Machines of War

[INWranger]

Wait until he calls for a scout report. Then give him this report. See if I can see the slender man on the way in.

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The cardinal guard is the opposition forces and they are dug in quite well at their full strength of 2000. from the look of your men and their position, someone is trying to slaughter your men. Based off of a group I have been tracking for a week that would be consistent with the pattern I have been seeing.

[madtinker]

Marshal Hicks grunts at your report. (We'll assume you describe the fortifications, etc.) He nods to a secretary, who hands you a small leather bag (100 gps). If you can find me a way around the fortifications so we can attack them from behind, it's worth a full thousand gold. And I don't mean some secret passage to squeeze through. I mean a way to move an army.

[INWranger]

Go and get some different clothes, preferably in similar colors to the cardinal guard. Not a uniform, but won't attract much attention when around them. Also, get a head covering with a hole for my eyes that won't obstruct my vision, and a hole for my mouth. Something so I won't be immediately recognized. use the story of hideous scars to explain it if challenged by the people in Bushtown. Get Nightwhisper some different markings as well so he is harder to recognize. Then, start looking for A) secret way around, and B) a way to prove to the King that Bushtown was not behind the recent aggression.

[madtinker]

make a spoilered disguise check, and don't look at the result.

[INWranger]

disguise self (to not be me)

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(1d20+1)[15]

[madtinker]

Okay, you know for sure from your travels that there isn't another direct road into Bushton from Fort Nebo, as the only road you've ever traveled goes through the canyon. Make a knowledge (local) check (with a +2 bonus) to see if you remember anything that could be useful in finding an alternate route.

if you roll 15 or higher

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Nothing immediately comes to mind other than going around one of the mountains on each side of the road.

if you roll 20 or higher

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You remember seeing some caves, and perhaps one of them has an outlet on Bushton's side of the mountain.

If you roll 25 or higher

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You remember that while tracking the thin man you saw a waterfall that disappeared under the ground, but now that you think about it it was probably flowing backwards into a large cave opening, and the water has to come out somewhere.

if you roll 30 or higher

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You recall a spring high on the mountainside near Bushton, secluded by a grove, and you're pretty sure its the same stream as from the other side of the mountain.

[INWranger]

knowledge, local (roll optimistic for a 20)
(1d20+3)[5]

[madtinker]

Since you can't remember anything particular about where you've been, where do you start looking?

[INWranger]

Go to the overlook and see what I can see from there. Jaster isn't going back to find a back way around, though he just had an idea of how he wouldn't have to find it. This is more to see if there are any clues to be had, though the string pullers are probably out. The only one who can call off the Marshal is the king.

[madtinker]

You mean the lookout where you spent the night?

Okay, you can get there without being seen if you're careful. Once at the lookout, you can watch the road easily, but the view of Bushton is obscured by trees. Also, make a listen check.

[INWranger]

Yes, that overlook. I am not looking at just Bushtown, but at the surrounding landscape as well.
listen
(1d20+4)[18]

[madtinker]

There is something growling in the bushes nearby.

[INWranger]

Back away from it slowly.

[madtinker]

A massive brown bear ambles out of the bushes. Upon seeing you he rears up on his hind legs, towering over you, and roars loudly.

DM only

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bear

[INWranger]

don't back down. Use my wild empathy to try to get it to be infifferent.
(1d20+3)[10]

[madtinker]

He gets down on all fours and starts stamping his feet and hopping side to side.

[INWranger]

I just want either it to go away or let me go away. Pull my cloak out to make myself look bigger and back away,hoping for a cliff to jump off of.

[madtinker]

As you back away, the bear sees you are not a threat, and wanders away. There is no cliff nearby from which to jump.

take 100 xp.

[INWranger]

As there is no bear threatening me there is no need to jump off a cliff. See if I can spot a break in the trees and brush, some line that might indicate a road.

[madtinker]

To get to your vantage point from the road you had to sneak among scrub brush, not something an army could do. There is a neglected cart path leading down to the village that you first took to get there when sent by Lundgreen.

[INWranger]

Go down to Bushton and start looking along the perimeter for another road or path.

[madtinker]

Make a survival check to look for overgrown roads, etc.

DM only

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on a 20 or better he'll notice that the dry creek bed is really a road.

[INWranger]

Survival
(1d20+5)[25]

[madtinker]

About a hundred yards from where you encountered the bear, you notice that the dry stream bed is not really a stream bed, but a forgotten road that has apparently been neglected for many years.

[INWranger]

Start following it away from Bushton to see where it comes out.

[madtinker]

On the google map you can see the direct, most used road to Bushton from Oldshire, and also where this new road branches off, heading south up into a high mountain pass.

[INWranger]

Looks like it heads south, but I will keep following it.

[madtinker]

The "road" is heavily overgrown, but mostly devoid of large obstructions, except for the occasional fallen tree. One area is washed out from a landslide, but it shouldn't present a serious obstacle. It soon turns east. Make spot/listen checks.

[INWranger]

Spot
(1d20+7)[24]
listen
(1d20+4)[18]

[madtinker]

You hear an angry grunting noises from the brush nearby. It's a wild boar, and he looks pretty upset that you just tromped through his favorite mushroom patch.

DM

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wild boar