I fear I may have accidentally hijacked another thread when an offhand comment, (the title of this thread,) invited some back-and-forth. I would like to take that discussion to this thread and leave the original to its original purpose.
My point was that some posters presented as major strength of Soon's Gate the idea that an army was required to capture it. The gamer in me immediately rejected that position.
So, let me present an outline of one possible way Team Evil could have gained unfettered access to the throne for two months without an army.
Spoiler: I : Scout the city to figure out how to get in.
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A : Physical scouting and mapping, either invisibly or disguised.
B : Question locals about the power structures in the city.
B1 : Voluntary questioning of unsuspecting citizens
B2 : Involuntary questioning of kidnapped citizens, especially uniformed ones.
C : Identify methods of entering and exiting the city unnoticed.
Spoiler: II : Make contact with disgruntled nobles.
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A : A minor officer of one or two disgruntled nobles is given an offer to present to their lord, reminding them that they personally will gain prestige by introducing TE to their lord.
B : Use that noble to gain access to Kubota, (presumably having learned he is the most powerful of the would-be usurpers.)
C : Team up, (presumably through Quarr,) with Kubota.
Spoiler: III : Plots, schemes, and murders.
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A : Kubota directs TE toward his biggest rivals and obstacles while publicly claiming fear of the murderer able to do such deeds.
B : Stymie Shojo's attempts to find out who is behind the killings, magically through non-detection magic and physically by killing anyone who might succeed.
C : Blame Shojo's insanity for the ineffectual defense of the nobility.
Spoiler: IV : Take down the Sapphire Guard
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A : Set up an ally of Shojo as the one behind the murders.
A1 : Publicize the SG taking down this ally.
A2 : Have a ninja in SG livery be seen killing the ally before trial. ("You'll never reveal our complicity, traitor!")
B : Start rumors that these troubles could be stopped by the SG if they wanted to, so they must be behind it.
C : Among the surviving nobility, blame Shojo for the city's (noble's) troubles, and insinuate that he has become a mental case under the control of the SG, whose real goal is to replace the nobility as rulers of the city. Where Shojo weakened the nobility, Kubota would support a lord who strengthened them.
Spoiler: V : Take Over!
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A: Kubota convenes the nobility to oust Shojo and vote in a new Lord of Azure City.
B : With a great show of reluctance Kubota assumes lordship of the city.
B1 : Shojo is ordered into protective custody to be healed of his mental issues.
B2 : Kubota disbands the Sapphire Guard and exiles it's members, citing any reluctance on their part as proof of their treachery.
B3 : Many paladins won't go quietly, so RC, Xykon, and MitD clear them out.
C : Discover Soon's Trap in the Throne Room, if not when cleaning out the SG, then when Kubota attempts to assume the throne.
Spoiler: VI : Eight Weeks
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A : Announce proof of the SG collusion with undead and let all know that the cleansing will require eight weeks.
B : TE researches how to get through Soon and the Martyrs, probably after multiple retreats.
C : The rituals begin.
D : The Order of the Stick shows up and knocks down the tower in an epic battle to get to Xykon.
Now I know this is not what The Giant intended, but it could work in an RPG. So, the point that one strength of Soon's Gate was that it required an army to capture it is invalid. Even the armies of the nobles were not needed. Bards would be useful to influence the peasantry, but the peasantry would not interfere in the struggles of the nobles in any case.
So, feel free to show why this idea would not work and only an army would. Personal insults will be taken as a sign that the poster concedes defeat!
Didn't Need An Army
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