Chapter 10: A Time for Recovery & Revelations

[Pulpatoon]

Idonea:

"Yes, I think we should take the roads. There is every reason to expect enemy activity in the woods, and the roads are quicker.

I say we forgo camp entirely and plan on returning to the Keep a few hours before dark. We can hire a guard or two to watch our horses at the bridge."

[Nordbo]

Lutha Cee & Wolfram:

Idonea: "(...) We can hire a guard or two to watch our horses at the bridge."

Lutha, scratching his shiny scalp: "Hire a cart ? Yes, yes... I suppose that could be useful. But two ?"

Wolfram:"Any hostile forces out there will have done their homework prior to an attack; they will have studied the terrain in which we will pass, noted the fields of fire and observation, cover, concealment, obstacles, and avenues of approach and withdrawal. But what they probably don't know is how the wind changes he he"

[GreyWolfVT]

Kormak:

"Well obviously we have figured one thing out for sure. A day assault is better than one at night. Why not travel for daylight less likely to have a skirmish or ambush."

[PyroArrow]

Dungeon Master:

When Idonea asks the couple of guardsmen in the One-Eyed Cat, they turn down the offer to come along & guard the horses, citing they are needed to watch over the Keep.

As she mingles among the crowd more she finds a fellow named Cob, whose appearance is that of a lean, tanned, weather-beaten, disheveled mercenary figher,

& a fellow named Dubricus D'Amberville, a mage, who is a tall & thin fellow, with a mop of unruly hair & look of wide-eyed wonder.

Both Cob & Dubricus are willing to come along to guard the horses.


Once i know exactly where on the map the party wishes to leave the horses the trot back to the caves can begin!

[Pulpatoon]

Idonea:

Can I attempt any sort of a roll to try to suss out the reliability of these two guards? CHA or WIS or something?

[PyroArrow]

Dungeon Master:

I guess a Wisdom check would do, since both are already willing to help.

[Pulpatoon]

Idonea:

Idonea's WIS is 14.
And... [1d20] = 15

[Dizlexus]

Mr. Choe:

Choe helps brain storm. Would it be best to have hired guards drop us off and return with the horses the next day? This way they would not be stationary for an over night.

[GTan_Baq]

Borum & Wexley:

Borum says:"If we need to make a hasty get away in the night we would be afoot without our mounts, and whomever we hire to watch them overnight we will need to be generous with them to ensure they'll be there when we need them."

Wexley digs dirt from under his fingernails while everyone decides what to do."I really don't want to walk however we do this." he says.

[Nordbo]

Wolfram:

"Let's look at the tactical landscape here. An enemy who can suddenly strike and retreat using guerilla warfare tactics is a serious problem for warriors on horseback. We must not put mounted soldiers at a disadvantage to sub-human hordes equipped with heavier and longer-ranged weapons. Choe's suggestion is intelligent, as is Kormak's"

[PyroArrow]

Dungeon Master:

As far as Idonea can tell Cob & Dubricus D'Amberville, appear to be trustworthy.

[Pulpatoon]

Idonea:

"Do you think an overnight stay is necessary?"

[GreyWolfVT]

Mort & Kormak:

Mort "Idonea have you forgotten how we dealt with the bandits that took over that unnamed town? Remember we made a strategic strike then retreated back to strike again later when again we had the upper hand. Would it not be wise to try this tactic on the caves of chaos and their denizens?"

Kormak puffs up a bit proud that Wolfram called his idea smart "Thanks Wolfram."

[Pulpatoon]

Idonea:

Nods to Mort. "Yes, I see your point. But our strikes will be more strategic if they occur when our enemy is weakest, at day. And if we don't linger in the area afterwards, yes?

So, should we head out with the sun, do what we can, and return to the Keep's walls by nightfall?"

[GTan_Baq]

Borum & Wexley:

Wexley says, "Perhaps a combination of plans. We leave the keep at sun raise and when we arrive at the caves the guards can bring the horses back to the keep. Then, two hours before sun set, the guards return with the horses.

Borum says, "Thats all well and good but the question remains; who can we trust with the horses? we have already found corruption in the keep! And we would be trusting Lord Guido's horses to someone we don't even know! They could be Fr. Tenebaums cohorts looking for an opportunity to get out of the keep!"

[GreyWolfVT]

Mort:

"Well luckily our horses were left untouched the last couple of times. I dare say we tried out luck camping where we did. But we might not have to travel back to the keep each night perhaps if we relocate the camp each night would make it harder for the orcs, goblins, hobgoblins and kobold like creatures to locate us easily."

[MonkeyWrench]

Maya:

Maya nods, "Borum is correct, we have already uncovered traitors in their religious sect, what says the other forms of authority in this keep aren't compromised as well?

Simply put, we should trust no one here but those we have fought together with.

Let us take the horses and leave at first light, we know the cave that we need to enter and You all are correct, Goblins and the rest of those evil Ilk detest the daylight, this does not make them nocturnal though, we will still find resistance in the caves where no sunlight can penetrate.

Camping in a defensible location should we run out of daylight hours is preferable, we must have a base of operations that is not difficult to reach or we risk over extending ourselves."

[GreyWolfVT]

Kormak:

Speaks up "Ah but that gives me an idea. Can we purchase small barrels or casts of lamp oil to burn the buggers out or even create a type of oil barrel bomb sealing them in?"

[MonkeyWrench]

Maya:

Shakes her head no, "Theres no way of telling how big those caverns are or how far they go, plus if the merchants are still alive we would be suffocating them as well.

The most efficient way is to go in and cut them down in search for the Kmarties...."

[PyroArrow]

Dungeon Master:

Ok, so all i need & have been waiting for is some indication of where on any map of the area you all wish to get to & set up camp,

so then, i can determine & make the rolls i need to make, for your journey to that spot!