my suggestion that we retreat to the keep." Kella added in, gesturing vaguely near the bottom edge of the map where the keep was marked. "If they struggle to get past wooden palisades then they certainly won't be able to take a more sturdy structure. I figure they'll loot what they want from the village that the goblins didn't already ruin, burn the rest and move on."

"Suggestion noted.." Xolkin muttered with some reluctance, clearly not thinking very highly of this plan. "Yet by your own report the keep was hit hardest by the previous attack. Walls do us no good if we show up and find them already collapsed. Besides, I only just claimed my rightful rule of this town, I would much rather not see it all burned down the very next day. Either way, if any of you lot have any experience with this sort of fight, I would welcome your input."

"You two are quiet." Kella abruptly cut in, looking from the table over to Anchor and Theren, mistrust evident in her voice. "I'm assuming we can still count on the both of you, right? No wild and reckless heroics based on some nonsensical notions about how the Zhentarim are mean or whatever. If you plan on making any sort of scene later about how things are in this town I advise you to get them resolved now instead."

Group 2: Curse of Strahd [5e]

I'm still ready to go. I wasn't on much over the holidays anyways so I prolly woulda been pretty glacial with replies. XD

Group 2: Curse of Strahd [5e]

Alas!

Storm King's Thunder

If one would happen to pass near a window on their way down to the common room of the inn, they might notice the unusual flurry of activity going on outside at this time of night/morning. Quite a few lit torches can be seen in the distance marking the watchtowers spaced along the pallisade and several of Xolkin's band can be seen hurrying across the town square, with torches in hand and weapons drawn.

In the main common room, Xolkin and Kella stand around a small table on a patch of floor cleared of the wreckage wrought by a boulder that had punched through the ceiling and destroyed a number of the larger tables in the room during the prior attack. On the table is a very crudely sketched map of the town that Kella is in the process of making marks upon even as she continues her conversation with Xolkin. "...was built to be able to fight off most dangers native to the untamed hills. I can't see this being any worse that having to repel a raid by the elves of Ardeep forest."

"That would be a reassuring thought if I had already consolidated power here, gotten a proper garrison trained and moved into the keep itself but for now it stands alone and empty across a broken bridge and the men with me are hardly better than-" Looking up from the map, he sees the party as they begin to make their way downstairs. Grinning , he makes a broad gesture as he addresses them. "Up so early? Why, the sun hasn't even risen! But I'd be more than happy to put a few of my newest supporters to work if that's what you wish. I'd offer you a proper breakfast, but it seems those miserable goblins ransacked the kitchens. Trail rations will have to do I'm afraid."

Group 2: Curse of Strahd [5e]

Huzzah!

Storm King's Thunder

A peaceful night of sleep is what you are angling for and a peaceful night of sleep is what you get! Congratulations, none of you is murdered while you slumber! The last thing you would have seen before turning in for the night would be this merry band of bandits raising the drawbridge to the town and arguing among one another as to who got what watch during the night While Kella and Xolkin confer.

A good thing you all didn't do the same and waste precious hours deciding who would do what and when, since you are awakened at the tail end of your rest by the voice of Captain Alassandar bellowing from the main entrance to the tavern. "Oye, ya lazy fools, grab those weapons of yours we were so kind as to let you hang onto. There's a warband coming at us from the north. At least fifty or so orcs my men tell me, though we're having trouble getting an accurate count in this darkness. Regardless, they seem to be sizing up my town and will likely attack before dawn."