Machines of War

[INWranger]

Jaster really needs to teach Night Whisper a couple tricks. Find a good place to hide him and then continue on foot.

[madtinker]

You find a shady spot off the road behind some brush. You're about a quarter mile from where the border guards keep their post. The road is dusty but the weather is cool. So far you haven't seen hide nor hair of anybody on this road.

[INWranger]

Check the guard post from as close as I can, then continue on to Bushton, is the plan. Check the guard post.

[madtinker]

If you wish to remain unseen, make a hide check.

There are at least a dozen soldiers, two on horseback, four or five horsemen, two pikemen, and archers.

[INWranger]

Of course I don't want to be seen. My invisible enemies are everywhere, or anywhere.
(1d20+14)[22]

[madtinker]

spot - (1d20+5)[10] Does that include your +2 for humans? Doesn't make a difference. They don't seem to notice your approach through the brush.

[INWranger]

Nothing to see here. Move along, quietly.
move silently
(1d20+9)[19]

[madtinker]

listen - (1d20+5)[18]. No one notices your quiet stalking past the roadblock.

[INWranger]

Continue on to Bushton and try to see what is going on without being seen.

[madtinker]

They must have somehow gotten wind of the approaching troops from Laffierre, because they are fortifying the town with mounds of earth and a wooden fence with sharp stakes in a U shape around the mouth of the canyon.

[INWranger]

Try to see how many troops, and what they have. Also, try to see who is running things.

[madtinker]

Make a knowledge (military) check.

[INWranger]

knowledge military
(1d20+1)[18]

[madtinker]

From the banners and helmet plumes, you can tell this is the Cardinal Guard. The Red Valley has maintained its independence from Smirnoff largely due to the heroics of this elite and dedicated unit. Their ranks numbering around two thousand, they consist of cavalry, bowmen, swordsmen, and engineers. It looks as if so far only the cavalry has been able to arrive, along with some engineers to coordinate the defenses. You guess that about four hundred horsemen are present, but the main body of troops is not far behind, as villagers are out leveling a large field for the military bivouac.

[INWranger]

Try to locate the commander of the Cardinal Guard or if at least his tent, and stay hidden. See if he is coordinating with the mayor, and if the mayor has anybody with him I recognize.

[madtinker]

From your hillside vantage point, you can see the Marshall's banner flying outside the mayor's house, but the space between you and the house is teaming with cavalry men and villagers constructing their defenses.

[INWranger]

Wait and see what happens.

[madtinker]

As day wanes into evening, the laborers eat in shifts. As evening turns to darkness, torches are lit to allow them to toil through the night. The earthen wall is close to twenty feet high, and the timber palisade runs the whole length of the wall. It's close to midnight before the Cardinal engineers allow everyone to rest.

[INWranger]

Go back to Fort Nebo and report to the Commander. See if he is also interested in the happenings I have found in the last couple days, specifically the camp and the men I recognize from my travels.

[madtinker]

Under cover of darkness, you manage to sneak out from behind enemy lines. When you arrive at the fort is it still the middle of the night. Captain Kairn won't rise until the sun does.

[INWranger]

Trance until morning, then report to both the captain and commander. I also think it is time to tell a more complete story to Kairn.

[madtinker]

During your trance, your mind begins playing tricks on you. You think you see the body of Vicciano laughing at you, but he is using the stab wound you inflicted instead of his mouth. The laughing dies away as you wake in the morning.

[INWranger]

Make a mental note to stab him with a ghost touch blade next time. Find Captain Kairn and give him a more complete story, specifically that I have been tracking Vicciano and his group for some time. I also suspect it is they behind all this and that they are tools of someone else, I just can't prove it yet. What really bothers me is that after I killed Vicciano I was gone for a few hours in pursuit of his confederate, but the camp seemed to clean itself up.

[madtinker]

You accompany Captain Kairn on his morning fitness run in order to have a word. Well, my concern is either not having to fight a war, or winning it straight out. If you say this guy is dead, but his camp got cleaned out, then there's someone around you didn't account for. And maybe chasing him won't stop the war, so I ain't sure I care if you do catch 'im. Like I said before, you can work as a scout and make some money, or you can chase around Smirnoff looking for someone you've never seen, and maybe some good will come of it.

I forgot; you get 500 XP for defeating Vicciano.

[INWranger]

All I am saying is that I know that Red Valley is not causing this, but someone wants a war, I just can't prove it. I will work with you and the other Smirnoffs other commander as I can as a scout, but I want to stop them for the sake of stopping them.

Report my trip to the other commander, especially that it is the Cardinal Guard and they have made massive defenses. The cavalry, how many units, and that the rest of the guard is coming. Also give him the same version of what I told Kairn and see where he stands, if I can.
gather information
(1d20+7)[15]

[madtinker]

The other troops have not arrived yet: it's still early morning. Is there anything you want to do in the mean time?

[INWranger]

Start training Night Whisper to come when I whistle a specific way. The training will not be complete for some time, but it is always a good time to start.
Also, figure out a tracking device, probably something small and similar to a amulet of inescapable location in combination with a small staff of divination that can only find that object.

[madtinker]

The spell locate creature does that, and could be built into a magic item, but I'll have to figure out how much it would cost. You'll need to make handle animal checks to train Nightwhisper, and if the training is spread out it will be more difficult (+2 to DC).

[INWranger]

I am in the middle of a crisis here, I don't have much choice. Maybe take some time off from adventuring once this who thing is over.
first check though
(1d20+3)[10]
Does anything interesting happen between now and when I make my report?

[madtinker]

Well, you don't make much progress with Nightwhisper's training. Other than that, not too much happens. The brigade arrives at about four in the afternoon. Three thousand men, polished and shiny march in step into town. Their columns take about half an hour to pass, and although they appear well trained, you can tell from their youth and their gear that they are green troops. The marshal is an old, fat man on a large charger. It's obvious he doesn't plan on leading any attack, but his piggy little eyes study and absorb every detail of the landscape, troops, and people.