Red Hand Of Doom IC

[Zato-1]

We need a bigger cart and some horses, they lie across the river.

[Pakiti]

Nebraska glanced toward the room with the speaker and Korren. He was confident that Korren could handle the politics. Getting a cart now seemed like a good way to save time. "I'm in." He said with a smile.

[Zato-1]

After several minutes, Anj ihas led his comrades to the river.

[ZOMGoubeaux]

Shield began to tie the rope around his waist.

[MeklorIlavator]

"We not sure about the exact numbers, but there are probably only about a hundred warriors, about 50 minimum. If you could just scatter them even, you'll be helping alot of people if you deal with the problem, and we could pay each of you about 500 or so to each of you.", the speaker pauses, then continues with:
"Actually, the hobgoblins might be using Vraath keep themselves. It's supposed to be haunted, but they might not care, and there really isn't a better place to make a permanent camp out there."

Spoiler

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Nebraska remembers hearing about mindflayers creating small larva and then implanting them in mind-slave's heads. Eventually the spawn creates a mindflayer.

[Pakiti]

Nebraska followed anji to the river, pulled out his everburning torch and began to look around for a tree big enough to cross the river with.

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Using inspiration, I use survival. (1d20+7)[14]
Inspiration points used: 1
Inpsiration points remaining: 7

[AlphaLuke]

50?! Thats a small army! I'm pretty sure that we could handle the whole lot of them if we made the proper reconnaissance and preparations. I'm sure my comrades would be ready for a little Hobgoblin murder, but I'm also sure they don't want to risk their lives for, to be blunt, a ferry town. "With the exception of Shield," Korren thinks. We would be eternally grateful for any aide you could provide us. I have full confidence in the power of my friends to destroy 50, but we would need proper help. We are currently in the market for a wagon, which, with little work, could be modified into a war wagon. Shield, my Adamantine Guardian, also needs a bow to comply with his considerable pull. Other than those material needs, we need a good night's rest and a good meal, any healing you could provide, and any tactical advantages you may have gleaned. Remember, although these needs may seem great, we are planning on assaulting a small Hobgoblin army.

Spoiler

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Korren hopes to continue to use his previous Intimidation to persuade his employers to help him with his needs.

[Zato-1]

On second thought Nebraska, we probably wont need a tree. Shield can just walk through the water.

[Pakiti]

Nebraska stops his search short. "Excellent. I was getting bored, anyway." He walks up to the bank of the river and awaits to see what will be surely an amazing spectacle.

[ZOMGoubeaux]

Shield, noticing the rope near the edge of the river, decides to pull the ferry across to this side, instead of walking in the murky depths.

[Zato-1]

Anji, growing bored, decides to watch Shield do his amazing feat of daring-do.

[MeklorIlavator]

Speaker meeting
"None of that sounds unreasonable. I'll have to set it up, but I should get everything to you by tomorrow around noon. As for tactical advice, I think Capitan Soranna will be more help there."

Well is ther eanything in particular that you would like to know, or do you just want a standard summary?

River
You begin to slowly pull the ferry across, getting it halfway across in about 6 minutes, but by this time a window of a nearby house lights up, and soon after a man comes out of the house, yelling as he approaches." What in the nine hells is going on here. Stop right now, you hooligans, our I'll call the guard on you."

[Zato-1]

Anji turned to stare at the new voice like a deer caught in a headlight, whatever that was. Excuse me?

[AlphaLuke]

Soranna, what do you know about their distribution patterns? What outposts have they hit in the past two weeks? Are they following a pattern with their attacks, or is it a random raid. Do you notice anything interesting of different when they attack? If they are holed up at Vrath's Keep, do you happen to have a map of the Keep? Do you have a map of the area?. . .Sorry, I was trained in military tactics. I'm just trying to get the full scope of things. Korren hears a commotion outside and decides that, whatever it is, his companions can handle themselves.

[Pakiti]

Nebraska, thinking quickly, put away his everburning torch at the sight of the light in the house coming on. As the man screamed about hooligans, Nebraska used his Hat of Disguise to seem dressed in the armor of the guard of the city, and assume the guise of one of the guards he saw at the gate. Thinking on his feet, he began to weave a story to the man."Don't worry, we're here on business. Some adventurers came into town today, and one of them warned us that the river might get rough tommorow, so we're pulling it back to this side of the bank to secure it better."

Spoiler

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Nebraska uses hat of disguise and makes a disguise check with it to look like the guard that ran to get tell the speaker about the adventurers. (1d20+10)[12] He then tries to bluff the man (using inspiration). (1d20+7)[26] Also, with his torch out, the darkness probably gives the man a penalty to his spot check to recognise him.

[MeklorIlavator]

Soranna quickly begins to answer your questions by first unfolding a map of the town, though you get the feeling that she is greatly relieved that someone with real experience is here to help.
"Most of the raids have been from the west, though there have been a few reports of hobgoblins in the east, near the road, and there has been one raid from that direction, though it was the lightest of all the raids so far. The biggest problem are those hellhounds: the militia can't face something like that. And they have some magic, probably tribe shamans, helping them, which only makes things worse. Now, we've tried to send men into the forest to follow the raiders back, but the Hobgoblins are smart, and left reserves. So we don't know where they're coming from, but they have to be somewhere on this side of Skull Gorge, as the raids have been too frequent to be any farther back. I'm sorry, but the most I can tell you about Vraath Keep is that it's an old Rhestilorian border keep that was abandoned around the empire's fall, something about giants attacking it. But it is the only real place suitable for a staging ground, unless you wanted to clear out a section of the forest, so its would be a good place to start."

After finishing the dialouge, she sits down, obviously lost in thought for a minute, then speaks up again.
"If you're going out into witchwood, you might want to seek out Jorr. He knows the forest better than anyone else around here, even makes his home in it. If you take the Witch trial in, take a left at the big crossing, and just follow the trail. If you take the Dawn way, take a right on a trail about nine miles from the forest's edge."

Others
Then why didn't you just ask me to do it? Betsy and Ed aren't to tired. Well, it looks like you have everything covered here, just tell me before you move my Ferry next time, okay?
The man finishes and begins to walk back into his house.

[AlphaLuke]

Funny you would mention the Hell Hounds. We encountered a couple of them on the way here and dealt with them in short order. Just make sure your local mages hit them with powers drawing from elemental ice. Hopefully we put down the majority of the Hobgoblins on the Eastern shore of Drellin's Ferry, although a single shaman turned invisible and ran away when the tides of battle turned. I think that dealing with the Hobgoblins on the Western shore is the obvious next step. About whether to start at Vrath's Keep or the forest, I'd say the forest would be the most thorough. I don't like the idea of leaving Hobgoblins behind us when we assault the Keep, then the enemy would be on both sides. I feel like starting in the forest may also allow us to gather important recon on the Hobgoblin tactics, plans, and possibly grant us a strategic advantage when we assault the Keep. Now, concerning Drellin's Ferry defensive structure, the river is your best defense. Post guards at both sides of the ferry with quick lighting signal torches. If an enemy approaches from the west, the torch is lit and the east instantly knows. Also, I suggest moving all non-essential personnel and provisions from the Western side of town to the Eastern side, at least until we send word back about the woods being clear of Hobgoblins. My companions and I will attempt to drive back the Hobgoblin forces and push them to Vrath's Keep. I know what I say sounds drastic Speaker, but this is a time to declare a state of emergency. This is the best way to avoid open war with a tribe of Hobgoblins; A war you would most likely loose.

[DeathbyFlossing]

Does that say druid circle? I could go there and talk to the druids, get their help? and consult with them on any other things in need of evisceration

[Zato-1]

Growing still more bored and wary of their situation, Anji decides to return to Norro's house.

[ZOMGoubeaux]

Shield, remaining as silent as possible, strode up to the house of the speaker, akin to a scolded puppy. Once inside, he sidled up next to Korren, and whispered into his ear, "So...did I miss anything?"

[MeklorIlavator]

Yes, casters can make trouble for hell hounds, but we don't have many around here, and they can't be everywhere at once. And I didn't mean to set up a false impression, but the keep is in the closer third or so of the forest, right off the road, which is why it makes a good staging area. If these hobgoblins are anything like the normal tribes, they'll be centralized to keep control, and the keep offers the perfect place to do it. In any case, the road will take you straight to the keep, but if you want to get off the road you'll need a guide. The witchwood can be hard to navigate at times. And we have called a state of emergency, thats why the militia is out full time. Thank you again for helping us with this.

Why, yes, that is a druid circle. Avarthel would appreciate a visit from another of Natures defenders.

[Pakiti]

Nebraska stood, jaw agape, at the sight of his friends leaving. He had just saved them from being caught by the guard for tresspassing and possibly ruining the entire party's relations with the town. He had just told a story about how they had to tie the ferry down on this side, and now, once the man bought the story, they left. Shield had only got the blasted thing halfway across when he left. Nebraska mumbled a curse under his breath and jogged over to the bank. Once there, he let a few more curses fly as he took hold of the rope and pulled.

Spoiler

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I make a strength check to pull the ferry over to this side (And my Brains over Brawn ability lets me add my INT mod to the roll). (1d20+6)[22]

[ZOMGoubeaux]

Before Korren could respond, Shield remembered that they'd left Nebraska at the river. Without a word of explanation, he bolted out the front door of the Speaker's home, and booked it back to the river to help his friend.

[Zato-1]

Anji watched as Shield ran out the door. Suddenly he remembered that they had left Nebraska back at the river. Anji wondered why he would bother to stary there, especially when the old man had bought their impromtu lie. It was odd, out of all of the people present Anji always thought that Nebraska would be the least likely to do anything rash. After all, like Korren, Nebraska was like the voice of reason. Deciding that he didn't care enough to see what Nebraska was doing, Anji remained in Norro's house and listened to what he had to say.

[Pakiti]

"How nice of you to join me." remarked Nebraska sarcastically as he noticed Shield approaching. He grunted as he tried to pull the ferry by himself."Where's Half-Pint?"

[DeathbyFlossing]

Anji, where is Shield off to in such a hurry?Gore asks the halfling, fairly confidant that the reason the warforged bolted was because something interesting was happening

[Zato-1]

Anji thought about how to answer Gore Dog's question, but decided to exaggerate and see if he's believe him. Well, Shield is off to aid Nebraska in appropriating a ferry. he whispered. Don't tell anyone though. Anji took a moment to reflect on what he had said. On second thought, no. I'm sure Shield just went to fetch Nebraska.

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(1d20+9)[24] bluff check to see if he believes me the first time... just for the hell of it. I told the truth the second time, so it's ok.

[Zato-1]

Anji thought about how to answer Gore Dog's question, but decided to exaggerate and see if he's believe him. Well, Shield is off to aid Nebraska in appropriating a ferry. he whispered. Don't tell anyone though. Anji took a moment to reflect on what he had said. On second thought, no. I'm sure Shield just went to fetch Nebraska.

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(1d20+9)[27] bluff check to see if he believes me the first time... just for the hell of it. I told the truth the second time, so it's ok.

[ZOMGoubeaux]

"Does it matter where he went?" Shield asked. "Besides, I couldn''t leave you here to hurt yourself too badly." Shield smirked, truly impressed with himself at this attempt at humor. He began to help Nebraska pull the ferry across.

Spoiler

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Shield aids Nebraska with pulling the ferry across using aid another (1d20+4)[18]

[AlphaLuke]

Well then I guess we'll go to the Keep! Korren says exasperatedly. I still want to hit that Druid's circle first. They may have some information that we could use, or aide they could give. Slightly exhausted at the blatant impetuous nature of his friends, Korren refuses to ask what mischief they have gotten themselves into.