Battle for the Five Nations

[jojolagger]

"Damn it Edwin, I was hoping nobody would die." Says Dallun, before addressing the now free shifters while gesturing towards Raja. "Everyone, calm down and listen to Raja'Umal Almach."

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Raja prefers talking to her own people, right?

[Mantid]

Gerilow grunts at Dullun's comment. "Yeah," he comments, "Someone should check on the other guards before they bleed too much..."

[mistformsquirrl]

Kera, momentarily stunned by the extremely brief but intense battle springs to action. She hauls out her medical kit and begins going to each soldier, checking to see if they're alive and treating them as-necessary.

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Kera will check each soldier, if they need stabilized she'll use her Heal skill.

Rolls for each below:

Soldier 1 (1d20+10)[30]
Soldier 2 (1d20+10)[28]
Soldier 3 (1d20+10)[30]
Soldier 4 (1d20+10)[24]

If any roll fails, cast Cure Minor Wounds on them instead.

[Imperial Psycho]

"Despite all evidence to the contrary, I am not psychic. So if you want me to go around sparing peoples lives, you have to ask. Not exactly my forte." Edwin turns to the group. "Either way, do what the man said. We don't need to have any more bloodshed."

[hoverfrog]

Kera stabilises the two injured guards, a man with a cloth surcoat and a club and another man with a chain shirt, short sword and short bow. The second man wears a flame badge in silver on his collar. At the rear the pair are similarly armed and armoured. One was clearly overwhelmed by the Colour Spray but otherwise unharmed and the other is still smoking from the Shocking Grasp and quite clearly dead.

The shifters are backing away from you in fear but one brave soul stands up on the cart to speak with you. "What have you done? Our families are in the fort. We have to go back."

[Morbis Meh]

Raja steps foward in her bestial state and makes a bird call as she approaches her party of shifter ermeges from the tree's surrounding the distraught beings "There is no need to fear us, we shall get your families out along with the men we were assigned to, I swear it on the blood of my ancestors." She takes a claw and neatly scratches a fine line into her arm drawing a small amount of her own blood. "I am Raja'Umal Almach or the Tiger Claw tribe formly of the northern reaches. I am sure your story is similar to our own but we are not slaves to men, we fight alongside them and from it we gain our own independance. Mix your blood with ours and reclaim your birthrite!"

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Dear go this diplomacy action is going to go bad I know it... hopefully the DM gives bonuses for the speech and the fact that she is a leader of a shifter clan...
(1d20-2)[-1]

....Really a freakin 1?!? God I hate this forum's roller

[hoverfrog]

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Clearly the dice gods hate you.

"We fought the Tiger Claw in a blood feud, I am Tolan of the Sabre Teeth and the only blood I will mix with yours is that which I spill," the shifter on the cart looks ready to leap at you for a moment and then the other shifters emerge from the trees. He backs down and grudgingly adds, "Are we prisoners?" He glares at you murderously as he says this. A few of the other shifters grip their felling axes nervously but they are outnumbered and out armed.

[Morbis Meh]

Raja face displays a deep saddness, she approaches the shifter on the cart and bares her neck at him "If it would satisfy you, and undo the wrongs of the past, then spill my blood but know this is why our people dwindle and struggle this day. We must overcome and mend the hurts of old if we are to survive as a race, no you are not prisoners and you are free to go if you wish. I only want a better life for all shifters and eliminate the barriers we have set between us..."

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If I can use the other roll from OoC for this diplomacy great, if not oh well my character may die now... If I cannot roll then things may get messy, if my action point roll didn't count earlier then can I use the roll if I am able to try another diplomacy roll. If I need to roll it again that would be fine as well...
Diplomacy if needed (1d20-2)[7]
action point roll if I cannot use previous roll (1d6)[2]
I am sure the dice gods will smite me again but alas maybe it will require blood shed for the party to gain new shifter allies.

[mistformsquirrl]

Kera sees the situation unfolding and steps in front of Raja.

"Wait! W-wait! D-don't hurt Raja - w-we've come to help; it w-would be highly c-ounterproductive. P-please, help us free the other prisoners, or leave in p-peace?"

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C'mon diplomacy...

(1d20+12)[26]

[hoverfrog]

The shifter on the cart clenches his fists, clearly wanting to attack but not willing to die. When Kera speaks he relaxes visibly. "Well, it was a long time ago, these young'uns probably don't even remember what caused it since we moved to Thrane."

"Look, our mates and our young are in the fort. Kept for their protection 'parrently. We ain't prisoners, not really, but they don't trust us. What can you do?"

[Morbis Meh]

Raja looks up "We have at the very least the day to help your mates and children, you can provide us with a much needed distraction. Simply put, you and your men can run towards the fort under duress and make claims of some wild beats attacking you and the soldiers. My associate here can provide an apparation to coincide with your story, leave a few of your men here to avoid suspicion. From there lead them into an ambush set up by my men and while the fortress is temparily emptied my companions and I go in through a created door and bust out your families."

[hoverfrog]

You outline your plan and they start to talk amongst themselves for a moment. "That's a risk. What if someone talks or your apparition ain't convincing? 'Sides which the place has only a skeleton force anyway since they went north to fight them Aundairians. What if they just lock the gate and decide to wait till help arrives? In the middle of Tolan's speech there is a loud groan from the uninjured guard. He tries to stand up but drops to a knee and stares blindly at his own hand in front of him.

The two shifters caught by the Colour Spray are reacting in much the same way too though they have their fellows giving them encouragement and support.

[Morbis Meh]

Raja gingerly walks over and begins pulling rope out of her bag. She then steps on the Thranish man's back and whispers into his ear "Hold still, we will not harm you or your compatriots as long as you don't resist. The sooner we finish what we came here to do the sooner you can go back to picking your nose atop a wall."

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She will tie him up if he goes slack and allows it, taking 20 on the check to tie the rope around his hands so they're behind his back then tie it to his ankles (hog tying) if not well then she will follow through with what she threatened.

[jojolagger]

"I am absolutely certain I can get us inside even if they lock the gate. That said, it would be wisest to advance after we know more about how many guards remain. We maybe be able to just storm the keep as is."

[hoverfrog]

"We don't want to be part of your war, we just want to be left alone," Tolan looks angry and frustrated, "We won't help you. We'll tell you about the keep and the defences so you can get our families out and we'll stay out of the way but we're not getting involved."

"I'll help you," a young shifter, short with enormous hands and black and blond hair in patches on his head walks out from the crowd.

"No, Badger," Tolan puts a hand on the young man's shoulder, "I forbid it. No more of our tribe will die in this pointless war for a king or queen or church that we ant no part of."

Badger shrugs off the restraining hand and walks up to Raja'Umal Almach, "I've never even heard of this feud and I don't know what it was about," he looks back at Tolan, "I don't want to fight for a church or a king, I want my freedom. I'll fight for that."

A handful of other shifters join Badger slowly until six stand together away from the main group. Tolan shakes his head and tries beseeching each one in turn, cajoling or threatening them with what their parents will say.

"Can you get us free?"

[Morbis Meh]

Raja regards badger with a smile "No, freedom isn't something anyone can take or give, it is far greater than that." She points to his chest "Freedom lives within your heart and only you can let it grow or falter, I will be able to aid your families with my tribe." She looks to Tolan with sadness "Let this be a sign that we of the Tiger Claw wish to make amends and forget the past of our two tribes. The world is a different place and our people need to unify not fight."

She looks to her companions "So anyone else have anything to add to my suggestion or are we simply going with what I suggested previously?"

[jojolagger]

"Let's hear about the defenses first. We might just be able to strong arm them into surrendering by force of numbers, which would be the least violent options." Says Dallun, before turning to the shifters who were caught in his color spray. "I'm sorry I caught you in that spell. Are you doing okay now?"

[hoverfrog]

"Fine now, thanks," the pair say in unison, "what d'you want to know about the defences? There's a hole in the wall over t'other side but it's blocked by a wooden wall what we built. S'good solid double layer planking, that, nailed together nice and tight and cross beamed every foot. Good craftsmanship, weren't it?" The other shifter nods and you notice that the pair are carrying blades for trimming branches and a bag of carpentry tools.

[Imperial Psycho]

Edwin sheaths his blade quietly, and looks towards the young shifters. He then begins rattling off queries. "How many guards do they have in there? Well armed?How about morale?"

[hoverfrog]

"Well there's the leader, Sacrosanct Whitelight. He's a little guy but I never seen anyone fight like him. It might be his magic sword. Then there's the two foot priests, Benson and Tovain. They've got three or four Orderlies under their command an' each of them have got, is it ten," the other shifter nods and then adds, "ten or twelve,""

"Right, ten or twelve Weights under then. So that's, what? Fifty, sixty soldiers? The most of 'em are out fighting Aundair at some big battle. Oh yeah, armour and weapons, right? Um, most of 'em have clubs an' slings. Orderlies get training in swords and bows. They don't have much armour. A couple have chain mail like the Sacrosanct but most just wear that cloth tabard with the Silver Flame on. Says that protects 'em better 'n any armour but we know that it's 'cos the good stuff goes to the trained men.

The other shifter who was with Badger continues, "'e asked about morale too, Badge. They's a mob, ain't afeared a nuffin'. I seen a hun'red of em charge out against an ogre about six month ago. Just ran at it swinging their cudgels and shouting prayers. It killed near on a dozen of 'em but they just kept fightin' till they brought it down. The Sacrosanct had a big service for 'em right after, 'member, Badge?"

"Yeah, that's right, Yowen, they had that big bonfire and the Sacrosanct made the flames go all silver and blue."

Tolan scoffs, "We know that they are fanatics, they are brave and fearless and care nothing for spending their own lives for the Silver Flame. They think that they are joining Tira Miron when they die. Why wouldn't they be fearless? The worst thing is that they think everyone else is the same."

[mistformsquirrl]

Kera finishes her work on the injured men and moves to join the rest of the group.

"Well then, w-we have a c-cleric to save then, d-don't we?" Kera tries to look hopeful.

[Imperial Psycho]

"Hmm? Oh. Right. Yes. Ajani. I suppose there's no avoiding it." Edwin yawns and stretches, his hand retuning to lightly touch his sword. "Well, we've delayed more than long enough. Let's get to it. Time to storm the fort."

[Morbis Meh]

Raja frowns "Storm? That is not a good idea... I much prefer distracting them but alas, I can at least get make us a door if someone distracts them long enough to not notice."

[hoverfrog]

"Watch out fer the pit on the other side of the wooden wall, it's full of oil and wood like the ditch round the outside. We keep having to refill it and change the wood. Hard work that, messy," Badger cracks his knuckles at the thought of hard work and then gives a toothy grin, "That's why they've got all them fires burning."

[Imperial Psycho]

"Distraction or no, we'll have to storm the place sooner or later if we want to save those prisoners, our abrasive friend included."
Edwin turned in the direction of the fort. "Sides, from what I heard, they're mostly rabble. I say we show those fanatics some steel, and see how their god reacts. "

"That pit though... Maybe if we could knock over a section of a wall, we could use it to bridge the ditch?"

[mistformsquirrl]

"H-how do we knock over a section of the wall th-though?"

[Imperial Psycho]

Edwin grins. "Haven't the faintest idea! But we're going to have to cross the ditches quick. Not pleasant to be picking your way across a hole while a bunch of those Silver Flame guys fling stones at you. "

[Morbis Meh]

Raja smirks "I can handle that detail, don't worry, like I said i can get you in, and my clansman and I can fend off the rablle while you bust out the refugees."

[Mantid]

"They'll miss this group eventually," Gerilow comments. "Better figure out how we're getting past that wall before they come out to brawl. Hmm.. I guess that would be way to get more outside, but the others inside would try to lock up like Kundarak."

[jojolagger]

"I just remembered one of the more esoteric spells in my father's collection. Thought is would feel a slight to the masons to ruin their work so completely. Perhaps we might give them a chance to surrender before I reduce the walls to rubble?" Asks Dallun, clearly still hoping to keep this peaceful. "We could also warn them off the walls, so the fall won't harm anyone. If no one complains with this, I would send Leverage and Synergy with our terms. Say, 'Release you prisoners to our care, else we shall ensure the castle is missing the rest of its walls for the next offensive.' "