Sessions/Shrouded Valley/2

Narrator: The delvers just rescued several gnomes from a bunch of ogres that were tortuing them inside a no-mana zone. 
Narrator: (oops, leprechauns not gnomes)
Narrator: The leprechauns are now in the normal mana area and healing themselves and generally recovering.
Narrator: The delvers are now negotiating with the leprechauns on the details of a plan to rescue the leprechauns' gold from the Shrouded Valley.
Berkun: "Anyway, we're fair people and we won't rob you like some bandits..."
Berkun: "Half of your wealth back is better than none, isn't it?"
Leprechaun: "Half! Well."
Leprechaun: He thinks a bit, considering his words.
Mrugnak: What kind of hats are they wearing?
Narrator: At this point, gold and white energy surrounds Mordreona in a matrix.
** Ayake gives Berkun a look. "Half their wealth will leave them in bad shape to -- what the?" **
Narrator: She shouts with alarm, and vertical lines close in on her while horizontal lines sweep closed by her mid-section.
Narrator: She disappears.
Ayake: "What was that?"
Narrator: The lines expand again, revealing a very surprised looking half-elf with staff, bow, and delving kit.
** Richard boggles **
Connell: "What... the -" he stares as Mordreona is replaced. "Did Mordreona just get downgraded?"
** Mrugnak readies his morningstar. "Gah! Wat dat?" **
Richard: Who? Where am I?
Mrugnak: "Wat juju you do on Mor-dee?"
whispering to Ted, You were on your way to a delve when you bumped into a grumpy arch mage. He shouted "Rangenian's Random Relocation!" and you found yourself on a hillside. A huge minotaur, a faun, a large barbarian archer, and a tattooed man are jabbering at you, while 4 leprechauns clutch at each other. 
whispering to Ted, Oh, and use quotes when your character is talking. 
GM: Ted, you have whispers.
** Mrugnak frowns disapprovingly and menaces Richard with his ridiculously oversized morningstar. **
Richard: "Whoa! It wasn't me!"
Leprechaun: "I say! I say!"
Connell: "You'll probably want to explain yourself before Mrugnak smashes you into a paste."
Richard: "Last thing I knew I was talking with a crazy archmage!"
Richard: "You'd need to find him and ask him what happened to your friend."
** Connell rubs at the bridge of his nose, "Wizards." **
Mrugnak: My guess is that he doesn't smell at all like Mordreona?
Narrator: The leprechauns huddle together and stare at you guys.
Richard: "He yelled something about Rangenian's Random Relocation just before I appeared here."
GM: No, nothing like Mordreona.
Mrugnak: Right. So it's not a disguised Mor-dee.
GM: And the leprechauns are wearing sensible derbies or bowlers, nothing particularly special.
GM: If it's a disguised Mordreona, it's quite the disguise.
Mrugnak: "Who do wat? Huh? Gimme Mor-dee or Mrugnak smash you!"
Richard: "I can't! Please don't hit me, it wasn't my fault!"
Richard: "I can help you find her, well most likely anyhow."
** Connell pats Mrugnak on the arm, "Don't worry, Mrugnak, I don't think he's bad. But -" he turns to Richard, "you've cost us a friend, so you'd better be willing to pick up the slack for her." **
Connell: "You can start by introducing yourself."
** Richard makes a show of not going for his weapons **
Richard: "What are you about here then?"
** Ayake stands straight and bows slightly. "We are saving the world." **
** Richard looks taken aback **
Mrugnak: "Mrugnak gonna smash goblins! Dey make dis funny sound wen Mrugnak smash dey heads..."
Richard: "Ah, goblins, a bit more in my league, I can help with them, the world is a bit large, not quite ready to save the whole thing."
Leprechaun: Stares in confusion in all this.
Richard: "So, why are Leprechauns here? You save them?"
** Ayake waves a hand. "Confucius say: Greatest pyramid begins with a single block. Perhaps there is less to the world than you think - or more to these goblins." **
Leprechaun: "Oh, we're not with them, old chap. Don't trouble yourself a bit on that account."
Richard: "All I see are ogres here, I take it the goblins are elsewhere?"
** Connell points ahead, into the Shrouded Vale, "Thataway. They own the whole thing." **
Narrator: In the distance, the sky is dark over a ring of hills. Everwhere else, the sky is bright and the sun is shining.
GM: Connell, fwiw, is pointing in the direction of the dark part of the sky.
Richard: "So, you have a brilliant plan for this I trust!"
Mrugnak: "Gonna smash dem!"
Connell: "Er. Yes, yes of course. Brilliant plans."
Richard: "It looks strangely dark over there..."
** Richard peers off that way **
** Mrugnak grins broadly, displaying a mouth full of crooked semi-bovine teeth. **
Ayake: "We've brought light."
Ayake: ((We're professionals!))
Richard: "Um, ok?"
Richard: casts light [[3d6] => [3d6<a href="http://.skill">.skill</a>(19,-2)]
Leprechaun: "If I might say, then. You seem to have settled matters on dealing with the small matter of your missing companion and this extra fellow?"
Richard: doh
Richard: casts light [3d6.skill(19,-2)] => [4,3,4] = 11 vs (17) or less Success! by 6 
Richard: "I have my own"
Ayake: "For the matter of your gold - as good men we could not think of demanding a reward, certainly not so much as half. We are not simple mercenaries. If you feel our services worth rewarding, we will humbly accept."
Narrator: The leprechauns scurry back as you start casting.
** Mrugnak stops menacing Richard completely. "Ooo! Dat's like Len-ee's lite." **
Leprechaun: "Oh, yes. The gold. I dare say that's the heart of the matter."
Richard: "I can make some longer lasting and brighter when the need arises as well."
Berkun: "Can't disagree with that.
Connell: "Convenient."
Leprechaun: The leprechaun leader considers again. "My dear fellow, I wouldn't dream of suggesting to put you on salary. We're all gentlefolk here..."
Berkun: "So, I am in agreement if our friend Ayake wishes to, for example, not take your reward..."
Richard: "Don't let the bow fool you, I'm only a fair shot with it, I am a mage by trade."
Leprechaun: he slows a bit on the last, looking at Mrugnak, but rallies gamely, "Nothing so base as work for fee. No, not at all."
Berkun: "Much rather just make a honourable agreement, myself!"
Leprechaun: "But if we tell you where the gold is... some promises would need to be made. On both sides, I dare say."
Berkun: Berkun tries not to frown
Berkun: Berkun nods to what he hears. "Yes, yes, we should agree on a bear minimun of what we can expect each other to do..."
** Mrugnak pays attention to the leprechauns again. "Huh? Wat we do?" **
Berkun: "Not that we have to pin down the exact sum in any way... just make sure it's not less than what's agreed...?"
Leprechaun: "Well, if I may make a suggestion on this matter. What say you promise to find our gold. When you do so, you take half of it. And then you fulfil your promise to return everything else to my family and I."
Berkun: "Oh, this we can surely promise to you. What do others think?"
** Ayake shrugs. "I would return it all. I have no need for the gold." **
Leprechaun: He draws himself up to his full height. "Now, I don't mean to offend. And I don't think you are rotters. But there can be a bad apple from any orchid. So we'd insist on an Oath binding. Liam knows the charm."
Richard: "What is this everything else you speak of?"
Leprechaun: "Wot?"
Berkun: "Well, rest of the gold, yes?"
Berkun: "Half of the gold is ours, half is returned..."
Berkun: "Of course, no one of us has to take their share"
** Ayake catches on, not being a dullard. "You're assuming the whole of the treasure is gold, Berkun." **
Berkun: "Gentlemen that we indeed a..." Berkun gasps suddenly "Aaah? Not all gold?"
** Richard nods to Ayake **
** Ayake shrugs again. "That said, gold or trinkets, I'm interested only in seeing it returned to its rightful owners." **
** Mrugnak scratches is head. "Were all dis? Dem goblin got?" **
Berkun: "Well, I'd say we should keep half of what we win. That's rightful!"
Berkun: "It's like it's always done. Ayake my friend, are you not plying this trade for long that you don't know?"
Richard: "Half the gold and other treasure that is yours returned to you and the rest to this company of brave souls then. Ayake is free to do what he wishes with his share of course."
Ayake: "Trade? I am not in trade, master archer." He straightens and bows again. "I am saving the world."
Leprechaun: The leader looks panicked for a second. "Let's not be hasty! There is the matter of the law, and property rights. The gold is ours!"
Berkun: "Yet we are a company like..." Berkun turns from Ayake to the Leprechaun "Well, you see that we are no thugs and that we respect the law, kind sir. We are an organized company and we'll gladly take only half of what's yours... I mean, what was yours before goblins took it"
Leprechaun: "Half the gold, and you return all the rest? It is a fair offer, and we would be happy to take it."
Ayake: "That you would be happy to take it says to me that it is not so fair an offer as you say."
Ayake: "So perhaps - for the benefit of my mercenary friend - you should detail how much gold there is? And what else?"
Berkun: "It's as fair as... oh, you meant his offer!"
Berkun: "Yes, indeed! If it's your treasure we are after, don't you know how much of... things it contains?
Richard: "To be clear, how much gold is there so we can know we have recovered all of it?"
Leprechaun: "I must say, this a bit of a piddle, isn't it? Now, you see, the gold is the family gold, that is to say, it is my gold, but I have never actually seen it."
Mrugnak: "Wat?"
** Mrugnak is hopelessly confused. **
Berkun: "Oh, wait... so we aren't even sure there's gold there?"
Richard: "How long has it been lost? The goblins may have found and spent it all by now, or at least divided it between them."
Leprechaun: "Well, that would be a turn up for the books, wouldn't it? It was well hidden, so I don't think those scaly buggers would have found it. No, no, you can be assured its still there: 10 lbs of gold, and some minor magical items. I daresay none of that would even be of interest to any of you."
Berkun: "Magical items? So you knew there are some there but you only..."
** Richard looks unamused **
Berkun: "Uh, anyways! Do tell us what items are there so we know um... what to take and such..."
Berkun: Berkun rolls his eyes
Richard: "It'd be terrible to get them confused with other items the goblins have stolen you know..."
Leprechaun: "Now I may not be a big lunking gloom like you, me chap, but I'm not fool either. Do not try to play me for one."
** Mrugnak scratches at more imaginary fleas of heavy thought. "Un, wat, dey got dis, an dey don' know dey got dis? How dey not know dat?" **
Mrugnak: "Mrugnak know he got stuff."
Leprechaun: "I say, you're a bit thick headed, are you not?"
Richard: "We're not the ones trying to leave out important details before making a binding deal my friend."
** Ayake makes handwavey 'don't say that to the minotaur' motions at the Leprechaun. **
Berkun: "It's easy... they know where the treasure is and are asking that we get it for them... all that we need to know is what is in the treasure..."
** Mrugnak frowns. **
Mrugnak: "Mrugnak got hard head."
Leprechaun: "No, but you were the ones trying to steal my family gold! You wanted half! Even for a rough and ready lot, that's a bit much."
** Ayake coughs. **
Mrugnak: "It hard fer hit tings."
Berkun: "Well no, we want to bring you half of your gold!"
Leprechaun: "And keep the rest of my gold for yourselves!"
Berkun: "And we should then discuss the items that are there too... I mean, we aren't supposed to just get the gold and that's all? Why leave the trinkets behind?"
Mrugnak: "Hit tings like dem dat say tings, an make Mrugnak head hurt."
Leprechaun: "I want you to get the gold. Keep half of it for yourself, if you must. Bring the rest of my family treasure to me."
Leprechaun: "You need not worry about mixing it with anything else, as it was well hidden, but in a single place."
** Ayake looks at Berkun, and looks around to the others. "Five pounds of gold is a handsome reward. Little obake, can you swear on oath to us that the magical items in your family treasure are not of a sort that we would find useful in our quests?" **
Ayake: ((He's addressing the Leprechaun, in case that isn't clear.))
Leprechaun: "Wot? Was that to me? I say, I say. If you think you have some use for rings and boots sized to fit proper sized feet and not you big'uns, then maybe it is a capital idea to suggest some other split!"
** Ayake shakes his head. "I cannot see us being interested in your tiny trinkets, obake." He looks at Berkun. "Five pounds of gold rewards us very handsomely. Swear the oath to him, and let us be on our way." **
Berkun: "Boots and such for small folk? Let's have it your way then..."
Berkun: Berkun sighs and walks up to the Leprechaun
Berkun: "So, do we spill our blood?"
** Mrugnak examines his hand critically. "Mrugnak not want tiny finger toys." **
Richard: "As long as all there is are boots and rings sized for them, I agree."
Berkun: fast draw(knife) [3d6] => [2,5,5] = (12)
Berkun: Berkun's knife flashes threateningly!
** Ayake facepalms. **
Leprechaun: "I say, dear chap, what do you plan now? I thought we had an arrangement."
Mrugnak: "Blood oath. Dat good oath, no break dat."
Richard: "I don't think that is part of the ritual they were thinking of."
Leprechaun: "Well, we could do that. Or Liam could cast his Oath charm, that would be capital."
Berkun: "Charm?"
Leprechaun: "Wot?"
Berkun: "He can cast a charm? Of course, um... I think"
Richard: (( Thaumatology to have heard of the spell? ))
Leprechaun: "Capital, capital!" He gestures at you all. "Please, then, come to us. We will bind you to the Oath. Nil phobos, nil phobos - you can say your own words, so we won't be able to pull a scaly one on you. That would be a rotter of a thing to do!"
Leprechaun: "No, you say your Oath, and when we are satisfied with it, I will tell you where to go."
Leprechaun: "Oh, and the password, of course! As a rule, I have a good memory, but that is the sort of detail I forget in the heat."
Richard: "In exchange for the truthful location of your treasure and how safely recover it we agree to return half the gold and the magic rings and boots it contains to you."
Richard: "Sound good to all?"
Berkun: "I Berkun the archer swear an oath to return half of the buried gold you spoke of, if we find it. And so we will the boots and rings."
Berkun: Berkun nods
Leprechaun: "Well, if you don't mind the bother, I'd prefer you promise to return everything you find in the secret alcove, less half the gold. Which I promise you again is at least 10 pounds of the stuff, so bring a large bag!"
Richard: "In exchange for the truthful location of your treasure and how safely recover it we agree to return half the gold, the magic rings and boots and any other mundane items it contains to you."
Mrugnak: "Mrugnak go smash der goblin an get der stuff, an get paid, an go buy lots weapon for Mrugnak people go smash dem ogres. An Mrugnak no get paid, Mrugnak do some smashin right here."
Richard: "better?"
Leprechaun: "I say, those oaths will not do. If there's any uncatalogued silver in there, you'd be able to take it all!"
** Ayake leans in. "It is clear you are not being completely honest with us, obake. That said, I will swear to return your family treasure to you, less half the gold found. Providing my companions and myself with the proper location of the treasure would only be in your interest." **
Richard: "silver is still a mundane item, even though it is valuable"
Leprechaun: "Well. It seems that instead of a bunch of rough and ready blokes, you are barristers with enough honesty to carry your steel openly!"
Leprechaun: "We'll keep a stiff upper lip then, and accept those others. Capital, capital!"
Mrugnak: "Wat you call Mrugnak?"
Berkun: "Hey, you are hiding silver from us..."
Richard: "I suspect they are hiding more than that."
Narrator: One of the other leprechauns stesp forward and begins chanting, gesturing, and circling the delvers.
Berkun: "Hey, no oaths before we agree on everything!"
Connell: "Barrister, barrister... that's lower than a soprano, right?"
Richard: "Very much lower"
Leprechaun: "What is the difficulty?
Berkun: "Barrister is someone who hangs out at bars"
Mrugnak: "Oh. Mrugnak do dat."
Berkun: "Are we letting them push this deal on us? Shouldn't we get both gold and silver? Half of each!"
Ayake: "Five. Pounds. Of Gold. Berkun."
Ayake: "You can live like a king for a year on that. What more do you *want*?"
Berkun: "All right, if *you* take their side!"
Berkun: "And what's a year, anyway..."
Berkun: Berkun shrugs
Richard: "I just don't want to run into any unexpected magic items, likely with a nasty curse on them"
Berkun: "Okay, okay... I swear like I said!"
Leprechaun: "That would be a right scaly thing to do, and I'm not rotter!"
Narrator: Liam the leprechaun finishes circling you and chanting.
Richard: "You're quite evasive about something you expect us to find though"
GM: You all feel a sudden snap! and are now bound to your oaths.
Leprechaun: "I say, you aren't exactly the King's Men, now are you?"
Richard: "I suspect some of us are more honest than they."
Richard: "The oath has been sworn, now fulfill you end to seal it."
Leprechaun: "Of course, of course! Nil desparadum, nil desparadum."
GM: (looking stuff up, hang on)
Berkun: "Right. We won't go back on a promise given once that bargainings done."
Leprechaun: The leader gives you a pained look. "Please don't use that word. We made an agreement." He pulls out a tiny scroll from his pouch and a tiny pair of glasses. "Now let me see. Yes, yes. Oh, capital! This should be kippers and fish for chaps like you!"
** Richard gets out a sheet of paper, quill and ink **
Leprechaun: "In the castle, go through the main keep doors. In the main hall, second door from the right on the south wall. Follow that corridor to the servants' quarter's door."
Mrugnak: "Wat word?"
** Richard writes down the directions **
** Richard waits for more **
Leprechaun: "Knock thrice on the third brick from the bottom on the left and say 'Sinead Siobhan'. Go through the passage that opens - you made need to crawl, it won't be sized for big'uns, I dare say! - and count 4 flagstones.
Leprechaun: "Then knock thrice again, say 'Deidre McCrohan is a delightful baby!' and Bob's your uncle."
Leprechaun: "We'll be waiting for you near here."
Berkun: "Do you have that written down, elf?"
Richard: "'Deidre McCrohan is a delightful baby!' is the second passphrase or will I need to say 'and Bob's your uncle' as well?"
Leprechaun: "Wot? No, don't be a tosser."
Richard: "Sorry, just making sure, I've heard of odder passphrases"
Leprechaun: "I merely meant that you'd be in like Finn."
Connell: "Finn is in?"
Richard: "Ah, quite so then"
Leprechaun: He gives Connell a look. "So, you're related to the other horny bloke?"
Mrugnak: "He cousin."
Richard: "mind if I check over your copy for spelling chap?"
** Connell nods. **
Leprechaun: "I am hardly surprised to have it confirmed."
** Richard scans the scroll the wee chap is holding, looking for errors **
Leprechaun: "I say, wot? You can look it over, but it won't get you out of a sticky widget." He passes it to Richard.
Narrator: The tiny scroll is shows a picture of a small leprechaun baby.
** Richard chuckles " nice glasses, they must show much that is unclear" **
Richard: (( are his glasses magic? ))
Leprechaun: "I say, this isn't the sort of thing we'd want just anyway to read."
GM: Yes, the glasses are magic.
Richard: "Aye, I request just a quick loan of them, you shall have them back directly"
Richard: "and I salute your thoughness"
Leprechaun: "It won't help. You have to have a lens on each eye. They're not for big'uns."
Richard: "how inconvenient"
Richard: (( spelling :( ))
** Richard hands the scroll back **
Leprechaun: "Maybe Bob isn't your uncle, then, but if it's all the same to you, I think me and mine shall be finding a new, ogre-free hiding place and waiting for you to return with what's left of the family treasure."
Richard: "Well, if that's all there is on the scroll then you can get to it"
Ayake: ((IIRC, our camp isn't actually far from here?))
Narrator: The leprechauns pick up the body of their dead compatriot and scurry off.
Ayake: ((Like, with our guards and stuff?))
GM: No, you were marching to the Valley and Aewyn hadn't said "this is as close as we go" when you heard screaming.
Ayake: Right.
Ayake: I was going to offer them the safety of our camp 'till we returned.
Ayake: But they scurried off!
Ayake: So.
Richard: "I really hope there's only one castle in the valley"
GM: So now what?
Richard: "Well, who knows the way?"
** Ayake looks to Berkun, then points back towards the hirelings. "We had best get a camp set up and then head into the valley." **
Richard: "Away from this dismal place I hope"
Richard: Lets go!
Mrugnak: Goblin smashers, away!
Ayake: So, I believe our goal was to run this like something of a covert op.
Berkun: "Right, no problem.Just let's keep out of sight, still... The goblins gate is still before us!"
Ayake: Sneaking into the valley, killing everything quietly, hiding the traces, maybe starting a war.
Berkun: yes, mask the camp, hide traces of it when we leave!
Mrugnak: ...
Mrugnak: *checks out Mrugnak's character sheet again*
Richard: lets get to a better camp site first
** Richard volunteers to camouflage the camp **
Mrugnak: Oh hey. Stealth. 12. +1 for Blessed, -a zillion and one for encumbrance and hugeness.
Berkun: Berkun has no problem with Richard helping, though he'll look if it's done as it should be, or he'll correct it
GM: Okay.
Richard: A joint effort then
GM: You head back off over hill and vale with Aewyn in the lead.
GM: After a few hours she points at the large hill in front of you. Just over said large hill, the sky is mysteriously and inexplicably dark.
Aewyn: "This path leads to the Shrouded Valley. All manners of greenskins reside within, likely planning murder and mayhem against all decent people. Only fools would go any closer to it.
Aewyn: "So I will take the others back this way, and you no doubt will go on.
Berkun: "Night reigns over this place unchallenged... What a grim locale..."
Aewyn: "You have paid us for 3 weeks. So we will wait another 9 days. Have you not returned by then, I will lead my fellows back to the safety of the walls of Polisberg, and we will hoist pints in your memory."
Ayake: "Successful fools are deemed heroes, whereas unsuccessful heroes are deemed fools. We will see you in nine days."
Narrator: The retainers head off to find a campsite.
Narrator: Ahead of you, a narrow road, well-maintained, zig-zags back and forth up the steep hillside. Somewhere on the ridge line, you can barely make out grey stone walls.
Richard: "So, you know a secret way in, right?"
Berkun: "Let's avoid foolishness then."
Berkun: "And no, I'm afraid we only got a good plan."
** Ayake looks cheerful. "Nope." **
Richard: "lead on then"
Berkun: "But before we decide on how it actually going to look, we need reconnaissance..."
Richard: "who is your usual scout?"
Berkun: "Richard, can you sneak up on beings well enough? Well enough to touch a deers antler's before it startles away?"
Berkun: "If not... I'm the one that will go."
Richard: has a mighty stealth 15
Berkun: "If worst happens, have an ambush prepared..."
Berkun: Berkun has but 14...
Berkun: "You're elf... you have a step light like no one..."
Berkun: "I'll prepare you so you won't get seen or scented, you'll go..."
Richard: "Fair enough, let me leave my armor with you, the mail would make too much noise"
GM: Did I miss some kind of "any we're doing this" at the end of that exchange?
** Richard takes off his armor and puts the sleeves and legs back on after **
Mrugnak: Hm?
Ayake: I think it's Richard making a Stealth check and going ahead to scout, with Berkun having a pretty good reason for being able to provide help.
Richard: (( I have kind of mismatched armor, some mail, some leather ))
Mrugnak: Berkun is helping Camouflage Richard too, I think.
Berkun: Berkun is going to stick branches over Richard, smear his face with dirt and pour some urine over his clothing.
Berkun: (if this gets into the quotes...:D)
Richard: [3d6.skill(17,0)] => [4,1,5] = 10 vs (17) or less Success! by 7 for helping camouflage myself
Berkun: camouflage[3d6.skill(14,0)] => [1,1,6] = 8 vs (14) or less Success! by 6 
Berkun: And then Berkun will prepare himself too. Berkun will be acting as a backup scout...
GM: Alright, you're in a stinky but primitive ghillie suit. Now what?
Berkun: camouflage self [3d6.skill(14,0)] => [3,6,6] = 15 vs (14) or less Failure! by 1 
Berkun: luck
Berkun: camouflage self [3d6.skill(14,0)] => [6,1,2] = 9 vs (14) or less Success! by 5 
Berkun: camouflage self [3d6.skill(14,0)] => [4,5,5] = 14 vs (14) or less Success! by 0 
Richard: [3d6.skill(15,0)] => [4,5,5] = 14 vs (15) or less Success! by 1 to sneak up and look for ways past the wall
Berkun: "Now we need to have a layout of the terrain in our heads, know how many enemies there are and what's important, whether they change and how often."
Richard: there any other hills with a good view of the top of this one?
Berkun: "Remember, we're aiming to get inside without announcing our presence. We're going to have to get rid of the corpses and make it look that the goblins just left..."
GM: How far away do you want to go? Nothing is as tall within a mile.
Berkun: Berkun sneaks after Richard, keeping 25 yards between them
Richard: "Or find a pace we can slip through undetected
Berkun: If Berkun's elven mail makes any noise, he'll remove it. If it's silent, he'll rather keep it.
Berkun: And I think we'll go as close as possible...
Berkun: Sticking to whatever offers cover. Even a lone tree is good.
GM: You guys should be on the new map.
Berkun: Plus, one can climb it
GM: There's no cover.
Mrugnak: (( finished loading! ))
Richard: (( it's only silent if you bought the "thieves" option ))
GM: Someone has gone through painful effort to cut down every tree within a hundred or so yards of the ridgeline and uproot the stumps.
Berkun: (Berkun has no mail on him then.)
Berkun: (too dangerous to make noise here!)
GM: The top of the ridge is dominated by a massive wall, about 15 yards/meters tall. It has battlements.
GM: The road itself leads to a narrow passage between two large outbuildings.
Richard: can we see lookouts up there?
Berkun: farther than the visible battlements, are there mountains?
Berkun: or more wall?
GM: There are goblins with bows on the walls, every 20-25 yards.
GM: The walls continue along the ridgeline in both directions.
GM: It looks like the Shrouded Valley is in the middle of several hills, and the walls run along the hill peaks.
GM: As far as you can tell, these are the only gates.
Richard: I look to see how many in each group and if they patrol
GM: The outbuildings have arrow slits in them, and ballistae on the roof with overhead protection.
GM: The archers are alone, carrying bows with arrows knocked but not drawn.
GM: They're basically standing there.
Berkun: and as far as we can see, there are goblins on the walls? Berkun strains his eyes, trying to see if there isn't any less protected part of the fortification
GM: But there's one every 25 yards for a few miles, essentially, especially if the walls ring the top of the entire valley.
GM: "There are goblins with bows on the walls, every 20-25 yards."
Berkun: hmm...
Berkun: and the gate?
GM: Also, both of you roll stealth.
GM: The gate is wood reinforced with iron, about 20' tall, two narrow doors.
Richard: [3d6.skill(15,0)] => [4,4,1] = 9 vs (15) or less Success! by 6 stealth (+for camo?)
GM: There's a stone bridge above it.
Berkun: stealth [3d6.skill(14,1)] => [3,4,4] = 11 vs (15) or less Success! by 4 plus whatever camouflage bonus there can be
GM: No, camo just makes you harder to spot.
GM: Likely murder holes, in the bridge, and maybe a portcullis.
Richard: I'm looking for a spot only one or two goblins will be able to see due to terrain
Berkun: As far as I'm concerned, we can wait to see if the guards change, or if they at least go to eat or something. If they eat, drink and do everything else on their posts, that's trouble...
GM: Okay.
GM: The guards change every few hours. Some guards walk out of the outbuildings, others just appear on the walls (presumably from stairs set in the backside of the walls). They chat briefly with the guy they're relieving, and then the off-duty sentry heads in.
GM: Roll stealth again.
Berkun: stealth [3d6.skill(14,1)] => [3,6,5] = 14 vs (15) or less Success! by 1 
Richard: [3d6.skill(15,0)] => [5,3,4] = 12 vs (15) or less Success! by 3 stealth
Berkun: so, how much goblins do we assume can be in those outbuildings?
Berkun: how much goblins can be reasonably stuffed inside?
GM: Well, they're about 5-6 stories, 15 yds by 20 yds... probably 600 goblins if you put them at maximum capacity. Plus any basements. Or anybody living in additional buildings concealed by the wall.
Berkun: After seeing enough, Berkun will wait for Richard to realize it's time to get back...
Richard: I'll head back if I think I have the lay of the land
GM: Alright, you slip back down the hill without incident.
Richard: can I see the bastilae?
Berkun: how many goblins were attending the ballistae when we were scouting?
GM: You could see them from the edge of the tree line (100 yards away) but not the base of the hill (much further).
GM: No one was attending the ballistae when you were watching.
Ayake: So I think the delvers spend some time discussing tactics.
Mrugnak: Apparently!
Richard: what time is it now?
Ayake: Note:
Ayake: Goblins may see in the dark.
Ayake: I don't remember.
Richard: I think they do
Ayake: So there's no real reason to wait for cover of darkness.
Ayake: High noon?
Ayake: High noon.
GM: And the edges of the shroud envelope the wall, so that's all -3 dim light. The downslope of the hill is lit normally.
GM: It's probably dark by the time Richard and Berkun complete their scouting run.
Berkun: oh, we left our mule behind, by the way?
GM: Of course. At the campsite.
Mrugnak: uh, isn't it always dark in the Shrouded valley?
GM: You know where it is.
GM: Right, Mrugnak, but you're outside the valley now.
Berkun: okay
Mrugnak: I'm assuming from the size of the minis that these are Serious Balistae, not gastrophetes or anything that Mrugnak could sling like a crossbow.
Richard: "let me do some prep"
GM: They're pretty big.
GM: You would be helpful in prepping them quickly.
GM: Otherwise its minutes with a crank.
Mrugnak: Not goblin portable in any sense = not Mrugnak shoulderable. But duely noted that he's good gear for reloading them.
Ayake: Okay.
Ayake: So the plan is, Ayake is the distraction.
Ayake: Berkun and Richard are the covering fire.
Ayake: Connell and Mrugnak are the air support?
Richard: [3d6.skill(18,0)] => [3,6,3] = 12 vs (18) or less Success! by 6 for hang spell on Flight (20-8+3=15 when used) 
Ayake: ((I'm willing to gamble heavily on my rather high Parry Missile Weapons skill. :D))
Berkun: Well, Connell should be backup
Berkun: he can fly, but he can *also* cast spells
Berkun: and we need only one warrior per tower, we're heroes!
Ayake: Pretty much!
Berkun: do you both have alchemist fire, by the way?
Ayake: Alas.
Berkun: You can drop it down into the towers
Ayake: I have other things. >.>
Berkun: Berkun gives Ayake a phial of alchemist fire
Richard: [3d6.skill(18,-1)] => [6,4,4] = 14 vs (17) or less Success! by 3 for hang spell on Flight (20-8+3-1=14 when used) (I wanna fly too!)
** Richard recovers some energy **
GM: So you spend a minute casting and 20 minutes resting?
Richard: pretty much
GM: Okay.
Mrugnak: OK. I think we need to outline the entire plan from start to theoretical end because it's changed like three times in the planning.
Ayake: Okay.
Ayake: We wait for daylight.
GM: Please do it in this window.
Ayake: (That one's important. It's dark enough, we don't need pitch black.)
Richard: it's noon+21 mins
Richard: I thought
Connell: I am completely lost at this point.
Richard: wait, no
Ayake: I thought he said it was dark when we got back to camp.
Ayake: ...I'm going to roll Tactics!
GM: It's whatever time you want it to be, since you have the initiative.
Richard: yah, wait to hang stuff until morning
GM: ... I mean, you probably shouldn't wait 9 days or anything.
Richard: or whenever
Richard: heh
Ayake: Okay.
Ayake: So.
Ayake: Morning.
Ayake: Nobody talk 'till I'm done.
Ayake: Mrugnak and Connell will fly - people don't usually look *up*. Ayake will approach the walls stealthily.
Ayake: Ayake will scale the wall of the left tower at speed.
Ayake: At the same time, Mrugnak swoops in on the right tower and lands.
Ayake: Richard and Berkun provide covering fire for Ayake and Mrugnak, respectively - take out sentries.
Berkun: right!
Berkun: each of us covers one side
Ayake: Connell remains aloft, providing support to any of us that gets weakened.
Ayake: Or looks like we're getting overwhelmed.
Ayake: Sound good to everyone?
Richard: sounds like a plan
Mrugnak: Mrugnak flying though the air may be easier to spot than Connell flying through the air, fwiw.
Ayake: I'd like to roll Tactics!
Ayake: If we're using Tactics.
Mrugnak: People don't look up, but I'll be like the goodyear blimp. Only with axes.
GM: What are you rolling Tactics for? GM criticism of the plan? Extra rerolls?
Ayake: Extra rerolls.
Ayake: It's an opposed roll, but how good are goblin tactician?
GM: At the start of each session, one PC (the leader) can use Tactics to make plans, at a bonus equal to the number of party members who know the skill (or Soldier) and a penalty equal to party size. Success earns a reroll, plus additional rerolls equal to the margin of success. Rerolls can be used in combat situations by any party member, if the leader passes a Leadership roll. If the leader is unconscious, dead or otherwise disabled, other PCs may attempt the Leadership roll at -2, but only 1 roll can be made per reroll attempt. Failing the skill check wastes the reroll opportunity. 
GM: From "Better Leadership" in the house rules.
Ayake: Right.
Ayake: I have no Leadership.
Ayake: So buggre that for a gayme of soldiers.
Richard: who *is* leader?
GM: You could score yourself a bunch of rerolls!
Mrugnak: I think we're sort of in a Mob Rule situation.
GM: Well. Lenia was, until she became an agent of evil.
Mrugnak: Mordy sort of took charge after that :D
Richard: (( rabble rabble rabble ))
GM: Then Mordreona took over by general apathy.
Berkun: we're too undisciplined to fight in concert
Ayake: And now we're really a mob rule group.
Ayake: So.
Ayake: We have a plan!
Connell: Connell as Fast-Talk, that's like leadership.
Mrugnak: Mrugnak I think gets a +1 to Leadership for being big and able to yell at people. But he's retarded.
Richard: dear lord, we're doomed
Mrugnak: Yeah, Modreona was ruling by Fast-Talk too.
Ayake: We're never doomed.
GM: Richard has Tactics-9 and Leadership-10.
Ayake: We're merely living in interesting times.
GM: He's your perfect Lord Cardigan.
Ayake: I miss Lenia's Leadership-20.
Richard: I have strategy!
Mrugnak: Does he have an interesting filing system?
Mrugnak: That would totally revolutionize the records back home?
GM: Really? Roll it.
GM: Sure! Magic.
Richard: [3d6.skill(13,0)] => [2,2,2] = 6 vs (13) or less Success! by 7 
GM: Very well.
GM: So.
GM: Richard has hung his flight spells.
GM: What are other people doing?
Mrugnak: Sharpening my throwing axes!
Berkun: prepare a barbed arrow
** Ayake meditates for a few seconds, achieving a zenlike state in which pain and fatigue are meaningless. **
GM: ...
GM: Where are you guys doing all this?
Richard: I'm throwing up missile shield right before we go in
Ayake: Autohypnosis: [3d6.skill(14,+1-4)] => [5,6,6] = 17 vs (11) or less Critical Failure! [B556]
Mrugnak: Wherever we were camped and arguing about tactics.
Ayake: At our camp.
Mrugnak: Oops.
Ayake: And wow.
Richard: morning?
GM: Hmmm?
Ayake: So, a complete lack of zen on my part.
GM: Yeah, you can't reuse Autohypnosis for any reason for 1 hour. 
Richard: up= north?
GM: Jittery, I guess - you've never fought an entire army before.
Ayake: I'm looking forward to it too much to achieve true centredness of being!
Ayake: So!
** Connell attempts to turn into a chickadee. [3d6.skill(16,0)] => [3,3,4] = 10 vs (16) or less Success! by 6 **
** Connell folds up very small and becomes a small black-and-white bird. He flutters over and perches on Mrugnak's intact horn. **
** Richard casts missile shield on himself [3d6.skill(19,-2-5+3)] => [5,6,2] = 13 vs (15) or less Success! by 2 with loud words and lots of waving around **
** Mrugnak tries to turn his head to look at the birdie. "Hallo!" **
Richard: (( hmm, how do I track FT in this? ))
GM: You can just rest 6 minutes, y'know.
Richard: true
Ayake: ((OpenRPG - Chat Settings - Chat Window - IdleStatusAlias - you can change the text each time HP or FP change.))
Richard: ok, we all ready to go?
** Connell tweets. **
** Ayake nods. **
Berkun: right
** Richard activates flight on Mrugnak [3d6.skill(15,-1)] => [5,1,2] = 8 vs (14) or less Success! by 6 **
GM: Technically, you're at -3 on that...
GM: Er, -2. But whatever.
** Ayake begins running for the walls as people start floating. **
GM: Uhm.
GM: You guys are in camp.
GM: Canonically.
Richard: (( oops ))
GM: 'cause I asked, and you said so.
Ayake: Yeah.
Ayake: They're going to fly in.
Ayake: I need a head start.
GM: Camp is a mile away from the vale.
Ayake: That's a long run.
GM: 'cause that's where Aewyn sets up.
GM: I thought it might influence things, which is why I'm telling you and not making you run the most disjoint assault in history.
Ayake: Yeah.
Ayake: ((Ayake can almost run a three-minute mile.))
Ayake: But. We advance to, say, the convenient outer edge of this road?
Richard: so we all move to the nearest cover and let ayake stealth up
Mrugnak: Or sprint.
GM: Nearest cover is 100 yards away.
Mrugnak: Or whatever he's doing.
Mrugnak: That's better than camp.
Mrugnak: 100 yd dash is a popular olympic event, right? >.>
GM: I only drew the road to 60 yards, so he either stealths or we do math.
Ayake: Stealth!
GM: 100 yard dash isn't up a steep hill into arrow fire =)
Ayake: Stealth: [3d6.skill(15,+1)] => [2,3,3] = 8 vs (16) or less Success! by 8 
Ayake: I am ninja!
Berkun: stealth[3d6.skill(14,1)] => [1,6,4] = 11 vs (15) or less Success! by 4 
** Richard stealth [3d6.skill(15,0)] => [5,3,5] = 13 vs (15) or less Success! by 2 **
Ayake: Is the non-road terrain difficult at all?
Richard: (( +1 from what? ))
Ayake: ((Blessing.))
GM: The non-road terrain causes 2 MP to move closer to the wall. It's STEEP.
GM: The road doesn't cost extra, but you do have to take pretty windy course.
Richard: (( oops ))
Richard: (( was looking at ranges ))
GM: Richard is at the base of the road. Berkun and Ayake can be on either of the two bends.
GM: Actually, Richard can at either of the two bends, too.
GM: Are you guys moving together or separately?
Ayake: Like, there? O.o
GM: Right.
GM: Are you guys moving together or separately?
Ayake: I think that this is where I break cover and run for it, and we rely on the archers to take their insane range.
Ayake: So this is where we split up.
GM: Okay, are you moving up at the same time as you stealth toward the walls, or in sequence, and if so, what's the sequence?
Mrugnak: Flying guys are flying faster than land guys, I believe?
GM: Well, that depends.
Richard: wait, this is where our stealth got us to, yes?
GM: When does Richard set off the flying spell?
Ayake: I think the three land guys sneak, together, to this second bend.
GM: Before he starts slowly sneaking up?
Mrugnak: oops, Move 10 only on Flight.
Richard: yes
Mrugnak: Well at least the hill isn't trouble.
Mrugnak: Seeing as we're not fighting terrain, letting the land guys get a head start seems sensible. Makes it more likely we arrive more or less at the same time.
GM: It will take you about 4 minutes to sneak up to the last bend before you reach the castle.
GM: Just, y'know, thought you might care.
Ayake: Which is a lot of spell maintenance for the flight spell.
Richard: maint is 0
Ayake: Oh, well then.
GM: How do you figure?
Ayake: He took the -8 for it.
Ayake: Heh.
Richard: I took -8 to cast it for -3 FP
GM: No, that was for the Hang Spell. The roll to cast Flight was at -1.
Richard: costs 3 to maintain
GM: Cast Hang Spell immediately, the Hung spell at release time.
Richard: you roll for the spell when you use it but the effective skill was set when I cast hang spell
Richard: then I had the additional -2 for spells on
Ayake: Nope.
Ayake: You cast Hang Spell, costing the same cost as the base spell, and then cast the second spell immediately after.
GM: I still didn't see a -8 penalty (-10 with spells on) on the Flight spell check, which was " Richard activates flight on Mrugnak [3d6.skill(15,-1)" 
Ayake: Hang spell costs 'whatever Flight costs' to cast and maintain.
Richard: I have flight at 20
Ayake: Mark: He did make two spell rolls for Flight at -8.
GM: And I care because?
GM: No, he Hung 2 flight spells.
Ayake: Can we just say he cast both right before we began the assault, for simplicity's sake, without worrying about the fact that he bolocksed up the mechanics for Hang Spell entirely?
Richard: I messed up and it should have been (15, -2) there
Ayake: Because Hang's cost to cast *and maintain* is the same as the base spell.
Richard: but it was (20, -8+3 before)
GM: Ah, okay.
GM: Please make things easy for the GM! Thank you.
Ayake: Ted: Reread Hang Spell, on M128.
Richard: it's a bit odd since all the ritual stuff takes place when you do the hang spell
GM: ...
GM: kathinka kathinka kathunk.
GM: Ted's down 4 FP.
GM: Moving on.
GM: I think the more important issue, really, is that Richard was spotted as he came up the road.
GM: We'll leave it with this:
GM: Berkun, Ayake, and Richard are crawling up the hillside, slowing and gingerly, as sneakily as they can.
GM: Mrugnak and Connell at at the tree line, waiting patiently. Mrugnak is floating, Connell is a chickadee.
GM: As the lead 3 crawl, one of the sentries shouts out "Hae wolla wolla!" and points at Richard. Other sentries on the wall also start yelling.
GM: We'll start next session with the fighting, eh?
Berkun: and here we go!
Ayake: Sounds good to me.
Berkun: :)
Berkun: right!
Richard: ok